Lori looked around the room. "This..is beautiful." She smiled.
Maggie looked around. "You've been living here the whole time?" She looked at Beth.
Beth smiled. "Well the bedroom next door is mine, but yes." She said removing her sword, and placing it beside her. She finished hanging up her armour, and was in jeans, boots and top.
"You're a soldier Beth?" Hershel asked sitting down in a chair, he had left Meredith, and the other children back in Alexandria.
"Well, training." She smiled sitting down. She took a drink of water.
"I see.." Hershel watched her, unsure.
Dixie sat down in a chair and slid off her heels, they ached so much.
Rick looked at Zeke, and sat down.
Zeke took a seat beside Dixie and started rubbing her feet.
Rick watched him for a minute. "How?" He asked looking at Dixie.
Dixie sighed. "Remember when I ran away?" She said softly looking at her dad. "Zeke is the one who took me in, and bought my plane ticket to get home. He also gave me money to rent the car.." She looked at Zeke. "We met in DC." She winced slightly, and he stopped looking at her. "I'm alright." She smiled slightly, then looked at her dad. "He helped me get home."
"So… you are forced into helping him?" Rick said looking at Ezekiel, frowning, trying to hide his anger.
Dixie laughed, "Hell no. Daddy, he just needed some help. He figured I made it home, but didn't hear from me - He wanted to make sure I was okay, and had his men and women looking for me since he wasn't sure about my status.." She laid her head back. "He just told them i was his wife, so they would really search for me."
"So you aren't really married?" Lori said sitting beside Rick.
"Well.. we had a reverend marry us when I made a full recovery." Dixie said softy. "It was just myself, the rev and Zeke."
Rick started rubbing his head, and sighed. "Dixie.." He looked over at her more. "Is… Zeke the boyfriend that knocked you up?"
Dixie frowned. "No." She sighed looking up at him. "He isn't dad."
Rick sighed slightly, and started pacing. He really couldn't wrap his head around why his daughter would even agree to this, or why she was willing to trick all these people. "This marriage can't continue." He frowned.
Dixie looked up. "Are you serious - Why?" She glanced at her mom. "He's a good leader. I have no issue being married to him."
Rick stopped, "You're 18. You're still young to be with someone…"
"Younger?" Dixie frowned. "No thanks."
"Someone that will be around a long time. That we know. We know nothing about him - He could be a nutcase." Rick said sitting down after getting pulled down by Lori. She shook her head looking at Dixie.
"Dad." Dixie sighed. "He's a good person, good leader. He doesn't hit me or anything else… He needs me as a co-leader. You have mom, someone to talk to and make you feel like a whole person.." She bit her lip and moved her feet after Zeke moved and grabbed some food for her and gave it to her. "I'm not divorcing him." She ate some of the crackers. She had a bowl of fruit on the table, for them to eat.
Rick shook his head, and sighed. "Then… we want to know him." He said still not sure. He was going to keep an eye out on this so called King..
"Then, let's go for a walk." Zeke smiled standing up. Rick looked at him, and nodded. Hershel went with them also, Glenn went as well.
Merle and Beth were talking and left to go next door.
"Are they.." Maggie said looking at Dixie.
"She likes him." Dixie smiled slightly. "Calm down. She's still a virgin. Hasn't popped that cherry.."
Maggie frowned. "Dixie.." She sighed. "She's too young for this shit." She looked at Dixie. "So are you."
"I'm the same age as you are!" Dixie said rolling her eyes. "You and Glenn are married." She frowned.
Maggie sighed. "Yeah, been a struggle every-damn-day.." She said leaving the room.
Dixie glanced at her mom, then Carl. "Eat all you want dude."
Lori moved a bit as Dixie sat down on the couch with her. "How far along are you now?" She asked her daughter.
Dixie smiled slightly. "I'm 25 weeks. You're due in the next few weeks aren't you?"
Lori nodded.
"Do you have a doctor back in Alexandria?" Dixie was worried, she knew Lori had a c-section with Carl.
"Yes." Lori sighed. "She's still learning though.."
"Mom. I think it would be a good idea to deliver here.. We have 4 doctors and a mini-hospital.." She bit her lip. "What if...you need a c-section again?"
Lori sighed. "She has things for it."
"But… will you live through it?" Dixie furrowed her brows and sat back more. "Do...you know what it is?"
Lori smiled, not answering the other question. "It's a girl. Do you know?"
"Nah. baby won't cooperate at all." She smiled. "I don't care anyway."
Iris popped her head in later. "Ma'am?"
Dixie looked over. "Yes?"
