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Daryl isn't the jealous type. He'd been known as Daryl "no game" Dixon for a reason. It's not that he didn't "have game," as Merle's ragtag group of friends loved pointing out, he'd just never found anybody he wanted to "have game" with. Back before the apocalypse he hadn't been willing to open up enough to anyone, let alone a potential lover, and not many people wanted to break through his barriers. He'd never had a serious relationship, at least nothing he was invested enough in to get jealous, but the relationship he has with Rick is different than any other romantically-based relationship he's ever had. He cares about the man, loves the ex-sheriff like he's never loved anyone before, and he doesn't want to lose him. He is emotionally, physically, and mentally involved with him in a way that he hasn't been with anyone else, the connection they share like an ever burning flame, and seeing him with another person hits him in ways he doesn't have the capacity to understand.
He's jealous, there's no other way to put it, and Daryl instantly feels bad. He knows he shouldn't worry about Rick straying, but he can't help himself. The new girl, Daryl doesn't really give a shit what her name is if he's being honest with himself, is standing entirely too close to Rick, laughing and running her hands over his back like he was her next fling. The touch screams he's mine and Daryl wants to slap that smug smirk off her face. Daryl knows her type. She's the type of girl who thinks her slim waist and blonde hair will get her everything in life, even in a world where looks mattered about as much as the dirt on Daryl's boots, and he can't stand her guts.
The girl's new, hasn't even been here for a week, and she already acts like she understands the inner-workings of a group that's been together almost since the start of the apocalypse. She's been all over Rick, hands touching and smile enticing him to play along with this game she's trying to play, which really pisses Daryl off. Either she is just too stupid to pick up on Daryl and Rick’s relationship or she just doesn't care. Daryl knows he and Rick aren't the type to profess their love for one another in the presence of other people, they're both private people who like keeping their intimacy to themselves, but that doesn't mean it isn't clear to see that they're definitely together. After all they slept in the same damn cell and, on occasion, they'd hold hands and whisper quietly to one another. Any fool could pick up on their relationship and everyone at the prison knows about it, they don't hide it from anyone, so it's hard to believe that this bitch hadn't picked up on it. In Daryl's opinion, she knows Rick's a taken man but doesn't care. She knows what she wants and she's going to do anything to get it.
Rick's the one who had brought her in, picked her up off the street and taken her into their little slice of civilization, and because he's such a damn gentleman he thinks that means it's his duty to show her how things are done. Right now Rick's trying to show her how they organize things, but new girl is too busy studying Rick’s ass to pay any attention to what's coming out of Rick's mouth. And, Rick being his usual oblivious self, can't seem to pick up on what new girl is doing.
Rick's hot, Daryl knows this, and half the damn prison is attracted to him. Before he and Rick had made things official, Rick was a highly sought after piece of company. Daryl still doesn't know why he'd decided to stick with him. He knows this shouldn't matter, knows that he should know Rick is too happy with him to stray, but he can't get the idea of new girl hanging all over the man he loves out of his head. He supposes a majority of people would find her attractive, even if she is the exact opposite of what Daryl would consider his type, and he's sure Rick would be one of those people. Daryl will never measure up to her, and that's probably what hits him harder than anything else.
He's been scowling at Rick and the new girl for over five minutes now, despite his best efforts to keep his contempt hidden. Clearly she doesn't comprehend the concept of personal boundaries because she's standing so close to Rick that their hips almost touching. Rick will step away from her slightly, putting a few inches of space between them, but all she does is step closer to him again a few minutes later. Daryl can clearly see what she's doing, but Rick is apparently oblivious to her intentions.
Daryl's whittling a block of wood in his hands, trying to shape it into something Judith might like, but he's so focused on what Rick's doing he's not making any progress whatsoever. He keeps messing up, taking too much wood away here and not enough there, making it so he has to reorient the lengths every few minutes. All it does is make him even more frustrated and Daryl's got half a mind to just throw the damn block of wood and forget it.
