#daryl x daughter!reader

[uptondixon]

"I know I’m not perfect, but I do try my hardest." Daryl said while, surprisingly, looking you in the eye.

You were confused, Daryl's wasn't that straightforward with his feelings. "What? What do you mean?"

His gaze didn't wander "I'll try my hardest to not let that happen to you."

Realization hit you like a truck. He was talking about her.

"I failed Sophia, but I promise I won't fail you." These words were said with a tone of sentiment you never heard from Daryl before.

You were at a loss of words, big eyes staring back at the man before you.

After today, you truly lost a part of your faith in the world. But it seemed you just gained something too.

"I know, Daryl."

"And I love you for it."

Prompt 42 from @positivelyholland Parental Writing Prompts

[sheriffgrimes-archerdixon]

The hat

Summary: reader goes missing and only leaves one sign of life: the sheriff’s hat Carl had given to her.

Tw: angst, gore, walkers (both characters are 18!!)

Rick grimes’ sheriff’s hat had been passed down many times. And Carl took it upon himself to give it to you, as a sign of protection of some kind. Carl when he was little always stated that when his dad would wear the hat then he would be protected from all the violence in the world, and in some ways he was correct… but all of that hope and belief turned into some sort of horror as soon as Carl stumbled upon the sheriff’s hat left discarded on the floor.

“Y/n!!” Carl yelled as he ran around desperately searching for you, running upstairs of the home and downstairs, the gated community of Alexandria was safe.. always.. but you’d never leave without telling him. The hat was held in his hand before he eventually put it down on top of his head as he sprinted back downstairs palm skimming lightly against the banister before he stumbled outside seeing Rick talking to michonne. “Dad!!” Carl practically screamed, making the former sheriff’s head snap in his direction seeing the sheer fright on his sons face “woah… what’s wrong?” His hand came to rest against carls shoulder to try and calm him down “y/n’s missing!”

“Missing?” Rick spoke confused, Carl nodding breathing heavily “I found the hat discarded… I looked all around but I can’t find her. I asked Eugene and Rosita but they said they didn’t see her go out.” Rick’s face twisted with concern, his hand coming up to rub against his forehead, pinching against the bridge of his nose “she doesn’t just leave she would’ve told me!” Carl spoke with wide worried eyes, Rick nodding, hand quickly tentatively grabbing onto the boys shoulder “I know. I know… it’s unlike her. I’ll get a few people to go out and look for her. She couldn’t of gone far.” And as Carl’s lips parted Rick only shook his head already knowing what he was going to say. “No. You stay here… I know how much you love that girl. I don’t want you getting hurt by jumping into action..” he spoke simply, Carl disliked that, but knew damn well his dad was right. And so he would just have to sit and wait around for good news.

—

Hours had passed by and although multiple search groups had been sent out, they had returned empty handed and now it was dark. The sheriffs hat was still planted firmly upon Carl’s head. He couldn’t sit still. He couldn’t calm down either. You and Carl were best friends, you had been best friends for a long long time even before the apocalypse and now with you missing he was beyond terrified for you.

Carl had dinner with his dad and michonne, not being able to eat much- too nervous. “Do you think she’s dead?” He questioned, Rick giving him an almost warning look to not give up before silently shaking his head. No one else spoke a word, as often times if you speak of something you fear then it will happen. Even as dinner was finished and everyone went to bed, Carl remained wide awake, now sat upon his bed packing a bag. He wasn’t going to give up. He was going to find you. As he zipped up his bag he threw it over his shoulder, opening the bedroom window and carefully climbing out, carefully so, until he felt his feet hit the floor before he immediately but quickly fled towards the gates that were left unattended, he silently slipped out of the gate shutting it behind himself before he began the long hike to try and find you.

-

Carl walked for ages and now it was pitch black, he continued searching around for you, but it was practically impossible to find you. He was growing worried and more sure about the fact that you had been killed until he heard an abrupt scream- his head snapping in the direction of the sound before he began sprinting wasting no time to come to this persons rescue hoping it was you. He saw and heard walkers all around but he didn’t stop, until he blindly slammed into something or rather someone. He feared it was a Walker but as he pulled back and saw your familiar face, dirty and mucky his eyes widened “y/n!” He exclaimed his eyes remaining wide, watching as your eyes teared up “Jesus Christ where were you?!” His hands came to caress against your face the groaning of incoming walkers getting closer and closer but Carl was in too much shock.

“I wanted to impress Daryl. By hunting a deer… he has been teaching me all these techniques and tricks to follow the markings on the ground but.. I— I guess I’m not ready.” Carls brows furrowed, but he knew how you always critiqued yourself way too often and constantly wanted to impress “fuck y/n.” He murmured shaking his head before he stood up grabbing onto your hands and pulling you up, instantly noticing the limp you had but he didn’t question it, instead wrapping your arm around his shoulder as he began helping lead you away from the herd of walkers. Your breathing was heavy as you gripped onto him “I- I just wanted to try and be an adult.” You spoke to him quietly “well you’re not. And if you keep pulling dangerous shit like this you’ll get yourself killed!” His words were harsher than they intended to be, and he immediately felt guilty for the way he spoke to you, murmuring an apology to you as he helped guide you somewhere safe.

-

Eventually the two of you found an old abandoned house, in the middle of no where. He helped you sit down before he sat down keeping his eyes on you worried and upset before he shook his head “you could’ve been killed.” He murmured and you nodded slightly embarrassed before looking down. He exhaled softly before he pulled the hat from his head and slowly popped it back onto your head leaning in to press a kiss to your cheek “next time you do that… wear your hat.” He spoke with a small smile, hand caressing against your cheek.

“Okay… deal..” you said with a small smile, you knew Rick and michonne were going to kill you and murder Carl for being this stupid. “You missed by the way.” You spoke with a playful grin and Carl raised his brows before you puckered your lips making Carl laugh “god you’re unbelievable sometimes.” He muttered before nonetheless leaning in and kissing you on the lips gently. “My dads gonna kill me.” He murmured against your lips and you smiled “oh no.” You spoke sarcastically a playful offended look appearing on carls face before he rolled his eyes “unbelievable.” He chuckled shaking his head.

(Part two on reuniting Rick and michonne+ their reaction?? Maybe? Lmk!!)

This took me forever to get out. Im sorry!!!

[coqvttes]

౨ৎ ⋆｡˚ - ❝ 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢'𝐦 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥, 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 ❞

[sunnybunnyy2]

Dark Cell

Daryl Dixon x platonic!reader

Negan smith x daughter!reader

WORD COUNT: 1.1k TIME: Season 7 Warnings: imprisonment, mentions of saviours, mentions of Glenn and Abraham, mentions of dog food

Series Masterlist

Daryl could feel the gazes on him as he swept the outside of the Sanctuary. Most of them were laughing and taking joy out of his humiliation, others were with pity.

Most of the pity looks were coming from the women and the others were from men that had gone through a similar situation as him before they had rolled over and submitted to Negan.

Negan

Even the name left a bad taste in his mouth, the mere thought of thinking of the heartless man caused vile to raise up his throat before he pushed it down to continue with his daily punishment.

He would sit in his cell for two days, sitting in the pitch black, the only sound that filled the small space was the heavy foot steps of those who walked by and the maddening sound of ‘easy street’ booming on replay. The only food that was spared to him was the leftover bread and expired wet dog food. Then he would be put to work for two days, working for sixteen hours a day before being returned to his cell for Dwight to humiliate him all over again.

Sometimes if he got lucky Negan would bring him to Alexandria and even if it was to make a joke out of him, he craved to make sure his family was okay.

It killed him that he couldn’t reach out and hug his family, his brother and he knew it killed Rick too.

He knew how Rick was, he cared more about his people then he did himself. He would always put himself in harms way to protect his group and it was in his best interest to just cooperate with Negan and his demand to save everyone in Alexandria from suffering the same fate as Glenn and Abraham had on that fateful night.

A hard shove snapped him out of his thoughts as a saviour glared up at him from his slightly smaller frame and as he did he finally caught your eye.

He realized you must’ve been around Carl’s age, you were wearing light blue jeans and an orange sweater that dipped down the shoulders, your eyes tightly locked on his face.

He turned his head back to the task at hand and continued his work not wanting to receive an unnecessary punishment.

It almost caused embarrassment to consume him. He was never like this, he would never cower in fear of somebody. He promised himself he would never back down but for the well-being of everyone in Alexandria, he swallowed his pride and allowed himself to be made a fool.

….

He heard light foot steps making there way down the hallway. He had just assumed a women would be on night watch, he certainly wasn’t expecting you to be opening his small, dark cell.

His questioning eyes watched you as you left the door open a small sliver, just enough to shine a little light into a certain part of the cell but left it closed enough that it wouldn’t be noticed if someone had decided that, that was the best time to look down the doomy hallway. A small plate was in your grasp leaving a sick feeling in his stomach at having to eat another dog food sandwich, but his worry was quickly put to rest when you took a seat in the corner closest to the ajared door.

“I’m not here to hurt you. I promise.” You finally spoke as you noticed the look he was giving you.

He noticed you look down at the plate before slowly sliding it over to him and it was just then that he realized it’s contents. It was two sandwiches, they were made with white bread, some kind of cold cut meat and they contained lettuce, tomato and what he assumed was mustard.

“It’s for you. Sorry I couldn’t make something else, It’s just really late and the cook went out for a smoke break so it was all I had time to grab. I wasn’t really sure what you liked so I just assumed. I hate tomatoes and mustard but I didn’t think you did.” You rambled on anxiously toying with your fingers as you looked at him, and as you did you noticed the reluctant look on his face.

“Go ahead, it’s okay.” He looked at it for a few more minutes, silence filling the room as you stared down at the ground before your eyes snapped up at the sound of him grabbing the plate before stuffing his face with its contents.

You heard a sound leave his lips as he ate the most fresh and real food he has had in more then two weeks.

“Hopefully it’s okay, I mean it has to be better then what they feed people over here.” There was no response only the sound of chewing filled the room. Normally the sound would make you cringe but you were just happy he was finally eating something good.

It only took a few minutes for the sound to dim into nothing as he quietly placed the plate back where you had originally placed it.

His eyes left the floor and met yours through his dark hair, and he looked at you for a moment before he gave you a slight nod.

If you hadn’t been paying close attention to the larger man you wouldn’t have noticed but you were. You could see the uncertainty in his gaze as well as the appreciation.

“I can bring you something else next time. I might just cook it in my room and try and bring it to you a bit earlier.”

He just continued looking at you, as if to decipher if you were lying or not before looking away.

“Is there anything you like?” You asked turning your head to try and catch his eye but it was useless.

