When Shane arrived back with Andrea, smirking from his post sex glow he was greeted with the annoying old man preaching at him until Rick came over and Dale quieted. Rick stood awkwardly for a moment, "We can't find Aurora, she's gone missing."
Shane scowled at him, "Didn't ya'll listen? She's in the back of the truck."
Rick shook her, "I went to go get her and she wasn't there and her things aren't in her tent. No one has seen her in the house either."
"Who was the last to see her?" Shane snapped.
Rick lipped his dry lips, "You were last night, no one has seen her since."
"What about Daryl?" Shane asked, ignoring the sultry looks Andrea was giving him from afar.
Rick shook his head, "We got Carol to give him some food, he was determined to go look and almost ripped his stiches open. We put some pain meds in the food Carol gave him, turns out he has a low tolerance to them, he's passed out. Glenn and Maggie have some for some supplies, they're gonna keep their eyes open for her."
Shane swore and stormed off, punching at a tree as he went, this was all he needed.
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Aurora squeezed her eyes closed at the feel of the cold metal pressed against her temple. She let out a quick breath and pulled the gun away from her head and rolled it around in her hands. She'd chickened out again. Aurora pushed herself back further into the tree she was sat in. It reminded her so much of when things had started to become a thing between her and Daryl, when she'd stormed off and he'd come to find her in the tree. When it went from stolen glances and thinly veiled innuendos to make out sessions. Even with the world as it is everything seemed simpler then.
Aurora had a choice to make but it wasn't one she could bring herself to do and that's why she had packed her things and left the camp. She was pregnant. Jimmy ranting about his mother's favourite TV shows had clicked it into place. Her friend had been in charge of the program and Aurora had helped her research it. It all made sense the dizziness, being sick, the insane weakness after giving blood to Carl.
But it was so much worse than that.
She was almost 'ready to pop' as Hershel has but it as he pressed the ultrasound to her slightly bumped stomach. She fit with the women of the program perfectly, she'd carried on with her periods (a topic that Daryl had once brought up awkwardly when his mind wondered to pregnancy.) and had no physical signs of being a baby in the oven.
Which brought her to the problem, what could she do? From what Hershel told her in a months' time she would be stood holding a screaming baby, if she or the baby actually survived the birth. And why would she? Hershel wanted them gone, she'd have no medical help. From what she could figure out, Aurora must have gotten pregnant almost the first time her and Daryl slept together, god knows she hadn't had anyone interested in before that, not since she and Rick broke up.
But that meant that she'd gotten blind drunk, barely eaten, almost died repeatedly since she had conceived. Not to mention that Daryl was very dominating in the bedroom, in a way that Aurora hatd to admit that she enjoyed, in a way that Rick could never manage, could that have hurt the baby?
She waved the thoughts from her head and pushed down the blush in her cheeks as she refocused her attentions on the gun. She could just end it all. It would be the simplest solution, she would likely die anyway and if she did it would be Rick left holding the baby because Aurora was almost certain that Daryl couldn't cope, he'd possibly even leave and she didn't want the 'new' Shane anywhere her baby.
Her baby.
It sounded so strange and just a few years ago she'd have been jumping for joy and having Shane and Rick come round to help her paint the nursery and no doubt Carl would have joined wanted to be as grown up as he dad and uncle. She sighed and stared at the gun again before climbing down out of the tree her mind made up. She'd go back to the farm, she needed to talk to Rick about this, he always kept a straight head and if she decided to kill herself then he was the one that she could distract and hide from. It pained her to think about Daryl, she loved him. God how she loved him, but she couldn't take his rejection, not after what he thought about her and Rick, he'd probably claim the baby wasn't even his.
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The next morning the group was quiet, Daryl was sat propped up in a chair as Carol pushed some food onto his plate. He ate quietly ignoring the burning in his side. Rick stared at the fire, after finding out about his wife's pregnancy he'd gone into the woods with Shane to try and find Aurora but they'd had to come back when it got dark.
