For the next ten days Daryl and Carol danced around each other the odd touch here and there, the passing of Sophia back and forwards between them. They went for walks and Carol's face had cleared enough for her to feel like they could go to the supermarket without people staring at her.

Daryl was wondering about how he was actually going to try and get closer to Carol. Carol had invited Andrea and Merle for dinner, she asked Daryl to come to the supermarket. He was wandering around beside her carrying Sophia in his arm's when he remembered he needed some shaving cream. He wandered off to get them with Sophia, he passed some local single women on his way. He gave them a nod as he stopped to pick up some razors.

The two women wandered down the isle talking about what they saw. They didn't see or know who Carol was. Carol was picking out a chicken for dinner a little way down from where they were abut she heard it all. All their trash talking about her and about her baby, they didn't know her or anything about it. Just rumours around town.

'See I heard she's some women who trying to get her hooks into him.'

'Daryl Dixon in the supermarket with a baby, could he get any hotter looking.'

'Apparently she's jumping straight from the babies father to him.'

'Is she fucking him already?'

'Heard she moved him in. A bit slutty if you ask me.'

'Are we sure Dixon isn't the father?'

'Doubt it. The amount of women who have tried to climb him like a tree, unless she has a magic vagina.'

'Well then she's a whore, looking for a meal ticket. He's falling for it.'

'Hopefully he doesn't'

The women saw Carol staring at them, she was sure they didn't know who she was, Daryl was walking up the isle with Sophia, chatting away to her and he smiled when he got close to Carol. He took in her face.

'Whats wrong?' Daryl asked her, she shook her head turned her face was flaming red, she then spun out of the shop, he looked past her to the two women who he knew by sight only. 'What the hell did you say?'

They shook their heads and moved away fast. Daryl sighed and tried moved towards the check out with Sophia. He looked to the car park and could see her standing near to the exit. He unloaded the trolley one handed onto the counter and pushed the trolley out to the car park. Pushing it to a stop by Carol.

'You going to tell me what the hell happened?' He asked.

She shook her head and took Sophia from him and followed him to the truck. They drove in silence to the flat where Daryl unloaded the stuff and Carol fed Sophia. They moved around each other quietly.

'I can't stand this Carol tell me whats wrong.' Daryl pleaded with her. He knew it was the women who said something. She was fine before talking with them and now she looked sick to her stomach.

Carol put Sophia to bed and Daryl took his chance by snagging her hand pulling her flush against him. 'Did I do something?'

'No,' She said quietly, 'Its all me.'

'What did you do?' He asked.

Carol just shook her head, she didn't answer Daryl's cell phone was ringing and he pulled away to answer it. He talked into the phone for some time in the hallway. Carol stuffed the chicken. Not that she felt like eating. Daryl had a movie picked. She kinda thought that tonight she might try her luck to kiss him but now the whole town thought she was a whore.

'Its over, Rick and Abe's picked them up. Abe did some digging and some ringing around, he's broken parole, Ed's Dad.' Daryl told her.

'Parole? Oh god, what?' Carol looked at him.

'He's a pedophile Carol. Convicted. That's why Ed's sister has the restraining order on him.' Daryl looked at her. 'You knew nothing?'

'I only met them a few times, Ed wanted to move away from where his parents were.' Carol looked at him. 'He wanted to move away because his fathers a pedophile? Did he know? Is that why he made us move?'

'Ed contacted his lawyer and the lawyer passed some information onto us, yes.' Daryl stated. 'It appears when Ed's father told him they were going to try get custody of Sophia, he signed his rights to Sophia away. Ed's it appears has done what he can do to block his father ever having contact with her.'

'Ed did that?' Carol couldn't work it out, he never wanted anything ever to do with Sophia. He hadn't made any effort for them to have contact with Sophia. Yet Ed never really wanted her he had turned around and made sure his father never ever ever got access to her either. Carol didn't really know how she felt about that either.

