Hi all, sorry for the late updates on this story. thank to all that are still here reading it really means a lot to me. Please be aware there are trigger warnings for this chapter as it has mentions of Domestic abuse.

Happy reading :)

Chapter 35.

January 25th.

The night was cold, but quiet the streets where empty, all the lights from the houses where off the only light there was, was from the street lights and the moon shining down.

Carol and Daryl arrived at Carol's house a little past 3.00am they made the drive back from the bar in silence. The air in the car was thick with tension, had been since the drive back as either one of them had spoken, they were both lost in their own thoughts. drowning in fear, fear of being rejected, fear of being hurt, fear of having to tell their story about their past, fear of the other person not looking at them in the same way again which lead to the feeling ashamed of their past.

Carol swallowed, clearing her throat she knew no matter how much she feared telling Daryl her story she knew it had to be done in order for them to move forwarded with their lives, weather it was together or not.

"you ready to go in?" Carol asked.

Daryl turned to look at her for the first time since they left the pub, he could fear in her eyes the same fear he was feeling himself, he knew that she was dreading this just as much as he was, which told him that this was a big deal to her and what ever she had to tell him was something she didn't like talking about, he hopes that he will be able to make it a little bit easier for her by trying to put her at ease, which he knew was something he was not doing at the moment because his own fear was shopping him. He took a deep breath in before nodding.

"Lead the way."Daryl answered.

They got out off the car and walked up to Carol's house, she unlocked the front door opening it up to reveal a hallway. Daryl followed Carol inside, taking in everything. The hallway was fairly large with stairs at the end which he knew lead to the bedrooms upstairs. On either side of the hallway was doors leading to the front room on the left and the kitchen on the right.

"Would you like a coffee?" Carol asked as she waked into the kitchen.

"please." Daryl answered following her. The kitchen wasn't large or small, it was fairly good size there were units and cupboards around the outside of the kitchen and a small round table in the middle of the room.

"Make yourself at home, I'll just make the drinks."

Daryl took a seat at the table, he liked the house it was comfy and he could definitely see why she pick it, he could tell that she hadn't been here long as so far he hadn't seen anything personal around, no pictures in the hallway or the front room form what he could tell from the quick look he had. In fact surreal was a name that came to mind it had him questioning why, and did she have any family. Which made him realize just how little he really knew about her. Maybe this talk would be a good idea after all, as he wanted to know everything he could about her, he just hopes that after all off this, they are still together.

Carol placed the coffee on the table, handing Daryl his.

"Thanks, I like ya place." Daryl said.

"Thanks." Carol said, taking a seat opposite Daryl.

They sat in silence for a while, neither one knowing what to say or where to start. After several minutes of silence, Carol decides that she would start her story first. "I'll go first."

"OK, if ya sure?"

"I'm sure, it's just really hard to talk about, in fact I've never really told the whole story, Rick and Lori only know little bits."

"Ya ain't got to tell me everything if ya don't want to."

"I do, and I have to, just not sure where to start really."

"OK, how about this? Why don't ya just start from the ya childhood, tell me about ya family."

"I can do that."

Carol sent the last hour telling Daryl all about her childhood, her family. She told him that she was born in Atlantic and she had a fairly good childhood, Her parents Sally and Mark where good people, good parents who tried their best for her. Her mum was a teacher and her dad was builder. She told Daryl even know she had good parents, Came from a good family she still struggled, She didn't have many friends only Rick and Lori as they all grow up together on the same street. She tried to be a good student, A good friend, A good daughter, She did everything that was always asked off her, But she felt like she didn't belong anywhere and that she didn't really know who she was or want she wanted to be. She told Daryl that her parents, Especially her mum hope that she would be a teacher like her. Carol told him that even though she wasn't sure that was what she wanted to be, She decided she would because she wanted to make her parents proud of her.

Carol told him how her whole world trip upside down when she was 17, Her parents died in a car crash with another car, A terrible accident that turned out to be no ones faults and left no survivors. Carol told him that for a while she tried to keep things going, Tried to stay at collage, Tried to keep her parents house and for a while she was OK as she had money from her parents life insurance, But bit by bit the money ran out as debts had to be paid so she gave up collage and got a job at the local pub to make ends meet as she didn't want to lose the house, But in the end she did as working at the pub didn't bring in enough money and all her parents money was gone on debts, Funeral costs. Carol told him that the only reason she didn't end up living on the streets was because she had Lori and Rick, Who by than had moved in together after bring with each other since school, They opened up their house to her and helped her get though losing her parents and the house. But even with them she still struggled, Had no money and her life was going no where, She thought everything was hopeless until one night at work she met a guy, Ed he was handsome, Had a good job, His own place and money, A bit older than her. After they had been dating for six months Ed proposed to her, Promised to take care of her. Carol told Daryl that Lori and Rick never liked him, Didn't want her to marry him, But he seemed nice, Caring was a gentleman and she knew that she couldn't spend the rest of her life living with Lori and Rick, So she decided to marry Ed even know she wasn't sure if she loved him or not he was offering her a life, To give her the chance of going back to collage. A chance to make her parents proud.

