Existing hearts
Chapter 20
Hey guys! I hope you are all okay! All of the writing that you are about to read comes from my heart! So please enjoy and I hope I did this all justice...
Layla watches as Daryl walks out the cellblock with Hershel and her father. They had spent the night talking about their baby and how Layla would be the one to tell their family, meaning Rick, Merle, and Carl. The rest of their family they would tell together. She smiles and then scans the room for her brother and Merle. She needed to tell them both; they were direct family to this baby after all. She would tell her father later, it was best to tell him alone. She spots Carl quickly but a soft hand touches her shoulder and turns her around. Carol's eyes meet Layla.
''Is it true?'' She asks.
Layla glares at her. ''Is what true?'' She asks.
Carol directs her gaze towards Layla's stomach. ''That you're having a baby.'' She states.
Layla sighs and ducks her head. ''You were in your cell weren't you?'' She asks but she already knows the answer.
Carol nods. ''Layla what are you going to do?'' She asks.
Layla glares at her. ''You already know you were listening to mine and Daryl's private conversation, now if you will excuse me I'm going to talk to my brother about this.'' She says coldly walking away.
She didn't mean to be a bitch but Carol shouldn't have been listening to their conversation, it was private she had told Daryl he was going to be dad and she was listening. Layla was angry, but she brushes it off as she sits by her brother.
He smiles at her. ''What's up Layla?'' He asks.
Layla takes his hand. ''Now I don't want you too shout or be angry but there will be another member joining our family soon.'' She stutters.
Carl looks at her confused. ''You're having a baby?'' He asks.
Layla nods her head. ''Yeah Carl your sisters having a baby.'' She says squeezing his hands.
Carl's face suddenly turns sad. ''But what if you... Like mum.'' He stutters out.
Layla brings Carl into a hug. ''I'm not going anywhere, your sister will give birth to this baby and I will still be here after.'' She says.
Carl pulls out of her embrace. ''You best keep that promise; I'm not losing you as well. I thought I did once...'' He can't finish.
Layla runs a hand through his hair. ''I know.'' She says. ''So what do you think? You're gonna be an Uncle.'' She says with a smile.
Carl smiles widely back. ''Cool, Uncle Carl.'' He says.
Layla laughs. ''Yeah Uncle Carl.'' She swoons. ''You can't tell daddy though, leave him to me.'' She instructs.
Carl nods his head. ''What about everyone else?'' He asks.
Layla shakes her head. ''Not yet.'' She says before standing up and walking away from Carl.
She walks out into the courtyard to find Merle walking around with her father close behind. She signals Merle over and he follows her towards where she is standing.
''Can we talk?'' She asks.
Merle nods. ''Sure little lady.'' He says.
Layla crosses her arms over her chest. ''You're all for family right?'' She asks.
Merle nods. ''I'll do anything for my brother.'' He says.
Layla nods. ''What if your brother had a child?'' She asks.
Merle looks at her confused for a second before his expression becomes serious. ''My little brother knock you up?'' He asks.
Layla nods. ''Yeah I'm having his baby.'' She says.
Merle smiles. ''Well congratulations. Extending the kin even when the worlds gone to shit.'' He swoons.
Layla smiles. ''Can't help it, humans have needs and my timing has never been the best.'' She says.
Merle laughs. ''Don't I know it little lady. Now there's something I gotta do, now look after that kin of mine.'' He says touching her shoulder sympathetically.
Layla smiles at him. ''I will Merle don't worry.'' She says.
He then points at her. ''That's apart of me too. I protect my kin, that baby is going to have a family that isn't going to let anything happen to it. Uncle Merle got ya back sweetheart.'' He says with a cheeky grin.
Layla keeps the smile on her face. ''Look after ya self Uncle Merle. Come talk later?'' She asks.
Merle nods. ''Of course sweetheart, just got some business first. Look out for my brother alright.'' He says.
Layla nods. ''I always do, see ya later.'' She says turning around and beginning to walk away.
Merle watches her. ''Oh little lady, keep my brother and that baby safe.'' He mutters under his breath before heading towards the generator room.
Layla then walks towards the door of the cell-block but is stopped when she sees Daryl come around the corner.
She walks towards him and stops. ''Hey baby.'' She says.
Daryl smirks. ''Hey, you seen Merle around?'' He asks.
Layla nods. ''Yeah he went that way.'' She says pointing towards when she saw Merle walk. ''I told him about the baby.'' She says.
