Carol walked up next to him and said, "Tell me what, Daryl?"

"That we need to leave right now. I thought we had a little more time, but Rick thinks we better take off."

Looking into his eyes she knew he was lying, but decided not to pursue it right now. "Gotcha. I will go get Sophia and our bags."

As she left the kitchen, Daryl looked at Rick and growled, "Yes, I will tell her after we get settled at the cabin, but give me some time to process this shit myself, ok?"

Rick nodded as she returned holding Sophia's hand. In a voice full of excitement in which her face did not match, Carol said, "We're ready. I told Sophia we are taking a magical trip, so she is excited." Smiling down at her daughter, she held back the sorrow she felt so deeply.

Two other agents appeared in the hallway and assisted in escorting Carol and Sophia into the black Chevy Suburban that awaited them. Once settled, Carol glanced out the window to look at their little place one last time. Daryl watched as tears began to fall down her cheeks. He reached across Sophia's booster seat and began to caress Carol's shoulder. She looked over at him and gave him a little smile.

Sophia looked up at her mom and began to worry. "What's the matter, mommy? Why are you crying?"

Brushing away the tears, she answered quickly, "Oh, I am not crying Sophie-girl. I just have something in my eye."

Accepting that answer, Sophia turned back to her dolls as she said, "Okay, mommy."

The whole trip only took a matter of a few hours as they were taken to a private airplane at a small terminal at the airport. There was no security check or taxiing the runway for extended periods of time. Sophia loved her first plane ride, but her excitement exhausted Carol. The ride up the mountain allowed both of them to fall asleep. Daryl was grateful for the quiet as it allowed he and Rick time to communicate via the sat phone on how to keep them safe.

Carol woke up a few minutes before the arrived and was stunned when she looked out the window. Snow could be seen for miles and the narrow road they were driving on made her palms tingly as the drop off to her right seem to go on forever.

"It is a nice view isn't it," said Daryl from the front seat. He looked at her in the rearview mirror briefly before his eyes returned to the road. "I know the drop off can be a little intimidating, but I grew up in the mountains and am quite familiar with how to drive up here. I promise you two ladies are in good hands.

Carol nodded as she asked, "How much longer until we get there?" Looking around again, she continued, "We really are in the middle of nowhere, aren't we?"

Daryl chuckled as he turned onto a smaller dirt road, but instead of heading further up the mountain, this road seemed to head downhill a bit. "About five more minutes and we will be there."

Carol began to gather Sophia's toys that were within her reach and put them in her backpack. She looked up when the car slowed and was suddenly overwhelmed by what she saw. Daryl pulled the Jeep up next to the cabin and shut the engine off. He turned to see her piercing blue eyes focus on the lake behind the cabin.

"Oh my goodness," she said as she continued to take it all in. "I can't believe that the WPP has a safehouse set up like this."

"Actually, this isn't part of the program. My grandfather owned this land and had the cabin built about fifteen years ago. When he died, he left this to me and another house he owned went to my brother. We are about fifteen miles from town and there are times that if the storm is bad enough, the road can be blocked for two weeks before the plows can get through."

Carol's thoughts were interrupted by Sophia waking up. "Are we here, mommy?"

"Yes, love. Come on, let's get out and see where are magical trip brought us."

Daryl got out and opened the back door to help the ladies out. Sophia smiled as she was set down on the snow packed driveway. "Oohh, mommy! Look! All the white...like da cowds!" Bending over she touched the snow and squealed, "COLD! Eeeeeee!"

Daryl and Carol began to laugh as Carol told her, "It is snow, Sophia. It comes from the sky like rain, but it is cold."

Sophia's big smile warmed Carol's heart as she watched her daughter stomp around the snow just to hear the squeaking of her shoes on it.

"Be careful, love. The snow can be slippery."

"Like the tub, momma?" Her little tennis shoes barely stood a chance on a patch of ice she came upon as she asked her mom the question. Her little arms began to flail as her feet were suddenly taken out from under her. Daryl's hands caught her just before she hit her bottom on the ground and stood her back up away from the ice patch.

"Watch out. We don't want you to get any owies while we're up here, peanut."

"Thanks, Arro! Got bandaids?"

Chuckling he answered, "Yes, we have bandaids, but you still needs to be careful." Satisfied with his answer, she turned back to stomping her feet on the snow.

Daryl turned to Carol and said, "Why don't you take her for a walk down to the lake? The path is pretty level and it will give her a chance to get some of her energy out. I will bring in our stuff while you ladies explore."

"Sounds great. She will love being outside while it isn't too cold."

"Oh, hold on a second," Daryl said as he walked around to the trunk of the car and popped it open. He returned a moment later with hats and mittens for both of them. Carol was surprised as he explained, "One of the local agents thought about picking up some winter clothes for both of you since we knew you didn't have what would you would need for up here."

"Wow, that was so nice," Carol answered as she grabbed the stuff from him. "You always seem to know just how to take care of us, Daryl." He began to argue, but the appreciative twinkle in her eyes showed him much she enjoyed calling him out on his "another agent" comment.

He knew there was no use arguing, so he went and began carrying things in. Carol got her and Sophia set and they disappeared around the front of the cabin.

After about twenty minutes, Carol and Sophia came in. Daryl had started a fire in the fireplace and had some soup heating up on the stove. "I figured you ladies could use some warming up, so the soup should be ready in about ten minutes."

"Thanks, sounds great," said Carol as she helped Sophia out of her mittens, coat and hat. "We are going to freshen up and get some slippers on."

"I put your things in the second bedroom on the left upstairs and there is a Jack and Jill bathroom attached to it as well. I'm in the bedroom on the other side of the hall."

Sophia took off up the stairs as Carol suddenly thought of Daryl sleeping on his bed across the hall. She imagined his muscular back spread as he laid on his stomach with his arms under his pillow. One leg was cocked to the side while the sheet dipped low enough she could see the rise of his ass just beginning. She shook her head and tried to reign in those kinds of thoughts as she caught his eyes and saw him smirk. Blushing, she turned and followed her daughter upstairs and into the bedroom.

He turned and adjusted himself after knowing damn well what she was imagining just then. "Holy crap, this is going to be interesting."