It had been so great being back in Alexandria, but something had definitely been missing.
Realizing what that was, was the easy part, the thing that took a while was working up the nerve to do something about it.
When Daryl Dixon arrived at the Commonwealth, he was disappointed to find that their star reporter had gone out on a big story scoop. He decided he could stand to spend a few days in town.
After the weekend had passed, and just shy of worry setting in, Connie returned.
Daryl rushed to greet her and scooped her into a giant bear hug.
When he moved away, he couldn't help grinning at her like an idiot. It had been too long since they had seen each other. He didn't want that to ever be the case, again.
Daryl pulled out his little notebook and flashed her a shy half-smile.
After writing for a moment, he held it up for her to see.
I heard a song last weekend in church.
He studied her as she read his words.
Bringing it back to write more, he added, It made me think of you.
Then he put the small notebook into his pocket and held out his hand to make sure he had her attention, then he began to sign, ever so slowly for her.
First, he pointed to his chest, then he made his hand into a shape similar to the letter X and sent his pointer finger through the air twice, like a miniature hook, then he pointed to her.
He signed the same thing, only in reverse, pointing to her first, and ending on himself.
He pointed to her again. Then, making a letter F with both hands, what he liked to think of as little bunny faces, with his pointers touching his thumbs like bunny noses, while each of his other three fingers flared up like mutant bunny ears.
He started with the bunny noses touching, then he swooped them out to the sides, drawing them down and away from each other, and then in a circular motion, back up together, again.
He held out both his pointers in a D shape, then touched one to the other.
Daryl ended this sentence by pointing at himself.
For the next sentence, he balled his hands into fists, crossing them over his chest like a hug, then he pointed at her.
In closing, he repeated the very first line of the song, adding at the end, the motion of his pointers touching again, and then...
Daryl made the L shape on each hand with his index finger and thumb, while closing his other fingers. With the backs of his hands facing her, and his index fingers facing one another like guns, he brought his hands slowly up from his stomach to his chest and then out to either side.
That was the song, or at least the parts he had wanted to memorize. Daryl was breathing heavier than usual. He could stop right there, and that's all it had to be was him sharing a song that he had heard.
After moments that felt like an eternity, Daryl held up one hand. Palm facing her, his thumb, index finger, and pinky were all outstretched, his two middle fingers closed down.
He held that position as he stared at her, waiting to see how she would respond.
After several moments he slowly lowered his hand to his side.
Feeling helpless, Daryl placed a flat palm to his chest and rubbed in a circle as his eyes bore into hers with longing, even if he knew it was hopeless.
At last, he let his hand, as well as his head, drop. He faced the ground, unable to keep looking at her. What had he been thinking? His whole body stance drooped in defeat. He sincerely hoped he hadn't just ruined their friendship.