You let out a light sigh in understanding before reaching to grab the plate, slowly pulling yourself to your feet as you pushed the door open quietly and just wide enough to squeeze through. As you did so you were halfway through the door, when you heard the deep but scratchy voice.

“Thank you.” As all that was said and when you turned your head you saw him now facing you. You couldn’t see his eyes due to the lack of light and his long hair but you could only assume he was looking at you.

A smile pulled at your lips as you mutter an “Of course.” Before you finally exited the cell, quietly closing and locking it as you tiptoed your way to your overly large room. When doing so your eyes landed on the watch on your wrist that read 2:10 am, thank god your dad was asleep.

[pixie-ass]

Daryl Dixon and the Farmers Daughter

"You think I'm pretty and I like the way you talk"

︵‿୨♡୧‿︵

"I think we're going to get along

I like the way you wear your sweater off your shoulder

The way your hair come down and make you look older

How you get so handsome, my boy?"

video credits- made by me!

ive had this stuck in my brain for so long, need to be daryls farmer girlfriend brainrot, might write a fic if I can figure out how to get my words together!

[darylsdelts]

Breathe

Darylxdaughter!reader

summary: Daryl is your father, upon entering Alexandria for the first night, you struggle with your anxiety and your Dad comforts you as best he can.

warnings: mentions of nausea, anxiety, panic attacks, fatherly comfort.

Arriving at the gates of the new community…Alexandria, you felt your stomach doing flips. Usually when kids were scared or nervous, they would hold onto their parents hand a little tighter but you were the opposite, you almost always were, in every way you were the opposite to ‘most kids’.

When the gates started to open, your father, Daryl reached for your hand, giving it a small squeeze. Your dad always knew what would get you anxious and he also knew how you tried to deal with the feeling, so he knew that you did not want to hold his hand right now, he knew it made you feel like the world was putting its entire weight on you. He also knew that you hated that he could always tell when you’d start feeling the tightness in your chest, it filled you with humiliation.

However, Daryl could feel his own chest tightening with anxiety. Bringing his child into a place that he’s unfamiliar with, full of people he couldn’t trust, scared the shit outta him. It filled him with guilt, knowing that he couldn’t ever promise you safety but he also wasn’t one to ever lie to you.

It was like some sort of internal humiliation, you hated that you couldn’t just breeze through certain situations like your Dad or like Rick, they were never scared of anything.

You swiftly pulled your hand from your fathers grip, earning a glance down in your direction which you tried your best to ignore, he had a way of making his gaze feel like it could burn you alive.

Despite not wanting to be touched or comforted, yous still stuck right by your fathers side. You hated admitting it but being next to your dad did comfort you and being in this foreign community, you needed that.

It felt like an eternity of standing next to Daryl, scuffing your feet against the smooth tarmac whilst the adults spoke about where y’all were gonna be sleeping. Your dad didn’t really give much input, he didn’t seem fond of this place so you decided you wouldn’t be either. You weren’t paying attention to the conversation but you assumed there had been some sort of arrangement when Daryl flattened his palm on your upper back and pushed you in the direction of a house that wasn’t claimed by a family yet.

When it was time to sleep, the group all slept on the floor together even though they all had beds now, and you wanted so badly to sleep in a bed. However, you understood why and you felt safer when you were with the whole group anyway.

But knowing that you were basically trapped in this new place made your tummy hurt and your lungs work a little harder. 

You were sat with your back against the wall, a small space between the windowsill and the cot that Judith was in, and your knees were drawn to your chest. You and your father were the only ones still awake, he was sat on the window sill and watching the darkness outside, always ready.

Your eyes scanned over your found family, all pairs of eyes were closed and they were all unconscious. 

You thought about the fact that this is what they’d all look like if they were all dead in front of you and you feel an uncomfortable wave of heat come over you, from your head to your toes and now your feet felt tingly. You started to overthink: were you really safe here? You felt safe if you were with your dad but with the way he was staring out the window, as if he was waiting for something bad to happen, didn’t make it seem like he felt safe here. What if this place was like terminus? They’re just pretending to be good people. Maybe you’ll wake up and everyone will actually be dead.

The room started to feel way too small, way too much like an enclosure.

You got up as quietly as you could, stepping carefully over your family and heading to the front door.

You were getting that weird feeling, the one where you feel like your heads being pulled back whilst your body drags you forward. Every time you’ve felt this way, your dad has been able to tell and every time he’d always get you to fresh air if you weren’t already outside, so that’s what you were doing.

Once you were on the porch, you shut the door as quietly as possible and walked to the corner of the wooden bannister, sliding down to the ground so that you were sat with your knees tucked against your chest again.

You attempted to take deep breaths like Dad had taught you to, you’d seen him do it himself sometimes too. Dad said that he sometimes got the same feeling as you got when he was scared… but he never really seemed scared.

You tried to keep up the breathing exercise but your jaw began to tingle and your head was getting a little fuzzy, you felt like you were really about to throw up.

You only ever got this bad twice.

The first was before the walkers were around, when you had to wait in your Dads truck whilst he visited grandpa Will. Dad never let you go in with him, you weren’t exactly sure why your dad still visited him because when he came back to the truck he was always angry but Dad never spoke about it. But you always got the bad feeling when your father was in there a little too long.

The second was on the farm, when Andrea shot Daryl in the side of his head, you were forced to sit down on a bench with Lori and Carl whilst Hershel tried to help your Dad. You were sure he was gonna be gone, you were so scared that you pretty much stopped breathing whilst Lori tried to assure you that your dad was strong and he’d be fine. That time you really did throw up.

You didn’t even realise the door had opened when you were pulled from your thoughts as you felt someone brush some hair out of your face.

You flinched and it took effort to focus your eyes on the person, but when you did you saw it was Dad.

“Hey… ya hearing’ me? Ya gotta breathe for me y/n”

Daryl rubbed his large hand on your shoulder and held his other hand under your chin to get you to look at him. When your breathing didn’t seem to slow down, he took your much smaller hand in his and put it flat on his chest.

“C’mon, just like Daddy, darlin’… nice n slow…”

Your tried your best, trying to match your fathers rise and fall of his chest. After about two minutes if repeating the slow breaths, you realised you had been crying. You hated crying, even in front of your Dad, sure, he’d seen you cry plenty but you still hated it, it made you feel so dramatic.

As soon as you realised how wet your cheeks were, you ducked your head down, your hair falling over your eyes.

Daryl knew you were trying to hide, and he let you for all of ten seconds before he sat with his back against the bannister with his legs out straight in front of him.

He snaked an arm around your shoulder and tried to pull you into him.

“C’mere”

When you forced your body to resist, he pulled a little harder.

“Baby, c’mere…”

You reluctantly let him pull you into his side and his hand smoothed over your hair repeatedly as you sniffled.

After a while, you finally spoke, trying desperately to sound angry at him.

“Ain’t a baby.”

You felt Daryl’s chest vibrate a little with a chuckle.

“Yer my baby, dun care how old…”

You didn’t say anything, you liked that he said that, it made you feel safe just like most things he said or did.

You both sat in silence for a bit, daryl still stroking your hair.

Until your Dad speaks in a low and quiet voice.

“I know yer feelin’ stuck n ya ain’t likin’ this place so far but we ain’t even been here one day yet. I dun like it either… feels like we’re all trapped or sum’n and I-“

He stops and sighs.

“Know ya don’t like tellin’ me when yer feelin’ scared or when yer gettin’ anxious but you gotta tell me, baby.”

When you don’t reply, he takes another deep breath.

“Listen, I dun know what ya need if ya ain’t gon’ tell me, darlin’.”

You shrugged a little, you didn’t exactly need anything, you just wished that you could know that you and your family would be fine, but your dad couldn’t promise that for you.

“This place makes my tummy hurt.”

Daryl sighed, feeling guilty that he couldn’t do much to help.

“Mine too… but I ain’t gon’ let nothin’ bad happen to ya, you know that, right?”

“I know… just wish my head didn’t go all weird n I could be strong like you…”

Daryl squeezed you tighter to him.

“You make me brave, y/n… wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have you”.

You couldn’t really understand that. Surely it would be easier to survive without having to worry about a kid. You didn’t understand that your father had meant what he said in a different way, he knew he would’ve given up a long time ago if he didn’t have you to look after, you were his only reason to fight because you were the only thing that mattered to him.

“And… you’ll get better at dealin’ with yer head, I promise… I used to get like that as a kid too… still do sometimes”, Daryl spoke out into the night, he’d never admitted to you that he had also dealt with the same thing at your age, and that he still sometimes had to deal with it. He knew that you saw him as invincible but he sure as shit weren’t, he’d had his fair share of panic attacks, plenty that had gone unnoticed by you and the group because he’d grown up having to learn how to make them invisible.

“Your brain goes weird too?”

“Mhm, sometimes… when things feel like they’re gettin’ too much… that’s why ya came out ‘ere, right?”

You nod against his shoulder, you had calmed down completely now and your eyes were beginning to drop closed against your will.

“I know…” he glances down at you. “C’mon... ya need rest, kid”.

You didn’t have the energy to protest when your Dad practically pulled you off the ground and guided back to the living area where the group was still sleeping. Daryl held both your shoulders as he pushed you toward the windowsill, where he sat down then pulled you down to lay your head in his lap. He laid his leather vest over your shoulders and then let one hand rest on the side of your head, his thumb stroking your hairline, of course he didn’t sleep, he stayed up all night, staring out the window. He still felt guilt eating away at him, he wished that you didn’t have to suffer with your anxiety the same way he did but he was at least glad that he could be there for you, that’s more than he had.

[jamiejabbers]

Unseen Bonds

Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Daughter Reader

(this is my first time writing please don’t hate but I’ll take any tips! hope you enjoy, xx)

The afternoon sun dipped behind the hills of Hershel’s farm, casting long shadows across the field. Daryl leaned against the porch railing, his eyes fixed on the treeline, though his mind wasn’t on walkers. It was on the girl he’d barely known how to raise.

Harley sat a few feet away, perched on the edge of the steps, her blonde hair tangled in the wind. She stared down at the ground, tracing patterns in the dirt with the toe of her boot. She was silent, as she often was, except when she was with Carl Grimes. Daryl watched as Carl approached her, carrying a small rock he’d found by the creek.

“Hey, Harley,” Carl said, a grin breaking across his face. “Look what I found. It’s got this weird shape, kinda like a dinosaur tooth, maybe.”

Harley looked up, her blue eyes brightening just a bit. “That’s not a dinosaur tooth, Carl,” she replied, a small smile tugging at her lips. “It’s a piece of quartz. Probably got chipped off from one of the bigger rocks by the river.”

Carl’s face flushed a little, embarrassed, but he shrugged. “Well, maybe you can teach me about rocks sometime,” he said.

