It was like a normal evening, like nothing had happened. After they have eaten dinner, Katy and Ben played cards, while Beth and Daryl took care of the dirty dishes. And finally the four of them were sitting on the couch in the living room, in front of the warm flames of the fire, Daryl had made before.

Beth used to make her favourite thing in the evening, knitting clothes for them. First Daryl, Katy and Ben didn't know why she was doing this, they had enough clothes. Daryl had offered her to go on a run to find more for them or whatever she wanted, but she refused and said that it kinda soothed her and nothing was as warm as self knitted clothes. And latest in the cold winter months Ben, Katy and Daryl were glad about Beth's hobby, because she was, like always, right.

Ben was sitting next to his mother with a book in his hands, looking at the pictures and his lips tried to form some words, while he narrowed strained his eyes on the page. Little Katy was sitting on her father's lab, her favourite place, and played with the doll in her hands.

And Daryl just set there and watched his three angels, kissed his daughter's forehead from time to time and stroked gently her tiny back, while the fire was crackling soothing next to them. It didn't need long, till Katy fell asleep in her father's arms, which was kinda the best part of every day, when Daryl could watch his little baby girl sleep and later he will carry her upstairs under the warm blankets of her bed.

Also Beth had fallen asleep, or at least she pretend to be, the knitting stuff still in her hand. Ben had taken his book away and leaned himself against Beth's side, while he watched dreamily the flames. From the corner of his eyes Daryl noticed how Ben looked embarrassed over to his father from time to time. Only for one quick second, before he gave his whole attention the fire again.

Cautious Daryl placed still sleeping Katy right next to himself down on the couch, covered her tiny body protective with the blanket and made sure she was all warm and still in the land of dreams.

Daryl moved a little to show his son, that his lab was free now and his arms empty, because he could feel Ben's eyes on him, since he had laid Katy on the couch. Then Daryl waited, like the little boy did. Embarrassed looking at each other from the corner of their eyes. Daryl exactly knew how his son was feeling right now. He didn't know what to do or what to say, how he should handle the feelings inside himself, because Daryl was feeling the same.

Normally this was Beth's part to comfort Ben and make him feel better again, but his mother was asleep right now, or at least she pretend to be, so there was only his father left. Also Daryl didn't really know how he should start, tell him or do to make him happy again.

After uncomfortable moments, Daryl finally faced his little son, his eyes searched for the ones, which looked so much like his own and unsure Ben finally looked up at his father. Daryl's lips formed a small smile, something his son should get encourage about, but Ben's mouth angles stayed that relaxed way.

Slowly and carefully, without frightening the boy, Daryl opened his arms, stretched them out in his direction and whispered "Come here little lion."

Daryl was almost surprised about how fast his son stood up and quickly made his way over the couch and on his father's lab. Ben almost crashed into his arms, but Daryl caught him safe and held him as close as possible.

"I got you little man." Daryl whispered next to Ben's ear, while some tears build up in his eyes. They have never hugged that long and warm before and best Daryl wanted, that this moment won't ever stop. But it did, when Ben slowly pulled away to look up into his father's expression.

"I'm really sorry little lion for being that harsh today. I know it wasn't your fault, I even understand you. Didn't want to yell at you for being curious." Daryl whispered truthfully, while he whipped some loosen strains of hair away from his son's face and he realised it one more time, how much Ben was like himself.

"It's okay daddy. I'm also sorry." Ben answered, while he was playing nervously with his fingers. "I just want you to know, that daddy loves you little lion." Daryl had expected, that these words would shrink Ben back, but instead he stayed where he was, he only blinked innocence a few times, before his small lips formed a truthfully smile and with his sweet voice Ben whispered "I love you too daddy."

Daryl would have never expected an answer from his son and especially not these words, which caused his eyes to swim and his heart suddenly felt so warm, like the rest of his body. Daryl wasn't afraid any more, about that his babies saw their father's tears, so he let them running free, while he pulled Ben closer to his chest.

Thankfully Daryl kissed the top of his son's head, buried his nose into his soft hair and whispered "You three are everything I have. I can't lose even one of you, there is no way." He whispered and Ben response with wrapping his little hands around his father's belly.

