He didn't sleep much, they'd given Carol something to take when they left the hospital and she was sleeping sound in the bed. Joey woke up with his usual hiss and a roar. Daryl helped him dress then gave him breakfast. He made a coffee looking around the kitchen at all the food Carol had cooked. Shane and his boyfriend left he said he would be back soon to help. Joey, was bouncing all over the house demanding his attention. He picked him up kissing and cuddling him. It made him feel better, holding his little boy.

He felt sick, he didn't even feel this level of emotion ever. He was trying to keep it together until after he sorted everything out. He was the only one left, he didn't know if he could hold his family together, his heart was nearly ripped out of his chest when he stood there trying to say goodbye to his brother, he knew today was just going to get worse, organizing a funeral. He didn't know what would happen with Rick, if the police would take that over or his parents.

The neighbour had done her best to clean up last night, but Joey had taken her time getting him settled, he wondered what was going on, where everyone went. He began throwing it out and wiping stuff down. Joey was asking where Merle was and Daryl got choked up telling him Merle wasn't here right now. He didn't know what they were going to say yet. Joey was happy with that, he though Rick was at work.

When Carol come out, Daryl was sitting outside on the porch steps about half way down watching Joey ride his bike up and down the driveway. She sat behind him putting her hand on his shoulder as she sat down. She snuggled into his back, wrapping her arms around him. Daryl didn't know how long he had been out there he was on his third cup of coffee, he knew he should eat something but the thought of eating made him feel like he was going to be sick. They didn't say anything just watching Joey ride up and down till he got bored.

They knew they should shower, get dressed there would be visitors coming before they knew where they would be at. They still needed to tell Joey. Rick's parents arrived late last night. Daryl already feilded one phone call from them, they wanted to come pack his room up, this morning. He told them that it wasn't a great time yet maybe this afternoon, when Carol and Daryl had been though all his stuff. Removing anything he wouldn't want his parents to see.

Carol had told him she didn't want them going through his stuff last night when she knew they were on their way. They would get in there shortly taking what Rick would want them to take out. He thought there would be stuff in there special just for Carol and Rick. or Joey and Rick. He felt a bit awkward with the thoughts of having to go into his partners dead other partners room and take out all his stuff so his parents didn't find out about him. He felt so bad for Carol having to hide everything from them. Not being able to grieve the way a partner would at the up coming funerals.

With Merle he knew it would be simple. Daryl, Carol and Joey was his only family. Shane and a few friends here and there and work related stuff. He was also aware of Merle's 500k life insurance policy he had in place for Carol and Joey to keep them secure he'd put together before Daryl come back. Merle showed him where everything was at the garage just in case anything ever happened.

He imagined Rick's would be an over the top affair remember what he did from his parents. Police funeral's were more about glamour, about how it would appear to the community not who he was. He knew it was going to tough on all of them. He for a fleeting moment thought about gathering them up and going away for a few days till it was all over.

'Joey, Joey,' Daryl called him, 'Come here, we need to talk to you,'

Daryl told him about the accident and that Rick and Merle had died. He was very blunt to the point not telling him they went away, explaining they were dead and they wouldn't come back but they loved Joey. Joey asked a few questions then asked if he could go ride his bike some more. They told him no and brought him inside to watch 'Nemo' while they tried to tackle Rick's bedroom.

'Washing baskets?' Daryl asked, 'we put it in washing baskets, then put it in Merle's room, they won't go in Merle's room.'

'It's stupid, he should... we shouldn't... have to hide...' Carol choked her words out going through his underwear drawer. Digging in pulling out some sex toys they had in there, She shoved a vibrator into a sock to hide it. She was crying but could see the irony of hiding the vibrator from his parents, and it was slightly awkward when Daryl was watching her tying to hide it.

'You...' Daryl looked around, 'Where do you want me? Where is the stuff?... what do you want to keep?'

'I don't know... I don't normally go through his stuff, ...closets I guess..., all the stuff up high, ' Carol was crying, Daryl didn't know what to do he knew if he stopped to comfort him they might run out of time.

'Ok, we need to do this,... for Rick... you need to keep ya shit together... half an hour tops, ok baby, we can do this,' Daryl told her. He lifted the mattress thinking that would be where he would hide stuff from prying eyes. He pushed it off the bed, finding a jewelry box, and a sex toy. He put the box in his pocket to hide it from her so she didn't spend half an hour crying about what ever it was.

There were some envelopes and one with her name on it, one with Joey's. He shoved it in his pocket too. They moved quickly. Carol kept sobbing but packing. Taking photos and pictures. They basically ransacked his room then put it back together for her. Daryl found a few trinkets he knew he brought for Carol for gifts or Christmas that was coming. He picked up two washing baskets with papers and stuff that she wanted to keep.

He put the bed back together, then had a wee think looking around, and began digging into his pockets in his police jackets. Pulling out different things that were in there. He flipped all his shoes. Found some stuff in there.

'Carol, check see if anything is tapped under the drawers in his dresser...' Daryl started feeling around the back of the headboard. Nothing, he wished he had help flipping the room. Carol was still not keeping it together, he almost smiled when Shane arrived with boxes.

'One step ahead of me?' he asked looking around, 'Go sit with Joey, I'll help.'

Daryl wrapped his arms around her holding her. 'It's ok, we will get through this, we just gotta do what we have to do,'

'We will toss his room then put it back together so it doesn't look like we did it ok,' Shane told her. 'We will get all your stuff out, your's and Rick's then you can go through it when your up to it ok,'

'I... I...I'm not strong enough... I don't think...' Carol sobbed.

'You are strong, please, ... your going to scare Joey,' Daryl told her, 'Go cuddle him please, me and Shane will toss this room.'

Daryl dug deep into his pocket, pulling out a jewelry box. 'Found this, he brought it for you, ... or his other girlfriend...'

'OMG, ' Carol opened the box, 'I saw this yesterday, he must have been sneaky and brought it,' Carol looked at the necklace she had admired while they were out yesterday. 'At the mall, he told me he was going to the bank,'

Daryl helped her put it on, 'Go sit with Joey, he's confused, he needs you, '

Carol wandered out and cuddled up beside Joey to watch a movie, snuggling into her little boy, hoping the pain would stop soon.