Sweet Dreams Are Made of This

Chapter 111

Author's Note: I have an idea about introducing Zach, and it'll be a little bit of time jump, but it'll be next chapter or so. But once again we don't want that mean old Governor around yet do we? And you all love me. Anyway, this is the same day as the last chapter.

Mar and Daryl's POV:

Daryl came into there cell and sat down from across her. He handed her the breakfast to her.

Mar looked up. "Thanks. Don't say you're sorry. What he does or says isn't on you Daryl, it never was."

Daryl bit his finger and nodded. "You alright?"

Mar shrugged. "Just a part of life you know? Things are what they are. I try not to think about Peter….I try not to think he may not even be alive…." she said softly.

Daryl looked at her and moved next to her. "You can talk to me about Peter anytime you want to. You don't have to talk about him like he may not be here, but what kind of lil' man he is becoming. He's strong, like his momma," Daryl told her.

"I just don't want Mitch to think I'd rather have Peter then him. I want both," Mar said as she gave a faint smile. "Selfish aren't I?"

"Nah, you aint selfish, Mar. There isn't a selfish bone in your body. That boy knows that you love him. I aint good at sayin' stuff. I'm not like Jewel, I can't show it in front of people," Daryl told her.

"But you love me, I know. I get it Daryl," Mar said as she kissed him. "You're beginning to need a haircut."

"I'm hiding scissors," Daryl simply stated as he kissed her back. "You want me to look for anything special on the run today for you or Mitch?"

"Could use some long sleeve shirts for him, winters coming fast. And his jacket isn't going to fit much longer," Mar said as she kissed his shoulder.

"What bout you?" Daryl asked.

"I don't need anything Daryl," Mar answered.

"I asked you what you wanted. Don't make me ask again," Daryl said as he kissed her.

Mar laughed. "Alright, I could use a blanket. You steal covers."

"Do not," Daryl said with a laugh.

"Do too," Mar answered as she changed positions so she was sitting on his lap facing him. "Come back to me?"

Daryl put his hands on her waist. "Always do."

"Whose going on the run?" Mar asked as she kissed him.

"Glenn, Maggie, Sasha and me. Good people. Summer asked if she could go, but changed her mind wanting to stay close to Jewel," Daryl told her.

"She will for a bit I'm sure," Mar said as she started to move to get him aroused.

"Woman, don't start something you can't finish. I got to go," Daryl huffed as he moved her off him.

"You owe me," Mar told him. "Oh start looking for oversized shirts and pants. Maybe get lucky with maternity clothes."

Daryl nodded. "Maggie and Sasha mentioned it last night. Don't you think, I mean it's a bit early?"

Mar gave a small sigh. "I think we all need this. I mean, us as the core group. Five weeks ago we defeated the Governor, we took back our home and a new life was created. We've been through hell, before and after I came into the group. We lost Lori, but we were on the run for the most of the time. I think all of us focused on the GOOD of this baby, on what he or she represents. Yeah we're scared, it wouldn't be normal for us not to be. But, for me at least, I want to think ahead of what to make it easy for Jewel to have a comfortable, amazing pregnancy and at the end a healthy baby."

Daryl smiled as he kissed her. "You keep the positive vibes for both of us."

"I will don't worry. Don't make them come up and get you. They'll start calling us as bad as Maggie and Glenn," Mar teased as she pushed him out of the cell door.

Maggie and Jewel's POV:

Maggie knocked softly on the office door not really wanting to wake her up if she had fallen already asleep. She was about ready to walk away when she heard a come in. "Hey just me, I didn't wake you did I?"

"No, I was reading. What's up?" Jewel asked as she smiled at her friend.

"I haven't got a chance to say my congratulations in person since we found out yesterday. I wanted to see how you are really, how you're feeling besides the morning sickness. I don't remember a lot about the early stages of Lori's pregnancy. I feel bad about saying that, you know?" Maggie asked.

"She didn't really keep anyone in the loop, especially me," Jewel answered. "I'm alright…getting annoyed already about everyone treating me like I'm going to break."

