Second Home

Aaron gave a low curse when he sighted a small herd of walkers ahead on the road to Salem Valley. The fields on either side of the road were filled with high weeds but there wasn't anywhere for a massive herd to be hiding. He stopped and looked at Daryl, "What do you want to do?"

Daryl noted that the herd was more bones than flesh and were moving very slowly, "Let's put them out of their misery."

The Land Rover stopped behind them and Jesse, Michonne, and Morgan got out. Carol got out with her machete when Daryl and Aaron started walking toward the herd. She stood at the driver's door and kept watch. Aaron had kept the engine running and she knew her job was to protect those inside. Morgan was standing at the back of his vehicle keeping an eye on the road behind them.

Michonne was unleashing her katana and leading the way. Jesse off to her right, Aaron and Daryl to her left. The men were taking care to give her a wide berth as she warmed her muscles for the battle to come.

The herd began to meander toward them and Carol did a quick circuit around the Tahoe to look for trouble and to make sure she could turn the vehicle around. Sam had taken her seat and she stopped by the door, "Stay in there. Keep the dog quiet. Watch the field over there to make sure we don't have visitors." He nodded.

Michonne and Jesse started on the right side of the herd and Aaron and Daryl the left. Michonne's katana was making quick work of ridding the world of this herd. Jesse had her back ensuring that no walker came around from behind.

Daryl and Aaron worked together. Both men were using knives. The herd was dispatched quickly and then rolled out of the road. Daryl wiped his knife on the grass and put it back in it sheaf.

There was a brief powwow about changing their route. "This is the fastest way, and we'll have to backtrack to get to another road that goes that way." Aaron knew that the dead were everywhere.

The encountered two more herds on the way to Salem. Not huge herds but enough that everyone's nerves were on edge by the time they left the highway. The narrow curvy road that led to Salem was a welcome relief. Morgan guided them through the obstacles that he had helped build on his last visit and they were soon waved through the road block.

Sam had been quiet all morning but he and Buck scooted up to sit beside Carol as they traveled by the small farms of the community. He leaned into Carol smiling and waving at the children who were playing in their fenced in yards. Morgan stopped at Jacob and Esther's house, "Christie needs to talk to them. We'll be there in a few minutes."

The log house sat like a ship with its prow facing the west. Daryl looked at it suspiciously. He got out of the Tahoe with his knife drawn. He walked around the back of the house and looked around and then back to the others, "Looks okay".

He insisted that they wait outside until the house was checked. Carol was disappointed because she wanted to see Daryl's first reaction to their house, but she understood. Following that routine had kept all the survivors from the farm alive all those dangerous months on the road. The irony being that they began dying when they reached the sanctuary of the prison.

Daryl motioned to them from the kitchen door. "It's safe." He went on to the Tahoe and grabbed a load of supplies and brought it in. Aaron helped Eric in and Sam grabbed his bag and took it to "his" room".

Carol brought her bag to the master bedroom. She opened the window and used the bathroom. Daryl followed her in, "This our room?"

She nodded, "Morgan and Jesse will have a room. Michonne and Christie, and Sam will have the room that he stayed in last time. Aaron and Eric are going to stay in the basement. There is a bed and bathroom down there."

Daryl was looking around the room, "Bars on the windows and steel doors. Seems safe". His tone was carefully neutral as it had been since their fight the night before. Their first fight really since they got together. They had both been angry. Daryl insisting that she stay home and Carol stating that she was going. Finally, Daryl had said, "Do what you want to do." He had been distant with her ever since. We're not the make-up sex type. Anger scares us. We've been hurt too much by anger.

Carol thought of all the things she needed to do, but threw them at the back of the list, "Let's go look at the view."

Daryl followed out of their room and into the living room and out onto the deck. There were leaves and twigs scattered over the deck flooring but the view of the surrounding mountains and Salem Valley was even more beautiful now. The mountains before had been a constant green and now they sported gold, yellow, red, brown and mixed in with it all was green from stubborn leaves that weren't ready to give up the good fight.

Daryl gripped the deck railing and leaned over. "They used steel beams and set deep in the ground. He straightened up and looked at Carol, "It's like a tree house, like being part of the trees and not just being around them. You know what I mean?"

Carol nodded, "I get that feeling in the living room too. That this house was built to be part of its surroundings so that you can see all the life around you." Now would be a good time to end the cold war.

Sam bounded out on the deck with Buck. "Let's go to Shawn and Jada's?" Great timing, Sam.

"Let's get the house cleaned up first. We might get company. You can sweep the deck." Carol went back into the house and found a wide broom. "Leave Buck in here."

Daryl and Aaron had disappeared. Eric rolled his eyes and she suspected that he was feeling a little left out, "They are going through the outbuildings."

Eric cleaned the kitchen and Carol cleaned the living room and deposited clean linens to all the bedrooms. She made up the bed in the master bedroom and cleaned the bathroom. The ceiling fans were on and the house was beginning to lose that musty closed up smell.

Daryl was concerned about the lack of firewood, "There's enough for a few weeks, but I saw some downed trees we can cut up. There's two chain saws in one of those outbuildings."

