The Deer Hunter

Carol was looking over her revised list to ensure that she had enough of everything that she thought she might need for renovation. Carl and Ron were downstairs in the basement with Sam. Carl had decided that he wanted a bedroom in the basement and that meant she had to redo her list.

Daryl went into his room and sneaked a look at the list that he had devised last night. Morgan being here changed everything. Morgan checking out Carol's ass changed everything. Back at the prison everyone knew that he and Carol had something going and they were too afraid of him to hit on her. Carol had been content to be his friend and he had been too afraid to change that. Then, the flu struck and he had to leave her there while he went to get medicine. Leave there with the walkers pushing against the fence and the dead piling up in the prison yard.

He had been terrified that something would happen to her while he was gone. He had been willing to stay in the friend zone because it was safer than finding out that Carol never wanted more than friendship from him. Patrick's death, the death of a healthy boy who had stood beside Carol cooking a day ago shocked him into realizing that he was more afraid of losing her than being afraid that she wouldn't want him. He had come home to the prison with the intention of making the something between them a real thing.

Daryl still had nightmares about walking around the prison looking for Carol. In his dreams everyone he asked would say, "Talk to Rick". He could never find her and he would wake up heart terrified that she was lost to him. That he hadn't found her in the woods outside of Terminus or that she hadn't walked out of Grady wounded but alive. That Carol wasn't waltzing her saucy ass around Alexandria pretending to be a soccer mom.

He owed Morgan a favor. Morgan had reminded him that he had slipped back into the role of friend. Fuck being friendzoned. He was ready to be with her, but was Carol still too fragile from her physical and emotional injuries? It would be her call, but for once he wanted to let her know that he loved her and if she wanted to wear flowered sweaters and mom jeans? That was her call too.

Daryl was a hunter. He knew that the biggest prize was a trophy buck. You didn't get to bring home Bambi's daddy just because you owned a bow and could shoot at a bale of hay. You had to follow some guidelines to bag your deer. He developed a game plan for winning Carol based on deer hunting.

Dear Hunting Guide

Find the deer that you want. Daryl figure that was the easiest part. He wanted Carol.

Respect. Trophy deer are savvy. They have evaded lots of other hunters because they never let their guard down.

Patience. Some hunters just kept jumping from one location to the other. Pick the one you want and wait.

You have to blend in with the environment. Daryl had to admit that he needed to adapt to the world of Alexandria. Carol had threatened to hose him down if he didn't shower. That statement had given him the biggest woodie. She had even been wearing the blue cardigan when she said it. She had brought back some clothes for him to wear which he better start wearing once in a while. Get his damn hair cut.

Stay downwind. Sometimes he did get a little ripe. Carol had dumped some toiletries onto his bed while he was away. Didn't Merle tell him that women were very turned on by smell? He was going to start using that sandalwood soap.

Don't use the weapon until the deer is in range. He had to wait until Carol was ready. This was different from patience. This meant that Carol might be moving in his direction but he couldn't just jump her bones because that was what he wanted.

Buck Fever. Don't let yourself get so wound up that you don't take the shot. That you just don't just stand there and let the opportunity past. Daryl had suffered from that in the past with Carol. He never wanted to say "Staap" again.

Keep an eye on other hunters. This was a safety concern in deer hunting but with Morgan hovering around worth putting on the list.

Have your weapon ready. Daryl smirked. Not a problem.

Never hurt her. He had seen too many wounded deer suffer because lazy hunters wouldn't hunt them down. Carol was to be cherished and protected.

Daryl looked at his list and put it away. He had it memorized anyhow.

TWDTWDTWD

Carol had taken the two to six watch. She didn't want to go to the grave side service. Seen way too many of them. The tower had a good view of the town and the walls. She hadn't seen Daryl for hours. He probably just needed to get out of the walls and went out before she went on watch.

The services must be over now. Rick and Michonne had gone because Deanna had sent word that she wanted them there. Morgan and Abraham had worked on the safe room. She and Daryl had put up the inner walls. That part was relatively easy. Daryl had helped pull wires for the electrical outlets. They had agreed to stop this afternoon because using the hammer and drills while seemed a little disrespectful. Pete was a piece of sheet, but Reg had been a good man.

It was a glorious day. The leaves were changing colors and there was a cooling breeze here in the tower. Carol stretched. She had another hour on watch. It had been peaceful up here but she was starting to get lonely. She wanted to go home and see how the basement was going. Somehow that house was starting to feel like home.

Sasha talking about Tyreese, Michonne revealing that she had lost her son had made her cry this morning but she felt lighter afterward. She had laughed at Abraham when he dropped the block of his foot and exclaimed, "Son of a dick".

There were lots of people out on the street this evening, but Carol recognized Daryl before anyone else. He was carrying his run bag and her heart sank thinking that he had found another mission so soon. Her heart sank. Daryl leaving again. He had only been home one night. He was headed this way and she turned away so that she could put on her casual goodbye face. No need to think that his teasing her this morning meant anything.

She could hear his steps on the wooded stairs and she turned with a smile on her face prepared to tell him to "Stay safe". Her jaw dropped when she saw Daryl. His hair was cut as short as it had been at the quarry. He was dressed in the blue and white plaid shirt and dark blue cargo pants that she had chosen for him. He had shaved his beard. He looked good.

"Brought you supper. I have the watch after you and maybe we could eat together?"

Carol nodded. "I'm hungry."

Daryl opened his run bag and brought out an old tablecloth and some containers, "The good women of Alexandria fixed enough food for ten funerals. They fixed me up a to-go bag." Those skanks.

