AN: This is just a little scene that came to mind that I wanted to share. I decided to do it in two parts. The first will be in Morgan's POV and the second Ezekiel's. Let me know what you think :)

Part 1

"Morgan? Tell me what is happening here," Ezekiel said, sliding down off the horse he arrived on. It was one of those rare times Shiva wasn't with him and it was strange to see the King without his pet.

Morgan sighed, "I know I should have run it by you first, but Daryl… he's a friend of Carol's and I thought it would make her… make them both, happy to see each other." Rick had brought Daryl to the Kingdom and asked Ezekiel to help protect him from Negan and the Saviors after his escape from the Sanctuary. Zeke had agreed that Daryl could stay for a few days, until after the Saviors made their collection at the Hilltop and Alexandria, but he had to leave before they came to pick up the goods from the Kingdom. It would buy them a little time to figure out what to do with Daryl or where to safely hide him.

"Friend hmm?" Ezekiel said, giving Morgan a look.

"Nah, it ain't like that," Morgan replied. "At least, not that I'm aware of…" It was interesting that Ezekiel cared just what kind of friends Carol and Daryl were. "Carol was with another guy, Tobin, when she left Alexandria," Morgan explained. "But… I think she was just doing one of her acts - I really don't think she loved him." He was thinking out loud. He had wondered for a while what exactly was up with Carol and Tobin. After Carol left it was clear that she hadn't been in the right frame of mind to be in a relationship with anyone and the fact she gravitated towards Tobin, a bit of a wuss if he was being honest, told Morgan that she was looking to feel normal, and hide from the sins of her past that were eating her up.

"But this Daryl, does she love him?" Zeke said, looking curiously towards the house where Daryl and Carol were alone together inside. Their silhouettes were visible through the front window and the way they were standing so close, heads leaned in towards one another… at a quick glance they certainly looked like lovers.

"Oh she definitely loves him," Morgan nodded. He didn't miss the flash of disappointment in the King's eyes. "They've been through a lot together - right from when this thing started - came all the way from Atlanta with Rick and a few others." Morgan stopped for a moment, then couldn't help but ask. "You like her don't ya?"

Ezekiel's eyes snapped towards his, "I just want the fair lady to be happy." Morgan eyed him, he had a feeling there was more to it than that. "Do you really think Daryl will make her happy?"

Morgan nodded, "I do indeed." There was something in the way that Ezekiel said 'Daryl' that made Morgan a bit weary. There was jealousy there that Morgan really didn't think the King had the right to have at this point.

"Then we should leave them be, give them some privacy," Ezekiel motioned to his men and everyone mounted their rides. "Please let Daryl know a single Knight will wait at the end of the road to lead him back to the Kingdom when he's ready." Once again Zeke's selflessness was evident and Morgan felt a bit of relief.

Morgan nodded his head again and made his way to the front door. "I'm sorry to interrupt," he said gently. He could see that Carol had been crying and he hated that he'd broke up whatever they'd been talking about. "Ezekiel asked me to let you know that there's a knight waiting for Daryl, but the rest of us are going to leave."

Carol bobbed her head. "Thank you Morgan… for bringing him to me," she said softly. There was something different in her eyes that he hadn't seen in all the time he'd known her. Her eyes were clear, lighter, as if having Daryl around had lifted something off her. It made Morgan feel really good about his decision. He knew Carol wanted to be alone and it actually bothered him that Ezekiel had given Carol her private space, yet he'd already visited her three times. Zeke said he was just making sure she was safe and comfortable, but Morgan was disappointed because he felt like Ezekiel was contradicting the plan of allowing Carol her freedom by showing up all the time. That's why Morgan was a bit reluctant to tell Daryl where Carol was at first. But after sleeping on it he decided it was the right thing to do . There was no denying that Carol and Daryl had a special relationship and Morgan would be remissed if he didn't at least allow Daryl the chance to bring Carol out of the darkness.

