"Getting Closer" Chapter 4: Third Day After Leaving the Greene Farm
By the time Daryl finally went back inside the bar, things had quieted down and some of the folks were trying to sleep, on the seats of the booths that lined one wall or in corners of the room. He saw Carol, curled up underneath a booth, and chose a spot as far away from her as possible. He lay down, crossed his arms behind his head, and stared up at the ceiling…
Some time later, Carol woke with a start as the front door banged shut. Poking her head out from the booth, she saw that it was just the guard shift changing. She sighed with relief, then looked around the room and saw that nearly everyone was sleeping. Far off, barely visible in the darkness of the single candle that had been left burning, she could see the wings of Daryl's vest as he slept, facing the wall. She shifted in vain to try to find a comfortable position. Now that her head was clearer, her brain was racing with thoughts of Daryl. All these weeks that they had been on the farm, he had grown more and more important to her, but she had never dreamed that their budding friendship might turn romantic. "Ha!" She snorted as she thought to herself, "Daryl, romantic? That was just LUST. Pure and simple, liquor and lust. Hell, he probably won't even remember it happened." That thought saddened her, but she resolved not to bring it up if he didn't.
In the morning, as the group ate a quick meal and packed their things back into the vehicles, most everyone engaged in pleasant banter, laughing over the jokes and songs of the night before, and teasing anyone who had a hangover. No one seemed to notice that Carol and Daryl were even quieter than usual, or that they avoided each other. But Maggie noticed. She surreptitiously watched them, wondering just what their relationship was becoming. Just yesterday, she and Glenn had speculated that perhaps Daryl and Carol were truly sleeping together, but after their obvious embarrassment when she caught them kissing last night, Maggie was certain that this was something new for them.
Carol was tormented, wondering if she should ask to ride with Rick & Lori today. She certainly did not want to ride with Glenn & Maggie! She stood outside the front door of the bar uncertainly. Suddenly Daryl's motorcycle roared to life. She looked up with a start, realizing that he had made the decision for her. She moved between the cars, heading toward the Grimes' SUV in the middle of the parking lot. Before she reached it, the motorcycle blocked her path. Daryl stopped, jerked his head, and said "Come on, woman! I ain't got all day!"
With a huge smile, Carol climbed up on the bike once again. As he roared onto the highway, she could feel the wind and sun on her face, and smell the musky scent of the strong man she held on to tightly. And just for this moment, it felt like all was right in her world.
[ Author's Note: This is my first fanfic, so it's rather short. I'd appreciate all comments / suggestions / criticism. Do you think I should continue this story? ]