Three years later

The church was warm while Daryl stood in line with the rest of the wedding party and he watched Rick marrying Lori. He looked down at the black hard leather shoes on his feet and his toes started cramping. Jeffrey stood behind him as Jeffery nudged him to look up and Daryl turned to look at the back of Shane's head. He had noticed the jealous look on Shane's face. Shane may have been the best man, but Daryl had a feeling he wanted to be the one marrying her.

"Asshole," Daryl thought with a sigh. He noticed Mrs. Grimes was crying, but she gave him a sweet smile when she caught him looking at her. He looked over at Evie, who was one of the junior bridesmaids and she gave him a little wave.

After the wedding and the photographs at the church, Daryl headed for the limo Mister Grimes had rented then he walked to the motorcycle parked next to it. Mrs. Grimes had caused as small fuss over him buying the motorcycle, but she changed her mind when he took her for a ride. He swung his right leg as he got onto the motorcycle, placed on the black helmet and he started the engine. He watched the limo moving away as he kicked up the kickstand and he followed the limo down the long drive.

Later that night, Daryl watched Rick dancing with Lori while Daryl stood near the buffet table and he sipped on the beer. Mister Grimes didn't want him to drink if he was riding his motorcycle and he had been nursing the beer all evening.

"Hey," made him turn as he looked at the woman standing next to him. He felt drawn to her bright blue eyes. Her light brown hair floated over her shoulders and he noticed she was a few inches shorter than he was. She was wearing a blue dress with an apron tied around her waist and black shoes and her smile made his stomach flip.

"Hey," he said with a nod.

"Are you on the bride's side or the groom's side?"

"The groom's side."

"I'm Carol."

"Daryl."

"Please to meet you."

"Uh, you're not one of the guests, right?"

"Right. I'm one of the caterers," she said as she looked at the food sitting on the trays of the buffet table. "Have you tried the cookies? I made them."

"Nope," he said. She watched him walk to the desert table as he looked at the sugar cookies then he pointed to them. Carol nodded as he picked up one of the cookies, took a bite and he silently admitted the cookie was good. He gave her a thumb's up as she softly laughed and he gave her a shy smile. After he was done, he licked his fingers as she sighed, rolled her eyes and she handed him a napkin. "Sorry."

"That's ok."

Daryl watched the others dancing as she handed him another cookie and he nodded. He did notice how she was looking at him as he inched back a bit and she frowned.

"What's wrong?" Carol asked.

"Nothin'," he said as he nibbled on the cookie. He felt guilty for hurting her feelings, but he still was cautious when it came to strangers. "So…. Uh… Do you want to dance?"

"I'm working."

"You sure?"

"I can't. I'll get fired."

"Oh."

"I'm sure there're tons of women here who'll dance with you."

"Nah."

Carol noticed the sadness in his eyes when she saw her boss looking at her and she cleared her throat.

"Gotta go," she said. He nodded while she walked away and Daryl looked back at the cookies. He placed a few of the cookies into a napkin then he placed the napkin in the suit jacket pocket and he smiled.

Two weeks later - Jacob's Garage

"Are you stoned or somethin'?" Kenny asked. Daryl realized he had been staring off into space as he shook his head then went back to what he was doing.

"No, I ain't stoned," Daryl said. He didn't want to admit he kept seeing Carol in his head ever since the wedding.

"Then what the hell's wrong with you?"

"None of yer damn business."

Jacob walked closer as Daryl noticed the look on his boss' face and Daryl and Kenny used the cloths to wipe their hands.

"What's up," Kenny asked.

"Someone's outside askin' fer you," Jacob said while he looked at Daryl. Daryl sighed as he walked outside then he stopped when he saw Merle. Merle still had his close-cropped haircut, but he looked older. He wore jeans, work boots, a white t-shirt and a leather jacket.

"Hey," Merle said while walking closer.

"What do you want?" Daryl asked.

"Just came to see you."

"Where've you been?"

"Prison."

Nodding, Daryl sucked on his lower lip and he shuffled his feet. He felt Merle's eyes scanning him as Daryl stood straighter and Merle frowned.

"How old are you now?" Merle asked.

"Twenty."

"Shit. You're all grown up. How've you been?"

"'m good."

