After he'd woken that morning, and the sky had lightened, he'd finally gone into the house for the first time. He'd stepped lightly, leaving a sleeping Beth curled up against a tree near the fire, and toed through the house, his crossbow in his hand.
He'd found Rick, and nudged him awake. "Thermometer on the door this mornin' said 27."
"Winter."
"Mhm. Gettin' too cold for places like this, ain't prepared. Ain't heated. Ain't protected."
"I'll talk to them."
Daryl gives a nod, and begins to leave, having said what needed to be said. What needed to be done to keep them safe, Beth too. It's going to be too cold for people like Beth and Carl, small and more likely to get sick. But Rick, he pulls himself up off the floor and follows behind, heading towards the kitchen toward the back door.
"You-" Rick's just started speaking when the turn through the doorway, and it's the Father, piddling around in the kitchen like he's making his morning tea. Daryl can't keep himself from adjusting his grip on the crossbow, pushing his molars together hard.
The man spins at their voices, and sets his cup down with little grace.
"Daryl-" Rick begins again, putting a hand to his arm, but the man interrupts this time.
"You're- you're him?"
Daryl's got nothing to say.
But the thing is, Daryl's been thinking about it all mornin'. Ever since Beth drifted off, listing to the side, lulled by the heat from the fire. In the hush of the early morning, the sun peaking bright and grey and desolate, he'd had a lot of time to think about it. The guy's about to say something, but Daryl changes his mind, decides there's something he's gotta know first. "Did you hear me?"
"Huh?" The man has a hard time getting just that sound out.
"Did you hear me. I followed you for miles. Did you hear me hollerin'?"
He thinks of twelve different ways he could kill him, right now, without even making much noise. Without waking most the house. He sees it in his eyes before he can speak. He sees it.
The confirmation.
Two steps forward, Rick's hand on his arm tightening, it's fine though, he ain't gonna kill him. Ain't gonna even touch him. "Don't give me a reason. I won't stop next time."
But this time, the man responds, almost without a snag, "Not even for her?"
"Just stay outta my way."