Chapter 38

The moment her baby girl was placed into her arms at 12:32 AM, Carol was absolutely in love. Maya Sophia Dixon was born at a whopping 6 pounds 2 oz and had a healthy set of lungs. The moment her daddy saw her, he kissed Carol's forehead and chuckled about how his little girl in no way resembled Rocky, the boxer or the moose. Carol had laughed at that and cried tears of joy as she heard her daughter's loud, healthy cries. Hunter Elias Dixon aka The Hulk made his appearance at 12:47 AM weighing 5 lbs. 10 oz.

"Gracie won't have to share her birthday," Carol said with a little smile, holding a baby in each arm as Daryl sat on the edge of the bed, gently stroking the fuzzy, reddish hair on top of his son's head.

"She'll thank you for that in like fifteen years," Daryl chuckled. "You feelin' ok?"

"I feel great," Carol said softly. Despite the dark circles under her eyes, she was smiling and happy. It was nearly three in the morning, and while everybody had been called to inform them of the births, they'd asked for no visitors until later in the morning. "I can't believe they're here." She kissed Hunter's forehead. "Hunter reminds me of Sophia a little. She had that same nose."

"S'your nose," Daryl said with a little grin. "Maya looks like Grace. She's got darker hair like Gracie had."

"They're perfect," Carol whispered. "I can't believe they're…they're ours." She sniffled and kissed Maya's forehead. "I never thought I'd feel this again, you know?"

"You were amazin'. Never saw nothin' like it." Carol gave him a little smile.

"Here," she whispered softly. "You want to take your son?" Daryl nodded, watching the baby boy's face in awe as he drew him into his arms.

"Don't know what I'm gonna do with a boy. Never really thought I'd have a son. Kinda figured they'd both be girls." Carol smiled at that.

"We're both in new territory then, I suppose." Daryl moved to sit in the chair by Carol's bed, and he gently rocked the baby back and forth in his arms, in awe of this new little life. "We'll be a'right. Won't we, kiddo?" The baby made a grunting sound, and Carol's eyes welled at the sight of Daryl with their son. The males were still outnumbered in their growing family, but at least they had each other.

"Thank you," Carol said softly, as she fan her finger gently over Maya's hand. "Thank you for giving me our family."

"You helped too," he pointed out, getting a chuckle out. "A lot, if I remember."

"Daryl Dixon!" she laughed. "That's no way to talk in front of the babies." He caught her teasing tone and the wink she gave him, and he smiled, cradling his son to his chest, feeling perfectly at peace and ready to start this new chapter in their lives.

"Oh my God," Michonne cooed, leaning over the two little beds in the hospital room. "God, Carol, he looks just like you."

"He does, doesn't he?" Carol asked with a grin. "He's got his daddy's eyes though."

"How're you feeling?" she asked, moving over to give Carol a big hug.

"Sore," Carol admitted. "But happy. Daryl went to get a change of clothes for me. We kind of left the party without an overnight bag."

"Sorry about that. I should have brought you something," Michonne said with a chuckle.

"It's alright. These hospital gowns are a lot more comfortable than I remember them being." Carol stood up slowly, looking down almost in awe of the fact that she could see her feet again. She was going to have to get used to her center of gravity being a bit different, too. "Her middle name's Sophia." Carol nodded toward Maya. "I want her to know that she had another big sister before Grace came along. I want her to know that Sophia would have loved her."

"She would have," Michonne said with a grin. "She always asked you for a baby sister."

"Yeah," Carol murmured, biting her lip for a moment before she moved to sit in the chair. The bed was just getting to be too much. She groaned softly as she sat, and she adjusted herself so she was more comfortable. "I'm a little scared."

"Of what?"

"Of everything," Carol admitted. "They're healthy. They're perfect. So was Sophia when she was born."

"Hey," Michonne said softly, reaching out and taking Carol's hand. "You just remember that this is your second chance. You and Daryl and your kids? This is it, Carol, and just 'cause it ended wrong the first time doesn't mean it will this time. You gotta live and not let the past haunt you."

