Hey y'all, I know it's been awhile, and I'm not going to make any excuses for myself. Just accept this chapter as my way of trying to make it up to you. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Walking Dead or any of the characters. All I own are my own characters.

Sometimes I wondered how I got myself into these messes. I pumped the shotgun and turned a corner with it held out, and stopped seeing Daryl there with a knife at the ready. We both sighed and then heard a noise to our left. He held his fingers to his lips, and then pointed to the ceiling, and I nodded before I turned round the corner, my gun ready, but there was nothing there.

I lowered my gun slightly and looked to my side to see if Daryl was still there when someone wrapped their arm around me, pulling me against them, my gun was yanked from me before I had a chance to try and fight back and the cool blade of a knife was pressed into my skin.

"Well hello there Mrs. Dixon," the gruff voice spoke in my ear. "Welcome back. Now, where's that husband of yours?" I cursed myself for being so stupid as he marched me up the stairs, the knife to my neck. I could see Evan and Sven in the living room, Evan unconscious, Sven trying to wake him up, he looked over at me and I could see his eyes drop. "Daryl!" Gator shouted. "Git yer ass out here!"

"We got your woman boy, you'd best git out here." I felt my throat tighten as Gator turned so he was speaking only to me. "I'm gonna slice that pretty little face of yours so much, even your husband won't want you no more." He promised as he lifted the knife from my neck to my cheek. He ran the point of the blade down my face, as his hand went from my waist to my stomach. "And then after that, I'm gonna cut that baby outta you, and I'm gonna feed it to the dead." He chuckled before pressing the blade into my cheek. I could feel a line of blood run down my cheek, but I didn't make a sound. I shut my eyes, and tried to tune his taunting words out, as I did, I couldn't help but remember how this had all gotten started the week before.

Despite the plan to tell everyone when I was out of the first trimester they found out about two weeks later. It was after dinner and after the kids had gone to sleep, when Evan and Sven led us downstairs to the basement. The entire room was painted a dark red and had been converted to a private bar. Wood paneling went about halfway up the wall, and looked like it was made of a light wood, probably oak. There was a pool table in the middle of the room, and a dark brown leather couch, the entire room had a very gentlemen's lounge feel to it. The bar was wood and was against the furthest wall from the stairs, there was a poker table set up and to the left of the bar was a jukebox.

"This is incredible." I breathed as I looked around.

"Jeeze Lizzie, this is the bar the Silver Spoon wishes it was." Rick joked and I scoffed.

"Please, can you see some of our clients hanging out in a place like this? This is the kind of place that like, college professors hang out or something."

"Well Sven always did consider himself a scholar of sorts." Evan teased his husband and we grinned as Sven rolled his eyes.

"Can I make anyone a drink?" he asked as he went to the bar. "We've got the full bar."

"Nothing for me," Hershel shook his head.

"Just a club soda." Lori smiled as she sat at the bar.

"Liz, Whisky sour, am I right?" Cal pointed to me and I let out a small laugh.

"Well, you know you're right, but I ain't drinkin'." I shook my head as I leaned on the pool table.

"You're not drinking?" T- Dog asked doubtfully.

"What are you, pregnant?" Glenn laughed as he sipped his drink. Everyone grew silent as they looked over at me, I rolled a pool ball around under my hand before I looked at them and held out my hands.

"If y'all're expectin' me to deny it, you'll be waitin' awhile." I told them.

"'Bout seven months." Daryl added and I snorted.

"Wait, you're serious? You're really pregnant?" Maggie asked in disbelief and I shrugged lightly before I nodded.

"Oh my god." she put her hands over her mouth. "Oh my god!" She moved forward and hugged me tightly and I let out a small laugh.

"When were you planning on telling everyone?" Rick asked as he walked over to me, Maggie let go and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders tightly.

"Not for a few more weeks actually." I admitted.

"You knew didn't you?" Lori asked Carol who laughed lightly.

