All You Leave Behind

by Lynnth2014

Carol's on the run from a mistake in her recent past, but the only place she can go has the man she ran from originally. She had to find somewhere safe for her daughter, and that meant going home, back to her friends and family, back where they would find happiness. But with light, there is always dark, and he was Carol's. He would find them, it was only a matter of time.

18. All You Leave Behind

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

––

Carol entered the house, finding her dad, Daryl and Mom sitting on the stairs with worry on their faces. She felt her heart sink as she saw Amy pacing the second floor with enough tension to burn holes in the floor.

"What?" She set her purse on the table beside her. "What's happened?"

"Sophia's gone." Mom shook her head. "Paige too. We can't find them, and there's no notes."

"G—gone?" Carol stopped breathing. "Gone?! How can she just be gone?"

"We tried calling Maggie, but you have her phone," Hershel told her. "We tried calling Beth, but her phone's off. We were hoping you'd taken them with you this morning."

"Gone?" Carol repeated. "How can she just be gone? She was sleeping when I left and all of you were right there, so you tell me how she can just be gone!"

Annette hugged her. "Shh, we'll find her. It's all right. They couldn't have gone far."

Carol was shaking. "I have to find her. How long have they been gone?"

"About four hours. Daryl went upstairs to check on them and they were gone," Hershel explained. "We went to Shawn's house, to the Greene Leaf, and we tried calling you, but you turned the phone off."

"Four hours?" Her voice was soft, but high. "And no one noticed?"

"We thought they were sleeping."

"And Mag was out of bed when you went to check? Beth as well?" She looked between them, her eyes burning, and she pulled out of her mom's arms. "Maybe she left me a note. I'd know what to look for." She hurried upstairs, listening to Amy going off on somebody, and she went to her room. She tore it apart, looking for a note, looking for any signs of them leaving, but there were none. She had called the preschool to let them know Sophia wasn't coming in today, and they understood. Her family knew Sophia wasn't going to school today, so where was her baby?

Daryl hovered in the doorway, trying to find words, but he couldn't. He decided to say what he felt, "I didn't find nothing. I looked real hard, but there ain't nothing here."

"There may still be something here that you missed," she presisted.

"Mommy?"

"Paige!" Amy cried.

"Sophia?" Carol ran out of the room, seeing the girls at the bottom of the stairs with balloons and bags of multi-colored cotton candy, and Carol swept Sophia up in her arms. "Oh, thank God."

"What's wrong?" Paige frowned at how tightly her mom held her.

Beth closed the door behind her, pushing her sunglass up and frowning at the tears and worried faces. "What is it?"

"Where the hell did you take my daughter?" Amy growled. "And why?"

"I—I took the girls to the zoo." She looked at Carol. "You were gone, but they were up and hyper, so I took them out. I figured you both would want to be there if they went horseback riding, so...they chose the zoo."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Amy demanded. "She is my daughter! You can't just "take her out"! Do you know who's out there?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't want them to wake the house or break anythin'."

Carol kissed Sophia's head and set her down. "Mom, could you take the girls outside, please? We need a moment to talk."

"Sure." She took one of their hands and led them out the front door, asking about their day.

"What is wrong with you?" Amy was so upset. "Did you not see that I was attacked just last night?" She emphasized her injuries with her hand. "Did you not know that there are people who want to hurt me? Hurt my daughter?"

Beth lowered her eyes, silent.

"You should've asked me, Beth! God, we were friends in high school, but things have changed! You ask me before you take my child anywhere!"

"Amy, now calm down." Hershel set a hand on her shoulder. "Paige is all right. She had a fun day at the zoo."

"Yes, but I didn't know that for the four longest hours of my life." She took deep breath to calm herself, pushing all of the scenarios out of her mind. She was so glad that they were all false. Thank God they were all right.

"I'm so sorry for scaring you, Amy. I just thought they'd like to have fun after what happened yesterday."

"It's all right." She set a hand on her stomach, her heart returning to its pace. "I'm sorry I yelled. I'm sure you can understand how I felt. Just please ask me first."

"I will."

"I'm going to go check on them. Paige's never been to the zoo." She went outside to find them.

"I'm sorry, Carol." Beth stepped toward her. "You know I would never let anyone hurt Sophia or Paige."

"I know." She rubbed her arms. "I'm not...mad, honestly, but you have to ask. You're her aunt, and you can spend as much time with her as you want, but Paige is Amy's daughter, and after what happened yesterday with Tomas... You'll understand when you have kids of your own, sweetie."

"Sure, I will."

"Don't be rude, Beth," Hershel scolded.

"I'm rude?" She scoffed. "I took two scared little girls to the zoo to see the animals and have a good time, but I'm the bag guy? They had fun! They laughed and forgot about what happened at Amy's for hours! They were just kids, lookin' at animals and takin' pictures and makin' jokes! How was that wrong? No, tell me how it was wrong, because all I know is they wore the biggest smiles today."

"You took her daughter and mine without permission."

"I was only going to keep them for an hour, maybe two, but I didn't want to see their fun end. I keep an eye on them, and I didn't let anyone near them."

"How would you like it if I took your daughter out for hours and didn't tell you the day after a man attacked you in your home?"

"I don't know. Ask me when I have a child. Don't hold your breath."

Carol grabbed Beth's wrist when she tried to walk away. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Are you stupid now? It means you'll die before I have a child."

"You love kids. Why would..." she cut off. "You can't have kids?"

"No, I can't. Are you happy now?" She jerked her wrist free. "You get a beautiful little girl, a college education and Daryl who is still so desperately in love with you that he won't even look at another woman, even though it kills him to be around you, and you know it. And now you've dragged the darkest secret I have out of me. Is there anything you don't get?" She went to her room.

Carol looked at her dad. "Should I...?"

