Mine By Choice A Daryl Dixon Fatherhood story. TWD

Missing Kids

*Dylan's Pov*
After we all calmed down we went to the fire. The old farmer who learned was named Hershel and his family went into the farmhouse. Everyone else gathered together. "What happened?" Daryl asked. "Well...

After Rick left the girls and Rory.
"Hey, Sofi we have to go!" I say panicked looking at the small herd of three walkers coming towards us. She looked like she was about to cry I handed her Rory Sofi I can't carry Rory and the bag I need you to carry him and follow me right now okay," I say keeping her attention away from the walkers. She nodded and said a quiet but firm okay. We ran until we lost them. "Okay we need to head back to the road," I say I go to head back when I fall cutting my leg on a rock badly. "Ah fuck fuck fuck fuck," I say Tring to keep my voice down. After I calm down I grab the bag and take out a shirt. Before raping it around my leg. And tie the sleeves together. We need to go I say standing up and grabbing the bag I can't walk right so Sofia lets me lean on her.
In my disoriented state, I must have brought us in the wrong direction because we were lost and it was dark. We saw an old shed and went into it. Pushing the duffle bag agent the door to lock it. Rory was hungry and crying so I taught Sofia how to make a bottle. "Okay can you feed him," I ask. "Umm I think so," she responds as I grab the medical kit from the bag. "Who you have a lot in there," Sofia said. "Yeah, I put enough necessities for a month in one bag so if I'm down shits creek without a paddle I can grab the bag and run," I say grabbing a needle thread and disinfectant from the kit. "So we have two weeks of food in that bag? I mean since there is two of us," Sofia asks. "No, it will last a month if its me you Carl and Rory. So worst comes to worst we have 6 weeks of food. But we will find them before them I'm sure," I say making Sofi smile.
After I disinfectant the wound and thread the needle I got ready to stitch it up. "Oh my god, you are stitching yourself up?" Sofia asked me in horror. "Yeah, if I don't want to bleed out," I say looking at her. "Um can you watch Rory as I do it he needs a nap soon and he does better when you hum to him?" I ask knowing it should keep her distracted. "Yeah, I can do that," Sofia said.
I didn't expect it to hurt so badly I knew it would hurt but damn. I cry as the needle goes in for the first time biting down on the extra Rory blanket in the bag. Just as I tie the not at the end I pass out.
When I wake up it is morning and Sofia is bouncing Rory on her knee. "Good morning," she said with a smile handing me half a can of peaches. "Thanks," I say smiling back at her. I look at my leg and see it wrapped with gauze. "Did you do this? Its really good," I ask looking at my leg. "Yeah, I had to do it sometimes for my Mom when Dad got really bad. It only happened twice but..." She trailed off. "But twice to meany," I say remembering my Mom and dad. "Yeah," she said. After some silence and peaches. We got up and went out to look. I brought my bow with me and Sofi had Rory. "Do you know how to use that," Sofia asks me. "Yeah, I do. Want me to show you? I ask. I have an extra in my bag so if you get good you can have it. If you learn to use it," I say. "Really?" She asks. "Yeah, but self-defence and hunting purposes only," I say sternly. "Of course," Sofia said. We spent the rest of the day with Sofia doing target practice and me holding Rory. We were going to look for everyone tomorrow I couldn't get far on this leg right now anyways.
Then we heard a gunshot I grabbed Rory and told Sofia to carry the bow. We went to go see if it was our group that fired the gun. I taught Sofia how to move like Daryl taught me. How to be quiet so you don't scare the animals. Tho it's more so the dead don't hear us. Or the person who fired if it's not one of us. When we got there we only found a dear dead. Sofia looked like she was about to cry. "You okay?" I ask. "Yeah just thought it was maybe Mom and the others. "I know," I said laying a hand on her arm. "Hey, do you think you could help me carry that," I say hobbling over to the end of the dear. "You know how to cook it?" She asked. I was honestly surprised she wasn't more grossed out she seemed to notice because she then said. "Nothing could be groser than when I had to change Rory when you were sleeping." We both laughed at that as I nodded in agreement. It took to night fall but we got the dear back dragging it all the way. I showed Sofi how to hang it from the rafters and gut it. She went out and puked so I finished up.
The next day I cooked and packaged it with Sofia keeping the fer and bones for Daryl. He knew how to make arrowheads, blankets and stuff like that. The next few days we spent sleeping in shifts tied up in trees. Looking for people. Saw a couple of marks and arrows. And we came to the conclusion they were looking for us to. Like a grid. We kept on looking to no avail.

In the present.

"Then we heard gunshots again a lot of them. We followed the noise to a farm. And saw you all." I finish off the story me and Sofia were rotating throughout. I got up grabbing my spare bow and arrows and handing them to Sofia. "You earned it I mean you killed almost all the walkers for the first few days," I say as she went to argue. I thought it suited her better anyway it was pink, purple and blue camo pattern on the handle with silver details. "So you survived then," Shane said rolling his eyes at us. I went to say something but Sofia did first making the adult's eyes widen and Carl and I whip our heads in her direction. "Oh, can it Shane." "What did.." Shane began but Sofia cut him off again. "I don't know what you did but even I can tell everyone here is pissed or scared of you for something," she said glaring at him. He just stormed off. Carol looked a mix between upset and proud and Carl wrapped his arm around me to fist-bump her. It was at this moment I realized he hasn't let go of my hand since we got back. I was going to say something but I was tired so I just laid my head on his shoulder. "Can I hold him?" Carl asked motioning towards Rory. "Yeah I say lifting my head just long enough to hand him Rory. Sofia laid down across me and Carl and I fell asleep.

*Rick's Pov*
I watch as Dylan falls asleep on my sons shoulder. Carl playing with Rory quietly. Rory begins to tear up, I am just waiting for him to ball. "Want me to take him, buddy?" I ask as he begins to look panicked. Then Daryl walks up and gently takes him from Carl. He apparently had been making a bottle for him because he begins to feed him. "Thank you," He said. "I just thought she looked tired. Didn't think about when he cried." Lori and I laughed along with a small chuckle from Daryl. "The first time I held her she balled," Daryl said speaking of Dylan. "Carl used to cry whenever Rick held him for months after we brought him home," Lori added. Daryl smirked and Carl looked shocked. "Why'd I do that?" He asked. "You didn't like my calone, you stoped after I bought a new one.
We continued this light banter until bed. I grabbed Carl and Dylan who fell asleep and Daryl grabbed Sofia after passing Lori Rory. We put the kids on the bed in the trailer since Carl refused to let go of Dylan at all. Carol ended up sleeping in the trailer too. Despite everything it was a good night. I couldn't believe how much Daryl talked to us. Tho the happiness wore off as I thought of tomorrow. How we were going to have to bury Hershel's family. And I somehow had to try to convince him to let us stay.