Chapter Thirty-Two

It didn't take long for Carol to come up with an idea on how to get rid of Ed for good. All that mattered, now, was if it would work or not and there were a lot of factors that could go horribly wrong. But she needed to do this. Ed wasn't going to go away anytime soon and she needed to be the one to get him away. Daryl would protect her, she knew that, but if Ed were to snap, Daryl would be the first person in his way and Carol wouldn't be able to bear it if anything were to happen to him because Ed wanted to get to her.

The plan had to work. If not, then she was confident that she would be the only one to get harmed. Daryl wouldn't like it when she told him, but she would let him know her mind was made up. She was telling him the plan because he deserved to know.

Carol stood up from her window seat and walked to the bedroom. First, she needed to get dressed. Quickly she found her favorite pair of jeans, the ones that had almost made Daryl drool at the sight of them, and slipped them over her hips. Then, she slid on a pale blue tank top that sat low on her chest and showed a bit of cleavage. The color of the garment matched her eyes. Finally, it was getting a little chilly out, so she pulled out a dark blue cardigan. It was thin but would keep some of the chill out.

She took a glance at herself in the mirror and all she needed to complete the outfit was a pair of ass-kicking boots. Too bad she didn't have a pair. Maybe if she got the job at the bookstore, her first paycheck could go for a pair. While at the mall a few days before, she had spotted the perfect pair in a shop window. They had been black, with buckles and-

Focus, Carol! If you don't do this right, then you won't get that job. You won't get anything for yourself, again because Ed will have you.

The next thing she needed to do was make Daryl a lunch. She also threw some stuff in the bag for her, as well, since she hadn't eaten since breakfast. Daryl would be surprised to see her at his work, but he wouldn't be unhappy. No where near it, in fact. Carol bit her lip as she smiled and imagined the look on Daryl's face when he saw her in the shop.

The last thing she had to do, once the lunch was packed and she was dressed, was to grab the gun in her drawer. She didn't plan on doing anything with it while she was out, but she had to be safe. Ed could somehow get to her before she made it to Daryl's garage, but she would be prepared if he did.

"Dixon, your girl is here to see you." Jim said, as he passed Daryl to work on a truck in the back of the garage. Despite the way Daryl treated the man the day before, it looked like Jim didn't hold any grudges. Daryl was grateful. He actually liked the man.

"Thanks," he said and took out his rag to wipe the oil from his hands. "If anyone needs me, I'll be on my lunch break."

"All right, but I doubt you'll be doing much eating." Jim winked before he turned and stuck his head under the truck's hood. But part of what he said was true. Things with Carol were good, now, and all Daryl wanted to do was hold her in his arms and kiss her senseless. Well, he wanted to do other things, but not while he was at work. Carol would never go for it.

"Shut up!" He yelled back and then, walked to the front of the shop.

Carol stood, leaning against the counter, and when she saw him, she beamed. When he saw what she was wearing, his jaw dropped. Those damn jeans... Now, it was going to be even harder to not tear her clothes off during his break. Maybe they could go back to his truck and... No, they weren't a couple of teenagers.

"Hey, Daryl!" She greeted happily and placed a brown bag on the table. "I brought us some lunch. I hope that's okay."

"Of course, it's okay." He motioned for her to step behind the counter and handed her a pair of goggles, just like last time. She giggled and put them over her eyes and Daryl led her through the garage. This time, they didn't stop at the car he was working on and went straight to the back door that led to the yard out back.

"I didn't think you would come today," he said when they finally made it to his spot and noticed that Carol also had a blanket under her arm. The same blanket they had used when they had their picnic in the backyard. Had she washed it since then? His face flamed just thinking about it.

"I couldn't let you go hungry. Now, help me lay this out." She handed him a corner of the blanket and together, they fluffed it out before placing it on the grass.

Something was telling Daryl that there was another reason why Carol was there, but he didn't dwell on it. He knew she would tell him what it was.

Daryl was the one to sit down first and spread out his legs before patting the empty spot between them. Carol giggled before she sat down between them and pressed her back to his chest. She handed him a sandwich once she got settled and he took it with one hand while the other one wrapped around her waist to keep her there.

"You better not get any crumbs in my hair, Daryl Dixon!"

"And if I do?" He teased.

