{Hey guys here is another update! I hope you enjoy, it is more of a filler to really understand her father and a little bit with Daryl. Next chapter will be intense I can't wait to finish writing it. I am going to be putting up a poll with this chapter to find out how many want Sophia to be saved and how many don't. I am in such a dilemma because loosing Sophia is what made Carol who she is. But I loved Sophia and cried when she died. So, I am just figuring out how I am going to take it. So please go to the poll or leave a review and let me know your thoughts and ideas! As always, I do not own anything to do with The Walking Dead only my own characters and anything else that you do not recognize.}

There at the end of the completely deserted road stood a man I never thought I would see again. He stood there alone just as I remembered him. He had more grey hair then I remember, he was wearing a stripped brown and white shirt with a pair of blue jeans on and his cowboy he hat that he used to always wearing swearing up and down that it was lucky. He said that it bought and worn when he met my mother and he said since then the hat only brought him more luck. "That's your dad?" Glenn asked in disbelief causing me to come out of my train of thought

I looked back to the two of them who were just staring in confusion but, my dads voice reached me again seeming closer than before "Sweet pea?"

I whipped around to look at him again and before I knew it my feet were running and the tears falling harder than before. "Daddy!" I shouted as I reached him

His arms opened wide for me and he hugged me close to his body. I had never felt so much relief before as I had in that moment. I pulled back and he grabbed my face in his hands holding onto me for dear life as if I was going to disappear if he let go. "Daddy your alive." I mumbled out through my horse throat from crying

"Yes, and so are you," He pulled back into his arms again, "I thought I would never see you again."

I thought the guilt I was carrying for Daryl was bad but, I never thought I would see my father again and the guilt about what I had done increased ten-fold. "Dad I am so sorry I-" I began to apologize

"No sweet pea now is not the time for apologies. There will be time to talk later." He cut me off and began to try to calm me down

After all these years he still had that magical touch just like when I was a little girl. My eyes opened wide when I realized that I had only seen my father but where was mom. She couldn't have been to far away and I pulled away quickly but, keeping his hands in mine. "Dad where is mom? Can you take me to her I need to see her?" I asked in a hurry the excitement building in me

Who knew in a world like this that someone would find even an ounce of excitement or happiness? But when my eyes had stopped searching around for my mother and had found the eyes in front of me, the happiness died as quickly as it had come. His eyes held sadness and regret and I knew the truth without even asking, "No." I whispered as if that one tiny word would have made a difference

"Im sorry baby girl."

"How?"

His eyes trailed behind me and I could hear the careful footsteps of Maggie and Glenn. "There will be time to talk later," He told me repeating the words he said before, before pulling me close to him as he faced my group, "Why don't you introduce me to your friends?"

I quickly pushed the tears away knowing there would be time for them later. I motioned to Maggie and Glenn as I introduce them to my father. "This is Glenn, he is apart of the group I found in the beginning of all this and this is Maggie her father is giving us a home until we find the members of our group we lost. Maggie, Glenn this is my father Colby." I explained

Both of them gave me an odd look when I didn't tell my father who exactly was missing. But this was not how I was going to tell my father and as he said there would be time for that later. So as my father reached out to shake their hands, I shook my head to tell them not to say anything for now. They seemed to understand and shook hands with my father respectively. "Dad are you by yourself?" I asked him once introductions were made

His eyes turned dark as he answered me, "I am now."

I took a mental note to ask him about it later, "Well we were just heading back to the farm. Come with us?" I told him more than asked

He placed a rough but gentle hand on my face and looked at me, "I just found you I am not going anywhere without you." He spoke with determination

I nodded my head and faced Glenn and Maggie. "Well let's head back then."

Neither argued with me and we all headed to the horses, this time with me sitting behind my father.

