Daryl patted the side of the cow after he filled the bucket with milk and he slowly stood up.
"All done," he called out.
"Thanks," Beth said.
She walked to him when she picked up the bucket, walked out of the cowshed and he followed her.
Even though he was able to go on runs, Hershel still wouldn't let him pick up heavy objects and Daryl was feeling useless.
"Daryl!" Lori called out. She walked closer and Daryl noticed the baby bump had gotten bigger. Neither Rick nor Lori had talked to Shane about the baby, but Daryl had noticed the jealous looks Shane had been given them.
"Need somethin'?" Daryl asked.
"Rick needs you."
Hershel agreed to let Rick rebuild the old ranch house, but Daryl was only allowed to watch or do light work.
Daryl started walking by her when he stopped and he looked at the baby bump.
"How far along are you?" Daryl asked.
"Hershel thinks I'm around six months pregnant," Lori said.
"You good?"
"Aside from my back hurting and swollen feet and ankles, I'm fine," she said and he nodded his head. He walked away as he slid his hands in the pockets of his jeans and he sighed. He didn't' want to admit it, but a part of him wanted to be a father. His relationship with Carol was growing, and he felt like a father to Sophia, but he wanted a child of his own.
"Stop actin' like a girl. Havin' kids ain't all it's cracked up to be," Merle's voice said in his head and Daryl frowned.
"Shut the hell up," Daryl growled when he saw Otis, Jimmy, Shane, Rick, Hershel and Dale working on the ranch house and he walked faster.
'There you are," Rick said.
"Had to help Beth with the milkin'," Daryl said and he walked to the ladder Rick was standing on. "What do you want me to do?"
"Go help Glenn and T-Dog. They're inside."
Nodding, Daryl walked inside as he looked at the large area which was the kitchen, dining and living area and a stone fireplace was to his right.
The ranch house, like the farmhouse, did have a generator for power and running water, but the bathroom only had a sink and a toilet.
Down the hallway were the bedrooms.
Carol and Andrea, Shane and T-Dog and Daryl and Glenn had to share a bedroom, but Dale, Rick and Lori, Carl and Sophia had their own bedroom.
"T-Dog? Glenn? Where you at?" Daryl called out.
"Back here," Glenn called out. Daryl walked down the hallway when he saw Glenn in the room Rick assigned them and Glenn and T-Dog were painting the walls.
"Rick said I'm supposed to help you."
"Go check the bathroom."
Nodding, Daryl headed for the small bathroom when he walked inside and he looked at the cracked tile on the floor, the slightly dirty walls, the overhead light on the ceiling, the medicine cabinet over the sink and the toilet. He walked to the sink when he turned the handle and a stream of water came out of the faucet. He turned the handle to stop the water and he looked at the toilet. Carefully, he removed the lid as he checked the water pressure then he placed the lid back on the toilet.
"How's it going?" Glenn asked, walking in the room.
"The sink an' toilet work," Daryl said.
"What about the floor?"
"Looks like we might need to replace it."
"Where are we going to find bathroom tile?"
"Maybe we can ask Hershel or Otis if there's a hardware story around here."
"Let's go."
Daryl followed Glenn out of the bathroom while they walked down the hallway and Glenn glanced at him.
"You ok with sharing a room with me?" Glenn asked.
"Are you?" Daryl asked.
"Yeah. Just trying to figure out how we're going to fit two beds in that room. It's not that big."
"Rick's tryin' to see if we can find bunkbeds."
"If he can, I get the top bunk."
"Don't matter to me."
They walked outside while Rick climbed down the ladder and they headed for Rick.
"What's up?" Rick asked.
"Checked the bathroom. We need new floor tile," Daryl said and Rick nodded.
"Otis, do you know where we can find a hardware store?"
"Why?" Otis asked.
"We need new tiles for the bathroom."
"There's one in town.
"Where is it?" Glenn asked.
"I'll show you."
Glenn and Daryl followed him while they headed for the SUV and they got in the SUV. Rick watched the SUV head down the path when he headed for the front door to the ranch house and he went inside to help T-Dog paint the bedroom.
The town
The SUV came to a stop as Otis, Daryl and Glenn got out and they closed the doors. They headed down the sidewalk while Otis led the way and Daryl held the crossbow in his hands. They stopped in front of the red brick building when Daryl carefully walked to the door, wrapped on the glass a few times then he stood back. They waited for a few seconds as Daryl quickly opened the door and they stood back. Daryl looked inside when he nodded and they walked in the hardware store.