“Maybe,” Harley replied with a shrug, but there was a playful glint in her eyes.

Daryl turned his gaze back to the woods. He wasn’t sure how to reach her, how to fix what Merle had broken in her. He’d tried to shield her from his brother’s rough ways, but she’d seen too much, heard too much, for him to ever pretend things were normal. She was smart, street-smart, like he was, and maybe that was part of the problem. She’d grown up too fast.

He saw Carl whisper something to her, and she laughed — a soft, sweet sound he rarely heard from her. His heart clenched in his chest. He wondered if he’d ever hear her laugh like that with him.

He grunted, turning away, but Harley’s voice stopped him.

“Daddy?” she called, her voice soft but clear.

Daryl turned back, surprised. She rarely addressed him so directly.

“Can I help you with something? Maybe... go hunting later?” she asked, her tone hesitant, like she was testing the waters.

Daryl blinked, taken aback. He scratched the back of his neck, trying to hide the small flicker of hope rising in his chest. “Yeah… yeah, alright. Could use another set of eyes out there. You gotta be quiet, though.”

Harley smiled, just a little. “I can be quiet.”

Carl grinned. “She’s better than anyone,” he added proudly.

Daryl gave a short nod, trying to act casual, but inside, he felt something shift — a small crack in the walls between them. Maybe, just maybe, they could find a way to bridge the gap that had always been there. He’d never been good with words, but maybe he didn’t need to be. Maybe showing her how much he cared in his own way was enough.

“Come on, then,” Daryl said, turning toward the woods. Harley stood, handing Carl the rock with a grin before trotting down the steps to join her father. She fell into step beside him, quiet but close.

For now, it was enough. They walked side by side into the thickening shadows, knowing that in this broken world, they’d face whatever came together, one step at a time.

[wizard-on-whales]

Acceptance

Angst and Fluff

You are James' daughter and you're struggling with yourself because you've recently come to the conclusion that you like women. But given James' past actions, you are terrified to tell him

Warnings: Angst, talk of homophobia, wlw, James acts like a deer in headlights

✭-----------------------------✭

You lay on your bed with your face buried into your pillow as your body wrecks out another sob. You didn't know how you were gonna tell him….or if you could. You knew your dad was a more “traditional” man and his reputation before you were born was not seen as an accepting one. Countless videos of him yelling slurs and saying other homophobic things could easily be found with the click of a button. So how the hell were you, his precious little girl, supposed to tell him you like women. Another sob escapes from your lips as you reach over and grab the lion plush he had given you years ago. It was his when he was younger and the smell of his cologne often lingered on it. You clutched it tightly like you did when you were a toddler, crying over nothing in particular. But this time you were crying over something huge, something that could determine your future and the relationship you had with your father going forward. As you curl into a ball and bring the lion to your chest, inhaling the familiar scent of your dad, there's a knock on your bedroom door.

“Dinners ready,” Your dad opens the door to tell you but his heart quickly clenches in his chest as he sees you curled up and crying. Despite the fact that you were almost 17, he still saw his little peanut, his little 5 year old girl who thought she could do anything.

“Hey, hey, sweetheart what's wrong,” He speaks quietly, stepping forward to sit on the edge of the bed. You quickly wipe away your tears and mumble a small “nothing” before trying to hide your mascara streaked face into your pillow.

“It's clearly not nothing baby, did something happen at school? Or did I do something? You've hardly talked to me the past few days,” He gently wipes a few strands of hair away from your face before resting his hand on your shoulder, his thumb rubbing back and forth to try and soothe you. Despite being upset over how he would react, the action did sooth you a little like it always had. Your heart jumps to your throat as he asks if it's his fault you're crying, you let out another sob, not being able to hold back. You felt awful about crying because of him and you felt guilty for not hiding it better.

“Is it something I did? You gotta tell me sweetheart so I can fix it,” He gives you a concerned look, clearly worried about how he fucked up if he upset you this much.

“I can't,” You sob quietly, trying to wipe your tears away as they fall quickly down your cheeks. He tries to help you wipe a few off your face but you get to them before he can. He rests his hand on your back, rubbing it slightly as he listens to your words.

“Why can't you tell me? I won't be mad or anything, baby, I promise,” His own eyes were glossy now as he helplessly watched his baby girl cry, clutching his old stuffy.

“You won't love me anymore,” You let out another full body sob as your words slip out, hiccups coming along with it as you bury your face back into your pillow. You hear your Dad let out a strand of “shhs” trying to calm you down as he attempts to pull you into his lap. He cradles you in his arms, his hand still rubbing your back as your tears stain his shirt.

“Why would you think that sweetheart?!? There's absolutely nothing you could do that would make me not love you. You're my whole world and I love you more than anything,” His own tears slip out of his eyes as he speaks, trying to calm you down. He tried so hard all your life to make you feel safe and loved, desperate for you to never have to feel like he did when he was a kid, but as he cradles your sobbing body he feels like he failed.

“I have a girlfriend,” You sob, your words muffled and quiet as you try to hide behind your lion stuffed animal. You feel and hear him let out a small chuckle as strokes your hair.

“Baby, why do you think I'd be so mad about you having a boyfriend,” Your heart jumps to your throat as he says boyfriend, clearly having misheard you.

“No! Girlfriend,” You lift your face away from him so that he can hear you as you cut him off. You see his face drop as he registered what you said. You push away from him, crawling back to your spot on your bed with your back turned to him. He stays quiet for far too long and with each second that passes the more you feel anxiety pooling in you. His hand gently rests on your shoulder again, causing you to jerk at first.

“Honey…I know I've, well…I-I don't really know what to say,” He says quietly, his voice defeated. A few more silent tears rolling down your cheeks as you fear the worst.

“You don't have to say anything,” You mumble, your hands fiddling with each other as you pick at the skin around your fingernails.

“No, I do have to say something. You're clearly upset over this. I know I haven't always been the greatest person…especially when I was younger but I'm willing to change that, especially for you sweetheart. I-well...I don't know much about, uhm…gay stuff…But if you give me a chance I can try,” He stutters over his words, clearly trying to find the right thing to say as he attempts to comfort you. He pushes your shoulder down so that you're on your back and facing him. He gives you a small smile, wiping more tears off of your face.

“What's her name?” He asks you for your girlfriend's name. The small action causes a smile to form on your face as he seems genuinely interested in knowing. He gives you another soft smile back as you tell him her name.

“She plays guitar like you,” You say quietly, looking away from him and continuing to fiddle with your fingers. He grabs your hand to stop you, knowing you have a bad habit of picking your skin when you're nervous.

“Yeah? I bet she's not as good as me though,” He jokes, trying to get a laugh out of you. You smile again, hitting him on the shoulder.

“She's better,” He pretends to act offended by that, clutching his hand over his heart and letting out a fake sob.

“How dare you,” He fake cries, trying to hold back a smile as you let out a small laugh. He looks back at you, wiping the excess tears off of your face.

“There is absolutely nothing you can do that will ever make me not love you, okay? Don't ever forget that,” He leans forward and places a kiss on your forehead as he speaks gently. You nod your head in understandment.

“Now c'mon, we don't want dinner to get cold. Maybe you can invite her over next time,” He stands up from the edge of your bed and holds his hand out to help you up. You take it and peel yourself out of your sheets, following him downstairs to see whenever monstrosity he's made for dinner this time.

✭-----------------------------✭

[trashk1tty]

Rick Grimes x Farmers Daughter.

[rue-dixon]

Daryl Dixon with a daughter headcanons

- his entire parenting style would be, "do as I say not as I do."

- when he's fixing a car, his bike, or even his cross bow he'll ask you for help and ask you to hand him tools. While also trying to teach you how to do it so you can do it yourself later on.

- would probably totally forget to explain to you what periods are so when you get it for the first time you think you're dying and he has to talk you down.

- reads you bed time stories when you were younger but would interrupt himself every few minutes with some sort of comment or criticism. "Then the princess kissed the frog an- seriously? She's gonna believe the talking frog??"

- will always let you sleep with him if you have nightmares.

- has woken you up with snoring a couple times.

- teaches you how to hunt, gather, and shoot of course.

- wants to be involved in your hobbies, so if you draw, write, read, paint, sing, it doesn't matter. He wants to be included in them and will always complement you on them. Will watch you too if it's something he can watch you do.

- tries not to smoke around you too much when you were younger. Because he remembers how bad his moms smoking affected him as a kid, but will be less and less careful as you get older. Tells you not to smoke while simultaneously refusing to ever quit himself.

- brings you back gifts when he goes on runs. Especially during the prison era, brings you back things to decorate your space to make it feel less like a cell. You have so many trinkets, jewelry, stuffies, or anything the goes with your hobbies from him. Good thing he doesn't have to pay.

- when you outgrow your clothes or need new ones he'll go with you so you can pick them out yourself. But will also ask Carol or Michonne to come along as well because they know more about these things.

- is surprisingly very calm when teaching you how to drive. Has you drive up and down empty highways and around empty parking lots. You don't need a license of course but still should learn the proper way.

- if you're lesbian and come out to him he'd probably like snort and be like "I know.. so who's the lucky girl?" And give you a very cocky smirk before looking away.

- sometimes he gets sad knowing he can't give you a better life than you deserve.

- would not shelter you, like at all. If you were Carl's age, he would've already taught you to shoot way before him which caused Carl to fuss at Rick. But he'd still try to shield you from anything super bad or grossem.

- if you have a bad fight later that night when they two of you will be getting ready to settle down for the night he'll try his best to apologize in the way he knows how. So either giving you something, helping you or apologizing for something specific. "M' sorry for yellin' at ya."

- hugs, but mostly hair ruffles and pats on the back.

[uptondixon]

Daryl & Daugther!Reader - Quarry Era II

Had this in my drafts for ages. I started writing and never finished, but I decided to post anyway. Thank you for all the love on Part 1! I'm sorry I'm not much of a writer to keep this storyline going :( Words: 1591 Warnings: Nightmares Gif not mine Chapter song is Fix You by Coldplay

Part I

"And the tears come streaming down your face, when you lose something you can't replace."

It's been a while since the three of them started the walk back to camp, which was proving to be especially hard for the girl. After the adrenaline went off, the pain on her feet and legs were becoming almost unbearable. With each step she got slower and felt weaker. A headache making its way over her head, probably a mix of pain, hunger and lack of sleep.

Before heading back to camp Daryl offered her water, which she accepted desperately. Even though she was happy the thirst was over, her growling stomach didn't let her forget the days without anything to eat. She didn't mention that, already thankful for the water. However, the girl's skinny body gave Daryl an idea of how hungry she must be.

