Chapter 21
After a very long few hours downtown, Carol managed to get herself a temporary restraining order against Ed, pending a hearing that would give her an extended order protecting her for five years. Rick Grimes had even accompanied them to the court house and helped Carol plead her case. With a little help from him, she was able to get the order quickly, avoiding the wait it would take for her to be served with one. Still, Rick had explained that there was no proof they could use to pin the break-ins on Ed, but that the restraining order would have his ass in jail in no time should he approach her again.
"Who's to say he won't care about the order? Come after her anyway?" Daryl asked, his hands shaking nervously as they stood outside the courthouse.
"He'll be notified. There'll be a hearing where Carol will be granted a five-year-order against him. Ed may or may not attend, but legally, he will be notified about his rights. I can assure that I will personally attend that hearing. They're going to ask for evidence, and we've got the police report from last time. Daryl can speak as a witness to what happened the night Ed was arrested. You'll get that order, Carol." Carol sighed as Daryl wrapped an arm around her. "You folks need anything, you let me know, alright? Please don't hesitate."
"Thank you," Carol said softly. "I really appreciate everything you've done for us today."
"I gotta warn you, Mr. Dixon, you need to keep away from Ed. This restraining order is only good for Carol, so don't seek him out. He approaches you, you walk away. He approaches Carol, you call me. Got it?"
Daryl gave a little nod of understanding before pressing a kiss to the side of Carol's head. A few tears slipped down her cheek, and she took a few shaky breaths.
"You folks need any assistance finding a place to stay for a few days?"
"Nah, we'll be alright," Daryl assured him, shaking his hand. "Thanks, Officer." Rick handed Daryl a card.
"That's my name and my number. Anything happens, you let me know, alright?"
"Will do. Thanks." Rick excused himself, and Daryl pulled Carol into a gentle hug, rubbing her back softly. "S'gonna be ok. We'll find a place tonight." At that point, Carol's phone started ringing, and she handed the baby over to Daryl.
"It's Michonne," she sniffled. He nodded, and she answered. "Hey, Mich."
"Carol?! Where are you? I just drove by your place, and there's cops all over your parking lot. Your door's busted in, and…"
"I know, Mich. We're downtown at the court house."
"What happened?"
"Somebody broke into Daryl's house and my apartment while we were gone."
"Somebody? You mean Ed? Please tell me his ass is behind bars."
"There's no proof he did it."
"No proof my ass!"
"Mich, it's ok. I'm getting a restraining order, and…"
"Where are you two going?"
"We're going to get a hotel."
"Bullshit. You're coming here."
"What? Mich, no," Carol argued.
"Stop talking. Get over here. Now. Bring Daryl. Bring Grace. Bring the dog. You're staying with me, and I'm not taking no for an answer."
"What about Mike?"
"Mike's not here. I kicked him out."
"What?"
"What'd I say? Get over here now. I'm more worried about you right now than me. Don't make me get Daryl to convince you." Carol eyed Daryl, who narrowed his eyes in confusion.
"Fine. Fine. We're coming. We have to go get a few things, but…"
"One hour. After that, I'm gonna come looking for you."
"Alright. We're coming," Carol assured her.
"Good. Hurry. Love you."
"Love you," Carol replied before hanging up. Daryl eyed her and she shrugged her shoulders.
"Michonne wants us to stay with her. She won't take no for an answer." Daryl raised an eyebrow, and he adjusted Grace in his arms. "It's just for a night or two. It's better than a stuffy hotel room, right?" He nodded and gave her a soft kiss.
"Don't care where I go, s'long as you're with me."
"I am," she assured him, rubbing his arm. Daryl put Gracie in her car seat, and they climbed into Carol's car and started off to pack up for a stay at Michonne's house.
To Carol's relief, Ed hadn't even attempted to touch Sophia's stuffed bunny or the photos Carol had kept, and tonight, Carol wanted to keep those items close. She packed them in her suitcase, and Daryl kept close to her as they moved through the house, locking up and making sure nobody would get in. The police officers had been kind enough to get the door back on its hinges, and Carol made a mental note to herself that when she got the security system installed next week, she'd get a stronger door, too.
"Jesus, he did a number on this place," Daryl murmured, holding Grace close as he and Carol made their way from room to room.
"They're just things," she said quietly, mostly for her own benefit. "They can be replaced." He'd pulled her television off the mount on the wall, and a huge crack went down the middle of the screen. He'd busted her stereo and all of the mirrors in her house. "I just don't understand. It doesn't make sense."
"Carol," he said quietly, "the man's crazy. He ain't the man you knew before."
"I know," she said with a nod. "I know that. I just can't seem to wrap my mind around it." Carol's cell phone rang, and she checked the number. "That's Glenn." She answered. "Glenn, hi."
"Carol? Are you ok? Michonne just called."
"I'm fine. Things got a little smashed up, but I'm fine. Daryl's fine. Grace and Cherokee, too."
"It was Ed, wasn't it?"
"Can't prove it," Carol said shortly. "But who else would bust into Daryl's place and my place? I feel gross, Glenn. I feel dirty."
"You guys are welcome to stay with us, you know?"
"Thanks, but Michonne's offering her place for the night. Thanks for calling. I really appreciate that."
"You're not working tomorrow," Glenn said quietly. "You need to take some time and get things situated."
"It's ok. I can work."
"You heard me. You're taking the day off. You've got all kinds of personal hours saved up. I'll make sure you're paid for tomorrow."
"That's really nice, Glenn, but you don't…"
"You heard me."
"You're starting to sound like Michonne," Carol said with a soft chuckle. "I do appreciate everything, Glenn. Thank you so much." Carol spoke with him for a few more minutes before ending the call and putting her phone away.
