AN: Wow, we all love season 2, don't we? I miss it like crazy! I am now up to the part of this pre-written story where I rushed to finish it. I've been surprisingly satisfied with re-reading up to this point and don't know exactly what I think of the final chapter, but if there is any extending of this story going to happen, it will be from here. Anyway, a little bit surprising and a little bit smutty…I hope you enjoy this chapter! And for those reading Hollow Ground, I should have a new chapter of that up either today or tomorrow.

Part Three

Daryl walked quieter than Carol thought was possible when there were dried leaves and tiny sticks forever under your feet. She plodded along behind him, not even trying to be stealthy, knowing by instinct she'd fail. Daryl had seemed pretty glum when she'd cornered him late that morning. The sun was high in the sky and he was staring at his hands like they were venomous snakes, ready to strike at him and sink their fangs in deep. Carol had left him the previous night bleary eyed but content, though he'd walked her most of the way back to the group. She wished so hard it ached that he'd come back, re-pitch his tent where she could easily keep an eye on him and where he could make a real effort to gel with the group.

The woods smelled nice, fresh, and Carol delighted in this short opportunity of freedom before having to go back and try to not be under someone's feet. Living with a large group of people seemed exciting for a while, but soon the smell, the sounds, the lack of privacy ripped the magic away and these people she hadn't known at all two months ago were now more familiar than her own family had been. She knew some things about all of them now that she wished she didn't—like the sound Dale made when his head tipped back and his hat fell off his head—so loud she was frightened he was going to choke but before that happened, he'd draw every walker in the vicinity straight to the farm. She knew that Andrea had a high sex drive, having walked in on the blonde while she searched for alternatives to her lost vibrator. She knew that T-Dog farted loudly in his sleep, that Lori and Rick had resumed their sex life and she didn't even want to think of some of the things she'd learned about Shane. She felt more than a little uncomfortable with how much guns affected his personal moods, and how often he'd disappear after cleaning them and then returning to the group from a trek to the woods or his tent looking both wrung out and content at the same time. She learned that Glenn's sweat was not particularly sweet smelling, and as she rattled off all of this new knowledge, she almost nose-dived into a panic attack about what horrible things the others might have realised about her.

She bumped into Daryl's back as those thoughts rolled around in her head, and he swivelled round to catch her, making a clumsy effort to tell her to be quiet with his white mittened hand and his adorable 'ssshhh'. Carol almost giggled, but then she heard it too and she nodded to him in understanding. Worried about the guttural cries that seemed to be mangled by the trees, they crept closer, Carol drawing up by Daryl's side, her hand immediately going to the knife on his hip with a question in her eyes.

They came upon the cause of the noises quite suddenly, and in some form of shock, Daryl grabbed a frozen Carol and forced her to the ground, his breath deep and rushed as it pushed his chest into her back. She fought him off silently, scrabbling across the dirt to get a better view and completely ignoring the fire that erupted on her face at her show of eagerness. Daryl was behind her, his arm around her waist as he attempted to pull her back, but Carol was mesmerised and wasn't moving for anyone. She soaked up the view and let it take control of her senses, her hand settling across Daryl's arm and holding it tight to her waist. There was enough coverage for her to sit back a little, and having Daryl flush against her back and her ass did nothing to quench the rapidly roaring inferno that put every single sensor in her body on high alert.

Maggie—the farmer's daughter—was completely naked. The sentence ran through Carol's head until it was almost screaming at her. She was so ashamed, but so titillated as Glenn ran his mouth over her breasts, as his fingers plucked at the rosy nipples jutting out for the world—or at least Carol and Daryl—to see. As they witnessed the girl moan and groan, Carol became increasingly aware of a building confidence in Daryl and he dragged her back—she was convinced unconsciously—until her ass seemed to cushion the growing erection springing to life behind her. She was frustrated his hands were bound and useless, because as Maggie stretched and writhed against a tree at Glenn's clumsy touches, her throaty moans coaxing the young man to unzip his pants and slam his hardness into the visibly glistening parting between her thighs, Carol completely let go and settled against Daryl hard, feeling everything—including his rigid posture as he sat frozen against her.

Glenn pounded into her—Maggie seemed to enjoy it well enough, though Carol wondered at how much the bark was tearing up her back. He didn't last too long, but long enough for Maggie to make some guttural lament that prickled all of Carol's senses and made every sensitive part of her yearn for something. Maggie laughed joyously and Carol became aware of Daryl's shallow breaths puffing away beside her ear, the heat of his breath shooting down her neck and nudging her arousal into a raging fever. She sucked in her belly and his arm seemed to slip, but then he braced himself again, and slowly that arm climbed until he circled her ribs just under her breasts.

