Carol wasn't, unfortunately, at her most observant or considerate during their time on the farm. Daryl's efforts toward Sophia made her radar but little else about him, at the time. She's made a few assumptions since about the kind of life Daryl led, thought about why he's so hesitant to be close to people in whatever way (and for the same reason she never played the 'what did Daryl do before the world went to hell' game). For all she understands and accepts Daryl, there's a lot she doesn't know and sees no need to, unless he chooses to discuss it.
By the same token, Carol never expected anyone to save her from Ed, or blamed anyone for failing to. She could have done it herself, she knows that now; her life was threatened every day before the dead rose if not in exactly the same ways as after. It's not that she used to be weak, it's that she used to be afraid. That's part of why she is hesitant, still, to ask for Sophia's picture.
What Daryl did, and she wonders if she could ever articulate it properly, has nothing to do with whether he succeeded or failed in bringing Sophia home safe and everything to do with the hope he offered. While everyone else was either politely ignoring Carol's breakdown or actively lobbying to consider Sophia a lost cause, Daryl bothered to bring her a flower and a story. Two small things, seemingly meaningless when you look only at the outcome, but at the time it kept her going one more day. That was everything, because when the dust settled and there was no more Sophia to search for, it was knowing that there was still someone in the world to give a damn about (because he gave a damn about her on some level) that kept her wanting to bother at all. Rick searched and Shane beat up Ed and Lori tried in her way, but none of them came to Carol and tried to tell her it would be okay.
That's why she calls him a good man, always will. And here he is doing it again, thinking of everyone as a whole and what they need when he could be thinking about frivolous things like movies.
"The group is lucky to have you." She gently squeezes his shoulder. "I'm lucky to have you."
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By the same token, Carol never expected anyone to save her from Ed, or blamed anyone for failing to. She could have done it herself, she knows that now; her life was threatened every day before the dead rose if not in exactly the same ways as after. It's not that she used to be weak, it's that she used to be afraid. That's part of why she is hesitant, still, to ask for Sophia's picture.
What Daryl did, and she wonders if she could ever articulate it properly, has nothing to do with whether he succeeded or failed in bringing Sophia home safe and everything to do with the hope he offered. While everyone else was either politely ignoring Carol's breakdown or actively lobbying to consider Sophia a lost cause, Daryl bothered to bring her a flower and a story. Two small things, seemingly meaningless when you look only at the outcome, but at the time it kept her going one more day. That was everything, because when the dust settled and there was no more Sophia to search for, it was knowing that there was still someone in the world to give a damn about (because he gave a damn about her on some level) that kept her wanting to bother at all. Rick searched and Shane beat up Ed and Lori tried in her way, but none of them came to Carol and tried to tell her it would be okay.
That's why she calls him a good man, always will. And here he is doing it again, thinking of everyone as a whole and what they need when he could be thinking about frivolous things like movies.
"The group is lucky to have you." She gently squeezes his shoulder. "I'm lucky to have you."