AN: This chapter begins immediately after the previous one.

John 8:32

"I need to look at your leg." Carol said, turning her head to the side and looking away, trying to pull her face and hand out of Daryl's grasp.

"That can wait a bit—need to know what's goin' on in that pretty lil' head a'yers." Daryl said softly, refusing to let her escape.

"Don't." Carol said, and big tears welled in her eyes.

"Don't what?" Daryl asked, tilting his head and leaning closer, the shaggy hair on his forehead brushing hers.

"Don't lie to me." Carol whispered and a tear spilled over to run down her face. Daryl touched his lips to her cheek, catching the drop on his tongue, hearing her sharp intake of breath at the act and then let his mouth slide to hers for a devastatingly gentle kiss while at the same time he pulled her forward into the V created by his sprawled open thighs until he held her up tight against his body. He released her chin and wrapped his arms around her, lost in the opportunity to do what he'd wanted to do for so long, plundering her soft sweet mouth with his.

Carol decided that she was still asleep, alone on the couch of the small brick house she'd been lucky enough to find after her exile. Dreams of Daryl were nothing new, even dreams of kissing him, but never before had they been so vivid, so real...his mouth was perfect, soft but firm, his tongue the same, not too much, not too limp, not too deep, just the right amount of spit to keep things moving without being drowned in it...he made a little whimpering sound of need and spread his long fingered hands over her ass, circling there, making her gasp and fist her hands in the lapels of his leather vest to hold him closer, using her tongue now to let him know she liked what he was doing with his hands, and she felt his deep chuckle rumble through his chest in appreciation as he deepened the kiss.

"What should I—Um Oh—Ah?—crap!—sorry!" Beth exclaimed from behind them, slamming Carol up hard against the reality that this wasn't a dream, that she was in fact making out with Daryl Dixon and his girlfriend had just walked in on them. She pushed against his chest, humiliated, and pulled her mouth from his, again trying to escape his strong grip, but he held her firmly.

"Little busy, Beth." Daryl said tersely, "Any chance you could find somewhere else in the house to be for a while?"

Before Beth could respond Carol slapped Daryl hard across the face and he was so shocked he let her go and she stumbled back.

"Carol? What the hell?" Daryl asked—he knew she'd been as into the kiss as he had—why was she acting like she was an unwilling participant?

"You're not the last man on earth, Dixon—you're not entitled to all of the women." Carol said haughtily and wiped her tears away angrily as she stalked out of the room.

Beth and Daryl exchanged a confused look.

"What the fuck's she talkin' about?" Daryl muttered, trying to stand so he could go after her, but Beth came swiftly to him and put her hand on his chest to stop him.

"I'll go." Beth said, and then gave him a speculative look. "Is this always what happened when you kissed someone? They hit you?"

"More often than I'd like to admit." Daryl said ruefully, adding, "S'why I don't do it much." making Beth grin. The girl looked towards the door way through which Carol had vanished. Then they heard the outer door to the garage slam as well.

"You love her, don't you?" Beth said, tilting her head at him. Daryl sighed a deep sigh and met Beth's sympathetic eyes. He bobbed his head just once and then looked away in embarrassment.

"She's too good fer the ugly ass likes a 'me; don't know what she could ever see in me to make me worth the trouble, but yeah, so much it... well...it hurt to breathe when I thought I'd never see her again." Daryl admitted in a low desperate voice. He wasn't used to talkin' about his feelings with anyone...except Carol.

When Rick had made his shattering accusations against Carol, Daryl's first reaction had been anger—what their former leader had done was tantamount to a death sentence and they both knew it. Then denial—it wasn't Carol—yes, she'd do anything to protect the group, but doing something so final, so violent, and acting without telling anyone? No,that just wasn't her. There had to be another explanation. They should've talked about that first, but he'd been so happy to see her, so relieved that she was alive that he'd let the depth of his feelings for her take over and gave into the need to kiss her.

"And she's here, now." Beth smiled, but then frowned, trying to puzzle out what could be wrong, "... but what did she say? '...you're not entitled to all of the women'?" Beth asked.

"Ain't never been nobody but her—don't know what's she's goin' on about." Daryl said with bewildered righteousness.

"You were touching my boob when she found us." Beth said, arching an eyebrow at him.

"Shit—sorry—shit—ya know that weren't...not on purpose!" Daryl stuttered defensively.

