DARYL
Once I dressed and slipped out without wakin Nate? That's when I noticed it in the bushes just outside our cabin.
It's all bloodied up and there are notches on it....same as the Savior gun. So I know it isn't one of ours.
Doesn't take me long at all to put two and two together. Them escapin from the Sanctuary and their subsequent attack against us at Alexandria?
The Saviors are runnin out of ammo. And now, they're down to using knives.
When I strode into the big house, told them my thoughts....Mags and G agreed. But they couldn't see what the problem was, as it'll work in our favour.
Rosie knew, though. Just like I did.
"They have our chief bullet maker!"
*
While waiting for Rosie to get ready, I trundle outside to the mansion's porch. See the big feller, wanderin around and jigglin little Gracie. With the Mutt hovering protectively.
"Do me a favour, Jerry? When Nate wakes up, make sure that she doesn't leave Hilltop to go off on her own. Yer have my permission to sit on her, if that's what it takes."
"You got it, dude. Do me one in return? I need to go point Percy at the porcelain, so I won't have to abandon my post later. And you could probably do with some practice, too?"
What the....I don't need no pissin pract....Oh.... 🙄
Have to move fast. Throw the bow rig over my shoulder to free up my hands. Before the baby is shoved in em.
She just gazed solemnly at me. And when her little forehead scrunched up? I thought she was gonna start hollerin out a lung.
"C'mon, sweetheart! Know I ain't no oil paintin. But my Little Idiot of a missus tells me that I can explode knickers, and she don't lie. Though I'm prayin she doesn't mean diapers too?" I growl gently in warning.
Gracie musta thought that was hell-funny, cos this huge smile broke out on her face. And when she turned her head, nuzzled into my chest?
It just about explodes in return.
Jeez, I sure hope that our next one will be a girl. Got me some names runnin through my head already 🤔
"If yer huntin for a boob to latch onto for a feed, kiddo? Yer gonna be real disappointed. If guys had tits? We'd never keep our own damn hands off em" I laugh softly, liftin her up so I can touch my nose to hers.
Luckily, I'd splashed my face clean a bit when I woke up. Cos she gummed it instead.
"Never a truer word spoken" Hearin G's voice behind me, I nearly leapt clean outta my boots.
He hobbled out onto the porch, leaning on a walkin stick. Then flopped down onto the swing seat with a groan.
"Nate's going to be a brilliant Mom. But you, Daryl? You'll be an awesome Father."
I smother a Pfffft against her squirmy tummy. She's like a wrigglin, gurgling puppy. Reminds me of my own little wriggler.
"Just cos I can make....and hold them? Don't mean I know shit about raising one. Yer gettin on Ok?"
Caught a glimpse of his shaking head, and things went silent between us for a while. There was only the sound of Gracie's murmurins and coos. As I rocked her in my arms and made silly faces.
"I've been a pinchazo. And an even bigger one for not saying this a lot sooner."
"I apologise, Daryl. For all the smack talk and things that I did. Nate made her choice, and it was the right one. I've known that for a while now. Still had too much free-floating, stubborn, Latino bullshit in me to admit it."
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Home Is Your Heartbeat ('Home Is' Book Two - Daryl Dixon)
FanfictionSemi-mature. Completed. Book Two picks up immediately from the last chapter of Home is You. Nate is an Aussie girl who was stranded in Georgia during the outbreak. She and fellow traveler Leo joined a group of survivors in Atlanta. Nate got her firs...
