A/N this takes place a year or so after the AOW. They found their home back at Carol's old cabin. This sets the scene. Carol and Daryl are runners together and they agreed to work together. This sets in the creepy house but we'll see the other communities.

I hope to write 9 or 10 chapters for this series.

There were changes to be made on both sides.

For Daryl, it's mostly to settle -it was hard for him to stay still, he would miss the freedom of being free to travel. He made an agreement to settle after the war was over. Nothing felt at home. They agreed when they found the old cabin still standing that it was the only place for them.

For Carol, it was all hormonal, her brain hurt more. She hadn't felt a terrible migraine in years, another sign of her changing. Likely, there was more blood flowing to it. Her heart rate went up something else she hadn't expected. Why would she, being middle aged she assumed to not worry about a baby? She hadn't had a cycle in months, she read it now, and it could take up to two years before it's over. The hot and cold flashes were the first signs of the change. She knew very little about these menopausal changes, so she found books regarding these changes. So far, everything fit, the mood swings, the hot and cold sweats. Night sweats. Hell, she even noticed how Daryl said nothing and would scoot over in the bed when they were asleep. She'd kicked off all covers, only within seconds she felt her body shiver – so she pulled the covers up half way to find that balance.

Here she was, worrying about it. She had figured it out a few weeks ago when she noticed the small changes in her breasts. Her damn bras wouldn't fit plus the nipples were sore, tender and honestly fucking bigger and redder in colour.

She wasn't bigger around the midsection more like fuller; all the feelings with Sophia came back. Only she remembered it when Daryl mentioned how different she felt after their night of lovemaking.

Sex was different. Her nipples are overly sensitive to being touch and when anything came across them, they hurt. She avoided his hands, pushed them away or moved so she could handle his fingers on them. He didn't notice it at first until he had to ask. "Tell me what I am doing wrong

She sat up in the bed they shared throwing her shirt back on. The back of her hand rubbed tears away. "There is something wrong and I'm not sure what it is?" She choked back on her tears.

Daryl's old habits returned as his bottom lip quivered as he chewed it. He stood up and found his shorts and shirt slipped them on. He spoke in a light whisper. "You gotta tell me."

Daryl found a half used pack of smokes and lit one and he offered it to her but she declined.

She turned and faced him unable to control the steady streams of tears, "I thought I was menopausal. I haven't had a cycle in months. It started with a missed cycle here and there. I thought nothing of it, and we've never used protection. Now I just don't know what it is."

"Mmmhm." He made that sound as to carry on.

"Daryl, what if I am expecting?"

He glanced at her warily through the thin smoke that swirled past his face. Her dark blue eyes spilled over with tears. Daryl sat down on the edge of their bed right next to her and took her hand in his. Carol's fingers stopped trembling as his thumb rubbed soft circles around her hand. He removed his half smoked a cig and put it out in the ashtray. "Best then, for us to really know? Got one of them pee tests?"

She had thought of it on their last run together he took her to the local pharmacy that wasn't touched by any group. Which had toilet paper (it just so happened it was high on their list to find) and the feminine hygiene aisle had a lot of things women really ought to have: pads to tampons, these things were like gold to the trading market.

Carol did find a few unopened boxes of pregnancy tests and threw them in her private stash for those just in case days. Maybe, in the back of her mind, she knew she'd use one or two.

His eyes held her gaze. He could at times read her mind when she went silent or maybe thinking. He could hear her thoughts. "Yes?"

She nodded. Pulled her hand away from his, and reached for a small plastic bin from out under the bed. It held a gun, a round of ammo and additional matches with a few other odds and ends. Plus the box that he only could guess as a pee test, she held it in place and uttered a few words, "And what if I am?"

He was out on the front porch to smoke and welcomed the soft warm breeze to cool off his perspiring skin. He always perspired it was a Dixon trait. His dad did, Merle too, men just seemed to sweat more on his dad's side of the family. Soon though the hot summer nights will turn into cool winter and he would enjoy those nights more with less sweat and he was grateful for it. Which meant he'd had to get to work: cutting wood, hunting, collecting garments, food supplies, house supplies and whatever Carol needed.

When did he become so domesticated?

Daryl paced he pulled out the half smoked cig and lit it up. He hadn't ever expected this. It's not that Daryl didn't want to be a father. He just didn't think he'd ever fall in love with anyone and being a dad was the last thing he thought he'd be. Even during his half-drunk moments he always remembered the condom. He didn't want to give or catch anything, never mind a kid.

He dragged on the smoke half wished it was something stronger or better, but it would have to do. He let it slowly escape his nostrils when he heard Carol stood next to him.

"Now, we wait."

"How long?" He drawled.

"I haven't done one of these in years," she laughed. "About ten whole minutes"

He normally didn't ask or want to pry in her past but he had to know, "You had taken a pee test with Sophia?"

"Yes, you dork," she let out a soft chuckle. "Yes, of course, that's how it's done."

"Stop." He went deep red. "Ya know what I meant."

He moved behind her as he did he pulled Carol into his warmth. One thing he noticed with her changes her body heat was warmer. She closed her eyes as his fingers brushed through her hair, a habit he truly loved to do. She talked quietly, "Sophia wasn't my first pregnancy."

He heard bits and pieces of her past, the parts he loved hearing about Sophia. But the other things, what Ed did to her, set his teeth on edge. He would have to hear it, he knew that but he still didn't like to hear how she had sex with that man.

"Did you lose the baby?"

He felt her stiffen up at the question. Stupid fucking asshole, Daryl thought to himself. He wished he take that question back but Carol answered him, "Yes, I miscarried. It took me a long time to have Sophia"

Daryl felt her cry into his chest and pulled away from her. "None of that, we're in this together."

"I'm frightened, Daryl."

Just then the buzzer of the egg timer went off. It was now or never.

She held up the two tests for him to see: Pregnant 7-8 weeks.

Fear was written on his face. She nodded in a silent agreement. He tilted her chin up his fingers brushed the bottom lip as he did and he lowered his lips to hers to remind her how much he loved her. He knew from this point on how he wanted to work it out. Out of everyone he's ever met he knew one thing; Carol deserved the best and that included him.

Changes that he could make would be just for her!