Daryl had a hard time sleeping that night. The crossbow he decided to keep in reach, just in case, wasn't enough to clear his mind enough so that he could fall asleep. It was like he kept waiting for something to happen. He kept waiting for Sophia or Carol to wake up from a nightmare, or wake up and be confused that they weren't in their own house. He kept waiting for Ed to come knocking down his door, which he almost hoped would happen, so that he could kick his ass, send it straight to hell, and get it done and over with.

Laying in the darkness, he sat up as he came to a realization. Carol had explained that Ed had been set off by the supplies for Sophia's birthday party. Sophia's birthday. Her birthday was tomorrow.

"Shit," he groaned, laying back down.

It seemed like sleep had finally claimed him only minutes before the alarm started blaring. He turned it off quickly, hoping it hadn't woken up anyone else in the house. It was weird for him to be worrying about it, since he was normally the only one in the house.

Daryl got up and ready for the day as quietly as he could before he went to Merle's room. "Hey get ya ass up," he said, trying to shake Merle awake. Finally Merle's eyes opened squinting at him before looking at the time. "Somethin' wrong?"

"Nah."

"Then what the hell are ya doin' wakin' me up at the ass crack o' dawn?" Merle groaned, burying his face in the pillow.

"I'm goin' to the store, dumb ass. Want ta make sure ya keep an eye on Carol and Sophia," he grunted at his brother.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Merle muttered, waving his brother off before burying his face back into his pillow. Satisfied, Daryl got in his truck and left, driving to the next town over, knowing that it had a party supply store. He realized on the drive that he was in some deep shit. Somehow this woman and her kid had wormed their way into his heart.

He couldn't imagine not giving Sophia a proper birthday party. Of course, Daryl had never had one, but he liked to think he didn't turn out too bad, regardless of what the Dixon reputation was. Hell, he probably only knew his birthday because of Merle. His parents never acknowledged his birthday, but Merle had always tried to do at least a little something when he was a kid. One time Merle had managed to get him a small cake that even had his name on it, and at the time it had been one of the best birthdays he had ever had.

Knowing what it was like, Daryl didn't want that for Sophia. Ed might have tried to ruin her birthday, but he wasn't going to let that happen.

The second he stepped inside the store, he knew he was in over his head. He thought it'd be simple, he didn't realize there'd be so much to pick from. He became nervous, trying to pick out one that she'd like. When a sales associate came by and asked if he needed help, he hesitated before admitting he did.

The girl, Amy, brought him over to where their most popular supplies were. Realizing it was a mixture of cartoons he didn't recognize and boy bands, he lost hope at being able to pick one. Sensing his discouragement, Amy led him to another section where the general party supplies were.

He ended up leaving with a theme that had no cartoons or princesses or boy bands. It was plain, but still festive with a lot of colors and that looked like it sparkled.

Daryl stopped at the toy store next, and wished he was back at the party supply store, because as uncomfortable as he was there, he was completely out of his element in the toy store.

He meandered through the aisles, and came to the conclusion that the girls' toys were crap, and he had no clue what to get. There was no way he was going to get one of those creepy ass looking dolls. He saw more boy band stuff and rolled his eyes. Hell no. He kept walking until he ran into the bike section.

Bingo.

He picked out a pink bike that looked about her size, with training wheels that could be taken off. He wasn't sure if Sophia had a bike. If it was up to Ed, he was sure she wouldn't have one. Regardless, Daryl was counting on the fact that Carol and Sophia would be spending a lot more time at his house. There was a conversation he wanted to have with Carol after the party.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Carol woke up to Sophia bouncing on the bed that they had shared for the night in Daryl's house. "It's my birthday!" She squealed with joy.

"Yes it is," Carol laughed. "Happy birthday, baby girl," she smiled, placing a kiss on the top of her head. Hearing a knock on the door, Sophia leaped up and ran to open it. Carol got out of the bed and walked over to see Merle standing there.

"Mornin' li'l darlin'" he said to Sophia, bending down to lift her up. "I heard it was someone's birthday today… Is it mine?" He asked. Sophia giggled and shook her head. Merle scratched his head in fake confusion. "Oh, then it must be ya mama's," he said as though he had just discovered a grand secret.

"No," Sophia whined, carrying the word out. "It's mine!" Carol stood there in amusement.

"Oh," Merle drawled. "Happy birthday Sophia. Would the birthday girl like some breakfas'?" Merle asked, tickling her stomach.

"Yeah, my tummy's making the rumbles!" Merle carried her out of the room, with Carol following close behind. "Where's Daryl?" Sophia asked as she sat down at the small kitchen table, taking the words from Carol's mouth.

