*Daryl's POV*
She felt frail in my arms. I kissed her over and over again, relishing in the fact that she was alive. She was here, her heart beating, blood rushing through her veins. I had my Sapphire back.
She pulled away from me, sliding her hands up my arm and resting them on my shoulders. She was looking me dead in the face. Her eyes were shining like big blue moons. "I'm glad you came to D.C. after all. I had no idea that I was in a coma. When I fell in those walkers....When I thought I felt teeth in my skin and blood rushing over me....I thought that was all. I thought that was the end of my story. But no, it wasn't. Here we are. Alive. Well."
Her voice was like music to me. I had closed my eyes to listen to her speak. I had heard her in the dreams I had had of her, but nothing compared to hearing it in person. She was alive. She was okay.
She giggled, making me open my eyes to see what was so funny. She reached one of her hands out to my face, brushing her thumb down my cheek. When she pulled her thumb back there was a little clear ball of liquid running down it.
When did I start crying? I raised my arm and shook my head violently across it. Damn this woman. She was the only one who could make me cry. Other than my brother. I cried when I lost him, but I was pissed off too. Now these were tears of pure joy.
After I wiped the years off I leaned over to whisper something in her ear. "If you ever tell anyone that I let my weak side show, I will get you."
She giggled again before whispering back that she never kisses and tells.
More footsteps came in the door behind us. I pulled away from Sapphire to let whoever it was get to her. Michonne was standing there, followed by Rick, then Carl.
All three of them were smiling at her. Each of them held a baby in their arms. Michonne hugged her tight and squeezed her wrist before stepping back grab Judith from Rick so he could get in for a hug.
He wrapped his arms around her and put one of his hands on the back of her head. "Welcome back. I never thought we would see you again." He turned and grabbed Little Bit from Carl.
Carl put his arms around her back slowly like he was afraid of breaking her. Hell, couldn't really blame him. She was really thin, all except for her belly.
It hit me then. She was pregnant. Those kids I had seen in the dreams I had. One of them was real. At least one of them was real. Here they were, still inside my Sapphire, growing into a tiny person.
Someone cleared their throat behind us. Aaron was standing there with a woman who looked like she might be in her late fifties or early sixties. She was thin. Well, basically everyone was nowadays. But this looked like before-the-apocalypse thin. A healthy thin. She had no muscles.
That was even more odd than the healthy-thin appearance. I groaned. These people were pampered. They didn't know how to fight.
The woman spoke. "So, this is Rick."
She was looking at our dark haired, blue eyed leader. Rick looked wary. He gave her a nod of acknowledgement. "That'd be me."
She walked into the room. Her hand was extended to grab his. He returned the favor, and they shook hands firmly.
"I've been waiting to meet all of you," she said, looking at each of us in turn. "My name is Deanna. I run this place. Welcome to Alexandria."
None of us said anything. We waited for her to speak.
"I want to take the chance to get to know each of you individually. I need to decide if what Aaron says about you being an asset to this place is true."
