Daryl stood inside of the house, awkwardly seasoning and skewering his catch from that morning to throw on the grill. It still wasn't the burgers and hot dogs that Rick had talked endlessly about when they found a charcoal grill to put in the backyard, but he supposed it was close. He wasn't quite sure exactly what seasonings he was putting on the meat, but Carl had said that his dad had always seasoned the meat before putting it on the grill.

Daryl huffed at his efforts before picking up the tray and carrying it out into the backyard. The entire neighborhood had come to their little get together/barbeque for Judith's birthday. It had originally been Carl's idea and Rick had jumped onboard. Daryl still wasn't sure about all of this nonsense with people milling about in their backyard, but Judith was babbling along happily using the new sounds that she had learned. Rick kissed his cheek as he plopped the tray down on the table next to the grill. "Hello, Chef," he grinned.

Grumbling, Daryl just shrugged. "Not sure how it's going to taste. Don't know what to put on a squirrel to make it not taste like a squirrel. Rabbit is usually good whatever way though."

Rick set the tongs down on the table, pulling Daryl into him for a proper kiss. "I love you, you know that. I'm sure it will taste great. Thank you for doing all this." He gestured around to all of the decorations and the small pile of presents hastily wrapped in bright pink paper on a table next to the food their friends had brought. "I have no idea how you hid all of this stuff from me."

Daryl smiled softly, ducking his head. "Carl helped, but it turns out no one thought to raid the party stores. Was pretty easy to get this stuff actually."

"Well, it's made this birthday party for our little princess feel almost like it was before the turn."

Glenn and Maggie rounded the corner of the back of the house. Rick waved enthusiastically as Daryl walked over to them. "Hey guys. Thanks for comin'. How ya feelin' Mags?"

Maggie laughed slightly, rubbing her hand over her still mostly flat stomach. "I think the morning sickness has gone for the day. Thanks for finding that ginger root. I think that really helps."

"Yeah, glad I could do somethin'. Will be nice to have another little one around for Lil' Asskicker to play with 'sides me."

Maggie sat down in a chair, waving at the others who had already arrived as Glenn wandered over to Rick at the grill. She smiled up at Daryl as he brought her a glass of water. "You know you will always be her favorite toy. She adores the hell out of you. And I think you would be heart broken if she found a better playmate. Can't wait until she comes of age and finds a boy to date."

"Yeah yeah. Luckily that doesn't look like it's gonna happen. Her daddy and I are going to judge any boy comin' in here."

Maggie snorted. "Maybe we'll have a boy. Think you'd let her date our son?"

Daryl shifted on his feet, twisting his face in overdramatic thought, as he looked between Maggie and Glenn. "I dunno… I'll have to interview him when it comes time."

Maggie shook her head at the overprotective streak Daryl had come to display over Judith once they had lost Beth just a few months prior. "Where is the little birthday girl anyway? You got her locked away somewhere, daddy?"

"Nah, she's with Carol over sittin' on a blanket. She's learned a new trick though. She's mastered walking a few steps."

"Oh really? That's big."

"Yeah, watch this." Daryl crouched down, making sure to catch Judith's eye as he did so. When she saw him low to the ground, she immediately pushed away from Carol, stumbling over to him, having semi-mastered walking a grand total of five steps before resorting back to scooting along on the ground, much to the chagrin of those who changed her diapers. Daryl picked her up, swinging her around in the air as she giggled with delight and Maggie clapped at her success. "Let's go see what we got goin' on over here," he told her, carrying her towards the present table.

"Daryl! Presents are later!" Rick shouted at him, turning from his conversation with Glenn.

Ignoring the other man, he picked up a small bag, holding it out to the little girl in his arms. "What's in here, Asskicker? Huh?" he asked as she stuck her hands deep inside. She squealed as she pulled out a stuffed elephant, instantly taking one of its large ears into her mouth to chew on. Putting her back down, Daryl watched as she made her way over to Carl to show him her new treasure.

Going back over to the grill where Rick was shaking his head at his lover, Daryl just smiled. "Found her that elephant a few years early."

"Elephant?"

"Yeah. You told me as we were leaving the prison that I'd probably search high and low for a damn elephant for her because I couldn't say no. And just so you know, it only took me a week to find."

Rick snorted. Daryl would remember something like that. "You are awful at saying no."

"How do you think you got this house?"

"Is she down?" Daryl asked from the bed, putting his book down on the nightstand.

"Yeah, for like the fourth time. What did you feed her today? Did you slip her coffee when I wasn't lookin'?" Rick sighed as he slid back into the bed, burrowing his face in his lover's neck.

Daryl wrapped his arms around Rick's torso, turning off the lamp before settling in comfortably in the bed. "You think I would do somethin' like that on her first birthday? I'm saving coffee until she's at least 5."

Rick snorted, unwinding himself from Daryl and rolling onto his back. "You know, today was perfect. It was everything I had wanted for her since she was born. Thank you for making that possible."

Daryl shrugged against the soft white sheets. "Wasn't nothin'. Carl and I collected the stuff. Everyone else helped plan it. It was a group effort. Everyone loves Lil' Asskicker. She's our hope for the future."

"Yeah. Her and Glenn and Maggie's baby. Think they'll name it Hershel or Beth?"

