Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

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The radio cracked as Livin' on a Prayer began to stream out of its speakers, Daryl shifted on the stool he sat on, and he looked out the window at the empty streets. It was raining today. Nobody was out useless they had to be, and he wanted to just go home. He had the okay to close up early at eight, but he was killing time, to be honest. He was off for the weekend, and he had to finish up the sun room. He'd some work on it the last couple of days, adding the stained glass along the ceiling and walls, and he'd picked out the paint. He had to pick it up from the hardware store, but he would do that on his way home. He wasn't in the mood to paint, so he'd leave that for tomorrow.

The bell jingled, he blinked back into reality and greeted the customer, and he found himself greeting the sheriff. He honestly didn't see the point of having one in this place, but hey, it gave her a job, and he trusted her to correct the small injustices. Maybe arrest one of those Mason kids one day. He could hope.

"Hey, Tara." He waved to her kids, Enid and Noah, and Tara told them to pick out a snack. He didn't know why the kids were with her. They were normally with their other mother, Denise. She was a therapist who ran sessions at home, so she was sort of a stay-at-home mom. He wondered what happened to make Tara take them with her. "Everything okay?"

Tara tucked loose hair from her bun back behind her ear and heaved a sigh. She was only a couple years older than him, but right now she looked about fifteen years older. Brown eyes were worn and exhausted, raven hairs barely contained in its hair tie, and her normally tan skin was pale, almost sickly pale, and she shook her head. "It's been...a rough day. Denise is sick, and I think I'm getting sick, so I'm sending the kids to my sister's so we can rest and get better. Sadly, I have to drive them, and I'm exhausted."

The kids were Enid and Noah Chambler, both adopted when Tara was a big city cop. Enid's parents had been in a car accident, and Tara was the one to tell their next of kin, who was only a five year old girl at home with a babysitter. Tara couldn't just leave her with a social worker, so she and her wife made the decision to adopt her. Enid knew of her parents, but she called Tara and Denise Mom. She even sometimes looked them like, with those blue-grey eyes and long dark hair. She was only nine, but she was wiser than her age. Daryl enjoyed a good game of cards with her when Denise needed him to watch her while she and Noah got surprise birthday gifts for Tara or something. He didn't mind, but she did cheat a lot. He had to cheat just to counteract her cheating, and the brat called him out on it. He revealed the card under her sandwich with a corner nibbled off by mistake, and they'd been friends ever since.

As for Noah, his parents were involved in a drive-by with him in the backseat. They were going out to celebrate his father's raise, and that his mother was healthy for eight months pregnant with twins. They never meant to be in that neighborhood at that time, but they were caught by mistake, and only Noah survived. His mother and father were dead on arrival, and they tried to save the twins and almost managed to save one, but he didn't survive through the night. Noah was an orphan at three, because no one would come to claim him for fear of the drive-by being on purpose.

So Denise adopted him. She was working with him to see if he knew anything, and he was just a scare little boy. She couldn't let the system destry his already cracking mind, so she took him in. He was eleven now, and he was a good kid. Brave and quiet when he needed to be. He knew respect, and Daryl let him sweep the store now and then for five bucks. The kid was eager and a good worker. When he hit sixteen, he'd be the one sitting here, working to save. Only for college, not a move, but still. Daryl would be proud to help him get there before he moved himself.

"I'm sorry. That sucks."

"It really does." She leaned against the counter. "It's summer, dude. We were going to go camping, hiking and fishing, and I'd sit back and tan while they did all of that. We had a plan."

He chuckled. "I think Noah's got you beat on the tan."

"He really does, but I'm hopeful I'll beat him one day." She smirked to the left of her mouth and looked over at her kids deciding on candy or chips. "I mean, it's not too obvious he's not mine, right?"

"Are you joking with me right now?" Daryl wasn't sure, and she flashed a grin. "Do you want me to lie to you?"

"He could be bircial. You can't tell."

