You guys liked Daddy Daryl, huh? Um yeah... Daryl with kiddos kinda equals lady porn, ya know? Ya know?!

*Doing my I am updating this story dance* I kinda like this chapter. :)

MollyMayhem- You and me both! I have some plans for AU, you know. :) But, other than my immediate plans I am winging it!

walter-needz-luv: You have ready my stories three times?! WOW! That's crazy. I am honored.

MrsGooglyBear- I love Lily too! I wasn't going to bring them back, it was one of my betas who convinced me. But, I am so glad she did!

JeanneFate-x - So, shall we trade an update for an update? Hope those finals and all that studying isn't killing you!

Adk83- I am adding more! No worries, Leah and Daryl aren't going anywhere.

ElectroGirl444- Thank you! You are too kind. So glad you found this story and left a review. Can't wait to hear what you think about what is to come.

And even more thanks to: Leyshla Gisel, Shamrockus, NamelessWildflower, WhatsGoingOn, DanicaLyn, Theshadowlight, emberka2012, smittendebs, NikixXx

Chapter 25

A few weeks later…..

Leah and Daryl sat on the roof of the prison, the newly appointed watchtower, legs dangling over the edge. Walkers were the only thing to be wary of lately. It had been quiet outside the prison gates, and no one was complaining. The peace was welcome as they transitioned into their new way of living.

Daryl picked at his bottom lip with his teeth as he listened to Leah. She sat beside him, hunched over and heel banging into the concrete. When her voice cracked with emotion, he paused briefly and concern flashed in his eyes. Damnit, he never knew what to do when she cried. Her tears made him feel helpless.

Fiddling with the zipper on the sleeve of his jacket, Leah fought back the tears. She took a deep, ragged breath inward. "I just don't know how to get through to her."

While he studied her face, Daryl thought about Lily. When they first met her, she had been vibrant and brought smiles to their faces. Their time back at the bed and breakfast seemed like ages ago. After Lily's incessant pleas to know where her Uncle Chase was Leah gently broke the news. After that heartbreaking conversation, Lily quickly went down a dark and scary path. It happened overnight, almost. She had woken up refusing to utter a sound. Then bad went to worse when not long after, she became unresponsive to people around her. She wandered aimlessly, completely lost in her own world.

At first, everyone had accepted it, thinking that she would eventually come around. But now, weeks had passed and Lily still wasn't improving. She hadn't even cried since arriving at the Georgia State Correctional Center.

When Leah dropped his sleeve, Daryl shifted his weight, leaning back on his hands. He was at a loss and had no idea how to fix Lily or comfort Leah. "Where is she now?"

Leah brushed a hot tear off her cheek. "With Sasha."

"She'll come 'round."

Resting her forehead on his broad shoulder, she took a few deep breaths. "That's what we keep saying. But, what if she doesn't?"

"She will."

"You sound so sure."

"She just needs time. Girl's been through it. Hell, adults can't even deal with this shit."

Leah lifted her head and nodded, but didn't look convinced.

"Just keep doin' what yer doin'. Yer good with her."

Leah sniffed and wiped her nose with the sleeve of her shirt. "Thanks, babe."

Daryl gave Leah a soft nod and then leaned in to press a kiss into her temple. Her skin felt familiar and tasted sweet. Mustering up all the will power inside of him, he kept the kiss innocent and pulled away before the scent of her skin intoxicated him.

They sat in silence for a while, Daryl's eyes forgetting about watch, instead drawn to the pretty face beside him. It had been too damn long. He was aching for her. Too many people around for them to find any slice of alone time, and then there was Lily. The girl was cute, he was fond of her, but she sure as hell was a cock blocker.

A sudden, strong gust of cold wind blew through, causing Leah to scoot closer to the warmth of his body. Her thigh brushed against his before settling so they were touching hip to knee. Instinctually, Leah wrapped her foot around his ankle, letting their intertwined legs dangle and swing together.

Below them, a group of kids played quietly in the yard releasing a burst of energy before the sun set. The prison had zapped their childhood. In Woodbury, it had been easier to pretend that nothing bad was happening outside the armed and secure fence. Here, they couldn't even walk outside without walkers snarling and snapping at them. At first, a few of them had been terrified to go outside, but it didn't take long for cabin fever to get the best of them. They braved the undead to blow off steam and get some fresh air.

Daryl scanned their faces. Lily wasn't among them. Beside him, Leah let out a big sigh and pressed closer into him. "I should go."

Although he wasn't ready to lose the comfort of her body so close to his, he nodded. "Alright."

Her eyes locked on his. "How long are you going to be up here?"

"Few more hours."

Leah nodded and brushed the remaining tears from her face.

"Hey," Daryl whispered, his thumb reaching out for her cheek. He gently wiped a salty bead of water she had missed. "She's gonna be okay."