"Me and Sven." Carol nodded to Sven who gave a small wave.

"So," Cal said after a moment. "Everyone knew 'fore me huh?" he asked and I sighed lightly.

"We were gonna tell you first." Daryl told him. "But then the Chinaman had ta open his mouth." He nodded to Glenn who rolled his eyes.

"Well Excuse me." Glenn joked and then wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "Soo…."

"I not naming it after you." I told him sternly and he snapped his fingers in mock disappointment.

"How long have you known?" Lori asked after a moment and I cleared my throat.

"Since the day we got here." I told her.

"And you're just now telling us?"

"Hey, Lori, it's understandable, waiting for the right time, right?" Rick asked and I nodded. "We didn't tell your parents about Carl until you were four months along." He pointed out.

"We weren't in danger all the time then." She protested.

"We've been safe for awhile now." Maggie pointed out.

"But it's like she always says, we're never safe, not completely."

"Lori, you remember how stressful you first trimester was? You know how it is now? Lizzie's younger than you, she's never had a kid before. Of course she'd want to keep it a secret for a little while. Just let things happen, you know?" Sven shrugged and Lori sighed before nodding.

"I'm sorry Lizzie," she looked at me. "I guess I'm not the only one expanding my family."

"Guess not." I nodded to her. "And thanks."

It was a week after that, when we saw our first sign of strangers. We had met the other people around, making up the network of people that Sven, Evan and Abbie had created, but these people, they were different.

It had started off as a regular day, Glenn was helping Sven and Cal figure out how to fix part of the pump in the well, Daryl was helping the lost boys with target practice, I was taking watch, Carol and Lori were cooking; and Parker, Evan and Hershel had gone over to the farm and were helping out over there. I tapped my foot against the roof of the RV, watching out over the area, before picking up the binoculars, I looked out towards the road and saw nothing in particular, and then turned around looking in the circle around the house. The RV shook slightly as someone came up the ladder and I looked at T-Dog climbed onto the roof holding a bottle of water and a plate.

"Carol sent this up for you." He told me and I smiled lightly.

"Thanks T." I took the plate and the bottle of water. I took a sip of the water and looked at the piece of cold chicken and the veggies that Carol had sent.

"So, havin' a baby huh?" he asked.

"So it would seem." I looked at him.

"Gotta admit, you're the last person I'd expect to be starting a family"

"I've already got a family." I told him and he looked at me curiously. "Well, all of y'all." I shrugged. "Y'all're family." I shrugged. "This," I put my hand over my stomach. "This is just one more person in the family." I explained.

"I always wanted kids." He sighed.

"Really?" I asked and he smiled lightly.

"I know, but, uh, yeah, I wanted kids." He smiled lightly. "My sister, she had three." I let out a small whistle and he chuckled. "I know right. Three boys."

"God, your sister must have had nerves of steel."

"Oh she did." T-Dog laughed. "I like to think they're out there still. I know, it's not likely, but, Somewhere T.J. Oscar, and Stephen are out there." He shrugged.

"They could be."

"She lived in Louisiana." He explained as he looked at me.

"She could be fine, stayin' in the bayou, I'm sure it's hard for walkers to get through the swamp." I told him and he nodded.

"Best eat. You're eatin' for two now."

"Like I don't get enough of that from Carol?" I laughed and he shook his head.

"You're gonna be hearing it from everyone now, you and Lori both until those babies are born. Gotta say, it's gonna be weird seeing Daryl as a Daddy."

"Why's that?" I asked as I picked up a slice of zucchini and popped it in my mouth.

"Just, it's Daryl you know?" he shrugged. "He ain't what ya think of when you think of parent of the month."

"I think Daryl will be a great Dad." I looked at him quickly and he held his hands up in surrender before going to reply before Daryl came jogging over to the RV.

"Git on down, there's people comin in." he told us and we looked at each other before climbing off of the RV. "You good to take this?" Daryl asked and I nodded.

