Chapter 20

"Daryl? Daryl? Daryl!" She nudged him hard in the ribs, and he grunted, sitting up quickly, squinting into the darkness of the tent.

"Whasmatter?" he murmured sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"What is that?" she asked, eyes wide. Daryl fumbled around in the darkness for a moment before he found the lantern and turned the switch. A bright glow filled the tent, and Carol squinted, her eyes adjusting to the light.

"What's what?"

"That noise."

"What noise? Don't hear anything."

"Well, listen!" She scooted closer to him, and they both sat frozen in place, listening for the noise. When it came, Carol nudged his shoulder. Daryl snorted. "What? What is it that?"

"You really ain't been out in the woods much, huh?"

"Well? What…that's not a goat is it?" He chuckled and shook his head.

"That's a doe. She's callin' her fawn."

"Oh," Carol murmured, cheeks reddening with embarrassment. "Sorry. I just…I've never heard that sound before."

"S'alright," he said with a shrug. "You ain't used to it out here. But you will be." She gave him a little smile. "C'mon." He started reaching for his clothes, and Carol grabbed the tiny travel alarm clock she'd brought which showed it was four-thirty in the morning.

"Come on where?" she asked. "It's four-thirty."

"Perfect time for huntin'," he pointed out.

"You're not gonna kill that poor little deer are you?" Daryl sighed, seeing the worry in her face.

"Ah…no. No, we'll find a buck," he offered. Carol seemed a little worried, so Daryl reached out and pulled her up. "C'mon. S'alright. I'll teach you." He kissed her softly, his hand moving down her bare back to her butt, giving it a little squeeze. She laughed against his mouth, finally surrendering to his encouragements.

"Alright, but don't ask me to shoot the poor thing, because I've seen Bambi too many times."

They slinked through the woods together. Daryl was quiet at her side, his crossbow in one hand, her hand in the other. She eyed him as the moonlight filtered down through the trees, considering the focused concentration etched in his brow. She couldn't help but let her mind wander as she watched him grim his bow tightly, seeing his muscles flex and twitch as they walked. He was absolutely gorgeous bathed in moonlight.

"When'd you learn to use a crossbow?" Carol asked softly after a few minutes of walking.

"Merle taught me, back when we used to go fishin'. We went huntin' sometimes. He gave me his…said I was better'n him anyway. Think he just wanted to give me somethin' so he wouldn't feel like such a shit for not really bein' there for me." Carol didn't really know what to say to that. All she knew was that whatever had happened to him in his life had turned him into the amazing man he was today. She hated what he'd gone through with his family, but she knew, after losing Sophia, that people could come back from almost anything.

The crinkling of leaves up ahead startled them both, and Daryl held his fingers to his lips, his eyes locking on hers before he gave her a little nod. He aimed his crossbow, and they waited. Within moments, a beautiful buck with giant antlers came walking across the path, about six yards ahead of them. He dipped his head low and rooted the ground before munching at a tuft of grass.

He aimed the crossbow, but when he felt her hand on his arm, he turned his head and he saw the little smile on her face, a smile that told him he didn't have to prove a damned thing to her. She gave him a little nod, and he lowered the bow, pulling his arm around her. They stood there watching the animal graze. He was completely oblivious to their presence, and that made it all the more magical. He was a magnificent creature, strong and proud, lifting his head once in a while at the slightest noise, on the alert for threats. Carol sighed softly, leaning her head on Daryl's shoulder, and he tightened his hold around her, rubbing small circles absentmindedly against her hip.

After about five minutes, the deer moved on, and Carol let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

"C'mon," Daryl murmured. "Let's go."

"Where?" she asked.

"You'll see," he murmured, a grin playing over his lips in the moonlight. He took her hand and led her off, and she followed him blindly, willingly. She followed him for what felt like an hour with all the twists and turns. At some point, she was certain they'd passed their camp, but she said nothing, trusting in him, knowing he wouldn't lead her wrong.

It wasn't long before the sound of water and the feel of the breeze against her face brought her to the realization that he'd led her down to the water in the quarry. Carol gasped softly as she stared over at the dark water as the moonlight reflected upon it like some mystical mirror.

She was in awe. The sky was so clear that the water looked black with flecks of light, like something out of a fairy tale. Daryl stripped down to nothing, and she followed his lead. He was the first in the water, holding his hand out for her. The moonlight bathed down on him in the water, and his skin appeared to glow. The whole scene was enchanting, and she wanted to jump right in and swim against the reflection of the moon.

"Wow," she breathed, as he tugged at her hand, pulling her into the water with him. "It's freezing!"

