A/N: My first one shot! Hopefully the first of many more to come, too
-The idea for this one-shot once again came to me from the trailer for season 5b. If you notice in the beginning of that trailer, when they're walking along the highway, Rick glances to a despondent Daryl and Carol is walking behind them...I pretty much just took it from there. So here we go!

Disclaimer: The Walking Dead and its characters, definitely do NOT belong to me.

"Eat."

She came to him as she did every night. Food in hand, and willing him to eat.

Just because of his earlier act of callousness towards her, it didn't mean she would stop her ritual of worrying about him.

Carol sat waiting for him to eat and let her mind drift, remembering the crushing dejection she had felt earlier in the day.

Everyone had taken the funeral hard, but as all events in life come and go, they had to move on. The group was forced to abandon the cars - both fire truck and white van - that crapped out, sending them off on foot, and the journey proved to be strenuous, if not debilitating.

It was morning of another somber day as they all walked the long stretch of road. It was a lengthy and silent trek, as each were still stuck with mourning in their own individual ways. Rick and Daryl led the pack at the front, and she wasn't far behind. Far enough to still be behind them, but close enough to be right in between them. Enough to be witness to everything they did.

Daryl had been walking with a blank expression for the duration of their travel, pretty much since the funeral. Rick would occasionally cast heavy questioning glances in the solemn hunter's direction, nearly turning his whole body with the effort trying to rouse the attention of the silent man. Each time he had looked as if he wanted to say something, and each time Daryl blatantly ignored him, which the sheriff would just end up relenting and retraining his eyes ahead of them, frustrated.

Carol remained silent, scrutinizing each exchange between the two with hard focus. She didn't like how Daryl was coping so far, and wanted desperately to be there for him in any way possible. She knew the direction he was headed, and it had her panicking that he was slowly going to revert back into the abrasive man she met at the quarry.

Unable to stop herself, Carol reached out a hand to gently rest it on his arm, intending only to remind him that she was there for him, no matter what.

But the minute her fingers landed on the bare skin of his elbow, Daryl very violently shoved it away from him, nearly dislocating his shoulder with the effort. Both she and Rick had stopped walking, stunned by his immediate outburst. He kept walking without missing a beat, unfaltering. Didn't even pause to acknowledge the hurt clearly registered across her features.

Tears sprung to her eyes, and hurt bubbled deep in her chest, suffocating her. She had never anticipated a reaction such as that coming from him, and was caught off guard by the ferocity behind it.

Rick's heart deflated at seeing Carol's pained expression due to Daryl's outburst. For him to react in such a manner, to Carol of all people, he knew the hunter was out of line, but what could he really do? It was clear at this point that nothing was going to pacify the misery that had him in its clutches. Rick released a deep sigh shaking his head, at an impasse.

Carol stood rooted to her spot still burned by his rejection as the others moved past. She felt a tear fall from her eye, and quickly wiped it away and any others that threatened to fall. Tyreese moved to her side giving her a tight-lipped smile to which she only nodded, and continued by his side falling in pace with the others.

She kept her distance after that.

The Wiltshire Estates proved to be a bust as they passed through the iron-wrought gates and into the ruins of the desolate neighborhood of abandoned homes. They cleared out a randomly chosen house and soon settled down for the night. The dilapidated state the house was in spoke of how the place had been abandoned for a long, long while. Thankfully, there was a fireplace in the living room which they took full advantage of stacking it high with twigs, branches, newspaper scraps and anything else flammable to start a welcomed blazing fire.

Clustered in the living room by the warmth of the fire, the group succumbed, falling down exhausted. It was cold, and they were all either tired, hungry, or sleepy, not particularly in that order.

Carol moved about wasting no time in getting the bunch fed, opening jars of applesauce, and green beans for dinner and passing them out with plastic spoons she found in the kitchen to the defeated lumps that lay about, and then she moved again.

The group followed her with scrutinizing eyes as she made her way across the living room stepping over limbs, and reclined bodies to reach his darkened corner away from the others. The question of why she even continued to bother floated through multiple minds at once.

Carol plopped herself down on the rug next to him, and placed his dinner down within reach next to his hand.

"Eat." She demanded.

