A/N: Okay, so a few things you should know before reading. Daryl is in his 20s in this story, and because he's so much younger he's not really in character with his TV character. I tried to make him that way in the beginning but I just can't pull of his aloof, mean attitude. So he hasn't become quite as cold and hard as his older self from the show. So it's the same story, he's just younger. Because I'm apparently not very good at the Dixon personality Merle is a tiny bit out of character too, but I kind of think that a baby would make both of them act a little different than on the show. If you don't like Daryl being Out of Character at all then this might not be the story for you, but give it a chance.

This first chapter is just to see what kind of response I get. I probably won't upload any more chapters until the story is done or almost done so don't expect an update any time really soon. Also, I'm debating on moving away from the show's plotline. I haven't decided if it'll just be small things that change or if I'm going to deviate completely.

Disclaimer: I do not now, nor will I ever, own The Walking Dead comic or TV show and do not make any profit from this story. This is purely for entertainment purposes, no copy-right infringement intended.

CHAPTER 1

A thin wail echoed through the dark woods, bringing the doe's head straight up as she searched for the source of the sound. Daryl cursed under his breath and shot the bolt from his crossbow quickly before the animal had a chance to flee. With a heavy sigh he made his way through the brush to his kill and proceeded to gut and dress it as quickly as he could without getting sloppy. He knew Merle and April would be awake by now, that wail was proof enough of that, and he knew they would be hungry for fresh meat.

Throwing the doe carcass over his shoulder and holding his crossbow at the ready in case of any unexpected visitors, Daryl made his way back to their small camp. Merle was sitting on top of Daryl's old blue truck, his legs dangling into the bed as he kept watch over their two small tents and campfire. April was nowhere in sight, which Daryl had expected, she rarely left the tent before the sun was fully up.

"Good huntin this mornin, little brother?" Merle asked in greeting, shifting his rifle to his lap when he realized it was Daryl coming through the trees.

"Almost lost this one, all that wailin just about scared her off. How are things here?" he asked gruffly as he set his things down and strung up the deer.

Merle snickered a bit. "That's what you get little brother. It's been quiet here as far as walkers go, but we should probably head out soon, if you heard that cryin then other things probably did too. April is still in her tent, nothin surprisin about that though."

Daryl nodded, chewing on the corner of his thumb in thought. "Well, I don't wanna waste this doe and we can't take it with us. So let's stay until tomorrow mornin if things stay clear. That way we'll eat up some of this meat before it goes bad and we can decide where to go next. I'd like to stay here, haven't seen a walker at all since we set up, even after all that commotion two weeks ago."

It was Merle's turn to nod, but before he could say anything the rustling of a tent flap brought their attention to the smaller of the two tents.

"Daryl, I thought I heard you out here. Oh, you found some food! Good, we're almost out of all the canned stuff we took from our houses." The newcomer, and third member of their little camp, stood up straight from zipping the tent back up and smiled as she looked at the two Dixon brothers. Her clothes were grubby, just like theirs, and she was dirty like them. Long blonde hair was pulled up to the back of her head in a ponytail to keep it off her face and back and her brown eyes looked happy to see him but also dim at the same time. In her arms was a bundle wrapped in a blue blanket. "Here, can you hold him while I go deal with something?" she asked, holding the bundle out to Daryl.

The first time she had done this he had nearly run in the other direction. Now, he was used to it and actually looked forward to when she let him help with this particular task. As he took the bundle from April's arms he couldn't help but smile as he pushed the blanket back a little to look down into the bright-eyed face of his newborn son. A thought occurred to him as he looked at the baby and he snapped his head up quickly, stopping April before she could leave.

"Don't go too far April. You know you'll have your privacy so you don't gotta go a mile into the woods like you did when we first got here," he teased.

April nodded but no smile formed on her pale lips. "I know, I'll be back in a bit. I already gave Keegan his bottle and burped him, so he'll probably need his diaper changed soon." With a tiny smile and another nod, she disappeared into the trees.

Daryl wrinkled his nose at that news and scowled when he heard Merle laughing. "Man, you are so whipped brother. We're Dixons, we don't hold babies or change diapers or any of that woman shit you been doin."

The scowl on his face became darker as he turned to his brother, but he didn't say anything in reply. Nothing he said could make Merle change his mind about that. Merle believed that men were meant to protect and provide for the women and kids, and women were supposed to do everything else. Daryl thought that was close-minded and way too close to their dead father's philosophy to partake in that belief. He was surprised that Merle felt that way, considering the way they had grown up, abused and beaten whenever their father decided to come home. But he also supposed that some people ended up just like their parents, while some took what they'd seen their parents do and ended up completely opposite. Merle would believe what he believed and it was easier on everyone in the group if they just went along with the loud burly man.

