Summary: On the hunt for Sophia, Daryl gets gravely injured. Almost certain he was screwed; he gets a surprise in the form of an old friend.
Into The Woods
Chapter 10
Song – Arms – By Christina Perri
You put your Arms around me
I never thought that you would be the one to hold my heart
But you came around and you knocked me off the ground from the start
You put your arms around me
And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go
You put your arms around me and I'm home
How many times will you let me change my mind and turn around
I can't decide if I'll let you save my life or if I'll drown
I hope that you see right through my walls
I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling
I'll never let a love get so close
You put your arms around me and I'm home
The world is coming down on me and I can't find a reason to be loved
I never wanna leave you but I can't make you bleed if I'm alone
You put your arms around me
And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go
Three months passed by Daryl and Aleigh and their adopted daughter were surprisingly, blissfully happy.
Aleigh was now around seven or eight months pregnant and happy. Her dark red curls had gotten silkier and glowed in the sunlight. Her green eyes had gotten brighter, albeit a little sleepier. The further along she got, the harder it was to find a good sleeping position.
Daryl worked on the third bedroom of their house, making it into a nursery type room. He and Merle had gotten together with some help from Rick to cut down a few trees and build a crib and rocking chair. The kids got involved and making them smooth while the women pulled together to make up a blanket. Patricia had to teach Tanya and Maggie how to knit so the three of them could work the blanket and manage to get it done in time.
Aleigh was in bed thinking of names one night with Daryl next to her, partially asleep. There was a jolt in her stomach and the red head looked down at the large bump. She frowned slightly then shook her head at another jolt. Taking Daryl's hand, effectively waking him up, She placed it on her stomach and moved it until Daryl could feel the kicks.
"Well, kicking up a fuss again, right on time." Daryl yawned, patting the spot gently. "This thing's getting a routine."
"This thing's making it very hard for me to sleep." Aleigh muttered. Daryl chuckled and ran a hand over her stomach. "Not to mention making me fat."
"You ain't fat." Daryl argued. "You just got cushioning for the lil one." Aleigh gave him such a dirty look that he knew he had worded it wrong. She huffed and turned back to her list, crossing off an idea and writing a new one in. "Oh kiddo, your momma's a crazy woman, but we love her."
Aleigh rolled her eyes and smiled as Daryl continued talking to their unborn child.
Tanya walked slowly with Aleigh the next day, both of them working a light patrol around the fenced in parameter.
"So are you and Rick actually finally having sex or not?" Aleigh asked, the weight of the unknown was dragging on her. She knew in the first few months of the relationship, before Aleigh herself had left for that week, it was slow moving, soft kisses, light touches. But the last few months she was sure there was more going on.
"Why are you so obsessed with this?" Tanya asked, blinking.
"Because you're both my best friends." Aleigh pointed out. "And Daryl already agreed that should he and I end up all eaten or something, then you guys would be the ones we trusted to care for this kid."
"Not Merle?" Tanya was slightly surprised by that declaration.
"Nah, he doesn't feel comfortable with that sort of responsibility." Aleigh laughed slightly. "He thinks he'd leave it behind if it was too quiet." She pointed a finger at her friend and waved it around in the air. "Now don't hold out on me...are you...or aren't you?"
"Yes, okay, fine, we...we've...done that!" Tanya finally gave in, going red. Aleigh smiled brightly then hugged her friend. A sudden jolt of pain ricocheted up and down her spine and through her stomach, nearly bringing the woman onto her knees. "Shit, Aleigh? Hey, are you okay?"
"I...I don't know." Aleigh muttered.
"Come on, let' get you back to the house, we'll get Hershel." Tanya announced. She held her friend's arm as they made their way back to the house, all the while stumbling each time the pain shot up again.
Merle spotted them at a distance and grew worried over Aleigh's hunched form. He sent Patricia off to get Hershel while he caught up with the girl. It took a little manoeuvring before they managed to get Aleigh up into Merle's arms; all three of them thankful that his saw had been removed for the time being to be properly cared for.
"Daryl!" Tanya called out as they reached the house. Aleigh was withering in Merle's hold, her arm over her stomach, when Daryl came around the house from the back. He took one look at his woman before swearing and ushering them inside just as Patricia and Hershel came around.
"What the hell happened?" Daryl asked.
"We were just walking." Tanya explained. "She hugged me and them bam, this was going on." The group stomped up the stairs into the bedroom where Merle deposited the pained woman on the bed as carefully as was possible. They only realized then that there was a bloody mess spreading its way between Aleigh's legs.
