A/N Thanks so much everyone! We're finally going to find out where the heck Daryl is and what he's up to. I hope you enjoy!
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When the sharp pain hits it wakes her from a sound sleep and she realizes it's time. Even though she's sure Daryl still isn't home, she has to check. She gets to her feet and looks through the small house for him, even peering out the windows and wandering a ways out in the yard.
She knows if he were home the first thing he would have done is check on her, and Connie can always sense when he's close to her.
Now that she's looked she knows for sure, he's still not home. She's going to have to do this herself. Thank God it's early and the pains aren't too close, she has plenty of time to get everything ready.
Between the pains she gathers all the things she and Daryl have prepared, the things she and the baby will need.
She gets out the rags they sterilized that have been safely tucked in the dresser. Then, while she boils a big pot of water to clean herself and their baby after delivery, she covers the bed with an old bedspread they took from Alexandria just for this purpose. No one wanted it and it would save their bed and blankets from becoming a mess.
She smiles as she then gets three of the little receiving blankets she made. She remembers Daryl being so proud of the large soft blanket he'd found on one of his runs. It was perfect for remaking into several of these small blankets. She's got some tiny sleepers Rosita gave her and she gets one of those as well. She'll want to be sure her baby is warm enough, the weather's turning so much colder.
Things like disposable diapers have been impossible to find for years, but on one of his runs Daryl found a rack with several pair of flannel sleep pants left untouched. He brought them home and she used the soft fabric to make their baby's diapers.
The last thing she gets is the sterile clamp for the umbilical cord.
She's as ready as she can be, and she has confidence she can do this on her own. Women have delivered their own babies for centuries. Of course she doesn't want to do it alone, she wants Daryl there with her holding her hand. She wants him to be the one to clean their baby and place the child on her chest. All the things they practiced, but she'll do what she has to do because they practiced for that too.
He didn't want to be gone any longer than he had to be. Connie may be more than capable of taking care of herself, and they still have a few weeks before the baby is due, but he doesn't like leaving her home alone. What he dreads even more is leaving her and a tiny baby home alone. That's why he decided to go on this last big run to begin with. He's trying to anticipate everything his family will need to last them for a long time.
He doesn't want to leave home again; he belongs close to them and he won't leave them alone again.
He's worried though, what if the baby comes early? He wants to be there with her when that time comes. He wants to hold her hand and breathe with her like they practiced. He wants to deliver their baby and lay him or her on his Mama's chest.
Long ago he took all the maps of the area he could find from a truck stop convenience store. He spent a lot of time studying them and he circled some places he hoped wouldn't have been completely scavenged. The kind of places that are off the main highways and roads, farming communities.
It's the shits to have to go so far from home but him and his family from Hilltop and Alexandria, and other groups of survivors have already cleared out everything useful that's anywhere close to home.
He's riding through what was once farming country, and when he's riding he sometimes gets lost in his thoughts. He drives right passed the big general store, places like that were cleaned out years ago, completely gutted. Even shelving and clothing racks have been stripped from them.
Yet something draws him to this place. Some gut feeling. He turns around and goes back.
He hates clearing such a big place without a partner but he does it. He encounters a few walkers but they've been trapped a while now, they're weak and easy to put down. Once he's satisfied it's clear he takes a long look around, happy to see the big store hasn't been completely ransacked. Maybe he'll get lucky and find something useful.
There's an upstairs mezzanine and he decides to start there and work his way down. He's glad he did when the first thing he spots is the shoe department. It's been picked over pretty good but he manages to find himself and Connie each a pair, but that's not what really interests him. It's the kid's shoes. There are plenty of those, he tries not to think about why that's the case.
Shoes though, that's something they've had some concern about. They can make or do without most things but their child will need shoes. Especially during the colder months. They could make moccasins out of animal hides, but regular shoes would be so much easier. He tries to grab at least one pair in every child size, not giving any thought to pink or blue, flowers or camo. Those things don't matter in the new world.
By the time he gathers up every size he thinks they could possibly need he's already got too much stuff to haul back on the bike. To lighten the load a little he takes everything out of the shoeboxes and makes a neat stack on the floor.
He noticed it when he first got up there, he heads that way next. The baby and toddler department. On his way he stops to pick up a good find, a quilt-lined flannel shirt for himself and one for Connie.
He knows a little something about what babies need, Judith was the one who helped him learn the most about that. He grabs a hand carry shopping basket and loads it with a few things he never thought their baby would have, rattles, pacifiers, sippy cups, a couple of bottles and teething rings.
Again he tries not to think about why these items are left, but he can't erase it from his mind completely. Babies and young children are a rarity these days. They have a rough time making it in this world. He tries again to shake that thought, instead reminding himself that their baby will be a survivor. Just like Connie. Just like him.
