The Friend Zone

Fading

Carol's POV

I'm in Alexandria. Everyone is here. Rick, Carl, Michonne, Glenn, Maggie and Daryl. We don't have our weapons though. We are sitting around a campfire laughing and singing. We don't do this. I look around and find Daryl. He's laughing with Rick. He looks so peaceful and young.

Our eyes meet and the scenery changes. The fire fades and so does everyone else. He gives me his secret smile and then he looks down and I see fear flash across his face. I look down and I touch my stomach and when I lift my hands they have blood on them. I look up to see Daryl running towards me and I reach for him but its to late.

He fades too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"No, god please no. Carol stay with me. Damn it." I hear someone talking but I can't make out the voice. I try to open my eyes and move but I can't. I try to speak but nothing comes out. I'm paralyzed.

I feel the darkness pulling me back under and I let it. Not having the strength to stay in the light.

"Carol? Carol!?" I hear someone scream. I try telling them I'm here and I'm alive but it doesn't work. I drift back to darkness.

"When is she gonna wake up?!" I hear someone scream. The voice sounds familiar. I soon realize who it is.

It's Daryl.

"We aren't sure. She was shot. Give her time." I can't make out the voice.

"It's been two days! She has had time! Do something, anything! What if she..." Oh no Daryl. I want to jump up and hug him and tell him I'm fine. But I can't.

I hear the door shut and someone's feet walking around to the side of me.

"Please, Carol. Wake up. I need you. Don't leave me." I feel the brush of someone's lips on mine and with that, I drift back to darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My eyes fly open and I have to blink a few times to get used to the light. I'm in a bed. I look down and find myself in a hospital robe and I feel the bandages on the side of my hip. When I breath it hurts.

I search the room and see I'm in one of the houses at Alexandria. My eyes find Daryl sitting in a chair asleep. He looks so peaceful. He has bags under his eyes and looks like he hasn't slept for days. Which he probably hasn't. I don't want to wake him. But I have to pee.

I try to get up but I can't. It hurts. After another attempt I succeed. I sit up on the bed and stand up. I have to hold on to the wall for support. I silently walk over to the door holding on to the wall for support and exit the room.

I head to the bathroom and sit on the toilet longer than necessary. When I'm done, I get up and look at myself in the mirror. I look awful. I have bags under my eyes and look like I've just died and came back. I wash my face and leave the bathroom.

When I get back to the bedroom I find that Daryl is still asleep. I walk over to Daryl and sit next to him. I touch his face and then I remember what happened when I woke up before.

He kissed me.

It was an odd feeling. Good, yes, but odd. Maybe it was a friendly kiss. I don't know why he did it though. And didn't that guy from Terminus mention something about love? My mind goes to the Terminus guy and fear runs through me. Is he still alive? What happened?

I try to push it out of my mind and start stroking Daryl's face. He wakes up with his hair tousled and looking really young. When he sees that it's me he bolts upright and stares at me in disbelief.

"Carol! When did you wake up? How are you? Are you okay? Are you hurting?" I almost feel the panic in his voice.

"Daryl, I'm fine. Just a little sore. What happened? Is the Terminus guy alive?" Panic and rage fill up inside me. I want him alive. He needs to pay for what he did. I want to torture him the way he did me. Daryl seems to see my fury and starts stroking my face.

"Carol, calm down. He's gone. I finished the bastard." Somehow since he is stroking my face it calms me. I feel a little better.

"Did you get hurt? What happened to me?" I see fury bubble to the surface of his skin. Oh crap. I shouldn't have said that. He can be a little over protective sometimes.

"The son of a bitch cut your wrists. Bled you out slowly. Tortured you. And shot you. I'm just glad that your safe now." He hugs me tighter. I feel his warmth and feel safe in his arms.

"What happened while I was out?" He gives me a sort of embarrased and uncomfortable expression.

"Um, nothing much. Rick came and so did about everyone else. We went hunting. Killed a few walkers. That's about it. We all mostly worried about you. Some more than others." I think he meant to mumble that last part but I'm not sure. We sit there in silence. Tension grows in the room that I've never had with him before. It's like were being drawn to eachother. Like we shouldn't leave eachothers side again.

After a while, I start feeling better and stand up.

"Woah, what the hell are you doing?"

I extend my hand for him to take it.

"Come on, It's time for your bath."