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When the men came out of the wood, Daryl had Layla in his arms with with flannel shirt over her face. Shane was by the fire. He stood up slowly as everyone else rushed forward. Carol, Andrea, and Lori started to cry. Carol covered her face and fell to her knees. Daryl's face was shut down as he walked through the camp. The other men weaved through everyone with Rick coming to Shane.

" You found her." Shane said softly.

" We did." Rick said, glancing at Shane. Shane was watching Daryl as he walked. Layla's arms were hanging loosely on either side of Daryl and her head was back.

" Where is he taking her?" Shane asked.

" To Hershel." Rick said.

" What the fuck for? She's dead, right?" He asked. Daryl was now walking through the field.

" He's thinking about the baby."

" What the hell, Rick? Hershel can't save the baby. Layla was bitten, that means the baby will have gotten infected too. She's dead, so is the baby."

" You know how Daryl is." Rick said. He started to wander over to Lori who looked completely stunned. He took a hold of her elbow and started to led her towards their tent. He dropped his head down and started to whisper. " She isn't dead. Shane lied. He hit her in the head and tried to kill her. He told her the baby was going to get the group killed."

" Why does Daryl have her face covered?" Lori whispered.

" We want Shane to think she is dead so he won't take off while we figure out what to do about him." Rick answered.

XXXXXX

" Daryl, I'm hot." Layla whispered from under his flannel as they moved. He felt her body completely relax in his arms.

" Almost to the house." Daryl said, picking up his pace. When he reached front yard of the house, the door opened as Maggie and Hershel came out. Maggie's face paled as they both started to hurry to Daryl.

" What happen?" Maggie yelled.

" She ain't dead." Daryl said quickly. " But she's hurt."

" What happen?" Hershel asked as he yanked the flannel from her face.

" Sum a bitch Shane hit her in the head, tried to kill her. Her head's bleedin bad."

" Bring her inside. I need to check the baby." Hershel said.

" Baby's movin." Daryl said as he hurried up the stairs.

" Has she been talking?" Maggie asked.

" She was, thinkin she passed out now." Daryl said.

XXXXXX

Daryl had paced in the bedroom, biting into his thumb while Hershel worked. He watched as the vet cleaned up her head, checked her vitals and felt around her stomach. The baby was active and that eased some tension in Daryl's shoulders. He turned and looked out of one of the windows as Rick and T-Dog wrestled Shane to the ground. They fought against him with everyone watching. Rick managed to get his arms behind his back where he handcuffed Shane's wrists. He stood up, yanked Shane up and they started towards one of the barns.

XXXXXX

Layla's head was pounding as she came too. She groaned and her left hand moved through the sheet to her stomach while her right hand went to her eyes. She rubbed them while she pushed her stomach. The baby pushed back and she felt reassurance flood through her. She brought her other hand out from the sheet and both her hands rubbed at her eyes.

" You alright?" Daryl's voice reached her. Layla dropped her hands, opened her eyes and looked down to the end of their bed. He was standing with his legs apart and his right hand holding onto his cross bow strap. Layla frowned as her eyes went straight to his knuckles.

" What happen to you?" She asked. Daryl glanced down at his hand then back up at her.

" Had a talk with Shane." He muttered.

Daryl had stayed in the house until Hershel had Layla completely cleaned up. She hadn't woken up again but Hershel said her vitals were strong, but that she needed to rest. The second Daryl had walked into the barn Shane was being held in, he had snapped. He punched Shane on the left side of his head, right where Shane had hit Layla. He had screamed at Shane, cursed him out then punched him again. Shane's head had rocked to the side. His lip busted up and bleeding. Shane had explained why he had went after Layla. In his mind, his logical had been sound.

" Mother fucker think you can kill what belongs to me? Think you can kill my baby?" Daryl had spit out while he paced in front of the man.

