KEZZ 1: And as always, thank you. Completed this one a little early.
Azuraskye21: Yup! Since the prison! I hope I did a good enough job to keep you guessing until you could have that 'I knew it!' moment. That's what I really wanted...^_^
Daryl was kissing Ania after they'd finally calmed down, her shirt already off and him having every intention of celebrating in bed when Merle's voice rang out, "Ani?! Daryl?! Prisoner went missing!"
"Dammit!" Daryl said, pulling away from Ania and adjusting himself as she threw on one of his wife beaters; he grabbed her hand and led her downstairs.
He'd be damned if he was letting her out of his sight now. His wife was pregnant and he wasn't about to be the one not to protect her. Daryl could barely contain the anger he felt towards Paul at what he'd almost done earlier that day. If they hadn't have agreed before they'd left Alexandria that the possibility was real, he might not have caught her, and they might have lost what they only just gained knowledge they had. For the first time in a long time, Daryl felt the fear of losing something he didn't even have yet. The thought of losing the baby was more terrifying than the thought of being a father.
They followed Merle and Abraham with Glenn joining them until they got to Rick's house, entering with guns at the ready only to find Rick without a shirt and doing up his belt with Michonne behind him and Carl holding a gun to Paul. Ani just looked between the four as her eyebrows rose to her forehead and her jaw slackened. The last people she thought would get together was Michonne and Rick. If anything, she had figured Michonne and Merle would have gotten together eventually with how well they got on. Then again, Merle was with Francine now, so it didn't matter who Ani thought he'd get with. It was still shocking, though, and she couldn't help but feel bad for Carl who was blindsided by the obviously spontaneous turn of events.
"It's—It's okay," Michonne told them as she adjusted her own belt.
"'Bout time the two a ya got some," Ani commented, earning her a look from both adults and a snort from Abraham, who was standing beside her.
"You said we should talk," Rick told the man sitting on his stairs with a painting in his hands. "Let's talk."
They all moved to the dining room where they sat Paul at the head of the table. Merle had left to go check on Francine and get the construction crew going on expanding the wall again. Glenn had also left to go get Maggie, who was having a hard time dealing with her emotions over the fact that nothing had grown yet. Ani was leaning against the wall, her hands resting comfortably on her stomach as a small smile played on her lips. Daryl, still pissed about earlier, was pacing a path back and forth behind the intruder, waiting for the man to answer questions Rick put to him.
"So, how'd you get out?" Rick asked. "I know I had a man on the door."
"One guard can't cover two exits. Or third floor windows. Knots untie and locks get picked. Entropy comes from order, right?" Paul answered, looking around and then over to Ani.
"Right," Daryl said, taking up a protective stance in front of his wife, who just smiled softly at his actions before changing positions with him, making him stand against the wall so she could lean against his chest, one arm holding her across her stomach protectively while the other still held his gun.
"I checked out your arsenal," Paul told them, making Ani scowl. "I haven't seen anything like that in a long time. You're well-equipped, but your provisions are starting to run low. Very low for the amount of people you have. Fifty four?"
"More'n that," Ani told him as Maggie and Glenn walked back in and sat down, Maggie looking a little worse for the wear with bags under her eyes and dirt on her face.
After a moment of silence where Paul just looked at Ani's hard face, he said, "Well, I appreciate the cookie. My compliments to the chef."
"Yeah, she ain't here," Daryl angrily gruffed out; Carol had made the cookies and he was still pissed at how the man in front of him had barreled into Ania. If she wasn't in his arms right now, he'd probably be beating the man senseless.
"Look, we got off to a bad start," Paul told him.
"Undastatement a the year, there, pal," Ani responded.
"We're on the same side," he reasoned. "The living side. You, Daryl and Rick had every reason to leave me out there, but you didn't. I'm from a place that's a lot like this one. Part of my job is searching out other settlements to trade with. I took your truck because my community needs things, and the two of you look like trouble" he said to Rick and Daryl before looking over to Ani. "And you just looked out of place until you threw me, which was when I started thinking you might be trouble."
"Outta everyone 'ere, I am the trouble," was her response.
"I was wrong," Paul admitted. "You're good people. And this is a good place. I think our communities may be in a position to help each other."
"Do you have food?" Glenn asked as Abraham put his pistol away.
"We've started raising livestock," Paul answered honestly. "We scavenge, we grow. Everything from tomatoes to sorghum."
"Tell us why we should believe you," Rick said.
"He's tellin' the truth, Rick," Ani offered. "I'd know if 'e wasn't. Too calm when outnumbered. Lookin' each a us in the eye when he answas our questions. Could a hurt ya in ya sleep when 'e caught ya in the buff. Gotta say, way ta go, Rick. Not even Daryl and I've been caught completely in the buff."
"We caught you-" Glenn started before Ani interrupted.
"Almost in the buff, Glenn. Almost, not entirely. Daryl was still mostly dressed and I still had a comfort top and me pants most a the way on. Weren' nothin' ya could see, that's for damn sure! Unlike ya perky little Asian ass!"
"That's enough!" Rick stated, trying to get the subject back on track.
