Rick woke up slowly, warm and content with his family sleeping around him, as birds tweeted in the early morning light. He nuzzled into the warm body in front of him, humming softly as he did so, enjoying the few moments during the day when Daryl wasn't as nervous and awkward around Rick.

It had been happening more and more, each morning finding Rick tangled up against Daryl, arms wrapped around the man in their sleep. They didn't really talk about it, but Rick knew that Daryl enjoyed it just as much as Rick did. Case in point... Daryl started stretching his body in stages, a sure sign that he was waking up for the day. He snuffled into the pillow at his head and burrowed back into Rick's arms, sighing slightly as Rick held him just a little bit tighter and threaded his fingers with Daryl's.

Giving another nuzzle into the surprisingly soft skin at the nape of Daryl's neck, Rick whispered into his ear. "Good morning."

Daryl tensed just a little bit before relaxing once again, his voice gruff as he said, "Mornin'."

Rick lightly pressed his lips to the back of Daryl's nape, grinning when the man shivered in his arms and gave a soft whimper that Rick was sure Daryl was completely unaware of. "Gotta' convince the group to get back on the road today, find a place that we can call home... something more secure than a camp in the woods, no matter how far up in the mountains it is."

"You get to be the one to tell that asshole then." Daryl replied with a snort.

Rick sighed and pressed his face into Daryl's neck.

Last night had not been pleasant once the group found out about Harry's magic along with Lori and Shane becoming aware that there might be something going on between Rick and Daryl. After dealing with the bodies of the dead walkers, the group as a whole buried the few people who died before Harry had done his magic. There were a few soft words of goodbye whispered and one memorable moment of a tall, thin woman with bruises that had taken a pickaxe to her bitten husband's dead head, but otherwise it was an explosive night of fighting.

Shane immediately started acting like Harry was a threat, and because they were with him, Daryl and Merle right along with him. Rick was treated to equal parts threats and insinuations that he was a naive idiot for trusting them. Most of the group took the news of magic and of Harry with words of thanks and even eagerness, but there were a few, Shane and the Dursleys leading the argument, that weren't as happy to see what the boy could do.

There were some harsh words and threats thrown back and forth, but at the end of the night nothing was really settled. The group had bedded down for the night after Daryl and Rick took it upon themselves to set up traps and alert systems after they had found out the group's only protection before had been two guards standing watch while the group slept.

The most difficult task for Rick was getting Lori and Shane to allow Carl to sleep with him. Lori had tried to wheedle Rick into sleeping in her and Carl's tent, but Rick turned her down flat while Shane glared at Rick from across the fire, no doubt Lori would have kicked Shane out if Rick accepted. Finally, Carl just ignored his mother's words and just stomped away from her and into the tent Daryl had set up for them.

Merle had smirked once it was time to go to bed, looking at Daryl and Rick as he did so, and said something about it being cramped in there. He bedded down in the two-person tent Daryl and Merle had before Rick joined with them and they began using his large 6 person tent. Daryl had rolled his eyes at Merle, steadfastly looking away from Rick as he did so, and helped Harry get ready for bed.

Now, eight hours later, as the sun began to crest over the horizon, the task of getting the group on the road was ahead of them. Rick wasn't looking forward to dealing with Shane. It was apparent that he was the leader of their ragtag group... or rather, he had been until last night, but as the night wore on and the group got to know Rick a little more it became obvious that Rick was ready and capable of stepping in as the group's leader, something which some seemed to be thankful for.

Rick's daddy always said that he was born to lead. He'd been a leader since he was a kid; while most kids were toddling along doing little more than playing, well, Rick was leading the charge in playground battles and picking the teams for playground games. Rick found a sense of peace when he lead the way, knowing that he would do everything he could... whether it was helping his team strategize to win the game or doing everything he could to make sure that his family, and this group, survived the apocalypse.

"Papa said a bad word," Harry giggled from behind Rick, pulling him out of his musing, and Carl started laughing not long after.

Giving Daryl one more light kiss on the nape of his neck, and grinning smugly when the other man shivered at the touch, Rick sighed and turned over, beginning to tickle his boys in punishment for ending the moment between Rick and Daryl.

