Song of the Day: Hard To Love- Lee Brice (This song reminds me SO much of Daryl/Carol! If you haven't heard it, give it a listen and I'm sure you'll agree!)
This is going off of TriviaQueen's suggestion!
Shoutout to all my readers old and new! Ya'll are awesome and it's a pleasure to write for you! (Oooo, that rhymed!)
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Carol knew there was something different about her daughter lately, and she was staring down at her from the RV where she was taking evening watch, scratching her chin absently as she tried to place exactly what it was. Said daughter was sitting on the porch with her chin resting in her palm, a faraway look on her face as she stared across the yard where Jimmy was chopping wood with Shane.
"Ya look like yer thinkin' pretty hard there," Carol's thoughts were broken by the sound of Daryl's voice as he swung up onto the top of the RV and sat down next to her. His eyes went to Sophia as well and Carol sighed.
"Just...have you noticed anything odd about Sophia lately?" she asked quietly. "I can't shake the feeling that I'm missing something important with her."
Daryl gave her a puzzled look but joined her in her silent observation of their daughter, his eyes flicked from her to Carol's left profile as a bubble of worry for his girls rose in his heart. He seriously hoped he hadn't missed something important.
"What makes ya think there's somethin' different?" he asked.
"She's just...I don't know," Carol tried to explain but ended up sighing and giving up, "She's been quieter lately and she's been spending a lot less time with me. She's been with Carl all day today and yesterday and the day before she was following Herschel and Jimmy around when they were cutting hay and..."
Carol's eyes widened and she lifted her chin from her hand suddenly. She smiled and began to laugh out loud as the thought finally hit her.
"What?" Daryl looked surprised at her sudden outburst and he looked up at her with wide blue eyes that begged for an explanation. "What's so funny, woman?"
"Oh my gosh, it's so simple!" she said, more to herself than anything.
"Well if it's so simple, why ain't I figured it out?" Daryl asked in annoyance.
"She's got a crush on Jimmy!" Carol said with a smile. Suddenly she realized what she had figured to be a blank expression was really one of star struck adoration towards the young man chopping wood.
"Aw, fuck no," Daryl groaned, burying his face in his palms, "Please don't say that."
"Why not?" Carol asked, surprised.
"Because I ain't ready to deal with this," Daryl admitted, shaking his head with his eyes squinted shut firmly.
"I thought we agreed that I would handle this issue when it came about?" Carol reminded him. Daryl looked at her and sighed in relief.
"That's right," he grinned, "I think I got the better end of the deal."
Carol sighed as she watched her little girl get up and walk over to the woodpile. Ok, so she WAS thirteen now but still...this seemed way too early.
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"Dad?"
Daryl almost let out a yelp at the sound of Sophia's tiny, unexpected voice behind him. He ran his hand down his face and took a deep breath to calm his rapid heartbeat. Turning, he smiled down at her...and realized how he didn't have to look down as far as he use to. Shit, she was growing fast.
"Yeah, peaches?" he asked, hiding the fact that he was suddenly uneasy.
"What do boys like about girls?"
Daryl felt like his lungs collapsed in his chest at that simple phrase. Please go find your mom! This is not my area of expertise!
"Uh...'Phia..." he wracked his shocked brain for an appropriate reply to her question, "Didn't your mom already explain this?"
"I know all THAT, dad," Sophia scoffed, clearly taking slight offense. "I just mean...how can I make a boy like me?"
Somebody save me. I can't handle this. Shit. Shit. Shit.
"Peaches, why the hell would you want some boy chasin' after you anyway?" he asked with a unhappy tone, "They ain't nothin' but trouble."
"But...you chased after mom," Sophia reasoned, "And she doesn't seem to think you're any trouble."
This was far too uncomfortable. He needed to make a clever escape, think of some reason to postpone this discussion...forever.
"Yeah, well, yer mom ain't thirteen," Daryl grumbled, "There's a big difference there. And I didn't chase her." That last comment he mumbled out more to himself.
Sophia cocked her head at him, not looking convinced.
