"It's not like we are never going to see each other again."
Daryl Dixon's own words echoed in his mind, almost like he was saying it again. He pictured Carol's sad smile and eyes full of tears. He missed her, a lot. He hadn't thought of her lately but his thoughts dwelled on her tonight. Perhaps it was because he was alone now. He left the others and found himself retreating home to travel back to America. He was in the woods outside of Paris. He had to leave France soon to get back to Carol.
"I'm allowed to be a little sad." She replied, glaring back at him with a heartbroken expression. "You're my best friend."
Daryl sniffed his nose and made a grunt underneath his breath as he was fixated on the memory of her. He recalled his own words, trying to comfort her. "Come here."
He remembered her head on his shoulder, her body against his. The warmth and care of her touch, her sadness.
He imagined Carol laying beside him in bed, cuddled against him, whispering softly in his ear that she was glad to be here with him, that she loved him. He imagined her soft touch and her lips on his forehead, soothing him to sleep. He imagined trailing his fingers on her back, his other hand grasping hers, gently rubbing his thumb on her palm. He had fantasized Carol's head nestled in his chest, her arms around him, making peaceful breaths. His hand making it to her waist as her breath grew fast in curiosity of his touch.
He stopped himself from going any farther with his imagination. He wouldn't do that to himself or to Carol. He never felt so sure of her until tonight when she was thousands of miles away, across the world. He always knew he loved her but the realization hurt. It stung, bit, like a walker had sunk its teeth into his flesh. She was so far away and he loved her. He regretted what he told her. No, not regretted it. He didn't regret telling her that he loved her. He regretted he didn't tell her when he had the one last chance that he was in love with her.
He imagined their last goodbye differently. The two hugged, then he stared at her lips, looking back up into her soft eyes. "I'm in love with you."
"I am in love with you, too." She smiled and then they clanged to each other, their lips moving in sync. His heart physically ached as he fell asleep, imagining the softness of her skin and her lips on his.
~
"I love you."
Daryl's words echoed in Carol's mind. Tonight all she could think about was their last moment together. She hoped to see him tomorrow after months being apart. She wondered what to say, to do.
After he left, she had thoughts of him. She missed him and because he wasn't there, her thoughts were on overdrive. They were getting harder to control, harder to ignore.
"I love you too."
Tears began to trickle down from grief. She didn't know how he meant to say I love you. She just knew he meant it. She used to make jokes, attempted to flirt with him. She liked him. He was the first to actually show care for her and Sophia. He was a good man but he rejected her, multiple times. It wasn't meant to be and she accepted it, at least she did until he told her he loved her. Now that she heard those words of love and had months without him, it really made her mind a living hell. She wondered if there was a part of him that loved her, how she loved him.
Ever since Sophia's death, she had been so desperate for his companionship, the second he would make a move, she would've embraced him but he never did. He's been her best friend for years.
Now, after thirteen years, he finally could mean something more. No, she thought. He would have kissed her right then and there. She didn't know and she supposed she never would know what he meant by I love you. All she knew, was she had to find him and make sure he was safe.
