Disclaimer: I don't own AMC's The Walking Dead or any of its characters, wishful thinking aside.

Authors Note #1: This story is meant to fit in some point during the winter when they were going from house to house. Focusing on the scenario of: What if Daryl and Carol had met once before, decades before the virus and their escape from Atlanta. * Just to clear something up, this could be construed as an AU – however the way I plan to work it into the plot makes it virtually cannon compliant.

Warnings: Contains some minor season two and three spoilers, references to Daryl's past, Carol's past, clear allusions to domestic abuse/violence, sexual imagery, adult language and mature content.

Lady in Red

Chapter 7

She gnawed on the inside of her lip as his jacket brushed across her chest. Nipples hardening under the thin fabric as his thumbs grew bold and started rubbing slow circles into the jut of her spine.

…Christ.

She hissed in a breath as the tempo changed and their hips ground together. Nearly doing herself in right then and there as he grunted and throbbed against the press of his zipper - so close that she could feel every curve, every dip and definition as he met her halfway. Still not meeting her eyes, but so close that she could feel his breath on her skin. Thrilling and warm in a way Jay had never been.

She bit her lip. Nearly choking on a heated little mewl as a jolt of pleasure settled deep in her lower belly. The scene suddenly feeling a whole lot like a game of dominoes as his fingers fanned out across the small of her back, cautious but growingly curious as he inched into new territory.

It was almost as if he was mapping her out by touch - making it more than a just moment, more than just a random act, but a memory. Something to be revisited and enjoyed later when the good times are scarce and reality has grown jaded.

She didn't even realize that the music had stopped until the sound of a pointed cough suddenly brought the world back into focus. The moment effectively broken as the waitress from before appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and tugged on her partner's pant leg from the floor below the stage.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but you've got a call, sweetness," The waitress drawled, balancing a tray on her hip as she sailed past the stage. Platform heels clicking across the hardwood like individual heartbeats as she paused and checked her reflection in the mirror beside the stage.

"You can take it at the bar, but you might have to sweet talk Vinny though." She added with a giggle, tossing the words over her shoulder as she gestured towards the stout man tending bar. Taking a small tube of concealer out of her apron and daubing it across her cheek. Her confidence clearly shaken as she doubled checked her appearance and flushed pink in embarrassment.

The man in question wasn't hard to spot. Considering his sheer size and the way he was glaring at them from across the room. Looking eternally put upon as he slammed his fist against the counter and gestured towards them through the late night crowd.

"Sorry, I gotta take this." He grunted, eyes narrowing in irritation as he walked her to the edge of the stage and set off across the bar. Leaving her alone on the dance floor as the band started packing up for the night and the people slowly began to disperse.

Normally she'd be disappointed, maybe even a bit ticked off at being left hanging like that. But in reality she couldn't even muster up the effort to be irritated. Too busy watching him stalk across the bar as the crowds parted in his wake like Moses and the Red Sea - his reputation obviously preceding him as he made his way through the maze of bar stools and tables and disappeared into a crowd of rowdy looking bikers.

It wasn't until he reached the bar that she realized she was still standing on the edge of the stage. Stalled and alone as her hands smoothed down the length of her dress, remembering the way his palms had rested there. Awkward and endearing as the inches had melted away and desire had replaced that of uncertainty. In fact, if the waitress hadn't interrupted them when she did, she had a feeling that he was going to-

Alarm jolted through her. Shaking herself out of a fog of cigarette smoke and arousal as she realized how close she'd been to just throwing caution to the wind and-

God, she was an idiot!

She weaved her way through the mess of people. Excusing herself as she pushed past the odd couple before letting the night's inevitable collection of bachelors go ahead of her – already digging around in their wallets for one last round as she made her way back to the booth.

She fiddled with her straw as she watched him signal the bartender. Eventually digging around in his wallet and passing him a few bills before the heavyset man handed him the phone. Leaving the younger man alone at the farthest corner of the bar as he whistled for the waitresses and started dealing with the late night crowd as what seemed like half the bar came up to settle their tabs.

But the moment when she really started paying attention was when his hands tensed on the bar, gripping the varnished wood so hard she swore she heard it creak. Back hunching inwards, almost as if he was expecting some sort of blow as the fingers that had been flirting with the cord suddenly went dangerously tight.

"Everything alright?" She asked when he returned - knowing full well that it wasn't as he shrugged his shoulders and leaned up against one of the dusty wooden pillars that marked the halfway point between her booth and his table.

"Depends on who you're askin'" He muttered. Looking oddly distracted as he threw a five down in the direction of the table and turned towards her. Expression closed off and stormy.

"Listen, I gotta go. It's a family thing, my brother went and got himself in a… well, it's a long story. Do 'ya need a ride somewhere?" He asked, looking genuinely regretful as he palmed his keys and gestured towards the door, gaze straying from dress straps to freckles as he took her in under the glow of the dusty neon lights.

"No. Thanks though. Don't worry about me. I'm going to head home myself, it's getting late." She replied, running her hand through her long curls as she sent him an encouraging smile. Finding herself caught between disappointment and relief as he ducked his head and checked his watch.

