This chapter didn't really go the way I had planned, but I liked how it turned out and I hope you all do, too. :)

Chapter Seven

After a light meal of stale potato chips and warm bottled water, Daryl grabbed the bottle of alcohol Shane had found and went to relieve T-Dog from watch. Lori had warned them about taking it easy on the booze, but he was no lightweight and he figured he deserved to let loose after the week he had.

Shane was supposed to be the next on watch, but Daryl couldn't stand one more moment in the cramped room they all decided to lay down in. The Grimes family was huddled together, Carl smashed between his parents. Shane sat near by and stole glances at the family when he thought no one was looking. Glenn and Dale sat together talking quietly, while Andrea sat off by herself. She was still unhappy with the decision Dale had forced on her. Then, there was Carol. She sat in the corner of the room awake with Sophia curled by her side, sound asleep.

When he stood up to take watch, she looked up and gave him a smile. A smile started to twitch on his lips, however, he stopped it from becoming full blown and just nodded before slipping out the door.

Setting his crossbow down first, Daryl took a seat at the top of the stairs and took a long drag from the bottle in his hands. A warmth settled in his stomach and he leaned against the hand rail. It was going to be a long, boring night, but at least he wasn't inside the stuffy room with everyone.

Especially when many of them weren't making it a secret that they didn't like him. Andrea was still sore from earlier, even though she had deserved it, Shane and Lori gave him more dirty looks than normal ones. T-Dog and Glenn were weary around him because of Merle and Dale didn't go out of his way to talk with the youngest Dixon. The only person who willingly talked to him was Carol. Not that he minded. She and her daughter were the only people he could stand in this group.

"May I join you?" Speak of the devil. Daryl turned and saw Carol standing behind him. Somehow, she had opened and closed the door without him knowing. Her hands were wringing in front of her, an unsure look on her face.

Sliding his crossbow behind him, Daryl held out a hand to the now empty spot beside him. He hadn't expected company, but Carol's company was greatly welcomed. Especially after what she had done earlier. Carol had stuck up for him against Andrea and no one had ever done that for him before.

Carol smiled and moved to settle next to him. The staircase was narrow and their shoulders brushed against each other, but Daryl didn't mind.

"I thought Shane had watch after T-dog," Carol said and turned her head to look at him. "You should be in there trying to get some sleep."

"So, should you. Besides, it's too crowded in there for me and I decided to take Shane's watch. He'd rather keep on eye on Lori than a staircase, anyways." Fuck. He hadn't meant to say that. Lori was Carol's friend.

"You noticed that, too, huh?" Carol wrapped her thin arms around her knees and turned her attention forward. "They need to be careful about that, now that Rick's back. With everything the man's been through to get back to his family, he doesn't deserve what Lori has done to him." Carol sighed. "I understand she thought her husband dead, but to jump into another man's arms so soon?"

Daryl remained silent and listened. With the exception of Sophia, Carol didn't speak much to anyone, either. Sure, she spoke to Lori and Jacqui, when she was alive, but Daryl noticed that she didn't really go out of her way to speak to anyone. Which apparently wasn't the case with him.

"She should consider herself lucky to have a husband so devoted to her." Daryl could hear the pain in Carol's voice. He knew that Ed had been anything but devoting, unless it came to a beating. Daryl's fists clenched. "I know she's ignoring Shane, now, but it's only a matter of time before everything comes out in the open."

"Yeah." Daryl winced at how articulate he was tonight. This was Carol. He had always been able to talk to her before. Well, that was before she had grown boobs.

They fell into a comfortable silence. Daryl racked his brain for something to say. He was afraid that if they didn't start talking soon, Carol would leave and well...he didn't want that.

"Carol?" Daryl rarely ever called people by their names. For some reason, it felt too intimate, but he did like saying Carol's name. "Wanted to thank you."

"Thank me?" Carol's delicate eyebrows rose in surprise and her pretty blue eyes widened. "For what?"

"If it wasn't for you, we'd all would have been incinerated."

"You should thank Rick for that, not me. It was his grenade." Carol didn't look at him and Daryl knew that she hadn't been thanked for much in her life and yet, from what he saw at the Quarry, she did a lot for everyone.

