Too Far Gone // D. Dixon

chapter fifty-three

As Daryl helped Maren get settled onto the examination table, Negan stood nearby, his figure casting a silent shadow over the room.

His fatherly, piercing gaze was fixed on Maren and Daryl, a mix of wariness and begrudging respect etched into his hardened features. Negan had a deep-rooted respect for Daryl, seeing how strong and protective he'd been over Maren and all of Alexandria. Maybe he was good for Maren, he thought.

Doctor Carson had prepared the ultrasound machine upon Negan's abrupt arrival to the makeshift clinic, an advanced piece of technology that the Saviors had discovered in an abandoned hospital nearby. The soft hum of the machine filled the room, creating an atmosphere of anticipation and wonder. Maren's hands trembled slightly, a testament to the mixture of excitement and trepidation coursing through her.

"This might be a little cold," Doctor Carson said as he gently applied the cool gel to Maren's belly and maneuvered the ultrasound wand. The room was suddenly filled with the rhythmic, soothing sound of the baby's heartbeat, a steady and reassuring rhythm that reverberated through the space.

Maren's eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat as the sound registered, "Is that...?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Maren's hands trembled slightly in Daryl's protective grasp, a mixture of excitement and nervousness coursing through them both.

"Your baby's heartbeat," Doctor Carson replied, a warm smile spreading across his face. He studied the image on the screen, his experienced eyes scanning the details of the developing fetus, "And that...is your little one."

Maren's eyes filled with tears, the gravity of the moment washing over her. This was real; she was truly carrying a life inside her, a tiny human being whose heartbeat echoed through the room. Daryl squeezed her hand tighter in that moment, his own eyes shining with a mix of wonder and awe.

"Looks like you're about..." Doctor Carson paused, analyzing the ultrasound image, "14, maybe 15 weeks along." 

"That's our baby," he breathed, his voice thick with emotion. The realization that he was going to be a father seemed to hit him all at once, and he found himself utterly captivated by the flickering image on the screen. He was going to be a father. Holy shit, he was going to be a father.

And then, as if a bittersweet symphony played in Maren's heart, Doctor Carson uttered the words that would forever change her perception of her unborn child, "Congratulations, looks like you're going to have a baby boy."

"A son..." Maren spoke, as motions swirled within Maren and Daryl, a mixture of pure joy and a touch of apprehension. Her voice trembling with happiness, "We're having a little Dixon." At that, Daryl leaned in and placed a tender, reverent kiss upon her lips, overcome by the magnitude of the moment.

Maren's heart ached with a fierce love for the tiny life growing within her, but it was also tinged with worry for the world he would inherit. This world had been so cruel to her, and she had hoped that her child would have a better fate. She vowed to do everything in her power to ensure that her son would be safe, loved, and cared for – she and Daryl would protect him with every fiber of their being.

Maren glanced over at her father, Negan, who stood near the corner of the room, his eyes locked on the ultrasound monitor. Negan's expression had softened, a trace of awe and protective instinct etched on his weathered features. He seemed to be in a trance, his eyes becoming more glossy, and Maren caught a glimpse of the man she had known all her life – the man who had raised her, a man who understood the fierce love and responsibility that came with parenthood.

"You all had better take good fucking care of my grandson." Negan said, his voice uncharacteristically soft and filled with emotion.

She reached out her free hand and Negan stepped forward, clasping it gently, "Yes, sir."

Daryl watched the exchange, a newfound respect growing in his heart for the complicated man who was Maren's father. He knew Negan had a fierce protective streak, even if it was often expressed through gruff words and posturing. But in this moment, Daryl saw the vulnerable side of the Savior leader - the side that was awed by the creation of new life, the side that wanted nothing more than to safeguard his family.