Born Into It

"Gonna stay at Jake's for a bit... got some runs for the 'Sons' I gotta do." Merle told Daryl while the two brothers sat drinking beers in the worn out cabin's living room. "Yea well if yer going ya might wanna make it soon... the Old Man should be com'n in any moment now." Daryl said with disappointment in his voice.

Once again Merle was leaving, nothing new. Merle was never there when he needed him, that would never change. The eldest Dixon had been crashing on Daryl's couch for a week now, while their miserable father was out on one of his drunken binders. "Yea suppose yer right." Merle said finishing his beer with a toss of a can to the hardwood floors.

Daryl's beer can followed his brother's as the two men stood and faced each other. "Guess I--" Merle began, but was interupted by the sound of a loud knock at the front door. "Right on schedule." Daryl muttered.

It was half past midnight and the old drunk couldn't even open the front door to let himself in the house and out of the pouring Georgia rain. It had been storming all night. The brothers moved to the door, Daryl at the lead. "God damn drunk." Merle spouted off angrily as Daryl's hand turned the old brass door knob.

What they found on the other side of the door was not what they expected. A black bag and small basket with a bundle laying in it sat on their front porch. Daryl watched as a figure ran through their yard away from the porch.

"HEY!!" Daryl shouted and ran after the person through the rain. He stopped in the middle of the yard as the stranger ducked into a car and drove off down the gravel road fast, like hell was chasing them. Daryl became soaked as he stood in the cold rain. His clothes clung tight to his body and his dark moppy hair stuck to his forehead as beads of water dripped off his stubbled chin.

"DAMNIT!" Daryl shouted as they got away. His hand made its way through his dark drenched hair as he sighed in defeat, it was time to see what was in that basket. Daryl froze in place as small cries erupted from behind him, back towards the porch. They were the cries of a baby. There was no mistaking that sound.

"Darylena we might have a problem on our hands here!" Merle called out.

Daryl slowly turned around in the hard rain, he knew very well what the problem was. Merle stood on the porch holding a small bundle as it began to cry. Daryl stood in shock at the fast pace of events that just played out. They had went from drinking beer to this.

Daryl watched Merle hold the bundle outwards away from him as if it was roadkill he had found. The position he held the blanket only made the screams grow louder and made Merle look more desperate for help.

"Hello?!" Merle called out to Daryl who stood in awe as the rain continued to soak him. "Earth to Daryl! We gotta situation here!" Merle yelled over the screaming bundle in his outstretched arms. "Merle?! What in the hell did you do?!" Daryl yelled as he finally decided to walk to the porch. He put it together, Merle had got some girl knocked up and now Merle's problem was sitting on his doorstep.

It couldn't be his, Daryl thought to himself, he never got laid. If he did it was a rare drunk occasion filled with over confidence from himself and peer pressure from Merle. "Hey don't look at me! It ain't mine! It can't be!" Merle shouted back nervously as Daryl marched up the steps to the rickety porch only causing the shrill screams to grow louder and louder.

Daryl met his brother and looked down at the now empty basket. The only thing that remained was a small white envelope. Daryl leaned down and picked it up his rain soaked hands wetting the paper as he held it. "There's an envelope genius!" Daryl said hitting Merle in the head with it before making his way inside.

Not once did Daryl bother looking at the child in Merle's hands, it was Merle's problem not his. Daryl marched in the house angry and threw the envelope down on their outdated coffee table. "Hey!" Merle shouted walking in with the screaming baby. "A little help here!" Merle begged the situation obviously had him scared.

"Damnit..." Daryl muttered as he moved to Merle. "Give me the kid and go read yer damn letter." Daryl said, annoyed. Merle quickly accepted the offer and shoved the small human being into Daryl's arms. Merle went to the envelope in a hurry as Daryl wrapped his arms around the screaming child. He slowly began to rock the baby helplessly as he looked down at it.