Leah caught his wrist and turned his palm upwards, placing a kiss in the center of his work roughened hand. Another kiss followed in the base of his wrist. Her lips felt like velvet on his skin. In one fluid movement, Daryl's hand broke from her grasp and reached around to cup her delicate neck. Leaning forward, his lips captured hers in a hungry kiss.

"Mmmm." Leah hummed her approval after he broke away, lips still hovering over hers. She nuzzled into his arms and softly kissed his neck. "What was that for?"

"'Cause I love ya." He said into her hair.

"I love you too. I miss you."

His eyebrows furrowed. "Miss me?"

Leah shifted and looked up into his eyes. "Yep. There has been a serious lack of privacy lately."

A chuckle rumbled low in this throat as he caught her drift. "I noticed."

Leah grabbed his thigh tightly and groaned. "Are we ever-"

"I'll make it happen." He promised quickly as her hand ran over his jeans.

"You better Daryl Dixon." She gave his thigh a squeeze before moving to stand up.

Daryl held back a moan when the warmth of her body left him. "Roof is nice."

Leah choked on her sudden burst of laughter. "Hell no. I'm not getting naked for you on this roof."

"Ain't gotta get naked."

Leah gave his head a slight push. "Keep dreaming."

His lips quirked up in a teasing smile and arm shot out as he captured her knee in the crook of his elbow, bringing her closer. "Could be fun."

At the sudden feeling of being set off balance, Leah grabbed for his shoulders. "You're a devil." She pressed a lingering kiss into his mouth. "I like that about you."

"Get out of here." He released her leg and sent her away with a hard smack to the ass. "'Fore I change my mind."

A few hours later, Daryl entered their cell, exhausted and anxious for just a few moments of peace and quiet. He moved quietly, knowing that Leah and Lily would be sleeping. His eyes roamed over the body in the top bunk. He frowned when he noticed Leah's body sprawled across the entire mattress. She always made it so hard for him to climb into bed without waking her.

Bending over to take his boots off, Daryl jumped in surprise when he caught two bright pairs of eyes staring at him in the moonlight.

"Ain't ya supposed to be sleepin'?" He whispered before slipping his poncho over his head.

Lily looked up at him with wide eyes, but didn't answer his question. Throwing the blanket onto the top bunk at Leah's feet, Daryl frowned down at her. In response, Lily kept her gaze on his scruffy face.

Daryl was totally out of his element here. Noticing that her blanket had wound itself down to her waist he reached in and pulled a thin material up around her tiny shoulders. "It's cold." He explained in a soft whisper while patting her head a little awkwardly.

Lily blinked, but didn't move.

With a sigh, Daryl stood upright. "Go to sleep." He said a little more sternly before climbing into bed. Leah stirred when his body hit the mattress, instinctively scooting closer to the wall before wrapping her limbs around him.

"You awake?" Daryl whispered as her hand found its place on his chest. His only answer was a soft hum. Reaching down, he grabbed her knee and slung it around his hips to make more room on the tiny bed. When she moved, settling around him, her thigh pressed against him, making him twitch inside his pants. Intensely aware of the little girl awake in the cell with them, he bit back a moan before grabbing the back of her thigh and hiking her leg upwards again. Content with the way they were positioned, he closed his eyes and prayed sleep would come quickly.

Daryl had barely fallen into a dream when he felt something heavy pushing against his feet. Jerking his head upwards, his eyes shot to the crossbow at the corner of the cell before seeing a little blonde head peering above the bunk. He let out a breath and watched as Lily climbed up to the top bunk.

Even though there wasn't a free inch of space on the mattress, she managed to wedge her way in between the two of them. When Lily's butt pressed into Leah's stomach, her eyes flew open. Blinking groggily, she looked at Lily and Daryl. Before she could make sense of what was happening, Daryl rolled and dropped feet first onto the floor.

"Babe?" Leah yawned.

"Sleepin' down here." He answered while punching the bottom bunk's flat pillow underneath his head.

The bunk moved and creaked as the three of them repositioned themselves for the night. As Daryl finally drifted off he heard, "I love you."

"Our medical supplies are dwindling faster than I am comfortable with." Hershel quietly told Leah the next morning. His brow furrowed as Beth coughed loudly in the next cell over. In the previous days, a few of the survivors had developed a hacking cough, accompanied by a low grade fever and congestion. The dampness of the prison and dropping temperatures were doing nothing to help them heal. After tending to a few of the sick kids amongst them, Beth had been hit hard with the cold and was now the weakest among them.

The supplies from the prison and Woodbury had been plentiful, but with so many people and now this nasty cold hitting them hard they were down to the bare bones.

"Rick wants to make a run soon." She answered him in an equally quiet voice.

Hershel nodded. "It needs to happen now. We can't afford to wait any longer."

"What do we need?"

"Anything to help drop the fever. Tylenol, antibiotics, Echinacea, even essential oils would do us some good right now. I am worried about this getting worse. Pneumonia. Bronchitis."

