One more step

Days gone by

Over the next few weeks Merle had began to act more assertive towards Elli. He had become far more involved with Remi. He was taking over. Elli didn't fear him when it was just her, but with Remi she couldn't just take off on foot if he went over the edge. She wanted Daryl. It wasn't that Merle was trying to push Daryl out she had heard him countless times talking as if Daryl was dead and it was his responsibility to take care of his own. Remi continued to call him dada and he had stopped correcting her. She stood in the kitchen with the basin washing Remi's clothes looking towards the front door. Remi sat on the floor chewing on her bunny and humming on it's ear. Merle had left them to go hunt. She looked up as the door opened.

Her mouth dropped open. It was Daryl, "Elli..." Remi looked like she'd break her neck trying to look at him. She snarled and breathed heavily as she crawled across the floor towards him. He went wide eyed at the sight of how big she had gotten he rushed forward scooping her up. "Dada!" Elli fell to her knees crying. Daryl carried Remi over to Elli and knelt down in front of her, "I didn't think you were coming for us. You said a few weeks!" She shoved his chest as he tried to grab her and he pulled her in fighting. She buried her face in his shoulder. "He burned Woodbury down. We've been tracking him. Lost his trail. they wanted to wait, but I ain't waiting no more. Shouldn't agreed to it in the first place."

Daryl held Remi rubbing her hair and kissing her head. Her chubby little fingers grasping at his stubble. She babbled aimlessly. Elli sat on the couch motionless. Daryl looked to her, "Were gonna wait for Merle then head back, when'd he leave?" She didn't move, "This morning." Daryl looked towards the door, "Could be morning before he gets back. We should settle her in." He got up and carried the sleepy child towards the bedroom and laid her on the small bed made on the floor, "postal box to floor huh?" Elli came up and hugged his back breathing him in. "You have no idea how many times she almost rolled off the bed." he stood there watching the child drift off. When her eyes finally closed he turned and pushed Elli up against the wall. He tilted her head up and attacked her mouth. Elli surrendered to his force. His hands sliding to her hips and and to her zipper. Her eyes went wide and she grabbed his hands, he growled. hHis eyes darkened with hunger. "What Daryl? You want another one of those?" She looked over to Remi, he smirked, "Hell I figured we'd make a baseball team." she shoved his shoulder, "You've lost your mind. That shit hurt." He pulled a condom from his pocket and smiled sadistically. "Well I brought back up incase you disagreed."

Daryl heard the front door unlock. He sat up slowly grabbing his pistol. He looked once more at Elli and Remi sleeping in the bed. He crept to the doorway to see Merle walking in with a string of squirrels and rabbits. Merle's face smirking until he saw Daryl. "Well guess you needed another lay huh brotha?" Daryl stood in his pants with no shirt. "Came to bring y'all home." Merle tossed the animals on the counter, "This is home brotha. That was the deal right, we went back till her and the baby were healthy. I played your game now we are gonna play mine. We going back to worrying bout our own." Daryl stood there, "What bout her own?" Merle laughed, "she yours or not? That means she ain't got her own no more, We are it. Way I see it we got a good set up here. Her and Remi gonna stay here...where they belong." Daryl shifted his weight, "ya mean with you." Merle turned and sat on the couch. "Yeah, she told me bout Woodbury. About your favor...pfft favor...you tried taking her for ya self." Merle eyed him, "Well you done walked off let her get lost, she needed me. want me to go back let some other man drag her off?" Daryl's rising voice woke Elli, "She's mine! Not yours! And that baby is mine! You don't make the calls! They are going back!" Merle stood shoving Daryl. "Yours?! You sent them off! Real man wouldn't of handed em over." Elli stood in the doorway holding Remi, Daryl looked at her, "She ain't a prisoner, ask her." Merle looked to her, "what's it gonna be sugar, ain't seen a walker in months. You wanna take Remi back where she was almost eaten?" She looked to Daryl, "No Daryl no us. I trust him." Merle looked pissed, he knew he had to convince Daryl now.

Elli rocked a whimpering Remi while they argued. She would back Daryl no matter the decision. She rushed back to the room when she heard the crash, they were in a fight. Remi screamed making them stop, the child never cried or screamed unless hurt. Daryl shoved Merle off of him and got up going to Remi. Remi continued to whimper reaching for Daryl. Daryl motioning his hand for Elli to go back in the bedroom, he turned to Merle, "This ain't gonna work. She ain't growing up like we did, seeing the shit we did."

Daryl laid on his side looking at Elli, Remi sprawled out between them on the mattress. Elli shifted her eyes from the baby to his dark look. "I'm with you." Daryl adjusted on the pillow, "What?" She ran her fingers over Remi's whisps of hair, "No matter what you decide, I'm with you, I've got your back." He grunted, "I want to stay with my brotha, but I want her and you to be safe more." She nodded, "Worlds never been safe, just new breed of monsters. that's what you told me after a week of traveling with y'all." Daryl watched her run her finger over their baby's cheek. "Your dad, carl, your family, they are there." She smirked when the baby smiled in her sleep, "This is my family Daryl. You and her and her jackass of an uncle. I grew up not truly having my mom, that ain't gonna happen with her. She gets us both. You decide, just know that neither is wrong as long as you do what you think is best." Daryl nodded, "Ya need to sleep. I'll decide in the morning."