"Shhhh-shhh." Daryl whispered as he rubbed the baby's back in a soothing notion. Slowly the cries began to fade. "Yea that's it, shhhh." Daryl calmed the baby as he watched Merle recklessly rip open the envelope and pull out its contents. Merle looked through the various papers, while Daryl stood anxiously, waiting for this to be done with.

Merle began to laugh hysterically as he slapped the papers down on the table. "What the hell is it?!" Daryl asked sternly as he rocked the kid. He wanted Merle to take care of this problem. "Well little brother what ya got there in yer arms is a baby girl..." Merle said with a toothy grin. "Oh and another thing she ain't mine... Mr.James Dean!" Merle hooted.

Merle laughed as Daryl stood in confusion holding the baby firmly in his arms. "Yer full of shit! Daryl bit at him harshly, stopping his rocking. "Wish I was, have a look for yourself." Merle said with a wide smirk waving the papers. Daryl quickly handed the baby off to Merle with no hesitation.

Soon as the small girl left Daryl's warm arms the cries started all over again. Merle held her with discomfort and trying to calm her, but she wouldn't have it. Daryl grabbed the papers ignoring the screams and sounds around him. The first paper was a birth certificate reading:

Dakota Jean ____________________
Birthdate: 9-13-10
Mother: Jennifer Marie Mamet
Father: __________________________

Merle bounced the baby trying to get her to calm as Daryl flipped through the papers. The next piece of paper was a handwritten note reading:

Dear James Dean,

Doubt you remember me much, hell I don't even remember you all that much except for those eyes my baby's got now and your name Daryl Dixon...

Odd name for a looker if you ask me. Yes I know, I know you're probably wondering about my Miss Dakota Jean you found on your porch, but here's the thing she's not just mine, she's yours too Daryl.

And there's no Maury crap involved either I know she's yours, I got a little more class than that. Believe me or not its up to you, but I'm telling the truth. I know you're asking in your head why I left her, but there will come a day for that, just know I'm not wrong for what I done. I just pray you take care of her and love her like I do. I saw something in you Daryl otherwise I wouldn't trust you with her.

Little Jean is a fusser if you haven't figured out already. If you make sure she's full she'll be your best friend, if not she'll be your worst enemy. Make sure she's changed and had plenty to eat before bedtime and she'll sleep all night, if not you can kiss your sleep goodbye.

Left a small bag of survival gear for ya, but you'll need more. On the birth certificate I left her last name empty and the father slot empty, I figured if you kept her you'd probably want her to be a Dixon and you'd probably want a choice in whether your name went on it or not.She's a good girl and honestly I think she gets everything from you, I think she could be your clone. Good luck James Dean you're gonna need it.

Love, Jenny

Daryl breathed heavily in an awe state as Merle sat next to him bouncing the baby, his baby. Of course he remembered Jenny, how could you forget her. She had the biggest blue eyes, longest curly blonde hair, tallest sculpted out legs, fullest lips, the roundest hips, and the most perfect pair of breast in the whole bar the night they met.

The girl could be a damn model, but that's not what made Daryl remember her. It was the fact that she could be a damn model and she had wanted to talk to him, over all the guys in the whole bar that night. She had moved past Merle and his group of jack offs just so she could introduce herself to Daryl, the loner kid brother, drinking a beer at the end of the bar.

She had nicknamed him James Dean, said he had that air about him, the air saying he was a rebel, whatever the hell that meant. Daryl at the time was just in shock that a babe like her was talking to him. It made Merle extra jealous when Daryl was offered to go to her hotel room to have some drinks and talk. To bad it didn't stay drinks and talk.

Daryl wondered how jealous Merle was now. Merle was probably getting a kick out of this. It figured the first time Daryl gets a knock out and he just gets her knocked up, just his old Dixon luck. He knew he had to make a decision and it was gonna change his life that was for sure.

Merle continued to bounce the girl as she cried and whimpered. Daryl stared at the tiny bundle Merle kept bouncing. It was November now so she had to be close to a month. Daryl sat deep in thought figuring out his options, even though he couldn't focus. He was distracted by Merle's carelessness with the small human and the cries coming from her.

