Summary: Eve Chelle Greene is Daryl Dixon's best friend, drinking friend, protector and lover. Daryl Dixon has been best friends with Eva since they were teenagers, lovers, drinking friends and her protector. When the world goes to hell it's a home for the brave and you have to face something that you thought belonged in a horror film. Daryl/OC, Merle/Beth, Rick/OC. Co-Written with NadWri.

Warning: Major Lori bashing.

Warning: This story mentions rape, physical abuse, self - harming and drug abuse and upsetting scenes.

Home Of The Brave

Chapter 14

Everyone nodded as they all went to unpack their things.

"I like it here," Rowan said smiling as she looked around and rubbed her bump. "Might not be the most homely of places, but its safe enough looking."

Rick nodded. "Come on, bring your stuff in here, you're sharing with Carl and I."

"Are you sure?" Rowan asked softly.

Rick nodded as he set their bags down in their cell. "I insist."

She gave him a shy smile as she brought in her bags and started to unpack her things when she saw a photo of Rose and smiled sadly.

"She would have liked you." She said quietly and he knew she was speaking about Rose and how her death still deeply hurt her.

"I wanted to find her." He said sadly.

Rowan nodded and rubbed his arm gently. "I know you did. And I know you all tried," she said softly.

"We'll raise this child properly, he or she will have a proper home," Rick assured her as he rubbed her bump. "Maybe we can be in peace here."

"I'd like that," Rowan said with a small smile.

He gave her a warm smile as they both fell asleep against each other.

Daryl and Eve sat on the mattress with Midnight fast asleep as they both held each other tightly; their relationship was blooming ever since they had admitted their feelings.

"Are you mad at me?" She asked quietly.

Daryl shook his head as he set his bags to the side of the perch and they lay back on the mattress together. "Nah, why would I be mad at ya?"

"It's just that I thought after telling you that I'd love to have a family with you, you acted strange." She said softly as she traced the lines on his chest.

"I want a family with ya; I'm just scared of actin' like my old man." He said quietly.

"You're nothing like him," she said softly, trying to reassure him.

Daryl sighed. "But I probably wouldn't be a good father. Besides, ain't gonna happen right now anyway. We don't know how safe we are in the prison, not to mention we already got two babies on the way. Gonna be hard as hell to keep them both healthy."

He saw Eve's face turn sorrow filled and felt an ache in his chest where his heart was as she curled into a tight ball.

"Goodnight Daryl, I love you." She said and he could tell she was crying.

"C'mere."

It wasn't fair. Lori didn't even love her husband, and she was only having a baby because she couldn't keep her legs shut for more than five minutes. She didn't even know who the father was. And as much as Rowan was her best friend, the only reason she was having a baby was because of one drunken night.

She sniffled and wiped her eyes, giving Daryl a smile. "It's OK, I get it. I know. I was just being stupid, was wishful dreaming, that's all," she said as she kissed his cheek gently. "Goodnight," she said as she laid her head on his chest and fell asleep.

Daryl watched Eve sleep against him quietly, her cheeks still wet from crying the night before and he felt his heart shatter for her as he remembered how she had told him when they were teenagers that she would love having babies with him.

He would give her that, he would be nothing like his old man who had destroyed his and Merle's mama, beaten them.

He would give his woman the family they were owed.

He got up quietly and headed down into the dining area that had a few tables, where Merle, Rick and Carol were already awake and sorting through their silent weapons for clearing out the rest of the prison today.

"Morning Daryl," Carol said softly as she handed him a plate of oatmeal. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah, can I talk to ya?" He asked her quietly and she nodded as they went into one of the empty cells.

"Eve was really upset last night and I don't know what to do." He said quietly as he thought of Eve's sad, wistful face.

"Why was she upset?" Carol asked gently.

"Cause I told her we weren't gonna have kids, the prison not being safe and all, we already got two pregnant women and hardly any supplies," he mumbled quietly.