Maggie smiled and squeezed her hand. "I think we're doing it more for us then you. We need you and this baby to be alright. You're a package deal. Glenn, Carl, Carol, Rick, Daryl, Summer, Mar, Beth, Mitch, Daddy and me, we remember what it was like the months we were on the run with Lori and her being pregnant, so do you. Then we thought it was safe…Lori and the baby could be safe. But because of a bad apple, she couldn't be safe. We love you Jewel, and I am in no way going to say I'm not happy for you, I am. I am thrilled for you, even if it wasn't on purpose. And, it may be selfish of all of us, but right now we're safe, and we can take the pressure off you. We can try to find you peanut butter, we can let you rest when need be, we can take Judy when you need a break. This is all stuff we can do, but we can't cook Peanut. I don't want to lose my friend, Jewel. I just want you to have a safe, relaxing pregnancy and in seven or eight months, I want to be cooing over a cute little baby and telling you how beautiful he or she is," Maggie said as she tried not to cry.

Jewel smiled as she teared up. "Damn hormones," Jewel said as she hugged the other woman. "I guess I never thought how it would effect everyone else. I mean I thought about Carl and Summer….and I understood why Rick was being over protective. But, then Carol took me off guard duty, and gate duty. And I was sent up here like I was kid," she explained. "I really didn't think about how the rest of you must be feeling."

"You aren't supposed to. Glenn and I talked about it last night, after he got back from the run and was really glad the cat was out of the bag. When I realized he was having the same worries as me, I figured everyone else was too. We can't guarantee things in life Jewel, especially not in this life, but we can try to give it the best odds possible," Maggie told her.

"Can you do something for me? I mean look for something for me while you're on the run. It's not important," Jewel said.

"Of course it's important," Maggie insisted.

"Pillows, Rick keeps stealing my pillow at night," Jewel said with a laugh. "Love the man but I may have to push him out of bed if he steals my pillow again."

"Pillows on it. Anything else? Can you think of anything you might need for the winter?" Maggie asked.

"No, I mean obviously bigger shirts, and not only for the winter," Jewel told her. "I have to admit, I don't know how to take all this attention. I mean I didn't have it with Summer, no where near it."

"Well then it's well deserved," Maggie told her. "I got to go, we'll be back tomorrow."

"Watch out for everyone and tell Daryl I expect the four of you to all get back," Jewel warned her.

"We'll make it back," Maggie said as she hugged her and got up.

Group POV later that day:

Summer looked up from the table when Jes walked in. "Look what the cat dragged in," she said with a small smile.

"Yeah thought that I'd make an appearance, catch up on the gossip," Jes said.

"You find anything?" Carl asked as he sat down.

"One of the Governor's former soldiers. He abandoned the Governor after he went and slaughtered all the people," Jes told them. "Where's your mom? Your dad?"

Carl and Summer looked at each other. "Jewel's pregnant….she's taking it easy. And dad took Joey out hunting. They should be back later."

Jes looked at them. "She's pregnant? Merle know?"

"Yeah, he knows," Summer answered. "We all found out yesterday."

"You two worried? Daryl told me about Lil' Asskicker, and how the two of you were there," Jes said.

"Yeah we're worried, but we're going to take care of Jewel," Carl said.

"You ever had kids of your own?" Summer asked.

Hershel came and sat down. "You don't have to answer that if you don't want to, Jes. It's just we don't know a whole lot about you before this."

Merle came in and sat down. "You back again?"

"Yeah, always come back," Jes answered. "So you forgive Rick yet? I heard that you're going to be an Uncle again."

"I'm putting up with him," Merle answered.

Jes shook her head and looked at Summer. "No never had kids. Never wanted them. Had a screwed up childhood, thought the Sanchez line needed to die with me."

"Sounds familiar," Summer said as she looked at Merle.

Merle huffed. "Well your mother obviously had other ideas," he said as he rolled his eyes.

"Guess I'm selfish too, was busy with my career. Moving up in the ranks, gave me something to do. Cared about my soldiers, getting them home from deployments, to there families," Jes said.

Hershel smiled. "There's nothing wrong with that. Seems like you doing the same thing now. You brought Jewel home, away from Woodbury, protecting someone you didn't know because it was right. You earned your spot."

Jes glanced over at some of the Woodbury survivors. "Any problems?"

