A/N: this story uses the characters from my "Redemption" fic, but in an AU setting, so if you haven't read that fic, you can still read this one without missing anything. However, if you'd like to read it, it is complete! I only own Anna, the rest belongs to AMC and Robert Kirkman. No infringement intended.

Simple Twists of Fate

By Leah Pensotti

Anna woke up the day after Rick's incident with the ever-present nausea. She'd actually lost about six pounds thanks to all the morning sickness. When she and Phillip had gotten pregnant, she had never felt this ill. After about an hour of sitting on the floor next to the toilet reading Middlemarch by George Eliot, Rick came into the bathroom. His bruised eye had turned an deep violet black and she winced even looking at him.

"Hey there Sweet Thing...nausea still kicking your ass?"

Anna nodded, "Yeah. But I've gotten better at multitasking. I've read about a hundred pages this morning in between puking my guts out."

Rick chuckled and looked at himself in the mirror. He winced, too.

"Jesus Christ."

Anna put a bookmark between pages and stood up next to him, "Yeah. It hurts to look a you...how do you feel?"

He shrugged, "Sore. Definitely sore."

She couldn't even imagine, and part of her couldn't believe that this had happened to him. But like he had said the day before, it was a reality of his job. It wasn't always dangerous...but it could be.

Rick turned and looked at her and gently put his hand on her stomach, like she had seen so many husbands do to pregnant wives. It almost made her cry.

"Your appointment is next week?"

Anna nodded, at war with the tears trying to fall, "Yeah. In the morning on Tuesday."

Rick smiled and pulled her close, "I'm going to do my best to try to be there. Are you excited?"

"Excited. Scared. All of it."

He kissed her temple and hugged her to him, "So what are we going to do today?"

Anna shrugged, "You're still technically out of commission. It would be a good day for you and Carl to hang out. Play video games? Watch movies? I can pick up some rentals? I've decided I need popsicles anyway. I don't want to get dehydrated. "

Once Rick and Carl settled in on the couch, playing a video game together, Anna hopped into the shower quickly. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and pulled on a pair of denim shorts and a pale blue t-shirt and went out for the popsicles, movies and to the health food store to load up on Preggie Pops.

Anna started at the health food store where she bought five boxes of the morning sickness lozenges and was going to make her way to the little mom and pop rental place she liked to go to and then finally the market for the popsicles. About a block from the movie place, Anna spied a little baby boutique. Curiosity got the better of her and she made a turn into the parking lot.

When she walked in, Anna was overwhelmed by the sights of bassinets, changing tables and rows and rows of toys and clothes. It hadn't really sunk in that she would be needing these things soon, if everything went well. Near the front counter they had a selection of books, and despite her apprehension about jinxing herself, she ended up buying a copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting and a precious little pregnancy journal called Expecting You.

Moving on with her errands, she rented The Lego Movie and bought three boxes of popsicles; one box of assorted flavors, a box of the firecracker pops and finally a box of lemon Italian ice pops. She picked up some snacks for the guys, too.

On the way home, Anna's phone rang and she put it on speaker phone.

"You've not called in awhile, Anna darling. We're starting to worry."

Her mother wasn't really that worried, though. It seemed she just wanted to get her digs in, "I talked to Daddy last week, just trying to get used to the new schedule and the schedule with Carl."

Sonja sighed, "Ah, yes. How is the instant family? Still playing house I suppose?"

Anna held the steering wheel tighter, "Is there a reason for your call? Or are you just wanting to talk down to me?"

"Fiddlesticks, Anna. Don't be ridiculous. Of course there is a reason. Marjorie's annual Labor Day gathering. She wants you and your live-in to come. Your father wants you all to stay with us."

She didn't like her mother's use of the term "live-in," but she wouldn't mind seeing her Father, June and some of her old friends in Savannah. Carl would be at Lori's until Monday night...she only had to check her work schedule.

And she would be in her second trimester and might have some explaining to do.

That thought not only terrified her, but made her want to laugh out loud thinking about walking into her mother's best friend's society party pregnant and unwed.

Sonja Callahan would have a total cow.

"Let me look into my work schedule and see if Rick can get off. It sounds like something we might like to do."

Her mother seemed surprised by her response, "Ah well, just let us know when you can and we will make up the guest room for you and Rick."

Just to throw off her mother more, Anna smiled and sounded happy, "Thanks Mom! Will do!"

After a day of hanging out with his son, playing games, watching movies and watching Anna consume popsicle after popsicle, Rick got ready for bed and walked out of the bathroom to find Anna curled up in bed with two open books. He smiled and crawled in beside her, "New books?"