"Still livin' with that family?"

"Nope."

"They toss you out?"

Daryl wasn't sure, but he swore he saw anger in Merle's eyes.

"No, they didn't toss me out."

"So…. You got yer own place?"

"What do you want, Merle?"

"Gettin' to the point, are you? Ok. I just need somewhere to crash fer a bit."

"Lemme guess. You broke outta prison."

"Maybe."

Daryl sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest and the urge to chew on one of his cuticles moved through him. Before he could say something, Merle noticed the sheriff's car moving down the street and he ran off. The sheriff's car came closer when the sheriff's car stopped and the driver's side door opened. Shane got out of the sheriff's car as he watched Merle running then he looked at Daryl.

"You gonna just stand there or are you gonna go after him?" Daryl asked. Glaring, Shane ran after Merle and Daryl headed back into the garage.

"What's a sheriff's car doing here?" Jacob asked.

"Lookin' fer the guy who wanted to talk to me," Daryl said when his face hardened. "You gonna fire me?"

"Shit no," Jacob said with a snort then he walked to the office door. He opened the door as he went inside the office and Daryl sighed. With a shake of his head, he went back to work.

A short time later, Shane walked in the garage when he headed for Daryl and Kenny looked at Shane.

"Daryl…," Kenny said and Daryl looked at Shane.

"What do you want?" Daryl asked while looking at Shane.

"We need to talk," Shane said.

"I ain't got nothin' to say to you."

"I could arrest you."

"Fer what?"

"For being seen with a known criminal."

"Like hell," Jacob said while walking closer and he stood in front of Shane.

"I need…"

"You need to get your ass outta my garage or I will sue you and the whole sheriff's department for harassment."

Shane glared at Jacob then at Daryl when Shane turned, headed out of the garage and Daryl looked at Jacob.

"What are you starin' at? Get back to work," Jacob said and Daryl and Kenny nodded. Daryl looked at the engine as he sighed and he shook his head.

Later that night, Daryl walked down the hallway as he heard the sound of a television coming from one of the apartments then he stopped to lean against the wall. His mind replayed seeing Merle again and how cautious he was while going home. He knew Merle was long gone, but he kept checking to see if he had been followed.

"Son of a bitch," Daryl mumbled. Kicking off the wall, he headed around the corner then stopped when he saw someone sitting against one of the doors. He knew better to bother with his neighbors. He tried to help the elderly woman in the apartment three doors down from him and she used pepper spray on him. Sighing, he started to move by whoever it was when something made him stop and he walked back to them. Slowly, he knelt down as he kept a safe distance and he tilted his head to one side. "You good?"

Whoever it was didn't answer.

"Can you hear me?"

More silence.

He was about to stand up when whoever it was lifted their head and his heart slammed in his chest.

Carol.

Her blue eyes were filled with tears and the right one was nearly swollen shut. Her light brown hair was sticking up in places and bruises covered most of her face. Her lower lip was split and some blood dribbled down her chin.

"What the hell happened to you?" he asked with concern in his voice. He knew the answer. Someone had beaten her.

"I… I fell," Carol said in a soft voice.

"Into what?! A movin' truck?!"

"What are you doing here?"

"I live here," he said as he pointed down the hallway and she barely moved her head to look where he was pointing.

"Oh."

"Who did this?"

She barely shook her head as he sighed then he slowly reached out his right hand. She looked at his hand when she took hold and she moaned after he carefully lifted her to her feet.

His mind replayed times when he had to pull himself off the floor after his father had beaten him. He remembered the pain. He remembered how hard it was to breath. He remembered how he just wanted to stay down and die.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, he watched her turn toward the door, but she didn't open the door. Her right hand was shaking. He felt a knot growing in his chest as a part of him wanted to go home, but he knew he couldn't leave her.

"Uh… Would you like to go to my place? To clean up?" he asked and she glanced at him. She looked like she was going to refuse, but she nodded instead and he led her down the hallway. He opened the door when he let her go in first and she looked around his apartment.

The main room consisted of the living room and small kitchenette and she was surprised with how neat and organized the room looked. A door led to led to the bedroom and a plastic laundry basket sat near the door.

"Sorry about the mess," he said as he walked to the coffee table and he straightened the stack of comic books.

