Author's Note:

I thought this was going to fit with Unbroken but 1) Merle's not in Prison awaiting a sentence 2) Daryl's not a cop in this one… think more along the lines of a private investigator or jack of all trades 3) Daryl and Carol are a couple and best friends. They've been together since Sophia was six months old. So Daryl is the only father that Sophia has known. Ed is in prison serving a thirty-year sentence for attempted murder.

I'm not sure if this will be a multi-chapter story or not, but it's not going to be a ZA. Just AU.

Close Enough to Perfect

Sometimes her morning coffees way too strong, and sometimes what he says he says all wrong,

But right or wrong she's there beside me like only a friend could be and that's close enough too perfect for me…

~ Alabama

Disclaimer: Don't own The Walking Dead, just taking the characters out to play for a bit. No Copyright infringement intended.

Chapter 1 – Only A Friend Could Be

Daryl stood sweating in line at Jackson County Correctional he was waiting to get in to see his brother. It was becoming a process with all the security, and the damn flu that was going around this time of year. But it could also just be that it was Max, and Daryl had never visited his brother in a Max prison before. He'd been booked at Medium security before but never Max. Daryl grunted as they patted him down, grinding his teeth together to keep from biting out a sarcastic remark on what he could put in his jeans and flannel cut off shirt. Nothing. He'd left his Glock out in the truck for Christ sakes. He was still grinding his teeth when they handed him his driver's license back with a Mr. Dixon. He nearly grumbled at that too. He wasn't Mr. Dixon that was his god damn father who'd been dead now for over twenty-five years he'd just dropped dead in his egg breakfast when Daryl was 13 years old. He nodded at the female guard after she handed his license back and she opened the door so he could move through. With all the time it took him to get through and back into the visitor section of the prison he'd expected to see Merle already there. But apparently, that's not how it worked at Max Security. He was getting frustrated with this hurry up and wait for shit.

He waited to for a good fifteen to twenty minutes for his brother. Then he was led out in an orange prison suit, and he was handcuffed in the front, and on his feet. Where the hell did they think he was gonna go, he was behind a glass window. Merle nodded at him as he was sat down roughly in his seat. Merle's jaw twitched, and Daryl could see the cold look that went through his eyes at the two guards that were manhandling him. For Christ sake's all Merle was booked on was drugs. Merle must have read his eyes because he just shook his head. Told him some numbers and where to find something at the old house. Daryl frowned at that but nodded that he'd remember and wouldn't have to write it down. Merle wanted him to investigate something for him. Since even though Daryl wasn't a god damn cop, that's what Merle saw him as because he would sometimes work with the FBI and local Cops. Although he was neither, he was still sought after for his expertise and apparently Merle was looking for that as well. Daryl just shook his head.

He hadn't seen Merle for at least two years, and there was no greeting whatsoever. He just wanted to make sure that he could lessen his sentence if all possible that he was being framed. Daryl wanted to put his fist through the glass. Who the hell did he think he was the god damned president? He kept going on and on about how he kept him alive when they were growing up, and that how he took care of him. That now it was his turn to take care of him. That he owed that to him for ruining his life. Daryl didn't understand what that meant at all, how did he being alive ruin his life. Just because the old man had died when he was thirteen didn't mean shit to him. It had forced Merle to take care of his brother. He didn't of course. Daryl basically grew up from thirteen on all on his own. His brother was only showing up to pay the bills, and not get Daryl sent off to social services after the old man died. Merle made sure that the house stayed in his name. That was his way of taking care of his brother. He'd left money there for Daryl his drug money… Daryl just shook his head.

"I'll do what I can." He nodded at Merle as the guards were walking back over to yank him to his feet. Daryl watched the process, his eyes widening as the guards punched Merle in the gut right in front of him. Merle then looked over his shoulder at his brother with a look of what looked like fear. Daryl rested his hand against the glass and leaned in to see if he could see what else was happening, but one of the guards used his nightstick to slam against the window from the other side on Daryl. He narrowed his eyes and glared at the guard. He wasn't doing anything wrong, and neither had Merle. Why were they manhandling him? He had to get him out of there.