Iris smiled slightly. "Someone wants to visit.."
"Oh?" Dixie smiled slightly. "Let them in." She knew who it was.
Iris nodded opening the door, a 3 year old girl - along with three other children, all boys.
The little girl didn't say anything she just ran over to Dixie and hugged her tightly climbing into her lap
Iris smiled and shut the door leaving.
Dixie smiled. "Mama..this is, Chloe." She smiled and started signing while talking to them both. They started signing, "This is my mommy, Lori." She said introducing them. "This is Liam, Owen, and Oliver.." She said softly. Chloe had blond hair and blue eyes, with a shy smile.
Dixie was talking and signing with Chloe, and after a while she kept looking at Lori and clinged onto Dixie's lap.
"Well.." Rick said walking back in with everyone else, including Zeke. He stopped seeing the kids on the couch.
Chloe looked up and smiled big seeing Zeke.
She signed something and he chuckled smiling back while signing. "Hello Chloe."
Zeke smiled as Chloe climbed from Dixie to get into his arms. "You being good?" He signed.
The little girl nodded and cuddled close.
Dixie was sitting on the couch still. "Go sit. If you want me to read.." She smiled and signed while talking to the boys. Liam, Owen and Oliver stopped playing with their toys and turned to see Dixie. Chloe sat on Zeke's lap smiling big
" This is the book with no pictures… it might seem like no fun to have someone read a book with no pictures. It might be boring and serious.." She said softly, while reading The Book With No Pictures.
Carl even sat down and listened to the book.
All the kids where giggling, and laughing by the time Dixie was done - Carl was too, she smiled seeing him enjoying a little bit of him smiling and laughing again. Chloe smiled while Zeke signed for her.
Chloe got up and climbed back in Dixie's lap, cuddling close.
Carl was hanging out with the boys.
Chloe looked at Dixie's belly and up at her. "I didn't do it." Dixie smiled signing.
Chloe nodded yes.
Dixie smiled and laughed signing, "No I didn't. Baby kicking." She said then took Chloe's hand and pressed. Chloe looked felt it again and looked up at Dixie, and smiled. "Baby" she signed, and hugged Dixie.
"Bah-bie." Chloe said softly, she didn't talk much, but when she did it was releaving. Dixie was working with her on talking.
"Ba-bie." Dixie said having Chloe looking at her and putting her hands on her face talking.
"Ba-bie." Chloe said smiling more. "Mah-mie.." She hugged Dixie tightly. "Mah-mie." She said firmly, looking up at Dixie.
"Yes." Dixie smiled slightly, rubbing her back. "Mommy." She closed her eyes to keep the tears from falling. Chloe snuggled close and fell asleep smiling.
Iris came back a while later. "Owen, Ollie… Liam. Come on. Momma's waiting." She said softly, then looked at Dixie and Zeke. "Would you like me too…"
"Heavens no, She can stay." Dixie smiled looking at Zeke. Zeke nodded.
Carl had fallen asleep himself on the couch with Lori
Dixie smiled looking at Rick, while talking to the others as well. "Chloe was orphaned, they came here about a week after I arrived. Her parents died at Termitus..." she paused seeing Rick nodding, he must of known the place. "She was alone in the woods for a few days after that...But, our knight, Peter her and brought her in.."
Zeke smiled. "Been attached to Dixie and I ever since. Dixie was in the hospital, volunteering, when she came in. Chloe just cried.. Nobody knew sign language." He sighed, looking at her.
"I remembered a little from high school, but I've learend more, from Iris.. She had a sibling that was deaf.." She smiled. " She's been teaching Zeke and I, along with anyone else.."
"She doesn't talk?" Rick asked softly.
"She never got therapy when she was little." Zeke sighed. "She knows a few words, but is still struggling.. Our one teacher here is trying to help her.."
"She's just so shy…" Dixie looked down at the little girl. "She's a sweetheart though."
"So you adopted her?" Hershel smiled slightly. Dixie nodded.
"I love her." Dixie smiled slightly, looking down at the little girl sleeping on her lap.
"She's a sweetheart.." Lori smiled slightly, and shifted on the sofa, breathing slightly.
"You alright?" Dixie asked watching her.
Lori nodded. "Just baby moving." She smiled slightly.
"Well.. As much fun as today has been.. I think it's time for bed." Rick said looking at Lori. She nodded.
Dixie nodded, and put Chloe to bed, then walked them to their rooms. They had already ate dinner earlier.
Dixie hugged Lori, Rick and Carl. "See you in the morning." She smiled.
They nodded and went into the room..