The archer's daughter(TWD)

Birthday

It's been a few days, and dad's still gone. I've began to grow angrier at dad with each day that's passed. He left me. He left me.

I woke up to the sounds of Judith's cries. I walked into ricks cell, where we now have Judith's crib, and picked Judith up. Rick thanked me before falling back to sleep. It must be pretty early, seeming that the sun isn't even up yet.

I walked around the common room (where all the cells are and tables and such), rocking Judith back to sleep.

I heard footsteps come and a pair of arms wrapped around my waist.

"Happy birthday!" Carl whispered. I smiled.

"You're finally fifteen like me!" He chuckled. I rolled my eyes.

"Yea, yea. Whatever..." I chuckled. I walked over to a table and grabbed Judith's bottle, and letting her drink some water. I turned back around and saw Carl smiling at Judith.

"You know, she looks a lot like you. Her ocean blue eyes, her lips... She also looks like Lori... I don't know where she gets the blonde, though." I chewed on my top lip. It's a bad habit I do when I think, it's weird.

"I don't know. Both my mom and Shane had black and brown hair..." He said, taking Judith from my arms and continued to feed her.

"You honestly don't think the baby is Shane's... She doesn't look anything like That bastard..." I mumbled the last part. We all had a rule: no swearing around the children. And no children swearing; Obviously this didn't apply to me or Carl, because we do swear sometimes, and the adults don't really care. Especially me because Daryl Dixon is my father and Merle Dixon is my uncle and all...

"Whatcha thinkin about?" Carl asked. I sighed.

"My damn father left me..." I looked up at Carl. "I wish he would be here for my birthday, but I guess he won't be..." I shrugged.

"I'm sure he's gonna come back..." Carl said.

"No you aren't." I smirked. He rolled his eyes.

"Okay, here. Gimme Judith and let me take her back to her crib." I said, making Carl hand me back a sleeping Judith. I took her back to her crib, rick was awake beside it, beginning to walk out of the cell.

"Morning." I smiled.

"Happy birthday!" He smiled. I rolled my eyes and placed Judith in her crib.

"Thanks." I smiled again.

I walked out of the cell and back into the common room where Carl, rick, Hershel, Beth and Shane were. I smiled at everyone, not looking at Shane. Beth ran up to me and hugged me.

"Happy birthday, Melissa!" She exclaimed. I chuckled.

"Thanks!" I smiled. Maybe today will be a good day.

Daryl's POV

I still can't believe I left Melissa and everyone else at the prison for that matter.

Merle isn't the same. Not anymore. He's not focused on surviving, and that's what we need to do since I just gas up my safe haven a few days so to be out in the woods alone with my brother.

"Woah, woah, woah. Ya hear that?" Merle pointed his one arm ahead of him.

"That's the sound to two-"

"Merle. Enough." I sighed, walking ahead of him.

"What's wrong, baby brother?" Merle smirked. He didn't really care, but I'll tell him anyways.

"I left my daughter, I left the prison, I left when they needed me most and I can't go back." I know I can't go back. Not now. I left. They'll probably forgive me, but I'm not ready to go back. Not just yet. "It's Melissa's birthday..." I mumbled.