Jada and Shawn came into the yard and shouted their presence. Carol found herself brushing past Daryl to hug them. Shawn kissed the top of her head and tossed Sam into the air and caught him in a hug, "Good to see you." Buck jumped and scampered around their feet.

The other half of their group joined them for a picnic lunch held on the deck. They drank sweet tea and ate sandwiches. The vaccinations would start tomorrow morning in the community church, but they had the afternoon free to enjoy an Appalachian autumn afternoon.

Daryl was determined to enjoy the afternoon cutting firewood. Shawn laughed, "I'll help. We had a windstorm last spring and we can get to those trees easy. I'll bring the tractor and the trailer. Now let's see if that fuel will still work." Shawn stood up and stretched, "Come on, old man, let's see what you got."

The other men except Eric stood up, heeding some ancient drive of all males to show that they can compete.

The women heeded some ancient drive of all females to talk and plan what needed to be done. Then they went to work.

There was a procession of trucks going up the hill that afternoon. The men of Salem began to drift in and help. Two men brought their log splitters and Daryl was amazed at how quickly the downed trees were cut into two foot sections and then fed to the hungry log splitters. They used as much as the tree as they could and then hauled the brush into a pile at the edge of the field. Another group used a trailer to take the cut wood back to the house and stack it.

The women brought cool water and stayed out of their way. Jada warned them that they needed to get ready to host a party. Women began arriving late in the afternoon with food and they helped set up the light plastic topped tables that had been in one of the outbuildings. Eric and Esther seemed to have an instant bond and she shared her recipe for blackberry cobbler with him.

The tables were set up on the edge of the field in the shade of some tall oaks. The men finished their work and washed up from a water hose. Jacob gave the blessing and the mountains of food that had been piled on the tables began to disappear.

Carol noticed that Sam and an African-American girl about his age ate dinner together. They disappeared later and she found them on the deck with their feet dangling over the edge and talking. Buck had wedged himself in between them. Carol went to her pack and found the digital camera that Daryl had brought back from the compound. She had been playing around with it and she used it to take several photographs. Buck ran toward her and she recognized his "Potty now" behavior.

"Buck needs a walk. I'll go with you." This wasn't Alexandria. Anything could wander out of these woods.

Sam remembered his manners, "Carol, this is Alia." He got up and offered his hand to help the girl who didn't look as if she needed any assistance. Carol hid her grin. "Alia, this is Carol. She's my… foster mother."

Carol felt that familiar pang. She had refused to identify her relationship with Sam in the past. Yet, seeing him so happy and relaxed on the deck had sent her scurrying for the camera. Capture the moment.

Alia stepped forward and offered her hand politely, "I am very pleased to meet you, Miss Carol."

Carol smiled at Alia. It might be impossible not to smile at Alia. Her hair was a mass of untamed curls and she had a smile that demanded a return. "Would you like to walk with us? We'll wait until you ask permission."

Alia's smile faltered, "They won't notice, but I'll run and tell my aunt." Her pronunciation of "Aunt" labelled her from the eastern part of the state and Carol wondered what her story was.

Alia dashed off and came back so quickly that Carol wondered if she had really asked but Buck needed a walk now.

Michonne met them at the door, "I need a break from all these good people. I'm going with you."

Alia held out her hand, "Hello, I'm Alia and you must be Michonne."

Michonne sent Sam her mean look, "Don't believe anything that this scoundrel says. I am just a sweet lady who bakes cookies and tends to the flowers in my garden." Michonne's genuine laugh broke out, "Well, maybe I'm not that, but I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Alia".

Buck pulled at the leash and they walked back toward the road. The children walking behind the adults. Alia identified every tree, flower, and bird for Sam. Carol took a few photographs of the two of them as Alia pointed out the identifying characteristics.

The evening was coming on but it was still warm and bright up on top of the hill and Carol stretched her arms and she could felt unaccountably happy. I love it here.

"Did someone teach how to identify all this?" Michonne swept her arms in two graceful arcs to include everything in their path.

Alia shook her head, "My grandmother had some field guides at her house. My father grew up here and then went to college at Georgetown where he met my mother. I was spending the summer here while my parents were working on some sort of project at Fort Detrick."

So little said but so much was conveyed. Her parents lost in the chaos after the Turn. She was here with an aunt that wasn't too concerned about her. The grandmother was probably dead too. There was sadness and grief on her expressive face, but there was strength. Alia was a survivor. Carol felt that tug again. Children were her Achilles' heel.

Alia bent and picked a maple leaf off the ground and twirled it between her long golden brown fingers, "The beginning of wisdom is to know something by its right name".

They were back in time to thank everyone for helping. Alia left with a dour looking couple with three other children all younger than Alia. The men put all the tables and chairs back and cleaned up the yard. The women did the dishes.

The house was warm and cozy and they enjoyed a cup of coffee while they ate the black berry cobbler that Esther and Eric had baked. Sam was quiet which made Carol suspect that he was up to something. He and Daryl took Buck for his last walk, really just a pee break close to the house.

