I was blown away by the response to the last chapter and I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed it. It really means a lot to me that people are enjoying this! Well, here's the next chapter and it's not as long as the last one, but it moves the story along more. Hope you all enjoy it! :)

Chapter Four

Daryl's thumb was caressing the pulse point in her wrist and if she hadn't been stunned frozen with his unexpected proposal, she would have marveled at how good his touch felt. It had been a long time since a man had been soft with her.

"You can't be serious, Daryl," Carol finally said to his question. "It's the painkillers that are talking. I said some pretty crazy stuff when I was on them."

"I'm serious, Carol, and this isn't crazy. Will you marry me?"

The words rendered Carol speechless, once again. There was no way he could be serious. It all had to be some kind of joke. Someone had to have put him up to all of this. But falling down a ravine and getting an arrow in the side sounded like it would be too much for a prank.

"Carol?" He prompted.

"Listen, Daryl, I'm-" She had to stop when she saw the devastation in his eyes. They had just met. He shouldn't be that upset if she rejected him.

"How about this? You get some rest and in the morning, if you still want to marry me, ask again and I'll give you my answer."

Daryl beamed. The sight stole the breath from Carol's lungs. His smile was absolutely beautiful. Was he the angel?

"This isn't crazy," he repeated his earlier statement. "I am a hundred percent serious and you'll see when I wake up."

Carol didn't know what to think, anymore. Daryl's face hadn't pinched in pain the whole time they'd been talking, so that meant the pain killers were working. However, in the bathroom, he could barely stand with how he reacted to them. Could he really be having a moment of clarity or was this some kind of drug-addled dream?

"Okay." Was all she could say and slipped her wrist from his grasp. "I'll see you in the morning." Quietly, she slipped from the room and shut the door.

Carol felt like she was wading through water as she walked to her kitchen. The man in her room couldn't be real. She was going to check up on him in the morning and he'd be gone, never having existed. No man in their right mind would propose to someone they had just met. Daryl was probably just grateful that she had helped him. He could probably see how lonely and secluded she was from everyone. He was just feeling sorry for her. That was the only good explanation for his random, unexpected question.

When Ed had proposed, there had been a dinner at a nice restaurant, flowers and a beautiful diamond ring. Carol had never been so happy in her life and burst into tears when she said yes. It didn't matter to her that she was only twenty, still in school and had only known Ed for six months. She was getting married to the man she loved and that was all that mattered.

Thier engagement wasn't long and that summer, they had been married.

Three months into their marriage, Ed hit her for the first time and things went downhill from there. She quit school, stayed in the house more and wished for some way to escape the hell she now lived in.

A year and a half into her marriage, Michonne, a friend from school, had found and visited her while Ed was at work. Carol had poured her heart and soul to the other woman. Michonne hadn't wasted a second and told Carol to pack all of her belongings. That day, Carol left Ed. Michonne helped her get a lawyer and she filed for divorce.

It took him two months to find her while she was living with Michonne. She had seen him drive past through the living room window and that night, she was gone. Her next move had been to stay with a cousin in Atlanta, where she got a job as a secretary for a small law firm. It took Ed a little bit longer to find her, this time, but find her he did.

Fortunately, she had saved up a good amount of money and had been able to buy a small house in the middle of nowhere. This house. Nine months had gone by and no Ed, which was a relief. She was starting to feel safe, again. But she knew that she never would be until Ed was gone for good.

Daryl seems like a strong man. He can protect you.

The thought came unbidden to Carol's mind and it shocked her. But the words were true. Daryl may be held up in bed, loopy with painkillers and stitches in his side, but he had survived falling down a ravine twice and had been shot with an arrow. If anyone could protect Carol from Ed, it would be him.

And he had offered a way that he could protect her, even though she doubted that was why he had asked...

Carol sighed and laid her head on the wooden table. "I can't believe I'm thinking about saying yes to him." Daryl was handsome and from what she could tell, a bit rough around the edges. But he had a tender nature about him. Especially when he looked at her...

Just then, her phone peeped with a new message. Carol tensed, knowing exactly who it was. She stood and retrieved the device from the drawer she had shoved it in earlier and mentally prepared herself for what it would say.

I'm tired of this cat and mouse game, Carol. When I find you, again, you will regret it.

With that message, Carol had her answer.

Daryl woke up the next morning with a searing pain in his side and no recollection of where he was. The bed was much softer than the one he had at home and smelled nicer, too.

Carol.

With that name, everything came back. He remembered falling down the ravine, twice, the bolt in his side, Carol coming to his rescue and stitching him up. He even remembered some moments after taking the painkillers she offered.

He froze. "Shit." He couldn't believe he had asked Carol that. She probably thought he was fucking crazy, now, and couldn't wait to get him out of her house. "Shit," he said, again. He really fucked this up. He was hoping that after this whole ordeal, he'd ask to get to know her better. Maybe date her, but now, he had gone and ruined it.

"Daryl?" Someone knocked softly on the door. "Are you up?"

"Yeah," his voice sounded raspy with sleep and he winced at the harshness of it.

Carol walked in, then, with a tray full of food. "I figured you would be hungry." She smiled when she saw that he was sitting up in bed and Daryl didn't know if he should consider that a good sign.

"I am kind of hungry." He sat up more to press his back against the headboard and winced when the action caused his side to pull tight. Carol placed the tray on the night table and was at his side, grasping his hand.

"Do you want me to get some more medicine to help with the pain?"

Daryl remembered what had happened the last time he had taken the medicine and no matter how bad the pain got, he decided he would never take another pill. "Naw, I'm fine. Really."

"Okay." She didn't look convinced, but handed him the tray, anyway.

It held a plate full of eggs, bacon, toast and even a glass of orange juice. His mouth watered. He couldn't remember the last time he had a breakfast like this. Immediately, he dug in and Carol watched with an amused smile.

"Sorry," he mumbled and slowed. "Eatin' like a damn animal."

"No, you're fine. I don't mind at all."

Daryl ate slower, anyways.

When he was finished, Carol took the tray and returned it back to the kitchen. She returned with an unsure look on her face. Daryl wanted to ask what was wrong, but kept his mouth shut.

"Daryl?" She took a seat on the side of the bed. "Do you...Do you remember what you asked me last night?"

His face heated up. "Uh...yeah. Listen, I'm so-"

"Did you mean it?"

"What?" His jaw fell open in shock.

"Did you mean it? Answer me honestly. Please." Her eyes were begging something from him and he wasn't sure what.

"I, uh, um..." Truth was, he had been serious, but did he want to admit that out loud to her and scare her off, even more?

Carol fidgeted in place and refused to look at him. She gnawed on her bottom lip. "What would you do if I said yes?"

So, what do you all think? I'd love to know!

I know I said it would take me awhile to update this story, but I've actually been updating pretty regularly. Unfortunately, I am serious about the next chapter not coming for awhile. School is getting really crazy right now and I really should be focusing on that. (Plus, I have 4 other stories to work on. Oops.). I'll update when I can, but it might not be for awhile! Sorry! :(

Thanks for reading!