For those of you still around and reading thanks for that. As for my lack of updates that has been pointed out to me let me address that for you. I haven't been updating as much because I have a life outside of this story. I don't get paid to write and I hardly have time anymore. So if I make time I'm usually letting something else go that doesn't need to go. It's been a point of fighting here lately since my fiance and me are looking at houses, he's looking into new jobs/opening his own business, and everything else hectic going on. That's just a small chunk. SO if I do make time to write and i'm not tired and wore down and can focus then hell fucking yeah. So when all that stress hasn't destroyed my creative drive to write I do try and sometimes I don't get it posted but I'm not abandoning my stories. I can't guarantee fast updates, I can't guarantee you'll like how long of waits there is between updates- I can only tell you that I'm going to finish the stories I have.
Anyways...this chapter amused me. I hope you all like it.
Daryl rolled over his eyes landing on the cup of water and pills at the side table. It could have been Mac or Carol- hell even Sophia. Sophia would have woke him up though and demand he take them while she was there to verify it happened. Swinging his legs around and reaching for both he studied the pills. He didn't want that shit he took last night. It made him feel like he was moving through molasses and knocked him out. He slept like the dead. Sure in the old world sleep like that would be something to love but not now. Never now because sleeping like that could get you killed.
The door slammed open and Sophia blazed in. "Good you're up!"
He barely had time to look at her before she getting clothes out. Dragging his pillow across his lap and eyeing the bathroom he huffed as a pair of jeans hit him in the face. It wasn't that she hadn't woke him up like this before because her, Mac, Merle, and Brian were assholes that done shit like this all the time. It was the fact that he didn't enjoy the thought of her seeing his morning wood.
Cringing at the thought he looked over and she spun holding up a shirt. Did she think he'd give her input? He wasn't a barbie to dress up.
"Why are you up so early?"
Sophia shrugged, "Mom's cooking and you didn't eat last night. You need too."
Daryl nodded jerkily, "So long as Hannah isn't cooking I'll eat."
"Nah Merle told her that her food tasted like dog shit and then dad said he'd rather eat dog shit." Brain quipped, "So it looks like your wife is now the Dixon family cook."
Daryl looked up at Brian and tilted his head, "What?"
"Your wife." Brian grinned.
Sometimes hitting him would feel good. Daryl was sure of it because when he smiled like that he looked just like his fucking daddy.
"What did you do?"
Sophia cleared her throat, "Well Karen should stop now...we hope."
Daryl bent jerking his jeans up his legs and then standing and buckling them. His belt was tossed to him but his eyes never left Sophia. She looked like a deer in headlights. Brian slinked out of the room shutting the door. Daryl could hear speaking to someone on the other side of it but ignored it.
"What did you two do?"
Sophia looked up at him through her lashes and gave him her smallest most sincere smile. "She was talking about my mom and I got mad. I ignored done like you told me to when she was talking about you ya know." She huffed and her face got red. "She was saying that once I leave and my mom that you'd be single again or wouldn't have an exwhore that lived in."
The audible clench of his jaw had Sophia looking up at him. "Go on."
"Well I might have and Brian told people that you and my mom were married...that she wasn't leaving you any time soon." Her face blazed red. "Not like they know where she sleeps just think she's sleeping with you."
The door burst open and Merle stepped in, "Speaking of sleeping with you what is this I heard of rape from last night?"
"Fucks sake ignore Mac." Daryl snapped.
"Why he's down there talking to your wife as we speak." Merle grinned.
"You in on this shit to?" Daryl eyed.
Merle shrugged and Sophia leaned against him. She looked so small tucked into his brother's side like that. Brian slid in on the other side his face still holding Mac's grin and like that Mac was there too. He had that fucking grin to and Daryl wanted to hit them all. He felt like he was being cornered.
"Told Hannah you said her food was like an acid bath." Mac chuckled.
Daryl wanted to agree because the woman's cooking was that bad. Merle was speaking low to Mac and Mac's eyes lit on him.
"You seem upset brother marital dispute? Need Carol?"
"Fuck all y'all."
Daryl jerked his shirt on over his head and stormed past them. They weren't going to leave this alone. And that explained why three different people yesterday referred to Carol as his wife. If his own family was telling people they were together and people thought Sophia was his he'd look like a piece of shit correcting people about it. They'd planned this out the bunch of fuckers that they were.
"Hey Daryl!"
Looking up Andrea was there greeting him. He'd not talked to her much or anyone for that matter. Nodding his head at her she fell in step with him as he made for the door.
