Chapter 25

Four weeks after my first missed period, I missed another one and knew it was time to tell Daryl we would be expecting a baby Dixon in the spring. Laying in the hammock together watching the sun set behind the mountains seemed like the perfect time to spill the beans. "I'm pregnant." I whispered softly as I rested my chin on my hands against his chest.

His eyes widened before they glossed over with unshed tears. "Really?" He whispered as his hands slid down to my hips, gently repositioning me over him in the hammock so that I was sitting astride his stomach.

Nodding at him ran my hands up his arms. "Yes, really. I've missed two periods already."

Tugging up my shirt to expose my slightly rounded stomach he placed his hands there. "Baby, I promise to be the best Daddy this world has ever seen." He whispered softly.

"You'll be amazing." I whispered as I leaned down to kiss his lips gently. "Congrats, Daddy."

His hands trailed up my back until they sunk in my hair. "Let's celebrate."

Fourteen weeks after I had told Daryl he was going to be a daddy I had to tell him that I suspected he was going to be a daddy to two babies instead of one.

Once again sitting astride his lap in the hammock that now hung in our living room like we did every evening I placed his hands on either side of my stomach where I could feel two sets of kicks. "Feel that?" I asked him softly.

"Yeah, the baby's stretching." He said with a smile on his face. "She's going to be a long legged beauty."

I shook my head. "They are cramped for space." I told him as I shifted his hands to feel the other smaller jabs that I assumed were hands or heads.

"They?" He asked with a confused look on his face.

Nodding at him I shifted his hands back to the stronger jabs. "Seems like there is more than one baby in there." I told him softly.

His eyes got huge as he digested the information that we would soon have two babies instead of just one. "Oh God." He whispered as his hands roamed back and forth between the kicks the babies were giving him.

"This isn't God's doing, husband. This is all you and me." I whispered as tears filled my eyes.

37 weeks after my second missed period a strong contraction hit in the middle of the night, letting me know it was time for our babies to join us. "You ready for this?" I asked Daryl as he rubbed my lower back while I braced my hands on our foot board. My water broke not long after the first contraction woke me up.

"Not at all but I guess it's time to get ready." He snarked from behind me. "Are you ready?"

I shook my head as a contraction ripped through my body. "I'm scared." I admitted to him as I took a deep breath before the next contraction came. They were coming quick so I knew it was just a matter of time before it would be time to push which I was terrified of doing.

"You will be amazing at this, Beth. You are amazing at everything you do." He reassured me softly. "How you will be as a mother is not something I've ever worried about because I know you will be wonderful at it."

"You'll be a wonderful father too. Overprotective but still wonderful." I told him through gritted teeth. "I think you need to check how far dilated I am. It feels like I need to push." I moaned out as I rocked my hips from side to side to ease the pain.

Daryl grimaced as he pulled my gown up over my hips. "What am I looking for again?" He asked as he looked like a lost and scared puppy.

"A purple lit running up my butt crack. If it's all the way to the top it should be time to push." I moaned as I relaxed after a massive contraction. We had discussed early on that nobody would be shoving their entire hands up my whooha to check my dilation.

I spread my legs and bent over more to help him in his quest of the purple line. "It's not quite to the top yet." He whispered as he pressed two fingers just a few centimeters apart.

"It shouldn't be long now." I moaned as another contraction hit.

Oakley Annette Dixon and Archer Merle Dixon made their appearance just as the first ray of daylight began filtering through our bedroom curtains. "They're absolutely perfect." I whispered as Daryl placed each bundled baby in my arms as I lay resting in the bed. Daryl had literally caught our children in his hands as they slid from my body minutes apart and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Once I had found out I was pregnant I understood why Sasha had her baby in the privacy of their cabin with just her and her immediate family there.

"They are indeed perfect." Daryl whispered as he climbed onto the bed next to me. "You did absolutely amazing." He whispered against the side of my sweaty head.

"You did pretty amazing too." I whispered as I leaned against his side with our babies resting against me.

"Archer Merle! Give that back to your sister, right now." I scolded my son as I stood at the kitchen table mixing up batter for strawberry pancakes.

Carol and Mika laughed as Archer turned to look at me with wide watery eyes and a pouty lips. "He's so spoiled." Carol said as she poured me a cup of the dandelion coffee. "And such a cutie." She whispered to me as I glared Archer down.

With a shake of my head he turned back to his stuffed rabbit Tara had made for him a few months back out of a small rabbit hide and corn husks. "Be nice to your sister. She don't feel good today." I told my son who looked over at his twin sister as she lay on the blanket clutching her doll with red cheeks and ear.

We all had to sigh in adoration as he leaned over giving his sister a gentle kiss to the top of her curly head. "Wub, sis." He whispered softly.

Oakley smiled at her brother. "Wub, bub." She whispered back softly.

"They are too damn cute." Carol told me with a wink.

I shook my head. "They're a mess."

Before long Archer squealed loudly letting us know that he spotted his father coming into the kitchen. I had to bite my lip to hide my smile as Daryl scooped up our son 'nibbling' on his neck causing him to giggle uncontrollably. "Da! No!" He giggled as he fought his father's advances but a whimper from the blanket had them both stopping and looking down at our little girl. Daryl folded his tall form onto the floor beside our daughter, scooping her into his arms. "Hi sweet girl. Your ear still bothering you?" He asked her softly as he placed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

She nodded as she curled into his chest. "I think she milks this crap." I told Carol as I watched Daryl entertain Archer while coddling Oakley.

"It's a sweet sight though." Carol said with a smile. "I've never seen him smile so much before you and those babies."

"It clenches at my heart strings whenever I see them like that. I always knew he would make an amazing father." I told her as I began ladling the pancake batter onto the hot griddle.

Carol laughed. "He says the same thing about you."

"Of course he does." I told her with a wink.

Placing the annual anniversary meal on the table in front of everybody brought a smile to my face. "We've made it another year." I whispered softly as I looked around the table that had begun to become crowded over the five years that we've been on the mountain.

Maggie and Glenn sat with little Hershel between them and eight Meadow in her Mama's arms.

Sasha and Bob sat with Journey between them while Sasha rubbed her rounded stomach.

Tyrese sat with Alicia, who he had found nearly dead when he had left our mountain three years ago in search of a companion.

Rosita and Aiden sat with Chance in Aiden's lap and his 18 month old sister, Aurora, in Rosita's lap.

Aaron and Jesus sat with Gracie between them.

Rick and Michonne sat with Judith and two year old Sammy between them.

Carl and Enid sat with their three week old daughter, Lakyn, strapped to Carl's chest.

George and Carol sat beside Mika and Oliver with Tara and Denise on the other side of them.

I waddled my way around the table and took my chair next to Oakley, Archer, and Daryl. Our newest addition was due in two months and thankfully there was just one this time around.

"This makes 5 years since we first came to this mountain top and made it our home. To living and not simply surviving the escape plan!" I said raising my glass of raspberry flavored water up in the air.