This is a new ER in a small town aka wait times reduced well below the average visit.

Buck Dixon wasn't a supersites man, but when he got straight green lights on the way home from his AA meeting, buck figured there was a reason. And as he pulled up to his house, buck realized how right he was. As he parked, a beat up blue truck pulled up behind him. Buck got off of his bike, just as the driver shut off the truck. He waited beside his bike, as the driver seemed to be talking to his passengers, before climbing out.

Buck couldn't stop himself from breaking into a smile as he realized how it was. He was taller and thicker built, shaggy hair covering the familiar blue eyes. It had been 10 years since he had seen his son, and that was when buck tried to kill Daryl. Even after buck got clean and got out of prison, Daryl had made no effort to contact him.

"Figured I wouldn't ever see ya again son." buck said as Daryl walked up to him.

Daryl looked back at his truck, then to buck. In the streetlight, the mild shiner on his face appeared, and buck could clearly see the split knuckles.

"I need some help." Daryl said quietly.

Buck walked up to his son. "anythin'. What do ya need?"

Daryl sighed. "Where's the nearest hospital? Don't know where the new one is since they shut down the old hospital. "

Buck frowned. "About 3 miles away. What the hell is goin' on? Ya look like ya been in a fight."

Daryl smirked slightly. "A very one sided fight. I beat the fuck out of an asshole. It's a long story. But I gotta get my woman checked out, and I got my kid with me too."

Buck looked back to the truck. "I talked ta merle a few months ago; he never mentioned ya had a woman and kid."

Daryl shrugged. "He don't know. Like I said, long story. I'll tell it to ya, but I gotta get my woman to the hospital. Waited long enough, she's in too much pain."

Buck gave a curt nod. "I'll take the bike, follow me. It's not far away."

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On the short ride to the hospital, buck's mind was flying. A woman and kid? His sons had made no move to involve buck in their lives, but he would have known about a kid from merle at least. What the hell had Daryl gotten into?

Buck couldn't deny Daryl looked good. He hadn't seen his son in 10 years but the boy had sure grown. Daryl had gone from a gangly skinny teen to a muscular built, lean young man. Even if he did need a haircut.

Buck couldn't stop the swell of pride he felt as he parked the bike. Daryl was his son, and finally starting to look it. He was built Dixon strong, and it was showing.

Buck walked up to the truck as Daryl climbed out and came around to the passenger side. As he opened the door, buck saw a small woman with short hair wrapped in a blanket, and a little girl beside her. Daryl unwrapped the blanket from the woman, and helped her from the truck. It was clear as she was moving and from the makeshift sling, that she was in some serious pain. The little girl behind her climbed out, hanging off Daryl's jeans like a lifeline.

"Daddy, where are we?" the little girl asked, her big eyes looking up at Daryl.

"My home town baby girl. Don't worry, I got ya mama. Gonna get her fixed up, then find us somewhere ta stay for tonight." Daryl said, rubbing his hand over the little girl's hair.

Buck walked up beside Daryl, resting a hand on his son's back. "Ya stay with me. The old house is a bit cramped, but I've got another house too. Bigger, just needs the furniture."

A look of relief went across Daryl's face. "This is carol, and her girl Sophia. This is my dad, buck Dixon." directing the last of his statement to the woman.

Buck got his first good look at the woman and hissed at what he saw. "Damn woman, let's get ya inside."

He pressed a hand against carol's back, leading her towards the emergency room. Daryl followed beside her, carrying Sophia.

As the automatic doors opened, buck grabbed a wheel chair, and helped carol sit down. In the bright lights, he could see her face was a mess of bruises, plus the obvious way her arm was wrapped and Carol was walking in a way buck recognized as having broken ribs. Buck pushed the chair up to the counter, as Daryl set Sophia down so he could fill out the paper work.

The woman behind the desk asked what happened and Daryl answered her. "Her soon to be ex-husband got to her. She's got some busted ribs, arm too."

Buck watched as Daryl wrote on the paper work, answering the questions the woman asked. He knelt down beside the chair to talk to carol.

