Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or any recognizable characters.

Chapter Warnings: Dixon Mouth.

Chapter 10

The waitress smiled as she brought out the plates and slid them in front of their respective owners, fixin' Sophia with a stare as she settled the girls in front of her. "Your momma said easy on the ketchup."

Sophia rolled her eyes but nodded anyway and Herschel passed the bottle to her as she opened it and started squeezing while the waitress warily handed Daryl his milkshake and turned to walk away.

"Miss Sophia has always loved ketchup. Eats it on just about everything don't you sweetheart?"

Sophia smiled comfortably at the old man and nodded her head. "Just about."

Herschel laughed and nodded his head toward Daryl. "'cept for her French fries."

"You known Sophia long?" Daryl guessed, watching as the little girl separated out the toppings for her burger and ate her pickles by themselves.

"Oh since she was in her momma's belly." He winked at the girl before he gestured to the other side of the booth. "If you could excuse me for a minute."

Daryl swallowed as he watched Sophia scoot out and let Herschel through before she slid back in to the seat, apparently unfazed by being left alone with a strange man.

He shook his head and picked up a French fry, reaching out to dip it in his milkshake.

"Hey!" Sophia cried. "I do that too!"

Daryl narrowed his eyes and shoved the fry in his mouth as she picked up her own French fry and dunked it in her milk shake before eating it.

"My friend Carl says it's gross but it's the only way I've ever eaten them."

"You're momma teach you that?" He asked, dipping another fry as she shook her head.

"Nope. She hates it too." She laughed as she dipped and ate another French fry.

Daryl smirked to himself, looking up to see Carol looking at the pair from behind the counter, an odd expression on her face, before she turned to pick up another order to deliver to its table. She had always hated when Daryl dipped his French fries calling it an abomination to the greasy, salty food. He had always just called it delicious.

"You in school kid?" Daryl asked as he took a drink from his cup, trying to break the tension that had settled deep in his gut. A feeling he couldn't identify that made him want to shout and retch at the same damn time.

"Yeah." She pulled a face then and took a drink of her own.

"Ya don't like school?"

She shrugged. "It's alright…."

She didn't offer any more explanation and he let it go, eating his own dinner while she did the same.

"Did you like it?" Sophia finally asked, looking up at him as she nibbled on her burger. "School I mean."

Daryl glanced towards the other end of the restaurant where Carol stood refilling glasses and nodded his head. "S'alright."

"My momma said she always loved school. I like readin' but the other stuff… just wish we could spend all day readin' instead."

"Ya do good in school?"

She shrugged. "I could do worse."

He laughed then despite himself, leaning his elbows on the table as he shook his head at the girl.

"What?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Nothin'." He chortled again, "Just remind me of someone s'all."

She smiled then and took another tiny nibble of her burger as she stared at him intently.

"What?" It was his turn to ask.

She smiled and shook her head. "Nothing."

He narrowed his eyes but let it go, sitting back in his seat as he watched the girl. She was definitely her momma's girl alright. She had that same spunk about her but there was something else. Something just underneath the surface that he couldn't quite put his finger on. In truth, her smartass comment had reminded him of his brother. Wasn't a day gone by that Merle wasn't making some smart ass remark about one thing or another and he did it with such ease it seemed to be deep-seated in him, something he couldn't help. He was a force to be reckoned with and Daryl got the feeling that Sophia was the same damned way. He turned his eyes away from the girl, building up that brick wall again, the wall that had saved him so many damned times in the past, the one that the girls own momma had broken down once before.

"Do you like to read?" She asked, focused solely on him now, her blue eyes piqued with interest and he felt the dread grip him tight, pulling him under. Suffocating. Nothing good ever came from interest in him. Nothing good for anybody.

"You ask everyone this many questions?" He sighed and she shook her head, looking back down at her plate.

Daryl finished eating, glancing around as he wondered where the hell Hershel had wandered off to and realizing that the diner had started to empty out save for a few tables here and there.

"Soph. You're mom is going to kill you." The waitress appeared, "You know she hates when you don't eat."

Sophia rolled her eyes again and the waitress went to take the plate from in front of her but Daryl reached out, stopping her hand. "Leave it."

