The Little Sister

Chapter Thirty One

Val's POV:

"Let me see the baby." Hershel stated, gesturing for Carl to come over to where he stood.

"What are we gonna feed it. We got anything a baby can eat?" Daryl questioned, slightly frantic.

"The good news is she looks healthy. But she needs formula. And soon, or she won't survive."

"No. No way. Not her. We ain't losing nobody else. I'm going for a run." Daryl stated, immediately taking. He didn't want to show it, but I knew he cared about this baby, and that put a small smile on my face. It was just something that made me fall for him even more.

"I'll back you up." Maggie stated.

"I'll go too." Glenn added.

"Okay, think where we're going. Beth." I didn't hear what he told Beth, but I knew he must've meant well.

"You two get the fence. Too many pile up, we got ourselves a problem. Glenn, Maggie, vámonos."

"Rick!" I called out as I watched my brother pick up an axe from the ground and Take off back inside the prison with it.

"Get the gate. Come on, we're gonna lose the light." Daryl demanded, walking off to the vehicles. Glenn and Maggie followed straight after, I too doing the same without Daryl even knowing.

**

"There's a Piggly Wiggly on 85."

"No, the baby section's been cleared. Lori asked me to keep an eye out. I haven't had much luck."

"Is there any place that hasn't been completely looted?"

"We saw signs for a shopping centre just north of here."

"Yeah, but there's too much debris on the road."

"The car will never get through there." I added, getting the three's attention.

"Val, what are you doing?" Daryl questioned, slightly agitated.

"I want to help."

"No."

"No?"

"No Val. No." Daryl demanded. It was decided that Maggie was going to go with Daryl as he was going to be taking his motorcycle which one fit two be. "Daryl wait." I said, stopping him.

"You're staying Valentina." He demanded once again.

"Okay, it's risky business when you talk to me like that. It's taking everything in me to not start something." I smirked. I couldn't lie, it turned me on when he decided to take charge. He realised what I was saying, a smirk forming on his lips. "Just you wait." I whispered, walking back away to let them finally go, the situation becoming serious once again.

**

I spent the rest of the day looking after the baby. A baby girl. My niece. I didn't care that Shane was more than likely her father she was still my niece no matter who the father was. I wanted to protect her, the same urgency I felt the day Carl was born. She's a Grimes and no one can change that. That's how she will be raised. I lived everyday wondering if I would have a child of my own and the day I had my stillborn was the worst day of my life. I had been pregnant once after that while with Shane and I miscarried. I felt as though I would never be able to have one of my own. I went as far as to get myself checked, I was told that there was 10% chance of me ever getting pregnant. The one thing I wanted in life, and I couldn't even have it. My niece and nephew are enough for me. Carl made me grow into a better person and I know that this baby will help me continue to grow.

I sat there soothing her as best as I could. She was getting hungrier by the minute and the poor thing made that perfectly clear. "Beth!" I heard Maggie call, pulling her sister aside.

"How she doing?" Daryl asked, as I passed my niece to him to hold.

"Shh.. Shh.." He hummed, as he made her comfortable in his arms. I couldn't help but smile at the sight before me. This man never let his front down for anyone, but the moment this baby was born his soft truly came out. Making me love him even more. 'holy shit I love him.' I thought to myself as I smiled at my thought. I didn't know how he felt about me but I do know how I felt about him.

I watched with admiration as Daryl took the bottle of formula from Beth and began to fed, my niece. Her cries stop immediately after. "She got a name yet?" He questioned, looking at Carl.

"Not yet." Carl stated. We had been talking while we waited for Maggie and Daryl, about what to name his baby sister. He kept getting frustrated as he thought about the names he would've wanted to name her. "But I was thinking maybe Sofia. Then there's Carol, too. And... Andrea. Amy. Jacqui. Patricia. Or... Lori. I don't know." Carl listed off, I could tell he was upset just he wouldn't say anything.

"You like that? Huh? Little ass-kicker. Right? That's a good name, right?" Daryl said, with a wide smile on his face. Chuckles coming from everyone, as we watched the redneck become a big softie.

"Little ass-kicker. You like that, huh? You like that, sweetheart?" Daryl continued with a smile. Sad one formed on my face, as I watched something before me I had been wishing could have but never will. I didn't want to ruin the moment, so I got up and left, heading back to the cell I was sleeping in to let the tears I was holding in flow freely.

**