"I'll keep ya warm," he promised, holding onto her as they sunk down together, the water almost to their shoulders. Carol shivered as he pulled his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest. She sighed softly and rested her head on his shoulder as they held each other in the moonlit water. He pressed soft kisses along her shoulder and collarbone, and she moaned softly, her hands moving against his strong arms and over his broad shoulders, stroking his back. She lifted her head and met his lips with a tender kiss.

Time flew too quickly, as it always tended to do when the real world awaited back home. By the time the week was over, Carol had developed a bit of a tan, and Daryl had acquired a taste for skinny dipping, something she told him he'd have to put a lid on if he didn't want to get arrested for public indecency back home. He'd assured her, however, that the only reason he liked swimming naked was when she was swimming naked with him.

On the way home, Carol had fallen asleep with her head leaning against the passenger's side window. The next thing she knew, Daryl was gently shaking her shoulder, and she was waking up outside of Glenn and Maggie's house.

"We're here already?" she asked with a yawn.

"You've been out for an hour," he pointed out.

"Oh," she blushed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"S'alright," he murmured, "you were restless last night."

"I was?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Yeah. You probably needed that nap." She gave his hand a squeeze. "C'mon. Let's go get Gracie." The two climbed out of the truck and walked up the path, hand-in-hand. Glenn answered the door when Carol rang the bell, and he looked like he'd barely slept at all in the entire week since they'd last seen him.

"Come in," he yawned. "Maggie's getting Grace changed out of her pajamas." Daryl looked at the clock.

"It's four in the afternoon."

"Dude, don't start," Glenn muttered. "I've come to the conclusion that your child is a vampire. She stays up all night and sleeps all day." Carol snorted and nudged Daryl's arm.

"You mean to tell me you got her sleeping schedule all messed up? Great. That's awesome, Rhee," Daryl muttered.

"Hey. It's not like I didn't try," Glenn shot back. "Your kid hates me. I can feel it. It's like she waits for me to fall asleep before she decides 'hey, time to wake Glenn up!'"

"Get used to it," Carols pointed out. "Whenever you and Maggie have a baby, it's going to be the same thing."

"Nah," Glenn said with a shrug. "Our baby will be a human child, not the nocturnal half-child beast that Gracie is."

"You watch it, Rhee. That's my girl you're talkin' about." He knew Glenn was just teasing, so he gave him a jab in the shoulder. "How'd Maggie do?"

"Maggie wants one more than ever," Glenn groaned. "Gracie was a perfect angel for her. Of course, Maggie's a heavy sleeper—or pretends to be—so she wasn't the one getting up six times a night."

"Poor thing," Carol said softly.

"I'm alright," Glenn said with a yawn.

"I was talking about Gracie, but I'm glad you're alright, Glenn," Carol teased. Maggie came walking out of the back of the house with a fussy Grace.

"Hey sweet girl," Daryl murmured, reaching out to take his daughter in his arms. The baby's eyes widened at the recognition of her daddy's voice, and as soon as she focused her eyes on him, she smiled. "You got so big! What you been feedin' her?"

"She's huge, I know," Maggie laughed. "Don't worry, we took plenty of pictures, so you won't feel like you missed too much. You guys have a good time?"

"Great," Carol said with a nod.

"Thanks for watchin' her, guys," Daryl said with a nod, cradling Gracie close to his chest.

"Anytime," Maggie assured him. "We had a great time. Well, I had a great time." She glanced at Glenn who rolled his eyes.

"I didn't have a bad time. I just can't believe I'm this tired after only one week. Imagine having one around all the time. For eighteen years."

"I know, I can't wait!" Maggie gushed, leaning forward to kiss Gracie's fuzzy head. Maggie went to pack up the rest of Grace's things.

"You been to Hershel's yet?" Glenn asked as he picked up Grace's car seat.

"Not yet. We were gonna stop and get Cherokee on the way home."

"Just so you know," Glenn said quietly, as he and Daryl headed out to put Grace's car seat in Carol's car, which was still parked outside from last week, "Ed's called the office twice asking about Carol."

"Shit," Daryl murmured. "He come in?"

"Not yet," Glenn offered, "but I don't trust that he won't. Believe me, Daryl, if he steps foot in the office, I'll have the cops there so fast he won't know what hit him, but he sounds desperate to find her."

"A'right. Thanks for tellin' me. I'll talk to her about it later."

"I figured she'd handle it better coming from you, ya know?"

"Yeah. I know. Ed ain't gonna hurt her. I'd kill him before I let that happen." They worked quickly but carefully to put the car seat in the back of Carol's car. She and Maggie came walking out with Gracie and brought her and her things out to the waiting car. Daryl strapped Grace in like a pro and shook Glenn's hand for his help. Carol hugged Maggie and then Glenn, and Maggie remarked how Carol looked so happy, and that a week away had done wonders for her. Carol had simply blushed and thanked her, and then they were off toward Hershel's farm.

