"Merle so help me God if you don't get out right now Shane is going to be the least of your issues." Carol snapped.

Merle shot Daryl an incredulous look, "Listen woman I don't know who you think you are but that's my baby brother-"

Daryl sighed and both looked at him ready to rip into the other. Carol was holding a gauze to his side and Merle was blocking up the door way. Her eyes searched his face softening in worry but the anger was still there. He looked down at her and she gave him a sad smile.

"Merle go." Daryl grunted.

Merle stood up straight, "You've got to-"

Daryl turned his head and looked at him and Carol didn't say anything else. She didn't need to. He had finally got Mac and Merle off his back from before now he was going to have them coddling him all over again. He wasn't some fucking toddler needing his hand-held and goddamn it he just wanted to be left the fuck alone.

Merle snarled and stormed from the house leaving the sound of a slamming door the only indication he'd been there. Carol went about cleaning him up more. He hissed as alcohol hit his side again and looked down watching her face. She was pissed. No she was more than that she looked downright murderous.

"You two need anything?" Annette's voice was soft.

Daryl looked over suddenly aware of being half-naked with Carol kneeling in front of him with her hands on him. He knew it wasn't sexual but it didn't make him feel any better about it. Annette was like a mother. Hell she'd never even met a woman Daryl had been with. His snarky ass mind chose that moment to point out that that it was because all other women had been drunken one night stands he couldn't even remember the next morning.

Carol turned her head and nodded, "Can you get me some clean clothes for him."

Daryl huffed but a look from Carol had him shutting his mouth. Annette smiled widely and disappeared for a second and stepped into the room setting his clothes down and stepping over to them. She was looking at his side and made a face.

"You need to let Hershel see this."

"I'm fine." Daryl growled.

Annette looked up, "I'll send him out."

"I. Said. I'm. Fine." He ground out.

Annette studied his face before sighing and clapping Carol on the shoulder and walking out. Carol stood up and pushed him back against the counter briefly before shutting the bathroom door and locking it. He watched her and she looked at him and then the shower pointedly.

"You needed to clean up." Carol shot him a sly smile despite the anger still in her pale blue eyes.

Sighing he looked over at the shower. Just the thought of the water hitting his side made him cringe. As if reading his mind Carol walked over and started the water steam filling the room. She started setting towels down ignoring him and seemingly not giving him and option or privacy. Two could play that game.

Stepping over to the shower he worked his belt open and he seen Carol's body visibly shudder. He raised a brow but didn't comment. His jeans hit the ground leaving him nothing but boxers. She wasn't turned towards him yet and he chuckled causing her to look over her shoulder at him.

"What's so funny Daryl?" Carol prodded.

He made a noncommittal sound in his throat and shoved his boxers over his hips holding back the hiss of pain from the movement. Carol's face flamed immediately not having expected the move. Her eyes dropped without hesitation and then he seen her eyes darken before her face reddened again. Daryl didn't say anything as he stepped into the water. He groaned bracing himself against the shower wall the hot water raining over his back. His side burned but not as bad as he thought. The tension leaving his back from the hot water was well-worth the burn in his side. He'd fucking deal with it.

"You need anything?" Carol questioned.

Daryl just grunted closing his eyes and leaning further into the wall. The door opened and closed and he let out a breath. With a moment to himself he let his mind run over the day. He couldn't replace her screaming face from his mind with any other thought. He'd seen Shane put hands on her and something in him snapped. Something large and protective. He'd killed that man had he not been stopped. He'd killed him right there in front of her with no thoughts otherwise.

If he was willing to hurt Carol over something as petty as what he did Daryl shuddered to think about what he'd do over something that really set him off. He knew for a fact that before he'd started fucking Lori back at camp that Shane had been after both Amy and Andrea. He'd never so much as seen him speak to Carol really. He was even dismissive of Sophia. Hell Sophia had told him she didn't like Shane that night she'd knocked out in his truck next to him. Smart kid.

Carol's words rang true though. Shane wanted a replacement for Rick's wife and son. He seemed to think Carol and Sophia would do but that shit wasn't fucking happening. Regardless if Carol wanted to be with him or not Shane was clearly off the reservation. He'd protect those two like he vowed at the start. It wasn't even about jealousy.

A knock at the door and the opening of it had him tilting his head out of the water. "What?"

"Now son when you get out Annette said I need to take a look at that side of yours." Hershel spoke firmly.

Daryl wanted to snap at Hershel but knew he was just concerned. Damn if you do and damned if you don't with Annette. Both or one of them was about get their throat jumped down. Daryl growled and he heard Hershel's laugh.

"Daryl stop being like Merle and Mac...just get this over with."

Daryl growled, "What the fuck is it with everyone wanting to goddamn poke and prod at me!" Daryl cut the water off not bothering to even wash. He knew if he started stretching and scrubbing he was going to be in a world of pain. "I said I'm fuckin' fine then I'm fine!"

Jerking the curtain back the same time he snatched up the towel he seen Hershel looking down and nodding, "You know I only ask cause I care."

Daryl felt a pang of regret for lashing out momentarily. Hershel cleared his throat as Daryl wrapped the towel around his waist, "I get you're tired of us crowding you but Daryl that woman out there don't need you snapping at her like you do others...you just remember where she stands."

Daryl watched him walk from the bathroom and the door shut behind him. He didn't say anything. He also hadn't snapped at Carol. He'd set there through her entire onslaught against his body no matter how much he wanted snap at her. Walking from the bathroom in nothing more than the boxers set in there he didn't even bother really drying off. He wanted to drop in bed and sleep. Sleep this fucking day away.

