A/N: Finally got this last little bit done. :D

Thanks for checking out the last chapter. There is more in this chapter but I found myself going a little more deeply towards the end. I think ultimately that's not a bad thing as a prequel for the more serious 'Echoes'. I've peppered in some of the ideas I have gone on and explored in the sequel.

I just caught the comic con Season 4 preview trailer and have to say it looks awesome! I love that they're going back to the undead being a bigger threat and there seems to be a lot going on. I think it was a good idea to add more people to the canvas, even though I was initially side-eyeing it. I loved our little group and they'll always be my faves but it was getting too small and you needed get away from the insular take we were getting on them. I think Rick's revelation that we can't get by without people at the end of S3 and having him take in the new people was very indicative of the same wall the show itself had backed itself up against. S4 looks to be very promising and I saw a lot of Carol, front and centre and sharing scenes with Daryl and Rick which I'm pretty happy about. :D

So much so it makes me want to write another TWD fic... but I don't have a solid idea of a story. Maybe a one shot here or there but I usually don't prefer one shots. I like to settle into a world and move around a bit. Oh well, we'll see.

Anyways, here is the last part of this little prequel. Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading, as always.

Chapter Two

Rick ran to catch up with the woman in front of him. "Carol, wait," he called out to her.

Carol stopped and turned around. She smiled. "Hey Rick, what's up?"

Rick took her elbow and led her into the shade of the guard tower and out of the heat of the Georgian midday sun. "Can I have a quick word with you?"

"Of course."

Rick glanced over at the cellblock and then back at her. "Should I be worried 'bout this thing between Daryl and Axel?" he asked seriously.

Carol wrinkled her nose. "I don't think so."

"Daryl was chasing the guy down with an axe yesterday," Rick pointed out.

"Well, Axel had just accidentally nearly shot me with Daryl's crossbow and then he banged Daryl in the face with the thing."

Rick closed his eyes. "Are you serious?"

"I think between that and the kitchen incident, Daryl was just on edge."

"The kitchen incident?" Rick quizzed her.

Carol sighed. "It really was an accident."

oooOOOOooo

Carol looked up as Axel walked into the room. "Dinner's not ready yet," she cautioned him. "I've only just started."

"That's okay," said Axel, "can I help?"

Carol shook her head. "No, I'm under control, thanks." She poured some oil into a fry pan.

Axel wasn't to be put off. "I'll light the burner for you," he said, always eager to help.

Carol went to tell him there was no need but Axel was already grabbing the matches and turning on the gas on their little camping gas burner. The blue flame flickered into life and Axel reached for the fry pan. "Here." He went to take the fry pan off Carol and put it onto the flame but instead he caused the oil to slop over the sides and splash onto Carol's t-shirt. Axel pulled a face and quickly went to make amends. "Sorry," he said hastily, shoving the fry pan onto the lit gas plate and then grabbing up a cloth to wipe down Carol. In his haste, Axel managed to drag the cloth across the flame on the burner and before Carol could react, he was pressing the lit rag to her chest. The oil caught fire and suddenly Carol's shirt was alight. She barely had time to gasp in a shocked breath when Axel was immediately beating at the small fire to put out the flames. They extinguished just as quickly as they'd started and Carol was still in a state of shock as Axel continued slapping at her chest. "It's okay, it's out," said Axel quickly. "No harm done."

Carol realised she hadn't been burnt, thanks to Axel's quick hands but it was still an odd feeling to be on fire like that.

Just then Daryl chose to walk into the room. Axel froze in place, his hands unwittingly ending up on Carol's breasts.

"What. The. Hell?" bit out Daryl, his expression darkening menacingly as he took in Axel's hands resting on Carol's breasts.

Axel seemed incapable of movement, like a deer caught in headlights. "They were on fire," he said hastily, eyes wide.

"Get your hands off her," Daryl ground out through gritted teeth.

Axel looked back at his hands and seemed surprised to see they were on Carol's breasts. He jerked his hands away as though her breasts were still on fire.

