Healing For Our Broken Souls - Prologue

Hello!
Welcome one, welcome all to my very first fanfiction, Evaarrr!
While i am no stranger to this site, I am very new in the sense that this will be my very first post to this site, so i will be learning as i go.
That being the said, I ask that you please keep an open mind, and go easy on me. Let's grow together, shall we?

Disclaimer: The Walking Dead and it's characters are sadly not mine to own.

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She dropped to her knees in total submission the second the door closed shut behind her.

The sobs that escaped her, crippled her entire being, and she finally surrendered to the emotions she'd been containing for weeks, until this very moment of solitude. Carol, under any other circumstance, wouldn't have allowed this moment of vulnerability to happen, but everyone was finally alone. Really alone. They had their own houses.
A place to call their own...

All of their heads were still trying to wrap around the fact that they had just suffered the loss of yet another loved one. Now they all had somehow stumbled upon this sanctuary that offered an individual roof over their heads. Running water, to splash their faces with when emotions ran too deep, let alone shower with.

They had all met with the man named Douglas one-on-one to relay their own versions of their personal journey through this new world thus far. He was trying to see how they would each fit in to this community. It was an all day process, and really quite exhausting, but after meeting with each of the group, seemingly satisfied; he had asked them to bed down together for a night in a temporary housing so he could figure out living arrangements.

They all seemed to be sharing the same feelings and/or sentiments. Apprehension, disbelief, fear, wonderment, excitement. At some point it flashed across all their features whether they tried to hide it or not.

It had been so long.
So long since any of them had felt any semblance of safety. So long since they allowed themselves to relax in this brutal apocalypse that was now the life they knew. Every single day they were constantly fighting to survive, struggling. But looking around this place, this habitat of peace, there seemed to be a lack of concern among these people as to the struggles the outside life had to offer. There was an air of calm that was immediate upon arrival, and it had them all on edge, afraid to entertain the thought if this was what they'd been searching for all along.

Not after Terminus. After the hospital.

Here at the Alexandria Safe Zone.

The next day brought something they hadn't allowed themselves to feel in a long while;
A flicker of hope.
Douglas had arrived in the morning encouraging them to grab breakfast at an abandoned bank that they were using sort of like a mess hall. It was back towards the main streets where all the community activity was held. And then he told them something that they all had to, mentally, do a double-take.

Three readily available houses.

Which would mean four to a home.

Houses? As in...Four walls and a roof? A dedicated place to sleep? The feeling of safety? But more importantly. Running water...Sometimes hot.

She didn't mean to.

She really didn't. But the minute she heard those words, Carol felt familiar warmth pull in her chest, right where her heart used to reside. She was starting to fall in love. Her mind went into overdrive imagining all the things she only saw in her dreams involving living in a home; now with the possibility of coming true.

The separations of the group kind of went without saying. Already being understood, as some of the bonds between the few began forming gradually along their travels on the road.

Rick, baby Judith, and Carl would be taking the first house; a lovely little ranch style home. Michonne joining them after Carl suggesting he enjoyed her company, and it already being understood that she had undoubtedly formed a bond with baby Judith. They all shared a hidden smirk though, and Glenn even openly winking at Rick, as they had all been witness to the small spark forming between the warrior princess, and their fearless leader.

The next house would consist of Abraham, Rosita, Tara, and Eugene much to Rosita's irritance. As much as Rosita didn't give a flying fuck as to who spectated their copulating, she was getting real tired of looking into Eugene's eyes over Abraham's shoulder as they gallivanted on. Tara, however, being witness to what goes on, promised to keep him in check if they were to all be under one roof. Rosita smiled at that, placing her arm around the other girl's shoulder as they sauntered into their new pad.

Tyreese and Sasha, not wanting to be apart from family took to a house together, followed by Father Gabriel. Noah, being the newer member of the group was reluctant to even share a home with anyone, not exactly being on the same comfort level as everyone else had been. But with not much of a choice, and nowhere else to go he ended up choosing Tyreese, Sasha, and Gabriel.

