They lived what felt like a lifetime repeating that day over and over again. Stuck in some sort of limbo that they'd given up on trying to figure out the why's or how's of save for one: how to stop it. Trial and error across too many repeats to remember anymore had whittled it down to keeping the people they cared about alive and safe. To the best of their ability within that single day, anyway.

The four in the camp had it down to science.

Carol would get up, wake Sophia, have her grab their things and put them just outside their tent. Round the side where Ed couldn't see them immediately when he got up. She'd make a quick breakfast for the two of them, take some laundry from Carl, and strap on the weapons hidden inside while Ed mumbled and groaned and eventually pulled himself out of bed. He'd scratch at himself the way he did and stick that cigar in his mouth, exit the tent and yawn. He'd head over to his chair and sit down. Then he'd call to Carol for some food and wait. That was when Carol would take Sophia by the shoulder, have her grab their things, and start off across the camp toward the Dixons.

Glenn would wake and head straight for Daryl's tent to get a spare machete off his friend. He'd strap it on so the sheath was snug against the back of his waist, covered by his baggy shirt then head up to the RV to talk to Dale and have his own breakfast with him and Andrea and Amy. The three treated him like a younger brother, a brave but ultimately stupid teen they needed to watch out for. He put up with it so he could rush through his breakfast and find an excuse to head back across the camp right after because he 'forgot' something in his tent. His path would cut behind Ed as the man followed Carol and Sophia on their way to the Dixons.

Carl had to be quiet when he woke up. His mom was a pretty light sleeper and if he wanted any chance of getting things ready before she got up on her own, he had to be careful. He usually avoided putting his shoes on or trying to do anything other than slip out of the tent. After he was safe, he'd jog around to Daryl's camp and take the small bundle of what looked like dirty laundry left out for him and head up to the RV. He'd smile at Shane and let the man give him a quick morning hug, tell him he was just trying to get a jump on the chores when asked what he was doing without his momma around. Shane never looked too closely on the bundle and Carl made sure of it by telling him his mom was sleeping in and maybe Shane could wake her up? Shane always paused for a second at that, considering, before shaking his head and pushing Carl to go on and get. And Carl always did. He would jog over to hand the 'laundry' to Carol. Once that was ready, he'd scurry back to the front of the RV and greet his yawning mother with a hug. And then he'd pull away to go say hello to Sophia as Carol pulled her over to the Dixons.

Daryl would wake up and get right to work pulling out extra knives and an extra gun for the trip. The gun was his spare and he bundled that up with a good 7-inch skinning knife, wrapping the two in a couple pairs of jeans and a formerly-white t-shirt. Just a big enough lump for Carl to grab on his way past. A machete with a belt sheath was handed over to Glenn. Both got to them before Merle was out of his tent for the day. Neither looked to Daryl and Daryl didn't look to them. It kept attention away from the oddity of what they were doing. It wouldn't last, but it was needed for the set-up. He'd then take a quick detour over to his brother's bike and pull out his stash. Merle was usually stirring by then and Daryl didn't have a lot of time to get the drugs, and if he could have given it to Carl with the knife and gun, he would have. But they'd done this long enough to know that wasn't possible. He had only enough spare seconds to get his ass back to his tent and make it look like he was just climbing out before Merle was actually doing the same. He was able to shove the drugs under one of his shirts and grab his crossbow, then sit himself down to clean it for the day. He got done with the inspection in time for Merle to start his bellyaching about breakfast and for Carol to head their way.

Carl met Carol and Sophia half-way and would take Sophia by the hand to lead her to the tailgate of Daryl's truck. What protests Merle had were cut off by Carol calling out to him with her so-polite 'Mister Dixon!'. It always caught the man off guard. Daryl had stopped trying to hide the grin his brother being floored by the woman brought. Merle didn't usually notice it because they'd gotten the timing down to near perfect and by the time Carol was saying the words 'abusive' and 'beats me', Glenn was behind Ed, machete loose in his wrist. Merle noticed this even as he noticed Ed reaching out to grab Carol. Practically the whole camp stopped to watch the confrontation by that point because Glenn didn't particularly hide that he'd followed Ed over with a drawn weapon. Not that Carol talking to the Dixons was more than enough cause for alarm even without Glenn's behavior. Merle didn't usually get a chance to act beyond that, though.