"You're way too insightful sometimes, you know that?" Carol asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Yeah, and where would you be if I wasn't?" Michonne teased. "You're my best friend, and I'm going to be there to make sure you're looking forward if I have to kick your butt every damned day."

"Promise?" Carol asked.

"I promise. Oh, and here." She gave Carol a piece of paper with a phone number written on it.

"What's this?"

"The number of the best babysitter in town. I take it Beth Greene's not taking Grace anymore?"

"Uh, no," Carol said with a blush. "That would be a little awkward, wouldn't it?"

"Right," Michonne laughed. "Her name is Jacqui, and she's wonderful. She watched Andre when his grandparents couldn't before Rick and I moved in together. Now I get free babysitting 24/7."

"You know Carl's gonna demand an allowance raise one of these days."

"He can demand it," Michonne said with a raised eyebrow. Carol shook her head.

"You've got your hands full."

"Yeah, we both do, huh?" Michonne sighed and untucked her silver necklace from her blouse, revealing a stunning diamond necklace.

"Oh my God!" Carol exclaimed. "Is that…"

"He proposed last night."

"So why isn't it on your hand?"

"Because I'm not ready to share it yet. Carl knows. Andre doesn't really understand, but he calls Rick daddy, since he barely ever sees his own daddy anymore. I just wanted you to know, because you're my sister, and I love you." Carol's eyes welled with tears at that moment, and Michonne tossed a pack of tissues at her. "Don't you dare, because I just can't take anymore tears today."

"Well, sorry to disappoint you," Carol sobbed, dabbing at her eyes.

"Damned hormones," Michonne grinned.

"Tell me about it." Carol sniffled and blew her nose. "Thank you for telling me, Mich."

"And you're going to be my maid of honor, right?"

"If you can fit me into the dress, sure!"

"Please. You snapped back after Sophia, you will this time too. Besides, if I have to wear the big frilly dress and look like an idiot, so do you." Carol made a face at her, and Michonne winked. "I'm so happy for you and Daryl."

"Me too," she murmured, peering over at her sleeping babies. "Wouldn't change a thing."

Three months later…

Carol squirmed in the passenger's seat as she tried to peek out from beneath the blindfold that Daryl had tied around her head, shielding her eyes from wherever it was he was taking her to.

"Maggie, I promise," Carol said with exasperation into the phone, "it's totally normal. He's just got his days and nights mixed up. He's two days old. I promise. It gets better. Oh, sweetie, it's ok. Don't cry. Just…okay. Okay. Yeah, I'll talk to Glenn."

"Hello?" he asked in desperation.

"Glenn, go hug your wife."

"What?"

"Trust me. Just hang up the phone and hug your wife. Tell her it's going to be ok."

"Is it?" he asked. "Because I'm not so sure."

"Glenn, I promise you," Carol said with a little laugh, "you can do this. You and Maggie are going to be great parents. Just go hug your wife, and I promise you'll be ok." Glenn muttered something about being willing to try anything before the line went quiet.

"How're the happy parents?" Daryl asked from the driver's seat.

"Aiden has his days and nights mixed up," Carol said with a sigh.

"Sucks," Daryl said with a chuckle. "Thank God Hunter got over that." For the first two weeks after they'd brought the twins home from the hospital, Maya would be awake most of the day and sleep most of the night, and Hunter was completely the opposite. Carol and Daryl had run themselves ragged, but somehow, in the end, Hunter had started sharing Maya's schedule, making life so much easier.

"Now will you tell me?"

"Nope."

"Alright, so we've left our kids with a sitter so you can drive me around Georgia in a blindfold and refuse to answer any questions?"

"Pretty much," he said with a shrug, which she obviously couldn't see. Soon, the car slowed and came to a halt. Carol could hear the sounds of busy traffic, and she chewed her lower lip nervously.

"Are we on the freeway?" Daryl snorted at that.

"Not even close, woman." He hopped out of the car and moved to her side to open the door for her. He took her hand and helped her out.

"Such a gentleman." She felt his hand on her lower back, and a familiar tingle ran up her spine.

