AN: Here we are, another chapter here.

I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

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"We'd like to thank my personal assistant, Sophia, for the use of her favorite baby," Daryl said.

"OK—OK—but it's just to play, Daddy," Sophia reminded Daryl. Now that her baby was out of her hands, she looked a little dubious about Daryl's plan, and it was clear that she had a least a little regret about having handed over her beloved rubber infant.

"It's just to play," Daryl reassured her. "You—ain't goin' nowhere, are you? You stayin' to help?"

Daryl knew that Sophia was staying to help. She had no choice. She'd been left in the care of her father and her "Uncle Mull" while her mother and Andrea went shopping for a few things for Andrea and, from there, went to do their first training shifts for jobs down at the mess hall. They were settling in nicely now—all of them were—and they were being cleared for work to contribute. Merle and Daryl would trade off and, when the ladies were off for a bit, they'd go down and get placed for something.

Hershel, pardoned from any actual expectation of work, still wanted something to keep him busy and felt that, as long as he could contribute, he should. Daryl supported that idea, knowing that it was never truly beneficial to anyone to take away their purpose or motivation. Everyone needed something that kept them busy sometimes. Hershel had been cleared for helping with the livestock—especially once they successfully expanded the fences and found more livestock for Woodbury—and with the planting. Woodbury needed to expand what they were doing, but they lacked direction and leadership when it came to farming and caring for animals. Hershel might be limited with how much hands-on work he could do, but he had the knowledge that the community needed to truly grow into something amazing, and they were more than willing to take him up on the offer to freely share that knowledge with them.

Until they had to go to work, Merle and Daryl were beginning with the training that, Daryl hoped, might give Merle some confidence in his upcoming role as a Daddy—especially since Merle seemed to be dealing with a lack of confidence like Daryl had never seen before in his brother.

"I'ma help. I'ma help, Daddy," Sophia insisted, still clearly trying to decide if she'd made a smart decision by handing over her rubber baby.

"You the most important person in this operation," Daryl informed her. She looked surprised. "You are. You know more about—all this—than any of us."

"I do? I know, Daddy?" Sophia asked.

"You do. You know more'n me or…anybody," Daryl said.

Sophia gave him a toothy grin and then she grinned at Merle, laughing over the pleasure of her own recently discovered knowledge.

"I do!" She declared. "I do! I do! I know!"

"Lesson number one, Merle," Daryl offered. "Just because they kids don't mean they ain't human and don't got shit to contribute. Remember that."

"Am I supposed to be takin' notes, brother?" Merle asked. There was a hint of teasing in his tone, and he smirked at Daryl.

"Maybe—I know shit ain't likely to sink into your dense ass head right away," Daryl said with a laugh. "Soph—whatta you think? What's the most important thing about bein' a Daddy?"

Sophia stared at Daryl with her mouth partially open. It was too much to comprehend all at once, especially when she had other concerns, like the fate of her rubber child.

"Soph—am I a good Daddy?" Daryl asked. Sophia looked relieved to understand that question, and she grinned at him and nodded her head.

"You the best!"

I'm the best?"

"You the best!"

"Why am I the best? What makes me the best Daddy, Soph?"

Her smile faded and she chewed over the question with the careful consideration befitting someone of her age and level of expertise in the matter.

"'Cause you my Daddy!" Sophia answered a moment later. She grinned at her correct answer and looked to Daryl and Merle both for approval.

"I'm your Daddy," Daryl confirmed. "But what makes me the best Daddy?" After a moment, he scooped her up and kissed the side of her face. "You know what, never mind. That's the perfect damn answer. Now—your Uncle Merle needs to know how to be a Daddy. How to take care of a baby. What we need to teach him? What's he need to know?"

"He needs to know every damn thing because I don't know shit about kids," Merle grumbled.

"What'cha do with babies?" Daryl asked, ignoring his brother and continuing to talk to Sophia to involve her in the process. "What they need."

"Milk!" Sophia declared.

"OK—but don't Mamas take care of that? Don't you get your milk from your Ma? At least—most of it?"

"Where's Mama?" Sophia asked.