"We'll have to do a caesarean." Hershel thought out loud, staring at his charge.
"What? No, no, please...I don't wanna be cut." Aleigh whimpered.
"It's gonna be okay, darling." Daryl comforted the woman.
"Patricia, I'm gonna need warm water and towels." Hershel instructed. "Tanya I want a CLEAN knife, and something to stitch her with after."
"Ow, OW...Daryl, make it stop...please make it stop." Aleigh cried out, clenching at the hunter's hand as tear streaked down her face. Daryl frowned, knowing there was nothing he could do to help her. Merle moved back away from the bed to stay out of the way of the rushing women.
"Daryl you have to leave." Hershel stated.
"No." Daryl countered.
"You have to..." Hershel started.
"I ain't leaving her!" Daryl snapped. "I will stay out the way but I ain't leaving this fucking room."
"Let him stay Doc, it'll keep Aleigh calmer." Merle uttered truthfully. Hershel sighed, obviously not happy with this. "I'll keep the little missy downstairs or outside." Daryl nodded to his brother as he sat at the top of the bed and held Aleigh's hand, brushing her hair from her face and doing all he could to comfort her.
"Is Aleigh going to be okay?" Sophia asked the second Merle walked out of the house.
"She'll be just fine, sugar." Merle assured her. "But everyone's gotta stay out and let them do their thing." He could see how much Sophia didn't like that idea. She wanted to be with her adopted mother, support and help her. She nodded in unhappy consent and chose to sit on the front steps with her technical uncle as they waited.
All Daryl can hear is Aleigh's agonized screams as she had to suffer through getting cut open without anything to numb her. His mind flashes back to the way she looked when he found her at the place where Randall's crew had taken her.
"We got it, we got it!" Patricia announced. Aleigh looked dreadful but managed to let out a slight laugh, keeping her head down, not wanting to try and peer down at what is likely a bloody mess of her stomach.
An ear splitting cry rang through the room and Daryl looked at the small squirming, slightly disgusting mess of his baby.
"It's a girl" Tanya laughed happily. She quickly and gently wiped the baby down as Hershel and Patricia talked in hushed tones
"I wanna see her." Aleigh mumbled weakly. Daryl took the baby cautiously from Tanya and tilted the squirming bundle towards its mother. Aleigh gave a soft sigh of wonder as she lifted a shaking hand to her daughter. Her fingers barely brushed at the screaming infant's face before the mother's eyes rolled up into her head and her arm dropped lifelessly to her side.
"Guys!" Tanya yelled, panicking as she looked at the older pair.
"She's lost a lot of blood." Hershel informed them.
"Daryl please, you don't want to be in here for this." Patricia informed the new father. Tanya ushered him out of the room and closed the door, letting him be with his newborn child. The baby quieted down and Daryl looked down at her, suddenly realizing he had no idea what to do with her. He absently walked down the stairs, his mind wondering about finding Rick. Surely the man would know how to care for a new born.
Daryl brushed a spot of blood from his daughter's forehead and reached the front door. When he opened it, it was to find Merle, Sophia, Rick, Maggie, Beth, Glenn, Carl and the women from the original town group all in the front yard. He paused when they all looked at him. Not knowing what else to do, mind sticking firmly on finding ways to distract from what was happening upstairs, he looked around at his neighbours then sighed.
"How do I clean her?" Daryl asked absently. Rick shooed most of the people away then led Daryl back inside, Sophia, Carl and Merle following behind them.
Rick spent the next hour helping Daryl with the simple things, getting the baby cleaned, teaching him about the umbilical cord and everything else he could think of. The baby got passed around between the small group, Sophia holding her the longest, not wanting to let go of her new sister.
When the crying started, an actual look of panic came across Daryl's face which had looked slightly stunned and vacant the whole time until then.
"What's wrong?" The new father asked.
"Relax, she's probably just hungry." Rick tried to assure him.
"Well I ain't got breasts to feed her!" Daryl snapped.
There was a pause as everyone considered the moment. There had been no noise up the stairs for a while now and no one was sure if that was good or not.
"Just hold the girl for now." Merle instructed his brother. Sophia passed over the baby and Daryl bounced his arms slightly, uncertain on how to care for the wailing infant. "We picked up that formula crap when we last went down to the shop didn't we? We'll just...get that made."
