Daryl walked off, he needed space, time to rethink things. Sophia's words had hurt, straight from the mouth of babes didn't the saying go?. He sat down on a bench hidden from view, glad the fair was still quiet so to speak. Putting his head in his hands, he thought about his little girl, how she reminded him so much of himself. Each time his daddy hit him, hurt him, he always asked why don't you love me?. The pain running through Daryl had him breathless, taking deep breaths he blinked as hard as he could stopping any tears from falling. It had hit him hard and deep, in all his years, as he made his money, his ruthless way of cutting people and companies down, never bothered him. Today he understood how his actions could hurt others, how cruel and unforgiving he was.

"There you are, have you finished playing happy families. I thought we could..." Daryl could feel his anger bubbling, standing to his feet he got into her space

"If ya don't leave me the fuck alone Beth, I will hurt ya" His face red, he was agitated, needed a cigarette and a coffee, anything to calm his nerves, as he processed Sophia's reaction. He had to make it right for her, there was no way he would allow his little one, to go through life thinking it was her fault. He had lived that life himself and grown into the ruthless unfeeling bastard he was known to be. Carol deserved better, his unborn child deserved better, but he couldn't let them go, Selfish that's what he was a cold hearted, selfish bastard, who had nothing to offer the woman who turned his life upside down, or the little girl that had him wrapped around her finger, both held his heart in their hands.

"Don't tell me you, still, want to be with them?. I mean come on Daryl she is a thief we all know it. Finding it in her bag like that..." His hand gripped her arm painfully as she spoke.

"You are hurting me Daryl" Beth felt his fingers, digging in to her flesh, deeper with each passing moment.

"What did ya just say?" How did she know what had happened that day?, he hadn't shared that with anyone but Merle.

"She's a thief you found the rose in her bag. Why what's wrong?" For the life of her Beth couldn't fathom what was going on in his head. His grip became tighter, when he pulled her closer to him, thinking he was going to kiss her, she shut her eyes.

"Open ya fucking eyes woman and tell me how the hell ya know about the rose?" Beth swallowed deeply, shit she thought he had told people, yet the look he was giving her, she knew she had been caught out. Time to act her ass off, her fingers crept up his shirt, playing with the buttons at the top, undoing one, she let her finger slip in. Daryl wasn't playing her game, grabbing her hand he pushed it from him. If she knew about the rose, if she had anything to do with it, he would happily kill her where she stood.

His face paled, Fuck Carol had been telling the truth, he could feel it in his gut. He wanted to shake Beth, thanks to her she had manipulated the situation. He had played right into her hands, accusing the woman, he claimed he loved, of being a thief, what man would do that?. If he loved her as much as he did, would he not give her a chance to explain?, try to find out how it got in her bag.?. In fact the thought should never have crossed his mind. He had let her down, believing what his head told him, instead of trusting his heart, trusting her.

What the hell was he thinking when he pushed Carol, when he placed his hands around her throat?. If he was any kind of man he would walk away, let them get over him and move on making a new life for themselves. Staring at the ground he felt cold and numb, how could he live without them in his life?. He wasn't strong enough to walk away, yet he knew for their sake's he had to. His emotions were all over the place, anger, fear, frustration, to name a few.

"You told me when you were drunk" Daryl shook his head, if there was one thing Daryl knew about himself , he never shared anything when drunk. No matter how incoherent he was.

"Try again Beth and if ya don't come up with an answer that I like, ya best pray ya daddy can come up with the money to bail ya out of jail"

" Don't be silly Daryl, as if I..." he let go off her, causing her to fall back.

"Ya stay the fuck away from me and my family.. Thanks to ya I accused her and she knew nothing about it. Nothing!." Beth got to her feet, she wasn't taking all the blame for this, if he trusted and let Carol in, past his barriers and walls, they wouldn't even be having this conversation.