Daryl and Merle didn't hunt anything, both too focused on the deer, so he made a mental note to feed her as soon as they got to camp. Daryl also tried to take a better look at her wounds, but she didn't let him. He didn't push and decided this was a job for Lori or Carol. They were the mothers of the group and the girl would feel safe with them, he thought.

"She's slowing us down man, if we don't speed up we're going to lose sunlight. This girl is like a damn walker bait. Hell, I can smell her blood from here." Merle complained again.

"I get it Merle! Stop whining alrigh?" Daryl said before approaching the kid. 

She had been trailing behind them the whole time, never sparing them a glance and looking almost ready to bolt in the opposite direction at any moment. All of a sudden, Daryl realized that they didn't know her name.

"What's yer name kid?" She looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Y/n." She said, voice almost a whisper.

"Alrigh', Y/n. Look, someone has to check yer wounds and for that we need to get to the camp but ya can barely walk…" Y/n knew he was right. She was scared to let him do anything with her wounds, afraid it would make it hurt even more. But the girl knew that it would only get worse if they didn't get there faster.

"What if I carry ya?" Daryl proposed. "We'll get to the folks faster and everything's gonna be okay." Daryl looked at her expectantly, while Merle was still mumbling some nonsense he chose to again ignore.

Y/n pounded for a moment. She didn't know this guy, even though he seemed to be making an effort to at least make her feel less scared. The same couldn't be said about the other guy, his brother. Even with Daryl's effort, she wasn't sure if trusting him was the right decision. However, it's not like she had any other choice at the moment.

Y/n looked up at Daryl and nodded her head. He handed his crossbow to Merle and picked the girl up. She felt so light and Daryl couldn't help but wonder how long she was alone out there, without food and water.

Y/n wrapped one of her arms around Daryl's neck, looking for something to hold on to. It was weird, how she didn't even know this man but felt safe in his arms. After being alone for months, she really wanted to believe someone good was going to help her.

Daryl arranged the girl in his arms and resumed their walking, Merle leading the way with Daryl's crossbow, aware of any danger.

They arrived at the camp a couple hours later and Daryl came in calling for the first person he saw, which in that case was Lori. "Daryl, oh my god??? Who is that?"

Daryl immediately felt Y/n's arms wrap harder around him. "It's fine kid, don't worry."

"We found her in the woods, alone and hurt."

Minutes later, the whole camp was reunited outside the RV while Lori and Carol were inside with Y/n. The girl felt more at ease with them, like Daryl imagined. But she was still unsure about everything and everyone.

After they treated her wounds and helped her clean up, Daryl brought some of the squirrel from his last hunt along with more food from the camp. Being clean and fed, it was like Y/n could finally think straight again.

Yours later, everyone started to retreat to their tents for the night. Inside the RV, Y/n tried to stay awake, her brain still on alert for some reason. But after a while her body started to give up and she fell asleep to the sounds of the dying conversation outside.

“It will be okay my baby, just run and don’t look back, okay?”

“But mom, what about you?”

“I’ll be right behind you, go!” The little girl ran, but she couldn't help looking back. However, when she did, it made sense why her mother told her not to.

Screams, that’s what Daryl woke up to. He jumped out of his tent and saw Shane, Glenn and Dale outside the RV. “What the hell happened?”

“It 's Y/n.” Shane said “Lori is-” As if on cue, Lori leaves the RV. And to everyone's surprise, she smiled at Daryl.

“She’s asking for you, Daryl.” Daryl looked at Lori as if she had grown another head but entered the RV anyway.

“Hey kid, what's up?” Y/n was sitting in bed, death grip on the blanket and scared look on her face.

“I miss my mom” Daryl didn't know what to say, he didn't understand why she would want him there of all people. “Could you stay here until I fall back asleep?”

To be honest, Y/n didn't want to sleep, not if that meant another nightmare, but her body didn't give her any choice. Daryl saved her, his presence made her feel safe, so maybe he could help the bad dreams go away. Daryl was still confused, but he simply sat down in the chair close to the door and nodded his head, watching as the girl laid down, closing her eyes and falling asleep once again.

The first week went by smoothly, Y/n couldn't think about anything other than sleep. Her body begging for rest in order to heal. She didn't talk much, still overwhelmed with the new environment and everything that happened, but slowly feeling more at ease with everyone. Amy was the one to bring her food the days she stayed in bed. Lori or Carol would brush her long hair after she washed up. Glenn and Dale would make her laugh with silly jokes. Andrea and Jacqui would help change her bandages. Daryl would always check on her at the end of the day. He didn't say much, only put his head inside the RV, saw her asleep and then went to his tent.

The second week was better, she was stronger and more active. However, the nightmares still hunted her at night. Since Y/n got in the camp, Carl and Sophia were anxious to talk with her. But she was weak and scared so the adults held them back. When she started feeling better, spending her days sitting in the staircase of the RV and watching the camp, Carl approached her. With everything that happened Y/n didn't really had the time to think about the other kids at camp. She knew Sophia was Carol's daugther and Carl was Lori's, but they never talked and she suddently felt nervous. It's been ages since she last talked with someone her age.

"Hi, I'm Carl. You're Y/n, right?"

"Yeah.." Y/n smiled awkwardly.

"Shane's going to teach me how to grab frogs, you wanna come too?"

Y/n apreciated the invitation but she couldn't help but ask "Why would you want to grab frogs?"

Carl seemed like he wasn't expecting the question but answered anyway "Well, it's just funny, they jump so high trying to run away" he said with a little laugh "But we release them right after, Shane says they probably taste really bad to eat."

Y/n was the one ot laugh this time, for sure she wouldn't want to eat a frog.

"Okay, it seems fun" Y/n said looking at the boy in front of her.

"Yes! It's going to be really fun, I'll tell Shane you're coming" Y/n laughed again seeing the boy excitement, she couldn't help but feel it too. After the last stressful weeks, it was good to have some distraction.

Y/n met Sophia a couple nights after her frong hunt with Carl and Shane. The camp was having dinner and since she started feeling better, she started to have dinner outside with the others. The first night she went straight to Daryl, he and Merle sitting around a fire further from the main camp. In the short time Y/n was there she could notice how they differed from the rest of the camp. Her, as well, felt unsure, not of Daryl but his brother. The first night she left the RV and went to Daryl, Merle looked at her they same way he looked at her back in the woods. Like she was an walker bait. Daryl didn't showed much affection towards her, at least not in clear eyes. But he silently made sure she was fed and safe every single day, most of the others from the camp would not notice most of the time, but he did and Y/n knew it.

Taglist: @justmare

[sheriffgrimes-archerdixon]

OMG CAN YOU PLEASE DO DARYL AS A PARENT FIGURE???!!!?!! 😭😭😭

I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY LIKE THAT 😭

A/N: thank you so much for the idea!!! I hope this is okay!!! I was tempted to go full out and have him be an actual dad, but this’ll do for now. If you’d all like an actual story where Daryl’s a dad of the reader then please do lmk!! Also there are other Daryl father figure stories on my page so feel free to have a scroll!!<3

Synopsis: reader lost her family at the beginning of the apocalypse, she finally breaks and Daryl is there to comfort her.

Female! Reader x father figure! Daryl.

You were upset. Clearly. Like a ticking time bomb. You were staring down at the ground, the group had gone through a hell of a lot of shit to get to this point and the pain of losing people and seeing such blood shed welcomed in a new emotion for you. Pure agony. Agony that you hadn’t felt in a long time. The last time you felt it was when your family had been killed and turned into walkers. And losing all parental figures in one night was devastating.

“You good?” A voice came from the side and you glanced up seeing Daryl resting his shoulder against a tree crossbow hung over his other shoulder as he stared at you worriedly “I’m fine.” You murmured looking away from him, hearing him make a slight laughing sound as if he didn’t believe you “talk to me y/n…” he wasn’t one to ever push but he saw you were struggling. You remained quiet for a while just staring before you slowly looked at him before standing up “I lost my family… to the dead at the beginning of this shit show. They were ripped from me in an instant… sure my family wasn’t perfect but they all loved me and I loved them.” Daryl’s face contorted with sadness as he stared at you sadly. Oh how he wished he had a supportive family… he only really had Merle and the man was toxic as hell.

“I- I- seeing everything today it just brought back all the memories. Hearing my parents scream for mercy… seeing their blood… seeing how the dead ripped their faces off.” Tears were now streaming down your cheeks without you even realising as you let out a shaky breath. Daryl slowly got closer to you “I wanted to save them. I hated that I couldn’t save them… I- I- I needed to save them and it fucking kills me that I can’t go back and rescue them.. I should’ve done more… I- I needed to do more they needed me and I just stood there too scared and then I ran off and—“ your sobbing suddenly grew louder as then and there you broke in front of Daryl. He was the type you could trust. You wouldn’t of opened up like this to anyone else, maybe Rick, but Daryl was like a father to you. At the worst of times he kept you stable.

He wrapped his arms around you tightly “easy y/n.” He soothed holding you close to his chest. He rubbed up and down your back delicately “blaming yourself doesn’t get you anywhere.” He blamed himself over a lot of things so he understood but he knew it wouldn’t help anything. “Not your fault.” He spoke to you quietly as you sobbed into his chest, his grip on you was light at first before eventually he secured his grip on you tightening it as he pulled you impossibly closer “it’s okay…” You couldn’t focus though, only crying more as your hands weakly pushed against his chest, angry at yourself as weak cries continued leaving your lips Daryl keeping a protective hold on you, your hands continued hitting at his chest and he only held you closer to him “easy… breathe…” he soothed as softly as he could.

He dropped his free arm down momentarily so he could drop his crossbow down onto the floor before he pulled you closer to him again holding you tight “I miss my dad…. I miss my dad… I miss him so much.” Daryl’s heart broke for you and he held you closer, pressing a small kiss to the top of your head, his hand soon coming up to caress against the back of your head. “It’s okay.. it’s all going to be okay.. I’m here for you.” He didn’t dare let you go. You continued crying about missing your dad and he didn’t let go, he just held you, and as your sobbing eventually calmed down he pulled back slightly only to see you now clawing at his shirt to keep him there and he knew you needed him so he leaned in closer to you again.

“Your family would be so proud of you for how far you’ve come.” He murmured to you gently. “For killing people?” You murmured with a soft cry. “No.” He pulled back resting his hands against your shoulders “for surviving. We’ve all got to just survive somehow. Right? And you did just that…” he smiled warmly and you sniffled, before his hand came up to wipe against your cheek getting rid of the tears that lingered against your skin. “Look up.” He nodded up and you slowly glanced up at the dark night sky, twinkling stars shining down on you both. Daryl wasn’t the sentimental type to believe stars were lost loved ones but he could pretend for you… “they’re shining down on you always… proud and happy. Supporting you.” A small smile broke out on your face and you leaned into him, holding onto him tightly, “yeah…. Thank you… love you.” You murmured quietly without even thinking and he leaned down kissing your forehead. “Love you too sunshine.”

