When Rick woke, it was almost dawn. "Mandy, hon, wake up," he softly whispered in her ear. Amanda wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him in for a deep kiss and slipped her still naked leg between his.

"Possum! Wake up." He shook her shoulder gently.

"Mmmmm," she murmured against his neck, kissing the salty skin. "Just another minute, baby." She licked the outline of his jaw. "Please..."

Rick caught her hand as she tried to slip it inside his shirt. "It's almost dawn, baby...we gotta get back."

"Noooo," she moaned.

"Yes," he insisted, kissing her quickly, then rolling off the table before she could grab him again.

"Sure I can't talk you into one more round, Ranger Rick?" she asked as she stretched lazily, wetting her lips.

"Stop." It was all he could do not to climb back on the table with her. There would probably be hell to pay as it was.

Amanda laughed at his exasperation. "Party pooper." She slid down and started to gather her clothes. When she bent over to pick up her shirt, Rick smacked her bare ass. "Hey!" she yelped. "Thought you didn't want to play anymore. Change your mind?"

"Looking for these?" Her pink panties dangled from one long, strong, sexy finger.

Amanda grinned. "You keep them." And she shimmied into her shorts.

He grinned back and shoved them into his front pocket.

"Did you pick up my knife?" she asked looking through her own clothes.

"Yeah, here it is. I cleaned it up for you. It's a nice one."

Smiling, she said, "Thanks, baby," and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him as she pocketed her knife. "Daddy gave it to me for my tenth birthday. Didn't wanna leave it in a walker's skull." She wrapped her arms around his waist for a quick hug.

Rick sighed and kissed her soundly, then rested his forehead against hers. "Be careful out there today, Mandy."

"I always am."

"I'm serious, baby. Please don't take any chances," he pleaded, cupping her face in his hands. He rubbed a thumb across her lips and kissed them again.

"I won't." Amanda promised and he pressed his lips to her forehead before heading to the door.

Rick went out first, scanned the area, then motioned for her to follow.

It was too much to hope for that no one would be awake yet. The sun was just starting to shine through the high windows of Cell Block C and their absence had not gone unnoticed.

The group was used to Rick being gone at all hours without saying a word but not Amanda. "Hey, Dad! Amanda!" Carl swung the door open wide and almost before he could step out of the way, Daryl charged through catching his friend, the former deputy, square in the jaw with a fist, knocking him into the other room.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? What d'ya think you're doing?" yelled the angry redneck drawing his fist back for another attack.

"Uncle Daryl!" Amanda screamed, tackling him before he could land another punch. "Stop it, you asshole!"

"You best get off me, girl," he snarled, trying to shake off his clinging niece.

Rick stood up slowly rubbing his aching jaw. Man, Dixon could throw a punch. Knowing how protective the man was of his niece, he wasn't surprised at his anger but he should have been ready for it. Rick held up his hand, "I don't wanna fight you, Daryl."

Too late. "Should've thought of that 'fore you started fuckin' my niece."

"We talked about this..." Rick started.

"Get the fuck off, you crazy bitch!" Daryl tried to dislodge Amanda from his back without success.

"NO. Not until you calm down."

"Amanda, I think your uncle and I need to talk," Rick said in his soothing, lets-all-calm-down cop voice, which actually had the opposite effect on both Dixons.

"Talkin's over, Grimes," Daryl growled.

"Rick, you don't need to talk to Daryl, I do."

The tone of her voice said everything and Rick was smart enough to know he was he couldn't win, so with a nod Daryl, squeezed Amanda's shoulder and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek. Then he went into to the cellblock, locking the door behind him.

"You done?" she asked her fuming uncle. He grunted and shrugged her off when she loosened her grip. With her feet firmly on the ground, she said "Let's go outside and talk."

When he didn't follow, she demanded, "NOW."

They took it to the guard tower which was quickly vacated by Maggie and Glenn after they saw the steam rising from both Dixons that were stomping in their direction.

