Daryl yelped awake pulling Judith into himself as Abraham wailed on Eugene. "What the hell?" Daryl growled pulling his daughter close to himself. Rick was beside him quickly exposing his scent glands to calm the confused and nervous omega.

"Stop it Abraham. You'll kill him!" Rosita barked, the man finally pulled away, dropping to his knees.

"So many people died to get you this far Eugene!"

"I'm sorry!" Eugene sobbed.

"What is happening?" Daryl asked, concerned and clinging to Rick.

"Eugene lied about knowing the cure. He lied." Glenn snarled, the omega was shaking as Rick held him close. Maggie carefully took Judith in her arms.

"Typical." Daryl snorted, he slipped from Rick's grasp and to Carl who just looked a bit lost. Daryl hugged him and allowed him to scent him to calm him. The pup stuck close to his mother. "So no Dc, what's the plan?"

"I don't really know..honestly."

"We can't stay in the church forever," Rosita said looking around. "It won't hold us. There is one too many of us to fit in here for a long time, Judith is growing, our pack is large and we have such a mix of placements we need separation. Not that any of us alpha's would do anything to Daryl but when his heat hits we will want walls to block the scents right.."

"Right." Rick replied thinking about his lover and the future of their pack. "We should set up here for a week or two, but we will continue to look around on runs while we hold up. Are you alright with us staying here?"

"Of course, I asked for you and the lord sent you. This is your home." Gabriel smiled. "As long as you need it." Daryl nodded to the pastor, he smiled watching the omega with interest. He was unsure what all of the marks along his skin were for, or why he had so many.

"How were you surviving here for so long?"

"Thankfully we had a food drive the day before everything happened." Gabriel smiled. "This place is very hidden, not a lot of people knew about it."

"It is beautiful." Maggie looked around. "Really." Gabriel thanked her as he grabbed a few cans for everyone. They dug into the meal happily, Judith woke up and cried for Daryl who rolled his eyes and unbuttoned his top again.

"I think you need to stop giving into that." Rick smirked.

"Mhmm." Daryl grunted in reply. "It's better than her screaming. The dead come to sound, I don't want her to be eaten thank you."

"That wasn't what I was saying."

"If she screams they come, I am not losing another pup." Rosita's brow raised at the comment.

"Another pup?"

"Judith was a twin." Daryl snarled, the girl continued to suckle. "I..I managed to birth him fine, but then he just..he just died. I won't lose my little girl too."

"Twins don't tend to both survive." Abraham muttered. Eugene was whimpering in the corner.

"I am aware," Daryl grunted as he held his pup close as she fell asleep, milk dribbling down her cheek. Daryl snickered, handing her off to his mate. "Look, I know most of you look at me and see something that needs protecting. I know I need some watchin' but I don't need it all the time. We have other people to keep an eye on, pups, one another, flight risks." He looked to Eugene. "I am fine, I can handle the shit I've been through."

Rick shook his head but knew Daryl was telling the truth ,he would have nightmares forever no doubt but as long as they never let anyone else have him it would be fine. They just worried about others finding out about his ability to have pups, and honestly others just knowing he is an omega.

Daryl was looking between his pack, his eyes trailing each face, then his heart sunk. Beth wasn't there. He honestly had just imagined her being with them all, he gulped and bit his lip. "Beth."

Maggie nodded, she too had noticed her sister wasn't around. "I know she's alive, she has to be, I just don't know where she would be."

"Maybe she went back towards the prison? Or the farm?"

"Maybe, but for now we can't risk going out there, we need solid evidence shes alive. Did anyone see her leave the prison?"

"No." Was the solid consensus.

"Shit." Daryl felt tears prickling, threatening to escape. Carl held his mother close to him, he knew Daryl needed support. "We should just patrol, if we see any signs we go looking?"

"Of course." Rick promised knowing he had been through so much, lost too many. Carol watched them curiously, they decided on a plan and sent out a scouting unit. Abraham, Carol, Maggie, Rick, and even Daryl was allowed to go. The omega was happy he was given the okay, he knew it was because Rick was going with but that was okay with them. They walked past an old school, the dead banging at the door, Daryl growled as he continued to follow his mate. They could still see the fire from terminus burning, and they knew that meant others could too. They continued to walk as they came across a boy screaming and fighting off the dead with nothing but a piece of wood.

The boy was seventeen and Daryl's omega nature took over within seconds. He raced forward, took out two of the dead and swept the boy into a hug to calm him, he was a beta and then Daryl smelt it on him.

Beth.

"Where is she, the blonde girl, Beth you smell like her, where is she, where is she, kid." Daryl was shaking him for answers. The boy was trying to understand what was happening, a real omega was standing before him and talking to him about Beth.

"She..she is at Grady Memorial."

