"That's so cute!" Maggie grinned at Daryl and gestured toward his hand. "Did you ever raise caterpillars as a kid?"
He scowled setting the Monarch caterpillar back on its milkweed plant. "Why would I raise caterpillars?"
"For fun, to watch them grow and change, for a science project, I don't know. I never really needed a reason to do that sort of thing." Maggie shrugged, watching the small bug crawl along a leaf until it found the spot it wanted to chew. "Beth and I were always bringing home critters and Daddy was always teaching us how to care for them or where to put them back outside so they'd be safe."
Daryl was silent for a long moment, "You had a good father. Some of us weren't so lucky." He left it at that and Maggie shrugged, not wanting to ask too many more personal questions. "I always liked caterpillars though. I'd never tell Merle because he'd kill anything small and helpless, but I liked finding them outside and waiting for the cocoon to open. I liked how different they could become."
Maggie touched his shoulder briefly, squinting up at him, "You know, you're like a caterpillar in some ways. You're different from when I first met you, different from what you were like before that too according to Glenn. Maybe this whole experience is like a chrysalis for you and one day you'll be the person you were always meant to be."
He snorted, "I am not going to be a butterfly. I ain't pretty."
"I don't know about that. Plus, you've already got wings on that vest." Maggie laughed and danced away when he took a playful swipe at her. "I'd better go check on Glenn before he finds some trouble to get into. Be good now."
Daryl shook his head, looking back to the small caterpillar as it ate its leaf, "You don't know how lucky you've got it, little guy."