"What mess?" Carol thought as she tried not to smile. She watched him head for the kitchenette when he opened the cabinet door and he removed the first aid kit. He then dampened a few paper towels as he turned and she felt her eyes lock with his.

"Sit on the couch," he said, pointing to the blue couch with a red and blue flannel blanket draped over the top. She sat on the couch while he walked closer and he sat down next to her. He placed the first aid kit and the damp paper towels on the coffee table then he turned to face her. She saw he was a little nervous as he opened the first kit and he removed a bottle of pain killers. He got up again to get a glass of water as he walked back to the couch then he sat down. "This is gonna hurt."

"It's ok."

Daryl felt his stomach tightening at the thought of hurting her. He moved closer when he picked up the damp paper towels and he gently cleaned her face. Seeing her finch hurt as he kept his face blank and he bit his lower lip.

"How long have you've been living here?" Carol suddenly asked.

"It's been two months," he said, careful not to press too hard around her eye.

"Really? How come I haven't seen you around?"

"I keep to myself," he said with a shrug of his left shoulder. He checked her eyes as anger moved through him. He lightly touched her nose, but she didn't hiss or pull back. "Don't think yer nose's broken."

"No, it's not."

He carefully cleaned her lower lip as she hissed and he moved back.

"Sorry," Daryl said and she saw the fear in the corner of his eyes.

"That's ok."

After he cleaned her face off, placed the damp paper towels in the garbage can then walked back to the couch, he sat down then he opened the bottle of pain killers. He handed her two pills as she took them and he watched her place the pills in her mouth. She took a long drink of water when she placed the glass on the coffee table and she sighed.

"You sure you don't wanna go to the hospital?" he asked after a few seconds.

"Yeah. I'm sure."

Nodding, Daryl placed the bottle of pain killers in the first aid kit as he closed the first aid kit. He got up as he went to put the first aid kit back into the cabinet when he turned and he saw Carol had her face in her hands. He swallowed the lump in his throat while he leaned against the cabinet and he leaned against the counter.

That night, Daryl rested on his back as he looked up at the dark ceiling and he placed his hands behind his head. His mind replayed seeing Carol and helping her clean up and anger nibbled at his heart. He has asked her one last time if she didn't want to go to the hospital as she was leaving and she told him she was fine.

"You ain't fine," he whispered. He rolled onto his right side when he heard shouting coming from somewhere and he pulled the pillow over his head. Old childhood memories filled his head while he tightly closed his eyes and he tried to think of something else.

Suddenly, something made him move the pillow away as he got out of bed and he headed for the bedroom door. He opened the door as he stormed across the room and he opened the door. He didn't care if he was only wearing his boxers. He heard the screaming coming from down the hallway. He saw some people peeking out from behind the doors then the doors closed and he snorted a breath of air. He stormed down the hallway when he stopped in front of the door where he had found Carol and a cold ball of ice formed in his stomach. He pounded on the door as he stood back and the screaming stopped. He looked at the door when he moved back, took aim and he placed his hands on the doorframe. He kicked the door three times as hard as he could when the door slammed open and he stood in the door way.

"What the hell?!" Ed Peletier shouted. Daryl looked at the heavyset man with dark hair in a buzz cut then he looked at Carol sitting on the floor. Blood was rolling out of her nose and she was holding onto her stomach. "Who the fuck are you?!"

Daryl didn't speak. He wasn't seeing Ed. He was seeing his father and his younger self.

"Get out!"

Daryl stormed to Carol when he carefully lifted her off the floor and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Hey! Put her down!"

Daryl turned while he carefully carried her toward the door then he turned after Ed touched his back. Ed moved back from the fury in Daryl's now gray eyes and Daryl snorted.

"Shit," Ed whispered. Daryl left the apartment as he carried Carol to the stairs then he went downstairs.

King County Memorial Hospital

"Daryl?!" Rick called out while the sliding doors to the ER slid shut behind him and he saw Daryl sitting in the waiting area. One of the nurses had given him a bathrobe and some socks to wear and Rick saw the anger in his eyes. He knew to be cautious when Daryl was furious and he slowly walked closer. Daryl glanced at him as Rick knelt down and Rick placed his right hand on the armrest of the chair Daryl was sitting on. "Hey."

