A/N: Once again I'm kind of rushing this chapter out and not spending as much time on it as I should, so I hope it works anyway. I have a small child, so it's pretty hard to find time to write. When I get a few moments, I just throw down the ideas that have been swirling around in my head and hope for the best! Please review/comment if you can – I love to hear from those of you who are reading my story. Thanks so much for sticking with it. I can't believe this thing has lasted for 25 chapters!

What was I thinking? Carol rushed out of the watchtower, shaking her head and holding back tears. Daryl had reacted exactly as she'd wanted him to, and she could have followed through with some kind of seduction, but it had felt so empty. She had to know that he still loved her, not just that he wanted to fuck her. Still, a part of her wanted to run back and give herself to him however he wanted her, just to be in his arms for a little while.

She headed back to the others, and the first person she ran into was Axel. "Holy shit," he whispered reverently, his eyes moving up and down her body. He cleared his throat. "That's a hell of a dress, Carol."

"Thank you, Axel." She lowered her eyes, accepting the compliment gracefully but not in the mood to flirt.

"Wish we had some music," Axel said. "Won't really be a party without dancin' and I'd give just about anything to dance with you."

Carol laughed. "I guess Beth could sing for us." Even though she wasn't in the mood for Axel's attention, he always managed to make her smile. Axel smiled back at her and struggled to keep his wandering eyes on her face, but they kept drifting back to the smooth, bare skin between her breasts.

Suddenly a loud sound behind them made both Carol and Axel turn in alarm. Daryl had laid his crossbow down heavily on the floor and clapped his hands together. "Let's get this party started," he said, glaring at Axel. "Right, buddy?" He whacked Axel hard on the back in a pretense of friendliness, nearly knocking the slight man over.

"Daryl. . ." Carol began.

"What?" Daryl turned to her with something like anger in his eyes. "I'm ready to party. Aren't you two?" He stomped off to join the others, who were already eating and talking. Carol sighed and followed him, with Axel close behind.

The group tried for a lighthearted mood, talking and laughing as they ate and drank their wine, but it felt forced. They were only able to relax when Rick, Carl, and Hershel had left and Beth had taken Judith off for a feeding and to put her to bed. Then they pulled out the extra bottles of wine Maggie and Glenn had picked up on a run. They listened to Oscar and Axel's stories about prison life and got to know them much better. Axel's eyes stayed on Carol all night, and it seemed as though he was putting on a show for her and her alone. Daryl sat across the room from them on his own, the only one who wasn't laughing and chatting. He swigged directly from a bottle of wine and glowered at Axel and Carol, and finally he walked out without a word.

"Wow, he's really jealous," Maggie whispered in Carol's ear, gesturing to Daryl as he departed.

"Nah," Carol said. "What's he got to be jealous about? He didn't want to be together anymore, right?"

Maggie laid a hand on Carol's shoulder. "I think he does want to be with you. He just doesn't know it yet."

"I think you're drunk," Carol said, "because that doesn't make sense." They both laughed.

"He'll come around," Maggie said finally, with an encouraging smile.

"That's what T-Dog said," Carol said. "But I'm not holding my breath."

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After several more glasses of wine and a dozen crazy stories from Axel, everyone decided to call it a night. Axel offered to walk Carol to her cell, and she gratefully accepted, taking his arm and staggering a little.

"Whoa there, honey," he said, laughing and holding her up. She giggled and leaned on him as they walked.

At the door to her cell, Axel reluctantly released her and said, "Is this good night?"

"It is, Axel," she said, taking his hand and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "You're a great friend."

"Ah," he said in a disappointed tone. "Friend."

She nodded, a little sadly. Maybe in another time she and Axel would've made a great couple. He was a sweet man and he seemed completely smitten with her. She couldn't help appreciating his attention. But there was no way he could replace Daryl in her heart or in her thoughts. Even as Axel stood there gazing at her, wishing for more than she could ever give him, all Carol could think about was Daryl. "Good night," she said finally, releasing Axel's hand and watching him walk away.

She sat on her bunk for a while, wondering where Daryl had gone off to. She imagined he was probably back in the watchtower, either stewing in jealousy or not even thinking of her at all. She hoped he was in a jealous rage. Thinking about the way he'd glared at her all night gave her a little thrill, she had to be honest. He couldn't be that jealous if he didn't at least still want her. The wine had made her so relaxed that she felt a little turned on, her body warm and loose. Maybe she could give him what he had seemed to want earlier that day: sex without the complication of emotion. It was worth a shot, and the wine was suddenly making her feel bold.

She got up and headed for the watchtower, where she found him sitting against the wall, still drinking from his bottle of wine. He looked up at her and narrowed his eyes, but he didn't say a word.

"I changed my mind," she said simply, leaning against the opposite wall.

"About what?"

She fingered the neckline of her dress up and down, and his eyes followed the path of her hands. "About fucking you."

"Carol. . ." He looked away, shaking his head.