"No. I'll talk to her." He followed Beth's path up the stairs and to her bedroom.

She had no idea Beth couldn't have children or that Beth secretly hated her. She needed to talk to her once she'd calmed down. Dad would calm her down, and Carol would seek her out later. Until then she and Daryl and Sophia had unfinished business. She just hoped what Beth just said about his feelings towards her didn't come back up, because she wasn't ready for that talk. She wasn't even ready to tell him about Ed, but she had to tell him. She needed to be able to say "Fire" and have him know it meant it burn down this life and take Sophia somewhere safe. She had to keep Sophia safe, no matter what. And if Daryl was her father, it gave him more reach to strike the match.

"Let's go find Mom and the girls." She held the door open for him.

"Carol, wait."

"Hmm?"

"I... What...er, I said last night..."

"You were upset, I know. Don't worry about it."

His eyes fell to her hands. "Merle told me."

"I'll heal. We can talk more about this later. Right now, we have to find Sophia." She looked over the farm. "I bet Mom took them to the stable. Sophia and Paige both love the horses. Let's try there first."

He slowly nodded and fell into step with her as they headed to the stable to see if that's where Annette, Amy and the girls were. They found them petting the horses, Annette was saddling one of them, and Amy was talking to Paige, smiling and looking over the items Beth had bought her.

"Mommy." Sophia ran over to them. "Can we go horseback riding too? Grandma said I had to ask."

"Of course we can horseback riding." She bent down, tucking hair behind her ear. "We'll do it before lunch, maybe have a picnic down at the dock, just the two of us. Or the four of us."

She frowned. "We can't go now?"

"No, we have to go into town for a little bit today. I think it's been put off enough." She took Sophia's hands. "On the way, you can tell me about the animals and the zoo, possibility share some of that cotton candy."

Sophia giggled. "Okay."

"Okay." She rose. "Go with Daryl, I'll be right there." She waited for them to leave the stable before she walked over to Amy and Paige. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah." She watched Annette and Paige for a moment. "I just panicked. I just—I don't know that Andrew won't come after her. Once Tomas thinks something's his, he's determined to keep it, even if that means killing it just so no one else will have it."

"It sounds like you know Tomas more than you'd like to."

"He thought he owned me after we slept together, but I proved I wasn't property, and he didn't like that. He sent asshole after asshole to make Merle pay for our relationship and to possibly impress me, but once was more than enough for me. It was worst thirteen seconds of my life."

Carol snorted.

"Looks like she's ready to go." She stepped toward Annette and Paige. "I'll see you tonight."

"Yeah." She walked backward then turned and joined Sophia and Daryl in this truck. She climbed inside, pulling the door closed and making sure Sophia was strapped in before Daryl pulled out. She listened to Sophia tell her about the zoo, and Carol could tell that Beth had done a lot to ensure they had a good time. She felt really sad for Beth. She was such a great person with many talents and charms, and that ended with her. What Carol wouldn't give for Beth to have able to have children of her own.

––

"You said town!" Sophia protested. "Not hospital!"

"I know, but we're just here to do a test." Carol struggled.

"No! I hate needles!" She gripped the seat even tighter.

"Daryl, help!" She pulled on Sophia's waist, but she didn't want to hurt her, so she was just holding Sophia, really.

He reached over and tickled Sophia in the same spot he used to tickle Carol, and she squirmed, giggling, and Carol pulled her out of the car. "There." He smirked at Sophia's glare. "It ain't gonna hurt."

"I hate needles," she grumbled.

"It's just cotton, I promise." She closed the door with her hip and followed Daryl inside. She passed Sophia off to Daryl, who wasn't that clumsy with her much to Carol's surprise, and she spoke to Lilly briefly. She waved Daryl over as Lilly left. "She'll be back in a minute."

They took a seat, Sophia sat in between them, no longer glaring as she watched TV; Carol ran her fingers through her hair, her heart racing in her chest at the thought of Sophia's true father, and Daryl chewed his bottom lip, trying his best not to really think about the possibility that Sophia might not be his. After that night...how could she not be his? Then again he really didn't want to think about Ed touching Carol in anyway. It made his blood boil at the thought of another man touching Carol.

– – –

Daryl came home to find Carol cooking for the first time in a long time—even though she'd been doing better and going to classes and even talking to him, she still ordered out almost every night. She said she was going to cook his favorite dinner as congratulations, and she meant it. It was the best kind of surprise. He was so happy to see her feeling better. She looked like her old self, just a little lost.

She turned around, offering him the smallest of smiles. She was working on something at the same time as cooking. Possibly work. He didn't want to ask, because he didn't to distract her. He just went upstairs and washed up, changing into clean clothes.

She called him for dinner, and they sat down. It was so strange. She kept trying to make conversation, but the topics didn't last very long. He even tried talking, but he doubted she wanted to hear about cars and angry customers. She was trying, and so was he, but it was the first time in many, many months they'd eaten together. Normally, Carol would eat upstairs or she'd eat before he came home. Sometimes she wouldn't eat at all, and he worried, but he knew he didn't have to worry for much longer. Well not as much.

Carol had done her hair, even put on makeup, and he could smell her perfume from here. It was barely noticeable, but it was there. She wore a dark red top with a black skirt that, when her legs were crossed, showed her thighs. She'd gone through a lot of trouble for tonight, especially since she was busy with work and paying off school fees. She had done all of this for him when she didn't have to, when they had a really great party at T's. She wanted to congratulate him privately, just the two of them. It brought a small smile to his lips. Annette was right. Everything was going to be all right.

