Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from The Walking Dead.

Author's Note: This story takes place after the prison falls. Daryl is alone, but not for long. Caryl fluff and smut. Rated M for mature audiences. I'm sure there are some mistakes, which I apologize for. Kind of typed this one in a hurry. Hope you like! Rated M for explicit sex content.

I'll Go First

Daryl Dixon had never been in love. He'd had some girlfriends. He'd had some sex. But none of it had ever amounted to much of anything. And when the world went to shit, and dead people started ripping out throats and basically fucking up the world for anybody lucky enough to survive the initial outbreak, he figured he'd eventually die alone. Merle was reckless, so he figured he'd be the one to go first, leaving Daryl to eventually have to blow his own brother's brains out before dying alone.

Well, now Merle was dead, but Daryl wasn't alone. Before, he'd had a pretty great set up. The group had found a prison and made it a home for a while. And then that son of a bitch they called The Governor had to come and blow a big fucking hole in that home. Gunfire and rotting flesh had been the only thing his senses were attuned to the day the shit hit the fan and Hershel had been murdered. When the gunfire started, he'd had to put a walker on a stick and use it as a shield. Hey, a guy had to get crafty in the undead apocalypse.

Somehow, he'd managed to get the hell out of there after the shots stopped coming as frequently. His first instinct had been to get Carol out, because in all the chaos, he'd almost forgotten that Rick had banished her, basically sent her out to try to live on her own in the wild. When he saw no trace of anybody he knew, he got the hell out. He could still hear screams and distant gunfire as he made his way through the woods, crossbow in hand. Walkers snarled and gnashed their rotting jaws in his direction as he rushed through the trees, trying to get to higher ground or find some place to rest.

By nightfall, he'd found a cabin in the woods, and in that cabin, he just so happened to find an angel. Well, not an actual angel, but to him, she was damn near close. Carol had made a nice little home for herself in the time between Rick banishing her and that one-eyed bastard blowing the prison to smithereens.

She had welcomed him with open arms, and his heart had leapt at the sight of her. He'd run to her, and they'd held one another for the longest time, thankful for the sight of another human being, thankful to have each other.

For two months now, they'd been in that cabin, growing closer every day, going out to hunt, basically spending most waking hours together. It was nice. Quiet. Peaceful. It was nothing like the days in the prison. Somedays, it was so quiet that it was easy to forget that there were hundreds of walking corpses just miles away. Every once in a while, a herd would pass through, and when they were lucky, it was just a few they could easily pick off without having any gunfire. The less attention drawn to their cozy little home, the better.

They had their talks, they joked, and they flirted playfully like they always did. But, every night since he'd reunited with her, Daryl had had thoughts about it. They were thoughts he'd been having for some time, mostly since she teasingly asked him to fool around when they first arrived at the prison. But it was not a laughing matter to Daryl Dixon. No. When she'd shut herself up in the bathroom to take a hot bath using water they'd pulled from a well, he'd miss her. But he'd think about her, too. He'd think about her being naked just on the other side of that door. Was she thinking about him? Did she touch herself when she was in there alone?

He'd spent many of those alone moments desperately trying to think of anything other than Carol naked or of what she might do to herself when she had a few minutes alone, because the more he thought about her, the more turned on he became.

On this particular night, Daryl was just finishing up the small batch of dishes from their supper. They'd had a pretty hearty meal. They'd bagged a deer and found some wild onions to cook with the meat. It reminded him quite a bit of his life growing up…without all the violence and abuse and shit.

They had heated several pots of water for the tub, and after several trips in and out, they had a tub full enough. Most nights, Carol washed up first, because Daryl always got so dirty outside and left a tub of dirty bath water. Tonight was different. Daryl had washed up first, while Carol had finished cooking the last bit of supper on the stove. He'd changed into a fresh pair of black sweats and a white t-shirt. It felt good to be clean and wear clean clothes. Those were two luxuries not generally afforded anymore.

