Hi everyone! I haven't written any fanfiction for quite some time now, but I thought I'd make a go of it again, as I've had the idea for this fanfic swirling around in my head for a while. I'm a big Carol/Daryl-shipper and I know that the writers for the show probably won't be pairing them up romantically any time soon, but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed. At least I hope there'll be lots of Carol/Daryl-scenes when the show returns in February. In the meantime, maybe this story can entertain you. It's going to follow the timeline of season five, but I'm going to twist up the story quite a bit. Some events that took place on the show will stay the same, others won't. So here it is, enjoy!
And I of course don't own any of the characters or the original plot.
Prologue
Carol felt bile rising in her throat as she stepped into the clearing. Fear mingled with excitement with each step she took. The leaves rustled on the ground and she saw his head snap round, his body tense and taut, ready to strike back at any given moment. Unable to read the look in his eye, she took a few more tentative steps, keeping her eyes trained on him. Carol could see the others in the periphery, but it was him she sought out; praying that he would be happy to see her, that he wouldn't reject her. She wouldn't blame him if he did. After everything that had happen during the past week and a half, after everything she'd done… who knew what he thought or how he would react.
Which is why Carol almost froze when Daryl started running. He barreled into her arms like a runaway freight train. It took her at least a whole second to regain her composure and close her own arms around his body. Quiet sobs wracked his body, as he pressed himself into her, lifting her up and causing them to stumble. His right hand wound in her hair and she heard him taking a long breath, his mouth on the side of her neck. She didn't know where to put her hands. She wished she could touch him all over. She wish they could stay like that forever, holding each other. They were pressed so close and it made her wonder… She heard him let out a small gasp and she closed her eyes. Had he felt it? Deciding it was time to break contact, she let go and took a step back.
Carol gave him a little smile and looked straight into Daryl's eyes. The emotions mingled in his blue orbs were of a kind that Carol had never seen before. There was so much pain and love and she wondered what he'd been through in that awful place she had just rescued him from. She could tell that there were things he wanted to say but just couldn't find the words and she understood that. It was all too much right now. Once again they had found each other, here at the end of the world. Daryl leaned his head forward into her chest and she heard him breath out her name, Carol. She took his head in her hands, trying to pour all of her love into that one touch. She thought that he knew what she was trying to say. At least she hoped that he did.
And then Rick was there, hugging her, thanking her and just like that her moment with Daryl was gone. The reality and seriousness of the situation hit her and as she began leading them back to Tyreese and Judith, fear set in once again. She'd gotten her wish, she'd got to see him again, but now what? Everything was such a mess and the secrets she carried were bigger than anything she ever had to carry before. What would Daryl do when he found out the truth? Carol smiled as she watched Rick and Carl reunited with Judith, and Sasha and Tyreese embrace. But the nausea that she'd suffered earlier that morning was on its way back up and there was only one thought running through her head. What the hell was she going to do now?