"No, it was you. You took the damn thing and brought it out when we needed it the most. Everyone here owes you their life."

"Except you." Her voice was so low that if Daryl hadn't trained himself to hear every little noise he probably wouldn't have heard it.

"What?"

"I've noticed how close you've hung around me and Sophia. You've been looking out for us since Ed was killed and I appreciate it. Running from the CDC, you cut down those walkers in front of us and I consider that you saving our lives, Daryl."

He shrugged. "It's ain-"

She grabbed his shoulder suddenly. He didn't even flinch at her touch. "Don't you say it wasn't anything, Daryl Dixon. My daughter is the only thing I have in this world and watching you go out of your way to protect her, well, it shows me how great of a man you are."

No one had ever called him a good man. Especially when he was seen with Merle. He was always looped into whatever his dumbass brother did and even though, he didn't do half the shit Merle did, he still got the same reputation.

"Since we're on the subject of thankin', I should thank you for sayin' what you did to Andrea."

"What she said was uncalled for, Daryl. Everyone should know that. You're not stupid." She leaned close and Daryl couldn't move. "To tell you the truth," she looked around, a smile on her face and acting like she had some big secret. "I think you're the smartest one in this whole group."

What? Ha. All those years ago, she had asked if he had known who Christopher Columbus was and he had no idea. Every kid in America knew who that was. "Pfft."

"It's true!" Carol turned serious. "If this group were to split for some reason, I would follow you." Her face turned red and she didn't look at him. Daryl froze at her words. She would follow him?

"You'd trust your little girl with me?"

"Hell yes," Carol said resolutely.

Daryl felt his heart flutter in his chest. God, he was turning into such a pussy. Two words from Carol and he felt like he was going to have a heart attack.

"Do you remember back at the CDC when I asked if we knew each other?" Daryl nodded, unable to speak. "You said no, but...I can't help but feel that we've met before and I'm going to find out from where."

We were best friends almost thirty years ago. Daryl wanted to say. We were lost in the woods together. We became best friends. I saved you from a wild dog. You kissed me...

He kept his mouth firmly shut.

Carol didn't look like she was done speaking, but the sound of the door opening had them both turning around. Sophia stood in the doorway, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Mama, I had a nightmare."

Carol stood up, instantly going into mother mode. "All right, honey. I'll be right there. Just let me say goodnight to Mr. Daryl."

"'Kay," Sophia mumbled and walked back into the room.

Carol looked down at him. "Thanks for talking with me, Daryl. I appreciate it." She walked up the step and stopped. "Oh, and it is pretty crowded in there, but if you decided to come in and sleep, Sophia and I made a space for you. If you want it."

"Oh," Daryl looked up at her. "Uh, thanks, Carol."

"You're welcome." She placed a gentle hand on his bare shoulder. "Goodnight."

"Night," he mumbled back and listened as she walked back to the room and closed the door. It took everything in him to not jump to his feet and follow Carol back inside.

Fuck. He was getting ridiculous.

-Flashback-

"Pick out anything you want, Daryl!" Carol's voice drifted over to him from where she was an aisle over. Instead of his focus on the row of candy in front of him, Daryl kept an eye on the attendant behind the counter who was giving him a glare. Even at nine, no one liked the youngest Dixon.

Carol walked into his aisle a bottle of Coke in each hand. "Come on. My dad gave me five dollars and I plan on spending it all in here. Now, grab whatever you want."

Candy was a rare thing in the Dixon household and Daryl had no idea what to get. "What do you want, Carol?" There were too many choices and Daryl didn't want to grab anything that Carol didn't like, After all, it was her allowance money they were going to spend.

"I like everything! Just grab whatever you want, my hands are full." She held up the two cold bottles of Coke in her hands.

Daryl chewed on his thumbnail for a second, felt the hot glare of the attendant still on his back and reached for the candy bars in front of him.

"Well," He jumped at the voice. "What do we have here?" Two boys around Carol's age walked up behind Daryl. Carol looked like she recognized them.

"Is that little Carol Reed?" The boy farthest away, from the pair sneered. Both boys were big for their size, but Carol was also tall for hers and stood just a few inches shorter than them.

