There was never enough time to wind down and collect their thoughts. Rick had mentioned briefly to Juliana once she had been patched up that more people had been lost. Walkers had made their way through. Deanna was dead, and Carl had been shot. Seeing Carl for the first time made her heart hurt, and she wished so badly things had turned out differently that maybe she could have protected him better; protected the rest of the group. It weighed heavily on her shoulders how she had yelled at Daryl to leave her. After they arrived back at Alexandria, she saw him distance himself from her, a stark contrast from when they reunited. Juliana couldn't blame him, though.

After Denise had taken care of her, Rick filled her in on what had happened. Another group had attacked Alexandria. Walkers had made their way in. While they were trying to escape, Jessie's kid shot Carl in the eye, which prompted her younger son to cry and the three of them were bitten; Juliana cringed at the thought of seeing that, and Rick continued: Deanna had died, and Maggie, well, she was pregnant.

Excited for Maggie, Juliana wanted to go see her, but Rick held her back, eyebrows furrowed as he grasped around her upper arm tightly.

"Jules, we need to know who took you."

Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach. She didn't want to tell him, and she was hoping that he'd never ask her, but she was wrong.

Twisting her arm out of his grasp she turned towards him. She must have still looked like a hot mess with a bust lip and black eye and her shoulder wrapped up awkwardly from the gun shot, because Rick's gaze softened as he looked her over, "What did they do to you?"

"Don't play this psychology bullshit," Juliana murmured, her gaze darting away from Rick. She was uncomfortable, "I ain't tellin' you who they were. I don't even know where they took me. But they threatened us, and I ain't gonna be responsible for more people dying, Rick."

"Us?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow, "Or Daryl?"

The color drained from her face at his question and she quickly gathered herself, pointing a finger at him, "Don't."

Rick and Juliana were at odds more than they got along, even from when they first met. She had been grateful that he let her stay at the prison, but she had also thought he was the reason why so many people had died while he was their leader. But, he and Daryl were basically brothers, and she tried her best to keep her mouth shut and do whatever it was that needed to be done.

He held his hands up in defeat, knowing well enough that Juliana wouldn't back down, "When you're ready."

The tension lessened between the two, "Thanks, Rick," she mumbled, looking over her shoulder at him before she left the infirmary. He nodded in reply before turning away. Sighing heavily, she couldn't help but feel a little bit like an asshole. After all, his son got shot in the face and lost his eye. Cursing inwardly, she took a step back before reaching the door and turned to him, "They called themselves The Saviors." Juliana admitted. Rick turned around at the sound of her voice and nodded, thanking her.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that."

She shrugged, "Sorry about Carl, but he's tough. Must get it from you." A small smirk fell on Rick's mouth and he chuckled. Juliana grinned and waved, finally telling him that she'd see him later and went off to meet up with the rest of the group to check in on them.

The entire day she never did run into Daryl. She had to admit, she was a little upset, but once again, couldn't exactly blame him. Spending most of the day with Maggie, she eventually made her way back to the empty house she shared with Carol. It was quiet and dark when she entered. In the distance, she could hear some chatting and laughing from a few houses down, but if she focused enough, it was so quiet that her ears rang.

Sighing, she grabbed a lantern from the kitchen counter and flipped the switch to turn it on before making her way up the stairs and to the bedroom where she set the lantern down on the nightstand next to the bed. Carefully she began to peel away at her shirt, wincing as the fabric caught on the edge of her bandages and rubbed against her sore body.

"Hey," came a mumbled from the doorway.

Juliana jumped, her hand flying to her heart and her head snapping to the doorway to see Daryl standing in the dark, "Jesus fuckin' Christ, Daryl!" she shouted, taking a deep breath, "You scared the shit out of me."

Daryl didn't reply, and Juliana scoffed, turning towards him, "What? Are you gonna avoid me forever now? I didn't want to leave you. I –" before she could continue, Daryl took a few large strides over to her, finally coming into view in the dimly lit room. His hands reached up to hold her face in his hands as his lips met hers, rough and passionate, Juliana was a little unsure this was the same Daryl Dixon. It took her a minute before her eyes fluttered closed and she grasped at either side of his leather vest, pulling him down closer to her.

The edge of the bed suddenly hit the back of Juliana's legs, and she pulled away from Daryl finally, both breathing heavily. She stared at him, and he back at her and it finally made complete and utter sense: it was love.

Reaching a hand up, she tangled her fingers up in his hair as she brought him down to her in a fiery kiss. Daryl got the message and returned the favor, and as Juliana's back hit the bed, Daryl followed, being careful not to accidentally press down on her too hard for fear of hurting her already bruised body. But as Juliana and Daryl melted together; skin against skin, she swore she heard him whisper 'I love you.'