The One (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 25

Is this a good time?" he asked, in front of us. Rick looked at me for approval and I nodded my head yes
"Uh, yeah." Rick answered him
"Okay, now first thing in the morning, we all wake up and get moving to Washington. We can take up to three breaks, which can be like two hours." he planned out
"Then, we can-" he said
"Woah, woah, back it up. Who are you and why in God's name are we going to Washington. It's probably more populated there and that means that we will get killed faster. Is that how we're ending our lives?" i asked
"I don't like you know who I am." he said putting his hand out
"A little busy at the moment..." i said looking down at Lilly and then back up to him
"Right, sorry. I'm Abraham." he said
"Sammie and this is Lilly." i told him
"Beautiful names." he complimented
"She is right. Washington is more populated, which means more deaths can happen." Rick said, nodding his head as he said that
"Yes, well, this is a very large group, very strong. I see no traitors here." Abraham said
"You're right. We are a very large. We all have different stories. Different meanings to be here. We take care of each other like family." i said
"Well said." Rick told me and I smiled
"I think with the proper supplies, we could get through it." Abraham said, nodded his head, and walked away
"I don't think you've told us your story, though." Rick said to me
"Maybe I just don't want to talk about it." i said looking down at Lilly who was almost finished with the bottle
"Fair enough. We should bathe the girls before they very sleepy." he said, trying to change the subject as Lilly was done with the bottle
"Yeah, we should." i answered and we got up.
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An unrealistic time pass later (Around 9 months, It was September and now it's the beginning of June.
It's almost the beginning of June, walking through the woods, we were set back a lot, which made us to where we are.
Abraham told us we weren't even as close as he thought we would be to Washington by now.
"Alright. Let's take a break!" Rick said loud enough for us all to hear
"Sammie, would you like to do the most fun thing in the world?" Carol asked me and I gasped in dramatic excitement
"Is it perhaps filling water bottles up?" i asked
"It sure is." she and I lightly clapped my hands
"Yay! I will go collect them from the group and then you can come with me." i said and rushed off the get people's water bottles
Once I got all the ones that needed to be filled, Carol, Carl, Tyreese, and I went off to the stream in the woods that wasn't that far away from the group.
I sat on my knees on the edge of the stream and filled up the four water bottles I had.
I felt a pair of eyes watching me. I glance over to see everyone in their own business, none of their eyes wandering. I stand on my knees, stretching back to get the water bottle that flew with the wind.
I got back to my position facing forward and saw someone in the bushes across from us.
I kept it to myself because I didn't want anyone stressing over something like that.
Once we were done, we headed back and the person stepped out in front of us suddenly.
Carl raised his gun, Tyreese and Carol had their knives and I was just holding some water bottles.
The person walked closer and it appeared to be a woman, but she looked familiar, then it hit me.
"Mom?" i said in shock
"Yes, baby. It's me." she said and she came up closer to me, but I backed away.
"What's wrong?" she asked, worried and I shook my head no
"You- You can't be here." i said
"But, I am." she said
"Are you sure that's your daughter?" Tyreese asked
"A mom always knows her baby." she said
"Have you been watching me? Been watching us?" i asked her
"Well, I was just walking in the woods, you know ordinary day. Then, I hear your voice. I look around and find a group of people and I get a little closer and sure enough. It was you. I saw you kiss a man and thought that maybe you had gotten into a relationship, maybe you are finally living the life you deserved to have. Then, I thought about just coming out to see you, but I remembered leaving you. I was just going out to see what was wrong and heard a scream from the house and thought that you were actually gone." she explained
"Wait, so you thought I was dead, so you just left me, no goodbyes?" i asked
"Well, I didn't want to take the chances of you already being turned into one of those things." she said
"Oh. I guess it makes sense." i said
"Now, what I didn't see, was Sophia." she said, a little worried
"Um, well, she um. We got separated and then I went out looking for her, but she was bit right in front of me and I watched her bleed out. I watched her die in front of me." i said
"S- So, she's g- gone?" she asked and I nodded my head slowly
"My Dad is supposed to be expecting us soon." Carl said, reminding me that we have to get back
"Do you think I can come along with you?" she asked and I looked at the others
"I think we are going to have to ask Rick." i said and they nodded their heads
We walked back to the group and everyone's head shot up when they saw her.