"I'll be fine." I assured him and he sighed before nodding.

"I can't stop you." He shook his head.

"You feeling okay?" I asked with a small smile. He scoffed lightly and I smiled before kissing the corner of his mouth. "I'm teasin'." I told him and he nodded.

"I know." He affirmed as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. The gate at the top of the hill opened and I could hear tires starting to roll down the drive. I rested the shotgun on my shoulder and looked at him. He pulled me into a quick kiss before he picked up his crossbow and we walked towards the driveway with everyone else.

The first person out of the truck was a blonde woman with a pink sweater and white pants. I smiled seeing them, it reminded me of Amy. I looked over at Sven and Evan who were walking over to the girl. They spoke for a moment, and I couldn't hear what they were saying, but finally she nodded to whoever was in the back of her car, before three people got out of the car.

The first was a woman in her mid thirties with stringy black hair; she had a thin, slightly gaunt face and was very thin. After her was a girl about eighteen, she had black hair, was thin, and was wearing a black tank top showing off numerous tattoos. After the girls there was a tall man on the other side of the car, he was thicker, probably in his late forties, early fifties, with black facial hair, he had on a pair of tight jeans, a black tee shirt and a black leather jacket and he held an axe over his shoulder. He grinned looking around the place before his eyes landed on the group. He nudged the guy getting out of the car after him, a young man with blonde hair, and tanned skin; he had his hair buzzed close to the scalp, and was dressed similarly to the man that had nudged him.

"Gator." It was Daryl who had spoken up first, and all eyes went to him as he stood there staring at the group.

"Ho-leey shit." The dark haired guy who I assumed was Gator laughed. "Look who it is Martha." He nodded to Daryl and the older woman looked over.

"Daryl!" she grinned and walked over to him quickly. She wrapped her arms around him and then pressed her lips against his. I could see his shoulders stiffen before he backed away.

About an hour later after all of the introductions we were in the back yard of the house, on the patio. Abbie was talking to the younger girl or the group, Nancy, and the Lost Boys were talking to the younger boy, Duke while Daryl talked to Gator. "Shit man, never thought we'd be seein' you again. Guess we shouldn't be surprised huh?" Gator grinned as he walked over and shook Daryl's hand. "Where's the ol' nut buster huh?"

"Gone." Daryl replied shortly.

"Well shit man. I'm sure wherever he is, he's survivin'."

"No, he died long time ago." Daryl shook his head and Gator shrugged.

"Well, what about Merle? Where's he at?"

"Gone too."

"Well hell boy. Sounds like you Dixon's are an endangered species."

"Almost." Daryl replied his eyes landed on me where I was talking to Maggie lowly.

"Which one you lookin' at?" Gator asked and Daryl looked back to him. "Lord knows it's been awhile since I got laid, wouldn't mind takin' 'em both for a spin if you know what I mean. Speakin' uh which, Martha there, she's still hot for ya."

"Liz." Daryl called and I looked over at him. "Commere for a sec."

"I'll be right back." I told Maggie.

"Be careful, I don't like the way they look."

"Me either. Keep Beth away from 'em."

"Yeah." She agreed and crossed her arms as I walked over, resting the shotgun on my shoulder. I didn't like the way Gator watched me as I walked over. It was like he was… Well, a gator, eyeing his next meal.

"Baby, this is Gator Elroy," he gestured to Gator even though he had introduced himself to the whole group earlier. "Gator, this is Liz Dixon, my wife." He looked at Gator pointedly who didn't even try to hide his surprise.

"Well shit boy, you gone and got yourself married? How long ago that happen? Shit, how come you didn't invite us?"

"Like I could find ya if I wanted to." Daryl scoffed and Gator's eyes took on a dangerous look.

"Let's keep it friendly Daryl." He said warningly and Daryl matched his look. "So how long y'all been stayin' with these queers huh?" he asked.