Carol gave him a sad smile. "I know you want a family, but Lori and Rowan are pregnant by accident. Rowan probably a little more accidental than Lori who has a new man every two minutes. Realistically though, you're right, it's not a time to have children. I can talk to her if you want?"

"You don't need to, I'm right here." Eve said as she stood in the middle of the cell, her blue eyes were flat and hard, Daryl could see pain in them in though.

"Eve-" She cut him off with a look and walked away without speaking to him or Carol who sighed sadly at her.

"She's not mad with you." She assured Daryl.

"She's just upset at the way the world is, we all are. I'm sure Beth and Merle would like a family too, and maybe even Glenn and Maggie, but we need to remember we're fighting for our lives every five minutes. Things aren't like they used to be," she said softly as she patted his arm.

Daryl nodded sadly and headed back to the cell block to see Eve checking out the weapons they had found when he saw her eyes were glassy, she had been crying.

He hated seeing her cry, it hurt him.

"Hey... are ya OK?" he asked quietly as he stood behind her and looked through the knives.

She nodded, picking up a few weapons for herself. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Alright guys, we're going to head out and start clearing some of the other cellblocks!" Rick said as he came in. "Everyone who's coming along get ready."

They all nodded and grabbed their weapons as they followed Rick out with Carl, Beth, Merle, Rowan and Lori staying behind.

Rick looked at them all. "Ready?"

"We're ready." Daryl said as they headed out of the cell block and down the corridor.

"So are we going underground?" Glenn asked as they started to slash their way though some of the walkers, with Hershel helping them out.

Rick nodded. "I think we can get to the canteen that way, see if they have any food or something that might be useful."

"That would be good." Belle said as she slashed her scythe through a walker's eye as Glenn sprayed a symbol on the wall so they wouldn't get lost.

"We could make this a home." Daryl said and she touched his arm gently.

They stomped over the dead walkers, kicking their legs out of the way. Maybe, this would be ok, he thought in a moment of confidence.

They got to the next bend, but when T-Dog shined the flashlight down the hall, an entire wall of walkers came at them, at least 4-5 wide, and no idea how deep. At the sight of fresh food, the moans escalated into a frenzied pitch.

"Oh shit, everyone back up NOW!" Rick ordered as they all turned and headed in the other direction, some of them getting split up. Glenn shoved Maggie into a different room as they all hid and waited for the walkers to pass.

They managed to take out most of the walkers, and moved on, seeing a walker on the floor, and thinking it was dead, they continued to move, before it groaned and lunged forward, grabbing Hershel by the ankle and taking a rather large chunk out of his leg. Oh god, Hershel had been bitten. Rick turned around just in time to see the horror on his face.

"HERSHEL!" They rushed over and wrapped their arms around him, helping him to stay upright.

"The canteen is this way!" Daryl pointed out as he took out the surrounding walkers with his crossbow. They found the canteen door had a padlock on it, and T-Dog cut it off, before they broke through, and carried Hershel into the otherwise empty canteen, laying him down on the floor, as Maggie and Glenn made reappearance.

Hershel was bleeding out and Glenn didn't know what to do...no one did. Even if they got the bleeding under control, they'd lose him to the virus. They set him on the floor with his head in Maggie's lap. Maggie kept running her hands over her father's hair, but it did little to soothe him. T-Dog secured the door with his tire iron but the walkers sensed food and were pressing hard to get to it.

"Oh Jesus Christ, God," Eve was now starting to panic as he looked for something to help Hershel. She never even noticed Rick taking off his belt.

Rick began to wrap his belt around Hershel's leg, and everyone looked at him in confusion.

"What are you doing?" Maggie asked tearfully.

"Maybe we can stop the infection from spreading," Rick said quickly. "I'm going to need that axe."

"No!" Maggie protested.

"It's the only way we can save him, or he's going to turn!" Rick said firmly as he made sure the belt was tied tightly, and they all turned their heads away as Rick started to hack at Hershel's leg, the blood pooling around the disconnected limb slowly.

Eve turned away so she didn't need to look at the horrific sight, before she seen five pairs of eyes looking at them in shock and horror. She nudged Daryl and gestured over that way.

