AN: longer chapter...some smut at the end. Let me know know what you think :)

I do not own or profit from The Walking Dead

chapter 13

On Wednesday she forgot, forgot it was Ed's birthday.

Sophia had been happy, full of life the night before at the pizza place. Playing the games at the kid friendly restaurant excitedly with Gracie running to the table sporadically for bites, as she and Andrea chatted.

"So" Andrea said watching the girls run off to play yet again "Are you ever going to tell me about the hickey on your neck?"

Carol's hand went to her neck in surprise "Where?"

"Other side...details...please" Andrea said with a grin.

Carol blushed and fiddled with her fork,"You were right, about Daryl...we are more than friends"

"While there are no sweeter words to me than someone admitting I'm right...why do you seem like your about ready to jump out of your skin." Andrea asked

"I'm scared..."

"Of what?"

"All of it" Carol said "A new relationship, his issues...we've talked and he's vulnerable...I don't want to hurt him either."

"Vulnerable?...pftt...any man who would leave a hickey that size on your neck is not vulnerable" she poked the spot on her neck "That right there is dedication, he may be shy, but that doesn't mean your going to hurt him, or he isn't a man, you just gotta give it a chance."

"I know...I just.." She said softly

"Still blame yourself for Ed's death" Andrea finished "Carol it wasn't your fault...you tried to get him help, you loved him even when being sick was making him an assehole. Just because you left doesn't mean you didn't love him...you had to think of your daughter...first. He was sick, and wouldn't get help, it's sad but not your fault."

Carol nodded smiling at Sophia who came back to the table for a drink and took off again.

"All I can say is this..." Andrea said with a grin "Thursday night when I have the kids you better let mister vulnerable unleash his inner wild side"

Xxxxxxx

She was almost at Daryl's when the school called On Wednesday. Sophia had been crying for an hour saying she had a headache wanting to go home.

Carol's initial reaction had been worry then confusion. She'd seemed fine this morning.

She quickly ran up Daryl's steps and smiled at the note on his door that he was hunting and would be back soon. She jotted a quick message explaining why she couldn't wait and said she would call him later.

Sophia had been quiet, sullen in the car, but didn't seem to be having a headache at all. She seemed surprised when Carol had stopped for ice cream and then parked at a park, following Carol out to a bench.

"So...what's up?" Carol said

"Nothing...I have a headache" Sophia said not making eye contact.

"Sophia..."

"You wouldn't care anyway!" Sophia all but yelled angrily getting up walking a few feet away hugging herself.

Sophia turned back after a few minutes "I'm sorry momma...I didn't mean it...I..."

"I know...it's okay"

Sophia ran back over throwing her arms around Carol's neck, sobbing into her neck.

"It's Daddy's birthday today..." She said when her tears stopped "I remembered and then I felt bad cause I forgot"

She was right...May 25...it was Ed's birthday. She'd forgotten too.

"I forgot too" Carol said softly

"You did?" Sophia asked sitting down next to her.

"Yeah...I did...I don't think it means we didn't love him, we did, even when he wasn't easy to love" Carol said watching as Sophia nodded with a look on her face that was beyond her years. "I think you and I have to remember...it's okay to be happy...I think in the end that's what he would want for us."

They made sandwiches for supper and spent the evening reminiscing, she wracked her brain for every story about Ed from before, before Ed became sick. She felt like she was putting Ed, her Ed...the one she had loved and hoped she could get back to rest. He was gone, that Ed, had been gone for years, that Ed would want her to be happy.

At bedtime Sophia had asked her seriously "Momma...is Daryl your boyfriend? Gracie thinks he is"

Carol walked back in and sat down on her bed "Well I'm a little old to have a boyfriend" Carol laughed picking up Sophia's old Garfield teddybear. "More like my Pookie" Carol said teasingly as Sophia giggled.

"Ewwwwww, you have a boyfriend" Sophia said "Just like Gracie" Sophia's eyes widened at the unintentional slip her hand clasping over her mouth in horror.

Carol smiled leaning down to peck her on the forehead "My lips are sealed"

"Thanks Momma...if Daryl is your boyfriend...that's okay with me" Sophia said sleepily rolling over.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx.

She settled herself on the couch and dialed his number.

"Hey" he said his soft voice answering after one ring "She alright?" He asked

"Yeah...we forgot that today was Ed's Birthday. She remembered at school...felt guilty" Carol said

"Sorry..."

"Don't be...we talked...I think we're both starting to understand it's okay to be happy." She said

"Are you...happy?" He asked sounding hesitant.

She smiled "Yeah...I am, oh and you have Sophia's seal of approval" she giggled "Andrea's too"

"Oh yeah?" He asked

"Sophia said she wouldn't mind if you were my boyfriend...and Andrea said I need to let you unleash your inner wild side tomorrow night" she said biting her lip at what his reaction would be to that.