"I know, but does she?" Beth wondered aloud, putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

"She thinks you n' me got something goin' on?" Daryl asked incredulously. How had he fucked this up so royally without even trying? Beth was a kid—young enough to be his kid if it came down to the math—and up until a few days ago she'd had Zack—was that what wasgoin' on in Carol's head?

"Oh, how I wish Maggie and Glenn were here!" Beth giggled, a tiny bit hysterically, and leaned on the table until she got herself under control.

"What the hell, Beth—so do I but—" Daryl asked, but was interrupted.

"We had a bet." Beth said, wiping the tears from her giggle fit away. God, it felt good to laugh, she'd been afraid she couldn't do it anymore. "On whether or not you and Carol were doin' it."

"Fuckin' nosy Parkers—all y'all." Daryl muttered, scowling.

"I just said you were in love, but too shy to do anything about it; Glenn's the one who said it was you stealin' his condoms." A box had gone missing about three weeks ago. Beth knew for a fact it had been Zack who'd lifted them, but she hadn't been about to admit that to her very over protective brother in law.

"God damn Korean bastard," Daryl fumed. "I'as the one who gets 'em their supply when I'm out on runs—if I needed rubbers I'd just kept 'em!" Daryl paused in his rant and looked at Beth, disheveled, dirty, and exhausted like they all were. She was just a poor lost orphan kid now, like the rest of them. So very young...how could Carol think that'd he'd... with a girl he thought of like a kid sister? He looked over the doorway she'd left by again.

"You know she loves you too." Beth said quietly, putting her hand on his forearm.

"Got an interesting way a' showin' it." Daryl snorted softly, raising his hand to his still stinging cheek—for a little woman she packed a hell of a wallop.

"If she didn't," Beth told him, "She wouldn't have cared enough to hit you."

As a child of abuse that last statement struck him as all kinds of wrong, but he also knew Carol's history. She was fighting back the only way she knew how, defending both herself and Beth against a man she thought was in his own way being abusive by being unfaithful. Damn, she was ten kinds of confused.

"Better go talk to her." Daryl agreed, "Needs to know what's what—better hearin' it from you."

"And you shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free. John 8:32." Beth recited and grinned at him as he rolled his eyes at another apropos Bible quotation.

"You need anything before I go?" Beth asked solicitously, knowing he was stuck at the table until hopefully Carol came back. Daryl looked uncomfortable and ducked his eyes, but then sighed.

"Think you could look around and find me a pot to piss in?" he said in a small voice.

"Do you one better—there's a half bath right around the corner—I just used it and it flushes and everything—I'll help you in there and then go talk to Carol." Beth told him, moving closer and lifting his arm over her shoulder to help him stand.

"Yer a good person, Beth." Daryl said, wincing a little at how much his muscles had stiffened up from sitting still for so long. He limped and hopped along with her, trying not to lean too heavily on her, but she reminded him she was strong farm girl. They made it to the small room in the hallway between the living room and kitchen with no major mishaps. Beth looked at their reflections in the big mirror over the sink and frowned a bit angrily.

"What?" Daryl asked when he saw her scowl.

"You said you were ugly." she reminded him, her eyebrows drawn together in consternation.

"Yeah?" he smirked. He knew he weren't no Shane or Rick or Glenn or Zack—handsome men all—hell, even that son of a bitch Governor had been better lookin' than ol' ornery beady eyed skinny Daryl Dixon.

"You're not." Beth said fiercely. "Look—you've got what all my romance novels rave about—broad shoulders, narrow hips, great arms, high cheekbones, all that thick dark hair fallin' in those blue eyes—and besides that you're one of the kindest bravest men any of us have ever known. That's what Carol sees in you, Daryl."

And with that, Beth left him standing in front of the mirror to look at his reflection and contemplate her words.

"You'd be proud of me, daddy." Beth whispered, looking heavenward as she walked towards the garage, "I'm tryin' to help Carol and Daryl see some truths." It was good. It gave her a reason to keep going, keep moving, and keep living. Find Maggie, Glenn, find Judith...keep moving, keep living.

"Carol?" Beth called as she pushed open the door to the garage, holding her pistol in her right hand at her hip and the small flash light in her left. Even though the house had been cleared she was still a bit jittery about being in a strange new place. When she saw it was clear she stuffed the gun in the back of her pants. The room was lit by one of the oil lamps and it gave off a soft orange yellow glow. Carol had covered all of the windows with a combination of cardboard and table cloths, blocking the light from the exterior view.

