AN: Wow! Well, here we go! The big 100!
We've still got a way to go in this story, so I hope you're not bored with it yet! I'm really thrilled that so many of you have hung with me through this many chapters! It's very exciting to me to think that you like the story so much! I hope you'll continue to like it as we go forward.
As always, I thank you all for your comments and reviews. It means more to me than I can say that you are enjoying the world of Sweet Junction. You're all awesome! Thank you again for reading!
I hope you enjoy the chapter! Let me know what you think!
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Miss Jo had seemed to at least distract Carol a little bit. Daryl had followed her back to the house after work and he'd carried inside a large box that she'd brought with her, putting it smack in the middle of the nursery floor per her instructions. In exchange, she'd agreed that he could shower there and spend the rest of the evening with her.
So Daryl had left Carol with her mystery box of baby things and he'd taken his change of clothes and slipped into the bathroom. He quickly bathed, happy to be back in the familiar space of the bathroom even.
He couldn't help but think, though, while he was showering, of all the times that Carol would slip into the shower with him or he'd slip in with her. He almost expected, though not with any real conviction for her to slip in there tonight. When she didn't, though, he wasn't too surprised. He shut off the water, toweling off, and got dressed quickly in his clean clothes. He considered taking the dirty ones back with him for Miss Jo to do when she got his laundry, but on second thought he dropped them into the hamper, figuring it wouldn't hurt to have a few changes of clothes there beyond what he'd left behind when he packed to go on his stupid fucking hiatus that had got him caught up in this mess.
Daryl stepped out of the bedroom and made his way into the nursery where the light was shining. He figured Carol was in there going through whatever treasures she'd acquired. The door was a little cracked so he pushed it open. Carol was in the middle of the floor with things spread out around her.
Daryl leaned against the door frame and watched her for a moment before she turned her head, obviously realizing he was present. She smiled a slight smile at him.
"Look at all of this," Carol said. She had something in her lap folded up…it looked like a white blanket and she ran her hand across it. "I can't believe Maggie and Beth didn't want these. Look at them. They're all so beautiful and Miss Jo made them herself."
"What the hell is it?" Daryl asked.
"This is a receiving blanket," Carol said. "Look it's all lace and she knitted it. Some of these are just crib blankets, things like that."
"Why ya need so many damn blankets?" Daryl asked. Carol frowned at him and he snickered. "Sorry…guess I didn't realize ya need so damn many."
"Babies need things, Daryl," Carol said. "And Miss Jo made them…it'd be a shame to just let the moths eat them in their attic when the baby can use them. I don't have any of my things from when I was a baby."
She looked a little sad about it and Daryl walked around, sitting on the floor on the other side of the box she was looking through.
"What happened to ya stuff?" He asked.
Carol sighed.
"Mama got rid of most of it," Carol said. "I guess my dad was a little like Maggie and Beth. Out with the old and in with the new. He told her that by the time I grew up and had kids I wouldn't want all that stuff so she shouldn't crowd up the attic with it."
Daryl nodded his head a little and picked up one of the smaller items folded on the floor. He unfolded it and looked at it.
"And this? This a blanket too?" He asked. "Pretty damn small…"
Carol chuckled.
"That's a burping cloth, Daryl," Carol said.
"Kid's got special blankets for burpin'?" Daryl asked with a chuckle.
"It's for when they spit up," Carol explained. "A lot of the time when you burp a baby they'll spit up a little, so that keeps you from wearing the spit up…at least when you remember to throw it over your shoulder."
Daryl didn't know much about babies, but he had a feeling he was heading straight for a crash course when this one got done baking.
