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When we finished, we dressed in the low light of a lantern and Daryl asked, "Ya go see them babies today?"

"Yeah. There are eight kids. Five boys, three girls. Four toddlers, three girls and a little boy. Two boys around ten, and two boys around Carl's age. Right about to be teenagers. There's a little toddler boy named Lucas. Poor kid doesn't have anybody in the whole world."

Daryl's arms wrapped around my middle and his chin pressed into my shoulder. He asked, "We thinkin' 'bout gettin' another kid?"

"We can't just pick them out like they're lost puppies, Daryl," I sighed. "Plus, don't you have your hands full with Arlene and Judith?"

I felt him shrug and he answered, "Johnny said ya was always wantin' kids. Wouldn' kill us none to take care of one or two more, if ya want 'em."

I tilted my head back and rested it into the crook of his shoulder. He was warm and solid against me. I could have rested in his embrace forever. He continued, "Lil Bit was sayin' she wanted a siblin' today. Whatever ya want. I ain't gonna be domesticated or nothin'. 'm still gonna hunt an stuff an we gotta think real hard 'cause if we gotta leave real quick it'll be ya in the car with 'em an me on the bike."

"And if something happens to me?" I asked. "What then? Would you raise them?"

"Ain't nothin' gonna happen to ya. Ain't gonna let nothin' happen to ya."

"And if it does? Will you take care of Arlene?"

"'m always gonna be takin' care of Arlene. An if ya decide to pick up a litter of other ones, take care a them too, 'kay?"

"You can be really sweet sometimes, Daryl Dixon. You watch that. I'll be thinking you care about me or something."

"Don' gotta say it fer me to do it."

"Let's go get Arlene. It's way past her bedtime."

God damn mother fuckin' women in that god damn mother fuckin' prison driving me up the god damn mother fuckin' wall. Tween Beth throwin' up everythin' in her stomach an tryin' to do it real quiet so her daddy wouldn' notice, an havin' to deal with the bitch that wanted to say she had all the right to Lil Bit, an keepin' an eye on Jesse so she didn' haul off an smack someone side their fool ass head, my headache was gettin' worse an worse. Been a week since those two dumbfucks got to the prison an they were 'bout to get fed to some fuckin' walkers. Was the fucker I was after. Bad as women. Always fuckin' runnin' his mouth an tryin' to get in good with Rick and the men. He was bout two shades a useless.

I was standin' by the fence with Lil Bit on my shoulders, watchin' her momma out in the yard climbin' the big fence so she could fix the gate. Rick an Glenn had her back an I'd been put on bitch duty. Really jus meant I was up top, watchin' an pickin' off any got close to her. Carol was in the guard tower doin' the same thin' an Tyreese an Maggie were out by the fence, holdin' up the gate that been broken off. Michonne was on the outside, keepin' a perimeter. We'd gone out earlier in the week an banged it back in some sorta shape. Good nuff shape to get it to fit 'gain. Jesse, the climber she was, got picked to climb that damn fence an hang like a damn monkey so she could zip tie the gate back to its slider.

"Jezze Momma's a good climber. She'll get it fixed up right and then we'll take mud baths again. Ain't that right, Poppa Daryl?"

"Don' let yer momma hear ya sayin' ain't, Lil Bit. Ya know she don' like it none."

I felt fucker near 'fore I saw him. He was creepin' to my side like he didn' think I knew he was there. Like he didn' think I knew he weren' supposed to be there. Him an the bitch got their hour in the mornin' with Lil Bit an it went same as the other six mornins. They smiled at her an talked 'bout her bein' a baby, an she was stubborn. Me an Jesse kept tellin' her she didn' have to do that fer us but that baby weren' gonna let 'em near her if she didn' have to.

"Shouldn't she be inside if you're going to be firing at walkers?" fucker spoke up after few minutes jus standin' there an starin'.

I shrugged an tilted my head up an to the side so I could look up at Lil Bit. I asked, "Ya scared, Lil Bit?"

"No. Jezze Momma says that walkers used to be people but they're not anymore, so it's okay to shoot them. But only in the head because even if they're monsters, they don't deserve to hurt."

I nodded an turned my attention back to where Jesse was still hangin' like a damn fool. She fell an that damned black boy didn' catch her, I'd tan his hide six ways to Sunday. Fucker spoke up 'gain, "Still shouldn't be letting her see it happen. She's just a little girl."

"Seen worse."

"I could take her. I'll keep her in the main yard here. Where you can see. We can play the hand game that the two of you always play. The clapping game," he offered.