~~TWD~~

We made it back before sunset and almost time for dinner. When we came up my eyes searched for Daryl but, I didn't seem right away. I was wondering how my dad would take it knowing he was here. I was just counting my blessing that I had both men in my life. We meet Rick and Shane once we had dismounted who as I suspected were instantly at my side giving my father the third degree. Rick being Rick began to inquire on who the newcomer was, but Sean beat him to it, "Who is this! You guys go out to get a few supplies and bring back not only another mouth to fed but, another useless old man." Sean began spouting off

"Excuse you boy but, you better watch who your talking to-" My father began to go off on him

I was so angry and insulted at Sean I exploded. I placed a hand in front of my father as I stepped in front of him, "Who the hell do you think you are coming up to my father and insulting him like that. We got plenty of supplies thanks for asking and if I find my father after not seeing him in almost ten years then damn right, I will bring him back with me. Do you," I began to get closer to him and jabbed him in the chest as hard as I could and I could stared him dead in the eyes despite the boiling rage I could see in his, "Got a problem with that? Because if so, you leave him alone and you deal with me. And trust me when I say it is an argument you will loose."

Neither of us moved not even when Rick tried to intervene, "Woah Paige, Sean come on now. We are just making sure who is joining us. Better to be safe than sorry."

Neither me nor Sean backed down until my father placed a hand on my shoulder telling me as subtlety as he could to back down. I poked Sean again and said as threateningly as I could, "Stay away from my father or we are going to exchange more than words."

I walked past Rick with my father in tow and shortly after I could hear footsteps behind me, assuming they were coming with me. I brought my father to the group and just like Rick and Sean but definitely more like Rick, the group were curious as to who he was. I introduced him one by one until I reached the end and I could see Daryl off by his tent watching us curious to see if I would bring my father to him. My father beat me to it as he asked, "Is that Daryl Dixon?"

I began to toy with my fingers, a nervous habit I had developed since I was a child. "Yeah, I found him when I joined the group. As silly as it is going to sound it felt good to know someone in this shitty world."

"Language." My father lectured

I smiled at him missing those moments that I took for granted with him. I tugged his arm, "Play nice daddy, lets go say hi." I told him

Once we got to Daryl, he threw the piece of wheat he was playing with from he hands and stood straight rubbing his hands on his pants. Once we reached him Daryl was the first to put his hand out for my father to shake. Knowing full well that my father valued respect above all else. "Sir, good to see you still around." Daryl greeted him

My father shook his hand and replied, "It'll take a little more than the dead coming to life to stop me. I'm glad to see my daughter still found you in the end. I hope you have been treating my daughter right, keeping her safe and out of trouble."

I blushed and tried to look away from both the men, "Dad, its not like that."

He chuckled beside me and ruffled my hair, "I remember a little girl that said the same thing when she brought the lad around the first time. I may be old but, I was never stupid."

My eyes connected with Daryl's and I had to look away quickly as I tried to remind myself that I was still mad at him. My dad reached over and clapped Daryl on the back as he began to reminisce, "Its been a while since I have seen you my dear boy. You know after you left, he came around everyday for almost five years hoping we had heard from you. Same time every day, he even helped me with mending the farm. Then you to disappeared."

My dad almost sounded sad and hearing him talk about how it was just made the guilt worse I would have to tell him the truth. I opened my mouth to say something, but Rick's voice cut me off, "Colby! Hershel would like to meet you, this is his land. He just wants to know who all is in our group." Rick called out to my father

My dad reached over and gave me a soft kiss on the forehead before he began to walk to Rick. "Well I'm off then, Daryl we will catch up later but, Paige behave yourself."

"Dad!" I exclaimed shocked at his words

Once my dad was out of ear shot, Daryl rough voice spoke behind me, "Where is your mom?"

"Dad didn't tell me what happened but, I believe she has left this world behind," I felt tears come to my eyes and I blinked them away as quickly as they came, "My mother was to kind for this world perhaps it is for the best." I mumbled the rest more to myself than to him

I heard him shuffling behind me obviously unsure of what to say to me, "Have you told him?"

I watched as my father retreated into the house with Rick. "No, I will tonight. But I couldn't tell him at first not when I could see the pain in his eyes about my mother."

