I do not own any rights to the walking dead.

This is a story for a good friend of mine thank you.

Chapter 1.

It was a hot summer's night and Daryl had his bedroom window wide open allowing what little breeze there was into his room. A small cry made Daryl roll over in his bed and open his eyes; he craned his head listening for the strange noise again. A few minutes past and he thought it must had been his imagination, he let his eyes close and the small cry came again. Daryl sat up in his bed and looked at his clock sitting on the nightstand. "Two in the morning." Daryl huffed pulling his body out of his bed. "If it's Merle I'm gonna whoop his ass." Daryl's brother Merle would often come home in the early hours of the morning high or drunk and end up waking Daryl.

Daryl walked out of his bedroom and walked into the dark living room; he fumbled for the light switch and managed to stub his toe on the old coffee table. "Fuck." Daryl grunted hopping on one foot he finally located the elusive light switch and the messy room was lit up. Daryl ran his hand through his dark sweaty hair and gave a sigh of annoyance. Merle was passed out face down on the thread bear couch fully dressed and dribbling. Empty beer cans and whiskey bottles were strewn across the floor. Daryl shook his head watching his older brother snore and grunt in his sleep; the small cry was heard again. Daryl thought it sounded like it was coming from outside, he crossed the living room and stood in an open pizza box. "Fuck sakes." Daryl muttered pulling the pizza off his foot the cheese made his foot stick to the floor as he walked. "Fuckin' pig sty." He huffed as he reached the door. Daryl turned the handle and opened the front door. Merle hadn't even bothered to lock up when he rolled in.

Something made Daryl look down before stepping out on to the front porch and it was lucky he did because on the floor was a bassinet and right next to it was a small pink bag. Daryl's crystal blue eyes grew wide in shock as he bent down and pulled back a soft pink blanket to reveal a small squirming baby. Daryl stood up and looked out into the night but he couldn't see anyone. Daryl picked up the bassinet in one hand and threw the bag over his shoulder; he carried the baby in to the house. "Merle get your sorry ass up." Daryl yelled at his sleeping brother giving him a firm kick with his naked foot, he held the bassinet firmly in his hand.

Merle snorted and rolled over sending his large muscular body tumbling to the floor with a thud. "Wha?" Merle groaned rubbing his eyes and blinking trying to adjust his vision to the living room light.

Daryl placed the bassinet on the old dirty couch and looked at his brother. "It's a baby." Daryl stated the obvious.

Merle shuffled his large body across the floor moving quickly away from the tiny bundle as if it was a bomb. "I ain't mine." Merle protested.

Daryl looked down at the baby its large blue eyes squinted up at Daryl and he gave it a soft smile.

It was then Daryl noticed something tucked away just under the blanket. Daryl pulled out a folded piece of paper; he unfolded it and looked down at the note. The writing was neat and small Daryl turned to Merle and read the note out loud.

Dixon.

This is Hope she's your baby. I can't cope with her so it's up to you.

Sorry.

M.

Merle stood up moving slowly towards the baby. "Ain't mine, didn't you bring home that girl from the bar a while back." Merle snatched the note from Daryl's and looked at it. "Wasn't her name May?" Merle asked.

Daryl released a large huff. "Her name was Mary but let's take a look at your women." Daryl watched Merle squirm uncomfortably. "There's been Marsha the barmaid, Mindy from the coffee place, Mary-Anne who took over from Marsha after you gave her the clap and then there was Mandy from the strip club." The baby gave a shrill cry and the brothers looked at each other, both moved slowly towards the child. "Smells like it needs changin'" Daryl screwed up his nose.

Merle crossed his arms. "Well I ain't doin it." He huffed.

Daryl picked up that pink bag and opened it. The bag was full of baby supplies; he picked up the bag and shoved it into Merle's chest. "Hey, this is both our problem now so suck it up." Daryl snapped.

Both men could hunt down, skin and gut a deer but when it came to babies they were useless. Daryl had cleared a space on the living room floor and placed down a clean towel, he then carefully placed the tiny bundle on the towel. Both men knelt down over the baby.

Merle scrunched up his nose and his eyes started to water. "How the hell can somethin' that small smell so bad?" Bad smells had never bothered Merle before but this was one of the worse thing he'd smelt.

Daryl removed the diaper and both men leant back. Daryl gave a cough and squinted at the small girl. "You ain't no lady that's for sure." Daryl folded the dirty diaper and placed it in a trash bag. "What now?" Daryl looked a Merle whilst Hope waved her legs and arms in the air.

Merle looked back at his brother. "How the hell should I know?"

Daryl gave a shrug. "You were around when I was a baby. What did mom do?"

Merle smiled at the thought of his mom and tried his hardest to remember what she used to do. "Clean her up I think, then powder." Daryl grabbed the wet wipes that sat next to him and quickly cleaned Hope up. Merle grabbed the baby powder and gave it a firm shake. Baby powder filled the air and settled on both men and the baby. Daryl frowned at Merle and Hope squealed in delight.

Daryl then picked up the new diaper and looked at it. "Which ways the front." Daryl looked confused, he could fix a car engine why the hell couldn't he work this out.

Merle pushed Daryl out of the way. "Let me try." Merle placed the diaper under Hope and pulled the little tabs clean off the diaper. "Damn shit." Merle mumbled. "Give me another." Daryl handed Merle another diaper and he tried again. This time Merle managed to stick the diaper to himself. "Fuck." Merle was losing his temper.

Daryl moved forward to have a go. He placed the diaper under Hope and fastened the sticky tabs, it was looking good. Daryl smiled and picked the baby up and the diaper fell off and landed on the floor. Daryl sighed in frustration placing the baby back on the floor.

Daryl placed the last diaper under Hope he pulled the tabs free and Merle fastened the sticky tabs pulling them tight. Daryl the picked up Hope and smiled as the diaper stayed on. Both men rose to their feet looking around. Baby powder covered the room and they'd managed to go through a whole supply of diapers. Merle gave a little grunt. "Well that wasn't so hard now was it?"