This is my first fanfiction so please be gentle. This will be a multi chapter fic that will tell what happened when Daryl returned to the prison after putting Merle down. I promise smut will ensue in later chapters so I am rating it as such! I hope you enjoy, Please review!

No one had to wonder what had happened to Merle when Daryl made it back to the prison. Rick had seen him from the cat walk through his rifle scope. Daryl stalked out of the woodline, bow on his back. He dispatched walkers between him self and the gate with his buck knife, not really looking up, just driving it in skulls up to the hilt and then kicking the bodies to the side.

Rick sprinted to the gate confident that the man would try to tear down the fence with his bare hands if it wasn't unlocked when he got there. Glenn jogged across the yard, joining them just as Rick slid open the gate just enough so Daryl could pass. They both stayed silent, seeing Daryl's face a mask of pure rage and anguish. His eyes were swollen and red, obviously from weeping even though they both knew he would never admit to that. Finding other places to look, Rick locked the gate back and Glenn ducked his head to stare at the ground.

Daryl raged past without acknowledgment. Every thing in his path became a target as he flipped a picnic table and threw pieces of cinderblock as far as he could while screaming at the top of his lungs. The language was the worst Rick had ever heard, even in his decade plus of being a deputy. Daryl cursed the Governor, detailing what he planned to do to the man, as if he stood before him.

"Rick, he's headed for the west tower. It hasn't been cleared since Maggie shot that sniper. She didn't take him in the head, the walker is still up there."

Rick sighed and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. "He's fine."

Daryl grabbed the edge of the raw sheet metal that had been leaned up against the tower door. Rick winced when he saw the bloody hand print on the door handle after Daryl threw the metal to the side, slammed the door open, and stomped up the steps into the darkness.

"Glenn, run in and get Carol, tell her to bring that medical bag she made up. I'm going back on watch."

"No! You're crazy! NOBODY needs to go near him right now!"

"I said get Carol! He's gonna hurt himself worse if he doesn't calm down at least a little! She's the only one who can get to Daryl when he's like this and she is the only one I know he won't hurt when he isn't thinking!"

TWDTWDTWDTWDTWDTWDTWD

Carol was laying Judith down for a nap when Glen ran up the metal steps to the landing that had become their make shift daytime nursery. He whispered to her for just a moment before her eyes widened and she snatched the backpack from under the playpen the baby was sleeping in. Carol took off, nearly tumbling down the steps in her haste.

Herschel looked up to the landing, silent question between him and the boy. Glenn swallowed, "Daryl's back..."

"And Merle?"

Glenn didn't answer, just giving his head a small shake.

"Is Daryl injured badly? Will she need my help?"

"No, it's stuff he's done to himself. He's gone crazy, cut his hand up bad. Rick said Carol was the only one Daryl wouldn't hurt while he is out of his mind right now but I..."

"He's right." the older man interrupted in a weary voice as he turned back to the scriptures he was reading.