Mine By Choice A Daryl Dixon Fatherhood story. TWD

S1.E3. Old friend meet again

*Dylan's POV*
Rick lightly shook my leg telling me we were here before getting out of the car. "Dad Dad!" A boy screamed and I saw a boy run up to Rick. I tied up Rory and grabbed me and Rick's bags before hopping from the van. After Rick calmed down I walked up. "Is that a kid?" a blond girl asked. Rory made some noises and the blond girl gasped "And a baby!" "That's Dylan and her brother Rory." Rick smiled at us waving us over. "She saved my life."

*Rick's POV*
We sat around the fire I'd just finished my story and Shene was talking to a man named Ed about his fire. "Have you given any thought to Daryl Dixon?" an older man named Dale asked. I watched Dylan sit up and smile slightly. "He won't be happy to hear his brother was left behind." Dale continued. "I'll tell him I dropped the key. It's on me." T-Dog said. "I cuffed him that makes him mine," I said feeling guilty for leaving the man. "Guys it's not a competition. I don't mean to bring race into this, but it might sound better coming from a white guy." Glen added. We continued to talk when I felt Carl pull on my shirt and motion to Dylan trying to get my attention. She leaned over and whispered ignoring the conversation. "I can tell him. I know him, he won't get mad at me." Tuning back into the conversation "And that's what we tell Daryl. I don't see a rational discussion coming from that." Dale said. "You know this Daryl man?" I asked drawing the attention of the group. She nodded "You knew Merl too." Andrea said, "How do you know them?" Dylan ignored her looking for my opinion on her telling Daryl. "We can handle it okay. This is not your responsibility." She nodded lightly. T-Dog explained that he had a lock on the door and that Merl is still up there. We fell nearly silent until we all went to bed.

*Dylan POV*
I was making a bottle for Rory when I saw Daryl come back. I was tucked behind the van so he didn't see me. 'When things get out of hand I'll come out.' After some arguing Shane had Daryl in a headlock. Rick was talking to him and I decided to come out now that Rory was done. "Hell with all ya'll just tell me where he is so I can go get him." Daryl yelled, "He will show you." Lori said quickly. I walked up behind Daryl. I taped him on the shoulder "If you're going back I can help I said quietly." As he wiped his head around.

He looked at me in shock for a minute. "Holy hell." He grabbed me picking me up like a princess. "Hey, bug! When did ya get here? Are ya okay? Bit?" He asked. I smile and leaned into his side resting my head on his shoulder, ignoring the stares from the others. "My god, where were ya? I looked for you. Is that your baby brother? I didn't think he'd make it." "Yeah he is, and I'm fine." I smiled as he put me down. I saw Andrea give a dirty look before walking away. I ignored it, 'she is irrelevant at this moment.' All I cared about is that my family. Everyone I considered family all together again. "I can help get Merl back," I said bouncing Rory. Rick looked over at me and Daryl. "Bug I know you want'n to help but this ain't on you," Daryl said as Rick walked over to us. "I was there I am just as responsible as everyone else," I said. "We can handle it kiddo. You need to take care of that brother of yours." Rick said kindly. "And I need a favour." I looked at him confused "A favour?" "Yeah, I'm leaving so I need someone to look after Lori and Carl for me." I looked at my feet. "And you're trusting me to do this? Why me?" "Because I trust you with my life, and with theirs. Can I trust you to do this?" He asked. I knew he was only asking to make me stay. Like telling a toddler big girls can brush their teeth by themselves. But I want to do this. They won't let me go anyway. At least this way I can be helpful. I looked up from my shoes to Rick and Daryl "Yeah I can do that Rick." I said softly.

*later after the group left.*
*Lori's POV*
Rick and the others just left. I'm going to check on Carl when I see a little girl and a baby in front of my tent. "Hey, your Dylan right I'm Lori I don't think we officially meet." "Yeah, nice to meet you. Rick talked about you a lot." She responds. "What are you doing sitting outside our tent?" "Rick wanted me to look after you both when he's gone." She said looking back at Carl. "Well you know it might be easier to watch us from inside you know." I said, she looked at her brother and then at me before standing and mumbling "Okay."

We walked into the tent and I saw Carl laying on the bed I crouched down next to him "Hey, you know I bet they'll be just fine." "I'm not worried." He turned around to look at me. "Are you?" "Yeah, a little" I responded. "Don't be." He said softly. "Why?" "Think about it, Mom. Everything that's happened to him so far. Nothings killed him yet." We heard a light chuckle from the girl behind us. "He will be fine you Dad is tuff and smart. The perfect combination for a world like this. He will be fine." We smiled at her.

*Dylan's POV*
We were all down by the query. The woman were washing clothing and Carl and Shane were catching frogs. Or at least trying. I wondered where the little girl was but I saw her with Dale on the trailer coloring. I was feeding Rory. I had a bunch of clothing to wash but had to feed him first. "Hey hun, you want me to feed him? You can take a little break." Carol asked. I felt kind of bad I was told to look out for them but Lori's been helping me with Rory all night. Teaching me how to take care of him better. "Okay, but if you want to give him back you can," I said and she smiled and took him from me. "God I miss when Carl was this small," Lori said. "Me too." Carol responded with a smile. "I better go find him." She said before leaving "And my Maytag." Carol continued. "I miss my Benz my say nav," Andrea added. "I miss my coffee maker with that duel-drip filter and built-in grinder, honey." Jacki continued. "My computer and texting," Amy said sulking. "I miss my vibrator," Andrea said matter of factly. "Me too," Carol said in the same tone of voice. Then everyone laughed. "What is a vibrator?" I stopped washing my clothes to ask. They didn't answer just laughed louder. Edd walked up to us "What's so funny?" He asked. "Just swapping war stories Edd," Andrea responded. The vibe changed from happy to tense as soon as he walked up. "Problem Edd?" Andrea asked. "Nothin' that concerns you." He responded rudely. I already don't like this guy. "And you ought to focus on your work. This ain't no comedy club. " He said to Carol. Andrea rolled her eyes at him. I heard Lori and Shane talking in the distance. As the woman ignored Edd as he smoked. Shene came around the corner of the rocks, just as Andrea got fed up with Edd. "Edd tell you what, you don't like how your laundry is done. You are welcome to pitch in and do it yourself. Here." She said and threw a top at him. He wiped it back. "Oh," she exclaimed as it hit her. "Ain't my job, missy." She said. "Andrea don't," Amy said, grabbing her arm lightly. "What is your job, Edd? Sitting on your ass smoking cigarettes?" Andrea raised her voice. I started shifting in my seat. He reminded me of my dad. "Sure ain't listening to no uppity smart-mouthed..." I saw how this was going to end, so I took Rory and went to sit with Dale and the little girl.
I coloured with her as the screaming and sound of fighting came from behind us. Grabbing her arm and shaking my head when she tried to go see what was happening. We continued to colour quietly as Dale looked with binoculars to see what was happening.

I pretend not to hear his gasp or the sound of his hand cupping over his mouth in shock. I pretended not to see how bad Edds's face was when Carol helped him up the hill. I pretended not to hear Carol talking to her daughter, telling her to stay away for a bit because her father was upset. I pretend not to see Shane's fists and the way they are bloody and bruised. I pretend to be an oblivious little girl, someone who can't figure out what happened. I pretend I wanted to colour when Lori asked why I left. Obviously, grateful I did. I pretend I haven't seen all this before a thousand times. I pretend because I know being oblivious sometimes keeps you safe. I pretend because that's what will keep us alive.