AN: Here you go, the first of the Christmas chapters…
I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!
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Carol glanced back toward Daryl who was a few feet away in line and waiting to get them some of the wax paper cones filled with pralines. She was standing near the sidewalk, scanning the crowd as everyone bustled about to get ready for the parade that would be passing through soon.
All of Sweet Junction was aglow…at least as far as Main Street went. All the businesses had long since turned off their lights and the Christmas lights and wreaths strung up on anything that would hold still lit up the place like a wonderland.
There would be a parade, the height of which would feature Santa riding through town, and then most of the town would retire or either head down to the park where the old men of the town had spent the entire week stringing up Christmas lights and other decorations. Carol was more excited about the light show than she was about anything else. There would be caroling too. She hadn't been in a long time, but she held the memories of how magical it once was dear in her mind and she hoped she wouldn't be disappointed tonight.
Still, she was looking for her friends. Somewhere in the crowd she was supposed to be finding Michonne and Tyreese who were there with the girls, and Andrea was supposed to be somewhere with Merle, though she hadn't seen evidence of any of them so far. In fact, the only person besides Daryl that she'd seen and known was Axel and that was only because he'd come at the same time they had and had gotten roped, somehow, into handing out candy canes for one of the businesses that bought treats for all the children.
Carol was growing a little concerned that she might not find anyone. It was like a veritable "Where's Waldo" out there and if she didn't find them before they started the parade she wasn't likely to find them until they got to the park.
She glanced back toward Daryl again and then returned to scanning the crowd, trying to focus on each and every face for a moment to see if she'd missed them, somehow in all the ruckus.
When her eyes fell on the face she wasn't expecting, though…the one she didn't want to see, she forgot that she was looking for anyone else.
He was almost directly across the street from her, caught up a little in the crowd, but clearly there and looking back at her. He was looking at her…there was no doubt about it. She couldn't see very clearly, but she thought he was smirking at her and her heart leapt up into her throat.
"Daryl…" she said, her voice coming out in a hoarse whisper.
Carol abandoned her search suddenly and made her way through the crowd toward Daryl, her heart pounding and her lungs tightening to the point she could barely breathe.
"Daryl!" She cried out, not really looking where she was going. She barreled into Daryl hard, only realizing it was him when he spoke.
"Damn girl!" Daryl said with a laugh. "Damn near knock my ass in the dirt. What's goin' on? Ya find Andrea yet?"
Carol stood in front of him, trying desperately to get control over her nerves, and shook her head.
"He's here…" she said, looking at Daryl.
Daryl wrinkled his brow at her and handed her one of the wax paper cones that he was holding.
"Who?" He asked.
Carol glanced around, suddenly feeling strangely paranoid, to the point that she couldn't control her own jumpiness.
"Ed," she said quietly, feeling like everyone around them was looking at her, even though she knew they weren't.
"What?" Daryl asked.
"Ed!" Carol said a little louder. "He's here…he's across the street…Daryl I don't think I want to stay…"
Daryl stepped forward, rushing almost to the spot where Carol had been standing earlier and shouldering an older gentleman out of the way with a quiet apology. Carol followed right behind him, bumping against him before she came to a full stop.
"I don't see nothin'…" Daryl said.
Carol let her eyes fall back over the crowd…right over where she knew that he had been. But he wasn't there now.
"He's gone," she said, feeling her throat tighten. "He's not there…he was right there, Daryl. He looked right at me. I swear…"
Carol was mad at herself suddenly. She'd spent all this damn time thinking that when Ed showed up she wouldn't be scared at all. It wouldn't even phase her. She'd practiced, even, speeches that she'd give him about how much she'd moved on and how she wasn't afraid of his ass any more than she was afraid of the big bad wolf.
But no matter what her brain said…no matter all the courage she'd been working up to having…her knees were shaky, her heart was pounding, and she was choking on the tears that she was determined not to let fall.
