Okay so some brief background on this idea. Basically this takes place in the Walking Dead universe, however it's a little more alternate than that. So as the world struggles to end the apocalypse, several walled in towns begin to pop up across the globe. In a sense, it's like the Dark Ages as there is only communication within the town and its people and not with other towns or the outside world. So due to the rapid decline in the human population, some town governments have resorted to forced marriages and forced reproduction laws. So in most cases, women are being made against their will to have children. That's kind of the overview of what's going on before you get into the story. Alright folks, now enough of my explaining, here is the first chapter!

Chapter one:

There was something oddly satisfying about a cigarette that Daryl Dixon just couldn't put his finger on. Not that he chose to smoke often, such being hard to come by nowadays. But in this moment, he needed something to clear his mind from any and all thoughts. He inhaled deeply, the object protruding from his lips as the fragmented, earthy smoke invaded his lungs. It felt good, calming in its own way as he withdrew the cigarette and blew a white, rolling mist into the atmosphere, watching as it dissipated into the air. They used to say it caused cancer. That it killed. But now, so much more could do the exact same dreaded task. And this seemed far lesser than many other evils.

He glanced up, eyes following the tall, foreboding structure that stood before him. A wall, completely surrounding the entire perimeter of Hurndon, some weirdly named town in what he assumed was located in what once was Jackson, Mississippi. It seemed like years ago that he had found his way here, belly empty, limbs aching from the miles and miles of walking and running he'd been forced to do. But really, he was nearly positive it had been but eight or nine months. Several years. Years of fighting and escaping the thousands of creatures that began to swallow the once valiant human race whole. An outbreak that had devastated the very likes of history and everything that would follow. Alone he had come here out of desperation, seeking refuge after losing so much. Never realizing that with the end of human kind, came the great loss of humanity.

Daryl took another long drag from his cigarette, mouth twitching into a deep frown as he continued to eye his imprisonment. If he had known back then what he did now, he'd rather join the race of walkers than seek the unholy sanctuary he was located in now. Fear turned people into animals, primitive instincts taking over rational thought. His fingers dug into the palm of his free hand, anger boiling from the pit of his stomach as he glared at the wall. At the incarceration he now called home. Sometimes death was such a better option than being a coward.

"I guess a round of congratulations is in order?"

The voice came from behind, humorless but still holding a tone of friendship. Daryl turned, cigarette withdrawn from his mouth as he met the familiar gaze of Carol Peletier. The woman stood before him, gray hair damp, face slightly dusted with dirt. She was a few years his senior, coming to this place not long before he did. Out of everyone else, she was the only one Daryl consider to be relatively close to a friend. Like him, she too had lost a great deal. A daughter. A husband-a man she'd later share over a half cobwebbed bottle of whisky was nothing more than an abusive son of a bitch. But still, like he had, she had suffered greatly.

"Ain't like this was my choice," he muttered, kicking at a stone that sat before him. "Ain't like I wanted this."

"I know," Carol murmured, eyes following the rock as it tumbled a few feet away. "I'm sorry."

Daryl inhaled heavily, letting the cigarette fall from his fingers before crushing it with his foot. It had only been a few days since he found out, a few days since life as he knew it would change once again forever. It had come in envelope, that's how he knew it was important. No one ever bothered to send him mail, or rather, no one of standard status had the means of acquiring such a form of paper. It had been relatively brief, getting immediately to the point with a date and time as to when his presence was required in the once church, now makeshift house of government. Mandatory. No excuses. Everything had been arranged behind his back and only now was he given the "privilege" to learn his fate.

"She's eighteen," he swallowed, teeth ground together. "She's just a kid."

"It's not right," Carol agreed, looking to Daryl. "None of this is, Daryl. But don't think for one second that because this is happening, you become anything less than of the man you already are. This isn't your fault."

Daryl stiffened, his gaze falling away from his friend. "Ya know what the law is," he whispered. "Ya damn know what we are required to do."

There was no joy in Carol's features, not that Daryl ever remembered having seen a glimmer of it before. She merely nodded her head, arms crossed over her chest. Carol was one of the lucky ones. At her age, she didn't have to worry about the Common Law. Her body was too old, too far in its life to be required to do the tasks the government needed. She'd never have to worry about being placed into a bond. Never have to undergo the horrors of being placed with some stranger. Being forced to reproduce. She was safe, and for that, Daryl was both grateful and envious.

