Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead. I only own this crazy story idea and any characters that I may create.

A/N: This is my first attempt writing something for anything besides SVU so please go easy on me. I love The Walking Dead and have grown to deeply love the connection building between Daryl and Carol. Everyone on this site does such an awesome job writing them that I hope my story can be up to caliber, I wrote something with a similar theme but different direction for SVU. I hope my SVU readers understand my need to take a small hiatus from SVU! I will be back.

Games

The midday Georgia sun bore down on his tee shirt clad shoulders as he wiped at the sweat gathering on his brow with the back of his hand. Daryl cursed under his breath, annoyed that he let himself be suckered into something so stupid. He could be hunting but no he had let the Grimes kid talk into a game of baseball. What the fuck did he know about baseball? It wasn't like he and Merle played when they were young. There was no gaming playing in the Dixon household only hardworking and a hell of a lot yelling. Daryl squinted against the sun from his spot in what had they called it 'left field' his right hand going up to shield his eyes as he studied Carol at the plate. Obviously, there was no fucking baseball in Peletier household either was his only thought as she missed Jimmy's pitch by a yard.

Carol rolled her shoulders back, trying to loosen the stiffness in them. She had never played baseball. Not once not even when she was younger. She had been clutching the bat tightly, nervously when Jimmy sent the pitch careening her way. She had missed and embarrassingly so. She sighed, she was not a sporty girl certainly not like Maggie who was bent over hands on her knees staring her down from second base. Carol did not want to play this game but Carl had been so excited when he found Herschel's old baseball equipment that she couldn't say no. Maggie, Shane, Rick, Lori, Jimmy, and Beth, the athletic crowd, had been equally excited at the notion. She looked past Jimmy beyond the pitcher's mound, taking in the groups's other less than enthusiastic players. Daryl was standing out in the field looking like he seriously wanted to kill something, she would recognize that sullen expression anywhere. Glenn was opposite him staring at the woods, not paying the slightest bit of attention, daydreaming. Maggie had already yelled at him twice to get his head in the game. Andrea was standing by third base with her hands on her hips looking rather edgy like she wanted to shoot something, her hand fingering her gun looped through her belt poised on her right hip. Carol didn't have to look to know Dale was behind her playing umpire. Herschel and Patricia had smartly opted out of the game stating they would be fans. She raised her arms for a second time, readying herself for the next pitch, her next swing. She heard Shane's voice before Jimmy could toss the ball.

"Time out." Shane called as he approached Carol. He made a time out sign with his hands raised high in the air.

"Oh come on, now," Maggie groaned. "Just cause y'all are losing..."

Shane held his hand up in a gesture to indicate he needed a minute.

Maggie rolled her eyes at Jimmy who shrugged his shoulders.

"Hey, Carol." Shane smiled, warmly. "How ya doing? Mind if I give you just a couple a couple of pointers."

Carol nodded as Shane gave her some much needed advice on stance.

Daryl frowned. "What is he doing?"

Glenn bored with the game had wandered over closer to Daryl. He glanced over at him, shrugging. "Helping her," he offered as an explanation.

Daryl watched Shane his eyes narrowing. The cop had his hands resting on Carol's waist. "What the fuck does he think he is doing?" Daryl's frown deepened as he watched Shane's hands move lower onto Carol's hips. Daryl watched Carol smile at Shane over her shoulder and then she laughed. She laughed. Really laughed at that asshole. Daryl could not believe the nerve of that ass after screwing Rick's wife and sleeping with Andrea, that he was flirting with his Carol. His Carol? Where the fuck had that come from? Daryl shook his head to clear his thoughts. What did he care if Shane flirted with her and she responded? It didn't mean shit to him. He didn't need nobody. He glared at Shane, his fucking head hurt.

Glenn looked over at Daryl's increasing scowl, tracing his gaze all the way back to Carol and Shane. Shane was adjusting Carol's stance. Glenn took in the dark storm cloud settling on Daryl's rapidly reddening face. He was pissed. Glenn would have laughed if Daryl didn't still scare the shit out of him. He suspected that something was developing between those Daryl and Carol. Daryl's current facial expression was just confirmation of that fact. Glenn felt bad for the redneck, Daryl was even less equipped to deal with a relationship then he was himself.

Daryl's hands curled into fists, his nails biting at the skin as Shane put his hands on Carol's arm adjusting her hold on the bat. "Fucking sonabitch." Daryl muttered under his breath.

Carol nodded as Shane stepped away from her. She looked up and caught sight of Daryl. She frowned, he looked angry. Really angry. Livid, might be a better word. She frowned and wondered what on earth was wrong. She bit her lower lip in concentration as readied her swing, she would have to worry about that later.

"Let's play ball!" Shane yelled loudly, clapping his hands as he backed away from Carol.

Jimmy rolled his shoulders.

"Go Jimmy!" Beth yelled, smiling at him.

Jimmy grinned at her, distracted as he threw the ball.

Carol swung but only got air as the ball was too high and too inside, smacking the side of her head. Carole dropped the bat promptly falling down into the grass, unconscious.

Daryl was the first to move. He ran across the grass, cursing loudly. "Fuck!"

The others jumped into action. Jimmy nervously looked around. "I m so sorry. I didn't mean to hit her."

"You better just pray she is okay." Daryl gritted out at him as he dropped to Carol's side.

Hershel had also made his way quickly to Carol's side.

Carol's eyes fluttered underneath her lids.

"Carol," Hershel gently urged.

Carol groaned. Her eyes opened and quickly shut as her hand shakily touched the side of her head. "Ow."

Daryl glared at Jimmy. He muttered a couple of choice curses under his breath ignoring Herschel's stern look.

Carol opened her eyes again seeing both Hershel and Daryl leaning over her, worry etched on both their faces. "I'm okay." Carol said even though her head was throbbing painfully.

"Probably so," Herschel smiled at her. "But just the same let's get you inside the house and checked out to be on the safe side."

Shane leaned over Herschel's shoulder. "Think we should carry her?"

"Might be a good idea." Herschel said as he stood.

"I can walk." Carol protested.

"You're not walkin." Daryl's tone left no room for negotiating and neither did his next carefully enunciated words that were clearly directed at Shane. "I got her."

Shane smirked at him, a challenge already on the tip of his tongue, but Daryl was too fast.

Carol felt his arms slide, one under her legs and the other around her back, respectively as he effortlessly lifted her.

"Hold on," Daryl instructed her.

Carol let her head rest against his warm, broad chest her fingers curled around the fabric of his shirt.

She was as light as a feather as Daryl carried her across the yard to the farm house. Not skin and bones like Rick's lanky wife no Carol was tiny but proportioned. She was still curvy, still like woman. Shit, Daryl thought. The last thing that he should be thinking about right now was that. Woman probably had a concussion. What did matter any ways how curvy and delicate she was or how perfect she felt curled up in his arms. He definitely did not care about those things. Yeah, just like he definitely hadn't noticed her lack of a bra, today.