He set the plates in the sink, helping her put the leftovers away, and she thanked him. He saw something behind her eyes, but he couldn't quite figure out what it was. He searched those illuminating blue oceans for a long time, and she didn't look away, even when he could see she wanted to. "Uh, sorry." He averted his eyes. "I gotta get up early tomorrow, get some parts, so I'm gonna go to bed. Dinner was real good. Thank you, I really appreciate that you did this." He leaned down and tentatively placed a kiss to her cheek.

She cupped the back of his neck with her hand and pulled him closer, turning her head so that her lips touched his, and he tensed for a moment, very stunned. She pushed up on the tips of her toes, wrapping her arms around his neck, her mouth molding to his, her tongue and lips coaxing his mouth open, and he gripped her hips, longing for her touch.

"Touch me," she said, as if reading his mind. "Please." She could sense he was holding back, because he was afraid he might hurt her or scare her or something like that. She didn't want him to hold back. She wanted him to let it all go and just be with her tonight. She didn't want to think about the past or the future, just right then and there in his strong arms, caught in his loving gaze.

His hands were under her shirt, very hesitant, and she shifted her hand to one of his, guiding it up her torso to her breast. He sucked in a sharp breath to discover she wore no bra, and he lifted her up, her legs wrapping around his thighs, her hands in his hair. He could feel her need, and it matched his own. He wanted her so much, but he didn't want to rush her. He didn't want to make her cry or feel cornered. He wanted to show her he loved her and was here for her, but slowly.

She slid down so that her feet were back on the floor, and she unbuttoned his shirt, pushing it off his shoulders. She met his eyes, smiled at him and kissed him, her arms around his neck.

Can you leave a light on for me

The spaces solidify

She moaned softly, tossing her head back, the feel of him inside of her was overwhelming. She was trying to be calm and just let him find his release and let him be with her one last time, but it was so hard. She was lost in her thoughts, and she couldn't find her way out. She just wanted this feeling to stop. She had no words to describe this feeling that had been building up inside her since last night, but she wanted it to stop.

"Daryl," she moaned.

Sleeping with your eyes wide open

As black as the darkest sky

She stared at nothing in particular in the darkness that covered the room, Daryl was sleeping behind her, his body warm against hers, but she felt so ice cold. She had reveled in that moment—making love to him for hours, taking in his scent, holding his hand, stroking his hair and planting light kisses to his forehead and his lips—because it was the last moment like this they would ever have.

Daryl shifted behind her, his hand slipping down her hip, his forehead resting against her back, and she read the time on the alarm clock and slowly sat up. Glancing back at him to make sure he was out cold, she gently moved his arm from her hip and setting it on the bed. She grabbed the bra and panties she'd hid earlier that day out from under the bed, slipping them on. She looked over her shoulder at him as she lingered in the doorway.

"I love you."

Can you feel the whole world shaking

Running but your lungs are aching

She tiptoed down the stairs, grabbing the t-shirt and jeans from the laundry basket on the chair, slipping into them and shoving her feet into nearby tennis shoes. She tugged a hood down over the t-shirt, knowing she'd need it to cover her tear-stained face when she got on the bus. She slid the door to the island back where she had put all of their pots and pans, gently pulling her duffel bag out.

Okay, time to leave the junk behind. She set her car keys on the counter along with her cell phone and the divorce papers, her hands shaky as she silently sobbed.

Just go. He doesn't need you here. Just go, Carol. Let him be free.

Can you feel the whole world shaking

I'm breaking

Inside

She closed the front door, grateful that T-dog had gone out of his way to stop the creaking noise it made whenever anyone opened it, gasping loudly. She covered her mouth with her hand, hurrying down the driveway. She grabbed her suitcase from her car, locking the door manually and closing the door soundlessly. She waited for the taxi she'd called earlier that day to come and take her to the bus station, trying to stop the pain, but it was like fire, burning hot and rapid, consuming everything in its path. She wouldn't have anything left when this was over.

She had to be brave. She had to be. Daryl was starting to make something really great of himself, and he would only do that if she wasn't there. He felt the need to hold her hand as she found her way back, and she couldn't drag him down. She refused to let him sink with her. He was a good man in a storm, but...she wasn't going to let him do that for her. She had to find her own way back, and she couldn't do that here.

She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, her shoulders shaking as she gasped in breaths, but the tears wouldn't wipe away. She was crying from the very depths of her soul.

Don't believe the lies

Your echoing heartbeat, echoing heart beats keeps your time

She set her suitcase in the seat beside her, telling the driver where to take her, and she kept her eyes out the window. She ran her fingertips over the locket Daryl had given her, and she closed her eyes tightly, the tears forming once again, and she pulled her hood up, stifling her sobs with her hand. She wasn't sure if she'd ever recover from this, but she had to try and let Daryl have the very best of everything. He would find happiness again. He would.

She was pretty sure she wouldn't. Daryl was her everything, and she didn't want anyone to take that place in her heart. She would keep him close in her memories, but that was all. She wasn't coming back. She couldn't do that to him. Leave one night and only to come back some many years later. No, she wasn't going to do that. She couldn't hurt him anymore than she already had, so she would let him heal and pray every day he found happiness. He deserved that.

It's crashing lately, your echoing heartbeat, echoing heart beats

Is all you leave behind, all you leave behind

She found a seat in the back of the bus after putting her suitcase and duffel bag away, pulling legs in and hugging herself tightly. She buried her nose in Daryl's hoodie, the scent comforting her, and she sniffled.

The bus pulled out, and she smiled to herself, silvery tears shimmer in her eyes. This all started with a bus, and that's how it ended too.

Is all you leave behind, all you leave behind

– – –

Carol watched Lilly swab the inside of Sophia's cheek, grateful that Lilly had done Daryl's in the lobby so Sophia didn't see. She wasn't quite ready to explain why they were getting their cheeks swabbed. She was going to do what Daryl had suggested: say it was for a genetic disease. When she was older, possibly ten or maybe twelve, Carol would tell her what happened. She just hoped Daryl was the father, because she didn't want Ed's sickness to grow inside Sophia's soul.

