Megan Grimes, thirty two years old and pregnant with her first child. It should be a happy time for her but instead she's fighting to survive with her sister in law and nephew. What happens when Daryl becomes overly protective of the mother to be?
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"We can't waste the gas Merle! Either let Daryl drive you on the bike or get rid of it." Rick said sternly.
It had been a week since they were forced to run from the farm after the herd of walker attacked. Merle refused to give up his bike even though he couldn't ride it.
"Just let Daryl ride it and you can ride with me and Sophia." Carol said softly.
Merle sighed. "Fine!" He grumbled.
Daryl smirked and began taking the bike off the back if the truck.
"Anyone would think you wanted to get away from me!" Megan joked as she approached Daryl. She was rubbing her arms, trying to warm up for the cold air that was hitting the group directly. They'd had to stop on yet another dreaded highway to gather gas and supplies.
The last week had consisted of the group jumping from place to place trying to survive and keep out of the reach of walkers.
They knew somewhere safe needed to be found soon now that there was two women pregnant in the group. Megan's bump seemed to have popped over night making the situation more real and Lori was always off throwing up whatever little food she had eaten.
"Just want my space." He shrugged.
"I know." She smiled.
She shivered slightly and Daryl noticed.
"You should be looking for some clothes to wear, your going to need bigger and thicker..be freezing if not." He explained.
"Yeah, I know." She nodded. "Can I talk to you first though?" She asked.
He nodded. "Sure. I'm guess away from those?" He asked referring to the group.
She nodded and they walked off to some parked up cars far enough away from the group that they couldn't hear the conversation but was still in sight.
"So what's up? Not the baby is is?" He asked concerned.
"No..well yes it could be."
His eyes widened. "Should I get Hershel?"
"No, no, please just hear me out."
He calmed slightly and nodded.
"Can you remember when I found that baby walker?" She asked.
He nodded.
"Didn't you notice that it wasn't bit or scratched?" She asked.
"It must have been, how else would it have turned."
She paused and let out a deep breath. "Whatever it is." She paused. "whatever this virus is, we all have it. It doesn't matter if you get bitten or scratched, you could die in your sleep from natural causes and come back as one of them."
"And you didn't think to tell anyone?" He snapped getting the attention of the others. "How long have you known?"
"For sure since the CDC but I guess when we found that baby." She confessed.
Some of the group had made their way over. "What's going on?" Carol asked.
Megan looked at Rick and he knew it was time to tell everyone.
"I have something to tell you all." Rick said gathering up the others.
"What?" Lori asked.
"Dr Jenner, he told Megan that you don't need to be scratched or bit to turn into a walker." Rick explained.
Everyone looked at Megan. "What do you mean?" Beth asked.
"We all have it. Whatever it is that changes you is in us all. Whether we die naturally or by a bite." Megan explained.
"And you kept this to yourself? Both of you?" Carol snapped.
And that's when the arguing began. Everyone was glaring angrily at Rick and Megan including Daryl. She had told him because she believed he would understand why she kept it to herself but she had been wrong.
No one spoke to her as they set up camp in the woods. She sat alone as dinner was cooked and Carol angrily passed her a plate of food. Megan was surprised to see Merle trying to calm Carol down and gave Megan a short nod when he looked over at her.
Megan wasn't surprised that some of them were angry and upset but she was surprised when some wanted to leave the group. As Rick argued his case Megan went in search for Daryl who was on watch.
She found him pacing near by.
"Daryl?" She called getting his attention.
He looked back at her, huffed and continued pacing.
She stepped in his path almost causing them both to fall over.
"What do you think your doing?" He hissed.
"I came to apologise!"
"Whatever." He muttered tuning away from her.
"I'm sorry, really sorry, I didn't know how I was suppose to tell anyone. I thought I could trust you to give me some idea on how to tell everyone. I didn't expected you to be so mean about it."
He said nothing. She thought he was ignoring her so she began walking ways rubbing her arms.
"I told you to find some clothes. Do you ever listen?" He asked.
She turned back to him. "Sorry."
He sighed bad approached her. "Stop saying sorry too." He snapped.
"Sor-okay." She chuckled slightly.
"In my rucksack there's a bigger shirt. Still has sleeves. Put that on." He ordered.
She nodded. "Thank you Daryl." She said. She surprised him by hugging him. He tensed slightly but surprised her too when he wrapped his arms around her. It was probably the most awkward looking hug but it made Megan feel better.
"See you later." She said as she pulled away. "Stay safe."
"You too." He replied.
He watched her leave back to camp before turning back to watch for walkers.
Megan found Daryl's bad by a tree. She grabbed it and started rummaging inside.
"What you doing with my brothers stuff mama?" Merle asked. She had to chuckle at the nickname he had given her and now Lori.
