Adapting (A Daryl Dixon/ The Walking Dead Fanfiction)

Chapter 27

Gemma's P.O.V
"Ouch!" I hiss.

"I told you to stop moving." Hershel scolds as he stitches up my leg.

"If it hurts, I'm gonna flinch!" I retort as he pokes the needle through my flesh.

He ties the string and wipes away the blood, "You're lucky it wasn't worse than this. How'd you end up with Andrew anyway?"

"I went to help..." My voice trails off at the thought of my dead friends.

I wipe my eyes and continue, "Walkers cut me off and I ended up in the generator room."

He grabs a bandage and I lift my leg, wincing in pain. He begins to wrap the bandage around my leg and I bite my lip before asking the question.

"Has anyone seen Rick?"

Hershel pauses in his movements and looks me in the eye before shaking his head. He finishes wrapping the bandage and ties it tightly around my leg.

"I'll go and look for him." I say, going to get up.

"No, you don't. You've been injured, you need to rest." He says, pushing me back down.

I scoff, "If you can walk around with no leg, I can go look for Rick with a stab wound." I protest, going to get up.

"No. You are staying here. Besides, Glenn has already gone to check on him." Hershel explains.

The sound of a baby's cries interrupt him as Beth comes into view. The baby in her arms is screaming, creating an echo throughout the prison.

"Daddy, she won't stop crying." Beth says, trying to soothe the baby.

"There isn't much we can do without the formula. Hopefully Daryl and Maggie will be back soon." He says, looking out into the darkened sky.

The little girl begins to scream again in Beth's arms, her little arms flailing around. I hold my arms out for her, "Let me take her."

"Are you sure?" She asks.

I roll my eyes, "I'll be fine."

She looks at me for a moment before walking over to me. I hold my arms out and she slips the baby into my waiting arms. I unbutton my shirt and move it out of the way so that my chest is exposed over my tank top. I move the baby until she is tucked tightly against my chest, her ear at my heart. I pat her back in a rhythm until she quiets down and slowly drifts to sleep.

"How did you do that?" Beth asks, looking at me in shock.

I look up at her and chuckle, "When I was an intern, I used to love to work on the paediatrics floor. When the mothers needed to rest, the nurses would take care of the babies. Sometimes when it was a slow day, I'd help the nurses."

I look down at the sleeping girl and smile, "I learnt from the nurses that newborn babies like to hear the sound of their mother's heartbeat. It soothes them and the nurses would do the same thing."

I stare at the little girl, my fingers gently tracing over her face. As I take in her features, there's no denying that she is her mother's daughter. Her facial features are exactly the same as Lori's and I can't help but begin to cry. Though Lori and I had our differences near the end, she was still one of the closest people I have had since the apocalypse began. I glance up at the doorway and see Carl looking at me, his expression tragic.

"Come here." I whisper, not to disturb the baby.

He walks over and looks down at his little sister, a small smile on his face.

"Do you want to hold her?" I ask.

He looks up at me for a moment before nodding his head. I move slowly and hand her to him, trying not to jostle her. He grabs ahold of her and pulls her against his chest.