Beauty and Her Beast (Daryl Dixon Fanfic)

32

We ate breakfast in silence the next morning. I stirred the oatmeal in my bowl, a million thought running through my head. Daryl and I had managed to get some alone time a while back, when we were still on the road. I was late. I was very late. I always kept track, always made sure I was on time, but I wasn't.

It's been two months since my last period, but I need to make sure. I'm going on a run with Glenn and Maggie today, hopefully I'll find a few pregnancy tests. I jumped when Daryl nudged my shoulder. "Eat up, you're going on a run today. You'll need your strength."

I smiled and started eating again. "Everybody okay?" We all turned our heads to see Rick clean and in a fresh change of clothes. We were shocked to see him. He had gone into he tombs after we left and Glenn went after him when he didn't come back out for a few hours. He said he looked like a ghost of himself, looking right through Glenn, covered head to toe in walker blood.

"Yeah, we are." Maggie said.

He walked in and looked around the room, seeming to have something on his mind. "What about you?" Hershel asked.

"I cleared out the boiler block." He said, dodging the question.

"How many were there?" Daryl asked.

"I don't know. A dozen, two dozen. I have to get back. Just wanted to check on Carl." He patted Carl's back, but Carl seemed to be ignoring him.

Rick started walking away. Glenn stood up. "Rick, we can handle taking out the bodies. You don't have to."

"No, I do. Everyone have a gun and a knife?" He walked over to Daryl and I.

"Yeah. We're running low on ammo, though."

"Maggie, me and Charlie were planning on making a run this afternoon. Found a phone book with some places we can hit, look for bullets and formula."

"We cleared out the generator room. Axel's there trying to fix it. In case of emergency. We're gonna sweep the lower levels as well." Daryl was trying to get Rick to stay, give him a reason to instead of running off to do God knows what. It didn't work.

"Good. Good." Rick left quickly, ignoring Hershel's call for him.

I sighed, shaking my head. "How're we gonna get him back? He's broken." I said, spooning some oatmeal into my mouth.

Daryl shook his head. "He'll be alright. He has to be."

~*~

We drove to the store in silence and when we got out, I figured I should tell them. "Maggie, Glenn?" I said, getting their attention.

They turned to me. "What is it, Lottie?" Maggie asked.

I sighed. "You should know why I came, you're gonna find out anyways."

They looked confused. "What do you mean?" Glenn asked.

I looked at them, subconsciously resting a hand on my belly. "I'm late, like two months late. I came with you guys so I could be sure. So...if you come across any pregnancy tests..." Maggie's face went pale.

They both nodded, not saying a word. We were all thinking the same thing. What if I die like Lori?Glenn cut the chain locking the doors. He opened the door and we gasped as birds flew out. Glenn huffed a breath of air, walking into the store to take a quick look.

Maggie shined her flashlight inside. "Glenn grab that duck." She said.

"What?"

"Get that duck."

Glenn chucked. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah. A kid growing up in a prison could use some toys."

Glenn looked around some more, coming out with a basket full of supplies, including lots of Formula. "Oh, thank God." Maggie said.

"I also got beans, batteries, cocktail wieners, many mustards. And, uh, here, Lottie." He handed me a box of pregnancy tests.

"It's a straight shot back to the prison from here. Probably make it in time for dinner."

Maggie walked over to me while Glenn put the basket in the car. "Do you want me to come with you? Watch your back?" I nodded.

We walked around the building and Maggie kept watch while I opened the box, pulling out two tests, using both of them. "How long do you wait?" She asked.

"Five minutes." I pulled up my pants and we walked back to the car, leaning up against it while we waited.

Five minutes seemed like an eternity, but when I looked at both tests and both showed positive, my heart dropped in my chest. "I'm pregnant." I breathed.

Maggie pulled me in for a hug. "It'll be okay. You shouldn't have to give something like this up because the timing is bad. Well be ready this time. We'll make it work."

I nodded, putting the tests back in the box and tossing the box in the car. Maggie sighed while Glenn loaded the car. "I like the quiet. Back there, back home, you can always hear them outside the fence no matter where you are."

"And where is it y'all good people are calling home?"

We drew our guns on the man and my eyes widened when I realized who it was. "Merle?" Glenn and I said simultaneously.

Merle laughed, putting his hand in the air, along with some sort of metal sleeve with a blade attached replacing his other hand. He put his gun on the ground and put his hand back up, walking towards us. "Wow!"

"Hey, back the hell up!" Maggie warned. I drew a second gun.

"Okay, okay, honey! Jesus."

"You made it." Glenn said.

"Can you tell me, is my brother alive?" Merle asked. "Huh?"

"Yeah."

Merle breathed a laugh. "Hey, you take me to him and I'll call it even on everything that happened up there in Atlanta. No hard feelings. Huh?" None of us moved. He laughed when he noticed our eyes on his stump. He made a prosthetic arm, only it had a knife attached to it. "You like that? Yeah. Well, I found myself a medical supply warehouse. Fixed it up myself. Pretty cool, huh?"

"We'll tell Daryl you're here and he'll come out to meet you."

"Hold on. Just hold up." Merle started shuffling closer.

"Whoa, whoa!" Glenn warned, putting a hand out.

"Hold up, hold up. Hey, the fact that we found each other is a miracle. Come on, now. You can trust me."

"You trust us. You stay here."

Merle chuckled again, catching us by surprise when he yelled as he pulled a gun from his belt, firing and shattering the back window of the car. We ducked for cover, but Merle got a hold of Maggie, holding a gun to her head.

"Hey, hey, hold up, buddy, hold up."

"You son of a bitch." I growled.

"Let go of her. Let go of her!"

"Put your guns in the car right now. Put them in the car!" We had no other choice but to follow his orders. We dropped our guns in the car and I removed all the other weapons I had on me.

"There you go. Now we're gonna go for a little drive."

"We're not going back to our camp."

"No, we're going somewhere else. Get in the car! You're driving! Move!"

"Don't." Glenn's voice was almost a whisper as he got in the car. I got in the passenger side and Merle got in the back with Maggie. I wasn't sure where he was taking us, but I knew it wasn't good.