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Chapter 25

"Daryl." Reagan said as she shook him a little. She was standing up and breathing as she was panicking. "Daryl, wake up."

"Whut?" he grunted.

"Daryl my water broke." She said and he popped up from his stomach. "The contractions have already started." She said and he could tell she was panicking.

"Hey, hey, hey." He said and held her shoulders. "It'll be okay. Let me put on some clothes and I'll go get Herschel." She nodded and he kissed her gently. Even though he seemed calm on the outside, he was screaming and jumping on the inside. The baby was going to be here, tonight. He had to stay calm for her but he felt like pacing and ranting on the inside. He had spent the last couple of months getting stuff for the baby, including a crib. Her breathing started to get labored as she had a contraction. He quickly went over to her with his shirt flying open. It was November 30th according to the calendars. Her due date was around December 5th but everyone was preparing for Reagan to go into labor any minute.

"Alright, I'm goin'." he said and grabbed her hand. He helped her down the stairs and Glenn and Maggie came out of their room and knocked on their door.

"Hey, everything okay?" Glenn asked.

"Her water jus' broke." Daryl replied. Maggie ran into the room telling Glenn what to get. Daryl ran to get Herschel.

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Reagan was in the middle of their now covered bed with a sheet covering from her torso down. She had pulled her hair up into a clip that was now falling from it as her head fell back on the pillow. Sweat was collecting on her hairline as another contraction passed. Her chest rose up and down as she breathed. She was holding Daryl's hand as it was almost seven o'clock in the evening in the same day.

"Alright, let me check." Herschel said as he lifted the sheet. "Alright, your ten centimeters." Herschel said.

"So that means you're in active labor now." Maggie explained. "It's not going to be over for a little while longer.

"I'm getting another one." Reagan said.

"Maggie, time her contractions." Herschel said and Maggie nodded. She started the watch as Reagan squeezed Daryl's hand. She winced and breathed through the pain. Daryl rubbed her back and kissed her temple. He was scared, he knew that. He could lose Reagan, he could lose the baby, he could lose both of them. She plopped back down on the pillow and Maggie announced the time.

"Yer doin' great." Daryl said and she smiled weakly.

"You're doing good too." She said. Herschel and Maggie walked away to get some extra things ready.

"Can I have a moment with Daryl?" she asked and the two nodded. They walked out of the room. "Daryl, I need to ask you something."

"Whut is it?" he asked as he knelt down to her.

"If I don't make it, I need you to-" he didn't even let her finish.

"Yer both gonna make it." He said. "I know ya both will. No one's gonna have to shoot anyone. We'll all be fine."

"Daryl." She said.

"It's ain't gonna happen." Daryl replied strongly. "Both of ya will make it outta this." He kissed her gently and hugged her. He knew what he would have to do, but he didn't want Reagan to think about that.

"I love you Daryl."

"I love ya too Reagan."

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8 hours later

"Alright Reagan, you need to push on your next contraction." Herschel said.

"Alright, I'm getting one." She said.

"Hike up your legs and push." Maggie said. Daryl helped Reagan keep her legs in position as she pushed. She felt like the weight of the world was on her legs.

"Come on Rea, ya can do it." Daryl whispered to her as she pushed.

"Alright, stop." Herschel said and she fell back and started to cry. She breathed hard and Daryl could feel his heart slamming in his chest. It wasn't long before she had to push again. It continued on and on for an hour and Daryl was starting to get worried.

"I see the head!" Herschel announced and Daryl immediately picked up.

"Come on Reagan, just a couple of more pushes!" Maggie cheered. Reagan hiked up her legs again and she pushed. She buried her head into Daryl's chest as she pushed. Daryl looked down at Reagan, kissed her forehead. She continued to push and he saw the baby's head that was turned to the side. Herschel guided the shoulders out and she hissed in pain.

"Daryl." She whimpered and he kissed her forehead again.

"I'm here." He told her. She pushed again and the baby was out. They didn't hear a cry which made Reagan open her eyes. Her face filled with worry as their baby didn't wail out. Daryl still held her hand and didn't move.

"Daryl?" Daryl didn't reply. He watched in horror as their baby didn't make a sound. Herschel patted it's back and the baby coughed a little. It soon wailed a powerful scream. Reagan laughed a little as tears streaked down her face. "What do we have?" Daryl unconsciously let a few tears stream down her face.

"We have a gurl." He said. "We have a lil' gurl." Reagan smiled as she laughed lightly. Maggie cleaned up the baby girl. Herschel delivered the afterbirth within five minutes and he put it in a trash bag.

"You wanna hold her?" Maggie asked Daryl and he gently grabbed his daughter. The baby squirmed in his arms as he looked down at her. Her arms were flailing and her legs hiked up and down.

"Best be quiet now." He said. She started to whimper but stopped crying. Her unbelievably large eyes opened and revealed ones just like his. "Ya got eyes jus' like mine. Like yer Daddy's." He looked over at Reagan and placed their baby girl on her chest. She opened her eyes and looked down at her.

"Hi there." She began with a smile. "I'm your Momma. We've been waiting for you for a while." She sniffed. "You have your Daddy's eyes." The baby squirmed against her. Daryl went to grab her small hand but she grasped his index finger with her small fist. Daryl sucked in some air quickly and rubbed her hand with his thumb.

"I told ya it would be okay." He said and she smiled.

"What do you want to name her?" she asked.

"Sophia." He answered."

"How about Sophia Sasha Dixon?" she suggested and he nodded, still looking at his little girl.

"That's it." He said. "Ya like that?" he asked Sophia and she whimpered. "Yeah ya do."

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Reagan was asleep in the now cleaned up bed. Her head was to the side as she slept peacefully. Daryl was napping until he heard Sophia start to fuss. He went over to her quickly in her dark wood, sleigh style crib.

"Sh, Sophia." He said and picked up the small infant. "Ya hungry? Huh?" Sophia stopped crying as she snuggled into Daryl's chest. "Oh, ya jus' want me to hold ya." He smiled down at her. She made quite little noises as he held her. "I'm gonna take care of ya, ya know? I'm gonna protect ya and yer Momma." He started to bounce slightly. "Teach ya how to hunt. Maybe use my crossbow or yer Momma can teach ya how to use her tomahawk. Uncle Rick and Uncle Merle could show ya how to shoot. We'll all treat ya know, yer named after a Sophia. She was a great little gurl, very smart, very pretty. One day, I'll tell ya what happened to her. I will but now, I jus' want ya to know that she was a great person." Sophia grabbed at his chin and he smirked. "I love ya Sophia."