It's been a while hasn't it? almost two weeks. I'm so sorry! Tokyo took up most of my time, but no more delays now!

Here is the new chapter :)

Also apologies to everyone who reviewed as a guest, that I couldn't reply to any of you. But know how I appreciate all your kind words! ^^

Now without further ado,

Enjoy!

Chapter 25

Winter was officially over. At least it felt like it. I wasn't sure anymore what exact month we were in, but it was warmer and the trees were decorated with bright green leaves, as well as tiny flowers popping up in the grassy fields.

Speaking of popping, Lori looked as if she was ready to pop any day. Her belly had a lovely round shape, and we had to stop more often whenever we were on foot. Sometimes Lori stayed behind inside the car when we raided a new place. Rick appointed me, usually, to stay with Lori and keep tabs on her and the surroundings in case Walkers decided to show up. Sometimes Sophia stayed behind with Carol. Carl never did. He always followed his father, wearing that big sheriff's hat and holding his own gun with both of his hands.

Today was another one of those days. Lori sat in the passenger's seat while Sophia had lowered the window and was leaning on it, watching me keeping watch.

"I'm tired…" She whispered softly.

"Take a nap." I whispered back.

I felt my shirt move, when I turned I saw Sophia holding the fabric within her hand, "Mmm?"

She pointed to the left at a Walker. I removed her hand and headed towards it. This one was quite slow. It didn't even react until I was a few feet away. It gurgled and slowly limped in my direction. I raised my arm and struck three times. Once more when it hit the dirt, making sure it was dead.

I turned back around and found Sophia standing next to the car, the sunlight reflecting on the blade of her knife.

"Watching my back, are we?" I said as I approached her. She nodded and I ruffled her hair.

I glanced through the car window at Lori, who leaned against the glass with her head and her eyes closed. Her hands rested on top of her stomach. Rick had been in a coma for two months since the outbreak… We all knew it, yet nobody spoke of it. Perhaps no one really cared that the baby inside Lori wasn't Rick's. I placed my arm around Sophia's shoulder and pulled her against me. She was also looking at Lori.

"Maddy?" She suddenly said.

"Sophia."

"Do you like babies?"

I frowned at her question.

"Babies?" I looked back from Sophia to Lori and her big stomach.

"I don't know. I guess when they're asleep it's alright." I replied to her.

Babies were cute…that's basically it. They smell, they cry, they poop a million times a day and they need constant attention. Look away for one minute and they're gone! Or were that toddlers?

"But you and Daryl…" Sophia began, but immediately stopped when I swiftly turned my head around.

"Me and Daryl what?" I frowned and crossed my arms over my chest.

Sophia wrinkled her nose and looked at me as if I had just insulted her, "Really?"

A few months have passed since that night on the porch. We'd never spoken to anyone about that night or the fact that something was going on between Daryl and I. I decided to let things take its course. It wasn't their business in the first place, and I got the feeling Daryl felt more comfortable that way. But I have to admit that it felt good when some of them started to put the pieces together.

::::::…::::::

A few months ago

It had happened only a week later, during one of my watches. I was sitting on top of a roof having a good view of the surrounding area, enjoying the clear starry night while wearing a new pair of gloves Daryl brought back for me from one of the nearby houses, when Maggie decided to keep me company. She climbed through the open window, holding a can of food in her hand.

"You hungry?" She asked, lifting the tin can for me to see.

"Starving actually," Which was true, food was scarce. We still hadn't collected a decent collection of food yet.

I took the can from Maggie and opened the lid to peek inside. Peaches. I scooped one out with my fingers and dropped the piece of fruit in my mouth.

"Mmm…" I smiled contently with closed eyes.

"Don't tell Lori though, she'd go mad." Maggie smirked.

I swallowed the peach and offered Maggie a piece, "My lips are sealed."

The oldest Greene daughter smiled and took the can from me.

"Speaking of lips," She said casually, "last week you told me, you and Daryl are not involved."

Luckily I had already swallowed the piece of fruit otherwise I would have choked on it at that moment.

"…I said that, yes." I squinted as I stared at her, "something on your mind, Maggie?

"Nope." She replied as she took another peach from the can.

I turned my eyes back on the area in front of the house. It was a quiet night. From the corner of my eye I could see Maggie staring at me. The expression on her face reminded me of the Mona Lisa. A lopsided smile, as if she knew something that I didn't.

