This is set right after Terminus in the shot we have of Carol and Daryl underneath the tree at night. _ I hope everyone enjoys it. Just a quick oneshot.

There was a certain kind of appeal to the silence everyone was giving them. It'd been this way since Terminus. Carol didn't question it and instead just let herself soak up that Daryl was there. He was alive. He was breathing. He wasn't hurt. He was right next to her safe and she'd be damned before they'd get separated again. She'd been nervous when walking up but not because of Rick. Rick Grimes made his bed and he could lay in it. No she was scared of Daryl's reaction.

Being apart from him after Rick left her out there was like a shock to her system. All this time she was waiting on him when she could have taken the situation by the horns and done something. Just like back on the farm when she confronted him after Sophia. He would have pulled away, pulled up ties, and left them then but she done something and he was still there now. Fighting and surviving with them.

No she'd just been scared and then when she was out there it scared her to know that of all the things she should worry about it was him. What would he do when he came back and she was gone? What was he going to do when he got hurt and wouldn't let anyone look at it because he was so closed off. He always came to her. Always, without fail. What was he going to do when he knew that she burned them?

It terrified her to know that she might never see him again and he'd never know that she loved him. Had loved him since back on the farm. It'd grown since then into something that was so strong inside her it was like a dual beating heart alongside hers. It was his place in her that he'd carved out. She would love this man till the day she died.

It was all for nothing though. All that worrying. All that terror she felt. Not at walkers but at the loss she felt for him. She'd found him and here he sat next to her quietly. Both relaxed by a tree while the others licked their wounds and rested. He was to restless and tense to relax, sleep, or socialize. He'd followed her without word and it'd been that way since she seen him in the woods.

What she hadn't anticipated was him careening towards her and lifting her off the ground in a crushing hug. His chest heaving against her with pent up emotions threatening to tear him apart right there in front of everyone. It was all worth it to know he'd felt that same terror. When she'd caught his eyes and her hands locked onto his face to hold eye contact it was there in his eyes. Everything she'd felt was right there for her to see and it was breathtaking.

Even now she could watching taking in the woods. "Is there something there?"

He grunted but licked his lips and his rough voice poured over her like a rolling thunder. "No."

Carol shivered and made sure her breathing stayed even. He looked over at her, his chin pivoting on the stock of his crossbow. He raised a brow not missing the way she'd shivered.

"You cold?"

He shrugged his leather jacket it off before she could say a thing. He handed it to her, concern thick in his blue eyes, and he tilted his head. Carol took it and relished the heat still clinging to it. His scent that she'd know anywhere thick on the material. Carol breathed deeply and reveled in it. She'd missed this so much. She'd spent so much time with him that she'd actually started to smell like him but her time on the road stole that from her too. Now though she had it back. He laughed knowing what she was doing.

Carol shifted and met his eyes. "He tell you what I done?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"I know why you did it. I get it."

"Tyrese knows."

Daryl nodded and shrugged. "He can make peace with it. He won't touch you, not so long as I got a breath in my body. If you want to leave then we'll leave though."

Carol sucked in a breath. "I can't- no I won't let you walk away from them. They need you."

Daryl gave her a look. "What about what I need?"

Carol stared at him hard wishing for once that it was brighter out. The clouds were thick and even the moon was giving them privacy. Instead she moved closer to him and nudged him. He met her eyes and she swallowed thickly before leaning into him. He moved quicker than she was ready for and found him backing her towards the tree. Her back met it and then he was kissing her. It was like the hug from earlier...everything inside her shifted and made even more room for him.

Carol moaned quietly and she felt his lips twitch in a smile. Carol tugged at his hair and he groaned, his pelvis rocking into her causing her to gasp, Carol repeated her actions. Daryl growled and his hand slid from her hip down over her thigh and around to her butt jerking her forward. Carol gasped and lifted her leg around his hip. Her breathing was loud, rapid, and completely embarrassing.

