Chapter Sixty Five

Time slipped away without anyone seeming to notice. Buck's fears were unfounded, despite the speed in which Daryl's life had turned a complete one eighty. He didn't regret anything. From that moment back in early April, when he had first seen Carol bent over that car at the school, until now, almost eight months later, he had managed to acquire things that he had never even dreamed to let himself covet. He went from being a self absorbed out of control adolescent man child that cared about nothing but self gratification, to a pretty decent guy. He was a husband. He was a father. He was a damn good provider. He didn't miss the wild nights. He didn't miss the faceless women. He didn't even miss the freedom to come and go as he pleased. He was full now and he hadn't even known how empty he had been.

Thanksgiving day was a busy one. There were too many people to even have the meal at Buck's and since Daryl had the biggest kitchen, it was agreed by everyone but him to have the whole shebang at his house. Carol and June had spent days in the kitchen getting everything ready. Fall break meant that the house was full of teenagers and since the kids all gathered there to do whatever the hell it was they did, that meant that the adults made themselves at home too. He didn't mind it really. It was actually a pretty good feeling.

He walked out onto the porch and found Merle standing there, his back to him and his phone pressed against his ear. Daryl stayed silent, listening to Merle's end of the conversation.

"Yeah? Well maybe if you weren't such a goddamn stuck up, that wouldn't be a problem, now would it?" Merle growled into the phone.

Daryl quirked a brow and leaned against the closed door.

"You ain't the only one that wants to keep a lid on this. I have a reputation to uphold here myself." A long pause. "I don't know. Maybe he feels grateful for all the work you've done. You could have made up an excuse not to come." A shorter pause this time. "Yeah, I'll meet you at your place afterwords if Piper stays here. If not then I'll have to get my ass back to the house." He hung up, glared at his phone and then shoved it in his pocket before turning. When he realized he wasn't alone he froze, his eyes widening.

"Who was that?" Daryl asked, unable to hide a grin.

"Nobody, fuck off," he grumbled, stepping past him.

Daryl may have been a lot more grown up than he had been eight months ago but that didn't mean that he wasn't still Merle's kid brother. He plucked the phone right out of his pocket, dodging when Merle made a grab for him and diving over the banister, sprinting a few yards away from the porch before he stopped.

"You little bastard, give me my goddamn phone back," Merle growled, lumbering towards him.

"Fat chance asshole," Daryl muttered as he quickly scanned the recent calls, jogging backwards as Merle, stone faced and seething, came after him.

"Little brother, I love your woman so don't make me force her to be a widow," he growled.

Daryl finally pulled up the calls and laughed, holding up the phone. "Are you serious? I knew it! Carol knew it too. How long you been screwin' our attorney you horny bastard?" He looked up but it was too late. Merle grabbed him, putting him in a choke hold and dragging him further away from the house. "Hey, cut that shit out!" Daryl bellowed.

"You nosy little fucker," Merle growled, throwing him onto the grass and straddling him, slapping him in the side of the head hard.

"Goddamn it, Merle, get the hell off me!" He managed to throw him off and tried to scramble away but Merle grabbed him by the leg and pulled him, climbing onto his back and then pushing his face into the grass. Daryl bucked and then heaved himself up and then rolled until he was on top of Merle. Before Merle's arms could come around to squeeze the air out of him he threw a hard elbow into his ribs. He thought he was going to get away but he thought wrong. Merle rolled again and now his face was getting shoved into the ground again.

"I'm gonna make you cut your own lawn with your teeth you little son of bitch!"

"Boys!"

All of a sudden Merle's weight was lifted off of his back and he jumped up, spitting grass out of his mouth and scowling. Buck was tossing Merle to the side and then his arms crossed over his chest as he glared at both of them.

"Hey," Daryl barked. "Don't give me that look. That asshole started it."

Merle snorted. "He stole my goddamn phone!"

Buck looked at them in disbelief. "How old are the two of you? I mean it. Out here actin' like a couple of dumb shits, rollin' around in the grass."

"He's fuckin' Andrea," Daryl said, trying to get Buck to give Merle hell instead of him.

Buck looked over sharply. "You're what?"

Merle put his hands up. "That ain't even true. Shut your whore mouth, Darylena before I shut it for you!"

"Merle, you can't fuck your attorney," Buck said quickly, ignoring his denial.

"That's what I said!" Daryl barked. He glanced towards the porch and then felt his face flame. "Fuck," he muttered. Carol, Sophia, June and all the others were standing there.

~H~

Carol almost wanted to laugh at him. He hadn't cared about getting caught by his father but having her witness his antics with his brother had cowed him a little bit. It served him right for being such a jerk to Merle. He hadn't had to steal Merle's phone and he certainly hadn't needed to make such a scene. Now Merle was upset and Buck was upset and it was Daryl's fault.

Once he climbed the porch steps he ducked his head, grabbed Sophia and moved her so she was standing in front of him.

"You can't hide behind Sophia, Daryl," Carol said, arms crossing over her chest.

