𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 | 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘭 𝘋𝘪𝘹𝘰𝘯 ¹

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒚

"I'll go get you something to eat," Angie said as she noticed the two looking at each other. As she stood up, she signalled for Brad, Tom, and Adam to follow her.

Daryl waited for them to walk out before he spoke as he moved closer. "Yer awake."

"Thank you, Daryl," Chloe whispered.

Daryl smiled at the girl before looking behind him to where Carol was leaning against the wall.

"Carol!" Chloe smiled as she tried to sit up.

"Hey," the woman said, taking a seat at the edge of the bed. "I wanted to thank you earlier."

"For what?" Chloe asked in confusion.

"For everything," Carol admitted. "Without you, I'm not sure I would have made it."

The two women turned to Daryl as they heard Rick and Hershel's voices from outside the cell.

"I'll go check on 'em see what's happenin', ya stay here," Daryl said before walking away. "Rick, who the hell is this?" he asked as he saw a woman with dark skin laying on the floor outside the cell block.

"You wanna tell us your name? You wanna tell us your name?" Rick asked the stranger.

"Y'all come on in here," Daryl said.

"Everything all right?" Rick turned and asked.

"You're gonna wanna see this," Daryl told him, gesturing for him to follow.

"Go ahead. Carl, get the bag," Rick said before turning to the woman. "We'll keep this safe and sound. The doors are all locked. You'll be safe here. And we can treat that."

"I didn't ask for your help," the woman hissed.

"Doesn't matter," Rick told her. "Can't let you leave."

Daryl locked the gate behind them, leading Rick and Hershel to where Chloe and Carol were.

Chloe observed as Rick, Daryl, and Hershel appeared at the doorway of her cell room. Rick's expression was a mix of shock and happiness, mirroring her own feelings.

"Oh, God. Thank God. Thank God. Thank God," he exclaimed, moving in as Carol stood up, embracing him. Rick then knelt at Chloe's level, planting a kiss on her forehead and pulling her close.

"How?" Hershel inquired.

"We imprisoned ourselves," Carol explained, exchanging glances with Chloe as everyone chuckled.

"Poor things fought their way into a cell," Daryl added. "Must have passed out. Dehydrated."

As Chloe stood up, she noticed Beth standing by the doorway, holding a baby in her arms. Both Carol and Chloe looked at Rick, who shook his head, pain evident in his eyes.

"I'm sorry. Oh, God." Carol started sobbing as she held onto Rick who covered his head with his hands, while I fought back what was left of the tears in my body as they threatened to spill. I was not ready to cry again.

✦

Chloe heard Rick's voice as she sat behind the bars inside the cell block, watching the woman.