A/N- I have the best readers in the world. I love you guys so much, you make me excited to continue this story. Thanks for sticking with me through the writers block! :) Thanks for all the new Reviews, Favorites and Alerts. Shall we jump in? :)
I groan softly and snuggle down into my blankets. I was slowly waking up, but my body wasn't sore, nor did my face hurt. I rub my eyes slowly and roll over on my back, that's when my eyes shoot open. I was laying on a mattress, since when did Daryl and I have a mattress? I look around, I was in a fairly large bedroom with ivory white walls and a big bay window that the sun shined through. Where the hell was I? I went to bed in the arms of Daryl Dixon, in our tent and woke up here? I look around, the room wasn't bad at all. It had hunter green carpet, oak dressers and tables. The bed I laid in was big enough for at least five people and was covered in soft maroon sheets with a large black comforter. The smell of death wasn't lingering in the air, no, in fact I smelled pancakes and sausage. Oh how I missed those. I push the blankets back and stand up slowly, I was dressed a pair of black short shorts and a matching tank top, my hair hung to my waist, but was soft and silky instead of tangled and dirty.
I look down and fall back on my butt onto the bed. Now I was really losing it, I lift my hands and place them on my pregnant stomach. I looked about five or six months pregnant. Ok, what the fuck? I had to be dreaming right? I rub my stomach and slowly stand up. What the fuck was going on around here and where the hell was I? I scratch my head and hear laughter coming from outside the room. It didn't seam dangerous, but I reached for my eagles, oh shit, where were they? I looked around and spotted Daryl's crossbow by the door. It was odd, but right now I grab it as I approach the door. I had to be ready, I didn't know if I was being held hostage and now Daryl's bow and no Daryl made me more nervous.
I slowly creep from the room out into the hallway. I see an open door, leading to a child's room, it was decorated like a princess. Ok? Again I ask myself, where the hell was I? Slowly I creep down the steps, not bothering to look at the pictures that lined the wall along the staircase. I hear a voice, sounded like Daryl and someone say "Daddy". It couldn't be Daryl, he had no one to call him daddy. I creep through the living room, stepping over Barbie's and fire trucks. So at the moment, I am somehow pregnant, in someone's house and carrying a crossbow. I must look so fuckin' scary right now.
I creep towards the kitchen door and hear the voice that sounded like Daryl's tell someone "she should be up soon." I creep up to the door and peek through the crack. Well, that explains Daryl NOT having his bow, he was in the kitchen of this house. He was standing shirtless, in only a pair of black pajama pants, by the stove, cooking. I sit the bow by the door and take a deep breath. As I enter the kitchen I see a little girl about four with eyes like mine, one green and one hazel, and a little blue eyed boy, about two, sitting in a highchair. They look up at me and smile. The little girl yells "MOMMY!" and the baby boy giggles. Daryl turns around and looks at me, I must of looked like a retard because Daryl walks towards me and puts his hand to my forehead.
"You ok?" He asks.
"Huh? Um...yeah...I guess." I say.
"Ya look like ya saw a ghost or somethin'. Come on, sit down." He says ushering me to a chair.
As Daryl pulls his hand away I notice the silver band on his left ring finger. I look down at my left hand, sure enough I had an engagement ring and a matching silver band. I had to be in the fuckin' twilight zone. I look towards the children at the table. They were mirror images of Daryl and I and they called me mommy. How did I have two kids and another on the way without knowing it?
"Mommy, are you ok?" The little girl asks.
"Uh, yeah. Just a little tired is all." I lie with a smile.
"The doctors said it was normal." Daryl says as he hands me a plate of food. "Said to rest as much as possible." He added.
"Doctors? What about the walkers?" I asked.
"Walkers?" Daryl asked as he sat down with his own plate. "Ya sure yer feeling ok?" He asked.
"Yeah, just out of it is all. I'll be fine." I says softly.
I watch Daryl sit and cut up pancakes for the little boy while the little girl smiles at me before eating her pancakes with her fingers. I had to smirk a bit, as I did the same thing, in fact I was doing it subconsciously right now.
"She's definitely yer daughter Murph." Daryl laughed "Aurora, baby ya sure ya don' want a fork?" He asked.
"No daddy." The little girl said as she ate.
Aurora? Was that my Aurora? It couldn't be, but then how else would you explain her eyes? I shake my head and look at Daryl who still had a concerned look on his face.
"Ya sure yer ok, Dixon?" He asked.
"Stop worrying, Dixon. I'm fine. I told ya, just tired." I say with a smile.
