AN: Hi everyone and happy Friday! I thought I'd get another little chapter done here for those of you who are interested. We're moving on.

I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

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Carol didn't know what to do about Sophia, and it weighed heavy on her mind as she slipped into bed and wished to slip into sleep just as easily. She knew that reason would dictate that she needed to punish the girl for her actions, but her heart wasn't in it.

She felt like Sophia had already been punished for a multitude of crimes…crimes that she never committed. And Carol knew exactly what it felt like to feel that you were paying a debt of sorts that you owed simply for being alive it seemed. It was a debt that you could never finish paying. You could never even be sure of what the limitations to your sentence might be since you were never fully aware of what your crime was.

Carol had paid such a debt at the hands of Ed for all those years. She'd been sentenced to whatever he wanted to do to her simply for being herself and for having trusted her foolish mind and her traitor heart that had worked to convince her that he loved her and that they would be happy together. She'd taken herself right up to her captor and turned herself in, and the only reason she'd ever escaped was because he'd tried to kill her and he'd failed.

But really who could Sophia even say were her jailers? Who were the people carrying out her sentence? That was, perhaps, the cruelest part of Sophia's situation. It would appear that, thus far, in Sophia's life, everyone had been part of the plan. No one had offered her a safe place to land, and as a result, she seemed to automatically assume that everyone was guilty and would eventually step into their role, the guillotine raised.

Sadly enough, it was a logical way of thinking from what she'd been taught by experience and Carol felt for her. She could only imagine the horror of being trapped in a life where everywhere she looked, everyone she saw looking back at her was just another reflection of Ed, like being trapped in a funhouse full of carnival mirrors where Ed could take any shape or any size, but in the end it was still just Ed and anything that made it seem otherwise was just a trick with smoke and mirrors.

So Carol felt that she wasn't prepared to punish Sophia. The girl understood that she shouldn't have done what she'd done. She had shown restraint before, but Carol supposed that everyone had their breaking point and Sophia had apparently reached hers. What Carol was prepared to do was go with Sophia when she was expected apologize.

And yes, Sophia would apologize for what she'd done. All the details of the situation aside, Sophia had reacted poorly and she owed the girl with the broken nose an apology, but that wouldn't be the only thing that Carol would make sure was said that day.

She was going to address the girl's parents, and the principal, about the girl's actions toward Sophia as well, and about heir apparent actions as parents. She didn't know why it was that her name and her situation should be in the mouths of these people that she didn't think she even knew, but she didn't appreciate it, and it certainly didn't belong in the mouth of their teenage daughter to be used as some kind of ammunition to get at Sophia and to make her life any more difficult than it already was.

The fact that it had been something about Carol and not about Sophia herself that had spurred the girl to violence surprised Carol. She hadn't realized, until tonight, that Sophia had even abandoned her plan to try to run away, and it wasn't because of any agreement that they had made. Apparently the girl had some genuine interest in staying, but Carol didn't even know what to do with that or why Sophia would want to stay.

Perhaps something…anything…was better than nothing to Sophia. Perhaps even having Carol as a parent was better than having no one at all.

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"I'm going to pick up a cake now. Sophia won't tell me anything that she wants…and I know she's really into all this car stuff that she's doing with you all…so is there anything she might like for that? Anything she needs?" Carol asked.

Daryl watched the woman as she shifted her weight back and forth from one foot to the other. Daryl tried to redirect his eyes from noticing how her hips rocked back and forth with the action.

"Yeah…" Daryl said, slightly distracted. He cleared his throat. "No…I mean Mac keeps everything we need here an' she just uses the stuff we got…mine…Wren's. Can't think a' nothin' special she could be needin'. I could ask wren if he thinks a' somethin'…" Daryl offered.

Carol chewed at her bottom lip. Daryl hadn't expected to see her there this morning, but she'd pulled up and walked right into the shop like she owned the place. She'd bypassed Merle who was busy doing some welding and so much in his zone that he wouldn't have noticed if the Queen of England herself had come by Mac's…bypassed Wren who was watching the door to see if anyone would come…and had come straight to stand over Daryl awkwardly while he was working.

She hadn't even said anything at first and the only reason that Daryl even really became aware of her presence was because he got that odd and overwhelming sensation that you were being watched…that there was someone behind you. He'd finally seen her then.

And she'd explained to him that it was Sophia's birthday…and she'd explained to him a whole other boatload of shit that he didn't even listen to, but it sounded like she was basically trying to talk herself out of a hole over whether or not she was doing the right thing by allowing Sophia to have some kind of surprise birthday dinner thing, even though the girl was on suspension for having broken the other girl's nose.

And apparently Sophia was on restriction…and so she was at the house cleaning, thinking that cleaning the house was her punishment…which it was…but it was also to get things ready for the surprise that she didn't know about.

All in all, Daryl was beginning to feel his mind scramble at Carol's rambling explanations about things. She was apparently feeling guilty or something about the situation and needed to get it off her chest…or either she just really didn't have no damn body to talk to and had saved it up for as long as she could go without busting.

