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I have to say that I'm actually a little sad; I've not received any love from the last 2 chapters posted. Were they that terrible? I hope not. I currently have 75 reviews and I was desperately hoping to get to 90 at the end of this story.

I can't believe that this story is coming to an end soon, it's actually really sad for me. I have put a lot of blood, sweat and many tears into this story and now it's drawing to a close... is anyone else sad or is it just me being stupid?

Just FYI... I have not forgotten about The Governor.

As always, thank you for all of the support throughout this story. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I can't wait to read your reviews and see the follows and favourites.

You guys really are the best readers in the world!

Writer347
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Disclaimer: What has a girl got to do to own The Walking Dead around here?

Home Is With You: Chapter 23

Beth
So daddy didn't take the news well, just as I had thought, he freaked out and told me how careless and idiotic Daryl and I were for getting ourselves into this situation. He went into graphic detail about Lori and how easily it could be the same outcome for me and he was ready to strangle Daryl with his bare hands. I did my best to calm him down but it didn't work and then Carol heard the commotion and she came to help calm him down and promised to help and do what she could to make sure everything ran smoothly for me but he was so angry. He didn't want to talk to me or even look at me, he was disappointed in me and disgusted for even thinking about bringing a baby into this world and he thinks I'm selfish because I'm giving us another mouth to feed when things are already tight.

That was yesterday and he still hasn't spoken to me and neither has Maggie. They can't even look in my direction and I hurt me that they hated me so much, I didn't do anything wrong, having a baby is a blessing and not something to be mad about. Yes I know the world is shit and it's not ideal but Daryl and I are going to make the best of it and do what we can to make sure that the baby has a good, happy and long life. If we can get more people together and get this prison run properly then things here could be amazing, it has everything we need and there is so much more we do. My daddy knows how to run a farm so if we can get some animals, some pigs or something we can get meat and grow crops and of course Daryl will still go hunting. Glenn and Maggie can also go on supply runs; we can get other to make this a real community. We can really be happy here and have a real future.

I confessed to Daryl that I had told my daddy and Maggie and they were not happy. He said he thought that would be their reaction and he's ready to face them and do what he can to prove to them that he will be there to support me and take care of me and do whatever he needs to do. I don't think it really matters what he is prepared to do, they're not happy and they hate me. Nothing Daryl says or does will change that fact.

On a plus note; it seems that Daryl and Merle have started to figure things out. It seems like Merle actually took some of my advice and he went after Daryl yesterday. They had a long talk about everything that had happened and Merle told Daryl more about his mother, he apologised for being a shitty brother and an even shittier father. They were starting to heal their relationship and according to Daryl, Merle wanted to come and see me today to apologise for some things and talk to me properly as the mother of his grandbaby. Apparently Merle seems to be happy about the thought of the Dixon family expanding and is happy about the baby and the prospect of becoming a grandfather.

To be honest I'm not sure what kind of relationship I want with Merle, if any, and I don't know what kind of relationship I want him to have with my baby. I know the two of them are beginning to mend fences and all but Merle is still a shitty person who has done a lot of shitty things to Daryl. I know Merle had a rough childhood and was dealt some bad cards in life but he didn't need to be the asshole he has been. Daryl I think has had it rougher then Merle and Daryl has turned out great, he is a real man and he knows what his wrongs are but Daryl is loyal to a fault... I'm not sure that I can say the same about Merle.

I'm scared that Daryl is going to put a lot into this relationship with Merle and he is going to end up heartbroken when Merle does something Merle-like and I'm going to be the one to pick up the pieces. He's got a few months to prove himself to me before this baby comes and so help me God; if Merle doesn't put his best foot forward then I'm making the decision to cut him out of my life and this baby's life.

It sounds harsh and horrible doesn't it? I'm tired of caring. I don't care if I upset Merle or make him mad, he doesn't deserve anything less.

I hadn't spent much time with Judith lately and I had missed her so I told Rick that I would look after her today. It's scary how quickly they grow up and how they change, Judith used to love it when I tickled her belly but she doesn't seem to like it anymore.

I decided to take her outside and play with her a little, she was walking pretty well now, almost running but I think her feet are faster than the rest of her. She fell over a couple times but she didn't make a sound, no crying or whimpering because she knew, as young as she was she knew what would happen if she made too much noise.

"Can we talk?" Merle asked as he approached, he had his hands up in surrender meaning he wasn't here to argue.

"Sure," I replied.

