The Strongest Survivor

"don hi'! I's noh nice!"

Rick followed Jacqui over to beside the RV "what's wrong?" Jacqui looked upset and Rick could tell something was really eating at her "when I was helping Athena get cleaned up in the quarry, there was scars covering her entire back, I asked her what happened but she said it was her old dad that did that to her and that her sister got it worse but I just wanted you to know, you know you bein a cop an such, just in case she never wanted to say anything about Daryl or Merle, you know in case she was scared," Rick nodded his head, if he found out that anyone was hurting his smiles he would quite possibly kill them, "I'll keep an eye on it, thanks Jacqui." She nodded and let out a sigh of relief before smiling and walking away, leaving Rick to his thoughts until Carl came up to him worried about his father leaving him again.

Athena's eyes fluttered open and she saw that she was lying in a sleeping bag with Clucky tucked in beside her and her pacifier in her mouth so she sat up and saw that no one there, her eyes quickly filled up with tears as she believed that everything was a dream, her daddy wasn't back, she began wailing very loudly causing her pacifier to fall out, which alerted everyone near the tent that she was awake, but it worried Rick and also Daryl heard it as he was walking back up the hill towards camp, it just so happened that Rick was closer and he ran into the tent as Daryl was still heading back, "Hey hey hey, smiles, what's the tears for?" She just kept wailing until she put her arms up and sobbed out a "Wicky!!!" He quickly scooped up her and Clucky whilst looking for the pacifier she had used whilst she was sleeping , "what happened Smiles?" She was still crying quite a lot causing her to hiccup "I though' da-dat daddy wa-Wa' here bu' I wake u' and no one dare so it mus' been a dweam. But I wan' my daddy!!!" She sobbed as Rick bounced her, he knew instantly that the allegations that Jacqui had were false based off of how distraught Athena was thinking she had only dreamed her father was back, Carl ran up with her pacifier before he headed over to his mother, Rick gave her the pacifier as Daryl was getting back and he saw how distraught his toddler was he quickly ran over. "Woah baby wha' happened." She turned instantly and reached out for Daryl crying out "DADDY! DADDY!" He quickly took her into his arms and she nestled into his side and lay her head between his head and neck. Daryl held her tightly to him whilst rubbing her back and kissing her head.

"I though' you was jus' a dweam." Daryl understood what she was trying to say and shook his head "No I'm here darlin, I'm never gonna leave you all alone ever again like that 'Kay?," Rick watches how Athena practically melts against Daryl, she was practically lulled back to sleep, "Daddy 'ave you me' my Wicky?" Daryl screwed his face up "who's tha' darlin?" He asked her and she picked up her head a little and pointed at Rick "he save' me an Clucky from da mons'ers." Daryl ran his hand over her hair whilst nodding at Rick in gratitude, Daryl didn't know how to tell his daughter that he was going back to Atlanta for Merle, so he carried her over to beside the fire pit and he sat on a log and Athena was standing between his legs whilst he held her hands rubbing his thumbs over her hands.

"I need ya ta listen ta me 'Kay?" Athena nodded and looked at Daryl's face swinging their hands a little bit, campers were watching the moment going on between the father-daughter duo. "I have to go to the city." Athena started rapidly shaking her head "jus' listen, I need to go get Uncle Merle, 'kay?" Athena's bottom lip started trembling before she let out a wail and fell forward into her fathers chest, sobbing "no no no no no, daddy no! Don' go! Pease don' go! S'ay no go!" He just held her tightly kissing her head "I know baby, I know but I need to go get him alrigh'?" She began crying into his chest when she heard Shane start complaining to Rick "could you throw me a bone here man, why would risk your life for a douchebag like Merle Dixon?" Daryl didn't like that "you should choose your words more carefully," he said as he rubbed Athena's back as she started calming down. "Don't listen to them baby girl, daddy's gon be just fine, I'm gonna go and get uncle Merle and maybe if I see something nice I'll get you it for a present for being such a brave girl alrigh' darlin ??" She nodded but still had tears running down her face and her bottom lip was still trembling a lot, Daryl decided to give her a loud kiss on her cheek making her giggle so he did it again on her other cheek and then her forehead and she was laughing now. "There she is! Are you daddy's big brave girl?" She nodded "yes!" Daryl pulled a confused face "I don't know..." he rubbed a hand on his chin as of thinking "Daddyyyyyyy!" She whined, he pulled her onto his lap and kissed her cheek "I'm jus' kidding baby girl, I know your my big brave girl, I'm not gonna be gone tha' long at all and I'm sure the other kids would love to play with you and that ratty toy a yours." Athena gasped and hit her fathers chest "don' say tha' abou' Clucky!" He smiled at her little pout she was pulling whilst crossing her arms over her chest "I am deeply sorry if I 'ffended Clucky at all baby it was not my intention." There was a small pair of feet shuffling towards the duo "uhhhh Mr. Dixon?" Daryl turned around to see a little blonde girl standing there holding a book, Daryl knows that the girls name is Sophia cause she's Carol's daughter, "can I help you Sophia?" He asked trying not to scare the girl as he could only imagine what her interactions with men were like having Ed Peletier as a father, what Daryl wouldn't give to beat his ass, the things he'd seen and heard about Ed reminded him of how his girls described some foster parents they'd stayed with. "My momma says that she can look after Athena and she can play with me and Eliza, we were thinking of going swimming in the quarry later on, if you'd like." Sophia said twisting her hands shyly in front of her, Daryl gave her a small smile "see baby, Sophia will play wit ya while am gone. Tell yer ma thanks will ya Sophia?" The girl nodded "hopefully I can find you girls something nice while I'm in town." Sophia's head snapped up curiously "me too?" Daryl nodded "yep consider it a thank you for watching my 'Thena," Sophia smiled "I'm gonna head back to my momma now." Daryl and Athena both waved  goodbye to the girl before she took off. Daryl noticed that now T-Dog and Glenn both had volunteered to go, "my day jus gets better and better don' it?" Daryl asked rhetorically, and T-Dog spoke up "I don't see anyone else stepping up to help your brothers crack ass." Athena didn't like that so she mumbled "swear." Daryl chuckled and kissed her forehead "why you?" He asked "you wouldn't even begin to understand my language." Daryl nodded fair enough, he put Athena down and began heading towards the tent to get his things together and to grab some more bolts, Athena was still really worried so she ran up to Rick and pulled on his trouser leg so he stopped talking with Shane and knelt down, "hey smiles. What's up?" He said softly whilst smiling "you be safe? Daddy be safe?" He nodded and held her hands in his "I'll be as safe as I can and I'll make sure your daddy's being safe as well alright?" She nodded and hugged Rick who picked her up and hugged her back, not knowing that Daryl was watching everything.