Two weeks later Carol was eventually talked into going to the carnival with Andrea and Merle as a way of getting out of the house. She wasn't to sure about it. Taking Sophia out in the dark at night. Andrea insisted that she would be fine and to put her into the new baby carrier she had and have her strapped to her chest and a warm hat and a blanket tucked around her she would be snug and warm.

She also knew that she hadn't left the house much since Daryl and her had their fight. Andrea had gotten pissed off ramblings from Daryl and the full blown panic attack from Carol with the blow by blow of what was said in the supermarket. It had made Andrea mad. No one had the rights to talk about Daryl or Carol like that at all and assume they knew anything about them.

Rick's wife was going to be there meeting them. In the end Carol found herself climbing into the back of Merle's truck with Sophia. Merle was fiddling buckling in her car seat to make sure it was all buckled in fine. Carol was surprised that she and Andrea had become fast friends so quickly. The past month had surprised her meeting them all and all of Daryl's friends taking her into their group quickly.

Daryl, Rick and Shane were all on duty at the carnival keeping an eye on the youths and general goings on. There were plenty of cops around that night, Carol kinda hoped she would get a chance to apologize to him. Carol hadn't really talked to Daryl that week. She wasn't sure if they were avoiding each other or if they were in a stand off with each other.

She wasn't sure what was going on, she knew that Daryl was probably smarting from her pushing him away. To be honest she didn't want to turn him away she just didn't think she would make many friends around town jumping from one man to the other. Not that she was jumping from one man to the other, but she missed him. She wasn't going to admit that to anyone. In such a short time she had gotten used to him being there. Helping with Sophia, doing little things. Her heart ached. She couldn't help but constantly call herself stupid for ever getting mixed up with a guy like Ed when there were guys like Daryl out there.

However she had well and truly stuffed it up. He hadn't answered any text messages during the week and she couldn't bring herself to ring and have it go to answer machine without him picking up his phone to talk. She didn't know how to fix it. If she hadn't heard people talk about her she imagined she would have let herself go there and be happy with him, now she was sitting at home at night alone plotting her future, as bleak as it was alone with Sophia.

'Daryl's working, he'll be there.' Merle told her after he buckled Sophia's seat to the truck. Carol had no doubt he knew about what had gone down at Carol's flat. She was actually surprised he was still talking with her. Andrea probably had something to do with that.

'Ok, so what happens at theses things?' Carol asked them.

'Nothing too major, we eat corn dogs, look at the rides. Drink some pop, watch the fireworks and make out like teens again.' Andrea tossed over her shoulder.

'I think I'll skip the last one.' Carol muttered.

'Well making outs optional,' Merle said from the drivers seat. 'Daryl might like that, but he's on duty.'

'Yes Merle, I know and I won't be.' Carol told him.

They pulled into a park and Carol put Sophia into her wrap, the night was cool. She put a warm hat on her. Then tucked a warm blanket around her, wedging her in by tucking it in around the baby, so her weight held it in place. She pulled her jacket on over top of the wrap and if you didn't look to hard you could hardly tell she had the baby strapped to her chest.

Andrea and Merle started to walk into the park with Carol following behind. She looked all around watching the Ferris wheel going around and around. With the lights flashing. Andrea grabbed Carol's hand so they wouldn't lose each other in the crowd as they moved through. Carol knew there was a meeting place but they hadn't said where it was and the next thing she knew Andrea's hand was gone as they separated in a large crowd in the park Merle and Andrea disappeared in the crowd quickly.

Carol stood there looking around having a slight panic. Sophia picked up on to her panic and gave a grizzle, Carol moved her in the wrap and managed to latch her inside her wrap. She began to move slowly around the carnival looking for them but she couldn't see them anywhere. She knew where the car was and she had a small over the shoulder bag with a diaper change if Sophia needed it.

Carol honestly didn't know what to do. She had a thought it was a long shot would be to find a police man and ask the to contact Daryl with their walkie talkies. Carol stood on her tipee toes looking into the crowd to see if she could see one, hopefully they would be wearing high visibility vests, that they wore at events like this.

Then she saw him. Handsome dressed in his police uniform moving through the crowd looking left and right. Like a man on a mission. Carol's stomach did a flip flop seeing him. It had been nearly two weeks since she had seen him. Since he had given them his smile. Right at the moment he looked a little panic'd. Carol wondered for a moment if he was looking for them.

He stopped and talked into his walkie talkie to someone on the other end. Carol slowly made her way to him from behind. She reached out and grabbed hand through the crowd. Scared he was going to move on and she was going to be stuck in the crowd alone with Sophia, or they would miss each other completely. She knew he would help her even if he was angry at her.

He turned and saw them and swooped down on her hugging her, snuggling into her neck kissing her there. She felt her whole body tremble as he did it and she felt him let out what could only be a sigh of relief. Her body felt like it was on fire. He had kissed her neck, then moved to her mouth, pulling back looking around realising he was on full display.

'Thank god. Christ women!' Daryl muttered holding onto her. He quickly spoke into his walkie talkie letting them know he found them. 'I've got at least ten guys looking for you.'

'I got separated, I didn't know where the meeting point was or anything?' Carol told him, she was still clutching his hand in hers and had another hand on the baby. She had tears in her eyes she couldn't help it. She was happy to be with him again, in his space. He wasn't mad. She wanted him and she was pretty sure he wanted her.

'She ok?' Daryl pulled back the wrap and could see Sophia latched well and truly to Carol, Daryl watched for a moment before bending down and kissing her head. 'Come on I'm meant to be on duty, I'll get you to the others, and for God's sakes stay close with them.'

'I didn't mean to lose them Daryl.' Carol tugged on his arm.

'I know Baby, just don't do it again.'

'Did you just call me baby?' Carol asked him.

'Hmmmmmmmm maybe, your my girl, Carol, even if you try and push me away.' Daryl told her, he then began to clear a way through the crowd. Everyone let him through a lot easier than her. It helped he was in uniform and no one wanted to get in trouble with the law so they parted like the red sea. Eventually they got back with the group.

Daryl introduced her to Lori, Rick's wife, Rick had a baby in his arms and his wife attached to his hip. Shane's girlfriend Sasha, and other friends of theirs, Maggie and Glenn. Rick and Shane were also on duty and they quickly left. Daryl looked at Carol, then at Merle.

'Don't fucken lose them again.' He directed to Merle. 'I'll find ya for the fireworks ok?' He bent down and caught her lips giving her a quick kiss, pulling back the wrap and kissing the babies head and started to move away.

Carol just stood there nodding watching him as he moved off through the crowd making his presence known to hopefully make people behave themselves. Andrea moved towards her.

'Sorry I lost you. That was a accident, but trying to get you and Daryl to hook up wasnt' She smirked.