"I dunno. I think it'd be kinda weird if it were either of those names honestly. Least Hershel had the dignity of a heart attack and not being eaten by cannibals or walkers." Daryl shifted awkwardly in the darkness. He always hated thinking about those that they had lost, especially Beth. If he hadn't of asked Glenn and Maggie to drop them off at the development then maybe they could have gotten to her in time. Maybe they could have saved one. "Still feel selfish."

Rick sat up, moving to straddle the other man and look down into his ocean blue eyes in the moonlight cascading in from the open window. "You saved so many people that day. You saved our family. You saved all the other kids. Hell, Daryl, do you know how many people could have died if you had gone to fight them at the fort? We wouldn't be here right now."

Daryl sighed, running his hands up Rick's nude thighs to the hem of his boxer briefs. "I know, but we coulda saved her, Rick. Maybe Hershel wouldn'ta had that heart attack then."

"Nah, that would have come on at any point. You never know with those. We gotta focus on what we have in front of us. We have Carl and Judith. Both are happy and healthy and trouble. Maggie and Glenn have their new baby on the way. Sasha and Bob are talking about feeling safe enough to start a family. Look at everything you have given us, Daryl. All of this is because of you. You found this development. You saved our family."

"You kept us alive," Daryl's voice broke as he spoke. Feelings weren't something he was accustomed to sharing, especially those of the non-violent, non-angry variety, but for Rick he had been trying. "Ever since the rock quarry, it had been you. Just didn't want ya to feel like you had to do all the heavy liftin' all the time."

Rick leaned down, pressing his lips to the other's softly. "I love you."

"Love you too." Daryl smiled, pulling Rick down to lay flush against him. "Think she's really asleep?"

"I don't hear her whimpering anymore. I think we're safe." Both men shimmied out of their underwear, Rick leaning over and grabbing lube from the night stand drawer. "We've gotten good at this. Always had Carol or Beth at the prison to keep her at night."

"Stop talkin' so much. You're gonna wake her up," Daryl growled, spreading his legs as he pulled Rick's hand towards his ass.

"Someone's getting pushy," Rick grinned, dribbling some lube onto his fingers before pressing them against his lover's opening.

"It's been a week, Rick."

"Hey, I sucked you off just yesterday!" The two fingers started to work themselves in and out of the flexing hole, stretching it before adding a third.

"So?"

"You owe me one."

Daryl grunted, taking his own cock into his hand. "Ya know I'll suck at some point. We ain't gotta keep tabs on this."

Rick snorted, pulling his hand out to lube his cock before wiping the remaining lube off on his underwear. Lining himself up, he pressed his hips against Daryl's, both men sighing with near relief as they joined together.

"Fuck," Daryl breathed, his nostrils flaring. "Why is every time like the first time?"

Rick wrapped his arms around his lover's back, pulling their bodies flush together. "Means we gotta do it more then."

"Like when?" Daryl grunted, shifting his hips slightly, trying to get comfortable, but hissing as Rick's cock moved inside him with each movement.

Rick clamped down on his body with his arms and legs. "Hold still. You know it just takes a minute."

"I know, but ugh I want to just get on with it." Daryl sighed, as Rick's lips brushed along his jawline, trailing kisses up to his ear.

Moving his hips slightly when he felt his lover relax, Rick grunted as Daryl squeezed his channel, wrapping his arms tight around his back. "Fuck, Daryl. Don't do that or this won't last long."

"Aw come on, big daddy. You can't handle a little pressure?"

Sitting up on his elbows, Rick grinned. "I'll show you a little pressure." Bracing himself, he slammed his hips against Daryl's, making the other man stifle a shout.

"Fuck, I love it when you do that." Hands roamed down Rick's back, clutching his ass, pulling him in deeper with each thrust. Daryl loved feeling the muscles in his lover's backside work as he thrusted his love into him.

Rick sat up, moving Daryl's legs out wider, hooking his knees around his own arms holding himself up. "I love you being like this with me. Why didn't we do this sooner?"

Daryl moaned out his response as he felt his cock drag along inside him slowly nudging his prostate along the way. Pressing back down against him, he began to meet each thrust, wrapping his own hand around his cock, pumping it furiously between them. "Please, Rick," he whimpered.

Rick moaned, dropping his lover's legs to let them wrap around his waist, pressing a kiss to his lips before restarting a bruising pace. The muscles in Daryl's arm flexed as he stroked himself. Rick's lips found the twitching muscles in his throat as he moaned and pleaded for release, for him to move faster, for anything. Their bodies tensed against each other, balls drawing up as they released. Rick's cock shot streaks of white deep inside his lover as Daryl painted his stomach, back arching slightly off the bed as his hips thrusted on their own accord.

They cleaned themselves up quietly, tossing their soiled cloths and clothing into the hamper before settling back in the bed, Daryl's head on Rick's chest, listening to his heart beat. It was a sound he would never get tired of. It meant life and liberty. It meant they were safe together, able to lay like this and shut out the evil in the world around them. The cannibals had left them alone after the bloody fight in the road that one fateful day and the Governor's men had disappeared into the woods.

They lay together, both thinking the same thoughts but neither voicing them. Home. A real home with their kids and people they had come to call extended family, but most importantly each other. Daryl closed his eyes, breathing in Rick's scent, letting the slow and steady heartbeat escort him to sleep as he felt the other man drift off.