"Tara, you're a lesbian. I don't need to tell. Besides, I've never seen you pregnant, and I know the whole backstory."

"Humor me, please. I need humor. I just threw up my anniversary dinner."

He leaned back away from her. "I'm sorry. There's medicine in aisle three."

"I went to the doctor. It's fine. I'm not contagious." She snuffled and called to them to hurry. "Get two snacks and a drink, just hurry up, please."

"Yes!" Enid ran to the cooler to get an energy drink.

"I'll let Lilly regret this." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a cough drop. "Ugh, this is Denise's. It's cherry."

"Cough drops are in aisle three." He pointed to the way. "Honey lemon, strawberry and some homemade drops Nadia made."

"That woman should just sell her homemade stuff. She'd make a killing." Tara headed down to the aisle three to collect the homemade drops.

"Yeah, but she isn't interested. I've tried to get her to see the benefits, but she'd rather sell at home." He watched Noah and Enid dropped off an energy drink, a lemon-lime soda, two bags of nacho-flavored chips and then went down aisle one for some type of pastry. He began to ring them up, seperating the items in a Noah bag and an Enid bag, and the bell rang out again. "Hello."

There was no response, and he lifted his head to see Carol closing an umbrella and setting it in the corner by where his was. He smiled and dropped a snack size bag of chips into a bag. She didn't look up just yet, but when she did, she returned his smile and waved a greeting.

"Hey. How are you?"

"Who are you talking to?" Tara rounded the corner and spotted Carol. "Oh, hey, how are you?"

I'm well, thanks for asking. Are you okay? She pointed to the cough drops with concern settling over her face. Are you sick? Or the kids?

"No, the kids are fine. They're fighting over who gets the last bear claw." She could hear them bickering, trying to be soft-spoken about it, but they were eleven and nine. They had no idea what real soft spoken was. "Guys, neither of you will get it if you don't stop!"

"That's not fair." Enid ran to her mom. "He took it from me. I had it in my hands, and he just snatched it, Mom."

"Is that true, Noah?" Tara knew it was, because he hadn't come running to call her a lair, and she set the cough drops down on counter. "Noah, pick something else. Now."

"Fine! Whatever!"

Carol giggled at Tara's expression. Kids, right?

"Seriously." She rolled her eyes and set a hand on Enid's head. "Go get the bear claw. Get me some honey while they're down there. The raw kind."

"Okay." She skipped down the aisle to claim her treat.

"Wait," Daryl realized Tara and Carol were commicating, "you understand her?"

"It's ASL, not Latin." Tara cut a playful look to Carol, who chuckled and bit her lip, and Tara turned to Daryl. "Pretty much everyone learned when Carol moved here, but that was years ago, so it makes sense you don't know how."

"You all learned for her?" Daryl gaped at her. "The entire town?"

"Of course. She's one of us, so we learned. Michonne already knew how, so we took lessons to surprise Carol."

It was very sweet, Carol signed. You don't know how much it still means to me.

"I loved learning it, and I love our talks. Seriously, you should ask her for avise. She's great for it," she told Daryl. "And with your renovations, she might be able to speed them alo—"

"Mom, he smashed it!" Enid fussed.

"I did not!" Noah called back. "You're such a lair."

"I am not, you jerk!"

"Excuse me." Tara inhaled and went to lecture her kids about public and yelling and not ruining other people's property—again.

Daryl did not want to be those kids. Tara had one hell of a scowl, and she was already sick and told them what was what. They asked for it at this point, but he wouldn't watch through the mirrors. He could, but he wouldn't.

"How are you doing?" Daryl asked Carol then remembered he wouldn't get an understandable answer. "Oh, wait, I—"

She shook her head and held her hand out to him, he was confused, but she tapped her palm with her index finger, and he lifted his own hand up to hers. She grasped it and traced out I'm OK onto his palm then How are you? She met his eyes curiously.

"I—I'm okay, too." He smiled softly at her. "You good from that fall? No scrapes or bruises?"