"Well, I don't want an OLD boy," Sophia rolled her eyes, "I like a young boy."
Daryl wondered if he should feel insulted by this. Old? Was he really old? He didn't feel old...but maybe he was and just didn't realize it.
"Why don't you go talk to your mom about this?" he suddenly asked, making the fact that he wanted her to quit asking him questions very clear.
"At least mom won't treat me like a baby about it," Sophia grumbled as she turned to leave, "She'll have the balls to talk to me about it."
"Having them is what's making all the difference here," Daryl mused out loud to himself as he watched his daughter make her way to the house.
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Carol was giggling when she came trotting across the yard, her hand over her mouth and her eyes squinted with merriment...Daryl assumed their talk had gone well.
"What are you cackling about?" he asked with a grin as Carol stopped next to him where he was stacking wood onto the already impressive pile.
"Oh, it's just so funny," Carol kept on giggling, "I forgot what it's like to be so young and lovestruck."
Daryl squinted questioningly at her.
"I thought you were lovestruck," he stated, a teasing tone in his voice.
"Oh hush," Carol grabbed onto his arm and squeezed it tightly as she leaned into him. "I meant like...lovestruck and hopeless. She doesn't have a chance with Jimmy."
"Thank God," Daryl muttered, rubbing Carol's arm absentmindedly. "Kid's a dumbass."
Carol smacked him in the chest, not that it even hurt but it shocked him back to reality and he grinned at her.
"He's not a dumbass, Daryl," she said firmly, "He's just...too old for her, number one. Number two he's Beth's boyfriend. Number three..."
"Number three, he's a dumbass," Daryl pulled away from Carol and laughed as her second attempted smack missed him by a mile. She growled playfully and chased after him, but he stayed ahead of her with no problem as he led her in circled around the woodpile. Finally, he spun back around, grabbed her around the waist and swung her in a half circle which caused her to squeal and laugh before he set her back down. He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss.
"Ok, so he might not be the sharpest claw in the paw, but I swear, Daryl Dixon," Carol said breathlessly as she smoothed out her shirt. "Sometimes you act like just like a teenager."
"Naw, Sophia says I'm old," Daryl replied snarkily.
Carol leaned forward on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek quickly.
"Well, she's wrong," she stated simply.
They worked together and got the rest of the wood piled up and Carol tagged along with him as he headed to the campsite by the RV to cut out some new arrows for all of them.
When she rounded the RV ahead of Daryl she gasped loudly and covered her mouth quickly and turned around, burying her head in his chest as she fought back a guffaw of laughter.
"What the hell are you so giggly about today?" Daryl asked with a sigh.
"Look!" Carol whispered, stepping aside so he could glance around RV.
She'd seen it, but she barely believed it. Sophia and Carl had been sitting on one of the logs by the burnt out campfire, holding hands as Carl leaned over and kissed Sophia. And not on the cheek either. It was cute and Carol found herself smiling brightly. Apparently her daughter had taken her seriously when she suggested maybe Carl would be more her type than Jimmy.
"I'm gonna kill that kid," she heard Daryl mutter angrily and he started to move forward with determined purpose and she grabbed him firmly and yanked him back. He gave her an annoyed look.
"Daryl!" she snapped, "They're just kissing. They're kids let them have their fun."
"JUST kissing?!" Daryl growled, "Carol, in case you ain't noticed, kissin' can turn to more REALLY quickly! I know exactly what's goin' on in that boy's mind, it ain't nothin' new."
"Oh, hush!" Carol rolled her eyes, "Carl's a good kid."
"Good kid or not," Daryl said firmly, "It don't change the fact that he's a BOY."
Carol studied his face carefully. He looked pissed...and concerned.
"You think you've gotta do the 'protective father' routine, huh?" she asked quietly.
Daryl squinted at her, but sighed.
"I just...think the kid ought to know he can't just do whatever the hell he wants," Daryl claimed, "Someone's gotta give him that fear of God."
"Fear of Daryl, you mean?"
"Whichever works best."
