Prompt:
Carol is really wanting to have gifts for the kids, so she convinces Daryl to go on a run with her to a toy shop. during the run, he asks if she wants to be a mom again and they both become emotional about it.
"Please?"
"No"
"Pleeassee?"
"No."
"Come on Daryl please?"
"Woman what ain't you understandin' 'bout the word no?"
"But Christmas is in three days," Carol persisted, following Daryl down the street towards their house.
"Yeah and funny 'nough I ain't no damn Santa Claus," Daryl grumbled, sitting down on the porch steps lighting up a smoke.
"Look Judith's getting older now she's needs something a little more stimulating than a plastic cup," Carol reasoned sitting next to him
"Yeah well then Rick can go get her somethin' can't he?"
"Fine," Carol pouted at him sighing, "I guess I'll just go on my own, I'm sure I'll be fine out there, only be gone a couple days at most-"
"What?" Daryl fumed, "ya can't damn go alone, ya stupid or somethin'? What if shit goes down out there, how ya gonna get yourself outta that? Exactly. I'm comin' with you, ya ain't goin' alone…good lord."
Carol smirked to herself as she side eyed him, he was far to easy to play.
"Okay great, so we'll leave this afternoon, I'll go pack us some food, we'll take the car instead of the bike, I'm not sure how much we'll be bringing back."
Before waiting for a response she hopped up, heading quickly into the house before he changed his mind. Daryl shook his head, when the hell could he learn to say no to that woman?
"Where you two off too?" Rick questioned as he watched them load up the car.
"Off to play fuckin' Santa Claus," Daryl grumbled in response.
"Hey if you're Santa Claus does that make me Mrs Claus?" Carol teased raising her brows at him.
Daryl scoffed at her shaking his head, "stop."
Carol laughed before turning back to Rick.
"We're getting Christmas presents for the kids, they deserve it, it'd be nice to have some happiness for a change," Carol explained shoving a box of ammo in the trunk.
"Alright well be careful, you got an idea when you'll be back?"
"Tomorrow hopefully," Carol replied strapping herself into the car, "but definitely back for Christmas."
Rick nodded as Daryl started up the engine, giving them a wave as they pulled away.
No sooner had they pulled out the gates Carol started humming to herself.
"Don't," Daryl warned, recognizing the cheery tune that was gradually getting louder.
"Please don't."
"Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh," she sang making bouncing movements as she did.
"Stop," he pleaded.
"Over hills we go, laughing all the way," she sang even louder making him cringe in his seat.
God why did he agree to this? It was going to be one hell of a trip if she carried on that was for sure.
She continued with the Christmas carols all the way there almost driving Daryl to insanity.
The second he stopped the car he jumped out, going to the back seat to grab his crossbow.
"Feeling Christmas'y yet?" she questioned from the other side of the car, laughing when he glowered back at her.
"C'mon lets get this over with," he grumbled, a small grin threatening to appear.
They walked around the toy store, thankfully not running into any walkers, Daryl couldn't stand for there to be a child walker knowing how much seeing it hurt Carol.
He mostly let Carol pick the toys, giving an occasional hum and nod to the toys she chose.
The silence dragged on between them as she filled up a trolley, full of more toys then those kids would ever need.
"Ya think we got enough?" Daryl asked.
"Not yet," she said pausing at shelves of dolls.
"Sophia had that doll, kept it even as she got older," she spoke quietly now, pointing to one on the bottom shelf.
There was a long sad silence before Daryl responded.
"Would you want to do it again?" Daryl asked the words slipping out before he couldn't even think.
"Do what?" she almost whispered now looking up at him.
"Be a mom," he said just as quietly thinking now of how insensitive he sounded and what an ass he was.
A tear threatens to fall from her eye now and he instantly regrets even saying the words.
"I don't know if I could," her voice was trembling now, her body slowly following suit, she can feel the cracks in her foundations breaking, she needs to pull it together damn it.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean too-" he began, panicking as he saw the glazing over of her eyes.
Before he could finish she'd flung herself at him, clutching on for dear life as her arms wrapped tightly around him, her head buried in his chest.
"It's okay," she choked out through tears, "it's not you."
He held her closely to him, cupping the back of her neck, resting his mouth on her head as he felt her shake through the tears. His other hand ran up and down her spine in a soothing motion, trying to calm her.
He could feel himself getting emotional the longer he stood there holding her, his thumb running up and down her neck. He should have found her, shouldn't have ever stopped looking till he did. The guilt he felt had never subsided, not even for a second, no matter what she said that little girl's death was on him.
"I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair, feeling his throat go tight, emotions that he didn't deserve to have right now hitting him like a ton of bricks.
Carol heard the change in his tone and knew exactly what he was referring to.
She pulled her head away to look him in the eye, her tear stained face forming into a frown.
"Stop, Daryl it was never your fault, never will be. I do not, nor will I ever believe that you had anything to do with Sophia's death."
Daryl couldn't meet her eyes anymore, his gaze adverting down, trying desperately to believe her words.
"This ain't 'bout me," he mumbled, "I should be comforting you."
"You are," she said softly, placing her head gently back on his chest.
"Wish I could do more," he murmured, his lips brave pressing against her temple.
Carol shook her head before leaning into his touch, "you do more than enough."
Daryl sighed letting finally himself feel, "won't ever stop me tryin' ta do more though..."