The sound of the boys' laughter floated up and out of the tent as Rick growled playfully and tickled them.

"Papa is an adult and can say it," Rick gripped playfully, though he did raise an eyebrow at Daryl as he spoke. "Though papa knows to watch the language around tiny ears."

Daryl rolled his eyes as he turned over onto his other side.

It quieted down for a few seconds as Rick gave his boys a breather, smiling as they panted and laughed at each other, playfully poking each others' ticklish spots.

"Dad, are you and Daryl together?"

Rick froze at those words, not knowing what to say. He met Daryl's eyes; a conversation going on between them in the span of just a few seconds. A raised eyebrow, a smirk, a lip bit nervously, a shrug and then a grin.

"Yeah, I think so... is that alright, buddy?" Rick asked quietly as he looked down at Carl.

Carl was silent for a little while, biting his lip nervously in a way that reminded Rick of Daryl so much.

"I guess it's alright. I want you to be happy... mom... mom and Shane are together, I saw them kissing a week after you got shot." Carl whispered. "Dad, is it alright if I stay with you from now on? I... I just, I don't like how she made me leave you guys and how she and Shane got together even though you're married. It's not right."

Rick crawled over to his son and wrapped his arms around him, holding him tightly as the boy cried.

It had been apparent last night that Lori and Carl's relationship had been damaged that day in the hospital, and the way Lori was acting, and with Shane's own behavior, it might never recover.

"It's alright, Carl... Daddy and papa are great. They taught me how to shoot a gun, how to skin and cook animals to eat, how to keep quiet in the woods when Daryl's hunting and so much more. They'd teach you too!" Harry said eagerly as he cuddled against Carl's side. "And, we can be brothers... if you want?"

Carl lifted up his head and smiled down at Harry. "That's sounds great, Harry. Yeah, we can be brothers... I always wanted one."

Rick sighed in relief and lay back down for a second as Carl and Harry started excitedly talking about learning how to hunt, Harry telling Carl how Daryl promised to teach him if he was good.

As he lay there, Rick felt Daryl's fingers ghost over his before they threaded through and held on tightly. Looking to the side, Rick found Daryl looking at him with a pensive look on his face, as always, biting his lip nervously as he did so. Rick smiled at him and leaned in, taking it slow so that Daryl had enough time to back off if he wasn't ready.

When Rick's lips finally met Daryl's chapped ones, he sighed in relief and pressed them softly against the other man's. Daryl gave a soft moan, thankfully too quiet for the talking boys to hear, and opened his mouth, letting Rick swipe his tongue inside teasingly.

Rick leaned into his body so that he was laid half on top of Daryl, carding his free hand through Daryl's tousled hair, placing butterfly kisses on his lips, jaw and throat before raising his head up again. They stared at each other for a while, a slight smile on Daryl's face as he looked up at Rick.

That perfect moment was shattered by the sound of the tent's zipper coming down and Shane poking his head in, scowl on his face as he looked at where Rick was still a little on top of Daryl, their arms wrapped around each other.

"Get your asses out of bed, we got work to do."

He stormed away, feet stomping loudly in the dirt as he did so.

"Okay, boys, time to get up." Rick sighed and kissed Daryl once more before crawling out of the tent.

Daryl and the boys came out a few seconds later, the crossbow held casually over the man's shoulder.

"Thought me and Merle'd hunt, find meat fer breakfast fer the boys."

Rick smiled at him and nodded.

"Can we come, huh, papa?" Harry asked excitedly as he practically bounced in his spot.

Daryl cocked an eyebrow in question. Rick looked from Daryl to his boys and then kneeled down in front of them.

"Boys, you can go," they grinned at those words and jumped about, but Rick caught their attention again with a serious look on his face. "But, I want you to listen to everything he says, be quiet, stick together... No wandering off, is that clear?"

The boys nodded, eyes wide as they listened.

"And, if something happens I want you to be vigilant about doing everything Daryl tells you and keeping each other safe. Harry, do your thing if walkers come, 'kay?"

Harry nodded, a grin in place as he did so.