"He had to go do somethin' should be back soon," he said as he rummaged through the cupboards and fridge, trying to see if there was anything edible in the house. That stuff was always up to Daryl. Merle would be fine eating take out and frozen dinners all the time.

Carol came up behind him while he was at the fridge and touched his shoulder. "I'll make something. It's the least I can do," she said as he turned around to face her. She looked in the fridge and grabbed the eggs and bacon she found in there, and set to making breakfast.


Daryl could smell food cooking as soon as he stepped foot in the house, trying to be as quiet as possible as he brought in all of the things he had bought for the party, aside from Sophia's bike. Merle came out, and Daryl smack him on the back of the head. "Damn baby bro," Merle muttered. Daryl hushed him. "Keep them outta here. An' why the hell are ya makin' her cook your lazy ass breakfast for?"

"She offered, said it was a thank ya for lettin' her stay here," he explained. Daryl sighed and shook his head. "Whatever, jus' keep 'em in there 'til I say."

It didn't take Daryl long to set things up in the dining room and he soon joined the others in the kitchen.

"Daryl!" Sophia squealed, getting up to wrap her arms around him. He lifted her up and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Happy birthday, peach. Got a surprise in the other room for ya."

Sophia's blue eyes widened. "Really?" She asked, trying to get down, eager to find out what her surprise was. Carol's eyes looked at his with a questioning curiosity and he merely smiled as he followed Sophia and Carol followed the two of them into the other room.

He was hoping that Sophia would like it. It wasn't like he had much experience with parties, kids, or even birthdays in general. When he saw her face fill with joy, he smiled, glad that he hadn't messed it up. Carol's mouth fell open when she walked into the room, and she tried to hold the tears in that were threatening to escape.

"I uh, I figured since we couldn't have 'er birthday at your house like we was plannin', that we could have it here. Rick and Lori already know. Hope i's alright," he muttered, keeping his eyes locked on Sophia, who was still looking at her decorations.

"Mama, look, balloons!" Sophia pointed out, interrupting what Carol had been about to say, before running over to Daryl to hug him once again. "Thank you, Daryl," she said before taking off to further examine her decorations.

Carol walked over so that she was standing in front of Daryl. "Thank you," she said quietly. "After yesterday, I didn't know what I was going to do. You didn't have to do all of this," she gestured. "You didn't have to take me and Sophia in last night, but I'm so grateful. I can't thank you enough for everything," she ended shakily.

Daryl's cheeks reddened. He still hadn't figured out exactly what it was about this woman and her daughter, but he felt a pull towards them. He felt like he had to protect them. He wanted to make them happy.

"It's nothing'," he answered. "You finally bein' away from Ed is enough," he said quietly so that Sophia wouldn't hear. Carol searched his eyes and realized he was telling the truth. She had to look down from the intensity of his gaze. Daryl was still somewhat of a mystery to her, but she trusted him. He wasn't an open book, but he didn't put on a façade like Ed did. The mask Daryl wore was more about protecting himself, whereas Ed's was about protecting his reputation and manipulating people.

Daryl cleared his throat and spoke up, changing the topic. "Figured we could get pizza or somethin' later," he suggested.

"Can we, Mama?" Sophia asked as Merle entered the room.

"I don't know Soph," Carol admitted, biting her lip.

"It's on us," Merle answered, before Daryl could say anything. Carol looked at him in surprise. "You've already set all this up," she said hesitantly.

"Don't worry 'bout it. It'll be my present for her. Couldn't think o' nothin' to get her anyway. Don't know nothin' 'bout all that girly shit. What ya like on your pizza, pumpkin?"

"Cheese!" Sophia answered, as Merle chuckled. "Yeah, anythin' else?"

"Sauce?" She said questioningly.

"Seriously, what do ya feed this kid?" Merle looked at Carol. "No sausage, pepperoni or mushrooms?" Merle asked as Carol made a face. "Y'all are borin'," he snickered.

"Hey!" Sophia pouted. Merle sighed, "I'm jus' kiddin', but I'mma show you what a real pizza is." At the look on Sophia's face, he added, "I'll get ya one wit' jus' sauce and cheese too, 'case ya don't like it." Her smile reappeared and she asked when the party was going to start.


After Sophia had been tucked in for the night, Carol made her way back downstairs to help clean up. The party had tired both her and Sophia out. Sophia had been ecstatic and bouncing off of the walls all day, which meant she had also crashed pretty early.

