Couldn't help but write another Caryl story. Don't know how long this one will be. Feel free to review :)
Carol felt Ed's demanding hand on her shoulder shoving her through the airport which seemed to be like a ghost town, it was five in the morning and apparently not a lot of people flew in at this time.
Sophia was gripping her hand with her own sweaty one looking up at her for guidance whimpering a quiet cry every time Ed would touch her.
She smiled shakily giving her hand a squeeze while Ed barrelled forward through a door that was held open for him by some overly ambitious blonde. He looked over his shoulder at her grinned at his achievement walking through the door with her, his eyes travelling the length of her body.
All she could think was god help her.
It was only Sophia and another man left as they reached the door, they stepped through and she scrambled forward, went to pull the door open but it didn't budge. She gripped it tighter pulling with as much strength she had but still nothing. She was growing flustered quickly embarrassed by her lack of usefulness, she couldn't even open a door.
"Do ye want me to try?" his gruff southern voice startled her as she felt sweat trickle down her brow.
She tugged at the handle again, "Everyone else can manage to open a door, why can't I." she was mostly talking to herself and thankfully he didn't answer her.
She felt her muscles begin to tire at her constant jerking, and pulling of her shoulders as she all but tried to yank the door off its hinges.
She let out a frustrated breath her shoulders heavy from tiredness, "Momma maybe you should let the man try?"
Sophia peered up with her big blue eyes making her see she was being stupid, she should've just accepted his help. "Can you try?" she looked back at him barely looking at his eyes.
He nodded grunting some response, she stepped back bringing Sophia with her. Now he would saunter up barely touch the handle and like excalabor it would magically allow him to open it.
"It ain't you. It's a small airport they must've locked it from inside or the system had some sort of a freak out. Ain't exactly an expert but nothin we can do." He didn't look at her through his brown bangs of hair that fell over his face like some sort of shelter.
Shifting from foot to foot he moved further away from them gnawing on his fingernails like they were a huge interest. Respecting his need to be alone she moved them further away, "Okay we might be stuck here for a bit but someone we'll come get us, okay?"
"We're separated from Dad."
"Yes." Her stomach churned at the thought of him.
"That's good. You'll be safe for a while."
A sob almost left her lips before she caught it, hugging her tightly against her chest, her heart felt like it took a beating every time she would look at her with that hopeless look she was starting to carry on her shoulders.
She didn't want her to end up like her. A scared little mouse fleeting from side to side like she didn't know what she was running from or where she was going.
"Go to sleep." She whispered kissing the top of her head.
Sophia crept towards the ground holding her doll she always kept with her closer but not before exchanging a worrying glance at the man in the room with them.
He had a hard, steely look across his face, almost scowling as he leaned back against the wall but it didn't appear to have anything to do with them. He wasn't even looking their direction.
"It's okay. He's fine sweetie, go to sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up." She kissed her lightly on the forehead as Sophia's lids started to get heavier.
"She want my jacket?"
Her head shot up surprised at hearing his voice again, "To throw over her."
"You need it."
"Ain't need it. Living out in the woods for weeks on end with just the shirt on my back, reckon I'll be okay." For reasoning she didn't understand he blushed slightly when she caught eyes with him, unnerved by his own gesture.
"Just your shirt? How inconvenient."
He stared at her for a while, studying to see if she was joking and she was surprised by her own boldness as a small chuckle burst from her mouth.
"Stop…ye know what I meant."
He waved the jacket at her face like he was waiting for some bull to come and charge them, careful not to touch him she took the jacket laying it over Sophia's small form that was curled up sleeping.
"Thank you…."
"Daryl. Ain't nothing."
"Carol. Wanna sit with us? We're the only three in here be stupid to ignore you the whole time."
He nodded dropping to the ground with little grace, he leaned back so only his two hands were propping him up, his legs sprawled out in front of him.
Didn't take long to get comfortable she noticed. She scolded herself for noticing the muscles staring at her on his tanned arms that were toying with her.
Thinking he might somehow know she ducked her head down playing with the bits of fabric on her shirt, "What?" his tone was abrupt but not in the same way Ed's usually was.
"Just you don't have any sleeves."
"So…"
"These look like they've been just ripped off."
He eyed her like she'd grown two heads, shrugging his shoulders all he could offer was, "Like them better this way."
"So where did you come back from?"
She didn't know whether she had any right to ask him, she never had any right to ask Ed anything but he didn't seem mad when he turned his head to look at her.
"Was lookin at a bike."
Short and simple seemed to be the way he answered everything. "No joy?"
"Naw it wasn't the one I was looking for. I'm told I can be a picky son of a bitch though so might take me a while to find what I'm looking for."
She tucked her knees up to her chest resting her chin on them trying to relax her tense muscles, she hadn't been able to talk to anyone but Ed in Sophia in so long she couldn't even remember who it was she talked to last.
"Better to be like that than like me. I don't think I'm picky enough."
He eyed her for a moment biting down on his lip, assuming this was his retreat from conversation as he turned slightly away from her.
"What about you? Where ya off to."
She smiled gratefully at him, she needed this freedom of speech she hadn't had in so long, "Ed had a business trip so I thought if we all went it'd be nice."
She couldn't hide the resentment she held towards Ed out of her voice, he seemed to be pretty observant he smirked playfully at her, "Not so nice huh?"
She laughed weakly, "Nooo….Never is with him."
"That sucks."
"Yeah it does maybe someday we'll get away from him. Who knows maybe the end of the world will save us two."