Sophia ran her tongue over the inside of her cheek. "What now?"

"We wait." She stood up. "Let's go meet Daryl in the lobby."

Sophia clasped her mom's hand. "Why is Daryl here?"

"He drove us."

"Well, yeah, but why? You have a car."

"Daryl's a friend. Besides, I thought you liked Daryl."

"I do." She pursed her lips. "Is he with you?"

"He's with us both." She saw Daryl getting something to drink, and she walked over to him.

"Are you with him?" Sophia asked again. "Like the people in the stories you read to me?"

"What did Shawn tell you about Daryl?" She bent down.

"Not much." She met her mom's eyes. "Is he my dad?"

"Sophia, why do you think he's your dad?"

"Because... look here." She rolled her sleeve up and showed Carol her birthmark that rested on her forearm. "He has one like this too."

"So do I." Carol held her hand up, the back of her hand facing Sophia, to show her the birthmark.

She rolled her eyes. "In the same place, Mommy."

Carol sighed. "Just give me a ten minutes, okay?"

"Okay."

"I'll tell you when ten minutes have passed." She picked her up. "Well, she has my brain, for sure. She's figured us out."

Daryl paused in offering her a can of soda. "She knows?"

"Are you my dad?" Sophia asked.

"I said ten minutes," Carol told her. "I know you can't tell time, but it's barely been one minute."

She sighed.

Daryl looked at Sophia. "I hope so."

Carol's eyes flickered to his. "Me too."

Sophia looked from her mom to Daryl. "Do you love him too?"

"Sophia." Carol groaned. "Stop, please."

She laughed as her mom blushed, burying her face in her daughter's hair.

They returned to the lobby, Daryl handed Carol the grape soda, and she drank half of it, letting Sophia have the other half, and they waited, watching some crime show. Sophia swung her legs since her feet didn't touch the floor, and she noticed her mom peeking at Daryl then Daryl peeking at her mom. She didn't mind sharing her mommy, just as long as Daryl kept making her mommy happy.

She slid off the chair and threw the empty soda can away.

"Nervous?" Carol saw Daryl about to chew his bottom lip off.

"Tsk, yeah." He released his lip. "You've been a mom since she was born, and any minute, I could be a...dad."

"You've always been a father," Carol reminded him. "Ethan just is in our hearts and our minds."

He frowned. "What?" She wouldn't even say his name before and now she's talking about Ethan like he's there with them. What the hell happened to make her say that?

"Never mind." She blushed, embarrassed for saying that. She accepted Ethan's death. She'd faced it when she went to see Daryl, and after talking to Sophia and visiting to his grave...she was beginning to understand it all now. "Dr. Subramanian." Carol stood up as did Daryl. "Do you have the results?"

"Yes, I do." He glanced between them. "You seem terrified."

"Just...tell us." Carol crossed her arms, glancing over at Sophia, who stood by the trash, watching.

"But this is the fun part." He smirked as Daryl and Carol tensed. He opened the file, looking it over with agonizing slowness. "Well, it's a girl, but you know that. Now, is Daryl the father? That you do not know."

"Caleb, don't be an ass." Lilly took the file and looked it over, exhaling a sound that was astonished. "Well, Daryl, I have two words for you."

He swallowed hard.

"Congratulations, Dad."

"What?" Carol and Daryl both breathlessly exclaimed.

Lilly almost jumped back. "Daryl's the father. It's a perfect match."

"Holy shit." Carol pushed her hair back, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders.

"Do you need some water?" Caleb held out a bottle of water. "A chair, perhaps? You look faint."

"Do you need to sit down?" Lilly asked, agreeing that Carol was looking quite pale.

"No, I'm okay." She slowly smiled. "Daryl's her father?"

"Yes." Lilly crossed her arms. "He's the dad, you're the mom. Do you want me go into detail on how that happened?"

"No," Carol and Daryl groaned in unison.

"Good. Our job is done here. Let's go. They have talking to do." She handed the file to him, and they left.

Carol turned to Daryl. "Are you hungry?"

For the first time, no, Daryl wasn't hungry. He was a father. He had a little girl who was adorable and happy and healthy. He had a daughter who he knew only two things about, and he'd missed four years of her life. Five years, he'd missed five years. She was going to be at his house most of the time since Carol was still working on it, but now that he knew for sure Sophia was his, he could help Carol raise her right. Damn...what the hell did that make him and Carol?

Carol drove them to a diner to get something to eat and to talk to him. She ordered since Daryl was still letting the fact that Sophia was his daughter sink in, and she waited until he was blinking again before she spoke, watching Sophia as she looked at the jukebox in the corner of the diner.

"I'm glad she's your daughter," Carol confessed. "You have no idea how happy I am that she's your daughter."

"I kinda figured she was, but knowing it..." He shrugged. "It's weird. A damn good weird."

"Now that we know she is, I want you to know you don't have to do anything. You don't have to pay for anything, and you don't even have to be involved with her. You can just be a friend of the family...who happens to be her father..." She searched his eyes. "I don't want to force you into anything."

"You ain't. I wanna be there, involved in her life, and I wanna help out."

"I don't want your money, but I'd love your time." She tucked hair behind her ear, feeling a fluttering in her stomach. She'd never felt so relieved in her life. She smiled happily and set her hand over his. "I love you, Daryl. You're the best man I've ever known."

He dropped his head, embarrassed, half-smiling. He loved her too, but it wasn't in the same way. He was still in love with her. How could he not be? It'd only ever been her, and now that he knew Sophia was his...was theirs...it only made him want to be with her more. He didn't want another man to be with her, and he didn't want another man to try and be Sophia's father either, but their relationship was over, wasn't it?