Daryl took the decorations down and Carol started to clean up the wrapping paper and other garbage.

He paused when he nearly stepped on the doll that Carl had brought. "Tha's some creepy ass lookin' shit," he muttered to himself. Carol chuckled, overhearing him. "Lori picked it out. It is kind of scary looking, isn't it? Sophia seems to like it though," she shrugged.

"Makes me think of this movie Merle made me watch when I was a kid 'bout some doll comin' to life and killin' people. Scared the shit outta me," he reminisced. Carol laughed. "I don't think we have to worry about that. At least it's not a clown. Now they are scary."

"You're afraid o' a person in make-up and a big ol' red nose that tries to make people laugh?" He asked skeptically.

"Yeah well, one of my foster parents watch a scary movie about a clown that terrorized this group of kids. I haven't liked them ever since."

Daryl snorted in amusement. "Hey," she admonished jokingly, "I didn't make fun of you so you can't laugh at me." She pouted, and Daryl thought that she looked cute when she did that. It wasn't hard to see where Sophia got it from.

"Alrigh' alrigh'," he put his hands up in mock surrender, enjoying their light banter.

"I think Sophia's favorite present was the bike, though," Carol mused as they both brought the dirty plates and cups into the kitchen. "Didn't know what else to get," Daryl admitted. He hadn't known what else to get, but the joy that lit up Sophia's face when she saw it told him he must have done something right.

"You didn't have to get anything," she responded, setting the dishes down and spinning around to face him. He set the dishes he was holding in the sink then looked at her. "I wanted to," Daryl responded.

"Actually, I wanted to ask ya somethin'," he said before she could say anything else.

"I was thinkin' that uh, you should move in. At leas' for now, while they're lookin' for Ed," he blushed. He had been thinking about it for a while, but Carol's decision to finally leave Ed gave him the courage to ask her. This way he and Merle could keep her and Sophia safe. They had the extra room in the house, so that wasn't a problem. The house was paid off, and Daryl made enough to support them for the meantime.

Carol didn't even attempt to hide the shock that came over her. "Daryl, no, I-we can't," she started, her eyes going wide.

Daryl's temper flared. He wasn't asking her for anything. He had the extra room, she needed to be away from Ed. He was failing to see what the problem was. Then a thought hit him. Maybe he was the problem. Maybe she was afraid of what people would say, about them living with the "good for nothing Dixons."

His hands clenched into fists as he tried to keep his temper in check. "Why not?" He asked, waiting impatiently for her answer.

"We just can't," she said softly without further explanation.

"I ain't seein' the damn problem here. Ya don't trust me. That it?'' Daryl couldn't keep his temper in check any longer, and he was starting to take it out on her.

"No of course not…'' Carol said. She didn't know what to say, or how to calm him down. He had already done so much for them, she was starting to feel like some sort of charity case, and she felt like she was depending on him entirely too much. Ed was still out there… if he found out… Carol couldn't even think about it.

"So what, is it 'cause ya think I'm just some redneck piece o' trash too? Huh? Is that it Carol? 'Cause I know I ain't much, but I'd think that livin' with me would be a shit ton better than livin' with that sack a shit for a husband ya got!''

"I-''

"An' what about Sophia? Damn woman, don'tcha care about her at all? Huh? Ain't ya supposed to keep her safe?'' He regretted his words the moment they left his mouth and her eyes filled up with tears. His rage calmed down, although it was still present.

"Didn't mean that… Ya a damn good mama. Jus' Don' know what's so bad about me that ya can't stand the thought o' choosin' to live with me over that ass!'' Daryl turned to leave and had made it to the doorway when Carol's hand on his arm stopped him.

"Ain't got nothin' more to say,'' he spat out. "Watched my old man beat my ma all growin' up, 'til the day she died. Had to live with myself o'er that. Now I can do somethin' but I guess I ain't good enough.''

He shook off her grasp and disappeared out the door. Carol, stunned and not knowing what else to do, didn't go after him. Instead, she slid slowly to the floor and covered her face in her hands, finally letting the tears out that had been building up the past few days.

Merle found her sitting on the floor staring into space some time later. How much later, she wasn't sure.

He looked confused and uncomfortable as he took in her reddened eyes. "My brother an' ya get into a fight?" He asked.

She kept staring forward, not answering him. "C'mon," he held his hand out to her. "Might as well go sit somewhere comfortable if'n you're gonna wait for 'im." Merle led her to the couch in the living room. He sat down on the opposite end and started to twiddle his thumbs, unused to being around a woman that he wasn't looking to have sex with, but who had become his only female friend.