The younger couple took their time re-dressing, indulging in languorous kisses as they laughed and made plans for further raunchy meetings and Carol allowed her eyes to drop closed, covering her mouth with her own hand when Daryl's other hand came around her and he pressed the evidence of his own interest into her, Carol's legs parting a little more to let him slip closer to where she desperately needed him to be. His embrace was tighter than any she'd ever felt before and without warning, he jerked against her and Carol sighed, biting her lip.

She was scared at how visceral her reaction to what she'd seen was, scared at how much she wanted to throw caution to the wind and grind on Daryl's dick like there was no tomorrow, but…would she be faced with a skittish animal when she was done? A man so cautious normally wouldn't react well to such a change in circumstances without a slow journey towards it. He guarded his intimacy like he guarded his brother's bike, and Carol didn't want to be the one blown off because she'd pushed him too fast, but then this burning ache itching at her core obliterated her reason.

She barely even noticed when Maggie and Glenn ran through the woods, away from their little hiding spot. Nothing mattered but the fire in her blood, stoked to a pounding roar when she felt the slick, wet glide of Daryl's tongue up her throat. He nipped at her jaw, his teeth scraping at the skin there driving her crazy.

"Daryl?" His name came out in a protracted, broken moan and she almost sobbed when he kissed his way back down her throat, leaving one final kiss at the base.

"Not now."

Not now? God, he had no idea how far gone she was, and she was afraid there was no coming back. The place she found herself left her heady with excitement, clouded with images and expectations and a terror that Daryl would refuse to deliver. She felt the heat of his arms as they flexed against hers, she felt the rise and fall of his chest as his own arousal beat a similar drum beat to her own, she felt his sharp, panting breaths fluffing the back of her hair as he tried to pull himself back together, trying to push her away, tiny increments at a time.

"Why not now?" She was being whiny, but rejection and the cancellation of this interlude made her overwrought, ripped away from her a sense of something else she'd be expected to forget, to move on from like it had never happened. Pretend she felt nothing when what she felt was everything, and that everything was a crushing blow to who she was trying to be now.

He pushed her away gently and Carol tipped forward, bracing herself on her hands and felt the tears of frustration well in her eyes. She fought them, her body shaking with repressed lust, but just as a sob started rushing from her throat, Daryl squatted in front of her, his clumsy bandaged hand chucking her under the chin until she was looking up at him, tears welling in big, clear eyes, her bottom lip tremulous with the effort to draw everything back inside.

"Not now 'cause I ain't doin' this unless I can touch you. Wait till the bandages come off?" He looked so hopeful, so determined, so desirous that Carol only had one reply. Her answer was a kiss, a decisive dive for his lips. At first he didn't move and without opening her eyes she knew he'd be staring at her in shock, but then he relaxed against her a little, his arms going around her again and Carol's hands found his hair, fingers digging through the surprisingly soft strands as she plundered his mouth. Everything was heat, red hot scorching heat from his lips to his wet tongue and Carol wondered if she'd slipped into Heaven by mistake. Once he was past the initial surprise, Daryl sucked at her lips, his tongue sliding sensually from one to the other before curling up with hers, gently volleying back and forth. She grew weak with surprise and happiness, exploring at their own pace, nibbling in between intermittent bouts of passion until finally Daryl pulled away. His breathing was ragged and Carol was mesmerised by the way his heart seemed to be pumping in time to his breaths, her hand settling over his heart. She drew closer as the steady beats engaged with her palm, leaving her tingling all over. The sensation felt strange, unpredictable even though she knew without looking at him that he wouldn't pull away now, that he was caught in her spell as much as she was in his—and they'd both been drawn in by the blatant display of erotica of their friend and his new girlfriend.

"I don't think I'll be able to look Glenn in the face again." She giggled. Thinking about the raunchy couple and the noises Maggie had made as Glenn sunk himself inside her re-stoked the dying embers of Carol's desire. She looked up, caught Daryl watching her, his expression unguarded and vulnerable and she trembled with how much responsibility she now held in her hands. How easy it would be to hurt him, shame him, destroy his tenuous link to the group. It was the last thing she wanted, so she smiled at him with as much reassurance as she could muster and when he grinned shyly back, her heart fluttered in her chest.

"Now you know why I moved away," Daryl said, pushing up from his knees to stand, waiting on her to follow. "Know enough personal shit about those assholes to last me a life time."

Her previous worries pushed back at her and she frowned. "Did you know guns get Shane hot?"

Daryl snorted a laugh, heading off toward the berry patch, Carol scrambling after him to keep up.