Carol sighed and waved him off, setting him loose to do his thing.
"Sophia!" Daryl snapped loudly, causing the two young kids on the log to literally jump apart, their faces flushed with embarrassment at being caught in mid-kiss.
"Daddy!" Sophia looked absolutely horrified.
"Go to your mother, young lady," Daryl muttered darkly, his blue eyes were stern and Sophia knew better than to argue, so she shot Carl an apologetic look before jumping up and swiftly heading to where Carol was waiting by the RV. Daryl watched as Carol put her arm around Sophia's shoulders and led her towards the house then he turned his stern and fierce gaze on Carl who shrunk into himself as much as possible.
"Mr. Daryl, I..." Carl started to defend himself but Daryl shushed him with a look.
"You wanna tell me what the hell you're doin' kissin' on my daughter?" he asked, his voice deep and threatening.
Carl blushed even brighter and hung his head like a scared puppy.
"I...we..." he squeaked quietly, his eyes locked on a tuft of grass.
"Look at me, boy!" Daryl growled. Carl quickly raised his head, eyes wide and met Daryl's pissed gaze. "You gonna act like a big man, you better answer me like one. I'll ask ya again, what d'ya want with my daughter?"
"I...I don't want anything, Mr. Daryl," Carl said, his voice still small, but his eyes remained steady, "I like her, I've always liked her."
"You like her, huh?" Daryl said, not sounding at all pleased.
"She's been my friend since we met on the road to Atlanta," Carl admitted softly, "She was scared and I told her it was all going to be ok."
Daryl squinted, not sure what exactly this had to do with what he'd just walked up on, but he figured Carol would tell him to give Carl the chance to explain in his own way so he let the kid pour it all out.
"I just...want to take care of her," the boy continued, "And when I told her that she...she kissed me."
Daryl's left eyebrow shut up under his shaggy hair and he turned his head slowly to look over at Sophia and Carol where they sat on the porch in deep discussion. Damn, the girl was her mother's daughter for sure going around kissing guys without warning.
"That's the story you're gonna go with, kid?" Daryl scoffed, shaking his head.
Carl sighed and scuffed the dirt with the toe of his shoe.
"I don't blame you for not believing me," he mumbled, "Mom warned me you were gonna be mad at me if you found out I liked her. She said you'd never see me as anything but some boy tryin' to get your daughter."
Daryl sighed and glanced back to the porch where Sophia was leaning into Carol's shoulder as she talked. He felt a little sick flutter in his stomach but his anger and indignation started to fade as he looked at his girls...Sophia was a smart kid, and Carol had raised her right, who was he to judge anyone's character. Carol had given him a chance, looked past his flaws...maybe he owed this kids the same benefit of the doubt.
"Look, kid..." Daryl found himself muttering as he took a seat on the log next to Carl, who scooted nervously away to the edge of the log. "I ain't sayin' ya can't like her."
Carl looked up, clearly surprised.
"Hell, kid, I ain't gonna tell ya to stay away from her," Daryl continued, surly and gruffly. "I trust her, even if I don't really trust you, and I'm gonna go with her on this and give you a chance to prove that you ain't just some brat tryin' to...just better keep your hands t' yourself."
Carl's eyes were widening bigger than ever, a tiny smile threatening to twitch on his lips. Daryl didn't fail to notice it.
"Don't smile at me, boy!" he snapped angrily, "This ain't something to be amused about. I'm tellin' ya right now if you hurt my daughter or touch her in any way I don't like...I'm gonna hurt ya. You think I won't, just try me, I dare ya."
Carl shook his head.
"I...I won't hurt her," he said meekly, "I'd never hurt her."
"Listen kid, I know what goes on in that mind of yours," Daryl stated grimly, his eyes burning into Carl's with a dark threat. "I know EXACTLY what teenage boys think about. Just sayin', you better keep it in your...ya just better think before you act."
Carl nodded quickly.
"Cause I got a dozen sharp-tipped friends that are all very skilled at causing a lot of pain, Carl," Daryl tapped his crossbow for emphasis, "And I always hit what I aim at...you got me?"
