Dark, cold, and empty: words ran through Daryl Dixon's head as he lied in his bed trying to fall asleep. He hated feeling boxed in like this. The woods were where he would spend his time, away from people. You would run into less jackasses there, except for the occasional skunk.

It was so much easier to go to sleep in the woods. It was one of the few places with color left. There was the sky, which was like an escape away from the hell that is life. The prison was just too suffocating. He felt like a rat in a trap just waiting, waiting to be killed. Sometimes he wanted to sleep outside instead, but that would be too stupid, besides what would people do if they woke and found him gone. He just lied in bed, waiting for his body to just give out.

But minutes passed, then hours and Daryl was still staring at a gray ceiling. Finally he got up and picked up his crossbow. At least he could walk around the perimeter in case any Woodbury people were trying to sneak up in the night. He walked out of his cell and immediately heard Carol softly cooing something a couple cells next to him.

"I remember when I was a little girl and I couldn't sleep. I would run around the house looking for something to do. It would drive my mama crazy. But then she would take me up into my bedroom and hold me until I fell asleep."

Slowly and quietly he peeked around the door to her cell. She was just sitting in her bed holding the little Asskicker (or how they liked to call her, Judith) in one hand and a bottle in the other.

"And Sophia, my daughter, would do the same thing. She would crawl into my bed, drive Ed, my husband." She paused to correct herself. "Ex-husband, crazy. I would never mind it though. In fact I liked it. It would give me a reason to leave Ed and go to Sophia's room." Carol stopped. Daryl could hear Carol choke up a little as she began to talk again. He looked at the floor, feeling sorry for the woman. "You would have liked Sophia. She would have liked you too, although she was damn awful at taking care of any living being." Carol chuckled a little.

"Ain't Beth supposed to be taking care of the thing?" Daryl said as he emerged himself from the corner.

Carol smiled at him. "I think she deserves a break."

"We all deserve a break," he responded.

"I know." Carol looked down at Judith. "I guess I just like taking care of someone. A mother's work is never done."

Daryl nodded. He leaned against the wall staring at her and Judith as they sat quietly on the bed. There was a silence, a peaceful silence. It almost made Daryl not think about the impending war about to rain down on them. He watched Judith. She was so peaceful.

Carol saw him and smiled. She looked back at Judith. "It's wonderful isn't it?"

Daryl snapped out of his trance. "What?"

"The kind of power this little girl has. Lori could feel it too when she was pregnant. She used to tell me that this baby would be what saves this group."

"How? It ain't like she's got a mean shot," he joked.

Carol nodded. "No. She's our hope. Looking at her, you feel calm don't you?" She looked at Daryl. "With Judith here, it's almost like there is a chance that things can go back to normal. That we can live regular lives where people can settle down, have families. Even you must have wanted that Daryl."

Daryl shook his head. "No, not really." Daryl never thought about having a family, mostly because he didn't have one in the first place. He did remember having a couple of girlfriends in the past, but they never lasted long. He never thought about settling down with any of them. He was always best on his own.

" You never wanted to have any children?"

Daryl was beginning to feel uncomfortable. "Nope."

"Interesting." Carol could feel Daryl push away a bit, so she decided to get off the topic. Besides, talking about children made her think of the one she lost. After a few minutes Judith began to twist and turn in her arms. Carol started rocking her to make her calm down. "Looks like she needs another bottle."

"Here." Daryl dropped his crossbow on the ground and wiped his hands on his shirt. He held them out to Carol. "Give her to me."

Carol gently transferred Judith to Daryl, and then began to make her bottle. Daryl looked at the baby. Holding the warm little body in his he could feel a bit of peace flow through him. He understood what Carol meant. She did give him hope. Judith gave him something to look forward. He wanted her to grow up, probably not in the world currently, but to live anyway. He wanted to see her walk and talk. Hell, he even wanted to be there to see her first zombie kill. He knew the odds were highly stacked against all of it, but he wanted so much to beat all those damn odds.

It was all so strange to him. He had never wanted to protect and watch over someone so much. Over a year ago he was not attached to anyone. He didn't need anyone. He looked at Carol as she was pouring formula into a bottle. He felt the same about her too. He wanted to see her happy. He wanted to be there when she was happy, and to make her happy.

Did he love her? He didn't know. Daryl never really felt love or had someone to show him what love was. He just knew there was part of him that needed her, not in the rip-your-clothes-off-and-go-at-it kind of way, but in a desperate kind of way. The kind of way he didn't want to share with anyone but himself. He needed her to save him from what he was. He needed her in order to learn this new feeling of attachment. He didn't know what it was. He just knew he both hated and liked the feeling, because he was stuck with it.

As Carol was finishing Judith's bottle she saw Daryl in deep thought. She had a big grin on her face as she handed him the bottle.

"What?" he asked, wondering what had her all worked up.

"You may not have wanted a family, but you have one now. She is why you came back right?"

Daryl smiled at Carol. She never really asked him why he came back. She kinda just knew. "I don't think it was just her." Daryl looked back at Judith and began to feed her. Carol leaned over. Daryl could feel it. Every part of his brain was telling him to move back, but he was frozen still. Carol kissed his cheek. Daryl could feel a warmth in his cheek that her lips left behind.

After that they remained quiet. They didn't need to say anything to enjoy each other's company, because for a short moment, in that dark, gray cell was a glimpse of color. For a moment, they felt normal, like they were at home.

So that was just a short Walking Dead story. I really love these characters and think that they should have a romance together. Not like a Maggie and Glenn romance where they screw around and fall in love, but just a caring sort of quiet romance, because that's what these two broken people need. So I wrote this short story to express that.

This was my first Walking Dead fic so please review (constructive criticism welcome) and tell me if you want more! If I write more I think I will add some more action because it is the zombie apocalypse.

ANYWAY

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