Whatever the case, now Daryl was standing outside on the cement pad, smoking his second cigarette since she'd started talking, and she was standing a couple of feet in front of him, her arms crossed across her chest, rocking back and forth on her feet.

And she wanted him to help her figure out what to get Sophia for her birthday…because she probably hadn't ever had a birthday present before…and Daryl had no idea what to tell her or how he'd been the one to get trapped in this. He was looking for every chance he got to call Wren out there to act as some sort of buffer.

"Do you think he would have any ideas?" Carol asked. She shaded her face with her hand, her eyes searching Daryl out. He cleared his throat again.

"Hell, if anyone does it's Wren," Daryl said. "Comin' up with gifts is like comin' up with bullshit…an' I reckon he's got a lotta practice at one of 'em."

Daryl excused himself a moment and walked toward the open shop stall. He called for Wren, but really it was a waste of time to call for him. Wren popped up in a matter of seconds and Daryl knew that he'd been hovering around, just inside the shop, listening to every damn word that Carol had said about Sophia and her situation.

"What'cha need?" Wren asked, popping out the shop door and quickly lighting a cigarette that he'd kept stored behind his ear.

Carol turned her attention to Wren, almost having to drop her eyes to meet the little man's stature.

"It's Sophia's birthday," Carol said. "She won't tell me anything she wants and I thought that y'all might have some ideas. Something special…something she might like to have with all this car stuff she's doing."

Wren looked at Daryl and Daryl shrugged at him. He wasn't good at the gift giving shit. He couldn't recall ever giving a gift to anyone.

Wren blew out the smoke from his cigarette with a loud whistle.

"Well…now…let's see…she's how old?" Wren asked.

"Sixteen," Carol offered.

Wren walked a little circle and Daryl realized the man was chasing a leaf with his shoes while he thought. He turned abruptly and stuck his head just inside the shop again.

"Merle…Merle…" he called. When Merle, captured entirely by the welding he was working on, didn't respond, Wren reached into the door and flipped off his machine.

Daryl could hear Merle coming up for air from his project, cussing the faulty equipment of the shop and then Wren chuckled and stepped back outside.

"Fuck you, Wren!" Merle called, coming to the machine that was near the open shop door. Daryl could hear him, but knew that Merle wasn't aware that they were all gathered out there. He probably thought Wren had merely switched off the machine to fuck with him a bit.

"What'cha give a sixteen year old girl?" Wren called out to Merle, scuffing his shoes on the cement to destroy his recently captured leaf.

Merle chuckled from inside.

"Hell…I know what I'd give her…what she look like?" Merle called back.

Daryl closed his eyes and shook his head.

Merle came out the shop door then, his welding visor lifted but still on his head, chuckling all the while. As soon as she came out, though, and his eyes fell on the fact that they weren't alone at the shop, Daryl could swear that his brother turned a lighter shade.

Merle stood still for a moment and then reached up to flip his visor back down, covering his face.

"Hell, Wren…I don't know what the fuck ya give no kid," Merle responded, turning on his feet. "An' don't'cha fuck with my shit no more. Mac's gonna give me one a' his damn lectures if this job ain't done today an' he don't pay overtime for hours he wasted runnin' his damn mouth."

Merle disappeared and Wren chuckled, rocking back on his heels and craning his neck to watch Merle head back to work.

Daryl looked at Carol who looked relatively unphased by the pigs he worked with…his brother included.

"Ya got any damn ideas, Wren?" Daryl asked with a huff. He needed to get back to work and already he didn't know how long he'd been out here just listening to her go on about the fact that it was Sophia's birthday and she wasn't even sure what the hell to do about it.

"I'm thinkin'…" Wren said.

Daryl thought that might very well be cause for celebration, but he didn't say anything. He nipped at the skin on his thumb and watched Carol out of the corner of his eye. She was standing there, now with her hands on her hips, her weight shifting stopped. She was watching Wren and waiting with patience that a saint would envy.

Finally Wren looked up.

"I know what the hell ya get her…" Wren said. "Get her her own damn tool box."

"Hell kinda gift is that?" Daryl asked. He couldn't even remember where he'd gotten the one on the back of his truck from. If he remembered correctly it had been the old and cast out toolbox from one of the men that he'd worked with…probably when he was about Sophia's age. It seemed like an odd gift for a sixteen year old girl.

"What the fuck you gonna get her? Lippystick an' a dress?" Wren asked.

When Carol snorted, trying to stifle a laugh, Daryl looked up and smiled at her.

"OK…" she said. "So where can I get a toolbox? Do they sell them at the hardware store?"

"Hell yeah they do," Daryl said.

"No…not that kind…" Wren protested. "Get her a chest…Snap On man comes by today. Pick her out a nice little one…nothing too fancy. Just something to be hers."

Carol smiled at Wren and Daryl didn't know why, but it bothered him a little that Wren had come up with the idea to make Carol smile like that.

"What's the difference?" She asked.

"Ain't no damn difference 'cept one's a lil' damn bigger than the other," Daryl said. "An' ya take one with ya, but half the damn time when ya gotcha one like Wren's talkin' 'bout ya leave it where the fuck it sits."