"I'll do it!" Sophia volunteered before she vaulted herself over the couch and ran for the kitchen.
They managed to feed the baby after some slight difficulties with balancing the temperature of the mixture and the newborn slowly drifted off in her father's arms, comfortable with a full belly and a warm blanket wrapped snugly around her. Around the room, Sophia and Carl were passed out on the floor, Merle was dozing in the armchair and Rick was resting next to Daryl on the couch, ready to instruct should he be needed.
"What do I do if Aleigh don't make it?" Daryl asked finally. Rick opened his eyes and looked at his friend.
"She'll make it." He stated firmly. Daryl sighed and leaned back, the newborn resting on his chest with his arms around her protectively.
Tanya walked into the living room a little under an hour later. Rick got up from the couch and met her half in her venture to them. He rubbed her arms lightly and she smiled happily at him before pressing a soft kiss to his lips. She then turned her grey eyes over to Daryl who had stirred into full wakefulness when the couch shifted.
"She's good." Tanya announced softly. "Hershel and Patricia are just getting everything cleaned up. We moved her into Sophia's room, carefully, so we could get at the mattress. We'll find a new one for you guys soon."
"Can we see her?" Daryl asked, shifting his daughter as he rose from the couch. He fully intended on going up whether or not he got the go ahead from the young woman but thankfully she nodded in agreement and gestured for the stairs.
Daryl stood in the doorway to his adopted daughter's bedroom and looked in at Aleigh, sitting up on the bed with a bunch of pillows behind her to make it easier. Her shirt was bundled up under her chest, showing the wide length of bandage wrapped around her midsection. When their eyes locked, Daryl moved into the room then wordlessly placed the little bundle into her arms. Aleigh's eyes lit up in wonder as she cradled her baby girl who was staring up at the new person with wide blue eyes.
"What should we call her?" Aleigh said softly tracing the baby's curved lips. Daryl took a moment to consider, gazing at two of the three females he loved.
"What's your gran's name?" Daryl asked.
"Makayla" Aleigh replied.
"How's about...Makayla Darla Dixon?" Daryl suggested. Aleigh looked at him with a bright happy smile before pulling him down to kiss him.
"I love it...and I love you." She muttered, turning her attention back down to the baby as Makayla grabbed her father's thumb and pulled it to her mouth to experiment on the taste. The act caused Daryl to grin despite the strangeness of it.
"She's got your hair." Daryl murmured softly, looking at the tufts of dark red curls that were already in place on the child's head.
"And she's got your eyes." Aleigh said happily, pointing out the piercing blue of the baby's eyes.
"Can I come in?" Sophia asked from the doorway.
"It is your bedroom, I'm jut renting." Aleigh laughed. Sophia smiled and hurried over to them. "I'm guessing everyone's gotten the chance to hold her."
"Can I do it again anyways?" Sophia asked. Aleigh grinned and passed the baby over to the teen. "What did you name her?"
"Makayla Darla Dixon." The mother announced.
"Aww cool, I can call her Mickey." Sophia decided happily.
"How the...never mind." Daryl muttered, shaking his head. He could tell already that he wasn't going to win a damn thing with these women now that there were three of them to gang up on him.
In the end though, he didn't overly care too much. There was a new line of Dixon's and they would be nothing like the old one.
The next year passed by insanity fast. The men had found a neighbouring city with shops that didn't look to have been hit. They had stocked on up supplies, everything to make sure they could remain in their little l gated community.
Aleigh sat on her front porch, watching as Sophia and Makayla played in the grass. Things were nice, surprisingly nice. Sometimes it was possible for them to forget that there were corpses rising and walking every day just outside their fence. It was such a normal thing, and Aleigh was almost certain that all the walkers in Georgia had been taken out already.
At least until the survivors died.
Aleigh watched her girls play around and tilted her, wondering. Hershel had told her in private that without the proper medical equipment, the way they had patched her up, chances were she wasn't going to be able to bare anymore children. She had taken the information without much thought at the time. Aleigh was too engrossed in watching Makayla grow and learn to really bother much with the thought of anymore little monkeys running around.
Besides, with the way Tanya was acted, it didn't seem like Makayla was going to be the only teeny tiny youngster.
"Whatcha, doing sweetie?" Patricia asked, walking over to sit next to Aleigh. A few months back Merle had found, what he had claimed to be, the most glorious sight of his life. It had translated into a fully stocked liquor store. He and Patricia had ended up drinking so much so that Merle had suddenly just up and declared her to be Mrs Merle Dixon. When asked about it the next day after he sobered up, the man had just shrugged and stated that he did what he did because he wanted to.