Sophia climbed into the booth. "Can I call you Daddy?"

Carol dropped her head onto the table.

"You don't have to." Daryl shrugged.

"I want to." She smiled wide at him then turned to her mom, eyes narrowed. "You lied."

"I lied." She lifted her head. "I'm sorry."

"You owe me a ten dollars."

"What?!" Carol exclaimed. "Ten dollars? For what?"

"You lied to me, so that's a dollar in the jar."

"A dollar, yes."

"And nine more for other lies. Daryl's not a friend, and that test and—"

"Keep it up, and your birthday will be a lie too." She crossed her legs.

She glared.

"Be proud, Daryl. She has your glare."

He snorted. After all they'd been through, this girl was the product. He wouldn't change a single thing, because he might not have gotten this beautiful, intelligent, charming little girl with his eyes.

––

"I need to talk to you," Carol sat in Daryl's truck, Sophia asleep with her head in Carol's lap, and she met his eyes. "It's really important."

He nodded. "All right."

"You know what happened with Amy and Merle and Tomas, right?"

"Yeah, he told me."

"Well, Amy has nowhere to live now, and I was hoping...really hoping...you'd take her in."

"Carol," he protested.

"Please, Daryl." She gripped his hand. "I am begging you. Please let them stay with you until she's back on her feet. I will do anything. I mean it—anything. Please."

He groaned low in his throat.

"Please. They can't stay here, because Patricia and Otis are moving in, and I don't want the two of them to end up in a homeless shelter. Don't do that to them. Please." She searched his eyes. "What if it were me and Sophia?"

"You're a damn vixen," he told her. "Fine, but you owe me. Big time."

She smiled. "Anything." She hugged him. "Thank you so much for this!"

"You owe me dinner."

"Okay. I'll make something really delicious, and Sophia can h—"

"No, just you and me. I'll take you out."

Her heart skipped a beat. "Just the two of us?"

"Yeah."

"Will...this be a date?"

"No. Nah, no." He paused. He wanted it to be a date, but he wasn't going to push. He was still handling on the fact that he had a four-year-old daughter. He was proud, but scared shitless. "No."

She smirked. "Okay then." She picked Sophia up. "Have a nice night, and drive safely."

"Give Amy your key."

"Thank you for this, Daryl. You don't know what it means to me."

"Get inside. It's late. Kid's tired, and somebody's gotta help Amy move."

She smiled. "Good night."

"Night." He watched her go inside, and he pulled out, smiling to himself.

– – –

"I'll put her to bed." Amy held her arms out. "I already put Paige down."

Carol saw Beth in the kitchen. "Thanks." She gently handed over Sophia and caught Beth. "Hey, wait."

"What?" She looked at her. "What do you want? To talk? 'Cause I don't feel like it."

"Well, I wanna talk to you. You're my sister, and I want to talk to you."

Beth could see Carol meant it, and if she was ever going to accept the fact that she was never having kids, she needed to talk about it. She needed to work through her anger. It was starting to cause her pain like the twisted blade it was. She didn't want to be mad at Carol, but Carol was a frigging wrecking ball. She just didn't want to see Daryl suffer anymore, or her parents or her sister and brother. Carol was staying, so the anger had to leave. "Then talk."

"C'mere." She clasp her elbow and guided her into the den, where they sat on the sofa. "Tell me everything that happened. When did you find out?"

Beth began to recall the day. It was one that she would never forget. Carol was listening so intensely that Beth didn't feel the need to hide anything. She wanted to talk about it, and she was glad that Carol listened and comforted her. She was upset that Ed had put his hands on his sister, but she was happy that asshole drove Carol back to them. They were a family again, and everything would work out the way God planned it to. She believed that.

– – –

"Are you sure 'bout this?" Daryl asked, watching Carol climbed onto the washer to fix a leaky pipe.

"You said I could do this, and I want to."

"I can do it myself," he told her.

"Are you saying because I'm a girl I can't do this?" she shot back.

"No, 'course not." He crossed his arms. "Girls can do this, Amy can do this—you can't do this."

"Oh, relax. I can do this."

Sophia sat on the steps, watching her parents try to fix a leaky pipe. "Are you sure, Mommy?"

"Guys, I'm on it, okay?" She continued turning the wrench until it stopped leaking, grunting. "There. I got it."

Daryl was about to speak when the pipes began to rumple and one burst, Sophia screamed as water shot at her, soaking her clothes, and Carol winced at the sounds behind her. She closed her eyes and dropped her head. Son of a bitch. She thought was she doing so well too.

"Sophia, upstairs now!" Daryl grabbed Carol by the waist as a pipe fell down onto the washer, and he held her close, watering splashing all over them.

"What the hell? Are you guys breaking the—?" Amy looked downstairs, holding Sophia as she ran into her arms. "Oh, my God!"

"Shit." He turned and pushed Carol towards the stairs.

"I'll call a plumber." Amy grabbed the phone and went to get towels for them.

"I am so sorry," Carol apologized to Daryl. "I—I didn't mean to do that."

"Damn it." He peered down the stairs. "We always wanted a pool, though."

She laughed. "Yeah, we did."

Amy returned with towels and the plumber on the phone, Sophia had to change into a set of Paige's clothes, and Carol had to find...something. Amy was her size, but all of Amy's clothes were either winter clothes or too short on Carol—Amy was mostly legs, after all. She might just have to wear one of Daryl's shirts as a dress. Geez, this sucked, and God, was it embarassing.

"Plumber's downstairs." Daryl tossed his wet shirt into the tub, leaving him in a wife beater. "You find somethin'?"

"No." She dried her hair. "I feel like an ass. I am so sorry."

"Don't worry 'bout it." He sat down on the edge of the tub. "Floors will be spotless after this."