"Don't look at me like that," Amanda said to her scowling uncle, so he turned away to stare down the road. "You listen to me, carefully, you stupid, stubborn, son of a bitch." She inhaled deeply, trying to tone down some of her annoyance. "I don't know why you hate Rick..."

"I don't..."

"or why you hate me with him, but you are not my daddy..."

"You best be thankful I ain't," he interrupted, "'cause your Daddy woulda killed him! Him putting you in danger for a piece of ass. He wasn't thinking with his brain..."

She smacked his shoulder. "I wasn't in danger..."

"Then why you covered in walker brains and shit?" He stared pointedly at her, waiting for an answer.

"I got lost. It was my fault. It was dark and..."

Daryl took another threatening step toward his niece, who continued to stand her ground. "Bullshit, Amanda! If you hadn't gone lookin' for him..."

"Would you shut the fuck up and let me finish?"

Daryl huffed, then sulked and went back to staring down the road. At least he was quiet.

"I know you care and I know you worry about me, but I'm a grown woman and I'll fuck whoever I want, whenever I want, without your permission or approval. You best remember that!"

He shook his head and spat, "You ain't no better than your momma."

"Why? Because I can make my own decisions and don't need a man to do it for me?" She tried to temper her rising anger. "I appreciate that you care, Daryl. I really do but please try not to show it with your fists. Okay?"

He just grunted. It's the only way I know how, Possum. No promises.

"Besides," she said, laying her hand on his arm, "Rick's a good man and I really like him, Uncle Daryl. A lot. I more than like him and he likes me too. He wants me to move into his cell."

Oh, well, just fuck me, now, he thought but "Pft," was all that came out. He closed his eyes, and rubbed his face, suddenly feeling very tired. God, he was glad he didn't have kids of his own if it was this difficult trying to take care of his niece.

Amanda leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Please try to be nice to him, Uncle Daryl. I think I may love him."

After his earlier "outburst" and attack on Rick the entire group steered clear of Daryl Dixon for most of the day, that is all but Beth. She followed him around being overly helpful in checking that Glenn, Maggie, and Amanda had everything they needed for a safe run. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why the girl was still here with him. She was so nervous and jumpy...why the fuck she didn't run off like a scared little rabbit was beyond him. Just what he needed. Another crazy bitch. His head really hurt. I need two bottles of Jack, he thought, wondering if Grimes had actually put that on the "shopping" list. Bastard best have.

"Need to fill up the tank," he muttered to himself opening the fuel door to the old pick-up.

"Here you go," Beth chirped, holding out two full five-gallon gas cans that she could barely carry.

He raised a brow. How the fuck did she get that so fast? Relieving her of the burden, he took both cans at once because he was afraid she'd tip over if he only took one. When he accidentally brushed her soft hand with his rough, dirty one, in the process, she gasped, jerking her hand back as if she'd been bit. What was her problem? Did she think he was going to go off on her, too? He ain't never hit a woman...Shit. "Sorry darlin'," he mumbled an apology for whatever she thought he did and poured the gas into the tank, taking no notice of the bright pink flush that spread across her chest and the small smile on her that danced on her pink lips.

Rick hugged Amanda and kissed her thoroughly, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his jaw. She kissed the bruise lightly and cupped his cheek. "Sorry."

"Why? You didn't do it and don't be..." he said against her lips, "it was worth it." She laughed and leaned into him circling his waist with her hands and reached down for a quick feel of his tight ass cheek.

"You're trying to get me killed, aren't you?" He half-teased.

"Of course not, baby. Don't worry. I can handle my uncle," and she reached down with her other hand to squeeze the other cheek.

Rick groaned, though she couldn't tell if it was a good groan or a bad one. "Did you tell him I asked you move into my cell?"

"I did."

"That explains the death glare he's been giving me."

She moved her arms to the back of his head and pulled him down for a deep kiss.

"Be careful, Mandy." He tilted her chin up to make sure she saw how serious he was.