"Damnit Merle! Would ya quit it!" Daryl yelled throwing down the papers from the envelope. Merle stopped and she began to wail. "I don't see you doing anything!" Merle shouted over the noise coming from the small set of lungs.

"Here take her! She's yer kid anyways!" Merle shouted and handed her over to Daryl angrily. Daryl silently cursed as he took the small girl in his arms he wasn't ready to hold her yet, hell he wasn't even ready to be a dad yet.

Daryl gently began to pat her back. "Hey now shhhh sweetheart." He whispered in a calm and low voice. The tone in the room changed as her wails slowly died down to whimpers. Merle let a soft grin show on his face as he watched his younger brother rock the girl and whisper to her with ease, he was a natural.

Daryl sat calming her, hoping she'd pass out or something. He slowly tucked the blanket farther up her tiny body to make sure she was warm, but as he did so he felt a small hand wrap around his finger tightly. He looked down at the little girl in his arms as her big blue eyes peered up at him staring into his own.

It was at that moment as he looked into her eyes that he knew, she was his and nobody was going to change that. Daryl smiled as he looked down at his baby girl. He didn't know what this was, the feeling inside of him, but it was overwhelming. He didn't know what to do, but all he wanted to do was sit there for hours looking at those big blue Dixon eyes. Daryl watched as she let out a soft smile aimed it at him and squeezed his finger.

Daryl looked over at Merle as if to say 'Is this real?' But all he could do was let out a small huff of happy laughter, fighting back the joyful tears that threatened the corners of his eyes. Merle slid closer to his brother with a large smile. He placed a hand on Daryl's shoulder in a comforting tone. "She's got you and Mama's marking." Merle stated pointing to the small beauty mark above her lip in the same spot Daryl's sat. "Hell she's a spitting image of ya." Merle chuckled.

Daryl let out a small serene laugh as he looked at her. Dark moppy hair plagued her head just like Daryl's, she definitely had his eyes and mark, and her mannerisms were so much like his it was scary, if she had been a boy she might as well of been his miniature clone. "Sorry kid." Daryl laughed apologizing for the genes she inherited. "You know little brother there's two double D's now... Dakota Dixon and you." Merle pointed out, Daryl was no longer little 'D' Dakota was and tht was fine by him.

"So down to business... what happens when the old man gets back?" Merle asked his tone becoming serious and snapping back to reality. Daryl's face turned solemn and somber at the mention of his old man. "Here take her." Daryl said quickly passing Dakota to his brother. Merle took her as Daryl practically ran into the back of the house. Merle held his newfound niece snuggly in his arms as he got up. He followed Daryl's footsteps to the back of the house to see what his younger brother was up to.

Merle watched as Daryl sat on the floor of his room inspecting the hardwood floor. "Little D?" Merle questioned him, but was only ignored as Daryl found what he was looking for. Merle watched as his little brother started to pull at a floorboard frantically. The floorboard finally came loose and Daryl tossed it to the side revealing a dark crawl space. "What the hell you doing?!" Merle called out to his brother as little Dakota started to whimper. Daryl only ignored him once more as he started pulling out jars from under the floorboards.

Daryl finally pulled out five mason jars filled head to toe with change and dollar bills. "Where the hell you get all that?!" Merle stared in awe. Daryl carefully put back the board and placed the jars on his bed. "Been saving for awhile now." Daryl explained as he found a green duffel from under his bed. "You know, to get outta here... but hell its hard. I've had to cut into it a bit here lately, used to have six." Daryl said as he placed the jars into the bag quickly. Daryl than moved to his dresser as he continued to speak. "It ain't enough, but it'll keep us going for awhile, get a hotel or someth'n." Daryl stated as he tossed random clothes into the worn out bag in a rush.

