A broken car and a nasty storm

Carol had finally managed to get home. She entered her house and turned the water in her bathtub on. She sat on the edge and she looked into the mirror, she realized she was smiling. It had turned out to be an amazing night and she felt better even if she knew it ended there. She wasn't going to get involved with Daryl, neither was he going to get involved with her. They had been both drunk, but not enough to ruin the night, on the contrary. She would recall that night for the rest of her life.

Several days past with Carol looking happier, smiling more and feeling better. Her father thought she was pregnant so joyful she looked.

"I need you to make a delivery for me" her father said that day she brought him groceries over.

"You make deliveries now?"

"Only for special customers" he prepared a package. "And I can't go, my leg ain't feeling good".

"One of these days you'll have to hire someone around to help you".

"I got you for this, don't I? I need you to take this to Daryl Dixon".

"What? No! Is this another attempt of yours to…"

"Carol, please" he said serious. "Just take these to Daryl".

She looked at him, realizing he was a little concerned.

"Fine" she sighted taking the package. She turned to leave.

"Carol…"

She looked back.

"I never gave you the address" he arched his eyebrow.

"Right" she pretended. He wrote the address on a piece of paper and Carol left without looking once at it.

Sometime later she stopped in front of Daryl's house. She took a deep breath and left her car. She rang and knocked, but nothing. As she heard some noises from the back garden, she passed the house and walked to the garden. Daryl was chopping wood and, of course, he wasn't wearing any shirt. He was sweaty and damn attractive. So it wasn't just the alcohol that had made him breathtaking that night. But there was something else: from the way he was chopping the wood he seemed annoyed. He spotted her instantly and put his ax down.

"My dad sent me to bring you these. And just that you know, he sent me, I didn't make up an excuse to come and see you" she added quickly.

He smirked approaching her.

"I didn't say a thing".

"Yes, that sounded stupid. Anyway here you are" she placed the package on the little outside bench and turned to leave.

"Carol…I need to pay ya, remember?"

"What?" she turned surprised.

"For the package?" he hid a smile as he realized what she imagined.

"Oh, right".

He opened the door to his house waiting for her to enter. Not the house again. Not that couch again.

He walked inside.

"My wallet is in my bedroom" he made a sign for her to follow him.

"I'll wait for you here" she said.

He turned and looked amused at her.

"Ya fearing something? Think I'm going to jump on ya?"

"No, of course not…"

"Would it be that bad if I did?" he said as she followed him.

"Daryl…" she rolled her eyes amused.

"Last time I liked the answer better" he grabbed his wallet, taking the money out. "Tell ya dad I thank him a lot. He really made me a favor".

"Yes, about that. Are you ok? My father seemed concerned".

"Yeah, my fucking car broke down, Merle is in the hospital and I need to return to the woods".

"What happened to your brother?"

"The ranger asked us to take out this fox that has the rabies. Just that the damn fox ain't no fox but a wolf. And it bit Merle".

"What?"

"Got him in time to the hospital, he'll make it. Ain't no wolf killing Merle. Anyway, I need to go back out there and I needed more arrows and some bullets, that's why I asked ya father for a favor".

Thunder yelled outside just to make Daryl's story sound more scary. Carol shivered from surprise.

"Ya afraid of thunder?"

"No, it took me by surprise. And with your story… so you're heading out there to find that wolf?"

"Yeah, that's what I do".

"Alone?"

"Merle is in the hospital. And it ain't the first time".

"You were two and your brother was injured and now you alone…"

"Ya worried for me?" he smirked.

"Of course I am".

"Why?"

"Well…I don't want anything bad to happen to you".

"How come? Ya left that morning like ya didn't care".

"There's a big difference from me leaving the next morning after a one night thing and not being worried for you when you tell me you want to go up the mountain and hunt a wolf with rabies. It's human to be worried".

"Yeah? So ya worry for every being out there? Why don't ya worry for the wolf?"

"What's your point, Daryl?" she frowned a little.

"Nothing, just teasing ya. 'Cause ya like me more than ya wanna admit".

It started raining cats and dogs outside.

"Of course I do. I mean…I didn't scream for nothing that night".

