About two days after Carol had her near miss with Daryl, Tammy showed up at the office at closing to take her out shopping. She had almost forgotten because the day had been so hectic, all the guys had been in the office looking for paperwork.

Daryl had been in once with all the others and she could feel his eyes on her the entire time. He had been with Glenn so they didn't talk to each other except to say hello. Carol had been talking to Glenn about the plans he needed. But Daryl was a presence in the room and he filled it up entirely without saying a word.

He came back later though and sat on the edge of her desk drinking a cup of coffee as she typed up the work order he needed. She could tell he was trying to be friendly and not make her feel uncomfortable. But it didn't help too much because all she could look at were his lips, and the promise behind them.

She wished she could be that girl, who could have a fling and forget about it but she wasn't that girl.

Carol would never be that girl.

She almost told him that she didn't want to go to the party with him after all. But she didn't, she would just get through it and never go out with him again.

Merle had certain rules when he took everyone out. His mother was killed by a drunk driver, no one drank and drove after one of his parties.

The tavern was in walking distance to almost everyone's home. They would all walk over together, so there was no way to avoid him anyway.

She was going out with Daryl whether she liked it or not.

Carl was also pretty sure he was trying to look down her shirt from where he was sitting.

Tammy pulled up and Carol said goodbye to Merle and Daryl on the steps of the trailer/office as Merle walked around to the side where Tammy sat and leaned in for a kiss. Carol glanced over her shoulder and Daryl was looking right at her, she met his eyes for a second and then looked away.

Merle slapped his hand on the roof of the car. "Ok, you girls have a good time, see you later darlin." He smiled at Tammy as Carol walked around and got in the passenger seat. She chanced a glance over by Daryl, and he put his hand up in a little wave as Tammy pulled away.

"What was that all about?" Tammy said as she turned to Carol.

"What."

"From where I was sitting, he was looking at you like you were dinner." She waved her hand back and forth fanning herself. "Is it hot in here?"

Tammy laughed as she saw Carol turn beet red.

"Seriously, he had bad intentions Carol, you know the kind of bad intentions that are so good."

"Wonderful." Carol said rolling her eyes. "Just my luck."

"I thought you..."

"He's leaving in three months, I can't do that." Carol said as they sped down the street to go out to dinner and shop. "I told him I would go to Merle's party with him and then I'm shutting it down."

"Whoa, Merle is going to have a stroke."

"Tammy, it's not like that, I mean I didn't let him kiss me or anything."

Tammy swung her head over in Carol's direction. "He tried to kiss you?"

"Well, I was going to let him, but I realized it was not a smart idea."

"Well, somebody better tell him that because, the way he was staring at you. I don't think he got the memo." Tammy laughed as they drove down the road.

/

They went to eat at a vegetarian restaurant which was actually very good. Carol was surprised, she was well aware of Tammy's food preferences and she didn't mind going along with her. She tolerated it much better than Merle, who wouldn't be caught dead in a vegetarian restaurant.

After dinner they went to a funky boutique that was all the rage according to the women in town. It was run by two women named Andrea and Michonne. They had the most delightful assortment of cloths and Tammy found something right away in her favorite color blue. It was a simple shift dress made of silk, with pretty layers going down the front of it.

"Hey how about this one." Tammy called to Carol holding up a red dress that looked three sizes too small.

Carol turned around, she had three hangers with different dresses on them, simple practical dresses. Not like the one Tammy was shoving towards her right now.

"No, no I can't."

"Oh yes you can, get in there and try that dress on."

She handed her the dress and pushed her through the dressing room door. Tammy turned to Andrea who was sitting on a stool organizing jewelry.

"Do you have earrings to match that dress?"

Andrea reached around the display case and came out with red hoop earrings and handed them to Tammy.

"These are the ones I would recommend, my partner Michonne would say the studs but I'm a little showier." Andrea said handing her the earrings.

"Come on Carol, let's see!" Tammy said. "Andrea has earrings to match and oh my god, those shoes."

