The Spare Room
Summary: The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.
***Trigger Warning: This chapter contains non-consensual sex
Chapter 15
"I need your keys," Ed demanded the second that Daryl and Merle stepped into the house later that evening. Merle was a little unsteady on his feet on account of the drugs in his system and Daryl was helping him get his shoes off without falling over.
"'Scuse me?" Daryl asked, raising his eyebrows as his brother leaned on him for support.
"I need your keys," Ed repeated, holding his pudgy hand out.
"Fuck you," Daryl barked, "Wouldn't lend ya my truck if ya needed it to drive your sorry ass to the hospital…and if ya keep fuckin' talkin', ya gonna need a damn hospital yet."
"I need to go to Carol's," Ed said, "I called her place twice and both times I got hung up on."
"Maybe she's finally wisin' up to what an asshole she's datin'," Daryl growled, his eyes on Merle as his big brother stepped deeper into the house on shaky legs.
"You take that fuckin' shit back, Dixon!" Ed protested, stepping forward.
"Hey! Cool ya fuckin' jets, both of ya!" Merle spoke up, his voice slurring slightly, "Daryl, lend him the fuckin' truck."
"Fuck no!" Daryl objected, "He done crashed his car last night and got hauled off by the cops. Surer than shit, he ain't got no license no more!"
"Don't need no piece of paper telling me I can or can't drive," Ed growled defiantly.
"Just give him the damn keys," Merle groaned, "I'm fuckin' tired as shit and I ain't listenin' to ya bitches fight."
Daryl grudgingly complied, tossing his keys down at Ed's feet, "Don't know why I'm bein' forced to play fuckin' nice," Daryl griped, "He's the damn asshole who fucked up your arm."
Merle's good hand clamped down hard on Daryl's shoulder, "Let shit go. Was a damn accident."
"Yeah," Ed chimed in, bending over to pick up the keys, "Just a damn accident. Don't be such a whiny prick 'bout everythin', Daryl."
With that, he brushed by the Dixon brothers and slammed the door behind him.
"Fuckin' asswipe!" Daryl ejected before rounding on Merle, "The hell'd ya do that for?"
"Have a damn headache, Brother, and ya fixin' to piss off the asshole that pays part of our rent," Merle slurred, "Gonna be needin' the damn money."
Daryl frowned as he watched Merle toddle back to his room. For a moment, he felt bad because Merle really did look worse for wear. Though he had rested at the hospital, the drive home had taken a lot out of him. Every bump in the road had seen Merle biting back groans of pain as his injured arm was jostled. It had been a hell of an ordeal for him and the last thing he needed was Daryl and Ed at each other's throats. Still, it was pretty fucking low that Ed wasn't more concerned with the man that he had put in the hospital.
He truly was an asshole.
0-TSR-0
When Ed pulled up to the Taylor house, George was out front mowing the lawn. As Ed got out of the truck, Carol's father turned off his mower and dusted his hands off on his pants.
"Edward Peletier, I presume," George commented, a frown crossing his face. Ed sneered as he approached the thin little man. His father had often told him that old George was a big stick in the mud that often advised Patrick's clients against buying cars from his lot. Patrick said that the man was always going on about 'the honorable thing' and screwing the important people out of a buck just so he could help some idiot save money.
"I'm here to see Carol," Ed said, making his intentions plain.
"I figured as much," George replied, still frowning, "Although I really wish that you weren't."
"Oh?" Ed asked, feigning interest, "And why is that, George?"
"Oh, I think you know exactly why, Edward," George stated firmly, "You're not good for my daughter."
"Your daughter disagrees," Ed told him with a smirk. George did not smile.
"No, you seem to have her quite charmed," George agreed, "Promising her marriage, yet never once bothering to meet her parents, ask my blessing, or even give her a ring. Makes me wonder just what your intentions are for my daughter."
Ed chuckled, "I do intend to marry her," he told Carol's father, "I just don't intend to ask you for permission. Bit of an outdated notion, isn't it? To have to ask your girlfriend's father for permission to marry her? Goes against all this new feminist stuff, don't it, George?"
"And I'm sure that you are quite the feminist, Mr. Peletier," George snorted, shaking his head.
"I just think that Carol ought to make her own decisions," Ed shrugged.
George fixed him with a level gaze and added, "So long as they agree with whatever you want, correct?"
"Can't help it if we want the same thing, Sir," Ed said, adding a derisive emphasis on the word 'sir', "She's crazy 'bout me, after all."
George took another step towards Ed, coming right into his personal space, "That may be, but she is still MY daughter, Edward, and as her father, I exercise the right to demand respect from anyone she chooses to bring into my home."