Carl chewed on his breakfast, "Why did Aunt Aurora leave?"
The camp remained silent and Daryl ignored the few pointed looks in his direction as he spoke up to the boy, "She hasn't left, she's gone to look for Sophia, she just forgot to tell anybody."
Lori gave Daryl a thankful look as Carl seemed to accept the explanation, "She used to do that at home when she'd go out with Dad and Shane."
Daryl scowled at his plate, he didn't want to talk about the woman that had abandoned him, damn it he knew Merle was right about no one loving him.
It was T-Dog who carried on the conversation, "Oh yeah, like what?"
Carl smiled at him, "After the police nights out, Aurora would play hide and seek and Dad and Shane would run around trying to find her."
Shane's deep voice rumbled, "She was always that way, if she don't wanna be found then ya ain't gonna find her."
The conversation ended awkwardly, with Carl happy with the answers he got and the adults considering Aurora's fate and Daryl's hand in it. Glenn's voice interrupted them, "So guys…The barn's full of walkers."
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Aurora didn't know how long she'd been walking but she was confident she was on the right tracks. She'd managed to walk a long way the night she'd left camp but she remembered certain markers and tree shapes like Daryl had taught her too when he first taught her how to hunt. A twig broke behind her and Aurora swung around gun pointed high were she had heard the noise in the tree. The leaves separated slightly and Aurora saw a peak of pale skin and blonde hair.
"Sophia?"
The leaves moved again and the small face of the missing girl appeared.
Aurora climbed the tree and pulled the small crying into her arms and sobbed openly with her, rocking the small girl.
"Sophia, Sophia, we have been looking everywhere for you." She brushed the girls hair back and Sophia clung to her top as she sobbed.
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The fight between Daryl and Shane had been a long time coming and now with Aurora not there to stand between them it kicked off.
"I'm close to findin' this girl I just found her damn doll!" Daryl snapped.
"You found her doll Daryl that's what you did, you found a doll. You can't even find my sister." Shane retorted.
"You don't know what the hell you talking about!" Daryl snapped .
"I'm just saying what needs to be said! If she was alive out there and saw you coming all methed out with your buck knife and geek ears she wold have ran the damn over way. I wouldn't be surprised if Aurora is already dead too!"
Daryl dove at Shane and Rick stood between the as the rest of the group attempted to separate them. Glenn stood in front of Daryl seemingly infinitely smaller in that second repeating, "They're not dead, they're not dead."
Sometime Daryl found himself in his tent again. Fucking Carol had come in trying to tell him not to go out. The fuck was wrong with everyone around here? The little girl had only been missing a few days and Aurora had only been gone a night and they'd written her off, her own brother had only been out once to try and find her. Guilt hit him as lay down, he could smell Aurora on her pillow, he hadn't been out once to try and find her. Why? Because he'd tripped out and had Merle tell him he was worthless.
He already knew that, damn he'd known it his whole life. He'd only started to doubt it when Aurora was in bed, underneath him with her arms wrapped around his neck and her nails in his back. Her lips against his neck as she moaned and gasped at the things Daryl did, at the way he made her feel. He was in charge in the bedroom, it was the way both of them liked it but Aurora would still misbehave; biting him, moving her lips out of reach and pushing them over until she was on top and Daryl loved the mischievous glint in her eyes. He groaned at his sudden arousal and pushed those thoughts away and left the tent with the intent of searching for Aurora when Shane pulled up in the van, furious. Exactly how long had he been in the tent?
Shane pushed a gun into Daryl's arms, "You with me?" Shane grumbled and Daryl nodded following her lover's brother into the firing line.
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Aurora walked back towards the farm with Sophia on her back. The poor girl had hurt her ankle so Aurora was happy to carry her.
"Is my mummy okay?" Sophia asked quietly.
"Your mummy is just fine, Daryl has been looking out for her and he's been out every day to look for you." Aurora smiled and she felt the girl relax slightly.
