Oh my GOD I am really nervous about posting this... It got a pretty good response on Ninelives but I'm still a bit anxious, haha (but I spent so freakin' long on it I refuse to not post it). Be gentle when you review!

Here, everyone, have almost 6,000 words of fluffy, awkward PWP!

"Daryl." Carol said plainly in the darkness. She nudged him with her elbow and felt him shift to that he was lying on his side, his silhouette just visible against the low window in their bedroom where the starless sky was only a fraction lighter than the darkness inside the room.

"Yeah?" He rumbled groggily, and she felt a little shiver race down her spine. Now that he was awake and she was about to blurt it out, she couldn't help the sudden lump of anxiety that nestled in her throat. Silence stretched out for a moment too long. "You 'kay?"

"I'm fine…" She replied, folding her hands on her stomach and staring up at the ceiling as though she could see it in the pitch-blackness of night. "It's nothing."

Daryl huffed in what could have passed as amusement or irritation, or both. "Naw, you got somethin' on your mind. Spit it." She should have known this was a bad idea. Daryl had a way of seeing past her many facades and this one was no more impervious than any other. His hand landed firmly on her stomach and he rubbed it with his palm in a somewhat playful manner, jostling her and making her feel a little braver at the lightness of his attitude. Maybe if he was horrified by what she had to say he'd be able to laugh it off rather than become awkward and withdrawn like she feared. "Carol…" He almost sang, and she could picture the little smile he'd be wearing. "You woke me up an' now you gotta tell."

One of the things that had surprised her about him at first was the way that he was inclined to moments of incredible levity. It was always in the quiet moments when it was just the two of them, or with Carl, Judith or Mika, but often when they were sitting in their kitchen drinking coffee in the mornings or lying in bed at night he would burst into laughter at something she said or crack a joke that had her cackling delightedly. With his hair cut shorter, much how it was in the winter before they found the prison, and a decent shave, he looked younger, but the ravages of life since the death of his brother still lingered in the tightness around his eyes and wrinkles that were forming on his brow. When he laughed, though, he seemed so youthful that her chest tightened almost every time.

Despite herself, she couldn't help but laugh softly when he poked gently at her side with his fingertip, making her squirm, and so he did it again until she laughed out loud. "It's nothing, I swear." She promised, rolling onto her side to face him and propping herself up on her elbow.

"Right... I ain't buyin' it." He said. "You ain't gonna tell me?"

She smiled to herself, feeling giggly at his infectiously good mood and the inevitable game of 'Twenty Questions' that would follow. "It's nothing to worry about."

"Woke me up from my beauty sleep… Jus' tell me!" He pestered. "Was important enough to wake me up in the middle'a the night so you might as well…" He snickered to himself. "Is it an animal? Mineral? Gimme somethin' to work with here."

She knew from his playful wheedling that he was in the best possible mood she could have hoped for and gathered her courage. "You're my best friend."

"You're mine." He replied, sounding unsure of where the conversation was headed but not overly concerned. "You know that."

She picked at the sheet. "I was married to Ed since I was twenty."

"…Okay…?" He said, his voice trying and failing to stay neutral.

She gave an embarrassed sort of whine but figured she might as well jump right in. "He was pretty bad in the sack."

Daryl gave another one of what she was beginning to consider 'her' laughs and she felt the mattress beneath her tremble. "Well shit, I never would'a guessed… He didn't seem like the type to leave a lady wantin'."

She snorted and swatted at him. Ed had somehow become the butt of their irreverent jokes, which had surprised Carol because she felt so fiercely proud of herself for the ways she had changed since his death. A joke about her ex-abuser from anyone else probably would have cut her to the quick, but with Daryl she felt comfortable enough to laugh about her past. It was, quite possibly, the single most morbid form of therapy ever created. She liked it, though, and after some initial understandable hesitancy on Daryl's part they'd used it as just another excuse to share their similar snarky senses of humour. "Well… He did." She said. She sighed and flopped onto her back once more, running her hands over her face. "He's the only man I've ever been with." She admitted.

