The next day, when Merle announce during breakfast that if he was not needed on the farm, he would go with Sophia and Carol look for clothes back on the highway, Lori and Andrea volunteered to come with them, along with Maggie.

"If you guys stay longer," the young woman said, "we need to try and find some blankets and warm clothes for when the weather shifts."

Her father nodded along, and the mission was made official.

"Why the hell am I the head of a harem?" Merle asked Carol when they went back too their sleeping quarters to look for their gear.

She made sure her daughter was out of earshot and said:

"I'm sorry, I pretty much died on you guys last night, I was too tired with the babe. Andrea realized you were flirting with her and confronted me about it. I told her you're not my husband."

"I fail to see how this means I am in charge of keeping safe so many pussies…"

She punched him in the gut, but he was expecting it. The smirk on his face meant he was just riling her up.

"If you were better at flirting, we would not be in this situation, Casanova."

"I'm amazing at flirting! It's you, you're cramping my style! I can't call Andrea "Sugartits", which would have made it clear I was trying to get in her pants…"

"And failing miserably if you had tried this route…. It baffles me to this day that you're not a virgin with all your terrible moves. And no, you cannot call that woman or any woman a name which meaning you're not comfortable explaining to your niece. You agreed to that deal a long time ago, now is not the time to negate it."

He said nothing, pretending to be sullen, which did not work for him, but she let him have this moment.

She knew that the anxiety she felt, he shared. Where was Daryl? The world had gone to shit almost three months ago, and they were waiting for him to show up at any time.

He had to come to them, he'd said he would…

"And he will," Merle said. "We were lucky with the quarry, where we could stay. Maybe he just hasn't caught a break yet, but once he gets back near where you guys lived, he will be able to track us down."

"From you mouth to God's ear…"

"Come on, you married a man who did not seem like he was fit for society, and before three months ago, you were a practical Betty Crooker, if she knew how to hunt the food she cooked…. I'd say you're one big believer."

"And I'd say you're a romantic at heart, but I wouldn't want you to blame my silly ideas on the pregnancy hormones," she shot back playfully.

"How's Darylina?"

She glared at him. She had not been a fan of this nickname for her unborn child the first time around when expecting Sophia, and it had not gotten better with age.

"Don't look at me that way! Do you feel like it might Daryl Junior?"

"The baby is doing okay, given the circumstances," she answered, knowing that though he had a big and loud mouth, he cared.

"Back to the matter at hand, I think Lori and Andrea want to know more about my husband. That's why they're tagging along."

"And Maggie?"

"Maybe she's here for the same reason, maybe she's not. Glenn told me she was starting to view the walkers in the barn as a danger, after they've been attacked again at the pharmacy. I have no idea what she wants. Anyway, people are going to start gossiping about the fact that I'm not your ball and chain, so might as well have her on our side and hear the truth. We might need her to vouch for us with her father."

They were interrupted from their revelry when Sophia entered the tent and went to her mother for a hug, saying:

"Shane is asking about Dad."

"The Hell?" Merle exclaimed. "I'll kill the guy."

"What do you mean he's asking about Dad?" Carol replied, sharing a worried look with her brother-in-law.

"Come on kiddo, we know you see everything, tell us what's happening…" Merle cooed.

And he was right. So many people underestimated Sophia for being on the skinny side, but she was just like her father. She saw everything and understood everything, had done so ever since she was old enough to compute what people were saying.

"Last night, before I got into the tent, as I was waiting for you Pop, I heard Lori talk to Andrea about the fact that you're not married, and Shane was lurking. He obviously heard. Now, he's asking random people, Dale or T-dog if they think they should let Dad join them if he arrives. I'll miss Carl, but if it comes to that, I'd rather be with my parents and Pop than with Shane…"

"As you should. Speaking of Carl, didn't he say something about lending you his hat for today as you'll be in the sun?" Carol asked.

Sophia gave her a look conveying the fact that she knew she was being micromanaged, but she went gracefully.

"I do not trust this man," Carol said, sitting down on the floor.

"He's a nutjob. Cuckoo for cocoa puff. Since he's not getting any from Lori, he's been becoming more and more dangerous. I do not want him anywhere Sophia. I guess you really need to talk to the girls today, and make sure all the men who listen to them are on our side. Otherwise…"

"Yeah, I know. We could go on our own if Daryl came back but it would not be ideal in my situation."

"Trust my brother to knock up his wife three minutes before the apocalypse."

She punched his arm, and he took it in stride.

What would she tell the girls, as Merle called them? Some things were meant to be kept between a woman and her husband, and she was not a fan of using her marriage to gain brownie points with people.

That question stayed on the back of her mind until they got with the group, got some weapons, and left.

With her bow on her shoulder, Carol felt slightly more at ease. They took a truck from Hershel's lot and rolled in silence to the highway.

There, Merle took charge, told people to stay where he could see them, and to be mindful of his whistling if something was happening.

She could tell he would have wished for the women to span across the multitude of cars to search, but it would have been contradictory with their purpose.

So she waited, and did not have to for too long.

"How come everybody thinks you guys are married?" Andrea started asking.

"You're not?" Maggie asked, surprised.

Carol exchanged a glance with Merle, then said:

"When we got to the quarry, I knew I was pregnant, my husband too. We had to make a judgement call. Everybody fit into neat categories, husband and wives, siblings, widower, so and so. There were some people on their own too. The fact was, it felt like it would be more palatable to let people believe we were married, though we never said anything to indicate so."

She paused a few seconds to let people reflect on the fact that they had not lied, as it seemed so important.

"Given my condition, which I knew could not be hidden for too long, it felt like the group would be more welcoming if you thought were together. If I had told you Merle was my brother in-law, people like … well let's not name names but it rhymes with pain, would have assumed that Merle could decide to flee and leave this pregnant burden onto everybody's lap."

"Like I'd leave behind my sweet niece, the bun in your oven, not to mention said oven…." Merle muttered as he opened a trunk.

"My brother-in-law, Ladies and ladies," Carol pretended to introduce him.

They searched for clothes in silence for a little while, Carol and Lori teaming up to go through cars quicker, while Merle cracked trunks open when there was a need. Andrea and Maggie looked on their own, and Sophia stayed on top of the truck's cabin watching the perimeter, sporting Carl's hat.

"My son has a huge crush on your girl," Lori told Carol after she had taken a look at the young girl. "Nobody touches his hat."

"I know," was her only response.

"I don't mean to pry though…"

Except she did, but that was not the point.

"Where is your husband then Carol?"

She looked over at Merle, then at her perfect daughter.

"He's on his way."

Please R & R!