Hi again :) No guts or gore this time xP

*Spoilers for 6x12 - [I, myself, have never seen this episode. I just like looking at spoilers, so if I have anything wrong, I'm sorry.] So in here, they're back in Alexandria.

So, this is a Caryl fic C: with mention of... Tobin. (even my computer had no idea who Tobin was). Yeah, I don't like Tobin for obvious reasons.

Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy this fic. This is a one-shot!

- Love, Beth

Daryl muttered under his breath as he walked down the streets of Alexandria towards Carol's house. He had just spent the past seven hours outside the fence locating the flower bush he stumbled upon several weeks ago during his escape from Dwight. Luckily, he was able to pluck a rose that wasn't growing inside the walker. He was going to do the same thing she did for him back at the prison.

"I haven't had a chance to say I'm glad you came back," she said, leaning against the doorway of his cell with that teasing look in her smile though her eyes were serious.

He looked at her. "To what? All this?"

"This is our home," she replied, sitting down on the chair just inside the cell.

He nodded his head slightly then shook it, shrugging. "This is a tomb."

In some way, it was relevant again: Alexandria was crumbling but he was glad she was safe again.

He really was glad she had returned in one piece. He hadn't spoken to her face-to-face yet, although he did see her and Tobin kiss when she had been rescued. He swallowed down the bile that threatened to rise. Tobin. Disgusting piece of shit. Fucking man didn't even deserve that woman! He didn't even know a goddamn thing about her! The man didn't track her lost daughter, he didn't rescue her from the farm and the tombs, he didn't worry about her when Rick had banished her, he didn't embrace her like a long lost love at Terminus. Shit, he had no idea who she was and the kind of man she really deserved.

He slowed his pace when he saw Tobin standing on the porch smoking a cigarette. Son of a bitch had no right to be on Carol's porch, standing there looking all smug just 'cause he kissed her and apparently that "meant" something. He crossed the lawn and mounted the steps, grumbling to himself about the shitty scum standing aside. He put his hand on the door knob when the other spoke.

"Can I help you?" he asked in a firm voice.

Daryl glanced at him.

Tobin's eyes were narrowed and his mouth was tight around the cigarette; he looked threatened.

"Nah, just goin' to talk to Carol," Daryl managed in a reply a lot nicer than he thought.

The other man took a slow drag of the cigarette and let it out through his nostrils. "What's that there?" he asked, nodding to the rose in Daryl's hand.

"None of ya damn business," Daryl grunted. He turned away from Tobin and turned the knob of the door. He bit back a snarl when Tobin's hand slammed against the door and the frame.

"She's busy," he gruffed, managing to wedge himself between the door and Daryl. He tossed the cigarette on the ground and crushed it with his boot, ignoring Daryl's low growl. He leveled his stare at the redneck before glancing at the rose. "Beautiful flower you got there." He plucked it from Daryl's unsuspecting fingers. He flashed an unwelcoming smile at Daryl then clenched his jaw. "Thank you for this. I'm sure she'd like it." He took a step forward causing Daryl to step back. "Now, get of the property."

Daryl looked from the flower to the Tobin's eyes to the window in the door. He noticed Carol inside and the urge to argue and stand his ground against Tobin dissipated. If this was the man she was going to love, then what say did he have in it? Nah, he would just do what he did best: close himself off and build up the walls, become that redneck everyone knew from the quarry again.

He clenched his jaw and looked down at the ground, shrinking in on himself. Without a word, he turned and left the porch, walking down the steps and pulling out a cigarette as he heard the front door open. He turned slightly and watched Carol's face light up as soon as she saw the rose.

He puffed out smoke and continued on.

"This town is crumbling again," Carol was muttering to herself when Tobin walked in. "Just when everything seems to be going right, it all falls apart again-" She stopped suddenly, noticing Tobin's shy look. "What is it?" she smiled, allowing herself to feel a little happy especially when she noticed his hands were behind his back.

He held out the rose.

Her eyes immediately lit up, then... they faltered. She stepped closer; her eyes must be playing a trick on her. She grasped the stem and lifted it. No, it was a Cherokee Rose just like she thought. Guilt punched her in the gut. She looked up at Tobin and staggered back. To this man, this was just another flower - no special meaning behind it... to him, it didn't hold the promise of healing and love. A strangled gasp escaped her. She quickly looked above Tobin's shoulder.

Daryl.

The man was retreating across the lawn and down the road, his shoulders hunched and a cigarette hanging carelessly from his mouth.

She pushed past Tobin and stopped at the door. "DARYL!" she called, her voice desperate.