"Ya need anything? Water?"

Carol met buck's eyes for the first time. Blue. Just like Daryl. Just like Daryl's mama.

"Water would be great. Thank you." carol said quietly. Buck nodded, before turning to the little girl with her honey blonde hair.

"Ya need anything honey? Ya hungry?" the little girl nodded timidly as she hid behind Daryl's legs, peaking out.

Daryl crouched down beside the girl. "Hey baby girl, how about you go with buck, get some snacks. I'll stay right here with ya mama."

The girl turned to Daryl. "Promise?"

Daryl picked up Sophia and stood holding her close. "You know by now I ain't goin' nowhere baby. Ain't leavin' ya mom for a second. Now go on, pick out somethin' for ya mom too."

Daryl reached for his wallet, but buck stopped him. "Don't worry about that. Stick with ya woman, we'll be right back."

Daryl looked like hell, but he was getting less stressed. "Thank ya buck. For everythin'." Daryl said quietly as he handed Sophia over.

Buck looked to his youngest son. "Ain't a problem for me. Whatever the hell is goin' on, I'm on your side. I'll do whatever ya need me to."

Buck looked to the young girl in his arms. "Let's find us a vendin' machine honey. I gotta a feelin' I'll need a coffee."

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After 5 minutes of searching, buck found the complex of vending machines. Looking around, he ordered himself and Daryl both coffees, figuring he probably took it black, and got a water bottle for carol and a juice box for Sophia. Turning back to Sophia, he saw the little girl eying the candy bars. Buck smiled as he put the coffee to the side to kneel beside Sophia.

"Which one ya want?"

Sophia turned to him with her big blue eyes. "I can have a candy bar? You mean it?"

Buck nodded. "Let's get a couple. Looks like your mom could use a chocolate bar, and I know Daryl loves those Charleston chews."

The little girl bit her lip. "Mama like dark chocolate. But which ones are those?"

Buck saw the dark chocolate bars, and ordered 2, as well as the two flavors of chews for Daryl. Sophia looked at the chews before looking back at buck.

"Daddy likes these?"

Buck nodded. "Ya daddy was crazy about these as a kid."

Sophia thought for a moment before nodding. "If daddy like them I'll like them."

Buck smirked as he ordered two more chews. "Followin' in ya dad's footsteps?"

Sophia shrugged. "I can't beat people up like him but I wanna. Then maybe mama would be safe. But she's safe now, so I guess I don't need to beat up Ed."

Buck raised an eyebrow. "Ed?"

Sophia looked down at her feet. "My real daddy. He hurts mama. Daddy Daryl stopped him."

Buck kneel beside Sophia, raising a hand to lift her face. "I promise ya honey, Ed comes lookin' round here, all he's gonna get is two pissed off Dixons. Daryl beat him down once, he can do it again easy. And plus I'm here, ain't nothin' gettin' past me."

Buck had Sophia carry the candy bars as he got the coffee, water and juice. Walking back into the intake room, buck smirked when he saw his son. Daryl was in the corner, and oblivious to the world around them as he tended to carol, who was ignoring her pain in favor of smiling at Daryl. Even from across the room, buck could see Daryl was head over heels in love. As was carol.

Sophia bounded over to her parents, climbing up into Daryl's lap as buck walked up.

"Dark chocolate for mama, and these things for daddy and me!" Sophia said as she eagerly ripped open one of the chews.

Daryl chuckled as he opened a chew. "Fuckin' love Charleston chews. Thanks buck."

Buck shrugged. "Not ta problem. Any idea when they're gonna get carol in?"

Daryl swallowed. "Pretty soon. Got the time ta give ya the story though."

Buck nodded as he pulled up a chair. "I'd appreciate it. If this is headed for a fight I'd prefer to know who to hit."

Daryl nodded. "I was in Atlanta with merle. He's bein' his normal self, partyin' and shit like that. I met carol thru him. Her fuckin' husband is one of merle's pals."