He was just putting the last cup upside down on the counter when the door opened, and Carol stepped out. Her hair was damp, and beads of water slid down her neck and between her breasts hidden beneath her shirt. She was wearing a pair of short black shorts and a black tank top that she'd found at the cabin when she'd first happened upon it. It clung to her damp body, and he found himself noticing things like the way she held her arms across her chest to hide her hard nipples from his sight, or how she tried to play off her more revealing outfit as just something casual to wear. He was used to seeing her in pajama pants and a t-shirt or something at night. But tonight, she was wearing those shorts and that shirt, and damn it, he was turned on.

"Feel better?" he asked her, watching her walk across the room. She smiled a little and moved to grab a towel to dry the dishes.

"Hmm." She nodded. He couldn't help but check out her ass when she turned away from him. She had a great figure, despite being a little on the thin side due to the scarcity of food. Most of the time, that figure was hidden by traveling clothes and big guns. She was really a very feminine woman with the softest-looking skin. He found himself staring at the backs of her creamy thighs, his tongue darting out to lick his lips at the thought of tasting her.

"Let 'em dry on their own. You don't gotta do that." She gave him a little shrug of acceptance and put the towel back on the counter. He watched as she moved about the small cabin, stretching and rubbing her sore muscles. "You ok?"

"Yeah," she said with a little yawn. "Just sore. That hunt really took it out of me today. My shoulder's killing me." She lay down on her bed. He'd been sleeping on the couch across the room. She'd always offered to switch with him, but he always insisted she take the bed. Tonight, as she sprawled out on her stomach on the old mattress, he wished he was in that bed too. With her.

She yawned again and rested her chin on the pillow, staring at him from across the room. He shifted nervously as he watched her get comfy. The way she was looking at him made him so damned nervous, but she looked sexy as hell, laying there on that bed. She wasn't even being seductive. His dick was just keen to twitch at the thought of Carol on a bed.

The fuck is wrong with you, Dixon? You really think she wants to fuck you? You gotta be out of your damned mind. He cleared his throat and made a beeline for his crossbow that hung on the back of the cabin door.

"Where ya going?" she asked sleepily, propping her fist under her chin.

"Thought I'd take watch tonight."

"Watch?" she asked. "Daryl, we didn't see one walker today. And if they happen by in the night, we'll be fast asleep." She narrowed her eyes at him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothin'." Fuckin' liar. "Just got a feeling is all." Pussy!

"You wanna stay in my bed tonight? I'll keep you safe, Pookie."

"Damn it, would ya stop?" he asked a little harshly. He saw her flinch and felt guilty immediately.

"Daryl, I'm sorry. I was just…I'm sorry." She sat up but didn't take her eyes off of him. He sighed and his shoulders sagged. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.

"It's…it's nothin'. Promise." She didn't buy it, but he put his crossbow back on the door, checked the lock and went to snuff out any unnecessary light. When they were down to just a few candles, Carol yawned and sat up on the bed. He was just crossing the room to camp out on the couch when she sucked in a sharp breath and winced. He turned to her.

"You ok?"

"Yeah. Just…this shoulder. I swear, I thought I was used to that kickback already." Daryl moved back toward her and awkwardly sat down on the bed, keeping a bit of space between them. He placed his hand on her shoulder, and she sighed contentedly. He gently massaged the area, and her head rolled forward. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling while he stared at the back of her neck, wanting desperately to kiss her there.

Jesus fuck, this won't end well! Mortified, he realized he was getting hard again. It was difficult not to, what with the soft moans escaping her lips. Did she realize what she was doing to him? He also realized that if he didn't do something, and soon, she'd see just exactly what she was doing to him.

"Lay back down. On your stomach," he murmured. She did as he said, no questions asked. He adjusted himself on the bed, sort of half-kneeling over her. His hands were on her shoulders now, kneading her there, releasing the tension and pressure she'd been carrying around on those sleek shoulders. His hands moved down her back a little, and she buried her head in the pillow, her body relaxing under his touch. His body was doing the exact opposite, and it was all he could do not to flip her over, climb on top of her and make her his.

"That feels amazing," she breathed, her voice a little husky and slow with exhaustion. God damn it. She's even sexy when she's sleepy.

