Once again, thank you SO much for continuing to read this. I've had mental writers block for weeks prior to this story and you're honestly helping me shift it! Reviews are always a help! Let me know how I'm doing...

I own none of the characters.

Carol kept herself busy, not that she any other choice! Although she was already noticing the positive effect Daryl's arrival was having on her day, she couldn't remember a time when she didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn to move barrels and clean the lines... it felt like a holiday!

Merle had left shortly after rolling out of bed, where? she didn't know and neither did she care; she did however feel surprised at her panic following the absence of Daryl, he'd took off after their earlier conversation, she should have known dragging up the past would scare him off.

Carol kept herself busy in the kitchen, she used to find great solace and relaxation in cooking, she'd spent many days watching her grandma as she baked cakes and biscuits and that had rubbed off on her; Merle had soon knocked the enjoyment out of it for her, he'd turn his nose up at anything past grits and steak, she didn't have the chance to experiment, not anymore.

But now she found herself humming softly as she beat the eggs and flour; Daryl had always had a sweet tooth, that was one of the many things she remembered about him, she didn't consider Merle's reaction, he probably wouldn't even notice.

Maggie thanked the lord every time Merle left the bar, it meant he wouldn't be lurking about, leaching over her the whole shift, she honestly didn't know how Carol put up with the fat, slobbering mess pawing all over her; he repulsed her!

She smiled as Daryl sauntered back into the bar, his hair messy, a helmet in his hand; He set it down on the bar and nodded towards the fridges "any more stock needin' bringin' up?"

Her smile widened, he didn't like it, there wasn't any need to smile, it was only a question!

"Nu uh, you already did half my job for me! Day shift is always slow; don't want ya takin' anymore of my work away from me now!"

He shrugged and mumbled "Gotta earn my way"

Maggie watched him with intrigue, there was something about the way he moved, he had the grace of a panther and the awareness of a rabbit in headlights, and she found him interesting. Daryl caught her staring out the corner of his eye, not wanting to let on that he'd noticed, he kept his head down, frustration growing inside him, what was she staring at anyway? He hated being stared at. "So where'd ya go, Daryl?" her eyes widened in interest, she clearly expected him to regale her with tales of adventure, she clearly didn't know him. "goin' ta see if Carol needs anythin' doin'" He noticed her exhale as he made for the kitchen door, she was an irritating little bitch.

Daryl often questioned why women did that, why they felt the need to stick their noses into business that didn't concern them! What did she care where he'd been? He was here now, didn't matter what he'd done before that.

He lingered in the doorway, not knowing whether to make his presence known to her; an unsuspected smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he watched Carol swaying, the mixing bowl in her arm as she turned the spoon against its contents; her voice carried a pleasant tune as she broke the otherwise deafening silence. Wiping his hands down his torn jeans he cleared his throat gruffly.

Carol turned quickly, her eyes wide with… what was that? Fear? He didn't know what she had to fear with him! But then he realised that she'd suspected Merle to be stood in his place; the fear she had of him made Daryl's stomach turn.

"You're… you're back!" relief washed over her face, Daryl didn't realise his absence had even been recognised, he was so used to ghosting through life, had done ever since he'd been born; none really noticed him. Carol sat the bowl down and took three steps closer, Daryl felt his heart quicken, he didn't like this, she should stay where she was! He felt his body recoil as she placed a small hand against his bare shoulder, his skin not aware of such contact and he fought not to turn and run.

"I'm sorry, Daryl" it was his turn to look confused now, his brows furrowed as he fixed his stare on the frayed material in the tare that surrounded his knee "don't need 'ta be!" Her voice lowered slightly "I shouldn't have brought up the past, it wasn't my place to!"

She laughed lightly "I should just be glad you're back, the past doesn't matter… not now"

He shifted uncomfortably, he didn't want anyone being grateful for him, he didn't want people relying on him or expecting anything from him. He looked over her shoulder, the side strewn with ingredients and utensils "I'll, leave ya to it, jus wanted ta know if you got any more jobs that need 'ta be done" Carol nodded "could give me a hand in the kitchen?"

He turned to leave "don't think so! I'll be workin' on ma bike if ya think 'a anythin'"

She felt a shift in her mood when he was out of sight, thinking back, she'd always felt that shift when he wasn't around, she understood him; she knew what it was like to be controlled, scared into submission, to have your dignity and self respect stolen against your will, she knew what it was like to go to sleep every night in the vein hope that tomorrow would be different, tomorrow would be better.

Carol recalled the first time she'd seen Merle lay into Daryl, really lay into him. They'd been to the fair, small towns like Woodbury weren't often graced with such activities and Merle had already made his mind up that they'd make a night of it; and by that he'd meant get shitfaced drunk and start some kinda trouble.

Carol hadn't been so timid back then, her relationship with the eldest Dixon brother still fresh, she was eager to please him, the mere thought of loosing Merle was unthinkable. She'd managed to persuade him to take Daryl along, not that Daryl had seemed bothered about going, he tried not to involve himself in anything that involved people; it'd be good for him though, Carol was sure of that, the boy was only 23, he needed to get out, make friends. Merle's fingers had dug deeper and deeper into her arm as he pulled her along with him, the pain shooting through her body as she felt the bruises already forming, she didn't speak up though, you didn't speak up.

Daryl eyed him with caution as they approached the Ferris wheel, they'd not be let on, Merle was too wasted and this would only end in disaster, for both Daryl and Carol. "Whadd'ya mean too drunk? Ah you ain't nothin' but a kid! Hell I dun let ma baby brother speak to me like that! Damn sure I ain't letting a runt like ya tell me what ta do! Nobody tells Merle Dixon what 'ta do!" Carol tugged gently against Merle's arm "common, baby, let's just go to the shooting range! I want a soft toy!" she smiled up at him, her long hair whipping around her face as the breeze picked up.

