Is There Somewhere? |Daryl Dixon

006| big and strong

Daryl and Sabrina strolled into the super market, holding a four year old Frankie in between the two of them. The toddler had a hand from each of her people locked into her vice like grip, begging to be swung. The trio would be having a sleepover (Frankie's very first in fact) at Daryl's house tonight, even Merle would be attending. Mostly by the obligation of being Daryl's roommate. 

Sabrina's parents were gone for the weekend, as they usually were. Having a built in unpaid babysitter came in handy for weekend trips. Afraid of her staying home next to his father, Daryl had offered to house the two for the next couple of days. It would allow him to watch over the two, make sure they stayed safe. 

"Again again!" The fiery redheaded toddler cried once more in a fit of giggles as they went through the sliding glass doors. 

"Okay, but this is the last time alright Frankie?" Sabrina said to her sister, putting on a faux stern voice. "Then you've gotta get into the cart so Daryl and I don't lose ya in here." 

Frankie obliged, she always behaved in public. Except for that meltdown at the diner at three years old. That was an incident that still gave Sabrina nightmares full of humiliation. The four year olds hands clutched as tightly as possible as the pair swung her once more and the fit of giggles it sent her into made Sabrina smile widely. At twenty two years old, her little sister was her entire life. Daryl grabbed a cart from the row of them, holding it steady so that Sabrina could pop the toddler inside. Her chubby little legs kicked at his stomach as he pushed the girl along, but he paid no mind.

Despite his permanent scowl that only seemed to become more permanent the older her got, Daryl was oddly happy to do the domestic things with Sabrina and Frankie. Like go to the grocery store to pick out dinner and snacks for a sleepover. Merle gave him endless amounts of grief for the lengths he was willing to go to keep the two girls happy. Telling him that he was going all this way for someone who wouldn't put out when the time came. Despite saying these things though, Merle had an equally soft spot for Frankie. Such a soft spot that he quit coming home lit. The older man still got so drunk his temper ignited into bar fights and other forms of tussles, but he quit bringing that shit home. More often than not, Daryl had to pick him up from the drunk tank the next day but they never spoke of it. 

"What are you thinking for dinner Dare?" Sabrina asked, as they went down the pasta aisle. She stopped in front of the various boxes of dried noodles and placed her hands on her hips in contemplation. The act of it all was something Sabrina loved. The two most important people in her life, coming here together to plan out their entire weekend together. Sabrina loved it. Sabrina loved Daryl.

"Well, I still got some leftover meat from that deer I sh-" Daryl began to say before Sabrina cut him off. She held up one finger to shush him and the feeling of his lips on her index finger made her blush. Often times growing up, she wondered what those lips would feel like on hers. When Frankie was born though, she gave up that dream. It wouldn't be fair to Daryl. 

While he stuck around, he could still go back to his own trailer and not have to worry about raising a kid. He could choose when he wanted to. Sabrina liked knowing he had that option. That if things became too much, he could back out whenever he wanted to. 

"We just watched Bambi, unless you want a crying Frankie you should probably watch what you're saying." Sabrina said, glancing over at where her sister was placing her chubby little hands on Daryl's face. "She will blame you for what happened to Bambi's mama, even if hunting season ended months ago." 

"Alright, alright." Daryl said, putting his hands up defensively. "All I'm sayin is we got some meat at home. She don't gotta know what kind." 

Home. That struck a chord in Sabrina's heart. To her, home was wherever Daryl was. He kept her grounded in more ways than one.