His warm, calloused hands moved lower still, focusing on her lower back. He put some pressure there, and she gasped but relaxed again, letting him massage her. He wondered what she was thinking about. He also wondered what she'd do if he tasted her neck.

"Daryl?" He froze.

"Yeah?" The word came out a little strained.

"Thanks for being here. It's nice not to be alone." He didn't know what to say to that, so he said nothing. He just kept rubbing her back some more, and she seemed to grow more and more relaxed until he realized she'd fallen asleep. He sighed, completely and fully awake, his erection totally overpowering him. He scooched back and leaned back against the other pillow. He moved slowly, trying not to move for fear of waking her up. He reached over and softly stroked her heart. She stirred, and he pulled his hand away as if he'd been burned. He lay back, unable to get up due to his current physical predicament and the fact that his best friend—his Carol—was sleeping right there next to him, and all he wanted to do was be close to her.

*~*~*C+D*~*~*

Carol's eyes fluttered open as the first rays of sunlight filtered in through the slats between the boards on the windows. The first thing she noticed was a heat flush against her back and an arm around her waist. She moved slightly to peer over her shoulders to see Daryl sleeping right beside her, curled up against her backside. She bit her lip to keep from giggling at the situation. She'd forgotten how physically hot men were. They were like breathing furnaces. Her back was actually sweating.

She heard a little groan escape his lips when she shifted in the bed, brushing against his crotch. She froze, feeling the hardness there that she hadn't been expecting. Her breath hitched in her chest, and her heart began to race. In all honest, this was something she'd only been able to think about for the past several months. She'd dreamed of waking up in his arms, and last night, it had been all she could do to keep from ripping his clothes off and having her way with him. It was hard to read him, and he'd all but jumped on her throat when she'd called him that pet name she'd saved only for him.

He was frustrating, to say the least, but it made her want him even more. She bit her lip and stifled another giggle when he moved in his sleep, burying his face in the back of her neck. God, he felt so good. She moved her arm, placing her hand over his on her stomach. She moaned softly as his fingers twitched there, gently caressing her.

She had half a mind to ask him if he was really asleep, but when he muttered something incoherent in her ear, she realized that, yes, he was sleeping. She was a bit disappointed. After all, she'd fantasized about him finally making a move on her for quite a while now. Too bad that he could only seem to do it when he was unconscious.

Still, that didn't mean she couldn't play with him just a little bit. She tried not to laugh as his beard brushed against her shoulder, and she ran a hand up his arm slowly, exploring the soft skin that was pulled tightly over solid muscle. A heat pooled deep down, and she could feel her body responding to her own actions. Simply touching him was turning her into a puddle.

She moved her arm back, caressing his neck, her heart thudding so hard in her chest she was sure he'd feel it. But he didn't stir. She moved her foot up his calf, gently rubbing him there, and that was when she felt his erection grow, pressing firmly into the small of her back. She gasped, and it was all she could do not to turn over and reach down and touch him.

She moved her hand back to his, linking her fingers with his and holding his hand right there against her belly. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of being so close to him. She yawned and started to drift off again when she heard his voice.

"Carol…" he mumbled quietly against her neck. She froze, barely able to even breathe. She let go of his hand and turned as slowly as she could in the bed, coming face to face with him. His eyes were closed, and a concerned furrow in his brow made her wonder what on earth he might be dreaming about.

"Shh," she whispered, stroking his cheek. "I'm here." She took a deep breath and leaned forward, kissing his forehead. When he didn't react, she grew a little bolder and kissed the corner of his eyebrow. Then his cheek. Then his chin. He mumbled something, and she smiled.

He scooched closer to her, and she gasped when she felt his erection pressing into her stomach. She groaned softly, feeling her inner thighs damp with sweat. She wanted so badly to have him touch her there.

"Carol," he groaned again, softly this time, his hand brushing over her hip.

"Are…are you awake?" She had to ask. God help him if he was playing games with her. But he didn't respond. And that pressure against her belly was just too much. She wanted to see him. To touch him. But she wasn't sure she could cross that line. Just a peek would be ok, though, right?

