Rick was next to her speaking to Carl before they walked further into the building. Carl was stronger now than he was at the beginning. They all were but he was still so much the little boy that he should be. He'd been protected from a lot of things. At times Carol wanted to shake Rick and tell him that he wouldn't always be there to coddle his son. He only had to look to the loss of her daughter before they'd gotten to the farm. Sophia wasn't prepared and she'd been lost. It was a stroke of luck that Daryl found her and kept her safe. In this world it was a godsend.
"How come I can't go out there!" Carl snapped. "Brian and Sophia have both been out there!"
Carol didn't look over because it wasn't her place to comment. This was Rick's son and he could handle it. She heard Rick let out a breath that had a chuckle mixed in. It wasn't of humor though and she grit her teeth.
"You aren't a Dixon." Rick shook his head, "Daryl and his brother go out there with them and they hunt."
Carl scoffed and Carol felt the heat of his anger. "Sophia isn't a Dixon, dad!"
Carol looked over then and Rick was tense. She could see in his face that he agreed with his son. He wanted to say something but she knew he wouldn't simply because she was there. Since they'd gotten into it he'd done good to keep his unwanted opinions to himself. Though she knew it had more to do with Daryl almost beating him to death then Merle dragging him to their house. There was nothing like watching a man that thought he could tell you what to do even when it came to who you were with get humiliated. Merle marched him right in there and there wasn't an ounce of doubt that Rick heard them having sex.
"What Daryl does with Sophia isn't your place." Rick sneered his name.
Carl looked to her, "I want to go out there! It isn't fair. If I can't go then they can't."
Carol looked at Rick hard. He shifted and she knew more than ever that had Lori lived to see the way he was acting she would be disappointed.
"Sophia has been working with Daryl and his brother's since last year." Carol locked eyes with Carl, "Brian has hunted since he was walking. As for Sophia even Merle's unit taught her defense and weapons. She's more equipped than most of these people in this place to go out there.'
Carl paled at her words and Rick tensed. "We haven't all had time to turn our kids into perfect little soldiers."
"It's not about that and you know it. It's about being prepared."
Turning around she walked away not willing to deal with either of the Grimes men. Both were being whiny petulant children. All she heard here lately when she seen them was gimme gimme gimme without much thought for anything else.
"Carol slow up!" Rick called his boots hitting the pavement behind her.
Without slowing down she walked right into the clinic. Hershel smiled at her and she beamed. He was a sweet man and she was glad to know he was here now.
"Carol." He nodded and stood, "Where's that girl of yours?"
"With Brian."
Hershel smiled even wider and his eyes lit up, "That the one that is a carbon copy of his father?"
"That's the one."
He nodded and they stopped at a door, "Good kid."
Swinging the door open she was greeted with Michonne setting up in bed. She was full of tension but it bled out some when she seen Carol. There was no smile but she nodded her head in greeting. Carol walked in and took a seat next to the bed.
"How do you feel?"
Michonne looked to where she was stitched up. Carol followed her eyes and noted the neat stitches.
"I'll heal."
Carol nodded, "You remember coming here?"
Michonne studied her for a minute not speaking. It was still very much the same woman she remembered from before. The door opened behind her and she knew it was Rick. She didn't turn to greet him. She wasn't dealing with his crap right now. If he had issues with how she raised her daughter then he could swallow it down. He wasn't her father and he wasn't even the man that saved her- he needed to learn his place.
"I remember the men." Michonne coughed clearing her throat. "They were talking when I came up on them. Gave me supplies." She set up more and fingered at the material of her shirt hand reaching over to graze her katana. "I followed them. They saved me."
"They said you were blacking out when they got to you." Rick's voice interrupted. "What happened to you?"
Michonne chuckled, "Hardly think that matters now." Her eyes shot to Carol, "What were their names?"
"Daryl and Mac."
She nodded, "A herd came up on us, I was slowing them down but they wouldn't leave me behind. I told them too. They should have. " Her voice roughened and she stared ahead, "One of them carried me here, they saved me."
Carol smiled and nodded. It seemed that was the Dixon's thing. Hershel stepped into the room and weaved his way over Michonne. She watched him wearily as he checked her over. When he was done he smiled at all of them.
"Well you can get out of here today." Hershel looked to Carol, "I was told that you would be able to show her to where she would be staying."
Michonne was silent but nodded and slipped from the bed. Carol knew where Michonne was supposed to be staying. It wasn't that she knew much of how things were run but Merle was with Daryl. He'd passed it off to her. Martinez was supposed to be here right now but he told her he was going to make sure that her place was actually unlocked and ready.
The walkout was slow and silent. She didn't expect a lot of talk really thought. Rick was making it tense. The second Michonne was settled she figured he'd try to talk to her about his son's outburst or his lack of respect. Either way she was over it. She wasn't dealing with them. She knew Carl was struggling to find his place in this world. Rick wasn't giving much guidance but it wasn't her place to mother him. She looked over him when Lori'd been lost and things were so uncertain but now they were settled. Rick could step back and really take an interest in his son for once.
