Here We Go Again
Chapter 21
A/N: You guys don't understand how wonderful it is for me to have so much positive feedback on my chapters! You are all so wonderful! Enjoy this chapter!
McBrideReedusLover.~
Carol tried everything she could to get her washing machine working. She didn't know what was wrong with it. She hated to do it, but she had to. She took out her cell and dialed Daryl's number. She waited for him to answer, and he finally picked up on the third ring.
"Yeah?" Daryl already knew it was Carol.
"Daryl, I have a problem. My washing machine won't work. Can you come over and fix it? I hate to ask but, I tried everything. I can't do it." Carol sighed.
"Oh, yeah I'll fix it for ya, if I can. But I can't go over there right now." Daryl said.
"Why? Where are you?" Carol asked him. Usually, he was always able to come to her aid. He'd always help her unless he was working, but the bar wasn't even open yet.
"I'm uh... Doin' somethin'." Daryl didn't exactly want her to know he was shopping for a suit with Rick and Shane, until Rick practically shouted into the phone.
"Hey Carol! Hope you're doing alright!" Daryl shoved Rick away, and Rick walked back to Shane, laughing. He heard them high five, and he rolled his eyes.
"Was that Rick? What are you doing with Rick? You're not at the police station are you?" Carol was very curious now.
"Hell no, I ain't at the police station." Daryl glared back at Rick.
"No, he's just shopping for dresses!" Shane yelled out, causing Daryl's cheeks to turn a shade of red. Carol had to try her best not to laugh.
"What are you really doing?" She asked, still holding back her laughter.
Daryl sighed. He might as well tell her, nothing was more embarressing then what Shane had said. "We're shoppin' for suits for the weddin'. If Rick would stop stalling." Daryl said that last part loud enough for Rick to hear.
"Together? Daryl, are you in the wedding?" Carol was confused as to why he wouldn't just wear his old suit to the wedding instead of going with Rick and Shane to get a new one.
"Uh, well, yeah." Daryl rubbed the back of his head.
"Why didn't you tell me? That's great! Now I won't have to dance with one of Rick's friends, I'll get to dance with you!" Carol grinned. She was excited to be in the wedding, but didn't exactly want to dance with some random guy.
"Didn't find the time I guess..." Daryl shrugged. "Anyway, gotta go. Rick looks like he found somethin'. I'll call ya when I leave, alright?"
"Okay. See you then Daryl." Carol smiled, and hung up the phone after he said goodbye. She had almost said she loved him, but had quickly stopped herself. She knew that would've made him very uncomfortable. It would've made things completely awkward between them, especially if he didn't love her back. Carol couldn't even fathom that.
Daryl carefully inspected the washing machine, looking for the problem. He finally spotted that the belt wasn't on correctly. "Well here's ya problem, the belt ain't on right." Daryl knelt down and struggled to put the belt back in place. "There, should work now." Daryl stood up and tested it. Sure enough, it worked perfectly.
"Is there anything you can't do, Dixon?" Carol crossed her arms as she looked up at him.
"Yeah." Daryl knew one thing he couldn't stop doing. And that was thinking of her.
"Well, what is it. What's the one thing you can't do?" She raised a brow, waiting for his answer.
"Ain't your buisness what I can or can't do, now is it?" Daryl gave her a small smirk.
"Oh that's how you want to play, huh?" Carol smiled and shook her head. "I swear Daryl, sometimes you can be-" She was interrupted by her doorbell. "Who could that be?" Carol asked herself as she headed towards the door. Daryl followed her, and leaned against the wall as she opened the door.
"Hi Miss Carol!" Beth grinned and looked up. "I'm here, just like I said!"
"Beth! I forgot you were coming over!" Carol opened the door wider for her to come in. "Come on in! I'll get you some juice. You want apple or orange?"
"Surprise me!" Beth smiled. Carol laughed, and headed into the kitchen, leaving Beth and Daryl. Beth set her backpack on the ground and then walked over to Daryl. "Hi Mister Daryl! I missed you!" She hugged Daryl the best she could.
"Hey Beth, I uh, missed you too." Daryl gave her a small smile.
"You did?" Beth looked up at him again with a grin. "Yay! Mister Daryl missed me!" She paraded around the living room. Daryl shook his head and sat down on the couch. Carol walked in the room just in time to see Beth hop up on the couch and sit on Daryl's lap. She couldn't help but laugh.