[zillobeastbait]

Prompt List

6 - “Why are you following me around like a lost duckling.”

19 - “Can't you just not work today?”

Daryl Dixon x Daughter!Reader

Words: 1027

Warnings/Notes: None

Not my image

It had been a long week up till now. The group was busy working in Alexandria. Some people gardening, others building up the wall or keeping watch. You woke up to an empty house, your father already out and working. You walk down the stairs as he comes in the door.

“I figured you’d be up about now. I’ll make ya some breakfast and then I gotta head back to work.” Daryl walks over to you after setting his bow down on the bench by the door. “What d’ya think of that?”

“Can’t you just not work today?” you complain to him all the time about how much he’s out and helping out.

“Pumpkin, we talked about this, I have to help out.” Daryl picks you up and carries you over to the kitchen. 

“But you’re always goneeee.” you drag out the end of your sentence. Adding a whining tone to your voice. Daryl sets you on the counter as he gets out the waffle maker.

“Hey, wha’td I say bout yer whinin’.” Daryl doesn’t look at you, but you can hear the sternness in his voice.

“Sorry daddy.” You fiddle with your fingers while you wait for him to turn back around. When he does he has the waffle mix and other instruments in his hands. 

“Yes!” you say with excitement, your fists shooting up.

“Figured you'd be excited.” He comments with a smirk as he begins mixing the batter.

you sit on the counter and help with what you can as your dad makes you waffles. You two have a great time talking and your cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

Eventually the waffles are all done and you two sit at the barstool and eat them. You watch as your dad eats only a couple and gives you the rest of his syrup.

“Why didn't you eat as much?” You pause shoving the waffles in your mouth to talk. 

“I had some food earlier this morning, so I ain't that hungry.” He says with a small smile.

You smile and shrug, shoving more waffles in your mouth. 

“Alright kid, I gotta get back t’ work.” He stands up and ruffles your hair, placing a kiss on the top of your head. 

“Can't you stay home today?” you finish eating your waffles and turn around to face him in you chair. 

“We talked about this kiddo, I gotta do this.”

“Then I can come with you?” you mouth shoots up in a smile and you run towards the stairs. “Lemme grab my stuff.”

You don't even give him a chance to say anything before you run up the stairs and grab your little messenger bag. You shove in your coloring book, a normal book, and some extra little things. 

You come down the stairs to him dressed back in his boots and jacket, standing with his arms crossed, his bow hanging off his shoulder.

“Alright, c'mon.” he says, nodding his head towards the door. 

“Hang on, I gotta put on my boots.” you plop on the floor next to the shoes, which are only yours and Daryl's at the most. 

When your done tieing them up, Daryl helps you to stand and hands you your pocket knife. He got it for you a while ago and wont let you leave the house without having it on you. 

“Ready?” he asks.

“Ready.” you look up and smile at him. 

He only nods before opening the door and holding it open for you. He shuts it behind him and walks alongside you. Today he has to get the bike ready so he can go out scouting with Aaron eventually. You two walk along the sidewalk, watching the few birds fly by or someone else on a walk. It's times like this that you miss with him. Even before Alexandria, when you were always on the run. You get to be with him all the time and do everything with him. You don't like being alone in the house all day every day.

When you make it to Aaron's house he greets you with a snack and juice.

“Thanks!” you say with a smile. Even after all the waffles you had just 20 minutes ago you eat the fruit he handed you right away and sipped on the juice. 

You follow Daryl into Aaron's garage and see the bike Daryl has been working on.

“Are we gonna be able to ride it just like your last one!?” You look at him with and excited expression plastered on your face.

"Eventually, I might change some things to make it easier, and we need to find you a helmet if we can.”

“How are we gonna find a motorcycle helmet for me?”

“I dunno kid. Even if it was just a bike helmet. Any type of helmet really.” He sits on the stool and begins messing with parts.

“How ‘bout ya sit in that chair over there and color or someth'n.” He nods towards a chair in the corner. 

“I think I'm gonna watch you.” you set your bag down in the chair and stand by where Daryl was working. You stay for a while like that day. Following him when he goes to the workbench or the other side of the bike.

“Alright kid, why are you following me around like a lost duckling?”

“I just wanna see what your doing, and I miss when we were together all the time.”

He stops what he's doing and looks up at you from his seat.

“Pumpkin, why didn't you tell me. I could have taken you with me more.”

“I dunno. I just figured you weren't alway gonna be this busy.”

“I get it, and I'm sorry. I didn't really notice that you wanted to come, I thought you would like having your own space.”

“I just miss you sometimes.”

“Alright, I'll tell you what, tomorrow we'll have a just us day. We can do whatever we want.”

“Alright.” a smile breaks out on your face and you giggle in excitement.

“Alright kid.” Daryl has a smirk on his face as he continues to work and you continue to watch.

Hope you enjoyed it!!

—--

@sofia-stark

Thanks for reading, as always like, comment, and re-blog to support your writers and other artists.

Thanks again and see you soon.

[sunnybunnyy2]

Father Knows Best

Daryl Dixon x platonic!reader

Negan Smith x daughter!reader

WORD COUNT: 4.2k

TIME: season 7

Warnings: imprisonment, swearing, mentions of Daryl’s abuse, mentions of savours, transpires in season seven, spoilers for season seven of the walking dead, possible typos and bad writing

CHAPTER 3 to the Dark Cell Series

Not much Daryl in this one, sadly, but he will be in it much more next chapter!

Series Masterlist Official Masterlist

This one came out way quicker than the second and I’m sorry for that, but I am beginning to get into a regular posting times! So here it is!!

Your eyes were forced open when you heard the loud pounding of a fist consistently colliding against your door.  

You let out a groan as your senses began to kick in, the once blackness that you were seeing behind your eyelids was replaced with the bright light that shined through the window that was meant to be covered by your curtain but you had been growing even more tired since your visits with Daryl. 

It had made sense. Normally you would be asleep before the second night shift, so around 11 pm, but now you couldn't fall asleep until around 3 am, sometimes even 4.

That paired with the times that you had to wake up each morning had given you a maximum of four hours a night. Then you had to work all day and repeat the cycle again and again. 

You couldn't risk falling asleep before you met Daryl, knowing that he would starve that night, and that thought alone kept your mind racing all day. 

You constantly wondered how he was doing at the hands of your father. You wondered if he was being beaten, even if the old bruises on his face had started to fade you knew it wasn't long until they would reappear again. 

You wondered what else Dwight was forcing him to do. You couldn't really put anything past him. 

You used to admire how kind he was to others and how kindly he would treat his wife, Sherry, and her sister, Tina. But ever since Tina had been killed when they had escaped the sanctuary over a month ago and he had faced the wrath of her father, he hadn't been the same.

You knew it was because of his wife. Sherry had offered to become your father's wife to spare Dwight's life. 

You didn't agree with your father having multiple wives especially so soon after your mother's death. It had been just over two years and he was pretending she didn't exist. He was coercing women into being his wife, in hopes of filling the dark that was left after your mother had taken her own life. 

You could see how their presence in his life wasn't providing in the way he had hoped it would. You could see it in his eyes. 

He was miserable. So he was bringing pain onto other people to make himself feel better. You didn't agree with his ways of coping but it's not like you could change his mind. He was a grown man and could certainly make his own choices.

He knew where you stood and what he chose to do with that was up to him, you supposed. He knew you weren't a fan of his 'marital' status so he kept it as far away from you as possible. Making sure that he never showed affection to them around you, making sure they stayed out of your way. But that wasn't the issue. You did like his wives, they were kind to you. Always making sure you were okay. Never talking about your father around you. 

You had felt like his wives were a majority of your closest friends. When you pushed back the fact that they were sleeping with your father.

You tugged the sheets off of your body roughly as you jumped to your feet after realizing that the knocking wasn't getting any quieter.

You pulled your shirt down from where it had been yanked up in your sleep from your turning as you walked towards the door before jerking it open, causing the knocker to stumble slightly as they fell forward, making it clear that they were leaning against the door as they waited for a response. 

"Jesus," she spoke your name as she caught herself from falling to the hard ground. "Your dad wants you. Said you had something you wanted to talk to him about." Laura informed you as she looked at you with a blank face but you knew her facial features well enough from the two years you had known her to tell that she was confused about what you had to talk to your father about. You had always confided in her about the way you felt about your father. 

The disappointment and frustration but also about how you missed the old times between your family. About how you missed your old father and how you missed the comfort your mother had brought you before she died.

She had also spoken about how she missed her parents as well and even though her situation wasn't remotely the same, she still understood what it felt like to be a younger girl who just wanted her parent's love and affection. 

"Yeah, yeah...um where is he?" You asked as you ran a hand through your hair in an attempt to smooth out some of the tangles. 

"In his room. You better get ready, he ain't got all day." Laura sent a nod your way before sending you a half smile, clearly as tired as you as she was sent to do more work around the sanctuary. She never seemed to have time to rest. She was constantly either at Negan's aid or on watch somewhere around the sanctuary. 

"Sir, yes sir." You saluted.

"You wish I was a sir?" She asked with raised eyebrows.

"Nah, you're just fine to look at now." You smiled slyly.

"Jesus, you're just like your father." She shook her head with a smirk. 

"Damn, Laura. You wound me. Seriously that was so hurtful." You half-joked as you wiped away imaginary tears as you turned your head away from her. 

"I take that back, you're way better." She shrugged as she spoke the truth that everyone at the sanctuary thought. Though you had always assumed some of the saviours had befriended you because of Negan wasn't entirely true. Sure some did in hopes of earning extra points for themselves and their families, but most just genuinely thought that you were one of the good ones. That you could possibly be able to persuade your father to change his ways. 

"Alright. I forgive you, Laur. Even if you started my day off with a fucking headache." You spoke as you rubbed your temple, your words earning a very 'unladylike' snort from Laura as she started to back away from your room and down the hallway. 

"My pleasure, Miss. Smith." She saluted before she turned around and quickened her pace to her shift which she was surely late from, leaving you to stare at the hallway wall as you mentally prepared yourself for the conversation you were about to have with your father, knowing it could go two ways. Well, which was the unlikely scenario or, Awful which you were leaning towards. 

And that's how you ended up here. Sat at the table with your father as he settled in his seat after having poured himself a small glass of bourbon. 

You watched as Potter, a worker in the sanctuary, placed two plates of eggs, home fries and some ham on top of the table for you two. You sent a smile his way as he nodded at you and your father before turning to make his exit, but your father's voice stopped him. 

