Chapter Twelve
The rest of the day flew by and the rain held off just long enough to for the women to cook dinner. Which happened to be canned stew that Carol found stashed away in their car. Ed had a lot of food hidden and she was glad that she was finally able to share.
And she was able to talk to Lori without the watchful eye of Andrea.
"I'm sorry about earlier, Carol. I wasn't trying to come off the way it may have seemed. I really am just curious. You seem happy. It's good to see you smile."
"It feels good to want too." Carol said quietly.
"Sophia asked if she could stay with us again. I told her I would ask you." Lori said with a smile. "We really lucked out. Our kids are the same age and actually seem to like one another."
"Carl's been good for her. She can stay as long as Rick doesn't mind."
Lori rolled her eyes and laughed. "He doesn't. Believe me. Carl's a handful and Sophia keeps him busy."
Ed had never taken the tent down, of course, so tonight she technically had a place to sleep. She hadn't talked to Daryl much. He was busy with the men, planning and doing whatever else it was that they did. She was proud of him for getting involved. He had earned his place with them. As far as she was concerned anyway.
After Lori helped her clean up, her and Rick and the kids all retired to their tent before the rain came. It was only sprinkling when Carol made her way to the tent she had shared with Ed up until last night. It was a big tent and she stood in the middle of it hugging herself. There was no way she was sleeping here. Everything in it belonged to him and she really would sleep in the mud before she forced herself to cover up with blankets that smelled like Ed. It felt like everything in the tent was tainted. Everything she owned was tainted.
She felt depressed. She walked through the dark and found herself standing outside of her car. Ed's car. Another thing tainted by the man. She sighed and crossed her arms as she leaned against the hood.
~H~
Daryl sat Indian style in the middle of the floor of his small tent. He had a flashlight propped up in one corner and he was trying like hell to make himself some more arrows for his crossbow. Only it wasn't working like it usually did. He had a knack for things like this most of the time. If it was something to do with his hands then he was usually pretty skilled at it. Not tonight.
"Son of a bitch." He growled as he put too much pressure on the knife and took off way too much wood. He tossed the stick out of the tent through the opening that he had pinned back to let in the cool air. It actually felt good tonight. Just enough chill in the air. His kind of weather. The rain didn't bother him and it wasn't really coming down yet anyway.
He picked up another stick and tried it again. He knew what his problem was. Carol. He hadn't really talked to her much after they had came out of the woods and he was worried about her. She'd had a real messed up day and he didn't like the thought of her alone out there somewhere. She had almost died. She had killed her own husband. And then she watched him come back to life. If that wasn't traumatic he didn't know what was. But he wasn't going to go hunt her down. Maybe she just wanted some time alone. He'd give her that. She knew where he was if she wanted him around.
He didn't know what his problem was anyway. He used to enjoy being alone. Now he couldn't stop glancing towards the entrance to see of he could spot her coming his way. Then he felt like a creeper for doing it. He held up the slender piece of wood and grimaced.
"Looks good. For a fuckin' tooth pick." He mumbled to himself and then he picked up the bundle he'd collected earlier and threw the whole thing out. Except they bounced right back in. he looked up.
"If you wanted to be alone you could have just told me. No need in throwing sticks at a person." Carol said as she brushed sticks off her shoulders.
"Did I just hit you in the face with a bunch sticks?" He asked shaking his head.
She sighed and nodded. "Can I come in?"
"I was wonderin' what was takin' you so long." He said as he looked down at the hilt of the knife he held.
"Didn't believe I could resist your charm, huh?" She asked as she crawled over and sat next to him.
He snorted but the corner of his mouth lifted up. She'd take what she could get.
He was glad she finally came. He didn't know if she would stay or not and after the fit she had had this morning he wasn't about to ask her if she would. For some reason that made him feel like she would think he was desperate. He actually was. He glanced over at her and then frowned. She was staring off at nothing and she looked like she was about to cry. He reached over and turned the flashlight off and it took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust.
He told himself that he was just conserving his batteries but the truth was he was a chicken shit and he didn't want to see her looking that sad. He was pretty good at making her laugh but the way she looked now he wasn't so sure if he could. He heard her sigh softly right before the rain picked up outside.
"It's rainin'." He whispered.
She turned her head slowly and peered at him in the dark. "I can see that." She whispered back.
"You wanna get naked again?" He whispered as he bumped her shoulder with his own.
It worked. She laughed and he had to smile to himself. They sat there in silence for a while. Silence didn't bother her like it did other people. Or if it did she didn't act like it. She eventually laid her head on his shoulder. He didn't flinch. He didn't tense. He didn't instantly have the urge to pull away. It didn't mean he wanted anyone else this close. But he didn't mind that she was.
"You tired?" He asked after a while and he felt her head move in a nod. He wanted to ask her if she'd stay but he couldn't get the words out of his mouth. He was getting better. A lot better. But he wasn't that good yet. If she said no he would feel like a dumb ass and rejection was something he avoided.
"Mind sharing your tent again?" She asked tentatively.
He shrugged but couldn't help but grin like an idiot. "If you want to."
