Daryl didn't realize the trip that took him just over 8 hours to drive on his own would take two days to drive back with a 4 year old in tow. He was standing outside a cafe watching Carol try coax him back into a car seat. Ollie didn't want to go he wanted to be carried the rest of the way in arms and they could walk there. Carol was trying to tell him that they still had a long way to go. They still had another three hours to go on their trip.

Daryl had rung Merle hours before to go to the store and buy him a bed, some toys, some clothes and anything that Merle could think of to put in the fridge that he should have for a 4 year old. Daryl told Merle to get what he thought and sort the bedroom out please for the little guy incase they had people show up on the doorstep the moment they got home he wanted to be prepaired. He'd asked Carol about clothes for him. She told him what sizes to get and Merle was going to put it all on the shops credit card and Daryl would pay that. He felt a little better knowing he wasn't going to be going into a pretty empty house. It was a shell of a home. Nothing really had moved since she left. Her tooth brush was still in the bathroom mocking him and he'd let Maggie throw out the rotting food in the fridge only when it started to smell. She'd been sneaky and thrown out stuff that needed to go. Every thing else was left as it was.

Maggie had gone over, with Merle and her baby and they had giving the house a going over. It wasn't dirty but just unloved. One man didn't make it dirty but she wanted it to be nice for Carol. She had her baby strapped to her and vacumed everywhere. Merle had cleaned the windows and put the curtains through the wash. By the time they finished the house looked loved somewhat. Maggie went with Merle to choose stuff for Ollie and new beds for the whole house. Merle organized some of the guys from work to come over to help him move funiture and make beds. Maggie took tags off clothes and washed everything. Put it through the dryer and folded it for Ollie to come home to a clean room with clean clothes.

They both stared at the little shelf with Sophia's ashes. Merle took it all down, whipped everything. Dusted everything. It was the one area of the house Daryl kept on top of every week wiping it all down and cleaning it up. Merle put up some art to take the blandness off the walls. When Carol lived there the house always felt welcoming, warm and inviting. They tried their best to create that feel in all the rooms. Merle decided in his wisdom to move Daryl's room around. They took out the old bed and brought in the new one with new everything, covers, blankets and duvet cover. There was a huge photo of their wedding day on the wall plus some baby photos in frames. Maggie looked at them as to take them down. Merle said to leave it all and they just dusted around, opened windows. It was done and now waiting for the family to come home.

Merle had listened to Daryl on the phone and told him that they would get it sorted for him. It would be done before they got home. Daryl briefly told him about Carol's problems and that they were getting on ok. He was blown away that he had a little boy. Looking at him made his heart ache go away a little. Merle told him that he was pleased they were getting on ok. Daryl didn't mention the fact he knew that Merle knew he cheated on Carol. He was going to touch on that again when he arrived home. He just wanted the little guy to have what he needed. Merle told him that he and Maggie would sort it all out.

Daryl had quickly realized they wouldn't be getting home that day as the little boy went into full melt down. He was tired. He'd had enough of the car for that day and needed a rest. Hell they all needed a rest right now but they were nudging the state line. He could see the stress on Carol's face and the tears falling quietly down the little boys face and he couldn't keep them going on.

'Carol lets just get a room, he's tired as fuck,' Daryl said, he put his hand over his mouth realizing what he said. Ollie heard it, Carol heard it and she waited for the repeat button to start working as Ollie liked to remember and repeat everything he shouldn't. Daryl had a lot to learn about being around children, he let what ever he was thinking come flying out of his mouth, Carol flashed him a look that he knew he was going to get in deep shit if he kept it up.

'Dont' say that,' Carol hissed, 'Don't listen,' she told Ollie, Ollie opened his mouth to repeat the word and he caught Carol's eye and shut his mouth, and yawned.

They wouldn't get back till after midnight at this rate and the house wouldn't be ready he didn't think and trying to do stuff late at night it would be better for them all to go tomorrow and just be done with it. Daryl looked around and indicated to a hotel down the road a bit. It was more up market than where they were staying it didn't bother him where they were staying he had plenty of money, Carol had been insisting on paying half. 'Why don't we just get a room down there or something?'

'I can't afford to stay there,' she told him.

