This will be a short story of the characters' views on Carol and Daryl. Most will take place in the 8 months between Season 2 and Season 3 but some will be in Season 3. Some will also be more detailed than others, depending on the character.

"Nothing exists until or unless it is observed. An artist is making something exist by observing it. And his hope for other people is that they will also make it exist by observing it." - William S. Burroughs

Rick

A month after the Greene farm being overrun by walkers, their group was barely surviving.

Rick looked at all of the members of the group, darkened by the large shed they managed to break into. There was only a window near the ceiling but no one was complaining. The Georgia sun had been heating them for nearly all light hours for the past several weeks and having a little shade, it was a slight victory.

But although their spirits were elevated just a little, it did none to mask their hunger and thirst.

They were basically all sticks. Sickeningly so, especially Lori, who's stomach was now protruding from her shirt. Rick got dizzy every time he thought of Lori carrying the baby with no food in her stomach.

While the group got some rest in the shed, Rick and Daryl went out to hunt for anything they could find. With a month of practice, Daryl was finally okay with Rick going out with him to hunt. Before Rick's boots would either chase away the game or attract stray walkers. Now he was almost as silent as Daryl himself.

They moved silently through the woods, the high trees doing nothing to protect their skin from the burning sun. Rick envied Daryl's sleeveless shirts sometimes, looking down at his own fully sleeved shirt. But he had no other clothing than his jacket, his long shirt, and his jeans. He wanted to be practical for the winter, which meant not altering his clothes, but that also meant sweating to death in the sun.

Within a few hours, Daryl and Rick were carrying home a few squirrels, enough to feed the entire group once, but since they'd gone without food for a few days they would take what they could get. Entering the shed Rick immediately went to Carl, greeting him silently, and nodding to Lori.

At the corner of his eye Rick saw Daryl enter the shed as well and walking straight towards Carol.

Rick sometimes shamefully admitted to himself that he'd forget Carol was with them. She was very silent, walked just as softly as Daryl, and was never a noticeable member of the group. But he'd always take note of how she split whatever food she got with Lori or Carl.

For that, Rick was grateful for her.

But seeing the hunter almost gravitate towards the silent woman, it didn't surprise Rick much. He saw the two of them stick close to each other as the days went on. He saw that they barely spoke with words, but in stares and nods, creating a language between the two of them that no one else would understand.

Rick saw that they were a good pair. And he was glad to have them both.

Almost as much as he knew that they were glad to have each other.