"Sucks." Daryl supplied. Carol made a grossed-out noise to lighten the moment and he snickered. "You serious? Just ol' Ed?"

"Yep." She replied morosely, popping the 'p'. "Should'a branched out more, huh."

"You ever think about it? Jumpin' the fence?" He asked after a pause.

"I was too scared," She sighed. "I thought he'd kill me for sure… And then after a while I didn't want to, you know? I didn't see the point."

Daryl hummed in reply and she felt him exhale heavily. "Don' think I ever bothered to stay with any one woman long 'nough for her to think 'bout screwin' 'round on me."

Carol pursed her lips cheekily despite the fact that he couldn't see her. "Why… You bad in the sack too?" She teased. He smacked her hip with the back of his hand, making her snigger. "I'm just teasing…" She placated, reaching for his fingers and toying with them between her own. He let her pull his hand over onto her stomach and play with his fingers, sighing in a lazy way when she rubbed his knuckles with her thumb.

"You still ain't told me what's got you thinkin' so much." He commented.

"Sleep with me." She blurted. He inhaled sharply and his fingers twitched in her hand but he didn't pull away. "Shit, that's not how I meant to say it." She groaned and dropped his hand, feeling her cheeks burning and being grateful for the cover of darkness. She listened to his even breathing and held her own as she waited for him to react. "…Daryl?"

"Come again?" His voice sounded a little strained.

"Never mind." She choked quickly and made to roll away from him.

"Wait," He said hurriedly. "You actually serious? You surprised me, is all."

"Yeah." She whispered in equal parts anticipation and mortification. "I just meant… If you wanted to, maybe?"

"Uh," He began, before clearing his throat. "Sure." He chuckled awkwardly and she echoed him, unable to quite believe their ridiculous situation. "Did you, uh, did you mean like right now?"

"I'm not sure…" She stammered. "I didn't think it would get this far." He laughed at that, another light-hearted laugh that broke the tense moment and made her smile. "I guess so?" She felt his fingertips graze the top of the flannel pyjama pants she was wearing and didn't bother to suppress the shiver the sensation evoked. It was fairly commonplace for either of them to touch each other, but the usual feeling of comfortable closeness was overshadowed by the notion that one touch could lead to another, and she hummed low in her throat when his fingers slid up over her hip and across the skin of her stomach, still just brushing her pants.

"You wanna do this?" He murmured.

"Yeah." She breathed, feeling her heart begin to pick up while his hand crept up her shirt, the rough skin scratching deliciously across the soft plane of her abdomen. Her eyes fluttered shut as the warmth of his palm explored her skin, inching higher at an agonising pace. She shivered again when he traced the bottom of her breast then dragged his hand down and out of her shirt while wriggling close enough that he could lean over her.

"Can I kiss you?" He whispered in her ear while he stroked the pulse point in at her throat with his thumb. She nodded before she realised he couldn't see her, but he must have felt it because his lips met hers carefully, chastely, and she slipped her hand up his chest and stroked the back of his neck while his lips slid over her own. His body was warm and solid where he hovered above her, pressed against her but holding his own weight enough that she didn't feel like he was squashing her. He pulled away for a moment before kissing her again and her chest felt like it would burst from the joy that welled there. They kissed for a long while, until her lips felt warm and her fingertips were tingling when they ran over his shirt.

"This is…" She murmured when he next released her lips before ducking back for another light kiss. "It's nice."

He hummed questioningly, making her lips tingle from the vibration. "Yeah?"

She combed her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck and eased his head down for another kiss, this time parting her lips and humming softly when his tongue brushed her lower lip. He was nowhere near as hesitant or clumsy as she'd expected. His hands were gentle when he ran them down her sides and his pulse was steady under her fingertips. Her tongue eased lazily against his and she felt herself relaxing, shifting to tangle her legs with his without breaking the kiss. His lips shifted so that he kissed across her cheek and down her throat, leaving a damp trail on her skin. Her hips hitched when he sucked in just the right place. He rumbled appreciatively and nuzzled along her clavicle, letting her lay back and appreciate the sensations he lavished upon her.