"Get down," Daryl hissed quietly, and they all followed his order, as he stood up and aimed his crossbow at them, making them raise their hands.

"Holy Shit," one of the men exclaimed.

'Holy Shit', is right.' Eve thought as she too aimed her gun at the five of them.

The older blonde man, who had shoulder length blonde hair, raised his hands.

They way they were watching Rick and his men were almost like they had never encountered humans before.

"Get him out of here now," Daryl ordered quietly, and Glenn, Rick Maggie all hurried to take Hershel out of the cafeteria area, as Daryl and Eve kept their eyes on the men.

Daryl reached out for Eve's hand as they stared at the five men.

"Prisoners?" Eve whispered as she aimed at them.

Daryl nodded. "Go check on Hershel, I'll watch 'em."

Eve shook her head. "No, I'm staying with you."

"Alright stay close to me." He told her as they watched the prisoners wearily as they looked at the strangers with confusion.

The prisoners stared at them for a while, like they had horns coming out of their heads or something.

The larger black man stepped forwards slightly, so as not to startle Daryl. "Man, it's good to see people again."

"What the hell is going on?"

"How long have y been here?" Eve asked ignoring their question.

One of the men shrugged. "Three hundred or so days."

"What happened to that man?" The large black man asked quietly.

"He got bit." Daryl said simply.

"Are you the emergency services or something?" the man with the longer hair asked. "Here to get us out?"

"There are no emergency services anymore," Eve said quietly. "How did you get in there?"

The man shrugged. "There was a riot in the prison, folks were goin' crazy. One of the guards shoved us in here, told us to stay put and he would be back. He padlocked the door but he never came back for us."

"Oh God, daddy, what happened?" Beth asked alarmed as they sat Hershel down on one of the cell beds.

"He got bit," Rick said worriedly. "We tried to stop the infection spreading. Carol, we need help."

"On it." Carol said as she and Rowan tried to stop the bleeding as Merle looked around.

"Where are Daryl and Eve?"

Rick looked behind him. "They must have stayed behind with the prisoners."

"Prisoners?!" Rowan almost yelled. "I'm going to find them!"

"Rowan we're fine, calm down!" Eve yelled as they hurried in with T-Dog keeping watch on the prisoners.

"Who are those people?"

"Prisoners," Daryl said quietly. "There's five of them."

"Do they seem like a threat?" Rick asked as he sat with Hershel.

Eve shrugged. "They don't seem so bad. We had to explain everything that had happened to the world, they didn't have a clue, Told them we would help them clean out a cellblock in exchange for half of their food, they seemed to be OK with that. How's Hershel?"

"It's a waiting game now," Rick said quietly. "We just need to wait and see if the infection spreads," he said as he watched Carol work on cleaning his leg.

"Are they a threat?" Glenn asked wearily.

"We're gonna find out." Rick said calmly as they headed out of the cell block to meet the prisoners.

Rick, Daryl, Eve and T-Dog all went to the room where the prisoners were being held. "Who are you all?" Rick asked.

"Tomas," the younger one with the longer hair answered. "This is Oscar, Axel, Big Tiny and Andrew. More to the point, who the fuck are all of you? You here to get us out?"

"How long have you all been here?" Rick asked Tomas and the prisoners wearily.

"A couple of months since this happened." Axel said quietly.

"And y'all ain't got a clue 'bout what's happening out there?" Daryl asked as he stood protectively in front of Eve.

"Some guy brought us in here, left a gun for us and went to get help. He never came back." Tomas said quietly.

"So you guys are emergency services?" Big Tiny asked as he raised an eyebrow at them.

"We don't have emergency services anymore," T-Dog answered flatly.

"What do you mean?" Big Tiny asked as he looked at them all confused. "And when you said the man got bit, what did you mean?"

"Yeah, like by an animal?" Andrew asked.

Eve shook her head. "By a walker... it's a dead person come back to life. One of their bites or scratches could kill you."

"You've gotta be kidding me, right?" Oscar asked dumbfounded.