I looked up at Lil Bit 'gain an asked, "Ya wanna go wit yer other daddy?"

"Do I gotta?"

"Not if ya don' want to. Won' hurt ya none though. Yer choice."

Her little face scrunched up an she looked over at fucker, studyin' him real serious. Finally, she asked, "What are we going to do, Eric Dad?"

"You can just call me daddy, Arlene."

"But I don't call Poppa Daryl 'daddy'."

I leaned back an grinned. I said, "Lil Bit, ya wanna go with him, ya kin. Don' worry too much 'bout it. I'ma watch fer yer momma."

"Gonna keep Jezze Momma safe."

"Safe an sound. Won' be lettin' nothin' happen to her."

"Promise?"

"By the skin on my teeth an the hair on my head."

I pulled her down an settled her on my hip so she could look me right in the eyes. She had the most serious lil blue eyes. Johnny said people could think she was mine, cause a them blue eyes an the way she got quiet an stuff. Plus she'd taken to bitin' on her lil thumbnail. Chewin' on it. Drove the bitch crazy but Jesse said wouldn' hurt the lil girl. She finally nodded at me an leaned forward to give me a kiss on the cheek. I put her on the ground an she looked over at fucker an warned him, "Ain't gonna hold your hand."

"Don' be sayin' ain't. Yer momma's gonna string me up in the tallest tree she kin find." She grinned up at me an headed over to the fucker, who was glarin' away at me, hatin' that Lil Bit would sit on my lap an hold my hand an sleep with me an Jesse at night but wouldn' even look at him.

I turned my attention to Jesse, watchin' Rick an Glenn takin' care a any walker got too close. There weren' too many. They were takin' care a my woman real good while she acted like a damn monkey. She was gettin' it done quick. Fixin' it up right. Damn, couldn' help thinkin' bout how good my woman was. Takin' care a stuff. Bein' able to hunt an take care a our lil girl an jus fix things but also jus doin' everythin'. Takin' care a stuff an jus bein' sexy.

Heard Johnny's limp 'fore I saw him. Leg was gettin' better but wasn' perfect yet. He came up 'side me an put his hands on the fence. He stared at his sister an said real slow, "Fuckin' daredevil. Wouldn' think she'd be a damn adrenaline junky at the end of the world."

"She used to run with Lil Bit on her back everyday. Figure she can handle this."

"Ya know, I used to offer to carry Arlene. Used to beg her to let me carry her so she wouldn' have to. Was scared to watch my sister kill over from exhaustion. But Jesse'd just smile at me an say the burden weren' too heavy. How she sees her. Ain't belongin' to Eric or Kyra. Her load to carry. Never shared it with me. But sharin' it with ya."

I grunted. Johnny said, "We're gonna tell Hershel tonight. Me an Beth. Feels weird havin' a baby when there are some that don' have parents."

"Yer sister's lookin' to fix 'em. Been with 'em ever day."

"She lookin' to take on another one? Jesse's always wanted bunches a babies."

"I don' know."

"Would ya care if it were what she wanted?"

"Nope." I didn' look at Johnny. "She wants more babies, we'll get 'em all. Wants me to play in the field with 'em when she gets the gate fixed. Think that's why she's gettin' it fixed fast as she kin."

"Think she's gonna adopt one?"

"Don' know. She ain't lookin' to replace Lil Bit. She don' want nobody thinkin' it's like that."

"Ya don' have to tell me 'bout my sister, Daryl. Know her pretty well. Bein' with her all my life an the like."

I shrugged an stood there real quiet. He asked, "Ya think Hershel's gonna kill me?"

"Nah. Gonna need ya 'round fer when that baby comes out stubborn as shit an ready to do somethin' stupid."

"It's a girl, Beth wants to name it Annette. Boy, she wants to name it Shawn."

"Name a her momma an her brother."

"Know. She told me 'bout it. We first got here, we talked, all the time. Was all we did when I was holed up. Her family, my family. Jesse, my dad, my grandpa. When ya'll first got to the farm. Think I might know more 'bout ya then Jesse does sometimes."

"Weren' round Beth much."

"Told me how hard ya worked to save that lil girl. Sophia. Told me how good ya were to Carol."

"Didn' end up savin' that lil girl. Got bit 'fore we found her."

"Ya cared 'bout her. What kept me from worryin' when ya started showin' interest in Jesse.

"Didn' stop ya from bitin' my damn head off when I got back. Bout near killed me with that glare ever time got near her."