"I will, Rick. We've been through this already."

"I know, I know...I just worry..."

Amanda cut him off with a kiss. "I'll be fine. I've done this before."

Rick wrapped her in a tight embrace memorizing the feel of her body against his, smiling, knowing he'd be waking up with her in his arms in the morning.

Rick walked Amanda to the truck. Glenn was already in the driver's seat, Maggie in the middle, so she sat by the window. "Come back to me, Mandy," he said softly and gave her knee a squeeze before he shut the door. Maggie elbowed her and then Glenn. She didn't say anything but grinned from ear-to-ear. Rick tapped the top of the truck and Glenn started the engine.

"Wait up," Daryl called, jogging over to Amanda's side. "Outta my way, Grimes." he growled, pushing his way to the window. "Here," he said and shoved a large-ass knife at his niece. Actually, it was more like a machete. "Don't do anything stupid, Possum."

"I won't and I love you, too, Uncle Daryl."

"Pft." He snorted.

The prison gate had barely closed behind them when Maggie started grilling Amanda. "Oh my God, Amanda, you have to spill it! I mean we knew ya'll liked each other but coming back to the cell block together..."

"Maggie!" Glenn chided and she promptly ignored.

"Beth told me Daryl went ballistic! I can't believe he slugged Rick!"

"Rick's a good man," Glenn said, "Daryl ought to be happy for you. I guess he hasn't forgotten about Atlanta."

"What about Atlanta?" asked Maggie.

"Nothing," Glenn tried to backtrack. "I shouldn't have said anything."

"But you did, You were with Daddy in Atlanta, too, weren't you, Glenn?" Amanda asked.

"Yeah," he said barely above a whisper.

"What's the problem?" asked Maggie.

"My daddy didn't, er...doesn't like cops...at all. In fact he pretty much hates them."

"No kidding," Glenn snorted.

"Was it really that bad between them? I mean Daryl won't say anything."

"Yeah, it was." Glenn became pretty tight-lipped which was unusual for him and he refused to speak anymore on the subject.

The run went well. They worked good as a team and cleared out the day care quickly, without a hitch. Glenn put a crib in the back of the truck because Judith had outgrown her bassinet. The diaper and formula supply wasn't as great as they had hoped for but it would do for now. However, they found a pretty good stash of baby food. Maggie picked up a portable playpen so they could take Judith out in the yard with them.

Glenn drove a little further past the abandoned town and they found a convenience store where Amanda discovered a bottle of whiskey hidden in the office drawer. It wasn't Jack Daniels, but it would do.

Maggie scavenged behind the counter. "Jackpot!" she called out laughing. "Here Amanda!" and tossed her a small box.

Amanda caught it with one hand. "Condoms!"

"Wait a minute," Glenn protested from his post at the door.

"Don't worry, honey," Maggie cooed. "I kept the flavored ones for us."

Both women burst into giggles when Glenn blushed bright red.

"Hey thanks, Maggie!," Amanda said, still giggling. "I owe Beth one."

Maggie stopped, mid-stride. "Beth? She's the one who stole my condom? I thought it was you!" Surely her little sister didn't take it.

"Um...er...No! I didn't steal it. Beth gave it to me, just in case." She couldn't see any way around the truth.

"Why on earth..." Her green eyes widened in sudden realization. "Carl? I knew they were getting to be close friends, but Carl?"

Amanda shook her head, biting her lip.

"Then who?" Maggie paused and it dawned on her. "Daryl!"

Amanda cringed and nodded.

Maggie burst into laughter, "Oh my God! Poor Daryl! I thought Beth was acting funny around him but not because...wait a minute, did they..."

"Of course not! It's just crush, Maggie. Daryl is clueless." Amanda didn't want to give away all of Beth's secrets.

Maggie snorted, "He is, isn't he?" Both women laughed.

Glenn stuck his head back in the door and gave the cackling women an odd look. "Hurry up, it's getting late. We need to get back before dark."