He had three girls to protect, four if he counted Judith, five with Enid. He chuckled to himself and whispered to the two little girls, "Little girls are gonna be the death of me."

0-0-0

Nothing good ever lasted. Merle held his shoulder to him, pain making him grunt. Carl was supporting him as they made their way through the forest. Once again, it was people not walkers who threatened them. He was worried. Daryl, Enid, and Carol were in town, which meant Edwards and Hunter were their only chance of defense. The men behind them were gaining.

Hunter heard the call of the whiperwhill, and darted into the yard, her assault rifle up, and shoulder. Her babies were almost two weeks old. She caught sight of Merle and Carl breaking thought the tree line. As they neared, she realized something was wrong. "EDWARDS GUN." She barked. Edwards in the house grabbed the other assault rifle and made his way to the porch. All the children were on the porch. Judith napping in the swing, Chance playing with cars they had found, and the three little ones in their cribs fed and asleep.

Five men trailed Merle and Carl, as they neared them, Hunter shot two of them men, then a third. Edwards raised his rifle, and clipped one of the men. Hunter took out the fifth completely. She walked carefully towards the one not dead. "Is there more of you?"

He shook his head no. They were in leather, jackets pulled tight to them. "You claimers?"

He nodded. She shot him in the head.

She motioned for Carl, he had deposited Merle on the porch, and Edwards had passed him his gun. Carl reached her on the hillside. "Let's get them back to the tree line?"

Carl nodded. It took both to move one body, this was going to be slow process. Hunter groaned as they tossed the first body into the brush, and made their way back to the others. As they picked up the bodies they took turns pushing blades into temples or eye sockets.

It took them the better part of the hours, Hunter was still weak from delivering the twins, and Carl had been running with Merle all morning.

"What happened?" Hunter asked, leaning against him.

"We pushed further into the woods than normal, and stumbled upon a cabin. They were in the cabin. Merle tried to make nice with them, but they saw through us, no packs, nothing that said we were on the road." Carl pushed his arm around her, and held her up.

"He's been shot," Edwards tells her as they reach the porch.

"I know." Carl snapped at him. His one eye dancing, irritated.

"Did you see what happened?" He shook his head no, "It happened on the bad side, didn't it?" He nodded again.

She hugged him, resting her head on his chest. Carl rested his back on the porch railing, letting Hunter lean against him. She was exhausted. She couldn't do too much without being exhausted. She and Carl moved the children inside the house, then the three of them maneuvered Merle's large form to the mattress he shared with Carol. Hunter had Carl check the house, and Edwards secure everything that could be locked except the front door.

0-0-0

Daryl felt it more than saw it, there was blood on the lawn, and two windows not normally covered covered. He led Carol and Enid to the porch his gun out. Edwards opened the door slowly. "Merle was shot." He looked pale.

"Hunter killed the claimers." Carl explained when everyone was inside.

"How many?" Daryl asked quickly they came in fives or nines.

"Five." Carl told him, as they moved into the living room.

Hunter was playing with the children, all five of the little ones around her as she read to them. Merle was listening to the story, his eyes on the celling. Before he could register what was happening, Carol was on him, kissing him. "DON'T GET SHOT!" She snapped, kissing him a little more forcefully than needed. She looked at him, his metal case off his wrist.

"Hunter is cleaning it. Got a lot of blood on it." He explained.

Daryl looked at his wife, a smile peaking across his face. He dropped down next to her, looking at his daughters, kissing Hunter's face, He dug in his pack and produced several small outfits in pink and purple. She smiled at him, then he kissed her again. Once more he broke the kiss, tugging out some outfits for Hershel. "Got some for the big 'uns too." He tossed some clothes towards Chance, and then handed Hunter some he meant for Judith.

"Good job, darlin." She kissed his jaw, and pressed against him.

Enid clung to Carl. "I'm glad you're ok." She whispered to him, kissing his cheek. Carl smiled and turned his head towards her, tilting it slightly so he could see her with his good eye. She kissed him for real, for the first time in many days. Letting his arms hold her tight.

Edwards coughed, "And once again I am the only one. Only one without someone."

"Edwards, we can kidnap you a woman if you like?" She was trying to be funny.

The group laughed together, and turned in for the night. Daryl and Carol on watch duty,

0-0-0

The days sort of blended together after that, they didn't talk about the others, not like they should. It was not until midsummer, with the babies all growing and beautiful, that Hunter brought them up. "I was hoping dad would be back by now."