I removed my right glove and flung it at her. It hit her on the shoulder. She chuckled as she picked it up and handed it back to me.

"You seem different." She said.

"Different how?" I asked her.

"You're smiling more."

I shook my head. I understood now. She knew. I don't know how exactly. Probably she's seen it.

What happened that night on the porch, I didn't ask her if she had seen it, I didn't need to know.

::::::…::::::

I reckoned since Maggie knew, Glenn also did. It wouldn't be long before more would figure it out, though I doubted Glenn or Maggie would openly tell other people. On the other hand, Daryl and I didn't flaunt it around in the same manner as those two did. But even Sophia knew something had changed, but I realized that she had always been hinting, perhaps even pushing us towards each other.

"I know where babies come from Maddy." Sophia's voice broke me from the memory.

What did she say?

"Scuse me?" I asked her.

Sophia placed her hands on her hips, "Babies, Maddy. I know where babies come from."

I was not having this conversation. I spun around to the direction of the house where Rick, Daryl and the others were currently inside.

"Why don't you go and bother your mother."

"Ugh, you always say that." Sophia complained, "I'm thirteen! I'm older than Carl, and nobody treats him like a child."

I stared at her. I remembered how Sophia was when I first met her. Scared, alone and basically a young child shielded from the horrors from the new world. Nowadays I only see glimpses of that girl. Now she's witty, independent, strong-willed and eager to learn how to protect herself.

"You're right." I agreed, "You're absolutely right."

Sophia nodded, "Thank you."

"And to answer your previous question, I think one baby in the group is more than enough at the moment." I told Sophia.

"Aren't you guys…you know?"

"Oh for the love of,-" This girl did not know when to stop. I lowered my crowbar and glowered at Sophia.

I was this close of shoving her back into the car, but luckily for Sophia, the door of the house opened up and one by one everyone walked out.

Sophia hurried to her mother as Rick and Daryl approached me, Lori and the car.

"Nothing to get here," Rick sighed. He peeked over my shoulder, his eyes settling on the front of the car. A small smile crept upon his face. His gaze shifted to the left, towards the dead Walker in the dirt.

"Was that the only one?" He said nodding his head in the direction of the Walker.

"Just the one," I replied.

"Good…and thank you." He quickly added.

"Always, Rick. So, are we staying here for the night?" I asked him. A frown formed on Rick's forehead. His gaze moved back to Lori. All this moving and running all the time was taking its toll on all of us. Rick knew it and I've addressed it multiple times to him. But he was set on moving around. In the back of my mind I knew it had to do with the farm, what other reason could it be.

"It's better for Lori if she gets to sleep in a bed." I tried, "better for the baby."

"Hershel said the same thing." Rick answered, "I'll tell the others we're spending the night here."

With that said he walked back to the house where Hershel and the rest of the Greene family stood waiting with an expectant look on their faces.

A pair of strong hands grabbed hold of my shoulders and I could feel his warm breath tickling my neck.

"Hi."

"Hi." I replied. Daryl's right hand slid down and tapped against the tip of my weapon.

"How many times?"

"Three…four to make sure."

He stepped around me and took the crowbar from my hands, "I'll give you my gun." He reached for his holster but I stopped him.

"I'm fine."

"Four hits, Mads." He said with concern.

"I know."

"You're gettin' my share today."

I let out a sound of protest, but Daryl wouldn't have any of it. He knew I was getting weaker. Even though winter had been difficult, the spring wasn't easy either. There wasn't a lot of food, and our group was quite big. There were a lot of mouths to feed. Four hits to bring down one Walker, was simply absurd. Usually one big blow followed by another for safety had always been enough.

I placed my hand on top of his and rubbed small circles with my thumb. Daryl let out a deep breath. I smiled.

I stopped quickly when I noticed the others coming our way. Rick halted next to us as the rest stepped into the vehicles.

"We need a place to hole up for a few weeks." Rick said, "I talked to Hershel. He thinks it best considering Lori's state."

"I thought we had already decided on that." I frowned.

"This place is no good..."

I looked up at the house. It wouldn't do well. It was quite small. It was fine for a few nights, but a few weeks…

"Moving on it is." Daryl said to Rick.

"My thoughts exactly," He replied.

And so we did.

::::::…::::::

Two hours later

Panting heavily Rick and Daryl came rushing from between the trees. Lori stuck her head out of the car at the sight of her husband. I walked away from the car where I had been talking to the pregnant woman, and hurried over to the two men.

