The look of disappointment across everyone's face was unbearable to Carol, and the fact that the man who had put so much hope into her, had his arms around her, made her ill. Her faith had been shaken, her hope had been torn out of her arms. She looked like Sophia, but how could this be? How could she be dead? Everyone stood and watched as Sophia got closer to them, at this point, Carol would be happy to let her eat her. Rick walked toward the little girl, who once had so much life in her, who he had searched day and night for, who was now just a monster. He brought his gun up to her before the little girl had a chance to get any closer, Rick fired a shot that everyone could feel in their heart, and she fell down, and died once more. Carol found it hard to stand up, but she needed to be anywhere but where she was. She stood up, Daryl tried to calm her. "Don't stand up, don't move." She pushed herself violently out of the mans arms, and ran away.

She didn't care where she was going. She didn't care if she got swarmed by zombies. She failed her daughter, she wanted to die, she deserved to die. She hadn't been walking far when she came across a patch of familiar flowers. A stupid fucking Cherokee rose patch. She nearly fell on her ass in the middle of the flower patch. She started pulling the flowers apart, there were thorns on the stems, but she didn't care. Her arms filled up with blood and dirt. Soon she was bawling her eyes out, not because of the pain of the thorns, but the pain at the fact she knows she could have done better for her daughter, her sweet Sophia. She had destroyed the flower patch. She was dazed and out of it. She stood up and started walking back to the farm. She weakly walked out of the bushes scaring the shit out of Shane. He was the last person she expected to rush to her aide, and clean her up. He lent out his condolences, but it didn't mean anything to her.

Later on she was in the R.V, lost in her own thoughts and doubt when Daryl walked cautiously through the R.V door with Lori, both with the intent to inform her of Sophia's funeral. Lori sat across from Carol. "We're ready." Carol looked out of it.

"Why?" Daryl looked concerned and jumped in.

"'Cause that's your little girl." Carol shook her head.

"That's not my little girl." Lori and Daryl both looked at each other, like Carol was insane, or in denial. Carol noticed this, and decided to clarify. "It's some other... thing." Lori wanted to hug Carol, and Daryl wanted to do the same thing, although he would never admit it."My Sophia was lost in the woods. All this time, I thought. But she didn't go hungry. She didn't cry herself to sleep. She didn't try to find her way back." Daryl and Lori had no idea what she was getting at."Sophia died a long time ago." Daryl back away, as far away from the two he could. "Sophia was gone, and we all wasted time looking for her, just like Shane said... We were looking for a girl who was already dead." Lori stepped forward, and put her hand on Carols shoulder.

"Carol..." Carol pushed Lori's hand off.

"No! You don't get to do that! Make Rick feel like a failure, drive Shane insane, go watch your damn son." Lori stepped back, and held in her tears, she knew Carol was upset, she wasn't mad at her. Daryl got pissed off and stepped forward.

"Carol! She's just tryin' to help!" Carol let out a cruel laugh.

"Haven't you done enough Daryl?" His eyebrows raised. "Call me a stupid bitch for trying to except my daughters dead, show me a patch of roses that don't mean anything!" Carol threw the beer bottle that had the roses in them at the ground. "I was excepting it! You took that away from me and made it so much worse!" Daryl was feeling uncomfortable and hot, he wanted to yell in this woman's face, but now wasn't the time. Carol pointed at the door. "You both have a funeral to go to don't you? Just get out." She had been containing her tears. They both wanted to stay, but they exited the R.V, and as soon as they did, she hit her head against the table and broke down in tears.

It quickly grew into night and Carol could barely stand to be laying down one more second. She stepped out of the R.V and went for a walk. The night wasn't as cold as it had been for the past few nights. She walked over to Sophia's grave, and Daryl was there too. He looked surprised to see her, but truth be told, he wasn't. He knew she would go, on her own terms. He noticed her shiver, he awkwardly put on arm around her, to allow her to feel his body warmth. She didn't pull away, but she was just as uncomfortable as him. She looked up at Daryl. "Daryl about earlier...-"

"When ma' brother was left behind, I wasn't no picnic either, I get it." Carol nodded. "Do ya have anythin' ya need to say?" Referring to the fact that they were standing at Sophia's grave. Carol stood upright.