"I done started some shit now," Daryl said. "Your Ma's workin'. You'll see her real soon. Come on. Let's show Merle how to change a diaper. Can you show him how we change your baby's diaper?"

Sophia nodded enthusiastically and ran off toward her room with no explanation at all. Daryl already knew, though, that she was going for one of the little diapers that Carol had sewn for her doll.

"Are kids always this…busy?" Merle asked.

"Always," Daryl said, nodding his head. "She ain't even hyper right now. Windin' down. Gonna want some of that milk now that she mentioned it. A snack. Milk. A nap. You get used to their routines. You wanna see her busy, though, you gotta catch her when she's all rested up and gassed up—ready to go."

"They always this needy?" Merle asked.

Daryl laughed to himself.

"Sophia's damn near independent now," he said. He winked at his brother. "Wait'll you see how much fun it is when they can't do nothin' for themselves. Not a single damn thing."

Merle blanched slightly.

"I ain't got but one hand, brother," Merle said sincerely. He held his cuffed arm up. "This shit's all right for—defendin' myself. Killin' Walkers. But it ain't no damn good for—babies an' shit."

"Losin' your hand taught your ass about adaptin', Merle. You've changed a whole fuckin' lot. Got clean. Got you a wife. Made you a damn kid with her that'cha want to learn to take care of. I'm proud of you." Daryl realized, when he said it, how much he meant it. He knew, from Merle's face, that his brother hadn't heard those words very often. Merle dropped his eyes away from Daryl, unable to take a genuine compliment. Daryl dropped his eyes, too, unaccustomed to sharing those kinds of things with Merle. Daryl cleared his throat. "You know how the hell to adjust to your surroundings and to what the hell you got to work with. This ain't gonna be no damn different."

"What if I can't help Andrea like she needs?"

"Even if you ain't the best damn diaper changer in the world, Merle, she's gonna appreciate that you tried—and just that your ass was up in the middle of the night handin' her a fresh one if nothin' else. Don't give up yet, though." Sophia came bounding toward them with one of her little diapers in each hand, clearly excited to get to play with her doll with Daddy and Uncle Merle. "You got a patient ass teacher who is dogged-ass determined when she puts her mind to it."

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"That good, Sweetheart?" Daryl asked, nuzzling his face against the side of Sophia's face. She hummed in satisfaction, clearly not wanting to let go of her treat.

Carol, having needed desperately to relieve herself of some of the pressure that built up from not nursing or getting rid of some of her milk in any other way, had used the manual pump she carried in her bag to relieve herself. She'd combined that milk with some of the smashed, overripe fruit to create something of a smoothie for Sophia. Sophia, being the kind daughter that she was, had offered Daryl a taste and, since he didn't figure anyone was likely to know that Carol's breastmilk was in the treat—and Carol already knew about his preferences for the taste of her milk—he'd sampled it. It was about as good of a treat as Sophia was likely to get, and it would fill her tummy with something nutritious, too.

It would also make her ready for a nap, which meant that Carol, when she got back to their little home, could take a nap, too. Daryl was simply escorting Carol back to the apartment, and carrying Sophia for her, before he went with Merle to see about a job. Merle was walking Andrea back, carrying a few small things that she'd gotten at the place where the community kept random goods for everyone, but their pace had been a great deal faster than Carol and Daryl's, so Daryl figured there was no telling how far ahead of them they were.

"She's gonna be ready for a N-A-P and you lookin' a little tired, too. I'm thinkin' her lil' brother and your first full day workin' has took it outta you."

Carol smiled at him and reached for his hand. He'd carried Sophia on the opposite side, just in case Carol wanted to hold his hand as they walked, taking their time in their progress toward home. She pulled his hand over and pressed it to her belly as they went. Daryl didn't feel any movement there beyond that which would naturally occur with Carol's steps.

"He's sleeping," she said.

Daryl gently scratched his fingertips against her belly and then caught her hand in his.

"Wore slap out," Daryl said. "You gotta go home. Put 'em both down for a N-A-P. Close your eyes a little while if nothin' else. I don't wanna hear no arguin' about it."