"He gave me permission." She answered. "Ask him is you don't believe me. Ah ha!" She grinned as she pulled out the long sleeve shirt.
Merle muttered something to himself before heading over to Daryl.
Megan slipped the large shirt over her head. It was way to big even when her bump grew more it would probably still be baggy on her small frame but it was better than the small sleeve top she had on underneath.
Merle approached Daryl and offered him a cigarette.
"Thanks." Daryl muttered in reply.
"Letting her wear you clothes now?" Merle asked nodding back at Megan.
Daryl looked over and then back to Merle. "She was cold." Daryl shrugged.
Merle chuckled and nodded. "You ain't got a thing for her have you?" He asked.
"A thing? Shes my friend, that's it." Daryl answered and instantly wanted to slap himself in the face.
"Oh a friend?" Merle grinned. "Since when did you have friends?" He asked chuckling.
Daryl sighed and looked over at the group. "Since shit hit the fan. Anyway you can't talk, I've seen you getting close to Carol."
"Yeah, well..." He replied not elaborating.
A few more days past before the group found themselves in a large house surrounded by the woods. They cleared out the two walkers that roamed around inside the house and checked the parameter before checking for supplies and starting a fire.
"Who's swapping places with Glenn?" Rick asked after dinner.
"I will." Megan announced.
"No!"Rick and Daryl said together.
"Please. I've spent so much time outside that being stuck inside is making me feel Ill." She explained.
"Fine but only for an hour or two." Rick said.
She grinned. "Great." She replied.
She headed outside and found Glenn stood by the fence watching the tree line.
"Hey Glenn, I've come to take over." Megan said cheerfully.
"Really?" He asked.
"Yeah."
He nodded and handed her the rifle, he leant in closer to whisper in her ear. "Be careful, I've felt like someone's been watching me. I'm going to inform Rick now. See what he has to say."
She nodded and watched him leave before checking the perimeter.
As she returned back to the spot she had relived Glenn from she too felt like she was being watched. She looked around but saw nothing.
Rick hadn't come out to tell her to come inside so she assumed he wasn't worried about what Glenn had told him so continued walking around every few minutes before stopping in the same place and still having the feeling of being watched.
When she got to the back of the house she heard the gravel crunch behind her. Before she even had the time to turn around and see who was coming she had a hand cover her mouth.
She dropped the rifle which shot a bullet from the impact.
Her hands grabbed at the large hand covering her mouth trying to pull him away as she was dragged from the house and thrown over the fence onto her stomach. She groaned in pain and tried to shout for Rick.
She saw the figure briefly before being pulled to her feet and dragged into the tree line. She couldn't see who it was. She kicked her feet half into her abductors shins but it did nothing instead her hair got pulled forcefully and the hand pressed against her mouth and nose restricting her breathing.
In the distance see could hear Rick and Daryl shouting her name. She tried to shout out to them when the hand was removed but was pushed into the back of a jeep. Another person sat in the back. A man. He grabbed her hands and handcuffed them before the other man got into the jeep and began driving away.
She was about to scream at those who took her demanding to know what was happening but instead she got a piece of cloth forced into her mouth and tied around the back of her head.
She looked out the back of the car window just in time to see the torches of Rick and Daryl's flashing as they attempted to chase the jeep.
She closed her eyes and prayed they wouldn't hurt her or her baby. She also hoped that when she was pushed into her stomach it hadn't harmed the baby. For all she knew she could be slowly dying right now before turning into a walker because her baby had died inside her.
Glenn had returned to the group explaining that he thought they were being watched.
Rick dismissed it and put it down to being jumpy in new places although he did stand by the window and watch Megan return back around each time she circled the house.
That was until he heard the rifle shot.
He and Daryl darted outside as quickly as they could.
Daryl easily picked up the sounds of muffled cries and followed them around the back of the house. He and Rick shouted for Megan trying to find out where she was. Was It a walker that had got her or another survivor? Either was she was in danger.
Movement caught Daryl's eye and he pushedRick towards the fence and into the tree line.
Rick fell causing Daryl to stop and help him up, briefly he lost site of Megan until he heard a car engine. They followed quickly until they reached a dirt track.
They ran after the jeep until they couldn't see it anymore but even then they were reluctant to give up.
Neither knew what to do or where to begin looking for her.
Why would they take her and only her? Why not Glenn, he had been on watch longer? Did they know she was pregnant and not as strong? So many questions ran through the men's minds.
They headed back to the house and delivered the bad news.
Rick was feeling guilty.
"I shouldn't have let her go."
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The next chapter will be focused solely on Megan and where she is and who took her.
Let me know what you think of this chapter.
Thank you for reading.
Frankie.