Save Me, Save You
Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or the characters except my own! The rest is all AMC!
summary: twenty-nine year old Kathryn Smith and her daughter three year old Jasmine have been on their own until they meet the Atlanta group on the highway. both mother and daughter carry with them a scared and frightening past but Kathryn is also carrying with her something more. Enter Daryl Dixon Hunter, tracker, and all around bad ass as well carries a dark past can they both save each other or will someone or something tear them apart?
Theme song: Welcome to the Family by: Little Big Town
Chapter 18: Family Bonding
When Rick left, Daryl had Glen keep the first watch.
Kathryn had taken the twins and was now walking to Merle's cell.
She stops to see Jasmine inside already sitting on his lap.
"Now ya see here Lil' Flower you take this out first." Merle looks up stopping.
Kathryn smiles. "Please don't stop, it's good she learns how, we've been teaching her."
Merle chuckles and nods to the babies. "Them my niece and nephew?" Kathryn looks down at the cooing infants.
"Yes they are, I thought you might want to meet them." Kathryn looks at Jasmine. "Did you talk to your father yesterday like I asked?"
Jasmine nods. "Yes mommy, we both said sorry." Kathryn nods as well as she sits beside them.
"I's going to find Beth." Both adults said bye as the child runs out of the cell.
Kathryn sighs and looks up at Merle. "What you said yesterday to Andrea, thank you."
Merle smiles, wrapping an arm around her shoulder "We Dixon's gotta stick together, ya been kind ta me when I don't deserve it. Even yer mama, she's a nice lady."
Kathryn smiles and nods. "Yes she is, just please if you have any plans with her. Just be nice, you know how her dead husband was."
Merle nods. "If I wasn't so high and a prick back then I'd taken yer mama from him."
Daryl pops his head in. "There ya'll are just wonderin where Kat ran off to."
Kathryn giggles and smiles. "Right here cowboy. Just been talking with my brother-in-law."
Daryl smiles, he was glad to know his brother and wife were getting along.
"Just wanted to come get ya's, Carol says it's time fer lunch." Kathryn nods going to stand.
"Come on Merle, time to chow." Merle shakes his head and chuckles "I like her Lil' brother, ya picked out yerself a good wife."
Daryl smiles, shocked to hear his brother approved, he nods his thanks as he follows them out.
The whole Dixon family takes a seat on one of the small tables.
The Greene family looks over at them, Glen and Maggie was still leery of Merle.
They didn't like the fact that Kathryn welcomed the man with open arms.
Merle watches as Daryl takes Chrissi in his arms and Beth brings the parents two bottles.
"Thanks Beth." Kathryn smiles, the teen blonde nods and scurries away.
Kathryn ignores the looks as she feeds her son, Merle looks down at the infant. "He looks like..." He stops his thoughts and looks at Kathryn.
She nods. "I know, but I try not to think about it. Their Dixons that's all they'll ever be."
Merle nods. "Good, but I hope ya's two have ya own someday." Kathryn blushes as does Daryl.
"Thanks Merle that means a lot." Kathryn whispers as she feeds her son.
She looks up at the man, watching him shovel his food. "So, you were a Marine?"
Merle stops eating and smiles. "Damn right sweet cheeks." Kathryn smiles. "I had family in the army. I would have joined, but I'm too short and...I wasn't all that brave."
Merle nods. "Army ain't for everyone." Kathryn smiles. "My grandpa, he was in the Navy but had to go through Marine training. He didn't fight which I'm thankful for."
He smiles and holds his good hand out, Kathryn looks at it then him. "Want ta thank ya for yer grandpa's service."
Kathryn smiles as she takes it and shakes it. "Then I thank you for yours."
Daryl watches the exchange and it did him so good to see it.
Glen shakes his head looking down at his food.
WD~WD~WD~WD
That afternoon after lunch Kathryn walks to her father's cell.
Hershel looks up and smiles at his adopted daughter. "Come, time for me to check your arms?"
Kathryn nods. "Yes, I can't wait for the bandages to come off...though." He watches as she sits down.
"Daryl hasn't seen them yet has he?" She shakes her head no. "I'm scared...I know he hasn't left me after everything but...I'm still scared."
Hershel nods at her as he begins peeling off the bandages "That's natural sweetheart, but you know you're going to have to."
Kathryn takes a deep breath and nods. "Yeah, ok..I will."
As Hershel takes the bandages off, she sees their healing and the red makes the details more defined.
Kathryn looks away as tears brim her eyes, she was ashamed of what happened.
Hershel looks up from examining her left arm. "Don't be ashamed, wear these as battle scars. Show the world you fought and survived."
Kathryn stands shaking her head. "That's the thing...I can't. I tried fighting...God I tried, he was just so strong..."
She puts her right hand to her mouth. "I...he..." She shakes her head; she couldn't bring herself to say what she wanted.
Hershel stands putting his hand on her shoulder. "That's why you bear them with pride, show him he hasn't gotten in your head that you're strong!"
Kathryn turns with tears pooling over, she hugs her father. "You're right...thank you daddy, I love you."
Hershel closes his eyes and hugs her back. "Oh sweetheart…I love you too."
Kathryn walks out and up the stairs, he was right Daryl needed to see.
Stopping outside their cell, she looks at the tribal designs before walking in.
Daryl looks up from sharpening his knives. "Hey Lil' mama where you been?"
Kathryn looks down. "Seeing dad about my arms." Daryl raises his head, he had forgotten about them.
He stands and walks over to her. "Can I see'em?" ,he asks softly.
She nods as she holds her arms out, he sucks in a deep breath seeing them for the first time.
"He do this?" He runs his hand gently up and down one. "No...he had a tattoo artist...he did it, carved into my arms."
Daryl sighs and pulls her into him."Yer safe now, ya and the kids both. I love ya Kathryn Dixon always."
Kathryn closes her eyes buring her face in his chest, taking in his scent of the outdoors and cigarettes.
"I love you to Daryl Dixon; you're the one that kept me strong during those times. You and the kids, I couldn't let him know." She whispers.
Daryl nods. "I'm proud of ya fightin like ya did Lil' mama."