"Yes sir," Carl replied softly.
"Good," Daryl nodded once, "Now, prove me wrong boy, because at this point, you're just some boy tryin' t' get my daughter."
He stood quickly and swung his leg over the log, heading to the porch to see how Carol was doing with Sophia. Sophia gave him a poisonous glare as he walked up and he gave her scowl in return as he leaned against the railing and looked down at them.
"Don't like the look yer givin' me, kid," he said grimly as Sophia continued to glare at him.
"What did you tell him, dad?!" Sophia snapped suddenly, her voice was thick with accusation and this made Daryl squint at her angrily, warning her to watch her tone. "We weren't doin' anything wrong."
"Just mackin'," Daryl sniffed angrily, "Like hell ya weren't doin' nothin'!"
"Daryl," Carol warned carefully, but Sophia had obviously picked up some of her daddy's temper because she jumped up to stand toe to toe with Daryl, staring directly at him, eyes blazing.
"We weren't "macking"," she almost screamed in his face, causing Daryl to raise his eyebrows in surprise. "And for your information, I kissed HIM!"
Daryl didn't flinch, didn't move a muscle as he stared right back at his stubborn ass daughter, trying to make her back down. When she didn't budge, he looked around her to where Carol was nervously chewing her fingernail and jerked his head to convey he wanted to talk to Sophia alone and that she should go give Carl her insight. Carol nodded silently and smiled slightly as she went to speak with the Grimes' son.
"Sophia, sit down," Daryl's voice left no room for argument, and after a moment's hesitation, Sophia huffed angrily but sat back down on the top step. Daryl sighed heavily and sat next to her.
"Sorry," Sophia muttered quietly, clearly realizing who she'd just stood up to.
"'Phia..."Daryl chewed his bottom lip as he sought for the words to say, "Sorry I snapped at ya. But I'm just...not use to this. I ain't really...never really had any plans t' be a father and I kinda got thrown into it but, damn it, girl, I love ya and I don't wanna see ya get hurt."
Sophia didn't speak, she just put her chin in her hands and looked down at the dust of the driveway as the wind blew tiny pebbles in front of her.
"I know you think I'm being an asshole," Daryl continued, leaning over his knees and turning his head to try and catch Sophia's eyes. "But, I got thinkin'...you're a smart girl and yer mom taught ya how to behave. So...I told Carl he could see ya if ya'll behave."
Sophia looked up in surprise, her eyebrows furrowed.
"You...you did?" she asked, "You didn't scare him away?"
Daryl laughed bitterly.
"Wanted to," he admitted, "Wanted to kick his ass...but, I'm not really in the position to judge. Just be smart, peaches."
Sophia smiled slightly at the nickname and threw her arms around Daryl's midsection suddenly.
"You can trust me, dad," she said happily, "I won't disappoint you."
"You never have, 'Phia," Daryl said with a smile as his daughter rose from the porch step as a little girl and stood in front of him a young woman. "And I know you never will."
Sophia blushed and smiled before turning to run across the driveway to the campsite where Carl and Carol were smiling and laughing. Daryl had a feeling it was something he had said that they were laughing about but he didn't really care...he suddenly felt his heart squeeze uncomfortably and growled as he walked towards the woods. Hunting would surely get his mind off all this.
"I sure wish someone had told me about all this ahead of time," he muttered to himself, "Maybe I coulda prepared m'self."
He remembered a song suddenly that he'd heard a long time ago, before the end of the world, about tough little boys becoming dads and turning into big babies...as much as he hated to deny it, this was the bitter truth.
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So, I hope this came out as well as I planned. I thought about making Daryl really scary and pissed and all that but then I realized that there really is no escaping eachother even if he does scare Carl off, so he might as well make a mature and thoughtful decision about it.
Sorry this took so long to get up...next chapter is gonna be really...hmmm...intense. Some of you may be a little upset about something that will occur, but I'll try to make it believable and such. Give me a chance :)