Silence filled the space between us, and I became uncomfortable, "Paige—" He began

"No. Not right now Daryl, I just…. I just can't do this with you right now." I whispered as I walked away from him and back to the group

I had to find something for my dad before he came back from meeting Hershel. I had to find it before it became to dark.

~~TWD~~

Hershel had offered up his shower to my father just as he had the rest of our group. My father and Hershel seemed to hit it off right from the start, I had a sneaky suspicion it was because both of them were a lot a like. Both farmers, both very hard workers and both just lost their wives. The held the same values and I knew out of everyone in this group Hershel would get along with my father the most. Most of everyone had gone to sleep except for Glenn and Maggie who were talking on the porch and a few other members sitting around the barely lit fire at our makeshift camp. I felt that this was the perfect time to talk to my father. I knew in the morning we would continue our search and the news would definitely be better coming from me.

I looked down to the picture in my fingers, I didn't realize how important a picture could be when I saw my son every day. When the world ended, I only had enough time to grab a couple photos. I had one of me and Daryl on our second anniversary when he took me to a waterfall that he had found when he was hunting with his father. The second picture was one of my dad, my mother and myself that was taken right before I left, and we looked so happy. But, the more I looked at myself in the picture I could see the sadness behind my smile. And the last photo was one that I held in my hand now. It was a picture that was taken of me and Christian last year. I splurged a little and got a professional picture of us. I was knelt down beside him and his arms were around my neck. We looked so happy…I missed those days.

I blinked away the tears as my fingers ran over my son, missing him even more as I looked at the picture. I brushed away the tears away quickly and the placed the photo upside down on the table as I heard the floor squeak under someone's weight and my father appeared around the corner looking a lot better than when I first found him. "Hey what are you still doing up?" He asked with a small smile on his face

I smiled back at him and patted the table beside me signaling him to join me at the table. "I don't sleep much now a days. Dad we need to talk." I told him getting straight to the point

"Well I did say, later didn't I?" he laughed as he sat down and joined me

I smiled at him and reached over to grab his hands in mine. "Dad I need to tell you what happened all those years ago and it isn't going to be easy to hear. So please let me talk before you say anything and you can't tell Daryl anything yet. I haven't told him the whole truth yet," I began to speak. I paused long enough to look at him and know that he agreed to what I was saying. Once I knew for sure I took a deep breathe and continued, "I need you to understand that I loved you and mom very much and it wasn't anything that either of you did. Daryl told me about what it was like for you guys when I left…I know your wondering why I left the way I did. You see I had to leave for the safety of you and mom and Daryl and someone else."

I looked away from my father for a moment as I bit my lip knowing that I needed to get this out but, honestly, I was worried he would be ashamed. I took a deep breath and looked back at my father, staring into the eyes that reflected mine, "When I left…I was pregnant," his hands tightened around mine and he opened his mouth to say something but, I kept going I had to get this out before I couldn't, "Before you say anything dad you need to know that if I wasn't put in the position I was I would have told you and mom. But I ran and I am so sorry that I did what I did and took the opportunity to know your grandchild."

He slipped my hands from his and leaned back to look back at me from a distance. I cringed at the disappointment and sadness in his eyes, "Did he know?" he asked me

"No. I hadn't told him yet."

He let out a sigh, "What happened? Did you think me, and your mother wouldn't understand? That we wouldn't help you? Or were scared to tell Daryl? I need to understand." He rattled off

I hadn't told anyone the truth but, I knew with him I would have to. He would know I was lying, and he wouldn't accept the same answer I had given Daryl. "I wanted to tell you papa I did…actually the day I left I was going to tell you. But I wanted to tell Daryl first and I knew he would be at his place and I thought Merle and his dad would be out at the bar or hunting like normal. I was wrong, Daryl wasn't home, but Merle was. I had just gotten my first ultrasound and the plan was to show Daryl. Merle found it and he used my feelings against me. He told me that if I didn't leave, he would hurt everyone I love…you, mom, Daryl and my baby. And if there was one thing that you can count on Merle for, it was his word."