I kiss Daryl's cheek, making Aurora laugh. She was so cute. She had my eyes, but her hair was light like Daryl's. She had little chubby cheeks and was missing a tooth. Was she for Daryl and I instead of Toby and I? I mean how else would you explain her hair? Toby and I both had dark hair. The little boy had my dark hair and Daryl's eyes. He sat giggling as Daryl fed him pieces of pancake. Was this reality? What about the walkers? The group? Was it all a dream? I mean, my body wasn't bruised and broken. The only marks I had were tiny stretch marks from my growing belly. I know I look like a loon right now, but what if this was reality and I dreamt everything else?
"Mommy?" Aurora said, breaking me from my thoughts.
"Yes, baby?" I say without thinking.
"When's aunt Abby comin to get us?" She asked.
"Um, soon." I say with a smile.
I didn't know when, hell I didn't even know what day it was. I smile once more as I hear the doorbell ring. Daryl is quick to get up and answer it. Soon I hear the voice of Abby, and Shane? No, that wasn't right. Before I knew it I see a pregnant Abby enter the kitchen. She too looked around five or six months pregnant and was beaming. Behind her walked Shane and Daryl. They laughed and were getting along? No, really? Ok, it's official, I'm crazy.
"Who's ready for a night over with Aunt Abby and Uncle Shane?" Abby says clapping her hands.
"MEEEEEEE" Aurora yells.
The baby boy giggles and claps his hands as well. Abby looks at me and her smile fades a bit.
"You ok?" She asked.
Did I really look that fuckin' bad?
"I'm fine, just tired is all. I um, didn't sleep well...yeah, you know how it is." I say.
"Yeah, I do. Shane got me a pregnancy pillow, still doesn't freaking help!" She says.
Before I knew it, Aurora was hurrying towards me, climbing up onto my lap to hug me. Daryl cautioned her about my stomach. What happened next almost made me cry. She leaned down and kissed my belly, telling the baby inside not to worry she was going to be home tomorrow. She then kisses my cheek and wraps her arms around me. I hug her back and gently kiss the top of her head. I just went along with things for now. I look over and see Abby lifting the baby boy out of the high chair and call him little Daryl. Daryl laughs and ruffles the little boys hair, telling him daddy would miss him. That's when I saw it, tattooed on Daryl's right bicep, "Aurora Rose" & "Daryl Nathaniel", under the names was a ribbon that read "Dixon".
"I got their bags ready, there by the door." Daryl says.
"Alright, you two behave. Last time we took the kids...well Murphy is a prime example of what happened." Shane joked.
"Oh hush, you have no room to talk Shane!" Abby says punching Shane in the arm.
I laugh, but it was just cause I was so lost. Aurora kisses my belly once more and slides off my lap. She scurries towards Daryl, who squats down, scooping her up in his arms. He lifts her up and blows on her stomach causing her to giggle. I watch her wrap her tiny little arms around Daryl and bury her face in his neck.
"Bye daddy, miss you!" She mumbles.
"I'll miss ya to baby girl. Love ya" He says.
"How much?" She laughs as her little head pops up.
"I love ya more than all the stars in the sky." He says.
"What about candy?" She giggles.
"Hmmm, I may have ta think about that one." He jokes.
I had to laugh, Daryl listened intently to our little girl. His eyes seemed to sparkle as he looked at her.
"Daddy!" She squealed.
"Ok, I love you more than any piece of candy." He says winking at her. "But what about me?" He asks.
"I love ya more than the moooooooon." She howls.
Daryl laughs and kisses Aurora's head. He sits her down and she scurries over to Shane, who scoops her right back up. My children, that felt weird saying, my children looked happy and healthy. I smile and kiss, who I now know was little Daryl, on the head. He giggles and presses his slobbery lips against my cheek as Abby holds him down to me. Daryl and I say goodbye and I watch my children leave with Abby and Shane. Daryl turns his attention to me as he walks over, squatting down in front of me.
"Ok, what's wrong, Dixon?" He asks.
"Just, feel out of it. I had this weird dream." I say.
"Bout?" He asks, placing his hands on my knees.
"I, it's gonna sound strange. I um, we weren't married, I had met you running from Walkers...Zombies. I fled Atlanta, leaving that asshole Toby behind. Shane , Rick and a bunch of others, we were all running, looking for shelter. This virus had broken out, people died, came back to life and were walking around." I say as I sniffle.
"Whoa, ok, calm down first, it's not good for the baby. Second, Toby? Why would ya be thinkin' bout him? He's locked up, has been for a while. You ran into my shop the night he attacked you, me and Merle went over and taught him a real nice lesson. But that was five years ago, don' know why he's on yer mind." Daryl says softly.
"I wish I um...I wish I knew. The virus?" I asked.
"You mean what they were callin' a form of meningitis? They contained it, a few people died from it, but they managed to contain it." He said.
"But it, it was so real. I mean Shane and Abby, and Glenn, Rick and Lori." I mumble.