"I can show you," Paul told Rick. "We take a car, I can get you back home in a day and you can all see for yourselves who we are and what we have to offer."
"Wait," Maggie said. "You're lookin' for more settlements. You mean you're already trading with other groups?"
Paul chuckled as he sat back, still smiling when he said, "Your world's about to get a whole lot bigger."
~x~
"Stay here with Merle," Daryl told Ania as they stood in front of the RV, checking the engine and making sure it was in running order.
"Hell nah," she said, ducking under his arm and pressing herself to his chest. "Now more'n eva, I don' wanna leave ya."
He held onto her and kissed her forehead as Denise walked up. "Here," she told them, handing them each a thing that had Ani making a face and looking at the woman with a questioning gaze. "Homemade oatcake. Complex carbohydrates, omega-3s."
"Looks like shite."
"Yeah, we're makin' a pit stop," Daryl agreed. "I'll pick up something then for us."
"Like rabies?" Denise asked, making Ani snort as Daryl looked at her offended.
"What? It was a funny quip!"
"Is this 'cause I tried to get you that stuff?" Daryl asked Denise.
"Yeah. And you remind me of someone I used to know," Denise said honestly, Ani wondering if she meant her brother, Dennis. "Besides, Ani needs the folate for the baby." They both looked around and then at the woman, obviously not wanting anyone else to know yet. "Sorry, Tara saw you grab the test and I just assumed..."
"Ya right in ya assumption, have been for a while I'm guessin'," Ani told her. "But now I'm worried 'bout how far along I am. I mean, I've done a lot a stupid shite, and then...oh gods," Ani balked. "T'ey...t'eir attack!"
Daryl wrapped an arm around Ania and pulled her straight into his chest, just holding her as he realized the same thing she had. No matter how they looked at it, it had only been two months since Tom and Ellie's attack. She had been pregnant during it. Denise put a hand on her shoulder in a show of support herself. The woman was shaking even in her husbands arms as he held her tightly, a dark expression forming on his face.
"I see 'em ever again, they're dead, I promise you that, baby girl. I ain't lettin' them near you ever again," he promised Ania, kissing her hair as she took a shaky breath.
"I'll hold ya ta it," she whispered before taking the oatcake from Denise. "Thanks, Denny."
"I hope it tastes better than it looks," Daryl said before taking it from Ania and sticking it in his pocket. "'Cause it still looks like shit."
"Yeah, well, shit's better than roadkill," Denise told him, making Ani snort a chuckle at the face she made. "Okay, maybe—just eat it," she said before she walked away.
"Should we tell Merle?" Ani asked Daryl.
"Not right now," Daryl said, pulling her into him. "When we get back. Let me have today."
Ani looked at him and his serious, but soft, expression, "This really does mean a lot ta ya, doesn' it? Not jus' 'cause I'm pregnant, but 'cause ya get ta be a daddy, huh?"
"Got the same reason I wanna be one as you do bein' a momma," he told her.
Ani smiled and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him without breaking his hold on her, or hers on him, before Abraham shouted out, "Alright! Let's chew up some asphalt!"
Breaking apart, they entered the RV after Rick, Daryl closing the door behind him as Ani waited for him to sit down. Once he had, Ani took her typical position beside Daryl, his arms curling around her as he brought her onto his lap completely, one hand on her stomach hidden from view. It didn't take long between him rubbing her belly and the motion of the vehicle for her to fall asleep against his chest, much like Maggie had on Glenn's shoulder. Daryl was happy his hand was hidden from view by her legs when Abraham started talking to Glenn about Maggie's pregnancy.
"Hey, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure," Glenn said, leaning forward and wondering what Abraham could be curious about.
"When you were, uh, pourin' the Bisquick, were you tryin' to make pancakes?"
"Uh, yes?" The look of confusion was plain as day on Glenn's face as he looked at the man before realization struck and he turned to look at Maggie, "Oh. Yeah, it's something that we talked about, yeah. Why?"
"Yeah. No, I just...Well, given the precarious state of affairs on any given Sunday, I am damn near floored that you or anyone else would have the cojones to make a call like that."
"I mean, well...we're trying to build something. Me and her. All of us."
"For the record, I see rain coming, I'm wearing golashes. I double up."
"What about you guys?" Glenn asked Daryl in an attempt to get some heat off of himself.
"What about us?"
"Well, I mean, weren't you guys.."
"Shut up, Glenn," Ani's voice called out irritably as she snuggled closer into Daryl, the sounds of everyone talking waking her up from an otherwise great sleep.
The RV fell silent after that, the two pregnant women sleeping peacefully as they traveled. Daryl still couldn't believe that the hardness low on her stomach was actually a baby bump. When he'd taken her shirt off to 'help' her change, he'd noticed how it protruded just a bit, something he'd never paid much attention to before, but it was obvious, and damn if he hadn't fallen to his knees and kissed it before just holding her to him like that as tears slid down his face. They had both been happy wrecks after finding out and had cried quite a bit before calming down and having a different kind of excitement rip through them. Of course, it had been ruined thanks to Merle coming into the house to inform them of Paul's escape.