Her voice shook she felt the word catch in her throat but she forced the tears back, batting her eyelashes quickly to fend them off. This man didn't seem like he was accustomed to tears.
"She's is dead to the world." He observed gesturing towards Sophia who hadn't stirred.
"Or she's pretending to be. I'd say she's a little scared of you."
He looked a little hurt as his head fell back a little and he went on the defensive, "I ain't done nothing…"
Without thinking she put her hand on his arm, the heat that radiated from him was overwhelming she felt her whole body start to warm up. He flinched away from her jerking his arm to the right, she uttered an "I'm so sorry." As she quickly pulled herself away from him.
He averted her eyes so she let him. "You just seem very scary from a far I guess even though you're not really."
She was surprised to see a half amused smile tugged across his face and she had to admit he had a beautiful smile it changed his whole face. He was a whole lot more approachable.
"Not really? Ye still a'scared are ye?"
She let her body fall back to the ground so she was mirroring his position, "No. Of course not, you're not so bad."
"You ain't too good at the compliments lady. Not feeling the love here." He teased a hint of a smile still on his face and for once she felt completely relaxed.
"You're nice Daryl. I'm not scared no more, I swear but maybe try appear more approachable and people won't be scared of you."
Some sort of amused laugh left his lips, "I don't want to be dam approachable cause then people are going to try talk to me. That is the last thing I need."
She laughed at his furrowed brow and his evident disgust in his voice, "You're talking to me. Is it really that bad?"
"Ain't got much of a choice. Do I? Plus you ain't so bad."
"I'm flattered." She mocked smiling devilishly at him.
He blushed cutely his ears turning a crimson colour ducking his head behind his hair, "Stop."
Sophia forced her eyes shut. She was a sleep this whole time, she wouldn't let her Mom find out that she was faking it. She did that a lot lately.
She was kind of eavesdropping she knew she shouldn't but she'd never heard her Mom talk to anyone who wasn't dad. She seemed much happier, her voice was lighter and it nearly made her want to drift off into sleep. His voice was very deep, and he almost growled as he spoke normally she would be afraid but if Mom wasn't, neither was she.
"What age?"
"Nine. I swear there is no way she can sleep this long, she's a little shy."
She ducked her head closer to her chest, closing her eyes tighter.
"We have to pass the time. We should play a game."
Daryl looked unimpressed as he uttered some disbelieving, "What like some shit like I spy or something stupid. How come you is no rush to get out of here, you don't seem to be even trying."
"I'm not, the only thing I could ever miss is with me. There's nothing out there for me."
He was almost examining her as he squinted his eyes critically at her, "You don't seem to be in a rush either."
"M'not. Seems were both a couple of sad sacks."
"Seems we are." She grinned up at him and he looked shyly back at her, he was the last type of guy she assumed would be shy but he avoided her closeness every chance he got.
"Mom…" Sophia's voice shook as she called out to her.
"Yes sweetie."
Sophia glanced back and forth between her and Daryl her eyes wide and frightened, she gestured for her to come over. "You wanna meet our friend Daryl?"
She noticed him starting to squirm as Sophia shuffled towards them grabbing her doll for comfort, she clung to her outstretched hand as Carol pulled her into her lap.
She nuzzled her head closer to her, nearly whimpering as she avoided Daryl's eyes, "He's alright Sophia." She whispered into her ear but Daryl no doubt could hear her.
"How ye doin?" he held out one of his hands for her to shake.
She tried not to laugh at his gesture, nudging Sophia gently she nodded in the direction of his hand and she unsurely shook it with her small one.
When they broke away from each other's contact they both looked panicked and at a loss for words, "We were going to play a game to pass the time. Do you know any?"
She nodded slowly and Carol gently kissed her on the cheek.
To say he was confused was an understatement of the century. They were playing some stupid clapping game, my zoo or something that he didn't quite get.
Sophia tried to explain what he was meant to with his hands hundreds of times but he still fumbled blindly and he was growing agitated. "Why the hell do people do this? Ain't make any sense." He growled annoyed forgetting of Sophia's jumpiness.
He looked sheepishly at her but she was giggling madly at him, her eyes dripping of tears and he looked to Carol for some sort of help but she was laughing just as much.
"What's so funny?"
They both clutched their stomachs tighter, gasping for air, "Just cause I can't play your stupid game. Shouldn't be so dam difficult." He grumbled making them laugh louder.
Carol finally starting to catch her breath managed to answer him, "Sorry you were just getting so mad. Never saw someone struggle so much. It's not that hard."
He scowled at her, "Shove off."
Sophia surprising them spoke up, "You're really bad at it. It's okay I don't think adults are meant to play it."
He smiled gently at her trying to appear less scary then he apparently did, "Well that's okay then. Glad ye's all had a good laugh."
He caught Carol's eyes and he could tell she looked pleased at their back and forth, the kid didn't looked like she normally talked much. He knew what having an asshole of a dad could do to ye.
Banging erupted at the other side of the door it made them all jump but he was first on his feet inching closer to the door. "Carol!" his voice was something of a demon and he turned to look at Carol her face already dropping.
Her smile disappeared and it was like it was never there before. "What ye doing in there?" he roared louder banging not ceasing.
"I guess I should answer." She said quietly to him and he couldn't help feel angry at what this son of a bitch could do to someone like her.
She was nice something a lot of people weren't. She was dam well beautiful and he didn't suspect she coulda done anything to deserve this. No woman did. How the hell was he going to fix this and why did he want to so much? But seeing Sophia's haunted eyes peering up at him and Carol's forlorn face he had his answer.