A/N: So. This took forever and it is super short. I got into a rut with the middle of this one; it felt a little too much "See Spot Run". I think I finally got the kinks out. I also got super distracted by 2 fantastic stories, "The Choice" by Gone Random (really fantastic story, 100% recommended) and for a good laugh, "If It Weren't For Bad Luck, I'd Have No Luck At All" by Surplus Imagination (this is a hard subject for humor and she does it perfectly!). I really appreciate the encouragement from everyone!

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At daybreak Rick, Carol and Daryl studied a more current map Beth had found in the pharmacy. "I'm positive that the cabin is off of that road." she pointed, "I just don't remember where the turn off is"

"It's a good start. We'll find it. If we don't come across any trouble we could be there in less than an hour." Rick nodded approvingly. "Let's roll" he called out.

Daryl glanced down at Carol's blood stained jeans, "Shouldn't you change or something? You got all those new clothes..."

"I'd rather wait till I can wash up and do laundry; thrift store stuff is always dirty. No sense in getting an infection if it can be avoided." Carol grinned at his concern," Unless you don't want me dirtying up your bike with my blood, and if that's the case I'm sure I could ride with Rick or T-Dog"

"No, I just..." he trailed off, not really sure where his concern came from. Dixons don't care about anything. "Fine. Let's move then. Let's find this damn cabin." Daryl made for his bike gesturing for Carol to follow.

She took a quick detour to one of the boxes of food in the back of T-Dog's truck, glanced around, then shoved a small package into her pocket then headed to the bike. She saw Daryl watching her and shrugged, "I didn't eat breakfast, too busy searching that map. Did you?" he shook his head no in reply. "I'll share" she pulled out the corner of a beef jerky package of her pocket.

"Why are you being so secretive about it?" Daryl questioned.

"It's the good kind. Barbecue flavor." she grinned.

He straddled his motorcycle and out stretched his hand for payment. Again she glanced around before opening and splitting the package between them. He gave her a small smirk, "You're right, this is the good kind."

Carol climbed on behind Daryl wrapping her arms lightly around his waist as the last of their group finished loading up. Daryl's motorcycle headed up their caravan on their slow crawl through mostly clear roads; only stopping to siphon gas from the few abandoned cars they came across.

Daryl leaned his head back and yelled over the growl of the bike," Any of this look familiar?"

"Not really. It was dark when I was last here" she yelled back.

He was slowing his bike down and he spun his head back a smirked at her, "Look." He nodded his head of to the side of the road. There was an over grown dirt road veering off to the right, a small wood burnt sign hung from an iron stake, 'Peletier' and 'No Trespassing' swayed in the wind. Signaling to the rest of the caravan Daryl slowed the bike to a stop.

Carol was beaming at the sign, she was proud of finally feeling like she could contribute to the group. "There it is!" she gestured to the path. "It is a bit overgrown, but we'll make it down easily!" The caravan turned and slowly crawled over the uneven dirt path. They slowed to a stop as the cabin revealed itself from the trees.

A fire pit, with a small crackling fire stood in the center of the clearing. From a tall tree on the edge of the tree line hung a small doe draining its blood on to the forest floor. A rusted out blue and white Ford pick up was parked backed up to the side of a large wooden cabin.

Daryl through his arm up to stop the rest of the group at the first signs of the possible living. Daryl stood pulling his crossbow at the ready. Rick, Glenn, Maggie and T-Dog each with weapon drawn joined him at the opening to the clearing. The rest of the women, Carl and Hershel came to stand behind them.

"Spread out. Check everything. Be on alert, someone has been here, recently." Rick stated firmly.

"Why don't we just go knock on the door?" Glenn asked.

"And get shot in the face? No thanks." T-Dog replied.

"Carl, Stay with your mother." Rick commanded.