"I don't reckon my Ma woulda kept none a' that stuff either," Daryl said. He thought about it for a moment. He couldn't imagine, from what he could remember of his mother, her ever even really being that much of a mother. He couldn't imagine, for instance, her taking the time to make all these damn blankets like Miss Jo or even to fawn over them like Carol. He could have been wrong, and she might have been a hell of a lot different when they were babies, but he didn't remember her being that kind. "Even if she did, by the time she fuckin' died weren't much left that belonged to anybody. Don't know where the hell it went or if there just weren't much a shit between my parents, but I don't remember there bein' hardly a damn thing in that house last time we left it."
Carol looked at him, pausing in her petting of the blankets she had stacked in her lap.
"I'm sorry, Daryl," she said.
"Hell," he said. "Ain't nothin' but a damn thing, right?"
"If it bothers you, we don't have to talk about the baby things," Carol said.
Daryl realized, looking at her face, that no matter how damn much remember his shitty childhood might bother him, the thought of depriving her of even one damn minute of the joy she seemed to get out of this shit bothered him more.
Daryl plastered a smile on his face.
"Don't be stupid," he said. "This is my damn kid we talkin' 'bout…an' I want the little fucker to have all the damn blankets an' shit it can use."
Carol smiled at him a little and nodded, keeping her lips tight. She was quiet for a minute and he recognized that she was obviously a little emotional over the shit.
"Miss Jo wants me to tell her as soon as we find out what it is," Carol said. "She said she's making something for the baby."
"What'cha mean? It's a boy," Daryl said. "Always fuckin' boys…that's how ya know the damn thing's a Dixon." He teased.
Carol looked at him, narrowing her eyes and making her fake annoyed face.
"Are you questioning the paternity of my baby?" Carol asked.
Daryl chuckled.
"Ya better be damn glad I know what the fuck that word means or I mighta fucked that up," he responded. "No, I'm just tellin' ya that I know it's a boy."
"We'll know in two weeks," Carol said. "I have an ultrasound appointment and the doctor's going to see if she can tell then."
Daryl tipped his head to the side.
"Two damn weeks, huh? Then ya gon' finally believe me?" He said.
Carol smiled.
"Two weeks…and then we'll see," Carol said. "Do you really think it's a boy or are you just teasing?"
Daryl shrugged a little.
"I mean…I honestly don't know no one in our damn family…not what I can remember at least…that ever had no kid that weren't a boy," Daryl said. "So I reckon I do think it's gonna be a boy. Why? Ya think it's a girl?"
Now it was Carol's turn to shrug.
"I don't know, Daryl," she said. "I really don't know what I think. It doesn't matter to me, though. I'd be just as happy with a boy as I would be with a girl. I just want the baby to be healthy."
"Every fuckin' parent says that," Daryl said. "It's dumb too. That's a fuckin' given. Who you know that's gonna say they don't care if their kid ain't healthy?"
Carol smiled at him, but it wasn't a totally sincere smile. He could see, again, that she was trying not to cry. She hugged herself a moment, sitting there, and Daryl wondered if she was going to keep it under control or if he'd do better to go ahead and start making his way across the floor.
When her eyes started to dart around, though, and he noticed her rock just a little, he decided he might as well get over there and get in the ring. Daryl crawled across the floor and sat next to her, pulling her against him.
"Go ahead," he said. "Get it the fuck out…gotta come out some damn time or another."
As soon as he gave her the permission, Carol writhed around and buried her face in his chest, sobbing. He rubbed her back until she had control of it, but she didn't move.
"I really mean it, Daryl," Carol said. "I really mean that the only thing I want is to know that the baby is going to be OK…"
"Hush now," Daryl said, rocking her a little against him, despite their odd position on the floor. He felt like an ass for a moment. He hadn't thought about the shit that she'd been through with Ed and a kid…though suddenly he was remembering it and that coupled with this shit with Ed probably wasn't making his comment any damn bit better. "I ain't meant ya was stupid," Daryl said. "I was just joshin' ya. Baby's gonna be just fine…it's a Dixon…gonna be healthy as a fuckin' horse. Ya doc said it was all good, right? Just gotta wait this shit out, that's all."