"I brought the juice." Carol handed the glass to Beth, who still sat on Daryl's lap. He didn't try to move her, but he still felt a bit awkward. "I even brought one for you Daryl."
"Thanks Miss Carol!" Beth happily drank the juice and set the empty glass on the table. "You and Mister Daryl have a lovely house." Beth smiled, looking all around the room.
"Daryl doesn't live with me honey." Carol explained.
"Why not?" Beth questioned, looking between her and Daryl.
"Well, we just don't." Carol shrugged. There wasn't really a real answer to that question. "Oh!" Carol just remembered something. "Daryl, guess what? I found our old science project. It's in my room. I'm going to go get it!" Carol jumped up and hurried up the stairs. She came back down with a huge poster.
"Well I'll be damned." Daryl looked at the poster they had done together. Her writing was so neat.
"Photo... Photosnithis? What's that?" Beth struggled to pronounce the word.
"Photosynthesis. It's the process of turning light from the sun into energy." There was a lot more to it than that, but Carol had to put it in terms that a five year old could understand.
"Oh! That's neat." Beth smiled and grabbed the poster. "Did you write this Miss Carol? You have pretty writing."
"Thank you Beth." Carol smiled, and looked at Daryl. "Can you believe we got an A on this?"
"Only A I ever got, thanks to you basically doin' all the work." Daryl smiled, looking at the poster. "I wanted to help, but I didn't think my information would be any good." Daryl shrugged.
"Oh! Look what I drew!" Beth jumped off Daryl's lap and ran to her backpack. She came back with a drawing. "It's you and Mister Daryl hugging! And see that little heart in the middle? It's your love." Beth was very proud of her art work. "I got a really good mark on it!"
"Aw, Beth that's so sweet." Carol took the drawing from the girl's hands. It was a very cute drawing. She handed it to Daryl, who gave a small smile. He found it very cute as well. "Hey Beth, do you mind if I keep it?" No one had ever drawn her anything before, and she thought it was wonderful.
"That's why I brought it!" Beth grinned. "Here, we can put it on the fridge like daddy does at home!" She ran in the direction of the kitchen. When Carol and Daryl entered the room, she had already placed the magnet at the top. "Perfect!"
Carol smiled and then looked at the clock on the wall. "Beth, it's four. We better get you home before your daddy starts to worry."
"Aw..." Beth frowned. "I wished we lived next to each other. I could be here all day and daddy wouldn't have to worry." Beth walked back towards the front door and grabbed her backpack.
"Don't be so sad. We'll see each other again." Carol smiled. "Now come on, Daryl and I will take you home."
"Yay! Mister Daryl is coming with us!" Beth jumped up and down in excitement. "Let's go!"
Carol just laughed and put her shoes on. "Come on Mister Daryl." She smiled. Daryl headed out to his truck, and held open the door so Carol and Beth could get in. Beth sat in the middle between Carol and Daryl. He started the truck, and backed out of Carol's driveway. They were soon on the road to the Greene farm.
"Hi daddy!" Beth smiled and ran to her father. Hershel picked up his little girl with a smile.
"Hi sweety, how was school?" He asked.
"Fun! I drew a picture of Mister Daryl and Miss Carol. I hung it up on her fridge!" She beamed. She was so proud of that drawing.
"Sounds like fun." Hershel set his little girl down, and walked over to Carol and Daryl. "Thank you for bringing her home."
"Ain't a problem." Daryl shrugged.
"That's right. No trouble. She's a real sweet kid." Carol smiled. "And very friendly."
"She get's that from her mother." Hershel smiled. "Well, say goodbye and then come inside, okay Beth?"
"Okay daddy!" Beth smiled and ran over to Carol and Daryl. "Bye Mister Daryl." She gave him a hug. "Bye Miss Carol." She moved from Daryl to Carol, and wrapped her arms around Carol. "Thanks again for having me over! I hope to come over tomorrow too!"
"I'll be here." Carol waved to Beth as she ran back to the house. "I love that little girl." Carol smiled, and got back in the truck.
Beth had come over every day that week. On friday, she seemed extremely happy. "Daddy said I could stay a little longer since it's the weekend!"
