In my misery with this alleric reaction I can't sleep so I decided to just post while my husband is distracted. Someone asked if I would describe Carol's bedroom suit and I will. Don't worry. It's in a future chapter mentioned and the letter is discussed soon.

Carol stretched and rolled over. Panic flared in her when she remembered she was on the bike. A scream ripped from her throat as she fell to the floor expecting to be met with blacktop. Instead she was face down in thick carpet. A loud bark and heavy foot falls were her warning before a door slammed open. Carol looked up and found Rocky looking down at her and Daryl panting in the doorway. He stared at her for a second before he started laughing at her. He bent at the hips and braced himself on his knees. His laughs were coming with deep breaths. The sound of someone clearing their throat made him straighten but the laughter just kept spewing from his mouth. Will stepped around him and helped her. The second Daryl seen she was actually okay he started laughing and she knew he wouldn't have been able to help even if he'd wanted to.

"You okay?"

Carol nodded and righted her clothes. "Yes."

Daryl finally got himself under control and that's when she realized she was sleeping in his room. Will and him both were watching her as she tried to think of something to say. Daryl just stood there a second before walking away. Will winked at her and followed his son. Carol sputtered and jumped up only to stumble into the hallway and fall down. Daryl and Will both looked at her and she watched as Daryl fought laughing again.

"Maybe you should take a seat." Will advised.

Carol righted herself with as much dignity as she could muster. "I'm fine."

Daryl stared at her when Will shook his head and walked down the steps. He smirked and she glared, it only made his smirk turned into a smile and for once she didn't feel tension between them. There was no anger that made her want to slap him. There was no creepy whispers from her overly paranoid mind telling her he was going to hurt her. There was just someone she felt she had a chance of becoming a friend with. Carol jogged to catch up with him and she knew he slowed for her but didn't say anything. It was the best she could hope for and she was readily taking it.

"What time is it?" Carol whispered.

He looked down at her, "Why are you whispering at me?"

"I'm not." Carol said.

He hummed under his breath before checking the time. "Almost six."

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Few hours." He shrugged.

Carol felt the anticipation for the delivery beginning to smother her. She kept bouncing on the balls of her feet and wasn't sure what to do. In loo of not knowing she followed Daryl. He called out for his dad and found the man in the kitchen with pizza hanging out of his mouth and a beer cracked open. He eyed her and grinned as he chewed.

"Good to see you upright darlin'."

"Well that sounded creepy." Daryl muttered.

Will made a face realizing what his son meant and Carol snorted thinking of Travis. Daryl picked up the pizza box and eyed what was in it. He tossed it back down and looked in the other. Seeming satisfied he grabbed a beer and stepped out of the house. He took the pizza box with him. Carol raised a brow and Will offered her the other box.

"Excuse my son's terrible manners."

Carol just shrugged. "I'm oddly use to it."

Will hummed and took another pull of his beer. "How you feeling today?"

Carol licked her lips looking down at the meat lovers pizza. "What kind did Daryl just pack off?"

"Supreme meat lovers."

Carol eyed the door and Will chuckled. He pushed it open and Carol smirked at him as they walked out. She could hear music blaring loudly and raised a brow. This was the one place he hadn't shown her and she was a little more than eager to see it. Will stepped inside ahead of her and Carol felt like the air left her lungs. Daryl was bent over the engine of her car with a piece of pizza crust bit between his teeth with just his jeans and boots on. He was already filthy, sweaty, and completely unaware they were there. He was nodding his head to the beat of Pearl Jam. She didn't know the song but knew enough to know the voice singing. She'd heard him humming this a few times.

Carol padded over to the pizza box and Daryl's head snapped up. He flushed violently and his eyes got big. Will called his name and Daryl moved quickly catching a beer. Carol took a bite of pizza and raised a brow. She didn't think he was serious about fixing her car. She wanted to cry but wasn't going to keep breaking down in front of everyone. She wasn't that weak. If he kept doing things like this for her thought she was sure she was going to be a mess.

"What's the damage with this?" Carol kicked the tire.

He looked down and went back to what he was doing. Will was there soon and they were both elbow deep in her car. She could hear them talking to each other but had no clue what they were saying. Will finally looked up and gave her a knowing look. Carol flushed when she realized she'd been checking Daryl out without even realizing exactly what she was doing.

Daryl finally leaned back and tossed his bottle to the garbage. He swiped at the sweat on his face but only smeared oil there. Carol felt the need to clean it off but held herself back. If Will was already looking at her like that she didn't want to think about what he'd do if he seen her do that. Will was a sweet man and she adored him but something told her he was more manipulative than even Merle. Not that she thought he'd hurt someone but the man was intimidating.

"All I really have left to do is change the brakes." Daryl stretched.

"Okay so will it run? Or should I save for a new car?"

Daryl snorted but Will interrupted him. "Daryl's the best mechanic I've seen and that's saying something because I'm including myself and my dad in that. If he says all that is left is brakes then darlin' don't stress."

Daryl flushed and looked down at his dad's praise. Carol grinned. He reminded her so much of a little boy sometimes. Well now that just creeped her out because she couldn't very well think that and then think about the way his back looked with sweat on it. Or the way he looked holding that pillow. Which to be honest was completely fuckable. Carol's eyes widened and she looked away from both men. She was saved when the door slammed open and Merle spilled into the room. Daryl tensed up. Carol tensed with him. Merle smiled at them and motioned outside.

