Changes
The following day Dixie was up early, she couldn't sleep at all. She walked past the guest room where her parents where and saw her dad come out. "Morning." she smiled slightly, she glanced at the clock it was 5AM.
"Morning." He smiled and hugged her. "Walk?"
Dixie nodded. "If you don't mind the escort.." She said looking at Dom, a knight whom was following her.
"I uhm… dont." He said, walking with her and watching Dom for a minute, they kept a good pace ahead of him. "How are you doing - Really?"
"Honestly…" Dixie smiled slightly. "I'm okay. Just..still dealing with the fallout from Shane, and Travis." She sighed.
"If Shane isn't..Is Travis?" Rick asked whispering.
Dixie nodded, and turned down another hall walking down stairs. "Yes."
Rick frowned. "I'm sorry." He sighed.
Dixie nodded, smiling at a guard. "Morning." she said cheerfully.
"Morning Ma'am." They said nodding to her, as they opened the door.
Dixie went for a walk outside with Rick. "I've missed you, so much." She said sighing. "I was really homesick when I first got here… Now I've been here so long -"
" - Feels like home, doesn't it?" He smiled looking at her.
Dixie sighed. "Yeah.." She looked down. "Just.. Wish we were still at the farm sometimes."
Rick smiled and wrapped an arm around her. "I know.. So do I." He sighed rubbing her back. "I wish, things hadn't of went down the way things did, back at home - our real home."
"Me either." Dixie shook her head. "I wish I hadn't ran away.. I'm so sorry I hurt you that way." She frowned. "I wasn't the best.."
"Stop." Rick sighed, and stopped walking with her turning to her. He put his hands on her shoulders. "You only did it because you were put in an unfair situation." He shook his head and smiled looking at her stomach. "This, all of this was unfair. But, you're making the best of the situation." He looked back up at her. "Do you really love - Ezekiel?"
"I...I'm not sure, still learning about each other. "She sighed softly, "Just wish it wasn't so damn complicated." She hugged him and then sat on the bench. "He's a really nice guy. Just…"
"You need to take it slow. No reason to rush." He smiled slightly. "Take your time with him." He sighed. "He seems like a good guy, just.."
"Can't get over the age?" She looked at him. He nodded. "Aunt Meredith, and Hershel are 20 years apart."
"That's true." He rubbed his face. "I'll just accept it." He smiled slightly. "Eventually."
"Thank you, Daddy." She smiled hugging him again. He hugged her back, and she laid her head on his shoulder.
"Anytime kiddo." He smiled, rubbing her back.
"Are you ready to be a grandpa and a daddy? About 12 weeks apart?"
Rick chuckled. "Hell no." He put his hands to his face and laughed more. "Gosh. Can't believe it, my wife - and my daughter… Double the hormones… Please take it easy on me.." He peeked through his finger,s and smiled slightly. He figured the baby wasn't his, but was going to claim it as his - Lori was his wife, he did love her still.
"Me either." She smiled slightly and laughed. "I'll be easy I promise. Been pretty mellow so far.." She looked up at the sky. "Tell me about Alexandria?"
Rick smiled nodded, "Alright…" He started telling her about Alexandria.
Lori looked out the window seeing Rick and Dixie out walking and talking. She smiled glancing at the bed seeing Carl still asleep. She slid on her shoes, and went for a walk to look around.
A while later, Rick and Dixie walked back to the building, and went inside. Dixie heard a scream from upstairs, and ran to Chloe's room. She saw Chloe on top of her dresser, crying, as a walker was attacking Iris was trying to grab her. Rick was right beside Dixie. Rick grabbed a candlestick and smacked the turned knight hard over the head and pulled it off Iris. Dixie helped Iris up and looked her over, "Are you okay?" She asked seeing Iris wasn't hurt. She grabbed Chloe, and held her close looking her over.
Iris followed them out of the room, told Peter what happened and let him go into the room while Zeke and Lori came running down the hall, along with Jerry.
Jerry helped Iris, and looked her over. "You alright?" She nodded.
Zeke hugged Dixie, and looked at her. She told him what happened. Zeke frowned, and walked into the room to take a look.
Dixie turned around hearing the door open and saw Chloe coming out.
"Mama-Dixie.. What happened?" She signed rubbing her eyes. Dixie signed back. "It's okay." She quickly took her back into the room and shut the door. She stayed with her, and rocked her and read a book. After a while she signed, "Leo got sick. He's not going to get better." She signed more.
Chloe looked down teary eyed and signed. "What happen?"
"He fell." Dixie said not sure what really happened.
Chloe started crying, and clung to Dixie.
"I'm so sorry, baby." Dixie signed holding her close, rubbing more.
A while later, Zeke had things cleaned up and came in. He kneeled down and started signing. "Leo went home to be with Jesus." He told Chloe, he looked really torn up by it. She found the knight named Leo hilarious and he was always silly and nice to her.
Chloe started crying more, and clung to Dixie. Dixie held her tightly, Zeke wrapped his arms around them both, and held them.
After a while, they came out. Dixie held Chloe close, and Zeke helped her, and Chloe. He took them down to bury Leo, he spoke gently about what a good person that Leo was and how he loved everyone. Dixie said a few things, and Chloe signed how much she missed him. She clung to Dixie's pant leg and cried. Dixie picked her up and held her close.
They finished the service and went inside.
Rick hugged Dixie, and Chloe. "I'm sorry." He signed, Dixie showed him how. Chloe nodded and let go of Dixie, and climbed into Ricks arms, and hugged him. He held her close and sat at the dining table rubbing her back. Lori wiped her eyes, and hugged them all, and sat down.
Dixie sat down with Zeke, she picked at her food, not really hungry.
Rick radioed home to Alexandria and updated a few days later. He left to go check on things and left the rest behind at the Kingdom. He was having issues with the Governor and he was threatening his group.
Dixie was spending time with Lori, and Carl along with the others. Beth was off busy with Merle, Maggie was off with Glenn so it really was Hershel left with them. Hershel was palpitating Lori's stomach, she was worried about the baby. "Everything is fine." he reassured her, smiling. Lori nodded and sighed in relief.
Rick and the rest of Alexandria got into a fight with the governor and he broke out a war with them.
They fled Alexandria, and started making their way back to the kingdom.
Dixie was laying back letting Hershel use the Doppler on her stomach after he was done with Lori, she smiled looking at Zeke. "So amazing." She said softly. "Can't get tired of listening to it." She bit her lip slightly.
"Me either." Zeke smiled kissing her gently. He was worried because the other doctors had been busy lately, and hadn't been able to see Dixie.
Rick and the rest of Alexandria arrived spoke with Ezekiel, and they were welcomed. They decided to let the Alexandrian's stay, and Zeke would try to talk with the governor in the morning to try calming things down.
The following night, after making promises to Zeke, that no fight would be broken - He lied, and attacked the Kingdom.
The knights were fighting hard. Zeke was fighting with the rest of the Alexandrian's
Beth went down and was fighting with them.
Maggie and Glenn, along with the others went out fighting also.
Lori had gone into labor hours before, in the middle of the night. "Go be with them." She said looking at him. "I'll be okay." she promised..
Rick furrowed his brows and heard the screaming. "Keep safe." He looked at Carl, Dixie, and Hershel.
Rick kissed her quickly, and ran.