Complicated ✔

Epilogue - Alternate Ending

Kathryn helped Sasha and Maggie drag the bodies of their fallen members after the run in with Negan and his Saviors. Maggie had refused to leave Glenn's body there, waiting for some animal or walker to come and feast on what was left of him. But Kathryn could see that this was all still affecting Maggie greatly, that and she was still looking like she was on the edge of life and death as is. But Kathryn's own mind was elsewhere. Daryl had been taken with Negan, for what she didn't know and it frightened her.

She didn't like the idea that she might not ever see him again, that she'd have to raise their daughter without him. Shaking the thoughts from her mind, Kathryn helped out the best she could, not that Sasha liked her helping out so much. But she wasn't about to sit by and be useless while Maggie was dragging her dead husband's body while she looked horrible. No one knew what was wrong with Maggie yet, they were headed on foot to the Hilltop while Rick and the others headed back to do Negan's bidding for the safety of Alexandria.

Once the arrived at the Hilltop, they received help from everyone there, Jesus running to them when he noticed how bad off they all three seemed to be. Harlan checked over Maggie first, demanding that Kathryn hang around too so that he could look her over when he was finished with Maggie. Sasha, along with Jesus, got permission from Gregory to bury their fallen so they were out digging on the far side of the location near the perimeter. Kathryn, she was tapping her foot impatiently while she waited to hear how her best friend was doing.

When Harlan informed her what he'd told Maggie, Kathryn ran to her friend and hugged her tightly as she told her they'd get through it all together. After they helped Maggie down from the bed and moved her to somewhere else so she could rest, Harlan had Kathryn climb onto the bed next so that he could check on her daughter. He told her that with the stress he knows they went through, he's surprised it didn't induce her labor as she looked like she could go any time. That's when Kathryn's fear began to spike again. She didn't want to do this without Daryl, she didn't want to have their daughter alone.

It seemed like no time before 2 weeks had passed at the Hilltop since Kathryn, Maggie, and Sasha arrived there with their 2 fallen members. Kathryn's baby was still not here and she'd been ordered to stay near the trailer the girls had been given which was conveniently located near the trailer that Harlan used as a make-shift doctor's office. In that time, Maggie had begun to look much better than when she first arrived, but everyone else was still babying her slightly when they found out what was happening with her upon the girl's arrival into the Hilltop.

But it wasn't long before there was some sort of commotion at the front gate of the Hilltop. The Saviors had decided to send them a little present, with the help of Maggie and a few others, they were able to save the place from becoming a café of sorts for the walkers that had followed the noise of the car. Kathryn grew more anxious with each passing day as she grew closer to when she should have hers and Daryl's baby, and everyone could see how it was effecting her.

When Enid randomly showed up at the Hilltop, it gave Kathryn hope that maybe, just maybe, Daryl would make it away from the Saviors and make it to her. But each day he didn't show up, that hop dwindled down more and more. But then, one day, while Maggie was up on the wall for watch, she spotted something headed their way. When it got closer, all she could do was smile as she quickly climbed down the wall. "Kathryn," she shouted out, "Kathryn!" "Maggie what is it," Kathryn asked as she waddled as fast as she could over towards her smiling friend.

"You're going to want to see this," was all Maggie said as she led her friend over to the front gate. They watched, Maggie holding Kathryn's hand, as the gate was opened. And there, on the other side, was Daryl. "Oh my God," Kathryn cried out as she released her friend's hand and tried to run over towards Daryl as he nearly broke down into tears at the sight of her. He met her half way, his arms instinctively going around her as tightly as he dare without harming the baby she still carried.

"You're okay," Kathryn whispered, her head resting on Daryl's chest as she cried out tears of joy. "'Course I'm okay," Daryl said as he rocked her back and forth with his chin resting on top of her head, "just glad you are." In that moment, seeming to know that her daddy was nearby, their baby decided that it was finally time for her to come out and great the world. The second Kathryn felt some sort of liquid flow freely down her legs, she felt a sharp pain in her stomach which caused her to scream out as she backed away from Daryl.

"Kat what's wrong," Daryl asked before his eyes landed on the sweats she was wearing, "oh shit. Maggie, get Harlan!" Maggie wasted no time in running towards the trailer the only doctor was in as Daryl grabbed ahold of Kathryn and picked her up as gently as he could, carrying her in the direction Maggie ran off in. When he finally reached the trailer, Maggie stood at the door with Harlan, watching as Daryl carefully carried her up the steps and inside so that he could lay her down on the bed. When he sat her down and went to leave, Kathryn quickly grabbed ahold of his wrist.

"Please don't leave me alone," she pleaded as she looked up at him. Daryl could see the fear in her eyes that'd since returned when she found out what had happened to Denise. "I won't," he said as he turned back to face her and held onto her hand tightly. Harlan came into the room, pulling Kathryn's sweatpants off of her once he reached the bed she was laying on. Moving to where he could see better, he began talking Kathryn through what she needed to do. "You're doing great," Harlan said as he looked up at her, "give me another big push and she'll be here before you know it."

Doing as instructed, Kathryn gripped Daryl's hand tighter as she pushed with all her might before feeling the pressure in her lower stomach ease up. Seconds later, Kathryn and Daryl heard the most beautiful sound, their baby's cries. "Congratulations," Harlan said as he stood up with the baby already bundled up in a blanket, "you've got yourselves a healthy baby girl." Kathryn smiled down at her baby after Harlan handed her over before excusing himself from the trailer to give them a moment alone with their new child. Already, Kathryn could see the little tuffs of red hair on their daughter's head.

"She looks like you," Daryl commented as he looked from his daughter to her mother, this genuine smile on his face. Kathryn smiled up at him, exhausted and at a loss for words as the creation that she'd carried inside of her that was one part her and one part Daryl lay in her arms. She'd feared that Daryl wouldn't make it back in time to see the birth of their daughter, but she feared more that he wouldn't make it back period, that he would die before he got to see her. Thankfully, that didn't happen.

10 YEARS LATER

"Bryce what are you doing," Kathryn yelled up the stairs towards where she knew her daughter was at. "Nothing Mommy," Bryce called back as she appeared at the top of the stairs with little Hershel and her Aunt Judith. "You're not fooling me young lady," Kathryn said as she stared up at the mirror image of herself with a mix of Daryl, "what would your father say if he knew you were up to something." "Please don't tell Daddy," Bryce begged. "Please don't tell Daddy what," Daryl asked as he walked into the house they'd been given after returning to Alexandria once the mess with the Saviors was all over.

"Daddy," Bryce yelled as she ran down the stairs and straight into Daryl's arms, "you're home!" "Are you giving your Momma a hard time again," he asked as he placed her feet back on the ground. "No," she said a little too quickly before trying to give him an innocent smile. He gave her a look that said he didn't believe her before moving over to Kat and placing a kiss on her cheek, earning a chorus of 'ew's' from the children watching. Daryl and Kathryn both looked at the kids and laughed before their front door opened.

"Anybody home," a voice called out. "Grandpa," Bryce shouted as she ran from in front of her parents to greet her grandfather by the door. Kathryn, Daryl, Hershel, and Judy followed behind shortly after. "Hi Daddy," Kathryn smiled as she moved to hug Rick after he'd put Bryce back on her feet. "Good to have you back Daryl," Rick said as he looked over to the man that'd quickly became the love of his eldest child's life within the span of a year in the apocalypse. Things weren't always easy for everyone, but they were making it through, day by day. And taking on whatever obstacle the reached, together.