~I am so so sorry about the late update. I was finishing my last week of work and I was packing my stuff to move into college and by the time I finished all the unpacking in my dorm school started and I just didn't have the time but don't worry I didn't forget about all this. I thought about you all so I hope you forgive me.~

Archer POV

I stood out my door to wait for him. The minute I saw him I smiled and wanted nothing more to do than to hold him close.

"Mommy!" The cheerful 3 year old boy greeted.

"Hey baby!" I picked him up once he ran to me and squeezed him tight. "Did you have fun with grandpa?" He nodded. "Good. Why don't we go inside and unpack your stuff."

I put him down and he instantly ran inside our apartment. I followed with my father closely behind and he shut the door behind us.

"I hope he wasn't too much trouble." I looked at my father.

"Not at all. We had a great time traveling."

"That's good."

"How have you been?"

"Umm…I could be better."

"What's wrong?"

I looked over in the direction of Kenny's room to be sure he wasn't listening then looked back at my father. "Daryl's back." I said in a low voice.

"What?!"

"Yeah."

"Well what does he want?"

"I don't know. Everytime we try to talk it turns ugly. Last night he came to my job drunk out of his mind telling me off like it's all my fault. He sounded like an idiot."

"Always had a way with words that fella didn't he?" My dad joked lightly.

I smirked. "Compared to Merle who is always so expressive."

"Are you gonan tell him?"

"I'm not sure yet."

"He has a right to know."

"I know he does but he doesn't have a history of taking news very lightly."

"He'll man up. I promise."

"How do you know?"

"I always liked him for you. He's a good guy Archer." He patted my shoulder and then left. I stood alone for a few minutes before I went to Kenny's room to check on him.

Daryl POV

When I saw the child run up to her my heart dropped. She had a kid? Was she with someone else? Did Merle know about this?

I waited about 20 minutes. I saw her dad leaving her place and that's when I decided that I would go see her.

I walked up the flight of stairs and made my way to her door. I took a deep breathe then knocked on the door although it was harder than I intended.

A few minutes later the door opened.

"Daryl?" Archer called. "What are you doing here?"

"I came…I came to umm…" I couldn't even think of the words.

"Daryl?"

"You got knocked up?"

She stared at me with wide eyes. "You know?"

I glared at her. "You went and got knocked up? You couldn't even keep it closed?"

She glared at me. "Once again you go running your mouth."

"At least I don't go running around fucking people." After those words slipped my mouth I felt a stinging pain to my cheek.

"Don't you ever, ever talk to me like that again. Also I have only been with you." She walked back inside her apartment and slammed the door on me.

Only with me? I pondered the thought. Oh..no, no, no, no. Not me. I can't be. I banged on her door again. She willingly opened it again.

"What?" She asked. I was speechless. She rolled her eyes. "We're going to the park around 3 today. Feel free to come talk if you want to." She closed her door again and I quietly walked back to my bike. I pulled out my cellphone that I barely ever use and dialed Merle.

"Little brother, I see your phone works. Must have been glitched for four years or something." Merle laughed on the other end.

"Shut it. Tell me the truth." I told him.

"Alright, alright. I may have an addiction to drugs and beer but I can quit when I want to."

I rolled my eyes. "Is he really mine?" I asked. There was silence on the other end. "Damn it Merle! Tell me!"

"Yeah. He's yours alright."

"You knew all this time and didn't say anything?"

"Wasn't for me to tell little brother. Somethings are just too personal."

"What's his name?"

"Kenny."

I sighed. "Have you ever met him?"

"A few times."

"I might go see them later today."

"You nervous or something? Need a pep talk from Old Merle."

I rolled my eyes again. "No I think I'll be alright." I hung up before Merle could say any other sarcastic comment.

How is it that I come back into town and things keep going downhill. I rode my motorcycle to the park I assumed Archer would be going and parked it up against a curb. I got up and walked over to a bench and sat there staring into space.

I had a kid I didn't even know about. I can't be a father. There was no way that was going to happen. I missed out on the first few years of his life and he would resent me for it, just like I resented my father for all the years of abuse he had put me and my mother and Merle through.

14 year old Daryl and 12 year old Archer

Once again my dad gave me another beating. It has been happening since I was 10 years old. He figured it was the appropriate age to do so because I could fight back even though I didn't want to. Merle would urge me that I needed to fight back, especially if he wasn't there to defend me.

I left my house and walked over to Archer's place. When she first found out about the beatings which was when she was 10. I was doing pretty well with hiding it but we would hang out so often she eventually figured it out. I had to tell her not to make a big deal about it and after much arguing she made me promise that if it ever happened to come to her place to get away from my dad and for her to take care of the injuries.