"That's wonderful! I have to do some shopping though, you want to come with me?" Carol asked. She glanced at Daryl as he stood there at the door, getting his shoes on.
"I'd love to go with you and Mister Daryl! Let's go!" Beth smiled and hurried to the door.
"I'm going to look around in this store for a bit. Daryl, how about you take Beth to get a treat, here is some money." Carol reached into her purse, but Daryl stopped her.
"Nah, I got it, don't worry 'bout it." Daryl motioned for Beth to follow him. She hurried after him, and grabbed his hand. Daryl was a little surprised at first, but quickly got over it. It was probably for safety reasons, so she wouldn't get lost. Smart thing to do in this big mall.
They walked past a jewelery store, and Beth stopped. "Mister Daryl! You should get something for Miss Carol!" Beth tugged him into the store before he could protest.
"Why we gotta get her somethin'?" Daryl asked as he was pulled into the store.
"Isn't that was boyfriends do for their girlfriends? Give them gifts?" Beth tilted her head.
"Uh... I guess so?" Daryl wasn't entirely sure. Beth pulled him in the direction of the necklaces.
"Look at this one Mister Daryl! Isn't it pretty? You should buy it for her!" Beth smiled as she looked at the necklace. It was a beautiful silver heart necklace. "Do it! She'll love it!"
Daryl looked at the price. It wasn't as much as he thought it was, and he could afford it. He had been saving up and had quite a bit of money in his wallet. He was saving up to buy Carol something she would like, and it looked like a five year old beat him to it. "Alright, I think I will. But this means ya can't have a snack."
"I don't care about a snack! I care about Miss Carol." Beth nodded, and grabbed the necklace. "Come on! She'll be done looking around soon! You need to put this is one of those pretty boxes and put it in your pocket so she doesn't see!"
"How ya know about all this romance stuff?" Daryl was very curious how a five year old knew so much.
"Maggie watches a lot of movies." Beth walked up and placed it on the check out counter. Daryl sorted through the bills in his pocket and placed the right amount in the cashier's hand.
"Would you like it in a box?" The lady asked.
"Yes please!" Beth grinned up at the woman. She nodded and carefully placed it in a small box. "Here you are, have a nice day." Daryl took the box and shoved it in his pocket.
"C'mon, better get back to her before she finds us." Beth nodded and took Daryl's hand. They walked back to the store Carol was in, and just as they got there, she walked out, a bag in her hand.
"What did you buy Miss Carol?" Beth tried to peek inside the bag.
"Just a shirt and a pair of jeans, nothing fancy." Carol shrugged. "Well, we better get back. We'll probably have to take you home soon."
"Aw." Beth looked down at her shoes. "Let's take the long way." Carol laughed and started heading for the entrance. She glanced back to see Beth holding onto Daryl's hand. The sight warmed her heart. "You should give Miss Carol the necklace soon!" Beth whispered to Daryl as they walked behind Carol.
"Yeah yeah." Daryl dug out the keys from his pocket and unlocked the door. He climbed in the drivers seat and waited until the girls were in.
"We'll go home and get your backpack, and then Daryl and I will take you home like we did on Monday, alright?" Carol smiled as Beth nodded rapidly. "Hey, I just realized, you never got a snack did you? Where did you go?" Carol questioned.
"We uh..." Daryl couldn't come up with an excuse, but Beth came to his rescue.
"I wanted to go on the little ride infront of the kids clothing store. So we did that instead." Carol accepted the answer, and to Daryl's relief, didn't question them any further. Thank god for Beth. He wasn't going to tell anyone, but he loved Beth just as much as Carol did, if not more. He had to admire her intelligence. For such a young girl, she was very smart for her age. He hoped that if he ever had a child, which he most likely wouldn't, he wanted that child to be just like Beth. Right now though, he would just settle for Beth. If he was ever to become a father, it wouldn't be for a long, long time. The only thing he knew for sure, was that he wanted that child's mother to be Carol. He loved her a lot, but he just didn't know how to say it. When Beth brought him into the jewelery store, it hit him. Hopefully, when he gave her the necklace, it would say more than words could.
A/N: More Beth! Love Beth! She's pretty good at love isn't she! Haha! Hope you enjoyed it! R&R lovelies!
McBrideReedusLover.~