"You aren't eating?" The smile in her voice made him look at her, "A scowl is worth a thousand words."
"Daryl you really should eat. You'll be happy to know her food isn't tasting like an acid bath." Hannah's voice was just behind him.
Daryl cringed and looked at her and Carol peaked out of the kitchen. Her eyes dared him to open the front door and leave. He knew that she would run him down like a wild animal and drag him back in. He could see it there in her eyes. Hell his own family gave him that look and it didn't bother him even though he knew that they for sure would have. Sighing though he turned and walked into the kitchen and took a seat next to the window. He could see the woods from here and right now he would love nothing more than to be in them- alone.
"How you feel?"
Daryl squinted up and Carol slid him something to drink, "Like I just woke up and got blindsided."
Carol nodded her eyes wide while everyone was behind him. So they got her too. He forced himself to not snap when his brothers walked in but Mac made it hard.
"Daryl tell you that he needed help Carol?" Merle questioned sliding into the seat across from him. Merle motioned to the spot next to Daryl and Mac was there pushing on Carol's shoulders to get her to set. "He was saying that he was hurting before he came down. Hell I figured he'd went down to Stevens but since you're here."
Carol's eyes turned to him open and pale blue, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Daryl-"
"We don't have time for this shit." He snapped pushing himself upright, "When will Rick be here?"
Carol's eyes were on him but he didn't look over. Licking his lips he pleaded looking at Merle to just stop. Merle eyed him and then nodded.
"They're already here. Was waiting on you before I went down there- they're eating breakfast."
Daryl nodded and went to move but Carol's hand around his wrist was like iron. "Eat."
Merle, Mac, Brian, Hannah, and Andrea all filed out of the room and out the front door. HE wanted to go. He didn't want that voice not aimed at him.
"Eat." She growled again, "Don't make me force feed you."
Looking at her he set throwing his arms wide and causing her to stumble towards him. Carol's nails dug into his wrist but he kept his face passive. She was staring hard at him and he could see Sophia tensing just behind her. Her eyes kept jumping between them and she was twisting her hands.
"Mama..." Sophia's soft voice caused them both to look at her, "Are you about to hit him?"
Daryl's face cracked at that. He barked out a laugh so loud Carol yelped and jumped away from him. Sophia stared at him wide eyed and then started laughing as well. Holy shit she thought Carol was going to be abusive to him now? Take out her anger from Ed on him? That'd be some shit.
Carol straightened herself out but smiled at them, "No I'm not going to hit so long as he eats."
"I'd eat then Daryl because I'm not rescuing you if she makes you drop your pants and spanks you."
He was completely sure she had no idea what went into his head at that. He felt like his brothers right now and that was a new one. He knew she didn't know because her child like smile was blazing at him. If Brian had said it he knew the little shit would have meant something filthy. His eyes went involuntarily to Carol and her face was thousand shades red and she was staring fixedly at the table top. Yeah she had the same thoughts he did.
He ate in silence forcing images of Carol demanding he drop his pants from his head. He didn't need that on his mind because if he had to set through a fucking meeting with the prison group with a hard on he was going to be pissed.
Carol walked back over to make her own plate. She needed a second to clear her head before she faced him again. She seen his face when Sophia said that and though she couldn't read minds she knew what he was thinking because she was too. That was dangerous. It was more than dangerous because if they done something and then started fighting like her and Ed had then that would only hurt her daughter. Ed was never close to Sophia but this man was. Hell he was the center of her daughter's world just about.
"I told Brian it'd hurt but he didn't listen." Sophia grinned taking a huge bite.
Daryl nodded chewing thoughtfully looking at her daughter, "Like his daddy he aint gonna listen to shit until he tries himself. "
"Stubborn fool." Sophia huffed.
Carol walked over and Sophia just looked up at her not scooting. Sighing she slid into the seat next to Daryl able to feel the heat radiating off him. Honestly the man was like an oven. He would have been nice to have in the winter spread out on her bed waiting to keep her warm. Carol's eyes widened at her own thoughts.
"What do you think mom?"
Carol looked up and swallowed. She'd not been listening in the slightest to wrapped up in images of Daryl sprawled out and naked. Hell she already memorized his body from when she had to clean him up and that just made the day dream all the more vivid.
Daryl snorted next to her and Carol glared at him. Sophia wasn't looking at them but out the window instead and Daryl gave her a look that was everything she seen Brian do and Mac. Carol raised a brow and he scooted away from her some. Moving slow so Sophia didn't look over and he didn't see her she let her fingers brush his side from where she learned was ticklish. Daryl jerked like he'd been shot and snorted into his cup of water as he went to take a drink strangling himself.