"How can you be so calm? Your basement looks like we should start collecting two of everything."

"I got money, Carol. I know this guy, so I can work out a payment plan. Shit happens."

"I still feel horrible. Next time, you're doing it all." She removed her shoes and unbuttoned her top, stepping into the bedroom and she slipped on her wet pant leg. "Ah!"

Daryl didn't make it in time to catch her, but he did make it in time to see her stomach. He lowered himself down beside her, setting a hand on a scar that ran along her side. "What the hell?" He looked at it as she pushed herself up, and he saw more scars on her back. "Shit, Carol."

"I doubt you'd buy a car accident."

"Carol," his voice was dark, but concerned. "What the hell is this?"

She sighed. "We need to talk, but let's change first."

"Uh, I got some of your clothes in our old bedroom." He helped her to her feet. "Shirts you didn't take with you. Pants too, probably."

"You didn't throw them out?"

"No." He grabbed a shirt from the closet and stepped into the bathroom, closing the door.

"Hmm." She walked down to their old bedroom and found the clothes he spoke of. She changed into a knee-length, lacy white dress since it was hot today, and none of her pants fit anymore. She didn't have any belts either—she'd taken them with her that night. She was too damn skinny. You'd think with all of the food she'd eaten here, she would have gain some of that weight back. If Patricia started cooking, she'd definitely gain the weight back and then some.

She even found a pair of calf-high boots that still fit. She wondered why Daryl kept these clothes and shoes after all this time. He could've donated them to charity. Did he think she would come back? Did he not want to disturb their bedroom? Or did he just not want to touch anything of hers?

The bedroom light flicked on, she spun around and found Daryl behind her, and he sat on the bed. She closed the door and sat beside him, crossing her legs and glancing at him. She wasn't sure how to do this. She didn't want him to feel guilty for not coming after her. He didn't need to feel guilty. He always felt guilty, especially over things he shouldn't. He was such a good man, but they were her mistakes, and she paid for them. She was still paying.

She cleared her throat. "You said you didn't believe that Ed just died?"

"I know there's more to it than that, yeah."

"There is." She met his eyes. "Ed...uh... Well, he... Gosh, this is so difficult."

"It's all right." He reached over and set his hand over hers. "Just tell me." He already knew, but he wanted her to talk about it, and he wanted to know of if he ever met Ed, he would know whether to shoot him in the ass with a bolt or beat the shit out of him.

"He...physically and sexually abused me for umm—for years, and I left because he started to look at Sophia with whatever sickness was growing in his soul."

Daryl studied her face, just listening, but his eyes were scorching.

"I didn't let him touch her. I would never let him touch my—our daughter," she explained. "That's why I left..."

– – –

Carol set the groceries down on the table, tossing her keys into her purse and running a hand through her hair. In about five months, it was going to be Sophia's fifth birthday. Carol wasn't sure she could take it much longer. They'd been married for four years, and Carol had been the hospital more in those four years than she had been in her entire life. How many more times could her doctor buy her "falling down the stairs"?

Carol felt the phone she had bought in secret buzzing in her shoe against her ankle, so she grabbed it and went out on the veranda. "Karen?" Carol glanced back at the house to make sure Ed wasn't coming into the kitchen.

"Hey, Caro, I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" Carol was too tired for a surprise.

"I got you a car. It's shitty, but it'll get you where you need to go."

"Oh, Karen, no. I'm not going to run. He's...an okay father, and he provides for her. I'm not going to force her to go hungry and—"

"Carol, he's going to kill you," Karen hissed, no longer sitting back. She was tired of just saying "okay" and "all right" when Carol gave her reasons why she was staying. She needed her to hear what Karen was saying. "I know how men like Ed are, and he will kill you. Do you understand that? When you're dead, who do you think is going to take your place?"

Carol closed her eyes, the warm wind blowing at her face as she tried not to cry.

"Sophia, that's who."

"I have to make dinner."

"Don't hang up. You need to hear this."

"It's late, and roast takes time. Goodbye, Karen." She hung up and slipped the phone into her pocket, drying her eyes. She took a deep breath and went to put the groceries away. She heard something strange coming from the back of the house where their bedrooms were, and she frowned, setting the orange juice on the table. Sophia was supposed to be at her grandmother's tonight. Ed said he was taking her over there. Sophia was going to spend the night along with Penny. Carol made those plans with Victoria a week ago.

She walked down the hall and opened Sophia's bedroom door. She found Ed and Sophia inside. "Ed, you said you were taking her to see—" She cut off when she realized that Ed wasn't reading Sophia her favorite story, which was strange, because Sophia was crying. She usually cried when the story was over, because it was so sweet. She had a soft spot for happy ending.

Her stomach fell at the look in Ed's hollow, blue-gray eyes. It said he could and might kill her. She didn't like how Ed held Sophia, his knuckles white. What had Carol done that made him so irate that he went to her daughter who he loved so much and who looked just like her?

He will kill you... Who do you think is going to take your place? Sophia, what's who. "What the hell are you doing?" Carol shouted, feeling something snap inside of her.

His eyebrow twitched, he blinked twice then stood up, dropping Sophia onto her bed like a sack of potatoes, not a breakable four-year-old girl. "You're back. Good." His voice was tight, angry.

"What the hell were you doing to my daughter? Did you hurt my daughter?" Carol hissed, trying to get to Sophia, who was crying even more.

"Oh, your daughter?" He backhanded her into the wall. "She isn't even mine now?"

"Mommy!" Sophia wailed.

"Oh, shut up." Ed kicked her bed, and Sophia whimpered, grabbing the sheets.

"Sophia, go to the living room." Carol pushed herself up. "Go, now!"

She ran out of the room with big tears in her eyes.

"Get out," she hissed. "Get out of my house! Get out of my life!"

