Title: Waiting
Summary: "Our ways to communicate are too different. I'm all words and touch and he's a mostly non-verbal, don't-touch-me kinda guy," Lori and Carol have a late night chat about communication.
Notes: A little one shot chat between Carol and Lori.

It was late.

The prison halls echoed, the very building seemed alive at times.
Lori often told herself it was just picking up the noise from the others as they settled for bed, carrying their voices down the halls, echoing from one wall to another until it reached her.

She was waiting for Rick, partly because it seemed what she should do as his wife and also because her swollen belly was a little uncomfortable and she'd decided that laying down wasn't helping. So she waited and she had been grateful when Carol had come to join her.
They didn't need to talk much. Nothing of importance. The could enjoy each others company without the need for chat. It was nice to have someone like that in this new world.

As they sat in silence, Lori heard the footsteps approach and realised it was Daryl ready to take over from Rick. When Daryl entered the room, Carol gave him a flask and he smiled at her faintly, nodded towards Lori and carried on his way to take over from Rick.

Carol watched him go until he was out of sight. She glanced down before meeting Lori's eyes.

It amazed Lori when she thought of the Daryl Dixon that had graced them back at the quarry.

"You two doing okay?" she asked. It was an innocent question, but Carol knew her well enough to know she was asking more in the question.

"He's been a good friend," Carol said. It was true. They all knew that.

"I never thought anyone would connect with that guy. I still can't."

"You should try," Carol encouraged.

Lori smiled. "Our ways to communicate are too different. I'm all words and touch and he's a mostly non-verbal, don't-touch-me kinda guy," she smiled though because when she had reached out and connected with him just on pure instinct, he'd always held still, done his best to act like it didn't bother him.
She knew he hated it though. Sometimes she'd be watching him talk with Rick and he'd move himself out of reach, it was subtle and she doubted Rick even noticed it, wondered if Daryl even realised he did it, but she saw it, on enough occasions to notice it was a habit.
He didn't mean to do it but couldn't help himself.

Carol stifled a yawn.

"You should get some sleep," Lori told her.

Carol raised her eyebrows at the comment. "You're a fine one to talk."

"I'm gonna wait for Rick to come back and then I'm straight to bed. He won't be long now, why don't you head off?"

Carol smiled at Lori warmly. "I'll just wait until he gets here, then I'll go."

And despite insisting that she leave, Lori was glad that Carol stayed.