The Spare Room

Summary: The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.

Chapter 16

Daryl wasn't too impressed when he pulled up to Dirk Malick's place. It was overrun with people drinking and carrying on. Every light in the house seemed to be on and music was blaring. How the neighbours were able to stand it, Daryl didn't know.

"Looks like a party," Carol observed unsurely as Daryl found a place to park.

"Won't be here long," Daryl promised her, "Ya wanna stay here or come in?"

Secretly, he was hoping that she would stay in the truck. She looked like she had been through the ringer and the last thing he wanted was to add to her stress. It was bad enough that he wanted to kick her boyfriend's ass to kingdom come. Despite what she said, Daryl knew that she was holding back. Something had happened on that date, something that she didn't like. He tried to keep his mind from conjuring up scenarios. They only served to make his blood pound in his veins.

"I'll come in," Carol volunteered. Daryl nodded and resolved to keep a close eye on her as they waded through the crowd. There were way too many people here and all Daryl wanted to do was find Dirk, get Merle's money, and leave before any cops got called to shut the thing down. He had to ask a few people where Dirk was. Most of them didn't even know whose house they were partying in. It was a bit pathetic, really. Finally, Daryl was directed upstairs.

"I'm gonna go up and get this sorted," Daryl told Carol, wanting to keep her away from the exchange, "Am I gonna find ya here?"

"Yeah," Carol confirmed, nodding her head over the loud music. She moved to sit down on the steps and offered him a small smile. He nodded back to her and then he took off up the rest of the steps. He found Dirk easy enough. He was sitting on a couch in an open area playing a video game. Dirk Malick was a skinny fucker with greasy brown hair and beady little eyes. He worked the road crew with Merle, but he had a hell of a side business dealing anything he could get his hands on.

"Dirk," Daryl greeted, moving into the man's line of sight and making him lose his little game. Dirk wasn't too upset by it.

"Lil' Dixon! Come sit down! Have a beer…take a load off!" Dirk invited, his smile showing off crooked yellow teeth.

"Can't," Daryl said, shaking his head. He had a policy about keeping his interactions with Dirk as brief as possible, "Gotta get goin'," he reached into his pocket and produced the baggie of pills that Merle had picked up for Dirk in Atlanta, "Here's your shit."

"Perfect!" Dirk crowed, shifting on the couch to get his wallet from his back pocket. Daryl watched Dirk thumb it open and withdraw several hundred dollar bills. He count at least fifteen hundred dollars being passed his way and there was still more to spare in the wallet. Daryl wouldn't be caught dead holding that much money. That was just inviting trouble.

"There!" Dirk said, passing Daryl the money in exchange for the baggie, "Fifteen, just like me and Merle agreed on."

Daryl didn't know exactly what sum was agreed upon by Merle and Dirk and he didn't really care. He just wanted to get this over with.

"Swell," Daryl said with a roll of the eyes, "See ya around."

Daryl stuffed the money into the inside pocket of his jacket and turned to leave. When he got to the stairs, however, Carol was nowhere to be seen.

Daryl had a moment of panic, but tamped it down. She probably had to go to the bathroom or something. He'd wait at the steps for her to come back and if she wasn't back in five minutes, he'd search every nook and cranny of this house for her. He scanned the room while he waited, looking for her auburn curls amongst the crowd of bodies writhing to the music. Some were standing at the walls talking. Couples were making out in corners. It was pandemonium. Finally, he saw her come into the main living area from the kitchen and he felt relief. She was okay.

Her expression had him moving towards her in an instant. There was fear there on her face as her eyes searched for him.

"Carol!" Daryl called over the music as he shoved his way through the people. Carol's head snapped in his direction and for a moment, she looked relieved.

"Daryl, help! It's Catherine!" she cried over the noise before rushing back into the kitchen. Catherine? Her sister? What the hell was that kid doing at a place like this? Daryl moved faster and spilled out into the kitchen where there was a bit more space. He saw Carol struggling to support her sister, who looked out of it. Her blond hair hung into her face, falling out of the knot she had placed it in. Her eyes were glazed over and her make-up was smeared. Her dress, a pink little number that Daryl was sure her mother would never approve of, had ridden up, exposing too much of her leg. A guy was with them and he had a hand on Catherine's arm, trying to pull her away from Carol.