On the one hand, every glide of his lips or soft exhalation sent a series of soft shocks through her body and she felt about ready to burst out of her skin. Slow heat was stirring in the pit of her stomach and her pulse was pounding in her skull as he sucked at her skin, but from bitter experience she knew it wasn't hard enough to leave a mark. Her fingers scratched lightly through his hair and even that sensation sent a flame of lust licking up through her fingers. Her body felt like a mess of nerve endings and excitement.

On the other hand, though, she felt remarkably calm. Not detached, as such, because how could she ever ignore the reverence with which he was kissing her? She felt, simply, like this was something she could do with little self-doubt or fear. The way he was touching her felt like an extension of their usual touches, empty of any expectation or ulterior motive, and the gentle confidence in his hands and mouth dispelled much of the anxiety she was feeling. She stroked his hair back from his forehead while he kissed down the centre of her chest and let one hand wander down beneath the back of his shirt. He twitched sharply and his kisses stuttered to a halt.

"It's okay." She murmured, wishing she could see his facial expression instead of the vaguest impression of his body she could currently see. "I have some, too."

"I know." He sighed heavily and rested his forehead against her chest. "Just ain't used to people touchin' 'em."

"I'll stop." She offered softly, withdrawing her fingers from under his shirt. He kissed the top of the slight valley between her breasts in thanks and slid both hands up under her shirt, scrunching it up and she raised her arms to let him peel it off her. It snagged on her necklace, the one Carl and Mika had 'found' for her whilst digging through drawers in an empty house that she culdn't bear the thought of taking off and losing. She huffed while he snickered and fumbled with the fine chain, finally giving up and pulling her shirt back down so she could try to untangle it herself.

"Can't do it." He murmured and kissed her again, making her laugh softly when he gave a helpless tug at the clasp. He lifted off her to let her sit up and she chased the kiss, even as she blindly unsnagged the necklace and her shirt, yanking it off over her head before laying back down. His hand rested at her waist for a beat before sliding up her torso and over her breast, palming the soft flesh while she moaned softly. He seemed to take her barely-audible noise as encouragement because before she could process the sensation of his rough, warm palm against her breast, his lips were pressing their way down and over her nipple, sucking with just enough force to make her purr and tighten her fingers in his hair.

"That's good." She managed. He kept sucking and kissing while his calloused fingertips toyed playfully with the other nipple, causing her to squirm. The feel of his stubble against the curve of her breast had her shifting her hips up to press against his. "Shirt." She hissed. "Take it off."

His lips left her nipple with an obscene pop and she couldn't help but grin at his playfulness. The rustle of his shirt being removed made her squirm some more and she sat up until she was kneeling on the mattress, mirroring him, both hands on his jaw. He was breathing a little faster now, but he still seemed so much calmer than her. She rubbed his jawline with her thumb, and the other hand stroked slowly down over his chest, her fingernails scraping ever-so-gently over one flat nipple and making him hiss in pleasure. Her hand trailed lower even as he turned his head and nuzzled into her other palm, until it encountered the waistband of his sleep-pants. She slipped her hand inside and found him half-hard, so she stroked lightly, almost ticklishly, with her fingertips along the underside of his cock, smiling to herself when he groaned breathily. His hand came up to rest on the back of her neck and he kissed her again while she caressed him.

He lowered her back to the mattress again and hooked the waistband of her pyjama pants and panties at once, tugging lightly until she lifted her hips and let him slide them down before she kicked them off. Carol traced her fingers up his sides and back down over his ass, easing his pants down until he could copy her technique and kick them off.

That first brush of skin against skin had a sudden burst of trepidation tightening her spine and flexing her thighs around his.

"No." He murmured sweetly in her ear. "Don' be scared."