Daryl averted his eyes from his brother's and looked back down at the baby. He looked a lot like Daryl, at least that's what April said, he couldn't see it. He had rich, honey blonde hair like his mother and eyes as blue as Daryl's own, but April had said that sometimes babies were born with light eyes that became darker. Daryl had pointed out the hair difference to April but she said that just because the baby's hair was blonde didn't mean that everything else wasn't just like Daryl himself.

A few minutes later April came back out of the trees and headed for her tent, not even sparing a glance for Daryl or Keegan in his arms. Heaving a sigh Daryl shifted the baby and looked around for a blanket and a clear spot to set him down. Merle snorted a bit, leaned over to grab a spare pillow they had in the truck cab, and threw it on top of a blanket in the truck bed. Daryl nodded at him in gratitude before setting the boy down and heading off to get some food cooking for breakfast.

Twenty minutes later, as Daryl was taking the meat off the fire to serve for breakfast he heard Merle make a strange disgusted sound. "Hey woman! Your kid needs it's ass changed!" He hollered toward the tents.

Daryl rolled his eyes but looked up to see if April had heard. He didn't know how she wouldn't, Merle was overly loud when he was whispering, even more so when he yelled. When the tent flap didn't move and he didn't hear anything from inside, he assumed that she must have fallen asleep, tired from the sleepless nights with the baby. She had been acting very strangely ever since Keegan was born. Her mood changed as quickly as the time, but no matter what her mood she always had this underlying sadness about her that he didn't understand.

Standing up straight with the plate of venison in his hand, he headed toward Merle. The older man reached down for it greedily and began shoveling the hot food into his mouth as Daryl headed for April's tent to get the diaper bag. The inside of the tent was a mess, practically everything April had brought and scavenged for herself and the baby was all over the room, as though a tornado had blown through. April herself was lying on a sleeping bag in the middle of the tent, her eyes open and staring up at him.

"Come on Ape, Keegan needs you," he said, bending his knees so he was closer to her level.

She went from unresponsive to explosive in a flash, "he needs a new diaper! I told you that! It's not that hard, do it your damn self Daryl! Grow up and take responsibility for what you've done!" she screamed at him before moving forward a bit and pushing at his chest. "Just go away and leave me alone!"

Daryl just stared at her for a few minutes, completely confused by her behavior. With a derisive snort he shook his head, grabbed the diaper bag, and left the tent, not even bothering to zip it back up. An angry frown marred his face as he stomped over to the truck to tend to the baby.

"Trouble in paradise baby brother?" Merle asked cheekily, throwing the empty plate on the ground beside the truck and leaning back a bit on the roof. "I told you not to get involved with that girl, way too uppity. All they are is trouble, only good for two things, cleanin and….well I don't need to tell you the second," he said looking pointedly down at Keegan, who had begun to fuss.

It didn't take long to take care of the boy and then a little bouncing got him to sleep again so that Daryl could go make some more food for himself and April. She refused to talk to him or even look at the baby until that night after dinner. "Daryl, I can take him for a little while," she said softly as she sat down next to him. Daryl nodded and carefully handed the baby to her. "I also wanted to apologize, for snapping at you. I'm just so tired lately and stressed about…well about everything! I'll try to work on it," she said in that same soft, almost disinterested, voice.

As she began to feed Keegan for the first time since that morning Daryl gave her a look that conveyed that he understood and forgave her. "I'll take Keegan for the night Ape. You need a break and Merle's on watch until early mornin so it'll be okay. You get some rest, if he's hungry durin the night I'll give him a bottle like I did today."

April nodded and her eyes filled with tears of gratitude, "thanks Daryl. I'm so glad that he has you to take care of him, especially now, with these crazy people trying to eat us all."

Two hours later, as Daryl was getting ready to take Keegan and go to bed, he realized that he was out of formula in the diaper bag. Figuring it was better to go now and get more rather than go in later when April would be sleeping, he headed for her tent. "April? I need more formula for Keegan, can I come in?" he said through the tent flap.

When there was no answer he pushed through the open flap to find the tent void of one blonde woman. Frowning in confusion Daryl walked back out of the tent and asked Merle, "hey, you see April?"

"Yeah, she said she had to take a piss, went that way," his brother said pointing in the direction she always went to relieve herself.

"You just let her go? It's dark out man! How long ago did she leave?" he demanded, heading toward his brother quickly.

"Ah, she left about fifteen-twenty minutes ago. And I let her go cus she don't go far and it don't take that long."

Daryl let out a sigh that sounded more like a growl before shifting Keegan in his hands and holding him up to Merle on the truck roof. "Hold on to him until I get back."

