Ch. 25

I'm so sorry I didn't get to answer reviews! I was gone all day yesterday after I posted the chapter.

I love reading every one of them!

He and Rick had been avoiding each other like the plague after their run. Rick kept up his watches and perimeter searches, and Daryl went about his business like usual.

He got up, checked his snares, brought back food, he and Beth cooked and talked while Sawyer played beside them. Everyone else seemed to fade into the background, each doing their own thing and trying to find a peace there that they hadn't anywhere else.

Michonne seemed the quickest to feel safe. Carol was just around. She would pop up in the most random of places and times, like a devil on his shoulder telling him to punch Rick one minute, and the angel on the other telling him that she was so proud of the man he had become the next.

Daryl was certain she had gone crazy.

Carl spent a good bit of his time on the roof, and if he wasn't there, he was with the kids. He made sure to pay special attention to Judith when Rick was off on one of his security tangents, and Daryl could see the goodness that still simmered below the surface.

Daryl walked over to him while he was watching Judith color one afternoon, and asked, "Ya look like you're tryin' to keep the world round for her."

Carl smirked and snorted. "That your way of sayin' I'm tryin' to keep shit normal?"

Daryl hummed and scratched at his chin.

It took him a few minutes, but eventually Carl looked over at him. "I was lost for awhile. Then Judith got hurt, and so did I. When I was out, I saw my mom, but not like as an angel or some shit, I saw her when she was dyin', and I really remembered what she told me. About not lettin' the world fuck me up, not givin' in to somethin' 'cause it was easy. I coulda done some terrible things, Daryl, but when I got movin' 'round again, I didn't go back.

"I took care of her. I made sure she was safe and not hurtin' too bad. My mom died for her. What kinda son would I be if I just let that sacrifice be in vain? I only want what's best for her. 'Sides, Juju reminds me of mom a lot."

"Ya got smart," Daryl said and looked over to Judith. He could see Lori in her features for sure, but there was someone else there, too, and he wouldn't place that person.

"I had to die to get that way. I don't recommend it."

Daryl clapped him on the shoulder and stood up. "Thanks for bein' so nice to Sawyer. He ain't never been around other people before, so he's just shy, I guess."

"No problem, man. He's a good kid."

Daryl just nodded and went back outside to where Beth was at the grill. Sawyer was hugging her leg and Michonne and Carol were standing next to her, listening to her talk about Sawyer's birth.

Michonne met his eyes, and he felt his cheeks burn with the amount of respect that she seemed to be sending his way. Carol had a small smile on her face, and she crouched down to meet Sawyer's eyes.

"Ya look like your daddy," she said and tapped the end of his nose. "Ya act like your momma."

"I'm gonna be big like daddy," he spoke quietly and looked down at his toes.

"Ya got that Daryl Dixon sorta shyness, too." Daryl shook his head at Carol's words and watched as Sawyer blushed a little. "You're precious, DJ."

Then she popped back up and walked off toward the armory.

"She's a bit off since Tyreese died," Michonne said. "Don't think they were together or anythin' like that, but I think they were close. It hit her hard."

"I think she's just fed up with everyone's bullshit," Daryl said and picked up Sawyer. "She's not gonna pretend to care what we think anymore."

"That's a bad word," Sawyer whispered.

"Ehhh," Daryl said and shook his head. "It's a word for adults."

Sawyer just nodded and buried his face into Daryl's shoulder.

"He's sleepy," Beth said with a smile. "He misses sleepin' with us."

Daryl nodded, and wondered what he might be able to do to help fix that problem. They needed more beds, but the ones in the barracks were even worse than when they had found the place, and his kid wasn't sleeping on the floor.

He could take the Jeep, but they only had so much fuel left. Gas went bad though, and it had already been awhile since he had taken it out. He still cranked it on occasion and drove it around the yard to keep it up, but he didn't take it on runs. Either they used the fuel now or they waited until something happened, and they tried to start the Jeep and the gas was bad and it just died right then.

If they took the Jeep, he could get a trailer and few mattresses. Maybe some poles to reinforce the gate. It was freezing and the walkers were in bad shape. They could make it work, but it would be a big job, and he would need Carl and Rick both on board.

He had to admit that he wasn't looking forward to that conversation, but he was done sleeping out on the couch with Beth. They had their own damn room, and the others could split between the other two.

"I'll figure it out, darlin'," he whispered and reached out and buried his hand into her hair before pulling her in for a hug. Daryl kissed the top of her head and Sawyer leaned his forehead against his temple.

They needed time together. He missed his family.

"You're tellin' me that you're usin' the gas in the Jeep to go get a trailer and beds so that we can make this place more comfortable?"

"Yeah," Daryl said and chewed on his bottom lip. "Need your help."

"Why the hell would I help?" Rick asked, shooting him a death stare.

"If your ass wants a bed, you'll come."

Rick bent forward with his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together. He looked at Daryl a beat longer before leaning his head down against his hands.

"This is it?" He asked, mostly to himself, Daryl figured. "This is where we end up?"

"This is where I end up. If ya don't wanna be here, ya can go out again." Daryl said as indifferently as he could manage. "If you're lookin' for the world to go back how it was, ya ain't ever gonna find it."

Rick stood up and walked away without answering him. He looked to Carl who nodded his head.

"Whenever ya wanna go."

Daryl said, "Figured that you, Judith, and your old man can share a room, and Michonne and Carol can take the other."

"Works for me."

