Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Walking Dead.

Author's Note: Many thanks to the anonymous spirit-lifter who sent me a lovely message.

Prompt: Carol had a bad day at work, and Daryl tries to make it better.

Two Truths and a Lie

"Daryl, please answer the phone. Pick up. Pick up. Pick up!" She sighed as his phone went straight to voicemail.

"This is Dixon. Leave a message."

"Why do you never answer when I call you? I swear to God, Daryl, if you don't call me back in five minutes, you're buying the booze this time." She huffed and tossed her phone into the passenger's seat. With her hands gripping the wheel, she sat outside of her apartment building, dreading the walk up the stairs. Walking up those stairs meant having to face her empty apartment that, according to her mother, symbolized her empty life and empty future if she didn't hurry up already and find a man.

As if on cue, her cell buzzed, and she quickly grabbed the phone and put it to her ear.

"Who is she?" Carol asked in such a way he could practically hear the smirk on her face.

"What?"

"Well, you were either eating, showering or with a girl, and given the time of day…"

"Hey, I was in the shower," Daryl pointed out. "What's wrong?"

"Everything."

"Dramatic," Daryl chuckled. "It's gonna be a tequila night. Come on over."

"Wait. You were showering? You have a date?"

"Nothin' that can't happen some other time."

"Oh, God. No. No, that's sad. You go on your date. Far be it from me to be the one that prevents you from getting laid."

"Wasn't countin' on gettin' laid. Just some girl I met at the grocery store."

"You should go out," Carol insisted. "This could be the future mother of your children. What if you blowing her off tonight means that you never find the wife and have the kids that you're supposed to? What if blowing her off for me means you spend the rest of your life alone?" Carol sighed, and Daryl could hear the shaking in her voice. Yep, definitely a tequila night.

"Where are you?"

"Out front. I just got home, and I don't want to go in there. The place still smells like him."

"Shit, we're gonna have to fumigate the place," Daryl snickered, but when she didn't laugh, he realized it was no time for joking. "Alright, get out of the car, come upstairs, don't go to your apartment. Just come to mine."

"Daryl, are you sure?"

"'Course I'm sure. Just get up here. I'll call Debbie and tell her I can't make it."

"Debbie? She sounds…"

"Shut up," Daryl muttered. "Just come up." Carol couldn't help but smile despite the sting in her eyes and the lump in her throat. She'd never been this woman before. She'd never been the kind of woman to break down because of a man, but Ed had done a number on her, and when she'd finally found out about his cheating, she'd kicked him out, and even though she hated him, she hated being alone in that apartment just a little bit more, and so she often filled her nights sitting on Daryl's couch with a glass of wine in her hand while they watched movies and talked.

Daryl Dixon was the best friend she'd ever had. They'd met in high school, and there had been an attraction from the start, but she'd never acted on it, and she'd never been able to tell if he'd felt the same way about her. He'd always been shy and awkward, and then Ed had come along, and Ed had hated the fact that Carol had had a good friendship with a man, but there wasn't really much that could be done. And Daryl hadn't approved, yet she had never been able to shut him out like Ed had wanted her to. Keeping Daryl in her life had been important, even if he hadn't been supportive of her relationship. In retrospect, he was right about every syllable of disgust he'd never uttered about Ed, but she wasn't about to tell him just how right he was. No, she couldn't suffer through a chorus of 'I told you so.' She had her mother for that.

Her mother had just about thrown a party when she'd dumped Ed, and she'd gotten on the ball trying to get Carol hooked up with any eligible bachelor. She'd cooked up a hot date with a preacher's son, and Carol had never felt so dirty when it was all over. She'd walked out of that restaurant feeling like she needed to scour every inch of her skin. The way he'd touched her knees under the dinner table and the look in his eyes had been more than enough to tell her to run and never look back.

With a sigh, Carol pulled herself out of her car and started up toward the building. The walk up three flights of stairs wasn't bad, but walking past that apartment just made her shudder. She hated that the sheets still seemed to smell like Ed, no matter how many times she washed them. She hated that every time she cooked, she cooked the food that he liked, and every time she went to watch TV, she'd automatically flip to the channels he insisted on watching. She had simply been annoyed at first, but now it was really starting to piss her off.

Three doors down, Daryl's door swung open, and he greeted her with open arms and shot glasses in each hand.

"I knew helping you get an apartment in my building was the best decision I ever made," she murmured, as she snuggled against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her. "Oh, you're warm."

"Perks of being friends with a man. Warm all year round," he offered, kissing the top of her head. She smiled and took a deep breath, inhaling the intoxicating scent of Daryl and his aftershave.

