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The dawn brought a new beginning.
The closure he felt by clearing the hostels previous occupants for Carol focussed him.
He had to find Beth; he owed it to Hershel. And he owed it to himself.
She was family and she mattered.
Ain't never heard of you thinkin' on others the way you thought on me and ma', Merle observed, think you really found a place in this world little brother.
And as Daryl nodded in agreement, he sensed Carol at his side.
She looked deeply into the flames… seeing the last of something that haunted and hurt her burn away.
Daryl wondered if he should fold her into his arms… thought on how she would feel in his embrace… considered how he could encourage a kiss by running his finger along her jaw to tilt her head up to meet his lips…
"Thank you," she whispered…
He nodded, not able to form words…
As much as it was a good thing he had done this there was a sadness in its finality.
These families had never found their sanctuary… neither had Sophia…
Smoke curled upward and loosed into the air before stretching into wisps in the wind.
That's them, brother, Merle sniffed, that's all of us. Just passing on the breeze… reaching for the sky.
Her hand flexed beneath his, asking for permission he would never refuse, so he opened to her and took her hand.
Carol was in his arms in an instant; body folding into him like the slick fit of a puzzle coming together.
Daryl lost all thought… instinct was taking over as he wound his arms about her, his hands pushing slowly up her spine until she unfolded and brought her eyes to his.
Everything halted at the watery look in her eye; she didn't need him like he wanted her to right then… and he wanted her to need him… wanted it badly…
Damn, he had to hold it together…
Why?
Shut up!
He glanced down at her, giving her a squeeze to feel her squeeze him right back.
Yeah – he could hold it together. Daryl would hold it together… for her. Because this was real… this was what it was about. They were connected. They were here as the world lived on. They felt it.
And as the smoke thinned and nothing remained of what had been the woman and child that ended in their attempt to find rescue, he concluded, "Time to go."
"Yeah," she agreed.
Neither moved.
Her hand in his flexed, so he moved it to his other and let the free hand slip about her shoulder to wrap them together.
Her head fit nicely beneath his chin and she moved to let her lips meet the underside of his jaw…
"I'm glad you're here with me right now," she breathed; the heat pooling against his neck as her lips feathered his pulse point…
Daryls brain fuzzed out.
All he knew was the warmth and the scent of her surrounding him in that moment.
All he felt was the heat and the need for the touch of another living, breathing human; that it was Carol was a bonus he felt he didn't deserve.
His body shifted, undulating to bring them face-to-face… lips centimetres apart…
"Always…" he said and he meant it…
Anything.
And always.
So she kissed him.
It was in thanks.
It was in need.
And Daryl kissed her back, moving to circle her in his arms and press her into him.
Carol gasped a breath, making him hesitate before he reached up to grasp her hands in his hair and drag him into her, invading his mouth with her tongue and halting all thought.
Bodies reacted, stumbling back to the slam them into the building behind them as their hands scrambled to feel each curve and dip of the other.
Desperate and glorious… Tasting of chance and possibility… of fear and wanting…
And while those emotions fired them both… the kiss ebbed.
They came to rest; Daryl pressed against the wall of the shelter, trying to ignore the blood rushing through him and the natural reactions it brought…
Carols breath was heavy as she panted against him and looked, sheepishly, in expectation.
Daryl couldn't form words.
"We should go," Carol said, licking her lips.
He couldn't respond… all he could do was nod…
Hours later, they had made their way into the dead city, its decay and rot rising from the street around them and showing in the dilapidation of abandoned vehicles and buildings.
Surrounding them, the sounds of catarrh-like hoards of the dead growing louder as they swept through the avenues and main street, reaching corner after corner… finding it clear or brimming with walkers, there didn't seem to be an in between.
They need to get off ground level, Daryl figured, find a bridge or a tower block or something high and easy to see the city from.
Good call, little brother, Merle agreed. High ground is what you need. Get a good look at what's goin' on abouts.
Which was fine; except the bridge access led to a car lot which led to a building and the campsite of the dead… twenty-some sealed in tents and cocooned in their sleeping bags… struggling against the meagre confines.
Daryl passed the ones he could, ended those he could… the first words he had uttered in hours were as he and Carol squeezed themselves through a chained door.
"Good thing we skipped breakfast."
He gave a quick glance to check her response… but she had moved on already.
Guess she's got a lot to think on…
Daryl shrugged off the thought…
That kiss…
Stop.
Was good…
Stop It.
You got hard…
Merle!
Come on! You were meltin' in yer pants there, little brother… if she'd have given up another sigh you'd o' exploded right there…
Daryl heard himself growl.
Don't get antsy with me just cause it's true.
They came to a door and he figured it was as good as any and tried it, opening them into some sort of executive office; rich gits get-up still hung on the coat rail like he was comin' back for a 'spot 'o golf'.
Place made all of Daryls heckles rise on his neck.
It was such an alien idea… the money these folks used to throw into four walls they never lived in or cared for.
Was it status? Was it money? Education?
Was it just because these types of people were better than what he was and what could he be?