But as he made his way back out to Merle's truck his brother's angry words were echoing in his mind. How he had to take care of his good for nothing little brother, and that's why he'd screwed up his life. That he wouldn't have to sell the drugs or he didn't say sell the drugs, but Daryl knew exactly what he was implying by the way he'd said it. How was it his fault? And not that Daryl had expected a nod or a smile for that matter; he hadn't expected pure fury. Well, maybe he had. Maybe he didn't know what to expect. They'd never been close, at least not in the sense that brothers were close. Daryl walked across the parking lot, noticing that the sunny day that he'd left behind when he'd gone into that dark prison had turned overcast and chilly. It had to of gone from the upper 90s to somewhere in the upper 50s in less than an hour. He knew that there were storms that were pouring through the area, but that was quite the change. Maybe it was the chill from what he'd felt in that prison.

Anyway, he hoped in Merle's truck and turned the ignition. Merle's old truck stuttered to life. He'd not wanted it in the impound lot, and it really wasn't evidence at all so he'd just got a ride to the prison, and then would take Merle's truck home. Well, that was the plan anyhow as the truck died in the middle of the road. Daryl snarled and beat his hand on the steering wheel; he should have known better to try and drive Merle's heap of shit back up the mountain. It is what it was, a piece of shit. Daryl pinched the bridge of his nose as he stepped out into the pouring rain. He popped the hood, a lot of good that would do when the wind was howling around him and splattering his hair into his eyes. He shivered, with the wind howling around him it was like ice pricks that were hitting his bare skin. He wished for his leather jacket which was in his truck back home along with his cell phone and glock. Not that he really needed to carry his gun around with him, he wasn't on assignment yet. He was still trying to work out that he'd do this for his brother.

Daryl groaned and lifted his arms to pull down the hood once again. Then had decided if he was going back to the town of Jackson or head home. He opted to head home; he needed the exercise even if it was in the rain. Least ways it would wash away the dirt and sweat from standing in that line to go into the prison. The prison yard had been so dry that it was kicking up dust as they were standing in the yard to go in. He'd wondered if he'd looked like he'd been rolling around in a pig pen. He'd felt like it.

The rain had plastered his hair to the side of his face as he continued to walk in it. So he kept moving, he was fucking freezing he'd been out in that rain too long and what with living up in the backwoods there wasn't anything for miles in either direction. He'd been further away than he figured he shoulda just walked back towards Jackson State and listened to his god damn brother yell at him some more about not him fucking up and landing himself in prison for the umpteen time, but listening to him bitch about him that it was his fault. Hope the hell was it Daryl's fault that his jackass of a brother had got caught selling meth to an undercover cop? As if Daryl knew all the undercover cops and FBI around here.

He closed his eyes briefly and shook his head. He couldn't do jack shit about it. He knew his brother would probably be in for a long time. They even put him in a maximum security prison. He was with the murders and rapists. Daryl didn't like that one bit; maybe he could have some pull there. He heard a car coming up behind him, but he didn't look. Just kept his head low as he continued to walk and try to shield himself with his shoulders against the pelting rain. It was starting to sting against his frozen skin.

"Daryl?" He was so caught up in his thoughts he'd not even heard the car stop.

He turned and could have cried when he saw her. "Hon, what are you doing out in the rain?" She motioned for him to get in the car.

He didn't need to be told twice as he jogged to the passenger door of her car. He was so cold he had to try twice to open the car door. "Merle's truck broke down about ten miles back." He shivered and blew on his hands.

"Why didn't you call me?" Carol asked him as she adjusted the heat in the car. "I was just in Jackson."

Daryl sighed, "Don't have my phone." He shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Hon, are you ok?" She whispered and took his cold hand into hers the chill startling her. She took it in both of hers and rubbed it gently.

He shook his head no and leaned his head back. "God damn Merle wrecking his life." He bit his lip.

"They gave his sentence already?" She squeezed his fingers.

He shook his head, "Nah, he's just blaming it all on me, saying I should've known and told him they were doing a sting." Daryl sighed heavily, and cleared his throat "Carol I haven't seen Merle in two years how the hell should I know..." His voice crackled, he swallowed. "They got him in with the murderers and rapists, what the hell." He shook his head sadly.

Carol squeezed his hand. Daryl swallowed hard; he really was feeling bad. "I would have come with you."

Daryl only nodded, keeping his eyes closed as they burned behind his closed lids. It was such a huge difference how Carol treated him to how Merle did. Carol hadn't ever seen Daryl quite this sad. It was breaking her heart as she pulled back out onto the road. She adjusted the heat again for him. There was a definite storm running through as the weather had gone from nearly 100 degrees to in the lower 50s. So it was cold for them.