Daryl smiles. ''And?'' He asks.
Layla shrugs. ''Seemed ok with it, says it's his kin, which it is so.'' She says.
Daryl nods his head. ''You told Carl and ya dad?'' He asks.
Layla sighs. ''Still gotta tell dad, but Carol knows now too, she was listening to our entire conversation the nosy witch.'' Layla says bitterly.
Daryl just shakes his head. ''Not like she ain't gonna know soon.'' He says.
Layla shrugs again. ''Don't care she shouldn't have been listening to our private conversation.'' She says.
Daryl just glares at her. ''All right enough of the bitching. Michonne's got an idea to clear some of the walkers out, you in?'' He asks.
Layla smiles. ''I would but ya'll are all out here which means my dad's inside alone, time to tell him he's gonna be a granddad.'' She says shakily.
Daryl kisses her on the forehead. ''You want me with you?'' He asks.
Layla smiles up at him. ''No, just father and daughter will be fine, you go help Michonne with her idea.'' She says.
Daryl nods. ''All right.'' He says brushing a hand across her stomach. ''I can't wait till this starts growing.'' He says.
Layla laughs. ''Still a while till that, now go I'll see you later.'' She says kissing him quickly.
Daryl smiles at her walking away, dam he loved that woman so much. Merle was happy with the baby that's all that mattered to him. However, in a sense he still wanted his brother back. The way he was before the governor got into his head.
Layla walks into the cellblock and finds her dad sat down by the guns they had collected. He smiles at her and offers her to sit down.
''How's my Layla today?'' He asks.
Layla smiles. ''A lot better.'' She says.
Rick smiles at his daughter. ''Good.'' He says.
Layla begins to twiddle her thumbs. ''Actually daddy we found out the reason I've been feeling sick.'' She says.
Rick looks at her with interest. ''Oh and what is it?'' He asks.
Layla takes a deep breath and dips her head. ''I'm pregnant.'' She whispers.
Rick looks at her stunned. ''What?'' He asks even though he'd heard his daughter's words clearly.
''You're gonna be a granddad.'' She says.
Rick takes a shaky breath. ''A granddad? Really Layla!'' He shouts.
Layla jumps. ''Daddy I'm sorry, it's a complete surprise, I never expected to get pregnant.'' She says.
Rick scoffs. ''Oh Layla, how could and Daryl be so stupid? Oh honey.'' He snaps.
Layla begins to sop. ''Daddy please, this is going to be alright. Just think a baby daddy, a little baby.'' She says.
Rick slams his fist into the table. ''Yeah a baby that could kill you! Just like Judith took your mother's life.'' He says.
Layla sighs. ''I've already talked to Hershel about that, my hips are definitely wider than mama's he said the baby's head should be able to fit through my pelvis.'' She says.
Rick looks at her relieved. ''But you're still gonna have a baby, are you ready for that?'' He asks.
Layla nods. ''No ones ever ready for a baby daddy, I'm going to be fine.'' She says.
Rick nods and puts a hand on Layla's cheek. ''Oh my baby girl is growing up. You're having a baby.'' He says.
Layla nods. ''Yeah I'm having a baby.'' He says.
Rick kisses her on her forehead. ''Now baby you go and rest.'' He says.
Layla laughs. ''I'm only like 2 weeks gone daddy.'' She says.
Rick glares at her and points towards the cellblock. ''Go and rest!'' He demands.
Layla groans and stomps up the stairs and then lies down in her bed and falls into a heavy sleep.
/
When she awakes everyone seems to be in the cellblock, she looks at everyone and then walks out into the courtyard where she sees Daryl walking towards the gate.
''Where the hell you going?'' she shouts.
Daryl looks at her with a glare. ''To find Merle, he took Michonne to the governor on Rick's orders. Ricks changed his mind so I'm gonna get um.'' He shouts back.
Layla looks at him shocked; her daddy was really going to turn Michonne into the governor? She feels a sickness in her stomach and not due to the baby. ''I'm coming with you!'' She exclaims.
Daryl shakes his head. ''No ya ain't! Stay here!'' He shouts.
Layla runs up to him. ''You have no opinion! She's the reason I survived through the winter to get back to you and our family. I'm coming with you!'' She snaps as she reaches him.
Daryl groans. ''Fine but ya stay close.'' He says.
Layla nods. ''Always.'' She says with a small smile.