With that in mind he grabs up some baby and toddler clothes, plus a baby doll and a teddy bear. It takes him four trips to get it all downstairs where he arranges it into a new neat pile, then has a look around.
The downstairs has been most heavily plundered, but he's here now and it won't hurt to have a look around. Starting with the sporting goods department. The shelves are mostly empty but he finds a small treasure, a child size bow. He even finds some nocks and bowstring. The unexpected finds bring a smile to his face, he'll have fun making arrows for his child.
He goes behind the sales counter to see if anything has been missed there, and that's when he notices the door. It's obviously not meant for customers or even the sales staff, there's no knob and it's locked with a deadbolt. Hmm It could be interesting.
The lock is a nuisance but it doesn't pose a big problem for him. With an older brother like Merle he learned how to pick all kinds of locks when he was still just a kid. It is a tough one and it takes him a few minutes, and while he works he hears those telltale noises. There's at least one walker, but more likely two on the other side.
He was ready for them when he flung the door open and quickly stabs each in the head. Then he sees the extent of the bounty he's stumbled upon. It makes sense they'd do it this way, the store wouldn't want to put all of this stock out on the floor. With everything out in plain sight they'd be leaving themselves wide open. One display model of each item was plenty.
It's a mini storeroom filled with the inventory – guns, boxes of ammunition and knives. He gathers up what he and Connie can use, but he also fills up a shopping cart for his friends at Alexandria. All he'll ask for in return is a sack of the flour they mill.
His luck has been going so good he decides to continue through the store. In the grocery section he finds a couple of 10 pound bags of sugar. It's hard as a rock but they can fix that. The important thing is, no bugs. He even finds four cartons of table salt, a small bag of rock salt and some pepper. True treasures.
He also grabs up all the Crisco and cooking oil that's left. It's old and nasty, but they won't be consuming those things so it doesn't matter. Oil and fat burn and they'll make use of them.
He smiles when he finds two jugs of laundry soap, they've made some but with a baby they'll be using plenty. He checks, but as he suspected the liquid and bar soap are all gone, except down on the very bottom shelf and stuck way in the back. It's a box of lavender scented gifts soaps. Connie will like those.
Now he stands looking at his huge pile of riches and wondering how the hell he's going to get it all home. Then he smiles for what seems like the 100th time that day. He's in farm country, surely he can find a farm truck and get it running.
He doesn't have to go far, there's a farm and ranch store just three blocks away and there's a big flatbed farm truck parked right out front. It's set up for hauling feed, the wood slat grain sides are up. He hopes the only reason no one has taken it is because it's loaded with hay bales, lots of them.
He's glad to see it's got a diesel engine. Diesel is far more stable than gasoline so there's a chance that if the truck has fuel it my still be good. And since it's diesel one tankful ought to get him home.
The first thing he does is climb up in the cab, the second thing is stab the walker inside. He tosses the body out, slides in the driver's seat and checks above the visor. Sure enough, he finds the keys there. Daryl didn't expect it to start right up and he's right, he can't get the engine to turn over. He will, he has to.
It takes him three long hours but he gets the engine running, then he checks the fuel gauge and thanks God. Just a hair below "F."
He lets the engine run as he goes about the big job, dumping all those bales of hay. If it was still good he'd take some of it back with him, but it's rotten and molded over from sitting out in the weather for ten years. It's a hassle and nasty but he works until he gets it dumped.
He drives the big truck back to the general store but night has fallen and it's looking like that's brought out some of the locals. The undead locals. He makes a decision, it's best to wait for morning. He locks the rig up and goes back in the store, killing two of the night walkers just before bolting the door shut.
He's hungry but any of the food still left is too old to take a chance on. He'll be home tomorrow and he can eat then. Then he thinks about it and goes to the section where the jams and jellies are. He's not looking for them, but he finds what he is looking for. A jar of honey. It's crystallized and solid as a rock but that doesn't matter, that'll make it even sweeter and it never does go bad.
He makes himself a bed in the safest place, the gun and ammo storage room he emptied. It's been a long few days and he's beat, and despite how much he misses Connie he manages to sleep for almost five hours.
Daylight still hasn't broken when he's lost all patience and begins loading his finds in the back end of the big truck.
He smiles when he's done, shit, he has plenty of room. He goes back in the store and gets three of those bicycles that were left in sporting goods, extra tires and a couple of tire pumps. He's going to be able to teach his child how to ride a bike.
The truck's wood loading ramp will really be tested when he rolls his bike up and into the truck bed, and it's true the old wood creaks and groans, but it holds. He secures the bike, takes a deep breath, climbs down the ramp and secures the tailgate.
