The Next World

Chapter 5

I got to the room and Judith had miraculously fallen back asleep. She was asleep in Daryl's arms and I couldn't help but think how much of a wonderful father he'd make. He slowly put her back in her crib. I placed the baby food on a drawer nearby. I went up to him and kissed his shoulder.

"How'd you get her to fall asleep so quickly?" I whispered.

He shrugged his shoulder.

"Come on," he whispered taking my hand and leading me downstairs.

He took a seat on the sofa and sat me down on his lap.

"You ever think about having kids?" I asked him.

He looked at me.

"No. Not really? Why, have you?" he retorted.

"Well not exactly. But hearing the news about Maggie and then seeing Judith growing...I don't know. It's got me thinking," I said.

He placed his hand on my cheek.

"You'd make a hell of a mother," he said.

"And you'd be a terrific father," I said.

"Nah. I'd be a screw up just like my old man," he said.

"Hey. You stop that. I've said it before, you are nothing like your father. You never will be. Now I have to ask, would you be willing to make me a mother, Dixon?" I said.

He looked at me intently.

"You'd be okay with that?" he asked.

"Well, I really wouldn't want anyone else to impregnate me if that's what you mean," I teased.

He smirked. He leaned in closer.

"So is that a yes?" I asked leaning back to look at him.

"I don't know," he said.

"We don't have to worry about it right now. It's just something to think about," I said reassuringly.

"Oh so now are you backing out?" he asked.

"No. The time isn't right. I can see that. To be honest, I wouldn't want anything more than to have your child. But when the time is right. There's no rush. I promise," I said leaning into him.

He smiled.

"You're amazing," he said wrapping his arms around me.

We stayed there for a while. Our foreheads touching. I honestly couldn't believe he and I just had that discussion. Just the thought of possibly building a life with this man as well as a family of our own made me one of the happiest people in the world. The door then opened. Rick and Carl made their way inside.

"Hey you two. What's going on?" I asked.

Daryl kissed me on the neck and looked at Carl and Rick.

"We gotta go," Rick said.

"What's up?" Daryl asked.

"Carter got the plans done sooner than I had expected. Deanna wants us all to go out and work on the extension of the wall now," Rick answered.

"So tomorrow the set up and then the next day we get it done?" I said.

"Yeah. Looks like that's how we're gonna play this out," he said.

"The sooner the better. Isn't that right?" Daryl interjected.

"Yup. Now let's get going," Rick said.

Daryl and I stood up from the couch and started to get our things together. We all had gathered on the eastside of the wall. Everyone in the community was pitching in. We had left Judith with Mr. and Mrs. Taylor. The eldest couple in Alexandria. They were good people. Shovels had been distributed and we began pulling out the weeds that had grown immensely around the area. Others were pulling the metal sheets to use for the wall. I was happy to see Tara here.

"I'll be back," I told Daryl who was heaving a wheelbarrow.

I kissed his cheek and headed over to Tara who was talking with Maggie.

"He got Noah killed," Tara said once I reached them.

"Now you know," I said.

She looked over at me. Anger building in her eyes as she looked back at Nicholas.

"He did more than that. He lured Glenn into the woods and tried to kill him," Maggie continued.

"That son of a bitch. I knew he had something to do with that," I said glaring over at Nicholas.

"What the hell?" Tara said.

"Yeah," Maggie retorted.

"What?" Tara said again.

"Glenn told me I could tell everyone if that's what I wanted to do. Could get Nicholas exiled. He'd die out there. Could have done that. You could do that now. The both of you," she said looking over at me.

"He got Noah killed and he tried to kill Glenn?" Tara said.

"Glenn saves people. Even people like that," Maggie said.

"Which is kind of annoying but I get it," I said.

"I couldn't accept it either. But then I thought about you. How we were on different sides of that fence on the worst day of my life. And now you're one of the most important people in the world to me," Maggie said looking at Tara.

"Damn. I hadn't thought about it like that. You've become a part of our family, Tara. And I'm grateful for that," I said placing my hand on her shoulder.

She looked at me and gave me a half smile.

"Things can get better. We can make them better. You guys tell me what you want to do," Maggie said looking at the both of us.

"Well, you made me see the situation in a completely different way. Whatever you want to do," I said.

Tara nodded.

"I'm just gonna follow your lead, okay?" she said.

Maggie went ahead and hugged Tara.

"Okay. I'm sorry," Maggie whispered.

Maggie then came and hugged me.

"Come here," I said to Tara once Maggie and I parted.

"Happy to see you up and about," I said.

"Thanks," she said.

"I've got something for you when we get back home all right," I said leaning back to look at her.

She nodded. I went back to digging. Once that was done, we started putting up the sheets of metal onto the markers that had been placed into the ground.

"Carter, heads up," I heard Rick say.

I looked to my left and heard the groans. I pulled out my knife and made my way over. Rick held up his hand to stop me along with others of our group who'd taken notice.

"Use your shovels. The guns will draw more," he said.

"Help us," Carter said.

"You can do this. You need to, all of you," Rick said.

"Rick these people have no experience up close with them. We can't expect them to have beginner's luck," I said.

"Let's see how they do," he said.

Three walkers emerged from the trees. Carter and a kid named Sturgess were the ones closest. More walkers emerged. They were going to die unless we put a stop to it.

"Morgan, don't!" Rick shouted when Morgan headed for them.

I quickly followed.

"Amelia," Rick called.

I took out the one heading for Carter. Daryl and the others joined in. It was done. Rick and Morgan looked at one another. Tension could be felt.

"You said you don't take chances anymore," Morgan said.

Maybe that wasn't meant to be announced right after Rick had wanted to see how the Alexandrians would do on their own.

"Let's head back. We've had enough excitement for the day," I said wanting to break the tension.

We all packed up and headed home.