Carol took a deep breath as she looked at Daryl, He had sat there in silence, Listening to her. She didn't know what he was thinking.

Daryl listened to everything Carol told him, He was heartbroken for her, She lost everything at a young age and felt like she had no choice but to get married, Daryl could sense that was just the beginning.

"I'm so sorry about ya parents."

"Thank you, I still miss them everyday."

"I understand, I lost my mum at a young age."

"I'm so sorry Daryl."

"Thank, I'll tell ya more about it in a bit, Please continue with. What happened after ya married Ed?"

"OK." Carol continue with her story. "Everything was great at first for a year, I went back to collage Ed supported me, But I still didn't love him I kept thinking there was something wrong with me why didn't I love him, He did everything he could, Gave me a house, money; a chance to back to collage. I kept thinking if I tried harder, Gave it more time than I would love him.

"Carol."Daryl said gently looking her straight in the eyes, "There is nothing wrong with ya, Ya can't make yourself love anyone no matter what."

"I know that now, But he was the first man I was with." Carol said giving Daryl a small smile.

Daryl's jaw dropped. "Ya mean, Ya only been with one man."

"Yep, I dated a few guys at school and that, But nothing serious until Ed and there's no one else since him, Until I met you."

Daryl could feel his face getting hot as he blushed. He was in awe of Carol, He offered her a small shy smile before dropping his graze.

Carol thought it was cute the why he blushed when he got shy and she marveled in the fact that he could make her smile, Feel happy even though she was talking about Ed. She took a deep breath before she continued her story, She told him that after a year with Ed things started to slowly change just little things at first. It started with her dropping out of collage as Ed said he couldn't afford it any more as they where getting back his hours at work and it didn't matter how much she offered to go to work at the pub to help towards the money, Ed wouldn't have it, He said it was job to support her and he wasn't going to have people thinking he had failed at supporting his wife by having her working. Before she knew more changes took place, Ed didn't like the way she dressed any more told her, She had to raid off all her clothes and only wear the ones he brought for her. Carol told Daryl that she really tried to make Ed happy, She wore what he wanted, Cooked what he wanted; Did everything he wanted her to do, To try and make him happy but nothing worked the more she tried, The more it seemed to piss Ed off she was pretty sure that he resented her and that he knew she didn't love him.

Carol explained that it went on like that for a while until one day he hit her, Carol explained that it happened so quickly she didn't even see it coming, Just one slap across her face because she hadn't got his tea ready in time for him. Carol explained how upset and shocked Ed looked and that he promised it wouldn't happen again, But it did not straight away but slowly, Just little slaps here and there and before she knew it, It was nearly every day and it wasn't just little slaps any more.

Carol told Daryl everything, She told about every name he called her, How worthless he made her feel, Every slap, Punch and kick he gave her. The times Ed strangled; choked her, The times he knocked her out, She even told him about the times Ed forced her to have sex with him. She even told Daryl about the night Ed tried to kill her, The night the police came to house and arrested him which lead to him going to jail, Which is how she finally got free of him and moved away to start a fresh with the help from Lori and Rick. Carol even told Daryl that even though Ed was locked up, She was still scared off him, Scared he might get out and find her, She told Daryl about her nightmares which sometimes more often that she cared to admit lead to her searching her whole house to make sure Ed wasn't there.

The whole time Carol was telling Daryl everything, He kept silence; Listened kept his eyes on her, But he had his fist's clenched under the table where she couldn't see, Trying to control the rage sweeping though his body, Making his blood boil. How dare that piece of shit Ed hurt her, Put his hands on her try and break her. Carol was so nice, kind and caring and he was so in awe of her, That after everything here she was trusting him. If he ever got his hands on Ed he would kill him.

When Carol finally finished telling Daryl everything she looked at him trying to keep the tears at bay. Daryl didn't say anything. Carol watched him get up out of his seat with fear in her eyes, She swallowed trying not to cry while thinking this is it, He is going to leave because it's too much for, I'm too broken.

Daryl didn't leave instead he walked over to Carol, knelt down in front of her and put his arms around her pulling her close to him. Carol wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest as Daryl held her close while stroking her back, Carol finally broke and let the tears fall. Daryl held her letting her cry while whispering in her ear that she was safe and he wasn't going to let anyone hurt her again, He thanked her for trusting him enough to tell him and in that moment Carol felt more safe being in Daryl's arms than she ever felt in her whole life, She was thankful that he was still here with her.