Rick shook his head. "Nope. Half of the country is dead, probably more. No emergency services, nothing like that left."

"Can I call my grandma, make sure she's OK?" Big Tiny asked, looking at them hopefully.

"No phone lines," Eve said as she gave him a sad smile, he didn't seem so bad for a prisoner. "No internet, TV, nothing like that."

"My sister's out there somewhere," Tomas said quietly. "And I can't contact her in any way?"

"No, I'm so sorry." Rick said gently and he saw the man crumple to his knees in despair when he spoke.

"I've got a wife, a son, an older brother and a sister called Rowan and there's nothing left out there is that what you're saying?" Tomas asked numbly.

"Rowan's here." Eve said quickly.

"Rowan? My sister Rowan? And her daughter Rose?" Tomas asked hopefully as he looked around them all, waiting for an answer.

Rick cleared his throat slightly. "Rose... Rose passed away," he said quietly, and noticed Tomas's face fall. "But Rowan and I are having a baby, I'm sure she'd be happy to see you and have the support," he said, before sighing. "All of you follow me."

They all quickly followed after him and T-Dog, Daryl and Eve went behind them as they went into the cell block where the others were waiting.

"Hershel stopped breathing, mom saved him." Carl told Rick who nodded and gave Rowan a soft smile as they all went into Hershel's cell.

"Rowan? There's someone here who wants to see you," Rick said with a soft smile as he stood to the side and let Tomas go past him.

"Hey, Ro," Tomas said softly.

"Tommy?" Rowan asked as she ran towards him and hugged him tightly as everyone watched with warm smiles on their faces as they saw Hershel wake up.

"Daddy?!" Beth asked hopefully as she rushed to be beside him and hugged him tightly. "Oh daddy, you're OK!"

"Thanks to you all," Hershel said with a smile as he looked at Rick. "Thank you, both you and Rowan have saved my life today," he said softly as everyone smiled at the scene in front of them.

"Carl and Sophia saved your life too; they went to the infirmary and cleared it out so they could get the medical supplies." Rowan explained softly and Hershel nodded in thanks as he fell asleep again.

"You've made my daddy a handicap." Maggie snapped at Rick.

"He saved his life, Maggie." Beth defended Rick.

Maggie glared at them all as everyone went to shower and to clean up, Eve got some clean clothes and headed off into a shower stall.

Eve washed her hair with the shampoo and conditioner as she felt her eyes burn with tears and she started to cry softly as she sobbed and sank onto the floor.

It wasn't fair.

She sighed heavily as she washed her face under the shower spray, feeling the water rinse away her tears, she knew she was only dreaming but that didn't mean she couldn't want it. She tiredly ran her fingers through her hair, taking out the knots, before she washed away the shampoo and conditioner.

Once she was clean, she dried herself and got dressed as she saw Rowan, Rick and Carl talking about the baby as she left.

"I'm going on watch." She told Merle quietly and he nodded as he looked at her worriedly and watched her go.

He went to rejoin the others in the canteen; they had plenty more food somehow. "Where did we get all this stuff?" Merle asked as he pointed at the food.

"It was in the canteen. Since the prisoners are going to share a cellblock with us, they offered to share the food too," Rick said with a small smile.

"Well things are lookin' up for us hey, Daryl?" He asked his brother who looked worried and he sighed heavily.

"I think I really hurt Eve." Daryl said quietly.

Merle sighed. "She knows it weren't nothin' personal, we just ain't in a good situation right now. Besides, ain't just her, Beth would love a lil un too, but it ain't gonna happen. Two screaming brats are gonna be enough, it's gonna be a damn dinner bell for walkers."

"Eve woulda been a good mama." Daryl said sadly as he saw Eve wondering outside, her blonde hair lightly blowing in the wind.

"Just be there for her, I know ya and her woulda been good parents." Merle said sadly and he nodded as he headed out of the cafeteria.

"So do you have any names picked out for her or him?" Carl asked with a smile as he looked at Rowan's bump, as the two of them sat in the dining area with Rick and Tomas.

