Unbreakable threads

Chapter One hundred and Twenty One. Hilltop.

The morning light filtered dimly through the small basement windows as Alyssa stirred awake on the couch. Daryl had slumped sideways in his sleep, his head resting against her stomach on top of the blanket.

Alyssa blinked groggily, her half-open eyes taking in the sight. A small laugh escaped her lips as she looked down at him. Without thinking, she reached out, her fingers running gently through his messy hair.

The quiet moment was interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming down the basement stairs. Carol's familiar presence filled the room, and as soon as Daryl heard her, he jolted awake, sitting up quickly and rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. Alyssa snorted, playfully smacking the back of his head as he groaned, mumbling something under his breath.

Carol stood at the bottom of the stairs, her arms crossed, a look of mild amusement on her face. "You two are going to want to come upstairs," she said, her tone calm but with a hint of urgency. Her eyes flicked toward Alyssa specifically. "Alyssa, you especially."

Alyssa stretched and threw the blanket into the corner of the basement before running a hand through her hair, attempting to tame it as she made her way up the basement steps. She stepped into the house, glancing toward the kitchen where Glenn and Maggie were standing, their faces lit up with smiles.

"Y'all alright?" Alyssa asked, raising an eyebrow at their expressions, a note of suspicion in her voice.

Maggie and Glenn exchanged a quick glance before Maggie spoke, her tone soft but excited. "I'm fine... just, well, there's going to be someone for you to meet soon."

Alyssa tilted her head, her brows knitting together in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked cautiously, her eyes darting between the two of them.

Maggie smiled even wider as she reached into her pocket and held up a positive pregnancy test.

Alyssa froze, her eyes widening in shock as she took a step back, processing what she was seeing. She looked at Glenn, who was already grinning ear to ear, before her own face split into a wide smile.

As Daryl stepped into the room behind her, Alyssa's voice rang out in her usual blunt, unfiltered style. "Oh my god. Y'all are pregnant. What the fuck?" she exclaimed, her tone a mix of shock and excitement.

Glenn laughed, Maggie chuckling along with him as they nodded. "Yeah, we are," Glenn said, his voice filled with pride and joy.

Alyssa turned to Daryl, her grin still plastered on her face, and playfully nudged his arm. "Can you believe this? These two are gonna be parents. What the hell."

Daryl smirked slightly, crossing his arms but looking at Glenn and Maggie with genuine warmth. "Well, guess the kid's gonna be tough, havin' y'all as parents," he said in his usual gruff but affectionate tone.

Alyssa laughed, shaking her head before pulling Maggie into a hug. "Congrats, you two. Seriously. This is... wow," she said, her excitement finally catching up to her. "We're gonna have a little baby Glenn or Maggie running around here soon. Crazy."

Maggie hugged her back, and Glenn stepped forward to pat Daryl on the back. The room filled with warmth and happiness, a rare but much-needed moment of joy amidst the chaos of their lives.

Alyssa sighed, her grin fading slightly as the weight of the moment settled over her. "Beth would have been so happy," she said softly, her voice tinged with emotion. She could feel a lump forming in the back of her throat.

Maggie's smile softened, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears. She stepped closer to Alyssa, placing a comforting hand on her arm. "She would have been," Maggie said gently, her voice steady despite the emotion behind it. "She would've been over the moon."