First and foremost I need to say this is pretty much a co-write. I would have never posted this if Haitus80 didn't talk me into it after she read the first three chapters I wrote out of boredom one day. After that she got me to post cause she wanted to read it. I did and here we are. Now when I write this it's when me and her are talking. That's why I say it's a co-write. This story is just as much hers as it is mine. I give credit where credit is due and my dear friend deserves it.

Also I need address some shitty ass stuff I got regarding the last chapter I posted. I'm not one to really let people get to me. I don't generally mind if someone doesn't like something or criticizes me. But when you read my story then CLEARLY miss a major thing in it then try to tell me that I'm messing up MY story I do get mad. I get pissed off because not only is rude to try to tell me how to write my own story and tell me that I'm messing up because this isn't what you would have done. Well darlin' let me say if you are looking for a depressing ass Carol crying in the corner story and cowering because she's afraid of her father, which mind you I stated THAT is who she is afraid of, then this is NOT the story for you. Carol has suffered through seeing some things that are rough on someone so young. Her father hit her. And from someone who has seen these types of things happen and come out the other side I can tell you that just because one man does something doesn't immediately make you cower in fear of all men. Believe me- it doesn't. If that is what you want me to write then stop reading right now.

I'm sorry for my rant but I got a few pissy things regarding that last chapter. Continue on...Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Carol followed behind Daryl as he walked through the house. She knew they were going to her place to get some of her things but she was unsure really what to do till then. He looked like he was ready to tear someone in half and if it was her father his entire demeanor would have her locking herself away in her bedroom. Though with Daryl she knew for a fact that he'd never hurt a woman. She got the sense that none of the Dixon's were like that. They were nothing like her father tried to paint them as. Merle and Mac might have been rough around the edges and obnoxious but that was just them.

"Where you going Darylina?" Merle questioned stepping out of the kitchen.

Daryl snarled, "Don't fuck with me right now Merle."

Merle looked at him before his eyes went to Carol walking just behind him. He gave her an almost apologetic look. She wanted to laugh. She really did. Daryl was embarrassed that much was obvious. She was too but she refused to cry about this. These men protected her and took her in when her own father had hurt her. Sure they'd done a splendid job of mocking them this morning but she got the feeling that whether she'd been there or not they'd still gave Daryl crap.

Natalie appeared her eyes bright, "Carol you wanna get something to eat?"

Carol's eyes went to Daryl who stepped into the den she knew that his father was in. Mac showed up behind Natalie his arms going around her and his grin wide looking at Carol.

"Don't touch me pig." Natalie slapped at his arms. "I heard Will talking to the two of you this morning!"

Mac held his hands up when she kept hitting him. Carol watched curiously as he kept smiling and then his eyes turned to her, "Carol darlin' honey sweetie sugar I'm truly sorry for calling attention to you groping my brother in his bed."

Carol's face flamed and she narrowed her eyes. Natalie rounded on him and her hand cracked across her face, "I told you to take this serious Mac and you're being a tool."

"Yeah you tool." Merle laughed.

Natalie rounded on him, "I wouldn't be so chummy Merle I've already called Andrea."

"Fuck me."

Natalie gave him a dry look, "After your stunt this morning I seriously doubt she'll even grope you much less fuck you."

Daryl stepped outside the den and met her eyes and jerked his head. Carol eagerly escaped. It wasn't that she didn't like Mac and Merle because she did. They'd always been nice to her and she actually found them amusing. It was nothing bad it was just that she'd never been around such lively people. Her mother was a quiet woman who done as she was told and her father was...well there wasn't anything nice to say about that man. She'd been sheltered away from people but even she knew that not everyone was like her father. The Dixon's had large personalities and she found herself wanting to be around them more. Poor Daryl though seemed to be the go to for their attacks. She just figured it was because he was the youngest and the least vulgar of the them.

"Carol I was telling Daryl that the cops have already filed on the damage and that charges will be pressed." Will's voice was pointed, "I'm sorry if you think that I should drop this but I won't. I won't stand back and watch that man lay hands on either of you girls simply because you wanted to move out and moved into a place I owned."

Carol swallowed and studied him. He was watching her closely and then her eyes went to Daryl like the night before. His words that he'd be there and that he would help her were like the groundwork that she found herself nodding.

"Good." She rubbed her hands down her thighs, "I should try to figure something out today though for me and Natalie since we're out of a place to stay."

Daryl's eyes went to her briefly before going to his dad. Will studied her for a minute and then sighed, "Carol do you feel safe?"

"Excuse me?"

"If you walked out that door right now and my boy didn't go with you would you feel safe? Would you be able to sleep without the fear that your father was going to show up?" He never looked away from her his eyes just as bright as Daryl's and concerned, "Did you sleep last night without that fear?"

It was poised as a question but she knew it wasn't. Carol's eyes closed and she blew out a breath, "I can't."