"I'll walk you out then." He offered. Treating her to a small, hesitant little smile as his ran his fingers through his hair and gestured for her to walk ahead. Turning ruffled bedhead into something just shy of defying gravity before he flattened it back down again - giving his cowlicks free rein as they curled around the nape of his neck.

"I had a good time," She began, struggling to find the words to convey her feelings as they walked through the dented double doors and into the soft Georgian moonlight.

"It was nice to talk to someone who's had their own issues with the…fine print." She quipped. Figuring she'd got him pegged when he shoved his hands into his pockets and scuffed his boots into the gravel. Squinting off in the direction of the interstate and the miles of blacktop that stood between them and the closest county worth mentioning.

"Likewise." He returned. Clearly searching for something to keep him occupied as he pulled out his cigarette case and started rummaging around in his pockets for a lighter.

The silence that followed was almost laughably surreal. Hearing real crickets rather than metaphorical ones as the low hum of chickadees and fully grown Georgian hoppers rose up to fill the silence. Both of them at a loss as to what to say next as the silence lengthened and everything they didn't know how to say stretched out before them like light reaching out to meet the dark.

She was drowning in descriptions but strangely short on adjectives and verbs. Frustrated and confused as he just ground his heels into the dirt and stared out at the night sky. Absolutely no help whatsoever as she did her best to become the first person in the entire state to drown on dry land in the middle of a god damned drought.

"Alright..." He began, breaking the silence and stepping forward awkwardly. Looking like he was about to extend his hand before he thought better of it. Chin ducking into his chest as he caught her gaze from behind the fan of his dark lashes.

"See you around then?" He asked, tone guarded but hopeful as he kicked at a clump of blacktop and sent it skidding across the gravel. "I swing past here every couple of weeks or so." He explained after a moment, seeming to take her expression as affirmation when she smiled and nodded.

"Definitely." She returned, giving him a little wave as he shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and headed off across the parking lot. Trying to tell herself that him leaving was actually for the best. And that she didn't already miss that crooked little smile and the press of his palms while the awkward screech of unoiled springs and stripped gears pinged through the silence like a warning.

She waited until his pickup, a rickety old death trap of rust and mismatched paint, rattled out of the parking lot and onto the interstate before she dug through her purse for a quarter. Pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders, she crossed the street and angled towards the pay phone at the new Gas-and-Go around the corner to call her girlfriend Jenny.

Her heels sunk into the loamy soil as she looked longingly off in the direction of her car, but decided not to risk it. She felt heady and strangely weightless as she tucked her hair behind her ears and fumbled with her quarter - listening impatiently to the sharp clickity-click as she thumbed the dust off the screen and picked up the receiver.

And whether that feeling was from the alcohol, the dance, or both it didn't much matter. She was damn near blitzed and she knew it. …Her mama hadn't raised a fool that was for damn sure.

It took a moment, but after a shower of static and a few awkward beeps, the call finally connected.

"Hey Jen, yeah, it's me. No, I'm okay – listen, Jay and I had a fight, I ended it. Yeah, I'm fine, don't-what? No, I am, really… It was a long time coming anyway. – I'm at Sam's Grill downtown and I've had a few. Can you come pick me up? I have gas money," she asked. Biting her lip and rubbing her arms as a rash of goose pimples broke out across her skin. The night growing cold as a soft wind ruffled her loose curls.

"No? I-no, it's okay. I understand. Don't worry about it-yeah, I know, the baby comes first. You should just be happy he's sleeping through the night now. Give him a kiss for me alright? – Wait! Listen, do you know Jay's friend from school? The jock?" She asked, nearly rolling her eyes as her friend yawned and mumbled a negative.

"Remember they used to play football together, in high school? …The Ridgebacks? – Yeah, yeah, the one with the dirty blond hair and green eyes. …Jen! Be serious!" She scolded, actually rolling her eyes this time as her friend teased her from across the line.

"What was his name again? Ed? …Right. Listen; can you give me his number? – Jen! Get your mind out of the gutter! I just need a ride to- oh good lord! Jen! Not a word of this gets out, you understand? Promise me you won't– Alright-alright now what was his number again?" She demanded, popping the cap off the pen that was attached to the booth as she scribbled the number on a free corner of the ratty old phone book.

"Thanks girl, I owe you one. Yeah, I'll call you tomorrow okay? Night!"

She paused as she hung up the phone. Eyes straying towards the interstate as the sound of a truck downshifting through the city limits echoed through the empty streets, suddenly regretting the fact that she'd never asked the man's name as she buried her chin in her shawl and caught a whiff of his scent. Committing the evening to memory as a pack of stray dogs skittered across the blacktop only a few meters away. Making tracks towards the city dump as they eyed her suspiciously from behind the long grass.

It wasn't until the wind picked up, swirling around her legs and fluttering back the way she'd came that she took a deep breath and reached for the phone. Thumbing a fresh quarter into a slot, she waited for the tone and started dialing Ed's number. Biting her lip and looking around nervously as the phone began to ring. Somewhat uncertain of the kind of reception she was going to get from one of Jay's closest friends, especially at this time of night.

Well, here goes nothing…

A/N #1: Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think! Reviews and constructive critiquing are love! – Just as a heads up, but I think this story will be coming to a close in the next chapter or so. But I promise that it will be an end worth waiting for!

"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin." ― Mother Teresa