"Why're you out here?" She asked.
"I was looking for you."
"Then why do you have your bag?"
The old woman paused, "I had some thinking to do."
"About what?"
The older woman realised that the little girl had probably never had this, an honest conversation with someone other than her mother. A friend who wasn't Carl. All because of that bastard Ed.
"I had an argument with Daryl." Aurora told the little girl, it wasn't a lie.
Sophia accepted it and began to doze off.
When they reached the farm Aurora couldn't see anyone around. She jumped at the sound of gunshots and dropping her bag and moving Sophia so she was carrying her in a fireman's lift, Aurora tightened her grip on both the girl and her handgun and bolted towards the gunshots.
Aurora paused at the sight, close to her Lori sat with Carol, both women holding onto Carl. The rest of her group stood in a line shooting walkers as they piled out of the barn until at last a small girl came out and Shane shot her down.
The silence was drowning until Sophia, who Aurora had let slip down so that she was in her arms, whimpered, "Mummy?"
The group collectively snapped around to see the tired looking youngest Walsh holding the shaking, missing girl. Silently Aurora carried Sophia to Carol who pulled the young girl into an emotional embrace and she sobbed, Carl and Lori being pulled into the hug. Aurora went to step away until she felt Carol grip her wrist, "Thank you, thank you." She sobbed.
Aurora shook her head and glanced up at Daryl, "He did all the leg work, I just got lucky."
Aurora turned to leave, going back to the tent when she heard Beth scream and rushed back to help them save the young girl from her reanimated mother. Hershel rushed to his daughter and pushed the group away from her.
"You came here and I saved your boy, I gave you shelter and food!" Hershel shouted enraged and Aurora backed away slowly from the group until she felt her brother grab her wrist and wouldn't let her go as she pulled, Hershel carried on, "You killed my family, Rick. Are you going to do this when the baby comes?"
"Baby?!" T-Dog asked confused and Lori and Rick glanced between each other worried.
Hershel raised his hand and pointed at Aurora who was trying to pry Shane's hand from her wrist, he said nothing and as Aurora pulled away from her brother she didn't spare the group as glance as she left down the hill to find her tent. Rick was the only one to go after her.
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When Rick caught up with Aurora she was picking up her bag, he caught her by the arm and dragged her towards the RV.
"Rick let me go." She tried to pull away from his as he pushed her in the RV, followed her in and shut the door behind her.
"What on earth-"
Rick cut her off, "You're pregnant?"
Aurora looked down, she considered lying but knew it wouldn't get her anywhere, "Yes."
"Is it Daryl's?"
Aurora slapped him before she realised what she was doing and then let herself fall into the seat in the RV, her eyes watering. Rick sat across from her and held her hand across the table.
"I'm sorry," He said slowly, "Lori's pregnant too."
Aurora looked up at him with glossy eyes, "Congrats." He gave a dry laugh and she continued, "Least she has time to come round to the idea."
"Whaddya mean?"
"According to Hershel I'm eight months along."
Rick starred at her and her lack of stomach and she gave him a small smile, "The body is a wonderful thing Rick, sometimes it doesn't want to let anyone know its secrets."
"And that's why you left?"
"What else could I do? I'm probably going to die giving birth, especially without Hershel's help and if I do who will take care of the baby? Daryl's not going to want it. And if I do survive then my baby is growing to grow up in constant fear."
Rick stood slowly and kissed her forehead, he hand slipping down her back to take her handgun. He headed to the door and turned back slightly to look at her, "Whatever happens while I'm alive, I will look after you and your baby but you need to talk to Daryl." He turned away from her and left the RV.
Aurora jumped up when she heard the lock click. He'd locked her in.
Daryl was leant on a tree watching the RV. So that was why she'd left, she didn't want to have his baby. Hell he couldn't blame her though, he wasn't exactly Rick. He snorted to himself thinking about the man comforting his lover. He was so… wholesome. That must be what Aurora wanted in a father for a baby, not him. He was pulled from his thoughts when Shane's smirking face approached him.