Everyone was piling into their respective homes.

Thus leaving Glenn, Maggie, herself...and...

"Come on, let's see the inside!" Glenn's excited voice interrupted Carol's train of thought and she watched him excitedly pulling Maggie along after him. His elation was infectious, and she silently thanked him for unknowingly pulling her from the dark path her thoughts were headed. He was practically skipping up the steps, Maggie laughing nervously behind him. It was a welcome sight after such a long period of gloom, that Carol couldn't stop the smile gently pulling at the corners of her lips. She found herself hot on their heels just as eager to see the inside.

It was a Dutch colonial type house, much like the one Abraham, and Rosita had chosen, with a spacious front porch along the length of it. There was nothing special to it, and pre-apocalypse it would have just been another house she'd pass by without giving a second glance to, but Carol decided upon looking at it with these new born eyes, that it was the most beautiful home she could ever imagine residing in, no matter what the inside, or out, looked like. Ironically enough, there were three bedrooms; catering to them perfectly. After Maggie and Glenn claimed their room on the second floor in the far back end of the hallway, Carol decided on the one directly across from it for herself. Her hand on the doorknob to the bedroom, she was about to head inside when Glenn's voice from behind stopped her.

"Carol, want to come to the cafeteria with us? We're going to go check it out." Glenn asked a little bit of hope in his eyes, his wife silently watching her with a sad expression.

Carol inwardly sighed. "That's alright, I think I'm going to get settled in before I check things out." she smiled, hoping the younger man would leave it at that.
It's not that she was trying to push anyone away, but...They were all walking on pins and needles around her after the incident that occurred almost a week back, and she really just needed a moment to breathe, away from the constant check-ins everyone was doing to see if she was okay.

"Alright...Don't be too long." he hesitated, and they walked back down the stairs towards the front door. Carol watched them descend the steps, and waited till she heard the front door close shut to signal she was alone. Closing her eyes for a moment and letting a deep shaky breath she hadn't been aware she was holding in escape her lips, she turned around and finally walked into her bedroom.

She immediately leaned back against the door letting her backpack slide off her shoulder, and fall with an audible thud hitting the floor.

Alone.

She was finally alone.

And that's how she ended up slumped over on her knees, sobbing into her hands on the floor.

She cried, allowing her body to be absorbed by the pain, both mentally and physically, she had been pushing away for weeks, maybe more. The sorrow she had buried deep in her bones. The anguish she encompassed in her soul. So many things she had left to deal with, that she ignored for as long as she could. So much to mourn that was pushed aside just to keep one foot moving in front of the other.

She cried, and cried, and cried not even knowing what emotion to deal with first as they all assaulted her at once. The hot tears poured from her eyelashes faster and with more force than she could handle, making her body tremble with the effort. Her lungs were struggling to pull in the deep gasps, and she banged her fists against the floor a couple times trying to relieve some of this negative energy. She was crying for herself, but also, she was crying for him, probably even more so than herself. She was in such a dark place on that floor at that very moment that she hadn't even heard the creaking of footsteps in the hallway.

"...Carol?"

Her entire body froze, and she stopped breathing.

Oh no no, not now, not now please.

But she knew she was caught. The last person she needed to find her in such a state of mental collapse had just knocked on her door. She hadn't even considered that he could have silently followed them all into the house. Didn't even consider that he would even be residing in said house, as ridiculous as that sounded. She was too caught up in her grief that she had actually forgotten about him, even though he was the biggest cause right now of her misery.

Daryl...

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He strayed behind, like he usually does, taking in the scene with cautious eyes. Groups were silently determined, knowing looks exchanged between some, and confirming nods of acceptance to new roommates. He was feeling a hesitant nervous energy crawling through him, as he was beginning to understand his situation, and started chewing on this thumbnail.