Ed smirked at the pathetic attempts to intimidate him and replied in a placating tone, "Of course you do, George. And as Carol's boyfriend, I reserve the right to see her. Can you fetch her for me?"
Ed noted with some satisfaction as George's jaw twitched in annoyance. The older man didn't budge. He simply looked Ed square in the eye, "I don't think I will, Edward," George said, "You see, I know all about you. I know all about the accident that took you out of football last year. I know you were drunk at the time. I know all about the bar fights and the drinking. That's not something I want my daughter around."
"Your daughter is nineteen," Ed reminded him, his face contorted into a scowl as George finally won the upper-hand in the conversation, "She doesn't answer to you no more."
With that, Ed stepped around George and strolled up to the house, not bothering to knock as he opened the screen door, "Carol? Carol, are you here?"
He didn't anticipate Rose Taylor flying into the entry way from the kitchen, an apron over her chest hiding a pair of tits that looked to be about a handful.
"YOU!" the woman screeched, coming up on him and waving a spatula in his face, "How DARE you enter this house? How DARE you?"
Ed ignored her and called out for Carol again, "Carol, it's me! Get down here!"
"She is not going anywhere with you!" Rose roared, poking Ed in the chest with the spatula, "You're no good for her! No good at all-"
She was cut off by Carol bounding down the stairs, wide-eyed at the scene, "Ed? What are you doing here?"
"I gotta talk to you," Ed said, "Let's go."
"Carol Ann, you are not going anywhere with that boy!" Rose protested. Carol looked between her mother and Ed, thinking real hard about who to listen to.
"Carol, let's go," Ed demanded. Finally, Carol nodded.
"Okay," she said, coming the rest of the way down the stairs. Ed gripped her arm and led her out of the house, ignoring the ramblings of Mrs. Taylor and the protests of Mr. Taylor as he led his girlfriend to the truck.
"Why do you have Daryl's truck?" Carol asked as she got in.
"Crashed my fuckin' car," Ed admitted sourly as he put the truck into gear. This thing was truly a piece of shit.
"What?" Carol yelped loudly. She looked sheepish as he glared over at her.
"Rolled it last night when I was comin' back to you from Atlanta," Ed said sourly.
"Oh my God!" Carol said worriedly, "Are you alright?"
"Fine," Ed grumbled, "Fuckin' cops are makin' it like it's my fault. Rolled it when I swerved to miss a damn deer and just 'cause I had a couple drinks, they're chargin' me with drivin' drunk. Horse shit. Pure horse shit!"
"Was Merle with you?" Carol asked. Ed frowned. He had never said that he was going up to Atlanta with Merle.
"How'd ya know he was with me?"
"I…I talked to Daryl last night," Carol said with a shrug. Ed narrowed his eyes at her.
"Where'd ya see him at?" he demanded.
"He was at my sister's play last night," Carol explained before bringing the conversation back around, "Was Merle okay?"
"He busted up his arm," Ed said dismissively, "So ya saw Daryl last night, huh? Had a nice chat?"
"Yeah. It was a good play," Carol said, "You would have liked it. We can go again tonight. It's showing again."
"Nah, let's go for a damn drink," Ed growled, turning off towards the bar, "Had a long ass day."
He gripped the wheel tightly. The thought of that piece of shit redneck alone with Carol annoyed the hell out of him. There was something about Daryl that just rubbed Ed the wrong way. Ed wasn't stupid. He saw the way that redneck looked at his woman. He noticed the lingering glances and the soft stares. He didn't like it at all. Carol was his. That sorry little bastard had no right sniffing around her skirts.
"I've had a long one myself," Carol was saying, "My parents don't exactly approve of us. I got caught sneaking in."
Ed snorted, "Of course they don't approve. They're so damn absorbed in their Beaver Cleaver lifestyle that they hate on anythin' that don't go their way."
"It just hurts that they can't be happy for us and that they won't even give you a chance," Carol said, her eyes down on her lap.
"They're jealous is all," Ed told her, "They don't got what we have. They ain't free like us."
"I don't feel free," Carol admitted, "They treat me like a child…like they want to keep me there forever."
"Then move out," Ed said, "It's what I did."
"Where would I go?" Carol wondered, biting her lip in worry.
"Live with me," Ed suggested.
"You?" Carol asked.
"Sure. Be great not havin' to answer to nobody or worry 'bout no stupid curfew. We'll save up. Buy a house. Car. Pay for the weddin'."
"Are you sure Daryl and Merle would be okay with that?" Carol wondered.
"You leave them to me, Darlin'," Ed assured her, pulling into the parking space in front of the local bar, "Let's go in."
