AN: Hello everyone! Here's another little chapter for you. I might try to get something else updated today, but no promises!

As always, I want to thank you all for your comments and reviews. They make my day!

I hope you enjoy the chapter! Let me know what you think!

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Daryl lie in bed with Carol beside him, her head in the crook of his arm. She was kissing his chest at intervals, just where her lips could reach and tracing her fingertip around his nipple. He'd thought she might be annoyed by having to come and pick him up but that wasn't the case at all. In fact it was damn near the opposite. He'd barely gotten in the door good before they were excusing themselves to go to the bedroom. He hadn't even unpacked his truck, and she didn't seem to care if Andrea and Axel were in the living room watching television, she'd already almost begged him twice to have sex with her and the way that she was rubbing her leg up and down his made him think that she might start it up again.

"Ya gotcha batteries all charged up tonight, don't'cha?" Daryl asked letting his fingers trail over her arm. In response she snuggled deeper into him and shifted her head a little, rubbing her face against him.

"I'm sorry," she said.

Daryl sighed.

"Don't be sorry," he said, rolling his eyes at the ceiling. "Damn…I like it when you the one makin' the demands."

Daryl thought about it and chuckled.

"What?" Carol asked.

"Makes me feel like I'm doin' somethin' right when you the one that's askin'," Daryl said.

Carol chuckled in response and kissed the flesh on his chest, turning her face a little.

"You are doing something right," she said. "You always do…I'm just…it's embarrassing to ask."

Daryl chuckled.

"That's why I ought not have ta do it all the damn time," Daryl said. "Ya got just as much damn right ta tell me when ya feelin' froggy as I got ta tell you the same damn thing."

Carol sighed and Daryl brought his other arm around hugging her against him.

"You don't seem as stressed out as you usually do when you talk to Merle," Carol said. "He wasn't as bad tonight?"

Daryl hummed a little as he thought.

"Hard ta be stressed out when I feel like I ain't been home a hour an' ya done made half the neighborhood jealous a' what the hell was goin' on in here," Daryl said with a laugh.

Carol swatted at him before resuming running her finger around his nipple and he decided not to tease her too much. She could be strangely sensitive when it came to sexual things. As much as he liked it and he loved the way she was when she wanted him, she always seemed to think it was bad or wrong that she did…and tonight he didn't feel like trying to explain to her again that he thought it was great.

"Merle weren't too damn bad," Daryl said. "Give me hell that'cha weren't pregnant…weren't my kid…same ole shit that Merle always falls his ass back on."

Carol shifted then and raised herself up on her elbow, looking at him. Daryl smiled at her regarding him…her eyes wide and her hair a mess.

"What did you say to him?" She asked. Her voice somewhere between curious and defensive. Daryl couldn't help but chuckle.

"Simmer down," he said. "What the hell ya think I told him? Told him it was my damn kid an' he ain't comin' 'round if he don't learn how ta act like he oughta have his own fuckin' cage at the damn zoo."

Carol leaned in now and brought her lips to his and he kissed her, rolling a little toward her.

"And what did he say?" She asked when their lips had barely parted.

Daryl made a face.

"Said he'd see what the hell he can do. I ain't expectin' no damn miracles," Daryl said. "Said he was proud of me."

Carol smiled.

"He said he was proud of you?" Carol asked. "That doesn't sound like Merle to me."

Daryl chuckled.

"I damn near choked. Don't sound like Merle ta me neither," Daryl admitted. "Said he was proud that I was excited 'bout the baby."

"Are you really excited about it, Daryl?" Carol asked.

Daryl nodded his head a little in response.

"I think I am," he said. "I liked…well…I liked bein' able ta see it, ya know? I mean I liked knowin' that it's real…ain't just somethin' we talkin' 'bout that ain't never gonna happen."

Carol sighed, but it wasn't a troubled sigh. She slid up, rearranging herself until she had her head next to his on the pillow, looking at him.

"If everything goes OK," she said, "then it's going to happen. It's real…and soon you'll be able to see its real just looking at me. You'll be able to feel it."

"Mmm…" Daryl said. "I can already see it's real…like now when ya ain't got'cha clothes on. Ya don't look like some a' them women in that office, but'cha already got'cha a lil' pouch made."

"A pouch, Daryl?" Carol asked. She made a face at him. "I'm not a kangaroo."

Daryl smiled.

"Ya kinda is," he said. He rolled over and pushed her backwards on the bed, pulling himself up and dipping down to kiss her stomach. "This right here," he said. "This shit weren't here 'til ya started makin' ya lil' pouch."

Carol sat up a little and frowned at him and he kissed her.

"Don't'cha poke ya lips out at me," Daryl said. "Ain't nothin' wrong with it…it's what's s'posed ta happen."

"Yeah," Carol said. "But I wish I looked pregnant…you know…instead of just fat."

Daryl chuckled.

"We'll make signs on all ya clothes then," Daryl said. "Lettin' people know if it they can't figure that shit out."

Daryl leaned in, kissing her neck and biting the skin there gently, nuzzling behind her ear and enjoying that there, just where he could smell her hair too, was a place that smelled so strongly of her.

