Carol watched as Daryl crested the hill part of his chest exposed a slight smile crossing his face as Mac spoke to him. She couldn't help but to look at his skin as it glistened with water as he buttoned his shirt. She felt like a voyeur but something about that man called to her in a way not even his twin brother did.

His eyes suddenly flashed up to her and she felt her face burn hot as she looked off. She heard Mac speaking to him and seen Daryl shaking his head his brother elbowing him and making gestures that would have made her blush if it was possible to blush any brighter. Daryl gripped Mac's wrist with visible crushing strength stopping his motions as they got to their set of tents and she couldn't help but to smirk as she watched them fight against each other for a second.

She had never seen or met men like them before but for all their rough looks and language she had never felt more safe than she did knowing they were in camp. She knew Sophia liked watching Daryl as he messed with anything and seen her daughter venturing towards him on more than one occasion. Ed had noticed as well and had tried getting to her resulting in Carol taking more of a beating than she had in years.

She was still shocked at the way Mac had reacted to Ed glaring at his brother but then again they were extremely close. You didn't need to know them to see it, they were closer to each other than they appeared to even be to Merle. What she had seen of the oldest Dixon made her feel like he was more of a paternal figure to the pair of them than anything. Like he had spent his life looking out for them. They were a interesting bunch and she found herself more and more trying to unravel the mystery that was the Dixon men.

"Mama."

Carol lifted her eyes to that of the red puffy ones of Sophia and panicked. Fear gripped her heart making her think Ed had caught her alone, "What is it honey?"

"Mac and Daryl wont let him hurt us."

Carol sucked in a breath, "Honey we aint draggin' anyone in to this. I told you baby I'll get us out of it."

Sophia walked closer her eyes seeking Daryl out and she seen her daughter relax seeing the man. Carol felt sick knowing that a stranger made her daughter feel safer at the moment than even she did. Carol looked over at the two men seeing a rare smile on Daryl's face as his brother gestured wildly talking to him.

"He'll kill you mama and I don't wanna be alone with him."

Carol felt her heart-break at the fear in her voice, "I'm not leaving you."

"He wont give you an option it's why I like them." Carol raised an eyebrow at her and Sophia smiled a genuine smile at her, "They wont stand by and let it happen."

Carol pulled her daughter into her kissing the side of her head closing her eyes for a minute and just breathing in her soothing scent. She needed to get away from Ed before he found a way to hurt her or worse. She knew if she was out-of-the-way Sophia would never make it with the monster that Ed was.

Carol kept a close eye on Sophia the rest of the day making sure she was never to far away from her. She was folding clothes when she looked down actually looking at what she was folding. She didn't need to question it to know whose it was. She had seen him in more ripped flannel shirts than she thought she'd ever seen in her life. She wasn't sure how she had managed to get his clothes but she had.

Finishing folding the clothes she gathered his stack and made her way over when she seen Ed dunk into the tent. Hopefully he was passing out for the day and she wouldn't have to deal with him any.

Stepping closer to the Dixon camp she was met with the smell of blood and searched out the cause of it and grimaced when she seen him cleaning more kills. He lifted his eyes to her and she felt heat creep up face again after she had looked at him earlier. His hair was sticking up at odd angles letting her know he had run his hands though it.

He grunted as her his eyes going back his work and she found her eyes following the smooth and practiced motions of his knife. It moved like it was an extension of his arm and she smiled at his skill and ease. When he hissed between his teeth and jerked his hand back she seen fresh blood bloomed across his fingers.

"Fuck me." He muttered his southern drawl racing through her blood.

"Where can I set these?"

Daryl looked up at her seeing the stack of clothes she had and she seen his face burn red, "You didn't need to do that."

Carol shrugged, "Don't mind."

Daryl shook his head at her, "You do enough aint expectin' you do to do shit for me. I aint a sorry bastard."

Carol smiled at him, "Didn't say you were."

Daryl stood and jerked his head at her, "Covered in blood here, just set them through the door."

Carol nodded at him and turned moving towards the opening for his tent. Stepping through she was met and surrounded with his scent and breathed deeply. His natural scent permeated the air along with the smell of leather, aftershave, smoke, motor oil slightly, and something more masculine than she had ever smelled in her life.

Setting his clothes down she was surprised to find that he wasn't a male version of a hurricane making more messes than what someone would believe. Everything had a place and she could tell that camping wasn't anything new to him. Ed otherwise made everything a mess and it all smelled thickly of stale smoke and body odor no matter how much she cleaned. She was beginning to loathe him more and more.

She turned seeing Daryl cleaning his hand up while standing next to his fire. "Take this with you when you go." He grunted.

Carol flicked her eyes down to the cut up meat, "You sure?"

Daryl looked at her his too blue eyes piercing straight through her, "Wouldn't have said it if'n I wasn't."

"Thank you Daryl."

He shook his head at her his face going red, "No need to thank me woman."

She hummed in the back of her throat taking what he offered and making her way over to the main camp. Setting down by the other women as they go the food together she seen Andrea smile at her before finishing up with what she was doing.

Amy leaned over towards her and Carol looked at the girl, "What are you doing?"

"You smell good. What is that?" Amy smiled.

Carol sniffed her shirt and was met with the smell of Daryl from where she had went into his tent. She smirked to herself and shrugged, "Don't know."

Andrea snorted at her and gave her a pointed look before looking to where Daryl was at. Carol followed his eyes seeing him messing with his bow his hands sliding with care and grace along its structure.

"She's right, you do smell good." Andrea teased her. "Distinctly Dixon."

Carol snorted and shook her head, "You have fun playing with fire earlier?"

Andrea smiled at her, "Always was one for a challenge."

Amy looked at her, "You talking about Mac?" Andrea nodded at her words but didn't go on. Amy's face lit up and she leaned in her voice dropping, "Did you see him down by the water!"

Andrea looked up, "You know I did! How can you not see those two."

Carol shifted in her seat as the girls started talking about the brothers. She smiled at Amy's youthful view on things and men, it was hard for her to believe that she had been like that at one point. But she had and it had caused her nothing but grief. Though now the Ed's of the world were hopefully dead and gone.

"It's like the lottery seeing twins that look like that!" Amy cooed. "I could watch them all day. Daryl and his sleeveless shirts and Mac's obvious strut."

Andrea smiled at her sister letting her rambled and babble on, "I know one thing. Looking at that Mac makes me miss my vibrator."

Carol laughed along with Jacqui and Amy before her eyes slid around making sure no one was around, "I know what you mean."

All the women busted out laughing causing a few heads to turn their way. Carol felt the heat of his gaze as it slid across her body and fought the shudder that wanted to tear through her. It honestly scared her the attraction she felt for him. She hadn't felt this way since the first year of her marriage and it was a bit unnerving that a man who hadn't said more than a handful of words to her was able to cause such reactions in her.

Andrea leaned into Carol, "With a strut like that you know he's got something to be proud of." She waggled her eyebrows at Carol. "And twins!"

Carol just shook her head starting on what they would eat for dinner. She laughed along with them and felt some of the tension that being with Ed caused leave her body. She knew that if she made a move to leave him that this group would help her in the end. She was a little stunned that Sophia had approached Mac, and was curious about what was said between them.

Sophia ran past laughing with Carl as they ran laps through camp. Carol watched her and seen Daryl's eyes lift every so often tracking her motions, especially when she neared the trees. He looked after her more than her own father did and the man had no obligation to her whatsoever. Carol looked away not wanting to think about the feeling that were stirring in her over this man.