"Sorry." She breathed, her hands pressing lightly against his chest. Despite her efforts, all she could think of was the first time Ed had forced her, the searing pain and twisted guilt that she should have been enjoying it, that this was part of her wifely duties. She knew Daryl never expected anything of her, but the helplessness she had felt when Ed had pinned her despite her protests was returning in force. "I just need a minute." He backed off her and she felt the mattress dip when he laid beside her. He nuzzled closer and threw his arm over her waist, his cock pressing firmly against her hip and his lips against her temple.

"I ain't gonna hurt you." He promised, smoothing his hand up her abdomen and over her breast, gently thumbing her nipple. "Promise."

"He used to…" She could feel her throat constricting and every last glimmer of lust quickly melted away, leaving her feeling shaken. He realised she wasn't enjoying his touch and his hand dropped down to rest against the curvature of her ribcage, fingers gently curling and unfurling over the skin there. "I thought I could…" She was beginning to feel physically ill, her breaths becoming shorter and less controlled.

"You don't owe me anythin'," He soothed. "Just breathe, alright? We can just go to sleep as soon as you calm down." He sat up and grabbed the blankets where they had been kicked to the foot of the bed, drawing them up and over her where she was laying on her back, trying to control her breathing.

"You-" She faltered for a moment, taking an exaggeratedly deep breath. "He used to force me." She croaked in the dark. He continued to stroke his fingers over her ribcage, pressing light kisses to her cheek and temple while his rough skin scratched soothingly over hers. "I thought I could go through with this."

"I know… You ain't gotta." He crooned softly. "You don' have to do anythin' you don' want to."

"You're… bigger… than he was and I just, I didn't want to think about him right now…" She was starting to feel calmer with the way Daryl was reacting and the lack of anger he was displaying.

"Won' hurt you. I won't." He vowed. The rhythmic opening and closing of his hand on her side was remarkably relaxing, and reminded her of the casual and reassuring touches they shared all the time. This way just Daryl, after all; the same Daryl who had patiently nursed her back to health after their escape from Grady Hospital, the same Daryl who had been sharing a bed with her for the last three months since that first night after Beth's funeral. If he'd ever planned on hurting her, he would have done it by now, but she knew he didn't have that sort of malice in him.

Time seemed to creep by painfully slowly while she pulled herself together. At some point he had picked up her hand that was lying limply on her stomach and was gently squeezing each finger in turn between his thumb and forefinger, mapping her out by feel alone. She squeezed his fingers in return and he sighed, letting her fingers go. She felt him prop himself up on his elbow and stroke her stomach much like one would a nervous cat.

"Are you petting me?" She asked, relieved her voice sounded somewhat normal.

"You're soft." He replied with a slight unrepentant laugh.

"So are you." She pointed out tartly, but with a teasing note that let him now she was only playing.

"Sorry I ain't turned on by women havin' panic attacks." He shot back, kissing her cheek with a playful growl. She shifted when the pressure of his hand on her stomach became lighter, making her muscles contract under his touch. To her surprise, she felt a lazy stirring in her belly and pressed her thighs together at the ache that his touch was inspiring.

"Can we try this again?" She asked after a beat.

"If you wanna." He replied. "You know where to find me." He snickered when she huffed at his lame joke.

She rolled onto her side and used her fingertips to map his face in the dark. His lips were soft underneath her wandering fingertips, a little chapped but velvety when he playfully caught her index finger between his teeth and growled. She laughed at him and went to pull her finger away, but he kept his gentle hold on her knuckle before sucking on her finger, making her inhale sharply. When he released her digit, she quickly replaced it with her lips and let him kiss her deeply, taking a moment to let her tongue simply twist with his and enjoy the sensation of his arms twining around her. A bubbly feeling rose in her chest when he broke the kiss to whisper in her ear.

"So pretty." He breathed, his hands skimming up and down her spine while she kissed down his jaw.

"It's dark." She rebutted, tilting her head to let him suck down her throat once more. "You can't see me."