When he tore his mouth from hers she panted staring up at him. "Daryl..." Carol swallowed trying to get her voice to work right. "I love you."

"I've loved you." He mirrored.

Carol stared at him and then over at the faint flicker of firelight through the trees. It was barely visible and dying down. Everyone was bedded down. Everyone giving them their space. Knowing that they both wanted to be left alone together. What would happen tomorrow in the light of the day? Would he be okay with where she wanted this to go? Where she'd dreamed of this going? It wa a risk she was willing to take.

Carol pulled his belt open and he made no move to stop her. Instead his lips met her throat as she got his jeans open. Without preamble Carol slid her hand inside and felt her mouth water at the feeling of him hot, hard, and heavy in her palm. Tightening her grip around him she felt him groan deep in his chest and his cock jerk in response. It was empowering to know that such a strong man felt like this for her.

He was already tearing at her jeans and she knew he was close to just cutting them away. Carol rushed ahead of him and got them open and she glared down at her boots. He'd loved those boots since they'd found them. Right now they were an inconvenience with all the buckles. Instead Carol spun around and arched her back and reached back catching his bicep. Jerking him towards her he got the message and Carol bit her lip.

She was beyond ready. Widening her stance she watched over her shoulder in what little bit her eyes adjusted to the dark. Daryl's eyes were on her and his hand traced over her like he knew her body already. It was methodical and Carol was purring under his hand in no time. When he sunk two fingers into her without warning Carol had to bite into her own arm to silence the scream that threatened to rip through her throat. Daryl chuckled behind her and he pulled her right to the edge before he stopped sinking his fingers into her. Carol whined low in her throat still not letting her bite go.

She felt him brush against the back of her thighs and arched her back even more, begging. One of his hands went to her hip while the other lined him up with her. The feeling of him right there teasing along her slit was enough to have her breathing stuttering. His chest pressed into her back and his free hand went to the tree just over her shoulder bracing him. With that one move he snapped his hips and sunk into her to the hilt.

Carol closed her eyes and pressed back tighter against him and rocked her hips. His grip on her hip tightened but he didn't move to still her. It felt like she was giving him a filthy lapdance even as he pulled out only to thrust back into her. Carol met him thrust for thrust and soon enough the chill in the air was forgotten with the sweat clinging to their bodies.

Carol caught his hand on her hip and drug it up to her breast. How he managed to get her shirt open without destroying it she wasn't sure. The feeling though of his rough hands over her sensitive breast was overwhelming. Carol moaned and pressed harder into his thrust. Her hand going back and catching his hair jerking him tighter to her. His teeth sunk into her shoulder, not enough to hurt, but enough to send a shock through her. It was enough to send her over the edge and Carol keened low in her throat while she rode her orgasm out. He was right there with her groaning into her shoulder and his arms wrapping around her. He held her against his chest like he never wanted to let go.

She wasn't sure how long they stayed like that before he started slowly buttoning her shirt back up. His breathing even now and calm. Carol smiled when he bent slightly and jerked her jeans back up. He quickly righted his own clothes and Carol turned to him.

"Carol I'll keep picking up these broken pieces til I'm bleeding if that is what it takes to make things right. There is no me without you anymore."

Carol felt her eyes burn but didn't cry. Instead she cupped his jaw. "I think I've been looking for you since my mother first told me what love was. Being without you isn't an option. We'll make it work because we have too."

"And if we can't?"

"Then we still got each other."

Daryl stepped into her and his arms went around her much like in the clearing. Her feet left the ground and he tightened his arms around her again. Carol let herself feel it. Really just feel for the first time in a long time and she buried her face in his neck as the tears started. She told him about it all that night. About the prison, Rick, Lizzie, Mika, and how she'd found them with Judith after finding the prison. About having to put Lizzie down after she murdered her sister and tried to Judith. She spilled every bit and he held her letting her get it out. He never shunned her, never told her she didn't need to be around the group, never told her he didn't trust her….he told her he loved her and meant it.