When the RV slowed down some time later, Ani stirred, prompting Daryl to look out the window and ask, "Yo Rick, what's goin' on?"
"We got a crash ahead," he informed them, curiosity plaguing his tone. "Looks like it just happened."
Paul stood and got really nervous as he said, "That's one of ours."
The crash was quite bloody with several still moving walkers caught in the wheels and under the side-turned vehicle. As soon as Rick stopped the RV, Paul was out the door and heading to the car. He frantically searched the vehicle for any signs of anything as the rest piled out behind him. Daryl made sure to keep one hand securely holding onto Ani's as he pulled her out behind him. Ani couldn't help the soft smile she gave him as he looked back at her and told her to stay by his side at all times; his overprotective side was really endearing.
As Paul moved around the vehicle back to the road, Rick held him at gunpoint, stating, "If this is a trick, it won't end well for you."
"My people are in trouble," Paul told them. "They don't...we don't have a lot of fighters. I know how it looks, but I'll play it out. Can I borrow a gun?"
"Naw," Daryl said, pointing at Rick and then down at the ground. "We got tracks right here."
The tracks led them to an abandoned office building that had obviously been entered based on the fresh scrape on the concrete beneath the door. Rick banged on the glass of the door for a few, the rest watching and waiting for any sign of walkers. Ani could tell that Paul was nervous which meant that whoever was inside he actually did care for. That was refreshing, because it meant even more so that she was right in how genuine the man was. It almost, almost, had her referring to him as Jesus in her mind, but just because he was genuine didn't mean he was a friend. Yet.
"They gotta be in there," the man said as Rick waited.
"We movin' in or what?" Abraham asked as Daryl began to pace in anxiety.
"How do we know this ain't firecrackers in a trash can?" he asked, still hung up on their first encounter with the man while pulling Ani around and away from Paul.
"You don't," he told them.
"I think he's tellin' the truth, D," Ani told him as she wrapped her arms around him. "Every reaction 'e's had so far has been real."
"We'll get your people," Rick decided after hearing Ani speak. "You're staying here with one of us."
Paul looked over to Ani and then around at the rest of the group, prompting Michonne to tell him, "That's the deal."
"Will you stay?" Glenn asked Maggie, Ani and Daryl knowing it was because of her condition, but one look at each other told them both what they already knew; Ani wasn't going anywhere without Daryl.
"Yeah," Maggie agreed. "Ya'll go, just be careful."
"We're gonna be careful," Rick told her as he cuffed Paul around his back.
"Just hurry," Paul told them.
"You hear me whistle, shoot him."
"I will."
Ani entered the building between Glenn and Daryl, the three of them looking back at Maggie in trepidation of leaving the pregnant woman alone with the skilled fighter. Daryl put a hand on Ani's shoulder as they went down one hallway with Glenn. They took down two walkers, Ani's throwing knife hitting one while Daryl's knife got the next. Another walker came out of no where and grabbed at Ani, Glenn being quick to dispatch it as she jumped back, her hands immediately going to her stomach as he watched. While his eyes widened just a bit, he simply followed Daryl's lead into the room the walker had just come out of. They heard the clatter within the room and looked around until Daryl quickly reached out and moved a chair, revealing an older gentleman with his hands held in surrender.
"Come on," Glenn told him. "We're with Jesus. Let's go."
"I-I-I can't go with you," he stuttered. "I'm looking for my friend. He's close, and he's hurt from the crash."
"Dammit," Ani whispered. "Fine, we can look a few minutes more, but that's it. Place is crawlin' with zombies!"
Daryl pulled Ania along behind Glenn as they found their way towards the exit, Glenn shining the light down one hall where Abraham had the last survivor pressed against the wall, the man they'd saved behind them yelling at him, "No!"
"Come on, man, let's go!" Daryl yelled at the redhead as he ran past him, Ani tapping the man's shoulder as she was pulled along.
They made it back to the RV relatively easily enough, Ani immediately pulling out her pack and, with the man they had saved, began to field dress the injured man's leg with her herbs. Harlan, the man they saved, was the doctor for the settlement they were heading to, and they had originally gone into town for medicines and other necessities. She could hear him conversing with Maggie and Glenn from the back as she and Daryl sat in their original spot while the RV moved down the road.
"We're bringing back medications, so you may have saved more people than just us back there, Glenn," Harlan said.
"You're a doctor?" the young Asian asked.
"Yeah," came his answer. "That's right."
"Do you have any prenatal vitamins in there?"
That perked Ani's ears up as the man asked Maggie, "For you?"
"Mm-hmm."
Ani couldn't make out what Glenn said, but she heard when the doctor responded with, "Well, I was an obstetrician before, and I definitely owe you. So, I'd say you just hit the jackpot."
"You okay Freddie?" Ani heard Paul ask the injured man, thinking about how she needed to talk to Dr. Harlan with Daryl when they got to where they were going.
"For a second back there, just when I thought he was gonna...I saw my wife. She died before all this. Just when I thought it was over," he cried mournfully even though he was still happy. "There she was. Clear as day."