"My baby bro, he's got a temper, but he was always the sweet one. I tried to look after him, when he was growin' up, but I reckon he looked after me more. He don't show it too much, but he's got a big heart. Ain't seen him so comfortable with someone other than Officer Friendly the way is with ya. Never even noticed him talkin' to another girl in his life. Think I scared him away from 'em, with all the ones I brought back home," he chuckled.

Carol sat there looking emotionless, but paying attention to what Merle was saying.

"He should be back soon," Merle answered. "Y'all will work it out," he said encouragingly. "He's just gotta cool down. He goes into the forest to think. He's more comfortable out there than he is cooped up inside."

"He said," Carol started, her voice hoarse from finally talking after all of the crying she had done, "He said that your father used to beat your mom."

"Our daddy was a mean son of a bitch," Merle said. "That's why I tried to look after Daryl. Didn't do the best job of it, but somehow he turned out good. Better 'n me, anyway."

"You're both good," she said. "Aside from Rick, you're the only good men that I've ever known," she admitted.

"Can't believe it, but thank ya," Merle said, standing up. "He should be back soon. Then y'all can kiss an' make up. Jus' don't be too loud, don't wanna wake up the l'il one," he winked.

"Oh it's not like that," Carol said as Merle turned away, laughing up to his room.

She sat there, staring into space again, waiting for Daryl to come back. She had to fix whatever this was between them. Their fight and the things he had said about himself, about the way he thought she saw him, hurt her much more than she cared to admit.

Finally, what seemed like ages later, she heard the door open. She got up and went to meet him at the back door. She turned the light on and gasped when she looked down and saw his hand covered in blood.

He looked at her confused before looking down at his hand. "'S fine," he muttered.

"Let me clean it up," she whispered. He nodded, giving in, and followed her to the bathroom. She cleaned up his hand and got the tiny splinters of wood out that had been embedded in his skin.

"Sorry for them things I said… Jus' used to everyone givin' me shit. Dixon name's got a bad reputation 'round here. Ain't nobody get ta knowin' ya with that name. If ya a Dixon it mean ya ain't no good. Jus' some redneck trailer trash.''

"I shoulda known better… Kindest lady I ever met, prolly couldn't hurt a fly and I go yellin' at ya like that. Like I ain't no better than that husband o' yours.''

"Listen to me right now. You and Ed aren't even in the same universe when it comes to what kind of man you are. You got angry, I understand. Everyone does, but you're nothing like Ed. I know you'd never lay a hand on me or Sophia. I'm actually kind of glad that you got mad," she said, forcing a smirk.

"Crazy ass woman, why in the damn hell would you be glad about that,'' he asked looking up at her, confusion knitted between his brows.

"It shows me you're human,'' she smiled. "You have a lot more self-restraint than you think. I get why you'd start thinking those things, but you didn't give me a chance to explain myself. Daryl- I'm so sorry. I wish you knew me better, better than to think that those things would have crossed my mind for even a second, because they didn't. Not once since I have met you. That's why I can't live here. You're a good man, Daryl. The best I know. I can't bring you into this. I can't risk it. I can't ask you to protect me and Sophia from Ed. I couldn't bear it if something happened to you because of me. I don't want to drag you into my mess. You don't have to be involved. If Ed found out… I'm afraid of what he'd do,'' she looked down and finished bandaging his hand.

"Crazy woman. Don't gotta worry about me. Ain't nothing' killin' a Dixon but a Dixon. Ya best remember that. I still ain't heard one damn good reason why you and Sophia shouldn't come live with me. Trust me, don'tcha?''

"Well, yes," she hesitated.

"Then there ya go. Problem solved. We movin' ya stuff in tomorrow," he said with a finality in his voice.

"But," she started to say before he interrupted her.

"Shush. No more buts.''

"Okay then… Thank you,'' she sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder.


AN: I know it hasn't been that long, but it feels like it has. I've had a lot going on lately. I also wanted to take my time with this chapter because the second half, the fight, that's what inspired this whole story, in all honesty. The bones of that part have been written since before I even started the first chapter.

I hope you all like it. Thank you so much for the reviews, follows, favorites. Really, especially the reviews. It doesn't take much time but not that many people do it. Even just saying you liked the chapter means a lot to me. I'm so thankful for all of you. You inspire me and encourage me to keep going.

Keep Caryling.

OH and I saw a sign for Caryl. Literally, a sign. There's this road, somewhat in my area, called Caryl Blvd. Is it sad I get excited every time I pass by it? I've only recently noticed it in the past few weeks.