Mine By Choice A Daryl Dixon Fatherhood story. TWD

S.2.E.8 How It Might Have Gone.

(Carl made the blue bear Beth made the green. Sofia's dress is pink Dylan's dress is Green.)
*Dylans Pov*
Carl came up to me and gave me two Teddy bears and a car seat. "I know you were looking for them so I got Beth to teach me to make the bear. I made the blue one. And Meggie found the car seat," Carl said nervously rubbing the back of his neck. I smiled and hugged him "Thank you, Carl." He smiles and hands me a folded piece of green fabric. "Beth made you and Sofia a dress. I picked the colour it was the closest she had to your eyes. I have one for Sofia two," Carl said smiling. "Lets go find her so we can try them on," I say smile back at him.
We find Sofia with her Mom talking about flowers. "Hey, Sofi Beth made you a dress you want to try it on?" Carl said with a big smile. "Really?! Of course," she said jumping up. "Did she make you one too? She said noticing the dress in my hand," before I had a chance to respond she pulled us to the RV bathroom to change. It felt a little weird I never really had a dress. My dad bought me a couple but he always got them in Penny size since he didn't know mine. Penny was 9 when this all started so a couple of years younger and a size smaller.
After we change I feel a lot better we washed up when we got back last night. Taking the blood out of our hair but it still felt gross in the extra pair of clothes I had. Both sets were Carl's so they were too big, and they both had blood stains. We stepped out and Carol cooed at us telling us how pretty we were. Carol braided our hair. Just as she finished mine Daryl came in with Rory. "Hey, bug lunch is ready."

After lunch when me and Daryl were sharpening our knives Lori came to find us. "Listen, Beth's in some kind of catatonic shock. We need Hershel," she said. "Yeah. So what?" Daryl responded. "If he won't go I will," I said getting up away with Rory. "Hey, where'd you think you're goin'," Daryl asked grabbing my arm. "I need diaper cream for Rory he has a rash. So I can just get Hershel on the way," I say confused. Why stop me I can survive for a couple hours on my own I've done it before for longer. "Damn it, girl," Daryl said running a hand down his face. "Fine we'll go get em," He continued.

After we go into town I started looking for stores. "I found one," I said pointing to a store. "Got it bug," Daryl said turning into the parking lot. I got out of the car and strapped Rory to my cheat. "Hey, bug wait in the car okay," Daryl said walking over to my side of the car. "What I can help," I say. Does he think I'm not useful? "I know you can help bug but I'd rather not risk a walker grabbing little bug. Or you falling on him trying to get away from one," He reassures me. It might just be a way to keep me in the car but it worked.

About five minutes later Daryl came back out. "All clear just one in there, dead now," He said opening my door.
I jump down and go inside. "If I'm going to keep you all around I might news to change out the motorcycle for a van," Daryl laughs as I pile a shooing cart full of stuff.

*Daryl's Pov*
"Hey, Daryl who's pregnant?" Bug asks and I whip my head about to look at her. "What do you mean?" I ask. "I mean at the camp I saw prenatal vitamins on the grass. Someone dropped them because I left them on the table and when I got back from having out with Carl they were gone," she said making me want to punch something. If she's right which she probably is we might have two babies and three kids under thirteen with us on the road. Assuming Hershel kicks us out. "Shit," I say walking back to the newborn section. "What are you doing?" Bug asks watching me. "It's Lori no one else could be unless it's that farm girl Glenn hangs around. But no way he got that far," I say. "Oh, so Carl's going to be a big brother? That's awesome he will be so excited," Bug says with a smile. "I won't tell him but I hope Lori does soon," she continues adding more diapers and wipes boxes to the cart. I grab some clothing and pile it in. "Daryl, can we leave all of our stuff in the van?" Bug asks. "Why," I respond as we load up the van. "I'm scared. What if one day something happens and we leave all of Rory's stuff and he dies," she said rubbing her arm. After I get Rory in the car seat. (Rick had to install it because we had no idea how.) I turned to look at her. "Will that make you not scared?" I ask. "I don't know if I won't be scared at all anymore but less scared for sure," she responds. She looks up to me with the same face she used to make when her dad scared her. "Then fine," I say in the vain hope she will stop.

We started driving again towards this bar Lori told us about. "Why'd I say I'll do this," I say quietly rubbing my face. "Because I lied about needing baby cream," Dylan says next to me. "What?" I ask. "Oh yeah, I have like two left I just wanted to make sure Rick and Beth are okay. I kinda owe them," She says looking down and messing with her hands. "Damn, kids," I say ruffling her hair.

