Hello my lovelies!

I know it is not Sunday, however, I have made a very last minute and impromptu trip away this weekend so I'm not going to be free on Sunday to do the update. I will be updating again next Sunday (5th February).

Just in case you didn't see the message at the bottom of the last chapter; chapter 25 is going to be the last chapter of this story. I have got another story waiting to be published that I think you are going to love, it's called 'Keep The Faith' and there will be a trailer out soon... probably at the end of this story.

Can't wait for you guys to read it!

Disclaimer; The Walking Dead and Daryl Dixon still do not belong to me... starting to think I'm not going to win this

Home Is With You: Chapter 21

Daryl
"I got something for you," Beth said and disappeared into the cabin and grabbed something out of the bag she brought with her, she looked a little nervous which made me nervous.

She handed it to me and I didn't know what it was at first, I unrolled it and saw it was one of Ass-Kickers onsie things.

"What is it?" I asked stupidly.

"It's a onesie," She replied.

Of course it's a onesie but why did she give it to me? It's not going to fit me and it's not going ot fit Beth, It's not really a present. I think I got this for Ass-Kicker just before she was born. I found a house to raid and found this in a drawer so brought it back and Lori loved it. It was the only bit of real baby clothing we had found.

So if it's not for me and it's not for Beth...

"Are you pregnant?" I asked her.

"Yes," She answered.

What?

Beth's pregnant? How, we were so damn careful because we didn't want this to happen. That was why we brought all of those condoms back. We were careful! I always made sure of it, if we didn't have a condom we didn't have sex... I mean we did other things but nothing you could get pregnant from.

What the hell is happening?

"Are you ok?" She asked.

"I don't know," I replied honestly and she rested her hand on top of mine "What are we gonna do Beth?" I asked her in panic.

"First, we're gonna be calm," She stated "We are gonna be fine. This baby is going to be born healthy and I'm gonna be ok. We're gonna make this work and it'll be ok," She said but I know she was just trying to calm me down.

"We shouldn't have let this happen," I told her.

"It wasn't a planned thing Daryl. That's why we had the condoms, if you remember," She said.

"I need a smoke," I stated and Beth handed me a carton of cigarettes she got out of that damn bag of hers... what else was in there?

"Thought you might have needed them," She told me with a small smile.

"How are you so calm?" I questioned.

"I'm not... I am freaking out! I don't know if I'm gonna be a good mom. I'm annoyed at myself for getting pregnant in this stupid dead world; it's not the best place to bring up children. However, when I was little I wanted to be a mother and if this is the way I've gotta do it, I'm gonna do my best and try hard... I just don't wanna do it alone," She explained.

"Alone?" I sighed and wrapped my arms around her "You won't ever do this alone. I'm always gonna be here for as long as I can, I got you and we got this," I told her and she started sobbing into my shoulder. I dropped the onesie and carton of cigarettes and held her as close to me as I could "I love you and I'm gon' love this baby. I'll make mistakes but I'll try." I said and she nodded against my now damp shoulder.

I can't believe it, I'm actually going to be a father. There is going to be a baby that depends on me for everything... not just a baby but Beth too. She's going to need me to do all the stuff she can't do and when she gives birth, she's going to need me to be there and hold her hand or leg or whatever it is and tell her she's doing great. Beth and this baby are my future, screw the rest of the world, these two come first.

It is the end of the world and the dead are rising to walk the Earth to eat us and not once has the thought crossed my mind to have someone else raise this baby, I couldn't ever face giving this baby over to someone else to take care of and raise. How did Merle do that to me when I was a baby? Yes I was raised with him, as his brother, and I know he was only 15 but it's the end of the world and I'm about to do it... why couldn't he and the woman he had me with?

Beth's sobs started to calm down and my now very wet shoulder was a little bit cold so I pulled away from the embrace and sat her down in the cabin and gave her one of the blankets to put over hers so that she wasn't cold, I sat down next to her and held her hand.

"How far along are you?" I asked. She reached into the bag and brought out the pregnancy test which said 5+ weeks "So we got about eight months to get everything ready?" I questioned.

"We got plenty of time," She replied.

"I just can't believe it," I commented.

"I know, it was quite the shock to me as well," She said and laughed a little "There is a baby coming that is half of both of us... it's crazy," She said.

"I love you."

I kissed her and she kissed me back.

After finding out that Beth is pregnant it threw a lot of things into perspective for me and one thing I know I have to do is make peace with my past and that means finally fixing things with Merle once and for all. I don't know what the outcome will be but I need to get some closure on the whole thing, it might mean me turning my back on Merle for the rest of my life but it might bring us closer than we've ever been.