That night they all gathered around the table for dinner, but Beth sat with Daryl on the couch. Sawyer had a plate of food beside him on the floor, but had was coloring in one of the books Daryl had found for him on the last run.

It was some cartoon from before the turn, but he didn't know what it was about really. There was a little girl and a monkey. Sometimes a fox would pop up in the pictures. Sawyer seemed to like it enough.

Daryl ate the hodgepodge of meat on his plate. Some squirrel, rabbit, and opossum. The deer was long gone, and he would wait at least another week or two before tracking another.

The tension in the room was so damn thick that, naturally, Daryl faded into the background and just kept contact with Beth and watched Sawyer. His boy was coloring a rainbow as best he could as some monkey jumped up in the air and the girl just smiled beside it all.

Daryl had never had anything like that as a child. He had never felt like he would be accepted if wanted to color or draw like the other little kids, and by the time he reached first or second grade, all that shit was for pussies.

Sawyer wasn't that though. He was a good, thoughtful, sweet boy. He was a child, and Daryl wanted to make sure he knew that he was loved and protected. He could draw to his heart's content, and when the time came, Daryl would teach him all he knew about hunting and tracking, all of which he was eager to learn anyway.

Sawyer wanted a bow and asked for one repeatedly, and Daryl knew on this next run that he would find a child's bow for him to practice on. More than anything, Daryl knew he would be the best parts of him and the best parts of Beth, and he may have been biased, but that was the greatest thing he could imagine for his son.

Carl seemed to be the catalyst for many conversations involving his old man, so he looked to Rick and said, "Me and Daryl are headin' out tomorrow with the Jeep. Gonna find some beds for everyone and maybe a few other essentials. If y'all make a list, we'll try and pick it all up. Since this will be the last run with the vehicle, if it's big and ya need it, write it down for us."

There were nods around the table as everyone else dug into their meal. Daryl wanted to find Beth a new sweater or two. She never asked, and hers were getting ratty. Sawyer needed some ABC books.

Rick stood up so fast that he almost knocked over his chair and took off for the door. Daryl stood up at once, motioning for Carl to sit his ass down. It was time that he took care of this shit once and for all.

He followed Rick outside into the cold winter air and called his name.

Rick spun around immediately and bowed up against him. "What the fuck is it that ya think you're doin' around here?" He hollered, and Daryl prayed no one would come outside.

"Buildin' a fuckin' life," Daryl said with a distinct edge in his voice. "I don't know where ya got the idea that I done gone soft, but that ain't the case. I'll knock your ass to the ground before ya can blink, ya sorry asshole."

"Just who the hell do ya think ya are?" Rick sneered. "Ya ain't no better than me. You're just prentedin'. Ya got your little family dinners, and your boy's drawin' unicorns and rainbows when ya should be teachin' him how to defend himself. You're soft. He's soft."

He wasn't really sure what happened after that, but somehow Rick ended up pinned against the ground with Daryl's knife against his throat. He struggled against him, but the knife dug into this skin, a thin line of red showing for the pressure.

"Ya watch your fuckin' mouth when ya talk about my kid," Daryl growled out. "We worked fuckin' hard for what we got. I delivered my son; held him in my fuckin' hands as he entered this world, and I'll do whatever I can to make sure he's safe. Ya talk about him again, ya make one fuckin' sound about how me and Beth raise him, and I'll kick your ass outta here so fast your head will spin."

"Daryl?" Beth called his name softly, and he realized that everyone but the children had gathered outside and were staring.

He and Rick held each other stare for several more seconds before Daryl finished, "I don't know what ya got in your head, but ya better fix that shit. I didn't make ya head up to Virginia, didn't make ya do whatever it is ya done up there. We all got the choice. Me and Beth made ours. You and others made y'alls. We didn't leave y'all, Rick, y'all left us."

Beth touched his shoulder then, and he pushed away from Rick and stood up. "The kids don't need to see this," she whispered. Her eyes were full of anger, but he knew he was directed at him. She looked down at Rick and shook her head. "You're here 'cause you're family. I know ya been through hell and back, but that don't give ya the right to come here and shit on us like ya have been. Daryl and I have worked to the bone to make this work. Ya don't get to place blame on Daryl for how your life turned out. He's a good man, Rick, and he learned that from you. Ya need to find that man again. For your daughter's sake more than anythin' else."

She grabbed Daryl's arm and pulled him into the armory and straight to their room. It was all deserted except their stuff, and she just shrugged. "I kicked them out," she said quietly. "I'm so sorry, but we can't be apart anymore."

Daryl nodded. "I know, darlin'. I'm so fuckin' sorry I haven't been takin' care of y'all."

Beth shook her head. "Ya have. This is new for all of us. Don't put it all on ya. I think ya stood up to Rick, and that will help a lot. I almost threw a punch for what he said about Sawyer. What a dick." She sighed. "I know he's just lashin' out, but maybe this will set him straight."

Before he could say anything else, she walked out of the room and came back less than a minute later with Sawyer and all his colors. He had no clue what just had went down, and he smiled up at Daryl, and his heart just melted.

He had no idea how he had managed to create this sweet, special boy with Beth. He was strong, stubborn, and fearless in some moments then the next he was quiet and creating things that Daryl was proud of.

If he had fucking refrigerator, his art would have gone on it. Beth one upped him though and put it on the walls of their bedroom.

For the first time in a week, his son curled against him, and Daryl wrapped an arm around both of them in their own bed, just going back to where they were the safest.