I owe all of you a huge apology! I apologise for my long absence, I needed sometime a way to get my life into perspective. I hope you can all forgive me. I am hoping that with the new season coming up, I will be able to make myself write more. I truly am very sorry for my absence.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Beth and Daryl were laying on the couch in their living room, enjoying the warmth of the fire place. It had been a week a since the last run, and it had snowed lightly a few days before, but they had a much larger amount falling today. Nobody had seen much of Rosita or Abraham over the last few days, but that was to be expected.
"It's been a week since I've seen Rosita," Beth complained to Daryl, "I have things I want to discuss with her."
Daryl chuckled slightly at her,
"It's damn overkill at this point. No way in hell she ain't gonna be pregnant."
Beth slapped Daryl lightly on the chest for his crudeness,
"You know it will be awhile before they'll know. It took until I was throwing up every morning for me to realize it."
Daryl huffed,
"Well, I still think they should show their faces. We need the big apes help with the construction on the wall, they can continue humping the shit out of each other, after the sun goes down."
Beth slapped Daryl much harder this time,
"Watch your mouth Daryl Dixon! I swear on everything that if our child's first word is a curse, I will end you."
Daryl laughed out right at Beth's response,
"We'll see about that."
Beth simply fixed Daryl with a glare, and picked up her book. Daryl ignored her glare, and went back to making new bolts for his bow.
Thirty minutes later, Daryl was so focused on a bolt, that he didn't notice Beth suddenly putting her book down and the perplexed look on her face. Beth began to rub small circles on her stomach, and suddenly a large grin broke out across her face.
"Daryl," she called to him.
"Mhm," he hummed in response, not looking up from his work.
"Daryl," she called again, with more intensity.
"Mhm," was once again his only response.
"Oh for the love of the lord," Beth grumbled.
She quickly grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach. Daryl fixed her with an unamused glance.
"Give it a second," she told him.
After five minutes, Daryl began to grow impatient,
"Beth wha-," all of a sudden Daryl's world came to a screeching halt. Just below his hand, he felt a soft tap. He stared mesmerized at Beth's stomach, trying to come to terms with what was happening.
Daryl swallowed a lump in his throat,
"Was tha-," but once again he was cut off by the small taps underneath his hand.
Beth had a thousand watt smile lighting up her face,
"Yes. That's the baby kicking Daryl. I told ya, bubba always kicks when you talk, or when you're nearby."
Daryl didn't know how to describe what he was feeling in that moment, his emotions were all over the place. Beth was about ninety-nine percent positive that Daryl would never take his hands off her stomach again. After about ten minutes, Beth realized that in less than an hour they were supposed to be at Rick's for dinner, but she really didn't have the heart to tell Daryl that they had to get up. She'd do just about anything to keep that dumb smile on his face.
"Daryl, I hate to make you get up, but we do have to be at Rick's soon. I need to get ready, and so do you."
Daryl frowned at Beth,
"We don't have to go."
Beth laughed lightly,
"Yes we do. Come on, we gotta get ready."
"What do I have to do to get ready?"
Beth gave Daryl a 'are you shitting me face,'
"It is freezing outside, you are not walking to Rick's in a cut off shirt. You're gonna put on an actual shirt, with sleeves."
Daryl looked like he was about to argue with her, but she shot him a warning glance that had him getting up. He didn't feel like testing her, Beth could be pretty scary when she was pissed. He'd prefer to not have stuff thrown at him again; he learned his lesson a few days before, do what she says, or else a plate might get thrown at his head.
An hour later, Daryl and Beth were walking through Rick's front door. Beth was wearing jeans, a sweater, with a thick coat wrapped around her. She could not handle cold weather, and would wear as many layers as possible. Daryl on the other hand, only had on a pair of jeans, a dark blue button up dress shirt, and his vest on. For the life of her, Beth could not figure out how the weather almost never seemed to bother him. Beth didn't have time to ponder on these thoughts for too long, because suddenly Judith came charging towards the front door.
"Be be be," the baby squealed excitedly, holding her hands up for Beth to pick her up.
As Beth was about to bend over and pick up the little girl, Daryl stopped her,
"Remember, you don't need to be bending over. I got her."
Beth sighed in defeat, knowing it was for her own good. Judith was confused for a moment when Beth didn't comply with her request, but was quickly distracted by Daryl tossing her in the air and catching her.
"Da da da," Judith yelled happily.
Daryl was one of her favorite people, and she loved it when he would chunk her up in the air, then catch her.
"I swear Daryl, our child has to be at least six months before you do that, and that's pushing it."