The man's eyes moved, landing on the far off clock that sat in the middle of the town. It was nearly noon, nearly time. His blood ran cold in his veins, limbs feeling numb as he felt Carol's hand rest on his forearm. He looked to her, seeing the sympathetic smile on her features. She pitied him, though he knew he was far from deserving of it. He inhaled deeply, the taste of tobacco still lingering in his mouth.

"You're a good man," he vaguely heard her repeat. "Nobody can take that away from you."

xXx

"Adam!"

It was a sense of panic that first riddled Beth Greene's heart as she desperately looked around the bottom floor of the two story house for the toddler. She had, after all, promised Bob and Sasha, two of the several house mates that occupied the home, that she'd watch their eldest son. Frantically, she began to rush through the rooms, peeking under every eligible piece of furniture the tiny tot could possibly squeeze under. For a two year old, he sure had a lot of energy. Something that his mother was sure would get him into trouble as he grew older-which now also seemed to be the case in Beth's current situation.

"Adam," she called, trying to hide the concern in her voice in fear of disturbing the others in the house. "Adam, where-"

It was then Beth's eyes caught something shifting underneath one of the couch throws off to the side. Relief immediately flooded her mind as she hurried over, carefully lifting up the blanket to reveal the bright eyed, giggling little boy that hid underneath. He peered up at Beth, dark eyes innocent and full of excitement as he held his arms out towards her. Rolling her eyes, she lifted him up, shifting his weight in her arms as he hugged her neck tightly.

"Found me!" he sung out, dark hair tickling underneath Beth's chin. "We play again?"

Beth's mouth formed a thin smile, trying to hide her real emotion from the little boy. He was still so young, so naive as to what was happening in the place he had called home all of his life. Adam had never needed to learn what a walker was. To be forced to kill the person he loved because they had either been bit or turned. Learned about what happened when a person became a certain age. Why his games with Beth would be cut prematurely today. Where she was going and why he couldn't join her.

"I'm afraid we can't," Beth murmured, meeting the toddler's gaze. "I gotta go away today."

"Away?" Adam repeated, smiling cheerfully. "I come?"

Beth shook her head sadly, gingerly placing him back onto the floor. "No," she told him. "You have to stay here with your mama and daddy. But don't worry, I'm still gonna visit you lots, alright? An' when I do, we can play anythin' you want."

"We play now," Adam inquired, not fully comprehending Beth's words. "Please?"

"Beth has to go, baby," a voice said from behind.

The girl turned, a hand resting on the toddler's head as she caught sight of the figure standing in the doorway. Sasha smiled softly, arms hooked around the swell of her stomach. Beth tried not to let the concern slip into her features, trying to ignore the haggard expression that masked over the other woman's friendliness. Sasha was sick, very sick. And yet, such did not excuse her from the Common Law's reproduction requirement. Beth had arrived at Hurndon a few months after Adam's birth, Sasha still confined to her bed quarters with one of the guards always on duty, ready to end her existence if her body should fail and the virus set in. And now, only a year later, once again was she made to conceive, despite her near fatal incident with the first of her pregnancies.

"Sasha," Beth said, meeting the woman's eyes. "You should be layin' down."

Adam immediately left his playmate's side and hurried into his mother's arms. It was hard to miss Sasha wince in pain as she lifted him up, ignoring her own well being as she cuddled her son.

"They may make us do many things we don't want," Sasha began, adjusting the hold on her son. "But keeping me in bed is not something I readily plan to follow." She offered Beth a thin smile, her expression lacking the sort of joy she displayed with Adam. "How're you holding up?"

"We do what we gotta right?" Beth replied, exhaling as she let her hands fall to her side. "Besides, Mama always said marriage was an excitin' part of a woman's life. Guess I should be happy, you know? Lookin' at this wrong isn't gonna change anythin'. You an' Bob turned out just fine."

"Bob and I were already together when we came here," Sasha corrected, glancing briefly at Adam as he buried his face into her neck. "We weren't assigned to each other...just pushed to move things further." She looked to Beth, the smile fading from her face. "Beth, you always have a home here. No matter what. If this man, whoever he is, if he ever hurts you..."

"Sasha," she began. "I'll be-"

"You let me or Bob know," Sasha finished, her expression firm. "Just because we aren't related, doesn't mean we're not family."

The words burrowed their way deep into the pit of Beth's chest. She swallowed hard, eyes unmoving from Sasha's. Then slowly, she strolled across the room and pulled the woman into a hug, awkwardly as Sasha was still holding the toddler. For the first time in a few days, the emotions and realization began to cloud Beth's thoughts, overtaking her ability to act as if hope hadn't been lost. That nothing was going to change.

