Carol wandered around Daryl's bedroom noting he had made some changes, the biggest one was the baby bassinet against one wall and a pile of baby stuff on his dresser. Carol Changed and gave Sophia a top up and tucked her into her new bed. She was surprised how lovely it was made up she knew Andrea had something to do with it. She stood rocking the little bed for a few minutes knowing Sophia was tired and should sleep quickly.

Carol yawned and wandered out to the lounge. Merle and Andrea were talking in the kitchen drinking hot chocolate, Andrea held one out to her which Carol took happily. She also poured herself a glass of water. Sophia had been drinking all night and Carol felt drained dry.

'Sophia asleep?' Andrea asked. Merle offered a goodnight not wanting to get involved in girl chit chat.

'Yes, thankyou for fixing the bed.' Carol said.

'It wasn't all my idea, he wanted to make it easier for you to spend time here as it was for your place. I borrowed it off a friend who's baby too big now. We will get a cot when she's a bit bigger and sort out the spare bedroom.' Andrea stated.

'Hmmmmmmm really? For Sophia?' Carol asked.

'Carol don't worry, you like Daryl, Daryl likes you. Let yourself go, please give it a chance. You too hard on yourself. You should have seen my boyfriend before I met Merle.' Andrea told her.

'But your a doctor.' Carol said.

'Yeah but I still dated an arsehole. A cheater, I met Merle when I took my car into the garage and he fixed it and asked me out. I didn't think I was worth it at the time either.' Andrea told her.

'Your beautiful, what that makes no sense.' Carol told her.

'He my ex put me down all the time. Told me I was ugly, no use to anyone, told me I was stupid. I nearly dropped out of Med School because of him. I was still dating him when I met Merle. Merle pushed and pushed, pretty much like Daryl is with you and then it was happening between us, before I knew what was happening. When the Dixon boys fall they fall hard.' Andrea told her.

'I don't know Andrea, its all too fast,' Carol ventured.

'You are so annoying, go have a shower and go to bed. I'm too tired to try convince you to have sex with Daryl tonight!' Andrea waved her hand and giggled, Carol giggled then Andrea snorted. Carol laughed harder.

'I'm not having 'Sex'.' whispered Carol, looking around to make sure no one was listening.

'Its not a dirty word Carol,' Andrea looked at her, 'Everyone has sex, I mean you have.'

'Andrea, last time I had sex, I got pregnant, its been a while. I've shut up shop down there not to mention I had a baby come flying out of there,' Carol was serious.

'Carol, your over thinking this. Go have a shower and cuddle. You don't have to have sex or whatever, you can cuddle up for the night, take it slow,' Andrea told her. 'But please go shower you smell like baby puke and off milk or baby, I can't tell.'

'Fine I'll go shower and go to bed.'

'Great, don't stress, Daryl won't push you into anything you don't want too. He wants a relationship not just a booty call.' Andrea said smiling at her. 'If he wanted a booty call he would have had them or wouldn't asked me about why you kicked him out.'

'He asked?'

'Of course one minute your all friendly the next you told him you were using him. We have had a very upset man here for the past week and a bit until I split the beans last night. He got all this stuff for Sophia sorted today.' Andrea said.

'Really but you asked me to the carnival 4 days ago.'

'Well I was going to try set you both up but you did that all on your own, go shower, I'm going to bed. Tomorrow, we are going to go to the parade.' Andrea gave her a gentle shove towards the bathroom.

'I've got to get a change of clothes.' Carol said.

'No I put a new pair of pj's in there for you, my treat.' Andrea told her, Carol stared and shook her head. Andrea nodded and shoved her again pushing her towards the bathroom. 'Its nothing sexy, just cute pj boxer shorts and a matching singlet tee thingy, go shower and get into bed. Its late.'

Andrea gave her a hug and left. Carol went into the bathroom and sure enough hanging off a hook was a cute pair of boxer singlet top pj set. Carol sighed tired and she sniffed herself. She did smell like Sophia spit up. She turned the shower on and stripped and climbed into the shower. She only been in there a few minutes when the bathroom door opened and someone walked in and used the toilet. Carol stood frozen as Daryl spoke to her.

'Never thought I would get fucken home, are my girls asleep Merle?' A tired sounding Daryl spoke, she could hear washing hands.

'Ummmm Sophia's asleep,' Carol said from the shower.

'Fuck, I'm sorry Carol, I thought it was Merle, he always showers late at night.' Daryl mutter standing outside the bathroom door. 'Ya ok? Everything ok?'

'I'm fine, Sophia's fine,' Carol muttered, she got the surprise of her life when the shower door opened and Daryl climbed in beside her. She squealed and tried to cover herself.

'What are you doing?' She hissed at him turning her back.

'Having a shower, you can get out if you wana, smell like old hotdogs and candy floss,' Daryl said sleepy in her ear. He wrapped his arms' around her. 'I'm tired,' he reached over for his shower gel and started washing himself.

Carol gave him a quick glance over taking in his body, moving herself under the spray washing the soap off herself and moved to get out of the shower. She wasn't sure where this was going and he wasn't shy at all about getting naked and climbing in.

'Where ya going?'

'To get dried,' Carol quickly said.

'You upset, I got in here with you?'

Carol blushed bright red and shook her head, 'I'm just not ready, I want to cuddle but I'm not ready for sex.'

'I'm not ready for sex either I doubt I could even do it to be honest I'm that tired.' Daryl mumbled. She looked at his face, he looked tired, shattered in fact. She cuddled into him letting the water wash over them.

'Come on lets get out before we sleep in here.' Daryl moved her turning it off and climbed out handing her her towel pretending he wasn't glancing at her body.

'Don't look, I just had a baby, everything isn't back right yet.' Carol hissed at him.

'It all looks right to me,' Daryl stated handing her her pj's. He wrapped a towel around himself and escorted her to the bedroom. He stopped and watched Sophia sleeping for a few moments.

'She's bigger,' He stated. 'I missed her.' Carol felt terrible.

'Be back in a few, need to eat something,' Daryl walked out of the room and come back with a sandwich a few minutes later and offered her some which she shook her head, Carol drank from her water bottle and snuggled into his side. He finished his sandwich and before they knew it a they slept in each others arms until the early hours when Sophia let Carol know she needed her.