It was a long day. It was the longest day of her life and that was saying something. She'd seen the world end after all. Daryl wasn't kidding when he told her that Logan was stubborn and steadfast. If she'd ever doubted for a minute that he was like his father made over then today was everything she needed to change her mind. Though she knew she owed Daryl a lot considering Logan's simmering anger wasn't aimed at her.

Shadows danced over the window and she sighed, again. Logan was worried and it showed in every inch of his almost six foot frame. His worry had kept him weary of being around her. It made her want to chase him down but knew that it'd just make things worse. He wouldn't talk unless he wanted to and he wouldn't hear her out. Even Merle warned her.

Logan stopped at the door and Carol sucked in a breath as his hand hovered near the handle. She was hoping he'd come in and she could talk to him. Make him understand she wasn't really leaving. How could she make him understand that sometimes women were a hormonal mess? Because that was all that was. It wasn't that she honestly thought for a second they'd let her leave on her own. No one would make it alone out here anymore. Sure the Dixon's could but would you even really call that living? Because all you'd be doing was surviving and Carol wanted more than that. So much more than that and she didn't even know it before all this happened around them. It took meeting Daryl Dixon to make her realize that yes there was someone out there for everyone. Even if he was a surly bastard who was standoffish and avoiding admitting he felt the same.

Logan stepped into the room and tried to skirt around her. "Logan, stop. We need to talk."

He snorted and grabbed three water bottles. Carol raised a brow watching as he chugged one and shoved the others in his pack. Tension gripped her frame and Carol shook her head.

"You are not leaving." Her voice was hard, it made her pause and stunned her. She sounded like her own mom.

Logan finally looked up at her. His face was a mask of anger but she knew what it was hiding and that only made her ache to hug him. He stared at her hard and shook his head before standing to his full height.

"I think you said everything you needed to last night."

Carol sighed, "I'm not good at this." At his look she went on. "All of this..." Waving her hands between them and around. "I didn't have kids. I was an only child and I'm messing this mother thing up so bad."

Logan shifted and then slid his pack off his shoulders. Carol let out a breath and watched as he jumped up on to the counter. He was still watching her and he seemed to have finally let some of the tension leave his shoulders. He looked his age again and that made her feel better. Carol walked closer to him and met his eyes.

"You never really talk about anything from before I found you." Logan chewed his lip then tilting his head down. He was looking at her through his lashed and his bangs. "Don't you ever think about it?"

Carol shook her head, "I was alone."

"Alone." He muttered.

Carol watched as he chewed her words over. "I didn't have family like you do. It was just me."

Logan sighed, "You didn't have a asshole uncle who juggled strippers like he was a one man circus? A surly dad who would rather be left alone than deal with trollops?"

"Nope."

Logan chuckled, "I feel sorry for you then."

"Was Merle really that bad?"

"He got the clap." Logan looked thoughtful and then smiled, "My dad told me he was going to keep his shit up until he got something that the scrubbing bubbles wouldn't wash off." Carol grinned and leaned against the counter next to him. He looked down at her again and nudged her. "You aren't doing so bad."

Carol looked up and felt her throat tighten. His eyes no longer held that sad look that made her think of a kicked puppy. He looked off then and they silently watched as the sun edged closer and closer away from them, stripping away the hours that were left for Merle and Daryl out there.

"I told my dad he should show you how to fight." Logan cleared his throat.

Carol smiled at that and nodded. She was going to ask him later tonight when he finally got home. Logan was chewing his thumb and looked like he was thinking hard. When he finally pushed off the counter and turned towards her he looked serious.

"Why would you want to leave?" He was staring right at her with the same look Daryl gave her last night. "I know you aren't worried about us hurting you. We aren't a bunch of rapist. I mean sure Merle is a pussy hound and my dad's a dick but they aren't exactly that kind of situation."

Carol gaped at him but he just waited. He just huffed, "I mean shit Merle wouldn't hit on you anyways." He seemed horrified at the thought.

Carol raised a brow. "Am I that bad of a catch?" Carol said haughtily, "Try to not sound so horrified at the thought."

"No no, you misunderstand." Logan smiled. It was a smile that made her wish she'd shut up. "Merle won't try to fuck you because of my dad. If you were any other woman yeah sure, he would lay you down and softly whisper some such shit that would have your panties hitting the floor."

"You're nasty." Carol recoiled. "How has your dad not washed your mouth out with soap?"

Logan simpered at her and Carol smiled. "Because he's worse than me."

Carol laughed then and shrugged, "He don't do a lot of talking."

Logan's face flooded red and Carol's eyes widened the second she realize what she said. He backed up some and shook his head. "I don't need to hear that."

"That didn't come out right." Carol assured trying to keep the heat out of her face.

Logan looked away from her and Carol took the chance to rub at her face. His anger with her seemed to have dissipated but she knew that they needed to talk more. He might not need to say anything but she did. Logan was protective of his family, of his dad and Carol was sure she couldn't be just a friend to the family. She wanted something with Daryl. She wanted it but knew that Daryl would keep pushing it away so long as there was tension with her and Logan.

"Are you hungry?"

Logan nodded and lounged around his eyes still outside.

"They're okay."

"You know this is our hometown. I can about guarantee where my dad went." Logan sighed, "I wished Merle would have went."

"Why didn't Merle anyways?"

Logan looked at her as she stirred batter for rolls. He arched a brow trying to figure out what she was cooking but Carol just smiled. He never complained the entire time she's known him about anything she cooked so far. He just shrugged and then started picking at the counter top.

"This is our home town. If someone's going to find the things we're going to need to make it..it'll be Merle. Besides maybe we'll get lucky and he'll find some of the people we knew."

Carol smiled at him. She could hear worry in his voice again but didn't push him. Instead she distracted him as she stirred. She pulled him around the counter and made him start peeling potatoes. He didn't complain but seemed more amused. When she looked over he had a small smile on his face.

"What?"

"You said you weren't any good at being a mom. That this was new to you but this is just as new to me. I've only ever had my dad really. My mom wasn't there. She wasn't ever anything to me and never cared."

Carol swallowed. How could any woman turn her back on her child. She carried him for nine months and was still able to walk away. Maybe she thought she was going to trap Daryl. Maybe she thought that Logan would be a good paycheck. Carol could see Daryl stepping in and demanding rights to his child. Whoever thought that it'd go any other way must not have paid attention to Daryl at all.

"Where do you think your dad is?"

Logan looked up at her and smiled, "Some of the family that he was close to was close to here. I think he'd check on family before doing anything."

The rest of the meal prep went quietly. Carol was mostly correcting Logan on his sloppy cooking skills and laughing with him. He was covered in flour at the moment. His hair actually looked like he tried to spike it up with it. He didn't seem bothered though to help her but instead seemed to sink into it like he needed it. Maybe they both did.

The roar of a bike had both of them looking over and Logan beamed. He walked towards the front and hollered back that it was Merle. Carol swallowed because it'd be dark in thirty minutes. If Daryl wasn't back then she knew it'd come to tying Logan down to keep him in the fences. She'd had a hell of a time all day as he paced almost leaving a few times. Daryl had to come back.