She walked over to a rack with a pair of black heels, with a little bow on the back of them.

"Well, take the earrings and the shoes, Carol what size shoe are you." Tammy called to her. "Come on let's see."

Carol stepped out and Tammy's face lit up. The dress fit her like it was made for her, it was a soft spandex/cotton blend, and form fitting with a sweet heart neckline, but when she turned around it was backless.

"You look amazing, go look in that mirror." Tammy pointed to the mirror on the other side of the store and she walked towards it, a smile growing on her face as she saw her reflection.

"Tammy I…."

Her voice grew cold, and she broke out in goosebumps she looked across the street and she swore she saw Ed standing against a light post. She shook her head, it couldn't be, and he hadn't been around in months. She had to be imagining it and when she turned back he was gone.

Carol shrugged her shoulders trying to get the eerie feeling to go away. She looked at her reflection in the mirror again. She hadn't treated herself in a long time.

This was not the kind of dress Ed would ever let her buy and so her decision was made.

"Andrea, I'll take it all." She smiled brightly at Tammy.

/

Carol arrived at Merle and Tammy's at five pm as instructed by the boss. She knocked on the door and no one answered, she moved back and forth on her feet feeling tense and anxious for some reason. The door flew open and there stood Daryl in a pair of black jeans and a green button down shirt that was open.

She tried not to look, she really did but she could see his stomach, flat and hard from having to keep in shape for the Guard. She had to actually tell herself in her head not to lick her lips.

"Oh, hey Carol." He said breaking her concentration and forcing her to look up and acknowledge she had been caught. He knew, but he didn't say anything and he didn't tease her.

"Hey Daryl."

"You look….beautiful." He said softly. "Come on in."

She stepped across the threshold of the house and he shut the door. She suddenly realized she was alone with him and it was different than in the office. It felt different and a little unsettling.

"Merle and Tammy went on ahead and I'm ready, Merle said if we aint there in five minutes he's going to come kick my ass." He said buttoning up his shirt. "You know where this place is right?"

She nodded letting out a little giggle as he finished buttoning his shirt and tucking it in. Merle threatening him did not surprise her at all.

"Yeah just over on the next block, you know the old Arrowhead Bar, Merle's friend Bob and his wife bought it."

"Oh, yeah, I do know the place."

Carol laughed because the way he said it sounded like he had spent a little time there in the past. He opened the door and she went out and started down the steps.

"Are you ok to walk Carol, those are some banging shoes." Daryl said.

She turned back looked at him over her shoulder and she couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks." She said and continued walking with a smile on her face.

They walked together making small talk and soon they were at the bar where Daryl had spent a good deal of time in his youth. There was a new name on the front and one of the guys from the neighborhood bought it.

Now it was named simply Bob's Tavern and they had the place for the entire night. They expected a big crowd and between Merle's group of workers and their families the place was going to be packed.

Carol and Daryl talked easily with each other as they walked, about work and books. He read a lot on the ship to pass the time. They both liked Stephen King and had many of the same favorites of his work.

The time it took them to walk to the place went by fast but there was still an underlying question behind their conversation. What if?

They made their way inside and through the crowd Merle and Tammy were near the end of the bar talking to Sasha who was the owner's wife and her friend Karen who were both tending bar. Merle waved to them right away and called them over.

"C'mon you guys are late, got two Irish Car Bombs over here with ya'lls name on it."

They walked over and Carol hugged Tammy whispering to each other how great they looked. Merle and Daryl grabbed their shots and motioned to Carol to pick hers up. She shook her head, it wasn't a good idea for her to do shots.

Tammy picked up hers and clicked it to Merle's.

"Here, just do it." Daryl handed it to her and clicked glasses. "Congrats brother."

They each drank their shot and Carol's face puckered at the taste.

"Oh come on weren't that bad." Merle said. "Karen, four more."

"No, I…"

Tammy turned to Carol. "Hush darling, tonight's the night you get to have some fun, I know you miss Sam and Dean so have another drink to ease the pain."

