Matchmaking

(hey guys, quick note that this is a Bethyl AU in Carol's POV (as a friend of both Daryl and Beth). I got a request for a ficlet of Carol as a matchmaker, and I personally really like Carol and her friendship with Daryl, but if you don't, this might not be the fic for you! Just a heads up before you read, since I've come to learn that certain people are sensitive to this sort of thing... And if you're like me and really enjoy Carol and her brotp with Daryl, I hope you enjoy this one)

...

"You really just have to get out there again, I don't know what else to tell you. And Daryl is a really wonderful guy, I promise."

Carol was sitting on a bench with Beth Greene, who had just bitten into a sandwich. They were on a field trip – or, Sophia was, and Carol had volunteered to be one of the parent chaperones for the trip. Beth was her daughter's teacher, and the two had struck up an easy-going friendship over the past few months, often meeting to get lunch and hang out over coffee. Beth was slowly becoming one of Carol's best friends. She was just so sweet and caring.

Currently, they were sitting in the courtyard of a museum with the rest of Sophia's class and a few other parents. It was lunch-time, and the kids were all chattering to each other happily in the sunny daylight. Carol smiled when she noticed her daughter handing half of her sandwich to a friend who clearly had forgotten to bring a lunch.

Beth chewed pensively for a minute. "You're right," she said. "I know you are, it's just so hard to meet decent guys nowadays."

Carol let out a tinkering laugh. "You're telling me."

"Well," Beth responded, "if Daryl's so great, why don't you date him?"

"Oh, God no," Carol replied, crinkling her nose, "that'd be like dating my brother."

Beth laughed. "Fair enough, maybe I'll give him a try…"

"I'm sure you two would like each other," Carol added nonchalantly, "he thinks you're real pretty…"

"What?!"

Carol realized her mistake. Oops.

Daryl had joined her a few times in the past when she drove to pick up Sophia from school. Her daughter loved Uncle Daryl, so he sometimes liked to surprise her at school. One of the first times he had ever come with her to pick up Sophia, Ms. Greene had been standing outside with some of the children who were waiting to be picked up.

Carol had been telling Daryl a particularly funny joke that she'd made up, and when he didn't laugh, she realized he hadn't been paying attention. He was too busy staring shamelessly at the pretty blonde teacher.

"Like what you see?" Carol had asked him in a wry voice, poking his shoulder. Daryl never stared at women – this was new.

"Hmm?" He'd responded, turning to look at her. Then he'd turned tomato red and looked at his feet. "Shut up."

"She's my friend you know," Carol said, "we could go talk to her for a minut—"

"No, oh man, please no."

Carol had laughed. Her best friend was a lot of things, but confident wasn't one of them. They'd have to work on that.

He'd opted to come with her to pick up Sophia a lot more often after that day, though. And Carol often found him looking around for Beth when he thought she couldn't see.

"I'm sorry but, how can he think I'm pretty?" Beth's voice brought Carol back to the moment. "I've never met him – unless – oh my god, Carol you haven't shown him pictures of me or anything have you? How long have you been planning to set us up, you devious minx?"

Carol smiled sheepishly.

"I wasn't supposed to tell you that," she said with a grin at her friend. "So when you meet him, don't mention I said anything."

Beth had her face in her hands, and it was bright red. She groaned. "Fine, I'll meet him. Can I at least see a picture of him or something? It's only fair."

Carol pulled out her phone and searched through her photos before finding a nice one of Daryl carrying Sophia on his shoulders. She passed it to Beth. Beth's mouth fell open.

"How is it," Beth said slowly, "that in this past 30 minutes of conversation, you failed to mention how attractive he is?" Beth looked around and leaned closer to Carol, lowering her voice to a whisper. "He's so hot! How is he single?!"

Carol smiled – things were looking up. "He's a little shy," she responded lightly. "And a little rough around the edges. But Daryl's a good guy, I've known him since we were kids."

Beth looked back down at the picture and smiled. "Sophia loves him, huh?"

Carol nodded.

"Well if he's good enough for Sophia, he must be pretty great." Beth took a deep breath and looked Carol in the eye. "I'll meet him if he wants to go out some time…you can tell him that, or give him my number."

….

"Ya did WHAT?"

Daryl Dixon was pacing back and forth across their living room in a panic. Six months ago, after Carol finally left her abusive, asshole of a husband, Daryl had offered up Merle's huge, empty room as a place for her and Sophia to stay. They were in the process now of looking for a place of their own, but Daryl was happy to let them stay as long as they needed to.

"I told Beth Greene that you two should go out and she said yes."

