Carol walked down stairs and found Mac leaning against the counter. He was reading the newspaper. The anger from last night wasn't visible and she wasn't sure what to say to him. He hadn't acknowledged her in the slightest. Instead his brow was furrowed and his teeth sunk into his bottom lip. Deciding to leave him to whatever had his attention she moved to the refrigerator.

"Empty."

Carol startled at the sound of his voice.

"Excuse me?" Carol looked over.

He lifted his coffee cup at her and saluted. "The fridge...it's empty. Not surprised since Daryl don't cook and he's been so busy."

Carol pursed her lips. She hadn't realized it was getting so low on food. Her mind was other wise occupied lately. Her plans to cook breakfast went out the window. She sighed knowing that Daryl would throw a fit if she left the house without him or his dad.

"Are you about to cry?"

Carol sucked in a breath and shook her head. "No."

"You're face is doing that shit Harley's does when she's all emotional over tea cozies and fucking baby boots." He sneered and almost spit the words. "Jesus fuck, are you pregnant?"

Carol sputtered and Mac's eyes only seemed to widen. "WHAT!"

"Whose pregnant?"

Carol spun and Will stared between them for only seconds. His eyes widened and then Mac was slapping her back. Both were looking at her with matching smiles that made her want to run upstairs and lock herself in her room.

"No, no...you can stop that train before it even leaves the station." Carol hissed thrusting her finger into Mac's chest. "I am NOT pregnant."

Will sighed dramatically and collapsed into a chair. He laughed though and yawned. "Is Daryl and Harley both still sleeping?"

"Yes." Mac nudged Carol, "She was getting ready to try and make a break for it while Daryl was sleeping."

Will raised a brow at her. Carol was use to his preaching at her now. It was always on thing or another. She didn't know what her dad said to him and was glad to not know. But the way he looked at her at times made her blood run cold. It was the way he'd talk quietly to Daryl and Daryl would get this wild eyed look and then breathe fire. The way Merle and Mac were like guard dogs. Something was wrong. It was Ed. Ed was a coward though and without her dad backing him she seriously doubted he'd try something stupid. Telling them that was like screaming into the void.

"You need to go somewhere?" Will stretched and groaned.

Mac's arm fell over her shoulder and she was pulled into his side. He let his chin rest on the top of her head. "No running away Betty. You'll cause Daryl to have a coronary."

Carol snorted but nodded. "I need to go to the store if I'm going to be able to eat."

"I forget sometimes that you don't eat the slop Daryl will." Will chuckled.

"Go get dressed and I'll go with you."

"And me." Mac chimed in.

Carol struggled from his grip. Walking from the room she could hear Rocky coming down the stairs. It was odd for the him to leave Daryl. She paused at her door remembering that Andrea was sleeping inside. Biting her lip she peaked into the room. Andrea was face down in the bed. Sneaking through the room and into the closet as quiet as possible. Andrea didn't even shift. Carol grabbed clothes quickly and rushed back out into the hall. Taking a shower in there would only wake her. Instead she knew that Daryl wouldn't even notice. If he did he'd just raised his head and see her before falling back asleep.

Sure enough she found him sprawled on his back. Carol smiled seeing Catrick on his chest. He was watching over him like Daryl was his kid. She snorted and Catrick's tail flipped. Daryl shifted at the click of his bedroom door shutting all the way. Carol waited to see if he'd wake up.

When he didn't move she rushed into the bathroom. She pushed the door together and stripped quickly. Her let the water heat up before stepping in. When she finally did and was soaked Carol let out a breath. The heat felt good against her tired body. Looking around she belatedly realized she had none of her shower stuff in here. Daryl's was here of course but nothing of hers. Smelling like him was better than being a greasy rat all day.

Too caught up in her shower to notice the shadow that passed the shower. The steam fogged the glass enough that a shadow was all she got. She yelped though when the water suddenly turned hot. The sound of the sink running water caused Carol to swipe at the glass. Daryl was at the sink drink water straight from the sink. His back was to her and he was barely even in his boxers. When he stood up he rubbed his face and stumbled back into his room. Carol rushed her shower and grabbed her towel. If he was awake she didn't want to linger in here. Not if she could be talking to him.

Wrapping up quickly in her towel and walking into the bedroom found him on the bed again. He was fighting Catrick off. He was barely awake and that was likely only because of the cat. Carol padded over to the bed and he blinked up at her. His room was dark now. He'd jerked the curtains closed throwing the room into complete darkness except for the light from the bathroom.

"I didn't think you'd be awake this early." Carol nearly whispered.

He grunted as Catrick licked his throat. "Carol get your beast off me."

Carol picked Catrick up and packed him to hall. She walked back over. He was on his back now watching her. His face was in shadows since the light from the bathroom didn't touch him. He'd moved out of it.

Carol perched at the edges of the bed and leaned towards him. Pushing his hair from his face had his eyes closing. He yawned and blinked up at her owlishly. Her fingers were still in his hair. She could see his face better now. His eyes weren't just on her face. They were running over her entire body and he looked like he was in pain.

Carol felt his forehead to see if he had a fever. He huffed at her. "You okay?"

"Yes." He grit out.

"You don't look like it. You're all flushed."

He glared at her and pointedly looked down at her soaked body barely covered by a towel. Carol felt her face heat but that same coil spring in her stomach tighten. It was a new feeling to know that a man wanted her. Not wanted to control her but wanted her the way Daryl's eyes alone could tell her. It wasn't the nasty leering she'd gotten use to from men. No, this was something else.

"You can't just prance around my room like that." He groused.

Carol raised a brow. "I'm wet."

