AN: Sorry this one took so long! If you have some time before or after the big MSF here's something happy to peruse :)

Chapter 21

Holy shit men could be so damn dramatic sometimes, mostly because they just didn't listen or freaked the fuck out before they got all the facts. "Daryl… Daryl," she snapped. "Would you take a breath and listen to me for a second?" His chest was heaving and he actually looked like he was going to throw up. "I said it's true.."

"I fucking heard that part," he growled.

"But I didn't say which part," she added quickly, making sure she used a tone that would keep his attention as she stood up. "Yes, it's true I'm pregnant," Carol said. "But it's not Rick's."

The shock on his face was immediate. "What? It's not?" he gasped. But strangely the relief she was expecting didn't follow. "Well then, whose is it?" Daryl asked, looking rather mortified.

Carol rolled her eyes. "Oh my God, it's yours you dumbass."

"It's mine…" he said slowly. "The baby… is mine?" Daryl looked at her for confirmation.

"Yes," she replied, placing a hand on her tummy. "It's definitely yours. Without a doubt."

"But… but… how?" he whispered, looking at her with tears in his eyes.

Carol took a step towards him and smiled. "I'm pretty sure you know how that works," she teased. She moved closer and stood in front of him. From his seated position Daryl wrapped his arms around her waist and lay his head against her belly. "I know it's not Rick's because… well… I didn't tell him, but I was on the pill for the last 8 months. I didn't want to risk getting pregnant and my dress not fitting," she admitted. She stroked his hair gently and then kissed the top of his head. "When everything happened… I missed a few days of taking my pill… I started them again, but everything was already out of whack… guess they weren't effective anymore." Carol knew if you miss even one day it can greatly reduce the effectiveness and she'd missed 3 days in a row.

"So this is real?" Daryl said, drawing back to look up at her. He touched her tummy. "There's really a baby in there? And he or she… is mine?" He was still crying and the next thing she knew she was crying right along with him. All she could do was nod at that point. "I don't get good things…"

"Shh," Carol cut him off. "It's not your fault. We could have had this a long time ago if not for…"

"Don't," Daryl said. "Don't say his name right now. Let's just enjoy this for a while first, okay?"

Carol dropped to her knees and hugged him. "Okay," she whispered in his ear as Daryl hugged her back. And then, at the most horrible possible time her morning sickness struck again. "Oh no," she muttered, jumping to her feet. Carol sprinted for the bathroom and somehow she got lucky again and made it.

"Carol? Carol? Are you okay?" Daryl flew in behind her. "Oh shit… fuck… what can I do?" Carol could hear the panic in his voice and would have laughed if she wasn't still barfing.

"Just get me a wet washcloth," she got out, pointing at the cupboard in front of him.

"What's wrong? Should we go to the doctor?" he asked, handing her the cloth.

Carol wiped her face and leaned back against the wall from her seated position on the floor. "It's fine. I'm fine. Just bad morning sickness right now."

"Morning sickness… oh… right," Daryl let out a sigh of relief. He plopped down beside her. "You're a louder puker than I would have guessed," he teased.

"Shut up," she muttered, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Daryl chuckled. "But hey, if anyone could be considered a cute puker it's you babe."

Despite feeling like crap she giggled. "I love you Daryl Dixon."

He kissed her temple, "I love you too."

Carol sighed. "Can you take me to bed?" she asked, feeling absolutely exhausted.

"Uh… are you sure you're up to that right now?" Daryl gave her a strange look.

"No, no, not that," Carol shook her head with a little smile. For once sex was the last thing on her mind. "I need to sleep for a bit. I heard women say how tired they were in the first trimester, but I didn't realize it was this bad."

"Oh, yeah… of course." Daryl got to his feet and then offered her a hand. Once she was on her feet he quickly scooped her into his arms. She could have walked, but she didn't protest at all, she just laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She must have drifted off immediately because the next thing she knew Daryl was putting her in bed upstairs in her room. He tucked her in and went to leave.

"Hey, can you… stay for a bit? Snuggle with me?" Carol asked. She didn't know why she was feeling so clingy, but she didn't want to be away from him right then.

"Yeah, I'm pretty tired anyway," he shrugged, kicking off his shoes to climb in with her. They had just been there a little while earlier, but for a much different purpose. Now he was holding her again, but they were both fully clothed and ready to sleep. Daryl slid over to her and pulled her close. "Sweet dreams," he whispered in her ear. She couldn't even get out a response before she was asleep.

