"Dad's gonna be mad!"

Stopping with a deep sigh, the little girl turned slowly to face her brother. As twins, they were the same age, eight, yet she felt so much older than him sometimes. Scout wanted to be cross with Ryder, but she couldn't find it in her heart to be mean. She adored her brother, but she did wish he could be a little braver sometimes. They never got to have any real fun around the house. He should be enjoying this new adventure, not being scared of Daddy finding out they'd left the yard.

"It's okay for you, Scout. All you have to do is smile and Daddy always stops being angry with you. He frowns at me and tells me off." Ryder was very sensitive to his father's displeasure. His sister just seemed to let it all roll off her back and he was envious of her confidence. He wished he was as brave as Scout.

"Don't you want to try shifting? Going to the other place in another time like momma does? Maybe see Seanmháthair, great nan?" Scout tempted, devilment in her sapphire blue eyes. "We need the moon and a place we wanna go." She knew it was something her brother was desperate to be able to do. Momma said they wouldn't know until they were at least fifteen whether or not they would be able to go to other places in time. Scout wasn't prepared to wait that long to find out. She wanted to know now. He was blinking nervously at her, light brown hair falling in his eyes wildly as it always did and she couldn't help smiling. "Daddy will never know, Ryder. We'll only be gone for a little bit and they're still sleeping," she reassured him with all the poise of her tender years.

"Daddy won't never know what?" Daryl asked clearing his throat. Scout winced and slowly turned toward her father, who looked down at her sternly. His form loomed large with the moonlight behind him. "Git home now. Both of ya, g'wan, your momma's out of her head with worry. Out of her head!"

… …. ….. ….. …

Danni ran her gaze over them and she had to stifle the smile that threatened to cross her face. Now that they were sitting at the kitchen table, safe, relief flooded her. Her babies were the most precious things in her world. They were so unlike personality wise, but their shared gene pool was obvious. Scout's hair was long and as black as Danni's own while Ryder was a miniature version of his father, his hair brown like Daryl's though he had a more sensitive nature. It was her daughter who had her father's rebellious streak and she was usually the one who instigated any of the trouble the kids got into.

"Scout I'm disappointed in you," Daryl said sternly, a deep frown marring his face as he pinned his daughter with a steely gaze. He was fighting a smile too as he watched her little chin tilt exactly the same way her mothers did when she didn't like something she was hearing.

His fear had mostly dissipated now he had his children safely home where they belonged and he ached to give them both a big relieved hug but knew they had to understand first that actions had consequences.

"Why is it all my fault?" his daughter asked stubbornly, her lips pouting in the way that she knew tugged at her father's heart and usually made him forgive her a lot quicker than normal.

"Because you know fine well that Ryder will do anything you ask him to," was his blunt response as he struggled not to cave into the little witch before him. She was way too precocious for her age. He knew he was mostly to blame for it because he gave into her so easily.

Her little face crumpled under the weight of his displeasure and she looked down at her clasped hands. It took everything in his power not to drop to his knees before her and pull her into his arms.

"What if you'd run into Walkers, huh?" He asked quietly, his voice a little more gentle though still stern. "You could have been…well, you know what could have happened."

Big blue eyes filled with tears and her lower lip trembled as she looked at him and then her brother. "I'm sorry, Da. I didn't think. Ryder told me not to. It's not his fault."

Danni could feel the heartbreak rushing through Daryl so she stepped forward and placed her hand unobtrusively on his back and rubbed gently. She knew how much he hated seeing either of their children cry. It was worse with Scout though.

"You need to start thinking from now on," she said quietly, taking over as Daryl struggled with his emotions behind a mask of neutrality. "You're old enough to know better, both of you. Go up to your rooms and think about your actions for at least an hour. Then we can talk about this again."

Head bowed, Scout slipped down from her chair not meeting her parents' eyes. She could feel their disapproval and it hurt a lot. Ryder had sat silently the entire time, his eyes wide with misery, shooting sad glances at his father.

"I'm sorry, Ryder," Scout whispered, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly. "It's not your fault, it's mine. I'll make it up to you."

The adults stood tensely watching as the kids headed upstairs as ordered.

Daryl twisted the instant they were gone and wrapped his arms around Danni burying his head in the side of her neck and shuddered deeply. "Sweet Jesus, Danni, those two are killing me slowly." It was an anguished whisper, his voice low so the retreating duo wouldn't hear him.

Danni knew the feeling but still managed a tiny laugh as she stroked his hair gently. "That's what kids do, baby," she sighed softly. "They rip your heart out and hand it back to you with sweet little smiles over and over again." Her tone was full of love, her touch soothing him until he regained some semblance of self-control.

He finally raised his head and gave her a tortured look. "How are you supposed to teach 'em anything when they look at you with those big eyes filled with tears? I take on Walkers and shit every day, but one hint of hurt in my kids' eyes and I'm brought to my fuckin' knees."

Love shone through their bond, Danni's beautiful face radiant as she touched his cheek gently. "They're your babies, Daryl. They'll always have that power over you. The trick is not to let them see it and you're managing that."

He leaned down and kissed her gently, his arms tightening as his soft touch turned more demanding. Her heady honeysuckle scent washed over him and desire quickly sprang to life as it always did when she was in his arms. His kiss turned deeper, his body hardening against her soft curves as he plundered her mouth almost desperately. She was breathing heavily as she pulled back, her eyes flashing brightly, her lips looking deliciously ravished.

Daryl woke not sure of where he was at first. The dream had felt so real and it had taken place somewhere else; they were living in a farmhouse of some kind, not the ghost house. The kids were older, life seemed settled somehow. He blinked and stretched feeling the couch beneath him. He must have dozed off in the living room after talking with Kieran. The morning sunlight was beginning to creep up the wall. He knew it was just past dawn.

"You were dreaming weren't you?' Danni's voice roused him fully and he sat up to see her sitting on the floor in front of him, studying his expression.

He nodded. "How long you been sitting there?"

"A while. When you weren't in bed, I came down here and found you asleep. Didn't wanna wake you."

"You should have."

"Dreaming about Rick again?"

"Nah. Wait, what? How'd you know about that?'

"My dad. He said you had a dream and were worried about the group."

"Your family spends way too much time talking and not enough minding their own damn business."

"My family? You mean our family don't you? Heard you and dad had a good a talk last night."

Daryl threw up his hands and swung his legs over so his feet his the floor. "That's what I'm talking about. " He muttered and leaned his elbows on his knees. Danni wrinkled her nose and he curled the corner of his lip into a slight smile and hissed through his teeth.

"So what did you dream about?" She prodded.

"The kids. You."

"Something good?" She tilted her head and her eyes gleamed so he said "Yeah, something good. They're gonna grow up fast."

"Tell me about it." After a pause she added. "Hey, I'm sorry for worrying you."

Daryl shrugged. "Don't be. It's part of the territory."

"I know how to help Lorelei and John cross." Danni patted a couple of leatherbound books on her lap. "It's all here."

He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? Need help?"

Danni's faced relaxed. "As a matter of fact I do."

Daryl nodded.

"Do you want me to tell you the whole story?"

"Nah, I trust you. But look, Danni, after, I gotta go look for Rick."

"Oh."

"Something ain't right, I feel it. I gotta go. He needs me."

She swallowed hard.

"You okay with that?" He asked.

"I have to be. I trust you."