She couldn't stop her fingers from snagging the waistband of his sweats, and when she pulled them back, his dick bobbed out, fully hard and swollen. She gasped softly, wanting to touch him and stroke him and make him come, but it was too much. It was crossing a line. She'd already gone too far.

She turned away from him, slowly scooting her way toward the edge of the bed. She was about to situ p when she felt his breath on the back of her neck.

"Where ya goin?"?" She jumped like she'd been shot and her cheeks flushed red.

"When did you…"

"Oh, 'bout the time you snuck yourself a peek." She turned to him, and her mouth watered at the sight of him propped up on his elbow, dick standing at attention, his sweatpants rolled a little farther down his hips.

"Daryl, I'm…"

"Get over here, woman," he groaned, pulling at her hips, urging her to come back to him. Finish what you started.

"Daryl…I…"

"You don't want to?" He was about to feel like a complete idiot and maybe a little pissed at these games.

"No! I…" She felt utterly humiliated now. "I've wanted to. For a long time." He felt his heart skip a beat.

"Ya have?"

"Jesus, Daryl, you really are clueless sometimes." She couldn't help but grin when he took that opportunity to reach for her again. This time, she let him pull her against him. They lay facing one another, hands and arms caressing and embracing.

"Never said I was a smart man," he confessed, chucking her chin a little before placing a soft kiss to her lips. She chuckled against his mouth, as her heart thundered beneath her breast. Her hands moved from his shoulders down to his waist. She glanced down at his swollen shaft and then looked back up into his eyes. Her hand shot out, and she wrapped her fingers tenderly around him, feeling his weight and heat against her cool palm. Daryl's hips bucked forward at the new sensation of her hand around him. "Ah, fuck."

"Is this ok?" she asked. His answer was obvious. He kissed her hungrily, seeking entrance into her warm mouth, caressing her tongue with his as she began to stroke him, slowly at first and then picking up the pace. His fingers wandered down her tummy, and he raised her shirt, exposing the creaming skin beneath that tank top. His fingers played at the band of her shorts, and when she gave him a little nod, he reached inside, fumbled past the elastic of her panties and found her soft curls damp and slick. He almost came at the feeling of her, hot and wet against his fingers. He began to stroke her, circling her tender flesh, catching her moans of pleasure in his mouth when he pushed two fingers inside of her. They moved together, her stroking him, him fucking her with his powerful fingers.

"So perfect," he groaned against her mouth as her muscles clenched around his fingers. She gasped, throwing her head back as she came closer to crashing. Her hand pumped rhythmically around his dick, and she could feel wet drops of come against her hand, slicking her palm. The feeling drove him crazy, and it was only a matter of moments before he finished, shooting over her black tank top. He grimaced a little, but she didn't seem to care. He brushed his thumb over her clit, circling it in a wonderfully torturous way. And within a couple of minutes, she was shuddering and arching her back as her juices coated his fingers.

He removed his hand from her panties, and without thinking, he brought his hand to his mouth, licking her juices clean. He froze when he saw Carol's lips part in a little gasp, her face flushing. Shit. She thinks I'm a fuckin' freak. She leaned in, kissing him, tasting herself on his lips. Okay, so maybe not. Or maybe we're both a coupla freaks.

His dick was semi-flaccid, but he knew it wouldn't be long before he was hard again, aching for more of her touch. She seemed to read his mind, and she pushed back on his shoulders, rolling him to lie on his back. She moved over him, straddling his hips. Daryl couldn't help but look at the embarrassing splatter of come on her shirt. She followed his gaze and shrugged.

"It'll wash." She lifted her arms and unceremoniously pulled her shirt off, exposing her small but perfect breasts to him. She could feel him hardening against her crotch, and she slowly grinded against him, the friction bringing him to full mast within moments.

"Christ. You're evil," he growled, arching up to take one of her nipples between his teeth.

"Me?" she laughed, helping rid him of his shirt so he could pull her down against him, her bare breasts against his chest, coarse hair arousing her nipples to hard little buds. "You started it."

"Me?" He kissed her neck as she shimmied out of her shorts and panties. She then pulled his sweats all the way off of him before settling down in his lap, feeling the length of him against her thigh. She moaned, her concentration waning.