0-TSR-0
"Daryl! Get ya ass in here, Boy!" Merle called out, awkwardly placing the phone back in its cradle. Daryl came stumbling out of his bedroom, rubbing sleep from his eyes as he went.
"Whatcha want, Merle?" Daryl demanded, his voice dull and gravelly.
"Got a job for ya, Boy," Merle said, getting to his feet. Daryl narrowed his eyes at his brother.
"I got a job," he said dumbly. Merle shook his head. For being such a smarty-pants, his brother could be quite thick.
"Meant for tonight, Genius," Merle said, "Was just on the phone with Dirk-"
"Merle!" Daryl groaned at the name, knowing that Dirk Malick was Merle's dealer.
"Oh, hush up!" Merle scolded him, "I picked up some shit for him in the city last night. Managed to hide it in that inner pocket of my jacket last night. He wants it and he's gonna pay me top dollar for it. Need ya to take it to him and-"
"Dammit, Merle, I told ya that I ain't gettin' involved in the drugs and shit!" Daryl protested.
"I'd go myself, but I can barely take my own ass to the pisser without gettin' out of sorts from the shit the doc gave me," Merle said, "Just need ya to do the exchange. It's worth it. Money'll pay off them damn hospital bills easy."
"Merle-"
"We need that cash, Daryl," Merle said firmly, "If ya ain't gonna go, I'll drag my ass over to his place and do it myself."
Merle knew it was a low blow. He knew that Daryl would do it if it meant keeping Merle home tonight and he wasn't disappointed.
"Fine. Dammit, where is this shit? Is fuckface back with my truck yet?" he demanded sourly.
"Not yet," Merle shrugged, "Ya could walk it. Ain't far."
"It's on the other side of town," Daryl deadpanned, "He need this shit right away?"
"Said it's for some party tonight, so yeah," Merle said.
Daryl groaned, "Fine. Let me go fuckin' shower."
0-TSR-0
Carol had felt a little uncomfortable sitting across the table, sipping at the fruity drink that Ed had insisted that she have, and watching as he slammed back whiskey shots.
"Ed, I don't know if this is a good idea," she said unsurely. Ed leaned back in the booth and stared at her for a moment.
"You questionin' me?" he demanded.
"You got in an accident last night. It might be good to slow down-"
"Slow down, huh? Seems 'bout your speed alright," Ed mumbled, growling a little as he reached for his wallet. He threw two twenties down on the table and stood up, "Let's go."
He grabbed her by the wrist and tugged her up and out of the booth. She struggled to keep up with him as he dragged her outside into the dark night. Daryl's truck was parked just outside and Ed was making a beeline for it.
"Ed, I don't think you should drive-"
Carol was cut off by his lips roughly taking hers as he shoved her back against the truck. His hands groped at her body. She pressed her hands to his chest and tried to shove him away. He wouldn't budge.
"Ed, stop. I don't think this is a good idea-"
"Whose are you?" he asked, his words slurring slightly.
"Ed-"
"Whose are you?" he repeated, pressing his body against hers. She could feel his hard length against her thigh. His eyes bored into hers, hard and dangerous, waiting for her response. She knew what he wanted to hear.
"Y-yours," she stammered. That was all he needed to hear. His lips were on her again, demanding her to yield to him. She was aware of Ed fumbling with the door handle on the truck. He wrenched it open, turned her around, and bent her over the seat. One hand was on her head, holding her down, and the other was up her skirt, pulling her panties down her thighs. Then she heard the noise of his zipper and felt the wet tip of his erection against the swell of her backside.
"You're mine, Carol Ann," he growled in her ear, "Never forget that."
Then he guided himself to her entrance and took her from behind. She cried out sharply at the pain of the intrusion. He continued to thrust inside her, pushing her deeper into the seat.
She could smell Daryl.
That was what she focused on as Ed continued on.
Daryl. His scent. It was all around her…surrounding her. It was the faint smell of leather combined with something almost woodsy…fresh. Then there was the smell of Daryl himself, a faint sort of musk that almost reassured her.
Almost.
She focused on him. On Daryl. On the way his sun-bleached dark hair hung into his bright grey-green eyes as he smiled his little half-smile at her. On the way his muscles moved under those sleeveless shirts that he was so fond of when he changed her tire. She focused on the way his hand felt whenever it was in hers, hard with callouses, but surprisingly gentle. Everything was a contradiction about him. He seemed so strong, but at the same time tender. Sweet. Good.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
Then it was over as Ed grunted and pushed hard inside her. He collapsed over her, spent and sweating through his clothes. He lay there for a moment before stumbling backwards, tripping over his pants and falling to the concrete on his ass.