"I'm not sure, sweetie." Rowan said softly and Carl smiled in understanding when he saw Eve outside on watch.

"Is Eve ok, she was crying last nigh?"

Rick shrugged. "I'm not sure," he said quietly. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about," he said as he placed his hand on her bump and felt the little one kick. "Hey there, I'm your daddy," he said with a soft smile.

"And I'm your big brother," Carl added in.

"I'm your badass uncle." Tomas added with a smirk which had Rowan playfully punch him on the arm as she rubbed her bump.

"I'm your mommy little one."

T-Dog went out to relieve Eve from watch duty, finding her sitting in the watchtower. "Hey, you can head back in if you want."

Eve shrugged. "I'm good out here for now, the fresh air is nice," she said softly "I was thinking, tomorrow we should start moving our vehicles to out the front of the prison, closer by if we ever need them. Maybe even see if we can get the bus running? Might come in useful."

"That would be a great idea." T-Dog said as he went back down to let Eve continue taking watch as Daryl came up and sat down next to her silently.

"Ya ain't eaten yer soup?" He asked softly as he saw the untouched chicken soup and saw her swallow slightly.

"I'm not very hungry, you have it." She said quietly.

"Ya need it more than me, I've had mine," Daryl said as he pushed the plate towards her. "Don' make me force feed ya, 'cause I will. Come on, yer gonna end up passin' out if ya don't eat a little at least,"

She sighed but ate the food under Daryl's watchful gaze until she had finished pushed it to where the exit was.

"I love Rowan like she's my own sister but I just want what I can't have." She said and he saw tears slide down her face.

"Ya don't think I want that too? Havin' kids with yer."

"I don't know," Eve shrugged. "Doesn't matter anyway, whether we want it or not. Rick would probably kick us out on our ass if we were stupid enough. Plus I wouldn't be able to fight or keep us safe, I'm sure Maggie would love that. Forget I ever mentioned it, and let's just stop talking about it, please?!"

Daryl let it drop but could tell that Eve was still hurting over it and he swallowed slightly.

"I love ya; I know I was late sayin' it." He said looking at her.

"I love you too, just wish ... Things were different." She said taking his hand tightly.

Daryl nodded. "I do too," he said quietly as he stood up. "Come on, let's go inside. We got a busy day again tomorrow, we need the sleep," he said as they both left the watchtower.

The next morning everyone was in the yard clearing up the dead bodies of the walkers as they put them in a pile to be burned.

Eve silently helped Carol carry a walker's dead corpse before going to help T-Dog as a worried Daryl watched on.

He wanted to help her.

Merle, Daryl and Rick were out walking around the fence clearing out as many of the walkers as they could, and fixing up any holes they could find.

"Hey guys, look," Merle said with a smirk, as he pointed to where Hershel was coming out of the prison on his crutches, with Rowan, Carl and Beth all helping him to walk. They all paused what they were doing to stop and smile over at the sight. Maybe there was hope for them all after all.

Even Rick seemed to be in better spirits today. He offered Rowan a smile from the other side of the fence, and she returned it, even raising a hand to give him a little wave.

But it was Carl's terrified screams that ruined everything. "WALKERS!"

"Oh God," Eve felt the panic flood through her as she pulled her knife and raced behind Carol and T-Dog, desperate to get to the courtyard and help

"Where did they come from?" Eve asked alarmed as she started to take out as many of the walkers as she could.

"Fuck, the gate's open!" T-Dog called out, as he ran over. "Cover me while I close it!" he said and she nodded as she followed after him as alarms started to ring out, alerting probably every walker in the country that they were there.

She noticed Lori go in with Maggie and Glenn, while Carl and Beth helped Rowan and Hershel in another door.

She shot down walkers as she watched in horror as T-Dog got scratched and she couldn't do anything about it.

"NO, NO T-DOG!" She yelled as she hurried over and they ran into a different cell block and tried to escape from the walkers.

"We need to get you help." She told him as she helped him out.

"It's no use," T-Dog said shaking his head as he clutched at his bloody arm. "But I'm going to get you out of here."