When he pulled away, he sat on the bed beside her, looking down over her.

"Told him he's gotta either leave Andrea the fuck alone or do somethin' about that shit," Daryl said.

"What do you think he's going to do?" Carol asked.

Daryl sucked his teeth and shrugged.

"Ain't no damn tellin'," Daryl said. "If he's got any damn sense at all then he'll do somethin' 'bout it. Fuckin' unhappy bastard wants her an' she's so damn stupid that she wants him…hell if that ain't a fuckin' match made in heaven then I don't know what the fuck is."

Carol laughed.

"That's terrible, Daryl!" Carol said. "Andrea's not stupid!"

Daryl laughed and shook his head.

"That's the only damn part a' that'cha disagree with, huh?" Daryl asked.

"Well…" Carol said with a smile.

Daryl sat beside her, looking at her laying there, wide open and vulnerable…just staring up at him. He rubbed his hands down her, cupping her breasts and she closed her eyes, turning her head to the side. He couldn't help but snicker at her. He slid his hands down, squeezing her sides firmly enough that she wouldn't accuse him of tickling her and brought his hands under her hips, shifting her a little in his direction before he moved his hand and rubbed it over her swelling stomach that she thought made her look fat. He sighed.

"What was that?" Carol asked, turning her head back and looking in his direction again.

"What was what?" Daryl asked.

"That, Daryl," Carol said. "What was that?"

Daryl shrugged.

"Just wanted ta touch ya…weren't nothin' really," Daryl said. "Why? It weren't OK?"

Carol smiled and shook her head from side to side a little.

"No…it's fine," Carol said. "I just didn't know what you were doing."

Daryl reached out and caught Carol's hands in his. He held one in each of his hands, pressed down into the bed on either side of her head. He leaned over her and kissed her and she lifted herself up, meeting him. He held the kiss a little longer than he had to simply because he was enjoying the feeling of her lips and her tongue playing against his. She bucked up at him and he broke it then, snickering at her.

"Again? Damn woman…gonna wear me out…I ain't one a' them damn mechanical ponies, ya know," Daryl said.

Carol obviously blushed and looked a little mortified and Daryl was immediately sorry. He brought his lips back down to hers, but she didn't return the kiss with the same enthusiasm as before.

Daryl put his face next to hers, still holding her hands, and whispered in her ear.

"I was teasin' ya," he said. "That's all…just joshin' with ya…OK? Buyin' myself some damn time 'cause it ain't that I don't want ta be with ya all the damn time…I just gotta take breathers every damn now and again…but I was just teasin' ya."

As Daryl brought his head back up, he kissed the side of her face and then brought his lips back to hers before he even dared to look at her since he could tell by the sound of her breathing that there was a good damn chance there would at least be some proof of tears waiting on him when he did look.

She met him in the kiss this time, though, and he held it like he had the first, diving back in and deepening it again when she'd started to pull away.

Daryl threw his leg over her, straddling her, but maintaining the rest of his position the same, hovering over her with her hands gently pressed into his. He moved enough to dip his head and suck at one of her nipples and she moved her body, swaying up toward him, writhing a little, a moan escaping her. He brought his head up and went to the other and her movements and the sound intensified.

He felt himself going hard and he finally let go of her hands, bringing one of his to her core to tease her while he stroked himself with the other to try and get ready for her. She leaned up a little, bringing her own hand to wrap around him and stroke him and he moved in rhythm with her until he was sure they had to move this to the next level if he wasn't going to come just because of the feeling of her soft hand squeezing and working him.

"You want it?" He asked.

Carol nodded at him, moaning her confirmation. Daryl smiled.

"What'cha want?" He asked, reaching his hand down to tease her. She looked at him and he knew she hated him asking, but he intended to keep asking until she was comfortable with the question. "Come on," he said, smiling, "just say it an' I'ma make it good for ya."

Carol moaned at his teasing, thrashing a little.

"You!" She said with some irritation. "I want you…" She moaned.

Daryl smiled and dipped his head, kissing her and then he moved into her. She brought her legs to wrap around him and Daryl changed his position enough that both of them could get comfortable and find a rhythm that worked for him and allowed Carol the angle that brought, at least in Daryl's opinion, the most interesting mewls from her.

Daryl felt like they stayed like this for a long time, longer than usual, both working to get what they wanted from the other while at the same time trying to make sure that they gave something back. He knew, when he came that time, after she'd already found her release and started to rock lazily below him, that he was about as damn exhausted as he could get for one night.

When he dropped, panting, on the mattress beside her, he brought his finger over and traced her throat where he could see her swallowing repeatedly, trying to get control of herself.

"I know I said I'd let'cha decide," Daryl said after a second. "But I want'cha ta marry me."

Carol turned her head quickly toward him but she didn't say anything immediately.

"I ain't gon' hit'cha an' I ain't gon' leave ya…an' ain't one damn thing gonna fuckin' change 'cept I ain't gotta call ya my fuckin' girlfriend no more or wonder how the fuck I'm s'posed ta tell someone about'cha without feelin' like I'm in fuckin' Junior High an' we passin' notes ta each other durin' class," Daryl said.

