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"It's dark down here," Carol observed as she and Daryl made their way down the creaking staircase, "And it smells."
"Yeah," Daryl replied scrunching up his nose, he walked before Carol, aiming his crossbow at nothing in particular and shining his torch in every direction but behind him. "But there ain't nothin' down here. That's good." He mumbled. "Did ya lock the cellar door?"
"Yes."
"Good." Daryl replied finally turning to face her, "This is cosy, ain't it?"
"Mhm."
He could tell there was something wrong with her, she wasn't normally so quiet, even when they were hiding from a herd of hungry, gaunt-looking Walkers. "They're going to pass right over us, you'll see. There ain't no need to worry."
"It's not them...I'm barely worried about them." She mumbled looking down at the dust covered floor.
"Then what is it?"
"There's no windows." Carol stated finally looking up at him, not that she could see her favourite part about him – his eyes.
"Ah, yeah. You're a little claustrophobic, ain't ya?" Daryl asked tilting his head slightly, Carol nodded once slightly embarrassed, the rational part of her brain knew that when the dead roamed the earth it seemed kind of senseless being afraid of anything bar the Walkers and yet the irrational part of her brain yearned for open space. She had been so busy thinking of her predicament she never got to fully appreciate the small gesture Daryl was making, he stretched out his arm and placed a hand on her shoulder, "We'll be out of here in no time. You're safe with me."
Carol wondered idly if he felt the spark too but didn't question it, she simply smiled a lopsided smile and nodded her head slowly, "I know."
"Sit down." Daryl suggested pointing towards an old tattered barstool with his torch in one hand and his crossbow in the other. "You might feel a bit better off those legs."
She did as she was told and placed her hands in her lap as she stared at Daryl's silhouette standing in the dark, she did feel a little better when sitting down, "How long do you think we should stay here?"
"I'll go out and check in a couple of hours..." Daryl replied, he flicked his fringe from his eyes and scanned the room, "There's a shit load of booze down here. I'm surprised this place wasn't looted at the beginning. We should check the other places before we go lookin' for fuel, just in case."
Carol nodded her head slowly.
"You're going to be fine." Daryl told her, he moved closer to her and brushed his calloused fingers against her cheek, even he seemed shocked at the reflex action to comfort her; he pulled his hand away quickly and cleared his throat. "We should stay quiet, just in case." He mumbled and Carol nodded in agreement, stunned into silence.