Seventeen
"Daryl. Unh. Fuck. Yes, right there. Oh, don't stop!" Carol bit her lip to stop from screaming and dug her fingers hard into the sleeping bag in Daryl's tent. His fingers were digging into her hips as he slammed into her from behind. She met his thrusts with equal enthusiasm, rocking back on her hands and knees, meeting him with each thrust, taking him in a little deeper each time.
His hands moved up her waist and over her breasts, and he finally curled one arm around her middle and pulled her up so her back was against his chest. They rocked together on their knees, and Carol cried out when his hand slipped between her legs. She let out a soft cry when his fingers teased her clit, and her arm came back to snake around his neck. She turned her face up toward him, and he looked down at her for a moment before leaning in to kiss her hungrily.
Carol lurched forward when they both lost their balance, and he slipped out of her. He gripped his cock at the base, and she turned, panting and red-faced, pushing gently against his chest.
"Lay back," she murmured. He did as she asked, and she crawled over him, kissing his chest and his neck before taking his dick in her hand and slowly sliding down over him. Her eyes rolled back a little when he filled her as far as he could, and she rested her hands against her chest as she began to ride him.
"Fuck, Carol," he choked out. "Fuck, you feel so good." Carol smiled down at him, and she quieted him with a hungry kiss. She rocked against him, taking him faster, and when he gripped her hips and sat up a little, she squealed at the change of angle.
"Daryl!" she rasped out. He eased her off of his lap and rolled her onto her back. Gripping her behind the knees, he spread her open and slipped back in, taking her hard and fast, and it didn't take long before her pussy was throbbing around him, squeezing him and bringing him close. She let go first, and when he finally collapsed on top of her, sweating and spent, she giggled and pressed kisses to his sweaty forehead.
"That was…"
"Yeah," she panted. "I think I like having you around." Daryl snorted, and she giggled, giving his ass a squeeze and a slap. Daryl rolled off of her and onto his back. His chest heaved with each labored breath. Carol was already looking around for her discarded panties. Daryl slid his hand up her sweat-slicked back and gently rubbed the back of her neck. His fingers brushed through the short hair at the back of her head, and she shivered. She loved it when he touched her like that. A little smile turned up at the corners of her mouth.
"Got somewhere you gotta be?" he asked.
"No," she grinned. "I have to pee, and it's a long walk back to the house."
"Got a bush outside," he shrugged. Carol rolled her eyes. "Stay with me tonight." Carol raised her eyebrows for a moment, considering the invitation.
"Really?" Daryl blushed at her question. He picked at a stray thread on the sleeping bag.
"Wouldn't ask if I didn't want you to." He brushed his hand over her arm, and Carol smiled sweetly. She leaned down to brush her lips against his.
"Let me go back to the house. I'll use the bathroom and check on Sophia."
"And you're comin' back?"
"I'm coming back," she promised. The little smile that pulled at his lips warmed her heart, and she gently traced her fingertips over his lips. The lantern light was starting to burn low, and she knew by the time she got back to the tent, he'd be sound asleep, but she wasn't passing up his invitation for anything.
"Want me to walk you back?"
"I can find my way back just fine. I've made the trek more than a few times." Daryl chuckled at that, and Carol kissed him again. "Try not to fall asleep. I'm not done with you yet."
"Promise?"
"Promise," she laughed. She started to get up, but he tugged her back toward him again, pulling her in for a proper kiss. When he finally let her go, he leaned back to watch her throw her clothes back on with a sleepy, satisfied smirk.
Carol put her shoes on last and hurried out of the tent. The night air was cool, and Carol rubbed her hands on her arms to warm herself as she rushed toward the house. The faint light from Maggie's bedroom window guided her way. She hurried out of the field and into the grassy lot near the barn.
By the time she got up to the house, she was downright shivering. It was the coolest night they'd had for a while, and it was clear that the warm summer nights were quickly coming to an end.
The house was quiet, though she could hear footsteps overhead. She figured Maggie and Glenn were burning the midnight oil, and she was careful when she walked through the house to the little bedroom in the back to check on Sophia.
There was just enough light coming in from the moon to show Sophia's sleeping form curled up under a quilt. The girl sighed softly in her sleep and turned onto her back, and Carol quietly shut the door so she wouldn't disturb her.
She grabbed her packing from the living room and took the stairs up to the bathroom. She made quick work of using the restroom and brushing her teeth, and she figured while she was there, she might as well take a nice, warm shower.
Her muscles ached, but her body was still buzzing from Daryl's touch. She scrubbed behind her ears gently swept the cloth over her neck and down between her breasts. She washed all over, cleansing the grime and sweat away. She couldn't help but figure this shower would be all for nothing when she got back to Daryl, but it felt good nevertheless.