"Daryl Dixon you only have yourself to blame, you took it a face value instead of looking at the whole picture. Everyone who knows Carol, told you she would never have done that. Even my own daddy was shocked, you had thrown her out over something, even he knew she could never do. It's all down to you Dixon, you destroyed your relationship and the love she had for you, by not believing in her. You of all people, you who claims you love her, ripped it all apart by not trusting. YOU!" She screamed the last part, causing a few parents to turn towards the noise, but they were hidden, from view. Daryl looked at her from under his bangs.

"Why? Why would you do it?" How could she hurt an innocent woman and her child?, with lies and deceit?" But then again how could he have torn Carol apart with his words and actions?. He was no better than Beth, yes he would share some of the blame, but she had some explaining to do and fast.

"She had you, she took you away from me, she claimed your heart and your love, and now she is carrying your child. I wanted that, I always thought that was our ending, Instead the moment you set eyes on her, that day in your apartment, I knew I had lost you to her, a cleaning lady and single parent. I mean look..."

"Don't ya say another word against her. Not one more fucking word. Ya never had me to begin with Beth, ya knew what ya was getting into when we first started up, so don't give me that crap about a happy ending. Ya right on one thing though, ya did loose me the moment I saw her, that first day at my apartment when she was leaving, I told her I wanted her. Even kissed her, when ya was naked in my bed" she gasped at his honesty, why now would he tell her this?. She felt sick at the thought, how could he want Carol?. Seeing her reaction his smirk, that she hated so much came across his face.

"Oh dear does the truth hurt? Good I hope it hurts ya bad, thanks to ya pathetic childish games of thinking ya damn well owned me. I lost what was important to me, and yes ya right I should have trusted her more, should have believed her. Ya get the last laugh Beth," His laugh harsh even to his own ears, how bitter sweet it all was.

" I love them , Sophia, Carol and my unborn baby, and I will have to live with the fact they no longer love me back. I destroyed that and will have to live with it. So go celebrate with ya friends. Tell them , how ya got Daryl Dixon on his knees , how he will go through life loving a woman who will never love him back, who hates him with as much passion as he loves her?."

Moving past her he headed towards the party, wishing with all his heart that he could just leave, hide away and lick his wounds. It was his fault his own stupid fault, he had always believed he was not worthy of the love that Carol gave him. How true it was, he was damaged so badly damaged, he had found a light at the end of the tunnel in the form of Carol and Sophia, but that too was now gone to him. He would have to spend his life watching them from the sidelines, protecting them and providing for them. It hurt so bad, he deserved it though for all the times, he had hurt others. He would never love again, his heart belonged to them. Walking towards the group, he saw Carol laughing and chatting to a ginger haired man. His blood rushing through his veins, he wanted to rip her away from him. Taking a step forward ,as she leaned closer to him, the man placed his hand on her shoulder, Daryl growled as he took another step in their direction.

"Ya leave them alone Daryl" Merle had seen his brother come back, pissed that he had disappeared with Beth for an hour.

"Who is he?" How dare that man think he could touch his woman, anger escalating when he picked Sophia up holding her in his arms, that was Daryl's job, it should have been him who was holding her tight. Instead his arms were empty.

"No one ya need to worry about, ya got Beth, leave her to be happy" Merle placed a warning hand on his shoulder.

"I said who the fuck is he?"

"And I said leave her to be happy"

"I...
"Daryl do I have to ask ya to leave?" Merle was pushing his buttons as he always did, he could see his anger building, Daryl was clenching and releasing his fists, wanting to hit out at anyone or anything. His main target was the bastard making Carol laugh. Merle smirked at his brother's reaction only jealousy, green eyed monster jealousy, could make a man react like he was

"Tell me Merle"

"Why? ya going to cause a problem?" Daryl forced himself to calm down, his eyes throwing daggers at the man who was touching what was his.

"He's called Axel, him and his son, see the little boy over there?: Daryl looked at the swings and saw a small boy laughing as Andrea pushed him.

"They just moved here about three weeks ago. Sophia and his son hit it off and Carol has been helping him sort things out"

"What the hell do ya mean she's been helping him sort things out? She fucking him?" he had to know.