Nope, she traced onto his palm. Your car Ok?

"Yeah, I cleaned it out. It wasn't too hard. My dog makes a worse mess." He shrugged a shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You don't owe me anything."

Thank you. She squeezed his hand affectionately and traced out. Candles?

"Yeah, in aisle three."

She smiled and thanked him, releasing his hand and going to the aisle he mentioned to locate birthday candles. She knew Nadia stocked them, and she sorely needed them. She'd forgotten until Michonne reminded her. She'd made the cake and everything, too. She had no clue where hear head.

"Okay, go wait in the car." Tara returned with the smashed bear claw, a package of chopped apple slices and a danish while the kids stomped back to the car, bickering still with each other. "Add these to the order and give me a shot of gin."

"You want some tonic with it? I was about to help myself to a couple."

"If I wasn't driving, I would join you." She pulled her debit card out. "My wife would kill me if my better judgement wasn't...my better judgement."

"Oh, the card reader's down 'cause of the rain." He winced apologetically. "Sorry."

"It's cool. I have cash. I'll be right back." She tossed her hood up and went out to her car.

Carol returned with some birthday candle and saw Tara's items still on the counter. She took a place in line and wondered if they had any matches. Or a lighter. She had candles in her room, but the lighter was out of fluid. She'd have to buy some more. Maybe they had some, because she didn't actually live with Michonne. Jeez, she spent enough time visting to live there, though.

"You find everything?" He watched as her brows furrowed, losing herself to her thoughts, and he wondered if he could help.

She nodded.

An awkward silence settled between them, Daryl looked out the window to see Tara bickering with the kids, and he looked back at Carol, who could only offer a smile, and he wanted to crawl out of his own skin. He had already busied himself with bagging all of Tara's items, so there was nothing more to do but wait. He would normally chat on stupid crap like this rain, but her response would be restricted due to him not understanding ASL and his palm not being big enough for her opinion. Kinda killed any conversation topic he could come up with.

Luckily Tara returned with moist cash, and he was grateful to get her paid for and out of the way. He wanted to talk to Carol a little before she left, but she received a text and rushed through the already short check out. He told her to have a good night, she waved and headed out. He sighed in disappointment, because he was interested in her. To have been in the same town with her and to have spoken at her but not remembering her was impossible. He had to recall those memories. He couldn't have forgotten her so easily. She was unique, for one thing, and she was a knock out for another.

"You know," Tara cut into his thoughts and reminded him that she hadn't left yet, "there are ways to learn ASL so you can talk to the lady."

"Shut up." He couldn't help the blush that shot up through his cheeks and neck. "It ain't like that."

"It's not? Okay, my bad. I missed the part where you longingly stared after me and every other customer who comes in." She simpered at him and nodded. "Sure."

"I—it isn't. I feel bad is all. I—I've talked at her twice, and I got no memory of it. Just...tryin' fill in my memory." He coolly shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know her to be interested enough to learn."

"Well, the library has some videos, if you...you know...ever do get interested." She pushed open the door and winked at him before slipping out into the rain.

"Asshole!" He called after her, leaning over the counter and cutting a look in the direction Carol walked off him. Completely correct but still an asshole. Just like his dog... "Christ." He needed friends. Human friends, because he couldn't keep comparing people to his damn dog!

He drug a hand through his hair and looked down at the handle Carol had traced out words on, feeling a tingling under his skin from her absent touch. He closed his fist and looked out the window again.

– – –

Sorry, I'm late. Carol kissed Andre's temple and smiled a welcome. Happy birthday, Andre.

"Thank you." He returned her smile and paused his video game. "You're soaking wet."

I know. I got caught in the storm. She had left her coat and shoes outside, but she was still shivering and wet. I'll change and be right out. Your mom's home?

"In the kitchen." He nodded his chin to her bedroom. "She's making dinner."