"Oh, Mr. Potter..." Your father spoke in a sing-song voice as tapped his fork on the table. 

"Yes, Negan?" He asked as he turned back to the pair of you. A trail of sweat hastily coming down his brow, as his anxious eyes flicked between you and your father in hopes of getting a read on your body language.

"I think you forgot something." He pointed to his empty cup of water before snapping his fingers as if the second after he spoke lasted an hour. "Today." He rolled his eyes as the man rushed over to pick up the pitcher of water and pour it into his cup.

"Would you like some as well, ?" He spoke your name as he turned to look at you. Your father's glass now filled with ice water. 

"Of course, she wants some. What do you think, she wants to eat your dry ass food without having something to wash it down with." Your father let out a laugh as if it was the funniest thing in the world all while glaring the poor man down, who was practically shaking in his boots.

"No thank you, Potter." You managed to smile softly at him as if to calm him. Your body lowered down slightly as your body inadvertent shrank into yourself in embarrassment at how your father was treating the kind man.

Your demeanour didn't seem to put the man at ease as he still looked as though he was about to stroke out, which apparently was hilarious to your father as he let out a booming chuckle from deep in his throat, his rough and deep voice spoke from behind his pearly white teeth. 

"Jesus, man. I'm just joking. It's just a jokey, joke. Holy fuck," he spoke your name, "did you see his fucking face? He looked like he was going to piss his pants." He laughed before looking at the floor as though he was looking to see if the older man had done just that. 

"That will be all, Potter. Thank you." You looked away from your father to face the middle-aged man before nodding to the door, not quite able to hide your anger well, causing him to look to Negan for permission.

Your father watched you with amusement glimmering in his big brown eyes, clearly finding your annoyance entertaining, before he nodded, still looking at you as he spoke. "Do you need her to tell you again? Leave. Now." Without wasting a second he scurried out of the room, probably to go cry in the corner somewhere. Your father seemed to always have that effect on people. 

"Did you really have to scare him away? I was gonna get him to cut up my meat." He laughed.

"You're a grown-ass man. I think you can do it yourself just fine." You narrowed your eyes at him, watching as his eyes widened slightly before they were amused again, a small laugh leaving his lips.

"You really are my kid, ain't ya."

You guys sat in silence for a minute. You glaring at him and him trying to hide the merriment in his eyes.

"If you've got something to say, baby, just spit it out." He said as he crossed his arms while leaning back in his seat, eyes studying your face. 

"What is wrong with you?" You asked with anger clear in your voice as you shook your head.

"Well, sweetheart, I have a lot of things wrong with me so you're gonna have to be more specific." 

"You know what I'm talking about, Dad. That. How you treat people." You scoffed at his attempt at humour, normally you would laugh at his stupid attempts at making you laugh but now, when he humiliated people for a good laugh, your blood would quite literally boil in your skin. 

"I was just having a little fun. He doesn't mind." He dismissed as he laughed, shaking his head before he began using the fork he was still gripping to take a substantial bite of his over-easy eggs.

"It's not a 'little fun', Dad. You scared him half to death. Does it not make you feel bad when you treat people like shit?" You shook your head in disbelief.

"No, it doesn't. I'm in charge. Im not treating anyone like shit here. Do you see all that I do for these people? What I provide for them." His face grew annoyed at your words.

"Yeah, Dad. I do. But you can help keep these people safe without treating them like shit. You don't need to make them fear you to keep them sa-" He cut you off before you could finish your sentence but you could tell by his tone that you got your point across.

"They need to fear me to stay in line. That's what I do. I keep them in line. How else do you think we're still standing? If I become buddy, buddy with them they'll think they can get away with shit they just can't get away with."

"You can be a decent person and still have loyal followers. I mean, shit, how do you think half the groups still alive are operating?" You tried to mile your tone down as you began cutting up your ham. 

"You mean the groups we're gonna take over? They won't be operating like that for long." He shook his head in dismissal before wiping away the yellow egg yolk that had dropped into his pink lips.

"But why can't you form alliances with other groups? Instead of controlling them?" You tried to reason.

"Look, hunny. I love you, okay? But I don't tell you how to lead your little posey so don't fucking tell me how to lead mine." He said angrily before taking hold of his glass of bourbon and gulping down all of its contents. 

"You do realize you just called you and your people pretentious, right? I do think it fits, though." You snorted as you took a small bite of your scrambled eggs. 

"What did you want to talk to me about? I have things I need to get done." He rubbed a hand over his face in annoyance.

"Oh sorry, I didn't know having a conversation with your daughter was such a burden." You shook your head as you began to stand up but we're stopped when your father grabbed your arm.

You looked over expecting to see a look of anger on your father's face but sat back down when all you saw was remorse for his words that were obviously taken out of context but they had hurt you nonetheless, as that was what he hated the most. Hurting you.

"You know what I meant. I love talking to you, you know that, don't act like you don't. Tell me what you want to talk about, baby. Please." He pulled his and away and picked up his fork, signalling for you to speak. 

"What is that community called?" You asked as you picked up the pitcher of water, not missing the look your father sent you that practically said, 'You should have just gotten Potter to do that' but you just brushed it off, knowing you were more than capable of pouring your own cup of water.

"Who am I? Fucking Professor X? You're going to have to be more-"

"That new community. The one you took a prisoner from." You specified, know that was his next word.

"How the hell do you know about that?" He asked with slight anger. He had tried to keep you as far away from his duties as much as he possibly could. 

He had constantly restricted you from leaving the sanctuary in hopes of keeping you alive and blissfully unaware of his actions, knowing that he had shaped his men well enough that they knew they needed to die for you. 

"Everyone knows about it. You don't exactly keep it under wraps. I can hear you boost about it from my room. Your voice travels." You studied him, wanting to make sure he wasn't going to try and keep something from you.

"Huh, so I've been told." He shrugged as he then began to study you, checking to see if he could notice any alternative motives. You could only hope he didn't.

"So?"

"Why do you wanna know anyway?" He questioned.

"I'm just curious. Sick of the gossip and rumours, just want to know what's going on. That's all." You attempted to play it off, hoping he didn't notice the slight quiver in your voice.

"I hate gossipers too. They seem to be everywhere, don't they." He replied as he squirted some ketchup onto his cooling grilled potatoes.

"Yeah, they do... so...?" You pressed, hoping he would stop beating around the bush and just reveal what you were wanting to know.

"Alexandria. It's a nice place but the people make it a fucking shit hole, their leader, Rick, is a joke. A fucking pussy if I've ever known one. Hell, I bet Potter could take him in a fight. Truly it's embarrassing." He ranted as he rolled his eyes, his fork scraping against his plate as if the sheer thought of Daryl's leader, Rick, had brought him so much rage that he had to take it out on the plate.

"So is there a lot of people there?" You asked, trying to sound casual.

"Two-hundred and thirty-four." He revealed causing her to tense.

"So we have more." It was a statement rather than a question.

"By a landslide, baby. We have five hundred and four through all of our outposts. In any way, we outrank them. You know what's hilarious? Their leader is so hellbent on killing me even though he knows my people could wipe his people out in a blink of an eye. Everything with that guy is a dick-measuring contest. But he should know by now that he's not gonna win in that department." He laughed once again forgetting that his daughter was sitting across from him. 

Your eyes rolled as he once again found a way to boost about himself.

"Jesus, your daughter is right here!" You exclaimed as you rolled your eyes. Sometimes he was such a child, you thought. If your mother was here she would beat him with her shoe.

"Sorry, sorry. But hey, I want to show you something." He said as he wiped his mouth with a cotton napkin, before placing it on top of his now empty plate, the streaks of ketchup and yellow remained.

Your food on the other hand was still half full, but you knew your father would have somebody wrap it up for you to eat tomorrow as he knew that it took you at least an hour after waking up to be able to eat. 

As you guys walked you caught sight of a man with long dark hair and a broad frame hunched over a mop. You didn't clue in until you saw Dwight roughly grab the man to make him continue his moping a little way ahead. 

It was Daryl.

You didn't have much time to react before your father was speaking again, drawing their attention.

"Dwighty boy, what do we have here?" Your father said as he stopped beside Dwight, smirking down at Daryl as he watched him silently continue his task, his head angled downward.

"Just Daryl, doing what he's told," Dwight spoke with a slight smile while watching Daryl.

Your father let out a booming laugh and you could see Daryl pause his movements for a moment having to mentally restrain himself from physically pouncing on him. 

You knew if he were to break loose you couldn't really blame him. Your father had put him through hell, but that's what he was. Your father. You couldn't let anything thing happen to him, no matter how much you understood how he was feeling.

"You missed a spot." Your father said as he watched the slightly shorter man conceal his anger with delight, clearly enjoying the inner battle that was going on inside of him. Your father kept his eyes on Daryl as he tipped his bourbon bottle on the floor, the dark liquor mashed with the newly clean floor. The half-drunken bottle now sized down a noticeable amount, he laughed again before he shoved the bottle into Dwight's chest. "Here, buddy. You deserve it." Your father tore his eyes away from Daryl before looking up at you, noticing the beyond-dirty look you were sending his way. 

"Thanks, boss." Dwight nodded as he clutched the bottle.

"Get back to work, you mutt." Your father smiled at Daryl but you could tell it was forced as he roughly patted his shoulder in a condescending way before making his way back over to you, sensing your unease about what he was doing.

He nodded at you to follow him before he began to stroll back down the hallway. You followed but your eyes were still trained on Daryl.

Your heart pounded in your chest when he turned his head slightly, watching Negan go before his eyes found you. 

They narrowed once he caught sight of you. You couldn't quite read the look that took over his emotionless face but you knew he didn't feel joy in seeing you with Negan. 

You saw flashes of rage, confusion and a flash of fear? 

Your eyes were locked on each other before Dwight harshly shoved Daryl back to his task which he complied with but at a slower pace, as if his mind was processing the fact that he had seen you outside of his cell with Negan of all people. 

You waited a moment before you turned back around, and in that moment you saw Dwight studying the two of you in confusion.

You hurriedly turned forward to look at your father's back as you turned the corner finally making your way into the kitchen. The one you had found yourself in more often than ever.

"Ta-da," your father said in an overdramatic voice, a wide smile on his face as he waved a hand towards a big a machine that was shaking as it operated, the small, shiny window was wet with condensation. 

"Holy-shit! Is that what I think it is?" You exclaimed in an excited tone as you practically hopped over to the machine in pure astonishment.

"Well, I sure as shit hope I didn't have seven of my men working themselves into the ground carrying this piece of shit back here all for it not to be the fucking ice cream machine that I've been askin' for, for a fuckin' year?" He spoke as you leaned back slightly as if to amplify his words. 

