* Please Review! So guess what? I brought Reedus a book called The Crossbow, its all about the history of the cross bow and the different kinds of cross bows there are. Today he made a post on his blog of some gifts he got and my book was there!*
" House." Was all Daryl had to say.
They started jogging towards the house at the same time the group was running up from their camp site. Daryl wanted Layla safe in case it wasn't Rick who pulled the trigger. He held her hand as tightly as he could without hurting her as they jogged. Hershel and his family came out of the house as they reached it. Daryl pulled her up the stairs.
" What was that?" Hershel asked. He had a shot gun in his hand.
" Hopin it was Rick." Daryl said, allowing him and Layla to slow their pace. He pulled her against his side.
" Has anyone seen Carl?" Lori asked in a panic. " Is he in the house?"
" I haven't seen him." Hershel said.
" You gonna go in the house. I'm goin to look for that kid and Rick. I need to make sure Shane's the one who took the bullet." He said. Layla nodded.
" I understand. Just be careful in case it wasn't." Layla said.
" Stay away from the windows." Daryl warned. A series of moaning pulled all their heads up. Layla turned slowly towards the field as the entire group held their breath. Her hands went behind her to take a hold of Daryl's pant legs as he stood against her back.
" What the hell is that?" She whispered.
" Hershel, get the fuckin guns." Daryl said as a hoard of walkers was making their way across the field towards them. Hershel was on it already, having run back into his house to grab the guns he kept there. Daryl's hands came to her hips. " You go with T-Dog. T-Dog?"
" I got her, my man." T-Dog said, stepping up.
" I want to go with you." Layla said.
" I'm goin for my bike. The noise might draw them away. You can't go on the bike cuz of the baby. It ain't safe for you." Daryl said. " Go!" He yelled before he dashed off the porch. T-Dog grabbed Layla, she grabbed Lori, then everyone took off.
Lori was screaming for Carl at the same time one of the barns went up in flames. T-Dog was running for the truck he was using. Hershel was firing over and over again. His family members were running, everyone was crying. Layla was searching with her eyes as they ran. Walkers were going down quickly but more were coming. As they reached the truck, the roar of Daryl's bike came to them.
" Get them out of here! Go to the highway and wait for me!" He yelled.
" Daryl, wait!" Layla yelled.
But T-Dog grabbed her arm and pushed her into the truck, followed by Lori and Beth who had come up to them. Daryl spared her one last look. He nodded then lifted his legs and took off. Layla's heart was in her throat. She understood what Daryl was saying but being apart in a time like that was killing her, scaring her.
Around and around they went, with T-Dog firing out the window and Beth sobbing loudly. Lori's left arm was around the girl's shoulder as she was sitting by T-Dog. Lori and Layla were gripping hands. Layla had big silent tears slipping from her eyes. Her free hand was moving from her stomach to the window of the door. She had lost sight of Daryl.
" I'm sorry I yelled at you." Layla said. Lori squeezed her hand.
" I'm sorry I was so blind to Shane." She said as T-Dog took off down the road. No one said a thing until they realized he wasn't going towards the highway.
" Turn around." Layla said. " Daryl said to go to the highway."
" I know what he said." T-Dog said.
" Then turn around." Layla said, looking at him.
" Road might be thick with them. I ain't chancing it." He said.
" Daryl is going to expect us to be there, turn around!" Layla ordered. Her voice was raising up in her panic.
" Rick will head there too." Lori spoke up.
" I'm sorry, ladies but I'm not turning around." T-Dog said. At once Layla and Lori started to yelling, getting louder and louder until Layla slammed her hands down on the dashboard.
" Turn this fucking truck around right fucking now or stop it and let me out! I will walk there if I have too!" She yelled. T-Dog looked at her and, seeing her determination, he slammed on his brakes. When the truck was slowed down enough, he did a U-turn and they started towards the highway.
XXXXXX
Layla paced in front of T-Dog's truck while Beth laid across the seat. Lori was crouched down and T-Dog was leaning against it. They were all staring in the direction of the highway. Layla's stomach was upset and she wanted to burst into tears when two cars crested over the small hill. Lori stood up straight and covered her mouth. Layla's heart dropped and she covered her stomach. The baby moved under her hands, making her whine, almost whimper out. When the cars stopped, Rick and Carl stepped out. Carl started running towards Lori. Maggie and Glenn where in the next car. Hershel had been with Rick and Carl.
" Where is Daryl?" Layla asked. Glenn was making his way towards her.
" I didn't see him." He said gently. Layla bit into her lower lip. " I'm sorry, Layla."
" He'll come for me." She said as she nodded. " I know he will."
