Random and short, but I love imagining Daryl as a Dance Dad.

…

"You wanna stretch again?" Daryl asks as a way to distract her from otherwise fidgeting right out of her skin and before he can even finish asking the question, Molly is nodding her head.

He holds out his hand, keeping it level with his chest, and Molly brings her leg up so her heel can rest in his palm. He still can't understand how his daughter can hold her leg up so high, but she's been taking ballet since she was six and Jesse, her instructor, has always called Molly Dixon an absolute natural.

In the chair next to him, Beth is sitting with Sam in her lap, the little boy taking a nap, and Beth is watching Molly stretch and smiling at her, making sure that Molly isn't able to sense the nerves coming from her mama.

"Switch," Daryl says and keeps holding his hand as Molly rests her other heel in his palm.

She stretches her leg and then folds her body forward, her fingers curing around her foot and bringing it slightly towards her.

The hallway is a little crowded with other families with their kids there to audition. And every girl is dressed like Molly in their black leotards, pink tights and ballet shoes. Every few minutes, the door will open and one kid will leave the room while another is called in. Molly's number is 122 and they're almost up to her.

"'s enough. You don't wanna overdo it 'fore you go in there," Daryl says and Molly nods without argument, shaking her hands out, but then she begins practicing all of the five basic ballet positions, both Daryl and Beth watching because they've seen these positions enough times now to know what is the right way and what is the wrong way.

Daryl leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, watching her entire body closely; feet, arms, posture, making sure her chin's up and her stomach's in.

"Level your arms out," Daryl says and Molly brings her arms down a bit to where they should be. He can tell she's nervous. Usually, she would huff if he tried to tell her what to do.

The door opens.

"122," the male judge holding the clipboard calls down the hallway.

Molly immediately steps forward and hugs Daryl, Daryl squeezing her in return.

"You're a Dixon. You're gonna knock 'em dead," Daryl tells her and Molly nods her head.

She then goes to Beth and holding onto Sam with one arm, Beth hugs her tightly with the other.

"I love you so much," Beth whispers to her.

"I love you, too," Molly whispers back and then she's gone, hurrying down the hallway.

Both Daryl and Beth exhale the same heavy breath when the door closes behind her and then they look at one another.

Jessie had told them that the auditions for the Joffrey Ballet School Summer Ballet program were no joke. Thousands of kids from all over the country audition for the seven-week program, all hoping to not only get one of the coveted spots, but one of the coveted scholarships, too. And Beth and Daryl already know that if Molly is actually able to get, she also has to get one of those scholarships. They won't be able to send her otherwise - to New York City for seven weeks - and how the hell would they tell their eight-year-old that while she's good enough to beat out thousands of other kids for a summer ballet program, she still can't go?

Daryl leans over and gently takes Sam from Beth to give her lap a break and the three-year-old doesn't even stir as he remains asleep, settling himself against his dad's chest. The little boy has found this whole day to be pretty boring so far – driving all the way to Atlanta for a ballet audition, sitting in a hallway for over an hour, waiting as his sister goes through her auditions.

Glenn and Maggie with their son Henry will be driving into Atlanta later that afternoon and the two families will meet for dinner. Daryl has already promised Sam an ice cream sundae for dessert and that has helped curb some of the possible toddler meltdowns.

"Never thought I'd be here," Daryl murmurs and though he says it more to himself than to her, Beth smiles nonetheless.

She has been biting one of her fingers and Daryl gently pulls it from her mouth, Beth grasping onto his hand and not letting go.

"You mean here at a ballet audition?" Beth teases.

Daryl knows that Beth knows that he means so much more than just a ballet audition and he just gives her a smirk.

"If any of those judges have anything to say 'bout my girl's pirouette, they're gonna have to answer to me," Daryl grumbles out next and several parents in the hallway look down in their direction when a laughter bursts past Beth's lips.

…

Thank you!