A Dixon's Heart

~Intro~

Daryl Dixon grew up a hard life. His father was an abusive drunk, his mother was just a flaky whore, and his brother was beginning to be just like their father. Merle Dixon was a lot older than Daryl, so once he turned 18 he ditched Daryl, leaving him to their abusive father, while Merle got free. Daryl suffered more abuse from their father up until the day their father died and Merle came back into his life. Getting close to people and letting people in had never been the Dixon's way. The Dixon's way is blood is thicker than water, so no Dixon should socialize with nondixons. It had always been Daryl's way too up until the day he got a girl pregnant.

Nathaniel Merle Dixon was never planned, but the second he was born he was everything to Daryl. Nathaniel was a blessing, a gift. He was Daryl's second chance, his chance to become better and have a better life. Once Nathaniel was born Daryl did everything in his power to give his son a good life.

He never could imagine one small little being could change anything, but it did. Nate being born made Daryl strive to do better, to be better. He didn't want to give Nate the same life his father gave him. He wanted Nate to grow up cared for, protected, happy. He wanted to give Nate everything he could.

Nate did in deed grow up happy. He still didn't have what the other kids did, but he still had all he ever would need and want. His father did everything he could for Nate and gave him everything he could afford.

Once Nathaniel was nine he got blessed with having a sister. Gracelyn Mary Dixon was Daryl's little angel. Daryl never knew something so innocent could ever come from him. She was precious, his precious little girl. Everything good in the world had went into her. She was the very heart of the Dixons, everything good.

Once these two children entered Daryl's life he was actually happy. He had everything he ever truly would want. Merle, Daryl's brother, was more like their father than Daryl was. Merle was hard on his niece and nephew, he didn't show them the tender side that Daryl did. At times Daryl wasn't even sure if Merle wanted them apart of the family, but of course he never said anything like that in front of Daryl. Daryl was very overprotective of his kids and would give his life to protect them.

The kids grew up learning to hunt, to survive in the wilderness, and many other useful things. None of them knew how important learning these things could be until the day when the world ended. It was with these skills that the Dixon family learned how to survive.