Carol would pull the knife Carl had slipped her as she spun around and it would be pressed to Ed's throat before he could process what was going on. Glenn would have his machete to the back of the man's throat at the same time his free hand firmly dropped onto Ed's shoulder and held him. Daryl's crossbow would flip up and he'd move to hover over Carol's left shoulder. Right where Ed could see the bolt aimed directly at his head. The four of them would then very carefully and steadily move Ed backwards and up to the clearing in front of the RV. It was as much to put distance between him and Sophia as it was to make sure everyone watching could hear what was said to the man.

"You don't get to touch me, Ed," Carol spoke clearly, loudly, and without any fear. "You don't get to touch Sophia. You don't come near either of us again. We're going to be staying with the Dixons from now on. They're good men. Better than you have ever been. And you don't get to come near us. If you do, if you try to touch me or touch Sophia, I will kill you. Do you understand me?"

Ed gulped as he always did, his eyes sliding over to Daryl. Then he'd sneer and open his big mouth, "You been cheating on me, bitch?"

The first time he'd said that, Glenn had knocked him upside the head with the pommel of his machete. It'd put the fear of God into everyone but Ed, who just ended up out cold. As much as he really wanted to do that, he knew better. This was Carol's demon to deal with.

Carol smiled sweetly and shook her head. Her knife bit into the soft flesh of Ed's chin and she used it's point to direct his attention back to her like she would a finger. "No. But I do want a divorce. I'm taking custody of Sophia and you get to live. I know it's not an equal split, your life being so worthless, but at least you get to have one. So long as you stay away from us. This is your only warning."

That was usually the signal for everyone to take a step back. Carol took two before sheathing her knife and lifting her shirt to the side so she wouldn't fumble with drawing it. Glenn released Ed's shoulder, then walked around behind Daryl before putting his machete away where Ed could see him do it. As an intimidation tactic, it was pretty effective. Glenn then took his jersey off so he was left in just his t-shirt. It was for the same reason Carol had tucked her own clothing to the side. He wanted to be able to grab his knife at a second's notice. His jersey, much as he liked it, would get in the way. Daryl waited until Ed started back towards his tent, fuming and cursing up a storm, before letting his crossbow drop and rejoining Merle.

By then Carol was already back, speaking in hushed tones with his brother. Treating him like he was a man as good as Rick was. She was alternating between reassuring Sophia that they'd be safe with the Dixons and thanking Merle and making it clear both her and her daughter would pull their own weight. Merle could never quite tell them to fuck off and git at that point. After all, if Merle hadn't left home when he did, he would have killed their daddy for the things he'd done. He was fully cognizant of what Carol had just done and the risk the two were at while Ed was still around.

After the camp calmed down a little and Shane and Lori shared a moment, Lori would hurry over to talk to Carl and make sure he was alright. She'd get there in time to hear Daryl tell Merle he'd go into Atlanta for the day instead and that Merle should stay and watch Sophia. No one else knew they'd be gone overnight and Daryl trusted Merle not to try and find his stash while he held the responsibility of a twelve year old girl in his hands. It kept that confrontation delayed if they ever managed to pull their plan off.

Lori would give Carol a look like Carol was crazy for trusting the Dixons despite how Daryl had just helped her put real distance between her and Ed. But Carol wouldn't give her a chance to do much more. She'd pat Sophia on the shoulder and tell her to stick close to Merle. That she was going to go into the city, too. They'd need to get some gear to replace what Ed was keeping. Then she'd be off to find Glenn and Lori would be left with Carl and Sophia looking up her expectantly. Carl would be told to go ask Dale or Andrea or Jacqui – or whoever else Lori's eyes fell on first – for some chores just to keep him away from the Dixons. Carl wouldn't protest (which really should have been her first clue something was up) and would dart off after giving Sophia's hand a squeeze. Sophia would then hop down from the truck and go over to take Merle's hand and hold it tightly.

The shock of it was enough to cut Merle off from whatever quiet, but heated, argument he had going on with Daryl at the time. Daryl would pat his shoulder and then duck into his tent to get a few things he'd need for the trip. Merle's stash would be at the bottom of the small bag he packed, though he left it mostly empty so it wouldn't cause suspicion. The four of them had enough experience with sleeping in the same clothes for weeks on end that not having anything for an overnight wasn't really a problem. The last thing he did before heading to meet Glenn at the car was grab Merle's spare vest. He never looked over his shoulder as he shrugged it on, so he never saw the way his brother looked at him when he claimed the damn thing as his own.