"Makes ya wonder don't it?" He smirked.
Daryl said nothing.
Shane smirked again, "Rick rushing off after Rora like that? Maybe it's his. I dunno maybe he doesn't want another baby on the way."
Daryl listened to the man for a moment before his face contorted with rage and he pulled his fist back, hitting Shane square in the nose. The pair scuffled, punching each other with more fire and anger then they had at the CDC until Daryl felt himself being pulled away from the bloodied Shane by Rick, T-Dog and Dale.
T-Dog and Dale stood between them while Rick held onto Daryl as he growled at them.
"Daryl, Daryl, Aurora needs you right now, stop this." Rick snapped as he threw Daryl away from him, reached into his waistband and took out Aurora's gun and gave it to Dale, "Don't let her get hold of this, we may need to keep her on watch."
This had Daryl's attention as he watched the old man take the gun and his face sadden with the implications of it.
Rick gave Daryl an even look, "She needs you right now. I've locked her in the RV, talk to her before she manages to find a way out and you know that she will."
Daryl sneered at him and stalked away from the other men towards to the RV as Glenn ran across calling for Rick because Beth had collapsed. He unlocked the RV before stepping in and locking it again. He laid his crossbow on the table and moved back into the bedroom where Aurora was sat platting her hair. She looked up at him was tear glazed eyes as he looked down at her.
"How long have you known." He asked, his voice deep.
"A couple of days."
"Is it mine?" He asked but regretted it when he saw the hurt in her eyes but she answered him anyway, "It couldn't be anyone else's."
There was silence for a while as he watched her play with her hair, "Why'd you run off?"
She gave a harsh laugh, "Why'd you think? In a month's time there's gonna be a baby here that you don't want and I don't know how to look after –"
"A month?" He glared confused, looking at her no existent stomach.
Aurora looked at her hair rather than him, "It's rare but it happens, women getting pregnant without knowing it, having all their periods," She ignored the face he pulled, "and then one day they end up in a lot of pain and they suddenly have a baby that they're been baking and carrying without even knowing it."
They went quiet for a while until again Daryl broke it, "Who said I didn't want it?"
Her head snapped up and her gaze met his bright blue eyes, "Why would you?"
He shrugged and moved to sit next to her and she budged closer to the wall, "Be a challenge I guess."
Beside herself, Aurora found herself laughing, "You want a baby for a challenge?"
He shrugged, "You ever want them before all this?"
Aurora nodded, "It was always the plan, never really had anyone to have them with."
"What about Rick?"
"I was eighteen when Rick and I broke up, I wasn't ready then."
"And this mess," he gestured at the world outside the RV, "Is better?"
Aurora shrugged, "Gonna have to be, there's only one way for me to not have this baby now, I'm too far gone."
Daryl scowled at her, "That's why Rick took your gun?"
Aurora nodded and Daryl sighed leaning back against the wall behind them, "Ah don't think that's the way forwards." He grumbled as he slipped and arm around Aurora's waist and gently pulled her back so that she was rested against him.
"You reacted a lot calmer than I thought you would," Aurora murmured after a while, not wanted to be pushed away.
He gave a dark chuckle, "Ah just kicked your brothers ass."
"I'd say that he's deserved it recently." She replied, she was entirely annoyed with her brother's behaviour. This made Daryl laugh as he wrapped both of his arms around her and held her to his chest, "Get some sleep," He rumbled, "I'll explain everything to the group."
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Daryl left the RV after Aurora had fallen to sleep, it was beginning to get dark out. He stepped out into the crisp air and slung the crossbow over his shoulder and rubbed his face with one hand. He was going to be a father soon. He didn't know that he could handle the idea of that, never mind the practice.
"Everything alright son?" Dale asked from atop the RV and Daryl resisted the urge to tell him that he wasn't his son and instead nodded and told him, "I've left it open, she's asleep so she won't try to leave. Keep her gun away in case though."
