When they opened the gate the next morning, they moved like a well-oiled machine. Rick, Parker, Daryl, Glenn, Maggie, and T-Dog entered the prison yard, moving in a group with their knives raised. The walkers approached them, but they were dead before they got too close. T-Dog saw a riot shield lying on the ground, breaking ranks despite Rick yelling at him not to. They continued to move, until Rick suddenly pressed himself against a wall, raising his hand for them to stop when he realized that the corner door was currently open and that the courtyard beyond contained more walkers than they could handle. 

Two walkers stumbled around the corner, and two others appeared right in front of them. Daryl's arrow failed to pierce the bulletproof visor they were wearing, bouncing harmlessly off the ground. Parker sighed. Just when they thought they had it under control, something like this had to happen. Parker saw the arrow on the ground, the crack in the armor just below the visor, revealing a portion of the exposed neck. She ran past Rick despite his protests, picking up Daryl's arrow, before grabbing the visor of the walker closest to her, pulling it up, and jamming the arrow directly into the walker's skull from chin to brain. When she pulled out the arrow and the walker fell, she turned to Glenn and Maggie.

"Did you see that?" Parker asked excitedly, holding up the bloody arrow. "That was awesome!" Glenn and T-Dog took out another guard, while Maggie killed the third. Daryl killed the fourth, and when Rick tried to remove the gas mask another was wearing, the walker's entire face went with it, revealing its skull underneath. Parker moaned in disgust as Rick stuck his bare hand into the walker's eye, killing it. As Glenn ran off a bit, Rick called out to him.

"Stop!"

"Well, it lo-looks secure.." Glenn said confused as he walked back over.

"Not from the look of that courtyard over there," Daryl responded, before pointing to a walker he killed. "And that's a civilian."

"So the interior could be overrun by walkers from outside the prison," T-Dog guessed.

"Well, if there's walls down, what are we going to do?" Parker asked. "We can't just rebuild this whole place."

"We can't risk a blind spot," Rick told them. "We have to push in." Parker sighed.

"I was worried you were gonna say that." She held the arrow out for Daryl. "I think I found something that belongs to you."

"Thanks," Daryl responded, before noticing the blood covering it. "What did you do?"

"I stabbed a walker with it," Parker answered with a shrug. "It was incredible." She wiped the blood off on her shirt seeing how it was already covered in walkers blood before handing it back. 

They headed into the prison, at a disadvantage due to the darkness, but remained as a group regardless, spreading out cautiously through the room. Parker had her knife raised, just in case. Inside, it was a matter of encountering both dead and living, neither of which would have a very good outcome. Parker had little doubt they would find a living prisoner, not if the outer courtyard was invaded. Rick found a set of keys on a dead guard in the room above them, using them to open one of the doors, which led him to a cell block. Parker walked up the stairs to the second floor, Daryl right behind her with his crossbow raised, and when Rick joined them, they checked each cell carefully, checking for bodies, walkers, or prisoners. A walker growled and tried to reach them through the bars of a locked cell, but Parker stabbed it through the eye with a bored sigh. "Shut up." She pulled her knife back watching the walker fall to the ground before following after Rick and Daryl, each of whom killed another walker locked in the cells. When they opened the cell doors, they threw them over the railing to allow T-Dog to carry them out. When the cell block was secure, they let the rest of their group in.

"What do you think?" Rick asked, as the group dispersed.

"Home sweet home," Glenn replied.

"For the time being," Rick said.

"It's secure?" Lori questioned as she looked around.

"This cell block, yes," Parker nodded. "The re-"

"What about the rest of the prison?" Hershel spoke over her.

"In the morning we'll find the cafeteria and the infirmary," Rick answered.

"We sleep in the cells?" Beth asked hesitantly.

"I found keys on some guards," Rick avoided the question. "Daryl has a set too."

"What he was trying to say was, yeah we sleep in the cells. Or the floor. Your pick."

"I ain't sleepin' in no cage," Daryl said. "I'll take the perch." Daryl moved one of the mattresses, making himself comfortable. Parker saw Carl looking around, lost, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, why don't you bunk with me?" Parker asked. "I'll even let you have the top bunk."

"Seriously?" Carl asked excitedly to which Parker nodded.

"Yeah, I'm too old to climb up there anyway."

"You aren't too old," Carl laughed. "You're only thirty-something."

"Thirty-someth- what? I'm twenty-nine you little brat." Parker pushed his hat over his eyes, poking his side. Parker threw her bags into the cell she was going to be sharing with Carl. "Do I look like I'm already thirty-something? This might actually be worse than the world ending." Carl laughed at his aunt's reaction.