“If looks could kill, they'd be dead,” Carol says from her position beside him, snapping Daryl out of his walker like gaze.
“I don't know what ya mean,” Daryl says, purposefully focusing intently on his block of wood. His entire body itches as he fights back the urge to look up but he can feel Carol's eyes on him and the last thing he wants to do right now is prove her right.
“Right,” Carol says, rolling her eyes. “You don't fool me, Daryl. You're jealous and you're shit at hiding it.”
“No 'm not,” Daryl snaps back, accidentally cutting his thumb with the knife in his hands. Rick glances over when he hears his curse of outrage, worry clearly etched on his features, but Daryl just shakes his head, indicating he's okay. The cuts not very deep so he sticks the tip in his mouth and sucks, before turning his attention back to Carol.
“Rick loves you, Daryl,” Carol says seriously, soft enough so he's the only one that can hear her. She makes sure Daryl is looking at her before she continues. “You're jealous because Madison has been hanging all over Rick and you're afraid. You think he might leave you for her, because all you see is everything she can offer him that you can't."
Daryl hates the fact that she's right, about everything.
"You two have been together for years," Carol continues. "Women have thrown themselves at him, and you might I add, multiple times since you've gotten together. But he turns them down every time because he's got everything he has ever wanted in you. He’s not going to jump the first hottie he sees, Daryl, Rick's not that type of person. You know how he is, he just wants to show her around and make sure she gets settled. He's the one who found her, he feels that means he's got to show her how we do things. That's all this is, a friendly outstretch of help. The last thing you need to worry about is Rick straying.”
Daryl shrugs and refuses to look up from the ruined block of wood in his hand. The figurine he had been trying to make is completely ruined now, he's going to have to completely restart on a separate piece of wood. Carol is good at reading Daryl, probably better than anyone except for Rick, and she had hit the nail on the head. Everything she had said about the way he's been feeling is true, and that just made him angrier. He knows Rick loves him, but he can't keep the voice in his head, the same voice that had reminded him he'd never amount to anything when he was just a kid, from telling him differently.
The last thing he wants right now is to open up about his insecurities. Rick has been with women before, has two kids that prove his attraction to the opposite sex, but as far as Daryl knows, he's the only man Rick's ever been with. He can't help but wonder if they'd met before the world went to shit if their relationship would be anything like it is right now. It's ridiculous, he's got enough sense in him to realize that, but he's always had this feeling in the back of his mind that once an available woman showed up Rick would choose her over him. And even though other women had shown up and nothing had happened, this one just feels different. Daryl can't shake his feelings, no matter what he does, and he hates it. He's stuck between the instinct telling him that Rick would never leave him and the instinct telling him that it's only a matter of time before Rick finds someone better than Daryl could ever be.
Carol sighs and grips Daryl’s shoulder, understanding that she's not going to get anything out of the tracker right now. “Don’t get bent out of shape over this Daryl, Rick’s not that type of person. Madison might have her eyes on Rick, but Rick's only got eyes for you. Nothing and nobody is going to change that.” With that, she stands up, leaving Daryl alone to wallow in his insecure jealousy. The new girl is beautiful, blonde hair and slim bodied with big boobs and a nice smile. It isn't someone Daryl would have hooked up with before the apocalypse, but if Rick wasn't married then, he's sure he would have tried to hit on her. Rick would be a fool not to get with her.
Later that night, Daryl's on his way to the showers when he bumps into new girl. Her long hair is wet but brushed out so it tumbles down her back. She must have just gotten back from the showers but she still she manages to look gorgeous. Daryl steps aside, ever the gentleman, letting her pass. He may hate her guts but he's not going to start a fight with a woman, he has more dignity than that. Instead of passing by she pauses, tilting her head as she looks him up and down. Daryl feels self-conscious as her gaze tears him apart and he shifts uncomfortably. For the first time ever he's actually ashamed of the way he looks, his dirty clothes and unkempt hair painting him in a light he doesn't want to be viewed in right now, and Daryl hates that this woman can bring that out in him.