Sophia's eyes were on him immediately and Carol moved to help him. To anyone else it seemed innocent. She had to lean around him to be able to slap him on the back and not hit the hurt ribs. Pressed against him she felt his heart hammering even as he struggled. Her hand was on his side again but it looked like she was just bracing him. Slapping hard he grunted and she repeated the action. Her other hand caused him to jerk again as her fingers lightly brushed him. He was so sensitive.
When he stopped coughing Carol slid back over and ate her food grinning. Sophia was focused on him now and if something was wrong with him. Daryl kept waving her away and ignoring looking at them both. Carol watched as color ran up his throat and his voice deepened. It'd been a long time since she felt like a man was attracted to her.
It wasn't that he came out and said anything. In fact it was the opposite but for some reason she could read Daryl like he was an open book. She got the sense he could do her the same way and though innerving at first now she was use to it. She didn't have anything to hide from him and she was a grown woman. The biggest part for her though was watching her daughter with him and the way they both laughed and talked. Yet he could be serious with her and comfort her. She'd seen all of this while she'd stayed here. Every bit of it chipping away at the armor around her heart just enough to let him in.
"What's Rick coming back for?" Sophia questioned.
Carol swallowed and Daryl leaned back in his chair not looking away from Sophia.
"To see how we are." Carol shrugged.
"Why? He left." There was no bitterness to her tone just facts. "Did he think you would go with him?" There was bitterness.
Carol eyed her, "I'm sure he wanted us to go back with him."
"No." Sophia crossed her arms looking like Daryl and even perfecting his scowl. "I heard Daryl loud and clear the other day when he said that place wasn't safe."
"It's safe."
Daryl snorted and Carol glared at him, "So you're telling me that if those fences came down that you got enough people to fight back whatever is there? That if you got stuck in that prison you have enough supplies you wouldn't be starved out?"
Carol licked her lips and his eyes flew down to them before coming back to her own. His eyes were starting to lose the blue to them.
"I'm not going there regardless mama." Sophia almost hissed, "I'm not leaving my family and neither are you. If Rick wants to stalk you he can come here."
"Stalk?" Carol's eyes widened.
Sophia went on like Carol hadn't even spoke, "Besides you're with Daryl so he can back off."
"What are you going on about!?"
Sophia looked at the pair of them looking at her, "I seen the way he looked at you and I'm so not okay with that."
"Well that's my cue to leave." Daryl stood quickly.
"OH no you don't, husband." Carol huffed catching his wrist and jerking him down into his seat almost on to her. "
"Exactly!" Sophia beamed, "We all see you two are perfect together."
Daryl's face flooded red and Carol gripped his wrist tighter., "Sophia people don't just get together like that."
"Why not? The world ended and you both can't be happy yet?" Sophia looked at them her eyes clear and pushy, "That's some bullshit." She muttered.
Daryl stood again dragging her up this time with him, "Well they're waiting on us lets go."
If he couldn't escape on his own then he was taking her with him. She grinned and he shoved her towards the door.
"Do the dishes." He snapped at Sophia.
She glowered but nodded all the same. Carol scowled because she would have gotten a fight from hell for that. Daryl pushed her again his body inches behind her own and his hand on her lower back. She almost- almost wanted to laugh when she walked out the door and there was Karen and her hen party watching him. He cussed under his breath and she was sure she heard something about fish and fire. He didn't let go of her like she thought he would but instead stayed flush against her. Karen scowled and Carol grinned.
The door jerked open just as they got on the sidewalk, "YOU KNOW IT'S NOT FAIR THAT YOU BOTH GANG UP ON ME! AT LEAST ONE PARENT SHOULD CUT ME SOME SLACK!"
Both Carol and Daryl glared at her and Sophia stepped backwards into the house. She gave them a triumphant grin and waggled her eyebrows.
"Fucking hell Mac is ruined her." Daryl muttered before walking again. He ignored the women watching him and gave her a pointed look, "Let's go see what your stalker has decided."
"Fuck you Daryl." Carol hissed, "That's not funny and I don't understand why she said that."
He made a noise in his throat that sounded smug and he chuckled, "Might have me figured out woman but it's clear you don't shit about fuck when it comes to other men."
Carol frowned and looked at him but his face was passive and he wouldn't meet her eyes. His eyes told things he never spoke. He looked down at her and grinned before looking off again and lengthening his stride forcing her to work to keep up.