"There will be hell to pay."

"Hmm. I'll be careful, then." When he took a bite of his sandwich, he made sure that nothing fell into Carol's hair.

Together they sat in silence and ate. When Daryl finished his last bite and swallowed, he swept Carol's hair from her shoulder and began to kiss her clothed shoulder. Soon, that didn't satisfy him and began to slide the cardigan a little bit down her arm so he could kiss the bare skin of her shoulder.

"We're not going to have a repeat of our last picnic, Daryl," Carol said and tilted her head to give him better access to her neck. "Not here, anyway."

Daryl nipped her, gently. "But it will happen, again?"

"Maybe. If you play your cards right, Dixon." In a flash, she turned and straddled his lap. Her arms went around his neck, but she didn't move to kiss him.

"I didn't just come here to bring you lunch," she said.

"I know."

"You did? How?" She tilted her head in confusion.

He shrugged. "Don't know. Just felt it. So, why are you here?" He hoped it would be something he liked, but once again, he felt that it wasn't going to be.

"It's about Ed."

Just then, everything seemed to click in Daryl's mind. "No," he said immediately. "There is no way in hell you're goin' to do what I think you're goin' to do."

Carol sighed. "But who else will do it, Daryl? Besides, I'm the one who has to. After everything he's done to me, I need to be the one to get rid of him."

Daryl ran a hand down his face. "Carol, I can't let you do this. Especially by yourself. Just go home, and then, we'll think of something together."

"He's been watching this place since he found out who you were. If I go home now, then he'll follow me."

"Shit!" He cursed. "Then, you'll have to stay here until I get off."

"Then, he won't follow us." Carol slid from his lap, but sat on her knees in front of him.

"Good."

"No, not good, Daryl. I'm leaving. Once you're break is done, I'm getting back in my car and heading home."

"No!" Daryl's eyes were wide. "You can't. He'll hurt you."

"No, he won't. Not if I can help it." She cupped his cheek and smiled. "Don't worry, Pookie. I have a plan. I'm not going to be stupid about this. We have to be smart and we have to get this man out of our lives for good."

"You're goin' to kill him?"

She shook her head. "As much as I think I want to, I don't think I could take someone else's life. But if he were to threaten me or you, I wouldn't hesitate. I'd pull that trigger if I had to, but only if I had to."

Daryl looked lost. There happy lunch was now over and things were getting serious. Too serious. "Carol, I just can't let you do this on your own."

"I know you couldn't," she said. "But I have a plan. If it works, Ed will go away to jail and if it doesn't..." She trailed off and refused to look at him. "I'm going to be honest, if it doesn't work, things could get bad...for me. But," she said and held out a hand to him. "It won't get bad. I promise."

"Carol..."

"Okay, here's the plan. Give me twenty minutes from the time I leave here to call the police and send them to the house. By the time they get there, Ed will be there and he'll be taken away. I'll tell them he broke in and tried to hurt me."

"How?" Daryl's voice cracked with emotion. He didn't like this one bit, but he knew something had to be done where Ed was concerned. They couldn't go on living their lives with the bastard constantly breathing down their necks. It wasn't a way to live. It wasn't the way he wanted to live with Carol. He wanted this life to be full of happiness and love. Not fear for what might happen if he ever left Carol by herself at the home or when she went off to work or school.

"I'm going to lock all the windows and doors, so he'll have no choice but to break in. After that, I'll go to the bathroom put on the water and bring my radio in there and turn it on. Ed will think I'm taking a shower and he'll try to surprise me, but I'll be waiting for him with my gun. He'll be surprised. Then, all I have to do is wait for the police to arrive and take him away."

"It sounds easy," Daryl said in slight disbelief. "Too easy. What if he jumps you before you even get to the door?"

"I have my gun on me, now. Different plan, same result. Ed will get arrested."

"What if he doesn't come after you today and just waits until I leave for work, again?"

"Then, I'll just make sure I'm ready for that to happen."

This time when she leaned forward and cradled his face in her hands. "I know I sound cocky about this, but I know if I doubt myself for one second that this plan won't work, then I won't go through with it. I'll curl myself in a ball and let you fight my battles for me, and I can't have that. Ed is my problem, so I should be the one to fix it."