"You shaved. It really was a hot date, huh?" she asked. "I'm sorry." Daryl chuckled then and let go of her then.

"You can make it up to me," he said with a smirk.

"How?"

"Oh, I'll think of something," he replied. "C'mon. You get first shot."

"I don't think drinking is the smartest thing to do," she said with a sigh, tossing her purse aside and flopping down on the couch. Daryl sat the shot glasses on the coffee table and joined his friend on the couch.

"Then talk to me. What happened?"

"What didn't happen? That's the real question. God, Daryl, from the second I got to work, the system crashed, we had two big clients drop us, and I had four people call in sick. Four! We've only got nine on the team."

Without speaking, Daryl propped Carol's feet in his lap and took her heels off. He kept his eyes trained on her and gently squeezed her feet between his hands. She settled back a little and she ran her fingers through her short, brown hair.

"When I took the management position, I thought things would get better. I thought my team would have a little more respect for the project, and I just…"

"They're the same assholes you worked with before. You really thought they'd change when you got put in charge?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed in exasperation. At Daryl's look, she frowned. "Maybe. Ok, no. What was I thinking?"

"You were tryin' to help. But you know what you gotta do, right?"

"Fire them and hire people who actually want to work?"

"You got it."

"But…I can't be the bad guy."

"Sweetheart, you're the boss. You're kinda already the bad guy."

"You're right," she sighed. "I hate that."

"Alright," Daryl said with a nod. "Drinkin'?"

"No," she muttered. "I have to work tomorrow. I don't want to be the hung over boss or the boss that reeks of the booze sweating out of her pores." Daryl couldn't help but chuckle at that, but Carol wasn't laughing.

"C'mon. You gotta relax. You wanna crash on my couch tonight?"

"You know what, why don't you just go have your date? I'll hang out here and just watch movies. I mean…just because my sex life is currently non-existent doesn't mean yours has to be."

"I told her I was sick."

"You what?"

"Yep. M'all yours."

"Daryl…"

"You're more important. You're always more important," he insisted. Carol frowned, and Daryl gave her foot a tap. "Move. Gotta get up. Gonna put on some music, and we're gonna talk until I hear you laughin'."

"I'm not laughing."

"Oh no?" he asked. He got up and walked over to his sound system, pushed a few buttons, and a mellow song floated out of the speakers. Carol relaxed as Daryl sat back on the couch. "We're gonna play a game."

"Are we twelve?"

"Yep," he snorted. "Hey, thirty year olds play games, too. Now humor me." Carol frowned but nodded. "Two Truths and a Lie."

"What?"

"That's the game. And we've got tequila as backup."

"Where does the tequila come into play."

"You might just wanna have a drink by the time you hear my truths." Carol narrowed her eyes at him. "You can laugh, ya know?"

"Nope," she replied with a shake of her head.

"You're as stubborn as a damned toddler."

"Good thing we're playing a game then. You go first, then."

"Fine." He cleared his throat and made a display of propping his arms behind his head. She eyed him, watching the way his shirt clung to him in all the right places. Christ, he really did have a good body. "We'll see just how good you know me."

"I bet I know you better than you know me," Carol challenged, getting a smirk out of Daryl.

"Alright," he said with a nod. "First one's a freebie, but the second round, you get it wrong, you answer one question, and you gotta answer it honestly."

"Fine," she muttered. "Get on with it then."

"Alright. When I was four, I had a goldfish named Tiny. I had a grandpa named Dick Dixon. My favorite book as a kid was The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."

"Easy," Carol said with a grin. "I remember hearing all about Tiny's funeral when you flushed him down the toilet. And you gave a book report on Huck Finn in ninth grade. I know for a fact that your grandpa Dixon's last name was John."

"Shit, you got a good memory. Alright, you go."

"Hmm. Alright. My favorite color is purple. My first kiss was Rick Grimes in second grade. I love lima beans."

"You even tryin' to win? I know you love blue, and you're probably the only person on this whole damned planet that will eat lima beans like they're the last can on earth. And your first kiss wasn't Rick Grimes, 'cause he tried to kiss you, and you pushed him in the mud. Your real first kiss was Phillip Blake, and he pulled your hair right after and told you he needed a cootie shot. Little fucker." Carol smirked and stretched out a little, wiggling her toes as she draped her legs across his lap.

"Alright, well, you're not so bad yourself at this whole remembering thing. Ok, give me your best shot." Daryl narrowed his eyes at her briefly, and this little smirk crossed his lips. She couldn't deny the feeling that shot straight through her, this fluttering in her chest and a heat that spread from her neck straight to her core.

