A/N: Spoilers up to 03x12. If you haven't seen the episodes - DON'T READ THIS. Unless you don't mind things being spoiled.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead in any way, not the characters, concepts or places involved.

This was prompted on tumblr by asamcedesfan - I was asked to write a first-kiss that is interrupted before it actually comes to fruition. I hope y'all enjoy!

Kiss, Interrupted

...

Time had seemed to slow down from the moment she walked into his cell.

Not only because she knew the blood hammering through her veins told her that she was about to attempt something ludicrous, but because of the look he gave her as she knocked softly on the metal of the doorframe, announcing her presence. It was a look he rarely gave her . One that meant he was in a bad mood.

Daryl Dixon being in a bad mood could mean practically anything, but the way his blue eyes snapped up to meet her the moment her shadow crossed the threshold, Carol could feel the colour rising in her cheeks and the world screeching to a halt.

Merle had been a loose cannon ever since his arrival at the prison, and with the eminent war on their doorstep, he had only been fired up more by Glenn's leadership and Rick's deteriorating mental state; he finally lost it, storming out on them, taking only Daryl's throwing knife and blasting out into the yard where there must have been fifty walkers pressed up against the inner fence. Daryl had opened his mouth to say something more than once, but after getting a rather harsh look from Rick, he had decided to step back. Retreating to his cell, Carol had been the first to follow him.

The soft sound of her heels on the ground hadn't deterred him in his speed. He walked as quickly as he could, practically jumping up the stairs three at a time before ducking into his cell. Carol waited a good minute or two, just standing there, out of sight. She didn't know why she had followed him.

Well, she did.

She hated seeing him upset. It affected her more than she would have liked to admit -though she knew perfectly well it was because she loved him.

When she entered his cell and he looked up at her, with those eyes full of frustration and sadness, she found herself at a loss for words. She was going to talk about how far he had come, how what Merle did was Merle's own business, and that Rick wouldn't let anything happen to him - even while he was outside.

All those words were gone.

Instead, she took a few more steps into the room, while he watched her every move like a hawk. His lips were pressed into a thin line, chewing on his lower lobe nervously as her eyes locked with his.

Carol felt supremely awkward.

There was normally an ease about their relationship, in the way that they could be silent with one another and have it be the most comfortable sound for miles. Right then, all Carol could hear was her own heartbeat hammering in her chest as she took another step forward, then dropping down to her knees, next to Daryl on the bottom bunk. Her hands rested on the thin blanket covering the mattress, mere inches from the dirty leg of Daryl's cargo pants.

She tried to smile as she looked up at him, the lump in her throat growing as his gaze seemed to overpower her own.

He hadn't moved; Carol wouldn't have been surprised if he was frozen like that, what with the way his eyes had widened the moment she lowered herself down to his level. As though she were going to do something unexpected, like kiss him.

Kiss him?

Carol didn't let such thoughts get in the way of her actions. Normally. But in that moment, the kneeling woman felt like it was the only thought that made sense.

She had nothing to say but words already said before, and she had no other way of expressing to the man before her how she felt -how she wanted him to feel.

Before she knew it, she found herself only an inch or two from his face. His breath was hot on her lips, and she could practically feel the stubble on his face brushing against her skin in anticipation of what she was about to do.

Daryl was too nervous even to recoil, though he noted dimly that there was a part of him that didn't want to bolt. Carol looked better the closer she got, and with her clear eyes still staring straight into his, he knew didn't want to escape that refreshing blue. Not yet.

"Daryl..." He heard her whisper against his mouth, putting a little more of her weight on the mattress, causing him to sink ever-so-slightly toward her.

His heart froze, while hers felt like it might tear a hole in her ribcage if their lips actually met.

This was it.

Carol's eyes fluttered shut as they braced themselves for the electric touch of the other's lips.

A cough echoed like a gunshot from the doorway.

The pair separated from one another like opposing magnets, both of them looking toward the door with panic, heat visibly rising in their faces.

"Well don' let me stop yah." Merle drawled, a sickening, sideways grin on his face as he looked from Daryl over to Carol. His eyes trained on her lips for a brief moment, drifting down to where the colour had started to form on her collarbone and the top of her chest.

Carol said nothing.

Daryl said nothing.

Instead, the younger Dixon brother stood abruptly, his white-knuckled fists clenched hard and his jaw locked. Without so much as looking at her, he strode towards the open door and pushed past Merle, who chuckled until Daryl's footfalls could no longer be heard from the top floor.

Carol's mouth had dropped open, and she was still staring blankly at Merle in shock as his laughter subsided. He leaned against the door frame as she shakily rose from her spot on the floor.

"I think 'e likes ya." The older man said with a smirk.

Carol shot him a look of annoyance as she made for the door.

"Excuse me." She said, staring at the arm he had crossing the frame and blocking her way.

"You gon' go find my 'lil brotha now? Finish what ya started?" He teased.

Carol pushed past him inelegantly, unintentionally searching the lower floor for Daryl before turning back to Merle. "Not that it's any of your business, but I just might."