I walked up to her window and tapped the glass. I watched as the curtain was moved aside a little and then back to its original position. I walked to her back porch and she came out a few minutes later with a first aid kit.

She sat next to me and quietly got to work. She cleaned up my face and arms and put the necessary medication on it to be sure there was no infection. She didn't speak a word. She already knew by now that I was not ok and that I didn't like to be babied about my bruises.

"There all done." She said as she was putting stuff away.

"Thanks…" I said very lowly.

"He should be arrested Daryl." I didn't say anything. "Or you need to man up like Merle suggested and fight back."

I glared at her. "Who the hell are you to tell me to man up?"

"The person who, almost every other night, has to bandage you up!"

"I don't need this bullshit!"

"Fine Daryl. Just flipping fine. Next time don't even come over when it happens. You don't have to degrade yourself by keeping your promise. You know what, good night!" She grabbed her stuff and went back inside her house without another word.

Stupid bitch I muttered under my breath as I went back home. I opened the window to my room to get in instead of using the front door and be noticed.

I continued to reminisce until I heard someone clear their throat. I looked over and saw Archer standing there. Was it really 3 already? Shit. She sat next to me and I scooted away from her a little. We sat in silence for a few minutes before she spoke.

"I wanted to tell you."

I scoffed. "I bet you did."

"I really did Daryl. When I found out I was pregnant I was already about a month and a half along and I didn't hear from you. You ignored every attempt of contact and I wasn't just going to say this over the phone."

"You told Merle."

"Yeah after he got out of jail. He ended up there for 6 months after you left. He saw me and gave me a lecture and a scolding which ended him with a black eye."

"Then what?"

"I told him that it was your kid. We talked and he said that he would try to get you to come back and it didn't work so I told him to promise me that if you ever did, not to tell you, that you had to hear it from me."

"Yeah because that worked out so well."

"What did you want me to do asshole? We kept arguing and fighting. I wasn't just going to come out with it."

"Well its out in the open now. Let me guess you want some child support money?"

She scoffed. "Typical Dixon answer. I don't need your money. I did quite well for four years and I can continue on the same without it. Never once ask for a dime from anyone. I worked for my paycheck to support my son." She glared at me before she turned and kept watch for Kenny.

I sighed. "Is that why you didn't go to college?" She nodded. "So now it's my fault you couldn't have the future you wanted."

She looked over at me and when our eyes met I looked away and watched Kenny. "Daryl, you didn't ruin life or anything. I'm happy with the life I have now. Sure it wasn't the plan, but I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Does he know that I'm his dad?"

She shook her head. "No. As far as he knows, he only has a mother. I figured either you would never come back or you wouldn't want this life so you're free to do what you want."

I thought about it. "I know deep down it's the right thing to do but, I'm not father material."

"Neither was your father but that didn't stop him. Don't be afraid that you're going to end up like him, because you won't. Merle could but you won't ever be like that."

We looked up when we saw Kenny coming over and tearing up.

"What happened baby?" Archer asked.

He sniffled. "I cut my finger."

"Oh no you did?" She teased gently. I smirked as he nodded not picking up. "Mommy will fix it." I watched very closely as Archer opened her bag up and grabbed a few things. She cleaned the small wound carefully and then covered it with a band-aid. She then gave it a small kiss and ruffled his hair. "All better."

He beamed as he look at his bandages. "It doesn't hurt anymore!"

"Good! Now you can go play some more alright."

He nodded then looked at me. I was a little nervous since this was the first time that I actually got a real look at him and he looked very much like me when I was younger except he had green eyes instead of blue. "Who is this Mommy?" He asked.

"This is a friend of mine. Daryl. Daryl meet Kenny."

I grunted a hello. Kenny smiled and then ran off to play again. "He looks like me."

Archer smiled. "Yes he does."

"I want to tell him. I'm his father."

Her smile faded. "No."

"What do you mean no."

"Daryl I'm not just gonna let you tell him that you're his father. He gets easily attached and what am I going to do when you decide to leave again?"

"I'm not gonna leave. Ever again."

"Excuse me if I'm not buying that bullshit."

"You are a lot more stubborn then I remember."

"Yeah well being a mom does that to you. Prove to me that you're not just going to walk away."

"How the hell do you want me to prove that?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something." She got out of her seat and walked away to where Kenny was by the swings.

I sighed and left my seat to go back to my bike. I took one last look at them before I rode back home. I haven't been home a week and she's already making my life complicated.

~I am still really really sorry for the late update. Its already my second week of school and I haven't found a decent amount of time to sit and work on this. Don't worry guys I'm always thinking about the story just not typing it. So forgive me because there will probably be more late updates. But please Review the story! Reviews make me happy and tell me what I am doing right or wrong with the story! Plus the more reviews I see the more motivated I'll be to get my work done to work on it!~