"I got her. I'll get her home safe," the guy was saying.

"She's my sister. I've got her," Carol snapped back, her voice taking on a protective tone as her eyes flashed at the guy.

"I'll get her home," the guy argued, "She's safe with me. Don't spoil the fun-"

"Hey!" Daryl barked, coming up to them, "We're takin' her home. Back off!"

Daryl was much larger than the scrawny little guy and his size worked to intimidate the young man. He backed away with his hands raised in surrender. Satisfied that he was gone, Daryl turned to Carol, "How is she?"

"Pretty bad," Carol admitted, worriedly looking over her sister, "We need to get her out of here."

"I…don't…Carol…Daryl…" Catherine slurred, somewhat aware of her surroundings.

"I've got her," Daryl said, moving to scoop the girl into his arms, "Lead the way."

Catherine was a small girl and was practically weightless in Daryl's arms as he followed Carol back through the living room. When they saw him carrying the semi-conscious girl, most people scurried out of the way. Maybe they weren't total asses after all. Or maybe they just didn't want to get puked on.

When they finally made it to the truck, Carol helped Daryl get Catherine situated and Daryl reached under the seat for a plastic bag from his last smoke run. He shoved it onto Catherine's lap, "For if she pukes," Daryl explained. Carol nodded and Catherine moaned weakly.

"She told my parents that her friend was having a small party for the cast of the play," Carol said as Daryl pulled out of his parking space.

"Think she mighta lied," Daryl deadpanned, looking out the corner of his eye at Catherine, who had her head thrown back over the middle seat.

"Mom's going to kill her," Carol sighed, "Do you think maybe the two of us could stay at your place? At least until Catherine sobers up?"

"Yeah," Daryl nodded his head, "'Course. I can give ya'll my room and I'll take the couch."

He could see Carol's frown in the moonlight, "Daryl, I don't want to put you out-"

"Ain't nothin'," Daryl assured her, taking a turn to head back to his place.

0-TSR-0

The house was silent as Carol used Daryl's key to let herself and Daryl inside. Ed and Merle were clearly asleep, which probably made matters easier. Daryl was carrying Catherine again as Carol opened doors for him. He took her directly to his room and set her gently on the bed.

It occurred to Carol that she had never been in Daryl's room before. She hadn't even glimpsed it. He always kept the door shut whenever she was over. She wasn't surprised to find that it was fairly neat. Aside from his bed, he had a dresser for his clothes, a nightstand, a mirror, and a bookshelf. Carol caught titles of mystery novels and then what looked to be some biology books. There was a hunting magazine on his nightstand along with a lamp and a half-drank water bottle.

Carol watched from the doorway as Catherine twitched a little, mumbled incoherently, and then rolled onto her side. Daryl covered her up with the blanket and reached for a waste basket to set beside the bed.

"For the puke?" Carol guessed.

"Somethin' like that," Daryl shrugged with a little half grin, "Ya can probably take better care of her than I can. There's clothes in the dresser. She might be more comfortable wearin' somethin' other than that dress. I'll go grab her some aspirin and water."

Then he left Carol to tend to her sister, shutting the door gently behind him. Carol set to work finding Catherine something to wear. She felt a little guilty about raiding Daryl's wardrobe, but he was sweet enough to offer. She selected a pair of sweat pants and a baggy t-shit for Catherine and then in an afterthought, she selected the same ensemble for herself. Then she began the process of caring for her drunk sister, pulling and tugging at her like she was a big doll to be dressed.

"Carol?" Catherine mumbled when her sister sat her up.

"I'm here, Cath," Carol assured her. Catherine bobbed her head in response, holding herself upright so that Carol could dress her.

"Where are we?" Catherine wondered, her eyes glazed as she looked around the room.

"Daryl's house," Carol answered, "We're gonna stay here until morning, Okay?"

"Okay," Catherine responded, nodding her head and flopping back on the bed when Carol gave the okay, "I like Daryl."

"I know you do," Carol chuckled as she smoothed back her sister's hair.

"You like Daryl?" Catherine asked.

"I do," Carol told her softly. There was a knock on the door and Carol called out for Daryl to come back in. He was carrying water, aspirin, and a sleeve of crackers.

