Chapter Twenty-Seven

When Carol finally woke up that morning, she never thought she would be on the phone with the community college a few towns over discussing her credits and major. Her dream was to become an elementary teacher, but when Ed had made her drop out of school when they were married, that dream was shattered. Now, being married to Daryl, she didn't feel like a prisoner, anymore. She could do what she wanted and she wanted to start classes, again. She wanted to graduate and she wanted to teach.

The woman on the phone had been understanding of her plight. Carol had told the basics of her abusive marriage, not going into detail, though. She hadn't wanted to scare the woman or be pitied. The woman had agreed to allow her credits from two years ago to transfer over to their college, so she wouldn't have to start completely over. Carol had been lucky. Normally, schools wouldn't do that. But this had been a special case and Carol was grateful.

She couldn't wait to tell Daryl. Next fall, she would start school, again, and in a year, she would graduate. It had taken five years to get to this point. Daryl would be so happy for her, she knew. At the news, he would pull her in for a kiss. She just knew he would. Carol couldn't help but feel giddy. Daryl had kissed her probably a hundred times before, but she always looked forward to when he would kiss her, again.

"Hello? Mrs. Dixon? Are you still there?"

Carol had completely forgotten that she was still on the phone with the woman from the community college. She blushed a beet red, knowing that it was because she had gotten lost in her thoughts of Daryl.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm still here. I just got a little...distracted."

The other woman chuckled. "Seeing as you just told me you got married just a few days, ago, I think I can guess what was distracting you."

"Is it that obvious?"

"I was a newlywed, once, too, honey. Now, this one is being good to you, right?"

"Oh, yes. I've never been treated so well by a man before." It felt a little odd to talk about this with a stranger, but the woman had been extremely kind.

"That's good. Unfortunately, I will need to let you go as I have other duties to take care off, but as long as you fill out an application by spring, you will be enrolled in classes next fall."

"Thank you so much! You've been very helpful...and I really appreciate it." Out of nowhere, Carol became teary-eyed. It had been awhile since she had reached out to talk anyone, and this woman had been so kind.

"You're welcome. You take care, now."

"I will."

"Bye, dear."

"Bye."

Carol hung up the phone with a huge smile on her face and tears sliding down her cheeks. Things were looking up. She was married to someone she loved more than she ever thought possible, and now, she was going to finally fulfill her dream.

The next thing she needed to do was find a job. Daryl's job was decent and it would pay the bells, plus she still had much of the money her parents left her when they died, but Carol wanted to feel useful. She wanted to contribute.

There was still that niggling of fear in the back of her mind, though. Ed had just been in the grocery store, he had grabbed her and vowed that he would find her, again. What would stop him from looking in every shop and business in there town? It wasn't that big and neither were the towns close by. She was still trapped.

Anger surged through her, and she wanted to punch something. Throw something. Destroy something. But she took deep breath and calmed herself, down. She had Daryl, now, and he would protect her. Just as he promised he would.

She would go out. She would apply for a job and Ed would be the last thing from her mind.

Walking to her room, she began to dig in her closest for something to wear when a pair of jeans hanging in the very back of the closet caught her attention. She immediately recognized them. They had been her favorite pair. There was a hole in the knee, the waist was low riding and they were a little tight, but they made her ass look great. Ed had forbidden her to wear them and had wanted them thrown out. In a large act of defiance, she had kept them. She hadn't even remembered hanging them up when she had first moved in. They were calling to her, now. Begging to be worn.

Biting back a smile, Carol yanked them from the hanger and snatched a shirt to complete the outfit. She would go out, see if anyone was hiring, and if Ed happened to see her, then he would see her wearing the jeans and it would Carol's way of saying 'fuck you' to him.

Slipping into the jeans felt like slipping on a new skin. She felt like a new Carol. A new, sexy Carol. She slipped her hands in her back pockets to pose in front of the mirror and was surprised when her fingers brushed against a slip of paper. She took it out and opened it. A sob escaped her as she instantly recognized the handwriting.

Hey, girl.

I don't know when you'll see this, since you're married and stuff, now. But I just want to let you know, as your best friend, that I will always be here for you. I love you.

Michonne

On the bottom of the piece of paper, a number was scrawled. Michonne's number. Carol turned to look on her nightstand where her cell phone laid. Should she give her friend a call and tell her what was going on with her life? To let her know that she was all right, that she was married, again, and to an amazing man?

Carol hadn't even known she had crossed the room to the bed until she found herself picking up her phone. The light from the screen lit up her face in the dim room. Her thumb hovered over the contacts button and before she could even think about it, she was scrolling through it. Many of the contacts were people she knew she would never talk to, again. Most of them had been old acquaintances from school. She stopped scrolling when she came to Michonne. However, she couldn't let herself push the button and call her best friend. There was no telling what the other woman must think of Carol, now.

"Forgive me," she said softly before slipping the phone and piece of paper into her back pocket. Maybe on another day, she would find the courage to dial the number on the paper, but now, she was too afraid.