Carol could see Daryl was struggling to know how to react to this situation. "They really were on fire," she told him, hoping to defuse some tension with an explanation.

Daryl looked was one of confused scepticism. "Why were your, ah, your, um-" he appeared to be having trouble with the word so Daryl skipped it. "Why were you on fire, Carol?"

Axel hastily spoke up. "It was an accident."

"How do you accidentally set a woman alight?" snapped Daryl.

Axel gave a nervous little laugh. "It's kinda a funny story really." He then saw the way Daryl was glowering at him. "But maybe you had to be there," finished off Axel, looking uncomfortable.

"The important thing is I'm fine," said Carol cheerfully. "No harm done."

Daryl's jaw hardened. "No, the important thing is that dumbass here set you on fire in the first place, Carol," he snapped.

"I mentioned it was an accident, right?" asked Axel meekly.

Daryl looked anything but appeased. "Go… away." He ground out each word with particular menace.

Carol gave an encouraging smile to Axel. "Maybe you should go, Axel. I can handle the rest of the preparation for dinner by myself."

"You sure?"

"You deaf as well as dumb?" snapped Daryl, glaring death at the other man.

Axel backed up, hands up in front of himself in an expression of appeasement. "Sure thing, only tryin' to help." He edged past a glowering Daryl. Once he was a safe distance from Daryl and close enough to the door, Axel seemed to relax a little, a bright smile back on his lips. "Not for nuthin', Carol," he said, eyeing her breasts appreciatively, "but you got yourself a nice perky pair there."

Daryl made an aggressive movement towards the man who didn't know when to stop talking. Axel scampered out of the room as though the devil himself was on his tail and by the look on Daryl's face, he may has well been. Carol put her hand to her mouth to hide a smile. She sensed Daryl wasn't in a laughing mood. He never seemed to be when it came to Axel.

Daryl turned back to her, his expression dark. "Is it true what dumbass said?"

Carol managed to keep a straight face… just. "Yes, it's true, I do have fantastically firm breasts."

Daryl's face flushed beet red and Carol always found it beyond amusing how easy this rough-looking redneck was to tease. "I meant about bein' on fire," he said tersely.

"Oh," said Carol with feigned innocence, "that. Yes, that's true too."

Daryl made a low growling noise. "What the hell is wrong with that idiot?"

Carol gave a little shrug. "Axel is kind of like a puppy. He can't help himself. Accidents seem to love him."

"If he was the one gettin' hurt, I wouldn't give a crap," growled Daryl.

"You hungry? Dinner's not far away." Carol re-lit the burner, this time with no incidence. The oil began to heat.

"Don't change the subject," he grumbled.

"Axel is a part of our group," said Carol simply. "There isn't too much else to talk about. We all just got to learn to get along."

Daryl didn't look convinced. "Then Axel better learn how to stop bein' a dumbass," he said tersely.

Carol wrinkled her nose, wondering if such a thing was even possible.

oooOOOOooo

"Axel set your breasts on fire?" repeated Rick slowly, clearly struggling with the concept. "I don't even know what to say to somethin' like that."

"They were more singed then on fire," Carol clarified.

"Now I'm startin' to worry 'bout the man around you." Rick made a pained expression. "Carol, be honest with me, you worried 'bout havin' Axel round?"

"No," she said honestly, "I'm not." Carol grimaced. "Although I don't think he's great for Daryl's stress levels. He seems to take every little accidents of Axel's pretty personally."

"That's because they seem to keep on involving you," pointed out Rick.

Carol felt a little blush heat her cheeks but ignored it. "We're all real invested in keeping each other safe. Axel is going to find his place in the group, just like we all have. He just needs some time."

"I guess," said Rick slowly. "Just do me a favour and try not to spend too much time around the guy, okay? He's no good for you."

Carol's lips twitched. "Yes, Dad."

Rick had the grace to look a little embarrassed. "You know what I mean."

"I do," said Carol evenly, "but honestly, we've all got bigger problems to worry 'bout then Axel."

"I would have said the same thing until I heard about the crossbow and fire story." Rick rolled his eyes. "The guy's a one man apocalypse."