"Drinkin' kit for beginners," Daryl joked, setting the items on the nightstand, "Best thing for her is to drink up and get some food in there to absorb some of the booze. She'll be cryin' for the aspirin in the mornin'."

"I bet," Carol agreed. Together, Daryl and Carol managed to get a few crackers into Catherine along with half of a bottle of water before they let her pass out. Carol followed Daryl out to the moonlit living room, where she thanked him again.

"Told ya that it ain't nothin'," Daryl repeated, sitting down on the edge of the couch, "It ain't like I've never looked after a drunk person before."

"I still can't believe she's hammered like this," Carol said, shaking her head as she sat down in the armchair, "When I was her age, I was terrified of drinking."

"Yeah?" Daryl asked, raising an eyebrow in the faint light offered by moonlight streaming in and the faint lights in the kitchen, "Most kids are chompin' at the bit to drown in a liquor bottle when they're sixteen."

"My mama always said that alcohol wasn't fit for a lady. She said that it led to sin," Carol explained, "Back then, I was terrified of doing wrong."

"And now ya ain't?" Daryl wondered.

"It's different now," Carol said, "Ever since I've gone off to school, I feel…different from who I was before…if that makes any sense."

Daryl shrugged, "Suppose it does. Big part of it is leavin' home…becomin' ya own person."

He sounded so sure that Carol had to ask, "Is that what you felt when you left home."

Daryl chuckled, "When I was a kid, I was a scrawny little thing that was scared of his own shadow. I kept to myself a lot. I mean, I still do keep to myself, but I ain't near as bad as I was back then. Feel like I know more 'bout how the world works."

"And how does the world work?" Carol asked, leaning forward to listen to his answer.

"Still learnin'," Daryl admitted, leaning back into the couch, "The world is a complicated thing. Never usually works the way ya expect it to."

"Wow," Carol said, impressed by the insight, "You're getting deep."

"I'm more'n just a pretty face," Daryl joked, quirking his little half-smile at her. He really was a handsome man, especially when he smiled, but that wasn't all he had to offer. He was so smart and hardworking. He was a genuinely good person, going out of his way to help others out. He was so much more.

"Yes, you are," Carol agreed with a smile. He flushed a little and shrugged his shoulders.

"So how d'ya think the work works?" Daryl wondered, turning the question back around on her. Carol let out a humourless laugh. She had thought that her world was pretty simple. She had thought that she would get a job, get married, have children, and live happily ever after. Now…now she wasn't so sure. She couldn't remember any of the princes from her fairy tales acting the way Ed had acted earlier tonight. She couldn't remember her father ever treating her mother like that. It had been so very wrong. What happened between her and Ed in Daryl's truck hadn't been an act of love. It had hurt and love…well, love wasn't supposed to hurt.

"I dunno," she answered truthfully, "I think you might be onto something, though. Things don't always go how you expect them to."

"What ain't goin' how ya'd expect it?" Daryl wondered, cocking his head a little.

"I had a fight with my parents," Carol admitted, "It was about Ed. I guess I always kind of expected that when I found someone, my parents would approve of him. Mama…she was always going on about how important it was to find a man, marry him, and settle down with a family. I thought…maybe she'd be happy, but she's not," Carol explained, choosing to focus on something other than Ed. She already knew that Daryl didn't care for Ed and she had a feeling that if she told him about what happened in his truck, there would be a fight between the two men and the last thing she wanted to do was cause any more trouble.

"Maybe she just expected ya to find a better man is all," Daryl said with a shrug. For a moment, Carol wanted to jump in and say that Ed was a good man. Then she realized that she couldn't. Not after what he did. A good man…a good man was like Daryl. He was willing to do whatever he could to help someone in need and he kept his word. He was always gentle, polite. He was someone who would never hurt her.

"Maybe," Carol murmured. She could feel Daryl's gaze upon her and she squirmed a little under his gaze. He was silent for a moment and Carol found herself waiting with trepidation for whatever it was that he was about to say. It was moments like these that she didn't know what he was thinking. He moved in the dark so that he was closer to her, sitting on the edge of the couch so that his knees touched hers. She could see his face, a contrast of silvers and grey in the dim light. He was deadly serious as he stared at her.

