I hope you all had a good holiday weekend. Now I wanna give a warning here...there is mentions of what happened to Carol in this chapter again. Nothing in detail but just mentioned.
Daryl stood watching as his father dug through boxes. He was searching for something and Daryl didn't even bother asking, it'd be pointless. If Will had wanted him to know he would have just said so. No Daryl's mind drifted to the weird way Carol was acting with him. She was going from crying to acting like nothing was wrong to being clingy to pushing him away. He didn't know what the fuck was going on but he was getting tired of it. After this morning and her words about him leaving and then him needing to get away he wasn't sure.
"You wanna talk about it?"
Daryl looked over and seen Will squatted down looking at him from where he was holding something. The genuine concern on his face made him flush and he shook his head. "No."
"Well you're gonna listen then." Will demanded.
Daryl stood up and glared at him, "No the fuck I'm not."
He stormed from the attic and down the steps. He wasn't about to listen to this shit. Will wasn't there and didn't see the mess dumped into his lap. He didn't need this shit on top of knowing he was being force into shit with not knowing what he being ordered to do. Campbell had just told him to make arrangements in case things went bad. He knew that was apart of it but it drove home for him just what he was doing. He knew but then when he'd thought about it and signed those fucking papers he didn't have Carol. He didn't have that and now he did. It changed things, it changed him.
He heard his father coming down the steps after him but was already out the door. He wanted the fuck out of this place. He needed to breathe. He took off across the yard leaving Will behind and was in the woods in minutes. He lost himself with the sounds around him and just cleared his mind for once. No nagging voice telling him what a fuck up he was, no taunting Merle telling him shit, no Will looking at him like he was already dead, and certainly no sounds of Carol crying and then snapping at him.
Daryl climbed up that familiar path and found himself setting out on the rock ledge. He'd come here often enough that he knew that Will knew where he was. It was where he often went when he was upset. It would only be a matter of time before he found him but he didn't care he'd take these few minutes and keep them.
He could handle all the other shit dumped on him but he couldn't handle the thought of losing Carol. He felt sick at the thought that she was finally starting to realize what he already knew. She was too good for him. She was to everything for him and she didn't deserve to set and wait on him never knowing if he was alive. Dean had warned him about how this was going to make him feel. Hell fucking his own father had but he'd just ignored it and let himself get in this mess. It felt like she was crushing his heart. He knew that she was going to leave. He knew she was done. She was going to leave him and he was going to have to see her love another man. A man who could give her everything he would never be able to.
He looked over seeing Will swing up on to the ledge. He gave Daryl a knowing look and he wanted to snap at him and deny how he felt but he couldn't. Carol didn't trust him obviously. It was apparent this morning in how she acted with him refusing to even talk to him or explain anything. He'd never lied to her and never would but she couldn't even look him in the eyes and tell him what was wrong.
"I know that look." Will's voice was far away. "I had that look a lot with your mother."
Daryl looked over at him and watched Will. He didn't often bring their mother up and it was strange to hear him talk about her.
"She hated me being over seas and off fighting. Always told me I was abandoning my responsibilities here to go over and fight a war." Will looked at him and gave him a sad smile, "Made it hard to be away knowing I was disappointing that woman."
Daryl nodded and leaned back on his hands the wind picking up, "Carol don't trust me."
Will stared out over the deep thicket of trees below them, "That don't seem true son."
"It is." He snapped, "Something is wrong and she wont even give me the benefit of the doubt."
"Women are fickle creatures...gotta let them work around to shit on their own time otherwise it'll just be a mess." Will chuckled, "That girl loves you."
Daryl didn't respond but just set the smell of rain in the air. He knew he needed to head home but it was there in his mind that he was going to see that look that Will talked about being in his mothers eyes. Disappointment.
"How'd she take the news Campbell gave you?"
Daryl cringed the images of her crying making his chest ache, "She cried."
Will let out a breath, "You know we'll watch over her right?"