"That ain't none of your business." Daryl told Gator who scoffed lightly.

"No I guess not." He nodded."We ain't plannin' on stayin' too long neither. Soon as our car's fixed, it's back on our way to Mexico."

"Mexico?" Daryl asked and Gator shrugged.

"You know what they say about the Mexican girls." Gator shrugged. "They're twenty five when they're sixteen, and ripe for the pickin'. Speakin' of which, how old is that little blonde peach?" he nodded to where the Lost Boys were working on piling firewood.

"I don't want them staying here." I told Evan and Sven sternly. "Gator is- he's disgusting."

"Always has been, always will be." Daryl nodded as he stood next to me.

"What's wrong with him?" Evan asked and I shook my head.

"He- I don't trust him." I shook my head.

"He ain't sayin' the right things 'round the right age." Daryl tried to explain.

"I think," I sighed as I looked at Rick who was standing there as well. "I think he's taking the lack of authority to his advantage, and I don't want Sophia or Beth around him." I told them.

"Me either." Daryl agreed. "Don't want Liz, or Carol or Maggie, or hell, even Lori 'round him."

"What about the women traveling with him?" Rick asked.

"Martha's always hung 'round him,"

"You two seemed pretty familiar." Carol mentioned and I looked at Daryl who shook his head.

"She likes to think we were familiar." He scowled.

"It's already nightfall, can't this wait until morning?" Evan asked. "Their car should be fixed by tomorrow, then they won't have to stay."

"That's the thing though, they get too comfortable here, they gonna stay if ya want 'em to or not." Daryl explained.

"We outnumber them, in weapons and in people." Rick assured Daryl. "I think one night will be okay."

"If Daryl thinks they're this muck of a concern, we may want to take some precautions." Parker suggested.

"Parker's right." Glenn agreed. "Why don't we limit their movements to one room for the night, and then in the morning, until Josie and Victor come to get them, we keep a close eye on them, don't let them go wondering alone, that kind of deal."

"How do we limit them to one room?" Rick Hershel asked.

"Same way we did back at the ranch." Maggie told her father. "We lock 'em in for the night."

"Is that ethical?"" Lori asked. "I- I mean, remember what happened last time."

"This time none of our group is going to be helping them escape." Rick told his wife who sighed and then nodded.

"If it's what you think is right." She sighed.

"All in favor?" Evan asked and we all nodded.

The trouble started late that night, we had all had dinner and we had figured out the sleeping arrangements, they were going to sleep in the basement, Evan and Sven brought out some old blow up mattresses and brought them downstairs for them, however when Duke offered to take first shift with me.

I didn't even know about it until he came walking over to the RV with his baseball bat in his hand. "Hey." He grunted and I stared at him in shock.

"Uh, hey…" I muttered. "I thought y'all were in bed."

"Nah, they put us down there with the bar. Gator's goin' to it, I figure I'd help out here." He shrugged.

"Well, thanks" I replied. "But I've got it, ya know?"

"I don't mind." He replied and I sighed. It was a quiet two hours before Cal came onto the roof of the RV and show me a questioning look. I shrugged and he cleared his throat before nodding to me.

"Go on kiddo, get on out of here." He told me and I nodded before leaving. When I got to the pool house Daryl was reading a book. He had taken to borrowing books from the library, sometimes going through one in two days.

"How's it out there?" he asked.

"Crowded." I replied. "Duke took it upon himself to come on up."

"God dammit." He muttered as he put the book to the side. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sat up a I was changing. "Did he say anything to you?"

"Not much. Just sort of sat there really- He went off on his own to do the sweeps though."

"Right." Daryl muttered softly.

"Oh, so, when were you planning on telling me we had gotten married?" I asked as I looked over at Daryl. He suddenly looked uncomfortable, and rubbed the back of his neck.

"You rather have Gator thinkin' you're single?" he asked and I shook my head.

"I don't see how it would matter to Gator is a girl was single or spoken for." I replied.

