Chapter Notes:

Dixon on a mission! Carol is faced with memories.

Due to multiple chapters sometimes posted, please make sure you read all the previous chapters.

"No Glenn, Carol wanted all rice and pasta products on the third shelf of the second aisle." Daryl said.

"Magggie, Sasha; put all hospital equipment in what was once the living room. Get Eugene to help you since that shit's not light."

"Abe, can you start working on the shelf tracking?"

"Michonne, I need you to start lumping all this unorganized food into categories like you see at a supermarket."

"Rick, can you stop looking at 'Chonne's ass long enough to go get that single piece wood ladder that the construction crew promised us? Carol and Sophia will be back from their checkups with Doc. I want to have a lot done before she sees it."

Daryl was a man with a mission, looking very much like that cartoon Tasmanian Devil because He was constantly turning in circles talking to everybody at once. He still was not sure about the whole Alexandria situation; but damn, he was going to make it his personal mission to make Carol and Sophia's lives as normal and as happy as possible. It was a given almost that he would keep them safe. Now? After seeing Sophia and Carol take such a hard hit, he wanted to be the man who helped bring back their happiness.

"Holy fuck Dixon – you should have been in the military the way you're barking at us. We wanna help Carol and Sophia too. Just try to climb outta our asses and relax a bit." Abe was smiling throughout his reprimand because in all the time he had known Daryl Dixon, he had never seen him so free with his emotions. Those girls of his must be bringing it out in him.

"Hey Glenn – wanna take bets on how long it takes for Daryl to fall for Carol?" whispered Tara.

"No way man am I falling for that, I already lost the Rick and Michonne bet to you." Glenn smiled at his friend.

"Guys, don't start with that stuff please. Carol and Sophia are in a dark place right now, and I highly doubt Daryl would be pleased betting on anything involving them" whispered Rosita. She had come up behind the rest of their family and had overheard Tara's words to Glenn. Now she was ready to help in any way she could.

Daryl had gathered them all earlier, and had a long talk with his family. He didn't push the issue, but made his wishes known. He wanted Carol and Sophia to be part of their group – part of their family. He knew that decision had already been made, but wanted it known that he would settle for no less than their 100% inclusion. He wanted them to have a stable group of people that they could lean on. While the family had not taken people in for a long time due to trust issues – they all agreed that they would do everything they could. In fact, Carl was going to ask Sophia to help him babysit Judith the next night and to follow it all up with a movie night. Daryl asked that Carl wait things out a bit until later today though – nobody knew how the girls would be emotionally after their appointments.

Rick sidled over to Daryl and pulled him aside for a quiet talk. He was concerned about Carol and Sophia's mental health after having been subjected to Ed's torture and abuse. He made sure to let Daryl know that they were all there for them, but that he might need to take things slower with them so not to overwhelm the girls.

"I get it Rick" he said. "I just know from experience that when you come from shit and are offered happiness, you have to at least cling to one fuckin' thing right away. The rest ain't happenin' overnight. I want this project and our family's help with it to be that one thing for them. I promise to go slow, but I will need help from all of you. Michonne would be somebody Carol would trust to help her train in self defense. Carl is a good friend, and could be a good one for Soph. Just looking ahead is all."

Rick looked at his friend – his brother with admiration. Daryl Dixon was the toughest son of a bitch that he knew. Now he was seeing his nurturing side more often; and liked it. He knew Daryl was the best man that Deanna could have given the job to. He was proving it every minute of every day since that assignment was given. He took a deep breath before he tried to ease the conversation to another matter.

"I know you stepped up to be a father figure. I really respect you for that brother. Daryl nodded, and was turning to leave, but Rick stopped him.

"You got something you wanna say Rick?"

"Not so much say, but ask."

"Well get on with it cuz I've got shit to do."

"What do you think of Carol?"

"How you mean?"

Rick rubbed his head in quiet frustration. "I mean, she is a beautiful woman. Has a beautiful daughter who idolizes you and who is now looking to you as a father figure."

"What's your point Rick?"

"My point is that you will be living with them. Any thoughts in your head about a romance with Carol?"

"Pffft. Like a woman as gorgeous, as smart, and as wonderful as Carol would go for me."

Rick just pointedly stared at Daryl.

"Fine, I've had thoughts about her, ok? Is that what you want to hear? A woman like her would never want a man like me. I want to be there for them forever. Probably won't even get that. One of these Alexandrian men will probably sweep her off her feet. I could never do that. Maybe whoever the man is will push me out. No more being their male figure."

"For what it's worth Daryl, I think you are wrong. I see how you and Carol look at each other. Thst right there tells me she don't want no other guy, and you sure as hell have never looked at a woman like you do Carol in all the years I have known you. So, let me ask you one more question, and then I promise to leave it alone.

Daryl glared, but nodded his head.

"How would you feel if you found out Carol really did look at you that way, as her man?"

Daryl blushed, and sputtered a bit, but then thought to heck with it. May as well tell the truth.

He very shyly, very quietly said "That would be my something wonderful"

Needing to change the subject, he he put up Ed.

"How's that piece of shit Ed doin'?" Daryl asked.

"Oh, he goes between shouting swears at the top of his lungs and crying like a baby. I just don't know if keeping him here in the zone is the right thing – even if the bastard is in an underground cell. Michonne brought up something. She was wondering if knowing Ed is still here will keep Carol from properly healing. She had a good point. I'm gonna think on it. Let me know what you think too, OK?"

