Left Behind (sequel to Not Alone)

Ch. 14 - How She Feels

Maggie

I was down on the main floor with Beth when I watched Daryl walk out of the cell that Anna was going to be staying in. Stubborn ass, I thought when he laid down on that mattress he placed there on the perch to sleep on. "I'm gonna go up and talk to Anna," I said to Beth and she nodded. I turned and headed up the stairs, walking by a grumbling Daryl and over to where her cell was. "Hey," I whispered when I saw she was sitting on her bunk in the clothes I gave her earlier, "how's little one?" "She's fine," Anna said smiling up at me but the smile didn't seem to reach her eyes." "What's wrong," I asked walking in and sitting down next to her as I wrapped her in a hug. "Daryl," she said, "I can sort of understand why he doesn't want to sleep in one of these cells but he needs to also think about me. I just had a baby, I'm not sleeping on just a mattress on the floor."

"Give him time," I said hugging her tightly, "he'll come around when he realizes just how much he missed sleeping next to you now that you're back." I pulled away and smiled when I noticed she herself was smiling. "Get some sleep Anna," I said nodding my head to the bed, "I know you have to be exhausted. I'll see you in the morning for breakfast." "Goodnight Maggie," she whispered hugging me tightly as I hugged her back. "It's good having you back," I whispered, "we've all missed you." I pulled out of the hug and turned, leaving out of the cell to see Daryl still lying in the same place on the perch, still awake. I sighed and walked by him but stopped when I was on the stairs and looked back at him.

"What," he grumbled when he realized that I was staring. "Anna's in there upset," I said and pointed over at her room while trying to keep my voice down, "all because the man she loves won't sleep in a stupid cell for his own petty reasons! Daryl we all watched you basically go through Hell when she wasn't here and now that she is you won't sleep in the same bed as her all because you don't want to sleep in a damn cage!" "She could always sleep out here with me," he grumbled. "Daryl she just had a baby," I said, "your baby to be exact! She went through the same hardships we did while she was away from us but she was pregnant the whole time! Think about how she might feel about sleeping on the floor when there are beds in these cells!"

I watched as he thought about what I said. Daryl knows I'm right, he's just being a stubborn redneck. Sometimes I don't even know how Anna fell in love with him. "I ain't sleeping in there tonight," he muttered and I stared at him in disbelief. "Why the hell not Daryl," I said glaring at him. "Gotta do somethin' in the morning," he said rolling onto his back putting his hands behind his head, "don't wanna wake her up that early." "Where are you going early in the morning," I asked placing my hands on my hips. "Saw a store today that I wanna make a run to," he mumbled, "by myself. I'll be back by the time she and Diamond get up." "Whatever Dixon," I said throwing my hands up in the air and walking down the stairs to see Glenn was watching me.

"Did you really just say all that to Daryl Dixon," he asked staring at me wide eyed. "Yeah so," I said, "I'm not scared of Daryl. He wouldn't hurt me because he knows that'd hurt Anna. And we all know he won't hurt her." "But still," he said as we walked into our shared cell, "only other person I can think of that'd be able to talk to Daryl like that is Anna." "I'm sorry but she's hurting because he won't sleep in a cell with her," I said, "she's my family Glenn. I don't like seeing her hurting." "I know," he said hugging me, "come on let's get some sleep. We've all had a long day today." I sighed and nodded as I curled up next to Glenn on our bunk, just thinking about what Daryl could possible want to do on his own tomorrow morning.