Carol sat up a moment later, swiping at her face. Her eyes looked swollen and red and Daryl could see she was exhausted from the events of the day.
"Let's put all this back in ya box," Daryl said. "Ya can play with it some more tomorrow. I think ya need ta go ta bed. I'll lay with ya."
Carol shook her head.
"We can't," she said, still shaking her head. "We can't do that, Daryl. It's too soon."
Daryl shook his head this time.
"Put'cha stuff in ya box. I ain't gonna stay the night and I ain't gonna take nothin' off or touch ya or nothin' except if ya want me to," Daryl said. "We gon' do this the right way, just like ya wanta do it. I'm just gonna lay with ya 'til ya fall asleep an' then I'm gonna let myself out. I promise."
Carol looked like she was considering it and she did move to put the things in the box finally. After that, she got up and went to the bedroom and Daryl stayed outside the bedroom door, like a kid, until she called him in and told him she was ready for bed.
When Daryl walked in, Carol was already in the bed, covers pulled over her. He sighed and walked over, lying down next to her.
"Can I put my arm over ya at least?" He asked.
"Yeah," Carol said.
Daryl put his arm around her and held her. She wished him goodnight and told him she loved him in a soft voice that let him know that she was already working on going to sleep. He repeated it back to her and lie there, trailing his fingers up and down her arm, until he heard her breathing even out.
When he was sure that she was as deeply asleep as she was going to get, Daryl got up and cut the lights off in the bedroom. He stopped long enough to set her alarm clock, figuring she probably had work at Michonne's in the morning since it was a workday. If she didn't, he reasoned she could turn the alarm off and go back to sleep, but at least she wouldn't miss work and be upset about it…not that he really thought Michonne would be too pissed off about it.
Daryl left the bedroom door cracked on his way out of the room and stopped by the side door to let Lincoln out into the yard to do his business. While he was waiting on the dog, he saw Axel pull into the driveway in his car and Andrea opened the car door.
Daryl hated feeling like a peeper as he stood there in the doorway, but there really wasn't much else to look at out there. He watched as Andrea, illuminated by the interior lights of the car that were triggered by her open door, leaned over and kissed Axel before she got out and closed the door, pulling her jacket closed around her and waving over her shoulder at Axel as she headed up to the carport to go in the door.
Daryl let Lincoln back in and closed the side door, locking it. He turned, headed toward the kitchen to get the dog a treat just as Andrea came into the kitchen from the other door.
"Out late," Daryl said.
"Got caught up, Dad," Andrea said with a smile. "Where's Carol?"
"Asleep," Daryl said. "She was pretty shook up over this whole Ed thing."
Andrea nodded.
"Can't say as I blame her," Andrea said.
"You ain't shook up?" Daryl asked.
Andrea made a face and shook her head.
"Not really. I mean I can answer their questions…that's about all I've got," she said. "I don't even know what the hell they expect me to know or to say, you know? I'll just have to see what comes."
Daryl nodded his head a little.
"Have a beer with me?" Andrea asked, going to the fridge and getting a beer out.
Daryl shook his head.
"I'll take a glass a' tea," he said. "Gotta drive back to Hershel's an' the last damn thing I need is some shit ta happen an' Rick Grimes or some damn body think my ass was drinkin' an' drivin'."
"Have a seat on the couch," Andrea said. "I'll bring you a glass."
Daryl didn't argue. He walked over to the couch and took a seat. A few minutes later Andrea came in with her beer and a glass which she passed to him. She sat on the couch and pulled her shoes off, slipping them on top of the couch so she didn't have to keep an eye on them. She swung around, propping her feet in Daryl's lap as he leaned back against the back of the couch.
"Get'cha stinkin' ass feet offa me," Daryl said.
Andrea chuckled.
"They're just feet," Andrea said, making no effort to move them in the slightest. Luckily, for Daryl, he didn't have any real problem with feet and just liked to give the blonde a hard damn time about anything he could.
