At the Atlanta groups safe house in Alexandria...

Daryl, carol and Shelby all ate quickly because daryl and Shelby where tired and after they ate carol and daryl sat on the couch and Shelby laid down on the other before long she was snoring softly and daryl smiled and pulled the blanket off the chair and covered her up running his hand through her hair she twitched daryl soothed her softly "shh sweet-pea your safe." She curled up under the blanket

"dee." She mumbled

"shh." He hummed

She settled into the couch and was snoring again and he smiled softly and carol called him back to the couch and he walked over to her and sits down laying his head in her lap "your good with her you know like a father, like her father." He curls into her stomach

"I knew she needed someone and so did I more than I wanted to believe. Carol, she's mine I never expected too…..." she smiles running her hand through his hair

"I know I know god you're such a softy why don't you let others see that." He smiles looking up at her "cause it's only for you two. My girl and my woman." Carol smiled

"she's your little girl honey." She gushed just so happy that they where so close to being family already

He hums softly "I love her, she's just like me."

She runs her hand through his hair as he yawned "sleep love." She purred his eyes flickered closed and he was tucked into her stomach she covered him with a blanket and soon both Shelby and Daryl where sleeping and she stayed up waiting for the others.

about 15 minutes later carl and Judith came in and carl smiles "they saved us didn't they." Carl said just to break the silence carol nodded but his eye's had focused on the girl she looked like daryl he saw it now "she's his daughter. His blood she looks just like him."

Carol nodded "you see it too."

He nods "nobody else has those eye's and nobody talks like that nobody but Daryl." he mutters softly carol glances at the girl "shes Shelby Wyatt-Dixon but don't tell anyone they don't want anyone to know yet she lost her stepbrother at a kingdom drop and it's a lot to take right now after everything." Carl glanced to the floor squeezing his sisters hand "oh. Did Daryl know about her… you know before this." Carol smiled "her mom didn't tell him said she was gonna get rid of the child then he left with his brother because her mother was also seeing some abusive ass daryl wanted to be involved he wanted to help but merle made him leave." she said brushing her fingers through Daryl's hair he had turned over in her lap "when daryl met her he just knew she was his and she knew Daryl her mom talked about him and gave her a picture and she knew she recognized him." Shelby groaned softly "daddy." She mumbled rolling over yawning then snuggling back into the pillow and went silent again. Daryl groaned in pain and stretched out curling back into carol's stomach she scratched his hair as carl smiled "completely related." Judith pulled away from Carl and toddled to the couch and sat on the floor infront of Shelby's couch just staring up at her, eyes transfixed on the girl head tilting side to side then turned to Daryl "Dar—he—dada." Carol smiled giggling "yes hun Daryl's a dada."

Flashback

Rick, Daryl, michonne, and the others where at kingdom they just finished with the king and where looking around at what kingdom had they came across the archery range again a new set of kids where practicing michonne noticed a girl on the end alone not shooting just staring at the target and instantly felt a kinship to the girl and knew she needed someone so she touched Daryl's arm getting his attention pointing to the girl she knew they needed someone the both of them daryl nodded seeing the girl alone and walked over to the girl knowing he could relate to her "hey what weight are you shooting." He said softly rick glanced their way ready to say something michonne touched his hand and then he glanced at her she shrugged tugging rick forward the girl looked up she couldn't be more than 15 and daryl inhaled softly he saw her tears she wiped her face "30 why." She asked softly daryl smiled "don't know you seemed lonely whats wrong." He sat on the stool next to her she looked down at the bow playing with a string that was tied on it for wind direction "my step brothers dead fucking saviors killed him…whats your name." she said looking at his face his eyes recognizing them from in pictures and in the mirror "Daryl names Daryl you." He said noting the familiar way she looked at him like he was different then everyone else but in a good way "Shelby I'm Shelby."She said as he pulled the stool closer and reached out for her bow "can I." He asked she smiled handing it to him "yeah."

He brushed the hair from his eyes and pulled the bow back with the arrow sighted in he focuses on the target and she watches his face noticing his eyes "are you dee." She blurts the arrow veers off target and connects in the hay behind it as she saw him take a sharp breath "where'd you hear that name." he said defensively dropping the bow to his lap she smiled "my mom it's what she referred to my real father as when I could get her to talk but I only ever really saw pictures she didn't want to talk about it but it was written on the back d. Dixon so I thought maybe cause your ey—your dee aren't you." He sighed "your mom was mary-joe wasn't she?" He asked she looked like her but wouldn't assume but he had a feeling he was right and the girl nodded "yeah she was. been dead almost since the beginning she got a fever and didn't get better." He was still stuck on having a kid he didn't know about "I can't believe it I mean you're here but she said she'd god." He covered his face she grabbed his arm "I know it's okay I don't blame you she told you she'd get rid of me right." He nodded "yeah she did." She smiled and squeezed his hand "you had to do it you trusted her it's fine you didn't think she wanted you that she moved on she did but 'fore the fever took her she told me I'd find you that you where out here that you'd be one of the last men to die out here and that we would beat this world guess she was right bout the first part." Daryl nodded "guess so." She let go "did you get married." Daryl shook his head "naw met someone after all this started and thought about it though… lost her too. Maybe you saw her here she came with Morgan." She nodded "carol yeah I met her she's great I think she's perfect for you you know she was obsessed with my eyes now I get why their yours she does miss you, you didn't lose her not forever."