He's ready and anxious to get on the road.
He's driven about two miles when he starts to laugh at himself, "Dixon, you're a dumb ass. You're gonna have ta build a storage shed for all the shit ya got." Hell, maybe that's just what he'll do, why not? He'll have plenty of time on his hands, he doesn't plan on leaving home again unless they all go.
About halfway home the big flatbed truck breaks down. He cusses and bangs his fists on the steering wheel, but it doesn't help. Shit. He's so fucking frustrated and angry. He's been gone four days and all he wants is to get home to her.
Thank God the truck has a well-stocked tool box behind the seat, there's even shop rags. It takes him several hours and a lot of frustration, but he gets it going again.
Finally, he's within a mile of home. It's time to take it slow and careful. He knows where all the booby traps are, he put them all in, but he doesn't usually weave a big ass farm truck between them.
The truck's engine is damn near still running when he's jumping out and running in the little stone house, and he hears Dog whining for him. He hurries in the bedroom and to her. He can see by her face she must be having a contraction and he quickly kneels down next to her and takes her hand.
She squeezes his hand so hard he thinks she might break it, but he smiles at the strength of his small wife. When the contraction begins to subside he signs, "How long?"
She smiles and signs back, "Eight hours. Coming fast now, every three minutes."
He helps her up and they slowly walk around the room, Dog nervously panting and pacing like he wishes they would both just stop. It doesn't stop, she grabs at her abdomen and gets on her hands and knees. They read somewhere that makes it easier.
When the contractions ends he gives her a questioning look and she smiles as he helps her to her feet, and signs, "The book tells lies. It hurts the same." He smiles back and wishes like hell for two things, that he could be as tough as her, and that he could do this for her.
He does what he can for her but it's just not enough. In between pains he tells her about where he's been and all the treasures he's found. She's excited and it helps distract her a little from the pain.
Suddenly it happens, without warning the pains become less than a minute apart. She's feeling the pressure and wants to push, and now is when his real job starts, trying to help her not to. He's killed a million walkers and plenty of the living too, but the blood coming from Connie is almost more than he can take.
She's laying with her knees up and he's standing at the foot of the bed, positioned between her legs. He squats and wraps his arms loosely around her thighs. He tries to look calm and like everything is just great, but his stomach is in knots and he's scared for her. He's scared for the baby. He's scared for himself because if anything happens to her or the child he doesn't think he can survive. He's survived so much, but not that, no, that would be too much.
He places his hand low on her abdomen, looks up at her and nods. She knows then, she can start pushing. It's painful and she's worried neither she nor the baby are getting enough air, but she doesn't want him to think there's anything wrong. He worries too much about her.
He sees the top of the baby's head and smiles at Connie, she gives a hard push that seems to take every last bit of strength and energy she has, and Daryl "catches" the slippery infant in strong hands. He holds the child's chest in the palm of his hand, turning the infant over and gently patting the baby's back.
There's a noise and then soft crying and when he looks at Connie with a smile on his lips and tears in his eyes, she knows. Their baby is breathing.
He cleans the baby up, lays the child on it's mother's chest and covers them with a small blanket. He clamps off the umbilical cord and cuts it, and while they wait for the next phase, the afterbirth, he lays down next to her and their child.
Then she gives him a look and he knows what she wants to know. They've talked about this a lot and agreed that either way their baby will be perfect. Still, they're both curious. He gets his hands close to the baby's head and claps as loudly as he can. The child startles and then burrows back into it's mother's chest.
Connie moves to the next question when she signs, "Are you disappointed it's a girl?"
His brows come together, he shakes his head "no" and signs, "I'm happy, now I got two pretty girls. We'll have a boy next time."
Her eyebrows raise and she questions, "Next time?" And then she places her hand softly on his cheek and nods. He knows then, yes, there will be a next time.
He rubs her tummy to help the pain and finally she delivers the afterbirth. He's working overtime now, cleaning her and everything else. After while he'll be taking that bedspread with the afterbirth to a big hole he dug about five miles away and burying it.
For now, while Connie curls up under the covers and closes her eyes for a few minutes, Daryl diapers the baby and puts her in her sleeper, telling the child, "Daddy loves ya Janie."
He can't resist, he crawls back in the bed with Connie, their baby is nestled between them and he signs, "I love you, Connie, glad I got back in time for our baby."
She smiles and signs back, "We were waiting for you."
And They Lived and Loved Happily Ever After!
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A/N Thank you for reading along, and I hope you'll leave a comment. There's a chapter photo on my tumblr blogs gneebee and fortheloveofdonnie, Please check it out. I hope to be back sometime soon with a new Donnie story. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee