Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead. I only own this crazy story idea.

Game Changer

Chapter 6

Andrea tossed and turned for most of the night as she watched Carol sleep off the effects of the medication. She could not stop thinking about Shane. She knew Shane was not above game playing or a little trickery to get his way. He had shown the less than stellar side of himself with all that bullshit with Lori. She couldn't help but wonder if Shane hadn't purposefully had her interrupt Daryl and Carol. It made sense in a kind of twisted Shane sort of way. She knew Shane was angry about Rick's growing reliance on Daryl. She knew it both pained and hurt Shane. Andrea sighed. Shane had both his good and bad side, she really wanted to help him discover more of the former than the latter but first she needed him to admit his culpability. Andrea slipped from bed and quietly opened the bedroom door almost falling over Daryl Dixon who was asleep against the wall directly outside. Andrea shook her head, Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier. Who would have thought? She carefully stepped over his out stretched legs to continue down the hall. She reached the top of stairs only to run smack into Shane.

"Hey," Shane smiled at her. "How's Carol?"

Andrea's blonde eyebrows knitted together. "She is fine. I thought you were worried about upsetting Daryl by checking on her?"

Shane looked to the side, avoiding her eyes. "Yeah, I did."

"So you're coming up here because..." Andrea said.

"Maybe, I was checking on you," Shane shot her a suggestive smile.

Andrea rolled her eyes.

"What?" Shane asked.

"What is the game, Shane?" Andrea asked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Shane turned and started down the stairs.

"Are you interested in Carol?" Andrea asked, bluntly. She steeled herself for his answer stepping down two steps.

Shane turned just short of the last step, his hand on the banister. He blinked. "You jealous?"

Andrea glared at him. "Did you ask me to check on her just to interrupt them?"

Before Shane could decide on an answer, Daryl joined them on the stairs.

"What did ya just say?" Daryl's eyes were blazing with anger.

Andrea cursed as she turned to find Daryl standing behind her. She looked back down at Shane.

"Did you send her up just to fuckin' interrupt us?" Daryl aske his voice rising.

"You're paranoid, Dixon." Shane scoffed as he walked away from them and back into the living room.

Daryl slipped past Andrea and was fast on Shane's heels. He grabbed Shane by the shoulder when he caught up with him in the living room, twisting him around so they were face to face. "Did you send her up just to fuckin' interrupt us?" Daryl repeated his earlier question through gritted teeth.

"You don't own her, Dixon." Shane spat.

'What the fuck did you just say?" Daryl glared at him.

"You don't own her. Last, I looked she didn't have a ring on her finger." Shane said.

Andrea flinched at his response.

Daryl got right up in his face. "Well, we know that wouldn't stop ya," he smirked.

A look of rage crossed Shane's face. "Nothing stops me from going after what I want. For the record, she doesn't have a ring. She is fair game."

Their yelling had woken everyone up. Glenn and Maggie watched as Daryl's face went from red to purple.

"She is taken. Ya do well to remember that. Ya just pretend there is a big fuckin' invisible ring on her finger that says I fuckin' belong to Daryl in day glow cause she is nobody's fair game. Got it!" Daryl stepped forward into Shane's face.

"That would be kind cool," Glenn said to Maggie before she elbowed him in the stomach.

"You really think she wants your redneck ass?" Shane challenged.

Dale frowned as he watched the comment hit home with Daryl, it was written all over his face.

"I would be happy to be with his redneck ass. I would much prefer that to being with another manipulative asshole." Carol said from the entrance way.

Daryl turned to her. She looked pale and tiny standing there but her voice was strong and determined. Daryl was shocked at her words.

"Carol..." Shane started.

"Shut up," Carol said. "Just shut up. You don't the first thing about him. He is a good man, an honest man. You will never be that, Shane. Never. You don't have the heart for it."

Shane frowned. "Carol, you don't have to choose him or his side just because he saved your daughter."

Carol shook her head in disbelief. "You think I would choose him because of my daughter? Out of a sense of what, debt? What he did for my daughter was an honorable thing but that is not why I would choose him. I would choose him for a hundred different reasons. Let me give you the one I know that you will understand. I want him on a base physical level that has nothing to do with honor or my daughter."

A look of shock crossed Shane's face.

Daryl suddenly felt like he had taken something. His head swirled with the possibilities surrounding her admission.

"I take it we are clear then," Carol said. "I am going back upstairs. Daryl, can I please talk to you?"

Daryl nodded as he stepped back from Shane to follow Carol up the steps.

Shane looked over at Andrea. "Andrea..."

"Save it," Andrea spat.

Carol could feel the nervousness and uncertainty seeping in with each step. She had been so angry to hear Shane speaking to Daryl that way that all the insecurities melted away in her defense of him. As she heard his steps behind her, she was flooded with memories from night before. Her behavior, his reaction. She wasn't exactly sure what it all meant but she knew they would need to have it out if she ever wanted to look him in the eyes again. She walked straight to the bedroom, knowing that he was following. Carol walked into the bedroom and sat on the corner of the bed. She noted that Daryl choose to remain leaning against the far wall. She cleared her throat. "Daryl, we need to talk."

Daryl leaned nervously against the wall. It wasn't like he was a relationship expert but those words could not bode well. "Yeah?"

Carol studied the floor. "I am sorry about last night. I was out of line, inappropriate."

Daryl watched her wring her hands. "I wasn't exactly appropriate either," Daryl said quietly. "I shouldn't takin' advantage like that."

Carol looked up at him. "You didn't, Daryl. I wanted..."

Daryl eyes met hers. "You wanted..."

"You, I wanted you." Carol whispered. "I am sorry, Daryl. I don't want to play games I wanted you."

"Wanted?" Daryl asked, softly.

Carol shook her head, exasperated. "Wanted, want you. Is that what you want to hear that I want you. God, do I want you Daryl Dixon."

Daryl pushed off the wall, walking rapidly to her. "Yeah that is what I want to hear. I want you," Daryl reached her side his hand cupped her face. "I want you. I want you, Carol. I want you more than air more than anythin'."

With that statement Daryl was bending and Carol was reaching. Somewhere in the middle they collided.

A/N: Next chapter nothing but graphic smut. If you want it?