"A hospital?" Maggie asked curiously. "Why is my sister at Grady?"

"She was picked up by some of the pack that runs it. They have a working hospital there, helped her wounds but now she's trapped there."

"What's your name kid? We will get her out." Rick promised.

"Noah," the dark skinned boy was breathing heavy taking in Daryl's scent. "You're Daryl then? She talked to me about you, no one else but me. She misses you lots."

"I miss her." Daryl whimpered at the thought of Beth, but he was glad to know she at least was alive. They needed to find Beth, and fast. They needed their girl. Carol watched Noah with interest, the seventeen year old boy clinging to their omega.

"She almost escaped with me, but they caught her. She told me to run, keep going. I didn't know where I was going but she wanted me to find you and I am so glad I did."

"Let's get you some food and clean you up and we will make a plan to get her out, you need to tell us everything about that place. Alright?" Rick asked, watching him. They would slaughter the entire hospital if they had to. Rick knew this world needed a hard leader, not a soft squishy man who was going to let things slide.

After slaughtering the people of Terminus Rick had become different, honestly it was probably before that. Ripping out Joe's throat seeing Daryl in such a condition, it was agonizing. Daryl was happy to know his girl was alive still, he still wished his wrist was healed but he knew that wasn't coming anytime soon.

"How is Beth?" Maggie asked with concern.

"Mostly fine, the head woman there Dawn, she has taken a liking to her so that will help her. She has access to things. She killed a man, Gorman, a rapist and a monster. Hit him over the head with a jar of suckers a walker got him after. Thankfully he never got to Beth the way he did to the walker, he raped the poor girl. She escaped but got bit. They cut off her arm, no anesthetic or anything even when they had it." Noah was whimpering, Daryl kept him close. They were so thankful that Beth was still alive. They just prayed she was still there when they got to her.

They were going to do this, and they were going to bring her home, wherever home was.

—

Noah sat down surrounded by this unknown pack, he noticed quickly the puppy cuddled into Daryl. Beth had mentioned a puppy but he honestly thought she was lying he couldn't have imagined a real puppy surviving in this new world.

"Tell us everything about the building, who does what, the best way in and out if we have to do it that way."

Noah sat and explained, Daryl grunted while he spoke as the little alpha swatted at him for food. "Judith daddy says no more." She whimpered and then to everyone's surprise barked. Abraham laughed hysterically as Judith kept swatting at him and whined. "Don't encourage her."

The alpha quickly shut his trap but tried hard to stifle his laughter. "Momma.. Momma momma..momma." Daryl quickly looked at Rick.

"I can't tell her no." Daryl whined.

"Yes you can." Rick replied, taking the whining pup from him and handed her off to Abraham. "If you think it's so funny you hold her."

Abraham stared at her as she hit him and kicked, wanting back to her mother. Noah watched the exchange with interest. What were they referring to when he said no more? What were they supposed to have a puppy stop doing? Daryl watched the screaming pup with a clear look of panic and concern. "What if walkers hear her?"

"Then we will kill them," Rick replied.

"But she just wan-"

"No." Rick replied gruffly. "She can't rely on that, she can have food in most cases now. She shouldn't need it anymore, she has to come off of it faster then we want her to and I know that. I know how long most pups are nursed for..but we don't have that luxury now."

"I'm here now." Daryl said, his ran his good hand through his hair.

Rick took a deep breath, "What if you get taken again? Then what?"

Daryl's face screwed up in both anger and sadness. He lowered his head and headed off to one of the other rooms to separate himself from his sobbing puppy. He couldn't hear her cries and he didn't want to think about being taken again. He wasn't exactly up for any more of that. Noah's eyes grew wide as he pieced together Daryl's wrist, and what they meant with the pup and what she should stop doing. "Rick I'll go check on him." Maggie promised heading off to find the omega.

Daryl was sitting with his knees pulled up into himself. "She just wants me.." Daryl whined as Maggie hugged him carefully. "Why..why won't he let me.."

"Daryl, I know why you want to..I understand honestly. I think Rick's just worried about a lot of things, and Judith doesn't really need it anymore. She could have stopped two months ago if not sooner. Its a dependency thing, I think Rick worries about her being dependent on you."

"She's supposed to be, I am her mother."

He balled up his first, his wrist throbbing. "I know Daryl. I get it honestly, but.. But our prime said it so it must be so."

Daryl sighed, he lowered his head between his knees. "He thinks I'm going to get kidnapped again...thinks I will be away from her for so long that she will have to learn to go without it doesn't he?"

"Daryl none of us want that to happen," Maggie began.

"That wasn't what I asked." Daryl grunted sitting back against the wall. "She won't stop crying."

"She will be fine, Rick was getting her some puppy food when you walked away." Maggie rubbed his cheek with her thumb. "I don't think Rick thinks that you're going to be kidnapped, but it is a precaution we have to take. You're the most susceptible to it."