No one managed to say anything else before the RV came to a sudden stop, Rick revving the engine only for it to buck back and forth a couple times, upsetting Ani's stomach as he said, "Dammit. A storm must have passed through. We're stuck."
"No worries," Paul said as he stood. "We're here."
They piled out of the RV, Daryl stopping to give Ani a hand as there was mud everywhere and she'd only yesterday rolled her ankle again. She refused to put the air cast on, though, once she was able to have her full weight on it, saying that she wasn't going to use the damn things if she didn't need to. Even if he wasn't happy about it, one darkened look from her had Daryl realizing that that particular subject was probably going to be a tender one to navigate throughout the pregnancy. She was so used to doing everything herself and healing in her way that she wasn't about to let him pressure her into doing things differently right now. Her ankle would heal from a simple roll easily enough on its own so long as she didn't injure it again. Daryl was happy enough that he'd been able to get the promise that she would wear it for a week if she did happen to hurt the same ankle again within the next week.
"That's the Hilltop," Paul said, standing in front of the others as they looked at a wall of what looked to be telephone poles to Ani.
Daryl kept Ani between him and Abraham, trusting the girl's self-appointed brother to protect her if he couldn't. Even if they hadn't said anything, Abraham had made it a point to be protective of Ani after what had happened with the dickheads at the gate. Ani couldn't help but think that between Abe, Merle, and Daryl, she wasn't going to have a chance to breathe, let alone take a piss, without someone knowing what and where she was doing it and how long it was going to take. Okay, so not all cupcakes and rainbows, she thought with a smile playing on her face as they walked closer to the wall.
"Stop right there," a disembodied voice sounded from above, prompting all those carrying guns to lock and load on target at the men guarding the gate.
"Whoa," Paul said as he turned to the group of survivors and raised his hands.
"You gonna make us?" Daryl asked, adjusting his stance to be in front of Ania, rather than beside, Abraham similarly making to stand behind the little woman so as to cover her from both sides.
"Jesus, what the hell is this?" the man at the gate asked Paul.
"Open the gates, Cal. Freddie's hurt," was the only reply the man got back before Paul turned to Rick and their group. "Look, sorry about these guys. They get antsy standing up there doing nothing."
"They give up their weapons. Then we'll open the gates," the man insisted.
"Or we could always unload our weapons on ya and open the damn gate ourselves!" Ani called up. "We don' gotta be nice 'bout this. We're the ones who helped ya people and got 'em back 'ere. Ya really wanna try us?"
"You want 'em, why don't you come down here and get 'em?" Daryl asked angrily, thinking Ania was right and remembering how the last time he was told to give up his weapon he'd been stabbed, something Ani was thinking about too.
"Gentlemen, look, we vouch for these people, alright?" Dr. Harlan said as he wound between the survivors, trying to make the people at the gate understand that they should be grateful to this group, not wary. "They saved us out there!"
"Lower your spears!" Paul tried again.
"Look, I'm not takin' any chances," Rick told him. "Tell your guy Gregory to come out here."
"No," Paul told him. "Don't you see what just happened? I'm letting you keep your guns. Look, we ran out of ammo months ago. I like you people. I trust you. Trust us." Rick made a motion for everyone to lower their weapons, though Abraham and Daryl were the last to do so before Paul turned back towards the gate, "Open the gates, Cal."
Ani waited until Daryl started to move, walking beside him as they entered the walled area. They had chickens, crops, what looked like an armorer, too. A large house was set nearly in the middle of the entire thing with several trailers off to the side. The crops they were growing looked to be quite abundant and Ani couldn't help but think about a nice glass of milk, which had her mouth watering, when someone walked by with a cow. She listened as the doctor thanked Glenn and Maggie again, making a mental note of which trailer he'd motioned to when he told them to visit and deciding she should probably visit herself. While Denny was becoming a fine doctor, she was no obstetrician.
"There was a materials yard for a power company nearby," Paul explained. "That's how we put up the walls. A lot of people came from a FEMA camp. Trailers came with them."
"How did people find out about this place?" Michonne asked.
Paul turned around and motioned with both hands to the large house, "That's called Barrington House. The family that owned it gave it to the state in the 30s. The state turned it into a living history museum. Every elementary school for 50 miles used to come here for field trips. The place was running a long time before the modern world built up around it. I think people came here because they figured it'd keep running after the modern world broke down. Those windows up there let us see for miles in every direction, perfect for security. Come on, I'll show you inside."
Ani looked at Daryl and bent close, "Ya think they'd give a gal a glass a milk?"
Daryl just looked at her and scoffed before pulling her under his arm and into his side. Here they were behind potential enemy lines and all she could think about was a glass of milk. She didn't know whether she wanted to laugh or pout at his reaction to her question, but then again, it was kind of ridiculous to be thinking about. It'd just been so long since she'd had it that that was all she could think about; a nice, tall glass of milk with some squirrel fritters and a salad. Her cheeks turned crimson as her stomach grumbled loud enough for Daryl, Abraham, and Michonne to turn and look at her.
"Have you eaten lately?" Michonne asked her.
"I swear I did!"
"You want that shit cake Denise gave us?"
