Making Your Wants Known

Carol was up making breakfast when Spencer came to the door. Daryl and Morgan were sitting at the kitchen counter drinking coffee and she was able to coax Spencer have a cup with them. Rick came downstairs with Judith and fed her breakfast as they talked about the Wolves.

Spencer handed Rick a note from his mother. "My mother can't deal with anything else right now. Losing Aiden and dad was too much. She is handing over control of Alexandria to you until she deals with her grief."

Rick read the letter, "She knows that I want to change things, right?" Spencer nodded. He took another cup of coffee and ate breakfast with them.

Rick's first project was reinforcing the walls and Morgan agreed to walk around the walls this morning and make some notes.

"Carol and I are going over to the storage building this morning and look for some supplies. We're going to remodel the basement, but I'll tour the walls before we go. Carol, can you be ready by ten o'clock?" Morgan glanced at Carol.

Carol gave him a level look, "The walls come first. We can do that project later."

Morgan grinned at her, "We'll get the stuff this morning. Won't take long to put the walls up. You can mud and paint the drywall. We can use that other end for storage. Put some shelves up. We'll need a run to get concrete blocks anyway. We can start the safe room today."

Carol suddenly smiled at him, "We'll need electrical supplies too. I can do that."

Morgan was delighted with her confidence. "Leave me something to do." Rick looked surprised and Daryl looked a little pissed. Morgan realized that Daryl probably thought of Carol as his "person", but he had had nearly two years to seal the deal and he hadn't yet. Carol deserved a man who treated her like the queen she was. It was time for Daryl to make his wants known. Either piss or get off the pot.

Rick wanted to go around the walls now and Morgan asked for a notebook. Carol brought him one with various sketches of Alexandria. He glanced at it and then at her, "I started that the first night we were here. The next pages have all the information that I have about the way the town operates." Carol handed him a pen, "Good luck."

He leafed through the sketches, "You're an artist. Not everyone can draw perspective like that."

She blushed ever so slightly, "I don't draw anymore."

Daryl was looked irked again, "I'll go with you to the storage building."

Morgan smiled, "That would be great. We can use some help getting the supplies back."

Daryl looked at Carol who had taken Judith from Rick. "There's a building supply place about ten miles away. Maybe we can take a run to get supplies if we need it." Morgan heard the slightly stressed "we" and knew Daryl wasn't completely oblivious.

Carol seemed pleased at the thought, "I'll make a list."

Morgan followed Rick, Spencer, and Daryl out the door, "Be back by ten."

Michonne met them in the hallway as they were leaving. She spoke to Morgan, "Maybe sometime you could give me a few lessons on using that walking stick as a weapon."

He smiled at her, "Maybe this evening? You could give me a lesson on the katana."

Rick said abruptly, "We need to get started."

Daryl turned to hide his smile and he looked back into the kitchen. Carol was talking to Judith who was kicking her heels and laughing. The morning sunlight warmed the room and he felt a tug to stay there. He didn't want to go out into the cold morning. Maybe for once he could just stay here at home.

Michonne snickered at him, "Looks like somebody has been homesick."

"Go to hell, Michonne. When did you need anybody to show you how to use a weapon?" Daryl left on that. Always get out when the gettin's good."

Michonne said, "What's for breakfast?"

"Oatmeal, toast, and applesauce."

Michonne poured herself a large cup of coffee. Carol had presented her with an oversized mug two days ago and no one else dared use it. She scooped out a big bowl of oatmeal, sat down, and took a bite of oatmeal, "How do you make this taste so good?"

"Cinnamon and applesauce. Spencer brought a note to Rick. Deanna is giving him control of Alexandria for a while. So are you on duty as a constable today?"

"Going out to patrol the mean streets of Alexandria. Do you think Rick can handle this?" Michonne picked up Judith out of her seat.

"He needs your help, Michonne. You made the right call to come here. We had been out there too long. Rick will focus on making this place safer. You'll need to help him with making day to day decisions." Carol wiped off the counter and heard a knock on the back door. Only one person used that door. Sam. Damn.

Sam stood there looking woebegone. Carol opened the door reluctantly. This kid was hard to shake off. "Does your mother know where you are?"