"We're closer to our house, did you just want to stop there. Or did you need to get Merle's truck to the house?" She asked.

"Yeah, babe that's fine. Sorry." He murmured and cleared his throat and looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Uh, his truck can wait till the storm passes ain't no one gonna steal it." He scrubbed his hair off his forehead and blinked the excess rainwater out of his eyes. "Fuck, I'm getting your car all wet." He leaned forward.

Carol rubbed his shoulder, "Sit back sweetie, the seat will dry, and hey, you know I'm here for you." She squeezed his bicep and frowned at how cold he was. "When Sophia gets home from school she can give you a huge hug."

Daryl snorted, then chuckled. "Better than getting yelled at." He wrinkled his nose and then smirked. "Can I get a hug from you too?" He pouted, and Carol giggled.

"You know you can always have a hug from me." He shot her a sad grin and closed his eyes once again. They were still stinging a bit. Carol reached over and rubbed his shoulder. "I'm glad I found you; the temp had dropped now to 45, what's with this crazy weather?"

Daryl shrugged, "Dunno, but it's fucking freezing." He shuddered and let out a heavy breath. "Shoulda just went back to Jackson."

"Why was Merle yelling at you?" She finally asked.

Daryl shrugged and pulled his soaking shirt from his chest his skin was starting to dry so it was getting uncomfortable there. "Uh," He waved his hand, "Y'know Merle…just being an asshole. He wants me to see if he uh, was set up." Daryl's narrowed his eyes, "I don't know…I ain't a cop."

"But he knows you work with them right?"

Daryl shrugged a shoulder again and frowned. "Yeah." He grunted out.

"Maybe he's scared?" Carol raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

Daryl coughed, and rubbed his throat. "Uh…he's Never been in max. I guess, he could be. He ain't gonna admit it, though."

"Would you?"

Daryl looked over at her and shook his head. "My default is anger…don' matter if I'm scared outta my head I just get mad." He said with a frown.

"Couldn't Merle be like that also?" She asked.

"Maybe." He shivered again and rubbed his face. "You're probably right Sweetheart; he's a Dixon after all."

She pulled into the driveway of their house and pulled into the garage. Then shut off the ignition. Daryl was already climbing out of the car, and he opened her car door for her before she could even notice that he'd left the passenger seat. He pulled her up and then crushed her to his chest. He was still chilly to the touch, and she was warm. He groaned as her warm body touched his cold one. His arms went around her waist and her torso. He dipped his head and pressed his lips to her ear. "Thank you for finding me." He kissed her at the pulse point and buried his nose in her neck. She rubbed his back trying to comfort him and to warm him up. Daryl wasn't one to show his emotions. But it had to have been pretty rough on him if his brother was on him about the drug stuff. She squeezed him back as hard as she could.

"Come on Hon I might have some hot chocolate than I can make for you while you take a shower to warm up. Your clean clothes are in the bedroom." He leaned back, and grinned, then pressed his lips to hers.

"Thank you." He said again, and took her hand and made their way into her kitchen.

Daryl shrugged out of his wet soaked clothes and dropped them into the laundry basket in their bedroom. He pulled out some clean boxers and clothes and stepped into their master bath in their bedroom. He turned the water on too hot, and pulled down a towel and set it on the bathroom counter. He waited until the shower was steaming before he stepped in and nearly let out a yelp as it burned his cold skin. "Dumbass." He told himself and chuckled. The hot water felt nice after his skin adjusted to the water and he let it pound out the tension in his neck and shoulders. His low back was aching too, so he just let the water pound on him. He jumped when he felt her arms go around him.

"Hon, the water is scalding." Daryl wrapped his arms around her soft body and kissed her tenderly. Then he reached back and turned the heat down on the water. "Thank you, it isn't too cold for you now is it?" She whispered.

