Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing from The Walking Dead.

Open Hearts

Chapter 1

Carol Peletier had been preparing herself for this moment since the day she'd found out she was pregnant. She'd been preparing for the moment her child left the house for good and started a new life on her own. Well, not completely on her own. Sophia was married, and Carol was having a very hard time dealing with the fact that her only baby was now a married woman.

Sophia had stayed at home all through college to save money, but the moment she'd finally realized there was a spark with her best friend, Carl Grimes, she'd barely been home, spending nearly every waking moment either in school, at work or with him.

The entirety of the night before had been spent with Carol and Sophia looking over old baby pictures and watching home movies, having a glass of wine each, laughing, and crying together as they both prepared for this new step in their lives. Carol had never been alone. She'd gone straight from her parents' house to her husband's house, running off to get married when she turned eighteen, and it hadn't been long after that that she'd become a mother, and her entire world had revolved around taking care of that precious life.

The marriage hadn't lasted, and Ed hadn't been a part of Sophia's life since she was three. Sophia considered Rick—Carl's father and Carol's friend—more of a father figure than anyone else, though she clearly didn't see Carl in a brotherly light. No, certainly not. Sophia Peletier was no more. Now, Sophia Grimes spun around on the dance floor, her long, white gown flowing as her pretty blonde hair swayed under the veil.

They danced, circling around together like two dizzy fools, laughing like crazy and kissing and hugging one another. It melted Carol's heart to see her daughter so happy, though at the same time, it hurt her heart to know that tonight, she'd be going home to an empty, quiet house, and those daily mother-daughter chats would be no more.

At forty, Carol felt accomplished. She was proud of the amazing woman Sophia had become. A recent college graduate, Sophia was now a very new but very excited kindergarten teacher, eager to teach and to impart knowledge on young, impressionable minds. And Carl wasn't doing too badly, either. He had graduated the police academy and was a rookie cop, fresh-faced and excited about the future. Yes, they would be ok, Carol felt certain.

It had worried her at first, Sophia wanting to get married so young, but Carol knew that opposing the marriage would be hypocritical, considering she'd been eighteen when she'd married, and Sophia was twenty-two. Carl Grimes was nothing like Ed, thankfully, and Carol trusted him completely to take care of her little girl. Still, she was a mother, and she would never stop worrying about her baby girl.

And it wasn't like Carol would be sitting around the house all day doing nothing but wondering how Sophia was doing and if she was happy. No, she had her writing to keep her busy. She wrote bi-weekly column for the local newspaper, answering single-parenting questions, generally trying to stay away from relationship advice all together. She'd always had a flare for writing, and it had only been by lucky, when she was newly divorced, that an letter she'd sent in to the paper had gotten the attention of the editor, Dale Horvath, and he'd called her up, asking her to write, answering questions and providing advice. He wanted a real perspective, not some Holly Housewife or June Cleaver perspective. He wanted real, honest answers from a woman who had loved and lost and learned a hell of a lot. Her piece had become quite popular.

Carol's Cookies was the title, something silly that Sophia had come up with, and she'd used it, even though recipes weren't even a part of her bi-weekly pieces. But, it had a ring to it and it had stuck, and for the past eighteen years or so, she'd become a regular fixture in the Wednesday and Sunday papers with her sense of humor and her candid opinions. She made decent money. Enough to provide a good life and a college education for her daughter. She had put some in savings, and she felt confident that one of these days, she could retire and travel. Maybe even meet someone.

God. The idea terrified her. She'd dated. She'd even thought she was falling in love a time or two, but nothing had ever turned out, and Sophia had always told her mother that the one was right around the corner, that she'd just run right into him one day, literally two worlds colliding. Carol had just rolled her eyes and told her daughter that she'd be getting married long before her mother would walk down the aisle again. And she'd been right.

Sitting at the bar, taking a sip of her amaretto sour, she sighed, eyes watering as she watched her daughter dancing with Carl. She was happy for her. Truly. She just couldn't believe her baby girl was now a wife. And someday, maybe, she'd be somebody's mother.

She sipped down the last of her drink, placing the empty glass on the bar. She turned on the bar stool, standing quickly and starting toward the dance floor, only to have the wind knocked out of her momentarily when she collided with someone.

"Oh!" she yelped, stumbling a little. Rough, calloused hands gripped her forearms and steadied her, and she looked up into two piercing blue eyes, partially masked by a mop of hair that flew in his face at the impact. He pushed his hand through his hair, tugging it back a little, eyes widening in surprise. "God, I'm…I'm sorry."

"I'm not," he said with a chuckle, smile widening slightly when he saw the flush in her cheeks. "Hey, you ok?"

"I'm fine. Clumsy and oblivious to my surroundings, but I'm alright," she laughed. "Are you ok? I think I stepped on your foot there."

"I'm good," he promised with a little bob of his head. "You're Sophia's mom, right?"

"Um, yes," she said uncertainly, narrowing her eyes slightly at the stranger who, now that she thought about it, looked a little familiar. "Why do I know you? You're so familiar."

"M'Daryl." he said with a nod. "Uh, Dixon. Probably seen me in some of Rick's huntin' pictures on the wall of his den." Carol's eyes widened in acknowledgement.

"Yes! You're his hunting buddy, Daryl."

"Oh, we go way back. High school. Used to hate each other. Think we beat the livin' shit out of each other a time or two, but after that, we were good buddies."

"Well, I'm glad you could put aside your differences," Carol said with a little laugh.

"You drinkin'?"

"Not anymore," she replied, motioning toward her empty glass before looking wistfully at the dance floor, where Sophia was now dancing a slow song with her new husband.

"You dancin'?"

