She'd walked into Terminus with pain crushing her heart. What she finds inside only makes it worse.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Walking Dead, nor do I profit from using the show's characters in my own plots.
1. Part 1 by Ravenesque [Reviews - 9] 
(2053 words)
AN: I started writing this story after the pitiful first viewing of ‘Alone’ though live feed. Hanging out in chat, the response to this episode by and large was hysteria. What I was hearing about the bits that froze out of my live feed, like ‘the look’ across the breakfast table, made me furiously angry, made me doubt Caryl, made me want to flog Daryl with a rubber hose. So, I wrote angry fic. Before I finished it, I re-watched the episode, properly, on a big screen. I ranted and raved about what was about to happen to my daughter, then I calmed myself down enough to actually watch. I expected to see the revolting evidence of bedroom eyes and potential romance. I didn’t see it. I, in fact, saw a very sad Daryl who found it too easy to accept that everyone he loved was dead, grasping at this place with the promise of a bit of lightness with the desperation of a drowning man. This then became problematic in finishing this angry fic, which is now kind of just disappointed fic. I’m not sure if it can make the leap to happy fic, or at the very least content fic, but I will give it a try. It might end up with a smutty ending, or it might end up something else entirely. All I can promise is that it will be giving Carol the space and love she deserves, because after The Grove, that woman needs a whole lot of something to make things better. I don’t know if Daryl can be that for her now. If it makes you feel anything at all, I would love to hear your thoughts.
2. Part 2 by Ravenesque [Reviews - 4] (1943 words)
AN: A huge virtual bunch of flowers to Imorca for ruthlessly whipping this chapter into shape. I can’t tell you how very much better her suggestions made this.
To my reviewers….wow! I mean, seriously, wow. I am so flattered that you took the time to review and some of the words you shared with me, both in review or in PM’s, meant so very much. I am slack with responses, but please bear with me!
3. Part 3 by Ravenesque [Reviews - 1] (1852 words)
AN: Major thank you’s to Imorca for once again making me look better than I am. I also want to thank Leigh57 for a section in the middle of this. It was sparked by a post she made today on Tumblr about The Grove. I am ever grateful Carol is who she is and tries to minimise the pain suffered by everyone. If we lose her from the show anytime soon, it will be a major tragedy.
4. Part 4 by Ravenesque [Reviews - 4] (3101 words)
5. Part 5 by Ravenesque [Reviews - 12] (3613 words)