"So tell me 'bout'cha fuckin' boyfriend," Daryl said. "What the fuck ya doin' with that loser?"
Andrea kicked at him, trying to pinch his stomach with her toes. He pushed her foot away.
"Stop tryin' ta get at me with ya nasty ass monkey toes," Daryl said.
Andrea chuckled and then sighed, stretching back against the arm of the chair behind her back and then sitting up to take a drink of her beer.
"What can I say?" She asked. "I like Axel. I'm not sure that I like, like Axel, but I like him."
"Well that made a whole lotta fuckin' sense," Daryl said.
Andrea chuckled again.
"I like Axel as a friend," Andrea said. "He would like there to be more…and I'm thinking about that. I'm not saying there will be and I'm not saying there won't be."
"So ya stringin' his ass along?" Daryl asked.
Andrea took a swig of beer and shook her head, flexing her toes at Daryl again and he pushed her foot away.
"Is it stringing him along if I'm honest with him?" Andrea asked. "If I tell him that I'm not sure what I want but that right now I want to be friends with him…and I'm not saying never ever, but I'm not saying yes to the future either? Is that stringing along?"
Daryl thought about it.
"I reckon not," Daryl said. "Hell if he knows what he's gettin' then I don't suppose he can be too sore when that's what the hell he gets."
Andrea nodded her head.
"Ya reckon ya can do me a favor?" Daryl asked.
"What?" Andrea asked.
Daryl bit at his thumb and looked at her.
"Keep an eye out for Carol? 'Specially tonight? She's shook up 'bout this Ed shit an' I hate fuckin' leavin' but I promised her I weren't gonna stay on account a' this whole take it slow deal she's got goin' on…" Daryl said.
Andrea nodded at him.
"Sure," she said, smiling. "Of course I'll keep an eye on her. I might even surprise her with a slumber party. That mattress is a hell of a lot more comfortable than mine anyway."
"Ya been sleepin' in my bed?" Daryl asked.
Andrea shrugged.
"Just sometimes," she said. "Friends keep each other company when nights are hard."
Daryl wasn't sure how to respond, so he just nodded his head. He supposed that Carol might have had a couple of rocky nights during the time that he was taking a mental vacation from everything and trying to get his head under control…if that was ever even possible.
Daryl sighed and pushed Andrea's feet out of his lap.
"Reckon I oughta get fuckin' goin'," Daryl said. "Gotta get my ass up for work in the mornin' an' that damn rooster a' Hershel's is gotta be fuckin' blind 'cause the damn bird don't know when the hell the sun comes up."
Andrea snickered.
"Lock up behind me?" Daryl asked.
"Yeah," Andrea said. "When you coming back for good?"
Daryl didn't know how to answer that. He didn't know when he was coming back for good so he certainly couldn't tell Andrea.
"When Carol an' me know each other good enough, I reckon," Daryl said. "When the fuck ya movin' out?"
Andrea snickered a little.
"When you and Carol throw my ass out, I suppose," Andrea said.
Daryl chuckled and walked into the kitchen, putting his glass in the sink before he headed toward the door. He stopped and put his shoes on, rubbing Lincoln behind the ears before he stood up to leave.
"Reckon we fuckin' stuck with ya ass, then," Daryl said.
Andrea smiled and nodded a little.
"Lock the fuckin' door," Daryl said. "An' remember ta watch out for Carol."
"Get out of here, asshole," Andrea said. She got up then and crossed the space toward the door, pushing Lincoln back as Daryl slipped out into the night. He stood just outside the door until he heard the lock click into place and then he made his way down the driveway to get in his truck.
Daryl sat in the truck for a moment and watched as one by one the lights that were on went off. He saw the light that went to Andrea's room flick on and he figured that she'd probably change before going to check on Carol.
Daryl sighed and cranked the truck, driving back towards Hershel's farm for the night.