Chapter Thirteen: Epilogue

Disclaimer: The Walking Dead belongs to Robert Kirkman and AMC. I just wrote this for fun with no copyright infringement intended.

Author's note: so this is the last chapter now. I'm fully aware that its become a bit flufftastic, but really – who doesn't need a bit of fluff in their life?

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"What made you change your mind?" Andrea's voice sounded husky against Daryl's bare skin.

"Change my mind 'bout what?" He sounded sleepy.

"About this. Us."

He shifted his weight and his body, taking care that he didn't jostle her too much. "Thought 'bout what you said." His voice was absorbed by most of her hair, which was damp at the ends with sweat. "Realised I'd never had so much fun arguing with someone as I had with you. Figured that since we both liked to argue and we're stubborn like mules, might as well do it together."

"Coming from you, that's positively romantic."

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Carl Grimes was by nature an inquisitive kid. Call it temperament, poor parenting, lack of stimulus – whatever. He liked to listen and watch and his parents had never bothered to call him on it.

Which was how he found himself outside Daryl Dixon's tent as the sun rose.

Carl didn't mean to peer, he really didn't. But once he did, he couldn't stop. And he wasn't stupid: he'd heard the way the others talked about Daryl and Andrea, had seen the way they looked at each other since they came out of the forest. Even so, he didn't plan on spying on them. It just worked out that way. And Daryl's tent had a clear plastic window that was just in line with his eyes, so it was like the tent was encouraging Carl's behaviour.

He didn't think anything of it, at first glance: Daryl was asleep, and that was cool. Even Daryl Dixon needed rest.

Carl just didn't realise that he wasn't alone.

Andrea was in there with him.

They were naked; that much Carl could tell. Their clothes were all over the tent, like they'd taken them off in a hurry, and their legs were bare and there were four of them, even though Carl couldn't tell whose were Andrea's and whose were Daryl's until he looked real hard and saw that Andrea's feet were a lot smaller than Daryl's and curled beneath his, like his feet were protecting hers. Their top halves were naked too, although Andrea was laying half-on top of Daryl and his arms hid everything else. Andrea had this pretty smile on her face, even though she was asleep. Daryl looked scary, but he always looked scary. This time though … it was like the anger had gone from his face.

Carl ran back to the RV where he found his mom washing dishes.

"Mom!" Carl exclaimed as he ran towards Lori. "I saw Daryl and Andrea in Daryl's tent! They were asleep!"

A smile that Carl didn't understand twitched around Lori's mouth. "Well it's okay to fall asleep, honey." She joked. "Even for Daryl."

"But they were in bed!" Carl insisted. "They were naked!"

"Now, Carl!" Lori scolded. "You know you shouldn't say stuff like that, and you shouldn't be looking through other people's windows!"

Carl didn't get it – why was he being scolded for telling the truth? "But mom – I know what I saw!"

FIN.