The End of a New Beginning // Daryl Dixon

Part 22

Meredith

It was nightfall by the time we made it back to the prison. Daryl and I rush inside and we find everyone standin around the tables, the baby sobbing loudly.

"Maggie." I call. Maggie and I prepared a bottle for the baby. Maggie shows me the measurements of the formula and she caps it. She demands me to shake the bottle to get the formula and water mixed and I turn around to see Daryl holding the baby. I walk over to his side and handed him the bottle and he begins feeding her. A smile lights up Daryl's face as he looks at everyone.

"She got a name yet?" He asks Carl.

"Not yet." He answers. "But I was thinking maybe Sophia. Then there's Carol, too. And...Andrea. Amy. Jacqui. Patricia. Or...Lori. I don't know." He utters the names. I thought that it was sweet Carl wanted to name all the women we've lost. Any name would be perfect for the baby.

"Yeah...you like that? Huh?" Daryl lightly cooes at the baby. "Little Ass-Kicker." It was like seeing Daryl at a candy shop hearing his own voice naming the baby. "Right? That's a good name, right? Little Ass-Kicker. You like that, huh? You like that, sweetheart?"

Everyone had soon gone off to bed. Daryl and I remained awake with the baby. He sat on the ground, leaning against the wall, holding the baby as she slept peacefully in his arms. Daryl made a nesting for the baby to sleep in. He had decorated the mailing box with her temporary name; Little Ass-Kicker.

I joined Daryl's side, sitting down next to him. I show him a smile and he lightly chuckles.

"You're good with baby's." I point out. Daryl laughs.

"Nah. Kids just like me is all." He shrugs. I nodded. Seeing Daryl holding the baby was something I'd never expect. Then again, seeing a newborn baby in this world was something I'd never expect either. But seeing this side of Daryl...it was making me fall even harder for him. I wish I could admit my feelings for him. But when I told him I'm not great at expressing them, it wasn't a lie.

"You wanna hold her?" Daryl asks.

"Oh, no." I shook declined. "I've never been good with newborns."

"That's a lie." He laughs. "You loved your Bonnie. You loved your best friend. I just know you were there when she was born." He says. "Come on." He leans over and places the baby in my arms. The baby let's out a small whimper, but she remained sleeping. I look down at her and softly smiled. I felt that sense of warmth and happiness again. It was like the baby was boosting my serotonin levels. God, I never realized how much I'd miss holding a baby.

"Come on. Let's put her to bed and get some sleep ourselves." Daryl calls. He stands up and takes the baby from my arms. I pull myself up and go off to retrieve her bed.

*****

It was the next morning. I open my eyes and stare up at the ceiling for a moment, allowing my mental state to follow my body to wake up. I let out a sigh and turn my head. I could see that the baby's bed was empty, and Daryl was gone.

My heart drops and I shot up from the bed. I check the top bunk for any signs of Daryl and the baby, neither of them were here. I run out of my cell and looked in every other cell, looking for them. I quickly rush down the stairs and opened the door. I immediately stopped in my tracks, seeing everyone sitting in the dining area, all eyes on me.

"Meredith? You alright?" Maggie asks. I scanned everyone and see Daryl sitting on the steps, holding the baby. Relief washes over me and I finally nodded my head.

I clear my throat, feeling like an idiot running in here and looking crazy more than anything. I finally joined Daryl's side and sat down.

"A little heads up with you taking the baby would've been nice." I tell him softly.