A voice called out for her "Shelby lunch." A lady about 60 years old called "coming nona." Daryl smiled "Shelby…. You know that was my grans name only ever told your mamma that said it would make a good kids name if we ever you know. it's when she told me about you I guess. She was bout six weeks along I think I really wish she knew how much I wanted a kid then." Shelby smiled her name had a story she focused back on his words he wanted a kid then but what about now she needed to know "and now?" She asked he nodded "more than ever." She smiled gently grabbing her bow back "should eat are you hungry?" she asked he nodded "I could eat but I should be finding my group." She smiled "bet the king found them and made them go to the mess hall best way to find people is to stay put wait for them to find you and the food's good." Daryl smiled "alright." She grabbed his hand and drug him to the hall where she took him to the line and they got food and she led him to a table and he ate while she talked about her life before how she was taking first aid classes and karate before the apocalypse started then they both told stories of walkers they took out.

neither noticed the other Alexandrian's make their way in and Rosita noticed daryl "guys look there he is." She said they all watched daryl and the girl talking he seemed so comfortable happy even and talkative Rosita was confused "who's that with daryl." Rick glanced at them and shrugged not worried now that they found him again "some archer I don't know maybe he's giving her tips." He mumbled and Sasha shrugged "cant be I have never seen him that invested in a conversation about bows." Shelby and daryl where talking and smiling reliving parts of their lives with each other and daryl started talking about merle and how he decided he wanted to be a martyr and die for their people he got choked up and Shelby being completely invested in the story of her uncle launched into Daryl's arms and started to cry quietly in his shoulder daryl didn't flinch or move away he felt right this was his daughter he finally got to hold her after so long and that's when he glanced up to the eyes of his group on him and smiled he knew they wouldn't understand so he looked down and tucked into her shoulder whispering "it's okay. Shh." He felt a hand on his shoulder he looks up the older lady the one Shelby called nona was standing there

"need any help with her." The women asked he shook his head "no it's okay I'm her father." He said loud enough for the older women to hear but not loud enough for rick and the others to hear the women smiled "I can see it she has your eyes and your strength to for surviving this long." Daryl glanced over at his family the people that cared about him the Alexandrian's and sighed they would forget this soon he knew they would the older lady spoke behind him "they wouldn't understand would they about your girl about you doing what her momma thought was best at the time I get it did the same thing once I won't say anything." Daryl smiled and gave her a nod and Shelby moved off his shoulder "stay here please. I know where carol is." He nodded "ain't going nowhere just met my little girl huh my beautiful baby girl I just got you I'm not losing you now just gotta make rick think it was his idea I'll find you." He said brushing a hand through her hair and hiding a kiss to her forehead in what looked like any other hug then she pulled away walking with the older women to another table and rick decided to approach with the others questions forming in their eyes he shut them down with a growl "I knew her mom before this alright we go way back so don't." he stood up and walked out pushing through them on his way by and left through the door outside Sasha was the first to say something "am I the only one who thought that was weird." Rosita shook her head "no your right that was weird."

Rick nodded "maybe the girl knows about carol. Maybe he's her uncle. They did look a bit a-like. I don't know." Michonne knew of course she noticed the shame in his eye's which to no coincidence looked like the girls eyes his kid and she was alone orphaned she knew that look she also knew he'd slip and someone would figure it out so she smiled she'd keep it safe for him by keeping him here and helping them bond "don't know a lot lately do you."michonne chuckled rick shook his head "not about Daryl not anymore." Michonne smiled "well if either are the case rick maybe he should stay here he could convince the king to work with us I know it." Rick nodded "Ezekiel did offer to keep him here." Rick mumbled michonne touched ricks arm "let me talk to him okay rick he's raw and angry." She walked out and found Daryl pacing muttering stuff like "how the fuck could M.J. do this and not tell me I had the right to know about my kid that bitch." And "shit I got a kid. Shit. Fuck." She smiles now that's Daryl She walked over in his path and stopped him "Daryl hey so you got a kid huh." He sighs nodding "yeah guess so you won't say anything will you I mean at least till I find carol she deserves to know first." He asked michonne smiled "Daryl your kid is your business I assume you just found out about her yourself." He nodded she nodded back "I made rick let you stay here so you could bond, you know, I didn't tell him anything just that she might know where Carol was and you could look while here and it's probably safer here anyway. With negan on your ass." Daryl grinned the fact that she got that out of him made her nearly explode with happiness he grabbed her arms and stepped closer wrapping his arms around her "thanks 'chonne."

