It's Not Living Without You (Desus)

Chapter Nineteen

Note: The song for this chapter is "Broken" by Jack Johnson

The rain pounded against the kitchen windows. It was late.

Jesus was sound asleep on the couch, and Daryl sat at the kitchen table. He chewed his lip as he thought, staring out the window. The rain had always relaxed him.

There was a knock at the front door, startling him from his thoughts.

He glanced at the kitchen clock. It was past Midnight.

Who would be stopping by at this hour?

He glanced anxiously at Jesus, but he continued snoring peacefully.

Daryl let out a small sigh of relief, and got up to answer the door.

Carol stood at his doorstep, soaking wet, her wet hair plastered against her face.

"Are you gonna let me in?" She asked, as Daryl stood in the door frame, staring at her.

He quickly moved out of the way, and Carol entered.

"You're back." He stated.

Carol simply nodded.

She glanced at Jesus, snoring on the couch, and smirked.

Daryl sighed.

"Lemmie get you something dry to wear." He muttered, not wanting to talk about Jesus at the moment.

A few minutes later, Carol and Daryl sat at the kitchen table, both with mugs of hot chocolate in front of them.

Carol had insisted they both drink a mug.

Daryl was glad to see her again, even if she had only been gone a few days. He knew she could take care of herself, but he still worried about her.

"Why'd you go back to The Kingdom?" He asked.

Carol fiddled with her mug.

"Well, that's what I came here to talk to you about..."

She looked kind of anxious, and Daryl raised an eyebrow, urging her to continue.

"Ezekiel asked me to marry him." Carol blurted.

Daryl felt his eyes widen in surprise. After all, Carol had not known Ezekiel all that long.

"And?" He asked.

She looked down at her hands.

"I don't know. I don't know what to do, Daryl. I think I might feel trapped in a marriage. Besides, what does marriage even mean anymore?"

Daryl thought for a minute.

"I think marriage means a hell of a lot more then it used to." He finally said.

Carol looked at him curiously.

"How do you figure?"

"Well. There's the whole 'for better or for worse' and I think we've hit the 'for worse'. I think that getting married now means that you'll stick with someone through all this shit, that you'll fight beside them. It's a hell of a commitment."

Daryl looked at his hands, feeling slightkly awkward.

Carol laughed for a minute, and Daryl felt his face heat up.

"What?" He asked, feeling kind of stupid.

"Nothing." Carol responded. "I just never thought I'd hear you say something like that."

She nodded towards Jesus.

"What's happening with him?"

Daryl put his head in his hands, groaning.