The Woman at The End of The World. (Daryl Dixon)

seventyfour.

Caroline and Kellin are six months now; finally starting to sleep through the night. I let out a sigh of relief as I watch my daughter lose the battle with her eyelids. I pull up a blanket, stopping it at her little torso. It's a becoming frigid in this run down factory during the night. I lean down, placing a kiss atop her forehead. "Goodnight pretty girl," I whisper.  With her blue eyes shut, I lean against the crib, facing my husband. Her brother nestled in Daryl's arm; I smirk, watching him bounce Kellin, offering assistance in putting him to sleep.

It's been a long, exhausting few months filled with endless diaper changes, feedings and trying to catch a nap while the twins are slumbering. Motherhood was something I easily transitioned into; I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Rick and Daryl sent out a group to scout anything and everything the twins would need or even want shortly after their birth. We haven't run out of diapers, yet, and we still have a surplus of them. Small blessings and the like. I've started to transition them into baby food. I breastfed them until about a month ago, beginning them on formula since they will be sent off with Charlee, Tori, and Wren tomorrow. While my boys take a group to a museum, I'm riding to Alexandria. I'll be assisting the five communities rebuild the bridge that connects all of us.

My stomach dips with anxiety of the thought of being without my children; even if it's just for a few days.

"I'm going to bed, Daryl." I yawn, running a hand along my tired face. I've started to try to attempt to sleep while the twins are off in the dream world. Though, I'm sure the dark circles dancing below my eyes have become a permanent fixture in my pale complexion.

His grunts are the only acknowledgment he offers.

I approach my husband, placing a kiss to Kellin's small head. I smile at him, "goodnight, sweet boy. Don't give daddy a hard time tonight." I coo. Daryl chuckles, remembering the fight our son put up last night. Oh yeah, he's his daddy's son through and through. Kellin's blue eyes meet mine, babbling away. I set my hand along Daryl's cheek, grinning. "I love you, Dare." I press my lips to his for a second.

"I love ya, too, Blue." His gruff tone reaches my ears while my feet cross in the threshold into the hallway.

I stalk towards the bathroom down the hall from our bedrooms. I put the twins in the room across from ours. As much as I'd love for them to be with us, there was no room to place two cribs inside ours. But with his training in tracking, and my hearing used so much for my survival against Owen, we detect any small movements they make in their cribs. Though, I've caught Daryl sleeping on the floor in their room, terrified to leave them alone in a place crawling with saviors.

I can't say I blame him. I've stayed awake, staring at their door through our open doorway.

Some of the saviors we are leading aren't thrilled with having The Reaper under their roof. I've killed a lot of their friends, and I'm still unsure who had personal connections to my own ex-boyfriend. Or if they are still in contact with Owen. Negan's warning still runs hot through the blood pumping through my veins. But, Rick knows I will follow Daryl to the ends of the world. Even if our relationship is in disarray.

I wash my face after brushing my teeth. I glance up in the mirror, growing dizzy.

I watch Negan sit back on his bed while he doesn't take his eyes off of me after I offered the names of the twins, "didn't you have a friend named Kelly?" He clicks his tongue, digesting the information. "Wasn't Big Red Abraham?"

With a flip of a switch, anger floods my veins, red clouds my vision as I growl, "keep his name out of your mouth." My fist hits the bars in warning, daring him to continue.