"Here," Otis said as he handed Glenn the flashlight and Glenn pushed the button. They walked by the shelves when Glenn found a shopping cart and he pushed the shopping cart after handing the flashlight to Otis.
Daryl led the way as they headed down the aisle and Otis and Glenn put some of the things that they needed in the shopping cart.
Daryl stopped when he heard a low growling and gurgling sound and he held up his left hand. Otis turned the flashlight off as he removed the rifle that he had placed in the shopping cart out of the shopping cart and Glenn removed the gun from the holster on his belt.
The gurgling and growling sound grew louder while they carefully headed down the aisle and Daryl saw two Walkers.
Glenn checked under the shelves for any more Walkers when a Walker reached out for Otis' right foot and Otis stomped down on the hand. The Walker growled as Glenn knelt down and he looked at the Walker. It was a male Walker wearing a red and black shirt, tattered jeans and work boots. Sighing, Glenn reached under the shelf when he removed the knife from the holder on his belt, stabbed the Walker in the head, removed the knife then he stood up.
Daryl had fired the crossbow and killed the male Walker wearing a denim shirt, jeans and dirty white sneakers and he aimed the crossbow at the female Walker wearing a dirty white shirt, jeans and black leather boots. Daryl fired the crossbow as the crossbow bolt hit the Walker in the head and the body fell to the floor. Daryl removed the crossbow bolt when he looked at Otis and Daryl nodded.
They went down the aisle when Daryl found boxes of bathroom floor tile and he opened the top box. The pattern of the tile was a basic white with some black swirls and he closed the lid of the box. He opened the next few boxes and the pattern was the same as the other tiles.
"Otis! Glenn! Found the tile!" he called out.
Otis and Glenn walked to him and Otis and Glenn placed the boxes in the shopping cart.
Otis and Glenn placed some more things they needed into the shopping cart as they headed for the exit and they left the hardware store. They placed what they found in the SUV as Glenn looked at the jewelry store next to the hardware store and Daryl noticed the look on his face.
"I'll be right back," Glenn said. Daryl followed Glenn as Glenn opened the door to the jewelry shop and they walked inside.
"What are you doin"?" Daryl asked, pointing the crossbow in front of him.
"I need to get something."
"What sort of somethin'?"
"Uh…," Glenn said when he sighed and he pressed his lips into a thin line. "Ok. Maggie and I have been talking about getting married."
"Did you ask Hershel if it was ok?"
"Yeah. He gave us his blessing. Now, I just need to find the right engagement ring."
"How're you gonna figure out which ring will fit her?"
"Maggie gave me one of hers."
Daryl watched Glenn looking through the display cases when something made Daryl look in the case behind him. Daryl saw a simple gold band with a diamond in a simple setting and he walked around to the back of the display case. The display case was unlocked as he opened the back of the display case and he removed the ring. He looked at the ring when he reached in for a ring box and he placed the ring in the ring box.
"Found it," Glenn said while he held up the ring box and Daryl nodded. Glenn looked at the wedding rings when he picked up two wedding rings and he placed them in a ring box. Glenn walked to the door as Daryl headed for the display case with the wedding rings and he looked at the wedding rings.
He was never one to wear rings or any jewelry. He tried on three wedding rings until he found one that fit, picked a smaller wedding ring then he placed them in a ring box. He then saw a selection of child rings when he found a gold ring with a S on it and he placed the ring in the ring box.
"Daryl?" Glenn called out.
"Yeah," Daryl said, placing the ring boxes in the pocket of his jeans then he left the store.
The Greene Farm
The SUV came to a stop near the ranch house as Otis, Daryl and Glenn got out of the SUV and Otis and Glenn unpacked the back.
"What took you so long?" Rick asked, walking closer.
"Ran into Walkers," Daryl said.
Nodding, Rick followed Daryl into the ranch house as they headed for the bathroom and Daryl saw the hammers, face masks, goggles and chisels sitting on the sink.
'T-Dog," Rick said with a nod toward the sink.
"Gonna let me help remove the floor?" Daryl asked.
"Nope."
"I ain't crippled. Just still a little sore."
"I know that," Rick said and Daryl leaned against the wall. "Ok. What's wrong?"