He looked over at her sharply. She could see his jaw clenching. Her words hit her then and she smiled. It wasn't what she'd meant but it was no less true. Biting her lip and looking at him she was glad he'd asked her get Catrick. For one she didn't want to get clawed over him and secondly she'd locked the door when she'd thrown him out. Not that he'd noticed.

Carol made a snap decision and let her towel fall. His breathing changed immediately and Carol spun. She crawled further into the bed. He didn't argue when she straddled him. Instead his hands were on her thighs. His thumbs were making slow circles. She used her legs to work the blankets down and he hissed through his teeth as the colder air rushed over him. Carol grinned and leaned down. Her chest pressed flat into his and he sucked in a breath. She was still damp from her shower and the feeling of his hot skin against her own was heaven sent.

"Carol?" He questioned. His hands were sliding to her hips now.

Carol kissed her way up his throat. Nipping as she went. His grip tightened each time her teeth caught his skin. Each sharp intake of breath making her smile. It still shocked her at times how comfortable she was with him. She figured she'd have nerves for just stripping down and climbing on him but there were none. This was Daryl. He wouldn't hurt her.

Carol slid her hand between him the same time she finally kissed him. He groaned when her hand wrapped around him. His hips jerked upwards and Carol felt ache started between her thighs. It was worse than ever and she whined. He tore his mouth from hers and Carol stared down at him. He was looking at her waiting. He wouldn't push her and he wasn't going to just take something from her. If she wanted this she'd have to make it clear. Daryl knew her past and he respected her enough to let her take her time.

Letting her breath out slowly she shoved at his boxers the same time. She kissed him roughly because looking into his eyes was getting hard. The look there was too intense. Too everything. It made her feel more exposed than being naked in front of him.

His arm wrapped around her and he rolled quickly. Carol found herself below him. Looking up at him was surreal. His mouth was hot against her throat and Carol fought even hard against his boxers. He let her and when she hooked her feet in them shoving them down he laughed. His teeth skimmed down her breastbone before he caught her nipple. Carol whined in her throat and raised her legs to let them fall around his hips. His breathing was uneven and loud in the quiet of the room. Carol dug her nails into his side and pulled him up.

"Please Daryl." Carol gasped.

He studied her face for what felt minutes but was likely only a few seconds. Whatever he saw there made him smile at her. It was that same heart warming one that always made her chest feel tight and like nothing could go wrong. That same smile that lit his eyes up.

He leaned across the bed towards one of the drawers there. Carol chewed her lip watching him. When he pulled a condom out she let out a breath. She was clean ad knew he was. The thought of something between them bothered her. She wanted him. Carol caught his wrist stopping him as he tore it open. He looked up at her sharply. Her eyes were focused on his jutting cock though. When she finally looked up at him that flush was on his face again and his brow was arched.

"I'm on the pill." Carol nudged him closer to her with the heel of her foot. She threw the condom across the room.

His mouth was on her and his hand caught her own. Carol laced their fingers together the same time he pushed into her. He groaned and it sounded like it came from deep in his chest. A low rumble that made her tighten even more. He held still and Carol swallowed at the feeling. It didn't exactly hurt but she wasn't surprised really. She wasn't some little girl and instead had her fair share of falls. Still the foreign feeling of being so full was overwhelming.

"Fuck." He panted into her throat.

Carol wrapped her arm around his back and pulled him flat against her. The movement forced him to shift his hips and Carol moaned low in her throat. It was all the encouragement he needed. He started slow and Carol lifted her legs to wrap around him.

His arm dropped quickly and caught one of her legs dragging it up. Carol cried out sharply at the change. Her back was arching up from the bed. Her grip on his hand so tight she could feel her nails sinking into his hand and his side.

He snorted into her throat and kissed her quickly. He looked over at the door and then back down at her. Carol moaned again and he shushed her. She knew that other people were here but wasn't able to get control of herself.

When he thrust into her faster and sharper Carol bit back a noise and instead bit into his shoulder. His hands were running all over her and Carol felt her eyes misty. She blinked rapidly trying to fight the tears threatening. The shift and slide of his body against hers, him sinking into her like he was made for her, and feeling of his breath against her overheated skin was too much. Every touch was precise. When she felt his fingers circle her clit she jerked his head around to her and kissed him almost violently. Her moans were still escaping but muffled.

Heat and warmth rushed through her core and Carol felt that coiled spring snap. It was more intense than anything she'd ever felt before. He cussed violently and buried his face in her throat and Carol wrapped around him like a vine shaking. When her mind cleared from the haze that was there she smiled. Daryl was breathing heavily and supporting more of his weight to keep from crushing her.

Carol let her legs fall and he pulled back looking down at her. His sweaty hair hung into his face and he smirked. "You're louder than I expected."

Carol's face reddened.

He kissed her quickly before rolling and laying on his back. Carol rolled onto her side to look at him.

"Sorry?" She bit her lip watching his face.

He looked over at her and she looked at his shoulder. It was bruised from her biting him. He didn't seem to notice. His brothers and dad would if they seen him shirtless.

"What the hell are you apologizing for?"

The confusion in his voice brought her up short. "For being loud?"

He pulled her over quickly and Carol yelped. She was across his chest and he was staring up at her. He shook his head and sighed.

"Don't apologize for shit like that." He chuckled. Carol scrunched up her nose at him and he sighed. "I like to hear you."

Carol's eyes widened but she smiled. She knew what he meant because she could still hear the noises he made from the night she watched him masturbate. She nodded at him and let her weight fall completely. He closed his eyes and watched as sleep started to move in on him. Her finger traced patterns as he finally fell asleep. Carol knew she should get dressed. Mac and his dad were waiting for her but for the life of her the thought of getting out of his bed was painful. So instead she curled up and went back to bed with him.