"Yeah." His voice was soft. Who was going to watch him over there? He had an idea what they were sending him and Martinez for...and it wasn't going to be a vacation.
Daryl walked into the his house and looked around. It was silent. He stood there and felt panic grip, "Carol?" he called through the house. "Stacey?"
Neither woman answered him and he pushed the guest room open knowing that if Carol had left Stacey would leave too. Stacey's stuff was still there and the bed a mess. He blew out a breath and resigned himself to wait on her to come back.
Will was right. He couldn't force Carol to understand anymore than he could unsign those papers. He just had to wait and see where she wanted to go with this. He loved her and he'd do whatever she wanted. Even if what she wanted ripped his fucking heart out and left him less of a man and more of a shell.
Daryl snapped awake when his door burst open and Will was standing there. His eyes adjusted to the darkness quickly and he set up rubbing his face his hands scratching over his scruff.
"Why the fuck aint you been answering your fucking phone?!" Will yelled storming towards him and slinging his coat at him.
Daryl set up more and looked around his hand searching for his phone. He dumped everything in his pockets out and looked up at his father, "Aint here."
Will's chest was heaving as he looked down at him, "Get to the fucking hospital."
Daryl stood up abruptly and his mind raced realizing Carol still wasn't there. He felt sick all of a sudden and met his fathers eyes. Will stepped forward grabbing his jaw and making Daryl look at him.
"She's okay...nothing serious that we know of but they want you there." Will's words were smoother as he watched him.
Daryl shrugged his coat on and Will was behind him as he moved to his bike. He kept trying to control his breathing as he thought about something happening. Carol was in the hospital and they'd been trying to get ahold of him for some time apparently. The sound of Will driving behind him had his adrenaline racing along with the thunder of the motor between his legs.
Daryl felt sick to his stomach for storming out on her. He'd left her setting there in his anger with tears in her eyes and now something had happened. This shit wasn't supposed to happen to her!
Getting there he almost laid the bike over while parking and kicked the stand down killing the motor in fluid motion. He was already in the hospital by the time Will had parked. He was walking for the nurses station when Stacey slammed into him.
"Come on!" She had a hold of his arm dragging him.
He felt something in his chest cracking and was scared to see her. Were they in a wreck? Stacey didn't look harmed.
"What happened?" His voice sounded strangled.
She looked over at him and gave him a weird look but just kept walking. He was pushed through a door and he sucked in a breath seeing her laying there unmoving. He moved towards her silently and breathed out realizing she wasn't hooked up to any life support. It couldn't be that bad then, right? People were moving around him and a chair hit the back of his legs. He let his weight drop and set heavily on the chair leaning on the bed as he captured her smaller hand in his.
The sound of his father talking to someone met his ears but the words didn't register as he looked at her face. She looked like she was sleeping and he told himself that was all it was. Time passed but still Carol hadn't moved and he just kept watching the rise and fall of her chest.
Will's hand hit at his shoulder and he looked over finally seeing him. Will jerked his head and gripped his shoulder tighter making him stand. Daryl kept his grip on her hand and Will smiled.
"You need to eat something and I think I know where your damn phone is."
Daryl raised a brow, "Where?" He didn't move away from her and Will sighed.
"Tracked it with the GPS and it is up on the bluff where we set earlier." Will started, "Listen Dean is on his way back inbut wont be here until a few hours."
Daryl nodded along. He figured as much as it was. "Did they say what happened?"
"Stacey said she was standing there and just dropped without warning." Will's voice was that smooth one from earlier.
"She going to be okay?" Daryl's voice was hoarse.
Will gave him a sad smile, "Wont know until she wakes up." Daryl nodded and Will pulled him further along with him, "Doctor said he'd be up in thirty minutes to speak with you."
Daryl raised a brow, "Didn't think they'd speak with me about it since I'm not related."
Will chuckled, "Dr. Stevens knows you and her are together and Dean cleared it."