"Well" he coughed "I...we don't have to...I mean I want to..."

"I told her she was right"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXxxxxx

On Thursday her stomach was a bundle of nerves.

All her insecurities tried to claw her way up into her gut. What if he didn't like what he saw, what if he was disappointed. She shut her mind off as she worked. She'd taken her own car today, like she did sometimes when she had somewhere to be immediately after work. She'd thrown a small overnight bag in the back seat...never hurt to be prepared.

She grabbed a package she had for him and made her way to the door. Knocking once before he opened the door grabbed her hand and pulled her inside.

Her back was against the door and his hands were under her shirt easing it up and over her head as his lips were on her mouth.

He gasped as he broke away from her pulling her shirt past her face then had his lips back on her neck. She shook her hand trying to shake off her shirt that got snagged on her pulled her other hand up to try and free herself but only managed to entangle her wrists.

"Touch me" he all but growled, his lips leaving her neck, as his hands pulled down the cups of her bra.

"Trying to" she half gasped half giggled as he covered her nipple with his mouth. He stopped and looked up at her in confusion then noticed her wrist tangled in her shirt restrained behind her head. "I'm all tied up" she said with a husky whisper.

He groaned and put his face in her neck "Fuck...don't say things like that...I'm about ready to snap as it is" he said as he raised his hands and freed her writs.

"Well" she said wrapping her hands around his shoulders "I'll just have to file that away for future reference...show me where your room is" she said bringing her lips back to his.

He grunted putting his hands on her ass and picking her up, she wrapped her legs around his waist the kissed her way down his neck as he walked down the hallway past his office to the door next to it. She was caught of guard for a moment at the wall of windows and the view of the lake that he obviously orientated his hOuse around. A large four poster bed sat in the middle of the room.

"Wow" she said as he set her down next to the bed.

"Yeah" he muttered distractedly as she shrugged her shoulders out of her bra and then unzipped her pants.

"Let me" he said softly and still her hands. He grabbed the waist band of her pants and panties and slowly started to peel them down her body. His fingertips skimming down the inside of her thigh causing a trail of goosebumps and a pang of need to go straight to her core. He crouched down to help her toe off her shoes and socks and get her pants off.

"Wouldn't want you to get all tied up again." He said giving her a look that said he would actually probably like that very much. Definetly filing that one away. He sat back on his haunches and stared up at her.

Her breath caught in her throat. No one in her life had ever looked at her like he was looking at her now. Like she was the most precious thing in his world, like she was beautiful, and ...loved.

She realized that she did, love him. It was so clear to her now, why she was willing without a doubt to to take a chance again, what kept pushing her towards him.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him up. He pulled him to her his hands grabbing her ass and grinding her to him as he kissed her neck.

She pulled his shirt out of the pants he was wearing and started unbuttoning each button one at a time. Flicking her tongue over each inch of skin she exposed. When she pushed his shirt of his shoulders she felt him stiffen slightly.

"Is there anything, that I shouldn't do? That makes you uncomfortable?" She asked nipping at his neck. He pulled her closer

"Nah...it's just..." He paused

"Just what?" She asked licking her tongue along his collarbone.

"My back...it's not exactly nice to look at" he said

"Your back is beautiful...it shows how strong you are, that you survived" she said huskily her hands at the button of his pants...pushing them over his hips.

She sunk down onto her knees in front of him, lovingly stroking his shaft with her cool hands. He gasped and groaned when she grasped the tip taking him into her mouth. She began a slow steady rhythm of sliding him in her mouth and the out, her hand cupping his sac and squeezing slightly.

One of his hands shot out and braced himself on the poster of his bed the other threaded through her hair. She'd never thought herself overly skilled at this, but Daryl's husky groans and the way he was touching her hair was making her body fill with want. She clamped her thighs together at the stab of heat at her core. Lowering her head she grazed her lips over his sac, her tongue taking a swipe at it as her hand slid up and down. She slid her tongue up again and took him back into her mouth. His coarse grunt a sign of his impending release. She felt it building in him.

"Carol..." He all but panted out in a warning tone.

She wrapped her hands around his waist as he started to thrust into her mouth. Tempering him once when he got a little to enthusiastic.

"Carol...I'm gonna"

She just smiled up at him from around him. She wanted him to. He suddenly tensed grabbing the poster on the bed so hard she thought it might crack. When he growled out her name as he came she felt chills run down her spine. He had both hands braced on the poster above her head as he caught his breath. Still on her knees she nuzzled her face into him, flicking her tongue out to lick a stray bead of fluid at the tip.

She grinned when she heard him moan and his dick twitch coming to life yet again. She looked up at him, he was staring straight down at her hands still clasped to the bed poster with a look on his face like he might eat her alive.