AN: Here we go, another chapter here.

I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

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As winter closed in on the farm and closed in on Carol and Daryl, Carol made her last ride out to town with Toby close behind and told Mr. Wagner that her time working at the general store was over. They didn't need the money and the winter would be cold and harsh. The trek back and forth was fine to make every now and again—bundled up on the wagon and in the company of Daryl—but she didn't feel comfortable riding out on her own when the snows started to pile up and Jubilee's step wasn't as sure as it could be. Winter wasn't a time for working in town. Winter was a time for hunkering down and doing only what had to be done on the farm. It was a time for keeping warm as best they could and praying that it passed quickly enough with as little of their livestock freezing as possible.

Mr. Wagner had seemed to understand, too, though he'd admitted to Carol that he was right sore to see her go. He told her she'd brought something to the store that he hadn't had there before, though he hadn't bothered to clarify what it was that she might have left behind, and he told her that her job was there if she should ever want it again.

Their home was larger than the one they'd had before. It boasted a fireplace in the living room and one in each of the bedrooms, thanks to Daryl's fears about them freezing to death. With the fires burning, it wasn't difficult to keep it to a temperature that pleased Daryl, and Carol made sure that he was always pleased in any way that she knew she could make him.

Carol helped Daryl on the farm as much as she could and she was pleased when he allowed her, even, to help him repair the windbreaks in the winter pastures for the cows. She helped to feed the cows and tend the horses, and she convinced Daryl to let Toby and Shadow sleep nights in the barn because the cold was too bitter for them outside. Once, even, she convinced him to let them sleep inside the cabin and the dogs didn't let her down. They'd been perfect houseguests and had slept by the fireplace in their bedroom all night.

Slowly Carol sewed the curtains for the windows and she got them hung. She requested pieces of furniture here and there—like the extra chairs that Daryl made for their table and a wardrobe for the bedroom—and she carefully constructed, out of what was given to her, the nicest home that she could possibly make for Daryl. When the curtains were finished, she sewed a dress for herself out of the leftover material and she spent some evenings making new clothes from the bleached shirting for her and Daryl both.

And Carol started each day, and ended each night, in the same way—wrapped in Daryl's arms.

Together, they waited out the winter, and they rejoiced over what Daryl was sure would be the final killing frost that marked when their spring wheat went into the ground. And Daryl, without argument, allowed Carol to help him get the wheat planted—each handful of seed tossed out was a promise for their future.

A future that Carol was starting to see stretching across the span of more time than she could even imagine.

One evening, it was nearing supper time when Carol heard the sounds of Toby and Shadow raising hell outside. Daryl was outside, Carol knew, tending the horses to make sure they were ready to be bedded down for the night. She abandoned the food for a moment, took her small gun in hand, and stepped out of the house to search out the source of the dogs' distress. She heard the source of it before she saw it. There was the squeak and rattle of a rig drawing near.

"Daryl!" Carol called out. "Daryl! Somebody comin' up! Wagon's comin'!"

The rig that was nearing them wasn't coming from the direction of the Greene farm, and it didn't have the same sound as the rig that Hershel drove—the one they borrowed and Merle borrowed too. Hershel's wagon had a number of tools that he kept, always available, hanging from the sides and they clapped and caused a great deal of noise when the wagon went over bumps in the road. This wagon was rolling along without the sound of anything more than its own pieces and parts.

Daryl stepped out of the barn and Carol was relieved to see him. She smiled to herself when he called out to her.

"What'cha say?" He asked. "What's the damn dogs yappin' about?"

"Wagon!" Carol yelled. "Wagon comin' up the road!"

Daryl turned his attention in the direction of the sound. Carol didn't know if it was because he finally heard her, or if he was simply responding to the movement of the two dogs who took off like black and white bullets in the direction of the nearing noise.

They came trotting back, still barking, as the wagon slowly rolled up—pulled by two cream colored horses—and came to a halt near the cabin. Daryl walked out to meet the wagon, but Carol did too. She immediately recognized the woman that was riding on it, even if she wasn't familiar with the man who was driving.

"Ms. Sutton!" Carol called, approaching the wagon. "Daryl—this is Ms. Sutton. She's the one what teaches in town."

Daryl looked pleased to finally make the acquaintance of the woman and he offered a hand to her to help her off the rig. She took his hand and accepted his assistance.

"I'm sorry for the late call," she said. "We got lost once on the way here an' they redirected us at a neighboring farm. But I believe we got lost again."

Carol laughed to herself, and she heard Daryl chuckle as well.

"We set pretty well out here," Daryl said. "Good that way. Gonna expand and it ain't no problem to do it. Once the winter wheat comes in, that is—gonna buy up about as far as you can see toward them trees."

