The Reunion •Daryl Dixon• •Book Two•

One

High school was officially over for the group and they were all about to start their new lives, Daryl and Olivia went straight into work, he had his garage and Olivia was waitressing while saving her tip money to fund her evening beauty classes, Rick joined the local police academy followed by Shane who's parents flipped when they found out he was going to be a father so young that they sent him into the force to have a 'proper job' and T was planning his hike across the world, the group were realising it was more for T to say he was going to travel rather than him actually doing any travelling but they let him have his moment.

"Shit! Did your waters just break?!" Lori screamed in a panic as the ocean lapped around them, Andrea was clutching at her sides looking uncertain "I. think. so" she replied slowly hoping it wasnt.

Olivia and the girls had gone to the beach for the day whilst Rick was helping Daryl pick up a car from the next town over. They had been there a few hours sunbathing, splashing about and laughing, it was nice all until Andrea started to feel funny "what do we do?" Olivia asked feeling completely blank "you sure it was your waters, and not like a pee?" Lori naively shrugged. Andrea let out a moan but it was definitely a moan she wanted to do louder "No, I think that was my waters" she sounded pained "We need to get to the hospital" Lori mouthed to Olivia, the two girls had no idea what labour entailed only from seeing stuff on TV and Andrea looked petrified especially as the baby wasn't due for another month.

Olivia helped her to Lori's car and dialled Shane's number "What are you doing?" Lori chimed in "Calling Shane, what does it look like?" Olivia scoffed in a sarcastic reply, Lori slapped her hand on the roof of her car "Does she look like she needs him right now?" she snapped back pointing her eyes to Andrea who was trying not to show pain on her face but it was obvious a contraction was coming "Lori don't be a dick, he is the father he should be there" Olivia reminded her before rolling her eyes after catching his voicemail. "come on, lets just get to the hospital, call Rick. Shane will probably answer his call rather than you" Lori had a point.

After arriving at the hospital Andrea was taken straight to the delivery room, her labour had sped along a lot faster than anticipated. She asked for both the girls to be with her and although Olivia felt slightly squeamish at the sight of it all she didn't want to let her friend down.

All the imaginative feelings Olivia had of childbirth being an awful experience left her as soon as she heard the tiny cries of Andrea's baby boy. She couldn't help but get teary eyed as her friend met her new baby, taking a moment she stepped outside the suite to compose herself just as Andrea's mother came rushing down the hallway, without saying a word to Olivia she went straight into Andrea's room and Lori swiftly joined Olivia "I cant believe she did that" Lori spoke proudly peering into the small window at Andrea "Now she is in for a world of pain with an ear bashing from her mom" Olivia sighed, she knew the time for fun and games were over now the baby was here and Andrea knew that, she didn't need reminding or telling off by her mother.

Soon after Shane came bursting into the hallway looking sick to his stomach and flustered. "She's in there" Lori pointed, Shane paused with them for a moment he wanted to ask but he couldn't "Its a boy" Olivia smiled and he looked like he wanted to cry there and then but he instead darted into where Andrea was.

The girls couldn't help talk about everything they were going to do with Andrea and the baby, like the beach, fairs, arcades and so on, they didn't even hear Rick call them over to his truck where he was standing with Daryl.

"What she have? she okay? are you okay?" Daryl asked pulling Olivia in for a hug, from the corner of her eye she could see Rick have his hand up Lori's skirt as they made out like they hadn't seen eachother for years. "It was a boy, and she is good, she did so good and I just have a headache" she playfully whined rubbing her head, Andrea did a lot of screaming in that room. "So did it scare you two to not want babies?" Rick teased as they lit up a cigarette in the parking lot "nope" they both replied in unison making the boys pull awkward glances at one another.

After all the excitement of the day the group split up and went home Shane and Andrea needed time to adjust to parenthood after all. Olivia and the others could go back to how they were.

There wasn't much in for dinner for Daryl and Olivia so it was just instant noodles, but it was one of their favourites and it always reminded her of one of the first meals they shared together.

"Did you and Rick get the car you wanted?" She asked mouth still full with noodles "Who's car was it?" she added another question not giving him a chance to answer the first. "mmhmm" he moaned a reply, Olivia narrowed her eyes seeing as he didn't have a mouthful of food it was unlike him to not answer, and especially if it wasn't about bikes or cars.

"Tell me again why you had to go to the next town over to get this car?" Olivia couldn't help herself she wanted to know why Daryl was acting so quiet, he was so pleased to see her at the hospital "oh god" she whispered making him quickly turn to her "Is it because I said about wanting babies? I don't mean now, just seeing Andrea do it didn't put me off" She rambled quickly hoping to not sound crazy right now to him. Daryl puffed out a laugh at his girlfriend her wanting babies did not bother him it was what he was about to do that was.

He gulped and cleared his throat and then gulped again, his palms became really sweaty and he quickly wiped them on his trousers, Olivia studied his facial expressions, he didn't seem okay "Daryl" she began "shutup for a second" he quipped in response, Olivia was taken aback but then she realised what he was doing.

Pulling out a box from his back pocket he opened it revealing a small sparkling ring "its not a diamond, but one day it will be, a big one at that" he began trying not to stutter, Olivia was mesmerised by it diamond or no diamond. Daryl took it from the box and held it in her hand and let out a deep yet nervous breath "I didn't like the rings around here and I heard about this jewellery store in the next town and Rick said he would come too" he added while Olivia still stood wide eyed at him and the ring "I want to do this right, we are in this together, just you and me so will you marry me? if you want to that is" He spoke trailing off his nerves were clear tonight. Olivia's mouth went dry, her heart was pounding, she quickly took the ring and put it on her finger whilst crying "Yes!" over and over.