Daryl turned his head looking over when Merle and Martinez walked out of their house. He whistled low and Merle turned looking at him his eyes immediately scanning the area before they all moved as one. Mac came by Daryl and took the duffel bag of Sophia's stuff from Daryl. Mac gave him a pointed look and then looked at Sophia. She was looking around unsure but her breathing was faster and Daryl sighed. He knew that she couldn't move as fast as them and nodded letting Mac take his stuff.
"Move it." Merle snarled.
Daryl nodded and before he could even move Merle, Martinez, and Mac were running down a side street. Daryl scooped Sophia up and sprinted after them. Her arms went around his neck and she clung to him like her life depended on it. He was following the sounds of boots knowing that he was behind them more than they were comfortable with. Rounding the corner he nearly slammed in Merle.
"In the house." Merle's voice was cold and focused.
Daryl stepped through the door and had to pry Sophia's arms from around his neck. She was watching him with wide eyes. The sun was getting low and Daryl knew they were going to be spending time in this subdivision. He didn't like the idea when he knew there were people close by.
Shots a few streets over had all of them tensing. Mac nodded at him and disappeared up the steps. The sound of shattering glass and then a thud let him know that Mac was out on the roof. Martinez was standing with him Sophia between them as they made a route through the house checking things out. She was curled up on the love seat watching them her eyes wide.
"Daryl are we safe?"
Merle picked that time to walk through and looked at her, "You aint in danger kid."
Mac thundered down the steps and looked at Merle jerking his head to the side. Daryl dropped down on the couch and it only took Sophia a minute or two before she was setting next to him. He could feel her shivering despite having on warmer clothes and cursed. Shrugging out of his leather jacket he handed it to her and she wrapped up smiling at him.
Martinez was checking the windows and makings sure they were all locked and covered. Mac came in setting on the other side of Sophia kicking his feet up on the table. He was running his knife under his nails as they waited. Mac kept looking at him then Sophia. There was a protective fire starting in Mac's eyes every time he looked at the girl and it made Daryl want to laugh. He could remember the times when Mac's exes had wanted more from him and he'd pushed them all away. He'd pushed and pushed saying he didn't want some bullshit marriage and a woman shitting out kids.
"You forgot your pink blanket." Sophia was grinning.
Mac chuckled, "Guess we'll have to find another wont we?"
Sophia beamed and leaned back against his ribs her legs going into Mac's lap. He lifted his arms and shot her a confused look. Daryl did laugh then. The noise caught Merle and Martinez's attention and they walked into the room. Martinez was smiling at them and shaking his head and Daryl knew that he was thinking the same thing. He'd known Mac for a long time and it was amusing to them all to see such a little girl already taking up residence in his personal space when us always cringed away from the word kid before.
Merle looked at him, "You said you think people were close when you were at the other house?"
"Didn't see them but all the same felt like someone was watching us." Daryl was watching his brother.
Mac grunted and they all looked over seeing Sophia kick his stomach, "Listen you little shit.."
"Mac." Merle snapped, "What'd you see up on the roof?"
Mac let go of her leg and she was smiling up at Daryl. He wanted to laugh but held it in waiting for his brother to go on. It was important that they knew they could stay here. If it was just them they could have hit the woods and made a round about way to the vehicle and been gone. Moving in the woods at night with a kid wasn't so much an option. She needed more rest and wouldn't be able to make that walk and it'd have one of them carrying her while the other carried more stuff. It'd have them in a bind if something was to happen where they needed to defend themselves.
"I could see walkers making their way over a few streets but as far as people, none." Mac shrugged, "Think they moved off. I heard a vehicle after a bit and it sounded like it was moving away."
Merle nodded, "We'll stay here tonight and then move on."
Daryl nodded at his words his mind drifting. He was thinking over the things Sophia had said about her mother Carol. From what she had said he could imagine that things before the whatever the fuck this was started weren't so great. He got the sense that Ed was an abusive bastard and it the way the kid felt about her father was any indication then it was good he was dead. He couldn't help but to be curious still over what her mother would think though if they ever did manage to find her. He was a realist and despite being able to track he knew chances were slim this girl would ever see her mother again. He knew, Mac knew, hell they all knew but how could you tell a little girl that? You didn't. He couldn't take that from her.