Thank you, love. She stepped into the kitchen and found Michonne preparing his favorite meal and saw the table ready with his gifts and a couple cards from family members. She dug the candles out of her pocket, removing them from the plastic bag and finding the cake in the fridge. She tore the package open and placed them carefully on the cake, glad she'd been reminded of this before it was time for dessert.

She'd made his favorite cake of all time—chocolate—with white chocolate buttercream frosting, making a web pattern in melted unsweetened chocolate chips and she'd found a few cheap but recongizable Spiderman figurines as toppers. Now she had the Happy Birthday candles in place, and it was the perfect cake for the big boy of eight years today.

Michonne lightly tapped her shoulder, and Carol stood up, closing the door, looking at her. "Oh, wow. That's amazing."

Thank you. I worked hard on it, and I love how much he loves Spiderman, so I just went with it.

"It being?"

A million turoritals on how to make web patterns and white chocolate frosting, she replied with a giggle.

"He'll love it." She embraced her as thanks, and at her body coming into contact with Carol's cold and wet clothes, she slowly moved back to eye her. "Carol."

I forgot the candles. I had to run out and get them. It's fine. I'll just change and be ready for dinner in ten minutes. Less than! She stepped back and hurried to Michonne's room to change into the backup outfit she'd brought in case of more mud or rain, and she was back in business a moment later.

"Dinner's ready." Michonne sent a narrow look to Carol, who nodded and offered a thumb's up. "Andre, wash up."

"Yes, Mom." He paused the came and headed to the bathroom, and Carol went to help him scrub away the germs of school.

They all moved to the kitchen together, Michonne and Carol both jumped in front of him and said surprise! He gasped and ran over to the gifts and cake and his favorite meal, grinning. He'd had a party at school with cupcakes from his teacher, and he thought that was it. He thought his mom had brought the cupcakes and had the teacher pass them out, but no. This was way cool. Yes! Double the gifts and double the sweets.

"Thank you!" He hugged his mom tightly. "I love you."

"I love you, too, baby."

"And this cake is so cool." He tackled Carol next, and she stumbled back, barely catching him. She hugged him tighly, kissing his hair, and he pulled so she could see. "I love you so much," he signed. "It's totally cool. Thank you."

I love you so much. She bent down to be a height with him. I would make you a million cakes to celebrate this day, because you are one of a kind and deserve every one of them.

He grinned.

Let's eat.

Michonne had a homemade fest of favorites—macroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, breaded orka, corn bread, mashed potatoes with chives and chocolate milk. The milk was store-bought, but Michonne made everything else. Carol wanted to help, but Michonne wanted to do this herself. It was his first birthday without his father, and Michonne wanted this to be perfect. They'd had a rough couple of years, but this one had been great. She was celebrating it thus far, and they would have Carol's yummy cake to cap it off, so it was good. More than good.

It's so good, Carol complimented Michonne, helping herself to more orka and ptoatoes.

Thank you. Michonne had to opt for water over chocolate milk, but Andre didn't mind. It was meant more for him. "Be sure to save room for cake," she told her son.

"Duh."

"Well, excuse me." She laughed softly at the insulted tone to his words. "So, anything interesting happen today at school?"

This began a prolonged story of his school surprise party, Michonne regretted asking, because this story had time jumps back and forth, and Andre kept losing track of it. She was happy to hear about his day, but the boy was only seven. He had no story-telling skills. If she didn't love him and it wasn't his birthday, she would have fallen asleep. She was thrilled he'd gotten sung to by his class and got a big cupcake after lunch. He still had blue icing on the corner of his mouth, but she didn't want to mention it. He seemed happy with how his day went, and it was too late to say anything now.

"And then we got an extra ten minutes at recess for my birthday," he told them, squirming in his chair in delight at the mac and cheese on his plate. "And Mrs. Monroe didn't even care that I had missed a couple problems on my homework. She helped me with them, and I got a hundred."

