The Meaning of Love

Part 5

As Daryl walks back from a very unsuccessful trip to Atlanta, he pauses at a sudden sound.

"What's wrong, Daryl?" Rick says, putting his hand on Daryl's shoulder.

"Shh," Daryl says, trying to concentrate on the sounds around him. Just when he is beginning to think he is hearing things, the sound came again, and it is a very loud scream. Daryl doesn't even think about or care about what the others are doing, he just breaks into a run because the scream he heard is Carol's scream. When he gets to the camp, he sees Carol's husband, but instead of trying to protect his family, he is trying to bite Carol and Sophia. Daryl doesn't even think twice, he just puts an arrow right in the back of Carol's husband's head. Daryl has to force himself to keep killing Walkers and not go straight to Carol. It seems to take forever to kill them all, but once they are all dead, Daryl drops the shotgun he was using and his crossbow and runs to Carol, who's holding a very scared Sophia.

"Are you guys ok?" Daryl says, dropping down in front of them, which makes Carol flinch back and Sophia cry harder. "Hey, it's me, Carol. It's Daryl." It takes a while, but Carol eventually releases it' Daryl and starts crying just as badly as Sophia. Daryl hesitates at first, but eventually wraps his arms around Carol and Sophia. They both hesitate at first, but then they push tight into his arms, which makes him fall backward and Sophia chuckle.

"Everyone is staring," Carol says, pushing her face into his shoulder.

"So what? They can stare all they want. Are you ok, Carol? Sophia?" Daryl says, resting his chin on Carol's head.

"We are fine now," Carol says, but Daryl can feel her tears soaking his shirt.

"This is why I said you should not leave," Shane yells suddenly, which makes Daryl look up. "Where's Merle? Where is this guy that means more to you than your wife and son?"

"He wasn't there. He cut off his hand and escaped. He took that truck we had. We don't know where he is. I thought he might have come back here looking for Daryl," Rick says over Lori's head as he hugs his wife and son.

"No," Daryl says suddenly.

"What?" Carol asks, looking up.

"He wouldn't come back for me," Daryl says, looking at the lake above Carol's head.

"He's...," Lori starts to say but stops suddenly.

"Oh, Andrea," Carol says so softly that only Daryl hears. Daryl first looks at Carol's face and then follows her line of sight. He is worried about what he sees. Andrea is kneeling beside her sister Amy, whose left arm and neck are both missing a chunk of flesh. It is very clear to Daryl that Amy is already dead.

"We need to take care of the dead," Glenn says suddenly.

"Carol, Lori, take the kids into the RV. They shouldn't watch this," Rick says.

"Lori, can you watch Sophia?" Carol asks standing up.

"Don't make yourself do something you don't want to," Daryl says, standing up.

"I'll be ok, Daryl," Carol says. As Jim and Andrea grab the last body to load up, Daryl watches Carol hug Sophia. Daryl wants so badly to go over and comfort them, but he has no idea how. He is just about to get up enough guts to go over when he hears Andrea scream something about a bite. It turns out that Jim has been bitten.