AN: Leave a comment if you want this to be a multi-chapter! I will only do so if I gain enough comments. C: also, leave me your prompts in the ask box! I will take prompts from detailed to words to quotes- whatever your heart desires. I will post periodically in the Caryl tag.

The leaves crunched under their feet as they walked along through the woods. Daryl had been struggling to get into a better state of mind, and he was beginning to perk up again, but he was rather edgy and everything made him jump almost. He was still coming back to reality from being stuck in almost a trancelike state of being, practically wandering around for weeks looking dead inside until recently. He was whistling a little as they walked along and she was swinging her gun, humming along with his tune contentedly as he shifted his crossbow. "Think we'll catch anything else other than a bunch of squirrels?"

Daryl shrugged a little, looking up and glancing at her. His shoes lazily scuffed the ground; he was in desperate need of new sneakers. "Maybe. It's about that time of year where we'll start seeing a lot more deer, anyway. Fall is a pretty active season."

Carol smiled, elbowing him, murmuring, "You're such a smart man." Daryl just looked down and shrugged a little uncertainly. His self-confidence had dropped dramatically since the hospital along with many other things. He had never been a very secure man but prior to the events he had seemed to have begun getting comfortable with himself. He gave a little whistle again until she suddenly began moving away, looking up and frowning, shrinking a little, unsure if he had upset her before he became ten times more alert. "Hey, wait, something's not-"

"Shh!" Carol said, waving her hand, "I think it's a deer!" She made her way over to a bush, peering over the top on her tiptoes. "Oh, Daryl, come look! It's a really big stag. Do you think we could feed the whole group?"

Before he had a chance to respond, a walker suddenly grabbed her leg from the brush and knocked her to the ground, hissing and making noise, trying to get at her to bite her. Blind panic and fear shot through him. He didn't even think to use his crossbow in his panic; he dropped it altogether and flew at the walker, beginning to stab it repeatedly in the head until a slightly dazed Carol grabbed him and pulled him back. He burst into tears immediately and she crouched down to comfort him.

That was a week ago. He had immediately become overprotective, defensive, paranoid, smothering, and... well, he became very distraught if she even disappeared from view for a few moments. He followed her around and insisted on sharing the same bed, even forgetting his unfamiliarity to the situation, in fact welcoming her to cuddle up to him for warmth. He had almost lost her, again. He had almost lost her too, and it was all his fault and he had to keep a closer eye on her now.

It was driving her crazy but at first she didn't say anything. At first, she tried to understand and tell herself he had lost someone that was akin to a sister to him and he was struggling to continue processing it. At first, she enjoyed the cuddling and the special treatment he gave her because no one had ever treated her with such affections before. At first, she didn't mind the extra closeness, even wanted it. At first, she told herself he would get over it in a day or so.

He didn't.

He became increasingly paranoid about the whole thing. He would bring her her meals, check to make sure she was here or there, wouldn't let her go on runs. He wouldn't take her hunting anymore, he didn't let her leave camp and insisted she would always be in someone's sight while he was out. He got upset if she didn't follow what he said so she did her best at first, hoping it would calm him down. But as days passed, he soon even started slacking on hunting to follow her around like a lost puppy at her heels and breathe down her neck over everything she did.

That was when she hit her breaking point. One day, he was tailing her when she was starting to head out of camp a little. He grabbed her shoulder suddenly, pulling her back, hissing, "Hey, where are you going? You can't leave camp!"

Frustratedly, she suddenly ripped her arm away from him, snarling startlingly, "Daryl, for the love of God! I'm going to the bathroom, you don't have to treat me like a child! Stop acting so immature and go do what you're supposed to be doing! I don't need a damn babysitter round the clock, you know?! Why can't you just give me some space sometimes! What's wrong with you?" She turned around and started to storm back to where she had been cooking angrily, everyone watching in silence, stunned.

Unexpectedly, a small rock thunked her in the back of the head. She turned to the side a little, growling crankily, "Daryl, if you don't stop acting so immature-" She cut off when she saw him. His fists were clenched and his face was red, looking very upset. He puffed out his cheeks, looking down at his feet, and she rolled her eyes, beginning to turn away, assuming he was just going to play his stupid game where when he was upset with her he sulked to show it. What came next she never thought would happen in her wildest dreams.

Daryl Dixon stamped his foot loudly, his head snapping up, yelling, "DAMN IT, CAROL! I almost lost you! AGAIN! Four fucking times! That's four fucking times! Couldn't you see me last time, didn't you see how much that had been tearing me apart?! Goddammit, Carol, what the fuck do you want from me! I don't trust anyone else to keep an eye on you but me because last time, Rick kicked you out! I won't let anyone do that to you, and I'm damn not letting you run off again, or... or get yourself killed or bit! I'm gonna keep you alive. I'm gonna keep you here, I have to protect you. I couldn't protect Sophia and Lizzie or Mika or Beth, and it's my fucking fault, and this time I swore to myself I'll get it right this time. I won't screw it up. I can't. I can't screw it up, I can't lose you because... because... fuck!" He threw his arms in the air, shouting, "I LOVE YOU, CAROL!"

Even Maggie looked shellshocked he had confessed in front of everyone through her rather depressed state. His chest was heaving, and he was bright red, looking thoroughly embarrassed but held his ground, lifting his chin. He swallowed hard, stiffening when she turned around, preparing himself for the worst. The silence was lengthy and he couldn't see her face. There was a lump in his throat and he was certain he had ruined their friendship and everyone in their family was going to make fun of him for being such a girl about his feelings.

The next thing he knew, she was in his arms, her hands on either side of his face, kissing him hard. He swayed a bit before bracing his worn sneakers in the snow, kissing her back. He leaned his forehead against her, looking horrified when her eyes were glassy and wiping at them with the pads of his thumbs worriedly. She just giggled and kissed his nose. His heart was feeling hopeful, but it didn't start soaring until she said, "I love you too, Daryl."

"I love you more than my fucking life," Daryl whispered, sounding relieved, picking her up and spinning her. An 'I love you' was practically a declaration of marriage at this point. There was no point in waiting if everyone should die. He set her down, sniffling himself, when Rick smiled and called, "You may kiss the Bride," causing everyone to laugh. Daryl broke into a shit-eating grin not entirely unlike his brother's, tipping her over his arm and kissing his gray-haired queen passionately. Her fingers threaded in his long hair and everything was simply perfect.

He didn't know why he had waited so long to tell her. He lifted her bridal style like tradition and she laughed, too. It was the first smile he had given since the events from the hospital had happened, which was now quite some time ago but he had been slow to recover. As always, they rose from the ashes like phoenixes. A match made in Hell. He was still trying to process, his head spinning. They had dinner and everyone was fairly upbeat for the first time in a long time, Judith squealing and giggling when Rick began to feed her, gurgling. She was close to saying her first words. The light Beth had been was inside all of them, sometimes it was just hard to find.

After everyone was settled and talking by the fire, Rick and Michonne suddenly began to push Daryl toward Carol, pointing him in the direction of their shelter. Daryl faltered, before giving Carol a faint smirk, though it was more awkward than anything, nodding and lifting her bridal style again. She allowed it this time, clinging to him and he waved to the others a little as a goodnight.

Kicking the door closed behind him, she smirked and grabbed him by the shirt collar, hissing in his ear, "I guess I should give you a proper wedding night for being so generous about your feelings."

Daryl couldn't help but chuckle at the flirt. "Guess I should have yelled at you sooner."

"Stop."

"I don't want to."