Daryl woke to his stomach growling at the smell of something cooking. He opened his eyes slowly and he stared ahead at the wall as they adjusted to the bright sun-lit room. His back and neck were stiff from sleeping on the floor and he made a mental note to set up the hammock for that night. He uncurled himself from his sleeping position, gradually stretching out his muscles as he listened to the sound of Judith's voice chattering from the other side of the room. As he sat up he realized that at some point in the night he had crammed Beanie under his head to use her as a pillow.
"Did you know'd that I could shoot real good?" Judith was asking as Daryl pulled himself to his feet, his hand moving to hold his side. He used the desk closest to him to stabilize himself as he looked around the room.
Judith had been washed and was crouched down between Beth's legs while the young woman braided the little girl's still damp hair. Beth's fingers folded the separated brown locks, easily twisting them into a thick rope.
The little girl didn't wait for a response to her question before she launched into another one. "Did you know'd that I could cook veg'ables too, and I could count. Wanna see?" She turned her head to look over her shoulder at Beth who placed her hand over the top of her head and faced her forward again. "One, two, three, four," Judith shifted impatiently and blew her bangs out of her eyes. "Five- Daryl!" She squealed when she spotted him. She moved to dart towards him but Beth held her in place.
"Hold on," Beth closed her hand around Judith's shoulder. "I'm not done yet."
Daryl shuffled around the desk and made his way over to the others. He passed Carl who was sitting on one of the desks skinning a squirrel with a hunting knife, the small carcass held expertly in his hands. The young man looked up at him and offered him a silent nod before turning his attention back to his task.
Looking to Rick next, Daryl glanced at the small gas one-burner that the other man was cooking on. Rick had cleaned up a bit too and changed his shirt, though the dirt and bloodstains in the cracks in his hands seemed to be a permanent fixture. A small pile of carcasses, rats and another squirrel lay on a piece of wax paper beside him. He found an arrow still lodged in the thick belly of a grey rat, the entry wound smooth and clearly practiced.
Immediately his eyes shot across the room to the crossbow tdhat had been propped up next to the door. The sight of it greeted him like an old friend and his feet moved towards it and he slipped his fingers through the trigger. Its weight felt familiar in his arms, even after time had parted him from it for too long.
"It's mine now," Carl spoke up, sliding off the desk, the pink exposed flesh of the squirrel draped over one of his hands. He dropped it onto the wax paper and scooped up the rat with the arrow. "Seems like time has a way of doing that… stealing things."
"Carl," Rick's voice was weary, as though the words he was about to speak had already been spoken too often. Before he could continue Carl stalked away, back to the desk and hopped onto it heavily. Rick's head dropped and he jabbed at the sizzling meat. After a moment he looked up at Daryl. "You're up first. Look like you could use some protein, help your body heal up that side of yours." Using the fork he skewered the meat and transferred it to a small wooden plate before holding it out to Daryl, his eyes barely meeting the other man's.
Daryl could see the shame in the crouched man's eyes and it made him feel uncomfortable. He took the plate and nodded as he turned to take a seat next to Beth on the couch. The blonde woman was securing the end of the braid with a purple hair-band from the package they had picked up months before. Daryl wondered if you could reuse them, or if it would be another supply that they would always be on the look-out for.
He looked over to the little girl who had gotten to her feet and turned around to face Beth, her face lit up as she babbled. "Did know you a train could do smoking? And could make that sound… like-," she paused, both to take a breath and to squint her eyes thoughtfully. "Daryl, what'd it go like 'gain?" she asked, making her way over to him to climb on his lap.
Daryl placed his bowl on the back of the couch and steadied the girl on his knee. He looked over to Carl who was watching him with stony grey eyes. Rick had stilled his movements and as well and Daryl could tell he was listening by the tilt of his head. Embarrassment crept over him and he turned back to Carl, his eyes meeting the boy's dead on.
"What does a train sound like?" Daryl challenged the younger man, keeping his features amiable.
"Uh," Carl looked to his wife first who glanced between the two men nervously. When she settled back on her husband she nodded, her eyebrows lifting as she offered him silent encouragement. "Chugga, chugga chugga chugga, woo woo." His voice was timid like a child's in school, afraid to get the answer wrong. As though we was afraid to fail.
Judith's face lit up and she bounced a little with excitement. "Thas' a good noise, don'cha think?" she asked, throwing herself back with glee, her freefall ending with a collision against Daryl's chest, where she looked up at him. She drummed her feet against his shins as she continued to stare at him wide-eyed.