She nodded and held them up to show him, "Found a little store today. Got What to Expect When You're Expecting and this little journal...I don't want to forget anything...even the constant nausea."

Rick kissed her bare shoulder sweetly, overjoyed that she had stepped outside of her comfort zone. He knew that everything that had happened before him left her feeling extremely superstitious, and sometimes talking to her about the future was like pulling teeth, "Isn't that the book with the facts? From week to week?"

Anna nodded again, "Actually I was just reading about it. Our baby is the size of a blueberry. Something the size of a blueberry has been wreaking havoc on my body. It's amazing."

He pulled her close, his right hand resting protectively on her stomach, "Go on."

He watched as her eyes scanned the page, her pretty face still in concentration, "Well...the baby has kidneys and it's arms and legs are forming..."

Even though Rick knew how it all happened, and saw Lori go through it with Carl...it was still something that amazed him. Truth was, he wouldn't wait to have another baby, the perfect little mash-up of him and Anna, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and wasn't sure what he had done to deserve. Even though they'd only been together for six months...it all felt so right. Seamless.

He had finally felt at home in Atlanta once he had found her.

She shut the books and put them on the bedside table. Anna turned to him after turning out the light and pressed herself against him gently, "Bob picking you up in the morning? Take you to get cleared?"

Rick laid forehead to forehead with her and sighed, "Yeah. Then riding the pine for the rest of the week more than likely and filling out statements."

Anna wrapped her arms around him gently, "I know you hate it. But it's only for a little while. Besides, you need to heal."

After a relatively peaceful night, Rick awoke to Anna dressed in her scrubs, getting ready to leave for work. She kissed him sweetly and told him that she might meet Gwen for a ginger ale at Greene's after work.

Rick showered, dressed and poked his head into Carl's room. He was still asleep with an open book on his chest and Truvy curled up at his side. He felt a smirk pull at his lips about how quickly he had settled into the townhouse. Part of him worried about Carl's reaction to Anna being pregnant, so soon after him changing his whole living arrangement around...he very much wanted his son to be involved with the new baby.

The doorbell rang, and he headed downstairs to let Bob in. As soon as opened the door, Bob grimaced.

"Holy hell, man. That eye."

Rick nodded, noticing a trend in people's reaction to seeing his injuries. After leaving a note for Carl on the dry-erase board in the kitchen, Rick and Bob we're off to Grady to get Rick cleared for duty.

It went more or less like he thought it would. Desk duty this week, back to full duty the next.

When they made it to the station, Captain Hanson was waiting for them.

"Dixon's brother came in to try and post bond. Couldn't afford it. He's down at lock up if you wanted to go talk to him. Seems to have more sense then the other one."

Bob and Rick exchanged a look, and silently decided to go check him out. Bob could answer questions since he was the arresting officer. When they got down to lock up, Rick was surprised to see a faintly familiar face. It took him a minute to put it together.

"Daryl Dixon?" Bob questioned. A man wearing a t-shirt and a leather vest stood up.

Daryl...the same Daryl who offered to help Rick and Anna with their flat tire that fateful night on the way to the steakhouse. For some reason he had a hard time believing he was related to the pill head that assaulted him.

Bob reached out his hand to Daryl, "I'm Sargeant Bob Lamson and this is Officer Grimes, we brought your brother in."

Daryl shook his hand, a look of apprehension on his face, "Old Merle musta gone and done somethin' real bad this time. His bond ain't never been that high before."

"Possession of multiple drugs, drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest and assault of a police officer. So I guess you could say that."

"Shit. That idiot." Daryl looked at Rick and made the realization, "I s'ppose yer the one he got his hands on?"

Rick nodded, "Unfortunately, yes."

"Well, I hope ya got a few in, too. He's a mean old bastard."

Bob sighed, "I can give you our information, if you have any questions on the case. But your brother is looking at a felony...and with his priors..."

Daryl shook his head, "I ain't worried about it. There's no way I could come up with that money anyway and I am tired of bailing his ass out all the goddamn time. If he goes back in the pen, I'll get a fuckin' break."

Rick admired his honesty and debated about reminding him about their previous encounter. He watched as Bob gave him some informational papers and his card. Bob turned to leave and Rick spoke up, "I'll be up in a minute, Bob."

He turned back around and saw the look on Daryl's face; it looked like a kid being sent to the principal's office, "I'm sorry 'bout my brother, Officer. He ain't right most the time, but he's the only real family I got."

Rick shook his head, "I understand...but what I wanted to say was...a few weeks ago, my girlfriend and I broke down just about an hour from here, flat tire. You stopped and offered to help us."