He remained motionless, staring off at nothing the same way he'd been doing since they started the fire. Whether he was even aware of her now sitting next to him, she couldn't even tell for sure. But after a small period of waiting, even reminiscing on the earlier events of the day, his food still sat untouched.

"Daryl, please eat." She begged.

Still nothing.

Carol stared pleadingly into his distant eyes. At this point she would welcome angry Daryl, shouting Daryl, crying Daryl - hell - maybe even condescending Daryl, but having no reaction from him distressed her. He was neglecting his health, lost in his own grief, and she wouldn't have him deteriorate if she had anything to do with it.

Frustrated, Carol picked up the jar of applesauce and shoved it into his lap, hoping to invade him enough to get a reaction. He continued to ignore her.

She was starting to get angry.

Taking it a step further, she dug the spoon in the jar scooping a heaping portion of apple sauce out, and brought the full spoon to his mouth determined to force-feed him like the baby he insisted on being.

The minute the spoon touched his lips, Daryl jerked, once again violently lashing out. His hand smacked the spoon so hard away from them, it - and its contents - went flying across the room clattering loudly to the floor.

The group stilled, all attention being drawn to the commotion caused in their corner.

Carol gasped sharply as soon as he flinched, momentarily startled by his sudden movement. Daryl's eyes reflected a dangerous glint in his darkened blues that pinned her still. The sudden hostility he radiated unnerved her, and she had the fleeting sense that she didn't recognize this person. He fixed her with this glare until she couldn't take any more.

Carol broke the heated glare, and moved swiftly to her feet, with her head down and leaving him be. She grabbed her rifle barely stopping to let Rick know she would be taking the first watch, and left to go sit out on the porch.

The group dispersed, mostly bunking down in the living room, but spacing out to claim a section of the floor as their own. The two bedrooms upstairs were left to those who they agreed needed it most. Glenn walked his downhearted wife up the stairs, both retiring for the evening. Rick was supposed to take the other bedroom with Judith, but he adamantly declined, saying there was someone he wanted more to have it.

Of all the ones grieving, besides Maggie, Daryl was pulling away the most.

Somehow, they all banded together and miraculously forced him into the second room, urging him to rest.

Carol sat silently on the porch, her tears long since dried as she watched the still of the night. The hours dragged on by leaving her alone with her thoughts, and she hadn't even bothered try stopping the painful mindfulness of the decline of her best friend's state. Repeatedly, he would push her away, and each time she felt a little more of her heart crumble at being helpless to ease this depression he was going through. He had done so much for her over the years of their friendship, and now that she knew he needed him, she felt like she was failing each time she tried to be there for him. Carol sat on that porch picking at her brain on what more she could do for him. The answer seemed obvious, but she knew she was too determined to just give up. She wouldn't give up on him. If anything she was just getting closer to cracking him. She would just have to maintain...

Footsteps approached quietly from behind, and she turned greeting whoever it was to come keep her company.

"Hey..." Glenn whispered sitting down next to her.

"Hey." She smiled happy that it was him. For some reason his presence had always been a welcomed one to her.

"Maggie asleep?" she asked.

"Finally." He breathed out, a bit exasperated. "Is it possible to be so exhausted you're just fully awake?"

She chuckled bitterly, "I'm afraid so, friend." They had all been victims of that at some point.

The two settled into a companionable silence just watching the black shadows of the trees sway gently in the brisk of the night.

"I'm not going to be going back to bed anytime soon...Can't sleep." He paused, scratching at the light stubble on his chin considering his words. "Daryl's in the other bedroom upstairs..."

"He is? Wasn't Rick supposed to take that bedroom with Judith?"

"Yea, but he insisted on Daryl having it. Said it was better for Judith to sleep in the company of others anyway."

She stayed silent wondering how in the hell they were able to actually convince Daryl to take the room without an all out war ensuing.

"You should check on him..." he lingered on the statement, treading carefully, "...you're the only one-"

"-I know...I already planned on it."

He smiled. "You two have always been close. You have to know he doesn't mean any of it."

"...I know." I hope.

Glenn nodded, happy she agreed. He felt bad having to watch Daryl continuously breaking her heart in front of them all, and just wanted to see the two mend their friendship already. It was actually starting to put them all on edge. "I'll continue watch, I'm wide awake. You should go on in, get rest."