Soon, they were inside of a building, and then they were on an elevator, and Carol sighed as she tried to place the elevator music.

"I've definitely been here before."

"Oh yeah," he said with a chuckle. "You have."

"Where are we?"

"Nope."

"Daryl," she whined, her hand tugging at his sleeve.

"Nope. Stop askin'." She sighed and resigned herself to a surprise. When the elevator doors slid open, Daryl led her down the hall and to a door. She chewed her lip nervously, and she heard the slide of a key card and the unlocking of a door. Suddenly, it dawned on her.

"Oh," she gasped. Daryl led her inside, flipping the light on and untying the blindfold from her eyes. She gasped when she looked around to find herself in the very room they'd gotten their very first night together. "Oh my God. You didn't!"

"1307. Same room," he murmured. She sighed and noticed a bucket of ice with champagne chilling on the bedside table.

"You're amazing," she whispered against his lips, pulling her arms around his neck.

"Little over a year ago, I walked into this room with ya, and I had the most amazin' night of my life. We got started here, and I ain't ashamed of that. I'll never regret a thing that happened between us that night, 'cause look at us now."

"A couple of old marrieds," she grinned, tears in her eyes.

"Wanted to bring ya back here to let ya know that you'll always be just as beautiful to me as ya were that night. I love ya."

"I love you so much," she whispered, kissing him again. She looked around that room as he led her to the bed, and she thought about how this room had only been intended to hide an indiscretion, but it had ended being the place where something stronger and more special than she ever would have thought possible began.

He drew her into his arms and pressed soft kisses to her neck and her collarbone. She moaned softly, running her hands down his back, pushing into him as his teeth nipped at her soft skin. She arched her neck, biting her lower lip as she gave him further access to kiss his way up her neck.

She gently pushed at his chest, walking him backward toward the bed. He pulled back, seeing the gleam in her eye as she began to kiss his neck, and he gasped when she gently sucked at his adam's apple. They fell back against the mattress, her straddling his waist, and she kissed him, her tongue sliding between his lips. She sighed at the familiar sensation of his kisses, something they'd all but perfected in the weeks after the twins' births. Given that a good ole high school make out was all they could do for several weeks, they'd gotten quite creative, and Carol knew she could spend hours just focusing on his amazing mouth, but right now, she needed more. When it came to Daryl, she always wanted more. More of his mouth on her, more of him inside of her, more of his arms around her. It had been too long, this time, and her nerves coiled inside of her as that ache grew deeper and bolder.

His hands were on her waist, sliding her shirt up. She grabbed the edges and lifted it over her head, tossing it to the side as he worked with the button of her jeans. They took very little time undressing each other, needing to feel the warmth of each other's skin against their own. When Daryl kicked his jeans off onto the floor, he flipped his wife onto her back and crawled over her, kissing his way up her stomach to her neck. She giggled as his stubble tickled her skin, but the moment he looked up into her eyes, the laughter stopped, and she saw the desire and the hunger in his eyes.

A warmth spread through her and warmed her skin when she saw how he still wanted her just like it was the first time all over again. He took his time, moving his hand between her legs, stroking her, hearing that soft sigh she always let out when the pressure began to build inside of her.

He kissed her thighs before tasting her, and her hips moved sharply off the mattress. He gently pressed on her stomach, holding her down as he circled her clit with his tongue. When she cried out, he took his time kissing his way up her body again, wanting her to be ready.

"Now," she murmured, her nails digging into his shoulders as his erection pressed against her entrance. He pushed in slightly, getting a gasp from her, but when she relaxed, he continued. She bit her lower lip, groaning softly as he slid into her, taking it slow and letting her feel every inch of him filling her.

She opened herself up to him, taking him in as far as she could, moaning softly as he began to move inside of her. She arched her back when she felt his mouth on her breast. Pushing herself into him, she wrapped a leg around his hips and met his thrusts with her own.

They moved together like it was the first time, like it was the last time, memorizing every detail, never getting enough.

"I missed you," she murmured softly as they lay together afterward.