"She's still asleep. Mrs. Moore gave her a pill last night. Can't I come in?"

Carol considered the question. Opening the door to Sam brought with it too many memories of lost children. She should say no and send him back to his own house. He was in his own way too easy to love. Sneaky and cocky and prone to eat too many cookies. Opening the door now was accepting that this boy had weaseled his way into her life.

She opened the door ungraciously, "Come on in. I'll give you breakfast but then you have to go home."

Sam greeted Judith with a high five and regarded Michonne cheekily, "Do I need a lawyer?"

Michonne regarded him drily, "Not yet, but the day isn't over yet."

Sam grinned at her and she saw why Carol had opened the door. He had a certain roguish charm.

Carol added a few ingredients to the oatmeal. Sasha called from the front door, "Anybody home?"

Michonne answered, "We're in the kitchen, come on back."

Sasha walked in the kitchen carrying her rifle. She looked cold and weary. Carol poured her a cup of coffee. "Sit down and I'll make you some breakfast. How is Tara?"

"She's weak, but she managed to give me a fist bump. Think she is gonna make it." Sasha took a sip of coffee, "Hot coffee. A reason to live".

Sam sidled over to Sasha, "That's a big gun. You're the woman in the tower, aren't you?"

"It's a weapon, not a toy. So keep your hands off of it." He nodded at her solemnly and she recognized him as Pete's son.

Carol put a glass of milk on the table, "Sit down, Sam. Have you ever had an oatmeal cake?"

He shook his head and she placed a plate with something that resembled a pancake on it. "Try it."

Carol put another oatmeal cake in front of Sasha. She picked it up and took a bite. "It's good. My grandmother made these. Don't tell grandma, but yours are better."

"Applesauce and cinnamon, makes everything taste better," Carol bit into her treat, "My grandmother made them too."

Sam gobbled his down. Michonne tried one and liked it, "I am going to go take a stroll around town. I'll be back to keep an eye on Judith."

Sasha ate slowly. Sam finished his toast and applesauce because Carol wouldn't let him have more than two oatmeal cakes. He went home reluctantly, "I'll go see if Mom is awake."

Carl came down, grabbed a piece of toast and an oatmeal cake and took off.

Sasha got another cup of coffee and sat back down. "Tyreese told me what happened one night when we were on watch. Everything."

Carol sat down on a chair. "Tyreese forgave me. He was the best man I'll ever know."

Sasha nodded, "I wish I had taken my sniper gun and shot the Governor when he was outside the walls. I could have killed him before he killed Hershel. You weren't right to kill Karen and David but I understand. I would have done anything to keep the prison. We're all adrift without it."

"I'm sorry that you had to be the one to put down Lizzie. I know you loved those two girls. You did what you had to do. It's time to move on, forgive yourself, and start a new life here." Sasha's voice was so gentle and for the first time Carol saw Tyreese in her.

"Can you do that?" Carol felt her control slipping. Time to go on the attack so that she didn't fall apart in front of Sasha.

"I'm trying. It was easier to be the woman in the tower mowing down walkers as they came up to the walls. It's hard to let myself feel something other than rage. Maggie, Gabriel, and I had a prayer meeting last night. I took watch last night and I let myself mourn and I began to see how much we are all hurting. How much pain that you are holding in. Felt like Tyreese was telling me to go talk to you this morning. Let you know to let the walls down."

Carol felt the tears began to fall. "I don't know how to let go without just giving up."

"People like you and me don't give up. You don't just let go, you give it to God. Just don't pick it up again. You ask for help from the people around you. You accept what you can't change." Sasha handed her a napkin to use to wipe her face. "Know that you are loved by your family. We have your back, Carol."

Sasha stood up, "I'm going to go find my bed and go to sleep. Maybe I'll rest better. No more bad dreams."

Carol stood up and hugged her goodbye, "I loved Tyreese too."

Afterward Carol wiped her eyes again and tackled the dishes. Michonne came back and took Judith for a stroller walk through town. It had warmed up quickly today and Judith liked being outside.

Carol was gathering rulers, tape measures, pencils, and paper in the living room. She liked to have exact measurement before she started a project. Sam was sitting on his front steps and Daryl was coming down the street. Daryl glanced at the boy and slowed down to talk to him. They both looked toward this house and Daryl said something else and Sam got up from the steps.

