A/N: Hey all :) Ok, so first off, I would just like to thank the lovely people who have reviewed my story :) Thanks to : Candra 'wolfgal97, Killarneyheart, melniewn, HGRHfan35, futuredweller, earthbound68, dixonrocks, Silver Dog Demon, peonies01, cavestirrings, angelfishlex, numberonemaniac, definitelywalkerbait, Nova802, and crystal2817

I just finished outlining my story up to where they are currently in the Walking Dead :) I have to tell you, I've changed a lot, while still trying to stick with the main points of the show. I'm incredibly excited. Alright, now enough of my ramblings :) DARYL AND CAROL ARE FINALLY GOING TO TALK! It only took me 7 chapters to get here lol oops :/ Ok, on with the show...story.

Chapter 7: First Interactions

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Carol limped out of the woods as fast as she could. She was still in shock by the turn of events, never in a million years expecting to be saved from her husband by a man she had never even spoken to. Her body ached, and she was having trouble breathing because of her cracked ribs. She knew she couldn't go back to her tent now, not with the state she was in, so she made a quick decision to clean herself by the Quarry.

Carol traveled slowly to the water, the long winding hill taking a toll on her as she went. She did her best to keep her balance as she walked, not wanting to injure herself any further, but it was a difficult challenge while walking on shaky legs. Carol stopped about half way down the hill, nausea suddenly overpowering her, and vomited on the ground. She wiped her mouth clean and took several deep breaths, hoping to make her head stop spinning. When the nausea passed, her uprighted herself and continued her way down the hill to the water, determined not to break yet.

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Daryl waited until he was sure Merle was gone before he stood to his feet. The side where his older brother had forcefully kicked him ached like a bitch, and he knew for sure he would discover a bruise there tomorrow, along with every other place Merle had hit him. He looked over at the unconscious bastard that lay in the dirt ten feet away from him. The son of a bitch didn't even look like the man Daryl had gotten his hands on, much to his pleasure. A small smile formed on his lips at the horrific site before him, but he couldn't care in the slightest. After what Daryl had walked in on, the sick fuck was lucky he hadn't killed him.

Fucker's pants are still half way down his ass he thought, sneering at the unconscious body. He couldn't help but think of the state the woman would have been in if he had gotten there two minutes later than he originally had. He couldn't look at the man anymore, as much as he wanted to. He needed to get cleaned up and back in his tent to make sure Merle didn't do anything stupid while he was still flying high.

As he got closer to the edge of the woods, the moonlight showed that the woman's tracks didn't lead back to the campsite, but down the hill to the quarry. Daryl squinted his eyes in the direction she had gone.

Woman just got her ass beat, and now she's travelin' alone, at night? Does she have a death wish?

Daryl walked down the hill and about half way down could smell the faint scent of vomit.

Must have gotten sick from that head wound...Should probably make sure she hasn't fallen asleep in case it's a concussion. Fuckin' wastin' your time starin' at her goddamn husband, when you should be makin' sure she ain't hurt. Moron.

As he made his way around the last curve of the hill, he saw her illuminated figure by the water's edge. Daryl stared in awe at the woman before him, but quickly shook his head when he realized he was outwardly gawking at her.

Daryl slowly moved towards the woman, taking cautious steps as he went. He didn't want to startle her and make her nervous, but he also didn't want to sneak up on her with silent steps. Regardless, she turned suddenly, a look of panic written all over her bruised features. The moonlights danced across her swollen cheeks, and what was beginning to be a black eye. Her eyes softened when she realized who was approaching her, and she turned to him fully.

She stared at him with wide, blue eyes for what seemed like hours. The silence between them was filled with tension, both not knowing what to say. That's when Daryl noticed the dried blood by her temple.

No wonder she's just staring. She probably does have a concussion.

"I, I..." The woman started, but Daryl interrupted.

"You need to clean your head wound," Daryl said quickly, "Might have a concussion," He added at the end, blushing slightly for cutting her off. The woman nodded and turned towards the water again, scooping some up and trying to wipe the blood away. "Here, le' me," Daryl said again, breaking the silence. He ripped off a piece of his sleeveless, dipped it in the water to clean it, and squeezed the excess out, the woman watching his every move. He turned towards her, still moving cautiously, fearing she would run from him if he made one wrong move. However, when he looked in her eyes, they were more trusting than wary. Daryl gently took the woman's chin in his hand, keeping eye contact her as he did, and turned her head slightly to the side, the drying blood glistening in the moonlight.

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Carol stood there silently, not knowing what to say as a million thoughts rushed through her head. She could see this man, Daryl, cleaning the blood from her temple, his rough hands moving gently over the wound. Her whole body ached, and she was still having trouble breathing, though the nausea was beginning to dissipate. How could she possibly thank this man who was still taking care of her, a man she didn't even know, had never spoken to, yet owed her life to. God only knows the state she would have been in had he stormed out of the brush minutes after he did. Nausea began to sweep over her once again at the thought, but was quickly soothed by the cooling sensation of the water sweeping over her temple.

She had been able to feel his gaze on her throughout the day, never for too long, but following her all the same. And when they had stared at each other when she was setting up camp, she had sworn understanding filled his eyes, rather than pity. She didn't need anyone's pity, she despised it. She put herself in these situations, the bruises were her fault, and this man seemed to somehow know how she felt. It's the only reason why she was letting him see her like this, rather than rushing away. The understanding and concern in his eyes made her think that they had more in common than she could ever know.

