Chapter forty-seven:

"Target on my back lone survivor lasts

They got me in their sights

No surrender no

Trigger fingers go

Living the dangerous life"

"Feel Invincible" Skillet

Beau began to fuss in his crib, rousing his mother from her slumber. Heaven groggily dipped her hand in the crib to try and silence him for a few more minutes and maybe get a few more minutes of sleep. She could hear voices from downstairs, Rick's and another man's voice quietly conversing. Then she heard the gruff voice of Daryl and a weight was lifted from her heart.

Beau began to whine. He wasn't going to be easily fooled by his mothers hand.

Daryl looked up from his bowl of gruel to find Heaven shuffling towards the kitchen with Beau on her hip. It had been a while since he had seen her walk half asleep like that, he realized that she must have become comfortable enough there at Alexandria to let her guard down like that. It was a relief to see it.

Heaven entered the kitchen as a mess of long chocolate hair in a pair of flannel PJ bottoms and matching top, unbuttoned to show the tank top underneath. The fabric stretched across her swelling, four month along baby bump. Daryl's lips turned up in the corner in a knowing smirk.

"Yer back," Heaven mumbled, digging the sleep out of her eye with her knuckle. "I'm glad."

"He hungry? I'll feed him, give 'im here." Daryl reached out and took his son, setting him on his lap while Heaven retrieved a bottle from the fridge.

Morgan smiled at the dirty hunter. "You have a family."

Heaven handed Daryl the bottle before raking her long fingers through his greasy hair and pulling it back out of his face, mumbling something about him not being able to see. He merely shook his head and let it flop back into place. She sighed.

"You must be the man that saved Rick's life," she finally turned to the staff wielding wanderer. "Thank you. Without him we wouldn't be here."

Morgan merely nodded his head and turned back to Rick. "Never thought I'd see you again."

Daryl perked up and reached into his pocket. "That reminds me,"

He pulled out the finished rosary and held it out for Heaven to see. It was a simple thing, but hand carved and beautiful nonetheless. Beau tried to grab for it, but only his tiny finger tips could touch it, making it sway.

"It's nothin' special but I thought… for Beau…" he was never good with words, and not in front of so many people.

Heaven carefully took the cross and laid it out on her palm. Rick looked over her shoulder, complimenting Daryl on his handiwork. On the back of the cross were the initials BMD.

"Beau Meryl Dixon," Heaven laughed, explaining the meaning to Rick and Morgan.

"An' that one in there is Carolina Beth Dixon." Daryl pointed to his wife's belly. "She's gonna be just as badass as her mama."

x

"And what was your role in the group?" Deanna's voice was even, pleasant.

Heaven scoffed, tucking a fallen strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, Judith's mother died when she was born, and I had just had Beau, so…"

"You were like a wet nurse?" The older woman smiled, falling for what Heaven was implying.

"Yeah," Heaven lied, punctuating it with a bright grin. "I looked after the babies. That's what I did."

X

Thirty minutes on the clock…

Heaven let her finger flutter on the trigger, her eye trained down the scope of the rifle. From her perch in the attic of the storehouse she could see all the carnage. Raiders either hacked people to pieces or just toyed with them like cats chasing mice.

She took a deep breath, fixing her finger on the trigger, a raider in her sights, aligned in her scope. There was a flutter in her belly, telling her that her daughter was alive and well and wanted to live.

"Do it Mama Bear, do it." Meryl's ghost whispered in her ear. "Do it."

She pulled the trigger.

X

Two hours earlier

"Now I'm not sayin' Rick's plan won't work, I'm just sayin'-" Daryl held Heaven's go bag in one hand and Beau in the other. "If anythin' happens… just go. Like I taught ya."

Heaven tore the bag from his grip. "I'm tired of runnin'."

Daryl rolled his jaw and glanced around, making sure there wasn't a stray ear eavesdropping on their conversation. Jesus, she was being a super bitch this pregnancy. She was more irritated than anything lately. Hell, she had even had three helpings of spaghetti at Aaron's place a few weeks ago- and she hated spaghetti. When she was pregnant with Beau she went green at the sight of it.

Maybe it was a good sign. What wasn't was how he was going to be more worried the moment those gates closed behind him. Would she be reckless and get herself killed? Or would she listen to him for once in her life and try to keep their children and herself alive?

"I am too. But if this doesn't work, if they get in… I'm not losin' the three of ya. Not again." His tone was harsh, strict authority. "Just do what ya do best. Alright?"

She was silent for a moment, "Alright,"

X

Thirty minutes ago

"I don't know how ya do it." Heaven said from her seat at the island, picking apart her peanut butter sandwich. "If one more person gives me an expectant mothers tip I'll scream."

Carol chuckled and turned the dial on the timer. "I never said I didn't want to do the same."

The pair laughed but were cut off by the sound of a scream from outside. Heaven got to her feet and pulled out her pistol, going to the edge of the window. She pulled back the curtain with her finger and saw the murder of Shelby.

"Shit," she cursed, following Carol out the door.

Carl came down and followed them to the door. "What's going on?"

"Stay here," Carol instructed, stopping at the door, her hand resting on the knob. "Look after the babies."

Heaven nodded to him when his eyes went to her, confirming what he knew she was thinking. Then she went out the front door.

X

Now

Daryl chewed on this thumbnail, the rumbling of his bike and the chorus of groans from the walkers doing little to distract him from his thoughts. Something had gone wrong, just like he had predicted but had prayed wouldn't happen. That's why he never prayed. God always spat his prayer back in his face.

Had Heaven ran like he had told to her to? Or had she took up her gun and fought for her new home? He looked back at the car behind him, then back ahead. He needed to know. She needed his help.

He revved his engine and turned around.

X

The night before

Daryl watched through the chain link fence as Heaven raced towards him, clutching Beau to her chest as she ran. There were thousands of walkers behind her, reaching out with their bloody hands, trying to grab her. Beau screamed and gripped his mothers chest in fright.

Daryl held out his arm, telling her she was almost there. She could make it.

But a hidden walker got to her first. Tearing her arm away from Beau and sinking its teeth into her skin. She screamed in pain as another walker caught up and latched his teeth into Beau's tiny neck. More walkers swallowed around them, chewing and gnawing on their fresh flesh.

Daryl howled and shook the fence, watching helplessly as his family was devoured right before his very eyes.

He woke with a start, covered in a cold sweat. The ceiling above him was solid. The bed beneath him was solid. Turning his head to the side, he found Heaven fast asleep, her arm around his waist. He snaked his hand into Beau's crib and felt for the rise and fall of his son's chest.

They were alive. Dear God they were alive.

X

Heaven got a look in her eye when she wanted someone dead and was willing to put them in the ground. It was like Daryl could see the red film of rage cover her blue iris' when it happened. Her right hand would curl into a fist, then go limp, then curl again. There was always a tightness in her jaw and the look of the devil on her features.

He'd seen it when she fought Mabel that night, catching a glimpse of it when she stormed back into the bedroom to retrieve the shotgun. Then again with Lin, no hesitation when she pulled the trigger. No thought of the consequences. Just pure action. When Heaven wanted someone dead she was signing their death certificate in their own blood.

Daryl pulled out her pearled rosary and kissed the cross. She'd be fine. She'd be just fine.

X

"This place is a graveyard." Francine spoke up, crossing her arms.

Heaven spat back at her like a viper. "Let's not add to it."

A/N: I hope everyone sticks with me so far. If you're wondering where i got the idea of the rosary from its from the Boondocks Saints. A good flick if you love Norman Reedus. I recommend it.

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