So this is the first chapter of my no-zombie/AU Daryl story. As I mentioned to an anon on Tumblr, my work hours have increased and my writing time has drastically decreased. However, I wanted to explore this story because my muse seems to really be digging it. Please leave me your thoughts; my muse thrives on feedback. Without further ado here is chapter one.
You had moved to King County about a week ago. You were able to score a room at a shady apartment complex and got a job as a waitress at the diner in town. It wasn't glamorous, but you were just glad to be out of college and on your own. You had been expecting your parents reaction, so you weren't surprised when they disowned you and cut off all your money.
You were dreaming of being a writer one day and had even started an original story in between your studies. You were going to work on it in between shifts at the diner and just hope one day it would be good enough to publish.
On your first shift, you met a lot of the townsfolk who all seemed nice and welcoming. It was just another small country town, and you thought for sure you were going to love it. Your parents had confiscated your car when they disowned you, so you were immensely glad the diner wasn't far from your apartment. It would make walking back and forth much easier.
After your first shift, you were walking back to your apartment when a police cruiser rolled up beside you. The window rolled down and the officer called out to you. You stopped and noticed the man intently staring you down. It made you a little uncomfortable to be honest.
"Officer," you said almost questioningly.
"Ma'am. Do you need a ride?"
"Oh. No thanks. I'm just right up here. It's not far," you smiled turning to carry on to your apartment. However, he wouldn't take no for an answer and insisted on giving you a ride. Looking back, you wish you'd never got in the car.
11 months later….
It'd been two months since you'd left King County and escaped to Atlanta. Those two months had been the most peaceful since you left college, but you were always looking over your shoulder now. You'd gotten another shitty apartment in Atlanta and were working as a waitress in an upscale restaurant. You were hoping the tips would be good and would help give you extra money before you really needed it.
You rested a hand on your still flat stomach and sighed before getting ready for work. You knew it wasn't the baby's fault, but you were severely depressed, scared, and broken. Deputy Shane Walsh, you sighed cringing at the name. The man had essentially ruined your life by pretending to be nice one night. That first night he had raped you and it only got worse after that. Any time he wanted, he would pick you up from work and rape you and cut you when he felt like. Said he was marking you, you cringed remembering his evil words. You had scars all over that you constantly kept covered so no one would see. His evil words still haunted you in your dreams making sleep hard to come by. When you'd found out he'd gotten you pregnant, you ran.
You knew you couldn't stay in King County around him another minute because he was ultimately going to kill you and your baby. You let out another sigh thinking about the baby. You were currently finding it hard to love the little being growing inside of you, but you knew you couldn't get rid of it. You just hoped once you saw him or her that you would instantly fall in love.
6 months later….
You knew you were due any day now. You were as big as a house and uncomfortable as hell. You'd taken off work for the next eight weeks, and although not having the income was going to suck, you knew you needed the time off with the baby. You hadn't kept regular appointments because of the money, but you had at least gone a few times and each time you were able to hear the heartbeat and see the baby. Those appointments became your favorite time and over time you felt yourself falling in love with your baby. You'd kept the sex a surprise and now you were wishing you knew. You had the bare minimum that the baby would need, and you were just floating by.
You decided to get out of the city and go explore some country. Your apartment was filling cramped and with all the city noise, you were really missing the small town country life. You knew your experience in King County had left you wounded and jaded, and you weren't sure if you'd be able to move back to a small town, but at the moment you were really missing it. You headed off towards Macon and when you found a pull off and a creek you decided to explore. The baby was kicking up a storm and you thought a nice peaceful walk would help you both settle. As you were walking you absentmindedly ran your hand over your stomach.
You'd walked a good ways when you heard someone behind you. You felt fear and panic taking over as you whipped around coming face to face with the end of a crossbow.
"What ar' ye' doin ou' here?" the man asked gruffly.
You could feel your breathing picking up and the baby responding to your panic with sharp kicks. You were terrified and started shaking as the man watched you carefully. He had no idea who you were or what you were doing so far out this way on your own in your condition. It was the middle of summer and you were in jeans and a flannel buttoned all the way up. That left him confused, but he did recognize the signs of your impending panic attack and knew that couldn't be good for you.
"Shit!" he swore lowering the crossbow and reaching out for you. You let out a strangled whimper as you tried to catch a breath. He instantly knew he was going to have to treat you like a skittish animal. He held his hands out towards you showing you he meant no harm. "I's 'k. Jus' take sum deep breaths. Ain't gonna hur' ya," he said gently.
