Chapter Twenty Five

I woke up. The sun had hardly risen yet. I slowly got out of bed, trying my best not to wake Daryl. I pulled on a pair of Jeans and a t-shirt before sneaking downstairs and out of the prison. I went through the gate, walking towards the graves that Oscar, Glenn and Axel had made up. They didn't have bodies... But they still made graves. I sat down infront of Lori's grave, tears in my eyes.

"Hey, Lori." I said quietly. "I... I know you're not really there... In the grave.. But - but I'd like to think you can still hear me." I stuttered, wiping away at my tears. "You shouldn't have died!" I cried. "Lori, it isn't fair! You shouldn't have had to die, I shouldn't have had to lose my baby! It isn't fair, Lori! I can't be strong anymore- I've always been that girl who lived through all the pain but I can't- I can't it's too much. It consumes me and I don't know what to do." I sobbed louder, grabbing frustratedly at the grass. "I always went to you... You always had the answer even if I didn't always listen... I should've told him right away now it's too painful to- but I have to. Lori, I miss you and I feel so alone!" I cried, burrowing my head in my hands. I sat crying for a few minutes before standing up, wiping away my tears. I turned around to see Daryl staring at me with a pained look on his face.

"How.. How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough." Daryl replied, staring at me.

"Daryl, there's something I gotta-" Daryl wrapped his arms around me, pulling my body tight against his. "It don't matter." He mumbled, kissing my cheek gently.

"Yes it does!" I cried, pushing against his chest, only to have him hold on tighter.

"I ain't lettin' you go!" Daryl cried. "I won't let ya pull away!"

"I was pregnant, Daryl!" I yelled pulling away enough to look in his eyes. Daryl stared at me, his eyes wide. Daryl frowned, looking down at the ground before looking back up at me. "Was?" He asked, looking at me with something I'd never seen before.

"I... I had a miscarriage. That's why I was so sick a few days ago- I wanted to tell you, I did! But it hurt so much and I was scared- I was scared you would leave! But... I know it isn't an excuse." I sniffled, wiping away my tears. I was waiting for him to yell, to scream, to leave me. But instead Daryl just looked at me. He reached a hand up, touching my face gently. I could see tears in his eyes and I bit my tongue, afraid of what he was going to say.

"Are you okay?" Daryl asked, his voice quiet and shaky. I shook my head, tears falling down my face.

Daryl pulled me against his chest, shushing my quietly. "Shh...shh, it'll be alright."

"I'm sorry!" I sobbed, grabbing onto his shirt as tight as I could. "I'm sorry, Daryl!"

"Shh." Daryl cooed. "I ain't leavin' ya. I ain't ever leavin'."

I sniffled, looking up at him. "How can you love me?" I asked, feeling my heart breaking every second I thought about losing him. Daryl's blue eyes softened as he touched my cheek.

"I've known ya since ya were a little girl. I watched as ya grew into this women that- that I fell in love with. I love ya because yer my best friend. You're kind, lovin' and carin'. Ya handle me at my worst. You love me... ME."

I smiled, kissing him gently. "I love you too, Daryl."

Daryl's lips curved into a small smile before he took my hand, pulling me towards the prison. I quickly rubbed any left over tears out of my eyes before we walked back into the cell block where the others were sitting eating breakfast awkwardly. I let go of Daryl's hand, walking over to grab a bowl and filled it with a bit of soup that we had. I honestly hadn't been hungry for a few days, but I decided I would try to eat as much as possible. Daryl sat on the steps, eating at his soup slowly looking around at the others. I noticed him look at Carl then frown as he continued to eat his soup. I leant against the wall, slowly poking away at my soup until Rick slowly walked towards the door.

"Everybody okay?" He asked, slowly walking in.

"Yeah, we are." I replied slowly, shocked to see him. I was worried about him. Rick had blood stains all over his clothes and he seemed worn out. As he walked in he looked around at the rest of us slowly before walking over to Carl.

"What about you?" Hershel asked, staring at Rick.

"I cleared out the boiler block." Rick said plainly.

