Hey everyone! Just a quick note to say thanks again, I know I sound like a broken record but I've got to express my gratitude somehow.

So, THANKS!

xKim

"Hey." Daryl muttered as he climbed up the last stair of the watchtower, he watched as she lowered the rifle, smiled and then brought it back up by her face.

"I was wonderin' how long it'd be before I saw you again," Carol breathed as she looked through the scope, "Considerin' I gatecrashed your night, I didn't think you'd want to see me again for a while."

Daryl scoffed at the thought of not wanting to see Carol regularly and shrugged, "You're not so bad to be around, I suppose." He quipped.

Carol chuckled and nodded once, "Thanks for the half-compliment, asshole." She teased.

Daryl's lips curled upwards and he leant his back against the wall of the watchtower, "You've got quite a feisty streak." He observed.

"It's a newfound personality quirk."

"I like it." Daryl stated gruffly.

She turned on her heel and smirked, "Two compliments in one day? Are you feelin' well? Maybe you should lie down..."

Daryl smiled slightly and shrugged, "Don't get used to it."

Carol chuckled light-heartedly and turned her attention back to the surrounding woodland, she spotted a couple of Walkers ambling about, but, considering they posed no real immediate threat, she left them to it. "Did you get done what needed to be done with Rick?"

Daryl nodded once and grunted, "He keeps askin' 'bout Merle."

"It's because he's worried about you." Carol mumbled lowering her gun and casting a look ovevr her shoulder, "He thought you were pullin' away from the group."

"I was." Daryl stated, he didn't know whether or not he should be telling her this, "After Merle, you know, after I...put him down. I didn't want to fight anymore. The thought of giving up was much more welcomin'."

"What changed?"

Daryl didn't want to tell her the truth, which was the only reason he didn't put a bullet to his temple the day he found Merle was because he couldn't bear the thought of Carol missing him... Instead, he shrugged, "You guys are family too." He stated, "However corny that sounds."

"That doesn't sound corny."

Daryl shrugged and walked closer to Carol, he reached out his hand for her rifle and smiled as he handed it over, "It does." He replied with a casual shrug, he placed the strap over his arm and looked through the scope over at the surrounding trees.

"It's nice and quiet out there." Carol told him and she was right. The only Walkers Daryl could see were gaunt looking fragile things he could put down easily.

"Perfect for huntin'." Daryl observed.

"You should take me out too." Carol suggested, though she knew he wouldn't let her.

"I don't want to have to be watching out for your ass." He stated apologetically.

She shot him a look that spoke volumes and shook her head, "I'm not completely useless, you know? I can put down a few Walkers."

"I'm not contestin' that, it's just...well...I have a system and you'd only get in the way." He shrugged, hoping that he didn't offend her.

"Now you're just making excuses..." She frowned as he handed her gun back over, "Next time you go, you should let me come with you."

Daryl chewed the inside of his mouth as he mentally weighed up the pro's and con's of letting Carol go with him, sure it would be nice to have company in the form of Carol but at the same time he wasn't overly keen on the idea of having her out in the open and away from the prison. "Fine." He mumbled.

"Great! We'll go after the weddin'."