Daryl had thought of that too, but didn't say anything. He wanted to feel things out with Carol most of all on that score. First she had to come back from the doc. He kept looking over, wondering what was keeping them. Worry and anxiety had started to build, and he had to admit that overseeing the project with the pantry and hospital was the only thing keeping him from going over to check on them. He knew they needed their privacy though. He stayed away. Instead he started barking out more orders to his friends on where to move stuff.

Sophia was done with her appointment, hanging around with Beth in the waiting room waiting for Carol. She wasn't sure why, but her mama had requested a bit of alone time with Denise.

In the next room, Carol had unburdened herself from a private worry that she didn't want Sophia to know about yet.

"Are you sure about this Carol?" asked Denise. "I could do it, but I honestly don't think this is the right time to decide these things. It is after all permanent."

"I know" said Carol. "I want to say that I am sure. I want to say do it tomorrow. I don't see the point in avoiding it."

"Well, lets give your body a chance to get back to normal and get through some normal cycles before we decide anything this drastic, OK? Please remember, that even though I am a doctor, I was a psychologist first. Sterilization is not something I did a lot of in my learning rotations. I have no doubt I could carry it out. But put that physical concern away for a moment. I think you and I should be meeting for solo psychology appointments a few times a week for a while and figure out what you really want."

"I can do that" said Carol. "But I don't see the point in not doing it. It's not like I have any other options really."

Carol started going through closets. She was throwing items out haphazardly and with disgust. The force behind her throwing Ed's shoes was scuffing her walls. The clothes that Ed had with him when they entered this walled community mocked her from their hangers. She ripped them all off their hangers violently. The shirts probably still had some DNA trace of her blood in their fibers. The uniform style shirts that he was given for working outside of the walls with the crews could have been given to others. However she knew she would hate seeing that asshole's stuff on any decent person. Maybe she should just cut them all up? Not deciding yet, she continued on in her task..

There was not one hint of herself or Sophia in any of Ed's possessions. She wondered if life was like that for abusers - where they needed to possess others, but would not allow themselves to be possessed or burdened by reminders of others. It didn't matter now though. Ed was gone. Not dead. Just gone.

Daryl had told her about Deanna's sentence of Ed. Three years more of being safe. Then what? Would her and Sophia still be around then? Would they really let him out after those three years were up? She had so many confused thoughts running through her head that it took her awhile to notice that she had sat down on the floor in front of the closet. She was lost in the endless repetition of blaming thoughts. She buried her head in her knees and covered her ears. It was no use. She could not get his voice out of her head. She quickly devolved deeper in to thoughts most self loathing.

That's where Daryl found her.

He sat down against the wall. He didn't sit by her, but near enough. He didn't say anything – sensing she was not ready to talk yet. He didn't know how her and Sophia's appointments had gone. He had not been presumptuous enough to ask. He saw the clothes that were pulled out. Noticing they were men's clothes, he started to gather them together as he glanced at the weary expression on Carol's face. She looked so spent.

He turned around and gently folded down the sheet and quilt on Carol's bed. He arranged her multiple pillows so the bed looked warm and inviting – a sanctuary one might find in some fancy ass hotel he never would have belonged in. He turned back to her, looking down. She wasn't really looking at anything. She wasn't zoned out exactly – just not showing any emotion or movement.

He ducked down lower until he could look into her eyes. "Carol – I don't want to spook ya here. I am gonna reach out and touch ya. I'm gonna get you into your bed. Let you rest. Soph's watching a movie with Carl and Beth, and it's just you and me here. I won't hurtcha. Promise. Just gonna pick you up now. Hang on if you want. I ain't fragile."

He scooped her up as if she was as light as a feather. She didn't hang on exactly, but he felt her fingers lightly ghost the back of his neck. He pivoted and laid her out neatly on her soft bed. He removed her shoes and tucked her in. She gave a hint of a smile, and he turned to walk out the door.

"I can't have those here" she said. I don't want to give them away either even though I know the residents need clothes. I don't want to see a nice person wearing that bastard's hand me downs. Can you get rid of them for me please Daryl?"

"I'm gonna fuckin' burn 'em for ya" he said. That got her to give more than a hint of a smile back. I'm gonna go and do that outside and let you rest. I will come and check on you in a bit. Just remember, you're safe here now. You are with me. My group. You are part of our family now – you and Soph. You have fifteen people now who will kick the shit out of anybody who tries to lay a hand on either one of ya's."

As she saw his back retreat she whispered "thank you Daryl" but didn't think she had said it loud enough for him to hear.

"You're welcome" came the reply from the hallway.

When Carol woke up it was starting to darken outside of her window. She could smell the remnants of the fire outside where Ed's clothes had presumably been burned by Daryl. She was about to think about getting up when she heard a slight snore coming from the corner of the room. Daryl was there – curled up in the over-sized chair looking out of place but yet right at home. Her eyes started to tear up. There he was. A stranger. Her hero. Her savior. She knew nothing about him, but was already trusting him with everything.

She got up and walked silently over to him and lightly brushed the hair off his forehead in an effort to gently wake him without startling him. Something about him made her tread lightly. He opened his eyes and looked into hers.

"M'sorry. Guess I musta drifted off." He sat up quickly. "You hungry?"

"Famished" she said.

"Let's go on over to Rick's house. You can meet the rest of our group. Now seein' you're family and all, you best be properly introduced."

She laughed. "I can't wait".