"Alright," he murmured. "I never had a one night stand. I want my first kid to be a girl. My favorite holiday is Halloween."

"Easy," she smirked. "You want a little girl, because you think a boy might turn out to be like your brother. And…you've had one night stands."

"Nope."

"What?!"

"Nope. Never."

"But what about Jenny Farrow?"

"Jenny wasn't a one-night stand. Didn't sleep with her 'til the third date, and we were together for two weeks."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"I didn't know that."

"See? Guess you're learnin' somethin' new," he smirked. "Alright. You gotta answer a question now."

"Oh, fine. Give it to me." Daryl thought carefully for a moment before nodding.

"Why did you stay with Ed so long?"

"Oh, we're going for the deep stuff already? Alright," she chuckled. "Really? I…I don't know. I just…we got along. I thought. You know, he was kind of an asshole."

"Kind of?"

"Well, he wasn't always. Sometimes he was really sweet. Sometimes I thought I could see myself spending the rest of my life with him. Sometimes…sometimes loving him hurt too much."

"Sounds healthy."

"Shut up," she chuckled. "No, I…I guess I was settling."

"You didn't think you could do better than Ed Peletier?" Daryl asked with a look of disgust on his face. "Carol, a street rat would have treated you better. Wouldn't have cheated on you half as much as Ed did." He saw Carol's face darken. "Look, m'sorry. Don't mean to bring up bad memories. Just curious is all." He rubbed his hands together. "Alright. Go."

"Ugh," she grumbled, sitting up a little and thinking about what she wanted to say. She leaned forward a little, and with the top button of her blouse being popped open, Daryl couldn't help but take a peek, and she caught him. He quickly looked away, and she sat up a little, deciding not to call him out on it. "Ok. I once went out on a date with Shawn Connery. I've always wanted to climb a mountain. I broke my arm when I was ten."

"What? No. You broke your leg when you were ten. You broke your arm when you were twelve. Clumsy." Carol snorted at that. "But you never dated Sean Connery."

"Yes I did."

"Ok, we gotta make up rules, 'cause you're lyin'."

"No, I'm not!" she laughed. "His name was Shawn Connery. Different spelling. We had two lousy dates, and it was more than enough for me."

"Damn. Why didn't I remember that one? Thought I knew everybody you dated."

"You paying that much attention, Pookie?" she teased.

"'Course I am. Gotta know who's ass I need to kick. Still waitin' on my moment with Peletier."

"Oh, stop," she laughed. "Alright. This means I get to ask you a question."

"Fine. Lay it on me," he muttered, giving the bottom of her foot a tickle. She jumped, and the jolt of her foot caused her to kick him right in the junk. "Aw, fuck!"

"Oh my God. I'm…I'm sorry," she bit out, as her face turned bright red.

"Christ, you related to the fuckin' Hulk or somethin'? You got some power in those legs, woman." Carol couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. "Yeah, yuk it up."

"I really am sorry, Daryl. Are…are you ok?"

"M'fine," he promised, as the color in his face began to return to normal. "Go on. Ask."

"Are you…are you sure?"

"Go on. M'fine. Ain't the first guy to get kicked in the nuts. Won't be the last. Go on." Carol shot him a sympathetic pout before settling back and moving her legs far from his lap, tucking them under herself.

"Alright. Um…ok. You asked me about Ed, so here's one I'm curious about." Daryl nodded for her to continue. "Have you ever been in love? I've seen you date girls, seen you get serious, but have you? Have you ever been in love before?" She saw the look in his eyes and the blush on his face, and she bit the inside of her lip as she felt her heart flutter in her chest. "You don't…have to answer. Not if you don't want to."

"I have," he said quietly. "Been in love, but I don't think she felt the same way."

"What makes you think that? You didn't tell her?"

"Couldn't tell her. She wasn't mine, you know? I mean, by the time I got the courage to say somethin', she was with another guy, and she was crazy about him." Carol felt like someone had punched her in the gut. Surely he wasn't talking about…her.

"Oh," she said quietly. "Maybe you should have told her. I mean, maybe she felt the same way. Maybe she was just…waiting for you to make a move?"

"Maybe," he said quietly. "Don't matter now."

"It doesn't?" she asked. He shrugged his shoulders and reached for the bottle of tequila.

"Told ya we were gonna need this."