Carol went upstairs with Sam. "I don't need a shower. I'll save the hot water for everyone else." The hot water was limited so Carol didn't protest. He did wash his hands and face and brush his teeth while she waited in his room. He had packed more books than clothes.

Sam jumped into bed. Buck tried to follow him but the bed was too high. Carol sighed and lifted the dog up. "It was a little scary getting here today." Better let him talk about it.

"It was scary, but you and Daryl were there. That made it less scary." Sam rubbed Buck's head, "I want Alia to be part of our group." Now that came out of nowhere.

"Her aunt and uncle will protect their children. Alia doesn't have anyone who will put her first. She should be with us." He looked at her, "I'm not asking you to be her mother. Aunt Michonne and Uncle Jesse can be her parents. I'm going to marry her someday, so she can't be my sister." Well, now that we have your next twenty years planned I'll just go downstairs and tell Daryl that it's all arranged.

"Michonne and Jesse are just friends. You might like Alia but that doesn't mean that you are going to wind up together." You're just a little boy.

"We're supposed to be together. Like you and Daryl. Like Michonne and Jesse. You should be with the person who loves who you really are. Alia is brilliant and funny. She is my soul mate." Soul mate?

Carol decided to start checking on the books that Sam was reading. "Well, this half of your soul mated duo is going to sleep and tomorrow maybe we can ask if Alia can spend the day with you." I thought boys would be easier.

Daryl was already in bed. He looked exhausted. Too damn bad for your luck. I am so not spending another night with you sleeping with your back turned toward me.

Carol went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and work up her nerve to talk to Daryl. She tested the water and decided that a quick tepid shower was needed. The water turned from tepid to ice cold in about three seconds and she was freezing when she got out of the shower. She put on a long t-shirt to sleep in. I must have been really mad when I packed.

Daryl was still wake when she slid into bed. He turned toward her. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm cold". I am not shivering with desire, I am freezing.

He moved toward her and gathered her close and she held onto him. Not just because he was warm.

"Taking a cold shower? Are you that mad at me?" He mumbled into her ear. Daryl sat up, "I need to talk to you."

"I'm here." Talking is good.

"Last night I was angry when you said you were coming here. I had no right to order you to stay in Alexandria. I get mixed up in my feelings some times. I was angry because I was scared that you'd get hurt out here." He paused for a second, "I knew you loved this place when you kept looking at it coming up the hill. It made me feel like I wasn't good enough for you. I never found you a home like this. That you wanted this to be your home and where did I fit in? Jealous of a house. I'm an idiot. I'm sorry." I'm sorry too.

Carol resisted the urge to kiss him. "I was angry last night too. You keep leaving me and I'm afraid that you won't come back. I'm afraid to be angry. It scares me. I do love this house. It is my second home, but don't you know that my first home is wherever you are? I wanted to spend some time here with you because part of the reason I love it so much it is because it is the house that fits you."

"That day when we took Sam outside the walls? I loved it. Seems like my whole life I've been trapped in places. I was happy at the prison, but how often did I get to go outside the walls?" Carol remembered walking the around the front of the prison and wanting to walk outside the walls or to ride on a motorcycle.

"Did you mean that? That I'm your first home?" I guess you skipped over that part about my feeling trapped.

"Yes, where I live is not as important and who I live with. I want to be with you. And Sam and his dog. He has decided that he is going to marry Alia." Carol laughed, "She is his soul mate."

Daryl was lying on his side facing her. "Maybe she is. I wish I had met you when we were ten. You could have been the first and only girl I've kissed." He kissed her then. Gentle and sweet. Then he kissed her again and again until his tongue began to trace her bottom lip and she opened her mouth to his tongue. Daryl, that would have changed both our lives.

She pulled back after a bit, "You don't kiss like a ten year old."

"That was our first make out session when we were fourteen. You let me touch your boobs and I almost went in my pant the night that I first kissed you there and I felt your nipples in my mouth." Daryl sucked and bit gently at her breast and Carol felt herself become warm and wet between her legs.

"I never wanted you to stop doing that, but I wanted more too. We were touching each other to reach orgasm by the time we were fifteen." She reached down and rubbed his erection and Daryl put his fingers between her legs caused her to buck toward him.

"I wanted more of you and one night I kissed a trail down your body and parted your legs and put my tongue in you. You made noises I had never heard you make before and you kept begging me for more." Daryl caressed her there with his tongue and Carol felt like a horny teenager. He didn't stay nearly long enough.

"Did we make it to sixteen before real sex?" Daryl asked. Not a damn chance.

"Probably not, but let's pretend we did. So what happened? You dangled condoms in front of me until I agreed to the deed?" Carol leaned in for more kisses. No more playing around.

"Probably like now. You just couldn't wait any longer. You do have a problem with delayed gratification."

"So stop delaying my gratification, Dixon."

"Maybe we could ride the bike or go for more walks when we get back to Alexandria." I should have known that you were listening all along.

AN

Fort Detrick is in Maryland and all sorts of medical research goes on there.

Carol and Daryl aren't perfect. So they would fight occasionally.

Next chapter will probably send Daryl off to the University of Virginia.