Daryl looked out over the woods waiting on Mac so they could hit the woods and hunt. He didn't want to stand around all day while the group shifted cars and scavenged, he wanted out in the woods where he knew he could bag something. He needed some space and he hadn't been out in the woods since back at the quarry. He was itching for the calm that came with it and he needed to think over what Carol had said to him.

Looking over at her she was smiling and laughing talking to Amy, Andrea, and Jacqui as her hands smoothed over Sophia's hair. He loved that she had a new found freedom that he hadn't seen at the quarry. She was free of that bastard Ed and she was able to really be herself without fear of being beaten for it. Sophia was also free t be a kid without having to deal with that or see her mother abused.

He grimaced at the thought and remembered Sophia coming to him and Mac tears in her eyes not shortly after Ed had been kicked into a grave. She had talked about seeing her mother beaten saying she wished they had found him and Mac years ago. She had looked so broken setting between them while they had sharpened their knives and made weapons checks.

Mac had growled out some shit about the bastard having deserved being killed years ago. Daryl hadn't said anything knowing that had he walked up on Ed laying hands on Carol all bets would have been off. He might not have been the best man out there but he believed there were something you just didn't do. You never hurt a woman and you damn well had better never lay hands on a kid, if you done either of these you weren't any kind of fucking man. The thought alone had his blood boiling and had him shifting wanting to get out in the woods more.

He tore his eyes away from Carol and blew out a breath getting tired of waiting on his brother. Mac liked to take his precious sometimes simply cause he knew it pissed him off with shit. Fucker.

"Daryl."

Looking down he seen Sophia walking for him a smile bright on her face. He grunted at her not sure what she wanted but not willing to run her off even though the mood he was in wasn't pleasant. "Yeah?"

"You leaving?" Her voice was worried.

When he didn't look at her she tugged his shirt, "Just goin' huntin'."

"Can I come?" The hope in her voice was endearing.

"Go ask fox." Mac spoke just behind him.

Daryl looked over his shoulder at his brother and Mac grinned at him. When she took off for Carol he slid up next to him that smile getting broader. "You know we aint gonna get shit if she goes."

"I reckon we aint gonna get shit either with the mood you're in anyways. Besides if you're looking to fuck the fox the pup comes with it." Mac chuckled his eyse brow waggling, "Gonna tell me what the fuck was going on this morning, better yet what the fuck happened while we were apart?"

Daryl adjusted the strap on his crossbow shaking his head his hair spilling over his forehead, "Let it go."

"Fuck you no." Mac snapped. "Tell me what I want or thing are gonna get real interesting around here."

"What the fuck that mean?" Daryl growled rounding on his brother.

Mac mirrored him perfectly. His stance widened, arms crossing over his chest and he cocked his head to the side scraping his boot. "Forgetting we're twins brother." Mac licked his lips and looked at Carol letting his eyes run over her before looking back at him, "You to pussy to tell her you're interested...I'll do it for you." He smiled again, "Well you be telling her for you."

"You're a goddamn bastard." Daryl snapped, "You try that shit and I'll beat the fuck out of you."

"Always did enjoy a good fight brother you know that." Mac laughed loudly getting the attention of some of the group.

Daryl stepped closer to him and turned till he was facing where the women were, "You're forgetting brother that we're twins." Daryl sneered, "Wouldn't be hard to act like you at all. Grab my dick for any piece of pussy and walk around like it's swinging t my fucking knees while starting shit constantly and running my fucking mouth."

Mac chuckled, "You got me but we both know brother it aint an act to know what ya got." He growled.

Carol suddenly looked at them both as Sophia gestured bouncing on her feet. She was studying him and he heard Mac laugh again lighter and he sighed out a breath. "She said some shit this morning."

Mac turned looking out at the woods and not at him. He knew well enough to know that he dealt with shit better not having to look at someone, it gave him a chance to think about what he was going to say. "What about in the city? Something changed...I can feel it." He looked at him, they were shoulder to shoulder.

Daryl looked at him and nodded, "After we got separated shit went south quick. Sophia almost got bit and I ended up getting there in time but it was fucking close." His voice lowered, "Got her back to her mother though."

Mac nodded looking back at the trees, "Noticed her little ass keeps close to you or in sight of you at all times now. Aint the only one whose noticed though, dick lips was saying some shit about it."

Daryl growled, "Fuck Walsh."

Mac grabbed his arm turning him, "I get it Daryl." his voice was serious loosing all his normal bullshit and his eyes met his, "That woman though I can feel the change she's made in you brother. That little girl...she needs you."

Daryl didn't know what to say to him. He didn't believe that anyone really needed him because no one ever had besides Mac. Every time he had ever let someone close all they had done was do all they could do break him. He'd learned quick not to trust and not let people close. He played his cards close to his chest and it had worked for him. Mac was right though something about Carol and her girl had all Daryl's set ideas shifting in place and remolding around them to fit.

Nodding his head he blew out a breath, "I aint good at this shit."

Mac chuckled, "What man is?" They stood quiet for a while before Mac snorted and elbowed him, "Sophia told me y'all kissed."

Daryl felt red burn across his face and shook his head, "Kid aint got damned filter."

"Fuckin' knew it. Goddamn brother you had to let a kid tell me before you did. What the fuck is that." Mac was laughing, "Am an uncle now?"

Daryl growled and stepped over the guard rail, "Oh fuck you."

Mac's barking laughter had him smirking as he walked down the incline. He stalled at the sound of his name and looked up seeing Sophia beaming at him from the guard rail with Carol right behind her. Mac was grinning at him and stepped over the guard rail waiting to see what was going to happen.

"Sophia said that you all told her it was okay to go if I let her." Carol questioned.