By the time the whole family arrived at Daryl's, everybody was bone tired. Cherokee had fallen asleep in the passenger's side of the pickup, Grace was snoozing away in her car seat, and both Carol and Daryl drank a hot cup of coffee—courtesy of Hershel—to keep themselves alert enough to get home.

Carol lifted Grace out of her car seat, leaving the device in her car for the time being. She held her close while Daryl lugged their things up to the front door. Cherokee whimpered and growled, stopping halfway up the sidewalk. He looked poised to attack, but he stayed put, barking at the house.

"Daryl," Carol muttered softly, a tremble running up her spine. Daryl reached for the door knob. "Don't. Daryl, I think something's wrong." As he let go of the knot, the door slid open as if it hadn't been properly latched. Daryl's blood ran cold. He knew he'd checked and double checked that lock, and there was no way he'd left it like that.

"Stay out here. I'm goin' in."

"No! Daryl, we should wait for the police." She fished her cell phone out of her pocket. Daryl eyed her and swallowed hard.

"Glenn told me Ed's been callin' about you."

"What?"

"At the house, before we left to get Cherokee? He said Ed's been callin' askin' for you a lot."

"Oh shit," Carol murmured. "Daryl, let's go. Let's go sit in the car and call the cops and wait." Daryl wanted to go in and check the place out himself, but Carol was tugging on his arm, her eyes filled with worry and tears, and he wasn't about to leave her and the baby alone outside with the chance that Ed could be outside watching, waiting.

Daryl took Grace in his arms as they walked to the car. Carol dialed for the police, and they piled into her car. Daryl let Cherokee in the backseat, and they waited, eyes fixed on the house for any sign that somebody might be inside.

It was only a matter of minutes before a police cruiser came sneaking up the street without the flashing lights and sirens. Carol breathed a sigh of relief, and when the officer got out, she realized it was Officer Grimes who had arrested Ed when he'd busted into her apartment.

"Either of you been inside?"

"Nah, figured you could have the pleasure of checkin' it out for yourself," Daryl said with a tense frown. "You alright with that, Officer?" Officer Grimes looked at Carol and at the baby in her arms.

"She alright?" he asked, ducking down to peer into the car past Daryl.

"She's fine. She's sleeping." Rick smiled a little.

"Got a little girl about her age. You folks did right stayin' out here. I'll check it out. I'm sending a car to your apartment to check the place out, Mrs. Peletier." Carol cringed at that but decided to overlook it. "Ya'll just wait here." Rick nodded toward the car, and another officer got out.

"This is my partner, Shane Walsh."

"Can you just get in there and make sure that crazy asshole ain't in there, already?" Daryl asked, nodding to Grimes' backup. "I got a baby to take care of."

"You always this much of a shit to folks tryin' to help ya?" Shane asked.

"Shane," Grimes said with a little shake of his head. "C'mon." They headed inside, and Carol put her hand over Daryl's on the steering wheel. It was only a few minutes before Rick Grimes and Shane Walsh came out the front door, guns drawn. Carol tensed in the seat as she watched the two make a sweep around the yard, disappearing behind the house before coming back, guns holstered.

"The place is trashed, Mr. Dixon," Rick said quietly. "Sorry to tell you, but you might wanna think about findin' a hotel for the night. It's pretty messed up in there."

"Fuck," Daryl grunted. "Son of a bitch." Carol squeezed his arm.

"I'm so sorry, Daryl," she whispered.

"Don't," he said, shaking his head. "You didn't do this. That piece of shit did this, and we all know it." Rick's walkie buzzed as someone on the other side spoke about a breaking and entering somewhere else in town. Rick sighed and shook his head.

"That was the squad car I sent to your place, Mrs. Peletier," Rick said quietly. "Looks like it's been broken into as well." Carol let out a choked sob and held Grace close to her chest. Daryl looked from Shane to Rick, his eyes filled with angry fire.

"Ain't you two gonna do somethin'? Ain't you gonna do your job?"

"Mr. Dixon," Shane said with a shake of his head, "there ain't no proof of who done it."

"Bullshit," Daryl spat. "We all know who did it. What about you, Rick Grimes, why don't you give us your take on all this?"

"Ed Peletier did post bail, and he's a free man pending investigation for…"

"What investigation?" Daryl asked. "The son of a bitch broke into Carol's apartment. He threatened her. He attacked her. What the fuck you got to investigate?" Daryl slammed his hand down hard on the steering wheel.

"The only thing I can suggest you do, like I suggested last time, Mrs. Peletier, is get yourself a restraining order." Carol sighed heavily, tears prickling in her eyes. "If ya'll would like to accompany me downtown, we can get you started on that right away." Carol and Daryl shared a glance before Carol finally nodded in agreement.

"Alright," she said softly. "It won't keep him away from me, but I guess it's a start."