Carol looked him up and down. He looked a lot different than she remembered. His arms were toned and defined and he had broad shoulders now. His hair was longer, and if she wasn't mistaken a bit darker. His formerly fresh faced appearance was now replaced with a goatee and mustache. He looked rugged, yet very handsome. He'd been a cute guy when they were younger, there was no doubt about that, but he was gorgeous now.

Once he dropped the drinks he was holding she couldn't help but let out a laugh. She watched as he hung his head down and placed a hand over his face in embarrassment. She couldn't see because his hand was in front of his face, but she'd be willing to bet all the money she had in her pocket that he was chewing his bottom lip right about now too. He still seemed awkward, or at least seeing her today made him feel that way right now.

"Daryl." She managed to get out and offer him a small nod after a few chuckles. There was a large part of her that wanted to run in the other direction or not say a word to him at all, but she couldn't. And obviously this experience was something painful for him too.

He slowly moved his hands from his face and forced himself to look up at her after he heard her laugh. He looked her over closely. She still looked the same in the face, she still sounded the same. The short hair had thrown him off when he approached her from behind. It was different, but it didn't look bad on her. He actually kind of liked it. "Hey Carol." He said softly. He kept his eyes locked on her, taking her in again. He instinctively brought his thumb up to his mouth and began to nervously chewed the side of it.

She stood there with the Dixon brothers, no one daring to say a word. Daryl's gaze still fixed on her. She met his eyes and was a bit surprised when he didn't look away.

Beth came up to the three of them with a mop and bucket and started cleaning the mess up. She looked back and forth between Carol and Daryl, not saying a word. She glanced at Merle, anticipating him to make some snide comment, but even he looked on not daring to say a word yet.

"Dixon to go." Noah called out from behind the counter while holding a bag of food up.

"I'll go grab that." Merle offered, stepping away from the duo. Beth had finished mopping about that time and stepped away with him.

Carol stood there, hoping he'd say something, anything. She felt like the silence was slowly suffocating her. He'd never been a big talker though, and it didn't look like that had changed in the last six years. "What are you doing here?" She finally asked.

"Getting dinner." He replied as he looked down and swayed his left foot back and forth.

"I don't mean here at Lori's cafe'."

He sighed heavily. "Dale wanted to retire and was gonna close his body shop. Merle and me moved back to take it over. We just got here today. What are you doing here anyway? A month ago Rick told me you were still living in Savannah."

"Yeah, well, shit happened and I decided to move back unexpectedly." She mumbled coldly as she looked off to the side. But then a realization hit her hard. "Hang on! You talked to Rick a month ago and he knew you were moving back here?"

"Yeah, Merle and I came back to take care of some family shit. I ran into him at the gas station. Got to see sheriff Grimes in uniform and all." He smirked.

She shook her head. She couldn't believe Rick and Lori knew he was moving back home and didn't tell her. She looked off to the right and noticed Lori walk through the door from where the kitchen was. Lori must have noticed her too and the fact that she was standing by Daryl, because she stood frozen in place, with her mouth wide open. Carol shot her a scowl. "Look, I gotta go Daryl. I guess I'll see you around." She said as she bolted for the door.

"Carol! Would you just wait a damn minute?" He called out to her, but she kept on walking. He started to head after her, but his brother stepped in front of him and placed a hand on his chest.

"Let her be." Merle said.

Daryl looked to his brother and then glanced around the restaurant. All eyes were fixed on him. People had obviously been watching the encounter unfold. He felt like a complete dumbass. He sighed and looked over to the right where he noticed Lori watching him and Merle closely.

"Come on, let's go home and eat. It's a small town. You'll run into her again soon."

"Go ahead, I'll catch up with you later."

"We been driving all damn day to get here. I know you're starving, little brother."

"Ain't hungry no more." He growled.

"You ain't talked to her in six years. Things ain't like they was before."

"What the hell do you know about it?"

"I know a hell of a lot more about upset women than you do. Hell, I know a hell of a lot more about women period than you do. You fucked her once six years ago and screwed up your friendship. You just gotta live with it."

"I been living with." He hissed. "I'll be home later."

()()()

Daryl walked over to where Lori was standing and leaned over the counter that was separating them. "Can we have a minute?"

Lori nodded and motioned for him to follow her in the back. She didn't think her customers needed any more of a show. "That went about as well as I thought it would when you two finally ran into each other again."

"Kind of went better than I thought it would." He admitted. "That is, until I told her Rick knew I was coming back. How come you guys didn't tell her?"

"She's dealing with a lot right now. I didn't think she needed to know yet, not the way you guys left things six years ago."

"Is she okay?" He asked, his face growing serious. "What happened?"

"She's okay." Lori assured him. "She can tell you what happened if she wants, but it's not my business to tell."

"Where's she staying?"

"Daryl, don't do this." She warned.

"Lori…"

"She knows you're here. If she wants to find you, she will."

()()()

He should have known Lori wasn't going to tell him where she was. Hell, the first time he'd talked to her in a long time had been last month. After he'd moved to Virginia he hadn't really talked to any of his old friends much. He'd occasionally run into them if he and Merle came to visit their dad, but that didn't happen too often and he didn't seek anyone out.

He decided his best bet was Rick. He'd kept in touch with him the most these last six years and last month Rick seemed happy he was moving back. He'd even taken him by to see the place he just bought. So Daryl decided to drive over and see if he was home.

He lightly knocked on the door a few times before Rick answered.

"Daryl, what are you doing here?" He asked with raised eyebrows. Rick was wearing pajamas and his hair was disheveled. He looked like he had just gotten up.

"Merle and I got in town today. We stopped at Lori's café' for something to eat, I ran into Carol."

Rick looked even more confused. He assumed Carol told him she was staying here, but he honestly didn't expect them to have a good reunion and for her to just go and invite him over. "She hasn't been home yet."

Now it was Daryl's turn to look confused. "Home?"

"She's staying with us until she finds a place...But I'm guessing she didn't tell you that judging by the look on your face."

"Nah. She didn't say too much after she asked me what I was doing back here and I told her and mentioned you knew about it."

"Shit." Rick muttered and rubbed his temples.

"She wasn't too happy about it. You guys should have let her know I'd be around town."

"At the time we were just concerned with getting her back in town and away from where she was. I didn't need to give her a reason not to come home."

"I get it, I fucked up…" Daryl sighed "What the hell happened to her, man?"

"You're gonna have to ask her that."

"I would if I could find her." He growled.

"You wanna come in and wait for her? She's gotta come back eventually, all of her stuff is here."

He thought about it for a minute. It seemed like as a good a plan as any. That was, until it dawned on him. "Nah, if she ain't here I think I know where she'll be."