Wren nodded.

"Right over there in that corner," Wren said, pointing. "Beside that black one that's mine…we'll set her up a lil' one…might even have her one all in pink or whatever. It can be her corner. Hell…I got a couple tools that ain't the best. She could have 'em…get her started."

Daryl felt his cheeks burn a little at the genuine smile that Carol offered Wren for that. Then she shook her head and glanced between them.

"I don't know how to get one, though," she said. She looked at her wrist and Daryl remembered she was somewhat pressed for time. Apparently, according to her story, she'd taken her leave of Sophia by saying that she had a doctor's appointment and had to pick up a few things, but she wouldn't have half the day to hang around the shop and wait for the truck to come by.

"Daryl here'll pick ya one out," Wren said. "He'll even set it up for her…right over there in the Wendy Corner."

Carol was looking at Daryl now. He swallowed and scratched the back of his neck.

"Hell…ain't no damn big deal ta pick a chest off the truck," Daryl offered. "I could set it up for her…but I don't know how ya gonna give it to her."

Carol wrinkled her forehead, apparently not having thought of how to deliver her present.

"Bring her by here," Wren offered. "Daryl works late…he can let her in and you can show her how we got her all set up for you. Tell her we work like Santa's little elves…got it all done for you."

Daryl thought that if Carol hadn't been there he'd point out that Wren looked like an elf…but he would let it slide since she was there and didn't know how she'd respond to their badgering. He did hate to have such an opportunity to rib Wren wasted, though.

Carol smiled again and looked at Daryl.

"Would you mind?" She asked. "I don't want to bother you if you're working…"

Daryl shook his head.

"Ain't nothin' but a thing ta let'cha in. Hell, door'll prob'ly be open. Ain't cold enough ta shut it even when ya out here workin' at night," Daryl said.

Carol smiled and nodded at both of them.

"Then can you get it and just let me know how much I owe you?" She asked, glancing between the two of them. Daryl nodded slightly and Wren nodded with more enthusiasm, fishing another cigarette out of his pocket and carefully straightening it.

"I wanted to invite you all to dinner," Carol said with a little hesitation. "Wives welcome too," she said, directing her attention at Wren. "It's not going to be much…just something for Sophia…and I'm going to get her a cake."

Daryl felt his cheeks burn again and he didn't know why the hell it irritated him, but something had gotten under his skin at the moment.

"Oooh eeeee," Wren declared, lighting the cigarette. "That's a nice little invitation but Nelly and I don't eat out all too often."

"He means ta say he'll be drunk by dinner," Daryl responded.

Wren smirked.

"I'm not drunk by dinner," Wren responded. "I drink my dinner…big damn difference."

"Oh…" Carol said, her voice dropping. "No…I mean it's not a big deal. I guess I just wanted to do something for her and she just doesn't seem to have any friends…"

"Get her the toolbox," Wren said. "An' Daryl here…he ain't never drunk by dinner. Reckon he'd hold down a chair at the table for ya."

Wren tipped his head at her and turned then, going back inside. Daryl heard the motor of Merle's machine stop abruptly and he heard Merle begin to cuss and spit again.

Carol giggled a little, her hand going up to cover her mouth.

She didn't move her hand at first, she just stood there with it covering her mouth, looking at Daryl. Daryl felt his cheeks get hot under the intense stare she was giving him and he turned his attention to looking for a cigarette, uncomfortable with the attention that the woman seemed to give him whenever she was in his presence.

"Did Robert Wren just accept the dinner invitation for you?" Carol asked after a second, dropping her hand from in front of her mouth.

Daryl shook his head.

"Sounds like he did…" Daryl said.

"If you don't want to come…" Carol started. She broke off and Daryl tried desperately to figure out if he should accept or decline, for some reason feeling pulled in both directions. Before he could come up with an answer, though, Carol started speaking again. "I do owe you a real dinner, though…and it would mean a lot to Sophia I'm sure. If you're busy, though, it's fine."

Daryl shook his head, knowing he was going to kick his own ass for this later.

"Nah…" he said. "It's good…uh…dinner sounds right nice. I can wait here for y'all an' then follow ya over after she sees her gift."

Carol smiled at him, the big and warm smile that she'd been wearing earlier and he tried to hide the fact that he felt oddly pleased that it was directed at him.

Daryl cleared his throat.

"Gotta get my ass back ta work," he said. He was slowly calculating all the time he'd lost out here talking to her. He wasn't used to being one of the people in the shop not working.

"Sorry!" Carol said quickly, her eyes getting big. "I didn't mean to keep you. I guess…what time should we come by?"

Daryl glanced at the sky really more for the sake of thinking than in search of any answer.

"Six thirty?" He asked.

Carol smiled again and nodded.

"Thank you!" She said. She started to turn to get into her car that she'd parked to the side. "Tell Wren thanks for me too…"

Daryl nodded and waved at her quickly.

"Six thirty…" She called, just before she got in her car.

"Six thirty…" Daryl mumbled to himself.