Okay...did a time jump here...so another month has passed, Carol is growing in size too, which means, baby is growing and will be here soon!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of The Walking Dead characters and I'm NOT making any money off of them! I only claim the OC characters I created for this story.

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CARYL ON!


1 Month Later

Daryl stood out near the concrete pad watching as the crane lowered one of the steel support beams into place. It was still sort of a dream to both him and his brother, seeing their dream of owning their own shop coming true. If it hadn't been for Carol coming into their lives though, they wouldn't be where they were now with it all and Daryl felt as if he wouldn't be the man he had turned into now.

Hearing a car pull in, he turned, seeing Beth's car pull into the drive and he smirked to himself. Over the past month she and Merle had barely seen each other but were slowly starting to talk again. He had to give it to his older brother, he was doing all he could to win Beth back. He'd even taken to going to rehab meetings in town to get his life back together. Daryl had even made sure all Merle's ties had been cut with most of the guy's from the shop with the exception of Rodney. The man hadn't even know some of his employee's were using and when Daryl had informed him he had fired them all and hired a new crew.

The sound of the crane's engine drew Daryl's attention back to the construction and he turned, pulling a cigarette from his pocket. It was still early, but he had work to do on some bike's that had been brought to them for some minor work. If anything, with not working at the factory now he could at least do something he enjoyed and didn't have to break his back doing.

Getting out of her car, Beth looked over at the new garage that was being built and waved at Daryl as he looked her way. With her arm's filled with two bags of collards, she carried them over to the porch and set them down on the outside table. Merle walked out as she turned, and Beth stopped in her tracks, looking at him. He was wearing one of his black wife beaters and a faded pair of stained jeans with his work boots. Remembering her manners, she slipped her hands into her back pockets, "Hey."

"Hey," he replied softly, looking over at the bags she's placed on the table. "Those for Carol?"

"One's for you and the others for Carol. We had a lot of extra and daddy thought y'all might like them." Biting her lip, she looked back towards the new building, "Garage is comin' along good."

Merle nodded, pursing his lips and taking a seat in one of the chairs on the porch, "Yep. Hopein' within the next couple week's they'll be done with it. Then we can get shit really goin'." Scratching at the stubble on his jaw, he tilted his head, looking up at her and moved the other chair out with his foot so she could sit too. When she did, he looked towards the garage, "How have ya been, darlin?"

Nodding, Beth watched the construction going on and Daryl walking over to the other garage, "Okay I guess. Working and helping daddy out." Adverting her eyes back to him, she sat back some, "What about you?"

Nodding, he eyed her for a minute before answering, "Been workin' on bikes mostly. That and goin' to rehab...three times a week. Seems ta be helpin'." Shaking his head, he breathed out, "Shit's hard...but...I'm doin' it. I uh...I was hopein' maybe you could come with me one night. If ya want that is."

Looking down at her folded hands, Beth thought about it for a moment. Merle was working hard at getting himself clean and getting his life back together, but Beth still wasn't sure how she felt about it all. She still loved him and it hurt her to be away from him, but she still didn't trust him fully like she once had. She wasn't even sure she ever would again. Biting her lip, she took in a deep breath, releasing it and raised her brow, keeping her eyes down, "Maybe one night I can. When is your meetings?"

Seeing she was hardly looking at him, he sighed and stood up, "Monday, Wednesday's and Friday's...but ya don't have ta if'n your not wantin' too. Just thought I'd throw the offer out there." Walking over to the railing and leaning on it, he watched Daryl working on one of the bikes in the old garage, "I'm tryin', Beth...tryin' for you...tryin' for me. Hell...I don't know what else ta do. Bustin' my balls, ya know? I don't know what else ta do here though ta get ya back."

Staying where she was, Beth bit her lip, looking down at her hands in her lap. He was doing like she had asked him but her heart was still hurting. "Maybe Friday...I can meet you there. What time are the meetings?"

Pulling a cigarette out, he lit it and breathed out, the smoke swirling around in the breeze, "Seven thirty. Usually last 'til around nine." Flicking off some of the ashes, he shrugged, "I'll understand if'n ya don't want ta go, Beth. If...if ya don't want ta be with me no more." It hurt him to say that to her, but he needed to get it off his chest, "Just know...I'll always love ya, darlin'...always."