"It is. What do you want, Josh?" She looked at the other boy, the one closest to Daryl. "Sam?"

Sam laughed. "Oh, nothing, really. I just want to know why you're hanging out with this trash?"

Josh stepped closer. "Why don't you ditch this loser and come hang with us?"

Daryl had his head down and clenched his fists. Merle would have had the two boys laid out on the ground and crying to their moms. Daryl couldn't do that.

"Um, no thank you!" Carol said with a bright smile that dripped with fake sweetness. "Now, if you'll leave us, we're trying to pick out some candy."

Josh grabbed one of the Daryl's arms and Carol was instantly there, shoving him away. She had set both bottles down on the ground when the two boys had approached them. "Don't you touch him."

Josh and Sam just smirked and looked at one another. Sam crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Daryl. "So, you're going to let a girl do your fighting?" Sam elbowed Josh and they laughed.

"You should be lucky Daryl isn't fighting you because if he was, you'd each have broken noses and running to your mommies. You do know his bother is Merle Dixon, right?" Carol looped her arm through one of Daryl's. "And, of course, he's taught his brother all of his fighting ways."

Fear flickered briefly across Sam and Josh's face. They, of course, knew all about Merle Dixon and the last thing they wanted was to tangle with someone just like him. Josh was the first to put back his tough face. "You know what, forget you two, then. You can have each other and Carol, you aren't that pretty, anyways." He nudged Sam. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

Carol watched them leave the store with a smirk on her face. "Good riddance." She turned back to the candy. "Back to business, Daryl. Now, pick."


Daryl was startled awake by the sound of people moving around. He opened his eyes and was met with the gray wall of the room they all had slept in. Nearby, Carol sat with Sophia, who had just woken up and was now, stretching. Carol gave him a sleepy smile before turning back to her daughter and smoothing down her blonde hair.

Two hours after Carol had left him last night, Shane had come out to finally take a turn at watch and Daryl had no choice but to go into the crowded room. Just like she had said, there was a space for him to lie down near Carol and Sophia. It was near the wall, but no where near anyone else. It was perfect to him.

"Okay," Rick announced to the room . "Let's all eat a quick breakfast and hit the road. I want to get to Fort Benning before night fall."

Everyone mumbled their agreements.

A small bag of chips landed in his lap and Daryl looked up to see Carol passing out the remaining vending machine food to the rest of the group. The chips weren't much, but at least they were something. A bottle of water appeared in front of his face. He looked up and saw that it was Sophia holding the bottle out to him. "Here you go, Mr. Daryl."

"Thanks," he mumbled and took the water. The rest of the group sat around in small huddles and spoke in sleepy mumbles to one another. Daryl stayed right where he has woken up, leaned against the wall, and watched Carol walk around the room passing out breakfast with Sophia not far behind.

To his surprise, once they passed out all the food, they walked over to where he was and sat down.

"Morning, Daryl." Carol smiled and opened her bag of Doritos. "I hope you slept well."

"Um, yeah, I did. Uh, did you?" Daryl felt awkward asking how she slept, but he wanted to return the sentiment.

"I did. Thank you." Sophia watched the exchange between the two adults. A smile began to spread across the little girl's face. Daryl didn't like the look of that smile. It reminded him of the smiles Merle would get when he started to think up one of his 'good ideas'.

Daryl was finished with his chips and when he looked over to Carol, he froze. She was sucking the Dorito powder off each of her fingers and the sight was causing some blood to rush south of his belt. Fucking great. He needed to get out of here. Crumbling up his garbage, he stood up. The only place he could go was the hallway.

"Daryl, wait." Carol's voice stopped him before he could open the door. "I was wondering if you could go with me. I wanted to check some of the rooms to see if there are any blankets, pillows or any other supplies we can use."

That was the last thing he wanted to do, especially with his little problem. However, he found himself nodding and waiting out in the hallway for Carol to make sure all of her and Sophia's meager belongings were packed and ready to go.

She slipped out the door and gave him a bright smile. "Ready?" The way she was asking, it was like they were going on a stroll through a park and not scavenging the rooms of dead patients.