I still can't believe that me, Daryl Dixon, is about to become a father. I honestly don't know how I ever deserved something like this. I never thought I would get this opportunity.

Maybe this will help Merle understand that he can't act the way he does and he needs to start looking out for people other than himself, technically he's gonna have a grandbaby, that has to mean something to him even if me and him having some kind of relationship doesn't matter. Beth isn't happy of course because she thinks that Merle is just the devil in disguise but understands my need to get this fixed.

Speak of the devil...

"Merle!" I called out as I saw him coming out the library.

"Not a good time," He replied as I caught up with him.

"I don't care, we gotta talk. I gotta tell you somethin' and we gotta have a serious conversation," I told him.

"Can we talk later?" He asked.

"No!" I shouted "God damn it", I sighed "Jus' give me ten minutes of your precious time," I said sarcastically.

"Alright then."

Beth
I wanted to see if the library had any books on babies or pregnancy, I doubt it as it is a men's prison but I might be lucky and find something but as I approached the library I heard a lot of shouting and a lot of crashing noises coming from inside. I stood outside the door and listened for a minute before I realised that it was Daryl and Merle arguing, I couldn't help but roll my eyes at them. I pushed the door open and I saw Daryl pinning Merle to the ground about to punch him, both of them covered in blood and the chairs and tables of the library all over the place, there was also a couple of bookcases pushed over and books all over the place.

"What the hell is goin' on in here?" I asked them "Daryl, get up," I said and he let go of Merle and stood up, Merle got up and spit out some blood and wiped his mouth "I thought you comin' to talk to him?" I questioned Daryl.

"This is us talkin'," He replied angrily.

"Well I think we need to change the nature of the conversation," I stated "Sit down at a table and we can all have a discussion as you two can't be trusted on your own," I ordered and slightly nudged Daryl towards a table.

"I don't know who you think you are-"Merle started.

"Sit your ass down," I said sternly, cutting him off mid sentence.

He chuckled and did as he was told. Daryl and Merle sat at completely opposite ends of the table, like they wanted to be as far away from each other as possible. It pissed me off that they were fighting, the last thing I need right now is Daryl being hurt, I'm stressed out enough as it is without all of this. I just need them to decide what is going to happen; if they can't get along then Merle has to go and if Daryl doesn't want Merle to go or Merle doesn't want to leave here then they need to find a way to make it up.

"I know yer sleepin' wiv Daryl but this ain't nothin' t' do wiv you girl," Merle said.

"Oh believe me, this has more to do with me then I want it to," I replied snappily.

"What's that s'ppsed to mean?" Merle asked.

"It means that the two of you have gotta figure this out. I'm not sayin' you gotta be father and son but at least be civil to one another. This world is shit and it is a miracle we've lasted this long, it's a miracle that you two were reunited with each other. Our days are numbered and what if something was to happen to either of you tomorrow, would ya'll be ok with how you left things? You got a lot things to talk about and figure out, I get it but the family is gettin' bigger and things need to be fixed," I explained.

"Getting bigger... I don't get it," Merle commented.

"Beth's pregnant," Daryl said.

The two men locked eyes and I could see the shock in Merle's face that was the last thing he was expecting Daryl to say and I could see the moment that realisation hit him. This is his family. Whether I like it or not, and believe me I don't like it, Merle and me are now family. I am carrying his grandchild, his flesh and blood, his second chance at being something good.

"I don't know if I say congratulations or not," Merle said.

"I don't care what you gotta say 'bout it," Daryl argued.

"Are you happy about it?" Merle asked.

"Yes," Daryl answered and held my hand "I want this and I'm gonna be damn better then you or Will Dixon ever was," He added.

"I don't doubt that," Merle replied.

"Merle, you don't like me, I don't particularly like you either but whether we like it or not I am havin' your grandbaby and this is a chance for you... a second chance to prove you're not all that bad. This is a chance for you to step up and be the person you should've been when Daryl was born," I told him calmly.

"I can't give you anything," Merle said.

"It's not about giving us things... support... I know you looked out for Daryl when he was a baby, there's no way you couldn't have looked out for him, knowing what kinda parents you had. You must have fed him, changed him, and held him. Help Daryl with that... show him what you know because we don't know much," I said "He really needs you," I added.

"I don't need anybody," Daryl grunted up stood up from the chair, dropping my hand "I got this far without him... I'll be fine," He said before storming out of the library.

"Fix this." I stated.

So... Merle knows that Beth is pregnant.

Are Merle and Daryl finally going to make up?
What will Maggie and Hershel say about the pregnancy?
Is Merle going to be the man he needs to be for Daryl?
Does Daryl even care anymore?

So much to still know and there are only 4 chapters left!

Writer347
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