Carol narrowed her eyes at him, "Who cut your hair?" She knew she sounded bitchy.

"Wasn't Jessie. Rosita did it. Tara is back at their house and Rosita cut my hair while Tara made fun of me. Don't you like it?"

Carol realized that she liked it too much, "It looks good. Let's eat. Glad it wasn't Jessie. Both you and Rick mooning over the new widow would be way too weird."

There were two chairs in the tower so they ate side by side. Daryl even had a bottle of homemade blackberry wine. Daryl poured her a second glass, "I'm here if you want to talk".

The wine, the food, the beautiful sunset, and Daryl smelling like the soap that she had left in his room had put her a happy place and she didn't want to visit the darkness right now. "I just want to be here now. Okay?"

"Let's just hang out then. Do have something to ask you." He looked a little apprehensive. Not quite sure about something. Daryl took a deep breath, "The basement is a mess. Mortar, mud, dust, insulation is everywhere. Morgan can't sleep down there. It isn't healthy."

Carol gave him a suspicious look. Daryl's sudden interest in Morgan's well-being seemed a little false. "So what do you want to ask me?"

"I was thinking that Morgan could sleep in my room."

Carol choked on her wine at the thought of Daryl and Morgan having a sleep over. Were they going to stay up all night playing video games? "You don't have to ask permission. You and Morgan can be roomies, if that is what your want."

"I want to sleep with you." Daryl realized that came out a little wrong especially since Carol had just taken another sip of wine. That wine was now partly on her top. She liked that top too. Shit.

"Daryl, I don't know what is going on with you today, but I'm not screwing you tonight." Carol realized that she had said that she wasn't screwing him tonight and not that she wasn't ever going to screw him. She took a gulp of the wine.

Daryl looked panicked but took a gulp of his wine, "I mean I want to leave my stuff downstairs and just sleep in your room. You have a big bed. We've slept side by side a hundred times. I will not touch you… unless you touch me first. Don't you trust me?" That's it, play the trust car, and bring up all those times she had curled next to him to stay warm.

"So you just want a place to lay your head?" Daryl nodded. The wine was making her a little bold this evening, "Morgan could just sleep in my room and you wouldn't even be bothered." She laughed.

Daryl rewarded her by being furious, "That ain't so damn funny."

"I'm not serious. You can have half the bed and I get all the blankets." Carol sorted through the containers. "Brownies?"

"Be careful with those, I think that Mark and Clair Sears made those. Biggest potheads in town. Might want to wait until we're not on watch." Daryl was thinking that they could eat those some other time. There was nothing in the deer guide about drugging your prey. Too bad because that might work. Bad Daryl.

Carol put the brownies back in their container. "Can't let Carl or Judith get near those. Better keep them in our room". Shit, did she just say "our" room?

"I won't get back until late tonight. Just scoot over on your side and I'll won't disturb you." Daryl went on to talk about the basement, "Morgan and Abraham are laying block this evening. Glenn and Rick are putting the insulation in. Michonne is going to hang out in the other house with Judith."

"Where is Sam? How is he doing?"

"He would have sneaked over here but I bribed Carl to keep him busy. I wanted to spend this evening without your shadow. What is up with that?"

Carol knew she was definitely feeling that second glass of wine but she went ahead to tell Daryl about the getting caught stealing guns by Sam and all the rest.

Daryl must be on his third glass because he laughed out loud. "Mata Hari got busted by a pint sized Hardy Boy and you are being extorted for cookies. All the good stuff happens while I am away."

Carol found herself looking at Daryl's face and wanting to run her fingers along the shaven jawline. She was glad she hadn't eaten the brownies. She was having control issues this evening as it was.

She left at eight o'clock. They had run out of wine way before that but not out of things to talk about. Michonne had walked over with Judith to tell them that Daryl's replacement had eaten too many brownies and he was going to have to stay until midnight. Michonne had kept her face straight but she was laughing out her eyes at them. Carol could have gone back with her but she wanted to stay. It was the first time since Atlanta that she and Daryl had a chance to talk.

Jessie's house was ablaze with lights as she walked by but Sam was in the basement with Carl. The drywall was up in one bedroom and the safe room had walls now. Everyone wanted praise for their work and she ladled it out. Glenn went home and she and Rick worked on drywall. He needed to stick to police work because he had no future in home renovations.

Carol walked Sam to his front door. Partly because she wanted to make sure he actually went home and to see how he was doing. He spoke first, "You don't have to make any more cookies."

"Don't you like my cookies anymore?"

"I'll keep your secret. That is what friends do. Can I still come to your house?" Sam had ran ahead of her on the steps and their faces were nearly level.

"Yes, you can come to my house because you are my friend. Goodnight, Sam."

He hugged her before she could pull away, "Goodnight, Friend Carol." He turned and bolted for the door.

Carol decided to go to bed. Daryl wouldn't be home for hours. She left him his half of the bed and an equal share of the blankets. She woke up as Daryl slipped into bed beside her. "Everything okay?"

"It got cold after you left, but it stayed quiet. Goodnight, Carol." Daryl was soon asleep.

Carol stayed awake for a while listening to his even breathing. She had slept between TDog and Daryl on those long months while they were on the road after they were escaped from the farm. She had felt safe when she was near them. TDog had grabbed those walkers in that corridor to give her a chance to live. Daryl had rescued her when she had been trapped in the tombs. TDog was gone to a deserved reward in heaven, but Daryl was here and he still made her feel safe when she slept beside him.

AN

Daryl has always been the hunter and in this story he is focused on showing Carol that he loves her.

Need reviews. Will write for reviews.