Dixon Family Matters

Nightmare

            It was late. Daryl was lying on one of the couches in his room at the CDC trying to get some real sleep for the first time he weeks. He was almost out when...

            "Daddy?"

            He opened his eyes and squinted through the darkness to see Christian standing there.

            "Hey bud, wha's a matter?" Daryl asked, groaning as he sat up.

            "I can't sleep," Christian mumbled.

            "Ya have a bad dream?" Daryl guess and the boy nodded. "C'mere." He lifted Christian up next to him.

            "What was it about?" Daryl asked.

            "Jim had turned into a walker and it was my fault," Christina said, "And then he bit ya and Carol and Sophia and Dale and everyone."

            Daryl sighed, he should have known. Ever since they had left Jim at the side of the road, the boy had been unusually quiet.

            "Ye know that wasn't yer fault," Daryl said, "Jim told ya the same thing. And everyone else is fine."

            "I know," Christian murmured, "It's still scary though."

            Daryl held his son close and rubbed his back gently, hoping the boy would fall back asleep.

            "Daddy?" Christian mumbled sleeping, "Do you like Carol?"

            Daryl looked down at his son. "She's a'right," he said, not totally sure how he was supposed to answer that.

            "But do you like her," Christian persisted, sitting up and looking at his dad.

            "Why are you so interested?" Daryl asked.

            "I like her," Christian told him, "And Sophia. She said I'm like her little brother cause Carol looks after me whenever yer gone."

            "So what's that got ta do with me likin' Carol?" Daryl questioned.

            "I dunno," Christian said, "I jus' thought it would be neat if really liked her and she liiked ya.... Then we could be a family..." He looked down at his lap, twisting his hands.

            Daryl sighed. "Carol's a nice lady," he said awkwardly, "But right now yer my priority, a'right?"

            Christian nodded and then look back up at his father, smiling slyly. "But one day?"

            Daryl snorted, "Go ta sleep."

I love Daryl as a dad. I also love Caryl and Daryl and Carol will definitely be growing closer soon. Not jumping straight into a relationship because at this point Carol's still not 100% the badass she is right now in the show and I'm also sort of playing off what Norman Reedus said about Daryl having no game. But it's definitely gonna be going down that track of them getting to know each other better.

Thanks so much for reading and let me know what you think!