"Woah! Woah! Woah! Us? Going where?" Merle questioned he didn't have a clue as to Daryl's plans. "Us, as in me and Dakota... and where, I don't know." Daryl sighed as he zipped up the bag and threw it over his shoulder. "I just know she ain't gonna be around that prick and he's gonna be home any minute." Daryl stated solemnly. Merle sighed, he didn't want his brother and baby niece somewhere homeless, but he knew Daryl's mind was set. Once Daryl had made up his mind you weren't changing it.

"Let me help, I'll go with ya." Merle offered as he patted and rocked the baby in his arms. Her small hands held on to his leather vest he always seemed to wear. Daryl stared at his brother contemplating his offer. He sat and thought before nodding. "Okay, but we gotta leave and fast. We'll take the truck." Daryl said quickly as he went to the corner of his room and grabbed his Horton Scout.

On cue the two brothers heard the front door slam. "DARYL! Boy get yer ass in here!" They heard their father's drunken slurs spread through the house and boots stomp. "Shit!" Daryl muttered. "Keep her close and stay behind me." Daryl ordered Merle as they made their way down the hall. Merle clutched the tiny girl in his arms, he was prepared for whatever went down. He remembered when he had left home Merle got into a fist fight with his father ultimately ending in his father being planted on his ass and Daryl left behind.

Merle didn't know what happened after he left, but a day later he got a call from his Uncle Jess saying Daryl had fallen, got a concusion, broke an arm, and that he was in the hospital. Daryl had wanted Merle to visit him, but Merle couldn't face his little brother knowing the fact that Daryl hadn't really fallen. Daryl being in the hospital was due to their father being angry at Merle. This time Merle wasn't going to be a pussy, he was going to be there.

As they walked into the living room they saw their father standing over the coffee table holding the note and birth certificate. Will Dixon quickly turned around upon hearing Merle and Daryl enter the room. "What the hell is this!" Their dad shouted and threw the papers at Daryl causing him to flinch. Dakota began to wail due to the yelling, making their father turn to Merle finally seeing the baby in his arms.

"Ah hell no!" He slurred in a yell. "You worthless piece of shit!"

He turned on Daryl also seeing the luggage Daryl had on his back. "Where the fuck you think yer going?!" He yelled over the wails coming from tiny lungs. Merle did his best to try and calm her, but his attempts were not successful. "Anywhere but here!" Daryl yelled in response. "The hell you are boy! Go and get some tramp knocked up?! Well you better go return the little shit!" Daryl smelled the reek of alcohol on his father's breath and grew infuriated as he spoke. Daryl knew the only reason he cared that Daryl was leaving, was the simple fact that Daryl made the money.

"Hell I am! I'm taking her and my god damn money!" Daryl shouted. Merle stood watching his little brother finally standing up to their drunk of a father. Merle began to laugh. "Yeah! Darylena!" Merle cheered over the baby's screams. "Just shut the hell up and lets go." Daryl said as he walked to Merle so he could take Dakota, but stopped once his father moved towards them. "You ain't going!" His father yelled as he grabbed Daryl's shoulder forcibly. Daryl wasn't having it he swiftly turned around with his crossbow aiming it directly at his father.

"You stay the fuck back!" Daryl ordered him shoving the crossbow in his face. The whole room seemed to stop as Will Dixon raised his hands slowly. Even the cries from Dakota seemed to grow quieter as Daryl stood there holding his father at bow point. "Don't you ever come near her!" Daryl shouted letting out the built up anger from years with his father. His drunk father trembled in fear as Daryl trembled in anger.

"Grab the papers and her bag." Daryl ordered Merle from behind him. "Now!" Daryl yelled at Merle who hesitated. Merle quickly scrambled, with a whimpering Dakota in his arms to get the stuff. Merle found the papers and stuffed them in his back pocket before grabbing the small black bag and throwing it over his shoulder.

"Go." Daryl nodded Merle towards the door.