"We'll just be on the way now," Morgan said, peeking into nod at Daryl. He turned to walk away, but then turned back. "Carol… let yourself feel, okay?" She looked surprised but slowly nodded. Morgan wasn't even sure exactly what he'd meant, he'd just felt compelled to say it, but it seemed to have meant something to her and that's what mattered.

Morgan rode back to the Kingdom at Zeke's side. They hung near the back of the group as the others rode a bit ahead. "Morgan," Ezekiel spoke quietly. "Do you believe in the power of love?"

Morgan furrowed his brow as he considered the question. When he thought back to being locked up in his home at the start of the apocalypse with his son Duane, while his wife roamed the streets outside with the dead… it filled his heart with sadness, but if he went back a little further to when they were a happy family he felt differently. Love was what the world was all about. "Yeah, I do," he replied. As he spoke the words he suddenly came to a realization about Carol. And he was pretty sure it was the same one the king came to.

"When Daryl returns to the Kingdom tonight I want to be notified," Zeke informed him. "I'm going to visit Carol when she's alone again."

"Ezekiel," Morgan said in a warning tone that he really shouldn't have taken with the powerful leader, but it couldn't be helped.

"Oh Morgan," he chuckled. "It's not at all what you think. Just trust me."

There was something in his voice that made Morgan believe him. There was a sense of sadness and loss that wouldn't have been there if Ezekiel was planning on expressing his feelings to Carol. No, he had something different planned and Morgan was curious.

When he saw that Daryl had returned Morgan informed Ezekiel and he immediately headed out alone with Shiva by his side. Morgan watched him leave and then went to find Daryl. He hadn't looked good at all. "Hey, you okay?" he asked gently when he found Daryl sitting alone on the steps of the gazebo.

"Yeah," he grunted unconvincingly.

"Nah, you ain't," Morgan replied sitting down beside him. He and Daryl had never really talked and he didn't expect him to open up at all, but Morgan at least wanted Daryl to know he was willing to listen. "If you want to talk I'm a pretty good listener."

There was a long silence. So long that Morgan was about to get up and leave Daryl alone, but a second before he stood Daryl spoke. "I don't want to leave her." The words were barely audible but Morgan made them out.

"At least you know where she is now and that she's safe," he replied, trying to say something that would ease Daryl's mind.

"No one is safe anymore with those fucking saviors out there," Daryl grumbled. Morgan knew he had a point. "I don't know when I'll see her again," he added, leaning his head into his hands.

Morgan was about to way overstep his bounds but he couldn't get Ezekiel's question out of his mind about the power of love. "Does she know how you feel?" Daryl looked at him. It wasn't really a glare, but pretty close. It didn't stop Morgan from pushing a little harder. "Does she know you love her?"

The glare intensified and then slowly it fade away and was replaced by the saddest puppy dog eyes Morgan had ever seen. "I asked her to come with me and she said no." It was a roundabout way of answering the question. Daryl hadn't told Carol how he feels because he didn't believe she felt the same way.

"You gotta tell her," Morgan said. "We don't know how long we got in this world - she needs to know there's someone out there who loves her."

"What if… I mean… she… she don't think of me that way…" Daryl stammered.

"Don't matter," Morgan replied, shaking his head. "She's been through so much, she deserves something good. Whether or not she feels the same way… for Carol to know that a man feels the way you feel about her… it's special and beautiful. She will appreciate that. And…" Morgan smiled, thinking of the look he'd seen in Carol's eyes. "I think you might be surprised."

Daryl looked so much like a child when he was unsure of himself and Morgan had to resist the urge to hug him. He knew Daryl wasn't much for physical contact and there was only one person who could get away with touching him in such an intimate way. Instead he clapped his shoulder in a gesture of support.

Suddenly Daryl jumped up. "I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna go tell her - right now." Morgan was too stunned to say anything at first, but he jumped up too and ran after Daryl.

"Are you sure you don't want to wait until morning?" he asked, jogging to catch up.

"Nope. Gotta do this now - before I chicken out," Daryl replied, heading for the stables.

Morgan sighed, hoping to hell he hadn't just created a huge mess. "I'll come with you for the ride," he said, praying the knot in his stomach meant nothing.