And what was that? If the world hadn't ended he'd have never have thought on it… would have just drifted with Merle in a red-neck haze and died on a heap of nothing…
If the world hadn't have ended he'd never have been something… something that meant a damn when it all came down to it… something people respected…
Something that Carol liked.
Cause she did… like him…
He knew it… much as he was afraid of it.
But he liked that he knew she liked him.
And, maybe, he liked her right back!
You got yourselves something else to think on right now…
Right… right…
So Daryl looked about the space; calm enough… seeing Carol approach the window and sigh as she took in the burned and torn streets. Everyone remembered the bombs… the way the cities burned. And all those souls abandoned by their government.
What was left of the city was ruin.
And Carol asked, "How did we get here?"
He thought on trying to lift the moment by making a joke… but the city looked so ravaged… so torn… there was nothing to be said… he mumbled "Just did."
Desolation stared back at him; empty and cold…
Was there any way of coming back from this?
Carol shifted at his side…
"You still haven't asked what happened," she shifted, "after I met up with Tyreese… the girls…"
He had wondered when that was going to come up.
She killed them…
Daryl closed his eyes against the notion. She loved those kids. She loved all the kids; spent time teaching them and caring for them. She would never have hurt them… not unless there was something wrong…
That girl wasn't right and her sister was too trustin', Merle insisted, you know it! You just don't want to admit it!
Daryl shook it off… instinct was too high when it came to it.
"Yeah, I know all that," he said by way of explanation… "they aint here."
Was all needed saying.
Carol continued looking out on the ruins… "It was worse than that."
He risked a look at her… so tense and guilty looking…
What could he say?
"The reason I said we get to start over…" he said… "Is because we gotta…" they did… and, more than that, he hoped… "Make it like it was before…"
Silence…
And he waited…
Until she agreed, "Yeah…"
Perhaps there was hope…
What's that?
You know… hope…
Not that, dummy, you two are solid as a rock, Merle dismissed quickly, I mean that over there…"
At first he hadn't spotted it at all, but something glinted at him in the gloom of the burned out, decaying city…
On the bridge, Merle whispered, a clue…
But he still couldn't see.
Cupping a hand on the glare of the window didn't help… he squinted but still couldn't make it out…
Oh it's there, brother!
"What?" Carol asked, "Do you see something?"
He… he…
"I don't know," he admitted… he needed a telescope or some- "hand me that rifle."
Telescopic lens, his brother sounded impressed as Daryl took the weapon from Carol and pointed it…
And it was clear as day!
He had to reign it in though, needing a second opinion… so he passed the gun to Carol and pointed, saying, "Right there…"
Carol checked outside the sighting and looked again, commenting, "It's been there a while."
Yes! He knew it!
"Definitely one of them."
The white van with crosses in the back windows hung off the overpass, teetering on the edge of the concrete, frozen in time and waiting for them. "Definitely some kinda lead."
Your luck just don't run dry, son!
He supposed not…
"We should fill up," Carol said, moving to scout the room for supplies.
Lady has a point…
Daryl huffed in agreement and began his own scout… but as she filled the bottles from the water cooler, he was distracted by the painting on the wall.
Couldn't call that shit on a page art… Merle snorted and Daryl snorted in agreement.
"What?" He heard Carol ask as she finished filling her water bottle.
Daryl worried his lip…
What? Merle asked.
She probably likes this stuff, Daryl thought, she's classy…
And we aint?
…
So… what? You gonna make-believe this kinda crap is our deal?
Daryl wondered… it wasn't really that bad…
Look at you! Merle hollered, Changin' who you are for some tail!
Daryl shrugged uncomfortably… but Carol was right behind him now, looking for answers…
Chicken?
Nah… I could tell her…
Go on.
"This cost some rich prick a lot of money…"
Carol handed him the bottle for a drink.
Yeah! Go bro!
"Kinda like a dog sat in paint," Merle laughed in his head as he started at the lower left corner and swiped along the line of the acrylilc… "and wiped its ass all over the place."
Bravo, little brother!
Yeah! Daryl remembered where he was from in the end!
"Really?" Carol asked quietly… thoughtful and still. I kinda like it."
What?
She's joking with me… Daryl reasoned.
I don't know…
So he turned to look her way…
Those eyes were cool, unfathomable oceans… teasing him… taunting him….
Daryl felt the sizzle of that attention fizz on his skin…
He snorted an embarrassed laugh and pleaded, "Stop," as he shifted to move his body from it's stiff stance and drank some cooling water.
"I'm serious," Carol insisted, slightly irritated. "You know me," she stated, moving away.
Damn.
Daryl drank and considered the colours in the piece; the play of colours and textures…
Gonna buy that? Merle asked, She seriously thinks you understand her?
He understood Carol… as much as she understood him.
Nah brother, Merle sniffed his indignity, you're the same as you ever were. You're just like me.
"Yeah," Daryl chose to leave the conversation, with a backward glance at the ever more attractive painting, "you keep tellin' yourself that."
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