"If she is that's no longer ya concern Ya threw her out Daryl. Ya almost chocked her, uncaring that she was pregnant. I don't know who ya are any more brother and it worries me"

"I...she...Beth:" Hanging his head, what the hell was the point?, anything he said would never make up for what he had done. He hoped in time she would learn to accept him in her life, after all he was the child's daddy.

"I'm going no need to throw me out" Handing a box to him, he took one last look at Carol and Sophia

"Make sure she gets this for me. Tell Sophia I have monsters too. She will understand what I mean. Look after them Merle" walking away, he never saw the sad look on Carol's face, the tears in Sophia's eyes, as they watched him walk away.

"Mummy why doesn't he love us anymore?" Carol pulled her into her arms, hugging her tight

"I don't know sweetheart I really don't know" She was annoyed at him, this was Sophia's Birthday, and seeing her upset like this, pulled at her heart strings. She wanted to wake up from the nightmare that her life had been the last month or so.. To her Daryl had made his choice, and it wasn't them.

Beth sat in the small alcove hurt and angry that Daryl had not fallen in with her plans. She honestly thought he would drop Carol and tell her he loved her, want to marry her, for her to have his children. Who was she kidding?, he had fallen deeply in love with Carol and her daughter ,so much, that he was expecting a child with her. What right had she to ruin it for him?, she had been jealous and thought her looks and youth would keep him at her side. she was a stupid child playing in a grown up world. She saw how broken he was when he left, she had done that with her selfish need to hold him to her. How would she feel if someone had done that to her? She could almost hear her daddy's voice as he judged her for what she had done. If she had loved Daryl as she claimed she did, she would have let him go, let him be happy with who he chose. But no, not Beth, she had to ruin it all, the sad part of it, she actually liked Carol and Sophia, they had been innocent pawns in her game and neither deserved what she had done. Ashamed of herself she rose to her feet intending to escape before she was seen.

"Beth wait" Hearing the soft voice call her, Beth froze in her tracks, slowly turning, the last person in the world she wanted to bump into was standing in front of her.

"Carol I..." Holding her hand up, Carol smiled softly as she studied the younger woman. She could do this, she could be the better person.

"It's ok you won him. Please Beth don't hurt him, He..." Beth shook her head stopping her

"He's yours Carol, has been from the moment he set eyes on you. He loves you, he's broken Carol, he knows what he did was wrong. He needs you more than you realize, you Sophia and the baby, he needs that love in his life. I had no right whatsoever to do what I did" her head bowed she waited for the slap, she was sure Carol wanted to give her

"What did you? Oh god Beth tell me you didn't put the rose..." her silence condemning her in Carol's eyes.

"How could you? That was something he treasured close, you made him believe I took it" Beth kept silent, what ever she said, would never make up, for what she had done. What Daryl and she had done to this woman and her innocent daughter.

"I never meant for it to get this far. I thought I loved him I wanted the happy ending you were getting" Carol felt like shaking her hard, slapping her face.

"You stupid child. Do you have any idea the damage and hurt you have caused?"

"I..." her body started to shake as tears fell from her eyes

"Your crocodile tears do not work with me Beth, I hope one day you too will understand what it is like to really love., then to have it ripped away from you. It's what you deserve" Beth stood straighter, he eyes now filled with loathing, she would pay for that.

"Well neither of us got him so guess we both lost" Carol lifted her hand up to hit her, yet her arm was pulled back, before she could connect with Beth's cheek

"Let me handle this Carol" looking up at her friend she nodded. Seeing the fear in Beth's eyes as she left her in Michonne's hands.

"Ya ok there darlin?" Merle had watched it all,, keeping close just in case he was needed. Andrea comforted Sophia, trying to make the day as special for her as she could. Carol looked over at her daughter grateful she was laughing and smiling with her friends,. She knew deep down she was hurting, yet for now, Sophia would put that to the side, as she went on the rides with her friends.

"I've been better Merle. I think your brother and I have a lot to discuss" her soft smile making him nervous for Daryl

"Can see it in ya eyes darlin he's gonna suffer"

"Oh he will Merle believe me he will"