Daryl spluttered. Then he stopped walking, opened his mouth, thought better of it, closed it again, and kept walking around, shaking his head.

"Here," Carol said calmly, "I wrote her number down for you. So you can call her."

Daryl stared at the paper in her hand like it was a dog waiting to bite him. He inched forward slowly. Carol shook her hand in encouragement. He let out a huff and took it.

"Y'know I'm no good with women, Carol."

"You'll be good with this one," she responded with a smile. She really did think her two friends would hit it off – they were both gentle and loving people. She couldn't think of a better match. That, and she just loved to play matchmaker. It was the romantic in her.

"Are you gonna marry Miss Greene?"

Sophia was suddenly in the room, her cheeks pink. She had clearly been eavesdropping. Carol let out a bark of laughter as Sophia walked further into the room.

Daryl whirled around in surprise.

"What? Oh, hey Soph…no I'm just gonna go to dinner with her is all."

"Aha!" Carol said, pumping a fist in the air, "so you are asking her out! I knew you weren't a coward, Daryl Dixon. I'm proud of you, Pookie."

She was teasing him, and he knew it. He gave her a small grin. "Yeah, why the hell not."

Sophia piped up again:

"Miss Greene is my favorite teacher ever. She's nice, and she sings us songs on the guitar when we're good. And she always remembers my birthday."

"Oh yeah?" Daryl responded, crouching down so that he was eye to eye with the girl, "What about me, huh? I always remember your birthday too."

"Yeah, but she sings me happy birthday in front of the whole class, and let's me do roll call."

"Alright little miss hard-to-please," Daryl said with a grin – he grabbed Sophia by the waist and hoisted her over his shoulder, tickling her side to make her laugh. She wiggled around and screamed happily. "Let's go give your favorite teacher a call."

And he carted Sophia out to the porch with him, pulling out his phone in the process.

A few minutes later, Sophia ran back inside for a snack, but Carol could hear Daryl speaking in a low voice to someone on the phone. She smiled to herself. Her plan was working.

Later, when he came back inside, she raised her eyebrows at him questioningly.

"Not that it's any of your business," Daryl teased her with a grin, "but I'm meetin' Ms. Greene for drinks tonight. And if it all goes wrong, you're the one I'm gonna blame."

Carol was delighted.

"It'll be great. She'll love you."

…..

That night, Carol decided to stay up later than usual and wait for Daryl to get home. She wanted to hear all about his night. Sophia had helped Daryl pick out something to wear, and then fell promptly asleep as soon as he'd gone. Carol made her way back out to the living room, poured herself a glass of wine, and settled down with a good Kurt Vonnegut book.

At around midnight, she heard the keys turning in the lock, and sat up excitedly. Daryl's footsteps grew louder as he walked into the room and ruffled his hair. He was smiling to himself. He noticed Carol.

"Oh hey, figured you'd be asleep."

"I wanted to hear about your date," she replied with an excited grin.

His eyes were wide and he gave her one of the biggest grins she'd ever seen.

"Beth Greene is perfect."

Carol cheered quietly. Then she waved her hand at him. "Aaand?"

"Aaand," Daryl replied with another grin, "I'm meetin' her tomorrow for dinner an' a movie. And I'm real excited about it."

Daryl Dixon didn't share his feelings often. Carol was beside herself with glee. She'd been trying to find someone for him for years.

"Does this make me your wingman?" She asked him with a snicker.

"Makes you the best wingman ever," he replied, giving her a high five when she reached out her hand for one. "I'm goin' to bed."

"I wanna hear all about it tomorrow!" Carol called after him as he ruffled his hair again and shuffled down the hallway to his own room.

"Yeah yeah," he said, before closing his door.

Carol closed her book and moved to stand up – it was time for her to try and get some sleep too. Suddenly, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out curiously.

It read:

12:14 am, Beth G. {OH MY GOD YOU WERE RIGHT, HE'S SO FUNNY!}

12:14 am, Beth G. {AND SWEET!}

12:15 am, Beth G. {and awkward in the most adorable way}

12:15 am, Beth G. {we have a date tomorrow and I'm so excited I can't sleep, what should I wear?}

12:16 am, Beth G. {OOPS is that the time? I'll call u tomorrow!}

12:16 am, Beth G. {Thanks :D}

12:17 am, Beth G. {IOU big time! Lunch on me, name the day!}

Carol sent back a quick "can't wait to hear about it tomorrow" message and then turned her phone off. She was so proud of herself.

Hell, now she could hang out with two of her favorite people at the same time. It was a win-win-win.