Tears pricked at her eyes and Beth quickly wiped at them, not wanting him to see her crying. When she finally looked back up, he was gone, heading out to the garage to work. Getting up, she looked over, Daryl watching Merle as he headed to the back of the garage and then looking at her. He gave her a nod and Beth took in a deep breath before heading to her car. She had some thinking to do before Friday.


Carol was eating dinner when Daryl finally came in covered in sweat and grease. She couldn't help but smile at him, loving the look of him after a hard day's work doing something he actually loved. Getting up, she got him out a plate, her belly now protruding more with the baby she was carrying. As always, he went to her, giving her a kiss and then heading to the bathroom to clean up before he ate.

When he finally came back out clean from his shower, she set his plate onto the table for him and he sat down. Leaning over to her, he gave her another kiss, "Have a good day?"

"I did," she smiled as she twirled some of the spaghetti she'd fixed onto her fork. Taking a bite and chewing, she wiped her mouth and passed him the parmesan cheese, "I've got my doctor's appointment tomorrow. Did you still want to go with me?"

Nodding as he got a piece of the garlic bread she'd made, he used it to get some of the spaghetti on his fork, "Yeah. They doing that one thing tomorrow?"

"The ultrasound...yeah. We'll be able to see the baby," she smiled and then took another bite.

Eating some, he then wiped at his mouth, "I'll ride over on the bike and meet ya there. Got ta pick up some parts while I'm in town afterwards." Looking over at her, he smirked, "Was thinkin'...maybe tomorrow night we could go out ta dinner or somethin'. Haven't done that in awhile."

Tearing off a piece of her bread, Carol smiled shyly and dipped into into the sauce on her plate, "I'd like that. Be nice to get out for awhile...just us."

"Beth came by this mornin'. Brought us a bang of fresh green's from Hershel's...even talked ta Merle's ass for a little bit," he said, and then took another bite. Chewing, he shrugged, "Think she might be gonna go with him ta his meetin' Friday."

Raising her brow, Carol swallowed and reached for her drink, "Might do them both some good. Hate seeing them still having problems. You can see they still love each other."

Nodding in agreement, Daryl sighed, "They need ta figure shit out. Getting' tired of Merle's moods after she leaves. Worse then a woman's at times." Looking up and realizing what he had said, he cleared his throat, "I mean...some women."

Chuckling, Carol waved off his comment, "I know what you mean, Daryl. And your right. I think if they were to sit down and talk more things would go smoother for them instead of all this avoiding they are doing. It's not doing anything to help them."

Feeling the baby moving some, Carol's hand went to her belly and she smiled. Setting her fork down, she reached over for his hand, "Baby's moving." He freely gave her his hand and she placed it onto the spot where she was feeling the baby. His eyes lit up and she smiled even more.

Feeling the slight movements under his palm, Daryl looked up at her, "Squirts gettin' more active in there." Moving from his chair, he kneeled down beside her's, his hand staying on her. Still feeling the movement, he looked up into her eyes, his voice coming out soft and raspy, "Doesn't hurt ya, does it?"

Shaking her head, she turned more to him, "No, it doesn't."

Removing his hand, he lifted up her shirt, exposing her belly to him and placed his hand back on it. Keeping his eyes on his hand, he breathed out, "Gonna love this baby like I love you, woman."

Carol couldn't help but smile and reached over, her hand caressing the side of his head, "Daryl...I've been thinking. When the baby's born I'm going to have to give it a last name...and more then anything, I'd like for it to be yours. You don't have give me your answer now...you can think about it..."

"No," he said and then looked up at her. Looking into her eyes, he reached up with his other hand, caressing her cheek, "Ain't gotta think about it, I want to be it's daddy." Lowering his eyes back to her belly as the baby moved again, he leaned in, kissing the area and whispering, "Gonna be ya daddy, squirt...just go easy on me. Ain't done this before."

Carol smiled, running her fingers through his hair, "You'll be a great daddy."

Daryl laid his face against her, loving being able to be with her like he was. She had given him everything he could ever want or even wish to have. Wrapping his arms around her, he continued to kiss her warm skin, closing his eyes and wondering how he had gotten so lucky.