"Um, come and get your water bottle's." i said walking towards them and they grabbed them
"Rick! Just the man I wanted to see." i said and he walked in front of me, my Mom next to me
"Who is she?" he asked
"My Mom." i told him
"Are you sure?" he asked and I gave him a look
"No, I must be mistaken her as someone else's Mom. Really, Rick?" i said, sarcastically and he chuckled
"Alright then." he said and turned his attention towards her
"How many of them have you killed?" he asked her
"Way too many to count." she answered
"How many people have you killed?" he asked and she nervously cleared her throat
"Th- Three." she responded
"Why?" was the final question he asked
"Two were dieing from a bite and the other was trying to kill me for no reason. He said he was hungry." she said
"Okay." Rick said and everyone got back to what they were doing
"Wait, so I'm like in?" she said, trying to act like today's kids and I face palmed myself
"Five minutes here and you've already embarrassed me." i said and walked over to Daryl who was holding Lilly
"Hey." he said and kissed me
"I fed her while she was gone, so she should be good for a couple of hours." he told me
"Good. Do you want me to take her?" i asked him
"Nah, I've got her." he said and I nodded my head
"So, that's your Mom?" he asked
"Yep." i said as I watched her meet everyone
She then came over to Daryl and I.
"Aw. Cute baby, whose is it?" she asked
"Um, well, you see..." i paused not knowing how to explain it
"She's ours and we are very proud of it." Daryl stated
"That's absolutely true, but I didn't want it to come out that way." i told her
"Wait, are you saying that you had a baby? I thought I said 28?" she said
"Well, I forgot about that and getting pregnant was an accident, but Lilly herself, definitely was not. You know, and she may just be the only kid I have, because the way this world is turning out, you have to think that way, but also live in the present." i tell her
"You know, and I came over to visit you from LA, from LA. Do you know how much torture it is to fly from there to here and back? And then you just leave us because you hear a scream? It could have been anybody! You left a twelve year old alone! You should be lucky I was there to keep her safe. I don't think a little baby makes much of a difference and sure she may be a butt to handle at times, but most of the time, she is the most adorable, funny, crazy baby that will ever know. So, I think you should be grateful for the things you have." i tell her and Daryl lightly rubbed my back in circles
"You're right. I should have gone back to see if you were okay. I never forgave myself for that, not knowing if you really were alive or not. I knew that it would come back to haunt me sometime or another. I actually was looking forward to you yelling at me about it, because that would mean that we would be reunited. So, thank you for yelling at me, I guess. It kind of made me feel better about what I did." she said and I knew that she had finally forgiven herself and I hugged her, tight.
"I forgive you Mom." I whispered in her ear.
"Thank you." she whispered back and I pulled away, needing to complete the rest of my tasks.
She smiled, "What's your name?" she asked Daryl
"Uh, Daryl." he said and put a hand out to shake and she gladly took it
"And who's this?" she asked, meaning the baby
"Her name is Lilly. She's almost ten months." i said and she smiled, and nodded
"Wow, ten months? She looks 15 months." she said
"Well, she's bigger than Judith and Judith was born first." i said and she raised her eyebrows
"She looks so much like you." she said and looked at Daryl
"Yeah, she does." he said
He was being quiet, not talking much.
She smiled, then turned and walked away to everyone else.
"Hey, what's wrong?" i asked him, once she was out of earshot
"Nothin'" he responded in a low voice
"No, something is up." i said, looking at him in his eyes and he sighed
"You always get me with those eyes." he said looking away then back to me
"What's going on?" i asked and he sighed again
"I just saw her in a camp before. I was out huntin' the other day. Heard them talking about us. She isn't back to stay. She jus' wants to collect information about us, then go back to that camp and put us in danger." he told me, looking guilty
"R- Really?" i asked, eyes watering
"Yeah, I'm sorry." he said and I hugged him and Lilly
"There's no reason to be sorry. You just had information that could have put us in danger if you didn't tell us." i said
"Are you going to tell everyone else?" i asked
"I think I'll just tell Rick and take it from there." he said, as I pulled out and brushed some of his hair out his face
"You're hair is getting long." i said to him and he smiled
"Yeah, I don't think it's ever been this long before." he said
"Well, maybe we should cut it." i suggested
"Nah, I wanna let it grow." he said and I nodded my head
"It's your hair, not mine." i said and smiled as he pulled me into a passionate kiss.
"I love you." he said, against my lips
"I love you, too." i said back and heard someone clear their throat
"Oh, Rick." i said, and Daryl handed me the baby as we went apart