He shook his head and kissed her along the collarbone. "Nah, he pulled her close until her breasts were pressing against his stomach and sighed. "You feel nice babe." He lifted her and pressed her against the shower stall; she wrapped her legs around his waist. His eyes coming open on her baby blues and silently asking her if this was alright. He always asked if it was alright it's what she found so sweet with Daryl. He'd first been her best friend, and then he became more. They took their time falling in love, but she really thought she loved him the day that he found her and her six-month-old daughter stranded on that mountain road after running away from Ed. She'd left the hospital basically with Sophia in tow. She had no friends and a nurse after figuring out why she was in the hospital was able to get her daughter with her, and take her as far as their rural farm. But Ed had tracked her to that farm and almost killed the nice man that was taking care of her. The county cops had arrested him, and after a long trial, they had sent him away for thirty plus years on findings of child pornography, spousal abuse, and attempted murder. She'd almost died because of him, but she'd been afraid to tell the cops that at first. Because the biggest thing with being abused was that it was her fault. Daryl had helped her believe in herself again, and she did he. It had been a long road of recovery for both of them, but they fell in love with one another.

After their shower, Carol had made Daryl the hot chocolate from scratch. She knew that he liked it that way, and she'd put some whiskey in that cup as well. He snorted when he took his first drink. "Uh babe, I think you cleared out my sinuses." He chuckled and leaned over and kissed her on the lips.

"Oh, the two shot one is mine." She giggled, and they traded cups. Daryl wasn't a heavy drinker he chose not to be because his father and he knew Merle was an alcoholic when he wasn't a meth head. So addiction ran in his family. But alcohol never really was a problem for Daryl. It had been a problem for Ed, and she'd told him that. He'd always gotten meaner when he drank. So Carol wasn't sure that he didn't so much drink because of what she told him about Ed or because the addiction that ran in his family.

Sophia wasn't due home for a few hours yet. Daryl and Carol went into the living room, and Carol rested back against Daryl's chest. He let out a content sigh and rubbed her neck and shoulders. "I should really be rubbing your neck and shoulders Hun."

Daryl grunted out a "M'fine." As he nuzzled her ear from behind.

Carol turned in his arms, and he looked off to the side. "Talk to me." She whispered running her hands down his sides and under his shirt. He shivered and leaned in and kissed her lips tenderly.

Then he kissed her nose and crushed her to his chest. "It's hard to ah… compare how you make me feel compared to Merle, hadn't seen him in two years and didn't even get a smile."

Carol ran soft circles the firm muscles of his chest she could feel his heart beating a bit too fast. It did that when he was emotional or had too much running on his mind. "He just talked about…" Daryl trailed off and closed his eyes.

"He talked about what Hun?" She whispered now sitting up and brushing her finger along his strong jaw that was twitching. He cracked an eye open and kissed her finger tips.

"I was thirteen Carol when my father died…how is it my fault he just fell over into his eggs." He let out a sigh. Daryl hadn't ever really talked about his father with her. He had some when he had to explain the scars that littered his back and why he he'd been self-conscious for her to have seen them. But she'd been non-pulsed by that and showed him her scars. She'd helped him so much in how to heal from the trauma of having to live with a father that repeatedly almost killed him on a daily basis. Had he not died Daryl isn't sure he would have lived. The abuse had just gotten worse after his momma had died. He closed his eyes again.

"He said that?" Daryl nodded, and his jaw worked again. Carol, this time, laid her head on his chest and kissed him over his heart. "Sweetheart, does Merle know about the abuse?" She whispered.

Daryl shook his head no. "He's never seen the scars. He woulda killed the old man had he known." Daryl opened his eyes, and there were tears pooling in his eyes. He blinked them back. "Dunno if that'd help." He sighed heavily.

"Well curse him for being a pig-headed bastard to you. I'm sorry, I know he's your brother, but he's not good for you."

Daryl bit his lip and rested his chin on top of Carol's head. "I love you." He murmured. "You're good for me. I can get through this with having you and Sophia." He reached up and brushed the corner of his eye.

Carol sat up on her knees and kissed his lips. "You have me, and I love you so much too."

That did it, and Daryl closed his eyes while trying to hold back the tears. She'd told him she loved him so many times, but sometimes it just got to him. That someone could love him. "Ah, Hun."

Daryl let out a snort and gave her a watery smile. "Ain't gonna bawl." He sniffed, "Just love that you love me." He chuckled.

"I love that you love me." She whispered while pressing her lips over his heart again.

So they spent the afternoon just cuddled together. Carol staying near to keep him warm. He was giving off his typical furnace like heat now, so she knew that he was feeling better. She just worried about him she didn't want him to catch the flu that was going around. Not that she'd ever seen him with so much as a cold in the ten years that she'd known him. He'd never even had a sniffle. But he'd grown up in the backwoods she wondered if he'd been sick as a boy.