Dale nodded and watched as Daryl went to an old car and left the camp in the direction of town.
It didn't take him long to arrive. He slipped out of the car and kept his gun raised as he advanced on the shop that looked like it would have what he needed. Once he had finished in the shop Daryl continued onto the bar, he needed a drink after everything that had happened today. He pushed open the door and held his weapon high when he was greeted with the click of another gun. Daryl scowled but lowered his weapon when he saw Rick, with Glenn and Hershel back near the bar.
"Daryl? What are you doing here?" Glenn asked glancing at two bodies on the floor.
Daryl ignored the bodies and slipped over the top of the bar putting a couple of bottles in his bag, he sneered at the other men, "Didn't you hear? I'm going to be a daddy."
"So you ran away?" Hershel asked from his seat.
Daryl shrugged drinking from a bottle of white rum, "Ain't that what she did?"
Rick glared at him, "She was scared. She hasn't had any time to adjust to the idea."
Daryl gave him an amused look, "Yeah ah musta forget about all that time I had to get used ta tha idea."
"Don't be like that." Rick groaned as he reached to take the bottle from Daryl who pulled it away from the cops reach and jeered at him, "Ah'll do whatever the fuck I want."
"Why're you here Daryl?" Hershel asked evenly.
Daryl took a long drink from the rum, "Closest drink." He shrugged.
"And what is Aurora doing right now?" Hershel asked.
Daryl shrugged, "Fuck if ah know."
Hershel gave him an even look, "I think you do."
Daryl paused, looking at the liquid in the bottle, "She's sleepin' in the RV."
Hershel gestured at Daryl, "See you know because you care and don't even try to deny it. You're drinking because you're scared and you know it. Because Aurora and the baby might die. But you know what son she's scared too and she needs you more than you need to get away."
Daryl took another sip of the burning liquid but his heart didn't seem to be in it, Rick nodded, "Come on lets head back."
They moved towards the door when lights shone by the door and Rick hissed at them "A car." And the men got down.
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When Aurora woke it was because she felt a small body curl up to her. She groaned and wiped her eyes before she looked down at the top of Carl's head as he cried against her.
Aurora shh'd him as she gathered the small boy up in his arms and rocked him slightly, "What's wrong sweet heart? What is it?" She asked smoothing his hair back. The RV door opened and Sophia came in timidly and Aurora moved herself so she could cuddle both children.
"Mum's gone, she went to look for dad." Carl cried and Aurora kissed the top of his head.
"Well that's nothing to cry over, your dad has never done anything fast enough for your mum, remember how long it took him to redecorate the bathroom?" Carl nodded against her.
"They found me and I was gone a long time." Sophia offered and Aurora smiled at her.
After the pair had calmed down she heard a truck come back and saw Lori and Shane get out, she gently nudged the children and helped them on their feet, "Hey Carl your mum is back."
They left the RV and Aurora ignored the looks she got from Dale, silently promising this wasn't her trying to run away again.
As Carl went inside to talk to his mother Dale approached Aurora, "Errm Aurora, did Daryl tell you where he was going?"
She gave him a confused expression, "I didn't know that he'd gone."
Dale nodded, "He left some hours ago in the direction of town."
Aurora felt her heart break but this is exactly what she'd done to him, she gave him a nonchalant shrug, "Guess it was his turn to run off."
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Daryl did not want to bring the boy back with them. It was a stupidest idea he'd heard of but Rick couldn't help but play the hero. They were nearly back when Rick spoke, "Daryl what were you doing in town?"
Daryl glared at him but said nothing.
Rick continued, "You think I didn't notice that your bag is full? That when you dropped it in the shootout, you went back for it?"
Daryl glared at him, punching Randall for the heck of it before replying, "I wasn't leaving if that's what you mean."
Rick took that answer and pulled into camp.