"She eat meat?" Rick asked, clearing his throat. He held a plate in his slightly trembling hands, and he had twisted his upper body around to look at them.
"I could eated anythin'," Judith answered for herself and slid off Daryl's lap. She took the plate from Rick who didn't release it right away. He used the opportunity to get a good look at the little girl, his eyes shifting to a lighter blue as he inspected her freckled nosed and the shape of her mouth.
"You look just like your mother," he told her, his Adam's Apple bobbing with emotion.
Judith squinted again at his words and tilted her head. "You looks just liked my Pa," she decided before pulling the plate away from Rick's grasp and turning around to walk back to Daryl, her features settled into a concentrated expression as she maneuvered with the plate. She placed it on the floor before sitting down next to it, cross-legged.
"Maybe you can show him your pictures, Judith," Carl suggested, dropping the last of the prepared meat onto the paper next to his father. He accepted his own plate and took a seat on the floor beside her, his legs crossed in the same position. "I'm sure he would really like to see the one of his and mom's wedding."
Rick spun around at his son's announcement. "I- I thought he'd burned 'em all," he stammered, the sizzling grill forgotten as he scooted across the room.
Daryl caught Carl's mood shift and he watched curiously as his young features morphed at a clearly unpleasant memory. He looked wary of his father for a moment before he relaxed again.
"Can I see them?" Rick asked his face filled with a dimmed hope that was thirsty for replenishment. He reached out to her, though his hand froze in the space between them when she stiffened.
Judith shook her head slowly then turned to Daryl. Her hand closed over his knee and she climbed onto his lap again, burying her face into his chest as she curled up.
Rick deflated again and returned to the grill, his sunken and sagging form turned away from them all. Without another word he pushed himself to his feet and opened the door, stepping out into the bright early morning sunlight. The door closed behind him with a final click and they all winced at the sound as though some explosion would follow. Instead, there was only a reedy silence that settled over them like the fine tendrils of a spider's web.
"I should-," Carl moved to follow his father, but was prevented by his wife's hand on his arm. He looked to her and she shook her head, discouraging him. "Yeah," he sighed, removing her hand so he could pull her into a hug, his chin resting on her bony shoulder.
"You don't know how it's been," he said defensively, as though sensing an untouchable judgment from the man who held the youngest of them. "You don't know."
Daryl listened.
"When we went back to the farm… there were people there. They'd taken everything… they'd," Carl shook his head at a loss. "They'd…pillaged the place. Burned our clothes, our supplies- our albums. Dad, he couldn't stop talking about it, the whole way. Those damn albums." His shoulders slumped and he released Beth and got to his feet, his arms closed around the upper curve of her arms. He helped her up and deposited her onto the couch. "When we got there and found the mess and that guy, sitting there by the fireplace, burning what my dad left of her- he just lost it."
Beth accepted the plate of meat from her husband then took his hand and pulled him down beside her. "He made him-," she closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. "He forced him to shoot himself. It was bad."
Daryl held Judith closer to himself. "Is he dangerous?"
Carl faltered but Beth answered confidently. "He would never hurt Judith. He would never hurt any of us."
XXXX
When Rick returned hours later he did not come alone. He bustled back into the trailer with his arms wrapped around a small toddler who had tangled up its pudgy fingers in his hair, his small gloved hands tugging on too long curls. The little boy, raw from the cold, his cheeks bright red and his nose running freely, was obviously from mixed heritage. Rick and the small boy were followed closely by Maggie and Glenn who watched the toddler closely through weary eyes. "Come in and warm up a bit, then we will make a plan," Rick told them, stepping to the side to let them pass him.
"Maggie!" Beth got to her feet and threw herself at her older sister. The two embraced for a few seconds before Maggie pulled back, her hand reaching out to rub the blonde's rounded belly tenderly.
"Look at you," she marveled, her eyes softening.
Rick closed the door behind the couple and motioned for Glenn to put their things down next to his own. The toddler in his arms looked around the room curiously, his sea-green eyes searching the new faces.
Judith, who had been playing with Beth and Beanie on the couch, watched the small boy with an air of skepticism, her doll held carefully to her chest. She looked over the newcomers for a moment and then slid off the seat to make her way over to Daryl who was seated against the far corner where he had made their bed the night before.