She was buried into his chest where she grinned he was different now she wasn't gonna fight that "anything Daryl anything." She muttered in his chest wrapping her arms around his back squeezing softly Then he let go "should find Shelby to tell her I can stay." She nods glancing at his chest and the bandage she tugged on his hoodie they had found for him to help retain his body heat while he was still weak she was surprised he was still wearing it but it was probably more for comfort then need now anyway "don't forget to have someone check that huh." Daryl nodded "yeah I will." He said glancing over michonne's shoulder at the others grouped up at the door tucking his hands in the pockets michonne turned "they just worry Daryl you did just get away from being a prisoner." She said softly he nodded and dropped his head "you gotta go get them Alexandria idiots whipped into shape." He looked back up more determined "me and my girl we'll get these fuckers ready. Shelby has pull she can get the king to help us if not me and her will just take his people from him." He said softly she nodded "okay just be careful and Daryl take the time to heal okay." He nodded and stepped back before turning and walking away she smiled the man was always turning the world upside down on people being something more than what they thought but she knew him knew the real person beneath the lie

she walked over to rick and he frowned "what no good bye or anything." she shook her head "he's not in the mood rick told me that he'd make the king listen and said we needed to go get everyone ready for a war. He isn't mad just vengeful and it's misplaced he's miserable and that girl she's actually relieved him that burden because she wants negan dead just as bad." She over heard that little tidbit when the girl told Daryl that negan killed her step-brother the venom in her words a lot like Daryl's own anger rick nodded "I don't know what it is about that girl like she's a part of him that we could never be I'm not sure but she actually got him to smile I-I it's just been a while since he smiled at anyone, I don't know why that matters to me so much maybe I'm jealous that some random girl makes him happy when we can't even get him talking." Michonne frowned knowing the truth and not saying anything was hard but she knew it had to be that way. she brushed a hand over his cheek then hugged him "give it time rick just give him time." She hummed they walked to the gates where the king was waiting "I see you're a man short did he decide to stay." The king said rick nodded "he found someone from before a kid he wanted to catch up." Michonne said "so he decided to stick around."

Rick glanced over to the targets and saw daryl helping the girl out shadowing over her watching her shoot leaning against the building talking to her picking his nails with his knife pointing it to the target saying something then nonchalantly tosses the knife at the target next to her arrows embedding perfectly next to the arrows in the center she stood with a wide smile saying something then pulls a small knife from her boot aiming it next to his and sending it down to the target scraping against his knife and the smile rick saw on Daryl's face was almost so heartbreakingly sweet that rick was ashamed of himself for never seeing something missing in his best friend something almost fatherly in the proud smile on his face as the girl walked to the target and pulled out the knives and arrows rick smiled softly "he'll be okay." He thought to himself taking one last look "he's safe, and they'll find carol." His eyes Lingering on the girl and the way they were together looking back and forth she looked so much like Daryl it's where he got the idea that they were related but seeing her training like Daryl her raw talent she had to be his family maybe even his kid rick kept searching for some unique feature that Daryl shared with the girl that only he had then he saw it a small thing almost unrecognizable to anyone who wasn't looking a small mole right above her lip same as Daryl under that bit of scruff around his lips that and the blue eyes she shared enough similar features to Daryl to be his daughter rick smiled Daryl's daughter now that was an idea it would explain his behavior before but he wasn't sure given how old she looked Daryl was about 30 when she was born so it was possible.

Present….

Carl and Judith went to bed carol stuck her feet on the coffee table and leaned back against the couch and fell asleep rick and Michonne walked in an hour later and saw the three of them sleeping close together on the couches Michonne smiled a family they where a family rick shook his head "he's not telling me something I think I know now what it is." He said Michonne glanced at him "what do you mean." She asked "he's her dad." He blurted Shelby shot up and launched her knife in their direction just missing ricks ear he let out a less then manly squeal which woke Daryl and carol causing Daryl to jerk up and hiss sharply "the fuck is going on." He groaned rubbing his side michonne smiled "sorry Daryl." He looked back at carol then Shelby who shrugged standing up and maneuvering around them and yanking the knife from the wall and walking back to the couch and flopping face first back into the pillow knife dangling on the floor Daryl turned around and nuzzled into carol's side she ran her fingers through his hair he groans softly "Daryl is She yours." Rick asked softly carol grinned glancing down to Daryl he nodded "my little girl." He yawned into carol's side "mine." He mumbled drifting back to sleep rick smiled and carol giggled "those where some strong ass pain killers rick." She said as daryl nuzzled deeper into her stomach "yeah guess so but they have to be for him. So how's all that.. you know the kid thing." She smiled "their like the same person it's hard to believe she wasn't raised by him." She said "I feel like I know her. Like she's always been there waiting for us to find her. She's the missing piece in so much you just can't help but love her." Carol said rick shook his head "I beg to differ she just nearly stabbed me." Carol smiled "rick look at her again and tell me you don't at least like her." He sighed watching her for a second he saw Daryl in the way she slept and couldn't help but smile "okay fine she's okay." Carol chuckled "see she's got just enough Daryl in her that even you can't hate her I mean where do you think that sharp knife skill comes from that isn't taught it's inherited believe me he tried to teach me I could never get it right like them." She said carding her fingers through his hair "they just can you know they could be talking to you and hit a fly from across the room without even looking away from you. It's just crazy."