A loud whoop had them looking up and she smiled. Merle was laughing loudly just down from them. Michonne watched silently as she paused taking him in.
"That's Merle. He's the older brother of Mac and Daryl." Carol nodded to him, "He's the one that runs this place more or less."
"I've heard his name a few times."
Rick made a noise in his throat but both women ignored him. Carol watched knowing Daryl was with Merle. It wasn't but a second when she seen him land on his feet after jumping from a fire escape with Carter right behind him. Carter was smiling and laughing while Daryl was red faced and scowling.
"I know him." Michonne inclined her head.
"Daryl."
She looked at Carol out of the corner of her eyes as they started walking again. Her eyes were still watching Daryl and she flushed when he lifted his shirt to swipe at his face. There was a bruise visible from where they were. If she were closer she knew he could make out each impression of her teeth into his hip bone.
"He's yours."
Carol nodded not bothering to look over and she held her smile in at Rick's huff. They got to the small house. It was just across from the one she lived in and she let Michonne know.
"Andrea's there right now. She's looking after Brian and Sophia."
Michonne smiled at her a real smile and it stalled her out, "I take it you found your girl?"
They stepped into the house just as Daryl's voice barked at Merle behind them. Carol didn't even pause but Michonne's eyes shot over before coming back to her. Tension eased from her and Carol smiled easily.
"They're loud and yes. She was found."
Michonne took a seat and Martinez appeared from a side door packing a case of water. He paused seeing them and smiled brightly. He set it down and walked over into the room. Rick shifted on his feet and Carol watched Martinez put himself between them.
"Good to see you on your feet ma'am." He nodded to Michonne. "I've packed some water in here but you've got running water and the house is stocked with food. If you need clothes or anything you'll need to let one of the women know."
Michonne looked between them, "What if I don't want to stay?"
"Then you don't." Martinez shrugged, "This isn't a prison. You needed help and they brought you here. If you want to leave then by all means."
Michonne relaxed more and Rick stepped forward, "I'll be by later to check on you."
They left shortly after as Martinez showed Michonne where everything was in her place. She was surprised that the woman was at ease with him. Though Martinez never gave off a bad vibe and his bright welcoming smile helped.
"Carol." Rick started on the steps, "Can we put all this behind us?"
Pausing and looking down the street Carol shrugged her shoulders. Truthfully she was over it. The world was to messed and life's too short to dwell on stupid things. Rick was the one clinging to the past and things that weren't his.
"Then let it go." Carol breathed, "Stop antagonizing him, stop, just stop Rick. Let it go and stop fighting with my family, stop thinking you have a say in what Sophia or I do. Daryl's here to stay."
He nodded and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I want to speak to him and make things better but I don't know what to say."
"Don't." Carol shook her head, "It won't be welcome. You accused him of some nasty things Rick and he's not going to forget that. If managed to his brothers won't. Just stop everything and maybe in time he can be around you without breathing fire."
"Do you love him?"
Carol swallowed thickly. It was in no way Rick's place to ask her something like that. It was personal. If she loved Daryl then he deserved to hear that from her first. Rick didn't deserve to hear those words. Carol didn't doubt her feelings for Daryl. She knew they were strong and wrapping her up tighter and tighter daily. The man had more heart than she'd seen in her life and it was endearing. He was a mess most of the time but seeing him with his nephew and her daughter was amazing. Daryl deserved to hear those words.
Rick blew out a breath after looking at her as she'd been lost in thought. "I don't need to hear it. Hell I've known. I think he knows and I know Sophia does." He smiled suddenly, "She's a lot like him. She threatened to kneecap me in the street yesterday over him. She told him to leave her dad alone."
Carol snorted. He was more right than he knew. If Sophia knew the extent of the things Rick said then she would have hit him. She gave Rick a look and he smiled.
"What do you think Ed would do if he ran into this Sophia?"
Carol didn't even flinch. She would love for Ed to see he didn't break Sophia. She was a force of nature and was more Dixon than even Carol could handle at times. She smiled and a laugh erupted from her. Shaking her head she crossed her arms against the wind over her chest. They'd all really changed since the turn. She wasn't a scared and battered woman anymore. She wasn't a victim and neither was her daughter. Sophia's smile alone was a gift because before things turned she'd hardly ever seen it. Now her daughter was who she was meant to be. It took a rough around the edges man who didn't know the meaning of sleeves or using a fork to bring her out of her shell.
"I think Ed would regret a lot." Licking her lips her eyes shot to where Daryl was. He was leaned against the wall smoke billowing from his nose. He turned his head suddenly like he knew she was looking at him. Fire was burning in his eyes and it was the same thing she was seeing in Sophia's eyes. "I don't think he'd like meeting the man that he could never be and everything Sophia needed."
Rick was silent for the a moment. "He would kill Ed."
"He would."