"You can't or won't?" Will questioned, "I know you don't me very well and I know you don't my sons but there isn't a one of us that would see you hurt."

Carol's eyes kept glancing at Daryl scared she was going to upset him if she agreed to what she knew Will was pushing for. She wasn't scared and he'd called her on it. She was scared of the man her father was because that man was someone who didn't care to hurt the people he claimed to love. He'd beat her mother and hurt her but she'd seen none of those qualities in this family. Sure Mac and Merle had almost embarrassed her to the point of no return this morning but she actually snorted thinking about it. She found herself smiling at the thought even though she knew Daryl was planning something against his brothers. This is what it felt like to have a family. This is what it felt like to have people who cared about you and could make jokes and play around without really doing harm. She felt comfortable despite barely knowing them all.

"I slept." Carol looked up at Will.

He smiled at her, "I know."

Daryl chuckled and looked down at the ground his his head shaking.

Will looked over at him and then at her and smiled brightly at her. Carol gave him a strange look and he tilted his head, "I went up to check on Daryl to make sure he'd taken his medicine and found you in there with him. You were both knocked out sleeping like the dead. I was going to see where you were and check on you after that but got two birds one stone."

Carol's face flushed but she nodded. She didn't hear him come in at all.

"Carol I'm sorry about this morning the shit Mac and Merle done." Will shook his head, "Sometimes those two forget not everyone is use to people being like that."

Carol snorted, "I don't' think anyone could get use to those two completely."

Will nodded and looked over at Daryl. Carol didn't miss the look and raised her brow.

"You scared of my boys? I know you aren't of Daryl that's obvious but if Mac and Merle scare you...if they make you uncomfortable I can set something up for you and Natalie at my other place."

Carol sucked in a breath. Was she scared of Mac and Merle? No. Sure they managed to make her uncomfortable this morning but Natalie and Andrea done the same thing to her all the time. Actually those two were the female versions of those two at times with how they acted. SHe was use to getting teased and she figured Daryl knew all about that.

"No, no they don't bother me." Carol's voice was soft. "I don't think you should go through the extra trouble."

"Carol if that's what you want it is NO trouble." Will assured her.

His words about walking out that door without Daryl replayed in her head and she knew what she needed to say. Truthfully she'd not slept like she did in months almost years. She felt safer here then she had ever at her own home. She looked over at Daryl and he was leaning back like he had all the time in the world for her to figure out what she needed. Studying him while Will shuffled something around Carol watched as a slow smile spread across his face.

Will stood up and Daryl did too. "When you get done today make sure your ass gets home and rests you know what the doctor said."

Daryl made a face, "I'm fine."

"No, no you're not."

Carol raised a brow watching them.

Daryl crossed his arms over his chest barely concealing the wince from the movement. "I'm fine."

Will glared at him, "He said your ass needs to rest until he releases you. I only signed you out because you agreed to do as he said at home."

Carol's eyes widened not knowing he'd been hurt that bad. "If he can't help me today and needs to rest then I can go-"

"NO I'm fine and damn well help you." Daryl shook his head, "I'll go and then bring my ass home."

Will nodded, "Make sure you do." He looked over at Carol "You make sure his ass listens Carol."

He smiled at her and then was out the door barking at Merle and Mac to get their shit. Carol watched as they both went. As they neared him though he said something that had both of them looking over at her and lowering their eyes. Will looked like he was mad and Carol couldn't help but to watch. Any time her dad got mad her mother ended up bloody and on the ground. She ended locked in her room and recently hurt and on the ground.

"He's mad at them for how they done you this morning." Daryl's voice was low. "I'm use to their shit but he ripped their ass all morning for acting like that with you."

Carol looked over at him, "Are they always...always like that with you? So suggestive."

Daryl snorted, "Suggestive...my brother's are disgusting and you'll see soon enough they don't mean any harm. Neither one of them meant any harm."

"I know."

Daryl looked at her, "Do you?"

Carol's face flushed and she nodded. She couldn't look at him without that same feeling of heat overwhelming her. She wasn't sure what was going on with her. Every time he looked at her, spoke, or got close to her she felt like her body was a live wire begging him for something. It was a foreign feeling. She wanted to ask him about it but wasn't sure what to say.

"I get that your brothers aren't use to their being girls around really."

Daryl's face flushed and he looked away from her. "Gotcha."

"Merle stopped me and told me he didn't think I'd be in there is why he showed up like that." Carol looked over at him able to see bruising on his arm and side from how his shirt was. "Are you sure you don't mind what your father was saying? Helping me today?"

Daryl motioned her forward when WIll and the others disappeared out the door. Natalie was already gone and he was locking the door behind her. "If I wasn't serious I'd never said those words to you Carol Regardless of how I feel or anyone else my dad would have helped regardless." He turned to her, "Not everyone is after something though and you should remember that."