Okay here's a quick one that I think is kind of funny. Please drop a line it only takes a second to make my day!

CARL

They were sitting in the tower, arms slung over the rails, legs dangling over the sides, watching Carl out in the yard as he trailed behind Beth.

"Poor kid," Daryl mumbled with a snort and a shake of his head. "Just hopeless."

"How so," Carol asked and turned to face him, her blue eyes as clear and limpid as a pool of water.

"Trailing' after Beth all day like a dammed puppy dog." He said, motioning towards them with his head.

"Aww," Carol smiled, "Well, I think it's sweet. And besides….it might not be so hopeless."

"Course it's hopeless woman," he growled reaching the bars and pulling himself up to his feet. "Carl's a kid and Beth's…a woman." He finished awkwardly.

"Ohhh," Carol smiled. "Beth's a woman huh?"

"Christ you know what I mean…." He mumbled stepping back, and leaning against the tower, and out of the sun. "He aint got a chance…is all."

Carol stretched her arms above her head in a stretch; all too aware that behind her Daryl's eyes were probably fixed on her back, her arms, her neck. "They're only about five years apart you know."

"Yeah well, that's a hell of a spread," he said, too quickly.

"Really," she answered surprised, turning to face him, an eyebrow raised up in an arch, is that why he hadn't ever made a move. "Is that what you think?"

"We aint talking about me." He snapped. "Don't matter what I think." He shook his head, and walked towards the other side of the tower. Christ almighty he thought, lately that woman had nothing on her mind other than driving him crazy.

"Well sorreeee," she teased, "didn't realize you'd get all up in a huff about it."

"I aint in a huff." He called out softly from the other side. "I was just makin' an observation about Carl, and yer turning it into somethin' about me…as usual."

She laughed brightly. It was true. He knew her so well. But, how could he blame her, he NEVER talked about himself, never a word, and she could spend hours days learning about him. She wanted to know anything and everything.

And besides, she didn't even know how old he was. She knew how old she was. And she figured there was what, about five years between them.

"You're right." She said scrunching her nose, "I did do that didn't I?" She stood too, and hung her arms over the rail. "Well," she continued, "I'm thinking that difference between them will even out soon enough." She sighed.

"Pfft," Daryl circled the tour again. "Maybe the kid ought to lay off, an focus on what's goin' on out there."

"Oh stop it," she turned to face him, "you know Carl's growing up way too fast as it is. Let him have a little hope."

Daryl leaned his shoulders against the tower and pulled himself into the shade again. Now why was it that every damn one in his group was so pre occupied with finding someone? He'd never worried about that sort of thing before, and he sure wasn't gonna start now. I mean it was the end of the world damn it, sure a woman would be nice….but shit there was plenty of other things to worry about.

"Yeah well," he mumbled, "In this world, he'll be lucky if he hits puberty."

Carol let out a whistle. "Oh he's hit it….believe me."

"The hell's that supposed to mean?" He asked, without thinking.

She turned around, taking her eyes off the horizon for a moment to fix them on the rough man leaning casually across from her. She knew this would get him…but hell it would be so fun.

"What do you think it means?" she said slyly, folding her arms across his chest.

What did he think she meant. Hell he didn't know….and frankly, he didn't much care. Trying to figure out Carol, in the heat of the day wasn't anywhere near the top of his priorities.

Carol laughed, and shrugged her shoulders, "his cells right next to mine…."

"What …." He started, and then realization hit, and pink flush spread quickly across his cheeks. "aww hell woman….no!"

"It's not my fault…" she laughed again, covering her face.

"Aww no," he said again, shaking his head and chuckling a bit. "Poor Carl, Now that just aint right."

Hell, he thought, if it aint bad enough having to grow up in a damn zombie apocalypse, and living in a damn prison, you got to have some woman in the cell next to you listenin' to you beat off.

That was the thing about being up on his perch. Hell, he didn't have any walls around him, but he was set off…private. Well, not that he did that sort of thing, hell no, couldn't even remember the last time he touched himself like that. But still, a man liked to have some privacy.

She shook her head, and hunched her shoulders, a pink flush starting to spread on them as well. "I mean, what am I supposed to do?" she asked. "I suppose I could move."

"Yeah well," he snorted, without thinking, "don't be movin' next to me."

"Really!" she asked both eyebrows shooting up, as her hand came to cover her mouth.

"Christ!" Daryl murmured, turning bright red, "You know that's not what I meant."

"What did you mean?" she asked laughing, enjoying the fact that he was turning redder by the second.

"Stop," he groaned, reaching over and giving her a shove on the shoulder.

Carol raised her hands up, still laughing. "I wouldn't judge, you know." She said with a smile, "A man's gotta do, what a man's gotta…."

"Yeah," he snipped, cutting her of, his cheeks still a furious shade of red. "and this man aint doin' nuthin', so ….you just….just keep to yer end of the block, that's all."

"Okay then." She smiled, her cheeks still pink, and her lips pressed together, to try to force the smile out. "I'll stay put…right next to Carl."

"Hell no, that aint gonna work neither," he muttered, dropping down to a crouch, running his finger across an imaginary anything across the toe of his boot, to avoid looking at her .Carl, was his pal, and hell if he'd let him go through with that type of humiliation, even if he didn't know. Was bad enough, that he had to know about it himself. Now he'd barely be able to look that kid in the eye again.

"Shit, I'll take one fer the kid if I have ta." He grumbled, rising to his feet again, and kicking his boot against the ground, "aint no way, he's gotta spend the rest of his days beatin'….uh… I mean…hell; a growing boy needs some privacy that's all."

"So I can move next to you?" she asked quietly, her hand still up near her mouth, concealing a grin.

He stood, and grabbed at his crossbow before shrugging lightly. "If there aint nowhere else for ya to go…."

"Well, I mean….there is a whole prison…" she started walking towards him slowly.

"Pfft, that aint gonna happen." He said, turning his back to her and hanging his arms over the rails. Like hell if he'd ever let that happen. "Why don't ya go on in there an' get some of your shit moved." He mumbled without facing her, "I got this covered."

"You mean now?" she squeaked, delighted and surprised by just how involved Daryl was getting with this topic. She had always known, that the man thought of Carl like somewhat of a brother. But this was well….surprising.

"Ya got somethin' better to do?" he snapped. "Aint done tormenting' me for the day?" He snorted and shook his head, gazing out across the horizon, a small smile forming on his lips. "Now git woman, fore I change my mind."