The group gathered around each other, asking how everyone was and who was lost. Layla was still pacing. Hershel had tried to get her to calm down but she won't hear about it. She would close her eyes and hold her breath. Then let the breath out, look down the road and start to pace again. Hershel went back to the group but kept his eyes on her. After a few more minutes, she stopped by the truck and closed her eyes. Her right hand went to the truck and her left one went to her stomach.
" Hershel!" She called out. The group broke apart and went to her quickly. " Something is wrong!" Hershel cradled her stomach in his hands. He frowned while they waited.
" We need to make her lay down, now. She is having a contraction."
" I can't lay down! I have to wait for Daryl!" She said as she felt herself stating to fall apart. Tears were free falling.
" You need to take care of this baby. If you have it now, it will die." Hershel said.
XXXXXX
Daryl was covered in sweat, from the sleeves of his long sleeve, flannel shirt to his vest as he and Carol sped down the road. He found himself praying that T-Dog went to the highway. He had seen the truck speed away from the screen and he just hoped the man had the sense enough to follow his direction. When he and Carol reached the highway, he slowed down and started walking the bike. His heart dropped when he saw the truck. She was there, his mate was there. Rick and T-Dog were making their way towards Daryl and Carol as he reached them. Daryl shut the bike off and kicked out the kick stand. Rick reached out and the men grasped forearms.
" Layla's in the back of the truck." Rick said quietly.
" Why?" Daryl asked as he and Carol dismounted from the back.
" She's having some contractions." Rick said. Daryl looked to the truck and frowned.
" Baby comin?" He asked.
" Hershel doesn't think right now but if they don't stop, we could have a problem. She needs to see you." Rick said.
They dropped arms and started towards the truck. Daryl's heart was in his throat and his steps were heavy. He didn't know what to expect and he was scared. As he started around to the back of the truck, he could hear her trying to take breaths as she cried. Panic and fear, feelings he knew well from his childhood, were starting through him. Layla was laying in the center of the truck. Hershel was on her right side, rubbing her arm and holding her hand. Lori was on her left, holding her hand. They were both talking quietly to her.
Daryl's hand came to rest against the bed of the truck, making them all jump and look at him. A fresh round of tears started down Layla's face as he walked. He had locked eyes with her. His hand slid down the truck bed while he moved. No one would say anything. Daryl pulled himself into the bed so Lori stood up. Daryl was frowning as he passed Lori who was walking down to the truck. He crouched down and took a hold of Layla's left hand in his right. His left hand came to rest against her stomach. He was well aware that everyone was staring at him and waiting for him to talk. He looked up and met Hershel's eyes then looked down at Layla.
" That's enough now." He said, quietly. " That's enough with the tears."
" You made it." She said softly.
" Told you I'd be here. Ain't no need for that cryin. Time to calm down now." He said. Layla clamped her mouth together to hold in the sob as she nodded.
" The contractions aren't bad but we need to keep her down for a little bit." Hershel said. " Her water didn't break and I don't think as of right now the contractions have done anything but we still need to be careful." Daryl looked at him and nodded.
" Then that's what she does." Daryl said. He looked down at her as he rubbed her stomach. " You hear that? You gonna lay here til Hershel tells you otherwise. Gotta keep the baby safe." She squeezed his hand and nodded again. Daryl continued to rub her while he looked up at Rick. " What's the plan, Boss?"
They decided to spend the rest of the night in the woods but knew they needed to move away from the road. Although it seemed that Layla's contractions had completely stopped, no one wanted to take any changes. She moved to the end of the truck then slipped into Daryl's arms. He carried her, fireman style to Rick's car. Rick opened the trunk and Daryl climbed into the back of the station wagon. He laid her down gently and asked Rick a few minutes of privacy with her. The group was milling around as Rick walked away.
" You feelin better?" He asked. She nodded. " Shit," he breathed out as he shook his head, " you gotta be careful, Layla. I ain't gonna let you lose this baby."
" I got scared. You weren't coming." Layla said.
" I was comin! You just got impatient!" He said so sharply that Layla pulled away. " I ain't gonna lose you or this baby, you hear me? I ain't, so you need to get your ass in check and keep it there!"
Without another word Daryl left her to go to his bike. Layla watched him as he walked away. The tension in his shoulders was tight. She took a deep, shaky breath. She couldn't be mad at him. Daryl was experiencing things she knew he had never experienced before. He was scared, she could see it. He was scared and worried about her and the baby. Layla started to smile in the dark as she wiped her tears away. If he was feeling that, it meant he cared about her. Layla closed her eyes and covered her stomach. He cared about her and their baby.