"I'm sorry I didn't follow you into the forest, I'm sorry you had to become a monster and I'm..." Her emotions had taken over. "I'm sorry I failed you as a mo-" She coughed back her tears, and bit her lip. "Failed you as a mother." Daryl gripped her closer. He let her stay there as long as she needed, and then walked her back to the R.V.

(-)

A couple of days had gone by. Daryl had some anger in his head about Sophia, and everything Carol had said. Carol took note to Daryl pulling further away from the group each day, she decided to go and check up on him, she was reluctant and scared, and Daryl Scared the crap out of her by sneaking up on her. "What're you doin'?" She put on a brave face.

"Keeping an eye on you."

"Aint you a peach?" Daryl snorted.

"I'm not going to let you pull away." Daryl pfft'ed "You've earned your place." She pleaded

"If you spent half your time minding your daughters business, instead of sticking your nose in everybody Else's shed still be alive!" Carol kept up her strong face.

"Go ahead." Daryl's eyes squinted and he took a step back.

"Go ahead and what?" Carol stayed in her position standing tall. "Jus' go! I don't want you here!" Daryl turned to walk away, and noticed she was still standing, and not leaving. "You're a real piece of work lady" he said pointing his finger at her. "What are you going to make this about my daddy or some crap like that?" he snorted again. "Man you dunno jack!" he stepped closer to her. "You're afraid! You're afraid cause' your all alone. You got no husband, no daughter. You don't know what to do with yourself." He started getting louder. "And you aint my problem. Sophia wasn't mine! All you had to do was keep an eye on her!" He stepped forward, and rose his hand to hit her, she flinched a little bit, but thought, if this is what you need, go ahead, I can take it. Daryl stepped back, and realized what he had just done.

"Yeah.."

(-)

The next week or two, things had only gotten more awkward and the kid that Rick had rescued has only brought problems. Daryl had been beating him for that past two hours. Carol picked up some rags, and a cup of water when she saw Daryl exit the barn with his bloody fists. She saw Daryl blowing off Carl, and she shook her head at it, she waited for Carl to walk away to talk to held onto the rags. "Couldn't hit me so you beat up a kid, is that who you are now?" Daryl shook his head.

"He ain't no kid. Do a lot worse then hitting you if you gave him a chance." Carol rolled her eyes.

"That's not what this is about and you know it."

"I don't need this." Daryl started to argue, and Carol shut him up quick.

"Don't pretend like you don't care. You want your friendship back, take it! Every kind and smart thing you said, take it all back. I don't care, I've lost worse" The whole time she was speaking, he felt like he was in trouble, and he felt sorry for how he had been treating her. She walked away, and all he wanted to do was chase her. Soon he would get that chance.

(-)

When the farm had got overrun, Daryl had expected that Rick would get everyone out safe, but when he heard a bone chilling scream, one that belonged to someone he cared for, he had to go back ad get her, dead or alive. He drove back to the farm and saw her running, hopelessly, he ordered her on his motorcycle and she had no complaints. They where driving for nearly ten minutes, they had escaped the farm. Carol started screaming at Daryl to pull over. He tried to ignore her, but she started hitting his shoulders, so he complied. When he pulled over, she jumped off the motorcycle, and started freaking out. Daryl hopped off the motorcycle and Carol went on in a rant. "Daryl... Thank you, I don't know what I would have done, or how I would have done it! I would have died thats what!. I cant believe..." She kept going and Daryl was getting annoyed."I thought you hated me and I hated myself for being so mean and I just... I really meant what I said... I cant lose you too!" Those were five words mixed into a sentence Daryl had never heard from anyone besides Carol. He looked around for walkers, and cautiously went and hugged Carol. She started sobbing in his arms. He rushed her back on the bike, when he saw a few walkers.

Daryl remembered this, as soon as he defended Rick, and his honor. Carol just sat there, and Daryl sat with her, neither of them knew that they would be living on their toes for the next 8 months.