The Hero and the Monster

All power to Robert Kirkman and AMC!

Though I despise that I have to wait until October!

Pretty please reviews! There is a major original character on his way!

Warnings for language! I have a potty mouth and it shows! Especially threw the Dixon boys!

As Daryl stalked thru the forest, Mojo at his side, he couldn't shake that damned feeling again. The last time he had felt it, raiders had attempted to take the prison from them, resulting in the deaths of the attackers. The group wouldn't kill outsiders, but they would defend themselves. The time before that, he got thrown down a cliff, only to later find Sophia. Daryl was a smart guy, he knew to listen to his body, and it was telling him something was coming, something big.

For now, he couldn't determine what was coming, nor where from. So Daryl went on as he had his whole life: he survived. But life was different now. He had a family, both by marriage and thru the group. Carol and Daryl were waiting until MJ was a little older for the wedding. The wedding would be soon, but for now, they were content.

Carol was everything to Daryl. He had never been in love, but she had captured him. Everything he did was for her. Fuck, he'd lay down his cross bow and his sleeveless shirts in exchange for a station wagon and a membership at a golf club for her. But Carol never asked for that. Hell she never asked for anything, she just gave. He soaked all her love back in, and returned it, towards both Carol and Sophia.

Sophia was something else. She was a sweet girl, eager to learn from him, and a sponge for knowledge. Sophia was apt at hunting, being naturally quiet and light footed. Both Carol and Sophia now carried bows with them, Sophia a small cross bow, and Carol a compound bow. Both were deadly accurate, and often went hunting with him and Mojo. Sophia had grown a lot in the last year. Back at the CDC, Daryl had been amused by her, and found himself wanting to protect her, like any man would a little girl. But now… she was a strong, confident young lady, eager to learn, and good at anything she touched. The day Daryl had gone out and gotten Carol her ring, he had also gotten Sophia something, a small box. Inside was a shiny necklace, with the words "Daddy's little girl" on it. Sophia never took it off, and proudly displayed it. She was also becoming the worlds' best big sister. Sophia loved her little brother, and made sure everyone knew that.

MJ. His own son. Daryl loved Sophia with his all, considered her his, but MJ was his own first born son. Daryl was half afraid he'd screw the poor kid up, but damn, Rick had set him right on that, telling him he'd kick his ass if Daryl became like his own father. MJ, named after his big brother, the man who had protected him, and saved him.

Merle, his big brother, his savior. Daryl missed him terribly, needed him so many times this year. When he was feeling pinned down, when all he wanted was to beat the shit out of someone, he missed Merle. He missed him all the time, but knew, if Merle had been there, he never would have gotten his girls, never would have had his son, now named for the lost big brother. Merle was a dark horse, but he was Daryl's dark horse.

Daryl heard the rustle of the trees, and without seeing the squirrel, took it down. As he gathered up the downed animal, Mojo caught up to him, carrying another squirrel gently in his large mouth. As Daryl took the animal from the large dog, he thought back on his feeling, and couldn't shack it. Aggravated, he determined he was going to go to his most trusted person, and ask their feelings about it.

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Carol was changing MJ, when Daryl walked into their room. They had taken the control booth of the cell block, that way when the baby made noise, he wouldn't wake the whole group. They were in the process of decorating it, having waited until they knew wither they had a boy or girl. Now they were planning a run to a small town named Duval, which had several children's and infant stores.

Sophia had asked to go on the run with Glenn and Maggie. Carol felt, even though she was worried, Sophia was ready. Carl had already gone on two runs, and Sophia had quietly, calmly asked to go, so she could help pick out the decorations and toys for her new baby brother.

Sophia and Carol both had grown in leaps and bounds since Daryl had come into their lives. With a strong, supportive man to teach them, Carol was now a proud mother, and Sophia, a strong young woman. Carol knew Sophia was ready, now she just had to convince Daryl.

As the hunter walked towards her, with several small animals, and Mojo at his side, carrying what appeared to be a chew bone, but Carol knew better.

"Is that another walker bone!?"

Daryl chuckled, "na, same one as normal. I keep throwing it over the fence, he keeps gettin' it back." He grabbed his skinning kit, and went to work.

Carol made a face, and then turned to her man.

"Sophia asked to go on the run."

Daryl went still, and then returned to his skinning.

"Ya think she's ready?" he quietly asked.

Carol picked up MJ, adjusting his shirt, and sat next to Daryl.

"I think she is. You've taught her so much, but that won't do any good if you keep protecting her, preventing her from using the skills you have taught her."

Daryl hissed back "she's just a little girl! She's my little girl! How can you want her to go out there? Without us?"

Carol palmed his face, turning his eyes to her. "She's nearly 14 Daryl, she's growing up. She has grown so much since you became her father, so much. And she wants to prove it to you. She wants to see you proud of her, for doing something on her own. Her whole life she has been over shadowed, first by me protecting her from Ed, and now you protecting her from everything. And she loves you for that! But Sophia has to learn to stand on her own, and we can't stop that."

Daryl sighed and kissed Carol. "Damn it woman, ya right again."

Carol kissed him back. "Thank you. Wanna go tell her?"

Daryl nodded and walked out of the room, his feeling forgotten.

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Merle was not a happy man. The god damned Governor, while crazy when he rescued Merle 6 months ago, had gone crazier in the last 2 months, since one of the men they captured killed the Governor's creepy walker daughter. The man had killed her in revenge for the Governor capturing his wife, and no one had seen him since, just taunting glances of his car. All they knew was the Governor was out for blood from the unknown man. The only description they had was he had long black hair, drove a flat black Lamborghini, and killed anyone that stood between him and his wife.

So the Governor had Merle out looking for the damn man, and he was sick of it. 8 weeks of traipsing up and down the same roads, looking for the signature car. Merle knew they would never find him. The man, if he was alive, was hiding, probably waiting to attack. But there was nothing Merle could do about it, so he kept following orders.

Today, the Governor had sent Merle and two others to a tiny ass town called Duvall and Merle was not happy. Smaller towns had fewer walkers, less violence for him to work his impatience with the Governor out on. Hopefully they could find some entertainment.