Daryl paused, his heart racing. "There is a chance they won't come back, darlin'." He laced his fingers through hers, and kissed her knuckles.

"I…" She faulted. Her eyes locking with Carl.

"No, dad will find us. Not everyone will, but dad will." Carl said after a moment.

"It's been how long?" Edwards asked.

Carol sighed, "It's been 34 days since they left. The twins are a little over a month old."

"It took us a while to get here." Enid whispered.

"And it will probably take them a while to get home, and get settled." Merle gruffed.

Daryl sighed, letting them decide as family that the outcome would be positive was fine by him. But he knew the truth, so did Rick. Going back was a mistake. All Rick wanted to do was get more supplies and convince the people to come back, when they mapped it out, it would take ten days if they moved slow to get back to Alexandria, three days to do what they needed, and ten more days to get back. They were late, and Daryl was getting anxious. He rested his head on Hunter's and sighed.

0-0-0

Everyone else was asleep, and tonight they boarded the door. Daryl laid with his head on Hunter's chest, listening to her heartbeat. "I know…" She whispered, "That they were only supposed to get stuff and come back, make it look like they tried for the Alexandrians." Daryl stiffened and looked at her. "I know my dad. I know you."

"Hunter… you know then that they are late." Daryl spoke the words carefully.

"Yes I do, and I know that that means we have maybe five months here before we have to get on the road again. All the little ones are sleeping though the night now. Judith is afraid of the monsters, and Chance can use a knife pretty well." Hunter was rambling off the things she thought were important.

"When the time comes we will get a vehicle, maybe two, and go." He told her, kissing her hair.

She rested even closer to him, then a mischievous smile marked her lips. She climbed on top of him, quietly, kissing his lips forcefully, nipping at his bottom lip, dropping kisses down his chest, moving down his body, kissing and nipping at his skin. Daryl had taken to sleeping without a shirt on, he was comfortable here with these people. She paused, playing with his nipples, nipping and pinching. She smiled to herself as she heard him groan. She unbuttoned his pants, and pulled them down a little bit.

Daryl sucked in his breath, trying not to moan. They had not played, or even done anything of this nature lately. He was ok with that, he loved just kissing her and being with her. She slipped his pants down, carefully, smiling hard when she realized he was not wearing any boxers. She smiled when his manhood stood at attention, she ran her fingers up and down his shaft, tickling him. She flicked the tip with her tongue, then engulfed the head with her mouth. Daryl squirmed underneath her. He bucked hip hips, catching her off guard, forcing his penis further into her mouth than she had been prepared, she moaned around him, dipping her head, swirling her tongue around him, alternating between swirling and sucking. He bucked his hips, his hands fisting in her hair, groaning, he bucked into her mouth.

Between her sucking and licking, taking his thrust into her mouth, he felt it, his orgasm rocking both of them. He spilled his seed into her mouth, grunting hard, his head forced back into the mattress, his hips off the bed. She flicked his head one last time, and raised her body up, kissing him gently. Daryl groaned into her kiss. Daryl pulled her hard, up to his face. "Can I touch ya?" He breathed, growling.

"I think so, go easy at first." She whispered into him.

Daryl pulled his pants up, buttoning his pants, and rolled onto his side, her on his back beside him. He kissed her, pushing his tongue into her mouth, fighting for dominance. He trailed kisses along her jaw. Then back to her mouth, biting her lower lip, and kissing her with a starving hunger she had never felt before, he slipped his hand slowly down her body, between her breast, and then down her stomach. Into her leggings, he brushed across her lips the wetness fueling his fire. He rubbed her clit, smooth circular motions, his calloused hands sending shivers up her spine. He broke there kiss, and kissed down to her neck, then bit hard where shoulder and collarbone meet. As he sank his teeth in, he slipped two fingers into her tight core, her hips bucking against him, She moved with him, he pushed in far, curving his fingers as he pushed, hitting something deep inside her that made her quiver. She rocked against him, and he smiled into her skin. Neither had pleasured the other in these methods before, he remember hearing Merle talk about this, and he figured Hunter was a master with her mouth from her life before. He alternated, rubbing her sweet nub and slipping his fingers into her, she was panting, biting her own lip as he sucked the spot he had been biting. He added a third finger and it was more than enough to send her over the edge, her hips jerking up, and her muscles contacting around him, her body went rigid and he felt the pooling of her cum on his fingers and his palm.

