It might be a tad slow story plot wise for a while just trying to build the Caryl feels...Anyways feel free to review :)


She only had a small bag with their things. It was a fine amount of clothes for a small trip but for forever it wouldn't last very long. Standing in the spare bedroom with her bag on the bed and a handful of dishevelled clothes in her hands, she was starting to panic.
She couldn't do this. She didn't have anything, she couldn't mind Sophia like this.
Throwing the clothes uselessly back into the bag, she pushed it off the bed feeling a slight release when it banged on to the wooden floor.
She wouldn't cry again, determinedly blinking back tears she tried on a brave smile.
"Mom you okay?" Sophia was standing in her pyjamas with her doll curled tightly under her arm, her eyes looked like they were about to fall out of her head.
"Baby. Get to bed now. I'm fine." She hurried her along until she could swoop her up in her arms and wrap her tightly in the blanket.
She scooted down lower until only her bedraggled blonde hair and eyes were popping out at her and she smiled gently at her, "This is nice."
Without replying she leaned down to brush some loose strands of hair from her face feeling quite overwhelmed by how at ease she looked already.
Daryl had ushered them inside as best he could pointed out where everything was, the place wasn't that big so it wasn't that difficult but she felt more at home in this short space of time then she ever had before. She could see he was uncomfortable unaware of their boundaries with each other yet, he hadn't dared come into the room to check on them.
She also noticed the way he tried not to touch her not even in a casual gesture he didn't look like a touchy feely guy but she suspected this was for her benefit.
This simple gesture was enough to know exactly what Daryl was like, "I'm going to go thank Daryl, I'll be back in a little while."
"Will you thank him for me momma?"
"Of course." She flicked off the lights behind her.

The kitchen was situated directly beside the small living room which consisted of a couch, a TV, some tattered old curtains and some sort of antique lamp. She suspected she'd find him hunkered down in front of the TV like any man would be but he was nursing a beer at the kitchen aisle sitting on a very frail looking stool. It looked as if it didn't have very many years left.
His shoulders were hunched over and it appeared like his head was a million miles away but
he looked up as soon as she appeared in at the door which led into the living room, like he had some sort of sixth sense he turned and nodded at her. "Settle in okay?"
"Yeah perfect thank you. Sophia says thank you as well, she's just going to sleep."
He took another sip of his beer and gave her what looked like one of his signature nods.
"Look Daryl. I need you to tell me what exactly you want me to do because I have very little money to pay for me and Sophia to stay here. I would need to get a job but then I'd need to get someone to look after Sophia and I'm not too sure who to get to do that…"
He look wide eyed at her, calmly raised one hand up to stop her from speaking and looked bemused, "Stop will ye. Ye just got here you don't need to figure it all out today. I work in the garage till about six maybe later some days I'll look after the bills alright."
"I can't let you do that."
"Ye will cause ye ain't got much choice."
She slid her hand across the table without thinking and placed it over his hand which was loosely holding his beer and she felt his hand go rigid for a second.
Her thumb swept across his hand in a comforting gesture and he seemed to loosen up a little bit, "Thanks again. I don't know what to say, I'll get a job soon I promise."
He coughed loudly jerking his hand out from hers, "Don't worry about it. I'm not heading in till ten tomorrow if ye's want I can drop ye into town. Ye's can have a look round."
Dropping her hand weakly to her side she beamed at him, "That would be perfect, tha…."
He gruffly responded, "Ye wanna do me a favour stop fuckin thanking me. Never knew I could hate a word so much."
She froze at first, used to Ed's tantrums suspecting an outburst of rage and insults but a small smile played at the corner of her mouth and she found herself smiling back.
"No more politeness got it."

How he got here was beyond him. Squeezed into his old truck with some woman he just met and her dam kid still a fuckin shock to his system every time he saw them.
Every time he wondered why he was doing this shit he'd look at them and how sure as shit happy they looked and finally remember why he was going through the trouble.
"Garage isn't far. Gonna drop ye at the school ye can sign Sophia up if ye want ain't none of my business but Hershel's wife who ye met, works there."
Another grateful smile as he turned off dropping them at the steps of the school, both of them with quivering faces gripping onto one another.
"Carol!"
She spun her head upwards catching his eye, he waved her over and she jogged back up to the truck but not before cautiously looking over her shoulder at Sophia standing in the same spot.
"Here." He shoved some money in her hand so quick she couldn't hand it back and ripped his hand from hers and while she was objecting he closed over the door and drove off.
He had to laugh at her in the mirror as he drove away still lookin as if she fuckin one the lottery and just dying to thank him, he fuckin knew it.
T-Dog one of the few friends he had, greeted him loudly with a grin as soon as he sauntered into the garage, "Hey man. Here you picked up a family."
How the hell had word already spread. Small towns and Hershel of course it spread like wildfire he only hoped she didn't get badgered too much.
"Didn't pick one up."
"No so you don't have a woman and her kid stayin with you then. My mistake." He rose a self-righteous brow at him and he wouldn't give up with his "non" questions until he answered some.
"Got stuck in the airport and they needed my help."
"Knight and shining armour. Weird haven't seen you saving anyone else."
He scowled turning to focus his attention on the car he was meant to be fixing not this stupid twenty questions he was getting. "No one else needed saving."
He left him in silence for a few moments and he took a breath of relief. "She pretty?"
"What."
"She pretty?"
"How would I know." He snapped back probably quicker than he should have.
"Then she is."
He didn't need to be thinking whether the woman was pretty or not.

