After seeing the Woodbury bus drive into the prison everyone in the group was nervous, but gradually they understood and grew to like the new arrivals, but Daryl still wary to integrate himself with the new members of the group. Carol, on the other hand, was one of the first to welcome the Woodbury people. After all, it wasn't their fault that their leader was insane; they just didn't know the truth.

"Are you comfortable George?" Carol asked as she helped one of the elderly from Woodbury outside onto the prison yard. It had been a week since the Governor left and with nothing else to do, Glenn, Maggie, Daryl, and Michonne were able to clear up the whole prison yard in an afternoon, and now they were just working on securing the gates and clearing up the inside of the prison.

"Yes, Carol. The sun feels wonderful, and it's been a while since I have gotten some fresh air. That prison has been getting pretty stuffy lately." George smiled as he and Carol began walking through the field with his dark brown, leathery hand holding hers for support.

"Yeah Rick and the others are sorting that out now. Hopefully, we can get some more cells open or at least find a bigger space," Carol responded.

"Wonderful," George said as they reached the end of the field. There Tyrese, Sasha, and Daryl were hammering together wooden planks to create doors to replace the gate the Governor tore down. Right now they just had cars parked in front to keep the walkers out.

"Oh hey guys," Tyrese said as he was removing his hatchet from a zombie that got a little too close to the car. George winced a little at the sight, but everyone else was unfazed.

Carol smiled. "Hello Tyrese. Do you guys need any help back here?"

"We're fine thanks," Sasha said, looking back at the old man then to Carol. "You two should go back inside."

"I wanted to get some air," George replied, hoping that he wasn't upsetting anyone by doing so.

"She's right," Daryl said. He turned to Sasha and Tyrese. "You two take the old man back. I got it here."

"You sure?" Tyrese asked.

"Yeah. Sun's setting. We should put the " He turned to Carol. "Besides, you wanted to help right?"

Carol nodded, knowing that there was something on Daryl's mind that he wanted to talk to her about alone. "Yeah." She turned to Sasha and Tyrese. "You two take George back. I got it from here."

"Alright," Tyrese said, taking Sasha and George back to the prison.

Daryl watched them leave and once they were out of earshot began to work again. After hammering in the last plank He began to lift up the huge door. He nudged his head, indicating for Carol to follow him. He propped up the door on the car then picked up the large, strong wire.

"Watch my back," Daryl said as jumped on top of the car and handed Carol a pistol with a silencer.

Carol nodded then jumped over the hood of the car. After a few minutes of Daryl running the wire from the gate through a hole in the wooden wall, Carol broke the silence. "You three seem to be getting along."

"What?"

"You, Sasha, and Tyrese."

"Oh. I still don't trust 'em." After tightening the wire, he turned back to Carol. "And you shouldn't either."

"What do you mean?" she said defiantly.

"I mean, don't you remember what those people did to us!" Daryl yelled. Carol froze, knowing exactly what he was thinking about – Merle. After seeing the expression on Carol's face, Daryl stood back. "Sorry, I got worked up." Daryl jumped off the car to grab the other door. He propped it against the car again, covering his face. He didn't want to look at her. He knew what she must have been feeling, disgusted. He sighed, then stepped aside, finding to his surprise, Carol standing on the hood of the car.

Carol jumped off the car and stood in front of him, he eyes staring deeply into his. Daryl looked away, but he could still feel her unfaltering gaze. "He loved you Daryl, more than he could say. And Merle died because he loved you. He wanted to protect you from the Governor, not from them. It's not their fault he died. I talked to Sasha and Tyrese, they weren't even there when Merle attacked. Merle even killed a friend of theirs, but they have forgiven us. You should do the same for them." Carol's voice was steady, calming, but firm. It was Daryl's weakness. Every word that came out of her lips broke down Daryl's walls like a sledgehammer. He wanted to break down, fall to the floor, weep like a fucking baby, but he just stood there, staring at his feet in an empty gaze.

Carol took Daryl's hand like an anchor to bring him back to Earth. Daryl jumped at the contact. "I know you miss him, and that it doesn't seem like any of this is fair, but it is what is. It's no one's fault so we just have to keep moving, just keep moving and pretend nothing had happened. Because we need you to be….with us. Sometimes our feelings have to be pushed aside for the greater good." He looked up at her. She had a soft smile on her face, but he could see behind it that she was as broken as he was. Daryl respected her for that, although not many people saw it, Carol was one of the strongest of all of them, even maybe Rick. If Rick had lost Carl, he would have completely fallen apart, but Carol had lost everything, and still kept fighting.

For a while they just stood there, staring at each other. Daryl wanted to keep holding her, to hug her, maybe even…..something else. He just wanted to be with her, but he didn't have the ability to put it into words.

"Are you just gonna keep staring at me or are we gonna do this thing?" Carol winked, then began to break down laughing.

Daryl chuckled. "Shut up."