Daryl grasped one of her hands. "Ed is both of our problems. That tends to happen when you get married." He kissed her knuckles and smiled. "I'm sorry to say that Merle has become one of your problems, too."

"Damn," she whispered and kissed him quickly on the lips. "So, are you going to let me do this, then?"

"As much I don't want to," he sighed. "You said call five minutes after you leave?"

She rolled her eyes. "Twenty minutes."

"All right, and I'll be doin' it from my truck because I'm goin' to be drivin' home."

"That's fine. Maybe you'll get there before the police and can land a few punches in his face, huh?" Carol glanced down at her watch and stood up, collecting their garbage.

"Carol." Daryl stood and grabbed her arm. "I'm still not happy about this, but I trust you and I know you can do this. You can get this monster out of your life."

"I'm going to damn well try, at least."

Daryl kissed her fiercely and tried not to think that there was a possibility that he would never get to kiss her like this, again. He couldn't allow himself to think things like that because it would make him want to hop in her car and drive home with her.

"Can't I come with?" He asked, trying one more time to be apart of this plan.

"He won't come, then." Despite all of his questions and doubts, Carol was still being very patient with him. "If he sees you get in the car with me and drive home, he won't come. He wants to get me alone. Plus, I don't want you there in case something goes wrong. I couldn't bear it if something were to happen to you."

"And how do you think I'm goin' to feel if somethin' were to happen to you?"

"Daryl, he wants me alive. He won't be afraid of killing you. In fact, he'd enjoy it."

Daryl winced. This man was really insane and to think, Carol had to deal with him for months while they were married. No wonder why she acted the way she had when they first meant and why she hadn't told him everything about Ed from the beginning.

"All right. You get this man." Daryl pulled her close. "And don't have too much fun doin' it, either." He kissed her, softly. "But in all seriousness, be careful. Please. For me."

"Don't worry, I will." Carol kissed him. "I don't have a cellphone, anymore, so I call you when he shows up. I won't say anything, I'll just let it ring and hang up. That way you'll know when he showed up, and if you're still not there once I have him where I want him, I'll call you, again to let you know I'm all right. Sound good?"

"Yeah," he said, still not liking it but knew it was still going to happen, anyway.

"I love you, Daryl Dixon. So much."

"And I love you, too, Carol Dixon."

Carol walked back to her car, slightly on edge. Ed was out there somewhere and she was glad she had parked close to the entrance, so he wouldn't be able to jump her, not without someone seeing. However, that didn't really do anything to calm her nerves.

She unlocked her door and made sure that her gun was still in the glove box before she started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. It took everything in her to not look in her rearview mirror to see of there was a car following her. She couldn't allow herself to get worked up. She had to remain calm.

When she pulled into the driveway, ten minutes after leaving the garage, Carol took a deep breath, grabbed her purse and gun and walked to the door. But once she let herself in, she was on the run. All the windows were locked already, but she needed to lock the front door and get the shower started. After she got the shower going, she threw in some clothes and turned on the radio. The last thing she had to do now was wait.

With the door to the bathroom closed, the radio and the sound of the running water was muffled, so she could hear when Ed would break a window to get in. It didn't matter if he came in from the back or front, she would be ready for him.

She went to the bedroom, then, and sat on Daryl's side of the bed. It faced the door. Just a door down was the bathroom and a few feet past that was the kitchen. She took several calming breaths and willed herself to stay quiet and still. There was no way he'd know she was in there, even if he checked the windows. The shades were all drawn. He wouldn't know where she was, so he could pick any window to break. But once he climbed through, he would hear the music and the shower and think he knew exactly where she was.

Carol smiled. He would be greatly mistaken. She was going to love the look on his face when she shoved a gun in it.

At the moment, there was a muffled crash coming from the living room. Carol glanced down at her watch. It had been eighteen minutes since she had left the garage. Knowing Daryl, he had called the police five minutes ago.

Quickly she dialed his number and let it ring three times before dropping it to the bed and got to her feet. She could hear Ed's footsteps as he tried to walk quietly through the kitchen and to the hallway that led to the bathroom.

She held the gun in two hands and was surprised to see that her hands weren't shaking. She could do this.

It was almost show time.

There should be about three more chapters after this. :(

Thanks for reading!