"Rick, what the hell, you lettin' Carl go out alone with this redneck trash?"

"Shane, he's my son not yours, and I decide what he does and doesn't do. I trust Daryl to keep Carl safe, to keep them both safe. They need to learn how to survive, hunting is a big part of that."

"Rick, I really don't want Carl going out with that man, who knows what will happen. He's just a boy, Rick." Lori frowned as she tried to pull Carl away from Harry and Daryl, though the boy wasn't having it.

"Mom, I want to go. I'm not a little boy anymore, I need to learn."

"Lori, he needs to learn to take care of himself, this is a dangerous world and it's our task as his parents to prepare him for it. Hunting is a good way for him to learn about patience, being quiet when needed, identifying foods he can eat and using his own judgment to judge a situation."

Lori huffed and walked away.

"Be back in about an hour, whether we get a couple kills or not." Daryl said finally as Merle walked up, a new bow that he'd found in an abandoned Wal-Mart at rest in his hands.

Rick watched the most important people in his life walk into the woods and disappear. It made him leery, but Rick really did agree that the boys needed to learn to hunt and protect themselves. It was a dangerous world out there and he wanted to give them the best chance at staying alive that he could.

Standing up, Rick walked over to the fire where some of the group was sitting around at.

"Mornin'." Rock greeted and took a seat beside Dale. "Daryl and Merle are out with the boys trying to get some meat for breakfast."

"Really, that's awesome man... haven't had fresh meat in I don't know how long." Said a young Asian man from the other side of the fire. "Oh, I'm Glen by the way."

"Nice to meet you." Rick smiled.

"Sorry, we didn't get around to the introductions last night did we?" Dale said and started pointing out people, who waved a hello as he introduced them. "Next to me is Andrea and her younger sister Amy, who you saved last night, which I'm very thankful for it. Next to them is Jacqui, Theodore who likes to be called T-Dog, Jim, Carol and her daughter Sophia, Jose Morales and his wife Miranda and their son Noah and their daughter Eliza. At the end there I am sure you know the Dursleys, Vernon and Petunia, and their son Dudley."

"Nice to meet, ya'll." Rick smiled, ignoring the Dursleys. "It's nice to see such a large group who's survived the odds."

"So how did you survive? Carl said that when they left the hospital you were in a coma." Glenn asked, learning forward as he spoke, a brightness in his eyes as he waited for what he imagined would be an eventful tale.

"Well, for a few days I was still in a coma, but luckily I had Harry with me. Since the first day we met, that little boy had been able to hear me in my coma and I think it allowed me to stay sane while I was trapped in my own body. When the walkers invaded the hospital, I told Harry to barricade the door and hide in the bathroom, but he didn't want to leave me." Rick smiled, remembering Harry's stubborn refusal to leave Rick alone, unprotected. "I'm not sure what he did, but he used magic to force me awake and I've been fine ever since."

"You were in a coma for a month, what about muscle atrophy or the gunshot wound?" Jacqui asked, a frown on her face.

Shaking his head, Rick laughed. "Like I said, I don't know what he did, but I've actually never felt better."

"Magic is inherently driven by emotion and will, if Harry wanted it enough, it's very possible that he could have healed Mr. Grimes' wounds, even fixed whatever was wrong that was keeping him in a coma." Dale mused as he scratched his bearded chin.

"Call me Rick, all of you. No standing on ceremony now that the world isn't what it used to be." Rick smiled.

"How do you know so much about magic, if you don't have it?" Amy asked as she held her hands out to fire and tried to warm up her hands in the early morning chill.

"Oh, well, I may be a squib born to another squib, but I've always been amazed by magic. Because I had a connection to the magical world I was able to get access to a large library of books about magic, I even was able to bring it with me when I first started my road trip, before everything went bad. I've got about a thousand books tucked away in the RV."

"What? How?!" T-Dog laughed.

"Magic, son. There's a spell that allows you to shrink things to a fraction of their size and then change them back to their original size when you need them. It's very handy for saving space. I had a wizard friend do the spellwork for me and now when I want to get a book from the shrunken library all I have to do is activate a rune on the book and it'll be big again." Dale smiled as he spoke next. "Course until now it was all just learning about something I couldn't do or use to help us, but if Harry's willing, I'd love to teach him all I know and he can hopefully learn the rest on his own with the books aiding him."