Ani pulled a face at that, her stomach instantly souring, "Hell nah. I don' think I could eat that if I tried."
Michonne just gave her a questioning look as Abraham looked at her calculatingly. Wishing she could hide her face in her hair like she used to, they began following Paul into the large 'house.' It should have been called Barrington mansion with how large it was. As soon as they walked into the foyer, they were met with pictures and paintings of aristocrats, famous figures, and politicians from a bygone age. The spacious floor plan had a few large rugs laid out, one with a table and nick knack stand while the other was clear. A massive staircase led upstairs while the lights were older style chandeliers.
Ani could only nod her head along with Abraham's exclamation of, "Good gracious, Ignacious."
"Most of the rooms have been converted into living spaces," Paul told them. "Even the ones that weren't bedrooms."
"People live here and the trailers?" Rick asked.
"We plan to build," Paul said. "There's babies being born."
None of them noticed Ani and Daryl's small smiles to each other at his statement before a door opened to her left, Daryl pulling her behind him protectively as an older gentleman with a mostly bald and grayed head walked out with a, "Jesus! You're back. And with guests."
"Everyone," Paul told them, "this is Gregory. He keeps the trains running on time around here."
"I'm the boss," he said.
"Prolly not by vote," Ani quipped under her breath, Daryl nudging her arm with his elbow as he looked back at her.
"I'm Rick," Rick stated. "I'm part of a community-"
"Why don't y'all go get cleaned up, hmm?"
"Why don' ya learn some mannas?" Ani immediately countered, bristling at the lack of respect. "There's somethin' called common courtesy. Your name's been given, it's only right and respectful a ya ta listen ta ours."
"Jesus will show you where you can get washed up," the man continued. "Then come back-"
"We're done here," Ani said, turning to Paul. "I thought ya said ya wanted trade 'tween communities. This jackass jus' wants ta be a jackass. Let 'im. We're wastin' our time here."
"Now, hold on," Paul tried to reassure her.
"Nah. I ain' puttin' up with a pretentious prick who thinks that jus' 'cause they seem like they're in charge, they get ta talk ta me and mine like we're shite they can scrape from their heels. Ain' doin' it. Ya said ya wanted our help, so we came. Ya man obviously don' feel the same, so why waste our breath or our time beatin' a dead horse?"
"You certainly have a mouth on you, young girl," Gregory told her, quite obviously checking her out. "Tell you what, why don't you come into my office. We can talk and work something out."
"Ew," was her only response.
"Now wait just a second-"
"Nope, not waitin'. I've seen ya kind before, ya perv. Any younga woman than yaself that looks half way decent ya'd be willin' ta proposition. I'm guessin' I ain' even the first. Hell, me guess is that ya ain' even the leada ninety nine percent a the people here want, ya jus' got the damn position from bein' 'ere from the start. Somethin' betta will come along soon 'nough, and ya won' have that powa ya so desperate ta cling ta."
"Jesus," Gregory said in a warning tone.
"Ani, why don't we go upstairs. We can talk a bit more up there," Paul reasoned, knowing that Ani had actually hit the nail on the head.
"Yeah, alright," Rick said, giving Ani a look that clearly said to tone it down.
Ani and Daryl both just scoffed and followed the man up the stairs, listening to Rick as he told Maggie, "You clean up first. You talk to him."
"Why?" she asked.
"Neither me or Ani should," he stated simply, clearly having the same reaction to the man as Ani. "And you gotta start doin' these things."
Ani didn't bother cleaning up any more than Daryl or Abraham did, just stood at a window watching outside with Daryl standing behind her, his hands still on her stomach protectively when Abraham asked, "How long do you think Rick and Michonne been ugging bumplies?"
"Don' ya mean bumpin' uglies?"
"That's what I said."
"I don't know," Daryl said, turning his head to the man.
"You two ever think about it?"
"'Bout bangin' each otha? All the damn time," Ani said as she looked over at him herself.
"No, I mean, like Glenn and Maggie. Havin' a pup."
"Ya eva call me baby a pup again and I'll castrate ya, Red," Ani told him dangerously.
"Wait, you mean," Abraham started before just looking between the two, Daryl's arms wrapping more securely around Ani as he watched. "Well, shit, Tiny. How long?"
"Don't know, just found out last night," Daryl answered.
"Should probably talk ta that docta out there. Said 'e was an obstetrician in the RV. Should know how far along."
"So, uh, was it planned?" Abraham asked, not quite able to believe that both Maggie and Ani were expecting.
Daryl just scoffed as Ani smiled brightly, "Been tryin' for a long while. Since 'fore we met y'all. 'Fore Maggie and Glenn got married."
"Didn't the four of you get married at the same time?"
"Technically, though that was more for Merle than us," she answered him. "We'd already agreed we were married a month or so 'fore that."
It didn't take long for Maggie to come back out to the area where the rest of their group was waiting for her. She complained about how Gregory was sexist, pig-headed, and arrogant and completely disregarded anything and everything she had to say. He'd also repeatedly calling her Natalie instead of Maggie. Daryl had to physically hold onto Ani, who went into a right rage at how Gregory had treated Maggie, to keep her from going to the office door and tearing it down. Paul could tell how angry she was at how little respect they were getting and tried to smooth things over, though it worked to little avail.
