The Reunion •Daryl Dixon• •Book Two•

Twenty-One

Olivia had stayed quiet over the last couple days, she didnt want to speak, and she certainly didnt want to speak about the baby or Daryl. Rick knew she was down and he probably knew exactly why through Lori but even him pretending not to know by casual conversation wasn't enough to get even a smile from Olivia.

Today was the day Olivia moved into her apartment. Shane and Rick could be heard cursing at one another as they hoisted her new furniture through her new home while Lori helped her put her glasses and plates in the cupboards "I'll miss you staying" Lori sighed "but it will be great having you back in this town again" she added, it was obvious she was making conversation for the sake of it but Olivia wasn't going to question her, it was nice not having to respond as much with her talking constantly.

"Rick man! lift with your knees you douche!" Shane grunted as they carried Olivia's bookcase through to the lounge making the girls laugh, as Olivia finished placing the last plate away Lori handed her a can of soda before leaving two out for the guys as they passed them to walk back to the removal truck. "Listen Liv, I have something to tell you" Lori sighed with her head bowed "And I don't wanna do it but I cant say no this late and, oh god I feel awful" she rambled, Olivia was confused, Lori was making no sense right now "Kate asked me to be her bridesmaid" she revealed looking uncomfortable "what? and you said yes?" Olivia asked saddened "why would you even wanna be it? arnt you on my side?" Olivia whined, Lori scoffed "Liv, the poor girl has no idea there are sides in this!" Lori reminded her "look, her cousin or something couldn't come so asked me, she has already got the dress so its not like I was first choice" she added shrugging it off as if it would make it sound better. Olivia couldn't stay mad at her friend, she was just as in the middle as much as she was with all the secrets. "I'll just sulk on my own that day then" Olivia pretended to strop but deep down she was dreading being on her own that particular day.

The girls carried on putting away all the stuff for Olivia's apartment in silence, Olivia being reminded of the upcoming nuptials putting her in a bad mood. "You aren't going to turn up and stop the big day are you?" Lori asked half joking half serious making Olivia hurl a pillow at her "No!" she replied.

Her friends finished helping her set up her home and left her to it, it had been a long day and Olivia was finding it hard to keep pretending she was happy when she was far far from it.

She took a long soak, put on a face mask and chilled in bed in her nightwear, she flicked through a book and eventhough she was turning pages she wasn't taking any of the words in, she was too busy being hung up on Daryl.

Doing what she knew was wrong she reached for her phone and dialled his number, she had to hear his voice, it rang out once before it was answered, a smile went across her face knowing he'd answer her that quick but it immediately became a frown when Kate's voice was heard "Daryl's phone?" her sickly sweet tone made Olivia slam the phone down in a huff. Olivia nodded to herself when she realised it was over now. 100% over.

                                                                                                  ....

Olivia used the excuse of having to wait in for more furniture to be delivered as to why she couldn't come out for dinner or a meet up with the group, she just couldn't face anyone or anything, she knew she had to make a decision over the baby and soon, the longer she left it the worse it would be. Especially when one night she was sat on her couch holding a letter from the hospital booking her in for her twelve week scan, seeing as she was nearly hitting ten weeks she knew she couldn't leave it much longer.

Olivia woke up to a feeling of dread the next morning, today was Daryl and Kate's wedding day and it was a day she wished she could skip. It was going to drag but she had it all planned, seeing as all her friends would be at the wedding she had to rule out them keeping her company so she decided to have a movie day, but an anti love movie day, Goodfellas, Casino, Zombieland that sort of thing.

Eventhough it felt like hours had passed it had only been fifteen minutes and Olivia knew it was going to be a longer than anticipated. Her phone lay on the couch next to her and she kept looking down every now and then to see if it had messages or even incoming calls but there was nothing. It was easier to turn it off altogether to stop it driving her insane.

Fed up with staring blankly at Robert De Niro in Goodfellas, Olivia decided to go out, she wished she could go to a bar and drink her problems away but she couldn't, so a drive was all she could do, she wasn't sure where she would go, she wasn't even sure if she would come back she felt so numb.

She drove and drove and in the end drove in silence, the radio was filled with love songs as if it knew to taunt Olivia. Avoiding the street with Daryl's garage in and then the way up to the church he was getting married in she drove past their old school and headed to the old beach Daryl took her, sure it would make her worse and make her think of him but where else was she going to get peace in this town?

It had changed a lot over the years, it wasn't as secluded as it used to be but it was nice, Olivia was alone as she sat but she had people to watch as they passed, happy people walking their dog, or playing with their children and some couple walking hand in hand kept her occupied as she envied all their lives.

The sea air smelt fresh and she felt better for getting out of the apartment, looking at the clock all day would of been hard for her, instead here just sitting listening to the small waves crash alongside the rocks and birds calling one another was a good enough distraction.

Tears streamed down her face as she thought of Daryl, about the first day she met him, the first time she kissed him, the night she realised she loved him, the night they first slept together, when she moved in with him, even to their own wedding, especially when she realised at their own wedding they were here at this very beach. "its over Liv, forget him" she told herself over and over again as she wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

"Do you wanna be alone or can anyone sit?" a familiar voice took her from her thoughts, her heart pounded as she turned to see all she ever wanted standing right above her in a tailored suit with bow unfastened "Daryl?!" she cried jumping to her feet, she wrapped her arm around him and he wrapped his tightly around hers "I had a feeling you'd be here" he mentioned breaking the hug motioning her to sit back in the sand "Arnt you supposed to be doing something today?" Olivia asked confused, she didn't want to get her hopes up for anything right now "I was" he sighed looking out to the ocean, Olivia mouthed 'Oh' she was still confused, was he popping in to see her before he got married? had time dragged that slowly since she left her apartment?

"I couldn't go through with it, It wouldn't be fair to her or me if I did, I'm not over you Olivia and I never want to be, I want to love you and be with you forever" Daryl spoke as Olivia's eyes widened, she swore the way her heart was pounding that the sound would distract him with its loud thuds "If you let me that is" he finished looking from the ocean to her, his eyes were tearing up as much as hers "I know it didn't work out last time but letting you walk out the door all those years ago was the stupidest thing Ive ever done" he added. "What about Kate? The wedding?" Olivia asked, she was concerned but not for Kate it was for her heart, she wasnt sure she could take any more pain.

"I told her I couldnt go through with it" He shook his head "she yelled, she threw things, they hit me" he added rubbing his head, Olivia let out a laugh "but it was better than me lying to her for the rest of our lives" he nodded as he played with sand between his fingers "so you want to give us a go? Again?" She asked with a widened smile, he didnt dignify her with words instead he lent across and kissed her lips, it felt different from the times before, it wasnt a stolen kiss in a secret place it was a kiss that signalled the beginning of their new chapter.

"All i want is me, you and the baby" he smiled as the kiss finished.