They stayed like that a half eternity, the fire crackled next to them, feeling the warmth of the flames and from each other bodies, Daryl also felt Beth's eyes on them, while she still pretend to be asleep, but her smile told him, that she was wide awake. Daryl enjoyed this precious moment together with his son with his whole heart, till Ben even fell asleep in his father's arms and Daryl also almost did.

Finally Daryl carefully carried both of his sweethearts upstairs in their beds, covered their tiny bodies protective with the warm material of their blankets and like every evening he kissed lovingly their sleeping faces, before he wished them a good night and left on his tiptoes the room. Beth was already waiting for her husband on top of their king-sized bed, looking so proudly up at him like never before.


Daryl should have known it better, that this topic wasn't from the table with that. There was still the need from Katy and Ben to see what was outside the walls, to get to know the other world.

The next day Beth and he had talked about it, almost the whole afternoon long and right now Daryl couldn't understand it, why he had agreed to that all. Beth had said, that their curiosity won't stop, if they won't show Katy and Ben the world outside the walls. She had also said, that they had the right to know, to see it and sooner or later it would have happened anyway and Daryl could remember, that he had answered to this, that he would have preferred it later, but he understood what Beth meant.

But still, how could he agree to this crazy idea? Getting outside wasn't something special any more, it was his routine, every day, but right now he felt so damn nervous and tensed like never before. They were going outside, the four of them with Balu together, just for a few minutes, Beth had promised, to clear their nosiness.

But still Daryl didn't have a good feeling about it. Katy and Ben had to sworn their parents to not let go from their hands, to stay next to them, never ran away or make too loud noises. Daryl had asked them at least twenty times, if they had understood them right and if they were really sure about it, but right now there wasn't a way back any more.

With sweating hands and a wild beating heart the four of them went trough the opened gates and outside of their safe home. Katy was holding her mama's hand and Ben his father's, or with other words Daryl was holding his son's hand as tight as possible without hurting him.

Daryl's eyes scanned the surroundings like always, being ready to protect his family, didn't matter what will spring out from behind the next tree. But he still noticed the big eyes of his children, while they were making their way into the woods.

Excited they were watching everything with an opened mouth and widened eyes. With their tiny fingers they were pointed at so many things and Beth explained them patiently everything they wanted to know. They even saw two rabbits and one deer.

Just a few more minutes, Daryl tried to calm himself down. Beth and he wanted to bring their two sweethearts to the small clearing a few walking minutes away from Alexandria. Relieved to see the sunbeams getting trough the tree's, Daryl knew, that they will stay a few minutes here, before they will make their way home again. The half-way was already done.

Daryl just stopped to feel that worried and nervous, when Balu began to growl next to them. "What's wrong mommy? Why does Balu this?" Katy asked worried and curious all at the same time. But Beth and Daryl exactly knew, why the dog was acting this way, he wanted to warn them from some danger, wanted to warn them from walkers.

"Ben, you take your mama's hand and won't let go, like you have promised me, alright?" Daryl told his son damn worried, he had known that something like this will happen. Ben nodded wildly his head, while he took his mother's hand like he got told.

Daryl looked into Beth's eyes one more time, giving her a small nod, before he turned around, pulled out his knife and then they were already here. Three walkers came into their direction and Daryl's body suddenly filled with anger.

These three bastards destroyed their little excursion, wanted to kill his family, his beloved wife and kids. Quickly Daryl rammed the first walker his knife between the eyes, it fell lifeless to the ground instantly. To get more time to kill the third walker, which was coming with fast steps into his direction, Daryl kicked the other walker into it's leg, so it broke, the body fell and couldn't catch him any more.

Shortly after he had pulled his knife into the back of the next walker's head, he did the same with the last one. Breathless Daryl pulled out his weapon from the walker's body and back into the case by his hip.

His lungs were working fast against his rips, when Daryl finally turned around to look, if his family was alright and the second he saw the three of them, it broke his heart into million pieces. Katy was in her mother's arms now, crying heartbreaking by Beth's shoulder, hiding her daughter's face protective with her hands, so she didn't have to see the monsters any more.

Also Beth was looking worried, not about the walkers, but about their children's reaction and maybe questioning herself, if this whole idea was really that good. With her right hand she was pressing their son against her leg, who was looking shocked at his father.

Tears were silently streaming down his face like little rivers and Daryl could say from even far away, that his whole, tiny body was shaking badly. Quickly Daryl wiped off his bloody hands by his trousers, before he carefully got closer to them.

