Post by melinda on Apr 6, 2013 16:46:23 GMT -6
this is dediated to my friend Jessie, who I know loves Daryl/Carol as much as I do.
Daryl didn't know what he would do, now that his brother was gone, truly gone. This was the worst moment of Daryl's life, and he'd experienced plenty of bad moments. For some reason Daryl had slept better when Merle was missing, thinking and hoping that he'd be out there somewhere, watching over Daryl. Things had gotten better since Merle had returned, not perfect, but better. Even though he knew that no one else saw the good in Merle, Daryl had, and so it didn't take long for the younger Dixon brother to put together the pieces in Merle's final moments.
He'd died a hero. No one would ever believe Daryl of course, but there was no doubt in his mind his brother had died trying to save the group. He always had it in him, but he just usually acted on impulse rather than consideration. Daryl'd made some tough decisions in his young life- the biggest was to try to save Sophia. That truly made him a better person, even though the ending was tragic.
Sophia. Thoughts naturally turned to her mother, Carol. He'd only gotten close to one person during his time with the group, and that was she. Little had he known that theirs was a bond only few could understand. They'd both lost so much, suffered so much. Yet he watched her, closely. She was happy again. She wasn't happy all day, all the time, but Daryl observed her with baby Judith and he knew she'd found a new reason to keep on going. He didn't know if he could be as tough as she was.
When he got to the prison, it was Carol he looked for. Normally he would want to be alone, but he couldn't just yet. What he would say to her, he didn't know, but he just knew instinctively that Carol and Carol alone could provide the comfort he was seeking.
“Hey...” she smiled weakly at him as she observed his mannerisms. He was hurting, she could sense, and she had a sick sense of knowing why.
He didn't say anything. He didn't have to. Carol understood him better than anyone in the prison, and for that he was grateful. There was something about silence that had a calming effect on him, and right now she knew that was what he needed.
He'd been crying. She didn't know exactly why, but she knew that he must trust her an awful lot to let her see him like that. Instinctively she walked over to him and kissed him on the forehead, the way she'd done before, when Sophia was missing.
A single tear fell down his face and he anxiously wiped it away. He hated letting people see him cry. That would make him weak. But that tear turned to another and she pulled him in for an embrace.
He didn't know how to respond. He hated being touched, but with Carol, Daryl felt safe, even in this mad world. After struggling with his emotions for such a long time, he finally broke down. Sophia. Merle. Walkers. Everything came out, and all Carol could do was to hold him and not let go.
Finally he wiped his eyes and then pulled away. He didn't want to make eye contact- she'd seen him at his lowest, and he didn't quite know how to process that.
“Hey. It's me,” Carol whispered.
“Yeah.”
“It's me. I won't tell you that I know how you feel...I always hated when people said that to me. But I will tell you one thing. I care, and I'm here for you.”
He didn't say anything, but he walked away, knowing that someone cared. He wasn't used to it, and it was kind of a strange feeling. He didn't know why she cared, all he knew was that she did. And he didn't hate the thought.
Late at night as his thoughts drifted towards Merle, all he could think of was that he was glad Carol had met his brother. Daryl didn't know why- she knew Carol didn't like Merle. No one did. But for some reason knowing that she knew his brother meant the world to him. Maybe it meant that Merle wouldn't be forgotten. He didn't really know, nor did Daryl really care. The world was a cruel, harsh place, but he knew that his world was just a little better off knowing that at the end of the day, there was a Carol in it. One day he'd thank her for being her. Just not right now.
The end
Daryl didn't know what he would do, now that his brother was gone, truly gone. This was the worst moment of Daryl's life, and he'd experienced plenty of bad moments. For some reason Daryl had slept better when Merle was missing, thinking and hoping that he'd be out there somewhere, watching over Daryl. Things had gotten better since Merle had returned, not perfect, but better. Even though he knew that no one else saw the good in Merle, Daryl had, and so it didn't take long for the younger Dixon brother to put together the pieces in Merle's final moments.
He'd died a hero. No one would ever believe Daryl of course, but there was no doubt in his mind his brother had died trying to save the group. He always had it in him, but he just usually acted on impulse rather than consideration. Daryl'd made some tough decisions in his young life- the biggest was to try to save Sophia. That truly made him a better person, even though the ending was tragic.
Sophia. Thoughts naturally turned to her mother, Carol. He'd only gotten close to one person during his time with the group, and that was she. Little had he known that theirs was a bond only few could understand. They'd both lost so much, suffered so much. Yet he watched her, closely. She was happy again. She wasn't happy all day, all the time, but Daryl observed her with baby Judith and he knew she'd found a new reason to keep on going. He didn't know if he could be as tough as she was.
When he got to the prison, it was Carol he looked for. Normally he would want to be alone, but he couldn't just yet. What he would say to her, he didn't know, but he just knew instinctively that Carol and Carol alone could provide the comfort he was seeking.
“Hey...” she smiled weakly at him as she observed his mannerisms. He was hurting, she could sense, and she had a sick sense of knowing why.
He didn't say anything. He didn't have to. Carol understood him better than anyone in the prison, and for that he was grateful. There was something about silence that had a calming effect on him, and right now she knew that was what he needed.
He'd been crying. She didn't know exactly why, but she knew that he must trust her an awful lot to let her see him like that. Instinctively she walked over to him and kissed him on the forehead, the way she'd done before, when Sophia was missing.
A single tear fell down his face and he anxiously wiped it away. He hated letting people see him cry. That would make him weak. But that tear turned to another and she pulled him in for an embrace.
He didn't know how to respond. He hated being touched, but with Carol, Daryl felt safe, even in this mad world. After struggling with his emotions for such a long time, he finally broke down. Sophia. Merle. Walkers. Everything came out, and all Carol could do was to hold him and not let go.
Finally he wiped his eyes and then pulled away. He didn't want to make eye contact- she'd seen him at his lowest, and he didn't quite know how to process that.
“Hey. It's me,” Carol whispered.
“Yeah.”
“It's me. I won't tell you that I know how you feel...I always hated when people said that to me. But I will tell you one thing. I care, and I'm here for you.”
He didn't say anything, but he walked away, knowing that someone cared. He wasn't used to it, and it was kind of a strange feeling. He didn't know why she cared, all he knew was that she did. And he didn't hate the thought.
Late at night as his thoughts drifted towards Merle, all he could think of was that he was glad Carol had met his brother. Daryl didn't know why- she knew Carol didn't like Merle. No one did. But for some reason knowing that she knew his brother meant the world to him. Maybe it meant that Merle wouldn't be forgotten. He didn't really know, nor did Daryl really care. The world was a cruel, harsh place, but he knew that his world was just a little better off knowing that at the end of the day, there was a Carol in it. One day he'd thank her for being her. Just not right now.
The end