"What the hell you been puttin' on these sheets?" Daryl pulled the coverlet back gingerly, a floral scent wafting up from between the covers and making his lip curl.

"I found some fabric softener." Carol frowned as she watched him sniff the cover suspiciously, before hesitantly slipping under it, frowning all the while.

"It smells like…I don't know..weird."

"It smells clean, that's what it is." Carol shook her head and hung up her cardigan, watching him with amusement as he treated the bed as though it would hurt him somewhat.

"Get in here, woman." He groused at her and she followed him under the sheets, trying to not get jostled as Daryl punched his pillows into his desired shape.

It was though he never slept in a bed, each night like his first in it as he struggled to settle down.

"You find those pills Hershel needed?" She asked as she fumbled to blow out the candle. The older man had wanted various medicines, stronger painkillers, and Daryl had volunteered to make the run alone. There was so much to do at this new place, they could hardly spare him, even for a day.

"Yeah. Just a bottle though." Daryl turned on his side to look at her as she snuggled into the warmth of the sheets, curling her fingers around her pillow.

"Better than nothing."

"Imma go further out tomorrow, see what's there."

Carol sighed into the pillow and pursed her lips. "I don't see why you have to go again."

"'Cause I'll go batshit crazy if I gotta pull up another potato, that's why." He leant over and fingered the slipped strap of Carol's nightgown, settling it over her shoulder properly.

"It's worth it, to have a decent meal."

"Pfft. Ain't worth my sanity." He scoffed at her, hand skimming up from her shoulder to her cup her jaw.

Carol could feel her breathing shallow out as he leaned forward, pressed his lips to hers gently.

She responded in kind, winding her hands into his hair and pushing the length of her body up against his. His tongue was hot and wet, running over the roof of her mouth.

Her eyes sprung open when she remembered she had news of her own.

"Mmm! We had an exciting day here today." She pulled back to look at Daryl properly. "Judy said her first word."

Daryl raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yep. Wanna know what it was?"

Daryl nodded but he figured it'd be something boring, like Dada or bottle.

"Daryl. Her first word was Daryl." Carol broke into a grin and brought her hand back to his face.

"Don't lie, woman." He huffed, but he couldn't contain the grin that broke across his face.

"I'm not! We're eating lunch in the kitchen, had those squirrels you brought this morning strung up by the window and she pointed up at them, clear as a bell, "Daryl"." Carol let out a little laugh. "Carl was so mad, he's been trying to get her to say his name for weeks."

He stared at Carol, agape. He wanted to get up and wake the baby right that moment, get her to say his name for him.

"And when I put her to bed, all through her story, she kept looking at me, "Daryl, Daryl, Daryl". Like it were a song. It was so sweet."

"Huh." He had no words.

"She loves you so much." She whispered, pressing another kiss to his lips. "We all do."