Daryl nodded and Will forced him from the room. Stacey appeared and beamed at him but the look on his face had her smile falling. Will stepped away and walked on down the hall and Daryl knew he wasn't going to be let off the hook. He'd been gone all day and not eaten and hadn't eaten since coming here.
"Did she tell you what happened to her?" Stacey prodded. Daryl looked at her and shrugged. "Daryl you need to do something about it."
He raised a brow, "What?"
"He could have hurt her Daryl tell me you see that?" She hissed her eyes flashing. Stacey grabbed his arm and pulled him closer, "That cop assaulted her and you are just going to shrug at me!"
"What the fuck are you talking about? What goddamn cop! Who the fuck hurt her?" Daryl snarled.
Stacey's eyes widened and she looked into the room with Carol. "I thought...you...I thought she woke up and told you. You looked- Oh my god."
"What the fuck are you talking about!" He demanded backing her into the room. "Who hurt her?"
Stacey's eyes welled up in tears and she apologized to Carol even though she was asleep. Daryl stared her down feeling his blood pressure rising each second she didn't answer him. He started thinking over what Meg had said to him that night he'd gotten home about seeing Carol upset. Everything slammed into place at once for him and he felt something in him rearing its head. The thought of another man putting his hands on her in any way but a way that had made her so upset that Meg had come in on her puking and shaking...no.
Stacey was breathing hard and then started talking. She was watching Carol the entire time her hand wrapped around Carol's as she spoke. The more she talked the more he wanted to scream. He'd already messed up. He'd promised her that he'd be there for her and not let her get hurt but she had been. He'd failed her. He stood there his mind racing with the images of her being pinned against his truck making him feel sick and murderous at the same time.
Stacey had stopped talking but he wasn't looking at her, "She wanted to tell you Daryl when you left but you got out the door to fast."
He looked over at her words and just nodded. She slipped away patting Carol's hands and he set back down not willing to leave her side. He'd handle everything just as soon as Dean was here. He wasn't leaving her alone, he couldn't.
His mind kept circling around the images that Stacey had painted for him. The more he thought about it the more he got upset and the more he wished she had told him. Hell told anyone. His dad, her dad, hell even Meg.
His fingers traced down hers and then back up to her wrist while his other hand-held it tightly. He looked up when he felt her fingers twitch. It was the first time he'd felt movement at all in her body and his heart thundered. Carol made a noise and shifted her eyes blinking sleepily.
When he seen the pale blue of her eyes lock on to him he felt some of the tension leave his body. Carol smiled at him sleepily and lifted her hand cupping his cheek, "When did you get home?" She yawned.
"How do you feel?"
Carol looked around realizing where she was and looked back at him. She studied his face and shook her head, "I feel tired."
He nodded and set up his heart still thundering. Carol's face paled some watching him but he didn't look away from her. She caught his wrist and then linked their fingers.
"I wanna talk when I get out of here." She spoke softly.
He nodded, "This about you being assaulted?"
Carol paled further and went to speak when the door opened. She was locked on to his eyes and he knew that she could see it all there. She had been able to read him from day one and he didn't try to hide it. He was furious but not at her. He was going to lose his shit soon but not at her. It wasn't her fault.
"So we got your labs and xrays back sweetie." Dr. Stevens spoke. She was looking down at her paper work and smile, "Now fainting can be common for pregnancy sometimes especially if there is a lot of stress or anxiety you are dealing with."
Carol's hand tightened on his painfully and she stared wide-eyed at the doctor, "Excuse me?" Her voice was strained.
Dr. Stevens looked up and smiled, "Now I'd like to get you set up with a doctor that will work with you through your pregnancy."
"Excuse me!" Carol snapped struggling to set up.
Daryl's eyes widened at her tone and Carol didn't even look at him or let him go. As she forced herself upwards she pulled him along with her and he helped her to set up. "What are you talking about! I'm not pregnant! I'm on the pill."