"Same as in Woodbury, a couple troublemakers," Merle answered.

"Let me guess, the Edwin brothers," Jes said with a roll of her eyes.

"Something we need to know?" Hershel asked.

"Yeah, don't put them on guard duty with this one, or Beth, or Maggie or any other young female," Jes said.

Carl looked up. "They do something? Why haven't you said anything before? We could have told them to leave? Are they a danger to Summer and the others?"

"There were a few rumors at Woodbury, nothing that could ever be proved," Merle said.

"Can you be a little bit more specific?" Hershel asked. "I've got two daughters, I think of Summer like a daughter, Sasha, Lexi, Mar, Carol…not to mention all the younger kids we got around here now. We need to know anything that may cause us trouble."

Jes sighed. "They get drunk when they are supposed to be on watch duty, the only people that could control them was Merle or me. Something about us scaring them shitless. The only thing I can figure is that both of them was drunk and missed meeting with the Governor so they got lucky and wasn't part of the ambush. Lucky for them, me I would have been happy if they were road kill. There was also an accusation against the younger one involving one of the teenage girls. I asked her about it, talked with her, she assured me he didn't do anything but get handsey. I always thought it could have been more, but even in days like this, people need the benefit of the doubt."

"I've been keeping' an eye on them, Hershel," Merle said.

"I appreciate that Merle, I know that you'd never put Summer at risk, but we've got a council. We need to be aware of things like that," Hershel said. "They might not have done nothing now, but we can keep an eye on them. I'm going to suggest since the two of you know them, that you two be watching them. If that's alright."

"We were doing it anyway," Jes said.

"Have they done anything since they've been here to be concerned about?" Carl asked.

"No," Jes answered. "The older one has been offering to go on runs, and the only reason he'd be doing that is cause he wants booze."

Merle looked at Summer. "You've been quiet short stuff, you alright?" he asked his niece.

"Yeah, I'm going to go get Judy," she said as she got up.

Merle stood up after her. "I'll go with you, short stuff," he said.

"Would you please stop calling me Short Stuff, Uncle Merle?" Summer asked.

"Nope, you're short, Carl's gonna be taller then you by over the winter," he teased. "Now don't start tryin' to change the subject and don't lie to your Uncle Merle. Something's bothering you."

Summer sighed as she leaned against the wall. "Did you know mom was raped?"

Merle looked at her. "Yeah, how do you know?"

"Heard Uncle Daryl and her talk about it when I was younger. I didn't tell mom I knew until after Jes brought her back from Woodbury. I guess when you and Jes were talking….I guess I just, I don't know, didn't want to be around them…" Summer said.

"Listen to me kiddo. Anyone EVER makes you uncomfortable, and I don't give a damn if it's just a look, or you think they are giving you to much attention, you need to tell someone. Me, Uncle Daryl, Rick, Hershel, Jes, hell even Glenn. You do not think about it, you do not stop and tell yourself that you're imaginin' it, you run to one of us. You do not try to be a Dixon and handle it to yourself. You got it?" Merle asked his niece.

"Yeah, I got it," Summer said.

Merle lifted her chin up so he was looking in her eyes. "Summer, I wasn't there when you all needed me. I'm not gonna make excuses, I'm doin' what I can now to make amends, mind you that I know I aint ever gonna clear all the marks off my record. But what I do know is that you are a strong, kick ass walker killer, and can hold her own against almost everybody. But there are bad men in this world, men that think they can take whatever they want. There always were, and now, there's no laws, so they think they can get away with anything. And council or no damn council, anyone lays a hand on any woman in this prison that don't want it, is going to be havin' a talk with my fist. And God help them if I'm related to one of those women," Merle said.

Summer grinned. "Careful Uncle Merle, you're going to get a reputation of having a heart."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, just don't tell anyone. Dixon's look out for Dixon's remember?" Merle said.

"Actually you used to say that the only people a Dixon can depend on is a Dixon," Summer reminded him.

"Yeah, and I'm pretty sure your mother would throw something at me if I said that right now," Merle said. "I've already lost one body part, like to keep the rest of me intact. Now go on."

"Love you Uncle Merle," Summer said.

"Love you too Short Stuff," Merle said as she left