Merle walked to the door and opened it wide. Daryl slowly walked backwards to the door keeping his aim locked on his drunk father. "See ya later pops!" Merle laughed as he stepped out onto the porch. "You leave... Don't you ever come back!" Their dad yelled as Daryl slowly stepped out. "Didn't plan on it!" Daryl said harshly before he lowered his crossbow and slammed the door behind him.

"Damn! Darylena didn't think you had it in ya!" Merle hooted annoying Daryl. Daryl watched the rain pour down and than looked at his uncovered baby. "Here." Daryl said, digging through his bag before pulling out his winged vest and handing it to Merle. "Cover her up." Merle did as he was told and draped the wings over the whimpering child, she definately wasn't happy.

"Let's go." Daryl said once Merle had his girl covered.

The brothers made their way down the steps of the porch immediately being soaked by the rain. As they made their way through the yard they heard their father begin to yell from the porch. "Yer going ta hell boy! Ya hear me?!" Their father continued to shout as Daryl placed an arm around his brother and Merle returned the gesture, carrying Dakota in one arm and the other placed around Daryl. The two brothers walked to the truck feeling triumphant.

Merle slid into the driver's seat and once Daryl was in the passenger's side he carefully handed over his niece to her daddy. Merle flipped their father the bird before starting his truck. The old Ford F-150 rumbled its way down the driveway and onto the muddy road, leaving their father to stand drunk and stupid on the front porch.

............................................

Merle looked over at his sleeping brother and niece as he drove through the soft rain. Daryl sat in the passenger's seat with Dakota asleep on his chest and a quilt covering them both. Daryl had decided that they stay in a hotel a few towns over, so they'd be away from all the trash their town offered. Merle sat driving and feeling guilty, he had let his little brother pull a crossbow on their father when he could've easily beat the drunk to a bloody pulp and be done with it, but instead he was a pussy like always.

Merle even felt slightly responsible for Daryl's current predicament, he was the one always pushing his brother to go to bars and have a goodnight and look where that got him. Daryl had always been the glue that kept their family together. All the hard shit had landed on Daryl's shoulders from the very beginning and now their glue was tearing apart. Through the foggy rain covered windshield Merle could make out a sign reading: KING COUNTY

"Yo, Daryl." Merle said shoving Daryl's shoulder to wake him up. Daryl slowly opened his eyes with tired moans. "What?" Daryl groaned as he sat up slowly placing his arms around Dakota so she wouldn't wake. "We're here." Merle told him. "Motor Inn sits in the middle of town." Merle said recalling some drunk nights spent in the old King County 'Sun' Motor Inn. Daryl nodded in a yawn. "Good, like to be outta these damn clothes." Daryl said tiredly, adjusting Dakota in his arms.

"So, what's the plan?" Merle asked looking at Daryl than back to the road.

"You really plan on raising a kid?" They stopped at an intersection, the crimson light shining upon the hood of the rusted truck. "Don't have much choice now do I?" Daryl scoffed offended at his brother's statement. The light turned green and Merle stepped on the gas turning a corner, passing The King County Cafe. "Her Mama did. Left her on us... why can't you?" Merle said as he kept his eyes on the road.

Daryl held his little girl closer to him in anger, he couldn't believe Merle would actually suggest that they give up his own niece. "She didn't leave her on 'us', she left her on me... and I ain't no coward." Daryl said harshly. He wanted Merle to stop acting like they were some team and that this was his damn problem. She was Daryl's mistake to handle and Merle didn't get a say in any of it. "Yer attached already ain't ya?" Merle laughed as he watched Daryl hold her tiny hand in his as she slept.

"Damn Merle! She ain't just some lost puppy! She's my kid for christ sakes!" Daryl said in anger.

"Now don't get yer panties in a bunch!" Merle chuckled in his own annoying way.

"I'm just saying, I wouldn't get attached... eventually yer gonna lose her." Merle stated bitterly causing Daryl to become more angry. "Whether the pencil pushers take her, her mama decides she wants her back, or hell... when she decides she's sick of ya and leaves with some boy. What are ya gonna do?" Merle layed down cold hard truth with his sinister chuckle. "Go to hell." Daryl told his brother as he looked down at the warm sleeping baby in his arms with sadness.