He shrugged an said, "Thought ya were gonna pull an Eric. Thought ya were gonna leave her 'gain. Couldn' let my sister get broken twice."

"Woulda been three times if I'da left twice."

He shook his head an said, "Didn' break when Eric left. Killed her when ya left. Didn' say nothin' bout it, but it did. Thank ya fer comin' back."

"Ain't like that fucker." I nodded over where fucker was listenin' to Lil Bit lecture him on right way to play the clappin' game. Was a pattern to it. It pissed Lil Bit off real bad if it weren' played right.

"See yer lettin' Arlene near him."

"Ain't my right to keep him away. Know I'd be pissed off someone kept her way from me. Let Lil Bit make her choice. She coulda stayed her with me or gone play the game with him. She wanted to play an I won' be blamin' her fer it."

He chuckled an said, "Yer keepin' a close eye on 'em. Pretendin' yer not, but I see ya lookin' over at 'em. Makin' sure she's safe. If ya an Jesse take in another one, whatja want?"

"Lil boy she likes. Needin' a daddy an a momma. Said he's takin' a likin' to her too but she feels guilty cause she says it ain't like pickin' a puppy out at a pet shop."

"Careful. Ya let her an ya'll have a mess a children sleepin' in yer bed."

"Jesse's choice."

At the gate, she fixed the last tie an started climbin' down. Gate was shut tight 'fore I fired twice, takin' out the last two walkers millin' round. Watched Rick cuff it shut an check it 'fore they started checkin' the walkers round on the ground, makin' sure none of 'em were still movin'. I looked over at Johnny an said, "Never thought much on kids. Figured if it was gonna happen, jus would. But Lil Bit's my lil girl an any other kid Jesse wants to take in, that'll be mine too."

He laughed an said, "Daryl Dixon, daddy extraordinaire."

"Shuddup."

Group made their way inside an Jesse came to me drenched in sweat. Lil shirt she was wearin' was drippin', clingin' to her. Could see Tyreese's eyes draggin' on her an fucker's eyes on her too. She came up to me, almost chest to chest an grinned at me. She said, "We have a big area again! It's not too late for a small garden. And the kids will have plenty of room. Isn't it beautiful?"

"Smell like horse shit, woman." I shrugged outta my jean vest an put it round her, coverin' some a her up. She smiled at me an asked, "That it, Dixon? Smell like horse shit, do I?"

"Yep. Figure my jacket make ya smell a lil better. Ya won' smell near as bad."

"Now I wouldn't want to rank up your jacket, Daryl." She grinned wicked at me an I knew the damn woman knew she was teasin' me. Always teasin' me.

"Leave it on, ya lil fuckin' psycho. Wings look good on ya. Fuckin' saint a the children."

She laughed an Lil Bit ran over, hittin' her in the legs. Jesse scooped her up an groaned. She said, "Baby girl, you are getting big. Poppa Daryl's been feeding you too good. You're going to have to go back to squirrels and crickets."

Lil Bit wrinkled her nose an argued, "Nu-uh, Jezze Momma. Poppa Daryl says he's gonna get us a nice big deer."

"Poppa Daryl going to teach you English as well?" She looked up at me an raised that lil brown eyebrow.

"First he has to teach Eric Dad how to play the clap game. He doesn't play it right."

"Ain't gonna be teachin' him to play no clap game, Lil Bit," I growled.

Jesse laughed an looked up at me. She asked, "When are you planning on going hunting?"

"Coupla days. Gonna take Johnny with me. He's gonna needa disappear fer a few days. Figure I'll give him time to get settled, then I'll take him out with me."

"I take it that he and Beth are talking to Hershel tonight?"

"Yep."

"I'm going to go take a shower. Will you watch Arlene for a little bit?"

"I got watch in an hour so don' be in there too long."

She nodded an kissed Lil Bit on the cheek 'fore she put her down. Then she grinned real big up at me like she was thinkin' I was gonna be kissin' her. I jus put my forehead down on hers an told her, "Hurry up in there an don' make me have to come get ya. An keep the damn door locked an my jacket on when ya get out."

"Mouth, Daryl," she warned.

"Show ya mouth, woman. Go get yer shower. Ain't got all day."

She laughed an put a real quick kiss on the corner of my mouth 'fore she ducked away an walked inside. Couldn' help but stare at that ass swayin' side to side underneath those damn angel wings. Noticed Tyreese starin' too an I whistled low at him. When he looked up at me, I sneered an shook my head at him. That one was my woman an I weren' lookin' to share her with no one.