"We want to generate trade," he said. "Gregory does. But ammo isn't something we urgently need."
"Well, how's that?" Rick asked.
"The walls hold. We just brought in more medicine. Gregory wants the best deal possible."
"Ya do realize that ya man literally jus' wanted us ta leave our own homes ta come 'ere ta help ya's, right? He don' fuckin' want trade. He wants workas that do his biddin' and don' mind bein' treated like shite. Tell me, Paul, does 'e know everyone's names and what they do for 'im? Or does 'e jus' expect 'em ta fall in line and do his biddin'? Has 'e even killed a walka yet?" Ani asked as she paced a path on the rug.
"Call me Jesus, and no, Gregory was already here by the time the walls went up. He hasn't been outside them."
"What the hell are we doin' 'ere, Rick?" Ani asked. "Jesus wants trade, not Gregory. Gregory wants ta get 'is dick wet in somethin' younga than 'im and, again, he wants workas ta walk all ova. I ain' fuckin' interested in dealin' with a turncoat."
"Gregory isn't a turncoat," Paul said with a scoff and a smile.
"Oh yeah? He doin' what's best for ya people, or what's best for 'im?"
"He wants what's best all around."
"Yeah, well, we want things, too," Daryl told him as Ani scoffed and said, "Yeah right."
"We need food," Rick said. "We came all this way, we're gonna get it."
"And that's a promise, not an implied threat," Ani told Jesus, still not liking that that's what he called himself. "Ya think ya people can stop us from takin' this place if Greg ain' gonna be reasonable? I don'. Even in me condition, I could take ya on without bein' hurt."
"I will talk to him," Jesus told her seriously as Daryl walked over to her and pulled her back into his arms, "and we will work this out."
"You ain't fightin'," he whispered in her ear.
"I'll do what I gotta ta make sure this baby is born healthy and has a good home ta come inta the world ta. That means fightin' ta get what we need, that means fightin'. I ain' jus' sittin' on me ass 'til I don' have a choice ta," she told him equally quietly. "But, I promise, 'less I can', I'll stay behind ya and let ya do the betta part a the fightin'."
"I can live with that," he told her, kissing her shoulder as Jesus kept speaking.
"Circumstances change. We're doing well now, and you will next."
"And how the hell do ya suppose that'll happen when we came 'ere ta trade and ya man ain' even willin' ta speak. Sure, ya got meds, but how long are they gonna last 'fore ya need our knowledge a herbs? Ya scavenge and grow, but do ya forage or even know what ta look for in the wilds that's edible or useful? What about huntin'? Ya ain' even gonna last through winta with what ya got," Ani commented.
"I can make him understand that if you give me a few days," Jesus insisted.
"To sit around with our thumbs up our asses?" Abraham said. "I'm with Tiny on this, Rick. Let's hit the road and call our losses now."
"We can wait," Michonne said.
"Yeah," Rick agreed.
"That's fuckin' bullshite and ya know it Rick!"
"Ani, we need-"
"We don' need nothin' from that asshole."
"Ani," Michonne tried. "You need to-"
"Tell me ta calm down, Michy, and I swear I'll take ya sword and shove it up Rick's ass! I ain' showin' no fuckin' respect nor calmin' down when me family is bein' treated like shite! When this entire compound is run by an asshole who will always, and I promise ya this Jesus, always care more 'bout 'imself than the people who look ta him ta lead. I'm tellin' ya, that man in there is more a coward than Genie!"
A man burst into the house then, stopping whatever Ani's next words were gonna be as Gregory opened his office doors and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Ya fuckin' head, ya prick," Ani spat at him before listening to the man who'd come in.
"They're back," was all he said before Gregory followed him back outside, Rick, Daryl and Ani quickly following behind along with Jesus and the rest.
"Nathan," Gregory said to the trio walking up. "What happened to everybody else? Where's Tim and Marsha?"
"Ya know I can tell from 'is voice 'e don' actually care, right?" Ani leaned closer to Jesus and said quietly. "Forensic psychologist. Ya and ya man ain' gonna be able ta fool me."
"They're dead," the man called Nathan said as he walked closer.
"Negan?" Gregory asked, making Ani and Daryl stiffen, Daryl's arm pulling her closer to him.
"Yeah."
"We had a deal," Gregory said while putting his hands on his hips.
"He said it wasn't enough," the other man said. "Was the drop light."
"No," came the reply that had Ani looking at the man as if he'd grown two heads.
"They still have Craig," the woman told them.
"They said they'd keep him alive, return him to us, if I deliver a message to you," Nathan said, coming closer and putting his hand on Gregory's shoulder.
"So tell me."
"I'm sorry," he said before stabbing the man.