You let out a yell of excitement as you ran into your father's arms, his arms wrapping around your upper back as you tucked your head into his chest. You could feel his smile as he rested his forehead on top of your scalp.

It was moments like these that you missed. The pure moments of a father and daughter showing care for one another. Sure you were still angry with him for what he did to Daryl just minutes ago and for all the bad he was doing, but you couldn't spoil this moment.

The moment that your inner child craved to have.

The moment you were robbed of one too many times. 

You wondered if the sadness could be shown in your eyes. The longing for the love of your parents. 

You knew that Laura could see it. Just as you could see your sadness as well. It was like an understanding for the two of you. You both didn't get to experience much love from your parents, her from way before the outbreak and you, after.

You knew that your mother wasn't at fault for not being there for you. You knew that if she could be here, she would. That's just who she was. She would never miss any of your important achievements and even your minor ones, she always made sure to show up, no matter how much shit she would get at work. She would take all the yelling from her boss just to see your smile when you noticed she was there. 

Your father tried his hardest to be there but most of the time something else was always more important. You were always left having to deal with his half-ass excuses as to why he couldn't show up; only to find out that he was too busy fucking your godmother aka your mother's best friend.

You weren't sure how your mother could forgive him after all the stress he had caused her in the early stages of her cancer, but you knew it was most likely because of how much she loved him.

You had never quite seen someone treat their significant other as well as your father did when he found out about your mother's diagnosis.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" You chanted pulling away from your father to look at the grey and blue machine again causing your father to laugh at you, even though he was feeling elated at the fact that you had enjoyed his little present. 

"So, you want to take it for a spin?" Negan asked with a grin, knowing that he was gonna get a taste of the treat that he had also been craving.

"Do Andie and Ben end up together in 'How to lose a guy in 10 days?' " You asked with a raised eyebrow, a smile on your face. 

"Uh, I don't know, do they?" He asked in confusion, not quite realizing the reference.

"Yes!" You exclaimed before rushing to the ice cream machine, your father hot on your tail.

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Withered Evelynn

____________________________________________

Warnings: Mentions of cigarette/ smoke, explosives, Merle, please tell me if I missed any

Father figure Daryl dixon x oc

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As she taps her fingers nervously against her thighs, Evelynn watches her brother rub his chin in frustration. "Gil?" her voice comes out quieter than she expected, but none of the less he turned his head to look at her.

"Hm?" He only looks at her for a second before quickly looking away back to the road, which is full of cars, of everyone that that's trying to leave the hectic city "what bout mama? Do ya think she got out?" Looking over to him only to see his face immediately fall, turning to a bitter look.

Gillian clenches the steering wheel before opening his mouth to speak only to cut himself off, "how bout you go play with those kids up there for a bit yeah? Let me think for a bit" he says his voice filled with stress. Evelynn looks at her older brother, before looking out the window to see the kids he was talking about.

With a sigh she opens the truck door and hops out making sure to grab her backpack. Closing the truck door she looks at her brother one more time, seeing him nod, and shrugging her backpack on before turning and walking over to the kids, with her bright Pink backpack shining from all the headlights.

There was two kids playing chess in the back of a vehicle, one was a girl, she looked a bit older than Evelynn, but that didn't matter to the younger girl, as long as she was nice. The older looking girl had short blonde hair to her ears, and was holding a fabric doll in her lap, she seemed to be a little nervous, can't blame her though. Across from her was a boy, he seemed to be the same age as Evelynn, just shorter. He had brown hair that was kinda overgrown onto his ears, and a bunch of freckles, he doesn't seem nervous though, more bored, can't blame him for that either.

Before Evelynn could realize she was staring, a woman with a buzz cut saw her and smiled, waving her over. The younger girls face flushed a light pink, realizing she had been caught , but put her head down a bit as she walked over.

The lady with a buzz cut was nice, Evelynn learned that her name was Carol, and the girl with the short blonde hair was her daughter, Sophia. While the younger boys name was Carl, and his mama is well, never asked about that so don't really know.

Carl was really talkative, known him for like five minutes and he already knows both of her favourite colours and her birthday. Sophia was quiet, it's nice actually, she just holds her doll in her arms, "do you like frogs?" The boy named Carl asked her, Evelynn screwed up her face a bit, 'what an odd question' she thought, "uhm, I guess but their real slimy, I don't like to touch'em" he frowns a bit at that but nods before letting out a quiet 'cool'.

Evelynn opens her mouth to ask if he likes frogs, but her voice suddenly gets cut off by really loud noises over head. Looking up to the sky Evelynn sees a bunch of planes flying just above the tress, heading towards the city. ' The city, ain't that where all the sick people are?' She asks herself, loud bangs bring her out of her thoughts. Evelynns eyes widen as the ground shakes a bit from the explosions "their bombing the city" a women with long brown hair says, as she jogs to where we are, a buff guy following right behind her.

The woman walks over to Carl bringing him into her arms, guessing that's his mama. The brown haired woman looks over to me, her eyes squinting in confusion.

Carol notices her expression "this is Evelynn" she gestures her hand to the young girl, "Evelynn this is Lori, Carls mom" with a quick nod towards the young girl, Lori turns to look at the man behind her, only for him to walk off, strange.

Evelynn feels someone's hand on her shoulder, and quickly whips her head around to see who was touching her. It turned out to be Gillian, his hand on her shoulder loosened a bit but still a firm grip.

"Yall the group that's going up to the quarry?" Gillian suddenly speaks, loud enough from just the group of people to hear. Lori looks at him, her brows furrowing, "how do ya know about that" she says sitting beside her son. Gillian looks back at his truck before looking at Lori, "your buddy, Shane? I think that's his name, but I guess he saw I was with Eve, and invited us" he shrugs.

Lori nods "there's a few others that are gonna be going, just follow the Rv, we're gonna be leaving in a minute". Gillian nods "Roger that", and before Evelynn could process what was happening, her and Gillian were walking back to the truck. On their way back, they pass another truck, with two guys with matching vests, 'kinda reminds me of friendship bracelets' she thought. Evelyn began to cough a little while walking past them, all cigarette smoke clouding around them. While she covers her nose with the collar of her shirt, she sees the older looking man chuckle, before putting the cancer stick back in between his lips.

The truck doors slam, as the pair gets into the vehicle. Evelynn takes off her backpack putting it on the floor of the truck, and before the young girl realized the truck was started, and the duo were trailing behind the big crème color Rv.

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Thank you for reading Withered Evelynn

[boygiwrites]

Harley D. Dixon 38

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📖Chapter List.

Author's Note.

— TW: DISCUSSION OF HARLEY'S SA. It's gonna be integrated into the story, guys! Beware!

Who's ready to get rescueeeed?! 🙈😉

"Harley?"

My lips are tinglin', is the only thought that floats through my mind, like a lost bobber in the ocean.

"Baby, say somethin'," My Dad tries again a minute later, more of a plea than a demand.

I hug my knees tighter to my chin.

"I'on know what to do," He mutters after the silence stretches on for too long, slouched on the floor in the opposite corner of the room with a sense of defeat. He rests his beaten, sweaty temple against the wall as he stares longingly at me, but it ain't me he's talking to anymore. At least, I'on think it is. He's talking to Glenn on the other side, whose voice I've almost forgotten is attached to a real person.

"Daryl, please," Glenn begs him, "I know it's hard, but you have to tell me what happened in there."

"He—," Dad starts, unable to get the words out right, like they taste of somethin' foul. "He made her—..."

Desperate, he insists, "He made her, what, Daryl?"

He can't say it.

I didn't wanna kiss Philip. Less than I've ever wanted to step on a rusty nail or swallow a raw egg, I did not wanna kiss Philip. Dad knows that. He has to. There was a gun to my head. He saw. If I had kicked him or punched him or cussed him out some more, like any brave person would do, like I was sure I was gonna do, he would'a shot me dead. But instead, now, my lips are tingling.

That's how I know he's still not gone, because his warm, chapped lips are brushing against mine, and our noses are tickling against each other, and his breath is ghosting across my face. I'm in two moments at once, trapped between nothing.

Don't move, Harley. I can still feel the gun trained on my head. Don't move.

"He made her kiss him," He eventually admits, his voice echoing weakly off the concrete walls. "Made her kiss him on the mouth."

There's a painful silence emanating from Glenn's side of the wall for what feels like a long, long time.

"He's a fucking monster," He exclaims quietly after I'd thought he'd say nothing, his chin trembling with anger easy to imagine.

"She won't talk." Dad continues staring at me, like he just can't pull his eyes away. I wish I could shrink into the sharp point between the walls and the floor until I fold in on myself like a little origami creature and disappear forever. Stop lookin' at me, I mentally scold him, sounding a lot more passionate in my head than the empty, heavy feeling I've got in my chest. "Won't let me touch her."

"This is Merle's fault," Glenn tells him matter-of-factly. "As much as it is Philip's. He let this happen."

"No." Dad mumbles, sounding sure. "Ya don't know my brother. He loves Harley more'un anythin'. This weren't him."

"He's a bad person, Daryl."

"You think I'on know that?" He shoots back, pausing for a long moment before adding, "I'd made my peace with him bein' gone."

"Sorry, I just—... I don't know how they're getting away with this."

"It's fine. Sky's blue. Shit stinks." Dad says, wincing as he feels along his jaw, coughing up another bloody molar. "Fuck."

"How bad are you hurt?"

"Got the Chicklets beat outta me," He licks his bloody lips, groaning, "But I ain't dead, yet. You?"

"Not dead," He agrees, but he don't sound too far from it. I try to remember everything Herschel's ever said about sepsis, but my thoughts are dashing around my head like spooked rabbits, disappearing and reappearing into hidden pockets I can't reach.

Maybe if I stare at the floor hard enough — It's grey, concrete, speckled with dirt — it'll all go away.

"Shut up in there!" A guard suddenly shouts from outside, making us both flinch. "No talkin'!"

Don't move, Harley.

"When are you gonna let us outta here?" Dad shouts back angrily. "Ya feel good about yerself, lockin' up a lil' girl?"

"You ain't heard me the first time? Shut up!"

After that, he stops beggin' me to talk to him.

From the porch of our trailer house, I watch as Mandy's small, white car crawls up our driveway.

How did I get here, I ask myself, looking around at all the people gathered in our front yard. The sound of cheering and whistling cuts through the warm air like it's the fourth of July, the smells of sizzling meat drawing my attention to the back of the crowd. There's our shirtless neighbour, Mark, wearing his cheap, black apron — The one that says, King of the Grill — as he flips hotdogs and dances to the radio sitting nearby. There's his skinny sister, Hannah, with her chubby baby sat on her hip, and their nephew, Timmy.

