The Caryl muses are back.

And so is my love of jealous!Daryl ;)

Hope you enjoy this little confrontational moment between our babies, and as always, I disclaim all!

Daryl came back two days after Rick had told her he was gone for good, his older brother in hand.

He and Rick greeted each other with relieved hand-shaking before all Hell broke loose over Merle's presence.

Carol chose to simply hover on the outskirts of the debate, as Daryl stepped forward to speak for Merle and accept Rick's terms for letting them stay. She knew Daryl couldn't abandon his brother.

But it made her no less wary that he was there.

So she kept her opinions to herself, let Rick and Hershel make the calls. She was content to let Hershel whisper words of wisdom in Rick's ear, considering the mentally exhausted state their leader had been in since his return from Woodbury.

Carol herself had taken to checking in on Rick regularly, offering him her ear, keeping Judith happy and quiet, even reaching out from time to time to lay a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Because she knew, were their roles reversed, he would do the same for her.

And he had, when she'd nearly broken down at the loss of Daryl.

For the next day or so after the brothers' return she kept to those duties, focusing more on Judith and Beth and occasionally Rick than anything else, attempting to give Daryl his space and let him guide Merle in the ways of the group.

Not that she truly put much faith in Merle to behave himself, but it wasn't up to her to tell Daryl that his brother was a lost cause.

And there was always the tiny miraculous possibility that Merle would surprise them all.

So it was a bit unexpected when, nearly two days after his return, Daryl quietly detoured from his constant position behind Merle's back to blatantly follow her up the stairwell as she went to retrieve some of his dirtied clothes from the cell he and Merle were currently sharing.

His shadow filled the room and Carol could see his eyes crease and smolder slightly, confusion and frustration simmering in them.

She set down the bundle of old, torn shirts and folded her arms, offering him a small smile of greeting.

"Was just coming to get some clothes to wash."

She knew an invasion of his privacy wasn't the reason for his sudden attention, but he nodded at her all the same.

Reached out to lay a hand against the open cell gate, leaning against it restlessly.

"You been avoidin' me?"

His voice was gruff, laced with stress and thick with disappointment. Carol frowned for a moment before tilting her head at him and smiling again.

"No, I just thought you might need some time to yourself. Get Merle situated-"

"He ain't a kid, and he's got more living experience in a prison than any of us, save Axel maybe." He snapped slighty, and she caught it. Simply blinked at him and he shifted uncomfortably, moving to cross his own arms.

"Just….you ain't even bothered to say 'hey'. Thought you might be miffed about me leavin'."

She chuckled. He tensed and frowned at her.

"Well, I wasn't exactly thrilled, but—"

"I thought you'd understand."

"I did. I do."

She didn't move when Daryl took a step forward into the cell, shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head.

"You ain't acting like it."

But she did. She did understand. And she knew he knew she did.

"Daryl, Merle is your brother. Your family. But we're your family too. And you came back to us. I know this isn't easy, with everything that happened between Rick and Merle back in Atlanta. But we're glad to have you back. Rick needed you—"

"From the looks of it he don't. You two been pretty cozy since I got back."

Ah.

"I'm not the only one who was upset that you left, Daryl. And Rick's been dealing with a lot in the past few days."

Carol pursed her lips when Daryl looked away from her, eyes settling on the pile of clothes she'd set on the bunk next to them.

When he said nothing she stepped closer to him, smiling despite his foul mood.

"Don't make this about Rick."

She watched as he blinked and jerked his head at her, squinting nervously.

"What?"

He froze under her touch when she reached out without warning to wrap her arms around his neck, forcing his own to uncross and come darting out to hover around her middle.

"I missed you. I understand why you left. But I missed you. And I'm glad you're back."

For a long moment they didn't move, and Carol relished his willingness to hug her. He breathed shallow against her hair, hands just barely settled against her back.

She felt him relax just the smallest bit and then:

"So that's what you been so ornery about this whole time? Damn, you coulda just told me you need a minute to cop a feel, little brother!" Merle's cackle echoed to their ears from the bay below, and like a man struck by lightning Daryl jerked away from her, a snarl on his lips and a growl in his voice:

"He's such an ass. Just ignore him…"

He met her eyes and she saw them soften. She smiled when he grinned slightly.

"I intend to."