"Daryl, wait," Carol said quickly. "Don't…not just yet. I do believe it's your turn." She smiled at him, trying to lighten the mood. Daryl sighed and put the bottle back on the coffee table with a clatter.

"Fine. Uh…shit. Two truths and a lie, right?"

"Hmm," she said with a little smile and a nod."

"Alright. Uh…I got into a fight on prom night. My mama once gave me a really bad bowl cut. I love orange juice."

"You got into a fight on prom night?" She saw the look in his eye. "I saw the pictures of your hair, and, well, I'm sorry. And I know you hate orange juice with a passion. Now what happened on prom night?

"I, uh…punched Tobin Murphy in the face."

"What?!" Carol asked, an amused grin on her face.

"Well, you were dancin' with Ed, and Tobin made a rude comment about ya. Um…and I laid him out flat."

"Oh my God," Carol gasped. "I never knew that. So…so that's why he avoided you the rest of senior year?"

"Pretty much," Daryl said with a nod.

"Aw, you."

"What?"

"You. You defended my honor. You're like my knight in shining armor."

"Stop," Daryl muttered, as the grin spread over Carol's face. "Well, thank you, even if it is a few years late."

"Don't gotta thank me for that. Was just lookin' out for ya. Really didn't wanna stop there at Tobin, you know? Wanted to tap on Ed's shoulder and tell him to get lost. 'Course, ya looked so happy, I just…left it alone, ya know?" Carol sighed softly, and she felt a lump in her throat as the tears stung her eyes. She blinked them away quickly before he could notice.

"Ok. It's, uh, my turn," she said quickly, giving him her best smile.

"Alright," he murmured. "Go on."

"When I was five, I wanted to be a fireman when I grew up. My biggest regret is never telling my first love how I felt. I'm really a man." Daryl nearly choked at that last one, but he quickly composed himself.

"Well, I seen ya in a bikini before, so unless you're really good at hidin' something, I'd say that's the lie. And you would make a sexy fireman. Gotta say." Carol snorted at that. Then Daryl paused. "Guess we both got somethin' in common."

"You wanted to be a fireman?" she asked reaching over to brush his hair out of his eyes.

"Nope," he replied quietly. "You know." Carol felt her neck grow warm, and she was pretty sure she was blushing, and she had a strong desire to reach for the tequila, but he had her gaze, and she couldn't break it. "Carol."

"Hmm?"

"You ready?"

"For…"

"My three."

"Oh. Oh. Yes. Go ahead." She couldn't help but feel the heat rising in her face as her heart hammered a little harder in her chest.

"I wrecked my first car two hours after I bought it. I accidentally shot my brother in the ass with an arrow. I didn't really have a date tonight." Carol didn't move. She just looked at him. He knew she knew from memory that Daryl had wrecked his first car the day he'd bought it. She also knew that he hadn't shot Merle in the ass with an arrow, because if he had, Daryl would probably be missing a few teeth today. That left…oh.

"You didn't have a date?"

"No."

"Then…why'd you say you did?"

"Dunno. Made more sense than sayin' I was in your apartment lightin' candles and hopin' to surprise you and not get my heart stomped on by takin' a chance."

"You…what?"

"I was gonna surprise ya when ya came home, and that's what I was doin'. I got a shower, got all shaved and clean, and then I went over and used my key to get into your apartment."

"Oh my God. Daryl." She scrambled off the couch and made her way to the door. He didn't know if she was running away or wanted him to follow, so he swallowed his pride and hurried after her. The moment she opened her front door, the smell of burned out candles hit her right in the face. She turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow quizzically.

"Well, when ya said what ya said, I didn't want your apartment to burn down, so I blew 'em out and rushed back to my place." He watched her cover her face with her hands, and he didn't know what the hell he was supposed to do.

"Daryl," she murmured. "Why…"

"'Cause I been in love with ya for years, and I couldn't…couldn't say nothin' 'til now. I just sat back and watched him treat ya like dirt, and I wanted to kill him, Carol. Then ya finally kicked him out, and you been so sad lately, and I just wanted ya to know that I'm here. I've always been here, and I'm always gonna be here. I'm in love with you, and it's been killin' me for years. And maybe you…you don't feel that way about me, but…" Before he could finish that sentence, she was kissing him, and he was pulling his arms around her and bringing her close. And they were pushing back against the door, closing it with a thud, and her hands were in his hair.

When she finally pulled back, he took a deep breath and tried to focus on her and not the fact that his entire body and soul were alight with excitement.

"I love you, too," she murmured, before he pulled her close and kissed her again and made a silent promise to himself and to her that he would never let her slip away again.