"How many were there?" Glenn asked.

"I don't know. A dozen, two dozen. I have to get back. Just wanted to check on Carl."

"Rick, we can handle taking out the bodies." Glenn interjected. "You don't have to."

"No, I do." Rick replied walking over to Daryl.

"Everyone have a gun and a knife?"

"Yeah." Daryl replied slowly. "We're running low on ammo, though."

"Maggie and me were planning on making a run this afternoon." Glenn told Rick.

"We cleared out the generator room." Daryl told Rick.

"Axel's there trying to fix it incase of an emergency." I told him slowly.

"Yeah, we're gonna sweep the lower levels as well." Daryl added, looking from me to Rick.

"Good. Good." Was all Rick said as he walked back to the door, shutting it behind him.

I frowned, setting my bowl of soup on the table before walking into the other room. I walked up the stairs towards my room before Maggie stopped me.

"Hey, how you holding up?" She asked worriedly.

"I don't know." I leaned against the walk next to my cell. "Not good I guess."

"Did you tell-"

"Yeah." I replied quickly, sighing deeply.

"Oh. That must be why Daryl seems more quiet than usual. How did he take it?" Maggie leaned against the railing of the steps.

"I don't think his mind has fully processed it yet. It worries me. He wasn't mad, or upset; he just asked if I was okay."

"That means he cares about you more than you not telling him." Maggie replied, a smile on her face.

"Yeah, I know that. But it's Daryl we're talking about one reason we both are together is we're hotheads. We get angry easily and- normally he woulda' fucking been angry at me for at least not telling him sooner."

"I guess you just gotta wait and see what happens. Are you gonna clear the lower levels with him?"

"Yep. Can I be honest with you?"

"Yeah, what is it?" Maggie replied, walking over to me.

"I sorta wanna leave. I wanna get outta here, go for a walk. Hell catch a fucking break. But I know Daryl would kill me, and I don't want to be on his bad side right now. I just need time to myself which I get little of here."

"I know what you mean. You can always come talk to me whenever you need to. " Maggie said as we both walked back to the others.

Daryl walked up to me as Maggie left to go talk to Glenn.

"You sure you're up for this?"

"Yeah, all it is is killing walkers."

"Tasha-"

"Yes, Daryl. I'm up for this. Besides I'm not letting you go alone." Daryl frowned at me a moment before getting me my gun. "Only for an emergency." He muttered, tucking it into my jeans. I rolled my eyes. He honestly treated me like a child when it came to these things.

"Sweetie, I've been here as long as you I know when and when not to use a gun."

I walked over to Carl who was staring at the gate. "Sure you wanna go?" I asked him.

Carl nodded. "Yeah."

"Alright."

"Are you okay? I heard you up pretty early today." He asked worriedly, not looking at my face.

"I'm fine, Carl." I muttered, blushing from my stupidity of being too loud. No wonder Daryl followed me.

I walked over to Daryl who was waiting by the gate impatiently. I walked past him through the gate, holding my large kitchen knife in my hand. We walked through the prison slowly, thankfully there wasn't any walkers so far. It seemed pretty secure on this level. As we continued to walk, I fell a few steps behind as I became lost in my thoughts. I could faintly hear Daryl and Carl talking but I didn't really pay attention. I snapped my head up as I heard them say my name.

"Is Tasha okay?" Carl asked Daryl. Daryl looked at him a moment before continuing to walk.

"No. She ain't okay. She's trynna' make everything think she is but she ain't."

"What happened?" I heard Carl ask. I quickly pushed past them, walking around a corner to find a lone walker standing there. It growled at me as it came towards me. I held my knife tightly in my grasp as I pushed the walker back a few paces before slicing into the walkers brain with my knife. Daryl and Carl were quickly by my side, looking at me with a worried expression.

"Guys, it was one walker." I said with a shrug as I continued to walk.

"Yeah but you shouldn't just walk off like that." Carl said from behind me.

"Last time I checked, I'm not the only one who does that. So get off of my back, Carl." I said with a slight playful tone in my voice.

