Summary: As the dust settles after the battle of the Commonwealth, Carol and Daryl stand in the ruins of their fractured bond. Their wounds, aching to be healed. Their scars, waiting to be discovered. A storm of unspoken words and feelings swirling around them. The chasm between them – wider than it’s ever been before.
Will they find each other before the world pushes them apart again?
Rated: E
Categories: Season 11,
Post-Series,
FamilyCharacters: Carol Peletier,
Daryl Dixon,
Judith Grimes,
Lydia,
Maggie Greene Rhee
Genres: Angst,
Drama,
Fluffy/Comedy,
Hurt/Comfort,
RomanceWarnings: Adult Language,
Domestic Abuse (Implied),
Torture,
Violence
Series: None
Chapters: 4
Completed: No
Word count: 15691
Read: 1271
Published: July 15, 2023
Updated: September 03, 2023
Print or Download Story: 
Story Notes:
Saudade (Portuguese): Saudade is a melancholic or profoundly nostalgic longing for something or someone that is gone.
Portuguese writer Manuel de Melo defines it as "a pleasure you suffer, an ailment you enjoy."
Cross posted to AO3
The story title is based on Angela Kang's script annotations for 9x01. This is my honest attempt at bridging the gap between the battle of the Commonwealth and the moment Daryl rides out. This will hug canon as tightly as possible without losing the integrity of the characters involved. It’s my way of filling in the much-needed gaps. There will be angsty, wholesome, sugary Caryl moments (with a dollop of spice in the later chapters), but this fic is a tease and doesn't have smut for now (eeeh IDK might change my mind, but I’ll update the notes if I do).
The story is rated E because of graphic depictions of violence / PTSD/ past mentions of domestic and sexual abuse. The pairing is Caryl but with mentions of past relationships (I’ll add fic notes on the chapters that are heavy-handed) There are so many characters. I might add more as time goes on, but so far I'm only adding ones that have dialogue or have been mentioned in the story.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. I really appreciate it.
Dedicating this story to MY-MT-HEART on Tumblr. Thanks for shoving me down the Caryl fanfic rabbit hole.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
I may not own any of the characters or overarching storyline here, but like Carol with any children in her care – I love them like my own and try to do right by them every step along the way.
1. Chapter 1 by Raysoflight [Reviews - 14] 
(2252 words)
This is my first time writing a multi-chapter Caryl fanfic. But I'm excited to write this and have you on this journey with me.
2. Chapter 2 by Raysoflight [Reviews - 8] (3624 words)
I apologize for starting with a boring chapter. But we had literally nothing to go on when the finale time jump happened. Even though I'm not getting paid to write this, I have to tie up the loose ends for my sanity. But once some burning questions are answered, I promise we will move on to more Caryl-y stuff.
It will be more angsty and sad before we get to the fluffier stuff. Remember that we never got to see them work through their traumas (and deal with their feelings about their foils). I'll address it all, and it may get a bit uncomfortable - but rest assured that the only ship here is and always will be Caryl. Things may seem sad for them now, but they're dealing with growing pains, and they have a future.
3. Chapter 3 by Raysoflight [Reviews - 7] (5545 words)
Thanks for waiting! I was out of town for a while, so this update took longer. This chapter may feel a bit heavy because Caryl are still feeling pretty raw. Thanks for hanging on.
4. Chapter 4 by Raysoflight [Reviews - 7] (4270 words)
Mentions of Leah and the Reapers in Carol's second POV. It goes over some things from the Reaper arc and I added Carol’s response to them. If Leah or mentions of her brief (toxic) bond with Daryl is a trigger for you then maybe skip this one. I'll summarize Carol’s second POV section in the end notes. ♥?