She reached across him and grabbed one of the pillows and shoved it behind her. The floor of the tent was covered in blankets already so all she had to do was scoot down and curl up on her side. He zipped the tent shut and laid down on his back right next to her.
She lifted her head and peered at him in the dark. "I thought you liked your personal space?" She whispered.
He shook his head. "I figure you're gonna end up on top of me anyhow, ain't no sense in sleepin' by the wall."
"You're an ass." She muttered but he felt her move closer until her head was on his arm again.
He grinned in the dark. "I am." He reached for a blanket and pulled it over them both then he rolled over onto his side so their foreheads were actually touching. "But I'm startin' to think you like me anyway." he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her body closer. She let him, even moved closer on her own, so he took the risk of easing his hand up the back of her shirt. Just enough to where he was touching skin instead of clothes. She still didn't protest but he was going to stop right there. No sense in pushing his luck. She'd had a real bad day and the last thing she needed was some clumsy ass inexperienced redneck trying to feel her up.
He was surprised at how fast she fell asleep. He wasn't surprised at all when she snuggled in closer and wrapped her arm around his neck. He felt a little bad because he had actually known that she would end up doing all this in her sleep. He took a deep breath and then fought back a groan when the scent of her warm skin filled his nose. She smelled good. Really good. He didn't run around sniffing women but he always figured that they all smelled better than men did. They were usually a lot cleaner. The crook of her elbow was right next to his face so he turned his head slightly and that insane smell was stronger. This, he knew, was going to end up being a really long night.
"Daryl?" She whispered.
"Hmmm?" Was all he managed.
She sounded like she was damn near asleep already. "I'm glad you were with me today." She mumbled.
"Me too."
She rolled over onto her back but the arm she had around his neck forced him to move with her until his face was pressed against her neck.
"Carol?"
"Hmmm..."
"Next time this happens can you try to not smell so fuckin' good?" He croaked. But he didn't think she heard him. Her breathing was too deep for her to be awake. But he was. And he knew he was going to be for a long time. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly and then groaned again. He must have been a closet masochist. I he wasn't he would have moved as far away from her as he could get.
~H~
Carol wasn't sure what had woken her up. The rain had stopped and the night was eerily silent. She heard the snap of a twig somewhere in the distance and then she saw Daryl's eyes open. The man really didn't miss anything.
Another sound and he sat up and reached for his crossbow. He shoved something into her hands and then he crawled to the opening and unzipped it. He had handed her his knife. He stuck his head out and listened for a second and then looked back at her.
"We gotta move now." He barely whispered. "Stay with me. No matter what happens you have to stay with me, you understand?"
She nodded, wide eyed and she was right behind him when he slipped out of the tent. He scanned the trees and then grabbed her hand and took off running towards the main camp. He skidded around the side of Ricks tent.
"Rick!" He hissed. "Walkers."
It couldn't have been a second later Rick was shoving guns out of the tent and crawling out himself. Lori and the kids were right behind him. Rick ran towards the R.V. And Sophia ran to Carol. Carol shoved the girl behind herself and then looked towards her and Daryl's camp. She gasped. They were everywhere.
"Your fine." He growled as he raised the crossbow and shot one in the head.
Suddenly the whole group was there and everyone was armed. Everyone except her, who didn't even know how to fire a weapon. The shots were deafening and a lot of Walkers were falling but it seemed like more and more were there to replace the ones that went down. Carol heard a scream in the distance but she couldn't tell who it was.
"Daryl!" Rick yelled from about ten feet away. "There's too many. We have to go!"
Daryl nodded took Carols hand again and ran with her to the truck. Sophia had a hold of the back of her shirt. When they reached the truck Daryl nearly threw the girl inside the cab. When Carol turned around she nearly screamed. She could still hear gunshots but there was no way they could win. There were Walkers everywhere. Daryl yanked her back then and shoved her into the truck as well. He revved the engine and then they were speeding down the gravel road.
Carol turned around in the seat and saw more lights behind them. Daryl didn't swerve when he saw the Walkers. He plowed right through them. Carol couldn't stop thinking about that scream. At least one of them, she knew, hadn't made it. And if it hadn't been for Daryl's early warning none of them would have.
"You two alright?" He asked once they hit the highway.
Carol glanced down at Sophia who looked terrified but was dry eyed. "We're fine. But how did you know they were coming?" She glanced over at him.
He glanced her way and the corner of his mouth twitched but it wasn't a real smile. "You're kinda distractin' while your asleep. Kept me awake. I heard'em before they got too close."
"Where are we going?" Sophia asked.
Daryl glanced up in the rear view mirror. "I don't know, kid. But we're getting' the fuck away from here."
"Do you think everybody made it?" Sophia asked.
Before Carol could say anything Daryl shook his head. "No. Not everybody."
"Daryl." Carol whispered, giving him a look.
"If she asks me somethin' then I'm gonna give it to her straight." He said as he glanced at her.
Carol sighed but she knew he was right. No one had time for half truths or pretty lies anymore. It was all cold facts and harsh reality. It was just another thing for her to be angry about.