Merle was right eventually all good things come to an end, even more so when you're a Dixon. "I'm not giving up." Daryl stated in a plain rough whisper. Merle was right but he had to give her a chance. Afterall that was the goal of a parent make life better for your children than it was for you. Daryl would build up his money get his little girl a house and never lay a finger on her no matter how bad she pissed him off. He wouldn't be like his old man, he refused.

Daryl watched out the window as the large neon 'Sun Motel' sign came into view. Merle pulled the truck into a small parking spot. Silence and tension filled the cab of the truck as Merle pulled out the keys shutting the engine off. "Well baby brother you ready for one hell of a long night?" Merle said as Daryl placed his vest back over Dakota in preparation to leave the truck. Daryl scoffed. "Shit, whatever..."

"I'm hitting the hay soon as I step in there." Daryl told Merle only causing the older man to laugh. "Shit... you really don't know anything about babies do ya? Lesson number 1 little D, never ever let a baby nap right before you go to bed." Merle nodded towards his sleeping niece. Daryl looked confused as to why it mattered whether his girl napped or not. "Lil squirt there's gonna be up alllllllll niiggghhttt." Merle chuckled. And much to Daryl's dismay, Merle was right like always.

..................................................

"Come on please go to sleep." Daryl begged as he patted Dakota lightly in his arms. Merle sat in a worn down arm chair placed in the corner of the room, asleep and snoring. The little girl smiled and laughed at Daryl's tired and failed attempts to put her to sleep. Like Merle had said, the baby had been lively and up all night. It was 3:00 in the morning and still no signs of sleep came from the small stubborn girl.

"You sure are a stubborn thing." Daryl told her as she cooed while reaching out for the stubble on his chin. Daryl chuckled as he dodged her attempt to grab at his chin. "Guess thats my fault though, you are definately a Dixon." Daryl let out a long yawn and Dakota copied the yawn to a T. "Haha so you're getting tired, ain't ya?" Daryl chuckled as he held her closer to him.

Daryl smiled looking down at her blinking eyes growing heavier with sleep. Daryl sat up clutching her to his chest as he leaned against the headboard of the king sized hotel bed. The rain beat down on the window of the dank and dirty room. Stains covered the faded blue carpet and Daryl could hear the sound of a relentless leak somewhere in the ceiling of the room. The tattered blue curtains, the TV that only had four channels, the mildew smelling mattress, and the broken lamp in the corner of the room only reflected the opposite of what he now wanted for his daughter, but he had to work with what he had and it wasn't much.

Usually Daryl could care less about where he stayed, but it was different with Dakota now by his side. His brain was still a little fuzzy from the fast paced events of the night. Within a blink of an eye his whole life had changed, with a blink of an eye he was a father with no warning and it scared the shit out of him. He didn't want to screw up, but he knew it was only a matter of time before he did, he was a Dixon.

Daryl looked down at his daughter, the 1st girl Dixon that was born into his family and not married into it. He felt accomplished he had broken the chain of unruley men in his family. Daryl had brought in a beautiful girl and he'd be damned if she was going to be another town whore like the rest of the Dixon women.

Dakota would stay in school, go to college, be a lawyer, hell she'd become the president, he was sure of it. Daryl couldn't even explain the emotions that ran through his head as he looked down at her small figure. He was scared, he was nervous, he was angry that he couldn't give her something better, but most of all for once he actually felt happy as he held his little girl. He was joyful, excited, he was in peace, and he was utterly and completely happy.

The conditions were bad, the situation sucked, but he was a dad something he thought he'd never be. Daryl watched as Dakota's eyelids flutterd shut over her deep blue eyes. He kissed the top of her head gently as the little girl took the time to snuggle her small sleeping body into his chest while he whispered into her tiny ears, over the top of Merle's loud snoring from across the room.

"I love you."