"Can you make a list?"

"Of course." He sat down on the bottom bunk and propped his crutches against the metal frame. He reached for his tablet at the end of the bed and opened it to a fresh page. "We need to start planning ahead too. If we're staying I want to plant herbs, we can use them for medicine when something like this hits us again."

Leah nodded. "How about vitamins? Should we be hoarding them?"

"Absolutely." Hershel murmured as he wrote. "The more the better."

Beth's body-wracking, wet cough sounded from the cell again and Leah cringed. The teen sounded horrible. Stepping out of Hershel's cell and peeking around the corner, she saw Beth's normally pale face looking even whiter. She was shivering violently underneath a pile of blankets and her eyes were squeezed shut.

Leah's heart broke when another round of relentless coughing took over her body. The poor girl looked absolutely miserable.

"Here, Leah." Hershel said.

Leah poked her head back into the cell and grabbed the paper he was holding out. "I'll make sure Rick gets it."

He nodded. "How is Lily?"

Leah frowned and leaned against the door jamb. "I don't know. She climbed into bed with me last night, which is a change. But this morning she was back to her old self. Completely in her own little world."

Rubbing absently at his stump, the man in front of her frowned as well. "I'm not a psychologist, but I am almost positive she is experiencing PTSD."

Leah tilted her head back and fought the tears that so often found their way down her face these days. "What can I do?"

Hershel shook his head. "I wish I had more answers. All I know is that we need to be gentle and patient. You're doing a good job with her. She responds to you better than anyone else."

"When she responds at all." She huffed in frustration.

"Don't be discouraged. It's going to take time." He sighed. "And even when she starts to get better, she might not ever fully heal. That's the disgusting reality of what we have to live with."

Footsteps approached them, Leah turned to see Daryl striding in her direction. Emotion flicked briefly across his face when he saw her watery eyes, but he didn't say anything once he was beside her.

"Have you seen Rick?" Hershel asked him.

As he nodded, Daryl's hand landed on the small of Leah's back. "On watch."

"I think we need to make this supply run happen sooner rather than later."

As if to prove his point, another round of coughing came from Beth's cell.

Leah caught his eyes, the concern in them helping to convey the seriousness of the situation. "She's getting bad."

"Alright." He said with a nod and the determination of a man who wanted to save his family.

Leah surveyed the red circles on the map that indicated the towns they had not passed through yet. Other towns had been circled and then Xed through, marking the places that were completely looted, or worse, overrun. As her eyes roamed over the roads of Georgia, Judith hungrily sucked on a bottle as she reclined in her arms.

Glenn's finger tapped at a small town further east than they had ever traveled. "We're running out of places to go guys. We hit most of them last winter. If we're going to find anything worthwhile, we need to push out further."

Rick frowned, but nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we do."

Daryl jutted his chin towards Glenn's finger on the map. "That's at least a day's drive."

The three men studied each other silently as they each considered who would be the best to go. Daryl's eyes flicked over to Leah. He knew it needed to be the two of them who went. They made a good team, got shit done together. She had kicked ass on the road last winter, and he knew she was antsy just sitting around in the prison all the time these days- even if she did love taking care of everyone. This could be their chance to finally grab some alone time.

Just as he was about to offer, Glenn spoke up. "Maggie and I can go."

Leah quickly jumped in. "No, not with Beth being sick. Daryl and I will go."

Daryl hid his smile. That was his girl.

Rick looked between her and Daryl. "What about Lily? I can go. I'll take Michonne and Carl."

Daryl shook his head. "Naw man. She's right. We'll go. These people need you here."

Rick shook his head. "I'm not their governor."

Leah shook her head. "No, but they still need a leader. It's you."

Rick stared at her, then pinched the bridge of his nose and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah. Okay."

"When?" Glenn asked.

Crossing his arms over his chest Daryl answered. "Tomorrow. Ain't got time to waste."

"Alright." Glenn nodded. "I can help you pack up, gas the truck."

Daryl reached for his crossbow and adjusted the strap across his chest before the two men headed outside.

"You good with this?" Rick asked as she watched his angel wings leave the prison.

Casting her eyes back to him, she smiled. "Yeah. I am."

Rick returned her smile and reached out to squeeze her shoulder. "We'll give ya'll 4 days. Come after you if you're gone longer."

Leah shook her head, determinedly. "No Rick, don't. Don't risk yourself for us. You're needed here."

He looked down at his daughter, who was quickly falling asleep as she ate. "I'm not needed here any more than you and Daryl are."

Leah frowned, she wasn't quite sure how to react to Rick's new, gentler demeanor. "Rick. They're getting more desperate. Food is scarce. You've seen them- they're getting …. worse." She was referring to the walkers. "Please don't come after us. Don't risk it."

"We'll see."

Giving up, Leah shook her head. "We always do."

Don't forget to say hello before you leave!