"Hey." He whispered softly, afraid about that his son wasn't only scared about the monsters, maybe he was also frightened about his father, about what he had done, with so much blood on his clothes and skin now.

"Hey little lion. Come here." Daryl whispered carefully, while he got slowly on his knee and stretched out his hands for his little son. He was almost surprised, when Ben came running into his direction without any hesitant, crashed against his chest, like the scared little boy he was.

"I got you little man. It's alright, daddy is here. Everything will be good." Daryl tried to calm down Ben, while he was crying bitterly against his father's chest. Damn the walkers had scared his beloved children more than Daryl had ever expected.

Little Ben's body was shaking badly, while Daryl got up with him still in his arms. "Everything will be good." Daryl whispered close to Ben's ear, stroking his head at the same time. After a few more heartbreaking sobs the boy looked up at his father, never stopped to have his arms wrapped that tight around Daryl's neck.

"Can we go home daddy?" Ben asked with a shaking voice, his angst Daryl could hear and feel with every word. "Yeah, we go home now, little man." Daryl secured his son, before he kissed lovingly the top of his head and Ben finally leaned relieved against the place between his shoulder and neck.

Before they made their way back to Alexandria, Daryl got over to Beth and his daughter, stroked calming the shaking back from Katy and also Beth's cheek. "You alright?" He asked her worried, only her quick nod made him feel a little better.

The whole way back home Katy and Ben were crying quietly by their parents shoulders, they didn't leave them for the rest of the afternoon, didn't eat much at dinner and Beth and Daryl didn't even try to change their minds, when their two sweethearts had crawled under the sheets of their bed that evening.

Somehow, even when Daryl knew he shouldn't feel this way, he was damn glad about what had happened today. So Katy and Ben won't try it again to get outside the safe walls, even when they were damn scared and also traumatized right now. They will probably have nightmares tonight, but Daryl will be there to safe them and calm them down.

A few times Katy had started to cry again in the afternoon, just thinking about the montsters. Lovingly Daryl had comforted her then, taking her in his arms, holding her tight, even craddling her, like when she was still a little baby. He had kissed his daughter's head, till her tears got dry and her lips finally formed a sweet smile again.

Katy was laying next to her mother, both already asleep, while Ben's eyes were still looking around, probably afraid about falling asleep. Daryl was already watching his little son since a long time, till he finally said "You can't sleep little lion?"

Surprised about, that his father was also still awake, Ben looked up at him, before he shook slowly his head and answered "I have to think about something." A small smile got on Daryl's lips, while he got for probably the hundred time, how damn cute his little son was.

Easily he pulled Ben closer, so the boy was under his chin and Daryl could stroke calming his back. "About what are you thinking little man?" Like always, when Ben got nervously, he had this habit also from his father, he began to play with something in his hands, this time he made absently little circles with his finger into the fabric of his father's shirt.

"That I'm weak and afraid about the monsters, but I don't want to be. Instead I want to be like you daddy. Strong, brave and not scared about anything. I also want to be able to protect mommy and Katy." Ben whispered embarrassed, looking up at his father with big eyes.

And it almost stirred Daryl to tears, thinking about, that his little son wanted to become like him. Daryl had never thought, that someone will ever want to be like him, but Ben wanted and it warmed up his old heart from the bottom to the top.

"Oh little man. One day you won't be afraid about the monsters any more, one day you can also fight them." Even when Daryl hoped, that this day was still far away. "If you want I can show you how to hold a knife?" He offered Ben, who nodded his head instantly.

"But you have to know little lion, that it's okay to feel scared and afraid. Your daddy is also feeling that way sometimes, when it comes to you three. But it only makes you stronger and one day, if you still want it, you can become like me and protect your mama and sister." Daryl whispered into the darkness, watching how Ben was looking up at him with big eyes.

"I want that daddy." Daryl could feel his son's warm breath against his skin, before he pulled him even closer, pressed a lovingly kiss on the top of his head and whispered "But now you have to sleep little lion. Also your daddy has to sleep from time to time."

Getting himself more comfortable, Daryl had thought, that Ben had already fallen asleep, when his sweet voice suddenly filled the air again "Good night daddy." Smiling to himself and thanking God for having so much luck and such a beautiful family, Daryl whispered into the darkness "Good night little, brave man."