"Fuck!" he swore, running his hand over his face. Carol stood up shakily and righted her clothes. She closed her eyes as she stood there, one hand on the steering wheel and one hand on the frame of the truck as she tried to sort this out.
Ed was drunk. That much was obvious.
Still, he had hurt her. She still felt the sting.
She heard him shuffle about behind her and she turned around a little too quickly, her eyes wide as she regarded her boyfriend. He had righted his clothes as well and was standing behind her, holding the edge of the door to steady himself. Ed reached out to touch her face and she went absolutely still.
"I love you, Carol Ann," he slurred, stumbling forward, "Love you so fuckin' much."
He almost crushed her in a hug. She struggled to support his dead weight.
"Ed, you're drunk. I'm going to take you home," she said, blinking back tears. He grunted his approval and moved away from her, stumbling to the other side to get in. Carol stiffened her lower lip and got into the driver's seat, adjusting everything to suit her. She pulled out of the lot just as Ed started snoring in the passenger seat.
It was a short drive back to the house and idly, she wondered how Ed was going to get inside and how she was going to get home…that is, if her mother even let her in the front door.
As she pulled up to the curb, she saw the front door open and Daryl emerge from inside, shrugging on a leather jacket. She felt relieved upon seeing him and got out of the truck, "Daryl-"
"'Bout fuckin' time," Daryl growled as Ed spilled out of the passenger side. Ed staggered.
"You…you shut the fuck up!" Ed slurred, making Carol cringe.
"Unbelievable," Daryl muttered.
"He's…he's drunk," Carol offered in a hasty explanation.
"Can see that," Daryl huffed before turning to Ed, "Getcha ass inside!"
"Ya don't tell me what to fuckin' do, ya little pansy-ass-"
Daryl took a step towards him, his eyes blazing in anger, "Ya don't get a fuckin' say in this house no more! Ya should be kissin' my fuckin' feet for lettin' ya stay here after what ya did to my brother! Get in the fuckin' house and be fuckin' grateful that I ain't kickin' your ass!" he snarled. Ed stared at him defiantly before shrugging his shoulders.
"Fuck it," Ed gripped, staggering for the front porch without a second glance at Carol. She looked to Daryl.
"Sorry-"
"Don't apologize for him," Daryl told her, his tone clipped. Then he seemed to pause and look at her, his expression softening as he realized that he had snapped at her, "Sorry. I gotta run an errand for Merle. I'll take ya home."
Carol nodded her head, "Okay."
She got into the passenger side this time while Daryl adjusted the driver's seat to sit him once more. She flushed a little and hoped that he couldn't tell what had just happened in that very seat. They rode in silence for a bit before Carol asked, "Is Merle okay?"
Daryl's jaw seemed to jump at the question, "Fucked up his hand and arm. He had to have surgery on it. Doc don't know if he'll have nerve damage or not."
"Oh God," Carol whispered, "Ed didn't tell me that part."
Daryl laughed bitterly, "Yeah, sounds 'bout right. He didn't give two shit's 'bout what he done to Merle no way and Merle…fuck…who knew he'd be the more forgivin' one out of the two of us? We should be makin' Ed pay off the medical bills," Daryl said, "But Merle figures he can cover it. Fuck."
"You're really mad," Carol observed.
"'Course I'm mad," Daryl snorted, turning into a cul-de-sac, "Ain't right. None of it. So how was your date?" he asked, changing the topic. Carol shook her head.
"Awful," she admitted truthfully, "He just…got drunk and…"
"And he's such a peach when he's been drinkin'," Daryl finished for her, glancing over at her. Carol tried to quickly blink back tears, but he noticed anyway and he asked, in a much softer voice, "Ya okay? He didn't hurt ya, did he?"
Carol looked over at him and it was like his eyes could see into her soul. It was a little unnerving and Carol had to look away.
"He was a bit rough, but I'm okay," Carol lied, shrugging her shoulders.
"That ain't what I asked," he said quietly.
"He didn't hurt me," Carol lied again, "Where are we going?" she asked when he made an unfamiliar turn.
"Merle's errand. Guy owes him money," Daryl said, "We're gonna need it now with Merle not workin'. That okay or do ya want me to drop ya off first?"
Carol thought about it. She really was dreading going home.
"I'll come," she said, smiling a little at him. He smiled back, but neither of their smiles reached their eyes.
TBC
AN: Oh boy. Nervous about this chapter. It definitely wasn't my favorite one to write.
Edit: I know that some people may not be pleased with my portrayal of Carol, but the idea is for her to grow and become a stronger, smarter woman through her struggles with Ed. Yes, she is young and naïve now, but given time, she will have her eyes opened and she will be a stronger and more experienced person. If you are frustrated with this process, by all means, find a new story.
Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!