Merle placed his hand over Andrea's stomach and looked over at her as they sat on the porch swing together the next day. They had gotten home late and slept in and as far as they knew Daryl was still asleep after skyping with Allie for an hour and a half the night before.

They were both off because it was Sunday and just enjoying the day together. Daryl had been feeling well, and Andrea wasn't morning sick at all.

Life was beautiful these days for all of them, once Daryl and Allie could start dating for real, everything would fall into place. He was moping around a little, but he wasn't sick, and that was a blessing. Soon things would be different for him, and Merle hoped he'd be as happy as he was.

"Can you feel anything yet?" He asked.

"Not yet. Probably not for a while," Andrea sighed, "I guess law school is gonna have to wait."

"No way baby, you're still going," Merle said emphatically, "I'll take this boy to work."

"What if it's a girl?"

"Then she's gonna learn how to rebuild an engine," Merle said with a smile.

Andrea took his hand, he was the finest man she had ever known, it had taken a few years for them to figure it out but it was done now. They were a perfect example of how good things came to those who waited.

"Merle you are going to be an amazing father," She said, "I know this was a surprise but…"

"Hey," He said giving her a sweet kiss, "I love surprises, and thank you, my sweet love, for changing my life."

Daryl came out with a cup of coffee and Merle remarked that he looked like he'd slept for two days. Daryl leaned against the rail of the porch and turned to him.

"I slept like the dead last night," Daryl replied, with a slight quirk to his lip when he remembered skyping with her, "Look like it too I suppose."

"Actually," Andrea said, "You are looking better and better every day."

"It's cause of her little brother, don't you let her get away," Merle said.

"Don't intend to," Daryl said as he sipped his coffee and contemplated yet another day without her.

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Across town, Tara and Allie were deep in conversation, for a long time Tara had been after her to sell Christine. The car was falling apart and broke down on the regular. It had no heat in the winter and no air in the summer, the rear view mirror kept falling down and it squeaked like a mouse whenever you had to turn right.

She held onto it like a Talisman of her past, and Tara saw no need for it. But Tara was a good friend, and she knew not to push.

Allie couldn't seem to do it, before now, but she finally felt like she could move on and let go of the last thing that tethered her heart to Zack.

She would always love him in her own way, he was her first love, her first kiss, her first everything but he was never coming back, and Daryl was there to stay.

"I'm selling Christine," Allie said to Tara as they sat at the table in her kitchen that same morning that Daryl, Merle, and Andrea sat on their porch. They had their ritual coffee together as well, and Tara was listening to her saying how much she missed Daryl.

"I think that's a good idea," Tara replied.

"I feel like it's time," Allie said, "Zack isn't in that car and he was talking about selling it anyway."

Tara observed her talking about Zack; she no longer had that haunted look on her face, the look that said her heart was broken and would never heal. She was healing, thanks to Daryl and Tara thought that was a miracle.

"What kind of car do you want?" Tara asked after the shock wore off.

"I think a jeep."

"I can so see you tooling around in a jeep," Tara said with a laugh, "I love that idea."

Allie smiled, "Me too, a red one."

"Yup," Tara said, "I can see that, let's go trade her in today."

Allie liked that idea, to do something spontaneous and something she should have done long ago. She and Tara were filled with glee as they went and test drove a few Jeeps until she found the one that was right for her.

Within two hours Allie was the proud owner of a 2014 red and black jeep that she named Harley Quinn, they drove home with the top off. Later, she texted Daryl a picture that Tara had taken of her laying across the hood of the jeep, Tara's idea of course.

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Allison sat in the hospital cafeteria the next Friday with Maggie at lunchtime after Daryl and Merle left after his treatment. He had three more treatments to go, just three more weeks and then their lives were going to change forever.

She loved nursing but resigned herself to the fact that maybe it wasn't meant to be, maybe it was time to change everything in her life.

If that was how it had to be, she'd be ready to do it.

Already she and Daryl had talked about living together, either with Merle and Andrea or a place of their own.

It would be out there for everyone to see soon.

"Mags I gotta tell you something," She stopped and regrouped her thoughts, "Ask you something nurse to nurse."

"Ok, shoot," Maggie said.

"I feel so horrible about how I feel," Allie said, looking down at her hands. Maggie knew her well; she was the best nurse Maggie knew, and she was a deep thinker. Whatever this was she knew it weighed heavy on her friend's heart.

"Hey, Allie," Maggie said, "That sounds like your mother talking, how about you tell me if you want to, whatever it is."

"I did something wrong,"

"And you're perfect?" Maggie said, "Whatever it is, I'll still feel the same way as I do right now about you, I promise."

"Promise," Allie said.

"Cross my heart," Maggie said and crossed her heart.

"I want to be with him," Allison said slowly, looking at her good friend and then out the window as Daryl and Merle walked to the parking lot together, "Daryl, I already have."

Maggie gave her a small smile, and her eyes were bright, Allie knew right away she wasn't judging her, although she knew Maggie never would. That wasn't the kind of person she was, but there was something about the twinkle in her eye as she looked at her now.

"Is so terrible?" Allison asked, "Is it too far across the line?"

"Well, that explains it," Maggie giggled.

"What," Allison asked with a shy smile creeping over her face.

"I hear "Let's Get It On" every time you two look at each other," She laughed, "Not even kidding Al; I saw it coming."

"Do you feel like I'm a…"

"I never told you how I met Glenn did I?"

Allison shook her head.

"It was when I was doing public health; I was his mother's nurse, drew her PTINR every Monday and Thursday for weeks, he used to have coffee waiting for me every time I came and one day he asked me out for coffee."

"How did I not know about this?"

"Well, I don't tell a lot of people about that, we have enough grief being an interracial couple," Maggie said.

"Really? It's 2017 for God's sake," Allison said.

"But you're in the deep south girlfriend; it's all different, just tell them you met at the flea market like I tell most people Glenn and I met," She replied.

"You don't hate me?"

"Never," Maggie reached for her hand, "I think you two are cute together."

"People will talk…" Allies said meeting her eyes.

"Yes, they will, until they find someone else to talk about, you do like I do and parade your man all over town, it's like giving all the haters the finger and letting them know you don't care what they think."

"What does the state board say about this?" Allie asked.

"Well, I sure would keep it on the DL until after he's done here, but really, can they regulate who you fall in love with?" Maggie shook her head, "Grab it with both hands and don't let go. That's what I did."