“I don’t know what you think you have with Rick, but he clearly likes women. He has two kids, in order for that to happen you clearly have to have sex with someone of the opposite sex. I've heard rumblings about the two of you's relationship, but I'm not really sure what they're talking about. You're delusional. Unless Rick is just settling for you until he finds someone better, actually I wouldn't be surprised if he's just using you to get some. It's not like you can offer him anything."
Her words, no matter what he wants, strike a nerve in him he thought he had settled long ago. He'd thought the exact same thing when they started their relationship. New girls seems to pick up on Daryl's reaction and she loves it, smirking in a way that makes Daryl feel even smaller. She's vindictive and brutal, exposing the worst of Daryl's insecurities in just a few seconds, and the hatred Daryl has for her only solidifies.
"You don't seem to fit in here," new girl says, trying to dig herself in even more. "I saw you watching us today, you’re not nearly as inconspicuous as you think you are." There's venom in her voice that Daryl doesn't understand. He hasn't done shit to her and she's purposefully acting him personally. “You're also not as important as you seem to think. Rick? He's the one that matters. He's the one who holds this group together, he’s the important one, you’re nothing compared to him. To him, to this group, you're replaceable.”
Daryl's automatic reaction is anger. He may not be the best of company, but he has carved himself a place in this group. It wasn't easy, he was an asshole these people took a chance on, but these people mean everything to him, and he knows he means something to them. He's given his blood, sweat, and tears to protect the people here, to better their lives. He's always put them above himself, no matter what, and he'll be damned if he lets some snotty bitch try to tell him what he means to these people.
These are his people, his family, and they've been that for years. He's not going to let some random chick try and break apart the one thing he's tried so hard to build up, the thing he's wanted more than anything else in his entire life, the only thing that truly matters to him: the relationship he has with his people. “Ya don’t know nothin’ about mine and Rick's relationship,” Daryl retorts, stepping closer to her with a menacing scowl on his face. His anger is cold and calculated but no less intimidating. “And you sure as hell don't know shit about where I stand with my people. You've been here days, I've been here years. Don’t act like you've got this group figured out, 'cause you don’t. This group has had each other’s backs for years, we've seen shit ya wouldn't believe, and our bond is stronger than anything you've ever experienced. Don’t ya dare try and act like ya know this group, don't you dare try and act like you know what the shit you're talking about.”
For a second, new girl looks scared and Daryl's sure she understands she's going too far. But she's got her pride to uphold so it's gone in a few seconds, replaced by her annoying attitude. She scoffs. "You think you're tough shit, Daryl, but you ain't. Anyone can tell how insecure you are, especially when it comes to whatever relationship you believe you have with Rick. You're delusional, sooner or later you're going to realize I'm right." And with that, she flicks her hair over her shoulder before she pushes angrily past Daryl.
Daryl scowls at her as she walks away, like she's hot shit or something, and he has to resist the urge to go after her. Goes to show you, even in the apocalypse you get your bitchy popular girls who think their shit don’t stink. Daryl slams his fist against the wall, ignoring the pain that shoots up and down his entire arm.
Despite what Daryl had said to new girl, what she said hit him hard. It's almost like she could see his deepest insecurities and the exact way to use it to her advantage. He knows how important he is to the group, knows they generally care about him, and he especially knows that Rick really does love him, that what they had is as genuine as love can get. It'd taken him a while but he eventually accepted the love his people have for him, not to mention the love he has for them. Despite this, however, Daryl can't help but let the girl’s words hit him. She has a point, he is insecure, and she seems to be able to see right through the confidence he projects to protect himself. What if he isn't as important as he thinks he is?
