Disclaimer: I still do not own the Walking Dead unfortunately.

~About a week later~

It had been a few days since her conversation with Daryl in the garden on that very hot day. She had been mulling over it in her head since. She wondered briefly if Daryl had thought about it too or if he could shut off his feelings as easily as he made it look.

Rick had come out within seconds of their exchange and Daryl had followed him to take watch without even glancing back at her over his shoulder. She would have liked to have talked about this whole thing more, but she knew better than to try to start conversation with Daryl. It would definitely be better for her to wait for him to come to her than the reverse.

Daryl had been working on digging the nail out of his boot when Glenn came into his cell.

"Hey Daryl. I have to ask you something."

Daryl did not respond and most people would have been put off by this, but the young man knew well enough that Daryl's silence was the response for him to continue.

"Maggie kind of sent me in here. I want to clarify this wasn't my idea so don't get mad."

Daryl's eyebrow arched into his hairline. "Is that so?" He normally liked his quiet time, but he was slightly amused by Glenn's behavior. He seemed more like the kid he met in Atlanta than the man he came to know on the road all winter. It was refreshing to know he was still the same guy deep down; that this world hadn't completely changed him.

"It is so." Glenn said glancing up at Daryl. "It's just we've noticed- I mean Maggie's noticed that she has not seen you around Carol too much lately."

"Yeah. We've all been very busy with all these new roomates if you ain't noticed."

"Yeah. I mean sure. But I want our group to stay strong. The core. You know what I mean."

Daryl did.

"We are strong." He replied putting his hand on his shoulder. "What's on yur mind?"

Glenn smiled at him warmly and Daryl felt that warm sense of affection he had felt for Hershel a few days ago. Man he was getting soft.

"Well I'm glad to hear that, but…" he seemed to be trying to find the exact words. "Have you and Carol had a fight or something?"

"Nah. Why ya sayin' that?"

"Well like I said I haven'- I mean Maggie hasn't seen you two together in a while and we just want to make sure things are okay. You know things could be tough before everyone moved in, but with the added bodies I just wanna make sure you guys are alright?

"You mean Maggie wants to know we are alright?" Daryl teased him despite his growing ajida.

"Yeah… that's what I meant." Glenn laughed nervously.

"We're fine. I haven't exactly been hangin' out with anyone lately with all these damn people around. Why you gotta pick on me and Carol? Sheriff's been meandering about the last few days doin' God knows what and you ain't botherin' him."

Glenn looked at him. "Yeah, but it's different. You and Carol and you and Carol."

Daryl was not sure what he was doing at Carol's cell, but he had been sure there was a reason behind it earlier. If he took another step forward she would see him and he'd have to say something. He would have to have a reason for being there. He raked his brain for an excuse something he realized he should have done earlier, but he had gotten up on impulse after his conversation with Glenn.

He realized he really had not spoken to her in nearly a week's time now and it was not like him. He wanted to make things right between them, not that they had seriously gone wrong, but he found himself longing for that comfortable silence he felt with her. Even sitting with Rick in silence was not as gratifying and the man had a real comfortable air about him.

He was about to head back to his cell to formulate a plan with Carol stumbled out cradling Judith.

"Oh hey." She said startled at how close he was. He felt bad at the instant fear that crossed her face. You never knew when an intruder could sneak in. Or even the undead. Daryl was not sure which one he'd rather have Carol and the baby cross paths with.

"Hey Carol." He said biting his nail and not moving past her cell.

She eyed him suspiciously as she swaddled Judith. She seemed almost as nervous as he was, but he was not sure if that was wishful thinking.

"Do you need something?" She said softly.

You. He thought dramatically. He was not sure if he was being a pussy thinking it or a pussy not saying it.

"I need ya help with something."

"What's that with?" She seemed to have this hope in her voice. He was not sure what for. He was gonna ask her to do some mundane task just so he could spend some time with her.

"Actually hold on. Let me just walk Judith down to Beth. I was about to when I ran into you. Wait in my cell if you want. Mi casa es su casa." She said cheerfully.

As Carol jogged back up the stairs from Beth's cell she noticed Daryl standing awkwardly amongst her things. She watched him for a few moments as he fingered a shirt she had folded above her bunk appreciatively. Her heart fluttered at the way he affectionately grasped the material. It was the shirt he had found her in the tombs with. She had saved it as a sort of memento to her survival, but she had not moved it off the top bunk in weeks.

Carol watched as he finally awkwardly to a seat on her bed instead of the chair she still had the stack of laundry she was folding on. She had completely forgotten. She made her way to the cell.

"Alright. What do you need, Daryl?"

She swooned at the half smile he gave her. It was like he had some secret and she wished she could know what it was.

"Ya saved the shirt."

"Yeah. I did. It reminds me of survival and it reminds me of you." The way he smiled at her was one of the silliest things she had ever seen. Daryl was usually pretty stoic unless the emotion he was showing was agitation. She wanted to kiss him then, but she knew better.

Daryl could feel his face heat and he was sure he was the color of a ripe tomato. He tried to ignore it. He was a grown man, but her words struck him to his core. He snapped out of it finally though.

"Anyway what did you need?" Carol said breaking the glow around them.

"You- yah help with these pants?" he stuttered out rather uncharacteristically. Pussy.

"You want me to help you with your pants?" She said raising her eyebrow suggestively as only she could. He wished he could tease her the same way and get her head spinning like she did his.

"No. Not like that." She kept smiling. "Stop it." He ordered her half-heartedly.

"Alright. Your loss."

"I meant I got all these damn rips and I'm gonna start tripping over them. Was wonderin' if ya could mend them up."

"With you in them?"

He felt rather silly now. He had not really though this through. His other pants were in far worse condition and he knew she knew that, but if she figured out this was a sham she did not say anything.

"Oh nah. I guess I can go take 'em off."

"No. Don't bother Daryl. I can sew that big hole with you in em'. Just don't tell me your ticklish. I'll do the rest later"

"I ain't, but-"

"Alright move over. Put your leg in my lap."

"What?! Carol I aint doing that." But before he knew it she had lifted his leg up and put it on her lap anyway.

"I'm gonna get ya all dirty."

"Don't be a drama queen. I just washed these pants and it's not like we aren't all dirty " She said not looking up on him already hard at work on the hole. He watched as her tongue darted out between her lips as she looked down at his knee in concentration. And he thought in that moment he might love her.

But he wasn't going to say that.

So he did the next best thing. He shifted forward and kissed her… chin.

Well fuck.

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