That was when it had happened, that was the first time Merle had harmed her with intent, his hands pushing against her chest as he sent her flying back into the dirt, no one stopped, no one said a word; they all knew of the Dixon family and they all knew not to get involved in their business.

Daryl rushed forward, his arms linking under Carols as he scooped her up, she gave him a look of thanks and that's all it took to send Merle over the edge. She screamed as he swung for his younger brother, Daryl ducked, he didn't avoid the second blow that aimed straight for his face though, Carol couldn't remember ever seeing so much blood, it sprayed across her white shirt, it soaked into the dirt surrounding Daryl's limp body; it had happened so quickly.

Eventually someone intervened, the older man dragged Merle away "enough! He's had enough!" He screamed. Carol took her chance to jump in front of Merle's snarling face, foam building at his mouth as he growled "outt'a my way, woman! Ain't done yet!" He fixed his stare at the bleeding Daryl "still got business ain't we, boy?"

She didn't know how but between herself and the older man they'd managed to drag Merle away, he'd wandered off after that, leaving her abandoned in the middle of the fair, not that she'd minded… she couldn't stomach being in his presence right then, not after what she'd just witnessed.

Carol returned to the scene of the fight, to find the older man bent over Daryl's broken and bruised body. "Is… is he gonna be ok?" she asked, her voice shaky, tears tumbled down her face; the man looked up at her and nodded "He'll be fine, I'll take him home with me, fix him up" he'd looked to the young girl that stood wide eyed behind him "Maggie, give me a hand!"

Hershel Green took Daryl in and without him she didn't know if Daryl would have survived the beating that night. He tended to his weeping wounds, bandaged his bruised body and kept him out of Merle's way for 2 weeks. She visited Daryl many times over the 2 weeks that he'd stayed with Hershel, each time she walked in to see the young Maggie tending to Daryl, she didn't leave his bedside, her innocent eyes didn't stray from him. Carol noticed the girl's love for Daryl back then and saw it reignited earlier this very day when Maggie realised he'd returned home.

Hershel was a respected pillar of the community, his wife had sadly passed when Maggie was a child and he had dedicated his existence to raising his daughter as best he could. Hershel had built a decent life for the both of them, his standing as the Town's only veterinarian served them well, He had known Merle and Daryl's father - Shane from their youth and he'd often tried to persuade the boy's mother - Andrea to leave Shane, to get far away from the violence; the same violence he started to see Shane's eldest put Carol through; it was history repeating itself all over again.

The memory of that night triggered something else in Carol's mind, it had only been 6 weeks following that night that Daryl left, Merle had called it running away "can't stand'tha heat, my baby brother! Can't face what he's gone and done! He'll pay though, somehow, he'll pay!"

Carol had been subjected to Merle's ranting and raving for months following Daryl's departure, he'd sworn vengeance and she didn't for one second fool herself into thinking that he'd forgotten that vengeance, his acceptance of Daryl's return was merely a ploy, she knew just how cruel and hateful he could be, she knew it'd only be a matter of time.

Her little trip down memory lane had distanced her from her surroundings, she dropped the glass she'd been drying as she felt the rough hands slide around her waist, the familiar pressure of his fingers sinking into the flesh of her lower stomach; his breath washed over her and she fought against the bile that rose in her throat. Merle's voice whispered against her ear, he'd been drinking... a lot.

"Come ta bed, now... Merle needs a lil suga" she shuddered with disgust, she couldn't stand it, not his sweaty body crushed down on her, his whisker covered lips seeking hers with force, the very thought sickened her.

She had to keep him sweet though, this Merle was the most dangerous kind, it wouldn't take much to tip him over the edge.

"Sweetheart I'm cooking right now, later though... yeah?"

And it had happened, the switch had been flipped, his fingers sunk even further into her flesh, causing her to whimper, he spun her around to face him, his eyes boring into hers, the pupils dilated with anger, he spat his words at her, each filled with hatred "Cookin'? Ya fuckin' cookin'? What for? Who ya cookin' for?"

He pushed her aside, his hand tipping the bowl of chocolate cake mix, he dipped his dirt ridden finger inside and she watched with repulsion as he dragged his tongue over the mix that dripped down his hand.

"Tastes like shit! Now I wonder who's it for. Cuz Merle here don 'eat cake!"

Her breath caught in her throat, her vision blurred as tears formed in her eyes, the world went out of focus as he strode forwards, his hand grabbing a handful of hair as he slammed her body into the worktop, she felt the wind being knocked out of her as its edge cracked against her back.

"I'm waitin'! Gimmie answers, woman! WHO'S it for?"

Her voice barely audible as she whimpered her response "D.. Daryl, it's for Daryl"

Merles face distorted as He cocked his mouth, his eyes squinting as he pulled back his curled fingers, she felt the impact against her skull as her head knocked with force into the larder behind, her nose dripped with blood instantly, she could taste it creeping between her lips.

Her body trembled, she'd suffered many beatings at the hands of Merle, but never had she seen the darkness in his face that she did right now; she considered her options, she could try and pacify him, but no... He was beyond that, no, it was no good... she'd just have to brace herself and endure every last agonising moment of it.

Daryl's voice rattled through her ears, every syllable of sound strong and full of meaning "LEAVE HER ALONE, MERLE!"

Merle's eyes didn't leave her, not for one second, he snarled and wiped the blood roughly across her cheek "Yeah! What happens if I don't' baby brother?"

Daryl took a step forwards, he was in her line of sight now, his face flushed with sweat, his hair sticking against his forehead, he held his fists balled against his sides, his arms glistened, defining the evidence of muscle and his cheeks flared with each deep breath that rocked his body.

"I'll make you"