Eve shook her head. "No! We help each other that was the pact, remember. Maybe we can do something like we did for Hershel?!" She didn't notice when her necklace came loose and fell to the ground.

"It's too late for that," he said. "This corridor will take you back to the cellblock, you need to go!" he said, before a walker lunged at her. He used all the strength he had left to pull it off her so it attacked him instead, and Eve watched in horror as the walker tore him apart.

She clapped her hand to her mouth in horror as the walkers devoured T-Dog while he was alive and with one last look, she ran the way T-Dog had told her to go as she took down more walkers with her machete and knife.

She kept on going; Daryl's face in her the front of her mind.

Beth, Carol and Carl had got Rowan and Hershel settled down in an empty cell, just as they heard the alarms turn off and sighed in relief. "Thank god for that," Rowan said softly. "Have you seen any of the others around?"

"No, I saw T-Dog and Eve go into the other cell block." Beth said as Rowan suddenly clutched her stomach in pain.

"Oh no."

"What's the matter?" Hershel asked as he looked at her worriedly.

"I think the baby's coming," she gasped as she felt her waters break. "Rick should be here!"

"Alright, Carol, get me my medical stuff, we're going to have to deliver now!" Hershel said quickly as he helped Rowan lie back on the cell bed and Beth made her comfortable. He gently eased off her jeans.

"ROWAN!" Rick yelled as he, Merle, Glenn and Daryl reached them as Rowan gave him a watery smile.

"Looks like the little one doesn't want to wait." Rowan said smiling faintly as a contraction hit her and she winced as Rick held her hand tightly.

"Ok Rowan, I think you're ready to push." Hershel said as Beth grabbed some blankets and put it over Rowan to give her some privacy.

Rowan nodded and squeezed Rick's hand tightly, as she let out puffs of breath. "I sure as hell am ready to get this one out," she said as she let out a cry and began to push will all her might. Carol wiped at her sweaty forehead, while Beth helped her take sips of water. "OH FUCK IT HURTS!" she groaned through clenched teeth as she continued to push.

"You're doing well," Hershel encouraged her, as Rick kissed her hair gently.

"Come on Rowan, get our little one out," Rick said softly her as he rubbed her back.

She laughed at that as she pushed again, her face felt hot and dear god, she just wanted to go to sleep as she pushed again.

Hershel looked up at Rowan, "Oh hang on while I clean out this one's mouth." It took a few minutes, but the little one started screaming while it was still in his momma.

Rick laughed as tears burned in his eyes, "Look at that she's a Grimes already screaming into the world."

Rowan chuckled; reaching between her legs she touched the head of her child. Hershel nodded to her, "Ok, let's get that little one out of there."

Rowan cried as she pushed the pain and the burning overwhelming. She grabbed a fistful of the bedding and pulled so hard that she was sure it had ripped, but didn't have time to look and see. Hershel gently held the baby's head, as Carol rubbed her legs and encouraged her to keep going. "Come on, Rowan, it's important you don't stop," Hershel said softly, as he guided out the shoulders. "I know it hurts, but you're doing well, just a couple more pushes and we'll have a baby."

Rowan nodded and squeezed Rick's hand tightly as she pushed again. "Come on Rowan, you can do this," Tomas encouraged from the side, as they all encouraged her to keep pushing helping her along.

After one final yell, Hershel grinned up at her as he cut the cord and held a baby in his arms. "Congratulations Rowan, you did it."

"You did it Rowan; you have a beautiful baby girl!"

Rowan looked up with tears in her eyes as she sniffled. "I got a baby girl?!"

"You did, a beautiful baby girl." Hershel said warmly as Rick cut the umbilical cord and sure enough they were met with their baby girl.

"Hey." She said feeling tears in her eyes as Hershel placed her daughter in her arms as Carl went to sit by them.

"Where's T-Dog and Eve?" Daryl asked quickly as they saw Maggie, Lori and Glenn come in looking shaken with Lori holding a cooing baby.

"Eve's dead."

Ok please don't hate me and review x