Carol was the second to 'wake up'. She, too, thought it was a dream. And she didn't question it until the third time she'd had it. How inconsistent the reactions were. She tempered herself after that, was more careful. But her first time?

Her first time, she reveledin the freedom she had.

She woke up before the sun rose, her thoughts on all the things she had to get done before Ed pulled himself out of sleep. It was a second of disorientation before she stopped herself and looked over at her sleeping husband. A man who, by all rights, should be dead. And he would be. She could make sure of that.

With a smile, she woke Sophia – precious, wonderful, Sophia – and urged her out of the tent to get breakfast started without her. She then moved quietly over to the cutlery set and pulled out her best kitchen knife. It was admired for a moment. Not long, because Ed was shifting and turning in his sleep.

And then the knife was in his throat, pushed up beneath his jaw into his brain. He wouldn't rise, he wouldn't be a threat. He would just be dead.

She patted him on the head and left the knife where it was so it would plug up the wound while she got her and Sophia's things together. Once she had them packed and outside, she pulled the knife out, cleaned it off on his shirt, and left. She made sure to zip the tent securely shut before calling Sophia over to help her move everything.

"Are we leaving?" Sophia asked and Carol shook her head.

"Just your father, dear," she answered with a proud intake of breath, her hand in her daughter's golden hair. She looked like an angel. "We're going to see if Mr. Dixon and his brother, Daryl, will let us stay with them."

Sophia gave her a look like she was crazy, and Carol just gave her a reassuring hug, "Don't worry. They're good men. Better than your father ever was."

Sophia continued to look at her askance, but she knew her mother would take her away from her father every so often. Try to get away. She was used to it. She was just used to going to shelters for a couple days, not the tents of the scariest two men in camp.

But Carol wasn't scared of them. She wasn't timid when she approached as Merle dug into his bags for something and Daryl was getting ready to head out on his hunt. She marched right up to them and waved hello like it was something she did every day.

"Mr. Dixon," she called out to Merle, rather than Daryl. Daryl had a hunt to go on. No need to bother him. He still looked up in surprise at her, same as his brother.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Mr. Dixon," she said once she was sure she had Merle's attention. "But I'd like to ask your permission for my daughter and I to share your camp from now on. We don't have a tent, but with the group going into town today, I'm sure it won't be hard to find a new one."

Merle looked at her like she was crazy, lips twitching into a mocking smile as he looked over at Daryl. Daryl shrugged. He didn't know what was going on any more than Merle did.

Carol continued on before they had a chance to talk back, "The thing is, my husband, Ed, he's abusive. Was abusive. And he's not going to be a problem anymore, not on that end, but I'd feel much safer if Sophia and I were staying with you. You and Daryl, both. You're both good men and I know you'll do right by us for as long as we share the same road. Now, Sophia and I won't be no trouble. We'll keep to ourselves, and keep out of your hair. I can do your laundry same as I do for the rest of the camp and Sophia's a good, fast learner. If you're willing to teach her, I'm sure she'd pick up on skinning anything you bring in without issue. And, of course, I'd cook for you. An even trade of resources."

It was Merle she kept looking to. Even in a dream, she knew Daryl would go along with Merle's judgement first. He loved his brother too much not to try and keep things civil between them. He wanted his brother to stay.

But it was Daryl who spoke up while Merle stared at her, trying to work through the sudden proposal, "Yeah. Sure. I got no problem with that. Bout time we had a meal better 'n Merle's cookin'."

"My cookin's just fine," Merle snapped, walking over and pushing on Daryl's shoulder while Daryl laughed it off and headed into the woods. He clearly didn't like Daryl putting him on the spot like that and probably would have changed their answer... if it wasn't for the mention of abuse. He'd been ignoring it as best he could, same as the rest of the camp. But she'd put him on the spot and he didn't like the idea of any woman getting hit. Sat wrong with him.

"I'm supposed to go with the group inta Atlanta today," he finally said, scratching at his chin. "You uh... you don't mess with my stuff. My bike or anything on it. You don't touch any of my brother's things 'til we decide what you can touch. And your kid mind's her own business, too. Them's the rules."

"Of course," Carol agreed easily, rubbing Sophia's shoulder as she felt her daughter tense up.

Merle licked his lips, then nodded, "You can put your shit in the truck until you have a tent."

Carol let go of Sophia and stepped forward, putting a hand on Merle's arm to balance herself as she leaned up on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek, "Thank you."

And then she moving off like it hadn't happened. Hustling Sophia to get their things put neatly in the truck bed and then shoo her off to go play with Carl while she went to see about chores for the day.

No one knew Ed was dead until the campfire that night when Carol and Sophia joined Rick and the others at their fire. Lori was pleased to see her and Shane surprised. Jacqui and Andrea were the ones to broach the subject. Cautiously, so cautiously. Asking if they were sure they wanted to. If it would be alright. If Ed would object.

Their concern was endearing, but Carol just shook her head, hugged her daughter close, and smiled, "Ed won't bother us anymore. I killed him this morning."