The Walsh's (UNDER EDITING)

Season 2 ~ Chapter 7

I walked in and my heart melted. Jason was curled up into Shane's side whilst Shane's arm was holding him close. Both sleeping soundly and me watching on trying to contain my happiness. Dixon was still laying beside Jason but noticed me sit down and decided to come join me. He gracefully jumped off the bed and cantered over to me. Sitting at the side of the chair, flicking my hand on to his head and forcing me to stroke his soft, fluffly coat. His long pink tongue hanging out the side of his mouth and his amber eyes trained on Jason. I smiled at him, I'd always loved this dog since Cody adopted him, he could the difference between a good guy and a bad one. "Why you so attached to him pup?" I asked him, feeling a little stupid for talking to a dog but it wouldn't have been the first time. Dixon continued to pant heavily, stare at Jason and I continued stroking his fur. Shane grumbled in his sleep, pulling Jason closer to his side but almost as if he remembered the wound on Jason's side and did it gently. "No wonder I married that man." I whispered to myself earning a whine from Dixon. "Daryl wasn't bad either, just the way things worked out." I said causing Dixon to rest his head on my knees.

A soft knock at the door made me jump slightly but when I saw Daryl's crossbow, I relaxed and continued stroking Dixon's head. Daryl peered in before fully entering the room, he marched over and leaned against the windowsill. "You ok Dix?" I asked keeping eye contact with the dog, "Cody said Andrea gave you some trouble earlier. He said she knows about us and the boys." replied Daryl causing an upsurge of anger and sadness in my body. "Yeah she does and everything she said made me feel guilty." I said turning in the chair to face him. Daryl frowned, kneeled in front of me and took my hands in his. "No, it wasn't your fault. It was Merle, no one else. Please don't feel that way Kat." Daryl pleaded and I smiled. "Do you know how many people have told me it's Merle's fault? It's up to three now." I replied pushing some of Daryl's hair out the way. Daryl chuckled, "well it was." he said. The memory of that day was resurfacing, it was a day I'd hoped I'd forget but everyone mentioning it, made that difficult...

Flashback... (ready for an explanation?)

I pulled up at the Dixon residence to see Dixon laying on the porch with Hunter and Ryder. It felt nice seeing my twelve and three year old getting on so well. I had left Jason with Shane and Rick, praying the two of them would be responsible enough to take care of a two year old. "Momma!" shouted Hunter as I stepped out the car, both boys hurrying off the porch and into my arms. "Hey guys, how are you?" I asked and the smile on Hunter's face faded. "Grandad and Uncle Merle keep fighting with Daddy and Uncle Cody." he explained pointing to the house where a bottle smashing could be heard. I figured Cody had sent Dixon outside to watch the boys, knowing how long the fight could last. "It's ok baby, go sit with Dixon, both of you." I said and they did as I said. I ran up the stairs of the porch, "Dixon, watch the boys." I said before entering the house. I was greeting by yelling, the smell of alcohol and drugs and the iconic sound of Merle Dixon acting like a huge douche. "Every argument happens in the kitchen." I mumbled knowing my way around the Dixon household.

As I entered, "who invited her?" asked Merle pointing to me. "I have two kids living here, maybe that's why idiot." I snapped infuriating Merle but Cody pushing him back. I felt a grip on my arm and a familiar strong arm wrap around my waist. "What you doin' here Kit-Kat?" asked Daryl smiling at me, I smiled back brushing his shaggy brown hair from his crystal blue eyes. "Just visiting my kids and my ex man, the usual." I replied. "Get her outta here Daryl, this ain't no place for a woman." Merle spat causing an anger to erupt inside me. "This is no place for douchebags but your here." I snapped causing Merle to take a swing at my face. Cody pinned Merle against the counter, "you don't touch her Merle, you don't touch anyone in this family." growled Cody making Merle laugh. "Just because she had two kids to our wimpy little brother, doesn't mean she's family." he replied. I took my hand off his cheek, an anger was burning uncontrollably inside me and it had to be done. Of course, I just punched Merle Dixon, not my best move...

Merle threw Cody of him and lunged at me. Daryl moved in front of me but Merle tossed him in Cody's direction. One brother landing on the other. Merle held me against the cabinet and took his bear like hands off my face three times. He threw me into the wall, towering over me and laughing. "Your weak Katy, you ain't fit for ma brother." he said as I kicked his feet out from underneath him, making him crash to the floor. "No Merle, I'm just as strong as you." I screamed as he clutched my hair and pulled me up. Hunter ran in and saw the chaos in front of his little eyes. He took a chair and whacked it off Merle's back. He let go of my hair and I fell into Daryl's arms, him holding my head against his chest as I cried. Merle still not finished, backhanded my son causing him to fall to the floor in tears. He then pinned Hunter to the floor, "your tought boy." Merle whispered in his ear making me drive my foot into his face. "Dixon!" Hunter cried as Cody pulled him into his arms.

The huge German Shepherd ran in, spotted Merle towering over me and Daryl and began growling at him. He beared his teeth and circled Merle. "Stupid dog." Merle mumbled raising his hand to Daryl, who was now pressing me against his chest. Dixon barked viciously and sunk his teeth into Merle's wrist. The dog wrestled with the grown man for a good twenty minutes before Cody told him to stop. Daryl helped me to my feet, "Daddy." cried Hunter running into Daryl's arms. Daryl pulled both of us into a hug before kicking Merle one last time. "Kat, we need to leave. He ain't stable enough for the boys to be around." said Daryl, bring tears to my eyes but I had to do what was best for my kids, all of them.

"I understand Dar."

End of Flashback...

I hadn't even realised the tears streaming down my face as I recalled that day. Daryl had wrapped his muscular arms around my chest area and felt his hand make small circles in my back.

"Don't worry Kat, you fought him. That took guts."

"Thanks Dar, he could have hurt you."

"Nah, I saw you hurt. I don't like seeing you hurt babe."

"I don't like seeing you hurt either."

...