Red ~ TWD (Daryl Dixon)

Hold My Hand

"Stop pouting."

"Ain't pouting," Legolas huffed, "I'm...concerned."

I raised my eyebrows skeptically while I finished strapping on my weapons. "Concerned about me going on a run without you or concerned about having to watch the twins by yourself?"

He narrowed his eyes at me which only made me grin more. "I ain't concerned 'bout havin' to watch my damn kids. I can handle them."

"So you're concerned I can't handle myself?"

He opened and closed his mouth several times like a fish out of water, trying and failing to find a way out of the landmine he'd just willingly walked into. Honestly, sometimes he made it too easy.

"Relax big guy before you pop a blood vessel." I threw my hands around his neck, pulling him close. His arms instantly went around my waist, his large hand rubbing up and down my spine. "Everything will be fine."

"I know."

"I have to get back in the saddle again sometime." Metaphorically speaking. In reality I wasn't going near a horse for the foreseeable future.

"I know that too."

I leaned back so I could look up at him. "Then what is it?"

He stared into my eyes for a moment before he spoke, gathering his thoughts. "Ya and them babies...yur my whole world. Y'all are everythin' I ever wanted but know I didn't deserve. Can't shake the feelin' that all this...good that's happened is gonna end."

Instead of answering I pressed my lips to his, drinking in the taste of him. He pulled me against his hard body, his tongue tracing my lower lip until I granted him entrance. My hands tangled in his long hair, and his chest rumbled as he deepened our kiss.

"Why ain't I surprised y'all are on your way to pound town?" Merle drawled casually, nose scrunched up in disgust. "Leavin' in five lil' sister."

I shot him the finger and he laughed, strolling out now that his job of cock blocking was officially complete.

"We don't need birth control. We just need Merle." Daryl smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear while he gazed down at me. "I love the shit outta you Daryl Dixon."

He smirked. "I love the shit outta ya too Alex Dixon."

"I'll see you tonight."

I held up my left hand, and he chuckled before slapping his ring against mine, the familiar ping helping to soothe some of my anxiety. Even though I put up a brave front I was nervous. This was the first time I was going outside the walls since the twins were born. The first time I would be putting my life on the line knowing that I had two babies back home. If something happened, they would never know how much I loved them, how much bringing them into this world made me whole again.

Swallowing around the lump in my throat I quietly walked towards the bassinet tucked into the corner of our room. The babies were fast asleep, swaddled in handmade blankets courtesy of Carol. Daryl may not be much help when it came to diapers which had become a sort of kryptonite for the sexy redneck, but he more than made up for it in the swaddle department. He locked the twins down so tight in the blankets try as they might they couldn't get a single limb free. The man was the master of "baby jail" as I'd taken to calling it.

Pressing a kiss to my hand I lightly touched each of their foreheads. "I love you both, so much, and I'll be back."

Tears welled in my eyes, but I fought them back, unwilling to give my husband or myself a reason not to go. I had to do this, for them, for me, for our future.