"I know you're pretty. Don't change when the lights go off, does it?" She was smiling when she ducked and caught his lips again, and she felt his lips curve when he realised she was.

She ran her hands down his chest. One stopped just above his navel and the other continued down until her fingers were wrapped around the base of his cock. She tightened her grip experimentally and he purred into the kiss. She carefully stroked him back to full hardness as he nuzzled her throat and sucked on her earlobe, before she rolled onto her back and tugged his arm until he was positioned over top of her. She was guiding the head of his dick towards her opening, trying to quell the flutter of panic in her stomach, when he stopped her with a gentle squeeze on her wrist.

"You wanna be on top?" He murmured. "You're freezin' up again." She realised that her jaw was clenched and her eyes were shut tighter than she'd thought. The tension must have radiated down through the rest of her body, she mused, because he was hovering over her and waiting for her permission.

"I've never done it like that." She admitted, rubbing his chest with both hands.

"Ain't hard." He said, and the laugh in his voice gave her just enough warning that she didn't squeak in shock out loud when he suddenly rolled them over, holding her by the hips so that she was straddling his hips and trying to smother her surprised giggles with one hand. His cock pressed into the cleft between her legs and she rolled her hips experimentally. He groaned and she was glad that he was at least a little vocal because the inky blackness prevented her from seeing his facial expressions. His fingers tightened on her hips and she hummed in approval when he tilted his hips, causing his shaft to slide against her clit again. The little sparks of heat began to stir in her belly again when he reached up and tweaked gently on a nipple, even as he traced soothing circles onto her hip with his other hand. She couldn't help but let out a soft moan when the fingers at her breast swept down the plane of her stomach to part the curls at her outer lips, stroking and exploring with a tantalisingly gentle touch. Her breath was hitching and her hands, resting on his shoulders, were squeezing and releasing whenever he touched her just right by the time he stopped using his fingers on her.

"You good? He asked, his voice tight with effort. His dick was throbbing ever so slightly against her and she marvelled at the sensation, delighted in the way she was able to affect him.

"Yeah," She replied, even as her heart pounded in her chest in an equal mix of nervousness and arousal so intense she could barely speak. "I'm good."

"Good." His voice rolled over her, silky and low, and his hands on her hips urged her upwards. She rose on her knees, feeling the head of his cock glide down the length of her slit and she squirmed helplessly. "Ready?" He pressed against her entrance and she couldn't help but feel embarrassed at how wet she was, at the slickness that coated his member and the fingers of his hand at her hip.

"Yeah." She breathed, pressing down and taking him in. He felt bigger inside her, huge compared to the way he'd felt in her hand, and she choked a little at the burn that radiated from where his cock was sheathed inside her. She breathed deeply, trying to ignore both the startling discomfort and the cold lump of dread that settled in her chest. His hands were tight on her hips, digging into her flesh, and she could her him take in a controlled breath before it hissed out through his teeth. Her thighs were beginning to ache and she was shaking throughout her body, trying to keep it together at least long enough for him to get off.

"Jesus, Carol," He ground out through gritted teeth. "You gotta relax a lil' bit or this is gonna be over real quick." His hands unclenched from where he was squeezing her hips and instead smoothed his palms down to her thighs, where he massaged and stroked reassuringly. She realised then that her thighs were so tense that they were beginning to ache and she inhaled slowly, forcing herself to relax when she exhaled. "Good girl." He praised her quietly. He slid one hand up to the juncture of her thighs and rolled her clit under his thumb, barely moving it until she hummed at the feel of it. "'S just me…" He soothed. "Let me make you feel good."

He continued to murmur to her while she gradually relaxed, his words blurring together in her ears into a stream of gentle encouragement until her pelvis was flush with his.

"Feel so good." He murmured. "Just right." Her fingers scraped up his chest, brushing over the light smattering of hair and edging his nipples. He gave one slow, easy thrust up into her and her whole body arched, trying to situate herself until he hit the right spot. She gasped in surprise at the dull yet overwhelming bolt of pleasure that raced up her spine.