As close as he was to Rick, he couldn't go with him feeling like a bit of an intrusion to the family atmosphere there; and Michonne being part of that new development completed the household, so that was out.

He definitely didn't have the time or patience to be subjected to Abraham and Rosita's nightly escapades not to mention not even feeling close to any member in that group in particular in the first place, so that was out.

He didn't mind going with Tyreese, and Sasha except for the fact that lately, he had been getting a little aggravated with the gentle giant. Daryl had taken very particular notice to how close he had become to someone very important to him. And he didn't like it. He didn't like it at all. So as far as he was concerned, that was out.

He entertained the thought of sleeping on the floor, or couch in any of the houses making himself a fifth wheel since all of the bedrooms would surely be occupied. But...with the temptation of there even being a bed of his own in the last house, as opposed to choosing hardwood floor was resonating loud in his head.
It doesn't always happen, but this time rationality won.

Everyone was piling into their new abodes all with reserved excitement. Glenn had turned around briefly making eye contact with him, and nodded understanding that he'll be joining them. Daryl nodded back, confirming their unspoken agreement. The girls hadn't noticed.

If he wasn't nervous before, he was definitely shitting his pants now, and started sweating profusely. Shifting from one leg to the other, he glanced up from beneath his long bangs and stared at the back of the figure that was putting him on-edge. They'd been avoiding each other, much to his dismay. This was all new to him. How they carefully tread around each other dodging interaction that wasn't especially needed. He hated this. He had to fix it. It was his fault anyway, and he knew it. Maybe now that they'd be under one roof together, he'd have his chance...Naw, not maybe. He would definitely fix this. It was time.

So, mind made up he silently followed after his three new roommates to get settled into whatever this was they were all getting themselves into.

The inside seemed cozy enough, no complaints on his part. The place was already furnished with an inviting looking beige couch in the living room, a fireplace resting in front of it, plush carpet that he already imagined his feet sinking into. Kitchen had the usual appliances one would normally find in a kitchen, complete with a gas top stove, not bad. Long dining room table accompanied with 6 chairs for a nice family meal.

Whatever

It had a roof, four walls, and a pot to piss in, that's really all he cared about. He didn't want to get terribly comfortable here.

As he was checking out the downstairs, everyone had already moved upstairs already claiming their bedrooms he assumed. About to ascend the stairs, Maggie and Glenn came bounding back down. Confusion must have shown on his face, because Glenn was already answering his unasked question.

"We're going to go check out the cafeteria, and whatever else they have going on in the main streets before we get comfortable. You should join us." He said.

Daryl paused for a minute, actually debating whether he should or not. He glanced towards the stairs knowing what was on the second floor. "Maybe in a bit."

Glenn patted him on the shoulder nodding, a look across his face of either sympathy, or pity he wasn't sure, and they walked out the front door.

He sighed once they were gone, and was about to ascend the steps when a dreadful sound reached his ears freezing him to his spot. He had heard this sound more than enough times to know that he absolutely hated it, and would do almost anything in his power to make it go away, especially when it was coming from her.

She was crying.

But this was different than any crying he's heard from her in the past. It sounded raw, painful, unrestrained. It wrapped around his heart, and squeezed until he was sweating, and breathing heavy. He decided it was the worst sound of all, and found himself taking the steps two at a time to reach her. His clunky footfalls would have surely alerted her to his presence by now, but it seemed she was all too consumed.

He thought of just busting the door down, kicking it with brute force not even sure if it was locked, just wanting desperately to be there for her, but he thought better of it. Hand risen in position to knock, he faltered. They hadn't exactly been on speaking terms. Haven't had a conversation consisting more than a few words in almost a week, and he really didn't think she'd be exactly thrilled to see him, especially in such a broken state. What would he say?

But as another woeful sob shattered the air, he knocked as gently as he could needing to put a stop to it.

"...Carol?"