Daryl came home in a great mood. He hadn't realized how good it felt to be complimented on his work until it had actually happened. The Charger had been a pain in his ass, but he had done his best to fix it up and it looked like he had done a good job on it. At least, that was what Edward Peletier had said, anyway.

The man seemed a little off, though. Daryl hadn't wanted to admit it, since he had paid him a compliment, but there had been something about his eyes. They seemed flat. Dead. Cold. When he smiled, there had still been nothing in his brown eyes. Daryl tried not to think about him, anymore, since it was likely that he would never see him, again. Unless, his car broke down, which Daryl hoped wouldn't happen for a long time.

When he walked inside the house, Carol came from the living room, beaming. Daryl's eyes immediately zeroed in on what she wore and his mouth went dry. He had seen her in jeans before, but never these jeans before. They were hot. He hadn't even registered that Carol had been talking to him, until she stood directly in front of him, arms crossed.

"Are you done staring, Daryl Dixon?"

"Not yet, Carol Dixon." And just to tease, he stared a little longer at her jean clad legs.

"Here's a better view." Carol winked and turned to the side, so he got a good look at how good her ass looked in the tight jeans.

"Okay, okay," he finally said and tore his eyes, away. "I'm done lookin'. I can't help that you're so God damn beautiful."

"Stop." Carol blushed and reached for him. They met in a searing kiss.

"So, what were you up to, today?" He asked in between kisses. Somehow, they had made their way to the living room and Carol was seated in his lap.

"Oh!" She pulled back. "I called about starting classes, again, and I grabbed an application from the bookstore in town."

"Wow, you've been busy." He settled his hands on her hips.

"I have," she said. "It...felt good to do it. I actually have a say in my life, again. Thanks to you." She kissed him, again.

"You agreed to marry me."

"You fell in love with me." The words were spoken softly.

"And you fell in love with me back," he said.

She smiled a beautiful smile. "That I did."

They kissed for several more minutes until Daryl's empty stomach announced that it needed to be filled. Carol laughed and climbed from his lap.

"Go take a shower and I'll make supper."

Daryl stood from the couch. "Let's have a picnic."

Carol looked surprised at the sudden suggestion. "A picnic?"

"Yeah. The weather isn't going to be this nice for long, and I thought we could take advantage of it. Is that okay?"

"Of course!" She smiled. "A picnic sounds wonderful. I'll get some stuff, together, and I'll meet you outside." Going up on her tiptoes, she kissed him on the nose before shooing him to the shower.

The sun was slowly sinking in the sky, bathing everything in a soft orange and pink glow. Carol and Daryl had finished their supper, packed it up and now, laid out on the blanket. Carol curled herself into Daryl's chest and Daryl gently stroked along her spine. Slowly, Daryl's hand crept up under her shirt and fingered the clasp on her bra. Carol smiled into his chest.

"Okay," she said.

"Okay, what?"

Carol sat up, peeled her shirt over her head and reached behind her to unclasp her bra. Daryl propped up on his elbows and watched with wide eyes. She straddled his lap and began to work on the buttons of his shirt and peeled it off his broad shoulders.

"You want to do this...out here?" He asked.

"Yes." She began working on his belt.

In a second, Carol was on her back, blinking up at Daryl, whose eyes had gone completely black with desire. The rest of their clothes were thrown off and they their bodies came together, just as the sun began to set.

They didn't go back into the house until the sun had completely lowered. Carol had dozed off on the blanket, wrapped up with Daryl with nothing but his shirt. When it got to dark to see anything, Daryl picked up their clothes and then, picked up Carol to carry her to bed. He placed her on her side of the bed and just dumped her jeans and shirt beside her on the floor.

Daryl walked over to the dresser and found another shirt; he slipped on over his head, before he climbed under the covers with Carol and pulled her into the cradle of his arms. She didn't wake and snuggled more into his chest.

Carol woke suddenly when she heard the ding! of her phone. Instantly, her heart dropped into her stomach. Rolling out of Daryl's protective arms, she reached down to the floor where the noise had come from. Retrieving the device from her pocket, she turned it on and looked at the new message.

How do you like being Mrs. Dixon? It can't be any better than being Mrs. Peletier...

Ice slid down her spine. How did Ed know Daryl's name. In the grocery store, she had let his first name slip but hadn't said anything about his last name.

"Who was that?" Daryl's sleepy voice startled Carol and she nearly dropped her phone.

"Oh, it's no one. I was just checking the time." Luckily, there wasn't an alarm clock on her side of the bed.

Quickly she turned the device off and shoved it in her night able drawer before rolling back to face Daryl. Even though she knew he couldn't see her face, she smiled. Fake.

"It's no one, Daryl." The lie tasted sour in her mouth.

There was a slight pause. "All right."

Carol wrapped herself around Daryl, once again, but Daryl couldn't fall asleep. He had heard the ding of her phone going off. She hadn't been checking the time.

Merle's words ran through his head, again.

She's hidin' somethin', baby brother. I know it.

PLEASE be patient with Carol! She has reasons for doing this and don't worry, Daryl won't be in the dark for long.

Thanks for reading!