"It's not that bad," Carl said. "At least you are alive." He pointed his finger at her, "Also you turned thirty a few days before this all started, remember? So you have to be almost thirty-one."

"Let's go. Tomorrow is a big day. Also, I'm done being called out by a ten-year-old."

"As always," Carl sighed. "Can you help me?"

"Sure," Parker responded, helping Carl onto the top bunk. When he was settled, she smiled. "I'll be right back."

"Are you going to kiss Daryl goodnight?" Carl joked.

"I'm ignoring you now."

"You are!" Carl laughed, leaning over the edge of the bed. Parker rolled her eyes as she left the cell, heading up to where Daryl was lying on his mattress.

"Hey."

"Hey," Daryl responded, "Don't feel like sharing?"

"I would, but I don't want Carl to feel alone," Parker said. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," He answered. "I might be able to sleep tonight."

"Yeah," Parker agreed. "It'll be nice." Daryl sat up and looked at Parker as she pushed aside the vest he was wearing. He had taken it off during the day because the sun was beating down on them outside, but now that they were inside and the darkness had invaded them, it was cooler.

"Did they scratch you?" Daryl asked. Parker shook her head.

"I don't think so. None of this blood is mine. God, what I would give for a hot shower." Daryl let out a quiet laugh.

"Out of all of the things you could have, a hot shower is at the top of your list?"

"Yes," Parker defended, he was probably the only person she knew who didn't want a shower after eight months spent on the road. She leaned against Daryl's chest, sitting between his legs, and he put one arm around her while using the other for support. Parker reached out to grab his hand before kissing his knuckles softly. She looked up at him smiling. "I can't believe you want to be near me."

"What do you mean?" Daryl asked.

"I'm covered in walker blood, I haven't cleaned myself up in days, and I've been wearing the same clothes for about eight months."

"We're all the same," Daryl shrugged. "It doesn't make much difference anymore." Parker laughed.

"That's reassuring."

"You know what I meant."

"Yeah I know," Parker responded.

"Aunt Parker!" Carl shouted. "Come on! I want to play cards!" Parker sighed.

"Well, duty calls. I'll see you in the morning." When she got up, Daryl grabbed her wrist.

"Hey." He pulled her down to kiss her briefly before releasing her, she smiled at him.

"Who knew you were such a romantic."

"Shut up and go to sleep."

"Wow, okay," Parker laughed. "You have a way with words, Daryl Dixon." She played a few rounds of cards with Carl before finally falling asleep on the bottom bunk. Surprisingly it wasn't as uncomfortable as she thought it would be, and she slept like a baby until Rick came in the next morning and shook her awake.

"Get up," Rick ordered, she groaned, rolling over.

"Just once, I wish I could sleep past dawn."

"There's no time to sleep," Rick responded. Reluctantly, Parker stood up and joined her friends. She yawned as she moved over to them, sitting on the bench where they had left their weapons. There were guns, machetes, knives, and boxes of ammo, and they had even stolen some of the guards' uniforms.

"Not bad," Parker commented.

"Flashbangs, CS-triple-chasers. Not sure how they work on walkers but we'll take them." Rick listed off the things that they'd gathered on the table. Daryl picked up a helmet that dripped walker slime- or whatever part of the walker it was.

"I'm not wearing this shit."

"I second that," Parker raised a hand in the air. "There's no way in hell that's going to come anywhere near my face." Daryl pushed it towards her and she scrunched up her nose in disgust leaning away. 

"We could boil 'em?" T-Dog held a glove at arm's length as liquid spilled out of it.

"Hershel," Carol called from the door.

"Everything alright?" Rick asked, hearing the tone of her voice.

"Yeah. Nothing to worry about." Carol responded. They began to prepare and Rick made Parker put on one of the bulletproof vests they had found. It wasn't covered in walker gunk, which was why she gave in so easily. She raised her arms to let Daryl secure the straps and she felt like a child.

"This feels so weird," Parker said, shifting the vest slightly. "It's definitely not made for women if you know what I mean."

"Better than being bitten," Daryl replied.

"I'd rather not feel like my chest is being crushed," Parker argued back, before grimacing. "Ouch! Are you trying to suffocate me?"

"Trying to get you to stop talking." After the others all shared a laugh, Daryl loosened the straps a little. Carl, who was trying on one of the helmets, smiled at Beth before Rick took it off.

"You won't need that. I need you to stay put."

"You're kidding?" Carl responded.

"We don't know what's in there," Rick said. "Something goes wrong, you could be the last man standing. I need you to handle things here."

"Sure," Carl agreed, putting his hat back on his head. Rick handed the keys to Carl before turning to the rest of the group.

"Great. Let's go."