Carol laughed. "He means well."

"I don't reckon I'd feel any better dyin' at the hands of someone who means well anymore than someone who was intendin' to do me harm," said Rick laconically. "Dead is dead."

"Except when it's not," Carol countered. "It's a new world, Rick and there aren't many of us left. We got to make room for all sorts. It's just how things are now. Axel will find his feet. It'll be fine."

"I hope so," said Rick sincerely, "but you tell me if there are any more close calls."

"There won't be," said a confident Carol.

Rick half-smiled. "Well now," he drawled, "that sounds like famous last words if ever I heard them." His face became more serious as he placed a concerned hand on Carol's arm. "You just take care to look after yourself, Carol. I ain't gonna lose another mother."

Carol blinked back sudden tears at hearing herself called that. She forced a wobbly smile. "I'm gonna be fine, Rick," she said shakily. "Turns out I'm a survivor." Carol gave a lift of her shoulders. "Who'd have thought it?"

"I guess we're all surprisin' ourselves these days," said Rick sombrely. "What we are capable of, what we can endure."

Carol covered Rick's hand with her own. "You know, anytime you want to talk 'bout Lori or anythin', I'm right here. You know that, right?"

Rick looked away briefly and then back at her, eyes suspiciously bright. "I can't," he choked out, "cause if I start-"

"You're worried you won't be able to stop," Carol finished for him, knowing the pain of a grief which threatened to consume you utterly. "I understand." Her expression was sincere. "But one day, Rick, you're gonna wake up and you're gonna need to talk and when that day comes, I'm here if you need me."

Rick nodded and managed a smile. "Thanks." His eyes flicked past Carol and she twisted around to see Daryl approaching, crossbow strap slung across his chest. Rick's attention was back on Carol. "You just remember what I said."

Carol smiled. "I will."

Daryl was caught up with them now, coming to stand by Carol. The two men exchanged short nods of the head and then Rick was heading out.

Daryl's look was intent. "You okay?"

Carol quickly blinked back her threatening tears. "I'm fine."

He frowned. "You don't look fine."

Rick's unexpected comments about her still being a mother had caught Carol off-guard. She knew he was being sincere and sweet but it was like the pain from bumping a wound unexpectedly, it kind of took your breath away. Sophia's loss was a wound Carol carried with her every moment of every day and even wanting to have that wound heal up felt like a betrayal of the little girl's memory. But none of that was Daryl's fault or his look out to fix. Some things were always going to be broken. Carol made sure her smile was warm for Daryl. "Flatterer," she teased him, hoping to lighten the mood.

"You know what I mean," Daryl grunted, looking away.

"I do." Carol nudged him with her shoulder. "Lucky for you, I speak Daryl Dixon."

Daryl looked back at her and gave a little snort of half derision and amusement for that comment.

oooOOOOooo

Rick walked out onto the platform above the area they ate at and looked down at Daryl from the top of the short staircase. "You ready? We're movin' out in a few."

Daryl looked up from where he was sitting at the table and doing a last check of his crossbow, gun and rifle. They were going to do a scouting mission along the south entrance where more Walkers than usual were turning up at the prison fence line. Maybe there was something attracting them and maybe they could do something about it. Daryl gave a short nod of his head. "Yeah, I'm ready."

"Good."

"Rick." Daryl stalled the other man as he went to leave.

"Yeah?"

Daryl opened his mouth and then closed it again, trying to think how to word this right. This morning when he'd talked to Carol, she'd been upset after talking to Rick. She'd said she wasn't, but Daryl knew better. It was niggling away at him and he wanted to know what was going on with her. He didn't like seeing those tears in her eyes which she'd tried to hide from him. If it really was nothing as Carol had claimed, then she would have told him. That thought made Daryl worried, a nervous tug in the pit of his stomach and he needed to know what was going on. The thing was, he didn't exactly know how to ask because Daryl didn't know what he'd interrupted between the two.

Rick arched an eyebrow, his look expectant. "What is it?"

