Mute

N I N E

I hesitantly approach dad's bedroom door, knowing I've got to tell him. I take a deep breath and push his door open, catching his attention. My hands clutch tighter around the pregnancy test, as he smiles at me.

"Need something, Nicole?" Dad asks, sending me a bright smile, laying down his bible. I nodded and slowly walked over to him and hesitantly reached my hand out and handed him my test. He studies it, his face showing an unreadable expression. I wait for him to talk but he never does. 

I turn and run out of his room, feeling dirty and unwanted. Tears run down my face as I continue to run, my leg starting to hurt. I end up at Daryl's camp, seeing him sitting down, sharpening his arrows. He looks up at me, us locking eyes for half a second before I take off once again, this time running into the woods. He jumps up and follows me, calling out my name as he does. I trip over a root sticking out of the ground, falling down. I gasp in surprise, rolling over and getting up, catching my breath.

"Nicole!" Daryl yells, jogging up to me. I back up away from him and end up tripping over the same root again. Great. My dry erase board and markers go flying to the ground. I groan and pick them up, sighing and wiping away my tears. "Here." Daryl mumbled, sticking his hand out for me to take. I do and stand, avoiding eye contact with him.  "What's wrong?" Daryl finally asks, making me look up at him. I shake my head and sit down on the ground, followed by him. We just sit there, not talking, just staring at each other. Finally i grab my marker and write. 

"I'm pregnant." Some reason I trusted Daryl. 

"O...ok?" Daryl stutters not really knowing what to say. I sigh and shake my head. "Not ok. I'm pregnant with a monster's baby, Daryl." My hand shakes slightly as i write. 

"Just because Shane was bad, doesn't mean the baby will." Daryl whispers, standing up and reaching his hand out for me to take, in which i do. I start crying again for no reason. Daryl sighs and awkwardly pats my shoulder. "Calm down, Nicole. It'll be fine." I nod and bury my head into Daryl's chest, taking in his scent. He awkwardly wraps his arms around me, cuddling me slightly, but i don't care, all i really need is to be cuddled right now. "It'll be fine." Daryl whispers, rubbing my back in a loving matter. I nod and yawn, tired. I close my eyes, whilst holding onto him, slowly falling asleep on him.

*Time skip*

I awoke in my room, alone. Light shines through my window, making me cover my eyes and roll over. A few minutes later i'm fully awake and getting up. I change into some new clothes and stand in front of my door. Will dad be mad at me? No, it ain't my fault. 

I open my door and start down stairs, being greeted by Beth, who was getting ready to come into my room. She smiles and hands me some pancakes. 

"I was coming to bring you some breakfast, thinking that you wouldn't want to come down today after yesterday." Beth smiles, not meaning any harm by her words. I nod and turn, walking back into my room, thinking Beth was done, but she wasn't. "What do you think its going to be?" Beth cheers, chasing after me. I shrug and stuff my face with pancakes, savoring the flavour. "I think it will be a girl." Beth continues, freaking out on me. I giggle, almost choking on my food, watching her. 

I reach over and grab my dry erase board and marker. "Calm down, Beth." I write, handing it to her to read and going back to my food. She sighs and nods. "I'll let you finish." And with that she left me alone, heading somewhere. 

I finish my food and get up, taking my plate down stairs, putting it in the sink then rushing back upstairs, grabbing my dry erase board and marker, heading to Daryls camp. I get there and he's not here anywhere, so I take a seat and wait. Waiting, waiting, waiting. I'm bored and it's only been around four minutes. 

Finally, rustling from the bushes caught my attention. Daryl came out, covered in blood and dirt, with dead squirrels hung across him. I get up off of the stump that I was sitting on and walk over to him with a smile pressed against my lips. He looks at me, a little bit of an awkward look on his face. 

"What are you doing out here?" Daryl asks, walking to the stump that I was on and laying down his crossbow and squirrels. I take off my red marker cap and start writing. "I came to thank you, again." I write sending him a smile whilst he reads it. He doesn't argue with me this time, but just stares at me. 

"You, uh, hungry?" He finally asks. I shake my head no, since i just ate, but take a seat beside him anyway, by the fire. It was getting cold out now and was kinda cold. "I already ate. :)" I added a smile at the end, trying not to put him in a bad mood. He nods and starts skinning the animals, making me gag slightly. Daryl looks over at me with a smirk, seeing my reaction to the action he was performing. 

"Something wrong, Nicole?" Daryl smirked, cutting off the squirrels head, making me look away, trying to keep my food in me. I shake my head no but dont look at him, as he laughs. I smile at the sound of him laughing, it was... nice. He reaches over, but I still don't look at him to see what he is doing until a bloody knife is right in front of my face. I gasp and lean back, falling off of the log and glaring at Daryl as he laughs. 

I get up and dust off my but and back hands Daryls shoulder, making him stop what he was doing. He turns to me with a mad look. Ok, calm down asshat I was just playing, is what i wish i could say but i can't, so i put my hands up in surrender. He gets up and walks over to me, making me back away in slight fear. He starts laughing, making me mad. I slap his shoulder again, this time he grabs my hand and holds it, as I try to use my other one, once again he holds it. I glare up at him and try to remove my hands from his but end up giving in. 

We stand there, my hand trapped by his. We stare at each other, not really knowing what to do. My eyes stayed locked on his, as he holds my hands. I don't know who leaned in first, but our lips landed on each others. He finally drops my hand, and wraps his around my waist as mine entangle themselves in his long hair.