"Keep doing that." She begged breathlessly after a few more thrusts. He obliged and she whined, leaning forward and bracing herself with a hand on either side of his head. His hands were wandering across her body until she ducked down for a kiss, when he rolled them over without pulling his lips from hers. The new position found them much closer together, his arms around her and his body rubbing, a little sweat-slick and warmer than his usual overheated state, against hers. Every lazy thrust pressed his pelvis against her clit. Her brain felt foggy and curiously quiet, even as she slid her toes against his calf and whispered "God, Daryl" against his throat. She was beginning to whimper nearly silently in his ear every time his thumb stroked her nipple in time with the rolling movement of his hips, and he caught her earlobe in his lips, sucking gently and making her shiver.

"Come on," He whispered. "It's okay." She gave a pitchy moan when he slowed down even more, finding an indulgent rhythm that made her jerk at every smooth slide of his shaft against her walls. "Let go." He coaxed. Her fingernails dug in at his waist before scratching across his lower back, seeking purchase as her stomach muscles tensed and flexed, trying to catch the ecstasy she could sense approaching. His thumb travelled firmly down her stomach and rubbed her clit faster than he was easing his hips in and out, and she felt herself clench around him. With a hitching breath, the pleasure burst through her and she was dimly aware of his soft groan while her muscles rolled and spasmed around him. She whimpered softly at the sensation and he kissed her sweetly. "Good girl." He breathed as his hips picked up speed. "Good girl."

Her mind reeling, she slid her heel up the back of his thigh and dropped her head back onto his pillow while he pumped his hips at his preferred pace, feeling the too-bright shots of pleasure race through her when he brushed the right places inside her. "Daryl," She gasped against his mouth when a desperate grunt slipped past his lips. "God, Daryl."

He kissed her and his hips stuttered when she sucked hard on his tongue. He nipped at her bottom lip while her fingers twined in his hair and tugged, making him groan deep in his chest and thrust hard into her three more times before a delicious heat plumed inside her as he came. He slumped against her for a few beats, letting his weight press her into the mattress while she combed her fingers through his sweat-dampened hair and their combined gasps mingled in the dark. She felt breathless, light-headed, and absolutely divine as he nuzzled and sucked at her throat, murmuring sweet nothings against her skin.

When he finally pulled away, his dick slid out of her and left a warm streak of wetness on her inner thigh. He was flopped on his back next to her, and they lay in silence until they'd both caught their breath. Carol gave a short, surprised laugh and she heard him turn his head towards her.

"What's funny?" His voice was thick with exertion.

"I didn't give you much warning that was going to happen… But you handled it with a remarkable amount of grace." She laughed again and he chuckled.

"You feelin' okay?" He asked, and her heart sang at the genuine concern in his voice.

"I feel fantastic." She said.

"You do." He confirmed with a snort of laughter, and she felt her face heating up. "You ain't hurtin'?"

"No. That was… I don't even know what that was… It was good." He hummed in agreement. "Really good."

"Better'n Ed?" He ribbed playfully.

"Just go to sleep." She scolded, but she knew he could hear the smile in her voice. She heard him sigh and he rolled towards her, so that her back was aligned with his front with his arm flung over her and his nose buried in her hair.

"You wanna talk 'bout this when we wake up?" He mumbled into her hair.

"Is there something to talk about?" She asked, and gave a satisfied yawn against the pillow.

"Nothin' pressin'." He sighed contentedly and she let the lulling motion of his hand rubbing her stomach ease her into an easy sleep.

The next morning saw her opening her eyes and reaching for him, but the bed was empty. She rubbed at her eyes and realised from the way the mattress dipped that he was sitting on the edge of the bed by her knees. When she opened her eyes again, she saw he was fully dressed and cradling a cup of coffee; the good stuff, too, found in the kitchen cupboard of the farmhouse they were staying in.