"Did you make oatmeal cakes?" Daryl let himself in and Sam followed him like a shadow. She had always turned leftover oatmeal into cakes at the prison and she always saved some for Daryl.

Carol laughed and it felt strange but good. "I did but Sam ate them all."

Daryl turned to Sam, "You ate my oatmeal cakes. Damn, boy, you got some balls on you."

"I ate two. Miss Carol wouldn't let me have anymore. Can I hold your crossbow?"

"Now you can't. It's a weapon, not a toy. Besides you ate my oatmeal cakes."

Carol decided that somebody had to be the adult here. "I'm going downstairs. Daryl, your oatmeal cakes are in the microwave. Sam, go ask your mother if you can help me with a project." Sam scooted out.

"The little cock blocker is out of the house. Kinda romantic. You wanna screw around." Daryl smirked at her. "I didn't come back here just for oatmeal cakes."

"Staap." Carol felt her cheeks burn, but she wasn't going to let Daryl get the last word. "You invited the little cock blocker over. So go enjoy your oatmeal cakes."

Sam scampered up the steps of his house and was in and out in a matter of seconds. Carol saw him jump the last two steps, "Boys always jump the last two steps."

Daryl had been watching with her, "Let's keep him busy today. His dad was a shit, but he was his dad."

Sam helped her measure basement walls. Daryl ate his treat while loudly proclaiming how good it was to aggravate Sam who he called "Sam I am."

Daryl was only interested in the safe room. He inspected every part of the basement and finally chose a corner. "We'll have two walls already that way. We can plumb water over there. Times get good, we'll have our own wine cellar or our own little soundproofed love nest."

Sam I am was in the other side of the basement. Carol whispered to Daryl, "Staap. What is with you today?"

"Marking my damn territory. Don't want no dark horse candidate sniffing around you. Mr. Zen Warrior will be back any minute now proclaiming this is the age of Aquarius or some shit like that." Daryl drew lines on the floor with a piece of chalk to mark the outlines of the safe room.

Carol remembered Daryl coming downstairs last night. His hands on her shoulders when they came upstairs. Daryl was jealous of Morgan. "We're friends, Daryl, we better leave it like that. I'm gotten nothing to give you."

"We are more than friends. Always have been. I'll never ask for more than you can give. I promise you that." He finished with his outline. Sam bounded over and Daryl glanced at him, "Sam I am, I need you to help me check out this stove."

Sam followed Daryl around like a puppy and Daryl kept him busy with helping him clean up the stove. Michonne came back with Judith who was ready for her nap. Carol gave her the express tour of the renovations. Sam and Daryl were making a mess and the womenfolk decided to go upstairs.

Michonne rocked Judith while Carol went through her sketches and notes in the living room. "You and Daryl are good with Sam. It does take a village to raise a child."

Carol decided to let down a bit of the wall, "Sam is blackmailing me. I am at his mercy."

Michonne laughed, "Oh, no. Did he find out that you put a laxative in the casseroles?"

Carol shook her head. "Worse than that. I was the one who stole the guns. The little sneak caught me. I tried to scare the hell out of him to keep him from telling. I told him a story that scared the hell out of me. The next morning he came by and told me that I had to buy his silence with cookies. He is ruthless. He is just toying with me."

Michonne laughed until the tears came, "The woman who brought down Terminus was bested by a nine year old. I love that kid. You two together could own this town. The casserole lady and the cookie monster, love it." She sobered up and Carol could see bottomless sorrow in her eyes, "I know that you are trying to keep him at arm's length and I know why. I used to avoid Judith like the plague. I had a little boy named Andre who was killed in a camp when this all started. It took me a long time to come back from that and I'll never stop missing him. Always will have that hole that nothing can ever fill, but I have room to love other people. Now I am going to put this little girl in her crib and I'm going to stay here and watch over her while you gather supplies." Michonne was crying again and Carol put her arm around her and for a little while they both wept as they watched Judith sleep.

AN

The only person Tyreese would tell his story to would be Sasha. I am tired of Daryl's emo act and I refuse to write a sentence about him peering around his hair helmet to talk to people. Carol has scissors and isn't afraid to use them.

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