Daryl glanced at her and dropped an arm around her shoulder.
"S'OK…he's gone if he was there," Daryl said. "Fucker ain't gonna do shit out here no way. Whole damn town's here. He might be a dumb ass sorry fuck, but ain't no damn body that fuckin' dumb."
Carol's stomach twisted suddenly and she got colder than she'd been before.
"Daryl…we've got to find Andrea…we've got to find Andrea and Michonne…they don't know he's out here," Carol said. She felt a type of panic rising up in her chest that she wasn't used to and suddenly she felt almost like she was trapped or something…she needed to get loose from whatever it was and she needed to find her friends.
Her brain reminded her that the businesses had shut down around them. The whole town had shut down for the parade. And the Rhee family was here. She'd seen them two or three times…they were just down the street a tiny piece. That meant their restaurant was shut down, but Andrea wasn't here, or she hadn't seen her. Something had kept Andrea from getting here and it wasn't work because the Rhee family was here.
And Michonne was supposed to be coming with the girls. Tyreese was supposed to be coming with her, but if he didn't make it or he was late she'd have come on her own. She was out here somewhere with two little girls…and Ed was here.
"Daryl," Carol said, tugging at him. "We've got to find them!"
Daryl squeezed her tighter to him, chuckling softly.
"Calm down, Carol. Do some a' ya fancy breathin' or somethin'. I seen Michonne already. She spoke when I was in line gettin' pralines. She was lettin' the girls see Mrs. Clause over there," Daryl said.
Carol glanced in the direction of Daryl's gesture and could see Jo Greene in costume, handing out treats, but Michonne wasn't around.
"She's not over there," Carol said.
"No…'cause Santa done took Angie with him ta ride in the sleigh an' she was movin' on down toward where they was startin' the parade in case her lil' elf wussed out at the last damn minute. Tyreese is with her. Whether or not Ed's sorry ass is here, she's just damn fine," Daryl said.
"Andrea…" Carol said. "The Rhee family's here, Daryl. She's not at work. If she's alone…"
Daryl cut her off by almost squeezing the breath out of her with the arm he had hooked protectively around her.
"Merle was goin' ta get Andrea," Daryl said. "Said he wanted ta talk ta her. I reckon they just fine. Merle ain't gonna let fuckin' Ed Peletier put his damn hands on Andrea."
"You know how Merle is," Carol said. "What if he started something and she stormed off? She could be out here alone…"
"I got me a pretty good inklin' that Merle weren't aimin' ta have the kinda conversation with Andrea that she was liable ta up an' run from," Daryl said. He squeezed her again. "Promise ya…everythin's just fine. Whether or not Ed's ass is any damn where around here he ain't layin' a finger on no damn body. Stop worryin'."
Carol was finding it simultaneously hard to worry and hard to stop worrying. On the one hand she knew that she'd seen Ed. Daryl might think it was a hallucination or even something akin to believing that she saw Bigfoot, but she knew that she'd seen him. And she still didn't know where Andrea was…even if Michonne was indeed safe, off in the crowd somewhere with Tyreese. On the other hand, Daryl was calm and his arm was wrapped around her in such a way that it almost suggested to her body that there was nothing to fear…that nothing could happen.
Carol was calmed a few moments later when Andrea and Merle pushed through the crowd. She broke away from Daryl a moment and wrapped her arms around Andrea, not even trying to hide the fact that she was relieved to see that Ed hadn't found her alone at the restaurant and none of the images of having to identify her friend's body that her brain had offered her were going to come true.
"Good to see you too," Andrea said, hugging Carol back and digging some of the nuts out of the cone that Carol had honestly forgotten she was even holding. Carol thrust the wax paper cone at Andrea's hand, trying to get her breathing under control again where it had become ragged in the few seconds.
Andrea took the wax paper cone and looked at it, confused, and then looked back at Carol.