"I wanna ask Carol somethin', but I'm not sure if she'll say yes."
"You want to ask her something?"
"Yeah."
"Like what? Like if she wants to marry you?"
Daryl looked down at his feet as Rick smiled then Rick frowned.
"Daryl, do you want to marry Carol?"
"Yeah, I wanna marry Carol. But, like I said, I ain't sure she'll say yes," Daryl said.
"Why would she say no?"
"Ed."
"You're not Ed."
"I know I ain't Ed. But she wasn't happy bein' married to him. She might not wanna get married again," Daryl said then he shook his head. "Shit. Just ferget it."
Rick watched Daryl leave the room as Rick sighed and he crossed his arms over his chest.
The farmhouse
Daryl sat next to Carol and Sophia while they ate dinner and Daryl noticed Carol glancing at him from time-to-time. He sipped on the wine while he tried to figure out when or how to ask Carol to marry him as he scooped some carrots onto the fork then he placed the carrots on his mouth.
"Uh… May I have everyone's attention?" made Daryl look at Glenn as Glenn stood up and Maggie looked up at him. Glenn seemed nervous as he cleared his throat and he slid his hands onto the pockets of his jeans. "As most of you know, Maggie and I have grown close over the last few months."
"Yeah, we know," T-Dog said with a grin and Andrea lightly shoved him.
"Well, seeing how we never know what tomorrow will bring, Maggie and I decided to do something. We have had longs talks with Hershel and he agrees. So…,"
They watched Glenn walked to the chair Maggie was sitting on as Maggie smiled at him and Glenn knelt down on one knee. He removed the ring box out of the pocket of his jeans and he opened the ring box. Maggie looked at the gold band with a simple diamond setting and tears filled the corners of her eyes.
"Maggie Greene, will you marry me?" he asked, taking the ring out of the ring box.
"Say yes!" Beth said with a slight crack to her voice and Hershel blinked the tears out of his eyes.
"Of course, I'm going to say yes," Maggie said with a laugh and she held out her left hand. Glenn slid the ring onto her left ring finger as they stood up and he kissed her.
The cheering, hugging and joy in the room became too much for Daryl. He stood up then he walked to the screen door, opened the screen door, walked outside and he headed down the stairs. Placing his hands in the pockets of his jeans, he walked toward the camp as he looked at the RV and he frowned. He walked to his tent when he unzipped the tent flap and he walked inside the tent. After zipping the tent flap shut, he lit the lantern as he sat on the camp bed and he removed his boots. He went onto his back while he looked out the window and he slid his right hand behind his head.
"Daryl?" made him look at the tent flap. Sighing, he got up and he opened the tent flap. Carol and Sophia looked at him as he moved back and they walked in the tent. He zipped the tent flap shut when he walked to the camp bed then he sat down.
"Why did you leave?" Carol asked.
"Just wanted to," Daryl grumbled.
"Things got too much for you?" she asked, sitting next to him and he looked down at his hands.
"Yeah."
Carol noticed Daryl glancing at his backpack when she turned to look at him and he frowned.
"Ok. Tell me what's wrong," Carol said.
"Ain't nothin' wrong," Daryl said, but the look in her eyes told him she knew he was lying. "Fine. I need to ask you somethin'."
"Go on."
"Do you…? Do you like me?"
"You know I like you."
"I like you, too," Sophia said.
"Well, I… I like you, too. Both of you," Daryl said, barely smiling. "But I… I want…"
"You want what?" Carol asked.
"I want more."
"More?" Sophia asked.
"I… I want… Shit."
Daryl stood up as he started pacing as far as the tent would allow him to go and he shook his head.
"I want us… I want us to be a family," he finally said and Sophia and Carol looked at each other.
"You want us to be a family?" Carol asked, standing up and she walked to him.
"Yeah."
She saw him deflate as she moved closer and she took hold of his hands. He locked eyes with her as his heart slammed in his chest and he took a deep breath. He let it out slowly as she wrapped their fingers together and Sophia looked from one to the other.
"I know you weren't happy bein' married to Ed….," he said, softly.
"I was miserable," Carol said.
"Then you don't wanna get married again, right?"
"It depends on who's asking."
He noticed her smile as he nodded then he sighed.
"Shit. I don't know if I can do this. I feel…," Daryl said then he stopped talking.