"You ok?" he asked softly.

"Perfect," she breathed, giggling softly and kissing his neck.

"Didn't hurt you?"

"No," she promised. They hadn't been able to make love since the twins were born, and she'd thought that perhaps there was something wrong with her. Dr. Simpson had simply explained that some women heal faster after the birth than others. Daryl had certainly been patient with her, but she had gotten very impatient with herself.

When she'd explained to him that morning that she'd wanted to give it a try, he'd gone out of his way to make the day special, even getting the babysitter to come watch the kids so he could have his wife to himself for a few hours.

Now, she was smiling as his hand moved down her hip, gently caressing her. "Can I make a request?"

"We do requests now? Or are ya tellin' me what I need to do better?" he snorted.

"Stop," she giggled. "Take me camping. Back to that quarry you took me to before?"

"You wanna go back there?"

"Yeah," she said softly. "It was beautiful. Just…surprise me on our anniversary."

"You're tellin' me to take you to the quarry as a surprise on our anniversary?" he asked, a bit bemused.

"I'll act surprised," she promised. "I want to go back there with you." Daryl couldn't help but smile as she peered up at him with those beautiful blue eyes of hers.

"Take you anywhere you want. You know that." He kissed her softly, and she gently stroked his chest.

"I know," she murmured. She yawned and snuggled up against his chest, letting the calming drum of his heart beat lull her to sleep.

It was a night like most. Cherokee was sleeping at the foot of the bed. The soft hum of the humidifier from the nursery crept into the room. Daryl sat on the floor of Grace's room with her curled up in his lap and a book spread out in his hands. Carol listened on the monitor as Daryl read her the story of the Three Little Pigs. She couldn't help but smile as she finished feeding Maya her bottle, recalling the night she'd heard him singing to his daughter.

"Okay," Carol cooed, kissing Mara's tiny feet. The baby giggled and pumped her legs, squealing with delight when Carol tickled her tummy. "Bed time for you, little lady. Your brother's out like a light, and you're going to be a big girl and sleep all night so mommy and daddy can rest, right?" The baby grunted. "Good girl. Mama loves you so much." She placed the baby down in her crib and checked on Hunter, who was sleeping soundly and hopefully would be for the next several hours.

She heard Daryl ending the story, so she headed down the hall to join him in tucking Grace in. She was already sleeping before Daryl got her in her crib, and Carol moved up behind Daryl to wrap her arms around his waist, resting her head against his back.

"She went out 'fore I got the story finished."

"Yeah, she does that sometimes."

"Just glad she lets me read it to her now. She used to only let you do it," he chuckled.

"I think she's thrilled to have either one of us just to herself for a few minutes. The house is overrun by babies."

"Yeah, didn't we used to have grown up friends?" Daryl kidded, turning and pulling her into a hug. They kissed for a moment, and Carol pulled back.

"By the way, Michonne called me today," Carol said with a beaming smile.

"Yeah? What'd she say?"

"Oh, just that there'll be another Grimes in about eight months."

"Ah, hell, another one?"

"Oh come on, you know you love Rick," Carol teased. "Besides, who are we to talk? We have three in diapers."

"Good point," he snorted, resting his hands on her hips and kissing her again. "You're happy, right?"

"You kidding?" she asked, raising an eyebrow and cocking her head to the side. "I'd forgotten what 'happy' was until I met you. I'm only just beginning to understand how all this 'happy' is supposed to work." Daryl chuckled at that, and they kissed again. Yeah, this happy thing was definitely something they could both get used to.

The End

Author's Note: A big, huge shout out to TheWalkingCaryl who gave me encouragement and advice behind the scenes. I am so thankful that you were willing to read and give feedback and help me when I got stuck in this story. Thanks so much!

Thanks to everybody who read and stuck with me through this story. I had SO much fun writing it, even if I did struggle here and there with a few things. I am going to miss writing it, but more than that, I'm going to miss getting some of the most priceless reactions that I've read in the feedback. Haha, you guys are great, and you make me smile. J Thanks again everybody. As always, Caryl on!