"Not in these heels," she laughed. Just then, Sophia waved at her from the floor, motioning for her to come over. "Mother of the bride duty calls. Sorry, um, I think I may have scuffed your shoe up." They both looked down at his feet.

"No harm done. Don't wear these damned things most of the time, anyway. Just when I have to." Carol smiled at that.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Daryl."

"You too," he said with a smile that made her heart do a little tap dance. She lingered for a moment, before Sophia called for her.

"Mom?" Carol cleared her throat, turning to go to Sophia, peeking over her shoulder once along the way to see him staring. She smiled, blushing as she turned to focus on her daughter, though she couldn't ignore the way her skin tingled and her heart raced. Something about the way he'd looked at her had her body humming, and she couldn't help but think about how solid he'd felt when she'd smacked right into him.

Keep it together. Don't be the sad, drunk, single mom that starts feeling sorry for herself. Nope. You won't be that woman. Today's about Sophia.

...

"You're so beautiful," Carol said with a sad smile, hugging her little girl as she cradled the bouquet of flowers in her arms. Sophia had intentionally tossed them right at her mother, and Carol was certain of it. Clearly, Sophia had a deal going with her new mother-in-law, Michonne, who quickly encouraged all of the other women to step back so only Carol remained in the flower-throwing area. It had been done all with pure intentions, and Michonne had cackled, saying that this time next year, Carol would be the one walking down the aisle.

Shortly after the reception, guests began to disappear, and soon, only a small group stood around the car, and Carol was surprised at how disappointed she felt to not see Daryl anywhere around. But, of course he'd be gone. It wasn't like he was family. Still, she'd hoped to get to see him again, maybe even talk to him again, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Thanks, Mama," Sophia said with a tearful smile. "Thank you for being here for me through all of this. I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Soph." She pulled back and gave Carl a big hug. "You take care of my baby, alright?"

"Yes, ma'am," he chuckled. "Promise."

"You'll call me when you land, right?" Carol asked, eyebrows raised as she looked back and forth between Carl and Sophia.

"Yes. I promise. Even if it's the middle of the night, I'll call, because I know how you worry," Sophia grinned.

"Enjoy Hawaii. Think of me when you're walking on the beach," Carol said with a sigh.

"I will, Mama. I promise." She looked at Carl with equal parts happiness and anxiety and chewed her lip. "We should go."

"You two be safe. I'll see you in…what?"

"Two weeks," Sophia promised. "Love you."

"Love you," Carol murmured. She watched as Carl and Sophia climbed into the back of the limo, both giving one last wave to their families, and then they were off, and Carol felt suddenly very alone.

"Hey," Michonne said with a smile, bringing her arm around her friend's shoulders. "You going to be ok?"

"Yeah," Carol sighed. "I just…don't know what I'm going to do with myself. You're lucky you have Judith at home."

"Judith's twelve, and she's in that 'you're my step-mom, so I'm going to be a brat to you just because' stage. I don't think 'lucky' is the right word." Michonne made a face, and Carol laughed. "Hey, if you want, you can always ride along with us, have a drink at the house if you're not ready to go back yet."

"No, it's alright," Carol said with a smile. "I have to go home sometime. I'll be alright."

"You sure, honey?"

"I'm sure," Carol promised. "Thank you for thinking of me." Carol turned to head back inside and grab her things from bag check outside the hotel lobby. By the time she got her keys and purse, the parking lot was deserted. She was a little thankful for that. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate her friends looking out for her, she didn't exactly need another 'aw, I'm so sorry you're all alone now that your daughter's grown and married' speech.

So, she took her time walking to the car, enjoying the way the silence filled her and the cool breeze plastered her skirt around her calves, the smooth, silky material soothing her aching legs. Standing in heels all day was not exactly her idea of a good time, but she'd done it for Sophia.

As she reached her car, she unlocked it and slid inside. The moment she turned the key, her stomach dropped. It wouldn't turn over.

"Shit!" she hissed under her breath, trying the ignition again. It made a pitiful, choked whir before dying again. "No. No, don't do this to me. Come on." She attempted it again with the same results.

"Everything alright?" She jumped when Daryl Dixon leaned down with his hands against the window frame.

"Oh!"

"I keep scarin' you tonight," he said with a sheepish grin. "Car trouble?"

"Yeah. God, it was working earlier."

"I can take a look at it, if you want."

"You work on cars?"

"I'm a mechanic," he said with a nod. "Ain't got the light for it tonight, but I can come back tomorrow."

"You don't have to do that."

"Free of charge. You take it anywhere in town, they'll charge you a tow fee, and then they'll rob you blind."

"That's really nice of you. Thank you," she said with a smile.

"You need a ride home?"

"You're offering?"

"Only if ya don't mind wearin' one of these." Carol's eyes widened as she glanced at the helmet that he held up. She had never taken a ride from a stranger in her entire life, let alone a handsome stranger on a motorcycle. But he was Rick's friend, and she trusted Rick, so that soothed her nerves a little bit. It still didn't curb the way her skin tingled or her cheeks blushed as he looked at her. She took a deep breath, wetting her lips and swallowing hard.

"Oh. You…you ride a motorcycle?"

"Yeah. You never rode?"

"Never," she said with a grin and a shake of her head. Daryl smirked then, opening Carol's car door and holding his hand out.

"Good. First time's always the best," he promised, his voice low, and, Carol thought, a slight bit suggestive. "You up for it?"

"I'm up for it," she said with a nod, sliding out of the car and locking it up.

"Good. Ride's this way," he said with a wave toward the other side of the lot. Carol stood for a moment, watching him walk away, feeling every nerve in her body coiling, and she took a deep breath and then a step to follow him, though it might as well have been a giant leap of faith.