'Carol that still doesn't make Ed a nice guy, he still beat you.' Daryl stated, looking at her in the eye. 'He's going to try use this to get a light term.'

'Daryl I'm not stupid, I mean I was to stay with him. But I'm not stupid. Don't think I am.' Carol warned him.

'Anyway we are getting you a restraining order on him. But he's broken parole and been in contact with a minor and crossed state lines so he's going back to jail. His wife why she stayed with him I don't know is leaving as well. Ed's Dad getting a police car ride.' Daryl told her. Carol nodded.

She felt a bit overwhelmed. Free, lighter almost, she almost hugged Daryl then she remembered the women's words and remarks about her in the supermarket. There was no need for Daryl to stay with her anymore. The threat was gone.

'I'm going to take a shower can you watch Soph?' Carol asked him, blinking so he couldn't see her eyes filling with tears.

'Yip I'll start some veggies to then?' He asked her.

'Yes that would be good.'

Later that night after Merle and Andrea left Carol was sitting quietly feeding Sophia. Daryl sat down close near her. Sophia finished up and Carol put her over her shoulder, rubbing her back gently.

'So I don't need you here any more, they are gone now so you can go back to your own house tonight if you want.' Carol told him.

'What? You asking me to go.' Daryl asked her.

'No I'm telling you to go. I appreciate all you have done for us I really do, but we need to be on our own.' Carol told him.

'I thought we had something here? We just been taking it slow? Are you throwing me out out, or come back tomorrow for a walk out I just need some space?' Daryl asked. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach, she had been aloof all night. Her smile not meeting her eyes. Talking only with Andrea and Merle ignoring him completely. He didn't understand what was going on.

'I want you to go and just leave us be. There is no us. I was just using you to help me while Ed's parents were here to protect me.' Carol told him, she stood up moving with Sophia into her bedroom. 'Thankyou. I'll see you around I guess.'

'Carol, you don't mean this.' Daryl walked towards her to her bedroom door. 'What did they say? Why are you throwing me out?'

'I'm not throwing you out. There is nothing, nothing between us. You helped me out thats all. I don't owe you anything but some cash. I'll get you some money, but you can get your gear and leave me and Soph please.'

Daryl stood there for a minute not knowing what to do. 'Fine, I'll go.'

He turned and threw all his gear into a bag and walked through the lounge putting it into the back of his truck. He pulled out the pram and car seat. A small diaper bag from under the passenger seat and put it all on the floor. He walked back in and held his hands out for Sophia. Carol passed her to him knowing she was safe with Daryl.

'I'm sorry Princess, ya Mama said no, and she's throwing me out. Love you baby girl.' Daryl had turned his back on Carol whispering words to Sophia. Carol had a lump in her throat as she heard them. She tried. She was doing it for him and for her. So they wouldn't be the talk of the town.. She couldn't keep going with people talking about her like that, Daryl turned back and handed her back Sophia.

'Call me if you need anything, I mean anything right. Sophia needs anything, I will get it right.' Daryl told her.

Carol nodded and watched as he walked out through the garage and shut the door, She heard his truck start and the door open, the truck stop and the door to the lounge opened. He walked across and handed her back the garage door opener.

'You sure you want to do this? You don't want us? Me and You?' He asked her again.

Carol shook her head. 'I don't want you.' She whispered.

He head moved back like she slapped him. 'I'm not coming back, got it, your not going to throw me out one night and expect me to come back, I know timing isn't great. I'm not going to come back asking again.'

'Daryl, I don't want you. Please just go, don't come back. Just go.' Carol told him not meeting his eyes.

He turned and walked out through the garage door flicking the button to shut the door. She heard him swearing as he got into his truck and it roared off down the street. She put Sophia into her bed for the night. She went about locking the doors and checking windows and set about getting into bed to cry herself to sleep. She felt sick to her stomach she didn't know what else to do. She didn't want people calling her and her baby names and she didn't want them talking about Daryl either.