This chapter is a big ball of fluff and trust me I need it, I hope you all do too :)
Chapter TextDaryl slept on the couch that night, giving up his room to Carol and Sophia gladly, but was awakened at four am when Carol came into the kitchen to get Sophia a bottle before the baby's crying woke Merle up.
Carol rocked baby Sophia in her arms gently as she prepared her bottle, trying not to wake up Daryl either; but he had already heard her and looked over when he heard her soft whispers to the baby.
They were his girls now, even if he and Carol never worked it out, never got together, they were still both his girls.
Daryl rolled over on the couch and watched her with Sophia, he leaned on his elbow and gazed into the kitchen that was illuminated by just a nightlight. Carol was heating the bottle in a little pot on the stove and cooing to the baby. He knew he had a big goofy smile on his face and he didn't care; when he woke up the day before this was not what he had expected to happen.
He hadn't even thought about Carol in a few weeks or more, in the beginning, he had thought about her every day, feeling like the unluckiest man on earth. What kind of jackass falls in love with a woman after just one night together, a married woman at that.
Once he even entertained the idea of trying to find her, but he knew he couldn't do that, not as long as she was married, even if he suspected she was not happy.
Then, she found him; his luck had changed it seemed.
"Hey you," He called to her softly and she turned with a smile for him and walked towards the couch when the bottle was ready. She sat down next to him, and he sat up a little to watch Sophia devouring her formula.
"I breastfed her for the first six weeks," Carol whispered, "But I was a zombie, she wanted to nurse practically 24/7."
"Can't really blame her," He said with that wry grin that she loved and Carol laughed. Daryl always made her laugh, that was one of the big attractions for her, he was so different than any other man she had ever known. That was why she could never forget him.
When she found out she was pregnant she knew it was his child, she had her hand on the phone so many times to call him, and she chickened out each time. Ed knew there was no way the baby was his, he had a vasectomy years before, which was why Carol wasn't on birth control that night and they had Sophia now.
"Here," She handed Sophia to him, noting the smile that broke across his face and he took her gently, "Feed your daughter Daryl."
Down the back hall Merle had gotten up to take a piss and saw them on the couch with their heads together, and the baby in his brother's arms. He smiled and ran his hand through his hair on his way back to bed; today was a good day, seeing them in the soft glow of the nightlight with their heads so close had just about made his year.
It was like new life had been breathed into Daryl when she showed up that day, and maybe that was true; either way, these two girls were going to change their lives and Merle welcomed it, they welcomed it.
/
Once the baby was asleep and they had stood staring at her until Daryl was satisfied and had seen enough of his child sleeping, he took Carol by the hand and led her back into the living room. They sat down close together and he put his arm around her, running his fingers over her shoulder. Carol laid her head on his shoulder as if they had been doing this for years.
She was immediately comfortable with him, in a way she had never felt comfortable with anyone else, especially Ed.
"I'm sorry," Carol whispered, "I should have been honest with you when we met."
Daryl nodded, "Yeah, you should have." He sighed, "But that's all past now, you gonna stick around now?"
"Yes, I am. I'm in love with you, I'm done trying to fight it," Carol whispered in the darkness, "I know you feel the same."
"I never hid that, I told you right away."
"I know," She looked at him, "I saw a lawyer, this is for real."
He pulled her closer, "So you'll stay."
Carol nodded in the darkness and her blue eyes were so bright to him, so lovely.
"With me?" He asked carefully. They hadn't really talked about what this was going to be between them, it was all about Sophia, as it should be.
"If you want me, I'm yours."
"I want you both."
/
He pulled her across the couch until she was straddled his lap and facing him and ran his hands over her face, pushing her hair out of her face. She was really there with him, and this was really happening, it was like a dream to him.
"I still can't believe you're here," Daryl said with a smile and ran his hands back and forth over her thighs.
"Me either, I thought about this so many times..."
"Nothings gonna keep us apart ever again." He said, "This last year really sucked."
He wrapped his arms around her.
"Your friend Tara said I was blocking the exit that night at the bar, that ain't nothing like what I'm gonna do now," He said and pulled her close to him.
"You don't have to, I'm not leaving." She answered.
/
Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think. :)