Merle turned to Daryl. "Who's Sam and Dean?"

"It's a TV show baby, Carol's favorite." Tammy said.

"It's pretty good actually." Daryl said.

Carol turned around to Daryl. "You watch Supernatural?"

He nodded as Karen brought over the four drinks and placed them on the bar. They thanked her and Merle gave her a twenty dollar bill.

"I always make sure I know where the salt is." Daryl said with a wink to Carol.

And Carol broke out into a wide smile, took her drink and drank it down.

The rest of the crew was scattered around the room Tyreese was sitting at the bar talking to Karen when she returned. Glenn and his wife Maggie were sitting at a table with Axel and Oscar and their wives. The music was playing and Merle and Tammy set out to mingle and Carol sat on a barstool.

Daryl remained standing next to her and he took his drink too.

"I bet you're a Dean girl aren't you?" He said to her.

"Nope Sam all the way." She said. "I know most of the fandom is for Dean but Sam is just so lovable, always in his brother's shadow, trying to do the right thing."

She stopped, she could have been talking about Merle and Daryl she realized and she felt like he knew what she was thinking. He was looking at her and his eyes were so crystal blue, Merle had blue eyes too, but Daryl's were beautiful. She felt herself falling into them.

She had to look away.

"So yeah, Sam." She said reaching for a pretzel to put in her mouth so she could stop talking.

/

The food was served to individual tables and at the bar, wherever people were sitting. Carol and Daryl parted ways during the food service because Merle needed him for something. Carol sat with Glenn and Maggie and ate with them. There was wine and Sangria at all of the tables and Glenn made sure she drank along with him and Maggie. It seemed everyone was having a great time and Merle and Tammy took turns walking around and talking to everyone.

Around eight O'clock Carol got up to go to the bathroom, which was in the back of the bar. The music was playing 'Soul to Squeeze' by Red Hot Chili Peppers, and she hummed along as she walked.

"Insanity it seems has got me by my soul to squeeze." She sang softly as she walked.

The hallway was crowded as she made her way to the bathroom and people were bumping into her. When she was almost to the bathroom, someone from behind Daryl who was walking by going in the opposite way bumped into him and he landed on Carol. They ended up pushed into the wall in the alcove by the bathrooms.

"Hey." He said but he made no move to back up from her and even as tipsy as she was she noticed he was just as bad as she was.

They weren't sloppy drunk, just tipsy and happy.

"Hey, yourself." She said as he put one arm up over her head and smiled.

"Looks like I finally got you just where I want you." He drawled as he looked down at her and she swore she felt her knees buckle.

She smiled at him looking down and then back up again, blue eyes on blue eyes.

She ran her hands up his chest until she had his shirt collar in her hands. She knew she shouldn't do this but, her brain just said fuck it. She pulled him close to her and she kissed him softly. The music playing in the back ground.

"Today love smiled on me, it took away my pain said please." Rang through the speakers of the bar and through her ears.

That was all the invitation he needed and he was kissing her back, his hand traveling down her back and his hips moving to get closer to her. His tongue sliding along her lips until she granted him access. He tasted like whiskey and every dark desire she could ever want or need.

She felt totally engulfed by him, like she knew it would be. Too much and not enough all at the same time.

She brought her hands up to rake through his hair and he shivered. She would never have acted like this if she hadn't had a few drinks, but she didn't really care.

He felt her foot against his leg tipping him forward towards her more and he had to stop. He pulled away his lips away from hers nipping at her bottom lip. She let out a sigh as he moved away from her and he took her hand.

"Come on." He took her hand.

He said pulling her down the hallway by the hand, her high heels clicking on the floor as she tried to keep up.

"Where are we going?"

"I need some air." He said busting through the back door of the bar.

They were outside in a second and he had his arms around her again as soon as they were out there. He leaned back against the wall pulling her up close.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to try and fuck you out here, I just didn't want an audience."

He kissed her again.

"Did I tell you I really like those shoes?"

A/N: Thank you everyone for reading. We hope you like it and will let us know what you think.