Sophia grinned. "Yes he can."

"You aren't helping," Carol said, raising a brow at her daughter. Ever since the papers were signed and in the eyes of the law she became Daryl's daughter, she had become the complete definition of a "daddy's girl". She didn't call him dad. She called him Daryl. But dad was exactly what Daryl had become to the girl.

"Yes she is," Daryl grinned.

This earned them both an eye roll but she couldn't help but smile. "You have work to do. It's seventy five degrees out here and the sun is shining and we're eating outside. All of you big strong men are in charge of hauling out the feast while us females take a break."

He sighed. "No shit? Can't we just eat?"

She nodded and stepped into him once Sophia slinked away. "Of course we can. As soon as everything is out back." She grinned when he rolled his eyes. He pulled her into him, as far as her stomach would allow, and kissed her hard, right there in front of everyone. She didn't mind anymore and he was beyond getting embarrassed over something like a kiss.

They had to improvise because there were so many of them but it ended up being the best Thanksgiving that Carol had ever had. When she was younger it was always just her and her parents and then it was just her and Ed and Sophia and no meal, not even a special one, was without it's bad moments with him around. Today wasn't like that at all. Today was full of family and laughter and the typical inappropriateness that this group was known for. She couldn't stop smiling. Even Merle and Daryl put their small feud aside so they could enjoy the meal and the company.

Andrea showed up right before everyone sat down to eat and Merle didn't even bother glancing up at her. She sat down between Randy and June. Carol hadn't talked to her much but from what she knew of her she liked her. She was straightforward and she seemed to respect this odd family despite the rough exterior. She didn't act like she was out of her element with them and it was probably because she had dealt with them for so many years.

They all laughed and told stories. A lot of them were about Daryl and his unexpected transformation. She had no idea that he had been so... unruly. She listened, wide eyed and grinning as he sat there red faced and grumbling about them all being loud mouths.

The day had been perfect but, like all perfect things, it had to end. It was still early and all of the kids decided that they would do the honors of hauling everything back inside and cleaning up. Daryl and Merle watched them suspiciously but Carol thought that it was nice of them to offer.

"They're gonna ask for somethin'," Merle said after Piper had taken in a stack of plates.

Carol smiled. "Maybe not. Maybe they just feel like helping." She knew that Sophia was quick to lend a hand whenever she could. "Sophia may just be rubbing off on them."

Merle snorted. "That don't happen. The good kids are never the ones to rub off on the bad ones. You can bet they're up to some shit."

Buck leaned back in his chair. "I done told them that today wasn't the day to go off runnin' around. When the hell do we all get together like this as a family?"

Daryl's brows shot up. "Three times a week at least."

Buck made a face. "Well, still. It's a goddamn Holiday and they can stay here."

Carol decided that if the kids did have a chance of escaping today then it would be up to her to make it happen. "It is a nice day though. It's been cold and dreary. It would be a good day for them to ride up to the lake or something. It's gonna be too cold to do it here soon."

Merle, Buck and Daryl all shot her a look. She squirmed in her chair.

"Well, it's true," she said, sensing June was about to agree with her.

June smiled, offering her a wink. "They should get to enjoy it while it lasts. Before long we'll all have to take turns letting them hang out at our houses because it'll be too cold for them to get outside. Then we'll all be wishing they were somewhere else."

Buck sighed. "I guess. Least they are kissing ass first. They usually just do whatever the hell they wanna do anyway."

Sure enough as soon as everything was cleaned up Sophia knelt down between her and Daryl. She looked at Carol first and then her eyes went to Daryl, thinking that she'd have a better chance with him. Carol smiled to herself.

"I know we're suppose to stay here today but can we just drive out to the lake for a while? It's nice out," she said, her voice sweeter than it needed to be.

Daryl glanced up, his eyes catching Carol's. She nodded, letting him have his moment of being a good guy. "I suppose. Don't do any dumb shit and be back at ten."

She grinned, kissed him soundly on the cheek and bounced up on the balls of her feet. She looked down at Carol, raising her brow and smiling. "Is it okay with you?"

Carol shrugged. "I suppose, if it's okay with him."

Another grin and then she was off, hurrying back into the house to get ready to go. Daryl shook his head and stood up, grabbing Carol's hands and pulling her up with him. She was big enough now that she was actually grateful for the help.

She vaguely heard June telling Damon that he had to be home earlier to help with something at the bakery but the conversation was lost once Daryl had her in the kitchen, the door shut firmly behind them.

"I'm ready for everybody to leave. It's been a busy ass week," he grumbled right before his lips met hers.

She smiled. "It's been nice."

"It's been busy," he corrected. "I'm dyin' here."

She rolled her eyes. "How in the world can you think about that when I look like this?"

He glanced down and then grinned, kissing her again, lingering longer this time. "There ain't nothin' wrong with how you look."

She shook her head, always amazed at how quickly her insecurities faded away when he looked at her like that. Just to prove his point he pulled her closer and kissed her again.