Everyone had referred to Patricia as Merle's wife ever since.
"Just thinking...watching." Aleigh remarked. "Amazing how fast they grow up, eh?"
"Oh, no kidding." Patricia agreed, smiling. "Seems like only yesterday, she was a little wiggling blob of bloody goop."
"Ew, that's my girl you're talking about!" Aleigh laughed, pushing lightly at her sister-in-law. The mentioned child suddenly paused in her chase of the light bubbles her sister was blowing to turn and examine her mother and aunt. Both women lifted hands and waved happily at the toddler. The tiny red head turned back around and jumped up to try and catch a bubble.
It was a strange sight to say the least. There Sophia stood, in all her fourteen years of living, with her own sais strapped to her thigh, blonde hair tied up in a high ponytail, biker boots on her feet, light blue jeans, a purple shirt and a black leather vest, blowing bubbles for the one year old in a pink dress.
Sophia looked every bit of Daryl Dixon's child with a strip of denim around her wrist just for the hell of it. She would still call Daryl and Aleigh by their names but she referred to them as her parents, occasionally calling out to them as mom and dad. She was damned and determined to have her name be the first word out of little Makayla's mouth.
"Them boys are due back soon, aren't they?" Patricia asked.
"Yep, soon, Daryl promised Sophia he'd take her hunting and he hasn't broken a promise yet to that girl." Aleigh explained. No sooner had she finished the statement did the roar of the motorcycle reach their ears. Aleigh stood up and walked over to Sophia and Makayla as the bike and an SUV rolled their way to stops.
Daryl got off the motorcycle and unstrapped the bag of supplies he had found. He turned in time for Sophia to run at him. He barely even needed to crouch anymore to get at her height. He gave the girl a quick one armed hug and a kiss on the forehead then walked over to the rest of his family. Aleigh smiled when he kissed her softly in greeting. She had been happier for a while now, calmer. Daryl brushed his free hand through his lover's hair and smiled at her before bending down to pick up Makayla and kissed her head.
All his girls, always so happy to see him. He loved that feeling, people actually wanting him around, to see him, be with him.
"Good haul?" Patricia asked when Merle joined the rest of the Dixons.
"Yup, we'll be doing a good old feast tonight." Merle answered proudly. He had several birds tied together and hanging over his shoulder.
"Well we do love feasts." Aleigh joked.
"Can we go now?" Sophia asked, bouncing slightly in her excitement as she looked at her adopted father.
"Slow down, girlie." Daryl laughed slightly. "Sun's still up for a few more hours, let me put this junk away and then we'll head off." Sophia sighed and nodded.
"Oh just take her." Aleigh instructed, taking the bag from him. "Go, have fun, be back by dinner." She kissed Sophia's head then Daryl's lips and smiled, gently prying the toddler off her father. Makayla fussed, wanting to still hold on. "Hey now, papa's gonna be back in no time little miss Mickey. You're making momma feel unloved with all that fussing."
"She's a daddy's girl that one, both of them are." Merle chuckled.
"We'll see about that." Aleigh shot back grinning. Makayla snuggled into her mother when she realized that she wasn't getting her father.
"See ya later Mickey." Sophia bid farewell to her baby sister and rushed to pick up her bow and arrows before going to the motorcycle.
"Something tells me I'm gonna be the tired one after this." Daryl muttered, following the teenager.
"Do NOT let her drive again!" Aleigh ordered, not forgetting the time last month when she had come outside to Sophia controlling the large bike.
As Daryl and Sophia went into the woods, Sophia looked at Daryl with a big smile.
"You got the ring Daryl?" Sophia asked excitedly.
Daryl smiled and showed Sophia the small ring with a oval emerald. The teenager stared with wide eyes as the shining gem and then smiled brightly.
"She's gonna love it!" Sophia exclaimed.
"Yeah...now hush up, we got things to kill." Daryl muttered, grinning. Sophia closed her mouth and glanced around. Daryl shook his head and gave her quiet instructions on hold the bow and aiming the arrow.
Her first couple of shots, when small woodland animals came out, ended up missing. By the end of the session however, she finally managed to hit a raccoon. Daryl patted her shoulder proudly but paused when a lone walker stumbled out, dripping it's black goo on the dead animal. He sighed and got his crossbow ready but paused when a twang sound was heard, followed by the thud of an arrow impaling itself into the walker's head. Daryl looked down at Sophia as she slowly lowered her bow and smiled brightly.