Daryl shakes his head, not wanting to dwell on that right now, and turns around. Suddenly he's not in the mood for a shower. He makes his way to Rick’s cell, hesitantly pushing away the fabric that serves as a door. When he steps inside he's met with the peaceful sight of Rick and Judith. Rick's on his bunk, Judith in his lap as he reads a story to her. His voice changes as he takes on different characters and Daryl can't help but smile. Glenn had picked up the children’s book on their latest run, figuring she might like it. Judith is just over five now and really enjoys having stories read to her, especially the ones that involve princesses.
Judith looks up when Daryl walks in and her face lights up. “Come read with us,” she says excitedly, patting the empty space beside her and Rick.
Daryl sits beside them, pressing a kiss atop Judith’s head as he settles in beside them. “Hey, Judy,” he says with a smile. “Whatcha reading?”
“Rapunzel,” she replies. She takes the book from Rick’s hands mid-sentence and holds it up to Daryl. “We're almost done, will you finish?”
Daryl agrees, unable to say no to Judith, and takes the short book from her tiny hands. He feels Rick wrap an arm around his back, hand curling around his left hip in a comforting touch. He unconsciously leans into Rick's side as he continues were Rick left off, making sure to do different voices just like Rick had. Judith giggles at the funny parts and aw's at the sad parts. She's heard this book so many times but her reaction is always the same. It's not long before he finishes, closing the book as Judith claps at the happy ending.
“Alright Judy, let’s get ya to sleep,” Rick says, picking up his daughter in one hand and the book in the other.
“No, I want Daryl to take me,” Judith replies, wiggling out of Rick’s arms and running towards Daryl. She jumps up giggling and Daryl catches her, swinging her around a few times before settling her on his hip. She's probably too big to be carried but Daryl doesn't really care.
“Alright, come on,” he says, kissing Rick before he retreats to Judith’s nearby cell.
The walls of her room are covered in pictures of princes, princesses, dragons and castles, knights, and other stuff. Whenever Daryl finds a picture he thinks Judith might like, he brings it back for her and helps her tape it to her walls. The group tries to make her cell, and really all the cells of the children who live at the prison, as colorful as possible. She deserves to sleep in a room that is full of color and life, considering she lives in a relatively dreary prison.
Daryl puts the book on her make shift corner bookshelf before carrying her over to her bed. He lays her down and presses a kiss against her forehead before he bids her goodnight, turning around to exit the room.
“Daryl?” Judith calls, just as Daryl's about to exit the cell.
“Yeah?” He asks, coming back to kneel next to her bunk.
“Are you my Daddy’s Prince?” she asks quietly, looking down at her hands, not willing to meet Daryl's eyes.
Daryl is taken aback by her question and it takes a while for him to answer. “What do ya mean by that?”
“I know I had a Mommy,” she says sadly, “even though I never met her afore. Carl and Daddy tell me stories about her. They say she was really pretty and she loved me a lot. After she went to Heaven, Carl said Daddy was really sad and he missed Mommy a lot. But then you helped him not be sad anymore, like Princes do with their Princesses. Princes always save their Princesses, they make them feel better and give them happy endings. You make my Daddy smile and laugh, you saved him and gave him a happy ending like Princes do in fairy-tales. Does that make you his Prince?”
Daryl isn't sure if he should laugh or cry. He’d never thought about their situation that way before, but he guesses it's true. It still amazes him how much Judith is able to pick up. She comes to conclusions in a way he’d never seen anyone before, but Daryl figures the fact that she's so little contributes to that. “I guess I am yer Daddy’s Prince, ya okay with that?”
Judith reaches up and rests her hand on the side of Daryl’s face. “Yes. I miss Mommy but I’m glad he has you to take care of him and love him. He loves you and you love him, you make him happy and I just want my Daddy to be happy." Suddenly she giggles, coming to a certain realization. "If you're my Daddy's Prince that means he's your princess."