She sat up with a groan that ended in a hiss when the tightness in her muscles made itself known. The twinge of pain inside her caught her attention when she shifted, clutching the blanket to her chest, into a proper sitting position against the headboard. "Did I sleep late?" She asked, squinting against the sunlight.

"Uh huh." He confirmed, handing her the slightly cooler-than-usual mug. "Made this an' left it for you but you never came out to get it. You feelin' alright?"

"I'm kind of stiff." She admitted. The flash of guilt across his face had her backtracking rapidly. "It's a good sort of stiff!" She assured him. "I just need to stretch it out."

He nodded in acceptance. "You may as well stay in bed a lil' longer, second shift for breakfast ain't quite ready yet." The team who kept watch over the exposed parts of the farm for walkers and other people never made the switch-off in time for breakfast; it was always cold when they got back to the courtyard between the barns, and so a second breakfast shift was implemented so that everyone was fed a decent meal to start the day.

"No," She yawned and sighed. "I should go make sure Mika's okay."

"Mika," He shifted towards her, rubbing her thigh. Gone were the tingling, lust-filled sensations of last night; he was back to being normal Daryl, and she seemed to be past her uncharacteristic wantonness. "Has already had breakfast, brushed her teeth, an' gone to help Carl look for eggs in the grass 'round the barns."

"Did you get her organised? You didn't have to, I could have done it." She smiled at him despite herself over the rim of her mug.

"She's a sweet kid, ain't no trouble." Daryl shrugged. "Hey. 'bout what I said last night… Us an' how we ought'a talk?"

Carol hummed questioningly, trying to act like her stomach wasn't twisting itself into knots at the thought of what he was about to say.

"Did that change anythin'?" He was looking earnestly at her, his head a little bowed like he didn't want her to be able to read the emotion on his face.

"Do you want anything to change?" She asked, placing her half-finished cup on the bedside table. He reached for it and took a sip, grimacing at the now-warmish liquid inside. She snickered at the face he made and took the cup back, downing it quickly and reaching for her bra, dropped on the floor on her side of the bed, as best she could without dropping the sheet that was her only decency at the moment. He leaned down and scooped it off the floor for her, before searching out her panties and dropping them in her lap.

"I like what we got." Daryl admitted. "You're my best friend I ever had."

"So that was a one-off?" She asked, keeping her voice neutral as she wriggled her bra on beneath the sheet that was just barely staying draped over her shoulders. "What happened last night?"

He rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled with embarrassment. "Liked that, too."

"Could we… I don't know, just keep doing what we've been doing? Nothing's really changed, right?"

"Shit," He huffed. "Newbies think we're married anyhow…"

"Oh boy," Carol rolled her eyes sarcastically, but the glint in her gaze conveyed that she was teasing. "Here comes married bliss again… Back to being a housewife and putting up with bad sex…"

He swatted her leg where it rested beneath the sheet. "You're an asshole sometimes, you know that?"

"Just don't drop your game, is all I'm saying." She winked at him while she shimmied into her panties. "Let's keep a good thing going."

"Get outta bed." He scolded, grinning cheekily at her. "Got shit to do today an' you better work those kinks out real quick unless you wanna be explainin' yourself to people." She pulled his discarded shirt on and climbed out of bed, locking her fingers together over her head and stretching luxuriously.

"Hey." She said, just as he was slipping out the door while she pulled her cargos on. "Thanks."

"What for?" He asked, sniffing and rubbing at his scruff.

"Being so good to me." She shrugged.

"The Hell else am I s'posed to do?" He scoffed, and she heard him tread down the hallway and off the porch. She laughed to herself and shook her head, smiling at the little aches that flared when she swapped his shirt for hers. She stretched again, this time more seriously, and decided she wasn't so sore after all. The tightness in her muscles probably wouldn't be too hard to get rid of throughout the morning before anyone got too curious.

It was, she mused, more likely to be the shit-eating grin that gave her away.

I'm just sitting here laughing nervously to myself about how I have no idea what the response will be...

Review me! Even if it's just to say "Caitlyn, please never ever do this again..."