You tried nodding and slowing your breathing as you watched him. Almost as soon as you caught your breath you doubled over in pain holding your stomach. "Wha's wrong?" he asked laying a hand on your back making you tense even more.
"My…. my water just broke," you whispered realizing you were currently in labor in the middle of nowhere with some guy you didn't even know.
"Fuckin' shit," he swore loudly causing you to jump.
"I… I'll… I'll be ok. I'll just… I'll head back to the city," you stumbled hoping you would make it.
"I can' let ya go wanderin' bac through tha woo's alone. Shit woman wha' kinda person you think I am?" he said almost angrily.
"I'm… I'm sorry," you whimpered cowering away as you tried to breath through another contraction.
"Fuckin hell," he mumbled seeing how scared you were. He knew it hadn't been long since someone had hurt you and he wasn't helping matters any by losing his head.
"Come on. We'll git ya bac ta town," he said gently putting his hand on your arm to guide you back. He wasn't sure how you managed to get out there, but he knew they weren't far from his house or truck.
You tried to be strong and silent as this strange man led you through the woods. He seemed to know exactly where he was going, which was a good thing because you honestly had no clue how far you had wandered. The pain rolling through you with each contraction was more intense than the last one and you were struggling to be strong. Just as you reached a clearing in the woods you felt the worst pain yet. You unconsciously reached out and gripped his arm tight as a whimper/moan left your lips.
"I don't even know your name," you managed as tears rolled down your cheeks and your knees buckled.
"Daryl," he grumbled catching you before you fell.
"Emma," you answered as another strong contraction rolled through not giving you a break. "I… I don't think I'm going to make it to the city," you whimpered as the contraction never let up.
"Jus' hang on," he said running for the truck parked in the driveway. You didn't even have time to take in your surroundings before he carefully laid you in the seat and ran back to the driver's side. He jumped in and headed for the clinic in town not knowing what else to do.
1 hour later….
You were lying on the bed with the bundle swaddled in your arms. You'd barely made it to the clinic before the need to push became too much. You could tell you'd freaked out this Daryl guy that had been so kind to get you here and you thought it odd that a strong man like him would be freaked out.
You glanced down at the sleeping bundle and let out a small sigh. You were just glad he didn't look anything like his daddy. Luckily you were dark headed as well, so the dark hair could've came from either of you and were choosing to believe everything the baby inherited was from you.
There was a knock at your door causing you to jump a little and startle the baby. "Shhh shhh," you cooed before calling out a quiet come in. You were little surprised to see Daryl open your door and walk in. You were for sure he would've dropped you and left. Not that you would've blamed him.
"Hey," you said quietly and he returned the greeting. He watched you struggling to pull the blankets around you and he was suspicious that it was because you were trying to hide something.
"They say you're a'ight," he said sitting down by the bed.
You were biting your lip to keep it from trembling as you watched him. "Ummm… yea. Thanks to you," you said quietly giving him a small smile.
"'Is nothin'," he said with a small nod. He was biting the side of his thumb and you found it endearing as you watched him.
"Wanna meet him?" you asked carefully holding the baby out towards him as you tried to keep your arms covered. You hated this stupid gown they made you put on because a lot of your scars would be on display at some point.
"Don't know nothin' 'bout babies," he said shaking his head.
"Just say hi," you smiled not sure why you were trying to have a conversation with this guy. Something about him was endearing to you and you just weren't ready for him to leave.
Daryl leaned over and looked at the sleeping baby before you gently tried handing him to him again. Daryl let out a small huff before wrapping his arms around the bundle like he'd seen you do. You let out a small smile at the scene in front of you. "I named him Ryker Lincoln, but I'll probably call him Ryker or Ry" you said quietly.
Daryl just nodded biting his lip watching the baby. "What were ya doin' out thar anyways Emma?" he asked finally glancing up at you again.
"Just out for a walk… escaping the city," you said with a small shrug. "Just missed the country and decided to get out."
"Hmmm," he hummed.
"What were you doing?" you asked remember facing down the end of his crossbow.
"Huntin. 'Is my property anyways," he said giving you a small smirk.
"Oh… sorry… I… I didn't know," you said quickly a blush rising as you tugged the blankets around you tighter.
"Relax. It's fine. You didn't harm nothin' or steal ma deer," he smirked again as the baby started fussing. "Guess that's my cue," he said passing Ryker back to you. "Be careful out in them woods," he smiled before walking out of the clinic.