Beth took her nephew from Rick and the two sisters took a seat on the couch while Maggie slipped off her boots and curled her toes, mumbling about frost bite. Daryl watched the group move around each other as they settled in, their actions synchronized in a way that only happened when people spent an extended amount of time together.
Judith had taken a seat next to him and wrapped herself up in her blanket. They observed like foreigners in a place where they did not quite understand the common-tongue, unsure of how to proceed. "That sure is small?" Judith finally asked, tearing her eyes away from the toddler who was standing on Beth's lap, his back to them.
"Yeah," Daryl answered her, looking down to take in her curious expression.
Judith squinted up at him and then smiled. "It's a Beanie?" she asked, flexing her toes.
Daryl shook his head. "Nah, it's a baby," he corrected her then turned back to look at the group. "Damn rabbits up in here, between that one and the other. Ain't these people never heard o' keepin' it in their pants?"
Judith's lips pursed before she turned her eyes forward again, perplexed by his statement. "Is their pants gotted off?" she asked after a moment, moving into a crouched position so she could crawl forward to peer at the baby again more closely.
Daryl watched her slowly make her way back over to the group. She kept her distance from Rick by skirting along the wall, Beanie secured under her arm. "What's it's named?" She asked when she was standing next to Beth, one hand resting on the woman's knee.
"This is Ben," Beth turned the toddler around so that he could sit on her lap. "And that's Maggie, and Glenn. Maggie is my sister and Glenn is her husband, and Ben's daddy."
Judith's brow furrowed at the new information but she remained quiet, her head tilted as she inspected the younger child. "I don't like it," she decided, reaching out to push the small boy away and off Beth's lap. Ben protested with a loud cry and Judith froze, covering her ears. "Shut yer trap, y'hear?" she scolded the young boy.
Beth's eyes flicked to Daryl. "Sounds just like someone else I know." Her light-hearted accusation was met with a slight shrug from the man who remained on the other side of the room.
"I could sitted there," Judith pointed to Beth's lap.
Beth passed Ben off to his mother's open arms and accepted Judith into his former place. Maggie watched the small girl with a mixture of amusement and concern.
"Okay," Beth agreed, turning Judith's shoulders around so she could see her face. "You can sit here, but you can't just hit people. It isn't nice."
The little girl scoffed and slid her arms around Beth's shoulders, refusing to look in Ben or Maggie's direction.
The group unanimously agreed that they would stay a few more nights in the camp. Maggie and Glenn reported that they hadn't found much in the east other than ransacked ghost-towns. They agreed that they would head south after Maggie and Glenn had a chance to rest up and Daryl was more healed.
The meeting held an air of urgency that Daryl was struggling to process and adapt to. He had become accustomed over the years to doing whatever was necessary to ensure his and Judith's safety without any discussion or negotiation. It was clear that Rick was still the leader of the others, though Daryl could sense a tension between the man and his son. Carl spoke confidently about his opinions and expressed them in such a way that demanded attention and respect. Daryl could admire that in the young man, though he resisted becoming enchanted by his authoritarian tone. He knew that if it came down to it that he was not above leaving with Judith and letting the rest of them march off to their deaths. He had promised Rick that he would take care of her, even if that meant protecting her from the men who shared her DNA.
When their meeting broke he got to work setting up his hammock by hammering nails into the walls. The others looked on with uncertainty but he continued his work, ignoring them. If he was going to be fit for travel he would need to get a good nights sleep.
He settled into the hammock with Judith and turned his back to the room, blocking out the shuffling sounds and whispers as everyone settled in for the night. Rick took his same spot under the window, just a few feet away from where Judith slept curled up in the hammock with the man who had been her guardian and care-giver through most of her young life.
Daryl listened as the sounds of even breathing and light snoring filled the room. Ben whimpered in his sleep but didn't cry and eventually succumbed to his mother's shushing. He waited for the sound of Rick's voice, calling to Lori again, but it did not come. The room remained silent around him and he looked down at Judith, her fingers curled loosely around his hand as she slept deeply.
Morning came hard and fast with a bright burst of sunlight that sliced across his eyes when he opened them. He couldn't even remembered falling asleep the night before, or waking at all during the night. Raising one arm he blocked out the sun's rays and looked around the room, only to find it empty. Quickly, he leapt from the hammock as his still sleep-muddled brain tried to interpret the silent empty room. The blankets were gone, along with the bags and boots.