"You can have them," Carol said. She shook her head and hugged herself, Andrea's arm going around her and guiding her toward where Daryl and Merle were standing now, their breath fogging in the night air.
"What's going on?" Andrea asked.
"Carol thinks she saw Ed," Daryl offered.
Carol glared at him.
"I did see Ed," Carol said. Daryl reached over and pulled her back to him, tugging her away from Andrea.
"That's what I meant," he said, rubbing her arm. She didn't miss the look that crossed Merle's face. "Was worried 'bout Andrea but I told her ya was good with her."
Merle and Andrea glanced at one another. Merle cleared his throat.
"Yeah," he said. "We're uh…we're good."
Merle glanced at Andrea and she nodded her head, stopping her chewing of the pralines. She smiled a little at Merle before turning to face Carol.
"Just fine," she said. "Got a little caught up at work so everyone else could leave…Merle waited on me."
"See?" Daryl said, squeezing Carol. "Ain't nothin' ta worry 'bout. If he's out here, he knows ta keep his ass in the damn shadows."
"Or under the fuckin' bridge he crawled out from under," Merle offered with a chuckle. "Son of a bitch better know better than ta start nothin' right in the damn middle a' the town. I'd hate ta go ta jail tonight."
Carol wrapped her arms around Daryl and inhaled deeply, taking in his scent and trying to calm her nerves. She knew she'd seen Ed, but he'd disappeared. She didn't know where he'd gone, but they were probably right. Ed was only allowed out here because the restraining order she had only covered so much. He was still a resident of Sweet Junction, even though he'd become a more or less mythical resident since his stint in prison, and the restraining order couldn't keep him away from town functions and public places as long as it wasn't her place of work while she was there, her private property, or he wasn't attempting to contact or harass her. He had just as much right as anyone else to be at the Christmas Eve parade. After all, it was important that people like Ed have rights.
Carol forgot about Ed, though, more or less as the night wore on. The parade started up before long and she huddled close to Daryl, stealing nuts out of the cone he held in his hand and watching as the pretty floats went by and people she'd seen her entire life strolled the streets in costumes throwing candy out at the children who were up well past their bedtimes on the one night of the year that they would have gladly retired hours before they had to.
Carol laughed out loud when the final float, decorated like a roof with a sleigh and some plastic reindeer, made its way in front of them. She waved, knowing she was lost in the crowd with everyone else, not realizing before this evening that Hershel would be playing Santa Clause, sitting up there on the sleigh in a bright red costume.
"That's Hershel!" She called at Andrea.
Anjelica, Michonne's oldest daughter, was asleep in his lap, but it didn't stop him from waving with his free arm and calling out Merry Christmas to everyone as the float, pulled by Maggie who was driving the old farm truck, slowly drifted past.
"Oh my God!" Andrea said with a laugh. "I didn't realize that Hershel was Santa this year!"
Daryl chuckled, the sound amplified for Carol who was leaning against him.
"That's what the hell he grew his damn beard out for," Daryl said. "Said when the kids pulled on his whiskers it made Christmas all the more real to 'em on account a' his whiskers was real."
Carol stayed still, just as she was, until the float had made its way past them. People were slowly starting to move about now and they would be breaking up soon. Daryl kept his arm around her, though, standing there, letting everyone else go where they would.
"Y'all headin' out ta the light show?" Daryl asked Merle and Andrea.
They looked at one another.
"We goin' out there for a lil' while," Merle said.
"I want to see the animated decorations," Andrea said. "They're my favorite part of the Christmas decorations."
Carol smiled at the mention of them. One part of the park was done almost entirely in animated decorations from what she remembered. Some sang, some danced, some just moved up and down. There was one she remembered from when she was young that was a snowman or something of the like that climbed a tree.
"We gotta wait here for Michonne an' Tyreese," Daryl said. "Told 'em we wouldn't head over without 'em. Where'd ya park?"
Merle cleared his throat again.
"We walked over from the apartment," he offered. "Left Andrea's car there…figured it'd be packed down here."