"Wait, I thought I went over the homework last night." She was sure she had once she closed the shop. Or...was that yesterday? Oh, God, she hated this stupid new program. It was great for Andre to pick up some new skills and to have someplace to be while she worked, but ugh school still sucked. It was only for the first two weeks of June, but man, two weeks was too much.

He shrugged a shoulder and gobbled down a chicken nuggest.

Michonne turned to Carol and shook her head at her son. "How was your day? Anything happen?"

Not really. She met her eyes. I was with you at work then I made the cake and went to the store to get candles. I did run into Tara.

"How is she?"

Sick. I think she's taking her kids to her sister's. They had overnight bags in the car and were piling on the road trip snacks.

"Aww, that stinks. It's summer and to be sick? That's just crap." She drank from her water glass. "Who was working the store? Dale?"

No, it was Daryl. She reached for a glass of chocolate milk.

"Oh? How is he doing?"

She made a so-so gesture. We didn't talk much. He had to help Tara, and I had to get back here for dinner.

"He's a good guy. I think you'd make a good friend with him, but it's up to you. You can't really communicate with him."

And I can't ask him to learn for me either. She pursed her lips. Besides I hear he's moving after he fixes up that house. It'd be too sad to make friends with him just for him to move away.

"He'll never finish that house. He procrastinate worse than Andre." She tapped her fork on her plate and peered at Carol. "He needs help with it. You're pretty good at décor and repairs. You fixed up your cottage."

Yeah, but Rick helped me. And Tara and Denise. I had loads of help. It wasn't just me, and how can I help him? He can't even understand me. It's a barrier, Michonne. And he'll manage. I'm sure he'll be fine.

"Just check it out. What else do you have to do?"

You just want to see the finished product and buy it.

"Of course I do. It's in a beautiful, isolated location, and I have access to a pond to fish in. Trails to run. Ugh, I could get another dog. Or a cat."

"Or both," Andre chimed in.

Don't encourage her, Carol lightly scolded. Let him build it in his own time. You have a perfectly good home here. I won't let you sell it just yet. I love having you both so close.

"I know, and we feel the same way, but we need a fresh started in a new home. It's either that house or out of town, and I love it here. I grew up here, and I want my son to grow up here. I'm not forcing you to help him so we don't move out of town or anything, just letting you know where I am. It's been...difficult on us—all of us. Don't forget that. There are few happy memories here."

Carol lowered her eyes. I know. I'm sorry.

"No, I'm sorry." She reached out and set her hand on Carol's. "Hey, don't worry about it. I'll look into homes already built and up for sale then make sure no crazies move in here, okay? Deal?"

She weakly smiled. Yeah.

"Can we have cake now?" Andre was leaning over the table to try and reach the cake in the center. "Please? It smells soo good."

"Andre, it's barely seven. Calm down."

Oh, it's almost seven? Carol checked the clock. I have a date at seven-thirty.

"Okay, cake it is." Michonne stood up to get a lighter. "Tell this man when I meet him, I want to know why he doesn't feed you."

Carol rolled her eyes. Because you feed me.

"That's true." She averted her eyes. "Fine, I'll stop."

Never. Carol ate her corn bread.

Michonne located a lighter, Carol helped Andre up to stand on a chair, and Michonne lit the the candles, singing happy birthday to him. Carol recorded the moment on Michonne's phone, grinning when Andre blew out the candles and scooped some icing up to taste. Michonne swatted his hand lightly to cut him a piece, and Andre scolded her right back. Carol took a few photos and asked them to save her some leftovers and a piece of cake. She retrieved her rainboots and umbrella, Andre hugged her goodbye and thanked her for the cake and presents. Michonne promised to send her pictures and vids of him opening his gifts, and Carol departed out the back door to her car.

"All right, kid. It's just you and me." Michonne turned to find Andre cramming cake into his mouth, stopping only when she spoke and peering at her. "I don't know what I expected, but somehow this wasn't it."

He chuckled and grinned, dropping cake pieces onto the table cover.

She crossed her arms. "God, I love my life."