"Do you love him, Carol?" he asked.

She didn't know what to say. She knew that she should say 'yes', but something inside of her was holding back. A part of her that she had been ignoring for a long time was telling her to admit the truth.

"I think I got my answer," Daryl said quietly when she didn't reply. Carol let out another weak sound.

"What is love? How do you know if you do or you don't love someone?" she asked, trying to find a way to defend her silence. She cursed how her voice wavered with emotion.

"I don't know," Daryl admitted, "but I reckon that if ya have to ask it, then ya ain't in it."

"We're going to get married," Carol offered weakly, giving into the side that was obligated to remain with the man who had taken her virginity and had promised to marry her…the side that was obligated to love him.

"Somethin' tells me that ain't whatcha really want," Daryl observed, "So tell me, what d'ya want, Carol? Is he it? Can ya really spend the rest of your life with him?"

Carol hesitated again as she faltered over her answered, "I…I have to-"

"Ya don't have to do nothin'," Daryl said, getting to his feet so that he was standing over her. He offered her a hand up and she took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet so that she was standing right in front of him. He shook his head and said, "Worst thing 'bout this is ya don't even know that ya got a choice. Ya only ever been with Ed and he ain't fit to kiss the ground ya walk on."

"Daryl-"

"Hear me out," Daryl requested, reaching up to cup the side of her cheek. His touch foreign, yet familiar, a little rough due to callouses, but still light and gentle, "I don't know what happened tonight, but I do know that whatever it was has ya thinkin' twice 'bout things and that…that's makin' me hope for the first time and…and if ya makin' a decision…I want…I want ya to know..."

"What?" Carol asked, her mouth suddenly dry under his intense stare.

Instead of answering her with words, Daryl closed the distance between them, pressing his mouth to hers. For a second, Carol was stunned by the turn of events. Daryl was kissing her and it felt…good. Her lips tingled at the initial contact and she felt an odd sensation in her belly, almost like a sliver of excitement and anticipation. As his mouth moved, hers began to follow suit on instinct, moving with his as he kissed her. It felt good. The sensations within her grew and she felt lightheaded and dizzy. Her hands came up to rest on his chest where she could feel his heart racing under his shirt. Hers was as well, pounding against her ribcage for the second time that night…only this time, it wasn't in fear. He pulled back ever so slightly, preventing the kiss from becoming too deep as his thumb lightly caressed her cheek.

It took him a moment to speak, but when he did, he said, "And now ya know."

Carol didn't know what to say. She hadn't realized that he had had those types of feelings for her and it terrified her and excited her at the same time. When she said nothing, he let out a nervous breath.

"I know that you're with Ed, and even though he don't deserve ya, I ain't the kind to try to steal another man's girlfriend away," Daryl explained, "That ain't me so…so I'm gonna leave it there. If ya wanna stay with him, fine, I'll step back…but…but if ya don't…at least ya know that ya got more options than just him."

Carol could only nod numbly, her mind reeling with what had just happened.

"Have a good night, Carol," he said to her, gently directing her back towards the bedroom.

Carol walked there on shaky legs, her mind spinning as she stepped into Daryl's room and changed into the clothes she had set aside. Then sat down beside her sister on the bed. Her hand came up to touch her lips, where the memory of Daryl's mouth still lingered. She was still stunned by the fact that he had kissed her and that she had kissed him back, despite being in a relationship with his roommate. She even wanted more. She had been disappointed when the kiss ended. She had never thought that she would cross the line. And the fact that she did…and that she wanted more…well…that scared her a little bit.

She remembered her mother's lectures about girls who jumped from man to man. Her mother had maintained that those sort of girls were floozies. She also remembered Ed's fears that she would cheat on him…that she would be just like his mother who had stepped out on his father.

And now, here she was. A floozy and a cheater.

She felt ashamed. She should have stepped away when she felt Daryl's lips on hers. She shouldn't have responded. She shouldn't have kissed him back and she shouldn't have fisted her hands in his shirt. That was wrong. It was so wrong.

And yet it felt right somehow.