Hastily he threw his coat over his shoulders and bolted out the door into the cloudless brilliant morning, his heart hammering in his chest. "Judith!" He called out into the woods around him, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he listened to the mute old growth trees. His voice echoed off their thick trunks then fired back at him obnoxiously.
"Judith!" he tried her name again and turned around, searching for any sign of her. Tears prickled in his eyes as he struggled to maintain control over his body. A weight settled over his chest, crushing his ribs as he struggled to draw in one wheezing breath and then another. Barefoot, he cut his way into the centre of the camp, beyond feeling the cold that numbed his toes.
As he reached the centre of the camp he heard one voice, and then another from over his shoulder. Spinning around he saw figures begin to trickle through the trees. Carl came first, the crossbow held steadily before him as he swept the area, a pair of sunglasses protecting his good eye. Maggie followed closely behind, Ben strapped to her back and she carried her bag, overflowing with wet clothing and blankets. Judith and Beth were next, the little girl holding onto the pregnant woman's hand as she chattered, her sweet voice barely containing her excitement as she recounted something. Rick and Glenn were last, the latter bearing heavy bags while the former watched the rear.
They all froze at the sight of the man on his knees in the middle of the camp, his face twisted in anger while his eyes belied his devastation.
Slowly, Carl lowered his crossbow.
Daryl charged towards them, his face reddening with the cold and his own uncontained emotions. He pushed past Maggie and Carl and scooped up Judith in one easy motion, his strong arms holding the surprised girl to his chest and he buried his face into her hair.
"We went to do laundry," Beth piped in, reaching out to rest a hand on Daryl's arm in a gesture of comfort.
He responded by taking a step back, shrugging her off in the process. "What the fuck were you thinking?" he demanded, lifting Judith's legs to wrap them around his waist. "Takin' off with her, not even tellin' me."
"You were sleeping," Carl stepped in defensively. "Calm down, man."
"Don't'chu ever tell me ta' calm down. Y'all don't get ta' come back 'round and do what'cha wanna do," turning around he stomped back to the trailer. "Screw you all."
He entered the small office space and set Judith on a desk. Immediately he began to move around the room, shoving their things into their backpacks, his breath barely deep enough to feed his hungry lungs.
"Daryl," Rick came into the room alone and closed the door behind him, leaving the rest of the group outside.
Daryl ignored the other man as he zipped his bag shut and rammed his numb bare feet into his boots.
"Daryl," Rick tried again, this time coming to standing beside the agitated other man. He reached out to touch Daryl's arm.
Daryl's hand flexed and he was barely able to contain his urge to hit Rick. He looked up and their eyes met, close enough to see the tears that they both held back. "Y'all think y'all can come 'round and just-," his chest heaved again and he took a step back. "Think y'all can just take 'er like I ain't even here."
Rick shook his head, dropping his arm until he could rest his hand on his hip. "We don't think that." He paused. "I don't think that."
Daryl swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand and turned his back on the other man. He looked over to Judith who watched the interaction, her face calm as though she was patiently waiting for him to give her instructions. He made his way over to the small girl and lifted her to him, his arms wrapped protectively around her.
"I can't say I don't… I can't say I don't want-," he waved his hand in his daughter's direction. "that," he finished after a moment, his head tilting. "I would give anything to go back and take all that time back," he shifted on the balls of his feet as he turned to look out the window. "I know it ain't fair on you."
Daryl waited for Rick to continue, but the other man remained silent as he reached up to hold the back of his neck.
"I need time," he finally said after a long pause. "I need time to figure out how to put it back together." When he turned around his eyes were wet and red. "I'm grateful to you for giving me this chance to."
XXXX
The sound of creaking on the porch outside woke him from a dead sleep and he sat up, his eyes searching the dark around him. He looked at the faces of the others to see if any of them had been disturbed from their sleep, but none moved. He pushed the thin sheet that he had been using off him and got easily to his feet, careful not to step on Carol who had taken the spot next to him beside the back door of the small cabin. It had started to rain during the night and the room felt like a sauna, stinking like ass and Walkers.
The bitter cold winter had dropped away suddenly into a muggy spring that made them feel sticky and damp all the time.
The wooden porch creaked again and Daryl checked the knife that he kept in his pocket. It was a lot easier to sleep with than his cross-bow, though that didn't mean he hadn't tried.
