If you haven't already noticed I'm adding and changing things as I go to fit my story. This will be no different. I'll add and take things out as I see fit. The story will follow the stories time line somewhat but things will be a bit longer some shorter. Just go with it. :)
Carol felt tension radiate her body as they walked through the halls after Jenner. She hated closed in spaces and being underground wasn't doing her any favors at the moment. She clasped her hand with Sophia's keeping her close as they walked towards the exam rooms.
"After this there are facilities to cook and clean yourselves up with if you so desire." His voice was gentle.
The group cheered and Carol swallowed again feeling his eyes on her. She tried to smile but it was strained and he moved closer to her. "Thanks for helping us."
He nodded, "The world may have went to hell but that doesn't mean everyone in it has. Are you claustrophobic?"
Clearing her throat, "Yes."
"Try not to think about it. You'll acclimate soon enough."
Carol watched Andrea as she got her blood drawn and seen her paling. They needed to eat, Andrea needed to eat. She wasn't looking to good and Carol felt her mothering instincts kicking in wanting to take care of the women. Andrea moved next to her setting down as Amy walked up getting her own blood drawn.
Andrea tipped her head over on her shoulder smiling, "Carol fix me something amazing to eat, please!"
Carol laughed, "I'll see what I can do."
They were all gathered around the large table laughing after having eaten more than they had since the world decided to let the bottom drop out. Carol felt eyes on her and looked up seeing Lori watching her but didn't put too much thought into it. She wasn't going to let her get to her right now and she wasn't having a Dixon debate when the men weren't here to defend themselves.
"So how long do you think you can put us up for?" Shane questioned breaking the jovial mood.
Jenner met his eyes and his eyes glazed over as he thought about it. "I told you that this couldn't be permanent when you all came here. The generators will quit and well...this facility has fail safes. You'll need to be gone before then."
Rick shot Shane a look silencing him and smiled at Jenner, "I want to thank you for the chance you've given us."
Jenner gave them all a sad smile as the group started talking again. Carol let her eyes drift to Sophia close to her and seen her scowling down at the table. She frowned her hand sliding over Sophia's shoulder and running through her hair trying to coax her into a smile. Sophia just set there gazing at the table not speaking and Carol sighed.
"Come on sweetie we'll get cleaned up." Carol spoke low.
Rising to their feet the group smiled at them some drunk and cheered. Sophia huffed at them and walked away not speaking causing more than a few eyebrows to raise at her. Carol smiled and walked after not sure what had got into her daughter. Sophia was always friendly and she had just blown them all off and that wasn't her normal attitude.
Stepping out into the hall she seen her standing there waiting on her. Carol moved towards her own face turning into a scowl, "What is going on with you?"
Sophia shrugged her lips thinning as her little fist balled up while the other gripped her knife hilt. She had a stormy look on her face and Carol realized where she had seen this exact look and stance before. It was Daryl. Every bit him written all over her, from the feet up. She raised her eyebrow but stifled her smile knowing that whatever was on her daughters mind would just be made worse by her laughing.
Stepping into the bathroom she set the water for her Sophia and looked over her shoulder at the girl. She was kicking her boots away as she worked her little belt open. Carol watched her slide the sheath off and her face dropped as she held it.
"Sophia what's wrong?" Carol questioned kneeling in front of her.
Sophia raised her eyes to her and the tears that had been hidden from Carol shone brightly sliding down her cheeks. She swiped angrily at her cheeks and blew out a breath. Her face was red and Carol just wanted to pull her into her chest taking away all her sorrow.
"It aint fair to celebrate when their out there mama." Sophia hiccupped.
Carol swiped her tears away, "Honey they made a decision to look for their brother."
Sophia shook her head, "Only cause officer friendly left Merle behind like some douche." She hissed.
Carol's eyes widened and she could imagine which brother that had come from for her daughter to pick up. "Sophia watch your language. I'm not telling you again."
"People make choices, decisions without seeing what the outcome will be. Rick didn't intend for that to happen the way it did. Things will work out sweetie, I guarantee you those two are safer than we are." Carol smiled. "Nothing can kill a Dixon but a Dixon."
Sophia grinned at her setting her knife on the table. "We should look for them mama."
Carol watched as she disappeared into the fog of the bathroom. Carol blew out a breath and set down thinking over how Sophia had acted since seeing the brothers drive away. She had silently watched the road after they had gone until Carol made her get up and help pack. She was hoping she wouldn't take it too hard them being gone.
She wasn't sure why Sophia had taken to them so much but she had and that had been a shocker itself. Sophia didn't take to many people and men were a never for her. Ed had made her terrified of men and she tended to hide behind Carol when they were around. It seemed like the second the Dixon's appeared Sophia had gravitate towards Daryl and then to Mac as well. Merle had talked to her some but he was more of a stone wall. The twins had some how took her under their wings. Sophia had gotten a confidence about her that showed and now she was mourning a loss of the men that she had started to look up too.
Carol's eyes went back to the knife and she picked it up her eyes sliding over it. She knew it had to have been Daryl who had given it to her. The way he reprimanded her for not being careful with it was more fatherly than she had ever seen Ed be in his entire life. Once more Sophia listened to him and taken his words serious, she hadn't through a fit like she tended to do with Carol either.
Sophia walked out her pajamas snug against her as her hair dripped and she walked to Carol setting down. "He said his papaw made it when he made his, Mac's, and Merle's."
Carol looked at it as Sophia plucked it out of her hands, "Did he say why he gave it to you?"
"So my ass wouldn't be hangin' out."
Carol snorted resigning herself to breaking the habit forming in her daughter to speak like Daryl. "I'm sure he said more than that."