"He can't do that to you, Beth." Carol said angrily without turning around from the workbench where she was sorting through the tools and implements, putting aside the ones that would make good walker killers, the long screwdrivers, always Lori's go-to one; the claw hammers, an axe that needed to be sharpened, a crow bar...she jumped and dropped the crow bar with a heavy clank as it fell on the other tools when she felt a soft hand grip her shoulder.

"Carol." Beth said quietly and Carol turned to face her.

"I'm so sorry" Carol said miserably. "I don't know how it happened—we... we were talking and then he was kissing me and—"

"I know how it happened." Beth said patiently and Carol stopped and frowned at her guiltily.

"Beth..." Carol tried again, but Beth smiled and took Carol's hands in hers.

"It happened because he loves you." Beth said gently and Carol frowned in confusion.

"Beth –no—he—I—I saw you." Carol told her.

"That was an accident—he was reaching for an arrow to kill a walker and I got in the way—"

"No—I mean, not just that—I saw you in your cell—the night that Zack—"

"When I hugged him? Oh Carol—I just felt bad for him, he was so sad—it was like hugging a store mannequin he was so uncomfortable!" she laughed lightly. "Not like what I just saw in the kitchen—he had himself wrapped around you so tight I couldn't tell where he ended and you began!"

Carol blushed, remembering.

"He's a good man—and they're not like buses these days—there won't be another along in ten minutes." Beth squeezed her hands. "Do you love him?"

"Beth! I can't...I'm not—"

"If you're going to say you're not good enough for him I'll have to shake you. You're perfect for each other. We all see it."

"All?"

"There was a pool." Beth said with an impish grin, but then sobered. "Zack took the bets."

Carol pulled her young friend into a hug and Beth rested her head sideways on Carol's upper chest while Carol brushed the girl's hair back off her face with her hand.

"This is a terrible time for all of us. Everything just ...sort of fell apart after Zack died, didn't it?" Carol said, wishing with all her heart that they could go back to the time before the sickness came, before the unalterable decisions that changed everyone's lives had been made.

"But don't you see? Something good had to come out of all of this! Daryl told me that he couldn't breathe when he thought he'd lost you..." Beth told her.

"He said that?" Carol asked, the idea of Daryl saying something so romantic took her breath away. Beth raised her head, nodded and then released her friend.

"I helped him to the bathroom before I came out here—he's probably swearing a blue streak wondering why I didn't come back for him yet—I'll work out here, sorting weapons, right?" Beth asked, making sure she understood her task. "Besides, you actually do need to take care of his knee don't you?" she added guilelessly, "Go on then." and Carol wondered for a second if the girl knew just exactly what had happened earlier in the back seat... with Daryl's "knee."

"Thank you." Carol said, nervously running her hand through her short silvered curls, "Oh god, I must look a fright!"

"He must've thought you looked nice enough when he had his hands plastered to your butt a little bit ago." Beth snorted, "Quit stalling."

Carol took a deep breath and nodded, giving Beth a small smile and headed back into the house.

Damn women, how long of a conversation was needed anyway? Daryl fumed as he sat on the closed lid of the toilet in the small bathroom. Just tell Carol that there weren't nothin' goin' on twixt him and Beth and bam—enough said. He felt like he'd been sitting here for an hour when in reality it had only been a few minutes in the grand scheme of things. He knee ached like a son of a bitch, though he had found some only slightly outdated Ibuprophen in the medicine cabinet and had taken four a little bit ago.

What if she didn't feel the same way? What if he'd just been fooling himself and she was just—no, he'd felt her respond to the kiss, the embrace—she'd only pushed him away when Beth came in...but what if—

There was a soft knock on the door.

"Daryl?" It was her. "May I come in?"

"Sure." he said and she pushed the door open. He drank the sight of her in, her slender frame, rounded in just the right ways at her breast and hip, her turned up nose and those eyes, blue like the purest summer sky. God, he loved her.

"Carol , I—" but that's all he had the chance to say before she took three quick steps to him and took his face in her hands and kissed him for all she was worth.

Thanks so much to all of the wonderful reviewers—I enjoy reading what everyone's opinions are.

Welcome to all of the new favorites & follows this story has picked up over the last few days! I'll update as often as I can, but it's going to be a busy couple of weeks...