"I guess." He grunted and swung his crossbow to hang across his back. Rick, Shane, Glenn and him had cleared out the area the day before and hopefully, he would have no reason to use it, but Daryl didn't want to be caught unprepared.

"I was wondering, Daryl." Carol stood slightly behind him when he opened the first room. "If you could teach me how to use a weapon."

Daryl stopped and looked over his shoulder at her. "What?" His eyes narrowed.

"I need to use a weapon, Daryl." Carol skirted around until she stood right in front of him. "I need to learn how to protect my child. You're a good man, but I can't always expect you to constantly keep on eye on us."

Daryl didn't like the idea of Carol having to use a weapon, but he knew where she was coming from. Reaching down, he unstrapped the knife at his belt and he handed it to her. "Here."

"But this is yours." Carol said, taking a little step back. "I can't take it from you."

"Well, you don't have a weapon of your own and I have another one in my truck."

Carol gingerly took the knife from him and tested its weight in her hand. Daryl almost thought she'd give it back, but then she looked up at him and smiled. "Thank you. When, we get out of here maybe you can teach me how to properly use it? Maybe at Fort Benning?"

He nodded. "Sure. I can do that."

Then, Carol did something totally unsuspected, but not unwelcome, she went up on her tiptoes, placed a hand on his shoulder and kissed him on the cheek.


Fifteen minutes later, Daryl and Carol returned with arms full of blankets and pillows. Daryl's cheek still tingled from the unexpected kiss and that was all he could think about as they searched each room. Carol had chattered on and he'd only half-listened, but she didn't seem to mind.

"Oh, this is wonderful," Lori gushed when she saw the pair. Completely ignoring Daryl, she took some of the blankets from Carol. "It's going to be getting pretty chilly soon and I'm sure they can use more blankets at Fort Benning."

"That's what I was thinking, too." Carol smiled. "That's why I asked Daryl to come with me and grab some." It was clear that she was trying to get get Lori to acknowledge that Daryl had helped out.

Lori looked briefly at him and her smile wavered, before returning her gaze back to Carol. "Well, Rick wants to leave soon, so I'll take some of these with me."

"Okay and I'll take the rest." Sophia walked up to them after Lori turned to go back to Carl and Rick.

"Hi, mom." She had Carol's bag hanging from one shoulder and a bookbag of their belongings in the other. "Hi, Mr. Daryl."

Daryl grunted his greeting and went to the wall where his bag of belongings laid. Everyone else was ready to go and he made sure to stay close to Carol and Sophia as they exited the building.


Daryl threw his bag into the back of his truck, where Merle's bike was still tied up. Turning around, he was surprised to find Carol standing right behind him. She jumped back when she saw how close she was to him.

"Somethin' you need?" He asked.

"Rick wanted to get rid of either mine or T-Dog's vehicle and they picked mine, so I was wondering if I could ride with you? Sophia is in the RV with Carl and I thought it was way too crowded for me."

"Uh, sure." He pointed to the book bag in her hand. "Want me to take that?"

"Oh, um, yeah. Okay." She handed it over and watched him put it in the back of his truck. Then, walked around the front and climbed into the passenger's seat. She was slightly nervous to be sitting so close to him, but also felt excited. Daryl seemed to actually like talking with her and she saw it as a sign that maybe he liked her. Maybe not like like her, but like, like a friend and she was okay with that.

Daryl opened the door glanced at her very briefly before starting the truck.

"How come you don't ride the bike?" She asked, hoping to start a conversation. Daryl just shrugged and chewed on the thumbnail of his left thumb. Carol felt a strange sense of...familiarity when she saw that and for the life of her, she couldn't remember why she all of a sudden felt that.

As subtlety as she could, Carol carefully looked over at Daryl as he drove. There was something about him and she knew she was close to figuring it out. The day he and his brother had walked into the Quarry wasn't the first time Carol had set eyes on him. Daryl Dixon had been part of her past somehow and she was going to find out from exactly when.


So, how about that season finale? I thought it was kind of blah. Definitely not a season finale worthy episode. What do you all think? I'd love to hear from you about it! :)

Thanks for reading!