"Momma, I miss Cheetos…and cake…chocolate cake…" Gavin said, swinging his legs back and forth while sitting on the bed and petting Dug, who was laying his head on Gavin's lap.
"Honey, you're making me hungry," Marie said, patting her now large stomach with a small smile. She was now eight months along and quite large.
"Do ya want me to go getcha something?" he offered.
"That's okay," she said. "Besides, it's your birthday." Gavin only shrugged. It didn't feel like his birthday. This was his second year in a row having to celebrate his birthday in the apocalypse. "I know, it's not the best, and we can't really do much celebrating…and I'm sorry, it's hard, I know."
"It's okay," he gave her his best brave smile. "When's Daryl gonna be back?" Gavin had been sometimes calling Daryl by his name, and sometimes calling him 'dad' or 'daddy'.
"I'm not sure. Soon hopefully." Daryl had left yesterday morning on a run with Glenn, an ex army combat medic named Bob Stookley, and a few other people. They were mostly after medical supplies, something that they'd always need. They had left towards Macon.
"Maybe he'll bring cake," Gavin said halfheartedly.
"Maybe," Marie said. She felt bad, not being able to give him a party, or a celebration. That was one of the hardest parts of all of this. Then, a feeling of dread washed over her. She knew that this new baby would never get to have a birthday party, or Christmas…or anything like that! It was sad and unfortunate how the kids of the apocalypse would have to grow up. "I know, why don't we go down to the gym and you can play with the other kids?"
"Momma, yer not 'possed to walk down the stairs 'less ya have to," he replied. "Laura said."
"Well you can go play. You don't have to stay up here with me."
"I want to," he insisted.
"But I'm boring." Gavin shook his head.
"I don't want ya to be alone."
"Don't worry 'bout me, sweetie. If you wanna go play, go ahead." He shook his head again.
"I wanna stay with ya, 'least 'til Daryl comes back."
"Okay, I can't say I'll be much fun…but if that's what you-" she paused for a moment. "Give me your hand," she told him. He obliged and Marie placed his hand on her stomach. "Feel that?"
He stood quickly and looked panicked. "What was that!?"
"The baby kicked," she stated with a small smile. "You have to be quiet though, you'll scare it."
"It can hear me?" he asked, astonished.
"Yeah."
"Can I talk to it?" Marie nodded, with a slight smile. "Hi there my brother or sister. Dis is Gavin. I'm your big brother. I want ya to get here a'ready so we can play!" She found herself laughing quietly. "Yer lucky 'cause yer gonna have two of the best parents ever!" Gavin looked up at his mother. "What does it say?"
"I don't know…It won't be able to talk for another year."
"A year?" he asked. Marie nodded.
"Can we look through some of the old pictures?" he asked.
"Sure, pick one out."
"Let's get this shit and go, I wanna get back," Daryl said to the group. They had successfully gathered everything useful from the hospital from Macon. They weren't sure how, but the area was mostly empty. They were in luck.
"Me too," Glenn agreed. He hated being away from Maggie for any amount of time. Which, is how he assumed Daryl felt. This run was really for Marie, she would be having the baby in a couple of weeks and Daryl wanted to make sure that they had everything that they'd need. That's way Bob had come with them. He may not have ever delivered a baby but Laura gave him a list and he knew what everything was. Out of nowhere, they heard a woman's scream about two blocks away, and a few gun shots. "What should we do?" Glenn asked Daryl.
He sighed and hopped onto his bike. "Let's go help 'er." He was mad at this woman for her stupidity, but he wouldn't feel right just leaving her. Glenn and the others hopped into the other vehicle and followed Daryl's motorcycle. He pulled around the corner and four a woman and a little girl who looked no more than eleven or twelve. He was glad that he'd come back now. Although, he knew that there was only one open seat in the car-the reason he'd opted for his bike. He shot one of the ten walkers that were gathering, as the rest of their group followed his lead. As soon as they all had fallen, he put the kickstand out and stood, making his way over to the two newcomers. "Y'all can come back with us," he offered. They still hadn't turned around. "We ain't gonna hurt ya."
"Daryl?" the woman asked, turning around. Her blonde hair was in a mess of a bun on top of her head, but her brown eyes were as kind as ever.
"Jenna?" he asked, stunned. He made his way over to the blonde and the dark haired child. "Who's this?" Just by seeing the little girl's face though, he knew. She had curly dark hair and bright blue eyes.
"Amanda Julia Dixon."
"Aunt Marie?" Carl's voice asked, as he made his way to the doorway. She looked up at her nephew from the photo album she was showing Gavin.
"Is there anything I can get you? You're okay, aren't you?"
"I'm fine, Carl. Although, I wouldn't mind a little help getting outside…it's kinda stuffy in here."
"Sure. I'll go get my dad or somebody."
"Thanks," she replied. With Gavin, she could walk just fine, he was a pretty small baby, but this time around, it was difficult to even stand on her own. Carl returned a moment later with Judd in tow. "Are you sure you can lift me?" she asked him.
"Oh you can't be that heavy," he said with a smile.
"I think my dad is helping Michonne with something," Carl said.
"So what is it that I need to do?" Judd asked.
"Um, just help me stand and then kinda be my crutch…usually Daryl does this but well he's not here."
"Okay, no problem," he gently pulled her to her feet and then helped her down the steps and out to the courtyard, all the while Gavin and Carl on their trail. She sat on one of the benches someone had built. "Anything else?"
"Nope. I'm good, thanks." He nodded and returned into the prison. "Where's Soph?"
"She's helpin' with lunch," Carl explained.