Carol's mind drifted back to the beginning of the night, to Ed's hard kisses and the rough experience in Daryl's truck. She lay down on her back. Ed had never been all that gentle in their lovemaking, but he had never been that rough before. He had never forced her into it before. It had been uncomfortable and it had hurt and it felt really, really wrong. More wrong than kissing Daryl felt. She remembered who she had been thinking about as Ed thrust inside of her. It was thoughts of Daryl and his scent that made her forget what was happening. And then, later in the night, it was Daryl that offered to take her home and it was Daryl that helped her care for her sister. It was Daryl that offered her and Catherine sanctuary in his room while he chose to sleep on the couch.

He was such an amazing man, all gentle and sweet. She felt more devotion, more passion from his kiss that she had ever felt from Ed's. She had felt so much in those short moments where his mouth was on hers and it made her wonder why. Why did she feel so much for a man she barely knew?

She felt so very confused. Did she have feelings for Daryl? Where did that leave her and Ed? What did she do now?

There were so many questions. She felt like her mind would not turn off.

Then she leaned back against the pillow and immediately recognized Daryl's scent on it. She breathed in that same calming smell she had breathed in earlier in the night and she found herself slipping into a comfortable sleep.

0-TSR-0

Daryl's legs gave out as soon as Carol disappeared into his room. He sank back down into the couch and stared ahead at the wall, his mind racing.

He had actually kissed her. He had given in and kissed her.

He didn't know what had come over him, but the moment she said 'maybe' when he said that she ought to get a better man, he knew for the first time that he had a chance. He had no idea what had happened between Ed and Carol, but whatever it was had Carol questioning her choices. It was the perfect moment to show her that she wasn't just restricted to Ed Peletier. She had options.

In his gut, Daryl felt a sliver of fear that he had crossed the line and she might never look at him the same. She was still with Ed, after all, and she might still choose that asshole over Daryl, but at least she would make the choice knowing what her options were. He just worried that she would regret it and that it would serve to widen the chasm between them.

And he also felt at odds with himself. He wasn't the kind that took what wasn't his, especially when it came to women. The last thing he wanted in the relationship was some pissed off guy coming at him. He also didn't want to be the other guy. He didn't want to be the one that women used to get back at their boyfriends. He wouldn't be used and he wouldn't use a woman that way. That was why he resolved that the kiss would be a onetime thing until Carol decided what she wanted. It was just one kiss and if she wanted more, he would give it to her, but on his terms. He wasn't going to share her with Ed Peletier. If she wanted Daryl, then he wanted all of her, to hell with Ed. If she didn't want Daryl, then at least he would always have the memory of what it was like to kiss her.

And goddamn, he couldn't get over how it felt. After a month of imagining what it would be like to kiss her, he had finally done it and it was seared into his mind. Her lips were soft, just like he imagined that they would be, and her skin was smooth under his calloused fingers. Her body was so warm and he couldn't stop remembering how her hands felt on his chest. It had taken everything in him to break the kiss. He didn't want to push her too far, but at the same time, he wanted her with every cell in his body.

He tried not to imagine what could have happened had he not been the gentleman. Would he have slid his tongue against her lips, seeking permission into her mouth? Would she have granted it to him? Would he have tasted her? Felt her tongue play with his? Would he have pulled her flush against his body so that her breasts were pressed to his chest? So that she could feel just how much he wanted her? Would she have ran her hands through his hair, tugging slightly as he explored her mouth and as his hands greedily roamed her body?

"Fuck," Daryl whispered to the night, closing his eyes as images assaulted his brain. Images of him carrying Carol to the living room as she clung to him with her arms and legs wrapped tightly around his body. He imagined laying her down on the couch and removing her clothes. He imagined leaning over her and putting his mouth to her nipple and sucking. He imagined reaching down to find her wet and wanting as he touched her. Then he would guide his hard, pulsing cock into her and he would pause and wait for her to adjust to him. Then he would move at her urging, thrusting in and out of her as she moved in time with him. He would feel her muscles contract around him, pulling his own orgasm from him as she came around him.

Yeah, that definitely would have been too much.

Just a kiss was better.

Just a kiss goodnight.

TBC

AN: The support on here is amazing. Your kind and encouraging reviews just made my day and it means so much to me that I have so much support. Thanks you all so much! The kiss in this chapter was a little token of my appreciation for VickiH and EnglishPoet18. Hope I did it justice!

Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!