Carol watched as Hershel walked from the door and sighed. She'd heard Daryl's voice raise and knew immediately that Hershel hadn't been successful. She also knew better than anyone that he needed stitches at least in two spot. Carol sighed and picked up her stuff and started down the hall. She wasn't taking no for an answer.

Opening the bedroom door she was met with the image of Daryl sprawled out on his back. He wasn't asleep by a long shot but he wasn't setting up and glaring. He just heaved a sigh and rolled his head looking at her.

"My side fucking hurts."

Carol smiled at him sadly and walked further into the room. "I'm not surprised."

Climbing on the bed she set next to his hip and set her stuff on his stomach and lap. He raised a brow at her but she put a hand on his chest and made sure he understood to keep laying down. He sighed and nodded at her his eyes telling her he was fine with what she wanted to do. She found it curious and satisfying that he was letting her take care of him when everyone else had been turned away.

"You need stitches."

"I know."

Carol looked at him, "Then why do you keep saying your fine?"

Daryl gave her a shy smile as his face reddened slightly and she realized just how boyish he could look. He closed his eyes and his nostrils flared suddenly, "Where's Sophia?"

Carol smiled at the obvious concern and started on his side. He didn't move and made no noises as she stitched him back together. "She's with Amy and Andrea...they were going to help Annette."

"Good." Daryl yawned.

Sophia was a ball of energy as her and Mac made their way back into the cabin. Carol listened to the music she was humming and raised a brow. It wasn't something she'd heard her daughter hum before at all...instead it was something she'd heard from Mac. Often. Sophia was chattering at him non stop barely giving him a second to talk.

Sophia turned to her suddenly and smiled, "So Mac isn't my dad anymore."

Carol made a face and looked at him as his eyes went comically wide and innocent. Carol looked at her daughter again, "Okay...is there more to that you want to elaborate on?"

Sophia plopped down on the floor stretching her legs, "Well we were talking and since Ed was a piece of shit bastard-"

"Sophia!" Carol snapped, "Language!" Turning her head she glared at Mac and he gave her a rueful smile, "Mac seriously?"

"Seriously." He deadpanned, "Could have been worse...a lot worse count yourself lucky."

Carol sighed and Sophia grinned, "Like I said though mama since Ed was all those things that we all know but I can't say...well he's like Voldemort mama!"

"What the fuck?" Mac looked over and Carol smiled.

"God really Mac? You give me shit for Taylor Swift but you don't even know who VOLDEMORT is?!"

"I'll be honest with you kid sounds like some bad foreign food." Mac shrugged. "Either way I don't give a shit to know."

Sophia made a face at him glaring before looking back at Carol, "ANYways Well we were talking and Mac was going to be my dad...but then we realized how weird that'd be with you being with Daryl and Mac my dad."

Carol's face paled at the weird conversation her daughter was having with this man. He had a hilarious facial expression and started laughing, "Carol try to not look so sick at the thought...we are twins after all."

Face reddening she shook her head, "Its. Its not- Sophia what were you saying?"

Mac started laughing but Sophia kicked him in the shin and started talking again, "So Daryl is like my dad and Mac is the weird uncle no one likes but everyone has."

"WHOA! Aint no one said they don't like me and I don't like the damn sass I'm getting here." Mac snapped. "Bunch of clucking hens. Makes since you get around another hen and you change sides. I'm out of here."

Mac walked to the door but turned and Carol shot him a reassuring smile that he read quickly and gave her a thankful look. Sophia stood up and looked down the hall and took off without asking. Carol panicked and stood not sure if Daryl had stripped down his sleep or was even covered.

By the time she got there she was hit with deja vu when Sophia climbed right in bed kicking off her shoes. She was talking like Daryl was awake to hear her and crawled to his good side. Daryl grunted in his sleep and turned his head in Sophia's direction while she still talked to him. Carol watched as the light faded in the room and Sophia curled into his side looking smaller than her years.

She was hit with a sudden bolt of loss. Sophia never had moment like these growing up with a father. She never had a man there that she could run to at night when nightmares were too much. A man who would search her room even when he knew nothing was there. A man who just wanted to be there and wouldn't dismiss her. She never had someone like Daryl who seemed more concern for her safety than his own even when hurt.

Seeing Sophia sleeping soundly against Daryl's side his arm protectively around her made her long for a rewrite of her past. A rewrite and a substitution of Daryl in Ed's place. She knew it would never happen but at least she had him now. Despite how warped his brother was she knew Mac would do anything for her little girl as well. She had lucked out and found a family in the most unlikely of circumstances while everyone else was loosing their world around them.

Daryl shifted suddenly his eyes opening. It was barely visible in how low the light got but she seen him incline his head at her before looking down at Sophia. He smirked and then motioned for her. She toed off her shoes and walked over quietly and gingerly got on the bed. He kept his face clear of any pain even though she knew it was there.

"You need sleep too." He kept his voice low.

Carol nodded and laid down getting a smile from him. It didn't take long for him to start coaxing her into readjusting so that she was against him but not putting pressure on his side. He fell asleep just as quick before and she knew the fight had taken more out of him than he was comfortable with.

Wrapping her arm around him she threaded her fingers through Sophia's hair and smiled. This felt right. It felt like home and she'd be damned if she let someone threaten it. She would be damned if she would see either Daryl or Sophia hurt.