Even though Ani could tell the man had been lying about the drop being light, she still went to move, only being held back by Daryl who gave her a pointed look. Nathan was yelling about how he had to kill Gregory to get his brother back as Michonne and Rick moved him away from the now bleeding man. When he started fighting Rick, who fought back in earnest, taking the man down and getting three good punches in before the other guy pulled him off, allowing Nathan to get to his knees. Abraham tackled that man before he was overcome himself, the man straddling him and choking him out. Daryl went up and used an illegal strike Ania had taught him to break the man's wrist and pushing him off as Ani axe kicked Nathan right in the neck. The man was down for good, the crunch of the bone beneath her foot a telltale sign of what she'd done.
Broken hand guy screamed as Nathan's body went down, "No! Nathan! You killed him!"
"Yeah, well, that's what happens if ya try ta kill one a me family," Ani said with a shrug right before the woman came up and tried to punch her in the face, Ani dodging and sending the woman to the ground with a punch of her own instead as she pulled her gun.
"Drop it! Drop it now!"
"I don't think we will," Rick said as he pulled his own gun out.
"Everyone!" Jesus said, running to get in between all the individuals involved. "This is over! It's over. Ethan was our friend, but let's not pretend he was anything more than a coward who attacked us. He did this."
"Wait, Ethan?" Ani asked, looking back to Gregory. "Ya can' even get the names a ya people right?!" she yelled at him. "Does 'e know any a y'all otha than Jesus? Get ya names right? Know what y'all do for the community? Does 'e?!"
"Ani, this is not the time," Jesus said.
"Nah, I think it's the perfect time. Open ya eyes, people. This asshole don' give two shites 'bout ya."
"Ani, you stopped the attack," Jesus tried. "You need to know, things aren't as simple as they might seem."
"Then fuckin' start explainin' or I ain' gonna be held accountable for what I do!"
"Just give me some time."
"Tend ta ya fuckin' piss poor leada and then ya betta explain, 'cause I'm havin' a righteously hard time keepin' meself in check right now."
"Yeah, she normally would just knock someone out," Rick defended as Daryl walked up and pulled her over to Abraham.
"Hey, man, you good?" he asked the redhead before they helped him up.
"Yeah, I'm better than alright," he chuckled, making Ani smile at him.
"You alright?" Daryl asked Ania.
"M'fine. Jus' really, really pissed off. Like, how the fuck can a guy like that be in the lead? I wonda if there even is a Tim or Marsha or if those are jus' names 'e gave 'em. A guy like 'im, he ain' fit ta lead."
Daryl just kissed her temple as he put an arm up over her shoulder, realizing that she wasn't even thinking about the guy she'd killed and wondering if she would count it. With a sigh, she leaned into him as they started walking back into the house, stopping only momentarily as Ani caught sight of the woman crying over Ethan's body. Daryl used a little more force to bring her into the house rather than stand there watching the woman mourn. It was then that Ani looked down and said a quiet 'I'm sorry' to the woman, even if she couldn't hear it.
A while later, Ani was standing at the window with Maggie, watching as the woman cried over the man's body before Jesus came out and told them, "Dr. Carson was able to patch Gregory up. He's in pain, but he'll live."
"Not 'nough pain in the world for a man like that ta be in ta satisfy me," Ani growled out. "What kind a leada doesn' know the names a his people?"
"Like I said, there are a lot of factors-"
"Then fuckin' start talkin', Jesus, 'fore I shove a foot up ya ass and talk ta Gregory meself, and trust me when I say I'd ratha punch 'im in the stitches ratha than actually talk!"
"We heard the name Negan," Rick took over, everyone in the room realizing how pissed off she was, even if they didn't understand it. "A while back, Daryl and Abraham had a run-in with his men. Who is he?"
"Negan's the head of a group of people he calls the Saviors," he told them as Daryl grabbed Ania and held her close. "As soon as the walls were built, the Saviors showed up. They met with Gregory on behalf of their boss. They made a lot of demands, even more threats. And he killed one of us—Rory. He was sixteen years old. They beat him to death, right in front of us. Said we needed to understand right off the bat. Gregory's not exactly good at confrontation. He's not the leader I would have chosen," he said, looking over at Ani, "but he helped make this place what it is, and the people like him."
"The people don' rightly know him," Ani countered. "He's gonna leave 'em high and dry as soon as the shite hits the fan, I'm tellin' ya. He ain' protectin' this place, eva. He'll run 'fore 'e fights."
"He made the deal," Maggie told Jesus.
"Half of everything," he told her. "Our supplies, our crops, our livestock, it goes to the Saviors."
"And what do you get in return?" Glenn asked.
"They don't attack this place. They don't kill us."
"Why not just kill them?" Daryl asked from behind Ani, making her nod her head in agreement.
"Most of the people here don't even know how to fight, even if we had ammo."
"And who's fault is that, Jesus?" Ani asked. "Ya a fighta, I could tell by ya stance alone the first time we met. Why haven' ya been trainin' ya people up, helpin' 'em learn how ta defend 'emselves against pricks like this?"
"I'm not particularly inclined to fight, either."
"Well, how many people does Negan have?" Rick asked him, thinking about how they could use this situation to their advantage.
"We don't know. We've seen groups as big as twenty."