Daryl shakes his head; damn this woman had him whipped sometimes. ''But if ya get tired tell me! You're not far-gone, anything can happen to that baby.'' He says.
Layla nods. ''I know.'' She says.
''All right come on we gotta move.'' He says.
Once they are out of the prison, they both fall silent, Daryl with his crossbow aimed at all times and Layla with her knife pointed ready to strike. She keeps her hip connected to Daryl as they walk through the woods. Layla doesn't let her mind wander to how cruel her daddy was being to Michonne. Michonne had become one of her closest companions and she couldn't believe that her daddy would be so willing to hand her over. She didn't know about the plan but she knew why the governor would want her, she took out his eye and killed his zombie daughter. Then she spots Michonne just a little down the road.
''Hey Daryl there she is.'' She says pointing to Michonne.
They both run towards her. ''Where's Merle?'' Layla asks.
''Hey! Where's my brother? You kill him?'' Daryl asks coming up beside Layla.
Michonne looks at the couple. ''He let me go.'' She says.
Layla and Daryl both look at her sharply for a moment. ''Don't let anybody come after us.'' He says as they both run past Michonne.
They run the rest of the way towards where Rick and the governor met two days earlier. They walk in slowly and Layla looks around and see's walkers eating two people on the ground and she recognizes one of them instantly. Her eyes instantly fill with tears.
''NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!'' She screams running towards the two walkers stabbing them both in the head and shoving one of the lifeless body beneath it.
It's Chris her best friend. Layla puts her hands on his face as he looks at her with lifeless eyes. Daryl comes up behind her and touches her shoulder.
''This is my best friend, he was in Woodbury and now he's... He's dead.'' Layla stutters out.
Daryl looks at the boy in Layla's arms. ''Beautiful I'm so sorry.'' He says softly.
''He's gone. Both of my best friends are gone, both taken by these disgusting things.'' She sobs, the tears causing hyperventilation.
Daryl puts his arms around her and Layla sinks into him and sobs. ''Come on we gotta go find Merle.'' He whispers soothingly in her ear.
Layla looks at him and nods. ''Ok can you just give me a second with him please.'' She says.
Daryl nods. ''Of course I'll wait for you.'' He says kissing her head.
''Thank you.'' She whispers.
Layla leans over Chris' body and notices that there is nothing in his head, showing he could turn at any moment. She shakily lifts her knife and stab Chris clean in the forehead sobbing throughout.
''Oh Chris this is my entire fault I never should have left you at Woodbury. I'm so sorry.'' She says coming down and sobbing into the crook of his neck not caring about the bloody now soaking her clothing. She clings to him thankful that she saw him again and they were able to reconnect somehow.
Daryl watches her, this was the Layla he saw when she found out Lori had died, she was broken, and there was nothing he could do. He watches as she lift herself off her best friend, she kisses him on the cheek carefully and then places her knife back in it's holder before whipping her tears away and joining Daryl. She looked a mess but he could tell she didn't care. She gives Daryl a weak smile and urges them on walking ahead. She hears the clunk of Daryl's bow as he takes out a walker. They press on still looking for Merle.
They both stop as they see a walker eating a boy who looks oddly familiar, but Layla cannot place him. Then the walker looks familiar, Layla looks back at Daryl with horror, and then the walker looks at them both. Layla's legs buckle instantly, she falls to the floor, and she hears Daryl sobbing behind her. The walker that used to be Merle stumbles over the boy's corpse and Daryl steps forward still sobbing Layla can't reach out to him she frozen on the floor sobbing also. This man may have been an asshole but he was her friend. The Uncle to her unborn baby. Her heart was breaking and she could feel Daryl's breaking too. She watches as in grief Daryl pushes his brother backwards and then shoves him to the floor stabbing him continuously in the head.
Layla then begins to move towards Daryl as he steps back from Merle's body and cries lying on his back in the grass. She shakily takes his hand and is surprised as Daryl squeezes it. Layla moves behind him and wraps her arms around his neck tightly as they both sob, mourning the loss of Merle and on Layla's part her best friend also. Then Daryl tenderly kisses Layla's hand letting tears slip onto his fingers and continues to sob. They needed to hold each other and not let one another go. They'd both lost their kin. A person that had a big impact on their lives.
Well I hope you like it my dears, all from the heart. Thank you all so much for the reviews, follows, and favourites! You guys are awesome and I can't thank you enough! Love you all, Vmk-xx.