Her heart skipped a beat when she thought of him, and she found herself holding her breath as she remembered the way he touched her, the way his lips felt against hers, the way he felt buried deep inside of her. Her stomach felt like it was doing somersaults. She felt like a girl with a crush, all giddy and happy every time she thought of him. It was more than that, and she knew it. She'd known for a while. She'd fallen in love with him, and though he didn't express himself much through words, she knew he cared for her. Sometimes, when he looked at her, she felt warm and safe. Other times, she could see when he was craving her, which was more often than not these days. They were wearing each other out most nights, and she was sleeping better than she had in years.
Two muffled pops broke through the sound of the running water, and Carol's heart nearly leapt out of her chest.
She turned off the water and grabbed the towel off the rack. She stood there for a moment, listening for any commotion, and when another louder pop broke the silence, she cried out in surprise.
Moments later, several loud footsteps came rushing down the hall and receded down the stairs. Carol quickly dried off and pulled on a fresh outfit, her heart hammering in her chest as the sound of gunfire began to make the windows rattle.
"Sophia," she gasped, tugging her shoes on and throwing her pack over her shoulder. She rushed out of the room and started for the stairs, nearly running right into Andrea.
"Carol! Come on. We have to go."
"What's going on?"
"I don't know. But there's walkers everywhere, and the house is on fire. We have to go. We have to go now." Carol gasped and nearly stumbled on the first step. She found her footing and held onto the bannister all the way down. She kept her eyes focused on Andrea until her feet hit the floor downstairs. "Come on."
"Sophia. I have to get Sophia." Andrea looked out the screen door, tugging a handgun from the back of her pants. Smoke rolled through the hallway from the kitchen as bright flames cast dark shadows on the wall. Carol coughed and covered her mouth, and Andrea winced and turned away from the flames.
"Okay, hurry." Gunfire tore through the silence again, and Carol jumped, her hands shaking as she gripped her pack and rushed toward the little bedroom. Her heart leapt into her throat when she saw the door was wide open.
"Sophia!" She stepped inside, only to find the bed empty. "Sophia! It's mommy! Answer me!" Fear gripped her, but she kept moving forward, feeling around for the flashlight Sophia kept on the bedside table for late night bathroom runs. She flicked it on and waved it around, desperately looking for Sophia in the dim, trembling light. She fell to her knees and looked under the bed. She searched the little half-bathroom off to the side. "Sophia, answer me!"
"Carol!" Andrea stepped into the room. "We have to go. We have to go!"
"Sophia's gone!" Carol choked out. "I can't leave her!"
"She's probably outside with everyone else. We'll find her, but if we stay, we're dead."
"The hell is taking so long in here? We gotta get the hell out!" T-Dog came rushing in. A loud clatter shook the house as the kitchen ceiling caved in just a room away.
"Sophia!" Carol screamed out.
"She got out. I saw her. Think she might be with Lori or Maggie. I saw her, but she was runnin' fast!"
"She got out? She's ok?"
"I saw her. I think so. Saw a car peel out, heard them say they were getting back to the highway. Carol, I promise you I saw her."
"She's ok? She's gonna be ok?" Carol was frozen in fear, and Andrea came to her, grabbing her by the hand. She followed her stiffly through the house, and another round of gunfire popped off outside the living room window.
"Stay close!" T-Dog ordered. "Stay with me. We gotta get to the old pickup truck."
"Sophia!" Carol cried out, as they stepped out on the porch. "Sophia!" The first thing Carol saw was Jimmy out by the barn, surrounded by walkers, shooting to no avail. There were too many of them, and his screams pierced her ears until they sputtered out into silence and the dull din of walkers growling as they tucked into their fresh kill. Carol's stomach lurched, and Andrea tugged at her arm. "Sophia!" She turned her head toward the field, and her stomach dropped. She tasted bile in the back of her throat when she saw the horde of walkers coming from that direction, stepping through the flames that engulfed Daryl Dixon's tent. "Oh God…"
The next thing she knew, she was being shoved into the cab of a pickup truck. She was sandwiched between T-Dog in the driver's seat and Andrea in the passenger's. Her throat burned, and another sob broke through as the tears began to fall. Andrea put her hand on Carol's back as T-Dog started the truck and peeled out, clipping three walkers as he rushed down the drive and toward the gates of Hershel's farm.
The last thing Carol saw through her tears and the smudged rear-view mirror was the orange glow of the farm house that she'd come to call home.
Author's Note: I know it's been a few days, but I managed an update! I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you think. Feedback is very much appreciated.