Chapter Notes:

Things heat up between Ed and Daryl. This chapter is all about initial reactions. It demonstrates how at ease Carol is with Daryl while she is in her element. She has never been tasked with something so vital to her community, and she loves it. In addition, Daryl is just as at ease with Carol. His interactions with Sophia later, and his new knowledge of the situation is something so heart breakingly real for him. I hope you enjoy.

They had been at it for a couple of hours. They were stripping down all the rooms in the rambler that was designated as Carol's project for Alexandria. After about three hours of work, all walls and cupboards were bare. The house was empty of all furniture. He was just waiting for her to tell him what to bring in from where and where to put it. He had enlisted Glenn and Eugene to help tote out the furniture, but now it was just the two of them.

"I think the pantry operations need to be kept in the garage since it is connected to the kitchen" Carol said. "We can make it into more of a warehouse set up with all the dry goods for distribution. All it would take is adding the fold out tables in the driveway for the days when we serve out full meals. Do you think we can get five rows of shelving in here with room to move in between?"

Daryl grunted his agreement. "Shouldn't be no problem. How high do you want the shelves to go?"

Carol thought for a moment and a smile crept over her face. He noticed and eyed her suspiciously. "What'cha thinkin' about woman?"

"I used to work in a library. It was built in the 1890s. I loved the tall shelves that were only accessible by one of those attached ladders that ran along the shelves. I was just thinking about that – that we could get so much more in here if we could go higher."

He eyed things up and thought a minute. Not all those beams in the garage would be in the way – he might be able to build something.

"That ain't a bad idea" he said. I can see if the guys on the building projects can spare a ladder and put in some wheel tracks that would connect everything. Lets put the shelves in how you want them, and we can build higher later."

"What the hell are you doing with my wife!?" a voice broke through their quiet conversation. Carol's demeanor went from thoughtful and proud from Daryl's compliment to hesitation and fear.

"Ed. Sorry, I didn't realize the time. Deanna has Daryl helping me -"

"I don't give a shit about that uppity bitch or who this asshole is. Where's my lunch – I done damn told you that it needs to be ready for me when I get home. I ain't waiting no more. Get your ass back to the kitchen and get my food. You got two minutes." Ed watched her flee to their house two doors away and looked back at Daryl. Stay the fuck away from my wife. She's mine".

Daryl didn't bother to say anything. He knew from experience that it wouldn't do any good. He was looking at a version of his father in this man. He knew right away what that woman was dealing with. What her little girl was dealing with. He shot Ed a glare that he hoped would convey his hatred, but thought it best to not say anything – for now.

He stayed in the garage of the house while Carol was back in the house with Ed – presumably getting his lunch. He was reaching up to attach a bracket for future shelving when he heard footsteps behind him followed by an "oh . . . . ."
Sophia had started to enter the garage and stopped quickly when she realized that only Daryl was there. She stood there looking at him – not meeting his eyes, but then visually surveying the space – looking for her mom.

"Your mom is at your house getting lunch together for your dad" Daryl said. He saw the look on her face go from searching to guarded. She started glancing back and forth between the two houses quickly – not saying anything for a moment.

"Did he ask where I was?" she asked quietly. Her face suddenly transposed to him to a younger version of himself when he was worried he had been caught doing something his daddy didn't like. When he was waiting to find out just how bad things would be. If he should just go home and get the whoopin' over with or if he should hide away for a bit.

"No – he just was talking to your mom." he said. Relief briefly flashed across her face, but the concern that followed he knew as well. He knew she was torn between avoiding the man and checking on her mom. "Maybe we should go check on things – see when your mom is coming back. Will you take me over to your house?"

She was hesitant – very scared all of a sudden. This made him seethe internally – but knew his presence might break off any shit Carol was getting from Ed. After all, Deanna asked that he go everywhere with them. Might as well follow directions and see what was going on.

Sophia nodded. She didn't want this new man to make things worse, but she was worried about her mama. She looked up at his face, meeting his eyes for the first time. She suddenly and without explanation decided that this man was a nice man. He was not like her dad. Like Ed. He was not like him. Something told her that he could be a friend and maybe would keep her and her mom safe.

"Will you go in first?" she asked.

Daryl's eyes narrowed at her. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. She looked torn between being grateful and running away. She followed his quick but easy strides over to the house she lived in. She didn't give any warnings and just opened the door – walking in just after him. Calling "mama" when they were over the threshold. All of a sudden she heard a crash of glass breaking and the familiar sound of her mama being slapped.

Daryl was across the room in a flash. He grabbed the back of Ed's collar.

Then her world changed.

Sophia watched it all. She could not help it. All her worries about her and her mom's safety were forever changed in that one moment. That one man. He would protect them.

Daryl had launched himself through the doorway to the kitchen. He seemed to be in flight briefly, crossing an impossible distance to reach the spot where Ed stood poised to deliver more punches to Carol's face. He made it in time to stop the second blow. He had caught Ed in the back of his head with his elbow as he grabbed his collar. Ed turned and Daryl's fists started pounding into his face. Over and over he hit until Ed hit the ground, rolling onto his back. He followed the face mashing with his boots to his ribs, stomach, and groin. Over and over again until Ed lay still. He left Ed laying in a pulpy mess on the floor while he went over to Carol.

He grabbed the cold bottle of water that he supposed was meant to be for Ed's lunch and pushed it into her cheek. Her cheek was already swelling, and he could see a small cut by the corner of her eye. He didn't give her time say anything. He grabbed her and Sophia and got them out of there. He brought them to Denise and told her in no uncertain terms that nobody was to leave until he got back. He noticed that Carol still had not said a word. She was shaking, but silent. Sophia stayed beside her mom. Daryl left and ran down the street to get Rick and Abraham.

Ed woke up slowly – seeing three faces sneering at him inches away from his face. He started to say "what the fuck are you doing in my house" but was cut off by Abraham's brutal stomp to his kneecap. He tried to grab at his leg but Daryl resumed his pummeling of his face. Rick stomped his boot down on Ed's right hand. The knuckles used against Carol were now crushed. Daryl hit Ed one more time in the face. He was gone again.

"Cuff him and hold him up for me." said Daryl to Rick. "I ain't done with him yet."

"Hold on." said Rick. He cuffed Ed, then turned to Daryl. "Slow down. I understand. I will personally help with his ass beating, but we need to get with Deanna first and at least see what she has to say – she is the leader here."

"He ain't getting away with this" Daryl said. "What if Deanna the politician doesn't agree with what we are gonna do to this piece of shit?"

"She will" said Rick. "I just talked to her this morning. There are some things that have happened before that you don't know about. She told me she put you here as a job for a reason. I didn't have a chance to talk to you about it, but she will explain it all. For now lets get this piece of shit up and get over to Deanna's."

Daryl gave one more brutal kick to Ed's nuts before he turned and allowed Rick and Abraham to drag the asshole out of his house – handcuffs locked in place behind his back. It was then that he glanced over at the house where the clinic was located that he saw her. Sophia was looking out the window at him. Staring at what was happening to her dad. Staring back at Daryl's face. Then turning back away from the window.

Daryl was afraid that he had scared her. Scared Carol too. Shit. What was he gonna say to them besides the truth? The truth of how things had to be? They were sheltered here behind the walls, and it was obvious that nobody had protected them from Ed. He looked down at his bloody knuckles and wondered how was he going to handle this. He knew from his mama that most women went back. He also knew with every fiber of his being that he would never allow that. He would not allow them to go back. He would not allow them to be unsafe. He suddenly thought he understood why Deanna had put him with them. Shit.