"There is some dude on your porch holding a clipboard. Rocky's fit to be tied and that cat already scratched him and me."

Daryl pushed past his brother and Merle followed him quickly. Carol could see a fight brewing. Will jogged after them and stepped between them forcing space. Daryl snarled something at his brother and Merle looked deflated. Carol wasn't worried about her own humiliation. It was hard to be embarrassed over assuming someone was gay when the very man you thought was gay took you in when you were a homeless street rat. Not only that but he clothed, fed, and now bought her a bedroom suite. Lest she forget the car! No, she was mad on Daryl's behalf.

"You can't stay mad forever.'

Daryl spun and swung before anyone realized he'd even turned. His fist caught Merle unprepared and blood splattered. Carol yelped and Will burst into action grabbing Daryl. Mac was around the house wide eyed but Will couldn't quite get ahold of Daryl. Merle lunged at him and Will got trapped between them.

"Fuck." Mac was trying to pull them apart but it wasn't working.

Carol panicked when she seen Rocky charging Merle right as he pinned Daryl. Before he could throw a punch Merle screamed. Rocky slammed into him hard and Merle's arm was wrenched backwards. Rocky was trashing and snarling biting down harder on his arm. Daryl rolled quickly to his stomach and whistled. He made a quick call and Rocky let Merle go. He rushed to Daryl and started nosing along his throat and sniffing the blood coming from his split lip.

"I'll kill that goddamn dog!"

Carol spun and glowered down at Merle. "You deserved it."

"No one deserves to be mauled Betty." the name came out condescending.

Daryl was on his knees now and had Rocky's collar. "Don't act fucking surprised at how Rocky reacted. You knew it would happen."

"Boys." Will's voice was sharp enough to cut. "I love you all dearly but if I have to break up another fight or get pulled into another that goddamn dog will be the least of your worries. "

Catrick sauntered up and hissed at Mac and Merle as it passed. Carol watched as it hopped right onto Rocky's back and set down. Daryl stood fluidly and swiped at the blood. His eye was already blacking.

"Merle go get some fucking stitches."

Merle glared, "It was a fucking JOKE!"

"No one is laughing." Carol snapped. "Jokes are meant to be funny Merle."

"Don't lecture me." He snarled at her rounding ready to argue.

Mac bristled. "As lovely as this has been I think I'll head home tonight."

Will looked over then and Carol watched his face fall. she'd forgotten that Mac didn't live around here. He'd lived with Daryl. That much she knew. She was in his old room. Carol looked over at Daryl and watched as he stared at his brother. Merle looked put out as well.

"Shit." Merle rubbed at bitten arm.

"Harley has a doctor's appointment. Supposed to find out the sex." He grinned.

Like that the tension between the brothers was gone. Carol watched as Daryl smiled widely, Merle smirked, and Will beamed proudly. Will threw his arm over Mac's shoulder and shot her a look. She followed understanding what he wanted. Daryl and Merle were left together. Carol looked back and watched as Merle tested getting close to Daryl.

"We should try to get Rocky away so he don't kill Merle over him." Mac spoke quietly.

"We both know that dog isn't leaving his side. Never does." Will sighed. "Daryl will just have to keep a hold of his collar."

Carol looked back again and then brought her fingers up to her mouth letting out a whistle. It pierced the air and Rocky looked over. He started wagging his tail hard enough to make Daryl wince when his tail starting beating his leg. He took off at a dead run straight for her and Carol braced herself for when he got to her. Merle was scowling at her from a distance and Carol grinned. Daryl was looking down shaking his head. She couldn't hear what was being said but it was clear they needed to talk. It was obvious they were close but that he was tired of Merle's shit.

Will nudged her and Carol walked away with him and Mac. Mac was staring at her like he'd never seen her. Carol stared right back. He smiled suddenly and she found herself sandwiched between them. They were soldiering stepping her around front. She was nervous about leaving Daryl and Merle alone for fear they'd fight but she stayed quiet.

"So you're Daryl's date to the wedding?" Mac teased.

Carol grimaced forgetting all about the wedding. "When is it?"

"Three days." Mac snorted. "Penny's throwing a fit to Rick."

"Why the hell would she complain to Rick?" Carol snapped.

"Because he's her first cousin and she's a spoiled twat who think she can have Rick order Daryl to take her."

Carol bristled. Will growled low in his throat. "She's still stalking him?"

"Yeah. I'm glad it's not me anymore. Harley threatened to beat the shit out of her the last time I was here and Penny tried something."

Will smiled, "I like her. Why didn't she come in with you?"

"Her boss wouldn't give her the week and the wedding off. One or the other."

"You are coming back for his wedding? How long are you going to stay?" Will looked over Carol's head.

"I'm not staying with Merle again. He dumped hot water all over me while I was sleeping and it had fucking paint in it. You know how long it takes to get turquoise paint off your skin? It don't come off. My groin is still painted." Carol snorted and Mac leaned his head against hers. "Are you going to stop being difficult and assaulting my brother? He's the sweet one."

Carol sputtered but couldn't help but laugh. "I haven't assaulted him in a week."

"You groped him though." Mac nodded and laughed. "In front of his dad. He knows by the way. We told him."

Carol's face turned bright red. She refused to look at either man. Will was shaking with laughter next to her and Mac was still leaning against her. They stepped around the house and the man making the delivery smiled.

"I'm looking for a Daryl Dixon?"