The next day Carol and Daryl left the apartment again. She didn't look tired or to be in pain so Daryl put up less of a fight. Carol knew it was down to the night before. A wandering hand and a few kisses to the side of his neck had him agreeing to pretty much anything she said. Getting him to let her leave the apartment again was easy for her.

The two of them were almost at the table when Beth came up to them. Judith was in her Moses basket at the end of the table, making noises.

"What's wrong?" Carol asked, looking passed Beth at Judith.

"I have something to do, I can't wait to do it," she said urgently. "I have to go now and I need you guys to look after Judith for me."

"We can do that," Carol agreed.

Beth thanked them both before rushing off. Carol grabbed Daryl's hand and pulled him towards where Judith was perched. They both sat down and listened to her gurgle away. She kept pretty quiet but every time she tried out a different noise or went completely silent Daryl would peer into the basket. Carol grew suspicious and it only grew more when Beth came back over.

Carol just shook her head and rolled her eyes as Beth said that she was needed and she needed to come now. This was clearly part of Beth's plan, Carol just had to work out how exactly. She didn't say anything, however, instead she got up and followed Beth away from the table.

They entered the Greene house and as soon as they were inside Beth ran to the living room. Carol followed to see Beth peering through the curtains. Carol joined to find the perfect view of Daryl sitting on the bench. They watched as he reached his hands into the basket. He carefully lifted Judith out and situated the little girl in his arms. From this angle it looked like he was talking to her but Carol couldn't be sure. As the two of them sat together Daryl held his hand out, his palm facing Judith. She slapped it, held on to it and drew on it with her finger.

"Look how cute," Beth breathed out excitedly.

As Carol looked between Beth and the scene outside she became slightly more aware of the plan. She kept quiet as she watched some more, hoping Beth had more to her plan so she could be absolutely sure of what was going on.


The plan didn't become any more obvious as the day went on. Carol tried to see if Beth would confirm her suspicions or give anything else away. Carol wanted to let Daryl in on it, tell him that Beth was up to something but she knew not knowing exactly what the plan was or the extent of it would drive him mad.

It was close to dinner when Carol became more aware of the plan and the extent it was going to. She was cooking dinner and Beth was helping her out. Judith was with Rick at the table. Andrea and Michonne were on watch, Merle was hunting a little for tomorrow but Carol suspected he just wanted out for a bit. Maggie and Glenn were nowhere to be found and Hershel was in the Grimes house with Carl.

Everything seemed well fitted. Daryl had walked the perimeter slightly after seeing Merle out of the grounds. It was when he came back over that alarm bells went off in Carol. Daryl sat down at the table, striking up a conversation with Rick. They were in the middle of a conversation when Carl shouted for his dad from the house. Rick, looking a little flustered, handed Judith to Daryl and headed towards the house.

That was plausible. Daryl was the closest person and everyone else was busy, but wasn't it convenient that no one else was around? Merle had been rattled, Hershel have stuff to do, Beth was helping Carol and Andrea and Michonne were on watch. Even if Maggie and Glenn were locked in their room they had nothing to do and neither did Carl. Everyone had cleared away or made themselves busy.

Beth's plan. It seemed to Carol that her plan was to have Judith in Daryl's care as often as possible. But for what? To see how Daryl would be with a kid? To see how he coped? What his feelings were? Knowing Beth they could all be part of the plan and more. The thing that she definitely knew was that Beth wasn't in this alone. Carol wasn't sure how much any of the others knew but Beth certainly wasn't working along.

"What have you told the others exactly?"

Beth looked sideways at Carol as she threw in some chopped veg to the stew. "About what?"

"You know what, your plan, the others are helping."

"Fine," Beth laughed, giving in. "Rick and Carl are in on it, no one else. It was just pure luck that everyone was out of the way just now. Rick and Carl agreed to help whenever they could."

"So they know what you're trying to achieve?"

Beth nodded. "Yeah, Rick seemed eager to help as long as I told him why so I had to. Carl kind of overheard, but he won't say anything and I figured if anyone knew what I was trying to do you'd rather it be Rick."

"So how long are you going to make Daryl look after Judith?"

"To the point where he should be tearing his hair out."

"What do you mean should?" Carol asked, raised eyebrow.

"Well if he completely tears his hair out and snaps then we have an answer," Beth explained. "But if he feels like tearing his hair out and almost snaps then it's the answer I would prefer and I think you would too."

Carol thought about that for a moment. Daryl snapping at someone so young would really scream that he's not ready for kids and it would certainty help him decide if he wanted some. Really it killed two birds with one stone. Carol started to wonder how much mischief Beth got up to that they didn't know about.

"Don't push him too far," Carol warned. "Wind him up far enough and he'll be dangerous when he snaps."

"Oh, I know what I'm doing."

"Well in that case you can stay here and finish this," Carol decided. "I'm going to help Daryl."

She wandered over to Daryl and sat down. He smiled at her briefly as he pretended to understand whatever Judith was babbling on about. Whenever she hit her firsts against something or her voice got louder he would gasp or look shocked, then whenever she just babbled along he would look interested and urge her to continue.

When Judith was off babbling quietly to herself he looked up at Carol again. The two of them sat there for a moment before Daryl dragged her into the conversation with Judith. From the way she talked and how Daryl responded, Carol couldn't help but laugh at the whole thing. It was the most ridiculous thing she had ever done. She thought unintelligible yet hilarious conversations were way behind her but apparently not.

Suddenly Daryl wasn't paying attention to Judith but only to Carol, making her a little nervous now. "What?"

"Just you laughing like that…"

"Laughing like what… Daryl?"

"Dinner's ready!" Beth yelled as she came over with the food.

As soon as she was close enough Daryl set Judith in her high chair then grabbed Carol's hand. He pulled her from the table, completely ignoring the food they passed. Carol looked back at it, wondering what on Earth was happening until she saw the glint in Daryl's eyes and then she had some clue.


A/N: Short, I know but I think you guys might like the milestone they'll hit in the next chapter ;)

R&R