Daryl gestured in the direction of the land that they intended to purchase to expand their claim. Ms. Sutton looked in that direction and hummed, but there was a good chance that it made no nevermind to her. Ms. Sutton was the teacher in town and she took board there. She wasn't accustomed, as far as Carol knew, to farm life. Talk of winter and spring wheat, and talk of expanding pastures, would mean very little to her.

"What brings you out here this time of the evening?" Carol asked.

"I don't mean to be rude," Ms. Sutton said, as the man who was driving the wagon helped himself down and set the wheels. "This is Joseph Massey. We're to be married in a month."

Daryl quickly walked around and offered his hand to the man to shake.

"Daryl Dixon," Daryl said. "My wife, Carol. And don't mind the pups," he gestured toward Toby and Shadow who had settled down but weren't leaving the scene for any reason. "They mostly mouth 'less they got cause to be otherwise."

"We appreciated them," Joseph said with a laugh. "They give us a good indication we were at least nearing the farm."

"What brings you out?" Daryl asked. "Can we have you in? Warm up? Have some coffee?"

Carol's heart jumped.

"Supper!" She barked and darted back toward the cabin. Inside she was relieved to find that their stew hadn't burned, even if it had begun to stick to the pot in places. Knowing that Daryl's invitation for coffee was also an indication that he might desire some, Carol quickly put a pot on and grabbed her small bucket to take out for milking Nan. As she headed out the door, Daryl was coming into it with their company.

"Where you goin'?" He asked.

"Coffee's no good with buttermilk," Carol said. "Just steppin' out for milk." She gestured toward the table where they'd eat. "Please," she said. "Sit. I'll be back in a minute with milk. We'll have supper and some coffee. I'da made somethin' for dessert but..."

"Please don't apologize," Ms. Sutton said, shaking her head at Carol. "It's us who should've announced our visit. Do you need help with the milk?"

Carol smiled at her and shook her head.

"I can handle the milk myself," Carol assured. "Please—just sit? I promise. I'll be right back."

Carol stepped out the door and made her way to the barn where Nan and Sook, their two dairy cows, were more than happy to see her. She selected Nan for the milking, since Nan always seemed to have a desire for a little more milking than she ever got, and she quickly filled the small pail enough that she figured it would carry them through the evening. Then, with Toby and Shadow trotting along with her back to the house, Carol made her way back.

She had no idea why Ms. Sutton had come, but she felt there must be a reason. A friendly visit was well and good, but Ms. Sutton had never been out to their farm. She'd never expressed any desire to know much more about Carol beyond what she'd learned from her books and who she was married to. So Carol's heart thundered a little in her chest as she worried about what the woman might have come for.

When Carol came inside, everyone was settled at the table and Daryl had already offered tobacco to Joseph and they were both enjoying one of his tightly rolled cigarettes.

"Tobacco before supper, Daryl?" Carol asked.

Daryl smiled at her. It was a genuine smile. It was the kind of smile that, without reason, made Carol smile in return, no matter what it was about.

"We'll have more with the coffee," Daryl said. "Just figured I'd be hospitaliable, while we wait."

Carol swallowed. She didn't dare to correct him that the word he was searching for was hospitable, but she saw Ms. Sutton somewhat cringe a little at his misspeaking.

"Why don't I serve the supper?" Carol asked. "We got a good stew."

"We didn't mean to come begging food," Joseph offered.

"We didn't mean to put you out," Ms. Sutton said.

"You don't put us out," Daryl said. "We got plenty. Always do."

Carol nodded her head to agree with him and quickly set about filling bowls. She brought the biscuits to the table and put them in the middle before she brought Daryl and Joseph's bowls. Then she brought one for herself and one for the schoolteacher. When they sat, Daryl took her hand and ducked his head. Without knowing whether or not their guests preferred to lay a blessing on their meal, Daryl did it anyway. As was customary, he asked for blessings on them and on their farm. For good measure, he tacked on a blessing for their guests and whatever it may be that they were needing blessings laid on.

And then it was time to eat and time for everyone to tell Carol that the stew was delicious and the biscuits were wonderful—whether or not Daryl was the one who truly believed it.

"You must be wonderin' what we're doin' just calling on you outta the blue like this," Ms. Sutton said.

"Well, Ms. Sutton," Carol said, "I gotta admit that I wasn't expectin' it."

"Please," Ms. Sutton said, "call me Evie?"

Carol nodded her head.

"Evie," she repeated, feeling strange calling the woman by her first name as though they were old acquaintances.

"I know it's short notice but...Joseph and I are getting married in a month," Evie said. "And he wants us to get married in Nebraska."

"My folks are in Nebraska," Joseph explained quickly. "I come up here lookin' for a gold claim." He nodded his head in Daryl's direction. "Got one, too. No signs of pinchin' out."

"Congratulations," Daryl offered around a mouthful of soup-sodden biscuit.