Lucy Hershel's wife ran down the steps after Sophia and her, "Carol. Sophia she can start tomorrow. I know it's the middle of the week but she's only ten she really shouldn't miss school."
She knew Sophia should be in school but she just didn't have the money to make that happen and she wouldn't ask Daryl. She was rattling her brain, she must've realised that, with little effort "Don't worry I'll give her what she needs tomorrow. You just dress her and bring some lunch okay."
She was smiling so kindly and encouragingly at her, her emeralds eyes so soft and endearing that she felt tears spring to her eyes. She squeezed her arm gently, "Everyone needs some help at some point Carol so just accept it."
"Thank you." It was barely a whisper trying to get past the catch in her throat.
She watched as she scooted back up the steps her bun bobbing up and down as she went up to the steps into the small, inviting school. It didn't look too daunting for Sophia.
They wandered around town but she didn't find any place that seemed to be hiring except a pub called Murphy's den, which she was not too eager to bring Sophia in to.
The old regulars seemed to be glued to their chairs already drunk at one o'clock in the day but that wouldn't bother her, it couldn't. If she could handle the abuse from Ed, she could handle this.
She needed it. Sophia needed it.
Thankfully the owner stepped out to light up a smoke, he was quite tanned, muscular and he towered over the two of them. "Saw you lookin in. Can I help you?"
He had a confident swagger to his voice his eyes never dropping from hers, "I was hoping so I'm looking for a job."
He grinned at her but it wasn't a grin that put her totally at ease, "When can you start?"
"Next Monday okay?"
"Sure thing…."
"Carol. And you are…."
"Shane. Finally I'll have some good help."

Fuckin starved he could feel the hunger start to shred through his stomach, hadn't got a chance to run down to the diner and get some take away. All T-Dog's chatting had put them way behind schedule gossiping like an old woman. "I'm hungry man." He complained holding his precious stomach looking much more faint than he actually was.
"Well Lou isn't here to run around for us today. Should've thought of that before you started opening your big mouth. All this yapping cost us food."
"No it hasn't." he chirped happily.
Before he could ask him what the hell he was talking about Carol came in holding several lunches in her hands looking a tad nervous about the whole thing. "Don't know what you's liked so just got you a cheeseburger and fries. Hope that's okay. If not I can run down and…"
Before she could babble nervously he yanked the food from her hand tossing a bag at T-Dog who caught it gratefully, "Thanks. Ye won't hear any complaining from me."
"Or me!" T-Dog shouted across them.
"Be careful or else you'll sound too polite." She said warily and he caught himself chuckling lowly.
Sophia was staring at him in goddam amazement he tried to direct some attention away from him, "Let's go eat out the front."

"Sophia is starting school tomorrow." She announced as the men all shoved unbelievable amounts of food into their mouths like they would never eat again.
Sophia and her bit dainty bites at the same pace together looking at them in bewilderment, Daryl made some sort of grunt in acknowledgement. T-Dog managed to swallow a whole bite turning to Sophia with a friendly smile, "You excited about starting school?"
She looked up at her like she was looking for permission, she nodded.
"Yeah. Well I will be if everyone is nice."
"I'll make sure they are." He said playfully and she grinned shyly at him.
"Momma got a job."
Daryl looked up at this piece of news, "Yeah. What doin?"
"Working at the bar. You know Shane owns it."
His food got lodged awkwardly in his throat and he found himself coughing, spluttering like a dam fool trying to catch a wheezy breath. "What's wrong?"
Judging by his reaction something was. "Ain't nothing…Just mightn't be the place for you so soon and Shane well he'll try ye."
She couldn't help but notice T-Dog's amused assessment at the two of them talking he just leaned back in his chair grinning madly. "Try me? What do you mean."
"Ye know…"
"No I don't."
"He'll try get ye to give him a…."
Daryl was very mindful of Sophia sitting there and she only realised just now why that was, how could she be so dim of course she knew. He did seem to have some smug air after just meeting him so she wasn't surprised. "I get it. I should be okay. I can handle myself."
"Ye clearly can't." the words were out before he could draw them back in and she saw he regretted saying them the minute the hurt flashed in her eyes.
He was right. Of course he was but there was something infinitely more painful hearing him say it.
"M'…"
"It's okay. I'll be okay though really."
She got to her feet feeling a heat rise to her cheeks and Sophia followed suit thankfully, her mom was a mess but it didn't mean she had to be.
"Oh Lucy said she'd drive us back at three so we won't interrupt you. I'll see you at your house."
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat his eyes flicking to hers concerned but she smiled assuredly she was being stupid.

"Shit." He muttered as soon as Carol duck tailed and run dragging Sophia behind her while she watched him cautiously like he was about to jump up and do something.
"That's not good. Looks like she ain't had it too good you'll probably have to be a little gentler next time when you're waving her off like that."
No shit Sherlock. "I was just telling the truth she doesn't know how to pick them so maybe she shouldn't be hanging around a total pig like Shane Walsh."
T-Dog smiled teasingly at him but it was one he wasn't going to explain what for.
"What?"
"Nothin."
"Whatever." He grumbled as he got up to toss some rubbish in the bin.