I recognise most of the people here. Neighbours, people from Dad's old job at the mechanic's, friends.

A memory, I realize — It's the day my Dad came back from prison.

"I know that's right," Merle whoops as the car comes to a stop, the engine shutting off. He grabs my hand and Tank follows us down the porch steps, the cheering growing louder by the second. If I didn't know any better, I'd think I was at a concert for a rockstar. I'm frightened, excited, angry. I'm about to see my Dad. After four years, he's here. "My brother! Daryl motherfuckin' Dixon!"

I squeeze Merle's hand tighter as my Dad steps outta the passenger seat, closing the door behind him.

"Daddy," I exclaim, my voice lost to the noise, but somehow, he hears me.

"You're so big," Is the first thing he says to me, and he looks proud and sad at the same time, bending down to wrap me in a hug. I make sure he knows how much I missed him by squeezing him so tight I hear him grunt in pain. "I missed you so much, baby."

He weren't here for my birthdays. He weren't here when I got that certificate at school. He weren't here at all. I feel like I don't know him anymore, but at the same time, it's like no time has passed at all. I mean, how much can a Dixon really change?

All of a sudden, there's something fluffy and slobbery forcing its way between us.

"Tank," I complain with a giggle, pulling away.

"Hey, boy," Dad laughs as he pets the big dog. "You miss me, too?"

"Not as much as I did," Merle jokes as Dad stands up and lifts me up to sit on his hip. "Four fuckin' years, huh, buddy?"

"Four years," Dad agrees as they share a hug, before he pulls away to gawk at all the people that showed up for him. "Hey, y'all."

"At least let him put his shit away first, ya vultures," Mandy scoffs. She steps outta the driver's side of the car and spits her bubble-gum onto the ground, sending her boyfriend a sassy look. "I'm sorry to say, Mark, but yer hotdogs ain't that good."

"Love you to, darlin'," The king of the grill laughs.

"Nah, Mandy, it's alright. I'm starvin'," Dad smiles. "The shit they serve in prison ain't even fit fer pigs."

"Get on in here, then, man!" Mark beckons him with a wave of his spatula. "We got plenty to go around!"

The crowd is swallowing us up and congratulations are flying left and right. My Dad is a hero. He's the reason I'm still here. He's the reason everybody else's kids are safe to play outside, without the threat of Ronnie lingering around any longer. He's got double the balls these people could only dream of havin', the brave underdog rising from the ashes, returning home from war. We ain't always the most functional of neighbours and friends, but we get shit done to protect our own in this part of town and we're proud of it.

Soon, I'm sitting on Dad's lap and I'm feeling like a princess, ketchup and mustard smeared all over my face as I chow down on my fat hotdog. I can't stop smiling. There ain't nowhere else I'd rather be than here, even after everythin' that's happened.

My Dad is a hero, and for the first time in my life, it feels like we've won something.

"Long as me and Merle are here," He promises me once everyone's attention is elsewhere, "Ain't nothin' gonna happen to you."

I smile back at him.

I believe him with my whole heart.

"Get up."

I wake to the sound of a guard's gravelly voice.

What? What's going on?

"Get up!"

My Dad cries out in pain.

There's a gun pointed in my direction. No. No, not again.

"Wakey-wakey! Let's go!"

The guard uses his free hand to force Dad to his feet, shoving him toward the door.

"No—" Dad croaks, turning to look at me. "Harley—"

"Let's go!" The guard roars, and suddenly my Dad don't look like much of a hero at all. "Let's fucking go!"

He's taking him away.

He's taking my Dad away.

"Hey!" Glenn shouts, banging against the wall. "Hey, what are you doing to them?!"

"Shut up! Let's move!"

I should get up. I should help Dad. But I can't make myself do it. I'm stuck somewhere inside myself, unable to pull the strings. All I do is cower deeper into myself, hugging my knees so tightly I think I might implode. I can't move. Don't move. The Governor might come back. I don't want him to come back. Terrified, I watch Dad stumble across the room, his pleas desperate, panicked, useless.

Then the door is slamming shut and I'm all alone.

"They's gonna cut his throat open," I frantically whisper to myself. "They's gonna cut his throat open."

Why didn't I move?

"Harley?" Glenn calls out.

"They's gonna cut his throat open."

"Harley?" He tries again, his tone softening. "Harley, listen to me. It-It's alright. I'm— I'm here, okay?"

"No, you ain't!" I shout at the wall. I'm alone. I'm all alone in here. "You ain't here, Glenn!"

"I am," He insists. "It's just an inch or two of concrete, and then I'm right here. Please calm down. It's gonna be okay."

"I want my Dad!"

"Take a deep breath. I'm gonna do it with you, okay? Ready?"

Kicking my feet against the floor, I shriek, "I want my Dad!"

"Harley?"

"I want my Dad!"

"You motherfuckers!" He suddenly turns his attention away from me, shouting out at the guards in pure anger, voice cracking. "This is inhumane! You've got a little girl in here — She can't take this! She can't! Don't you have a conscience?!"

"This is the safest place for her right now," A guard argues back. "You'd do best to shut up."

"The safes—? Are you kidding me? Where the Hell is her family?"

I swear I hear him snicker. "They're kinda busy right now, but you can check back in on 'em later."

"What does that mean?"

"Governor's gonna make 'em fight," He sounds pleased to admit. "Give the people a show. Make an example outta them."

Example? A show?

I don't know what that means. What does that mean? Is giving people a show worse than gettin' yer throat cut? Are they gonna die?

"What?" Glenn exclaims in confusion. "How is he getting away with all of this?"

"You'd be amazed, the shit people get used to when they're promised a home. Every time you think the line's been crossed—..."

"Do they know he kissed a little girl? Do they know that?"

He says nothin'.

"Daryl's daughter," Glenn pleads with him. "Merle's niece. You can't do this to them. You can't do this to her."

"I'm just a guard, buddy."

"Fuc— Come on!" I hear him hit the wall in a burst of outrage. "You know this is wrong. You know it!"

"This is the cost of safety," The guard scolds him. "We got a system here. I'm prepared to uphold it, and if that's wrong, so be it. Y'all ain't the only people in the world with kids and family to protect, alright? Don't act like you're above us. We all sin."

"We don't take children hostage," Glenn retorts hotly. "We don't make people fight like dogs."

Nothin', again.

"Please," He continues, "Just let him take his daughter home. We've all paid the price, okay? You got your hits in. It's over."

We wait a long time for the guard to answer.

"Please. Hello?"

This is it. This guard don't care. He's gonna let us all die in here because a paradise is still paradise if it's paid for in blood.

"Please, just think about this. Please."

It ain't no use.

"Are you ther—?"

BANG!

I flinch.

A gunshot. That was a gunshot. My own squeal of fright is the last thing I hear before my heartbeat takes over my ear drums, and I'm burying my face in between my knees, rocking back and forth, back and forth, huffing and puffing, praying, No. Don't shoot me. I did what you asked. There's shouting and thudding in the corridor outside, as if a violent stampede is tearing through the walls.

I don't know what's going on out there. Is it more angry guards? Is it the Governor? Is it him?

"Harley!" I hear Glenn's voice very faintly, but behind it all, I know it's a guttural scream. "Harley! Are you okay?"

Don't shoot me, I keep thinking, making myself into a hard shell where nothin' can get me. I did what you asked.

"Hey! Hey, what's going on?!"

More thudding. Doors being kicked in. It's the Governor. He's coming. He's gonna kill me. I'll have to explain to him that— Well, I did wanna kiss him, because it meant he wouldn't shoot me, but I ain't meant nothin' by it. I just didn't wanna die.

I swear years go by before the shooting stops, leaving nothin' but a sharp ringin' in its wake.

"Sh— She's in here—"

The door to the room busts open, punctuating the silence with a, THUD.

He's here.

"I did what you asked," I tell him before he can shoot me in the head, I did what you asked, but what I don't realize is that it's not the Governor at all. Glenn spills into the room first. He clutches at his abused thigh as he limps, half hopping, over to my corner of the room before he falls at my side, which is when I notice Rick, Maggie, and Oscar behind him. It's them. They made it, I think, gawking up at their rifles and blood-stained clothes. I want to be relieved, but the Governor could still be near. He's here. "I did what you asked."

"Is she hurt?" Rick asks Glenn, crouching down and reaching out to touch me. "Honey, can you walk—?"

His fingers are claws descending on me, my body shrinking in on itself on instinct. I cry, "Don't!"

"Woah, okay," He placates, flinching away from me. He glances at Glenn for answers, but his expression betrays nothing but a sad wince. Somethin' bad happened down here. To all of us. This is the part of the fairytale where the knights rescue the hostages, except the air smells of gunpowder and my whole body hurts. Looking back at me, Rick soothes, "Okay. Okay. It's okay, Harley."

Glenn's dishevelled, sweaty hair and gaunt cheeks do nothin' but make me wonder just how long we've been down here for. A day? Two? A week? Watery blood dribbles down his bare chest as he pants, tired just from taking a few steps. He looks sick.

"Where's Daryl?" Maggie asks him urgently. Now ain't the time for lickin' wounds. "He's not down here?"

"I did what you asked," I whisper to nobody, maybe Rick, maybe Glenn. "I did what you asked."

"They say where?"

"They took him away," Glenn explains to her as Rick sends me a troubled look.

"I— I don't know."

"Those gunshots weren't silent, people," Oscar anxiously reminds everybody. "We got, like, two minutes tops to jump ship."

"Yeah. We gotta move," Maggie agrees. "Glenn, how bad are ya hurt?"

"I—I can walk," He stammers as she hooks her arm around his waist, holding him up. "I'll be fine."

"And her?"

"I don't think they hurt her," He shakes his head. "But Daryl said she hasn't moved for the last few hours."

"Screw it," Rick says under his breath and swings his rifle onto his back, readying himself. "I'm gonna have to carry her."

There's only half a moment for me to react. I can barely shoot my arms out to swat him away before his hands are under my armpits and I'm being lifted onto his chest, my attacks useless. He looks around at everybody, his eyes lingering on Glenn.

"Alright," He nods, "Let's get outta here."

End Notes.

Our knights in shining armour have arrived! 😌

I was thinking two things while writing this chapter — First, I feel so bad for Harley, Daryl, and Glenn. Sorry, guys. And second? Hooooo, the revenge is gonna be sweet!!

Wasn't sure how to incorporate the flashback considering we're in first person perspective, so I decided to make it a sort of dream sequence, but everything that happened in it was real. Also wanted a break in the monotony of y'know… being locked up and tortured in a basement.

I'm excited to escape Woodbury and move into the next phase of the story. Merle's my next target. I like the action as much as anybody else, but it's the drama I live for!

I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, guys! 😊

@poetoflawed