"I heard that you're making friends already." Carol nudged his shoulder with her own, grinning up at him, and Daryl shrugged.
"Got a job, that's all." He didn't look at her and that was all she needed to know that he was feeling a bit sheepish.
"That's good; I heard that you and Aaron are getting along well. It's okay to make new friends, Daryl." Carol continued smiling at him, not caring that he was trying to ignore her. "They invited you for dinner, didn't they?"
He shrugged again, "Yeah, and Aaron showed me the bike he had in the garage and all the parts he had been collecting for it. I'm going to work on it a bit tomorrow."
"Good, I might go over there with you." She looked away and now he was staring down at her, "I was hoping to talk to Eric and get some of his impressions on the people here."
"Making new friends?" There was a hint of laughter in his voice and he nudged her shoulder.
"I hope so." She gestured out over there small front yard, "We won't be able to keep this if we don't become part of their community. And from what I've seen? Not all of them would survive if we don't."
"You want them to survive?" Daryl leaned into the porch railing, "It's funny how everyone is about this place. Michonne told me that she wants it to work so we have a home again finally, you and Rick are hiding weapons and making plans for when things fall apart, and we're all going our own ways with these new job assignments."
Carol sighed, "True, and I do want the people here to survive. They have to want it too though and the ones not willing to learn and fight for what they have? I want to know who they are so if it does fall apart, we'll know who to count on for help. Sooner or later it always falls apart."
"You think Eric is going to help you figure out who those people are? He and Aaron probably brought some of them into these walls."
"I think he would know who can be trusted, and I think I will trust his judgement on the people here as I get to know them for myself." She gripped the railing with both hands and looked at Daryl again, "I don't want to spy on the people here, but I need to know what they might be capable of for this place."
Daryl was quiet for a few moments, thinking of what he wanted to say, and what he was scared to say to her. It surprised him how much he already liked these people, and he didn't want to lose the little he had already gained. There hadn't been much purpose in his life, except survival, and he didn't want his group to be the reason he lost that again. "Just, be careful. If we're making new friends, I want them to be real and not just for show."
She watched him intently, and finally nodded, "I understand. If I play a role here, it won't be for the people who can see through it."