"What about em? Glenn's on his honeymoon with Maggie, Rick and Lori are just fine. Carol, Sophia, Andrea, T-Dogg and Dale, all just fine." He says.
"Sophia?" I say softly. "Oh my God, she...she was one of those things in my dream." I say softly.
Daryl leans forward and gently cups my face, kissing my forehead.
"The doc said the medicine could affect yer dreams." He says softly. "Yer safe Murph, it was just a bad dream." He assures me.
"Yeah, I guess so..." I say looking around. "It's just, I woke up feeling out of place, like I'm in someone else's life." I add.
"Well don' worry, this is yer life. Here with me, Aurora, little Daryl..." He pauses to place a hand on my stomach. "and little Leigh-Ann." He adds.
I was having another girl. I smile back at Daryl, there was something different about him. I reach up and run my fingers through his hair. He pulls me into a gentle kiss, not taking his hand off my stomach. Moments pass and the kiss slowly breaks, I smile as Daryl leans his head down, lifting my shirt up over my stomach and kissing me belly. He gently lays his head against my stomach and on instinct I gently stroke his hair. We sit like that for a while until Daryl finally lifts his head to look at me.
"Happy Anniversary." He says softly.
"Happy Anniversary." I say. "That's even if you remember how long it's been." I joked, but really it was my way of finding out, since I had no clue.
"Four years. I married you and a month later we got pregnant with Aurora." He says without missing a beat.
"Four years..." I say with a smile.
"I even remember the first time I met ya. Was a few weeks b'fore yer fight with Toby. You were at the gun range, I thought you were an excellent shot." He says. "Course you were a pain in my ass at first." He joked.
"Oh, like you're a peach, Dixon." I say laughing a bit.
Daryl stands up slowly, pulling me up with him. He kisses the top of my head and moves so he could stand behind me and wrap his arms around my waist. I place my hands on top of his, which rest on my belly.
"What can I say, you changed my life Dixon, I won't lie. Never thought I would be standing in a house, married to my dream girl with two kids an another one on the way." He says kissing my shoulder.
"Yeah, never thought I would end up like this." I say looking over my shoulder. "I just, Aurora...in the dream, I um...I never had her or little Daryl and I certainly wasn't pregnant. In fact, I couldn't have kids." I say softly.
"Aurora was a miracle the doctors said, she was high risk, you remember, ya got pissed off because I wouldn't let ya outta the bed." Daryl laughed as he rubbed my stomach.
"Sounds about right." I laugh.
"Aurora, she's my little lady bug. She changed me, jus like you did, Dixon. She makes me want to be a better person." Daryl says, letting me turn to face him. "Little Daryl was a shock. I remember you comin' home an threaten to shoot me." Daryl laughed.
"Well apparently that threat didn't work cause well, look at me now." I laugh.
"Yer beautiful." He says kissing me gently.
I wrap my arms around Daryl's neck and deepen the kiss. There we stand, in the middle of the kitchen, locked in a kiss, in each others arms. Sure, I was still confused as hell, but for the moment I was going with it. When the kiss breaks, I stare up at Daryl who takes me by the hand.
"Let's get you back to bed, no arguin'." He say.
Daryl stops right outside the door, his brow furrows a bit as he leans down, picking up his bow. Honestly, I forgot about it.
"How'd this get down here?" He questions.
"I um, may have grabbed it...I was really out of it when I woke up." I say shyly.
"Yeah, let's get you back to bed. Can't have you running around with my bow, now can we?" He laughs a bit.
I just laugh and shake my head. I let Daryl continue to lead me upstairs, I now noticed the pictures along the wall. One of Daryl and little Daryl, Aurora and I, a few of all of us together. There was a wedding picture of Daryl and I, I wondered how I got him in a suit, with sleeves no less. I exhale softly as Daryl leads me to the bedroom. He sits the bow back down by the door, before helping me over to the bed. I sit down slowly, exhaling softly as I look around. Daryl sits down on the bed and glances towards me, I smile, moving closer to Daryl.
"I think I will actually try and get some more sleep, may be just what I need." I say.
"Good idea." Daryl says.
He lays back on the bed, rolling onto his side. I move onto my side, back pressed against Daryl's bare chest. I wondered what would happen when I opened my eyes again, but suddenly I was just so tired. Daryl pulls the blankets up over us, then wraps his arms around me, hand resting on my belly. I snuggle against him as I feel his forehead resting against the back of my head. I felt at peace, strangely calm. I exhale softly and let sleep slowly claim me. I figured as long as I wake up with Daryl, life would be ok.
A/N- Incase you didn't know, yes this chapter (and the next) is all a dream lol. I figured, throw a curveball at ya! ;) This is a short chapter, but I couldn't let everything out at once now could I? :p