"You ok?" Daryl asked quietly, leaning against the doorway to her bedroom.
"I will be," Carol said softly. "Let's get out of here."
Daryl woke first, blinking into the early morning light, realizing he wasn't home, at Carol's, in the tent or in a hotel room. When he heard Grace fuss from the port-a-crib in the corner, he remembered he was at Michonne's because somebody—fuck that Ed Peletier—had trashed both of their places last night.
Carol was sound asleep at his side, her face half-buried in the pillow. He leaned over and kissed her cheek, hoping the stubble on his chin wouldn't scratch her and wake her up. She just moaned softly and pulled herself further into the pillow, shivering as she felt the cool air hit her shoulder. He edged the sheet up a little to cover her, and she relaxed.
Daryl could tell Grace was about to go from fussing to full-blown screaming, so to avoid waking Carol and let her sleep a little longer, he pulled himself out of bed, pulled on a pair of sweats and a white t-shirt and picked up the baby.
"C'mon, little miss." He carried the baby down the hall where he was surprised to see Michonne in the kitchen. Andre was in his high chair munching on a handful of cereal.
"You've got an early riser too, huh?" Michonne asked, looking up from her cup of coffee.
"Yeah. She was about to have a meltdown," Daryl chuckled.
"Andre's idea of sleeping in is waking up at five-thirty," Michonne said with a grin. Daryl looked at Michonne's son, who held up a fistful of cereal and grinned at him.
"He looks like ya," he pointed out.
"Nah, he looks like his daddy," Michonne said with a shrug. "He's got my smile though." Grace fussed a little more in Daryl's arms. "Here, I'll take her if you wanna make her a bottle. I put Grace's formula and bottles in that cabinet." Michonne pointed, and Daryl nodded thankfully. He handed Grace over to Michonne and went about fixing a bottle for his daughter. Michonne cuddled Grace close, and the baby relaxed against her chest. "It feels strange to hold a baby this small. Some days it's hard to believe Andre was ever this tiny." She kissed the top of Grace's head.
"She ain't so tiny. Seems like she's growin' out of diapers and clothes more'n she's wearin' 'em."
"Yeah, they tend to do that," Michonne laughed. "Carol still sleepin'?"
"Yeah. Didn't wanna wake her. Let her sleep after everything." He screwed the cap on the plastic bottle with little red lady bug stickers all up and down it, and he shook it up. He took Grace back from Michonne and sat down at the table. Grace suckled hungrily at the bottle, her little hands gripping at the air. She squirmed a little in his arms.
"She likes Carol to give her the mornin' bottle. When Carol ain't here, she puts up a fight for me." Michonne smiled at the way Daryl talked about Carol as he gazed down at his daughter. "Grace loves her. Sometimes I think she likes her more'n she likes me." He grinned up at Michonne, and she saw the happiness in his eyes.
"You really love her, don't you?" Michonne asked softly, reaching over to pick pieces of Cheerios out from between Andre's fingers. Daryl eyed her. "When Carol told me about you, I didn't know what to think. She wasn't the kind of woman who went off and slept with a stranger. I knew she was having trouble with Ed, but I didn't think…I know she's not that person. So I was worried, at first. I was worried about her. But when she talked about you…I've never seen her like that. She was so happy. She still is. You make her happy, Daryl. I think she was waiting her whole life for you." She cleared her throat a little. "Sorry, I don't usually go for the sappy, but Carol's my girl, and I just want to see her happy."
"Glad Carol's got a friend like you. Don't think ya know how much you've helped her out." Michonne gave a little shrug.
"Not to quote corny song lyrics, but that's what friends are for, right?" At that point, Carol came shuffling into the kitchen in her robe. Michonne got up to pour her a cup of coffee. Carol leaned over behind Daryl, wrapping her arms around him and kissing the side of his neck.
"You didn't wake me," she said softly, moving around to kiss Grace's forehead. She knelt down next to Daryl on the floor and ran her fingers over Grace's soft baby hair.
"You looked like you were sleepin' good."
"I was," she said with a little nod. She leaned up to kiss him before standing and moving across the kitchen to accept a steaming cup of coffee from Michonne. "Thanks. What've you too been up to this morning?"
"Oh, nothing," Michonne said with a little shrug. "Swapping baby food recipes and adventures in diapering stories." Michonne and Daryl shared a look, and Carol rolled her eyes.
"Yeah," she chuckled, "I believe that." When Grace caught sight of Carol, she began to fuss and squirm in Daryl's arms again.
"Well, I see I'm of no use here," Daryl muttered. Carol giggled and sat down in the chair next to Daryl. She put her coffee down and took Grace into her arms.
"C'mere, Gracie," Carol cooed. The baby cooed back at her and settled against her arm as she continued her bottle almost uninterrupted. "Now you know you shouldn't fuss and cry for your daddy every time I walk into the room. You're gonna give him a complex." Daryl snorted.
"I'll let you ladies talk. I'm gonna grab a quick shower." He kissed Carol and then Gracie, and as he left the kitchen, Cherokee came bounding in and whined at the door.
"Why are all you males so needy?" Michonne muttered down at Cherokee, who looked up at her, licked his snout and whined again. "Alright, go do your business, Rover." She opened the back door, and he ran out into the fenced in back yard, bounding about like a new puppy. When Michonne settled back down at the table, Carol eyed her. "What?"
"Ok, you listened to me cry all about my messed up life last night. It's your turn. What happened with Mike?" Michonne fidgeted in her chair. "Oh no. You aren't getting out of this tight lipped. Glenn gave me the day off of work. I've got all day. Now talk, Mich. Don't make me force it out of you. I'm here. I'm listening. That's what friends are for." Michonne couldn't suppress the amused grin before she rolled her eyes and sighed, taking another sip of piping hot coffee.