Mac interrupted him, "Do good for her to learn something about the woods. She'll be safe Silver Fox."

She looked past his brother to him and he nodded at her swiftly and Sophia was over the railing slipping down the hill on her ass towards him quickly. Carol was watching her a small smile on her face as Sophia raced towards him. She stumbled on some roots launching forward and slamming into his chest as he righted her.

Mac laughed, "See Carol no worries."

They were a ways out when they came to a stream both men stepping down into it not worried about the water. Sophia stood looking at it and up to them, "I don't have boots."

Mac turned looking at her standing there and down to her feet. He frowned for a second before walking back up to her, "Shit don't matter." She smiled at him and he hauled her up over his shoulder. She yelped as he stalked through the water towards Daryl waiting on the other side of the water.

Daryl shook his head at Mac and started further along the path. He could hear Sophia talking at him quietly after they cleared the water and smirked. They caught up with him and he felt that tiny hand catch his shirt and he looked down at her. She had unconsciously grabbed him and shifted closer to him even though Mac was right there with her. His brother shot him a smug look and moved ahead of them his eyes sweeping the ground as he put distance between them.

"Where's he going Daryl?" Sophia whispered.

Daryl looked back down at her seeing her little hand on the hilt of her knife, "Searching for tracks." His voice was equally quiet. He stopped walking and squatted down around some bushes and pulled Sophia around in front of him. He pressed them out of the way with his body letting them hit back around him while keeping her free of the thorns. "He's through there."

"How can you tell?"

Daryl shushed her and there was a barely audible twig snap and he smirked. Mac was good in the woods but him and Merle neither one moved like him or tracked like him. Sophia turned looking at him beaming, "He's not quiet."

Daryl smiled, "It's Mac."

Her laughter gave them away and Mac loomed over them, "Fuck you both. I'm not loud."

Sophia raised an eyebrow, "You're the reason I get in trouble and Daryl."

Mac pulled the briars aside letting her out and letting them slap Daryl's chest, "How the holy fuck you figure that?"

Daryl stepped out and looked around them his eyes vigilant as Sophia bitched Mac out. He couldn't help the smile on his face as he listened to her give Mac a good what for.

"Your as my mama called filthy fucking mouth." Sophia snapped, "You made me talk like a sailor."

Mac barked out a laugh slapping his leg, "You sure fox said fuck and you aint embellishing that shit some there Kit." Mac righted himself, "Besides that motherfucker cusses just as much as me why aint he getting the blame?"

Sophia beamed moving closer to Daryl, "You aint kissin' my mom."

Daryl's eyes flashed down to her and she had a shit eating grin on her face looking at him and Mac was laughing. Before he could speak Mac nodded, "You got me there, fuck if you aint got me there. I'll take the blame for it all if you keep letting shit you see them to up to slip to me Kit."

"Shut the fuck up Mac." Daryl snapped.

Sophia looked at him for a long moment before shaking her head at Mac. She grabbed Daryl's wrist and moved closer to him grinning, "He has skittles."

Mac looked up at Daryl seeing a smile split his face, "You still got goddamn candy? You fucker."

Daryl shrugged his shoulders, "That pack has been in there all this time aint my fault you never looked."

"I'm eating that shit when we get back." Mac smiled.

Sophia tightened her grip on Daryl's wrist, "He has to share Daryl." Sophia pouted at them her eyes glinting. She knew what she was doing. She also knew she was going to get her way.

She smiling at him and Daryl snapped his fingers lowering to the ground. Mac was instantly alert and Sophia was positioned between both men as they kneeled. Mac was keeping a look out around them as Daryl tracked the sound of distinct foot falls moving through the woods not far from them. He shifted against and felt her small hand in his belt again, there was a tremble to her hand. Reaching back feeling her tiny knee right by his hip he squeezed and he felt her body settle. Mac was so close to her she was cage quite literally between them both, his eyes were hard and dangerous.

"I don't see a sign of her anywhere."

The snap of twigs and crushing of leaves let them know they were quite literally moving for them.

"She's out here don't doubt that. We'll find her. "

Daryl turned looking at Mac both of them locking eyes a conversation passing between them in seconds. Mac nodded and his hand gripped Sophia's tightly. Leaning down Daryl watched as he spoke low to her, so low he had to strain to hear her. She looked panicked and up to Daryl's eyes searching them frantically even as Mac continued to speak. He nodded at her licking his lips and her tiny little hand climbed up him when he went to look back towards the voices getting closer. She grabbed his beard forcing him to look at her.

"Did you hear that?" A distinct male voice questioned.

"Promise?" She whispered brokenly as Mac geared up. His eyes were on his brother as he got ready.

Nodding, "Always Kit. Aint going anywhere told you that." His voice was low as he met her brown eyes.

"Think its was over here." the other voice spoke slowly moving straight for them.

Mac nodded once at his brother his hand touching the side of his throat and leaning over Sophia their foreheads meeting. The snap of another twig had them separating and Mac lifted Sophia as if she weighed nothing and was gone like a ghost through the thick trees and brush. Daryl let out a breath listening for the sounds of his foot falls and smiled when he didn't hear anything.

"We know someone there now come on out." the warning was clear as was the cocking of the gun slide.

Daryl stood in one fluid motion his eyes locking onto the voice that had spoke seconds before his bow raised with dead set accuracy. He was still mostly shrouded by the brush and it was making it hard to see who he was dealing with and how many. He'd made a promise to Carol though that he'd not see her girl hurt and he'd do what he had too. He knew that they were aware of them cause he'd noticed the change in their walk and direction, there was no option to split up. No that'd mean them possibly tracking them back to the group. He'd see his fucking brother again, he'd see Carol again and her girl.

"Drop your weapons." The other voice snapped behind him. "Walk on out here."