Sophia nodded, "Told me to keep myself safe."
Carol smiled at her as she stood, "I'm gong to take a shower and then we can head down to see what all games they have."
Walking into the game room Carol smiled seeing Amy and Andrea in a heated battle of checkers. Lori was in the cornering reading while Carl played close by. Carol moved close to Andrea and Amy setting down as Sophia started rifling through the book case. She grabbed a book up and settled on the couch choosing to ignore everyone.
Andrea looked at her then to Carol, "What's going on with her?"
"She's upset about them being gone." Carol kept her voice low.
Amy smiled, "She was cute with them. Did you see the day she tipped the water onto Daryl or was that just me?"
Carol and Andrea both looked at her shaking their heads. Amy smiled leaning forward, "She was setting with Mac while he was working on something. Daryl had walked by ignoring Mac and Merle both and went to cleaning his bow. Well Sophia was setting with Mac and he handed her a bucket jerking his head at Daryl. He didn't pay attention to her cause he kept shooting looks to Merle and Mac. She walked up to him but he didn't lift his head and she dumped it over him."
Amy laughed her face lighting up and Carol and Andrea both grinned, "Well what did he do?" Andrea goaded.
"I've never seen someone stand so fast in my life. He whipped around ready to take someones head of but Sophia just handed him the bucket smiling and told him too cool off or she'd get another bucket." Amy laughed louder, "He shook water of and scowled down at her while Mac and Merle started laughing."
Carol looked over at her daughter seeing her little face scrunched up as she read. Looking back over at the girls she listened to their easy chatter and followed their game. They were giving each other grief over the game causing Carol to smile.
Jenner walked into the room his eyes running over the book shelf as well. He nodded at them searching out a book as Carl made his way to Sophia. Carol could already see her daughter getting frustrated. She was like her in that way. When she was reading she got mad when someone pestered her.
"Carl stop!" Sophia hissed.
Lori looked up and shot Carol a disapproving look causing her to anger to spike. She looked away about the time Carl grabbed for Sophia's knife on her hip.
"MOM! Sophia has a knife!" Carl bellowed.
Lori was up and moving towards Sophia causing Carol to do the same. She felt Andrea move behind her and she eyed Lori. "You aware she's packing weapons Carol?" Lori snapped.
"Yes I'm aware of what my daughter does." Carol spoke stoically.
Lori's eyes burned, "She's too young for that and it's not safe. She could hurt herself or Carl playing with it."
Sophia snapped her book closed and glared up at Lori. Carol seen that same look from earlier showing through on her that screamed Daryl. Lori eyed her as Sophia pushed to her feet, "I'm not a baby and I know it's not a toy. Worry about Carl not me."
Lori blanched but her face blazed in anger causing her to turn to Carol, "You need to get her under hand."
Jenner stepped closer looking at Sophia and smiling, "May I see your knife?" Sophia eyed him cautiously not moving or speaking. "I'll give it back."
She pulled it from the sheath handing it over to him. Carol watched him as he inspected it his face was wide with a smile and he knelt in front of Sophia handing her the knife back. "It's very well done. A lot of time went into that. Who gave that to you? To put that much love and blood into something it must have meant something to them."
Sophia smiled widely her face brightening, "Da-"
Jenner smiled cutting her off, "Well your dad made a good choice in giving it to you. He must have cared enough to want to see you safe. It's smart to keep yourself protected and your never to young to learn."
Sophia's face burned red and she looked up at Carol before speaking, "Daryl...Daryl gave it to me. Not Ed." Her voice was low and sad.
"Well all the same." Jenner smiled at her fondly rising to his feet.
His words silenced Lori and she had a sour look on her face.
"I want a knife mom!" Carl whined.
Lori grabbed his hand leading him away from the room. Sophia climbed back on the couch picking her book back up her face lighter. Jenner stood watching Lori walk from the room before looking at Carol.
"I didn't mean to upset her...I assumed your husband would have given it to her. The craft that went into that just made me assume that it was a family heirloom." Jenner spoke low to her.
Carol shook her head waving him away, "She'll be fine."
"Well ladies I'm going to turn in for the night."
He walked from the room leaving them to their selves. Carol settled back with Andrea next to her who was grinning. Amy waggled her eyebrows and shook her head.
"Carol.." Andrea looked over her shoulder at Sophia before leaning more towards her. "You should have jumped Daryl while you had the chance...if Mac is any indication." Andrea fanned herself her eyes bright and full of lust.
Carol's eyes widened and her face burned red. "Andrea that man barely looked at anyone around camp let alone me."
Amy laughed, "Your more blind that Rick is about stuff going on around him."
Andrea agreed and smiled at her, "You were the only woman he looked at. Mac said as much the morning we left. He told me to watch after you and Sophia for Daryl or something like that..." Andrea face pinched and she shrugged, "He was distracting me i can't remember his exact words."
Amy leaned in winking at Andrea, "We both know you are attracted to Daryl...Andrea here can give you an idea of the goods since their twins and all."
Carol shook her head, "You two aint right you know that."
"Might not be right but it was all kinds of right at the time." Andrea purred.
"Alright you two I'm going to bed. Sophia let's go." Carol grinned at them shaking her head.
She didn't need the images Andrea would put in her head about Daryl. She already had more than enough plaguing her at the moment without the help.
"All I'm saying Carol is weak shaky legs. Need help walking and standing afterwards." Andrea laughed.
Sophia looked up at her, "I get like that when I set to long to."
Carol busted out laughing shaking her head and ushering her daughter away from the other two. It was good to see Sophia mood lifting slightly. She just hoped that where ever Daryl and Mac were they found Merle and were safe.