Shadows

27) Carol

Daryl still sat leaning against the counter. "I know where she is." He mumbled.

Alicia looked up, tilting her head. "Who?"

"Carol."

Alicia let out a long breath. "We should go see her." She nodded.

Daryl looked up at her. "I'm taking Jordan to Morgan and telling him to take her back to Hilltop. We'll go see Carol, finish our business her and leave first thing in the morning."

"Do you trust Morgan with Jordi?" Alicia asked.

He nodded. "I don't want you or her here any longer."

And that's how they ended up on her doorstep. Daryl rapped at the door a few times, waiting for her to answer.

When the door opened, relief flood Alicia's chest. Carol stood there, staring at them for a moment before she pulled Alicia into a hug, sniffing away tears.

"I've missed you." Alicia whispered, pulling her tighter.

"I know." She nodded.

The two pulled away, and Daryl quickly hugged the woman himself. "Okay." He mumbled, pulling away. "Jesus took us to the kingdom. Morgan said you just left. I was out here and I saw you."

Alicia wiped a few tears away from her eyes. "Why'd you go?" She asked.

"I had to." She said, lightly shaking her head. "Come inside."

They followed her inside, sitting down in her living room. Carol sat by the fire, staring into it.

"I couldn't lose anyone." She spoke. "I couldn't lose any of them." She turned to the couple. "I couldn't loose you. I couldn't kill them. I could, I would. If they hurt anymore of our people, that's what I would do. And there wouldn't be anything left of me after that." She paused for a moment. "The saviors, did they come?"

"Yeah." Daryl answered.

She turned, scooting closer to them. Before she could ask the question, Alicia broke down, holding her head in her hands.

"Glenn." She croaked out. "And Abraham."

Carol let out a long sigh, almost a sob. "Why?"

"He said... he said he had to kill one of us to show us who was in charge. So he killed Abraham. Daryl punched him and he was gonna kill Daryl so I stopped him. I begged him not to. He agreed and I thought it was over." She shook her head, inhaling shakily. "And then that bastard took my brother."

Carols eyebrows furrowed as tears streamed down her face. "Why did he not kill Daryl?"

Alicia's hands shook as she looked at Carol. She was afraid to admit the truth. "He's my father." She said weakly.

Carlos eyes widened at this news. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because I wanted him dead." She said harshly. "I didn't want any of you to hesitate when you killed him. If everyone knew he was my father then they might have just captured him or something, I don't know." She laughed dryly. "You know what the really fucked up part is? Abraham and Glenn were the only ones I told."

Carol walked over to Alicia, wrapping her in a hug. "It's not your fault."

"I tried." Alicia cried into her shoulder. "I begged him not to. I begged him not to kill any of them, but he didn't listen. And then he took me and Daryl back to his compound. We were there for like two weeks."

"You escaped."

"Yeah." She nodded. She shook her head, looking up at the woman. "God, Carol I just want him dead."

"I know." She whispered. "I know, honey."

Alicia pulled away, wiping was her tears. "It doesn't matter anymore. They're dead and I'm going to kill that asshole."

The rest of their time with Carol they spent trying to talk about more lighthearted topics. Soon it grew dark and they decided it was time to go home.

"We'll visit again soon." Alicia assured her as she pulled away from her hug.

Carol nodded. "Ok." She smiled.