He took a deep breath realizing that his heart was pounding. It could have been the physical exertion from the sex, but he was pretty sure it was more than that and had a whole lot to do with the fact that he was asking her this again when it had been what had caused so damn much trouble between them before.

But he knew now that he wanted to marry her. He wanted to be able to say that she was his wife. Not that she was his girlfriend…like they might break up tomorrow and their relationship didn't mean much more than just someone you may or may not decide you liked…his wife. He wanted to be able to tell any damn person that asked that she was just that. The woman that he was trying to spend the rest of his damn life with…the woman he was supposed to be making two, four, or six children with depending on what she decided she liked best. Not his girlfriend…his wife.

Carol continued to look at him for the moment and now his heart really was beginning to pound, even more than before. He was terrified that he wasn't going to like the response that he got from her because of her silence.

"OK," Carol said, finally. Daryl let out the breath that he hadn't really realized he'd been holding.

"OK?" He asked.

Carol nodded.

"OK," she repeated. She smiled at him and nodded a little. "I'll marry you."

Daryl smiled.

"I don't got a fuckin' ring yet, but I will," he said.

Carol shook her head.

"We don't need rings," she said. "Or I don't."

Daryl frowned at her.

"Ya gotta have a ring," Daryl said.

"I don't need one, Daryl," Carol said. "And I don't need a fancy wedding or anything else. I think we're a little beyond that. Let's go up to the courthouse and get married there."

Daryl didn't really care how they got married. It didn't matter to him in the slightest. If she wanted to go up to the courthouse and get married then that was fine with him. He did kind of wish she had a ring, though. He knew that Michonne had showed her engagement ring off and Carol and Andrea had both cooed over it.

"We can go up there tomorrow," Daryl said. "Or whenever ya want. I don't care when we do it. I wish ya had a ring though."

Carol shook her head.

"We can go tomorrow…" Carol said. "If you're sure that you want to really marry me…or you can think on it. We don't have to hurry."

Daryl leaned over and pulled her close enough to kiss her.

"Ain't gotta think about it no more," he said. "I want ta marry ya an' that's all the hell there is to it."

Carol smiled and nodded.

"Then we'll get married," she said.

"We tellin' anybody?" Daryl asked with a chuckle. He knew that Michonne and Tyreese were planning on getting married in the spring and they were going to do it in the park. Everyone already knew that. And yet here they were…talking about getting married the next day? And not a damn person knew?

"I tell you what," Carol said. "I'll invite the girls and you can invite Merle. We'll go up there the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow we'll go get the license."

Daryl smiled.

"Fine…" Daryl said. "Reckon I'll tell the son of a bitch tomorrow that he better fuckin' stay sober 'cause I'm gettin' hitched."

Carol leaned and now and kissed him.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Woman, I ain't been sure of a whole lotta shit in my life, but I'm damn sure that I'ma marry ya ass," Daryl said. He chuckled and pulled her close to him. "That way ya can't get rid a' my ass so damn easy."

Carol kissed him again and then he felt her nuzzle him.

"I told you, Daryl…I'm not letting you go again," Carol said. "It's you that's not going to be able to get rid of me if you go through with this."

Daryl chuckled.

"Then that's fuckin' that, ain't it? We gon' get hitched an' then we gon' be stuck with each other," Daryl said.

"Daryl…" Carol said after a minute. Daryl hugged her against him before responding verbally.

"Yeah?" He responded.

"Can you ask Hershel and Miss Jo if they want to come?" Carol asked.

Daryl smiled.

"I reckon I could do that tomorrow," Daryl said.

"Do you think it's alright to ask them?" Carol asked.

Daryl chuckled. The truth was he didn't know shit about weddings or wedding etiquette or who the hell you could and couldn't ask.

"Reckon we gettin' married so we can ask whoever the hell we want ta come," Daryl said. "Worst damn thing that can happen is they say they ain't comin'…and even if they do…reckon we still gettin' married."

He felt Carol nodding her head against him, shaking him a little.

"I love you," Carol said.

"I love ya more," Daryl responded.

"You do not!" Carol said. Daryl chuckled.

"I do," he said. "I'm bigger than you is…that right there means I love ya more."

"Yeah? Well I have all my love and all the baby's love over here…so I win," Carol said. "I love you more." She snickered.

Daryl chuckled.

"Don't count…that's two separate love tanks right there. So I still win. I'm bigger, I hold more. Ya don't get ta count the baby," Daryl said.

Carol laughed.

"I'm concentrated…that's why I'm smaller…so that means mine is stronger," Carol said.

Daryl laughed and rolled enough to kiss her hard. She giggled into his mouth and pulled away, dipping back after a second and tugging on his lip with her teeth.

"Fine then," Daryl said. "I reckon I got the most love an' you got the strongest…sounds like it oughta work out pretty damn good together."

Carol smiled brought her lips back to his for a soft kiss in response and Daryl wrapped his arms around her, excited by the thought that in just a couple of days he could safely say she was going to be his forever and that was all there was to it.