Normally, she would argue, but tonight she didn't put up much of a fight. The strong need to once again put herself in the line of fire and check up on Daryl had her agreeing with him against her better judgment.

"...It's the one on the right." He quietly added and Carol smiled gratefully in his direction, patting him on the shoulder as she stood to head back inside.

Everyone was asleep in the living room, and she tip-toed as quietly as possible to the stairs, making her way to the bedrooms on the second floor. Once upstairs, she headed straight to the first closed door on the right. She paused feeling a thickness in the air that wrapped around her like a blanket. Carol released a deep shaky breath, willing the nervous tension to leave her body. There was no telling how he would react this time to her once again invading his privacy, but she had to do it. She would just peek in, see if he was okay, and leave. Quick, and simple. Nodding to herself, Carol turned the doorknob quietly inching open the door.

The room would have been completely pitch black if it weren't for the curtain-less window bathing the space in the natural glow of moonlight. His figure was easy to spot as he sat up on the edge of the bed, with his back facing the door. He was stock-still and didn't give any indication of his knowledge to her presence whatsoever. Carol was frozen for a moment, enchanted. The way the moonlight illuminated him in conjunction with the angel wings on his back made him look...ethereal.

She should have left him alone. Should have closed the door, and left the room. But there was just something about the deep curve of his back that had her stepping into the room closing the door behind her and rounding the bed coming to his side. Her heart dropped at seeing his doubled over figure, and she felt that need to be there for him intensify, even knowing fully well how much he had made it clear he wanted to be left alone. She stood in front of him now, and Carol looked down at him as he had his head deeply bowed, and elbows rested against his knees. He still didn't acknowledge her presence.

Daringly, she sat down next to him on the edge of the bed, the added pressure of her weight shifting him slightly closer, and faced him feeling the butterflies in her stomach flutter at his ever-remaining motionless form. Since she had made it this far without incident, she bravely continued throwing caution to the wind.

Carol's hands reached out slowly, and grabbed both sides of his face lifting it gently and turning his head towards her, forcing his attention. Her breath hitched at finding he was completely nonresistant in her hands, put up absolutely no fight. His almost docile nature served as a stark contrast to the hostility he had been lashing out with lately.

She stared into his eyes noticing the tear stains, and her heart broke for the millionth time at realizing he had no fight left in him to give.

Carol exhaled deeply, pulling him close until their foreheads rested against each other. She wanted nothing more than to take this man's pain away. In retrospect, she knew without confirmation that this was crossing the line, and braced herself that if were to fly off the handle, this would be that moment. But nothing happened.

She pulled back slightly and gently wiped away the wetness from his cheeks. Then she brought his head to rest against her shoulder, and ran her fingers delicately through his shaggy hair.

"Please...stop doing this to yourself Daryl. We need you here... I need you here. " Please understand.

She would never fathom why he beats himself up the way he does like this. It broke her heart. This man had done more good for the group than he even realized, and all the hard work would always come crumbling down after an event such as this. He had no reason to be so hard on himself the way he was, and she wished harder than anything there was something she could do to help.

For now, Carol held him to her chest, still amazed that he had even let her go this far. She dared not do any more than this though; deathly afraid it would snap him back into his previous state of alienation.

It felt like hours went by that they just remained in that position, and she was more than content to just hold him in her arms. He was uncommonly compliant, and so still she even questioned if he were still awake.

And then something happened.

Carol's eyes widened when she felt his arms wrap slowly around her waist pulling her closer into him. After a while of remaining motionless he had finally moved, and instead of pushing her away like she had been bracing for, he pulled her in closer. Her heart swelled at that tiny action signifying acceptance on his part, and she pushed down a happy chuckle that threatened to escape her throat.

But he didn't stop there. Daryl surprised her further, by nuzzling his face into her neck, burying himself harder into her. Carol sighed contently as she slid her arms around his back and rested her cheek to his head.

There was no yelling. No resisting or pulling away. No tears. He just pulled her closer to him, finally accepting the warmth of the comfort she was providing for him only.

Daryl was exhausted.

Carol wanted to sob happily as he crushed her body to his, hugging her tightly. Not an inch of space between them. He was relenting, and she knew something was finally giving way. Carol meant to hold him for as long as he needed to, but Daryl started moving again.

