The One (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 22

I really want berries right now." i said, once we stopped
"I knew you would." she said getting some out of her pocket
I ate them one by one, sucking the juice out before chewing it up as we started walking again.
"Thank you so much, Maggie. You're the best." i told her
"You're welcome." she said giggling as she looked at me
"What? What did I do?" i asked her as she stilled giggled
"You have a little something..." she told me, pointing around my mouth
"Oh. Whoops." i said and wiped it off with the back off my hand
"Better?" i asked
"Better." she told me and we giggled together, still walking
"I wonder if we will the rest of the group again." i said to her
"Well, I sure hope so." she said
"What's in your backpack?" i asked her
"Just some stuff that we might need." she said
"Like what?" i asked her
"You know, the important stuff." she said
I went behind her and unzipped the backpack
"You went back inside to get get baby stuff?" i asked her in disbelief
"Well, I just wanted to make sure that nobody would be dieing until we meet the others." she said, meaning the baby.
I zipped the backpack back up and went around to face her. I hugged her for being just  so caring and thoughtful.
"Thank you." I said to her
"You have to stop saying that." she said jokingly as she pulled away
"Maybe." i said jokingly back
We walked and walked until it was sundown.
"We should camp here tonight." She said
"I suggest the trees. They don't know how to climb and there is thick branches for us to sit on." I told her
"But how are you going to get up there?" she asked, remembering the baby
"Right. You sleep I'll take first watch." she told me
"Are you sure?" i asked her
"Yeah. I don't think I'll be able sleep at all tonight." she said
"Well, you should try at least." I told her as she set up a blanket up against a tree, her sitting right next to me.
I quickly dozed off, thinking whether or not if we will actually meet up with them again.
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When I woke up, I found Maggie off to sleep.
I panicked and quickly calmed down.
No one was bit, there isn't anything by us, and Maggie looks so peaceful.
I put my blanket on top of her and kept look out.
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She finally woke up a little after sun up, realizing that she was keeping watch.
"It's okay. Nothing happened. I woke up and you were sleeping. I decided you should get some sleep and gave you my blanket." i told her
"But, why?" she asked
"Because if I woke you up, I'm sure you wouldn't go back to sleep. Didn't want to risk it." I told her
"I appreciate it." she thanked me
"No problem." i said
"I'm going to collect more berries for us." i told her, getting up and walking away to a bush I found about a hour ago
I got my bag out from my pocket and put some in there.
I felt sharp pains in my lower stomach, dropping the bag, and clutching it.
"Hey, are you okay?" Maggie asked, by my side and holding me up
"I- I think it's coming!" i said
"Oh, um, okay." I could tell she was panicking inside
I laid down on the ground and she brought over the back pack.
"I- I'm hoping that I won't have to cut you open." she said
"And without modern medicine, this is going to be a lot more painful." she also said after a while and the shooting pain came back
"Ah!" i groaned
"You have to try to keep it down. I don't want walkers to hear us." she said and I held in my next groan
"Ok. This is going to be a while. I am going to make sure there isn't anything by us so that it can go faster. I promise I'll be right back." she said and left, taking her knife and putting mine right next to me.
I let my legs drop to the ground, I could feel blood and something coming out.
"Maggie?" i asked, loud enough
"I'm here." she said and got back down on her knees.
"Okay. You need to push." she told and me and I pushed as hard as I could.
I heard footsteps, but Maggie didn't seem worried about it. I look over to see Daryl.
At that point, the baby had finally made it's delivery to the outside world.
I watched him as he looked from me to the baby in Maggie's arms.
"I- It's a girl." she said, tears in her eyes and I rested my legs for the final time
Daryl got down next to Maggie.
She got a washcloth out of the backpack and she poured water from her water bottle on it and wiped the baby down.
After she was done, she wrapped her in a blanket and handed her to Daryl, who smiled at the baby once she was in his arms.
I cleaned myself in the nearby lake after Maggie checked to make sure everything was fine, and it was.
"I can't believe we did it." Daryl said, leaning against a tree, looking at me in the water.
"Yeah, remind to never have another one. That was a lot of pain, espeically without medicine to make it less painful." i said and he chuckled
"Will do." he said and it became silent
"Can you hand me a towel?" i asked him after I was done
I came closer to him and he handed me the towel.
"I'll back by Maggie." he told and I nodded my head as he walked off
I dried off and got dressed in clothes that Maggie let me borrow.
"Thanks, again, for the clothes." i said, walking beside her
"No problem. I'll be washing your clothes tonight the best I could, if most of the blood doesn't come out, I will just have you stick to those clothes." she told me
"Are you sure that I shouldn't wash my own clothes?" i asked
"You need to rest. I bet you are still in some pain. Your body is still recovering." she said and I knew that she was right
I turned my attention to Daryl who was cradling her like he was going to lose her.
"Are you cheating on me?" i asked him, sarcastically as I walked to him
"Maybe." he said sarcastically back and I giggled
I walked next to him, looking at her.
"She looks so much like you." I told him
"You think?" he asked and I nodded
She started moving her arms around and yawning a cute yawn, which made us both smile at her
"Have you guys figured out a name for her yet?" Maggie asked, pouring water into a baby bottle to make her formula.
Daryl and I looked at each other,
"Lilly." we said in unison
"That's a very pretty name. Oh, and I figured out what today is. So, she was born on October 23rd around ten am." she told us
"Wow. It's October, huh?" i said as she gave us the bottle and walked off, leaving me and Daryl
"Can I hold her?" i asked Daryl
"No. She's all mine. I ain't lettin' anyone but me to touch her." he said and I thought he was serious for a minute
"Sammie, I'm joking." he said, realizing I was taking it seriously
"Oh." i said and he handed her to me
I held the small figure in my arms, watching her every move, how she smiled, how she moved her eyebrows, how her blue eyes lit up when she smiled, how she giggled.
I welled up with tears and I could tell Daryl was, too.
"She's just so beautiful." i happily cried.
He wrapped his arms around me and the baby as I fed her the bottle.
"I want you to know that I love you both so much." Daryl said and I responded back with a quick kiss.