𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝘽𝙤𝙙𝙮 : ̗̀➛ 𝙙.𝙙

78

Del sat at the kitchen table, feeling the sun pour in on her. Beth Kay in her arms. She was exhausted, worried.

"Del!" Carl busted in the house. She knew. She moved as fast as possible, watching Jake and Michonne pull the gates open as the truck pulled in. She felt a hand on her shoulder, seeing it was Maggie.

"You're out of bed already?" Maggie smiled. Del gave a half-smile, keeping her eyes on the gate, on the truck. Hoping and praying Daryl climbed out at any second, safe.

The drivers door opened, Rick stepping out. He jogged to Carl, embracing him. Then Glenn, who's eyes met with Dels.

"Daryl!" Glenn yelled with the biggest smile on his face. Del felt a weight lifted off as she saw him climb from the bed of the truck, freezing for a second. They both smiled at each other, all eyes fell on Del and the baby, everyone watched with a sense of calmness and joy in the air as Daryl ran to her.

"Oh god! Are ya okay? The baby!" He laughed. Del could feel the tears swelling in her eyes as he looked down at Beth. He gently rubbed her cheek before looking back up at Del.

"I... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

Del shook her head, letting him know it was okay. And it was. She was alive, their baby was alive.

He held out his hands as Del gently placed her in his arms. His eyes looked full of love as he stared down at her, a wide smile etched his face.

"Beth Kay." Del stared down at their baby, as peaceful as ever.

He looked up at her, smiling.

"A little girl... our little girl," he chuckled. Del hadn't even noticed Rick and Glenn join his sides, staring down at her.

"She looks like you." Glenn smiled up at Del.

"Look at that hair!" Rick smiled brightly. Everyone was content, everything was okay.

"Uh... Guys?" Rosita called over as she peered in the back of the truck. The three of them looked back, their faces dropping.

"Shit," Rick mumbled as he jogged back over to the truck.

"What? What is it?" Del asked Glenn and Daryl frantically. She watched as Rick reached down, yanking a man up from the truck. A man with long hair, bright eyes.

"Who in the sam hell is that?" Abraham called out as he made his way down the street.

"It's Jesus," Glenn answered.

...

"So you're leaving again?" Del watched Daryl lay Beth in her crib gently.

"I don't have to."

"Rick needs you there... He always does..." She looked down at her feet.

"Well I got people who need me here too... Last time I left I missed a lot."

Del shook her head as Daryl closed the nursery door behind him softly.

"I don't want you to go.."

"Then I won't."

"But you should.. They may have resources we don't.. I mean food isn't looking good, and Glenn says that they have medical supplies too. Real doctors."

She felt Daryl grab her hands in his rough ones, she looked up at him, pursing her lips. She knew it wasn't fair to ask him not to go, but it also wasn't fair to her for him to go.

"Rick can handle it... I think he'll understand." Daryl attempted to reassure her, but she felt so guilty. She knew that Rick relied on Daryl for a lot. To be the angel on his shoulder, but she wanted him all for herself, at least for a little.

"Okay." She nodded.

"Let's get your hair brushed... and Maggie is going to stop by." Daryl guided her to the room.

"Why?"

"Dunno. Glenn said she needed to talk to you."

...

Del felt uneasy. They didn't know this man and they were taking a truck load of their people to some random place he told them to. It was going to be a long day.

"Hey..." Maggie climbed the porch stairs, leaning on the railing.

"You okay?"

"I got something to tell ya."

Del felt calm with the smile on Maggies face, good news. That's all she wanted to hear, was good news.

"I'm pregnant." Maggie smiled widely. Del almost jumped up before she remembered her stitches, how weak she was.

"What?" She laughed, pulling herself from the chair. "How long have you known?"

"About a month... Didn't wanna take your shine away, ya know?"

Del wrapped her arms around Maggie, holding her tightly.

"I'm so happy for you guys." Del squeezed her eyes shut. The thing about Maggies pregnancy was they had waited until they felt safe to start trying for a baby, so Maggie and Glenn now felt safe. Del wanted to too. She wanted to be content there, to think her and her best-friend could raise their families together, but there was always that sense of uneasiness in her... That sense of looming chaos coming.

"Glenn says that Jesus told him they have an ultrasound machine at hilltop... I'm gonna go with."

Del pulled away, looking at Maggie. It had been a long time sense she had seen this much happiness in her eyes.

"I'm so happy for you, Mags."

"We get to have babies together!" Maggie smiled.

...

"Are you sure you wanna go?" Del watched Jake lace up his shoes, her arms folded across her chest. She wanted to tell him he wasn't allowed to, that she was his boss and he always had to be where she could see him, but she knew she couldn't do that anymore. He was fifteen, he was old enough and smart enough to make safe decisions.

"I'm positive... They might have some stuff for Bee."

"Bee?" Del chuckled.

"That's what I'm calling little Beth... Saying Beth Kay makes me sad."

Del tucked her lips, nodding as her smile quickly faded.

"I love you..." She kissed his forehead.

"Love you too... You don't have to worry about me anymore, ya know?"

"I know." Del smiled sadly. She watched him climb into the truck, giving her one last wave before the gates were pulled open. They were all gone as quick as they had came.