Author's Note: Here's the latest bit. Should I continue or end it here?

Carol had tried all day to act like she wasn't watching the gate anxiously.

Trying, and failing miserably.

Maggie, working in the garden the women were planting followed her line of sight. "I'm sure he'll be back soon."

Carol glanced at her. "What?"

Maggie dug into the ground, planting potato they hoped would take off, frowning as she did so. "Darryl. I'm sure he'll be back soon. Rick expected he'd spend at least a day out there."

Carol frowned, putting her head down, digging into the soft earth. The sounds of the moaning zombies traveled across the prison yard, over the voices of the working camp, and sent a chill down her spine. A reminder that certain death was outside these walls. A reminder of what Darryl was surrounded by.

"You know how he gets," Maggie continued. "Probably tracking down a deer or a squirrel or something and refused to give it up."

"Yeah," Carol said, trying to will herself not to look at the gate again.

"I wouldn't worry," Maggie said. "He's probably the one of us that's mostly like to survive out there."

"Who says I'm worried?" Carol mumbled, keeping her eyes down on the ground. "Why would I worry?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Maggie sit up on her heels. Without looking, she could feel the younger woman's eyes on her.

"I have eyes," Maggie said softly. "And God knows I have ears."

Carol quickly flashed her gaze up to the younger woman, who was watching her with an expression mixed with mirth and kindness.

"You forget how close your room is to mine," Maggie said, a slight smile curling up on the corners of her mouth.

Carol felt the corners of her own mouth twitch. "So do you," she said.

Maggie shook her head, a soft blush on her face. "Well, you know how it is. Sometimes you get involved in the moment." An expression of concern clouded her face. "And I know how it is to worry when your man is out there and you don't know if he's coming back alive or not."

Carol shook her head slowly. "He's not my mine.."

Maggie frowned. "He's not? The same Darryl that spent almost every day out there looking for your daughter? Who got you out of the farm when hell unleashed on it? Who watches every move you make? Who goes to bed with you every night? You're right. That doesn't make him sound like your man at all." She put a hand out on Carol's arm. "Look, I can't say I know what you've been through. I've never lost a daughter. Or a husband. The only thing I know is when I lost my mom and my siblings, there was a big hole in my heart. And I was afraid to care about someone, because I was afraid I'd lose them and I wouldn't be able to survive that. And I still worry about that everyday with Glenn. But being with him is worth the chance of heartbreak." She patted Carol's arm. "And I think he's coming back now, everyone's moving toward the fence." She nodded in that direction, and Carol's head whipped around, and she felt her heart race, pounding fast, until she knew that he was back and that he was safe...

She stood up, wiping the dirt from her hands on her pants, watching as the men and Michonne, who had been guarding the fence, went into action, distracting the zombies, so they would head to one side of the fence and they could open the gate...

And a ragged looking Darryl stepped through. He was loaded down with game, what looked like several squirrels, rabbits, a bird of some kind, and was that a deer? After the gate was firmly into place, the others relieved him of his burdens, chattering away. From across the way, she saw him looking around, searching something out.

Searching for her, Carol knew. Unconciously, she wiped a few sticky strands of hair back away from her face, hoping she wasn't as dirty and sweaty as she felt. Not that Darryl looked any better in that department after camping out in the woods.

Their eyes met, and even from that distance, she felt the heat of his gaze. The corner of his mouth turned up in that familiar smirk, and she felt her face flame. She looked down quickly. She was still mad at him - he couldn't just charm her like that. She glanced back in his direction and found he was still watching her. He gave her a short salute and then turned back to Glenn, who was chattering about something.

"Carol?"

She jumped, not hearing Lori approach her.

"Can you help me?"

Carol nodded. "Sure."

Carol was sorting more clothes for laundry when she heard footsteps approaching her from behind. She didn't even jump when she felt familiar arms encircle her, and then felt warm lips against her bare neck. She shivered deliciously in spite of herself.

"See? I came back in one piece," Darryl growled in her ear. "Not even a close call. Saw more than a few of them out there, but I took care of them. And you were worried..."

She straightened. "Glad to know you didn't risk your life for nothing."

She felt his body tense behind her and then he barked. "What the hell, Carol? You pissed now because I didn't become zombie chow? This is not how I expected to be welcomed back."

"You expected to come back here and I'd fuck you in the laundry room," she said blandly, turning to face him.

"Well, yeah," he blasted. "It wouldn't be the first time!"

"Because that's the only reason you keep me around, otherwise I'm a worthless burden that you have to risk your life to feed!" She slammed the laundry basket down, the noise echoing in the room.

He was silent for a moment and then said, "What in the fuck are you going on about, woman? Have you lost your damn mind?"

"If you had died out there, if you had gotten injured out there, it would have been my fault," she snapped. "You all but said it yourself - that you didn't give a shit about the rest of the group, but you were going out to get food for me. To take care of me. So if you had been killed or injured, it was because of me. My fault. And I lived for so many years taking the blame. It was my fault that Ed stayed at that dead-end job because he had to support me. It was my fault that I got pregnant with Sophia. It was my fault every time he cheated on me because I wanted him home with me and Sophia. And it was my fault every single God damn time he hit me." She dared to finally look him in the eye.

Darryl was silent for a moment, watching her. Then he stepped forward, and gently put one hand on her cheek. To Carol's surprise, her automatic reaction when he approached was not to flinch, expecting a hit, but to relax slightly.

"Baby," he said softly. "You are not to blame for any stupid decisions I make. That's my own damn fault."

And just like that, the argument was over. Carol felt the fight go out of her, because unlike any false apologies or reassurances Ed had made, she could tell Darryl meant every word he said.

She put her hand on his. "Maggie knows."

"About what?" he said.

"This. Us."

"Well, shit, I'd be surprised if she's the only one." He leaded forward and started kissing her neck, his hands moving to slip under her shirt. "You're not exactly quiet."

"You don't mind?"

"Why the hell would I mind?" He tugged on the hem of her shirt, pulling it up and off.