Lilly Watkins has always been the strong one compared to her twin. That doesn't change when the dead start walking. Taking care of her family during the apocalypse, she never relied on anyone else. When she meets Daryl Dixon, a more temperamental pe...
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I'm helped up from the bunk. Things have gotten relatively harder in the last few months carrying Daryl's child, especially in an apocalypse. With Tiffany, I wasn't made to lift a finger by my late husband. That is not an option now.
"You should take it easy today, Lil," Daryl says, coming up behind me and caressing my large belly.
"I'm only helping Carol with breakfast today. Rick has already banned me from future runs."
"Like that would stop you," he mutters, walking ahead of me before I can retaliate at the comment. We head out to the eating area where some are already munching.
"Wow, it's like you've popped overnight!" Carol says, looking down.
I blush, almost hiding behind Daryl a bit. "Yeah, that happens. How can I help?"
"Actually, there's something I want you and Daryl to see. Come on." We follow her toward the entrance of the prison. "I don't know how many we're going to be able to spare for the run today, as you can see, we've had a bit of a build-up overnight." Walkers are piled along the fence, almost on top of one another. "They don't spread out anymore."
"With more of us sitting here, we're drawing more of them out," Daryl comments. "You get enough of those damn fence-clingers, they'll start to herd up."
"It's manageable, but unless we get ahead of it, not for long."
"We might need to take a group out to draw them away and eradicate them," I suggest, ignoring the pain in my lower region. Maybe I do need to start taking it easy.
I meet back up with Daryl later at the car as they're loading up. I spot Beth kiss her boyfriend before walking away.
"It's like a damn romance novel," Daryl comments to me, internally rolling his eyes at the couple.
"And what are we, Dare? A pornographic film?"
"Go on bed rest."
"I don't take orders from a man with an unwashed ass," I retort, going to help lift the last box.
"I will break your wrists if you even touch that." He kisses me on the lips. "See you when I get back, Lil."
I head inside, watching them depart from the window inside. I wipe away stray tears, cursing the stray tears. Hormones are a bitch.
I rub my back when another twinge hits me. With Tiff, contractions were more obvious, but I'm starting to question the back pain I've been having all morning.
"Mrs. Dixon! Are you okay?!" Patrick, an older teen, asks in a panic when I hunch over one of the tables inside the prison.
"Get Hershel," I manage to get out. It's a struggle getting to my cell, my water breaking about halfway. The contractions intensify afterward and I cry out in relief once I fall into the mattress.
Hershel comes in, looking at my disheveled state, realizing immediately. I'd feel more embarrassed taking my bottoms off if I wasn't in this amount of pain.
He checks me, telling me I'm a little bit over halfway. I cry out as another contraction hits my back. My last labor had lots of painkillers and was bliss. This is absolute hell.
"I want Daryl," I sob, squatting and holding onto the post of the bunk bed.
"He'll be back soon, Lilly. You've got to be strong for you and the baby right now. When he gets here, there'll a beautiful child. Do you have any names picked out?"
"Felicity for a girl, Cash for a boy." I scream this time.
"Lilly!" This time it's Rick's concerned voice, his appearance moments later. "Oh!"
"Great, everyone is going to see my vagina today."
He ignores my comment, coming over to me and pulling my body into an embrace. "Breathe with me." He tries to calm my breathing and after a few tries, it works.
"I feel like I need to push," I whisper out, my voice hoarse.
"In the next contraction, Lilly, push. Only push with the contraction though." I'm still being supported physically by Rick and it seems like he has no intentions of leaving. Another contraction hits and I push with everything.
"Is it out?" I sob, wanting it over.
"Not yet," Hershel says, getting a towel ready to catch. The pushing lasts for what seems like forever. Finally, I can feel a sense of relief wash over me and I know it's over.
"You have a baby boy, Lilly," Hershel says, but I'm beyond tired, fully collapsing onto Rick.
"You did so good," he whispers, brushing my sweaty hair out of my face. "Daryl would've been so proud."
Hershel and Rick helps me into bed. The room is cleaned up and I feed my son. I can barely keep my eyes open. I want to be awake when he sees his son.
"Mom?"
"Hey, Tiff," I say softly, watching my oldest interact with her little brother. Most days, she's busy with the other children.
Another joins us, his steps faltering at the sight before him.
"You gave birth."
Tiff steps out of the cell, giving us privacy. Daryl is trying to furtively wipe away tears, but failing as I can still hear sniffles.
"Well, hold him. I didn't spend all this time carrying and birthing him for you just to stare."
"Cash Dixon?" he clarifies. I nod, watching him pick up the sleeping newborn.
"Hey there, little Dixon. You're just like your Mama, doing everything without me, huh?" He places a kiss on his forehead. "I'm going to be a better Pa than mine ever was. My scars stop with me."