"What's got you thinking so hard over there Daryl?" Martinez was watching him carefully.
Daryl looked down to the girl next to him and Martinez nodded. He liked the man. He was more like a brother than just his brothers friend. Him and Merle had served a couple of tours of duty together. Martinez had saved Merle and took a bullet for him once. Things like that went a long ways in their family. Blood meant a lot. there was loyalty there and Merle was always going to be the older brother, he was always going to be the one that moved ahead and his brothers followed. Even if him and Mac stayed at each others throats a lot. Martinez had quickly become part of that inner circle after that and despite the racial slurs slung at him and other shit that he got he took it in stride realizing both his brothers were jackasses.
Martinez was still smiling, "She'll be fine ya know."
Daryl looked up and nodded not speaking. He wasn't the chatty one like Mac could be. He wasn't even the surly bastard his brother was. Though a lot thought he was. He wasn't a Merle or Mac clone. He just wasn't much of a talker. No point in wasting words now days really.
"Kids bounce back fast, always have." Martinez was speaking knowing Daryl would likely never respond. "She seems to taken up with you pretty good and whether you wanted it or not you got her." He stood up running his hands down his thighs, "Keep her close Daryl and keep your brother from making her a psycho."
"Hey fuck you asshole." Mac snapped cracking his eyes open, "I aint no fuckin' psycho. You ever gonna let that shit go?"
Martinez shot him an incredulous look, "You set me on fire, fire Mac! What part of that screams normal human behavior?" Shaking his head "Add in your fucking laughter and yeah you're a psycho."
"Yeah but did you die though?" Mac grinned at him.
"For fucks sake." Daryl mumbled standing up. Sophia was awake instantly watching him. "I got first watch."
"You need to eat!" Mac barked.
Daryl could hear him speaking low to someone and it wasn't long till he heard feet moving behind him. He knew who it was. Turning he seen her packing something and then she climbed up next to him. He raised a brow and she pushed the bag at him.
"Eat." Her voice was hard. "You gotta take care of yourself to Daryl."
He huffed and took what she was pushing at him. He was chewing without even really tasting. He felt off. His thoughts kept going back to her mother and the way she lit up talking about her. He didn't have many memories of the woman he knew to be his mother. What he did weren't good and he'd rather not think about it. Though Carol seemed like a good mom. She done what she could to protect her daughter from the bastard she'd married. More than his mother ever done that was clear.
"You don't want me here do you?" Her voice was soft.
Looking down at her he arched a brow, "What are you talkin' about?"
"You seem sad, is it cause I'm here?"
Shaking his head again he grunted, "No, nothing like that."
"I'm not sad Daryl." Sophia took a drink of her water her eyes on him, "She's out there and I don't doubt that. We'll find her one day."
He looked down at her and nodded. He didn't know what t say to her. He knew she was bothered more about her mother being gone then she let on. She was with four strange men she didn't know but she up here trying. Clearing his throat and shaking his head to rid the thoughts there he looked over the area.
"You need to get some sleep." He spoke quietly hearing his brothers getting ready for bed.
Sophia looked around and then back at him, "Where?"
He chuckled and gave her a look, "Pick a room."
"You wont leave if something happens without me?" her voice was that soft pleading voice again.
Daryl looked down meeting her eyes, "I wont ever leave you behind."
Her face lit up and she threw her arms around him. He stiffened despite the fact that she'd been around him all day and didn't understand personal space. Martinez's words were in his head from earlier with her own chasing them. Martinez telling him he had her and then Sophia's soft voice telling him over and over he was all that she had. He didn't know what to make of it and it was scaring him the way he felt. He'd never let someone close to him like this besides his brothers. Even they weren't touchy and emotional and avoided that shit. But here he was with a little girl clinging to him telling him she needed him.