Daryl turned his head a bit and Rick saw the look of rememberance on his face, "Yeah. Wow. Small world I guess. Ya'll say ya go that way once a week?"

Rick nodded, "Yeah, my ex-wife gets our son on the weekends. So actually it's twice a week. Drop him off on Friday, pick him up on Sunday. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you again, Anna was hoping we might see you again. She thinks you're mysterious."

With a laugh, Daryl responded, "Been called a lot a things, mysterious ain't never been one of them. If you have time on Friday, stop in the shop...I owe ya a beer at least, after what my dumbass brother put ya through."

Rick smiled, he couldn't wait to tell Anna what a strange turn this had all taken. He said goodbye to Daryl and made his way back to work. Once at his desk, he looked at the calendar...that coming Friday, Rick would be one payment closer to paying off Anna's ring.

She had just told him the night before that her parents wanted them to come stay in Savannah Labor Day weekend, and he was thinking that might be the opportunity he needed to propose. After a long day filling out paperwork, Rick began brainstorming on what he could do in Savannah that was romantic enough to ask Anna to spend the rest of his life with him as his wife.

After her shift, and two puking episodes, Anna met up with Gwen at Greene's. They sat at their usual table and Anna talked to her about the conversation with her mother.

Gwen looked impressed, "I've got to hand it to you, Anna. It's ballsy. You sure you could handle all that Old South scrutiny? Even if your mother would faint at the impropriety?"

Anna had thought about that, the gossiping in Savannah society circles was a whole other level of gossip. But the fact of the matter was; Anna and Rick were happy. Married or not. She didn't care what kind of money he made as long as he was forthright and honest, even though she wasn't a huge fan of the apparent dangers of his job.

She had never told him, but she had quite enough money for the both of them.

"My Dad will be overjoyed. That is all that matters. He wants to be a grandfather badly, at this point in my life, all of that just comes down to semantics. Married or not, Gerald will be happy as a clam."

Gwen shrugged, "Alright...well, what about Carl?"

Anna wasn't following, "What about him?"

"Well...he just moved in and is getting used to the only child life again, and what if he gets upset? He changed everything to be able to live with his Dad."

Anna took a hearty swig of ginger ale and pretended it was bourbon, "I guess I'd never thought of it that way. I hope he doesn't...he's always been so even keeled. But I guess I'd understand if he did get upset."

Gwen smiled, "Maybe think, really think about how to tell him. How to include him in all of it."

She turned the thought over in her mind, "You're right. How is it that you give so much good advice?"

Her friend just laughed and sipped her beer, "I'm insightful, is all."

"So...how was that online date you went on?"

Gwen shook her head, "Pretty bad. I think he is a narcissist. Barely asked about me, just monologued about himself. But he paid for dinner."

Anna shuddered at the thought of trying to date. She would have never been brave enough to sign up online. If Rick hadn't had asked her out for drinks, she probably would have still been posting up with Truvy on the couch alone on nights like these.

"I don't think I've ever asked, but what kind of guy are you looking for?"

Gwen leaned back in her chair and sighed, "No frills. Fun. Hyper masculine like that hot cop of yours."

Anna laughed, "Well I can ask Rick if he knows anyone on the force, but his only real friend in town is Bob, and he's married."

"Well if he knows anyone nice, I'd be happy to meet him. I'm starting to think this online bullshit isn't for me. If you or Rick tell me someone is a good guy, I'll believe you. I think that goes further than some questionnaire you take to find a partner."

Anna had to agree with that, wholeheartedly.

A/N: Hi loves! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Up next: Anna's appointment, a drink with Daryl and Rick plans :)

I absolutely love hearing from you all. I am so blessed with the best readers. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the reviews, favorites and follows! Please drop me a line and let me know whatcha think ;)

Super special shout outs to: CLTex (I think a dash of friendship is on the way for Anna, Rick and Daryl! Thank you for your lovely review :), Angie B (I'm so glad you found my inclusion of Rick being shot clever. I'm slowly figuring out how to get Gwen and Daryl in the same place, hah. We gotta build The Rick and Daryl Bromance first, lol :), Ruth Ashley 55 ( I would love to flesh all of that out somehow. I promise there will be more Shane and Lori soon and I want Anna and Lori to get to know each other a little better. It's difficult to figure out, since I have built the story solely from two POV's, but I think I can get creative :), Angelicedg (Anna will get more confident, I think once week 13 she will be more relaxed:), Carlypso (Thank you so much, sweets! So glad you are enjoying it!), and AmethystSiri (Here he is! There is more Daryl to come :)!

Thanks and Love!

Leah P!

xoxo