We finally find the bar and go to the door. Dylan is about to grab the handle when I hear voices. "Yeah, it doesn't look like you guys are hanging your hats here. You hold up somewhere else?" said a voice I don't recognise. I bag in my head 'Please for the love of god Rick don't invite them. "Not really," a voice o recognised as Rick said. "Those your cars out front?" The first voice spoke again. "Yeah, why?" Ask who I assume is Glenn. Making me cringe, no way in hell someone is living out of those empty cars. "We're living in ours. Those look kinda empty, clean. Wheres all your gear?" The voice asked. 'Shit' I thought. "We're with a larger group. Out scouting thought we could use a drink," Said a voice that must be Hershel. 'Good going Mcdonald.' "A drink Hershel, I thought you quit," the voice continues trying to crash them in a lie. "Well, we're thinking of setting up around here. Is it-- is it safe?" The unnamed voice asks. "It can be, although I have killed a couple walkers around here," Glenn said. 'Someone really needs to teach him how to talk to people like him.' I think. "Walkers is that what you call them?" The voice asks. Glen chuckles "Yeah." "That's good. I like that I like that a lot better than lamebrains," the voice says. "More succinct," a new voice said. "Okay, Tony went to college," the first voice said. "Two years," the second continues. "So what-- so what you guts set up on the outskirts or something? That new development? Trailer park or something? A farm? 🎶Old Mcdonald had a farm.🎶" The first said ending in a sing-song voice. The other man chuckles. "You on a farm?" The first questions. I hear some sort of liquid hitting the ground. "Is it safe?" The second man asks. "It's gotta be. You got food water?" Asked the first. "You got cooze? Haven't had a piece of ass in weeks." The second asks making Dylan look up at me and mouth, what? With a discussed face. "Parden my friend. City kids-- they got no tact. No disrespect." The first said quickly. "So listen Glenn..." he continues. "We've said enough," Rick said. "Well, hang on a second this farm--- it sounds pretty sweet." The first guy said. And just as he finished Dylan looks up at me and whispered. "Stay here trust me," and grabs the door. "Daddy, are you in here?"

*Rick Pov*
"Daddy, are you in here?" I hear a voice say making everyone look to the door. There stands Dylan with Rory in her arms. "Look Rory we found Daddy. And Grandpa and Mr.Glenn are here too," she says smiling at the baby. She then runs up to me and lifts Rory up to me. "Daddy, can you hold Rory now he's heavy?" She was facing me Hershel and Glenn so the other two men couldn't see her wink. "Yeah, kiddo I can take him. But Dylan how did you get here? Didn't I tell you to stay with Uncle Daryl," I ask concerned. "Uncle Daryl said the farm isn't safe anymore the th.." She then starts crying hugging me as I bend down to her. "There were a lot of walkers I was really scared," she said sobbing. "What! Is everyone okay?" I ask is she lying about the walkers it seems real but so does everything else. She would have made a hell of an actor in the old world. "Let's go. Daddy, I wanna go," she cries and links her arms around my neck. I pick her up with my free arm the other holding Rory. "Yes, Angel we can go," I say looking at the other two men as I say it. "Yeah, a bar no place for such a sweet little kid. Take your kids and leave man," the first guy said looking almost sick with guilt at his gun. "Bye-bye mister, mister with the cool hat," Dylan says before hiding her face in my neck.

I take the kids out followed by Hershel and Glenn to see a baffled-looking Daryl at the door. We switched keys and I told Glenn to drive home Hershel. I drop Dylan in the passenger seat and buckle Rory in the back as the others start their cars. I walk around to the front and get in looking at Dylan after we pull out.
"Hey, Rick I found a Kit Kat do you want a piece? It wouldn't be fair for me to have two and Sofi and Carl to only have one," she said. "The farm is it..," I was cut off by Dylan. "Oh no no the farm is fine I was just fakin'," she said handing me the piece of chocolate. "Where did you learn to cry like that? Did you take acting classes or something?" I ask before taking a bite of the Kit Kat. "No, when my Dad was to strung out to remember to get food I used to steal it. If I got caught I would cry about my hungry brother and sickly Mother. Or some other stories," got away with it most of the time. She then looked at me and smiled guilty. "Sorry for liein' to your cop buddies," she said making me laugh a bit.

The rest of the way back was filled with light talk and occasional laughter. But I couldn't help but think of how that situation might have gone.