Summary:
Carol ponders her bloodline. Houseguests are present. Changes in the group are made by a surprising source. Feedback is love.
A/N1:
Here is the delayed next chapter. That muse bitch came by and forced me to add some things. This is now estimated at 33 chapters. A HUGE thank you to Wanda for her inspirational thoughts. They formed words of advice given by Beth and Hershel.
A/N 2:
There are several Easter eggs here. See if you can find them all! Calling up moments of the show in a non-ZA story is one of my favorite things. I also am slightly obsessed with writing twins. I hope you enjoy!
Carol was in the bedroom that would no longer be hers come tomorrow. Connie would be taking it over while her and Sophia relocated to Daryl's. She knew she should go downstairs and talk to Daryl, because his worry for her was evident. She just couldn't force herself to move from her slump in the overstuffed chair in the corner.
She had intended to leave the room when she arose from the bed, after only sleeping about an hour. Intending to go check on Sophia and go downstairs, she was stopped by Connie's soft snore.
Her mama had been awake when Carol had dozed off. She had been downstairs with Daryl and the Greene's. When Carol had gotten back to the farm, she had spent a few hours alone with her daughter, pondering the wonder of DNA. She put Sophia down around eight, and then closed herself up alone in her room. She had promptly dozed off. After her traumatic discovery, she had felt like the walking dead. Now she was awake, pondering the sight in front of her.
Connie had apparently brought Sophia into the room, unpacked the pack and play, and changed the baby. The relocation of her daughter from the nursery, and her new outfit spoke to that fact. What was making her brain scramble though was the protective, heart tugging position the older and younger generations of her family were in. Sophia was asleep with Connie's hand stretched out protectively laying on the porta crib. The stretch was not an easy one, and resulted with Connie half in/half out of the bed.
This was her blood right here, but now they weren't her only family. Now she had this group and her . . . what was she supposed to call him? Father? Dad? Daddy? She mentally slapped herself at that idea. Who was that man? He had certainly seemed to have once loved her mother based on the photo booth pictures that captured the blooming of new love. But, he had been married.
Marriage was not a guarantee of love though. Her marriage to Ed certainly proved that. So maybe she shouldn't focus on the marriage aspect. But, and this was the second but of several - he had become abusive to Connie when finding out about her pregnancy with Carol. He had even gone so far as leaving cash and a written threat, demanding an abortion. Then, he had walked out and back to his wife.
Who was his wife? Did Connie even know more than her name and what little was mentioned in the news clippings? In the file, there had been a clipped birth announcement. In black and white the proclamation that Stella Williams had given birth to twins. She, by that pesky DNA factor, had two half siblings. Did Carol want to meet Stella and her children named Tyreese and Sasha? Maybe she should learn more about just the wife first. Joe's name had not been mentioned in the birth announcement. By then he had been arrested and shunned by his wife. She learned through the news articles of the charges, that Stella had been married for three years to Joe. That's it. She would just call him Joe. None of those other words that attributed love of parentage.
Joe Williams. What really did she know about him other than the charges and convictions? The newspaper articles had dubbed him "Claimer Joe". He had sexually assaulted four women. As he raped them, he had yelled at them, telling his victims that they had been claimed by him. That they were his to do with what he pleased. He had ended each assault with a vicious bite to the throat. While not life threatening, the bites left so many permanently etched physical and psychological scars.
She couldn't be in this room anymore. She would not continue to taint the beautiful image in front of her by thinking of HIM. Time to go downstairs and see if anybody was still up. It was only a bit after nine, so she was sure the Greene's and Daryl would be downstairs. Daryl had said he was going to stay over on the couch. She had to talk to them all, but him especially. He had been so worried, but hadn't asked any questions.
It was ironic she was thinking of Daryl, because when she went out to the hall, she literally stepped on him.
He had apparently been in the process of laying out a pillow and blanket in front of her bedroom door, but the very low hall lamp light was the only light on. She stepped on his hand before she noticed him. He only grunted and let out a small snorty chuckle before standing back up.
"Sorry! Jesus Daryl, I thought you had the couch tonight?"
He shrugged and said "Know Connie took Sophia in there. Wanted to be here in case it didn't go too good. Let you get some sleep."
In reply, Carol opened the door and showed him the image she had been staring at. He gave a small smile and nod. She closed the door back up.
"Who's still up? I didn't know what to expect."
"Negan left after Maggie threatened to burn Lucille. . . . his bat. He said some dumbass shit, and then left."
"What did he say?"
Here Daryl looked uncomfortable.