Daryl can't help but laugh at that as well. "He's definitely my princess baby girl."
Judith smiles again, and the two of them are quiet for a few seconds until Judith speaks again. "I love you Daryl and Carl loves you and Daddy loves you. You're a part of our family. You're special to me. You’re like a Mommy but you’re a boy, you’re like a Daddy but I already have a Daddy. What are you?”
Daryl smiles at that and won't admit he had to hold back tears. He's been a constant in Carl and Judith’s lives for years now, he's always tried so hard to give them what they need, what they deserve, but then again so did everyone else. He had never thought of himself as their parent but in a way that's exactly what he is, at least in Judith's eyes. “'M jus' yer Daryl, Judith, jus' yer Daryl. Ya don’ have ta put a name to it. I love ya, Judith, and I love yer Daddy and yer brother a lot. I didn' grow up with a good family, but 'm gonna make sure ya always have one.”
Judith smiles and lifts up so she can press a kiss against Daryl's cheek. “I love you, my Daryl, goodnight.”
Daryl nods, small smile unwavering, and waits 'til Judith closes her eyes before he quietly retreats from her cell. He’s known for a long time now that he's a part of Rick’s family, an unofficial Grimes, but he's never seen himself officially as one of Carl and Judith’s parents. Judith seems to think of him as such.
“Hey,” Rick calls as Daryl walks into their cell. He reaches out an arm for Daryl, lets him kick off his boots and shuck of his jeans, before he pulls him down beside him. “You took longer than usual."
Daryl lays next to Rick, wrapping an arm around his waist. “Judith jus' needed ta talk,” he says simply, not going into the details of it all.
“Apparently 'm yer Prince," Daryl smirks.
Rick laughs and runs a hand through Daryl’s hair. “Does that make me your Princess?”
“Ya certainly don’t have the parts of a Princess,” Daryl says, running a hand down Rick’s thigh. The touch is light, borderline sexual but not quite. The two of them are both too tired to do anything but sleep that night.
Rick laughs again and hides his face in Daryl’s shoulder. “That’s true.” He's quiet for a few seconds, hands lightly trailing up and down Daryl’s side before Rick speaks again. “You've been distant today, everything okay?”
Daryl shrugs but won't meet Rick’s eyes. “Jus' been busy. Plus you've been showing what’s her face around," Daryl says, his voice taking on a jealous tone despite how hard he tries to conceal it.
“Ya mean Madison?” Rick says, confused. “Daryl please don’t tell me you’re jealous of her, she means nothing to me. I was just doing the nice thing, showing her how things are done. You’re my boyfriend, and I’m happy with that.” The two of them don't use labels to define their relationship, they were just simply Rick&Daryl, but hearing Rick refer to him as his boyfriend helps solidify what Rick is saying.
“I know,” Daryl says, masking his barely suppressed insecurities with a smile. “I was jus' a ‘lil jealous.”
Rick leans forward and kisses Daryl, officially staking his claim on what's his. “I don’t want her, Daryl, I want you.”
Daryl pulls back from the kiss a little breathless. He smiles and rests his face against Rick’s neck. “'M yer knight an' shining armor.”
“More like my hillbilly with a crossbow, but I’ll take it.” Daryl laughs and pulls Rick against him tightly. God he loves this man.
“Now go ta bed, we’re both exhausted,” Rick says. Daryl gives Rick one last kiss before he pulls away. It isn't long before the both of them are asleep.
The next day, Daryl and Glenn leave on a run. The two of them are only going on a short excursion, mainly to rifle through whatever is left in the nearby towns. There's one about forty minutes away that they haven't hit very hard so they're going to see what's left. They split up once they reach the town. It's not something they usually do, but they both want to get home as soon as possible and this is the best way to do that. It's a really small town with only a few buildings and houses that are mostly picked over by now. Nevertheless they rifle through the buildings, trying to find anything they might be able to use.