The waitress shrugged but complied before she set down his check and wandered back towards the kitchen.

"Tara babysits me sometimes." Sophia said, turning to make sure the waitress had left. "She's likes my mom but I think it's because she's a lesbian."

Daryl choked on his drink and coughed to right himself as Sophia smiled at him sheepishly.

"You should eat yer food." He said, giving her a pointed look.

She stared at the burger on her plate before looking back up to him, her freckled nose crinkled. He sighed and leaned back, closing his eyes for a second longer than necessary before he looked back to Carol as one of her customers paid and then finally back to the girl in front of him.

"Ya eat that food I'll answer them damn questions. How 'bout that." He said and he saw the twinkle in her eyes as she picked up the burger and took a large bite.

He nodded and watched as she opened her mouth to ask but quickly closed it again, finishing the bite in her mouth as though she had suddenly remembered her manners.

"What was your favorite part of school?" She finally asked after she swallowed.

"Lunch." He deadpanned and she glared at him. "Another bite."

She complied as she gnawed off a piece of hamburger and he surveyed the restaurant while she finished what was in her mouth.

"What's your favorite color?" She asked, taking a drink of water.

"Black."

"No one's favorite color is black." She said disbelievingly.

"Mine is." He grunted, moving to sit up more, leaning on the table as she took another bite, her hamburger dwindling away.

"What's your favorite animal?"

"Any kind I can eat." He teased and laughed when her jaw dropped. "Nah. Dogs. I like dogs."

She studied him for a moment, chewing her mouthful of food as the door signaled another arrival and Daryl looked up, seeing Shane Walsh as he walked to the counter, talking to Carol as she wiped it down before sitting himself down across from her and ogling her as she finished cleaning up.

Daryl watched as she finished her task, tossing the sponge in the bucket and pulling her apron off her waist before she looked over and caught his eye. Their gazes met in that instant and for a moment she was all he could see and he was sure she was feeling the same thing. All too soon that moment had passed and her eyes drifted towards her daughter. Daryl's gaze followed and he saw Sophia looking at him with a smile on her lips and the rest of her burger in her hand.

"Sophia!" Carol called, pulling her girls attention away from Daryl.

Sophia sighed and turned to see her mom waving her over. She looked back at Daryl and gave him a small smile before she bopped off towards her mom, tucking the last of her meal in her mouth as she went.

Daryl watched as Sophia hopped up on the barstool, listening intently to her momma before she nodded and headed out the front door, tossing a smile and a wave at Daryl before she left.

Daryl raised his hand slightly, watching as she danced out the door and he sighed as he stood up, grabbing the check and heading towards the front where Carol was manning the register as another patron paid.

"Hey man." Shane said as he got close, stopping the man in his tracks before he reached the register. "Just wanted to say I was sorry about this afternoon. What you did for her, for Sophia, it was a good thing."

"Weren't nothin'" He grumbled as his eyes flickered to Carol as she handed the other customer his change and turned to face the two men, heading their way. He glanced away quickly, glancing back just in time to see Herschel reappearing from the back of the diner, leaning on his cane as he made his way towards them.

"Oh but it was." Shane insisted quietly. "Kid's been through a lot. Needs people lookin' out for her."

Daryl's brow furrowed, his mouth poised to ask just what the kid had been through when Shane decided to open his mouth again.

"Can't always be there for her either." He said, glancing to where Carol now approached the counter before he raised his voice again. "Good to know other people are looking out for her too. I guess I overreacted when I saw you carrying her in to the hospital all bloody, you know, with your record and all."

Daryl saw Carol's footsteps falter and he bit the inside of his cheek, nodding his head as he tried hard to fight the knot in his gut that felt like someone had just taken a two by four to his belly at the mention of his past. Of all the people he had let down. "No problem."

Shane nodded again and reached out, hand extended. A peace offering. Daryl stared at the gesture, contemplating, before he finally reached out and shook his hand. Swallowing his pride and his guilt in one fell swoop.

A/N: I have no excuse. Sorry guys! Also, french fries in ice cream is delicious and no one can tell me otherwise. My stepdaughter (who is not related to me in any way shape or form also stumbled upon it and loves it. *wink*) Reviews and Constructive Criticism appreciated!