The doctor looked from her to Daryl and realization dawned on her face, "I'm sorry I thought you knew..." She gave them an apologetic smile and adjusted her glasses, "Well honey the pill isn't always guaranteed. If you've been sick and taken antibiotics or anything like that it will cancel that out of your system. I see in your charts that you were sick not long ago."
Carol was breathing harder and he felt her nails tearing into his skin. "I...that was more than two months ago though."
"Yes well I'm going to guess that would be around the time that it'd happened if you are on the pill." The doctor looked at him then at her.
Daryl was breathing heavy but for different reasons. It wasn't that he was upset that he had gotten her pregnant. For some reason that didn't bother him like he thought it would. It was the opposite. The thought of Carol carrying his child made his heart swell and his feelings for her to swell too. No it was the thought that man putting his hands on her that was bad enough but knowing that she was pregnant with his child and he could have hurt her. Could have caused something a lot worse than her fainting to happen had him ready to kill the motherfucker.
"I'll give you two a minute."
Daryl didn't look at her and after a few minutes he felt Carol tug on his hand. He looked over at her and he seen tears spilling down her face. "I know your mad at me Daryl." She hiccuped her voice cracking.
He moved quickly and was right there eye level with her, "I'm not mad Carol, not at you.'
Carol nodded but her eyes were wide and he seen fear there. "I should have told you."
He nodded along and was trying to keep it together in front of her. He didn't want to upset her anymore than she already was. "I know now though."
Carol nodded and pulled him into her, her arms wrapping around him tightly. Her breath was fanning over his throat and he set on the side of the bed holding her tightly against him. She would never know just how much he loved her. He didn't think he'd ever be able to come up with the words to describe it for her or explain it. He'd always love her and strive to make her happy, make their kid happy. Keep them safe, do what he had to do make sure they were both safe. He felt a snarl building in his throat but smothered it at the thought.
Carol ran her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck as his forehead stayed leaned against her shoulder. She was mad that Stacey had told him but knew that it needed to happen. She wanted to tell him but it was too late and what was done was done. She knew he was hiding his feelings over it from her and that worried her. Daryl had a temper and she knew that a storm was coming.
"Daryl." Carol's voice was soft and if he hadn't been so close she wasn't even sure he'd heard her.
He made a noise in his throat and rolled his head on her shoulder slightly his breathing hitting her throat.
"I know that you are holding back." Carol was speaking quietly, "Are you upset about me being pregnant."
He was quiet. She didn't expect him to answer immediately but each second that went by had her anxiety climbing. They hadn't been together long and while she knew she wanted to be with him and no one else she knew that men looked at things differently.
"No." His voice was low and gruff.
"No?" Carol nudged his shoulder wanting to see his face.
He moved back from her and she didn't like that. He moved to his chair and set down looking at his hands. He was flexing his fingers and then making a fist over and over.
"I'm not upset about our kid." He was still looking down and she nudged him again in the knee getting his attention. He looked up and he tilted his head watching her. "I love you, you know that right?"
Carol nodded and felt tears welling up in her eyes again. The truth of what he was saying was clear on his face and in his eyes. It was all there for her to see but it was what else she seen there that had her worried. He was forcing his calm.
"Daryl don't do anything stupid."
His eyes flashed and he stood up as the door opened, "Protecting you is stupid?"
Carol went to speak when a doctor she didn't know walked in with Dr. Stevens. "Carol this is the doctor I mentioned...she is here to give you an exam. Mr. Dixon if you would like to wait.."
He waved her words away and leaned down kissing Carol quickly. "I'll kill him before he ever touches hurts you again...our baby." His words were low and only to her.
He moved before she could catch his wrist and she didn't get to say anything. He was turned and walking for the door leaving her with the two women who were smiling watching him. He shrugged his jacket on as he walked out the door and the sound of the door shutting deafening.