"No, shut up and listen," she said. "This is what I want." Her words were slightly slurred, and she hoped he wouldn't notice. They'd both had plenty to drink, but she wanted him to understand that she was making a fully conscious decision. "I know what you can give me, and what you can't. I'm ok with it, at least for right now. I need you, Daryl. It's not about my heart tonight." She slipped the dress over her head and stood before him in just her panties. "It's about this. . ." She ran her hands over her breasts, over her stomach, and then slid one hand into her panties. She slipped two fingers inside herself and closed her eyes for a moment. She was taking a huge risk here. She'd already opened up to him emotionally and he'd pretty much rejected her, so now she was giving herself to him physically. If he rejected her in that way too, there was simply nothing left.

"Carol, stop," he said in a strangled voice, stepping closer to her. She pulled her hand out of her panties and looked at him, embarrassed and unable to move. He took her hand and held it up to his mouth, then closed his eyes and slowly licked her fingers, letting out a little whimper. She was so confused. He wanted her to stop, but he was doing this? Feeling his hot mouth on her fingers and watching him savor her taste was unbearably sexy. She knew now that she couldn't leave this room until she'd felt him inside her.

He opened his eyes and released her hand. "I don't know if I can give you what you want. . ." he began.

"All I want tonight is this," she said, reaching out to touch his erection through his clothes. She stroked her fingers up and down, looking him directly in the eye. "Just fuck me, Daryl. You can have me however you want."

He breathed in sharply, reaching for her and swiftly turning her around so that her back was against him and his erection pressed against her ass. His hands roughly squeezed her breasts and pinched her nipples, and she responded with a moan. He pulled her down to the floor until they were both on their knees, and then he stroked her back with the palm of one hand, pressing slightly to bend her over. He backed away a bit, and then she felt his fingers slip under the drenched fabric of her panties. He gave them a hard yank and the thin straps on each of her hips snapped. Daryl tossed them to the side. Next she felt his thumb passing across her slit, pushing in a little to open her. His knuckle pressed into her then, pushing up to her clit and rubbing a little, making her even wetter. Then the pressure was gone and she heard the little slurping sound of him licking her juices off his hand. "So fuckin' sweet," he muttered under his breath. "I'm gonna fuck you so hard. . ." She heard him undoing his pants and then felt the swollen head of his cock pressing against her entrance. "You ready?" he breathed, moving his cock up and down her slit, opening her more, making her wait.

"Yes." She barely managed to get the word out. She'd never felt such need before. She thought she was going to come before he'd even entered her. Finally he plunged his cock inside her in one swift movement, and they both groaned loudly. She pushed her ass back against him, grinding against him and trying to pull him in even deeper. He started thrusting then, his hands on her hips, fucking her hard and fast. "Yes. . .yes. . ." she repeated over and over as his cock drove into her. His hand moved around to stroke her body, first cupping her breasts and then sliding down between her legs so his thumb could work against her clit as he fucked her. When she came, he held his cock still inside her to feel her spasming around him, and then he slid nearly all the way out and slammed back inside her a few times until he had come as well. They collapsed onto the floor, panting, his arms around her, their bodies completely spent.

"Carol. . .god. . ."

"I know," she said, unable to look at him. What was next? When your heart is not involved, do you just get up and leave? Carol didn't know what to do. He put one hand on her chin and lifted her face to his. He pressed his lips gently against hers, and then she felt the tip of his tongue stroking her lower lip. It felt like the way he always kissed her. It felt like home.

She pulled away reluctantly, shaking her head. "No. No, you can't do that."

"Can't do what?" He looked startled.

She sat up, reaching for her dress, which lay crumpled on the floor. "You can't kiss me like you love me and nothing's changed," she said.

"I do love you," he said, sitting up too.

"But everything's changed, right?"

He looked down. "Not everything," he said. "I told you I don't know if I can give you what you want. I love you and. . . and I want you like this . . ."

"Like what? If you just want me as somebody to fuck when you've had some wine, that's not love," she said. She pulled on her dress, then picked up her torn panties and headed for the door. "Let's just call this what it is. Two bodies that needed release. When you need another fuck, let me know."

She stumbled out of the watchtower holding back tears, for the second time that day. She felt ridiculous. Of course it had ended badly. He wanted her still, that was clear, but she was beginning to believe the love was gone, at least on his end. She believed she would love him for the rest of her life, however short that probably would be. But they'd had enough time apart for him to get used to being a loner again, and now he didn't need her anymore. The only reason he'd fucked her was because he was drunk and she was available. His kiss had been tender, though, and had reminded her of those glorious weeks they'd had together in their little house. She couldn't bear to feel that sort of kiss until she knew that he really loved her. Sure, he said he loved her, but if he really did he would want to be with her like that again. Before she'd left the watchtower, she'd offered to have sex with him again when he wanted, but she knew her heart couldn't take it again. Not until he was ready to truly love her. It had been an experiment, to see if she could really be just a body for one night, and she'd managed quite well, had even had one of the most amazing orgasms of her life. But his kiss had changed everything, as kisses always do.