"Are you warm now hun?"

Daryl nodded and kissed her temple "Yeah much better. I don't think I've ever been that cold before, nah…well maybe when I got lost in the woods when I was nine." He shrugged.

She'd remembered that story. Merle was off in a stint in Juvie, and his father was off on a bender with a woman. It was shortly after his mother had died and he'd ran off the night before because his father was drunk, and nothing good ever happened when he was drunk. So Daryl ran, and it happened to be a stormy night and he'd gotten lost in the woods for a week because of it. But by some luck, he'd found his way back. His father had still been gone; his brother was still away at Juvie, so he got home and made himself a peanut butter and Jelly sandwich because he was so hungry. "Did you tell me it snowed then?" She asked while leaning her chin on his chest.

Daryl chuckled, "Y'know kids…" He shrugged, "Nah…just cold. But I'd been up on the mountain when it snowed once, don't think I was lost. No…was stuck in the caves." He sniffed and coughed once.

"You ok?"

He nodded, "Yeah, might be getting a cold." He shrugged.

"You never get sick." She pressed, and he rolled his eyes.

"Haven't been sick since I was a kid." He shrugged,

"I've never seen you with a cold." Daryl chuckled.

"Usually it just burns outta me. But I ain't been that cold before neither; so…time will tell. Ya gonna take care of me if I get sick?" He grinned.

"Yes, are you going to be a baby about it?" She asked.

He shook his head and bit his lip. "My mama would always make me chicken soup." He said with a sad smile as tears started to pool in his eyes. "Then wrap me up in a blanket and rest me against her chest and sing to me." He blinked back the tears as quickly as they came. "It's those kinds of memories that I remember the most, that were the good ones." He swallowed hard and looked over at the fireplace in the room. "I can remember her voice even. She had a beautiful voice." He whispered, and closed his eyes.

"What did she used to sing to you?"

Daryl cleared his throat, "Sing me Back Home." His voice thickened, and his eyes began to water "Or a song that she wrote, My Sweet Little Man." Daryl looked back at her, as his eyes shined with unshed tears.

"Do you remember the words to the one she wrote?" She asked him.

He sniffed and nodded. Then blinked a few times till his eyes cleared. "Yeah." His voice cracked. "Can't right now, though." He bit his lip as it trembled slightly at the memory. Carol rubbed his chest, and he sighed. "I'll tell you it sometime." He rested his chin on the top of her head and tucked her close to his chest.

"I didn't mean to make you sad." She whispered against his throat.

"Just a big softie I guess." He murmured.

He wasn't Carol knew that. But his mama was a soft spot for him. Usually, memories of her would bring tears to his eyes, and she didn't blame him at all for that. She'd cried enough on his shoulders over the years.

AN2

So hope that was ok? I've never written anything like that shower scene before…so that part of my writing is a work in progress (as is any of it) LOL, it would be better if I had a Beta…lol. So be kind please and constructive… and if you know a beta give me a holler because I could use a second pair of eyes sometimes to catch any mistakes I make.

So I'll come back to this one, it's not a one-shot, or it can be just will have to see if anything else comes from it. As I'd love to write a multi-chapter with them together and in love or just a love story. If I do go back into this, I'll be writing a back story for what led them to where they are. So that might be what the next chapter is. I left it open ended so we can go back there, and we can go back to Merle and get him out of maximum. I swear I love Merle. And those of you that do love Merle as well know that yep he's scared…it's just his default to be angry. Saw that a little in Cannon, especially when he found out about Daryl's scars. He was angry, and he was sad. So he's capable of those emotions too. Carol was just upset at Merle in the story because this day he wasn't good to his little brother. But that's the Dixon way at times. Merle pushed Daryl down a lot, but Daryl stepped up, and he clearly loves his brother in Cannon. So…let me know what you think. Those of you reading Unbroken or Hunters Heart I'll be updating them this week. Hunters Heart is actually ready, just have to do some more editing with that one and should have a chapter up this week. Unbroken should be around mid-week. I just got a new job, so it had been cutting into my writing time a bit. But I've figured something out so I should be back on a better schedule of updating.

Thanks for reading and let me know what you think!