"Daryl and me, we had a long talk yesterday," He started "We got t' talk 'bout a lotta things and I apologised for the stupid things I done. I know I gotta apologise t' you too. Some o' the things I said t' you were wrong and I hope that we can get along better," He told me and to be honest I was surprised... Merle Dixon apologising to me? Wow

"Daryl might be ready to forgive you but I got other people to think of too," I stated.

"That's my grandbaby in yer tummy. I ain't gonna do nothin' to hurt you or that baby, I'm gonna do my best by youse 'cause yer family, yeah we're a dysfunctional family but we're family," He said.

"I'm willing to give you a chance but I will say this; you mess up once then you're done. I won't let this baby even know you exist because I'm not havin' my baby messed up by you... not after everythin' you've done to Daryl," I warned.

"Fair enough," He replied "Havin' a baby changes everythin' yer know? When Daryl was first born an' I held him f'r the first time, I wanted t' be a better person. I did try but my daddy was an asshole... someone Officer Friendly would've killed by now... he made it near 'mpossible t' really be involved wi' Daryl growin' up. I've always loved him an' I always wanted t' tell him but as he got older it got harder an' then I jus' decided to leave, bad choice, I know but I thought it was best," He explained to me "Daryl will be better than me, we can both agree on that," He added.

"Daryl's already a good father. When Judith was born, Rick lost it, went insane. He went on a walker rampage in the prison and didn't even come and hold the baby. Daryl got Maggie and they went on an emergency supply run, they got her formula, clothes, diapers, he even came back with a stuffed bunny... she still sleeps with it every night. He came back and was the first person to feed her; he stepped up to look after her when Rick couldn't. He's proved he can be a good father," I told him "Judith loves her uncle Daryl," I added.

"He's always been the soft one," Merle held out his hand and Judith gripped onto it and smiled at Merle, he gave her a small smile back and then Judith let go "Look, I gotta go but I meant what I said," He said.

"And believe me, I meant what I said." I told him sternly and he nodded before walking off towards C Block.

Daryl
Yesterday was a weird day for me. After what happened in the library, Merle came after me and he wanted to talk about everything and we did. I actually got to talk to him about my childhood; he told me more about my real mother and the reason behind their decision to give me up for adoption so to speak. I do really believe that Merle thought it was the best choice for me and I would be ok but he knows now that he didn't make the right choice, in fact he said if he could go back he would've raised me himself and done what he could to keep Will Dixon away from me. He apologised for everything and promised that he would do what he could to fix our relationship and I think he's being honest this time, he seems really happy about Beth being pregnant.

I was thinking about what my baby would call Merle, I think we both I'm never gonna call him 'dad' but maybe this baby can call him something that will let him feel like he's a grandpa, Beth said when she was a kid she called her granddaddy Pops and that's what she wants the baby to call Hershel. Merle and I never had grandparents so I'm not sure what else to call him... I don't think he'd like Granddad, Grandpa, and Old Man... What about Peppy? Would he like that? Would it be easy for the baby to say?

Maybe I should be more focused on finding a name for the baby rather then what the baby will call Merle.

I heard footsteps behind me so turned around and saw Hershel coming my way, Beth said she had told him yesterday and he wasn't happy about the news and by the look on his face, he still wasn't happy about it. I took a deep breath and waited for the abuse to come my way.

"I wanna talk t' you," Hershel said harshly as he stood in front of me.

"I know Beth told you and I know you're not happy," I replied.

"Not happy? That's an understatement! I am so angry at the two o' you! How could you be so careless and stupid?" He asked me, his face getting redder.

"It wasn't planned, we were being careful. I honestly don't know what happened. I didn't want this to happen either. I don't want anything to happen to her," I told him.

"If Beth dies because of this, I swear to God I will kill you," He warned.

"I'm not going to let it happen," I argued "Beth and the baby will be fine," I said.

"You're not God Daryl... as Lori said, many women died during childbirth before modern medicine and we've gone back to those times. All it takes is an infection or blood loss and Beth is dead... and that is if she makes it to term. If Beth has a miscarriage, especially during the later stages of pregnancy, we don't know what's going to happen. Beth could get eaten from the inside for all we know. You have just signed off on her death," He explained angrily.

"Hershel-"

"You stay away from me!" He shouted and turned his back on me before walking away.

2 chapter left!

I am so excited to get this story finished and the next lot of stories uploaded. I have some fun things coming your way that I can't wait for you guys to read.

Writer347
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