She stilled as she felt his nose brushing against the skin of her neck, inhaling her scent deeply. Her cheeks flushed slightly at the sudden shift in atmosphere from innocent to slightly...intoxicating. He was reversing the roles on her now as she stilled, while he boldly handled her. His hands drifted, and were running up and down her back slowly, rousing goose bumps to pebble all along her skin.

And then she gasped at a wet pressure being placed against her neck.

Daryl kissed her neck, surprising them both from the action, but decided he wanted more upon finding that he enjoyed it. He had been feeling light-headed even before she walked in, and now being as emotionally drained as he was, he became unhinged. On any other occasion, he would have just stopped their interaction after she hugged him, but tonight...He just couldn't bring himself to care.

Daryl breathed heavy against her neck, placing more wet kisses along the length of it. He was getting braver with each peck as he caused strained squeaks and soft sighs to escape her as she tried holding back the noises but was failing miserably.

Carol was secretly in heaven, but afraid to let it show in case it would un-do whatever spell he had cast over them at the moment. The feeling of his lips pressing to her neck repeatedly was exquisite, and she was floored by how much she didn't want him to stop. He was kissing his way up her jaw line now, and her breathing picked up in startled excitement as he traced it with his lips. She felt giddy as he drew nearer to her trembling lips that wanted selfishly to feel him, but then she sobered. It was Daryl, and he would catch himself before he made that mistake. He wouldn't actually go the length...

...Would he?

He pulled back, and she barely caught the clouded haze in his eyes before he brought his lips down to hers.

He would...

It was an awkward meeting of lips as he came barreling down on her with such force it pushed her back where she had to steady herself with her hands on the bed behind her.

Carol was shocked to say the least. Never had she imagined things turning out this way when she walked into his room. But strangely, she wasn't exactly turned off by the sudden turn of events. In fact quite the opposite - as she found herself angling her head to better readjust their positioning. She brought a hand to the side of his face, and kissed him back with just as much fervor.

They didn't talk. Didn't think. Didn't even stop to dwell on what it could mean. They just kissed, moving their lips over each other again, and again.

He was kissing her hard. Their wet lips glided against each other, the smacking noise of their joining mouths breaking the silence of the room. Carol flushed deeply, feeling a need she had kept buried deep within her, pool warmth in her gut at each pull of his lips against hers. Daryl was aggressive, nearly devouring her mouth, and she tried desperately matching his pace.

She ripped her head from him for much needed breath, and he lowered them to the bed, his body hovering over hers.

He went back to attacking her lips once she was settled onto the pillow. They were getting into it heavy, and she fought hard to keep her body from grinding against his. Daryl's tongue traced the outline of her lips begging her for entry to which she happily obliged. Their tongues met, extracting a long erotic moan from her which he caught in his mouth. He growled slightly, the sound vibrating against her lips, and battled her tongue with his in her mouth.

Carol was feeling faint from all the blood rushing to her face. She couldn't believe this was happening. Despite her playful teasing once in a while, the extent of her and Daryl's relationship had always only been lingering glances, genuine concern for the other's well being, and occasional shy touches in appropriate situations. After he had run to her that day in the woods however, her contained emotions for the silent hunter had changed dramatically as he crushed her in a meaningful hug. She knew then that her feelings for him shifted from close friend to deeply romantic. She wanted Daryl. But she never acted upon it, too afraid of rejection, or to send him running for the hills. So she had pushed her feelings aside and acted the same as they always do. Only this time, every time she looked at him, it was with different eyes, and a fluttering heart.

Carol kissed him deeply, grabbing the back of his neck and pushing her tongue into his mouth. She wasn't sure if he would wake up the next day with acknowledgement to what was taking place now, but for her, she was going to make this moment worth it.

They continued on, their bodies rubbing slowly together simultaneously to the motion of their mouths, wearing away the reservation held respectively between them. Daryl's weight was pushing her into the mattress making it slightly creak with their working bodies. He ran his hands up and down her body adding to the heat of the moment, and making them both moan.

He kissed her until her lips hurt. Pouring whatever it was he was feeling into the effort of this passionate act. Time passed as they made out like a pair of oversexed teenagers, eventually the sun peeking over the horizon, and they finally collapsed on the bed exhausted.

