His head was spinning, heart was pounding. Daryl felt his whole world come crashing down on him. There he stood in front of the lifeless body that once was his brother. Tears were forming, but he wouldn't let them fall. An overcoming feeling of numbness swept through his body. He knew he needed to leave, the longer he stood there the harder it was going to be to leave. One tear slipped, but that was as many as he was going to allow. It was one more tear that he shed for his father, or anyone for that matter. Wiping his eyes he turned to leave, he knew it was time. "He's in a better place." The thought ran through his head on repeat like a broken record. Merle was his brother, his blood, the only family he had left since the world went to shit. Sure he was a total asshole, but that didn't change the fact that Daryl loved him, more than anyone else in the world. With an aching heart Daryl still had managed to make it back to his car which in reality was only a few yards away, but to him it felt like he had walked for miles. Once inside he just sat there. Not a muscle was moved as he continued to replay the events that had just taken place. The only thing he could picture at this point was his brothers' eyes. They had been stone cold and lifeless, nothing compared to what they once were. That's how he knew his brother was gone, that his brother was surely gone. Daryl could have sat there for hours just thinking, but the sun was setting and he knew there would be someone back at camp waiting for him. "Carol." His voice was just above a whisper. He hadn't even realized he was speaking out loud. Though his heart was heavy, Daryl started the car, making the long journey back to the prison.
Now his mind had switched to Carol. That woman had practically turned his world upside down. Back in Atlanta, he didn't even take much note of her, probably on account of her abusive husband, but when he watched her as she took out her anger towards Ed's dead body. That's when he first really took a look at her. Carol may have come across as a possible weakling, but she was stronger than most. After years of abuse she was finally free of her husband, and that's where Daryl started to step in. At first it wasn't much, talking from time to time but their relationship didn't truly progress until they lost Sophia. Daryl shuttered at the thought of the poor girl. Death by walkers, something no young girl should have ever had to experience. At first he didn't really understand why he was so set on finding the girl. She wasn't his, normally if it wasn't his problem he would have ignored it. He remembered comforting Carol even though he had never been a big fan of interaction with others. He made sure to always be around her, hold her when she cried and did his best to make her feel better. They grew so close, inseparable even, but when they found Sophia in the barn that all came crashing down. He couldn't even look at Carol anymore. He felt as though he let her down. That's when things start to change. Distance was made between them and he would get angry at her for reasons he didn't even understand. Carol didn't take it though. She fought back; making sure things went back to normal. Now, he is more than grateful that she did. All he wanted right now was to be with her, have her soothing voice tell him things will be alright. She had a certain way with him that he would never be able to understand. Daryl had never been one for feelings, but he knew that he cared for Carol. With Merle gone she was now the most important person in the world to him. He wasn't going to let anything happen to her.
Daryl's head was swarmed with a million different things when he finally arrived back at the prison. As he got out of the car everyone came to greet him but he didn't say much. He didn't have much to say. The others must have caught on because soon enough they let him be. Today will forever haunt him; there is only one thing he wants and that s to be with the person he cares about most. "Carol?"
He peered into her cell and sure enough there she was. She looked up and at first didn't say anything. He could tell she was happy to see him by the smile that started to form, but it quickly vanished. She knew him better than anyone so he knew right away she could see the sadness that had overcome him. Without a word she got up from the bed and did something he didn't even see coming, she hugged him. At first he didn't know what to do but soon he was hugging her back. The tears started to form and he was struggling to not let them fall. She stepped away and looked at him, "He was proud of you. Merle was terrible at showing it, but he was proud of how far you've come. He also loved you. Don't you ever forget that." Her voice was calm and quiet. Daryl couldn't hold back anymore, the tears fell down his face. He tried looking away but Carol wouldn't let him. She put a hand to his face, keeping him from turning his head. Her hand was warm on his face making his skin tingle. Carol spoke again, "Daryl you need to listen to me. I know what it is like to lose someone you love, but I am not going anywhere. I will always be here whenever you need me. You stood by me when I needed you most, not it's my turn to take care of you." Her words touched his heart. He didn't know what to say, so he did the unexpected, he kissed her. It was a gentle kiss, just barely touching her lips, but at first touch he leaned in completely. He kissed her and she promptly kissed back. For those few moments the world felt right, he didn't want to be anywhere else than right there. He pulled back and gave a sad smile. "I love you Carol." She smiled back, "I love you too." This time Daryl hugged her. He knew he would be hurting for awhile, but he had Carol. She was the greatest thing that had ever happened to him and he sure as hell wasn't going to let her go.