"Can't say. He talked about the shit that made Maggie a member. He don't know some details, so the shit he said hurt her pretty bad. The dumbass didn't realize it, and then talked smack about her boyfriend. She tore out of here about five minutes after Negan. Said she was gonna go see Glenn. Everybody's waitin' up for her. Case she needs ta talk."
"Mind if I wait up with you all?"
"Sure. Hershel said Annette's making both cherry and peach cobbler with coffee. Should be done. Want some?"
"Sure. Decaff?"
"Think it's leaded, but Annette got some decaf whatevers. That pod shit for the machine Maggie uses at night."
"She got me K-cups?"
"Yeah. Said you needed it on account ya are nursing Soph."
"That woman's a saint."
He snorted deeply at that. "Don't say that to anybody 'round here. You will get a long ass story about all the times Annette has threatened to shoot somebody in the ass."
Carol stopped dead in her tracks. Looking up at his face, she could tell he wasn't joking.
"Fine. No saintly remarks tonight. I will save it for another night."
"God, please do it a night I am gone". The voice proceeded the face, but then Beth came into view as they descended the steps.
Carol just laughed, giving the young woman who she had only met twice a quick nod of agreement.
Beth went up the steps as they continued down. They went into the kitchen and Annette quickly went to brew Carol a cup of decaff and fetch the bottle of the household's favored hazelnut creamer. Daryl went to the island where the cobblers were. At Carol's choice of cherry over peach, he just shook his head and grumbled incomprehensibly.
Annette went over to him and swatted him with the dish towel. "Don't argue with a woman's prerogative Daryl."
"Don't know why ya made cherry too instead of just peach is all. We're in Georgia for fucks sake."
Smacking him again, she put the towel down.
"Watch that mouth in my house. Don't make me shoot you in the ass!"
Hershel and Daryl both groaned. Hershel didn't say a word. Daryl shook his head in warning to Carol who decided to keep her own counsel and look at the coffee cup in front of her.
Disappointed nobody took the bait, but not pressing the matter, Annette's attention instead turned to Carol.
"Maggie called. She is on her way back here. She is bringing Glenn back here for the weekend. We don't know what the boy will like, so I made both. Plus, I like cherry sometimes."
The group, now joined by Beth sat around a few minutes before Carol heard the sound of Sophia crying. She rose to go fetch her when Annette stopped her with a gentle hand.
"Let me go. I'm sure Connie woke. I want to tell her to go back to bed. She was pretty upset earlier. She should rest. I will change the baby and bring her and a nursing blanket down. Relax, eat your cobbler."
Carol turned to Daryl after Annette left with a pointed look. "See? She IS a saint."
Mild humor lasted only a moment before Carol's mind turned back to Joe Williams. The man who right now to her may as well be the devil.
She chose to say something she had been thinking. She knew she could speak her mind without judgement. Even around Beth, who grew up with being around the group.
"I know you all are worried. I've seen it in your faces. I just gotta work some things out in my head before I say much more. But, today made me wonder if the blood in my veins . . . blood now in Sophia . . . if it can make me bad. Please, if I turn bad . . . all I need to know . . . I need to know you all will take Sophia. If that DNA makes me a danger . . . I beg you . . . promise to take her from me. I can't ever be allowed to hurt her."
Beth's eyes grew wide. She looked at her daddy and Daryl with concern. She then turned to Carol.
"I may be only 17, but one thing I know is blood doesn't make you. Daryl was abused but he is not an abuser."
"Bethie! We don't tell other people's stories around here. You KNOW that!" Hershel was very upset his youngest had divulged that private information.
"It's ok Hershel. I told Carol my story. Ain't nothin' to hide from her."
Hershel was still not pleased, and sent Beth upstairs to help Annette with Sophia.
Hershel turned to Carol and chose his words very carefully. "Daryl, me, Maggie, we have stories. Someday very soon, I will tell you mine. Maggie will in her own time too. Our stories, our blood, they don't shape our hearts. They don't form our souls. Everybody makes their lives their own. If you looks deep, you will find the strength to overcome your doubts. Daryl has a kind and generous heart, despite his parentage. If you look deep, you will be assured that you she have one as well."
Just as he finished his sentiment, Beth, Annette and Sophia came back. He nodded to the baby as Carol gathered her to nurse. "If you need proof, look at your blessing there. She is of YOUR blood. And she is an angel."
Carol nodded her understanding. She settled Sophia under the blanket. The chatter turned to more light hearted fare. It was the opening of the front door that made them pause.
Maggie walked in, followed bjy a nervous looking man wearing a baseball jersey and holding a cap in his hands. Saying hello, Maggie came further into the room.
"Everybody? This is Glenn. Glenn Rhee. My boyfriend." She paused a moment before continuing. "He is going to be part of our group."