After explaining to the rest of the camp who this boy was, with Daryl unsuccessfully trying not to laugh at Hershel giving Shane a talking too and Aurora avoiding everyone's gazes, Rick sat back in a chair in Hershel's front room and sighed. Rick raised a brow when Daryl approached him and Dale and chewing on his thumbnail simply said, "Barn, twenty minutes."
Dale gave Rick a confused glance and Rick leaned his head back and closed his eyes hoping that he wasn't about to get another drama.
Daryl strode over to the tent he shared with Aurora pausing only to slip a small object from his large duffle bag into his pocket before carrying on.
Aurora didn't look up from her book when Daryl came in but when he dropped a bag the length of Carl in front of her, she raised an eyebrow at him.
"I thought you'd left. What's this?" She asked putting her book down.
He sat down at the edge of the bed, "Nah that's more your style." He saw her flinch and mumbled a sorry and then nodded at the bag for her to open it.
Slowly she unzipped the bag and pulled out a few bottles, a couple were vodka, some were rum and some were Whiskey. She gave him a confused look and he shook his head, "Nah those are mine."
He nodded towards the bag again and she put the alcohol down and rooted through the bag bringing out a small baby grow with a small duck on it.
Aurora welled up as she looked at the baby supplies in the bag, bottles formula, clothes and different creams for rashes.
She pulled out a pack of cloth diapers and Daryl smirked, "That's gonna be your job. I spoke to Hershel, he's gonna give us Beth's old car seat."
Aurora gave him a smile before she began to cry, the tears running down her face before she cover it with her hand. She felt Daryl move the bag and slip his arm around her, "Ah didn't mean to upset ya." Daryl mumbled.
Aurora pulled away from his embrace and wiped her as she took in his awkward position and smiled, she'd always liked his awkwardness, she couldn't help it. "I'm not upset, that was just so lovely."
He groaned, "Ah ain't lovely."
"Yes you are," Aurora sang as played with the back of his hair, "and you're sweet, occasionally nice, always thoughtful." She smirked when she saw him glaring at him.
"Imma hafta stab someone or somethink." He mumbled and she smiled, leaning up to give him a soft kiss until his head caught the back of her hair and they pressed their bodies together, the kiss becoming more heated when Daryl grinded against her.
Daryl groanedand pulled away, he looked down at her lay on her back, hair fanned out, open and inviting, "Ah got somethin' ta do, stay like this." He gestured to her position and quietly left the ten leaving a very confused woman behind.
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Dale stood beside Rick outside the barn watching the camp move around like he usually did. Rick nodded towards the hill where they saw Daryl approaching them, chewing on his thumbnail again.
"Well whats this about?" Rick asked as he reached them.
Daryl looked at them both for a moment before he spoke, "Ah wanted to talk to Rora."
"Is she okay?" Rick asked and Daryl nodded.
"Then what is it?" Dale asked, "Is it about the pregnancy?"
Daryl shook his head and waited a moment again before starting awkwardly, "It's usually family, but well ah'll kill Shane if ah look at 'im and he'll only say no…"
"Look Daryl, I need to be on watch, we all have things to do could you speed it up any?" Rick snapped. Daryl dug into his deep pockets, pulled out a small box and threw it at Rick who caught it and lowered it down to Dale so the pair of them could look at it.
Daryl, feeling awkward in the silence that he usually loved, spoke up as the pair looked at the box in Rick's hand, "Can't do the rest of it right with tha world gone ta shit but thought ah should still ask, ya know?"
Dale walked by Daryl and patted him on the arm giving him a big grin and a nod before walking back into camp. Daryl and Rick stood for a moment sizing each other before Rick approached him and put the small box back in Daryl's hand. And clasped a hand on Daryl's shoulder, "I hear anything I don't like from Aurora and this," he pointed at the box, "Won't stop me from putting a bullet between your eyes."
Daryl nodded, "Ah'm counting on that."
So the baby Dixon is on the way, now one question is, boy or girl? Suggestions welcome.