Before jumping to conclusions about what could be making the sound he counted the bodies in the room. Eight…
His eyes settled on the small twin bed in the corner and found it empty. Sighing, he climbed over scattered limbs and torsos, cringing when his foot connected with the side of Carl's head. The boy mumbled in his sleep and flipped over, throwing his arm over his face. Daryl made a note never to put the boy on guard duty; he slept like a rock. A horde of Walkers could be tearing the place apart and he'd still be snoring.
When he reached the door he eased it open and squeezed outside. He took a deep breath of the fresh air, but it was so thick with moisture that it wasn't as satisfying as he had hoped.
He looked around and spotted the previously M.I.A. member of their group with her back to him as she peered out into the night, her arms bracing her hips. She startled when he cleared his throat and whipped her head around.
"Jesus," Lori placed one hand over her heart and the other on her rounded belly. "You scared the shit out of me."
Daryl shrugged and pulled the door closed behind him. He took a few steps until he was at the edge of the porch where he leaned against a support beam. "Ain't no Walker gonna give ya a warning," he cleared his throat and spit onto the grass. "Gonna get'ch yerself killed sneakin' 'round out here. What ya doin' anyway?"
The pregnant woman sighed and began to pace slowly towards him, her movements heavy and slow. "Couldn't sleep," she offered him a sheepish smile and ran her hands over her tummy. "Baby is practicing for a future career in soccer."
He scoffed and turned around to face her, his back still resting against the pole. "More like in kickin' Walker ass. You seen this shit-hole?"
Lori's smile faltered and she dropped her chin. "A mother can dream, can't she?"
Realizing he had hit a sore-spot Daryl shrugged in response and watched her turn around and pace back in the other direction. When she reached the railing she lowered herself onto the wooden porch swing. Its rusty chains squeaked under her added weight as she settled against the backrest. She indicated the spot next to her and he reluctantly took it, though he was in the right mind to tell her to suck it up and go back to bed.
They sat in silence, listening to the crickets in the tall unkempt grass around them and stared at the warped boards that made up the porch.
"You ever felt a baby move?" She asked after a moment, looking over at him.
Daryl sucked his teeth. "I ain't into that kinda shit," he shook his head, though he couldn't keep his eyes from settling on the spot on her stomach where she kept rubbing.
"Last time I offer," she shrugged one shoulder and turned to look at her outstretched legs. She winced as she inspected her swollen ankles and feet.
"Alright, I guess," he agreed, though he kept his hands at his sides. Lori looked over, surprise registering on her face. "Ain't gotta be no big deal or nothin'." To prove his point he reached over and pushed her hand to the side, replacing it with his own. He didn't feel anything and his brow furrowed. "Well get on with it."
Lori laughed and placed her hand over his own. "If I was the one calling the shots we wouldn't be having this discussion. I would be in my bed."
"You assume I was talkin' to you," he huffed and started to pull his hand back. Before he could, he felt something large and round just against his wrist and move over the length of his palm.
"That would be a somersault," Lori filled him in, arching her back a little. "Maybe a gymnast," she mused, placing her hand next to his.
"Fuck that," Daryl sat back in his seat, his hands dropped to his side. "That there is gonna be the best ass-kicker this damn worlds ever seen."
Daryl ran his tongue over his chapped lower lip and tasted blood from where it had split with the cold. He shuffled his feet on the steps to wake them up and cracked his stiff neck. He'd been on a self-declared watch for most of the night while the others slept inside. He knew it wasn't really necessary to keep an eye out for danger coming into the camp- he was more interested in who was going out. After the events of the day before, he hadn't been able to calm his uneasiness about leaving Judith alone with the others.
The door behind him opened and closed and he looked briefly over his shoulder to see Glenn stepping out onto the porch, a baseball cap pulled down over his forehead. The Asian man pulled on a pair of gloves as he took a seat next to Daryl on the small porch.
"Hey," he greeted simply, crossing his arms and resting them on his thighs.
Daryl nodded back in greeting, barely turning his face to see the man who had joined him.
"So, I can take over for a bit if you want to sleep," Glenn offered.
Daryl declined with a shake of his head. "Nah, I'm good."
The man beside him sighed. "You know that we didn't mean anything by it. We assumed you wouldn't mind the chance to sleep in a bit." He uncrossed his arms and pushed himself to his feet then descended the steps. When he reached the bottom his feet sunk into the snow and he turned around to face Daryl shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Yeah, I'll bet," Daryl answered stubbornly.