As usual, during dinner Daryl was sitting alone on the staircase of Cell Block C, eating while watching the others talk and laugh around him. It wasn't because they were personally alienating him, he just usually didn't feel like talking lately, and they all knew why, so they gave him some space. Usually he would quickly gobble up all of his food in a few minutes, but today he was barely touching his food. He looked up and saw Carol. She was talking with Tyresse and Sasha. Daryl frowned, he still didn't trust them, but Carol's words were still running through his head. 'Sometimes our feelings have to be pushed aside.' The image of her face was flashing through his head, her fake smile, every line on her face which was trying hard to hide her pain, and the soft light in her eyes.

"What's wrong? You don't like canned refried beans and spam?" Daryl quickly turned his head. It was the old man who was walking with Carol today. What was his name again? "Name's George, if you're wondering." Without an invitation, the man sat down on the stair next to Daryl.

"Hey," Daryl replied. He felt uncomfortable. None of the other Woodbury people had the balls to actually talk to him before. He guessed they were just nervous around a strange, crossbow-toting redneck. "Whatcha want from me?" he asked wondering if the man's bed in his cell was broken or something.

"Just to enjoy your company," George replied. Daryl frowned. Now it was getting really weird. George saw his expression then chuckled. "Actually that's a lie. I came to talk to you." Daryl raised an eyebrow, but kept eating, not looking at George. "Carol told me about your brother."

Daryl froze. "She did, did she?" he said coldly.

"I have never met Merle in person, but as you can imagine, gossip went around quickly in Woodbury. From what I heard he wasn't the most...affable person." Daryl scoffed. That was an understatement. "But Carol told me how he died." George put a hand on Daryl's knee. "I'd like to say that I'm sorry for your loss."

Daryl looked at George then stood up. "Thanks."

"Wait," George said, grabbing onto Daryl's shirt. "There's something else."

Daryl turned around, a little annoyed. "Yeah?"

George looked at him with a grave expression. "It's about time that you man up."

"Excuse me?" Daryl asked, slightly offended.

"Carol needs it. In the short time I've known her I came to found out that she is a strong woman, but with all she's been through, she needs someone to be there for her. I know you do to, and she has been there for you, but she need some kind of recognition for that. You need to show her that you are there." Daryl thought of Carol's words earlier; 'we need you to be with us'. He didn't think that she could be talking about herself. "Besides," George added. "Carol is a charming and beautiful woman, which is hard to come by, especially today. If you don't see that, I guarantee that someone else will." He nudged across the room. Daryl turned around to see Carol and Tyrese talking without Sasha, both smiling and laughing. "Your window might be closing."

Carol was smiling, thinking about a joke Tyrese had said, as she was folding her clothes before getting ready for bed. Then she began to hear quiet footsteps getting closer to her cell. She turned her head to find Daryl standing in the doorway, crossbow at his side. "Aren't you supposed to be on watch?" Carol asked playfully.

Daryl shrugged. "Maggie and Glenn took over for me."

Carol smirked. "I don't think they'll get a lot of watching done."

"There ain't much to watch out there. It gets pretty boring."

"Well then maybe I'll join you sometime."

Daryl smiled. He didn't want to admit it, but he would actually like that. He sat down on the bunk bed as Carol continued to fold clothes. "The Governor's still out there you know."

Carol sighed. "I know."

"He might come back one day."

"I know," she replied again, not sure why he was saying this.

"When he does..." Daryl swallowed. He wasn't too good with this mushy stuff. "I'll be here. I ain't gonna end up like Rick. I ain't gonna disappear."

Carol looked at him. "I know you won't."

"That's something we have in common I guess."

"Guess we do." Carol smiled genuinely. It was beautiful. Daryl thought about what George said. He understood now and he knew now more than ever that he didn't want his window to close. "I suppose I'll go to bed now," Carol responded as she folded that last piece of clothing then put it on top of the bunk bed. When she was done she looked at Daryl with strange look he hadn't seen before. It was that of yearning. She was begging him for...something. Something to prove what he felt. Something to show that their connection wasn't just in her head. Something to give her permission to feel again.

But it didn't come. She looked at the floor, a little embarrassed. "You mind?" she asked.

"Oh sorry," he said, equally embarrassed. He could feel it, his shot fading away. Daryl got up and continued to walk out of the cell, but as he got to the doorway, he saw her standing there, staring at the floor. He wanted to stay so much. He wanted to say everything he felt about her. He hated himself for not having the ability to.

But she needed to know. He quickly ran over and held her, wrapping his arms around her waist, and propping his head in the corner between her head and right shoulder. She was tense at first, but quickly melted in his arms. She felt so warm in his arms. "Thank you," Daryl whispered. Then he quickly released her to save himself from further embarrassment. After that he ran out of her room, not looking back at her, then back to his own cell. He laid in bed all night, but he could barely sleep. All he could think about was how wonderful it was to hold her, even just for one sweet second.

Tell me what you think and if I should continue with the story.

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