My father reached out to grab my hands and pulled them closer to him. "I would have protected you." He stated just like I knew he would

"I knew you would say that and that's why I left. What would you have done? You can't protect all of us, would you bring Daryl into our home? Even if you did you couldn't watch us all the time. There would come a time where Merle would be there, and you wouldn't. I couldn't put everyone at risk." I tried to explain

He opened his mouth to argue with me like I knew he would, "And don't argue with me you know its true."

He closed his mouth and as much as he didn't want to admit it, he knew I was right. I grabbed the photo and smiled at it once more before I turned it to face my father. "That's my son…Christian. It was taken last year he will be nine in a little over a month now."

My father gently took the photo from my hands and stared at it in awe. His thumb stroked the picture and tears came to his eyes. I had never seen my father cry and I didn't know how to react to it. "He looks so much like you," He looked up from the photo and to me and I knew what was coming next, "Where is he?"

I bit my lip "We hit a roadblock on the highway and while some of the group moved the cars, I was searching through the cars looking for anything the group could need. Christian wanted to stay with the other kids, and I didn't find anything wrong with that because he was around the others…I thought he would be safe. There was a horde and Christian and Sophia, Carols daughter, hid under a vehicle. When the horde passed, and Sophia thought it was safe. When she went to leave a lone walker caught her and tried to grab her. They both freaked out and they ran before anyone could grab them, they took off into the forest."

"No one went after them?"

"Yes, Rick did. He had to leave them to draw the two walkers away that the kids had following them. He didn't want them in harms way, and he told them to stay where they were. But when he came back, they were gone. Daryl, Rick, Glenn and Shane went out to find them but, they lost the trail. We have been looking for them ever since but, no one has found anything."

Tears started to gather, and my voice chocked as I spoke. My father reached out and brushed my tears away and I looked into his eyes as the tears fell heavier, "What if we don't find them papa? I had one job and I failed. I want my baby back." I blubbered as I cried

My father reached out and pulled my chair closer to him and wrapped his arms around me and with one hand he rubbed my back. We sat there for a few minutes as he comforted me. "We will find him sweet pea. Have faith and we will find him. I promise." He whispered to me

I knew it could just be an empty promise one he couldn't really promise. Not in the world we live in now. But, having my father hold me while I cried and give me comforting words made me believe that I was finally safe and that I could maybe just find Christian safe and sound. After a few minutes I pulled back a little knowing there was one question I had yet to ask. "What happened to mama?" I asked

Now it was my fathers turn to be sad as he looked down at me, "It was my fault. We were in a group from when we the world first turned into what it is now. It was easy at first but, eventually we ran out of food and we had to go into town. It was my turn to go into town but, your mother she was insistent that she had to go with me. At the time I thought it was so silly but, she just kept saying she had this bad feeling that if I went alone something bad would happen," I could see the sadness in his eyes deepen, "So instead of arguing with her I let her join me and Troy. It seemed like a simple easy job, we hadn't run into people or the dead. It was quiet but, then it happened a horde as you called it, came stumbling into the town we were in and we couldn't take them. So, we ran, and we were safe, but a walker caught me off guard a-a-and I tried to get your mother to go on without me but, you know how she is. She tried to save me but, she was bit instead of me. She saved me in sacrifice to her own life."

As he finished tears reached his eyes and rolled down his checks. It was my turn to comfort my father. I could see the guilt that was eating him up. Without my mother we were all we had of our old life. I latched onto his neck and pulled him into me to let him let out his pain with me. He rubbed my back and I rubbed his. We probably looked like a bunch of blubbering idiots with the way we were. But, in that moment I didn't care. We were both needing the comforting and it felt like a miracle to have found my father and a little bit of hope for my son seemed to follow that feeling.

~~TWD~~

(Daryl p.o.v.)

