What's Next

Chapter Twelve 🦋

Val's POV:

We sat down for a while for a rest, Rick was walking around checking everyone while keeping his eyes on Daryl and I from a distance. I looked at Judith in carl's arms, remembering the news I still needed to tell Daryl and my brother. I didn't how I was going to tell him and my brother, when Rick only just found out about us earlier that day. "Um Daryl, I've got something to tell you." I whispered to him. Worry took over him instantly clearly thinking that it may be something bad. "What is it? Is something wrong?" He questioned.

"Stop stressing, there's nothing wrong so don't worry. Just..." I rummaged around in my backpack, pulling out the pregnancy tests I had taken a little while ago and put them in his hands. He was confused at first unsure what it was, you could see the moment realisation hit him. He just kept staring at them. "Yer pregnant?" He muttered, looking at me, keeping eye contact with me. "Yep." I said as I nodded my head with smile. He pulled me in for a hug, continuously pulling me in for a kiss. I pulled away and stood up, ready to announce it to everyone. I know I should've told Rick in private, but I might as well tell them all at the same time. "Okay can I have everyone's attention please? Just for a quick moment." I stated, grabbing everyone's attention, stopping what they were doing.

"Okay so... um... Rick please don't be mad but uh..." I mumbled, fiddling my fingers. I look back at Daryl, he nodded his head in reassurance, walking to stand behind me. Placing his hands on my shoulders to try and calm my nerves. "I just wanted to say that Daryl and I are going to have a baby." I stated, as quickly as I could, feeling relieved finally. "Your pregnant?" Carl questioned, surprised.

"I sure am bud."

"Look, I know the risks of being pregnant now with how the world is but I'm willing to take it." Everyone nodded their heads. Even the four I didn't know yet. "Daryl can I talk to you. alone." My brother demanded. I watched them walk off, not taking my eyes off of them as they spoke with each other.

**

Daryl's POV:

I walked off with Rick, unsure on what was going to happen. I couldn't tell if he was pissed off, annoyed, upset, happy. He was too difficult to read. "Do love my sister? And no bullshit, I went through all this shit with Shane."

"I do. I really do. Yer sister is the best thing to ever happened to me. I would never do anything to hurt her." He nodded his head, showing that he was taking note of everything I was telling him. "I'm about to have a damn baby with her, I swear I would never let anything happen."

"I know what Shane did, what he was like with her. Used her like she was nothin' It aint gonna be like that with her and I." I explained, I got no answer, Rick just walked over to Val, gave her hug before turning his. Attention back to everyone else.

**

Val's POV:

We heard someone screaming for help in the distance. Rick wasn't going to bother with it but Carl took off in the direction of it. The rest of us followed after him, hoping he wouldn't do anything stupid. When we got there, a man that was dressed as a pastor, standing on a bolder, frantically trying to escape the walkers that were below him.

'Fuck sakes, what's next?' I muttered to myself, swinging my whip soon cracking it on of the last walkers. Killing it instantly. Once the last one dropped to the ground, "Come on down." My brother directed. the man came down and seemed to be a little off. "You okay?" Rick questioned, Without answering the man spewed up instantly. I had to block it out otherwise it would have set me off. Since being pregnant, I tend to be triggered by it much easier than I used to be.

Everybody else were unfazed by the sudden vomiting. Daryl noticed how instant I became uncomfortable, as he came over and covered my ears until the man had finished. I felt uneasy, vomit began to come but I soon swallowed it back down, already feeling slightly dehydrated. "Sorry." The man muttered finally, standing up straight. "Yes. Thank you. I'm Gabriel." The man said, straightening his clothes.

"Do you have any weapons on you?" Rick questioned, immediately.

"Do I look like I would have any weapons?" Gabriel responded as if it would be obvious just because of the clothes he wore. "we don't give two short and curlies what it looks like." The man I've come to know as Abraham scolded, clearly as annoyed by the man as the rest of us. "I have no weapons of any kind."

"And why the hell not?" I asked, annoyed.

"The word of God is the only protection I need." Gabriel stated.

"Sure didn't look like it." Daryl scoffed.

"I called for help. Help came." I rolled my eyes, how stupid do you have to be. Going out with no weapons, only with hope someone would save you. "Do you have... have any food?" He asked.

"Whatever I... I had left, it just hit the ground."

"We've got some pecans." Carl stated, offering them to Gabriel. Which Gabriel took gratefully. Judith cooed, as I held her in the baby sling, giving Tyreese a break from holding her. "That's a beautiful child." Gabriel said, admiring Judith. No one said a word, which seemed to intimidate Gabriel even more. "Do you have camp?" He questioned.

"No. Do you?"

"I have a church."

**

We followed Gabriel back to the church he was claiming he has been staying since the beginning. I took note of how on edge Daryl was being, I knew there had to be something playing on his mind. "What's wrong?" I whispered.

"Nothin'" he muttered.

"Don't lie to me Dixon. I can read you like a book."

"I think someone is following us."

"It's not just that Daryl. I know it's not. Is it about Beth?" I whispered. He nodded his head lightly in response to me. I knew that Daryl had been worried about her since someone had taken her. He told me he tried to catch up to the car, but they sped off, as fast as they picked her up. I could tell Daryl was feeling guilty, and I knew he just wanted to find her. But I also knew he didn't want to leave me, especially now he knew I was pregnant.

**

Rick, Daryl, Michonne, Carol, and Glenn all went in to scout the church, in case Gabriel may had been leading us into a trap. The rest of us stayed outside, keeping our eyes on him. "Is she yours?" The woman whose name was Rosita, came over to ask. "No. She's my niece."

"Oh so Rick's your brother?"

"Is it really that surprising?" I questioned, noting the shocked look on Rosita's face. "I guess I didn't connect the dots."

"It's a bit hard not to, we do share a lot of similarities." I laughed.

**