Well, this is it. This is the last chapter of A Boy, A Girl and New York. I actually got a little teary-eyed as I wrote this, knowing that it would be the last chapter I would write for this story. I had so much fun writing this and I hope you all have had fun reading it, as well! :)

Chapter Eighteen

"University of Georgia?" Daryl's brow furrowed in confusion. Carol had never mentioned applying to that school. "I didn't know you wanted to go there. Thought you wanted to go somewhere around here?"

Carol shrugged. "I've been thinking on it for awhile, now, and I decided that I wanted to go back to Georgia. The last time we were there, it wasn't a pleasant experience. But it's your home, and I know you miss it."

Daryl's eyes narrowed and he took a step closer to Carol. Reaching out, he took the letter from her hands and skimmed over the contents. Sure enough, she had been accepted. "Is this really something you want, Carol?" His voice had gone unnaturally soft. They had been living together for over a month, and Daryl had fallen more in love with her with each new thing she did and with each new discovery he made about her.

"Georgia is your home, Daryl. I know you wa-" Daryl cut her off with a finger pressed gently to her pink lips.

"This isn't about me, Carol. It's about you and what you want to do with your future. I'll go wherever you go."

"And I want to go to Georgia."

"You want to go to Georgia for you, right?" Daryl had to make sure that Carol wasn't giving up on her dreams of being an established artist because he missed his place of birth and hunting in the woods. He loved her too much to allow her to do that.

"Daryl, I'm doing it for both of us. I want to go back. It is my birthplace, too. Remember? And I know how uncomfortable this city makes you, with the loud noises and too many people." Carol gripped his forearms and looked him straight in the eye. "This gives us the perfect opportunity to go where you belong. To go where I belong."

"And that's somewhere backwoods and hot?" Daryl was still skeptic. "You love it here, Carol. The atmosphere, the sights and hell, even the people."

"There's only one thing I love about Manhattan, Daryl, and that's Central Park." His heart jumped at the name. "Do you know why?"

"Yeah," he answered. "But, tell me, anyway."

She smiled. "It's where I met you, and it's where I started to fall in love."

Daryl kissed her, then. Hard and passionate. There would never be a day where he would tire of hearing her say those words. Fate had brought them together, in that park. Fate had kept them going strong through the shit Phillip Blake had put them through.

Pushing away, Carol giggled. "So, do you need anymore proof that this is what I want?" Daryl shook his head and kissed her, again.

"Good. I was thinking we could start looking for an apartment down there in two weeks. Maybe I can call Rick and ask for his help. Athens is only about an hour and a half from Atlanta."

"Maybe get a small house, instead of an apartment? We have the money."

Carol smirked. "Are you thinking about having Merle stay with us, then?"

"Hell, no." Daryl snorted. Surprisingly after the whole ordeal with Blake and Ed, which had been Merle's fault to begin with, Daryl still kept in touch with his older brother. Things had been rocky those first few days they had returned to New York, but Daryl realized that he had to let it go. Carol was safe, now.

"He can come with us, but he's gettin' his own damn place."

"Good. That's what I'm hoping you would say. I love Merle, and all, but I love you more and I value our privacy." Merle had no filter when it came to the lives of his younger brother and the woman he loved. Whenever they met up, either for lunch, dinner or just to talk, Merle never failed to throw in a question about their sex life.

"Surprised your girl ain't pregnant, yet," he had said at one occasion. "With as much as you two probably go at it."

Daryl's face had flamed, like it usually did whenever Merle said something like that. However, Carol was quick to reply, "It's something called birth control, Merle, but the only way you'd know that is if you had yourself a woman."

Every time, Carol made Merle speechless, and every time, Daryl couldn't help but think of how lucky he was to have a woman like her. And with those thoughts, his mind would turn to the future and Carol would always be there. Sometimes, Daryl imagined what it would be like to raise a family. Their children would all have her eyes, pale blue and beautiful. Their little girl would grow up to be smart and everything her mama was. Carol would tell him that she would want a boy to be just like his daddy, but Daryl wasn't so sure about that.

"If we ever had a boy, Daryl," she said, one night. They lay curled together in their bed. "I want him to be just like you. That way, one day, a girl will fall in love with him and realize she's the luckiest girl in the world." They had made love, after that and afterwards, Carol had whispered in his ear that she was the luckiest girl in the world.

"Daryl." With just his name spoken, he was brought back to the present. Carol still wore a smirk on her pretty face.

"Yeah?"

"Is there another reason why you want to buy a house, instead?"

Actually, there was. Grabbing one of her hands in his, Daryl went down on one knee.

Three Months Later

Carol Dixon set the last box in the room she and Daryl shared before turning toward her husband, and quickly got out of his way as he and Merle walked through the doorway with a heavy dresser. Grunting, they set it down where Carol indicated. It was the last piece of furniture to be moved.

It was official, now. Athens, Georgia was now their home.

Carol backed up and sprawled out on their bed. Daryl, covered in a light sheen of sweat joined her.

"Well, I'm goin' to use your shower before things get 'R' rated in here," Merle said from where he stood. Both of them were too exhausted to snap anything back, and Daryl just lifted his middle finger at his older brother.

"But if you do start makin' a baby, make sure it's a boy. Uncle Merle will tell his nephew everythin' he needs to know."

"Never in a million years, Merle," Carol sighed. This was not the first time they had had this conversation. "Now, go take a shower and I'll order us a pizza for supper."

"Yum sounds good. I'll be right out." And he was gone.

"Finally," Daryl grumbled and then rolled on top of Carol before kissing her, soundly. "Can't wait until he's at his own place, and then, we'll be able to christen every fuckin' room in this house."

The house they had decided to buy was only one story, but with three bedrooms, the one Carol and Daryl had claimed for themselves had its own bathroom. Merle had taken one of the other rooms, which was only temporary. Next weekend they were going to move all of this stuff into an apartment about fifteen minutes away.

They had made sure that the house was set near some woods, so that Daryl could once again go out and hunt. Their nearest neighbor was a mile down the road, which was a drastic change from their last home in New York. Their nearest neighbor there had been about five feet away. It was going to be a twenty-minute drive to school, but Carol didn't mind. The house was perfect.

"I love you." Daryl said between kisses before leaning up on his elbows and smiling down at her. They had gotten married two months ago, while still in New York. They had managed to have a small ceremony in Central Park with only Merle in attendance. It had been everything Carol had wanted.

"Are you happy?" He asked.

"Course I am." In two weeks, she would start school at the University and if everything went as planned, in four years she would graduate and become an art teacher. It wouldn't be, then, when they would start trying for a baby.

Things could change, however, and no matter what happened they would be okay with it.

"Good." He kissed her one more time before standing up. "Now, let's order that pizza and see how much we can eat before Merle gets out of the shower." Carol giggled and allowed herself to be pulled along by the hand. As they passed the bathroom door, she had to cover another round of giggles with her free hand when they heard Merle's loud boisterous singing over the spray of the shower. Daryl shook his head, chuckled and continued to walk to the kitchen with his wife in tow.

Carol knew that she had never been happier in her life and it was all because of that one day in Central Park when she had decided to draw Daryl Dixon.

The End

It's over. :( I just want to thank all of you who have taken the time to read and review this story of mine. If it weren't for all of you, I may not have finished it or it would have taken me even longer to finish it. You guys are the best. Remember that. And of course, I have to thank Haitus80, without her, no story of mine would be possible. She's an amazing writer and an amazing friend! :) Love you, Robyn!

THANK YOU! :D