I had stayed by my tent ever since Colby made his appearance. It was odd not to Paige's mother, Jessica with him. They were always so attached when the world hadn't gone to shit and seeing him without her led me to believe that she hadn't made it this far. I watched as Paige and Colby left the house and started towards the campfire to join the rest of our group. As the fire reflected her face, I could see the slight red and puffy look to her eyes. She had been crying, there was no doubt in my mind that she had spoke with him about Christian. It made me wonder if she had told him about the truth behind why she left. I know she kept telling me that she would tell me eventually but, it was starting to frustrate me. How horrible could it be, and I thought we had the trust between us. She may be mad at me but, she could only be made at me for so long after all I could have stayed mad at her for Christian but, I didn't. I couldn't and I had tried to get her out of my head, tried to push my feelings into a deep dark hole but, the love I held for her always triumphed over all other feelings I had.

I was brought out of my thoughts as I watched Paige walk away from the fire. It seemed like she was going to the trailer but, with a quick look behind her she kept walking towards the field. Worry came over me, it was hard to see at night as it was let alone with the dangers that lurked in the world we live in now. So, I gathered my crossbow just to be safe and began to follow her. She didn't venture to far, so she knew that she was safe if something was to happen. She had sat against the face looking over the tree line. I realized this was something I had seen her do every night since we had come here. She rarely slept no, instead she watched the forest and I knew she was looking for our son. I stopped walking as I watched her unsure if it was really my place right now to talk or comfort her. "Are you just gonna stand there or are you going to come over here?" she asked

I walked over to her with a grunt, I never was able to spy on her without her knowing, she always knew. I looked around us a little weary but, sat beside her none the less. "What are you doing out here?" I asked her

"I am watching…for walkers." She tried to excuse her every night behaviour

"Our son." I finished for her

It wasn't that I didn't believe that she was in fact watching for walkers but, I knew why she was really out here. Her blue eyes met mine and I almost lost myself in them but she broke contact and looked forward again, "Did you need something?" She asked getting to the point

She was still angry, and I knew it. "You can't stay mad at me forever. I was just trying to look out for you. If I don't who will and don't say Colby cuz' he just got here."

She didn't say anything back at first, "I won't say it again Daryl. I don't need a saviour and I don't need a bodyguard. I can protect myself."

She was always like this, she won't admit it, but she got it from her mom. She would fight everyone and everything on this earth even if it was a loosing battle, just to prove that she could take care of herself. And if whatever it was managed to knock her down, she would get right back on her feet and square up all over again. It was one of the things I truly loved about her. I didn't want to fight with her anymore and we needed to keep the focus on finding the kids not our past or future. I may not like some of the choices she has made but, I would understand her reasons for now. I stood up beside her and looked down to her as she looked up, "I get it alright you're tough as nails always have been. I just wished you would let me in like you used to. Listen I am going into the forest again tomorrow morning. I think I may have found a trail and if you would like to come meet me at my tent at first light."

I didn't wait for her answer and I walked away. I knew just like every night I would wait until she came back to camp before I went to bed myself. I wanted to make sure nothing happened to her, I couldn't lose her to. As I walked back to my tent my eyes locked with Colby who was still around the fire with everyone else. I nodded my head in respect as his eyes seemed to go from me to his daughter. I wanted him to know that she was fine and then I leaned against the tree by my tent and I did as I set out to do and watched her.

I would like to start off by thanking;

Reader- I am really sorry I will try to go back and correct to the proper spelling. Sometimes I get so into the story I forget how his name is spelled it seems. I am glad you enjoy my OC and the beginning of the relationship with Daryl. Most of my stories are somewhat fast paced but, I wanted to take my time with this one seeing as it is Daryl and I don't see him moving very fast and that my OC is more to herself than out there. I hope you enjoy this chapter to!

I would also like to thank everyone who has favorite since the last update and continues to do so;

calh, alyssagodinez16, MayumiLaufeyson, Keys25, elljayde

I would also like to thank everyone who has followed since the last update and continues to do so;

crazychaoticicthingcalledlife, Brightest jewel evening star, HPMarvelGirlie, alyssagodinez16, Muhblack, .dj, Like-a-Slasher-Film, MayumiLaufeyson

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