Michonne crept quietly up the stairs, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She never was a morning person, and she grumbled, peeved that her body refused to sleep past the first rays of sunlight today. The dark beauty stopped in front of Daryl's door debating whether to knock or just open it. It was by request of the sheriff that she was even standing in front of his door now, about to invoke the wrath of the sleeping beast. She twisted the knob opening the door quietly to just assess the situation.

Michonne jumped however when her eyes landed on two figures tangled in the bed sheets instead of just one. Not sure what she was seeing exactly, she started to back out of the room with her eyes averted when she heard her name being called.
Carol is beckoning her inside with a wave of her hand, and Michonne hesitantly steps through the threshold entering the bedroom. She's relieved to find they're both clothed with the exception of Carol's cardigan tossed to the floor leaving her in a revealing tank top. Her eyes land questioningly on the limp figure draped over Carol's body.

"You don't have to be quiet. You don't even have to whisper."

Thoroughly confused Michonne replied, "Everything okay? He's usually up by this time..." she noted with a hint of worry in her voice.

Carol nodded looking at the hunter in her arms. "He's okay...Although, I've never seen him sleep so hard before..." she says amazed.

Michonne studies the image of the two. Carol is watching him endearingly and cradling him to her body, pushing the hair from his face lovingly. Daryl is mostly on top of her; his arm thrown over her and tucked under the pillow, and his face plastered against the swell of her breasts. His leg was thrown over her left one resting in between her thighs and entangling both their limbs in the sheets. Carol was effectively trapped, but seemed content as her hands ran all over his back in soothing gestures.

Michonne formed a devilish smirk that nearly broke her face in half. His face was completely devoid of his usual pout and frown lines making him appear years younger. If only she had a camera for this moment...The man was completely assed out.

"It's your loving touch that has him so relaxed." Carol gave her a look of disbelief.

"That's not it. He's just...gone through so much. He's completely sapped of all energy."

"Really? So then he would just curl up to any one of us in the group and fall asleep in their arms letting them touch him so openly the way he just did with you." Michonne crossed her arms with a shit-eating grin on her face.

She couldn't argue that and Carol was silent knowing the woman had a point. It brought a smile to her lips at the realization that she was right, and he would only ever allow her to do something like this. No one else.

"Rick's downstairs with Noah feeding Judith. He sent me up here to check on Daryl since he wasn't up yet. He also wanted to discuss with him and Noah the next best route to take, but I'll just tell him to get someone else."

"I'm sorry, I really don't think he's going to be waking anytime soon. He won't budge for anything right now - watch."

Carol demonstrated by lifting the arm that was draped over her, and letting it fall limply back down. He didn't stir. She gently shook his shoulder whispering his name in his ear trying to rouse him. He let out an uncharacteristic whine, like a child being told to get ready for school, and pulled his arm tighter around Carol pressing her closer to his body. He was deep in sleep, and the two women shared a laugh at his completely comatose state.

"Unfortunately, this means I'm incapacitated as well with how deep in sleep he is." She indicated towards his arm curled tightly around her frame. Michonne nodded understandingly.

"Don't worry about it, get your rest. We'll be fine without you two. We're going to be here for the next day or two it seems anyway. I'll go get your medicine for you."

"Thank you Michonne."

"Let me know if you need a cup to pee in as well."

"Shut up."

Michonne laughed closing the door as she left.

Carol shook her head with a smile on her face, and went back to stroking his hair lightly. The heavy weight of his body melded her to the mattress, and she welcomed the pressure of his physique tucked against her. She closed her eyes running her fingers through the knots in his hair, and scratched lightly at his scalp. His slow breaths fanning across her chest were putting her in a trance, and she was almost back asleep.

"Tell Rick he could go fuck himself."

Her eyes shot open at the gruff of his sleep-laden voice she hadn't heard in the longest time. She wondered if he were still asleep, but then how would he have formed that perfectly coherent sentence in response to their conversation before?

Carol chuckled slightly unsure at first, but then burst out laughing. She laughed until tears formed in her eyes and she laughed some more. She was so happy in that moment, because his snide remark indicated that somewhere along the line she had actually succeeded.

Daryl was back.