He grabbed her by her throat and slammed her into the wall, holding her so that her feet couldn't touch the floor. She dug her nails into his hand, drawing blood, but he wasn't feeling any pain."This house isn't yours," he growled. "This life isn't yours, bitch. Everything you are is mine."

She kicked her feet wildly, desperately trying to hurt him to get his grip to loosen.

"Do you know how easy you have it? I work my ass off, and all I ask from you is you do every little thing that I say. It's not that difficult, but you can't even do that."

She couldn't breathe, and she knew tonight was the night. She couldn't delay any longer. She couldn't keep lying to herself. Ed had hurt Sophia, and God only knows what else he was planning to do if she hadn't come home when she did. There was no turning back; there was no halfway.

He choked her harder, belittling her, and she felt tears burn in her eyes as black spots began to cloud her vision. It was strange the first person who came into her head was Daryl. What would he have done? He would've shot Ed in the ass with a bolt then beat the shit out of him. Daryl and his crossbow...his trusty weapon. If only she had a weapon... Wait...Sophia's dresser!

She knew the dresser was only a few inches away, and so was the crystal horse Ed bought Sophia for her fourth birthday, so she slowly slid her hand toward it. If she could just distract him, she could reach the horse, bash his head open and get them out of there. She just needed to grab it before she fell unconscious. "You—bastard!" she managed. C'mon, Carol. Just a little further. Reach, goddamn it!

"You fucking cunt. Do you really think I haven't gone to other women?" His eyes were glaring, so focused on her face, which made inching easier. "You couldn't satisfy a handicapped. Whoever the fuck you were with before is damn lucky. That sorry son of a bitch is probably glad to be rid of you."

She reached, feeling the horse's head brush against her fingertips. She grabbed the head of the horse tightly and bashed it into Ed's head as hard as she could. He cried out and dropped her, his hands flying up to the bloody wound on his forehead.

Carol fell on her knees, gulping in air, and gripping her throat. She climbed to get feet and went over to him, slamming the bottom of the horse into his head, knocking him unconscious. She didn't waste any time. She tossed the horse down, ran out of the room, her legs shaking. She grabbed her purse and Sophia and bolted. She held Sophia tightly and ran into the darkness and away from Ed.

"Mommy?"

"Shh." Carol glanced back just once more. Rot in hell, you bastard.

––

Carol pounded on Karen's grandmother's door that night, panting and weak in the knees from what just happened and having run halfway across town. She was too terrified to get on a bus, and her adrenaline was burning too high for her to stop moving.

Karen invited her in, and Carol told her what happened, smoothing down Sophia's hair. Luckily, Karen and her brother, Noah, were spending the week with her sick grandmother, and Milton was away on business, so Ed wouldn't find her tonight. She was safe; Ed didn't know about Karen's grandmother.

Karen told Noah to draw a bath for Sophia. She was shaky and wet and her usual pale face was red from crying.

"I didn't know where else to go."

Karen hugged her and kissed Sophia's forehead. "Noah, could you make some tea, please?"

"Why do I ha—?" He looked at Carol and shut up. "The bath's almost ready." He disappeared into the kitchen.

"I'll dig out some clothes." Karen rubbed her arm. "Go and bathe her."

Carol carried Sophia to the bathroom, closing the door behind them, and she set her down, unbuttoning her shirt. "It's okay, baby. We're safe, okay?" Carol scrutinized Sophia's face when she didn't speak. She was pale, her eyes were studying the floor, her entire body still, and tear stains ran down her little rosy cheeks.

"It's just you and me, baby. We'll be... Oh, my...God." Carol saw the black and yellow and purple bruises all over Sophia's little torso from Ed's grip. "Oh, my God." She looked at Sophia, but she didn't say anything, just sniffed. "What happened?"

Still nothing.

"You can tell me anything, Sophia. Anything." She set her hands on her cheeks. "Look at me, please."

Her eyes lifted up toward Carol for only a second, and she didn't even look at her, just her necklace. Still she said nothing.

Carol swallowed tears. "Let's get you cleaned up. You'll feel better, and we can talk, yeah?"

Sophia remained silent as Carol bathed her, and she didn't even want to hear any music. Carol was worried, but there were no other bruises. She knew Ed hadn't molested Sophia, and if he was going to, Carol walked in it before it happened, thank God. She just wished Sophia would talk, tell her what happened, but Sophia didn't say anything. She wouldn't even look at her mom.

Karen had found a nightshirt that would work as a nightgown for Sophia in her old bedroom, and Carol let Sophia dress herself to help Karen with the tea. She made hot chocolate for Sophia. She hoped Sophia would at least take a sip of it. She made it the way she liked: with milk and whipped cream.

They returned to Karen's old bedroom, Sophia didn't want any hot chocolate, so Carol set it on the nightstand. She sat down behind Sophia and combed out her wet shoulder-length hair.

"What am I going to do?" Carol combed gently through the tangles as Sophia clutched Dee Dee. Carol was so glad that Sophia had left it in Karen's car the day before when they went to the park.

"Take that car and run." Karen was very serious. She'd been watching this take place over the past few years, and she wasn't going to be a whisper in her ear anymore. She was going to be a shout. No matter how many times she tried to convince Carol to leave, no matter how many times she wanted to tell the cops, she knew she had to let Carol see how bad her marriage was for herself. She just wished it hadn't been so bad, hadn't taken so damn long. Whatever Carol was scared of, she was scared of it more than Ed beating her to death. "Stay the night, and I'll make you breakfast and lunch to-go. I'll take you to that car after, and you need to just go."

"Go where, Karen?"

"I don't know. Home, maybe. Back to Georgia."

"I—I can't."