"How do you feel?" Sophia asked.
Daryl thought for a few seconds then he gently cupped Carol's face in his hands when he moved closer and his lips touched hers. Carol placed her hands on Daryl's chest while he deepened the kiss and his fingers moved through her hair. She moved her hands up to his shoulders when he moved back and Sophia watched her mother smiling at him. His forehead touched hers as Carol looked deeply into his eyes and Sophia's eyes widened.
"Wow!" Sophia whispered.
"Uh… Just so you know, I liked you first," Carol said while a blush moved over her cheeks.
"Well, I fell fer you first," he said with a small laugh.
"Are you saying you love me?" she asked with a slight crack to her voice and he nodded.
"You have to say it," Sophia teased and he turned his head to look at her. He looked back at Carol when Carol moved her fingers through his hair and he sighed.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you, too," Carol said, softly.
Daryl moved back when he walked to the backpack then he knelt down. He opened the top of the backpack when he removed the ring box then he stood. He walked back to her when he went down on his knees and she pressed her fingers to her lips.
"Carol, I know I ain't nothin'…," he said and she knelt down in front of him.
"You have to stop saying that. You are not nothing. You are the most important man in my life. In our lives. I don't think I could do half the things I do now if you weren't there to help me. You have protected me and my daughter. You make us happy. And I trust you with my life. Our lives," Carol said, brushing some hair out of his eyes. His hair had grown longer and she admitted she liked him with long hair. "And we care deeply about you. When you got hurt, I thought I would lose my mind."
"You said you don't wanna lose me," he said in a soft voice.
"I don't."
"I don't wanna lose you either," Sophia said and he looked at her.
"I don't wanna lose either of you," he said.
"Do you want to know something? I have never said any of this to Ed. He was a monster. A vile, evil man. When I had to put him down, all I felt was anger. Rage. Hatred. If I had to do that… If I had to put you down, I know I couldn't do it," Carol said. Daryl blinked his eyes a few times as he thought about what he told Rick and he sighed.
"So, will you marry me?" Daryl asked.
"Yes!" she said with a wide grin and tears rolled down her cheeks. Daryl opened the ring box when he removed the ring and she looked at the gold band. "Oh."
"You don't like it?"
"I love it!"
He gently took hold of her left hand when he slid the ring on her left ring finger and he was shocked to see that the ring fit.
"Shit. I wasn't sure I picked the right size," he said. He stood up when he helped Carol to her feet, moved Carol closer and he held the back of her head while kissing her. She held him when they moved back and Daryl saw the pleased look on Sophia's face. "Get over here."
Sophia moved closer as Daryl and Carol hugged her and Sophia buried her face in Daryl's chest. He leaned down to kiss the top of Sophia's head and Carol rubbed her back.
"We better go back to the house," Carol said.
"Yeah," Daryl said.
After Daryl put his boots back on, turned the lantern off then unzipped the tent flap, they left the tent as he zipped the tent flap shut then he took hold of Carol's right hand. They headed for the farmhouse as he moved their hands back-and-forth then they went up the stairs. Daryl opened the screen door while Carol and Sophia moved by him then he walked inside, closing the door behind him. They walked in the living room while the others clapped their hands and Rick softly laughed at the confused look on Daryl's face.
"Sorry," Glenn said, walking closer. "I saw you taking some rings after I picked out the one for Maggie and I thought you three left so you could ask Carol to marry you in private."
"Uh…," Daryl said.
"He did ask me to marry him," Carol said.
"Hope you said no," Shane grumbled and Rick glared at him.
"I said yes," she said, holding up her left hand to show them the ring.
The cheers and the joy in the air made Daryl feel uneasy again as he went to sit on the couch and Rick walked over. Daryl noticed he had a bottle of wine in his hands as Rick smiled, sat down next to him and he handed him a glass.
"You look like you need a drink," Rick said.
"I need to get blind drunk." Daryl grumbled and Rick softly laughed, pouring some of the wine in the glass. They sat back as they sipped on the wine and Rick lightly nudged him.
"Knew you'd figure it out."
"Yeah. Now, I just need to figure out what to do next," Daryl said, looking at Carol talking with Lori, Maggie and Patricia.
"All you have to do is sit back and let her plan everything."
Nodding, Daryl emptied the glass then he held out the glass and Rick poured him some wine.