"Seemed the only thing left to do was find a wife," Joseph said. "And I finally got Evie to agree to marry me. But my folks wouldn't never forgive me if we weren't married there."

"I don't got folks," Daryl informed him. "Carol neither."

"My parents have passed," Evie said. "It's how I got here in the first place. Came with my father after my mother passed. He didn't last through two winters."

"Winterin' hard ain't for ever'body," Daryl pointed out.

"Congratulations on your marriage," Carol said, hoping to redirect the conversation and find out the reason for the visit. Though it was going well, or at least she thought it was, she wasn't enjoying the gnawing feeling in her gut over the whole thing. "Nebraska is a far piece?"

"Not too bad," Joseph said. "But we ain't gonna want to go out there an' head right on back. Not right away. I got enough people workin' my claim for me that I can afford to step out on 'em a bit. Established that way."

"So we thought we'd take a short vacation," Evie said. "Maybe having Joseph's mother around would help—prepare me." She blushed red. "For bein' a wife. I don't have much practice at it and my own mother never had much time to teach me the things I had to learn." She nodded at Carol. "I'm sure you understand?"

"Carol's Ma taught her good," Daryl said. "Or her Madam-Miss did. Don't matter. She knows about all there is to know about wifin'."

Carol swallowed. The stew was not going to sit well tonight. Tonight it felt like she'd swallowed down lead instead of what she'd thought would be fine supper.

She caught Evie's glance across the table. As soon as the woman realized she was looking at her, she dropped her eyes toward her bowl.

"Carol—you're the only other woman around here that's been through all the levels of schooling," Evie said. "And the population is growing so that—I can hardly keep up with all my students. I was hopin' that you might see a way to come to work with me. Teaching. And then? When we go to Nebraska, that you might hold it down for me so that we could continue to work together upon my return."

Carol was shocked by the request. She glanced at Daryl, whose mouth was partially open, and could tell that he'd been taken off guard by it as well. She shook her head.

"I don't think I could..." Carol started.

"If you don't," Evie said, "they're gonna have to close the school down. They'll have to send for another teacher from somewhere. An' you know as well as I do that this...well this place? There aren't too many women who are willing to even think of comin' out to the wild. Especially not educated women, Carol."

Carol swallowed and shook her head again.

"They won't want me for no teacher," Carol said. "They won't want me in their schoolhouse. Teachin' their children? They won't see it as proper."

"They can't see it as anything else," Evie said. She stared at Carol. "I know about your past, Carol. Everybody does. But you changed your life. An' if that isn't a good lesson for every child around here to learn? We're more than what we start life bein'? I don't know what is."

Carol glanced at Daryl. He was watching her, now, quite intently. Her catching his eye must have communicated that she wanted his input on things because he sucked in a breath and then nodded his head.

"I don't push Carol into doin' nothin' she ain't got a mind to do," Daryl said. "She wants to work at the store? I tell her work at the store. She wants to stop workin' at the store? Says she wants to focus on the farm an' whatever she's doin' wifin'? I tell her stop workin' at the store. If she's got a mind to be a schoolteacher an' learn the children what they need to know about—about readin' and writin' and cipherin'? I'ma tell her to do that. But if she don't? I don't push Carol into doin' nothin' she don't got a mind to do."

Carol focused on her own food a moment. She couldn't focus on eating it, because her stomach wasn't at all fond of the idea at the moment, but she could focus on visually picking it apart and identifying its contents for herself. Finally, a little calm settling over her, she looked at Evie.

"I couldn't come into work until my chores are done here on the farm," Carol said. "An' they don't all get done 'til the sun's up. And—I gotta be home in time for makin' supper."

Evie nodded her head.

"And you could set your schedule," Evie said. "It would suit the children fine, I'm sure. Some of them are late to school with my schedule because, like you, they're coming from doing chores on the farm. And it's more of a walk for them than it is for me from boarding."

"She's gonna be comin' from farther out," Joseph offered, "after we get married. Ain't makin' her move out to the claim with me, but I was gonna build a house outside of town. Bought some land there. Just somewhere for livin'. Somewhere for me to come in—keep from livin' in a tent all the time like I been doin'. But it's gonna be more of a walk for her of a mornin'."

Carol looked at Daryl.

"You're just gettin' used to me not workin' again," Carol said.

Daryl laughed to himself.

"And I reckon I'll get used to you workin' again," Daryl said. "If it's what'cha wanna do."

Carol looked back at Evie.

"You're sure the parents don't mind?" Carol asked.

"You'll teach with me first," Evie said. "So they'll ease into the idea. By the time we leave? I'm sure nobody's gonna mind."

Carol sucked in a breath and let it out, focusing on stilling her nerves.

"OK," she said. She nodded her head. "OK. I'll do it. I guess I'll—I'll be a teacher."