"I think that's a great idea, Dale. Thank you." Rick replied at Dale questioning look. "I think Harry would love to learn about his gift, and if I know Harry like I think I do, he'd dive headfirst into it as a way to help us. That boy's got a saving people thing a mile wide."

Rick could see the Dursleys scowling at the conversation, but ignored it. They'd learn to get used to the fact that not only was magic a wonderful thing, but that it may just keep them alive.

A little less than an hour later, Daryl, Merle and the boys came back with a large catch. There were 4 fat bunnies, 7 squirrels and a couple of birds hanging from the boys' belts. They were grinning and laughing as they made there was over to Rick.

"Have fun boys?"

"Yeah, dad it was awesome!" Carl grinned. "I even got to shoot, I didn't hit the squirrel, but Daryl told me he'd find me a bow and teach me how to shoot."

Daryl blushed at the look Rick gave him, equal parts grin and something more, something softer from the knowledge that the man was helping his boys learn how to protect and care for themselves.

Carol, the sweet, shy woman from the night before who took a pickaxe to her husband's head to make sure he didn't turn, came up to them and volunteered to skin and cook the meat for breakfast. The bruises on her face and arms, some that were clearly old, told Rick that it might have been a good thing that her husband was dead.

The boys handed the meat over and made their way to the fire, starting up a quick conversation with Carol's daughter Sophia and the Morales children as Carl introduced Harry to them.

A little later the group sat around the fire eating breakfast, a meal of stew made out of the meat they had caught and a few cans of vegetables. Daryl sat beside him, their shoulders and knees touching occasionally as they ate, putting Rick at ease with the simple touches. Carl and Harry sat beside them eating, talking animatedly all the while. It was then that Rick broached the subject of leaving.

"Listen, I know I'm fairly new to this group, but I think I need to say this. Daryl and I were talking last night and it became clear that this spot just isn't safe. I think it might be best if we went on the road and tried to find a place that is safe, secure and big enough for us to really start preparing for the long haul with a garden, animals, and so forth. What do ya'll think?"

"I actually have been thinking about that for a while, I just didn't know how to ask." Dale said with a nod of his head.

"It would be smart for us to find something more secure, it's just, how long would it take to do that?" Andrea frowned.

"Well, right now we have the benefit of fairly good weather, some hunters who can help supply us with food and the ability to go out for supply runs while we search, but in a few months time the weather is going to start getting colder and a few months after that winter will set in. Supplies like canned food and so forth is only going to last for so long now that there isn't a new influx of factories making more. Now's the time to really start looking for a place and settle in before we find ourselves stuck in the dead of winter with hardly any supplies, no real secure shelter and a world full of walkers at our heels."

"We need to head to Fort Benning, the military's got to be getting this shit taken care of and it's going to be secure, you know it Rick." Shane injected, his words firm and more command than question.

"That's over a hundred miles away, Shane, I'm not saying it's out of the running, but there are probably at the very least a few secure places between here and there. Besides, every military base or outpost I have seen so far was overrun. Not just over run, but it looked like people flocked to them and they're infested with these things." Rick shook his head at Shane's scowl. "I just don't think it's a good idea to put all our eggs in one basket, especially knowing the military and government folded like a deck of cards shortly after the virus went worldwide."

Shane got up and stomped away, cursing under his breath as he walked.

"I think you've got a good idea, I'm sure we can find something to make a home at." Dale said finally after the tense silence. Looking at Andrea and Amy he then turned back to Rick. "The girls and I are in."

Andrea and Amy nodded their heads. Slowly but surely the rest of the group agreed, except for the Dursleys who had taken their food without a word of thanks and went to their own tent to eat, Vernon grumbling the whole time about eating vermin and so little of it.

"Okay, that settles it then. Let's finish our meal and then pack up and get on our way." Rick grinned as the rest of the group went back to talking about what kind of place they needed and just how long it would take to find it.