Angel

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Angel

Ariana Elizabeth Rhee came kicking and screaming into this fucked up world a little after four o'clock in the morning. Daryl and I heard her cries through the open window as we sat on the front steps of Barrington House. I cried when I hear her making herself known to the world. They were happy tears and I was so ecstatic for Maggie, but a little sad for her too. Glenn was not here to share the joy with her.

All night Daryl and I sat outside waiting for word. I got him to talk about Glenn. He opened up to me the best under the cover of darkness. This was the first time since we came to The Hillside that we had one of our all-night talks. That had happened quite often back when we lived alone in the house since there wasn't anything else to do, but here it was different. And I had missed it. Now that I could put most of the faces with his stories, they meant even more.

Tonight was definitely a Glenn night.

I had Daryl start at the beginning. And that was Atlanta. I already knew the story how Merle had been left there because he was acting like a jackass. Daryl said that initially he blamed them all, especially Rick, but it didn't take him long to realize that it was Merle's fault. He knew what an obnoxious prick his brother could be.

Glenn was young, but he was the one that came up with the strategy on how to grab the abandoned bag of guns Rick had dropped. It impressed Daryl and Glenn continued to do that the entire time he was alive. He put Maggie and his family of survivors ahead of himself all the time. She was his number one priority right from the start. And as much as Daryl admired him, his description of how Glenn treated others sounded just like Daryl to me. Two very different men weren't all that different after all.

We let a little bit of time go by before heading up the stairs to see the baby. Even though it was the middle of the night, everyone was there. We hung towards the back waiting out turn. I could see that even though Maggie looked exhausted, she also was radiant as the baby was passed amongst us. Motherhood was agreeing with her already.

Carol handed the baby to Rick who held her for a while before giving her to Michonne. Then Michonne handed Ariana off to Rosita. Jesus and Aaron simply watched as did Carl. Finally, Rosita turned to me. I eagerly held out my arms for this little bundle of love.

Ariana had jet black hair that covered her little head. Her eyes were slightly open but I could tell she wasn't able to focus on much of anything as is typical of newborns. The slight almond shape spoke of her Korean lineage thanks to Glenn.

"Maggie, she is so beautiful," I told her. "So incredibly beautiful." She started to fuss in my arms and I was surprised that Daryl asked for her.

"You sure?"

"Hand her over, Angel." The smile he had didn't have me questioning him at all. I gave him the baby and she instantly quieted down. "See...kids like me."

"Judith always reacted the same way when Daryl held her," Carl added. "Always thought that was weird."

Carol walked in with a bottle of formula that she had gone to heat up since Maggie's milk hadn't come in yet. Daryl took it out of her hand and started to feed the baby. Who was this man? I had no idea that Daryl was this comfortable with babies. I stood there with my mouth open in surprise.

"Yeah, it's odd isn't it how they take to him?" Carol laughed.

"It sure is," I agreed. I would have rated him last in this room full of people as being the most uncomfortable with babies. I was wrong. It was the exact opposite. He seemed right at home.

"Daryl, can I try feeding my baby?" Maggie asked from the bed. The poor new mother had barely a chance to hold her own child with all of us here. Reluctantly, he handed her over.