Glenn sighed. "Judith's cute, huh?"
Daryl blinked at Glenn's chosen adjective. "Yeah, she's alright," he answered cautiously. Personally he did think she was pretty cute but in hell was he going to share that with anyone else. "She learns quick."
"You've done a good job, Daryl," Glenn's remark held a tone of pleading that immediately set Daryl on edge. "We can all see that. Rick especially," the Korean smiled warmly. "She's real cute."
"Already said that," Daryl grumbled. "You want watch? Take it." Using the railing he pulled himself to his feet and started for the door. A hand on his arm stopped him and he half turned to look at Glenn.
"Thanks for, you know, taking care of her and stuff… and for not running out on us. We're a stronger group with you." Glenn's released Daryl's arm and shoved his hands back into his pockets.
Nodding, Daryl took a step back and then stepped inside the trailer. The room was pitch-black, though he could make out the shapes of its sleeping occupants in the tinted moonlight. He spotted Ben and Maggie against the far wall, the toddler curled into his mother's chest, her hair lassoed around his chubby hands. Carl and Beth still occupied the couch and were bundled up under a thick blanket, though Daryl could make out where the young man's hand rested on his wife's stomach.
The final occupant was not asleep in his regular spot under the window where Daryl expected to find him. Instead, he stood next to the suspended hammock, his head dipped low as he watched his daughter sleep. When Daryl got closer, Rick lifted his eyes and took a step back, his hands falling to his side.
"Go about yer business," Daryl offered, crouching down beside his bag. He pretended to dig through it for something to give Rick some more time. Out of the corner of his eye he watched the former deputy approach the hammock again and raise his hands so that he could reach inside.
"Will she wake up if I lift her?" Rick asked gravelly, uncertainly.
Daryl turned to sit against the wall, a clean t-shirt in his hands. "Sleeps like a damn rock or somethin'. Could kick her in the head and she'd just keep snorin'."
The father nodded and slid his arms under the little girl's back and knees. He lifted her easily and cradled her to his chest, his body swaying with her. In the backlit moonlight Daryl saw him press a kiss to Judith's soft forehead. "Lori used to sing this song to Carl. From that movie about the little elephant. I can't remember how it goes."
Daryl swallowed- a silent spectator in the shadows cast by the desk to his left.
"Baby mine, dry your eyes…" His voice cracked as he looked down at her. "I can't remember the words."
In her sleep Judith turned, burying herself into Rick's arm. Swinging her hand up she plugged her thumb into her mouth and whimpered in her sleep.
Daryl stood up and slid his coat off. He changed his shirt quickly and toed his wet boots off before going over to them. Rick took a step back to give him room to climb into the hammock and settle in. Daryl motioned for him to pass over the sleeping girl and they transferred her easily and without hesitation.
"Maybe one day she will let me do that when she is awake," Rick whispered.
Daryl closed his eyes and pulled Judith closer. "Maybe," he agreed.
The pair had long since settled into their own thoughts. Daryl kicked off the ground, the motion moved the swing back and forth in an easy rhythm. He listened to Lori hum softly, his hand stroking her belly in slow circles.
Her voice split as she muttered the words in a broken tune. "If they knew all about you, they'd end up loving you too. All those same people who scold you, what they'd give just for the right to hold you." Her voice trailed off and she looked up at him, tears misty in her eyes. "I think he's finally asleep," Lori whispered, using the arm of the bench to push
herself to her feet. She wavered for a moment as she tried to find her equilibrium and Daryl reached out to steady her.
He got up too and walked with her to the door. "Why do you do that?"
"Do what?" Lori asked, reaching up to cover a wide yawn with the back of her hand.
Daryl rolled his eyes. "Call it a he?"
She shrugged, frowning thoughtfully. "I guess I am just used to Carl." She raised one eyebrow playfully. "Are you defensive on behalf of an unborn baby, Daryl?" She reached out to squeeze his bicep affectionately, clearly enjoying being an audience to his peculiar behaviour.
"I don't care neither way," he objected gruffly, pulling his arm out of her reach. "Figured it's y'all women that get all y'alls panties in a knot over that kinda shit."
Lori's smile widened and she reached past him to open the door. "Daryl Dixon, this baby- boy or girl, is very lucky to have you looking out for them. One day I hope someone tells them that."
"Rest your head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine."