They had found a house to spend the night. The men barricaded the doors and decided who would watch, their voices mingling in the hall. There were only a few of them left now, and they were exhausted. They only had a little food left, but Carol gathers what she can and distributes it to everyone. They eat in silence. There wasn't much to say. They now only think about surviving: how to continue moving forward, constantly monitoring the dangers coming from all sides. There is no longer a safe place. She watches Daryl as they prepare to sleep, and she can feel the tether that binds them both, stretching like a long rope between them. He moves and she wants to move with him. It helps just to watch it. Carol often catches him looking at her the same way. It helps them get through the long days. The house is big. The family must have had a lot of children, because the rooms are filled with cute bunk beds in primary colors. She and Daryl laugh a little as she awkwardly navigates a ladder and climbs onto one of the top bunks. She lies back in the sheets and runs her hand over the pillowcase under her cheek. He misses sweet things. Soft clothes, fine sheets, fluffy towels. Life now has a lot of hard edges. Daryl climbs into the lower bunk below her, lies down and sighs. Carol has noticed that he remains alert and watchful until the second sleep takes him away. Even when he sleeps, his fingers still twitch in search of arrows. Carol turns around and hangs a hand on the side of the bunk. She doesn't do it to invite him. It was like something she would have done when she was a child, when she wasn't worried all the time. When she didn't have a stomach ache every time the people she loved went out, the middle of the paper landed on the floor. His mouth on her hand made her whole body. feeling tense, like a violin string. She takes a hesitant step towards him. He leans back on the berth, leaning on his elbows, the slightest smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He knows it. He always knows it. He grabs her, without a word, and pulls her onto him. Then he kisses her hard. His hands press against her lower back, pulling her hips against his. They begin to move in their familiar way, and she begins to feel the worry fading away. As they move together, she forgets the walkers, the dark days, and the endless, frightening nights. She can feel his fingers on her skin and his lips on her neck, and they move faster now, needing each other. And as she lets herself be carried away by his strength and gentleness, she feels safe again. There is a safe place after all.