I Will Not Bow

Autumn noticed Daryl squeezed her hand tightly and how his demeanor changed. She could sense anger coming off him.

"Her husband was abusing them wasn't he?" Autumn asked.

"Yeah he was it was mainly Carol though." Daryl said. "Beat her all the time had both her and Phia scared to death."

"How and when did you find out?" She asked.

"About a couple of weeks after I moved in I noticed them come out of the house less." He said. "The only time Carol ever came out was to get the mail but she never gave me a glance."

"It was on March 13th when I was woken up by a pounding on my door." He said. "Got up and went downstairs to find Sophia there in her pajamas crying." "Opened the door took her in my arms trying to comfort her."

"What's wrong Sophia?" Daryl asked.

"Daddy's hurt mom again he won't stop hitting her." She said.

Anger soared through Daryl. "Tell me what happened exactly."

"He hit mom cause she talked back to him and he told her not to come out the house for nothing." Sophia said crying into his shirt.

"You stay here I'm gonna check it out okay?" Daryl asked wiping her tears away before pulling on his boots.

"Went over there and found that bastard beating Carol to death." He said. "Threw him off her and started beating him but he got the upper hand on me."

"How did you stop him?" Autumn asked.

"I didn't stop him a little girl with a crossbow did." He said with a small grin.

"Sophia shot him with your crossbow?" Autumn asked eyes wide.

"Yeah there was a couple of times she got me target practicing in my backyard and wanted to learn how to shot to." Daryl said. "Any that bastard on top of me when he was stopped by a voice."

"Leave him alone!" A voice said.

Ed froze and turned Daryl through his swollen eye could see pass him and saw Sophia standing there with his crossbow ready to shoot.

"Get off of him now." Sophia said again.

Ed looked at his daughter and laughed. "You're not gonna shot me."

"Yes I will cause you hurt mommy and Daryl." She said.

Ed looked at her before he made for her but he was stopped by Daryl grabbing him and throwing him into the wall.

Ed recovered and punched Daryl in the gut making him fall to his knees. He was about to finish him off when he stopped groaning in pain.

Daryl looked to see an arrow sticking out of Ed's back. Ed slowly turned to see Sophia standing there having fired the crossbow.

He stumbled towards her making her run to the corner just as he grabbed her Ed fell to the ground dead.

Sophia dropped the crossbow and ran to her mom who was now conscious. Daryl looked at the dead body of Ed then at the sobbing mother and daughter.

He got to his feet and walked over to the pair. Sophia looked up and ran to him hugging him. Daryl squatted down rubbing her back and met Carol's eyes.

"He's not gonna hurt y'all anymore." He said.

Daryl stood up holding Sophia and helped Carol up. Holding the both of them they walked out the room as they heard sirens approaching.

"God." Autumn said as he wiped a tear away. "How did you all recover?"

"It was a long slow process both had nightmares for months but I was right next door if they needed anything." Daryl said. "Since Ed was gone Sophia was a frequent visitor to my house so was Carol."

Autumn slowly smiled. "This is where it gets good."

Daryl chuckled. "It just started off as us being there for each other but became something more with a little help from Sophia."

"He really likes you mom I just know it." Sophia said as her mom combed her hair.

"Honey Daryl's done a lot for us but I don't think he's interested in me like that." Carol said.

"He is too mom you just don't see it." Sophia said.

Carol laughed. "But you do?"

"You and him make it too obvious." Sophia said. "I'm just waiting for y'all to profess your love for each other."

Carol laughed and hugged her daughter. "I don't think that's gonna happen sweetheart."

"It will happen y'all just need some help to make it happen." Sophia thought.

"What'd she do?" Autumn asked.

"That little scamp purposely got herself lost in the woods so that me and Carol would work together to find her." Daryl said.

Autumn couldn't help but laugh. "Clever girl."

Daryl nodded and chuckled. "She was and when we found her Carol scolded her for going into the woods alone."

"I'm sorry mom I didn't mean to scare you or Daryl." Sophia said as tears flowed.

Carol's anger went away. "You know better then to go into the woods alone so why did you do it?"

"I thought it would bring you and Daryl together that why you could profess your love for each other." She said.

The color drained from Carol's face while Daryl was silent and blushing.

"Honey I told you that Daryl doesn't like me like that." Carol said.

"Who said I don't?" Daryl asked.

Carol looked up. "I thought...

"I wasn't interested?" Daryl asked. "Woman after everything we've been through I'd be questioning my sanity if I didn't love you."

Carol gasped softly. "You love me?"

Daryl took her hands in his. "I think I have for a while now I just didn't know when to tell you but I am now." "I love you and this little scamp." He said making Sophia smile.

"I didn't think you felt the same." Daryl said.

Tears flowed down Carol's face. "I love you too Daryl Dixon."

"I think this is the part where you're suppose to kiss." Sophia said making them both laugh.

Carol's hands went to Daryl's neck as his lips brushed her before pressing them against hers.

"After that they moved in with me and everything was great." Daryl said. "We celebrated Phia's tenth birthday then after a year of dating I popped the question to Carol."

"Don't tell me Mr. hard ass Dixon was nervous about asking Carol to marry him." Autumn asked teasingly.

"Don't make fun of me." He said making her laugh. "It was my first real relationship and I was about to make it more official."

Carol noticed Daryl scuffling around nervously. Lately he was acting strange as if he were scared of something.

"Daryl is something wrong?" Carol asked.

Daryl scratched his neck before sighing. "Carol you know I love you right?"

"Of course I do." She said confused.

"I love you and Sophia so much you both mean more to me then anything in this whole world." He said.

"Daryl what's going on?" She asked.

He sighed before getting on one knee. Tears came to her eyes as he pulled out a small black box and opened it.

"Carol will you marry me?" He asked.

Carol covered her mouth as she cried harder. "Yes yes I will marry you Daryl Dixon."

Daryl held her hand gently putting the ring on her finger. They embraced immediately as Sophia walked in from school.

"Mom why are you crying?" She asked.

Carol looked up and smiled holding up her finger. "Me and dad are getting married."

Sophia shrieked and ran into her parents open arms. "Can I be the flower girl?"

Daryl chuckled. "Of course peaches."

"We got married on June 11th of 2008." He said. "We were all happier than we had ever been." "Sophia was an honor student, I had a job at the local car dealership and Carol was working as a librarian."

Autumn smiled sadly knowing what happened next.

"Then one day I took them both calling cause Phia had never been and wanted to go." Daryl said. "She was having such a good time until...

"You don't have to tell me Daryl." Autumn said.

He shook his head. "I'll tell you." He said. "One day it was dreary outside so we stayed in the camper all day." "Then a knock came at the door Carol answered it and a stranger asked if he could take shelter with us."

"Shadows." Autumn said grimly.

"At first he was alright then his demeanor completely changed and he turned into a monster." Daryl said. "He held us hostage and tortured us then taunted me asking me which one of them I thought should die first."

"He killed both of them in front of my face but let me live." Daryl said shaking. "After that police thought it was just some psycho but I knew I quit my job and been looking for him ever since trying to rid the world of those monsters and prevent this from happening to anyone else."

Autumn hugged him till his shaking stopped. "You may not have been able to save them but you're saving others from suffering from the same thing."

"Same goes for you and your friend." He said.

"If I had just stayed...

"Stop." Daryl said. "Stop blaming yourself cause it's not your fault it's those bastards and we're gonna get them together."

Autumn slowly smiled. "Together." She said as their lips met.

Daryl held her close then said...

"Seems like the host is eyeing you."

Autumn looked up to see none other then Synyster Gates looking at her.