Daryl goes through three houses before he comes across something that tears at his heart. He finds a bedroom in the back of one of the houses he's in, small and painted pink, obviously a little girl’s room. He'd seen many children's rooms before on his runs, but this one hits him hard. It looks like something Judith might like, and all he can think about is the little girl who had previously resided here.
The room seems to be untouched, apparently no one's heartless enough to mess with a little kid’s bedroom because everything is still in its place. The room is dusty and smells like old people from lack of air circulation, obviously no one has been there in a while. In the corner sits a small table, pencils and paper strewn across the top almost as if the child who'd been coloring was forced to leave in the middle of her picture. He picks up one page, shakes off the dust that has settled over time, and looks it over. It's a child's drawing, obviously half finished, of a happy family. The picture is done in crayon, pretty decent for a kid who couldn't have been more than seven.
He sets the picture aside carefully and glances around. There's a lot of coloring utensils, along with paper and coloring books, which he knows could be put to good use. The prison has a growing number of children and it's been continuously harder to keep them entertained in a prison. He knows the kids will like something like this so Daryl decides to grab everything he sees. He carefully slips the coloring books and plain paper into his bag before adding the markers, colored pencils, and crayons.
On the bed there's a line of stuffed animals. A large stuffed dragon, purple with blue wings and a happy smile stitched across its snout, sit in the middle of the pile. One of the books he had read Judith recently featured a kind dragon who protected their kingdom from bad guys, and she had decided then and there that dragons are her new favorite animal. He runs his fingers over the soft plush toy before stuffing it in his bag next to what he's already grabbed. He feels terrible doing it, but clearly no one's going to be using it anytime soon. If another little girl can get something out of it he doesn't see the harm in taking it. He sees a few other toys that the kids at the prison might like to play with and he stuffs them in his bag as well.
Daryl continues to move from house to house, checking for hiding spots looters might not have thought to look in. He doesn't find much more than some canned food, bottled water, and a couple packs of batteries. Other than that, everything is pretty much picked over. It's almost dark by the time him and Glenn meet back up at the car. Glenn was more successful in his findings. He was able to find some non-perishable provisions, batteries, tools, and a few other supplies they don't have back at the prison. Together they have a decent sized haul.
By the time the two of them make it back to the prison it's dark. Maggie's there to meet them at the gate and greets Glenn warmly. He's got no doubt in his mind the two of them would have gone off to have some “alone time” if it wasn't for the fact that him and Daryl are starving. By the time they make it into the prison most everyone has already ate, but there are seven or eight people who are still sitting in the mess hall.
Rick's eating with new girl, (even though Daryl now knows her name he still refuses to call her by it) Carl, and Judith. The second Daryl walks into the room new girl makes a show of wrapping an arm around Rick's back, laughing obnoxiously as she throws back her head and thrusts her boobs forward. She looks absolutely ridiculous and everyone in close proximity holds back snickers. Rick doesn't seem to notice how inappropriate her actions are, too busy trying to make sure Judith actually ingests her food. The girl is so damn talkative, half the time she forgets she's supposed to be eating. New girl then makes a show of wiping Judith’s mouth for her, projecting herself as her mother, which only pisses Daryl off even more. Apparently Carl isn't too please either because he shoots hooded glares at the woman, which she promptly ignores. If anyone is going to act like Judith’s mother, it’s gonna be him.
Daryl grits his teeth and clenches his hands, Glenn holding back a snicker at his reaction. Rick sees Daryl walk in and instantly looks relieved. Despite the fact that he knows without a doubt that Daryl can handle himself outside the prison, he always worries whenever the archer leaves his sight. New girl seems to be pissed off at the fact that Rick’s attention is now projected at Daryl and not her. She tries to get his attention back but Rick blows her off and stands up. Daryl's so fucking tired of new girl’s attempt at throwing herself at his man, he can't help what happens next.
