An Unexpected Turn. (Entered for Wattys 2017)

Chapter 20~~ a new home?

Just so you know, the dream is gonna be what happens when Georgia goes into labor and the birth, a few things different obviously but it's basically the same.

If the writing is bad, don't blame me. I've never gone through/witnessed birth.

~~~~~~~~~~

We all sat in a circle in the field. Maggie and Beth started to sing. I sat by Daryl, holding his hand and leaning my head on his shoulder. After a bit we went to sleep.

~the dream~
I screamed in pain "Fuck!"

We were in a room after an alarm was pulled, me, Beth, Clem, Carol, and Hershel. I had gone into labor according to Carol and Hershel. Beth and Clem got some towels from the other side of the room. Carol helped remove my pants, while Hershel talked.

"So Georgia, when one of us say push, you need to push as hard as possible" I nodded, but then screamed. Hershel and Carol were going to help me deliver this baby and Daryl wasn't going to be here.

"Ok Georgia, 3.....2.......1... push" Carol said. I did as I was told. We repeated this a few times, and I heard a baby crying. I smiled.

"It's a boy" Hershel said. He wrapped the baby up in a towel and handed him to me. I kissed his head. But then the crying stopped.

"Hershel. He-he stopped crying"

"Let me see" I handed him the baby, that's when I noticed, he wasn't breathing. He started to preform CPR on the baby (for those of you who don't know when you do CPR on a baby it's two fingers, pushing lightly a few times, a couple pats on the back, repeat). He wouldn't start breathing, I covered my mouth. Carol moved up and pulled me into a hug...

~end dream~

"Georgia wake up" Daryl was trying to wake me up. I hugged him automatically.

"Tell me it was a dream. Tell me he isn't dead" the tears kept coming.

"Georgia you were dreaming. Darlin, he isn't born yet" he hugged me back.

Everyone looked at us. "What happened?" Rick asked

"She had a bad dream. It scared her" Daryl replied. "If it's alright, can I stay with Georgia and help you clear out the cell block later?"

"Sure" rick said.

"Thank you" I said quietly.

Rick turned to everyone else "ok. Maggie, Glenn, T, Carol, Kenny, Lee, and Luke are going to help me clear out the yard. There's an area where we need to lock the gate. Stay in formation. No guns" they nodded and went.

I wrapped my arms around Daryl's neck "when this kid is born, any ideas for names?"

"Lil ass kicker" I playfully hit him

"No"

"Ok you go"

"DJ"

"Daryl Jr?"

"Heh... yea..."

"Creative." He smirked "any other names?"

"Well, we could name him or her after someone who's passed in our group?"

"Like?"

"Dale..." I looked at him "Jim...Doug... I'm not saying your brother is dead ,but, Merle?"

"I like it"

"What?"

"Merle Kent-Dixon"

"What if it's a girl like you want it to be?"

"Maybe use the same idea?"

"If it's a girl, can I ask Carol if we can name her Sophia?"

"I think that would be nice. But what if she says no?"

"We will think of that then" I smiled.

~a few hours later~

I was sitting with Carol, Daryl took over for her to do the cell block. We also learned Ben, he died due to sticking his finger through the fence and getting bit.

"Hey Carol?"

"Yes mar-" I cut her off.

"You call me Georgia. Please"

"Ok. Yes Georgia?"

"Daryl and I were talking about names for this little one, and we were wondering, if it's a girl, can we name her Sophia? After your daughter?"

His brought tears to her eyes. She nodded "I'm sure she would love that" I hugged her

"I'm sorry about her by the way. I tried to save her"

"I know. It's alright" she smiled. "You tried. We lose people these days"

"Thank you" I smiled. "For everything"

"No. Thank you for saving me at the farm"

"Yea. I mean, Daryl only scolded me a little.... a lot... I got yelled at for risking mine and the baby's life"

"It's alright"

I pulled out my journal and started writing.

12 months, and 21 days.

Today Daryl and I were thinking about names for our baby, Merle Kent-Dixon, or for a girl, Sophia Kent-Dixon. I'm going to try and convince him to just have the baby's last name be Dixon.

Carol and I made up finally. We talked. I asked her if we could name the baby after Sophia if it's a girl.

Martha Lopez: deceased
Juan Lopez: deceased
Loretta Kent: deceased
Mark Kent: deceased
Greg Kent: deceased
Kent sister: deceased
Kent sister husband: deceased
Merle Dixon: unknown
Daryl Dixon: alive
Georgia Kent/Maria Lopez: alive
Unborn baby #2: alive
Lori grimes: alive
Rick grimes: alive
Carl grimes: alive
Unborn baby #1: alive
Andrea: unknown
Amy: deceased
Dale: deceased
Shane Walsh: deceased
Theodore (T-Dog): alive
Glenn Rhee: alive
Lee Everette: alive
Clementine: alive
Kenny: alive
Katija: deceased
Kenny Jr. (Duck): deceased
Larry: deceased
Lilly: deceased
Doug: deceased
Carley: deceased
Carol: alive
Sophia: deceased
Ed: deceased
Jiaqiu: deceased
Jim: deceased
Hershel Greene: alive
Maggie Greene: alive
Beth Greene: alive
Patrica: deceased
Odis: deceased
Dr. Edwin Jenner:deceased
Mike: alive
Carlos: alive
Sarah: alive
Jane: alive
Sarita: alive
Christa: alive
Omid: alive
Rebecca: alive
Alvin: alive
Ben: deceased
Pete; alive
Nick: alive
Luke: alive

Deceased: 24
Alive: 27
Unknown: 2
Fatal overtime: 53 good people.

The quarry: overrun
Macon: overrun
The CDC: blew up
The farm: overrun
The prison: safe

I put my book away.

"You write?" Carol asked

"Keep track of things that happen daily. Who's died. Who's unknown, who's alive."

Slowly I opened the book again and I drew a heart by Sophia's name "why'd you do that?"

"To show she's missed. By all of us" I drew a cross in the heart "and that she's in heaven, watching us"