Carol yawned; the very mention of nap clearly made her body desire one. Daryl smiled and nuzzled Sophia's face again. She was sucking her treat through a dramatically large straw that Carol had found in the kitchen. The circumference of it suggested it had been meant to allow large objects to pass through it. Now, it was perfect for allowing her to easily suck up the pieces of milk-sodden mashed fruit. She was taking her time with her treat, though, and Daryl was under no impression that, when they got back to the apartment, Sophia wouldn't request both a nap and the opportunity to nurse for a bit. She had that look in her slightly red-rimmed eyes.

"Y'all gonna make it hard to be at work," Daryl said. "Knowin' I'm missin' out on what the hell is sure to be some good family lovin' in the bed. But I'ma be satisfied to know you all gettin' some good rest to be wound up an' ready for me when I get home." He lifted Carol's hand, her fingers entwined with his, and kissed it.

Carol smiled at him and squeezed his fingers in response.

"I tell you what—I'll dream of you the whole time and, with all my extra energy, I'll be prepared to stay up with you tonight and spend a little private time with you," Carol said, her voice low enough that the people who walked by them at nearly that exact moment couldn't overhear anything she'd said with great detail.

Daryl smiled at her, and he nodded his head at the people passing by when one of them clearly caught his eye by accident.

"How'd Merle do today?" Carol asked.

"He done OK," Daryl said. "He's about as low on himself as a body can get right now, that's all. Worried he ain't gonna be able to help Andrea. He ain't gonna be able to do shit right. If I didn't know that Merle just flat out don't believe in optin' out, I'd be worried about him. It's like he really thinks, sometimes, that she'd be better off without him entirely, than having to deal with him bein' less than perfect."

"I'll give Andrea the heads up that maybe he needs a little extra love and encouragement," Carol said. "What do you think? Can he do it, Daryl?"

"Hell yeah, he can do it. He's gonna figure it out 'cause he wants to fuckin' figure it out. He wants it bad. He can damn near taste it for how damn bad he wants to be able to do it all. Hell—he learned to change the doll's diaper today. Figure—maybe I can convince you-know-who to be a livin' trainin' doll an' let him practice on one that's wrigglin' around." Daryl gestured to Sophia who was, he could tell, just barely hanging onto consciousness. Her desire to hold onto the cup, from which she was no longer actually drinking, even though the straw hung loosely in her mouth, was the only thing that kept her from falling solidly asleep.

"He'll figure it out," Carol said. "And you'll be perfect to show him how to be a good Daddy. After all, he's learning from the best."

She winked at him dramatically and swung his arm, squeezing his fingers with her own. Someone else passed them as they went, and up ahead Daryl saw two women talking. He stopped a half a step before he started forward again, but it was enough to catch Carol's attention.

"What is it?" Carol asked, furrowing her brow at him.

"See that woman over there in the green?" Daryl said, lowering his voice and directing Carol with his head.

"Yes," Carol said, drawing her response out somewhat hesitantly.

"Next time she comes into the mess hall, fuck up her food."

"What?!" Carol asked.

"I mean it. Fuck it up. Put too damn much salt in it or…or pepper or some shit."

"Are you OK, Daryl?" Carol asked, half-laughing at the sudden change in conversation.

"That's the old woman that said Sophia was out of hand. Wanted me to spank her. Fuck up her food. And then when she comes to complain about it? You tell her somebody oughta spank her ass for having feelings about it."

"I think you need a N-A-P, Daryl," Carol teased. "I'm not sabotaging an old woman's food."

"I wouldn't promote it for just any old woman," Daryl offered.

Still, he did notice that Carol's eyes trailed back to the old woman as they reached their building, and he felt like Carol was studying her with a great deal of interest. She might not sabotage the old woman's food in the way that, honestly, Daryl might like to do, but he had a feeling that she at least wanted to recall what the woman looked like.

"You comin'?" Daryl asked, tugging Carol's hand as he steered his steps toward the door of their apartment building.

Carol looked at him for a moment, brow-furrowed, like she had forgotten he was there and holding her hand. Then, she smiled at him.

"Not yet," she said, her voice heavy with a teasing tone. "But I can be patient. At least until tonight."