"I don't want him lookin' at ya like that." He told me.

"Like what?" I asked.

"Like he can do whatever he wants to ya." He replied. "Don't want no one lookin' at ya like that, an' then what he said about Beth-"

"Wha'd he say about Beth?" I asked and he shook his head.

"I just think we need ta get them outta here tomorrow." He replied.

"How do you even know them?" I asked as I got into the bed.

"Merle knew 'em. Got inta it with our ol' man one night, and took off, he was about nineteen, twenty, I was a kid. Merle comes back two days later with Gator, grabs a bag uh his clothes, and leaves again. Didn't see him for about six months." He explained. Ever since then, him an' Gator, they draggin' each other down." He nodded. "You know I'd marry ya." He told me, suddenly changing the subject.

"What?" I laughed lightly and he looked over at me. "I'd marry ya. Never told no one that 'fore, but…" he shrugged. "Never thought 'bout it."

"This doesn't just have something to do with me bein' knocked up?" he let out a small scoff and then leaned off the bed and pulled his backpack up. He dug through it for a moment before he drew his hand out and held it out. I held my palm out and he dropped something into it. In the palm of my hand sat a simple, silver Claddagh ring, the two hands holding a heart with a crown. I stared at it for a moment before looking at Daryl in surprise.

"Dare-" I breathed and he took the ring from my palm.

"The story is, a fishing boat was captured by pirates in Ireland 'bout three hundred years ago or somethin' and one of the fishermen was sold to a goldsmith. He made the first one uh these rings, and kept it 'till he won his freedom, an' went back home. When he got there, his girl had waited all them years for him." He explained as he lifted my left hand up, and looked at me. He slipped the ring onto my ring finger and ran his thumb over it. "She never gave up on him. Back, when we lost the farm, I almost gave up on seein' you again. I'll never give up on you again." He promised and I smiled softly.

"I think," I chuckled lightly. "In these circumstances, this is as good a wedding as we're ever gonna get."

"Commere," he held his arms open and I leaned forward and kissed him deeply. "So's this it then?" he asked and I pretended to think as I rested my chin on his shoulder.

"Hmm…" I hummed "That depends." I looked at him and he grinned lightly. "Think you can handle being a married man?"

"Depends who I'm married to." He winked at me and I laughed lightly before he pulled me into another kiss.

The next morning was when all the trouble started. To be honest, for the rest of the night I hardly gave Gator and his little group another thought, but when we woke up, well, it was an interesting awakening to say in the least.

I jolted out of bed as the door to the pool house was kicked in, there was a loud whoop and people moved into the room, Daryl scrambled for his crossbow, but he was cut off by one of the men standing there.

"Jesus Daryl," practically right where I left ya." One of the men sneered and Daryl's eyes narrowed as he put his arm in front of me.

"Aw come on Daryl, ya ain't got a kind word for your ol' friend Drew?"

"I would if I saw my friend, stead'a the fuckin' traitor in front of me." Daryl spat.

"Hey now, let's keep things nice." Drew replied. He was around Gator's age, a beefy, bearded man with tattoos all up and down his arms. He held a handgun right at Daryl's face and the guy next to me was a thin man with a long gaunt face and a long blonde ponytail.

"Mornin' sweetheart." the blonde guy leered at me and Daryl's glare turned onto him.

"Back the fuck off-"

"Daryl, you ain't in the position to be makin' no demands." Drew laughed, before throwing a pair of pants at Daryl. "Put your pants on boy, let's go."

"I ain't goin' nowhere without my wife." Daryl looked at me.

"Oh don't worry about her, she'll be fine. Vince here'll take real good care of her, won'tcha?"

"Like she were my own wife." Vince turned to look at Daryl who looked at me. Daryl was about to say something but Drew put his gun against the back of Daryl's head and led him out of the room, leaving me there with the leering Vincent.

Oh yeah, first cliffhanger of the series! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

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