He couldn't take it anymore, he needed more, and she knew it when he looked at her. He drug her up from the bed, and pulled her into the kitchen, He drug her pants down the rest of the way, and unbuttoned his pants letting them fall. "Daryl," Her voice rasped. "You can take me, the way they did… I need you to."

He didn't need to be told twice, he bent her forward, over the counter, and pushed her legs apart. He lined himself up, running his manhood up and down against her slit. In one quick motion he slipped into her, her body accepting him, engulfing him fully. Tightening around him, pulsing. He thrust hard, moaning and gripping her hips too tightly, he knew in the back of his mind that he would bruise her. Each thrust got harder, faster, making her digger her nails into his hands over her hips, biting her lower lip, each thrust hitting spots inside her she didn't knew she had. She fell over the ledge first, her whole body shaking, her body clamping around him, he stilled, letting her come down from her high.

She breathed in deeply, and looked back at him, "Do what you need to do, darlin'." She moaned.

Daryl didn't know what happened, something fell into him, he slapped her ass hard, making her jump, her eyes showed that it hurt, but she winked back at him. He pulled her hips hard against him, and thrust into her in a frenzie. With each thrust, he spanked her hard, hard enough he knew she was crying but he couldn't stop. He jerked as she felt him cum, burying himself deep within her.

He fell forward on her, and kissed her neck, nuzzling her neck. "Hunter, I am sorry." He breathed, he chanced a glance down, and realized he had left a clear hand print on her butt, his fingers and palmed outlined. He ran his hands up and down her spine, and slipped out of her. He pulled his pants up, carefully, and helped her slip off the counter.

Tears stained her cheeks, as she turned around to look at him, his heart sank. "Daryl…" Her voice trailed off, "That didn't hurt too bad." She kissed him, softly, then pulled up her pants.

He sighed, "I don't… I don't know why I…." But he did know, and he hated himself for it. His father would slap and spank him while raped him.

"Daryl, it's ok. You always love me hard, I can take it, I promise." Hunter ran her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest.

"Did I hurt you, you ain't long had…" His voice trailed off.

"No, that didn't hurt, and the spanking didn't hurt badly either, it just startled me." Hunter smiled, he led her back to bed, and laid down, tugging her with him.

"I am sorry." She knew he would be tore up about this for a while. Their first two times had been so innocent and sweet, their third time had been after finding out she was pregnant, and after that it had subsided. He was so pent up with frustration she had expected him to do something harsh to her, and if spanking was it, she could live with that, she kissed him and rested her head on his chest.

She had just nodded off to sleep when Beth and Fawn both cried out, she scooped them both up, placing Fawn on her lap, and pulling her shirt up, she helped Fawn connect, then Beth. They nursed together better than separate. Daryl watched, it was a reminder to him, that she was everything he needed, the way she could go from his lover to their nurturing mother.

0-0-0

Merle led Carol upstairs, pulling her along, and finding the first open room, he pushed her in, and shut the door behind them. Everyone else was on the front porch cleaning a stringer of squirrels Carl and Daryl had brought home. Merle pressed her against the wall, kissing her with a fever she had not felt before, he tugged her into his arms, pressing his hardness against her, pressing hard kisses, rough kisses on her skin.

0-0-0

Edwards pulled Hunter aside, "Are you ok? Any pains from labor?" He had noticed she was limping a bit, and that she didn't want to set.

"Labor no, love, yes." Edwards understood.

"That is why you two went into the kitchen." His voice trailed off and he looked amused.

"Edwards, was that safe?" Hunter suddenly looked worried.

"Without birth control or a condom, probably not, clearly you and Daryl are fertile. But it's been a month, you have healed good and looked good at last appointment we had." Edwards smiled at her.

"Damn… Didn't even think…" Her voice trailed off. She smiled at Beth and Fawn, picking them up, holding them to her. Daryl had little Hershel in his arms, the only male baby he had ever known. Bouncing him and feeding him some of the applesauce they had rounded up. Chance and Judith were playing in the grass. She stood beside Daryl, smiling at him. "If you think about it in town." Her voice dropped off.

"Condoms." Daryl whispered it to her, then kissed her lips. "Hunter, if we end up leaving here, Hershel and Judith will be ours too, won't they?"

"I think we have to share Judy with Carl and Enid." She said softly, snuggling the twins in her arms. Enid and Carl were in the woods, picking berries, everyone was giving Merle his desired space.