Buck took a gulp of his coffee. "I take it the husband is the reason we're here."

Carol spoke up for the first time. " Ed is a monster, he's even after Sophia. He forced me to marry him when we found out I was pregnant. Daryl's the first person to ever stand up to Ed."

Daryl snorted. "I didn't stand up ta him, I damn near killed him. Ain't to sure I didn't."

Buck looked at his son. "So ya met carol, I take it ya started seein' each other behind Ed's back?"

Daryl nodded. "Been together 4 months. Sophia has been callin' me daddy for a month now. Merle don't know about us. He'll say anythin' when he's high. That's what caused this round."

Buck frowned. "Merle told ed about ya two?"

Carol shook her head. "From what I gathered from Ed, merle saw Daryl and I when we bumped into each other at the store. We've been very careful where we're seen, but merle saw us. He mentioned it to Ed, Ed got mad."

Daryl continued. "I gave Sophia a cell phone a while ago. Had my number in it. Told her if Ed started in on carol, ta give me a call. She called me tonight, I got there fast but not fast enough."

Carol reached over to hold Daryl's hand. "I'd be dead if you hadn't come. As far as I am concerned, you saved my life. As well as Sophia's."

Daryl smirked. "Well we know Ed probably won't remember me showin' up."

Buck chuckled. "Got some good hits in?"

Daryl shook his head. "Kinda hulked out there. He looked like a piece of steak by the time I was done."

"Carol Mason?"

At the orderlies call, Daryl stood to take carol. Buck stood beside him.

"Mind if I watch Sophia for a while? I'd like ta get ta know my first grandkid." buck asked. He knew Sophia didn't need to see how hurt her mama was.

Daryl looked to buck surprised. "Ya good with all this?"

Buck nodded. "Ya stood strong, defended what ya love. I'm behind ya all the way baby boy. Now go on, I'll stay with ya little girl."

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Buck walked thru the hallway, Sophia tucked under his chin in his arms. The little girl had been a ball of energy, so buck took her outside to the garden. Once she realized buck was serious and she was allowed to roam, the little girl had exploded.

"There's fish here!" Sophia exclaimed as she ran to the side of the koi pond. Buck followed close behind, keeping a tight eye on Sophia.

"Easy honey, wouldn't do for ya ta land in the water now." buck said as he crouched beside Sophia.

"That one's big! Grandpa Buck, Are they goldfish?" Sophia asked.

"Koi. Basically big ass goldfish. They're pretty easy to keep in ponds like this." buck said as he watched Sophia. He had caught the grandpa reference, and smirked to himself. This was turning into one hell of a day.

"Wow! Maybe daddy will let me have one. He said he wanted to get me a pet." Sophia said as she ran a finger gently down one of the fish.

Buck smirked. "I think I can do that for ya. Got a new house, a koi pond would be good."

"A new house?"

Buck nodded. "A big house. Hopin' I can convince ya dad to move here. Would be a good place for him, as well as ya mom and ya."

Sophia turned to buck. "And merle?"

Buck sighed as he sat beside Sophia. "I hope so baby girl. Merle's got a long way to go, but when ya dad turns up missin', you can bet merle will flip shit."

Sophia smiled at buck. "Merle is a funny guy. I hope he comes too. Can I jump on the stones?" she asked as she pointed to the stepping stones that crossed the pond.

Buck had said yes, and thirty minutes later, Sophia was now napping in his arms. Buck made his way thru the maze of hallways, finally finding Daryl as he stepped out of the room with carol in front of him in a wheel chair.

"They're movin' us to another room. Doc's gotta cast her arm, plus they think she may have a fractured cheek bone."

Carol sat up in the chair. "How's Sophia?"

Buck smiled as he shifted the little girl in his arms. "Tuckered out. Damn near fell in the koi pond, but she had fun."

Daryl looked up to his father as he got carol settled in the room. "Here I can take her."

Buck handed over Sophia, who stirred as she wrapped her small arms around Daryl's neck.

"Daddy can I have a koi?"