"I'll still visit," she promised, her voice thick. "Nothin's gonna change that."

Sasha murmured something that Beth didn't quite catch, yet her free arm didn't loosen its hold around the girl's waist. Beth's eyes peered over the woman's shoulder, locking on the single analogy clock that the three families that occupied the household were left to rely on. It was nearly noon. Nearly time for her to depart. Her shoulders slumped slightly, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she continued to hold Adam and Sasha close.

"No matter what," she heard Sasha murmur. "You're always family."

xXx

The room lacked decoration as one might expect for a traditional wedding. The walls bare, floor void of anything but the planks of wood that graced its surface. Instead of the usual wedding guests, there only sat a panel of three people. The leaders, as they were called, of the town. The people Daryl held responsible for all of the shit that was occurring.

He stood awkwardly beside the girl, unable to bring himself to look at her longer than the few moments he had to. She was young, eighteen as the letter had informed him. Vaguely he remembered seeing her occasionally in town, never having spoke to her as he tended to prefer solitude. All he virtually knew was that her name was Beth and her apparent age, that was it. No time to meet. To somewhat get to know each other. Hell, they had technically only been "engaged" for a few damn days before this occurred.

"Mr. Dixon," one of the men said, adjusting his glasses as he eyed several sheets of paper. "As witnessed in this court, you and Ms. Greene are now, by this law, officially husband and wife. As is done, I must read to you the rules as was sent to you in the letter a few days ago. Requirements, if you will."

Daryl couldn't bring himself to look at Beth, wishing for nothing more than to just disappear. If he had thought it best, he would have run. Abandoned this forsaken town and spared the girl of having to be forced into marriage with him. But he knew that she would've just been carted off to marry someone else. Someone who might not have been as disgusted by this law as he was. Someone who would abuse and ruin her. And the guilt that would stem from that was just not worth leaving.

"As of now, from this present moment on, you and Beth Greene will be living together as a couple. Ms. Greene, as the home you currently reside in already houses three growing families, you will move into Mr. Dixon's quarters seeing as the house only supports two families." The man paused, clearing his throat before continuing. "If you have been using any forms of birth control, though all are already illegal, you are required to stop them instantly. As is stated by the Common Law, Ms. Greene is required to conceive your first offspring by the end of the third month of marriage, or drastic measures will be taken into account."

He felt sick, truly sick. A part of him aching for his crossbow stored underneath his bed frame in order to kill each one of the officials who sat pleasantly before them. This was wrong. Disgusting. For the first time, Daryl found himself peering over at Beth, surprised that she had maintained an expressionless face throughout the whole proceeding of this ordeal. Didn't she realize what was happening? What they were being made to do?

"Divorce is not allowed by the Common Law," the man continued. "If either of you should meet the fate of death, another marriage will be rearranged within the same week. All child of the previous marriage will be allowed to stay with the new family."

Rage twisted and unfurled inside of Daryl as the man calmly straightened the papers into one neat pile. It was as if he was a robot. As if he didn't feel or care of the pain he forced each couple into with this damn "Common Law". He drew in a breath from his nose, fingers digging into the flesh of his palm as the three individuals looked from Daryl to Beth, none uttering a single word or even an expression of regret.

"In a month we will contact you again," one finally said. "And check up on your progress. Until then, you are now free to leave. Ms. Greene, as was already made aware to you in your letter, you will have your begs at Mr. Dixon's home by tonight. Until our next meeting, everyone will now adjourn."

The three people rose, abandoning their seat as they moved towards the back of the structure. Daryl stood motionless, a numbing feeling spreading throughout his entire body as realization sunk in. He looked, gaze falling on the woman beside him. She stared back, their eyes finally locking onto one another's since they had entered the government house. Since they had been wed. They were together now in this. Bound by law. Sewn by marriage.

And for the first time in his life, Daryl Dixon felt true fear.

I hope you all enjoy. I really like the idea I have for this story, I hope you all do too. Let me know any thoughts you may be having in the comments. Feedback is greatly loved and appreciated. If people seemed to like the concept as well, then I will post the next chapter tomorrow. And yes, those were the same Bob, Sasha, and Carol as from the show (in case anyone was curious about the Bob and Sasha characters, Carol I don't think as much). Until then, have a great night or morning! -Jen