'I'll pay, shit Carol, you're moving back in with me, assuming you won't have a job so I'm going to be paying for everything anyway's, we can afford it, its not like I've been spending my money on anything else,' he said, 'Just lets go before he winds up and starts howling or something, we could get one with a spa or something, chill out, room service the works. Lets just chill out and we can have a decent chat once he's in bed,'

'Ok fine, ok,' Carol was tired and Ollie was crying. Daryl didn't know what to do now, they barely been talking to each other both wrapped up in their own thoughts, Daryl kept saying he was sorry and Carol wanted to put her hands around his neck or something. She couldn't believe their marriage had ended and he didn't remember why.

'Come on little guy, you want to walk down the road with me and ya ma can drive the car,' Daryl suggested, Carol did up his jacket and Ollie accepted the shoulder ride on Daryl's shoulders and they walked down the 500 yards to get yet another room for the night. Ollie was going to think he was a no mad soon flitting from hotel to hotel, Carol was going to insist they order some thing decent to each tonight. Also they all needed to get a good sleep. The past two nights had been funny sleeping patterns and arrangements.

Both nights Carol had ended up sharing with Daryl and somehow during the nights they made it into each others arms. Something she wanted to put a stop too. It wasn't something she was interested in going back for. She followed down the road in the car and pulled into the car park. Daryl went in with Ollie and got a room. He come back with keys and grabbed their bags to go in. The room was fancy, really fancy and Ollie was jumping all over the bed. She looked at Daryl.

'It was the last room left, we all going to have to share,' he pointed to the one massive bed that could sleep about 6 people across, she sighed and nodded.

'When all this sorts itself out, Ollie and I will find our own place, you can still visit him,'

Daryl just looked at her, he didn't really know what to say. 'Look, you can stay at the house, I'll move out, if you give me a bit, I'll fix up the plumbing in the flat above the garage and move in there. The house is paid off. If you don't want to be in that house because of the memories, we can sell it and buy somewhere else, whatever you want. If you really really want to work we do need someone to do the books and ordering while Merle's wifes ... she just had another baby,... you know till you find something,'

'Merle got married?' Carol's gut dropped, he'd married her. She wanted to vomit.

Daryl wandered around the room opening up the bathroom door, sure enough there was a huge spa bath in there. Another day another time he would of suggested filling it and staying in there until they wrinkled. Carol was putting a wall up, the moving out and away she was making it clear to him she only wanted to remain friends. She wanted the whole stalking thing to end and she needed him to protect her from losing Ollie. The look on her face made it clear. Her words said she forgive him but her frame of mind said she might not even want to be friends, maybe just tolerate him now.

'He married the farmers daughter,' Daryl told her.

'Maggie? My Maggie? They have kids? How?' Carol was confused she was also happy he didn't marry her.

'Well they both were looking for you and I guess they spent long enough together in a car that they realized they fancied each other. Got 3 kids too, 2 boys and a...' Daryl stalled, he hadn't even looked at her photo when Merle tried to show him, 'Phoebe,' He looked around the room looking awkward a little, she could see it wasn't something he was comfortable with, 'I ain't seen them... I couldn't you know, it hurts really bad,'

Carol just stood there, Ollie tugging on her hand when she realized she missed so much, her best friend married Merle Dixon of all people, that loud drinking foul mouth she used to hate, but had helped her when she was grieving. She really couldn't believe it. How the heck did that even work. Maggie was so kind and sweet and Merle... well he was the biggest arsehole she'd ever met, except that one time after they lost Sophia he was there for her, 'What about Glenn?'

'Well Glenn realized he batted for the other team, got himself a cute little cop, Caesar Martinez,' Daryl tried to keep a straight face because Carol looked like she was in shock.

'Martinez?' Carol looked at him, 'The guy who called himself a walking chick device now with Glenn,'

'Yeah and they are kinda cute,' Daryl admitted, 'Even Merle thinks they are cute together,'

Carol couldn't' believe it really, she just stood there not knowing what was the weirder couple. She held her hands out to Ollie to jump off the bed and suggested they looked at the menus to see what they wanted for dinner. Fruit Salad, and healthy options were some of the things she had in mind. Daryl pulled out his phone to give his brother a call to let them know they wouldn't be there until tomorrow.