This is dedicated to the lovely Untapdtreasure! You are delightful and I adore you! Thanks for trusting in me and for all your support and kindness. This one's for you ❤
Carol was about to head to bed but she decided to check on Daryl before she did. She went to his cell but he wasn't there so she headed outside to try and find him.
His brother Merle had died, not even a full 2 weeks earlier. While Daryl kept himself together and acted like it wasn't tearing him up inside, Carol knew better. Daryl was devastated and she understood the feeling. When she had lost Sophia it had felt like the last piece of her left, her true blood, had disappeared.
Carol knew she had a family that loved her, but there was still this emptiness inside her that no one could ever fill. She knew that's what Daryl was feeling and it was still so fresh for him.
He had told her the week before that when he couldn't sleep he had this special spot he went to. Daryl even took her there a few nights ago and they sat silently, watching the stars. And just the night before he had kissed her, under the moonlight, in that very spot.
They had grow very close since the group had moved into the prison. But she hadn't been prepared for the kiss. Carol figured he was just hurting and he needed to reach out in a way he hadn't tried yet. They were friends, very close friends. They both had relationships with other members of the group, but nothing came close to the connection they shared.
Carol assumed things would change eventually. She wasn't sure she was ready for the next step and she wasn't sure it was the best time for Daryl to be exploring it. But if she had learned anything in this new world it was that you have to just live in the moment because the people you care about, those you love, they can be gone in a heartbeat. So live in the moment she would, so long as no one was getting hurt.
"Hey, I thought I might find you here," she said softly, walking up behind Daryl. He was staring intently at something but looked up and smiled. "Whatcha got?" she asked curiously, taking a seat beside him.
Daryl held up a beautiful ring. "It was my moms." He passed it to her to look at. Carol held the ring up to the moonlight to get a better look. It was an engagement ring, but it wasn't just diamonds, it had purple stones as well.
"Amethyst?" Carol asked. Daryl nodded. "It's gorgeous," she said, handing it back. "You've kept it all this time?"
Daryl shook his head. "Merle," he said quietly. "I found it after he died. He was wearing it on a chain around his neck." Daryl smiled. "I knew he had it after mom's funeral but I always assumed he pawned it and bought drugs or something." Daryl turned to look at her. "I know he had his faults, a lot of them, but every once in a while he surprised me."
Daryl wouldn't cry, she knew that. But there was a glistening in his eyes that was pretty damn close to tears. She reached out to him and Daryl took her hand, palm to palm. Carol twisted her hand around and intertwined their fingers. She wanted to comfort him in any way she could without making him feel uncomfortable.
Daryl had slipped the ring on his pinky for safe keeping. He reached out to her with the other hand and pulled her onto his lap. Carol wasn't used to him being so inviting. Again, she attributed it to his emotional state, but went with it, not wanting to do anything to upset him.
Carol realized he was going to kiss her again and her heart started to pound in her chest. She wanted this, she really did, but she was scared she was taking advantage of him. "Daryl, wait," she said, stoping him. "Don't get me wrong, I want you to kiss me, but I..." She took a moment to find the right words. "Is it really what you want? Or are you just sad?"
"You think this is about Merle?" he asked.
"I don't want it to be," she replied frankly. "But if it is I don't want to hurt you even more. Or mess up our friendship."
Daryl touched her cheek, "It's not, I promise you. It's about us and how I feel about you." She looked into his blue eyes and Carol knew he was telling the truth. "I was looking at this ring tonight and I was thinking about you. Yeah, it was Merle who kept it all this time but, I know this sounds corny, I think I was meant to have it." He took a deep breath, "it would mean everything to me if you would wear it."
Carol stared at him in shock, not sure what to say, or even what it meant. "It doesn't have to be an engagement ring," Daryl said quickly. "I mean, who gets married anymore anyway?" he joked nervously. "Or it can be," he added quickly. "I just can't imagine anyone else wearing it but you." He looked into her eyes again, "will you wear it? As a promise that we will always be there for each other?"
Carol couldn't breathe. She knew she was terrifying him by not speaking and she did the only thing she could think of to make it alright. She kissed him. His lips were warm and inviting, parted slightly. She felt those nervous first kiss butterflies, even though they had kissed once before. It was because this one meant something more. It was a yes to his question and it signaled a pivotal point in their relationship.
Carol kept it sweet yet simple. There was plenty of time for one of those deep, tongue twisting, mind blowing kisses later. This was about showing him she cared, deeply. When she was finally ready to speak she pulled away. Carol smiled, "of course I will wear it. It would be an honor."
Daryl slid the ring off his pinky but hesitated. He looked at her and spoke shyly, "do you want me to, ya know, like propose? For real?" Carol could tell he was uncomfortable, yet he continued, "because if you need that, or just want it, I'll do it... For you."
Carol held out her left hand and shook her head. "This is all I need. Even the fact that you offered means more to me than a real proposal." Daryl slid the ring onto her 3rd finger. It was too big so he moved it to the middle finger. Carol held up her hand to admire it. It wasn't on the traditional ring finger, but nothing about their relationship was all that traditional anyway.
After a moment of silence she spoke. "So now what? Does anything really change?" she asked with a laugh.
Daryl shrugged, "Well I don't really know."
Carol gave him a sassy look. "We could say 'I do' right now. Make it official in God's eyes. And then go... Fuck..."
She was teasing him like she always did but this time he didn't blush. He stood up, looked her straight in the eye with a smile, offered her a hand to get up and said, "I do."