"Uh… Excuse me?" Carol interrupted, "I think I know…"

She was cut off by a gunshot hitting the tree bark next to her. Quickly the group scattered for cover. Carl ushered Lori, Beth and Hershel behind the first car, Carol crouched behind Daryl's bike, Glenn and Maggie ducked behind nearby trees, T-Dog dove for the ground while both Rick and Daryl took a knee while aiming their weapons at the cabin where the shot would have come from.

"You're trespassin'." A loud booming male voice called out.

"We're just looking for some kind of safety." Rick called out.

"Find somewhere else."

"This ain't your land." Daryl stated calmly glancing at Carol.

"Like hell it ain't!" The voice yelled angrily, "Now you need to be moving on before me and my boys decide to stop being so hospitable."

"Donnie? Donnie Peletier?" Carol stood tall and called out stepping a few feet into the clearing.

"Aunt Carol?" a teen boy popped his head out of the door to the cabin.

"D.J?" Carol gasped and covered her mouth, "My God! I can't believe it!"

A large lumbering man stepped out behind the teen with a younger boy next to him holding a rifle still trained on Rick. The man looked very similar to his brother Ed, longer hair, slightly taller, a bit leaner but a Peletier with out a doubt. "Where's my brother? And your girl?"

With tears in her eyes Carol just shook her head no. Donnie shifted the barrel of the gun to her. "What happened? Tell me Ed's walking around out there and we might have a bit of a problem" he walked toward her with a slight swagger.

"It's a long story, and we'll tell you everything, but can we relax a little here?" Rick tried to calm the situation down.

"You're gonna stay out of this." Donnie shot a look at Rick, then retrained on Carol taking her face in his hand turning her face to him, "You're gonna talk, or we're gonna start shootin."

"Please… Donnie. It was nothing, he was attacked when he was sleeping." Carol struggled to keep her fear bottled up. With everything that had happened over the last few months she had forgotten the fear that came with being around Ed or Donnie.

"Where were you?"

"I… I wasn't there." She whispered.

"So it shoulda been you, huh?" Donnie asked.

"Dad, please stop?" The older boy tried interrupting, but was easily brushed off by his father.

"No." Carol took a deep breath. "No. I'm glad your brother is gone." She straightened her posture and stared straight into Donnie's eyes.

"You bitch." Donnie pulled his right hand back and Carol flinched slightly, but before contact to her face was made a bolt from Daryl's crossbow stabbed through his hand. Donnie released Carol and screamed out in pain and rage.

"Shut up." Daryl moved closer without blinking and another bolt trained on Donnie, "We have a vet with us who can fix up your hand. You've got a choice. Either you calm down and back away from her and we'll help you out, or I put the next one through your eye. Make the call ass hole."

Donnie glanced around for the first time since stepping out of the cabin. He had four guns trained on him and every person standing there had some weapon, each looking ready to fight.

"Fine. But you better pull your own around here. This ain't no bed and breakfast."

Donnie glared at Daryl.

Hershel stepped forward, "Lets get a look at that hand."

Donnie lead him toward the cabin. "I've got some whiskey, and I'm drinking it before you do a damn thing with this" both of his sons followed them into the cabin.

Daryl and Rick moved quickly to Carol's side. "Are you okay?" Rick asked.

"Fine, shaken up, but fine" Carol said quietly.

"Sorry about shootin' so close to your face…" Daryl tried apologizing.

"You never miss, its fine." Carol lightly touched his arm and looked him straight in the eye, "I need to ask you something."

"What do you need?"

"I need to learn to defend myself. That's never going to happen again. Will you teach me?" Carol squeezed Daryl's arm trying to show him how much she needed this.

"Good. We'll start tomorrow." Daryl smirked at her, "When I'm done with you you'll be able to take Rick down."

"Ha!" Rick laughed, "Until then, Carol, stay away from your brother–in-law if you can. I doesn't seem the type to roll over that easy."

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Until Next time! (Hope you don't hate my O.C.s too much!) Reviews are awesome, and look! The button is right there!