Hey guys! Ugh, I'm so excited that it's October! The weather is awesome, it's my birthday month, Halloween is my second favorite holiday, and of course The Walking Dead comes back on! Squee! Anyways, thanks for the reviews, views, favorites, and follows! I love reviews so please feel free to leave one! Thanks and as always, happy reading!

Chapter 15: Surprises

It had been a month since the meeting and Brooke and Daryl were still on awkward terms. Daryl didn't talk to Michonne, Andrea, or Rick very much because they kept Brooke's pregnancy from him. They knew to keep their distance from Daryl but if they passed him, they would say hello and he would grunt in response. They didn't know how to handle the situation. He would kiss her and talk to her but it wasn't the same as before. He rubbed and talked to her stomach all the time. She wouldn't try to suck up to him because she knew he wouldn't appreciate that. He could tell that Brooke was broken up about her decision. He would hear her cry a lot and he would blame it partially on her hormones but mostly on the situation. They would both go to work, come back, and have some small chit-chat. The truth be told, Daryl missed Brooke. He wanted their lives to go back to the way it was and for her to stop crying. Not because it annoyed him but because it hurt him to know that she was beating herself up for what she did. She would tell herself that she was stupid and how badly she had messed up. He had truly forgiven her even though she didn't know it yet. She realized what she did was awful, well, she realized that a long time ago. She felt how much it hurt him and he had enough of her being hurt. One late night, he felt weight being lifted from the bed and the bedroom door opening then closing. He opened his eyes and Brooke was gone. He walked down the stairs and he saw her on the couch reading What to Expect When You're Expecting that he had gotten her when a group raided a store. He stepped a little louder so she would hear him.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, just couldn't sleep I guess." She replied. "The book says that's what happens at four months." He came and sat down next to her. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him.

"What else?" he asked.

"The baby is about the size of an onion now, its skeleton is hardening right now, and it's forming its fingerprints." She said. "The baby started kicking early according to the book."

"How much earlier?" he asked and she chuckled.

"Don't worry, just a couple of weeks. It's a Dixon so it's going to be a rowdy baby." She said. "Bump has been moving around in my sleep so it's been keeping me awake. The baby actually seems to sleep when I'm at work since I move around so much."

"I love hearing you talk about baby stuff." He said and nuzzled in her hair.

"Really?" she sighed.

"Really." He replied and after a short silence he said the words he'd wanted to say for about two weeks. "I forgive you, Brooke." He felt her body relax in his arms.

"I'm still sorry." She said quietly. "I will-"

"I know. I won't leave you." He said. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." She replied. He turned her around slightly and gave her a kiss. It was one he had been missing for awhile. They stopped and she rested her head on his chest a few happy tears fell from her eyes. "I love you Daryl Dixon." She said.

"I love you Brooke Dixon." He told her and he felt her smile which made him smile.

"So can I ask you a question?" she asked.

"Shoot."

"What do you want to name the baby?" she asked.

"Well, if it's a boy I've always liked the names Dean and Lucas." He admitted.

"I like Dean." Brooke added. "I like it a lot."

"Good cause that one's my favorite." He said and she chuckled. "So what would you want his middle name to be?" she hesitated to answer because she didn't know how he would react.

"Shane." She replied.

"I think that would be great." He said trying to assure her they were okay. He thought it was a good idea to put Shane's name into the boy's name. He knew she probably was thinking about it a lot. "What about for a girl? Would you want to name her Regina?"

"Maybe as a middle name. What about Mary-Anne, after your mother?" she offered and he shook his head.

"You know how I feel about Mom." He said and she nodded. He had never forgiven his mother for leaving him and Merle. He never would either.

"Sorry." She thought for a minute. "Okay, I've always loved the names Samantha. I like the name Josephine too, you know from Little Women."

"I love Samantha." He said.

"Good because that one's my favorite." She said and he chuckled.

"So that means either Dean Shane Dixon or Samantha Regina Dixon." He said. "I love them both, they sound great all together you know. The boy's is nice and strong, like mine." She laughed and he smiled. "The girl's is really sweet too. So, I actually have a surprise for you soon." He said and her head popped up.

"Well what is it?"she asked.

"It's a surprise darlin', you're not supposed to know." He smirked and she rolled her eyes.

"When will I get to see it?" she asked.

"One day when you come home from work it'll be here." He said. "You'll love it, I know you will."

"I can't wait." She said. His hands move to her belly and he rubbed it. "Do you want to have a boy or a girl?"

"Either one is fine." He said.

"Okay sure." She chuckled and he smirked at her.

"I mean it, I'll love it whether it's a boy or a girl." They fell asleep talking on the couch. The next day they both went to work and Becky came into the doctor's office.

"Hey honey!" she greeted.

"So Daryl talked to me last night."

"What happened?" Becky asked.

"He forgave me." She said and Becky smiled.

"Oh honey, that's great." She said. "Just to let you know, doggy style is the most comfortable way."

"Um thanks but I have a feeling we won't be doing that for a while." She said.

"Just letting you know, my sex drive was through the roof when I was pregnant." Becky said.

"Well mine is too." She admitted. "Anyways, how is everything going?"

"Great, everyone is still really happy about this new system. Rick's doing really well as governor." She said.

"Yeah, I knew he would run and win. He'll do us good, I know he will." She said. "Rick says the overseers are doing well too."

"That's what Merle said. No one is trying to sabotage or anything. It's pretty peaceful around here for once." Becky said.

"Okay, listen you have to tell me the truth." Brooke began. "Are you and Merle together or what? You guys are living together I see some hints dropped here and there so what's up?"

"I think we are." She said.

"You think you are?" Brooke repeated.

"Well, I mean we haven't really talked about it." She said.

"Then I think you need to talk to him." Brooke chuckled.

"I know I've just been putting it off." Becky said.

"As you always do." The women laughed. Later that day, Brooke and Herschel were done with work so they both went home. Daryl opened the door for Brooke and she eyed him as she walked in. "Hi." She greeted.

"Alright." He said and covered her eyes. "Took me a month but it's finished. I'll help you up the stairs." They walked up and he opened another door.

"Can I look now?" she giggled.

"Alright, now." He said and removed his hands. Her jaw dropped but she quickly covered it back up. They were in a cream colored room and she saw dark wood furniture. Not just furniture, but baby furniture. He had built the furniture for the baby's room. There was a sleigh style crib, a rocking chair, a changing station, a shelf on the wall, and he had moved a dresser from another room into the room. She chuckled slightly and Daryl smiled. He watched her as she admired the room. He saw one or two tears fall down her cheeks as she looked at the furniture.

"Daryl, it's beautiful." She said. "It's amazing." She kept on praising. She walked over to him and gave him a hug.

"I'm glad you like it." He said.

"I love it." She said softly.

"I think baby Dixon will like it too." He said. "It can be both a boys and a girls room."

"Yeah, I think the baby will like it too." She said. He gave her a kiss and then he rubbed her belly.