Daryl was looking at the TV alright, but he was remembering the first time he had seen that particular movie…

"Sweetie, could you put my movie in for me please?" The small boy jumped up from the couch and went over to the television cabinet.

"This one, Grandma?" He said, holding up a case depicting a smiling girl and handsome cowboy.

"That's the one, Sweetie. Do you want to watch it with me for a little while, until your Grandpa and Merle get back from town?" The old lady beckoned her grandson over to sit next to her on the edge of the bed. "This movie is very special to me, your Grandpa and I went to see it just after your Pa was born, we used to have a 'Date Night', when your Pa's Aunt Sadie used to come over and tend the children."

"What's it about, Grandma?"

"Love and life, Daryl, love and life. It's about how different people learn how to get along in the face of a terrible event. Only it has music and singing in it too. Just settle back and you'll see." He also remembered Merle whaling the tar out of him, when he caught him singing "Surrey with a fringe on top" a few weeks later, and had taken to calling him 'Darlena' saying that only girls liked that kind of movie.

Daryl came back to the present with a bittersweet smile on his face, his Grandma had passed on less than a year later and he cherished the memories that she had left with him. In his whole life, she had been the only source of softness; his ma had always followed his pa's lead and Merle was a carbon copy of their bitter, hard drinking sire.

"Hey Pookie, wanna fool around?" Carol sensed his change of mood and nudged his shoulder in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere. Daryl turned his head away from the screen for a moment to drop one eye in a slow wink before directing his attention back to the screen. It never ceased to amaze him that she seemed to sense his every mood, and knew just what to do to bring him out of one of his dark periods.

Carol led her head fall softly against his firm shoulder and breathed in the clean, earthy scent of the warm male sitting so silently beside her. They could spent hours together without saying a single word, just sitting in comfortable silence not needing meaningless drivel to fill the empty space. Daryl reached down to gently clasp her hand, tucking it close between their bodies; out of sight from whoever might be watching them. He didn't give a rat's ass whether anyone joked around to him; he had no intentions of making Carol feel uncomfortable at the comments that might be directed toward them. He remembered all too well how Glenn and Maggie were treated when they were first together. He turned his attention back to the screen and realised that his Grandmother's favourite song was in full flow.

'Don't take my arm too much, don't keep your hand in mine…"

"Your hand feels so grand in mine…" Daryl bent low to whisper in Carol's ear at the same time as it was sung on screen.

"People will say we're in love…" She whispered back just as softly; he manoeuvred their legs so that her feet were tucked under his and shifted against the wall so that he could wrap one of his arms around her shoulders to draw her closer to his side. He sighed deeply at the feel of her lush curves pressing against him and her head tucked even closer into his neck; causing little shivers to run down his spine.

'Til the stars fall from the sky…'

"They'll see it's alright with me…" Daryl turned his head to brush a tender kiss across Carol's forehead and placed a finger under her chin to lift her face up. He looked deeply into her shining blue eyes and slowly bent his head, giving her plenty of opportunity to move away. When she made no attempt to move, he brushed his mouth over her soft lips in a ghost of a kiss. Carol caught her breath as Daryl nuzzled her cheek with his soft stubble.

"Let people say we're in love." Suddenly impatient, Carol moved her head to captured Daryl's mouth in a firm, but fleeting kiss. "We're all alone in here, Pookie…." She started to say, only to have Daryl pull her to her feet to swing her up into his arms. He strode over to the rec room door and snicked the lock into position before winking saucily and dropping her down on the abandoned mattress.

"Wanna fool around?"