When Carol woke sometime later she had no idea how long she'd been sleeping, and she felt way too dozy and comfortable to get up just yet. Without moving she took stock of her surroundings and sleepily smiled. Daryl was still holding her, like he'd been when she went to sleep, but he'd worked his hand inside her shirt, then just inside her waistband so his fingers were spread over her tummy protectively. It seemed so ridiculous that she'd thought he might leave her when he found out she was pregnant. But when he thought the baby was Rick's it was different… though at that point, Carol was still fairly certain he would have stayed. The one thing she didn't doubt, and never would, was how much Daryl loved her.

He was going to make an amazing dad. Carol knew he already loved the little fetus growing in her belly just as much as she did and he'd only known for… She glanced at the clock and was shocked, 3 hours. She couldn't believe she'd napped that long. Daryl stirred slightly and his fingers moved just a little lower. Carol felt a stirring inside her. They already had sex when he first arrived, but she just couldn't get enough of him. The intensity with which she craved him while they were separated was honestly ridiculous. She was never one to get herself off very often, but missing Daryl she'd been taking care of her urges almost every night… and sometimes during the day. Carol blushed at the thought and blamed it on the pregnancy hormones.

Pregnancy hormones, or not… she was practically squirming, wishing Daryl would move his hand lower. Maybe if she… Carol carefully undid her button and zipper on her jeans, allowing his hand more freedom and then she slowly moved her body up higher until the tips of his fingers were just brushing her slit. Then she elbowed Daryl, not hard, but enough to wake him. "Hmm," he grunted. Thankfully he didn't pull his hand away in surprise and it didn't take long for him to realize what he was touching. He rubbed her mound lightly and Carol sighed. "You want this?" he asked huskily in her ear. Carol nodded and moaned as he rubbed her again, this time letting one of his fingers probe her, just slightly.

Carol was shocked at how full on her hormones were raging at that point. She was certainly going to make Daryl's job easy she realized. She could have asked him to fuck her, but Daryl seemed content to just play with her pussy and she was too lost in how good it felt to ask for anything different.

"Oh God," she gasped, squeezing her eyes closed as Daryl gently slipped a finger inside her, then added another. He fucked her slowly with his hand and Carol soon found herself moving her hips with the rhythm he'd set. She whimpered with pleasure as he drew out his fingers and moved to her clit, drawing slick moisture to her nub. He rubbed her gently a few times and then moved back inside her once again. With only a few times through the same pattern Carol felt herself getting close. The next time he moved to her swollen clit she begged, "Don't stop this time." Daryl stayed, rubbing slowly to start and then quicker. Carol was panting and she felt her entire body stiffen… she was so close.

Finally her body jolted and the orgasm hit her. She felt Daryl move his fingers back inside her pussy again as the contractions started. Her heart was beating wildly, though her body itself felt completely relaxed. "God that feels good," Daryl whispered.

Carol opened her eyes and looked at him. "Bet it would feel even better for your dick," she said saucily.

Daryl shook his head and grinned at her boldness. They both quickly got their pants off and with the last of her orgasm still making her pussy throb he pushed into her. It was good, better than good - it was great, incredible… so damn sexy… and by the time Daryl came Carol realized she was actually getting close to coming again herself, which was quite the shocking realization. This pregnancy sex thing might be the best thing ever, she thought with a little smile.

They lay side by side in silence for a moment when finally Carol spoke. "So Rick really thinks this baby is his, huh?"

"Oh yeah," Daryl replied. "He's certain it is and tried really hard to convince me that it would be best if I backed off so he could raise the child… with you, of course."

"What?" Carol gasped, sitting up in bed. Just when she thought she couldn't be any angrier at Rick her rage was elevated even more.

"Well, I don't think he meant get back together… just that it would be better without me around," Daryl explained, propping up on his elbow. "But that was before I punched him," he added with a grin. "I think he came around a bit after I told him I was raising this baby whether it was his or mine."

"You did?" Carol asked, feeling her eyes welling up with tears. She'd been wrong, so wrong about Daryl. "I was so scared you would leave me when you found out."

"Fuck no," Daryl responded, sitting up too. "A baby… with you…" he blushed a bit. "It's all I've ever wanted." He looked up at her. "I never believed I would have a family. I never wanted one with anyone else… and you were with Rick… so I just gave up on the idea." Daryl reached out and touched her face, "Thank you for giving me everything I've ever dreamed of," he whispered. They kissed and Daryl hugged her for a moment.

"Soooo," Carol said, pulling back to give him a wicked grin. She had an idea brewing. "Rick really thinks this baby is his… he has no idea it's yours… We could…" Carol bit her lip and looked at Daryl with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "We could have a little fun with this knowledge. Make him suffer a bit."

"I don't know…" Daryl started.

"Oh come on," Carol pouted. "Just a little. After everything he's done to us."

Daryl looked nervous and finally he smiled. "Okay, maybe just a little. What do you have in mind?"