"There," He whispered, sweeping the bloodied cloth on her wound once again, "Blood's all gone, 'n the bleeding's stopped." He let go of her shoulder, and Carol felt herself stumble where she stood, not realizing that he had been keeping her balanced this whole time. "Woah!" He muttered, quickly catching her before she hit the ground, his strong arms holding her tightly to him.

"My hero," Carol whispered and smiled, before a large yawn interrupted her happy mood.

"Oh, shit!" She heard him say, her eyes already beginning to close as unconsciousness began to take over. "Don't you dare fall asleep on me, woman."

"Carol," She corrected him, "My name's...Carol." And then the world turned black.

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"Fuck," he muttered once again, Carol now lying limply in his arms, the once smiling mouth now slack-jawed. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!" He said, scrambling to set her down on the ground and get her awake again. He brought her face towards the water, and took some in his hands again. He looked down at the bruised face and silently apologized before he splashed her with water. "Come on woman, wake up! You don't survive a beating like that only to go unconscious while licking your wounds! Fight, God damn it!" Daryl started patting her cheeks until her eyes slowly opened to look up at him once again. "Oh, thank fuck. Thought I'd lost you." He blushed again, surprised he'd said that last part out loud.

"It hurts everywhere," She whimpered, her eyes watering from the pain. Daryl instantly started to panic. He hated when women cried.

"Do you need to sit up?" He asked, wanting to get her into a position that would be the most comfortable, hoping that that would stop the tears.

"No," She said again, wiping the tears from her face, "My ribs...I think they're broken." Daryl nodded, now hearing the harshness of her breath.

"You have to bandage those. Broken ribs are a fuckin' pain and a half, but you can't leave 'em unattended," He knew from experience. His Pa was always a fan of gut and rib punching. It's easier to beat a child when the wind has been knocked out of them and they can't run away.

"Thank...Thank you," she said, looking up at him, the moonlight causing her eyes to sparkle.

"Ain't nothin'..." He said quietly, unable to break the hold he had over him.

"It's everything...If you hadn't...If he had..." Her eyes began to tear again, and that's all Daryl needed to tear his gaze away from her and stare at the sand below his knees. "I owe you my life." She said finally, her hand seeking out his own.

Daryl quickly scooted away and stood to his feet, avoiding her touch. He didn't want to talk about this anymore. "We should get you back to yer tent...bandage up those ribs." Daryl watched her struggle to get up, before he bent down and lifted her once again into his arms like she was nothing, subconsciously enjoying the seconds she was flush against his chest. He set her down on the ground again, and began walking back when her voice stopped him.

"I do though." She said behind him.

Daryl turned and realized that she hadn't moved an inch from where he left her. She just stood still by the water's edge, watching him walk away. He turned and walked to stand in front of her.

"Do what?" He asked gruffly, looking at the ground, unwiling to be sucked into her gaze again.

"Owe you my life." She said, finally touching his hand with her own.

Daryl flinched at the contact, jerking his hand away from her, but looked up at her face. They stood together again, the sound of crickets overpowering the silence between them. Daryl breathed in and out as he searched her face, taking in the faded and fresh bruises, the strong woman hidden behind a wall of insecurity, and years of abuse, as well as the trust he held for him.

"You gotta leave him," he shocked himself by saying, not that he didn't believe she should, but more because he couldn't believe he said it out loud to a woman he had just met. The fuck is she doing to me?

It was her turn to look at the ground, kicking a small rock at her feet. "He's, he's not always-"

"Yes, he is," Daryl interrupted her, still staring at her face. This got her to look up, anger flaring across her features.

"You don't know him! You don't know anything about him! Or me for that matter! Who are you to be saying-" She furiously whispered, her strength shining, a glimpse of the woman she could be peaking through the cracked exterior.

"I don't got to know anything," Daryl whispered, forcing her to stand quietly, staring into his eyes once again. "It don't take a genius to know wha's goin' on, or one to know wha's gonna happen if you don't get the fuck out from under his grasp." Daryl knew he should stop speaking his mind, but this god damn, stubborn woman was hitting too close to home, and the words just kept coming. "It ain't your fault that this is happening, but it is yer fault that you ain't getting the fuck out." Shut the fuck up! He yelled at himself.

"There's nothing I can do," She said defeatedly, dropping her head once again. "Not now, anyway. Not during all of this."

Daryl shook his head at her, "There's always somethin' you can do for you 'n the little one." She looked at him, tears rimming her eyes again, Does all this woman do is cry, fuck, "Yer with a group filled with families, and that big guy, Shane, or somethin', he's a cop. I'm sure they'll keep you 'n yer girl safe." She nodded, the tears beginning to stop. "C'mon, let's head back," He finished, wanting nothing more than to put this whole night in the back of his mind, and pass out in his tent.

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A/N: And there we have it :) They've finally spoken lol I hope you all enjoyed their first little interaction. Now, I was debating whether this would be a little OOC for Daryl, because I feel as though people always describe him as the quiet type, but then I remember Daryl from Season 1, and whether it was just because Merle was abandoned, or not, he was much more outspoken than he was in Season 2 and 3, much less tamed. So, my reasoning is that the reason why Daryl outright tells Carol that she needs to leave Ed is because it hits so close to home, since his mother was abused by his father (we're going to get into that later).

Also, thank you so much to all of those who reviewed last chapter! Lol yes I was a needy bitch, but it is good to know when people actually like your stories, rather than just hoping for the best lol I shall now tempt you with a little snippet of the next chapter for a review.

You guys are the best! Keep 'em coming :)