After scaring the ER staff after he had stormed into the ER with Carol in his arms, Daryl had called Rick. He told Rick what happened and Rick told him he would send someone over to his apartment building. He had gotten a report that Ed was gone, but there were signs of a struggle and they had issued a warrant for his arrest.

"Daryl, you hear me?" he asked. Daryl nodded his head. Rick saw Daryl's right ankle had been wrapped and he tilted his head to one side. "Dumb question, but how's your ankle?"

"Not broken," Daryl said, softly.

"That's good," Rick said. He stood then sat down on the chair next to him and Daryl sighed. "Your landlord said you don't have to pay for the door."

"Did he kick me out?"

"Nope," Rick said, looking toward the doors leading into the hospital. "How's she doing?"

"No one's told me shit."

"Still don't understand why you did that. What if he had attacked you?"

"If he had, we'd be having this talk at the station 'cause I would have killed him."

"Daryl…"

"You say you don't understand why. Don't you remember why I had to come live with your family?"

"No, I haven't forgotten. I just don't get why you wanted to…," Rick said when something clicked in his head and he barely smiled. "Oh. I get it. You like her."

"I barely know her."

"When did you meet her?"

"It was at yer reception. She was one of the caterers."

"Is she the one who made those cookies?"

"Yeah," he said with a nod.

"Wait. Is she the one I saw you talking to?"

"Yeah."

"Well, like I said, I do understand why you did it."

Nodding, Daryl looked down at his feet when the doors to the ER opened and Rick saw the doctor walking toward them. He looked at Rick's deputy uniform then at Daryl and Rick frowned.

"He's not under arrest," Rick said as he stood. The doctor nodded when he walked to Daryl and Daryl looked up at him.

"She wants to see you," the doctor said. Standing up, Daryl slightly limped as he followed the doctor into the ER and the doctor led him to the examination room where they had placed Carol. Rick had followed them as he waited outside and Daryl moved the curtain so they could have some privacy.

"Hey," Carol said. He looked at her. The bruises on her face were darker. Her right eye was swollen shut. The cut on her lower lip looked like there were three small stiches. And her nose was swollen. He tried not to look angry as he flexed his fingers and he felt his heart slamming in his chest. "You look…cute."

"Yeah," Daryl grumbled with a nod of his head. "How're you feelin'?"

"I've been better. The doctor said my nose isn't broken, but there is a small hairline fracture. I also have three bruised ribs and a bruised kidney."

"Shit," he whispered as he shuffled his feet.

"What happened to your ankle?" she asked and he looked down at the bandage around his right ankle.

"I kicked in the door to yer apartment."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure. Guess I didn't want him hurtin' you anymore."

Carol was shocked. She never had anyone try to stop Ed from hurting her. He just did.

"Uh… Thanks," she said with a small nod then she felt like she needed to know more. "You seem like you know what you were doing when you were cleaning me up. Has… Has someone done something like this to you?"

Daryl didn't know if he should tell her, but there was something about Carol which made him feel like he could tell her anything.

"Yeah. My father used to… He…," Daryl said as he mentally slapped himself for not being able to continue.

"You father did something like this?"

Daryl nodded. Carol wanted to cry at the thought of something hurting Daryl, but her right eye hurt too much.

"Did the…? Did the doctor say when you can go home?" Daryl asked.

"He wants me to stay."

"Oh."

The curtain moved back as the nurse walked in the room and she looked at Carol then at Daryl. She had been the nurse who had wrapped the bandage around Daryl's ankle and she had seen the worry in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, but we have to take her up to her room," the nurse said. Nodding, Daryl left the room as he went back to the waiting room and Rick stood.

"How is she?" Rick asked.

"She looked like someone slammed her into a wall," Daryl said with a small growl.

"Well, I talked with my boss. He said he'll post a deputy at her door just in case the guy who did this tries to get into her room."

"Do you know which room she's in?"

"Yeah," Rick said as he walked closer and Daryl cleared his throat. "You want to stay at my place tonight?"

Daryl has a sad look on his face as he nodded and they headed for the doors. Rick slid his arm around Daryl's shoulders as the doors opened and they left the hospital.