0-0-0

He growled at her, pushing into her hard. Carol moaned his name, over and over again, driving him on. His hand on her throat, his other elbow supporting most of his weight on the bed as he pumped into her. Carol had forgotten what it felt like to be filled, her body tight around Merle. He growled out her name, as he spilled into her core, her hips jerked as she followed him over the cliff, her body clinching around him, she yelped in shock. Ed had never made her orgasm not once, and Merle's first attempt he had her panting and growling his name, rocking her hips, trying her damndest to get him further into her.

0-0-0

Enid and Carl had returned with raspberries. Hunter helped Chance and Judy get their own handfuls of berries, and situated on the porch, eating them. Beth, Fawn, and Hershel laid comfortably in their cribs. Carl hugged Enid to him, and they watched the sun set. They were becoming a family, a unit within Rick's overall family.

Hunter rested her head against Daryl's shoulder, and sighed. Edwards grabbed a handful of berries for himself. He liked being with them, the kids. And they were defiantly Rick's wayward kids. At some point Edwards had realized that Merle and Daryl were just big kids, and Rick understood that too. They were loyal and would do whatever was needed to protect the younger kids. Edwards watched them, and enjoyed being around them.

They were not like the others, always vying to be the hero, they just wanted to be alone, left alone, and rest. They killed walkers as they needed to, whenever they came close to them. They killed humans that came to close to them. But for the most part they were content to be in the house, together, working together.

0-0-0

They lost track of the days, they fell into a routine, and they enjoyed the simplicity of the group they were in. The children never wanted for anything, but like all good things, they simply cannot last. Fear had been in Hunter's heart since the day that Merle was shot, there were people around… As the leaves started to fall, there was no rain, none for almost eleven nights. Then it happened. Flames licking at the eco house.

The moon was high in the night sky, as the large tree engulfed in flames fell into the backside of the house. Enid grabbed Hershel, Hunter grabbed Fawn, Daryl grabbed Beth, Carol grabbed Judith, Merle grabbed Chance, Carl and Edwards grabbed as many packs as they could, everyone grabbed their weapons and made their way from the fire, watching in horror as it destroyed the house, taking with it any chance they had of staying and waiting on Rick. Hunter's heart sank when she heard the crying of the goats, they couldn't be helped though, not now.

Daryl numbly led them back to the small town. There was a motel they could crash at, if it was empty. He handed Beth to Carl and tapped on the door. Nothing on the other side, he keeled in front of the door, and picked the lock. It had been stripped the whole room, but at least it was four walls and a roof. Enid cried, hard. All the children were asleep and placed on the bed, the only bed in the room. Hunter pushed her face in her hands. Daryl and Merle stood guard. Carol paced and Carl rested against the wall, Hunter on one side of him and Enid on the other.

"In the morning we will find a way to leave Rick and message." Hunter heard Daryl tell Merle before she closed her eyes, sleep settling into her body.

0-0-0

In the morning the sun rose, and they saw for the first time the damage done by fire from the previous night. The forest around them were completely burnt out, the only thing that saved the motel was the fact that black top surrounded it fully.

Carol and Enid rigged a carrier so that Hunter could carry Beth on her back and Fawn on her front at the same time. Carl held tight to Enid's hand. Enid also bore a carrier with Hershel on her. Chance walked with his hand squeezed tightly in Merles, and Judith secured in a carrier on Carol's back. The side of the motel was mostly white, so they searched the town for paint, and found it. Pink paint, Daryl opened the paint can, and Hunter dipped her fingers in.

She wrote in careful big letters, "RICK GRIMES AND FAMILIY: WE ARE ALIVE, WE ARE GOING HOME, SEE YOU THERE. – WE LOVE YOU"

She stood back and looked at her handiwork. She had no clue if they would ever see the rest of their family again or not, she hoped so. She laced her fingers into Daryl's, their crossbows in their other hands, and headed off down the road.

"So, we need a dictator on the road." Hunter said carefully.

"I vote Daryl." Merle said from behind them.

"I second that." Enid chimed in.

"It's agreed then." Carol laughed, letting her hand fall into Chance's other, knife drawn just in case.

"Thanks, I guess." Daryl had no clue what he was doing and no clue what Rick would do other than keep his family alive. He didn't know what else to do. Winter would be upon them soon, and that was not something he wanted to deal with, not with his kids to take care of. He looked over his shoulder, five little ones, two teenagers, his wife, his brother, and his best female friend, he had a lot more responsibility than he ever wanted, but the more he thought on it the more he liked it.

0-0-0