"Now, hold up," Daryl said, coming out from behind Ani to make sure he had this straight. "So, they show up, kill a kid, and you give 'em half of everything? These dicks just got a good story. The boogeyman, he ain't shit. 'Specially not compared to Ania and what she's done."
"How do you know?"
"Ya know anyone else who can kill twenny six people alone, let alone jump off a roof and still come out on top?"
"'Sides that, about a month ago, we took his guys out PDQ," Abraham stated. "Left 'em in pieces and puddles."
"You know, we'll do it," Daryl said. "If we go get your man back, kill Negan, take out his boys, will you hook us up? We want food, medicine, and one of them cows."
"'Specially a cow!" Ani said, Abraham snorting at her comment, being the only other person who knew for sure what was going on with the two hunters in the room.
"Confrontation's never been somethin' we've had trouble with," Rick told Jesus when he looked over to him.
"I'll take it to Gregory."
Daryl and Ani left the house then, heading over to the medical trailer while the rest waited for Jesus to talk to Gregory. When they knocked on the door and Dr. Carson opened it, they were met with a wide smile, "Hello. What brings you here?"
"Well, um," Ani said shyly, looking to Daryl now that she was talking to an actual doctor who knew about pregnancy.
"She's pregnant," was all Daryl said.
"Glenn's assumption was right, then," the doctor said before stepping out of the doorway. "Come in. I owe you two as much as I owe Glenn and Maggie. I can do an ultrasound to check the baby. Do you know how far along?"
"We were hopin' you'd tell us," Daryl said.
"Well, hop up on the table. I'll need you to lower your pants just a little and raise your shirt so I can get to your whole stomach."
With bated breath, Ani undid her pants, but just folded the flaps over as she laid down on the bed, a death grip on Daryl's hand as he told her, "I got you, baby girl."
"Now, this is probably going to be a bit cold," Harlan said as he squeezed a bit of jelly onto her stomach, Ani jumping in surprise even though she'd been warned it would be cold. "Oh, sorry. Now, here we go," he said before setting the wand in the lubricant and beginning to move it around. A strong swooshing sound repeating from the device had Ani looking nervous before the doctor smiled and said, "Listen to that heartbeat."
"That's the heartbeat?" Ani asked, shock replacing the fear.
"Yeah, it's really strong, too. You're pretty far along. I can show you the sex, if you'd like."
"You can already tell?" Daryl asked this time, trying to look.
"Well, it is pretty obvious," Dr. Carson told them as he moved the screen around so that they could see.
Plain as day, there were two ass cheeks and the family jewels right on the little screen, causing both Ani and Daryl to simultaneously say, "A boy?"
"Oh yeah," he told them, moving the wand around a bit more. "I'd say you're roughly twenty two weeks along, so just over the halfway point." Both Ani and Daryl sucked in breaths as she began panicking, thinking about all the things she'd done in the last five-ish months while unknowingly pregnant. The pericardium looks good, as does the brain stem and limbs. He's growing right on track. Would you like a picture to take with you?"
"Can we?" Ani asked, staring at the picture of the baby on the screen. "That...we're really havin' a kid."
Daryl couldn't help but chuckle at Ani's reaction, leaning down and kissing her temple as the doctor smiled, "You'd be surprised how many times I've heard that at the hospital. Taking a test is one thing, but seeing is something completely different. You're all done."
"Why ain' I showin' yet?"
"You're a new mom. You'll start to pop in the next few weeks."
He handed Ani a towel to wipe her stomach off before handing Daryl the picture of their baby. The others were loading food into the RV as Rick and Abraham were talking to the guy who's hand Daryl broke. Apparently, they were bringing him, and Jesus, with them back to Alexandria to talk to their people. Ani was staring at the picture in her hand as Maggie and Glenn went to Carson for their own ultrasound. On the trip home, Maggie handed her the picture from hers, only for Ani to smile brightly and pass over her own.
"You're pregnant?"
"Little boy," was Ani's response before she paled, remembering everything she'd done since the prison. "Fuck, I've been so stupid all this time."
"Why do you say that?" Glenn asked, smiling himself as he handed the picture back to Daryl.
"I've been pregnant since the prison," came her reply, making everyone present draw in a harsh breath minus the two from Hilltop.
"Is that a bad thing?" Jesus asked.
"Ya know how I mentioned killin' a bunch a people and jumpin' off a roof?"
"Yeah."
"I was pregnant when I did that stupid shite. Ain' much wonda why I got so attached ta the twins, too."
"The twins?" he asked.
"Oh, that's right. Ya ain' met Bobby and Catty, me bobcats."
"You have bobcats?" Jesus asked, looking at the woman in a new light all over again.
"Uh, yeah, I do. That a problem?"
"No, I just think I know someone you'd probably get along with well. He's a cat person too."
"Ya gonna share with the class or keep me guessin'?"
"Let's get this done first, then we can talk about that."
"Fair enough," Ani said, settling back against Daryl as the RV made its way back to Alexandria, back home.
So, the ultrasound. Seems kinda funny for it to be like that to be a boy, right? Well, I can tell you this, when you see that on the screen, it is damn near impossible to stop yourself from laughing and if that ain't the same damn picture my boy gave me...XD