Like hell! "Fine, just run aimlessly and hope you find someplace safe." She tried not to be pissed off, but Carol was being stupid, so stupid. "I need to check on my grandma. Excuse me." She left the room and went to see how much train tickets were. She could pay for them in cash since that rat bastard probably froze her accounts, and she didn't want to leave a trail for Phillip to find. She was going to cover her tracks, possibly send one of Noah's friends down there. Ed didn't know Noah, but if Ed or Phillip were to look, she wanted to make sure the person couldn't easily be traced back to them. Noah couldn't do it, but he had a pretty plain friend who had a crush on her. She could easily sucker in him without him asking too many questions.

Carol exhaled deeply, setting the comb down beside Sophia's mug of hot chocolate, and she saw Sophia's shoulders began to tremble. "Sophia?" Carol turned her around.

"I'm sorry, Mommy." She looked so sad. "You got hurt..."

"No, you have nothing to be sorry for." Carol pulled Sophia into her arms, holding her tightly. "I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you."

Sophia cried, digging her fingers into her mom's shoulders. "I don't wanna go back."

Carol tried not to cry, but those words broke her down. She was supposed to keep her safe from everything, and she thought she was, but there was a monster at home. She'd exposed Sophia to that bastard, and Sophia may never forget this. She had been tainted by that bastard just as Carol had been, even if they were only bruises and possibly hushed words, but at least Carol could comprehend it. Sophia was so young, and she didn't understand. Why didn't she just leave when she had the chance? Why didn't she just leave after the first time?

Carol held Sophia long after she cried herself to sleep, gently stroking her drying hair, and Carol glanced up as Karen came back into the room.

"Do you have a gun?" was the first thing out of Carol's mouth.

"No, but I know a guy. He'll have one that's perfect for you—if you don't mind a little trading."

"Good, because the next time I see that son of a bitch, I'm going to kill him."

Karen couldn't help but smile. "Hallelujah." Carol almost smiled. "Can I get an amen?" She hugged Carol tightly by the shoulders, and Carol was glad she had Karen. She would probably be dead, because Ed would've caught her by now.

"I love you, Karen." Carol gripped her arm tightly, feeling the tears in her eyes again.

"I love you too, Carol." She released her. "And I have a plan."

Carol knew about Karen's mother. She had been beaten to death by Karen's step-father, and Karen got him put in jail for life. Karen refused to let that happen to anyone else, so it wasn't surprising that she had a plan. Carol was grateful for it. "So, what first?"

Karen lowered herself down onto her knees beside the bed, capturing one of Sophia's feet with her fingers. This was the hard part. She'd known Sophia since she was more portable, and Carol since she was a freshmen in college. It felt like forever ago."Well...um, we have to say goodbye, for your own good. At least for now."

– – –

"Did he touch her?" Daryl growled.

"No. I went to see Karen's family doctor about the bruises sometime before I came here, and Sophia told me what happened. He was just squeezing her really tight—any tighter and he might have broken a rib—but...I think he was going to."

"He choked you and hit you?"

"Yes." She couldn't look at him.

"And it took you five goddamn years to leave him?"

"He made good money, Sophia was taken care of, and yes, he abused me, but I—" she trailed off, seeing the disgust in his eyes.

"Money? Money? Money?! You stayed with that bastard for money?"

"Sophia was healthy and happy. She wanted for nothing." She shook her head. "I thought she was safe, and I could take it."

"He shouldn't have put his hands on you!" Daryl screamed at her. "Are you stupid? Your ass shoulda been on the next damn bus out there the minute he even lunged at you violently!" He'd never been so mad in his life. His entire body was on fire, and he wanted to find Ed and castrate him and beat his ass into the ground. He wanted to hang him up in the middle of the woods by his pecker and leave him to the animals. He wanted to skin him alive. He wanted to bury him alive, but right now, he needed to deal with Carol.

She wiped at her nose. "I'm sorry."

"You don't gotta be sorry." He exhaled deeply. "Carol, it wasn't your fault."

"I was...obnoxious and—and so needy—and—"

"No, you ain't. He just—got into your head, made you feel like...make you think...you deserved the abuse." He grasped her hand. "You didn't."

She shook her head, lowering her eyes. She wasn't sure anymore. She could play pretend with her family, but there was no hiding from Daryl. With him, she was stripped naked; her emotions and her thoughts laid out for him to see. It'd almost always been that way.

He cleared his throat to keep the searing venom out of his words, but it still came out in a hiss, "Did he...force you to have sex with him?"

She lifted her head and nodded, tears falling onto her legs.

He clenched his jaw. "How often?"

She shrugged. "Most nights. I learned to...go away when he—when he...wanted me."

He wrecked his hands through his hair, slamming his foot into the closet door, knocking the door off its hinges and making Carol to jump. "That motherfucker!"

A beat.

"I deserved it."

He looked at her with wide eyes. "What the hell did you just say?"

"After what I did to you... I wronged you in the worst possible way, and I expected to just get move on after, like nothing—"

"No! No, you didn't!" He climbed onto the bed. "Carol, you didn't deserve any of that."

"Daryl, look at you! I hurt you deeply! I just left in the middle of the night, and I didn't even have the guts to tell you why, I just left! I never wanted to divorce you! I loved you so much, and I abandoned you! How could I do that and not deserve what Ed did? You were everything to me, and I—and I..." she sobbed, unable to talk.

"No." He pulled her into his arms, holding her with an unbreakable grip, rocking her. "Shh, it's all right. Shh." He smoothed her hair down, his eyes burning at how well that bastard convinced her that everything was her fault, that she deserved every hit, very word. He squeezed his eyes shut, and he rocked her gently. He would find this fucker and make him pay for what he did, but he could see that's not what Carol wanted or needed. She was all that mattered right now, and he was here for her. Always. "Shh, baby, I'm here."