"Good shot, darling." The father praised warmly.
"It contaminated the coon though." Sophia pointed out.
"That's okay, we got enough stuff back home." Daryl assured her, patting her shoulder and stepping out to retrieve the arrows. "You just be proud on taking out that walker."
When Daryl and Sophia got back, they went and washed up before joining the rest of the group just in time for dinner. They sat either side of Aleigh and Daryl leaned over to kiss her softly before taking Makayla onto his lap.
He thought back to what Hershel had said the day Makayla was born. So many problems surrounded the teeny tiny girl's birth and it was nearly a disastrous day.
Daryl didn't mind that the chances of having another kid were low. Hell, they had Sophia and their little angel Makayla who resembled both her parents at one years old with her mother's red curls and Daryl's piercing blue eyes, not to mention the attitude she was developing. That was plenty for Daryl.
"What is with that ridiculous smile, kid?" Aleigh asked, looking at Sophia who jut grinning away like a Cheshire cat.
"Nothing." Sophia answered. Her smile changed as Carl slid into the seat next to her, giving her hand a pat. Aleigh glanced over at Daryl to see his eyes narrowing and shook her head lightly.
"Overprotective much." She muttered.
"Rick's boy better watch what he does." Daryl grumbled.
"Weirdo." Aleigh teased lightly.
"Hershel confirmed it." Tanya announced quietly as she sat across from them.
"Oh so you are then?" Aleigh asked. Tanya nodded in agreement and Aleigh smiled, happy for her friend.
"She's what? What is she?" Daryl asked, looking between them. Rick came up and sat next to Tanya, looking a little surprised but fairly calm. Aleigh gave him a smile and a nod and he returned the gesture with a grin.
"Looks like everybody's doing something." The red headed woman claimed. "Your bro gone and claimed himself married to Patricia, them two are having a little one, what are we doing?"
"Raising a little one?" Daryl suggested. Aleigh smiled and ran her hand through Makayla's hair. "Oh yeah, and this." When the red head lifted her eyes and she blinked in surprise when Daryl took her hand and slid a ring on her finger.
Aleigh stared at Daryl in shock as he slipped on a simple but elegant gold ring with a emerald in the middle.
Daryl's mother's ring.
"Aleigh Serenity Blaze will you marry me?" Daryl asked hopefully.
"You even gotta ask?" Aleigh asked. She smiled brightly and kissed him. "Course, you dummy!"
"Well there ya go, now you got something you're doing." Merle laughed out, thumping Daryl on the back.
"That's what you were smiling about, wasn't it?" Aleigh asked, looking at Sophia who was nodding her head rapidly.
After spending four hours together the group went to their respective homes leaving Daryl and Aleigh with their girls.
Daryl and Aleigh had tucked in Sophia who had crashed out and they were both now with their daughter.
"She's gonna be a looker." Daryl said holding her with a smile.
"Our little angel." Aleigh said softly looking at a photo of her, Daryl, Sophia and Makayla. Daryl smiled at the photo with a loving expression. In the photo was him and Aleigh, Sophia and Makayla sitting on the porch, Aleigh was wearing a blue summer dress with little Makayla in her arms.
It was impressive when they found out that Maggie and Beth knew how to develop film after they had found disposable cameras. Everyone had ended up with a bunch of new pictures for their new/old families.
"You know, we can just do what Merle did, just announced we're married and ta da." Aleigh remarked.
"You really wanna do it just like that?" Daryl asked. "Don't wanna go hunt out for a dress and get all girly?" Aleigh just looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "Oh come on, you'd love being girly for a day."
"Do you even know me?" Aleigh asked, smiling. "That dress was one of the only girly ones I've EVER owned, and that one was found by Tanya." Daryl chuckled and put his arm around the red head's shoulders. "So this is life huh?"
"Yup, this is it." Daryl agreed.
"Could be a fuck load worse." Aleigh remarked. Daryl nodded his full agreement.
I hope that you see right through my walls
I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling
I'll never let a love get so close
You put your arms around me and I'm home
I tried my best to never let you in to see the truth
And I've never opened up
I've never truly loved 'Till you put your arms around me
And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go
I hope that you see right through my walls
I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling
I'll never let a love get so close
You put your arms around me and I'm home
You put your arms around me and I'm home
me and I'm home