Sophia saw it, though. She saw it and she would squeeze Merle's hand and whisper up at him, "You don't have to worry. He's wearing your wings now."

"What the hell does that have to do with anything? And I ain't worried," he'd mutter and try half-heartedly to pull his hand from hers.

She'd smile shyly and give a small shrug, "Because they're your wings. They'll protect him. Like you always do. That's what momma said."

He would eye her and his mouth would move as he glanced between her and Carol's back, "Is that right?"

"Yup. She said you'll do whatever it takes to protect Daryl and that's why we can trust you," Sophia affirmed every time the car drove off. And then she'd look nervously at his knife, "Momma also said I should ask you to teach me how to skin a squirrel. We don't have to do that, though."

The car would only leave with three people anymore: Daryl at the wheel, Glenn in the passenger seat, and Carol in the back. It would leave and the people in camp would stand there watching it drive off, not sure what the hell had happened to change those three so drastically. Shane rubbed his hands over his head and to the back of his neck before dropping them down to his waist. He'd look to Dale in confusion and Dale would shrug. T-Dog stood there like he was seeing Glenn with new eyes. Andrea and Amy, too, their arms crossed before Andrea finally blinked and shook her head, "Well that was... something."

"He's never been like that," Dale complained loudly. "I've never seen him like that. Like he... he was the king of us all. And Carol... I mean, I'm glad she's finally doing something about Ed, but..." He shook his head, then nodded, "I think it has to be Daryl. I mean... it's not normal for them to be like that. To be so selfish. It has to be him."

Shane snorted, but he didn't say anything because Lori always came running up at that point, asking if he'd seen Carl.

…

The trip to King County was about five hours in the best of conditions. Leaving as they did right around eight in the morning and stopping only when they had to for gas and supplies, they usually got into town and in front of the Grime's residence right around four in the afternoon. The house Morgan and Duane holed up in wasn't that far and they'd found Morgan believed them a lot easier if they didn't pull up right outside his hideaway. It was simpler for Rick to ask him for cover as he went back to his place and did some real scrounging. The two would be just finishing up as the car stopped and both he and Morgan were 'surprised' by Carl calling out for his dad and running to them.

The others would follow out of the car, keeping an eye out for walkers. Carol explained their story as she always did and was good about not embellishing too much. Too many details were just as bad as too little. They'd all move on to Morgan's place before walkers could be attracted to the noise. Carl and Duane would get along as Carl had the same argument with Duane over some comics as he always did. The extra time to talk was important. Getting there early enough meant they weren't waiting in silence for walkers to stumble away from the doors and windows. It meant Rick could leverage Morgan into doing what was needed. At least to the point that he had the gun up and aimed at his wife.

Usually they all had the frustration of him not being able to do it. Of Morgan sitting there, crying to himself for hours on end and not able to squeeze the trigger. Or getting mad at them and yelling, drawing walkers, if they tried to edge him on. Eventually they started taking turns going up there with him and trying to convince him to just do it. That, yes, it was hard, but it had to be done. If he didn't shoot before sunrise, they woke up back where they had been and did it all again. They kept going.

They had stopped counting how many times they'd tried before Carol finally got through to him.

"She's not your wife," Carol said bluntly, around three am after a good five hours of waiting for him to just get it over with. She knew that she'd screwed up their chances for the night with her tone. But she was frustrated and tired of the wait. The look Rick shared with her said he was too, and that he didn't blame her. He got up and left the room to let Glenn and Daryl know it wasn't going to happen this time around. Left her and Morgan alone.

Morgan gave her a murderous glare.

She wasn't apologetic in the least and met his gaze straight on, "She's not. That body out there isn't her. Not anymore. It's just a thing. Your wife died a long time ago. All that thing is doing, is wearing her face. Stop thinking that shooting it is destroying what's left of your wife. She's already gone. The only way for you and your boy to be safe is to move on from it."

Carol stood up, arms crossed, and sighed before heading to the door. She pulled it open and paused in the door way, "Kill it or don't. That's on you. Either way, you need to come back with us to camp tomorrow. Your life isn't the only one your indecision is holding up." Giving him one last pointed look, she left to get some sleep. No one was surprised that Morgan didn't shoot the walker. He never shot her.

But they were surprised when morning came and they woke up in that house in King County.

Morgan sat on the steps to the upper level as they stirred and he waited until they were all awake to speak softly into the silence, "We should leave now. Before I change my mind about going."