"No, no way. I ain't taking care of no baby!" Merle protested, refusing to take the baby from his brother's arms.

"Merle!" Daryl snapped. "I don't have time for this! This kid is your flesh and blood! Blood is everything to you so take him and hold onto him until I get back! You don't have to do anythin to him, just hold him!"

When Merle finally awkwardly took the baby, Daryl whipped around, snatching up his crossbow and loading a bolt before running into the trees to follow April's tracks. The darkness made it a little harder but he kept on until he heard a shuffling sound ahead of him. Breaking into a clearing as quietly as possible, in case it wasn't April he'd found, his breath caught as he looked upon the girl who'd had his baby.

She was sitting in the grass, leaning up against the stump of a fallen tree, one of his hunting knives in one bloody hand and a deep slice across each pale wrist. This sight alone was enough to make his heart beat faster, but what made him yell out and run toward her was the dead walker that's fallen across her legs and the unmistakable bite mark on her left forearm. Turning in a circle as he ran, Daryl made sure no more walkers were in the area before he dropped down on his knees beside her.

"April, what happened?" he asked frantically, knowing there was nothing he could do but still panicking.

"I'm so sorry Daryl. I just…I couldn't handle it anymore. The world now is so hard to live in and I can't stand the thought of running for the rest of my life, having to watch Keegan starve or get eaten by walkers. I know I'm a horrible mother, but this is really what's best for him. He's not safe with me. He'll have you to care for him and love him and teach him. You are a good man Daryl and you will teach our son to be a good man too. Don't let Merle ruin him. Please tell him that I love him and I'm sorry," she whispered hurriedly.

Daryl gritted his teeth against the weak emotions he was feeling. He had known April since they were teenagers, they came from similar lifestyle, they understood each other. She was his best friend, someone he could confide in, not that he did that very often, but she was always there. To see her like this, having given up, bitten and about to die, it hurt him deeply. "I'll take care of him April, I'll treat him the way our fathers never treated us. He'll grow up to be a handsome, great man, because he had you as a mother. I'll tell him about how amazing his mom was and that even when he's sixty-three and sitting in a rocking chair on his porch, his mom will still love him. We'll be alright, even though we'll miss you every day. I love you April."

Tears glimmered in the blonde's eyes as she looked up at Daryl. "I've always loved you Daryl. I'm so sorry for leaving you like this. Please, after I…don't let me turn into one of them," she whispered.

Daryl grabbed both her hands in his and gripped them tightly, never taking his eyes off hers. "Never, you rest now, it'll be over soon."

He'd barely gotten the words out when the weak grip she'd had on his hands went limp and her eyes closed a bit. Dropping his head down against his chest in defeat he let a single tear slip from his eye as he mourned her passing.

Clearing his throat quietly he checked her pulse to be sure she was gone, pulled out his knife and stabbed it into her head behind her ear, so her hair would cover the wound. He used the grass to clean the blade off, took the one beside April's body, and picked her up to take her back to camp. As he walked he thought about what April had said. He had no idea how to take care of this baby, he had no idea how April could think he was a good man that could teach anyone anything about being a good person. Without his mother they would need to find more formula to replace the milk April was producing, and that meant leaving the camp in search of a place that would surely be crawling with the dead.

Merle was standing in the truck bed when he broke through the trees, Keegan nestled against his chest as he moved back and forth to keep the baby from crying. The older man looked up and stopped abruptly when he saw his brother with April's lifeless body come out of the woods.

"What happened to her?" he asked, his voice softer than usual so as not to wake the baby.

"She went off into the woods to slit her wrists, walker found her, bit her. She killed the bastard but the damage was done. We couldn't have saved her anyway. I'm gunna bury her, then we pack up and get ready to leave in the morning. We're gunna need all the baby formula we can find, not to mention we should stock up on our own food. If you could just...lay him down on that blanket and watch him while I'm busy I'd appreciate it," Daryl answered, pausing to talk to his brother before walking to the far side of the clearing.

Merle watched him go, then looked down at the boy in his arms. The kid had woken up while the brothers talked and was staring up at him, a confused look on his face that seemed out of place on a baby. Glancing up again at his brother as he began to dig the grave, Merle smiled a tiny, hidden smile at the baby before shifting him to a more comfortable position in his arms.

I hope this was good. I'd like to point out that April is supposed to have been suffering from Post-Partum Depression/Psychosis. I know I didn't go into a lot of detail or spend a lot of time on it but I wanted to get the story going more. I have never met anyone who suffered from Post-Partum so everything I know came from internet sources… Hopefully it was okay. Let me know what you liked/didn't like.