In a second, Daryl's standing in front of Rick. In the years they've been together, Daryl doesn't think he's ever done what he's about to do. He's just so damn tired of Madison trying to move in on his man he can't help it. Daryl grips Rick’s hips and presses himself possessively against his body, claiming him with a rough kiss. It only lasts a few seconds, but it's enough to leave new girl speechless. Daryl pulls away, Rick groaning at the loss of contact, and throws a pointed glare at new girl.
Judith covers her mouth and giggles. “That’s my Daddy’s Prince,” she whispers to new girl, loud enough for basically everyone to hear. Carl, who's sitting next to his sister, snorts loudly and hides behind his hands. “Also known as my Daryl. They’re the bestest parents ever.”
New girl is so mortified she stands up and walks out of the room, leaving her empty bowl behind. Daryl's sure she's gotten the message now. He's Rick’s Prince, and he's not going to let some bimbo swoop in and try to ruin their happiness. “Well, that was something,” Rick says, leading Daryl over to the table that Carl and Judith are sitting at.
Daryl shrugs and pulls a bowl towards him, shoveling food into his mouth. He hasn't eaten at all today and he's starving. “I gotcha something today Judith,” he says, once his mouth is clear of food. “If ya eat all yer food I’ll show it to ya soon enough.”
Judith squeals with excitement and begins shoveling food into her mouth. “Hey slow down,” Carl chides her, pounding on her back as she begins to cough. “You have to actually chew before you swallow.”
“You always get Judith presents and not me,” Rick pouts teasingly, resting a hand on Daryl’s knee.
“Don’ worry Princess, ya get yers tonight,” Daryl whispers, wrapping an arm around Rick’s waist.
“Gross,” Carl teases, standing up with his empty bowl. “I totally did not need to hear that. Besides, last time I heard, you’re the bottom Daryl.” And on that note, the teenager walks off laughing, officially satisfied with mortifying the two men.
Rick chokes on his latest bite of food and Daryl’s ears turn bright pink as he bows his head. Carl is referring to the time he had walked in on Rick and Daryl having sex, which was honestly probably the most embarrassing moment he's ever experienced. Besides, he isn't always the bottom.
“What’s a bottom?” Judith asks and Daryl’s face turns bright red.
“Nothing, eat your vegetables or you don’t get your present,” Rick says.
Judith shrugs and shovels the rest of the food into her mouth before swallowing, chasing it down with a glass of water. “Okay I’m done, can I have my present now?”
Daryl chuckles and grabs one of the bags he had brought back with him from his run. “Found this for ya,” he says, pulling out the stuffed dragon and handing it over to Judith.
She squeals loud enough to turn heads, hugging the dragon close to her chest. “Thank you Daryl,” she says, voice squeaky with excitement as she hops up on the table and jumps into Daryl's lap.
“Whoa, kid,” Daryl says, catching Judith before she tumbles onto the concrete floor. “Be more careful next time.”
“I promise.” Judith kisses Daryl’s cheek before she hops down. She then proceeds to show off her new toy to everyone. “Look what my Daryl got for me,” Judith says as she runs over to Carol, who is sitting with Maggie, Glenn, and Hershel. Carol looks over at Daryl and gives him a knowing smile and a wink before she turns her attention back to Judith.
She hadn't said a word, but that look says it all. She was right. New girl isn't going to come between him and his family. Rick takes Daryl’s hand, grabbing his attention once more. “Hey,” he says, resting his forehead against Daryl’s. “Do you see now that I’m not going to let Madison, or anyone, get between us?”
Daryl just nods and presses a chaste kiss against Rick’s lips. He isn't one for public displays of affection, excluding what he had just done to show new girl who she's messing with, but he figures he can make another exception. “Love ya, Princess,” he says, lips twisting up into a smile.
Rick groans and pulls away from Daryl. “I s'pose you’re never gonna let me live that down, are ya?”
“Never.”