"Whatever you say blondie," Daryl said while tickling Judith's stomach, "come on lil ass kicker, lets go find daddy."
Beth rolled her eyes at Daryl, following him towards the living room. Maggie, Glenn, Tara, Eugene, Carol, Carl, Michonne, Rick, Sasha, Tyreese, Noah, and shockingly Rosita and Abraham were all there.
"You two finally decide to get out of the bedroom?" Daryl asked Abraham.
Abraham made move to punch Daryl, but quickly realized he had Judith in his arms, so he was untouchable.
"I'll get you later," Abraham threatened.
"Just don't kill him," Beth warned the red head, "or else I'll be getting you up at 2 a.m. for diaper duty."
Everyone started laughing, all knowing that Beth was a hundred percent serious. Judith started slapping Daryl's face to get his attention,
"Whatcha want?" he asked her.
Judith didn't give him a verbal reply, but simply leaned towards Daryl's face, and gave him a baby kiss on the mouth.
"uv u," Judith told him a second later.
Everyone was looking at the pair in awe. It took Daryl a moment to register Judith's actions, but he quickly returned her sentiments, not wanting to hurt the baby's feelings.
"Love you too baby," and he genuinely meant it.
He loved every person in that room in some way, but the baby definitely had his heart, just like she had everyone's. He knew right then, that if he was putty in this baby's hands, he'd never be able to tell his own child no.
"Alright, who's hungry?" Rick asked everyone.
"Eeeee," Judith replied happily.
Rick laughed at the eager baby, before taking her from Daryl.
"Time to eat," Michonne announced.
Everyone gathered around the table, taking their seats. Rick sat at the head of the table, with Daryl to his right and Beth to his left. Judith was sitting a high chair in-between Rick and Beth. Michonne was next to Beth, and everyone else just randomly sat around the table. Though, Daryl and Beth both noticed Noah and Carl sitting together. They had become close friends since Noah's arrival. Everyone was glad that Carl could have a friend close to him in age, not that he didn't get along with the others, but it was nice for him to have someone to talk to.
"Judith, do you ever get food in your mouth, or does it just end up all over you?" Noah asked the baby, who was covered in spaghetti sauce.
"No no no!" was the baby's happy response to Noah.
Everyone began to shake with laughter, knowing that "No" didn't mean no, but was her way of saying Noah.
"Where are we going to find humor, when she can finally pronounce names?" Maggie asked everyone.
"Well, by that time there will be another baby to butcher our names," Abraham replied.
"Very true," Rosita agreed with the redhead.
"And not long after Hawkeye baby, there will be a Ginger baby on the run, as Daryl pointed out earlier. That is what you guys have been trying to accomplish for the last week, correct?" Eugene asked Rosita and Abraham.
Daryl about fell out of his chair he was laughing so hard, while Abraham looked like he was two seconds away from snapping Eugene's neck. Rosita looked as if she would sprint from the room given half a chance. Everyone was enjoying Rosita and Abraham being embarrassed for once, considering the two almost never had any modesty. Rick decided to end the twos suffering,
"Alright guys, lets give it a rest."
Abraham decided to get payback at Eugene right then and there,
"Is rest what you and Tara were doing last night? Cause last time I checked sleep didn't involve moaning."
Eugene turned a deep shade of crimson, while Tara looked like she was about to pass out.
"Whoa now y'all. Lets try to keep it G-rated, we got little ears in the room," Rick tried to barter with everyone.
"And in the womb," Glenn mumbled.
Daryl shot Glenn a warning glance, that had him shutting up very quickly.
Before anymore jabs could be thrown, there was a sudden clattering sound. Everyone turned to look at Judith, who had knocked her bowl to the ground.
"Dada, Bebe, uh ohhhh," Judith said while pointing to her bowl on the ground.
They all tried not to laugh, but the baby was just too cute. Judith looked around the room confused, not understanding why all of her big people were laughing. Rick bent over and picked up her bowl,
"It's okay baby."
As he was putting her bowl back in front of her, Judith placed a sauce covered hand on his cheek,
"uv u dada," the baby told him.
Rick laughed and kissed her on the cheek,
"Love you too Judy."
Beth looked around the table at everyone laughing and smiling, and she smiled too. Glad that her baby would be growing up with all of them around for support. She didn't doubt for one second that everyone at the table, would love hers and Daryl's child just as much as they loved Judith. Beth was almost had the halfway mark of her pregnancy, she was excited and nervous, but she knew if she was a little nervous, Daryl was probably a hundred times more worried than her. She hoped by the time the baby came, he would be more comfortable with being a father.
Once again I am terribly sorry for the long wait! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and hope to be posting again soon!