"Oh." That sat for a while, a few hours, just talking. It wasn't about anything or anybody in particular, but it passed the time. Although, a few moments later, a rumble of a motorcycle drew all of their attention. Marie looked up with anticipation, and was pleasantly surprised when she saw her blue-eyed redneck drive up. But, her heart dropped when she saw blonde hair flowing behind him and hands on his midsection. When he sent a smile, a genuine smile her way, her stomach did a flip for the most pleasant of reasons.
He stepped off of the bike and quickly made his way over to her. He held out his hands, an offer to pull her to her feet, which she accepted. "I missed ya so much. That was jus' too long," he pulled her in for a tender kiss. "Yer okay? The baby's okay?"
"We're both fine," she assured him. "Did you find new people?" she asked, gesturing to the blonde and a dark haired little girl making their way towards them.
"Ya. Jenna, this is my girl Marie," Daryl said to the blonde. "Marie, Jenna, an' this is Jenna's lil' girl, Amanda."
"Hello," Marie smiled, relaxing a little. The girl was clearly quite a few years older than her, so maybe things would be okay.
"Daryl, you didn't tell me she was pregnant," Jenna said, like they were old friends. "How far along are you?"
"Eight months," Marie replied. "Approximately."
"Who are you?" Gavin asked, butting into the group.
"I'm Jenna," she said, bending down to his level. "And what's your name, cutie?"
"I ain't cute," he crossed his hands across his chest. "My name's Gavin."
"Well it's nice to meet you, Gavin. This is my daughter, Amanda." He stepped closer to his mother, unsure of the new people. "You didn't tell me you had a son, either," she said to Daryl.
"Gavin, sweetie, why don't you go show Amanda around?" Marie said to her son. She wanted to know who this chick was and if she was just really friendly or if she knew Daryl.
"But momma-"
"Just for a few minutes, please? You can show her the gym and all of the other kids…"
"Fine," he sighed.
"Be good, Amanda," Jenna warned her daughter.
"So, do you two know each other…or?" Marie asked, trying to sound casual. Daryl, of course, picked up on her sudden mood change and wrapped an arm around her and kissed her cheek.
"Oh Jeez, how may years have I known you?" Jenna asked with a smile. "We met when I was twenty-three? I was a waitress at this bar he and Merle used to go to…"
"Ya, I was twenty-one-"
"That would've made you, what? Five?" Jenna asked, all the while a smile on her face.
"Um no, I was thirteen," Marie replied, a slight acidity in her tone. She didn't like the vibe she was getting from the other woman.
"So that little boy, he's not Daryl's, is he?"
"And what if he was?"
"Then I'd say you're a lying ass whore."
"Excuse me?" Marie looked at her stunned.
"Whoa, the hell, Jenna?" Daryl looked at the woman he thought he knew stunned.
"What, it's true. That boy don't look a damn bit like you or her, for that matter."
"I'm gonna go," Marie said, turning to leave. She didn't want to get into a fight with the other woman, or even an argument. The baby needed a calm environment and if her heart rate quickened, so would its.
"Lemme help ya," Daryl offered, knowing the difficulty she had walking and especially with the stairs that led to their cell.
"I'll be fine, stay out her and talk to your friend."
"I don't wanna. I wanna talk to you," he said, refusing to leave her side. She sighed and nodded before kissing his cheek.
"I missed you too, y'know? Don't go on anymore runs that require me to sleep alone, okay?" he smiled.
"A'right. Not like I sleep much with ya anyway. With all yer tossin' an' turnin'."
"'Cause yer baby can't sit still," she said.
Jenna was slightly taken aback. The last time she saw Daryl he was so…different. He didn't talk, and he certainly didn't kiss girls on the cheek, or wrap his arms around them just for the sake of it. She couldn't help but to think that this new Daryl Dixon was being wasted on some girl that was lying to him.
Later that night, Marie was alone in her cell-she'd complained of being tired and decided to go ahead and turn in. Daryl was playing poker with Gavin and some of the other kids, which was what he wanted. She was reading one of the books Maggie and Glenn had found on a run a few weeks back, it was nice to just relax with a good book. It made things seem less strange. There was a knock on the bars of the door and she didn't bother looking up from her book, instead she just called, "Come in."
"Daryl told me that your son isn't his, and that he knew that…I shouldn't of said that earlier." Marie looked up, folding the corner of her page down and closing the book.
"You shouldn't have," Marie agreed. "It was very rude and uncalled for. I hadn't done a thing to you."
"I know. Maybe I was a little jealous. I mean I did know the man for seventeen years…But it was rude."
"I accept your apology and I'd appreciate you not saying anything along those lines in the future," she was trying to stay calm, and not cause a change in heart rate.
"So Daryl really trusts you, doesn't he?" she nodded. "Loves you even?" she nodded again. But, Marie had a bad feeling about where this conversation was going. "Well, that makes me wonder if he told you who Amanda's dad is…"
"Who is Amanda's dad?" Marie asked, humoring her.
"So he didn't tell you?" she was silent. This was not sitting right with her. Whether she liked it or not, her heart started beating so loud, she could hear the constant noise in her ears. "I'll take that as a now. Strange though…I thought he would've…" with that, Jenna turned and left.
There's no way, Marie thought. There was no way that Amanda was Daryl's kid…was it just her or was that what Jenna was suggesting? Although, she had to admit, there were some similarities between her blue-eyed man and the little girl. They had similar dark hair and they both had those bright blue eyes…But she didn't see why he'd lie to her. She wouldn't be mad if he told her. Clearly any of that happened before her, and if Jenna had done the same thing Marie had, Daryl probably didn't even know until today! She decided she was going to get to the bottom of this, no matter what.
AN: Please review :)