Someone Has To Do It

Is this Motherhood?

Haley Pov

My parents: the very people who have loved and protected me from day one, have been torn from this world. My mind is reeling; Grandpa is gripping me with such fierceness it's the only thing keeping me grounded. My body shakes like a leaf against his frame, threatening to blow over if not for him. I barely acknowledge the introductions being made around us. Grandpa leans away from me, gripping my shoulders, his red-rimmed eyes meeting mine.

" I got you, kiddo; I always have you." A sob rips through my chest, and I tuck myself into his chest. After a moment, a small hand tugs at my shorts, grabbing my attention. Charlie looks at me with sad eyes and lifts his arms up in a grabbing motion. I scoop him into my arms and nuzzle his neck, my tears soaking his collar. His small hand lightly pets my hair while shushing me slowly.

If you would have told me a month ago I'd lose my parents, find my grandfather, and somehow gain a child in the midst of it, I would have thought you to be insane, but here I am, finding comfort in the way my arms protectively curl around his tiny body as he tries to comfort my broken form. Eyes burn into us. I shift him to my side to face the group.

" I'm so sorry. My name's Haley." I know what I must look like. I can feel the heat around my eyes prickling from the tears yet to be shed. A boy no older than 23 smiles in my direction. He's tall with darker features. If I were to guess, I'd say he's Korean. He has kind eyes, and my gaze softens.

"Hello, Haley; my name is Glenn." He proceeds to signal to the group behind him. I raise my hand shakily to stop him. He raises his eyebrows, the smile never dropping from his cheeks.

" I think I need to lay down if you guys don't mind." I feel the color leaving my face as the weight of everything around me finally settles. My grandpa grabs my hand and guides Charlie and me toward his RV. Stumbling up the steps Into the vehicle and made my way to the center. I place Charlie on the benches surrounding the table and lower myself into the seat, resting my head against the table, letting the world around me quickly sink into sweet nothingness.

Daryl's Pov

Helpless. Looking at Haley as her world falls apart, I feel helpless. Knowing the piece of shit that I called Pa was dead brought nothing but relief. I watch her crumble with each sob wondering what that's like to love so fiercely that it leaves you shattered by the loss. By her reaction, she had been loved, and they were close; her family. I glance at Merle, watching his eyes soften as he takes in the scene. Yes, maybe we're bad, but there's a reason we turned out this way. Rubbing my shoulder softly, I try to keep my mind from drifting to our childhood.

I bring Charlie in front of me and lightly nudge him in her direction. I watch as she brings him to her. He tucks perfectly against her. I feel pain strike my chest at the sight. They're not mine. I can't be the kind of man to walk to them and hold them close.

I shake the thoughts away, cursing myself. I barely know them, but they've managed to mess with my head to the point of almost no return. I watch Haley enter the RV and suck in the breath I didn't know I was holding. I kick the dirt at my feet and make my way toward Merle. He smirks in my direction, knowingly, a goofy grin lighting up his features.

" Seems you found yourself a piece of ass, after all, Lil brother." He raises his eyebrows mockingly. I shove past him with no clear destination. Lynn reaches up from behind his shoulder and swiftly thumps his head. Rolling her eyes as he starts to protest, she reaches for me and places her arm in the crook of mine. She guides me towards the quarry's perimeter close to the water's edge.

"Alright, kid, I don't care what poison's going on in that head of yours. Now Haley seems like a good girl, and damn you; you're a good man." I open my mouth, but she snaps her fingers, cutting my attempt short. "Whatever is happening isn't good. We weren't ever promised tomorrow, but now it's prescient there might be no more tomorrows, so why not try. They're going to need someone like you, Daryl." I scoff at her words. Lynn thrusts a backpack into my arms, causing me to jump slightly. " Fine, don't listen, but at least make yourself useful. There are a couple of tents in there. Lori was kind enough to give us a few from their stash. Set up all three, will you? I'm going to find Haley and check on her."

Haley Pov
I don't know how much time has passed, but when I reach beside me to brush my hand across Charlie, it comes up empty. My head shoots up from the table at a nauseating speed sending pain through the forefront of my head. I grasp my head in my hands, groaning slightly.

"Charlie?" I spit out between my clenched teeth. "Charlie, where are you?" I feel my heart rate quicken at the horrid thoughts crossing my mind. What if one of those things has gotten him, what if he got scared and ran off, and I'll never be able to find him, or worse, I do but in pieces.

The RVs' door slams against the frame, startling me a scream leaves my throat. I whip around to face whatever might be coming for me.

"Well, hello to you too, darling." Lynn throws her head back in a laugh. She climbs into the RV and reaches her hand to pull something behind her. " I found this little man guarding the door outside." Charlie peeks around her side, sending me a small smile. I send him one back, gesturing for him to come to my side. He does so shyly and reaches up for me to place him in my arms. "You're good with him." Lynn comments. I don't know what to say. What could I?

I never had really been around small children. We saw plenty at the hospital, of course, but sick children made me nervous. When a child gets sick, it can go south quickly, but they also have this amazing resilience. I think of Charlie; what would happen if he became like those men at the trailer, or were children safe from whatever this was? I didn't quite care to find out.

I hold him tighter to me and reply in defeat. "I don't know what I'm doing." Lynn reaches forward and pats my shoulder. I know what I must look like, a child trying to act like an adult.

"You never do; all you can do is show him, love." Charlie nudges his head into my shoulder, looking smaller than he was. "Looking at you now, you're the only one for the job." I didn't know what she meant by that I wasn't his mother. I have never even given motherhood a thought before today. All I know is if it were between Charlie and me, I would choose him every time. "Also, if you need a partner, I bet Daryl would be more than happy to fill the position."

The blush that filled my cheeks was an answer enough.