" She's going to kill us when that kid comes out. You think I can let that happen to Lori?" Shane said. He leaned to the side and spit out his blood. His hands were handcuffed behind his back. He was against a pole in the barn. Daryl quickly delivered another punch and it resulted in Shane's left eye swollen shut.

" So you went after Layla? You tried to take what's mine? Ain't no man takes what's mine! She'd had died, I'd had come back and put a bullet in your fucking brain!" Daryl yelled.

" Did you kill him?" She asked as she closed her eyes. She brought both her hands to her stomach.

" Not yet." Daryl said as she rubbed his baby's home.

" Do you think he's right?" She asked.

" Bout what?" He asked while he stared. She opened her eyes and sighed.

" Will the baby get us all killed?" She asked. Daryl's hand tighten on his strap while his left formed a fist at his side.

" Fuck no." He didn't yell it. His voice was rough and low but not from lust. He was angry. Layla took a deep breath and pushed herself up so she was sitting up.

" Does anyone else feel the way he does?" She asked.

" No." Daryl said. " Baby's gonna be just fine. We gonna take care of it, protect it and it's gonna be fine. Fuck him." Layla nodded then whined when she realized what a mistake the movement was.

" Come here. Let me clean your hand." She said as she pushed the blankets off her.

" It's fine." Daryl said. Layla swung her legs over the side of the bed but closed her eyes when her world tilted. Daryl moved around the side of the bed. " Damnit, Layla, lay the fuck down."

" I'm okay." She said.

" No, you ain't. Hershel said you needed to rest." She opened her eyes and looked up at him.

" If I lay down down in the bed, will you let me clean your hand?" She asked. Daryl stood up straighter with a frown.

" Why the hell would you want to do that?" He asked, completely unsure of why she was asking him that.

" Because I care about you. Because you have taken care of me and I haven't been able to take care of you once. Now go and get some water, a rag and some soap while I lay back down." Layla said. Daryl blinked, unused to be ordered around by a woman. She dropped her head, closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

" Lay down first." He said after a few minutes. She nodded and turned in the bed. She brought her legs up and under the blankets. Daryl leaned down and covered her up. She offered him up a small smile.

" My head hurts so bad." She admitted as she closed her eyes.

" Ain't nothin Hershel can give you. Don't want to hurt the baby." Daryl said as he smoothed the blankets over her. " Sorry." He said, dropping his voice.

" It's okay. Small price to pay for the little bug." She said.

" Little bug?" Daryl asked as he stood up straight. Layla smiled and turned over to her left side.

" That's what I call the baby since we don't know what we're having." Layla said in a sigh. Her eyes fluttered open. " Should I be allowed to sleep?"

" Hershel said he don't think you have a concussion. Said you'd be tired from the blood lost." Layla closed her eyes and nodded slowly.

" Go and get the stuff so I can clean you, please." She said quietly. Daryl reached down without thinking. He made a fist to brush his knuckles against her cheek but stopped himself when he was only seconds from touching her. " Do it." She whispered.

" How do you know what I'm doin?" Daryl snapped.

" I can feel the heat coming off your skin. Touch me, please. I need you too." Daryl's jaw went back and forth but he lightly touched her. Layla let her breath out and whimpered quietly.

" What happen with him?" Daryl asked as he carefully sat down on the bed with her.

Daryl listened carefully as Layla replayed the events. His mouth was in a tight line, his hair and face were streaked with sweat. He felt a mixture of pride and panic. He was proud of her for looking Shane and his gun straight in the eye and not backing down. Panic followed the pride when he realized how close he had come to losing her.

" You weren't scared looking at him like that?" Daryl asked. Layla opened her eyes and smiled.

" Fuck yeah I was but I couldn't let him know that." She said. Daryl nodded. That he understand. For people like Shane, you had to stand up and call them out. Shane was like Merle, in his own way.

" You ain't doin shit like that again." Daryl snapped. " You ain't goin off into the wood with anyone but me, you hear me?" He stared down hard at her, the urge to mark her as his started to flow through him again. " You hear me, Layla?"

" I hear you." She said.