Lydia couldn't believe her eyes. She ran to Henry, hugged him and kissed him.

Daryl also stood up and greeted Carol, Connie smiled at her.

"Hey, what are you two doing here?" Daryl asked.

"Well, someone just didn't stop asking when we will go visit you all," Carol said and looked at Henry; who blushed.

"And I also have some official business I have to talk about with Cyndie and Rachel."

Carol saw the Candy Land game on the table and gave Daryl a questioning look, who shrugged, looking away.

"Anyway, we only wanted to say 'hi' quickly. It's been a long journey and we'll have to get some rest now," Carol told them.

Henry and Lydia both looked a little bit disappointed.

"But we'll come see you tomorrow. Maybe we can talk then," Carol added.

"Sure", Daryl said.

They said goodbye and left.

The next day Henry and Carol came visiting them after breakfast. While Lydia and Henry left, because Lydia wanted to introduce Henry to her new best friend Vicky, Carol asked Daryl if she could talk to him outside. Daryl looked at Connie who smiled and signed "go". He put his jacket on while Carol left the house. Connie wrote something quickly and then kissed Daryl putting the note in Daryl's hand.

When Daryl left, Connie started to clean up the table and then make the dishes. Daryl seemed to be happy to see Carol again and she was alright with him talking to her alone. She knew they were close and it was good that he had friends. She missed her friends too.
Now and then she glanced outside, where Daryl and Carol were sitting on a bench, talking. They were too far away to read their lips, but Connie felt a little sting in her heart when she glanced outside once again and saw that Daryl put his arm around Carol.

They're just friends, relax, she told herself, but still her heart started to beat faster.

She never had been a jealous person, even though she loved her partners. She always thought jealousy was a silly thing and being afraid to lose her partner wasn't something she experienced often. But with Daryl it was different. Losing him would mean to lose everything and she couldn't imagine her life without him anymore. He was important to her and it hurt her to know, that there were people who probably knew him better than she did. Carol was one of them, she and Daryl understood each other without words. Connie couldn't shake the thought that Carol knew Daryl better than she did.

Daryl read Connie's note while he was walking outside.

When you come back, I will probably need another prove that you're feeling well, it said.

Daryl chuckled. He turned around to Connie who was still standing on the doorstep.

"You'll get it," he promised her and she blew him a kiss.

Daryl blushed a little bit, when he realized that Carol saw the whole scene.

"She's worried, I had a fever a couple of days ago," he said, not knowing why he tried to explain himself.

"But you feel better now?" Carol asked.

"Yeah," he answered.

"That's good. Getting sick nowadays can be fatal. I will never forget how bad it was at the prison."

"Me neither. But it wasn't anything like that, just a little fever."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"Who would have thought back then, that you will play Candy Land with your own family one day," Carol said then and smiled.

"Lydia wanted to play it, kinda talked me into it," Daryl said, rolling his eyes. "But yeah, I still don't know how all of it happened so fast."

"Hey, that's okay, you can admit it, you like to be a family man," Carol said, jogging his elbow.

Daryl blushed.

"I'm really happy for you," she continued. "After what happened with Rick and the rift between our communities. It was hurtful to see you isolating yourself. I was afraid I'm going to lose you and that you'll lose yourself just like I did back in the day. But it seems like someone saved you."

"Yeah, they both saved me. They still do. Every day."

"You deserve all of it," Carol said and Daryl nodded thankfully as they smiled at each other.

"So, how are things at the Kingdom?" He asked then.

Carol's smile disappeared.

"Not good." Her lips trembled slightly. "Everything is breaking apart."

Daryl said nothing, just looked at her in compassion.

"I came here to ask for help. But I think it won't be enough. I think we have to leave it."

"And Ezekiel?" Daryl asked, knowing Ezekiel wouldn't give up the Kingdom so easily.

"He's trying hard to hold it together. But he's losing it. He's losing people's trust too." She paused. "And things aren't that good between us either, since Alpha killed our people."

"Sorry," Daryl said and put his arm around her as he saw tears rising in her eyes.

"It's okay, maybe we can work it out. Can't throw it all away, right?" Carol brushed her tears away and tried to smile.

"But I'm really happy for you," she said then trying to change the topic and Daryl could see in her eyes that she meant what she said.

"That's all I've ever wished for you. That you find someone who sees your good heart."

Daryl felt a little bit embarrassed and muttered a "Thanks".

Carol was twisting the ring on her finger absently.

"So will you ask her?" She asked suddenly and Daryl didn't understand what she meant.

"Ask her what?"

"You know." Carol showed him her hand with her wedding ring.

"Oh, I dunno… Maybe," Daryl answered timidly.

"I hope, I will be invited to your wedding," Carol said, trying to smile again.

"Let's just survive this damn winter first," Daryl told her.

They sat again in silence for a while.

"So you need help, maybe me and Connie should come too," Daryl said thoughtfully. "Lydia could stay here with Vicky until we come back," he added.

"I would appreciate that, but you don't have to do it. You have your own family now, you need to take care of."

"But I've friends too and I wanna help."

They looked at each other and Carol nodded.

"I'll talk to Connie and we'll see what we can do," he said finally.

"Thank you." They hugged and Daryl went home while Carol went to Cyndie and Rachel.

When Daryl came back, Connie greeted him with a smile. Then Daryl redeemed his promise and they spent another wonderful time in bed.

What were you talking about? Connie asked him then, writing the question on her notepad.

"There's some trouble at the Kingdom. They could use our help."

And what about Lydia?

"She could stay with Vicky and her mom for a while."

Daryl saw the concerned look on Connie's face.

"Ain't happy about leaving her either, but the Kingdom could fall and maybe we could help 'em saving it."

Connie thought about it for a while and agreed.

When Lydia came home they talked to her and she told them she was alright with staying with Vicky and her mom. Daryl had a bad feeling leaving her, but he wanted to help his friends, so they decided to leave with the others on the next day.

Late at night, when Lydia was sleeping already, Daryl and Connie packed their things and then they were sitting at the table. Both of them couldn't sleep.
Daryl noticed Connie's concerned look.

"You're worried about tomorrow?" He asked her.

Connie shook her head.

"What is it?"

I still know so little about you. Was thinking about it the whole day, she wrote.

Daryl frowned.

"You know enough", he told her softly.

Not as much as your friends do, she wrote and when Daryl didn't answer she added:

I don't even know what you did before the outbreak, besides living with your brother.

"Does it matter?" He asked her, glad that she couldn't hear the sadness in his voice.

Connie shrugged.

Daryl took her hands in his.

"We're together and that's all that counts. To hell with the past."

Connie didn't say anything and tried to smile.

"We should go to sleep", Daryl said then. "Will be a long day tomorrow."

They went to sleep and Connie tried to get rid of the bad thoughts, before she finally fell asleep in Daryl's arms.