"What happened?" I asked worriedly.

"We found a place." Rick answered. He paused to catch his breath as the rest of the group gathered around.

"A place? Where?" This question came from Carol.

Daryl pointed behind him, between the trees, "near the train tracks." He averted his gaze to me, "A prison."

"A prison?" Lori had gotten out of the car. She crossed her arms over her chest, "You mean fences, gates and…how many Walkers?"

"If we can get inside the fences we'll be pretty secluded from the Walkers out here." Rick said to his wife.

"What about the Walkers inside?"

Rick shook his head, " First things first. Then we'll discuss the next plan of action."

The prison was huge. Rick was right about the fence. It surrounded the entire building. Courtyard, watch towers…a billion inmates who were now all Walkers. This would be a safe place if you took out every single one of them. Lori could give birth somewhere inside instead of outside on the road. A prison also meant food, beds and other facilities. But there were so many Walkers.

An uneasy feeling crept over me. A prison was a place where people would be unable to get out of. What if we got trapped in there? Inside those brick walls…with no windows, and what if there were still people alive in there? Criminals, murderers, and rapists, I swallowed a lump which had formed in my throat.

Rick cut the fence open and pushed it apart so we could climb through. I stayed close to Sophia, who even though was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, seemed a bit taken aback by the amount of Walkers surrounding the fence. A plan was set up. Rick appointed Daryl and Carol to one of the watchtowers and Carl and Hershel to another. The rest of us would distract the Walkers so Rick could make a run for it.

Ten minutes later and we had managed to clear out the Walkers within the fence. We were safe now, safe from the Walkers on the outside of the fence, and those within the prison's courtyard. For the first time I counted more smiles on people faces than I had in a long time.

The night was clear and filled with thousands of stars. I lay on my back and watched them quietly as Daryl stood next to me, keeping his eyes out for any unwanted guests.

"D'ya eat yet?"

"Mmm," I replied.

"Good." He said contently.

I moved up, leaning on my elbows.

"You worry too much." I said to him, "It's sweet of you, but you don't need to."

"I ain't worrying."

"You ain't?"

"Just making sure you keep your strength." He continued, "We need everyone to be strong. When you're weak, you die."

I arched my eyebrows, "Scuse me?"

"You heard me."

"Are you calling me weak?"

"If that's what you heard."

"No. No, no. I heard what you said." I got on my feet and looked at him, "I heard you fine. I need to keep my strength, because the weak ones die."

"Right."

"Right."

"Might I remind you that I took care of myself for months before I met any of you guys?"

Daryl pressed his lips in a thin line. I pressed my index finger against his chest.

"I'm not a weakling!" I hissed. Daryl grabbed hold of my wrist.

"I know that." He whispered, "I'm only…"

"You're only?"

He averted his gaze towards the campfire where the group was sitting. Someone was making their way over to us. Daryl released my wrist and turned his back to me.

"You know what, fine." I bent down, "If that's the way you want it." I climbed down and headed over towards the others. It was Carol who passed me as I walked away from Daryl. She was carrying a plate of food. I knew exactly where she was going. I stopped and turned my head, watching as the shorthaired woman climbed on top of the vehicle with help from Daryl.

I angrily bit the inside of my cheek and continued my way to the group. A soft singing greeted me as I reached the fire. I stepped next to Sophia.

"Of all the money, that e'er I had…I spent it in good company."

It was Beth. I sat down in the grass and watched the youngest Greene girl singing.

"And all I've done for want of wit, to memory now I can't recall…so fill to me the parting glass. Goodnight and joy be with you all."

I closed my eyes and rested my chin upon my knees, as Maggie joined her sister.

"Oh all the comrades, that e'er I had, were sorry for my going away…and all the sweethearts, that e'er I had, would wish me one more day to stay."

When I reopened my eyes I found Daryl and Carol making their way to us. Carol had a big smile plastered on her face. I huffed quietly, watching as she said down next to her daughter.

"But since it falls unto my lot, that I should rise and you should not, ill gently rise and ill softly call, goodnight and joy be with you all."

"Good night and joy be with you all." I mouthed along.

A warm hand rested on my lower back. I looked to my right and saw Daryl sitting next to me, his eyes resting on the bright red and orange flames. And when he slowly started to move his hand, I felt as warm as the fire in front of me.

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