With Arms Wide Open
Chapter One
Beth smiled and bit her lip as she watched Daryl and Celia through the kitchen window.
She felt like she had been blessed with so much more than she thought she deserved and she knew Daryl felt the same way but neither would change a single thing.
Celia shrieked and giggled as Daryl chased her around the tree then grabbed her up and started spinning.
Beth placed one hand on her stomach and looked down, grasping the edge of the counter with her other hand.
Daryl put Celia down and she smiled up at him.
Just as his own smile began to appear, he snapped his up towards the house and Celia took off running.
"Mommy!" she screamed as she opened the back door.
Before the door could swing shut, Daryl rushed through and scooped up Celia who was kneeling next to Beth.
"Mommy," she cried.
Daryl sat her down on the couch and grabbed his phone off of the coffee table then rushed back to Beth.
His hands were trembling as he dialed 911 and reached out to feel for a pulse.
As the ambulance pulled away from their house, Daryl buckled Celia in and wiped her tears away.
"Is mommy gonna be okay?" she asked quietly.
He kissed her forehead and whispered, "She's gonna be fine, Silly Anne."
He put the truck in gear and followed the ambulance, casting nervous glances towards Celia every few minutes but the girl was quiet and staring down at her hands.
"They'll be okay. Ever'thing is gonna fine," he quietly reassured himself and Celia. She nodded in agreement but stayed silent.
When he pulled into a parking spot, Rick and Lori rushed towards him.
"Leave her," Lori said before he could reach Celia's door. "We've got her. Just go."
He nodded and took off inside, leaving Lori and Rick to tend to Celia.
A/N: Obviously there will be more to this story, maybe one or two more chapters.
The title is from the Creed song of the same name.