I know it has taken me forever to update but I have reasons. My fiance is sick and so am I. I feel horrible and quite frankly the ONLY reason I even have this written is because of one person. I was talking to Staceyecats on here and after some things she said it made me want to write despite feeling like death's door mat. So this is for you and the things you said earlier, it made me feel good and I wanted to repay that to you by updating this for you. Hope everyone enjoys.

Daryl was watching as Merle sized up the man in front of them and chewed his lip. He could tell from the set of Merle's shoulders that he wasn't believing a thing the man was saying. It also wasn't lost on him that every time the man's eyes went to Daryl himself Merle shifted and moved right back into his line of sight. Sophia was clinging to him and despite only really being use to Brian he found Sophia didn't bother him like he thought it would. She was nervous and scared, unsure of where she was and it was causing a strange sensation to build in him like he'd only ever experienced with his brother's and nephew. He felt a surge of protectiveness for her that had him wanting to hurt anyone that so much as looked at her.

"So you see everyone pitches in here." The Governor smiled.

Merle chuckled the sound raising the hair on the back of Daryl's neck. He moved forward and Daryl shifted with him and shot a look to Brian and then looked to Sophia. She huffed and he motioned her and she walked away. She kept looking back to him and so did Brian but he growled and they both walked out of the room.

"You got something to say...say it right the fuck now." Merle snarled.

The Governor looked around him and then to Merle, "You left your men out there and I, ME...I GAVE them shelter."

Carter pushed forward and shoved the man hard, "Shelter? You gave us shelter?"

Briar grabbed him and pulled him back but the normally quiet man leveled a gave of fire and granite on the Governor, "You didn't do anything but take a house here and say you were leading but you haven't done any such thing. We have kept this place together, we've done the runs, 'we've built that wall, WE BUILT this."

Merle smiled and Daryl watched his cold eyes staring the man down, "Seems that you need to listen to something...everyone here...we we all pitch in and you can take the next shift on that fucking wall or walk out those gates."

"This is a mutiny!"

Martinez shook his head, "You were never a leader or worried with helping these people."

Merle moved over to Daryl as the men discussed schedules. He motioned to the den and Daryl walked with him and seen the Governor watching him again, his gaze was uncomfortable. He felt his eyes darken in anger but kept it in check.

"You keep your eyes on Brian and Sophia. I don't want them running around alone here anymore." Merle warned, "That man is going to be trouble till he is gone."

Daryl nodded already knowing this. Opening his mouth to speak but interrupted by a sudden sound of a yelp he whipped his head around and searched for the noise. Sophia came into view thundering right for him her face an angry scowl. Brian was hot in her heels his face even more severe his eyes locked on the girl in front of him.

"Daryl!" Sophia snapped.

Raising a brow at her tone he tilted his head for her to go on.

"Why is he such...such a...a..." her face reddened when Brian laughed at her and she swiveled her head around growling under her breath, "A asshole."

Brian's face reddened and a sudden hand print on his face jumped out darkening with the blush. Daryl cocked a brow at the boy.

"She started it." He snapped.

"Who started what?" Mac's voice questioned from the door.

Brian's face paled slightly but he was smiling, "She's an insufferable brat."

"Like your soooooo different." Sophia waved her hand around.

Brian threw his hands up in the air and motioned to her his eyes wide.

"We should get boxing gloves." Merle commented chuckling his eyes taking in the two kids.

Brian huffed but kept his mouth shut as Hannah walked in the room. His mother wouldn't hesitate to ring his jaws for seeing him be rude to any woman or girl. Daryl found it ironic that Hannah was so strict about it since Mac tended to be a womanizing sexist bastard about everything. Maybe it was her trying to stomp that out of Brian before it could take root seeing his father be like that at times.

"She hits like a girl." Brian sneered.

Sophia looked over, "Hit hard enough make you yelp." She spit at him.

Mac raised a brow looking to his son and then Sophia, "Well brother maybe it wont be as bad as we thought teaching her to defend herself."

Sophia suddenly looked to him ignoring everyone and smiled, "You're going to help me."

"Yeah he is." Merle spoke his voice firm but amused.

Sophia beamed and looked at him again, "Will I get to use your bow?"

Daryl shook his head shifting on his feet not liking so much attention on himself. He was struggling enough with what he was doing with her. He was winging it here and this felt like entering fatherhood from zero to a thousand in seconds from the start. There was no pause just fast forward and with the hopeful way she was looking at him it made his chest tight.

"You're to small." He grunted.

Turning before anyone else could say anything he took off up the stairs to the room he'd taken. He was tired. Fuck he was dead on his feet. He wanted to get cleaned up and get all the dried blood and god knows what else off himself. Stepping into the room he shrugged the bow from his shoulder and ignored the twinge of pain in his ribs and head that he had. He still felt like shit after the hit he'd taken up on the road and was pretty sure he had a concussion.

Kicking out on the bed it felt impossible to close his eyes at the softness. It felt foreign and unsafe. It felt like the old world and like at a minute he was going to wake up with something trying to tear his throat out. Shifting and rolling on to his stomach he groaned and closed his eyes hoping that he'd be able to sleep even just for a minute.

Daryl didn't crack his eyes open when the door opened and sighed. He knew who it was from the walk.

"Your ass aint asleep."

Daryl chuckled and Mac dropped on the bed next to him. "You gonna say what crawled up your ass?"

"Get the fuck out of my bed."

Mac laughed, "Get out of your head."

Daryl sighed and Mac laughed more, "I'm fine."

"No, no you're not." Mac growled, "I get it Daryl. You think I knew what the fuck I was doing when Hannah told me she had Brian. You think I was ready to be a dad...you think I knew shit? Fuck no and we both know it but your ass was there and helped, Merle was there. Hell you were better with Brian than I was at times and still are at times."

"I aint her dad Mac." He huffed pushing his face in the pillow.

Mac was like a dog after a bone at times and he felt his head ache coming back.

"No but you're the closest she's ever came." Mac spoke lower, "Told Merle and Me earlier she'd given anything to have had you as a dad...that'd you'd never hurt her or her mother like her dad did." Mac's words were sharp. "Whether you wanted it or not you found that girl and even now she still looks to you for everything."

Daryl knew it was true and felt sick. He wasn't father material. He'd fail that girl one way or another. Hell he'd promised her he'd find her mother and that seemed to be going fucking amazing so far. Not a goddamn sign of her anywhere. He was already failing her.

Mac set up and slapped Daryl in the arm hard, "Will you fucking quit."

"Fuck you Mac."

"You don't get to pick and choose in this life, fuck you didn't in the old world. Either you had it in your to be something or not and out of all of us bastards we all know you were the one who would be the better father. How many times you stopped me from doing stupid shit and keeping me straight on things cause of that boy down there?" Mac snarled. "Fucking accept it, that girl down there is as good as Dixon."

Daryl nodded his head not looking at him but something was in the back of his mind. He didn't voice his worries instead just swallowing them. What about that day they did find this Carol. What was going to happen then? Sophia had already burrowed her way into his heart and Mac was right you didn't get to pick or choose but it seemed this shit was happening anyways. If they found her mother...where did that leave him after saving and taking care of her. He felt sick at the thought and resigned himself to preparing to survive without him if something ever happened to him...or something else.