Daryl moved a little in his seat, going back to his weapons. "Ah, this mornin'-". He cleared his throat, annoyed with himself for being so pansy assed about the whole thing. Daryl sent a quick glance up at Rick. "You and Carol were talkin'."

Rick leaned one hip against the top rail of the metal staircase and looked confused. "I know." He tilted his head to one side. "Somethin' you want to ask me, Daryl?"

Daryl scowled up at the other man. "Everythin' okay?"

Rick pushed himself away from the railing and walked down the stairs, curious gaze intent on Daryl. "You tell me."

Daryl's scowl deepened. "What do ya mean?"

Rick stopped at the bottom of the steps. "You and Axel."

Daryl was taken aback, not having expected that. "What about us?"

"Carol told me what happened with you two and him hittin' you with your crossbow and those two incidents with her."

Daryl's jaw hardened in immediate irritation. "They weren't incidents," he snapped. "The dumbass nearly shot Carol after havin' already set her on fire." Daryl still felt the hairs lift on the back of his neck remembering watching that bolt hurtle towards Carol. For a split second Daryl had thought he was going to watch Carol die and be completely unable to do a damn thing about it. The notion still churned his stomach. As for the fire thing, seeing Axel with his hands all over Carol caused an entirely different kind of stomach churning, one Daryl didn't want to think about right then.

Rick grimaced. "She got lucky."

"No," Daryl bit out, "she got unlucky for being near that piece of shit for brains."

"Carol ain't worried," pointed out Rick mildly.

"Carol's too kind for her own good," threw back Daryl in annoyance. "She'd take in any stray, thinkin' they just need a second chance when what they really need is a bullet."

Rick's pursed his lips. "Aha," he drawled.

Daryl didn't like how knowing that agreement was, as though Rick had just figured out something Daryl wasn't privy to. He glared at Rick. "What was that?"

Rick just half-smiled. "Nuthin'."

Daryl knew it wasn't nothing by that damn smug smile on Rick's face.

Rick moved his shoulders a little under Daryl's unrelenting stare, looking away and his smile widening a little. "I was just thinkin' maybe you got a problem with there bein' a new stray in town."

Daryl's eyes narrowed menacingly, working out Rick's angle then. Rick thought Daryl had a problem with Carol giving someone on the fringe of life her consideration when he was used to being the centre of her attention. "You think I'm some kind of stray dog?" growled Daryl, a muscle ticking in his cheek.

"No," said Rick quietly, "I don't, but I reckon you do most days."

Daryl blinked, surprised by Rick's insight.

Rick's look was suddenly kind. "Daryl, you gotta know, when it comes to you, everyone knows you're Carol's favourite."

Daryl felt his face heat and cursed his adolescent tendencies. He looked away, not knowing what to say to something like that. It caused a cascade of emotions Daryl didn't have the first idea what to do with. "I ain't jealous," he muttered, "I'm worried that dumbass is gonna kill us all what with him walkin' round, bein' a dumbass every five seconds."

"I know," Rick sighed, "and I'd be lyin' if I said I didn't have my concerns about the guy but it is what it is. As long as the others aren't worried about havin' him about, we can sure use the manpower."

Daryl couldn't argue with that, although he wished he could. He looked back at Rick. "If he hurts any of us, I'm gonna put an arrow between his eyes," said Daryl, eyes hard with steely determination. "I ain't in the business of handin' out second chances."

Rick grimaced. "See now, that's the thing, Daryl, this life now, it's all 'bout second chances and third and fourths. It's the world we live in now and I don't reckon there is much either one of us can do about it." Rick's expression became more unrelenting. "But that don't change the fact I'd do anythin' to protect our people from harm, whatever it takes."

The two men looked at each other, an unspoken understanding passing between them. Daryl still wasn't exactly sure what had upset Carol earlier and that bothered him, but he did know that no matter what, he wasn't the only one looking to take care of everyone. That being said though, keeping an eye on Carol still felt like more of Daryl's job than anyone else's. After all, she was the one who'd refused to give up on him when he'd worked so hard to push everyone away after Sophia's death. He owed her and it was a debt Daryl didn't think twice about repaying...