Daryl nodded his head, he understood but it fucking sucked. "I am going to help bring Beth back though, no one can stop me from bringing her back. She is my puppy..she is mine."

Maggie smiled, she loved knowing someone was still protecting her sister even after her father and mother. "I am sure Rick will let you." She assured him, he sure hoped so, he was terrified he wouldn't. Soon the screaming of Judith was gone, he got up off the floor and followed him back to sit with the pack. Judith smiled big seeing her mom back in the room, she had applesauce dribbling down her puffed cheeks. Daryl snickered seeing her like that, but she was eating something which made him happy.

"Momma!" Judith giggled in her spot, she was trying to crawl at this point but she still didn't get the point of it. Her little hands would slip out from under herself. She was scooting and rolling fine which was normal for an alpha pup of five and a half months, her talking was a bit unorthodox. Daryl smiled at her and crawled across the floor to get right up to her. She smiled watching his movements she attempted to crawl a bit to him which only caused laughter from the pack as he hand slipped and Daryl caught her with his hand.

"She's getting so big." Daryl smiled as he held his girl close to him. The pack smiled as he rocked her, she fell asleep in his arms as he held her. Everyone loved the omega even when he was happy to just be left alone with his pups and his mate. He yelped as Judith kicked his wrist as she slept. "Little ass kicker." He grunted looking her over, Rick smirked, taking her from him and placing her in the portable crib they found on a run.

Daryl bit his lip. He wanted Beth here, needed her here. "Rick I want to come with when we get Beth. Please Alpha."

"We will talk about it." He promised. "We just need to stake the place out alright? I am planning on a small group for that, just to see what this hospital is all about. I was thinking just myself, Abraham, Glenn, and Rosita. We have to bring Noah along too."

"Alright," Daryl nodded. "I understand. Keep him safe."

Rick smiled, Daryl was so interesting to him. He loved pups more than he knew how to explain to anyone. Pups were his entire life, and even when they weren't officially a part of the pack he was going to protect them or do everything he could to make sure those around him planned to protect him. Daryl curled up beside the crib while he thought hard. "As soon as you can please come back, we need to get her back here. Have her be a part of this, our pack needs her back."

"I promise Daryl. I promise to do what I can."

Daryl smiled as Carl ran over to him and snuggled up. The young alpha was tired but also wanted to protect his mother, Daryl loved Carl like he was his own. He wished he was his own, wished he had met Rick before all of this, wished he had convinced him to leave his cheating wife and be his mate. Wished he could have been Rick's one and only. He fell asleep soon with Carl wrapped into him. Rick smiled.

"I think we should follow our omega's lead. Rest up, and then when we wake up head out to Grady. See what we can see, work out the best course of action." Rick smiled as he padded up to his mate and wrapped himself on the other side of him. Carl wrapped his other arm around his dad. Judith slept soundly as the pack began to pile up around their prime and the omega. Noah was on a pew the others mostly slept on the floor to stay close to their alpha.

Michonne was asleep when she felt Tara cuddle up into her, Rosita smirked, raising an eyebrow. Abraham took first watch knowing they honestly didn't have to do it anymore but he enjoyed taking watch. Keeping his eye out for the pack and knowing the omega and the puppy would be safe.

Abraham swapped out watch with Rosita, the women watching the pack over. She smiled, this was the life, a family, a pack. She was still furious with Eugene, but regardless she was with a new family now. A special family that she was going to do whatever it took to protect.

Daryl started twitching, his body shaking in terror as nightmares took over again. He whimpered and whined causing Rick to wake. "Hey omega..shh shh..don't worry I've got you. Shh 'mega..shh Daryl. It's okay."

Daryl cried into his neck. Carl didn't budge while he sobbed. "Make them stop.." Daryl sobbed into him. "Please....Please.."

"Daryl I'm sorry.. I'm sorry sweetheart." Rick held him. Daryl whimpered into him, he was horrified by the nightmares. He hated seeing the claimers around him touching him doing things to him they shouldn't be. "You belong to me Daryl."

Daryl nodded. He knew that, but the nightmares kept coming. It didn't matter to his brain that he belonged to Rick, he knew that. He knew who he belonged to, he desired Rick more than he knew how to explain. However he still was riddled with the nightmares of being the claimers. He could still feel the collar warped around his neck. Every time his wrist throbbed he thought of Len, on top of the nightmares of the claimers he still had nightmares of losing his pups. He had nightmares of losing his son, losing all of the pups at the prison. That pup he had seen in the crib he had nightmares over. He was riddled with nightmares and fear and all he wanted was his alpha to fix it and he knew that wasn't all in his power.

Yet Daryl wanted it to be.

Daryl wanted his Alpha to fix all of it.