"Yeah," she panted. "You're the one that was spooning me when I woke up. I mean, a girl can't ignore that."

"Please," she snorted, flipping her over so she was on her back and he was on top, straddling her hips. "What was all that 'you can sleep in my bed, Daryl' shit?" She laughed against his mouth as they kissed. "'I'll protect you.'"

"Maybe I was hoping you'd take the hint." She groaned as he placed hot kisses down her throat and between her breasts.

"Hint taken," he growled, pushing himself inside of her.

"Oh God," she moaned, spreading her legs and lifting her hips to take him in deeper.

"So fuckin' perfect," he groaned, burying his head against her shoulder. She surrounded him like liquid fire, his body shaking against hers as she squeezed around him. She softly stroked the back of his neck and turned his face toward hers. She stared into his eyes for a moment, smiling at him and kissing him, letting him know it was ok. He gripped the pillow behind Carol's head and began to move inside of her. She cried out, trying not to be too loud but unable to be quiet as a mouse. He filled her completely, as if they had always meant to be connected like this.

Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him closer. She took her time kissing his neck, tasting the skin there, getting familiar with the way he responded to her touches. She moaned when he angled up, striking a nerve within her. She gasped, her head slamming back against the pillow.

"Daryl," she moaned, clutching his shoulders as he angled himself to thrust against her sensitive walls. Her stomach fluttered and her knees trembled. He kissed her softly, stroking her hair.

"Open your eyes, sweetheart," he murmured in that gruff Dixon way. She slowly peered up at him, mesmerized by the way he was looking at her, feral but needy all at the same time. She reached up, caressing his lips with her fingertips. He gave them a little nibble and she laughed. He sunk into her, slowing the pace a bit to make it last for her. The way she fit around him so perfectly was all he needed to know. Surely no heaven could feel as good as this. They were made for each other, that was clear.

"Oh God," she cried out as his fingers continued to torture her slowly. She clung to him hungrily, not wanting the feeling to stop, not wanting him to stop touching her ever.

When she heard his breaths become shallow and quick and his back went rigid, she knew it was almost over, and she didn't want it to end.

"Please," she cried out, begging for release. Daryl's thumb became more persistent, and within a few minutes, they were trembling and straining together. Then he collapsed on top of her, skin to skin, both drenched in sweat and feeling a good kind of ache all over.

He rolled off of her, and they lay side by side, exposed, panting and trying to figure out what the hell to do now. No turning back.

"You ok?" She was the first to ask. He looked at her, a bit dumbfounded that he'd actually just gone there with her. All the fantasies, all the time he'd go off alone and jerk off just thinking about her…well, nothing could have ever prepared him for the real thing. She smiled, tracing her fingers along the contours of his face.

"I'm good," he said with a little nod, feeling a little unsure of himself now. "You?"

"Yeah." She bit her lip. "Was that too much?"

"You askin' for me or you?" he wondered. She smiled, and he pulled her close, stroking her bare back. Her hand moved down to stroke his thigh, and he was already beginning to stir. She looked down at his cock that lay half-awake against his thigh and then back up at him. "Don't think it'll ever be enough," he growled, capturing her lips with his. He kind of took her breath away. She moaned softly against his mouth, turned on by his dominance now. He wasn't demanding in a cruel way. He was hungrily in the same way she was. Now that they'd had a taste of what they'd been missing, she wasn't sure they'd ever be able to get enough of each other. While that was a little worrisome, it was also a huge turn on.

"I guess," she panted, as he rolled her onto her back and began to kiss h is way down her body, "I guess we've got a lot of time to make up for, huh?" He settled between her legs, kissing her inner thigh, making her blush like she was twenty and that naïve girl she'd been years ago.

"I'll go first," he teased, his breath hitting her most sensitive area. She chuckled, thinking back to that night outside the prison—the night she first truly fantasized about him—that seemed to be a lifetime ago. She reached up, stroking his hair and leaning back against the mattress as he began to love her all over again.

"I think I can handle that."

FIN