We walked for another half hour until we came across a room with some clothing in it. I walked in, looking at a pair of slippers that looked like they could fit me.

"What the hell you need slippers for?" Daryl asked.

"You know, for relaxin'. As much as I love wearing your clothes you don't got any slippers so-"

A growl emerged from behind Daryl. Carl and I turned quickly as Daryl shot an arrow at the walker while Carl and I shot at it.

"All right." Daryl breathed heavily, obviously startled.

"Must have been in the cell at the end." I muttered, putting my hand to my chest. "We checked everywhere else."

Daryl knelt down, examining the walker. He pulled a knife out of the walkers neck that looked strangely familiar.

"Is that..Carol's knife?" I asked him. He nodded slowly as he wiped the blood off of it.

Daryl, and I walked further into the cell block while Carl walked back to the others. Daryl and I didn't speak while we walked, coming across a door with banging coming from behind it. I slowly moved the walker that was blocking the door to the side while Daryl opened the door. I stared in shock as I saw Carol laying there, looking at us weakly.

"Holy shit." I muttered, quickly leaning down to stand her up. She quickly began to fall but I leant her against the wall.

"Daryl you gotta carry her." I pleaded, looking at him. "I'm too weak, and she's going to end up passing out from exhaustion."

Daryl nodded, lifting Carol up into his arms as we ran back to the cell block. When we got into the cell block no one was there, which wasn't a good sign. I helped Daryl set Carol down onto her bed. She laid back, staring at us. I handed her a water bottle. "I'll go get Rick." Daryl muttered, walking out of the cell.

"I have no clue how you survived, but I'm glad you did." I told her with a smile as she drank the water. She tried to sit up but I pushed her back down. "Rest, okay? You deserve it."

She shook her head, sitting up anyways. "You always have to be stubborn I muttered as I walked out of the cell, smiling. I watched as Daryl lead Rick and the others (excluding Glenn and Maggie) to her. I walked up the stairs slowly, feeling my legs shake. I sat down on my bed in the cell, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Hey." Daryl said as he walked in.

"Hey." I replied as he sat down.

As we sat on the mattress, Daryl looked at me, holding my hand tight in his grasp. "We gotta talk about this." He said quietly as he looked over at me.

"I know." I replied quietly, looking at the ground.

"How long did ya think you were pregnant?" He asked slowly, looking at me.

"I hadn't been really feeling good a couple days, but it was actually only a few days before I was sick that I thought I was. I was late and I just didn't feel normal."

Daryl nodded, looking away. "Why didn't ya tell me?"

"Because I'm stupid. I was scared that you wouldn't want to raise a kid in this- I was scared that you wouldn't love me anymore. I was afraid that... That there was a slight possibility the baby would've been..." I shivered. "Wouldn't have been yours." I thought back to the terrible man that had raped me, I gripped onto the sheets. "But I was stupid to think any of that because I know you love me enough to support me through anything."

Daryl was silent for a moment. He stared at his crossbow for what felt like hours before responding. "I wouldn't have left ya. I would raise a kid in this, if it was with you. I want a kid with ya, Tasha." Daryl admitted. "I only ever want ya to be the mother of my children. And I only ever want kids with you."

"You want to have a kid with me?" I asked astonished, looking up into his eyes. Daryl nodded, his cheeks turning pink. I leaned forward slowly, pressing my lips to his gently. Daryl wrapped his one arm around my waist, pulling my body closer to his as we began to kiss slowly. Daryl's fingers ran up and down my back as our kiss deepened. I pulled away slowly, looking up into his eyes.

"I am sorry I didn't tell you."

"I know." Daryl replied as he stood up. "But ya can't keep anything from me ever again, ya hear?"

I nodded as I stood up beside him. "Yes, Daryl. I promise I won't keep anything from you ever again."

"There's some girl Rick must've found, looks to be wounded."

"Really? That's strange. Rick came back around then?" I asked as we walked back downstairs.

"Looks like it." Daryl smiled slightly, rubbing the side of my arm as we walked over to the others.