Daryl nodded slightly.
"Fine, we can give ya a ride back after we make a run through the park. Ain't gon' stay too damn long no way. Reckon Michonne's gonna wanna get her girls ta bed soon," Daryl responded.
It wasn't too long after he finished speaking that Tyreese approached them, his jacket most of the way zipped up and evidence of a sleeping Celine against his chest in a baby carrier, protected from the cold by the jacket.
"Michonne's coming," Tyreese said, hovering near them. "She had to get Angie back from Hershel."
"She looked so cute!" Carol declared.
Tyreese smiled.
"She didn't want to let go of him when he was holding her earlier, so he decided to take her with him. Looks like the poor thing didn't last long before she passed out.
Tyreese patted the lump in his jacket.
"Celine's been asleep since we parked the car almost," he said. "I think we're going to cut through the park pretty quickly so y'all don't need to try and wait up on us."
Daryl nodded at him, biting his lip and Carol rubbed her cheek against Daryl's chest.
"Just watch out, man," Daryl said. "Carol seen Ed an' he might be on the warpath or somethin'. Keep an eye on 'Chonne an' the girls."
Tyreese looked at Carol and then back at Daryl. He nodded.
"Always do, man…" Tyreese offered, turning now to look in the direction from which he'd come, realizing that Michonne was alone with Anjelica if she'd left the Greene's already. She was approaching, though, carrying a bundled and half sleeping Anjelica who was whining loud enough that she signaled their approach. "What's wrong with her?" Tyreese called out.
Michonne sighed loudly and stuck her tongue out, panting a little at the apparent weight of her daughter coupled with the distance she'd covered.
"Wanted to stay with Santa," Michonne said.
Carol smiled to herself as Daryl reached his arms out toward the little girl, probably with the hope of relieving Michonne's tired arms a moment since Tyreese was already occupied, and the little girl reached back toward him, sinking against him as Michonne passed her over.
"Thank you," Michonne panted.
"Ain't nothin'," Daryl said. "Keep close. Carol said she seen Ed an' we don't want no part a' his ass tonight."
Michonne looked at Carol and then stepped forward as they all started the trek toward the park. Carol felt Michonne slip an arm around her shoulder.
"You saw him out here?" Michonne asked as they fell in step behind Daryl and Tyreese with Andrea and Merle leading the pack.
"He was across the street," Carol said. "I saw him for just a minute, but he was there."
"But he didn't try to bother you or talk to you or anything?" Michonne asked.
Carol shook her head, hooking her arm around Michonne's waist to match her friend's hand placement around her own waist.
"No, he just stood there. He looked in my direction…it felt like he was watching me. I went for Daryl, but by the time we got back Ed had disappeared," Carol responded.
Michonne nodded, chewing at her lip for a second, her brows furrowed.
"It's nothing to worry about," she said. "Right, Daryl?" She called to the two ahead of them. "It's nothing to worry about."
"Right," Daryl said. He stopped walking and Tyreese glanced at him, following suit. "All the same, I'd rather the two of ya hop ya asses in front a' us where we can keep an eye on ya."
Carol didn't say anything, but she picked up her pace, her arm still around Michonne, until both of them were right behind Andrea and Merle. Daryl and Tyreese fell in behind them with the girls.
Up ahead, not too far, they could see the rest of the wave of people that were all headed out to the park. Carol squeezed Michonne a little as they walked and the woman returned the gesture, chuckling softly, both of them careful to keep their steps in sync as they walked.
Carol was still a little worried about the fact that she'd seen Ed with her own eyes, the first time since the court dates, but it was quickly dissolving in the holiday spirit around her. They'd go out, see the lights, and then they'd go home…to their warm and happy little house…and they'd have a good Christmas Eve night together. Their first Christmas Eve night together, and Carol had already made up her mind in the past little bit that she wasn't going to let Ed ruin that for her.