Author's Note: It's kind of starting to get to the end of the school year and my program is over after a year. I don't know what I'm going to do after this, or if I even want to move back to my home town or stay in the city I moved to last summer. At 18 am I supposed to think about the rest of my life, or should I try traveling? It's hard to picture staying in one place forever, but I can't picture leaving either. So many thinks to decide and now only a little time to do so; how do I move forward if I'm not ready to? Things are confusing at the moment.

On that note, the shows finished for this years and I'm really sad about that. I think this is going to be the last chapter, as I've decided to separate the seasons up, so that I don't have a dragging long story. Guess this just ended up being my version of season 1. Stay tuned for my version of season 2, I think I'm going to take a few weeks off before starting it, but don't worry it'll be up soon. Thank you to everyone who read this all the way through.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, not sure if I even want that to change?

Daryl was the first to wake up, though it wasn't exactly a bad thing, even though he was sort of scared that he would wake her up if he moved, but he got to admire her in all her beauty. He also got some peace and quiet, which was great because his head was pounding. Maybe drinking so much had been a bad idea; he hoped she didn't think that he got her drunk so they could sleep together. That hadn't been the point at all; in fact he was kind of upset all he could remember was a few blurred instances.

As Carol started to stir, he kissed her forehead and was able to watch as she slowly opened her eyes and look at him, which also meant that he got to see her turn red and look away. It stung that she was too embarrassed to even look at him, and he wasn't sure what it meant. Neither party said anything for a good while before Daryl was finally able to break the ice, "Do you think last night was a mistake?" He wasn't ready to ask that question and certainly wasn't ready to hear the answer, but it still had to happen now or this whole thing (whatever this thing was) was going to be called off. Carol didn't answer, but at least she looked at him.

He took in those sad eyes, like she was scared for what was about to be said, like she was thinking about what had happened on the mornings she had probably woken up with Ed. He hoped that she wasn't, he couldn't stand being compared to a low life as Ed had been. She didn't answer like he wanted her to though, so instead he found himself talking instead, pouring his heart out and hoping that she'd cup her hands to catch it. "I don't think it was a mistake, though I didn't exactly mean for it to happen. I'll I got from our first time is fuzzy seconds and meshed together words that I just hope were said. I'll I can do is hope I told you you're beautiful, that you're amazing and wonderful and loving and caring and I care for you like I've never cared for anyone. That I think you're the one and I'm done with looking cause even for you say no I'm going to be done, because I'm never going to find this again."

Her eyes were watering when he finished, and she ended up clinging to him, burying her face into the croak of his neck. With water filled eyes, she kissed a trail from his neck, until their lips were touching. Even then, her hand dragged upward so that it rested on his cheek and she gave a brief smile as he nuzzled into that. "You're the best man I have ever met, and I never thought I'd like anyone the way I like you. I never thought that anyone would want me." He wiped away a tear that tried to slide its way down carol's face, and then placed a kiss to the top of her forehead. "I'll always want you." He found himself whispering into her ear, before their lips met once more, for a kiss that lasted a much longer time.

When they broke apart, they were smiling at one another. Though the peace was lost when a knock on the door came, and followed with a, "Mommy, Daryl, are you guys gonna get up soon? Me and Carl and Glenn are going to go eat breakfast now, but you can meet us there if you want." And then the child who could only be Sophia was gone, humming loudly done the hallway. The two laughed lightly together before sliding off the bed. (Carol wrapping herself in the blanket, taking it with her) Carol headed towards the washroom and Daryl just pulled on some clothes, he'd shower later, no reason to just wait out here and make her rush to be done. Not that he didn't truly want to go in there with her and take a shower with her and show her just how much he wanted her, but he also wanted to give her the space she needed and the time she needed. Which is why instead of joining her, he walked to the kitchen to join Sophia and the rest of the group.

Sophia waved frantically when he entered the room and patted the seat in one side of her. She had a mouth full of what appeared to be blueberry pancakes. Carl was sitting across from her and Glenn was manning the stove. The thought of having sugary pancakes on top of his hang over, turned his stomach for the worse. He quickly made the decision to not eat anything, but grab a cup of coffee instead. Back in the day, his personal hangover breakfast was black coffee and cigarettes. Today he'd just settle with coffee, besides having gone since the outbreak without a cigarette, he could pretty much count himself as having quit. Apocalypse brought a whole new meaning to intervention.

With that thought in mind, Daryl ended up thinking up about Merle. Would he have eventually run out and then sobered up? It hurt to know that if he had just lasted a little longer, that probably would have happened. He left that thought behind though, because Shane came in arguing with the kind doctor about what would happen if some clock timer thing would run out. Doctor said a whole bunch of shit that he barely listened to, because Sophia ad distracted him asking for more syrup. He caught the end though, because Rick and Shane both decided to yell at the doctor, "Why didn't you tell us that earlier? Do you really think we would have stayed?"

That didn't sound good, and it startled Sophia, which made her grab and grip tightly onto his arm. Her eyes were wide with fear, and he didn't blame her, because if he heard right, this whole place only had hours before it blew up.

After the conversation in the kitchen, he found himself picking up Sophia and making a panic dash to their room. Carol looked spooked when he suddenly flung open the door, but as he shortly explained the situation, she frantically started gathering the things that had been unpacked. It didn't take long for them and once everyone was packed, there was joint help at getting anything from the kitchen they could bring with them. On their way out, Daryl made sure to glare at the scientist, though he had said that e wasn't going to go with them, so he felt slightly bad about it. He saw Rick shake his hand; to close up with a man who would be dead in a few hours, just like what he had done with Jim.

They were on the road again, well rested and miserable with no idea to where they were gonna go in under an hour. Still as he looked over at Carol who was looking out the window blankly and Sophia who had fallen asleep and was now slumped against his shoulder, he couldn't help but smile. As long as he had his girls with him, he could do this. He'd fought harder for much less. With this family that he put together, this was totally doable. They could beat this shit-stand together.