He smiled looking at her.

"Ya kinda leave me speechless when ya answer me so sincere. So why ya left so quickly that morning?"

"What was I supposed to do stay around? There was nothing left to say…we ended up in bed due to some circumstances and…"

"Circumstances?"

"Well, yes, the alcohol, me wanting to forget, you…I don't know…that's your business".

"Forget what?"

"Some emails".

"Ya slept with me because of some email?"

"No, I didn't mean that" she sighted, playing a little annoyed. "It was a thing that happened and it was a fabulous night, that's all. Well, I'll be heading home now".

"On that weather? I don't think so. I ain't neither leaving for any wolf. Will wait to the morning, hope it doesn't bite anything else until then. Come on, I'll make ya some coffee".

Daryl passed her and Carol looked after him. She noticed now what she had felt that night. He had a bunch of scars on his back, next to a tattoo. Those weren't scars he had gained from a fight or a bad gone hunting. They were pretty old and Carol recognized the abusive behavior. She approached Daryl and, without a word placed her hand on his back. He shivered in surprise, he was sensitive of anyone touching his back. But she kissed his nap, his neck and wondered her fingers around the scars. She placed her arms around his waist and rested her head on his back.

It was a soothing feeling for Daryl. He felt her caress the meaning of his wounds, without asking any questions. She kissed his neck again and pulled away, going back to the living room, sitting on the couch. He returned with a cup of coffee setting it in front of her. He went to the bedroom and pulled a shirt on. Carol took the cup in her hands and stood up walking to the window. She looked outside at the pouring rain. It was slowly getting darker. Daryl returned, opening himself a beer. He sat on the arm of the sofa and looked at her.

"So this wolf…you fear he will bite others?"

"Other animals, yes, not many wonder into the woods that often. And I'm going out there tomorrow to get it".

"Don't you have any fear of these animals?"

"Ya know how to shoot, Carol? I mean ya know weapons and all".

"Yes, I know, but I never shot anything else than a target. And I would run like crazy if I would see a wolf".

"It depends, ya body might react different when ya in danger. And I did this my whole life, I don't fear any animal…or human that is".

"Do you fear anything?" she turned to him.

He shrugged. She approached placing her cup on the small coffee table. Her phone beeped in her bag and she bent over Daryl to the couch to pick it up. He stopped her, placing his arm around her waist. She looked into his eyes, with her hand still in the air.

"Stay the night" he said to her.

"Daryl…"

"Ya think too much, woman. Where ya hurrying like that, anyway? Ya got a husband to hurry back?"

"No" she laughed.

"Boyfriend?"

"Neither".

"So? Why ya in such a hurry always? Always looking over ya shoulder like someone is following ya. There ain't no wolf coming in here tonight".

He pulled her onto his lap and she had to smile.

"Ya see? Let me enjoy that smile a little longer".

He let himself fall down on the couch, pulling her over him. There was nothing else Carol could say and when he found her lips she realized there was no other place on earth she wanted to be right then.

Carol opened her eyes as she felt a stroke on her cheek.

"I need to go, sun is rising soon, catch that wolf. Ya sleep in, take ya time" Daryl said. He stood up and walked to the door.

"Daryl, take care!" she called after him.

He nodded with a smile and left.

Carol woke after he left, showered and dressed. She looked around his placed, tided it up a little and opened the fridge. She decided to cook him dinner and when it was done, she placed it in the fridge placed a note on top of it and left the house. The rain had stopped, but the weather wasn't too pretty.

Before going home, Carol stopped at her father's shop, to give him the money.

"Hope the rain didn't catch you on the road last night" he said.

"No. Daryl's going after some wolf".

"Yeah, he told me that is why I asked you to hurry with the arrows. You chatted with him?"

She did more than that and less than chatting.

"I asked him, he said Merle was in the hospital".

"Yeah, that wolf seems to be pretty dangerous. So lock your doors at night, ok?"

"Didn't hear of any wolf knowing how to open doors" she laughed amused. Her father smiled but he realized something. She was wearing the same clothes as she did a day ago. He decided not to ask any questions.

End Note: Guss it's hard for Carol to resist Daryl. Thanks for reading.