𝑺𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 ▷ 𝑵𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒏

• Southern Courtship ; 23 •

My head was spinning in circles while the lights in the room blinded me momentarily. Daryl and Michonne quickly helped me sit down, and instantly the pressure on my throbbing ankle finally let up. I sighed almost blissfully, until the pounding in my head started up immediately. The baby, oh God, my baby. I'd die if anything happened to my child. Especially if it was my fault. I was supposed to protect you, I couldn't stop myself from thinking.

Daryl sat down right besides me, rubbing up and down my arm and squeezing my hand for reassurance. Michonne had returned outside to go and find Rick. She decided that it would be less of a hassle to bring the doctor here instead, so they wouldn't have to worry about worsening the condition of my ankle too much in the process of all the moving around.

Of course I happily agreed, wanting nothing more than to rest my body. I knew I should've been excited to see them, but being pregnant would change everything. So, out of nerves mostly, and fear, I begged Daryl to walk with me outside.

"I ain't sure that's the best idea," He said, his thick accent reminding me mostly of what the South embodied before all of this shit blew over. Now it was just a blur.

Instead of lying like my gut had told me to, I settled on the truth, "Daryl, I can't see them just yet, not like this," I muttered just above a whisper, as I looked down at my huge belly. I was too ashamed.

"There ain't nothing wrong with ya, just a lil' extra some of ya for em' to love on," He tried lighting the mood. I laughed appreciatively, but it didn't reach my heart. I could feel my stomach twisting in knots in nervous anticipation as the words formed in my head, changing as I spoke them.

"I need to see Negan," I said, eyes welled with fresh tears. "He's the father, Daryl," I whispered, the crack in my voice paining me as I dropped my head, afraid to look him in the eyes. I was afraid to see the judgement, and the disgust.

I didn't have to lift my head to see him take a step back. He didn't say a word. Unfortunately, the uncomfortable feeling of pure silence forced me to glance up. The look on his face wasn't disgusted or judgmental; it was shocked.

"He?" He said finally, clamping his mouth shut, almost as if saying it aloud would make it true.

I nodded, afraid saying anything else.

After another painfully quiet minute, he finally stepped up to me, extending his hand to help me stand.

"I'll take ya, but not for long," He grumbled, sounding dissatisfied with my request, but compromising nonetheless. His facial expression let me know right away that he had a war raging inside of him. It was the way his eyes shifted almost defensively, refusing to look me in the eyes for longer than a few seconds. He wasn't judgmental because he was too busy being mad.

From that look alone, I could only assume that he thought I had been picked apart and left for dead, not that I could even possibly love the man responsible for impregnating me. I suppose the tears didn't help my 'I love him with all my heart' case. Regardless, I had one pissed off Daryl Dixon thinking Negan had taken what he wanted from me and ditched me for walker food. As much as my brain told me to, I didn't have the guts to tell him that it wasn't the case.

I stayed quiet, as he looped his arm around mg waist, walking at my side, being sure to keep most of my weight off of my bad ankle. I was a little embarrassed at how heavy I had grown. The majority of my new bodyweight had gained in my breast, thighs, and stomach of course. Although it was completely normal, I felt bad now that he was the one lugging me around like dead weight.

We quietly stepped outside, the warm and yet windy air tousling my curly hair in a few carefree licks.  I stumbled a little, allowing Daryl to capture most of my weight. My cheeks instantly warmed up as a result.

I found myself glancing around, taking everything in as if it were the first time I had stepped foot inside these chilling metal walls. A lot of things had seemed to change for Alexandria. For starters, I noticed that Daryl walked past vehicles that would've gotten us to the factory without a problem. I didn't understand until we walked over to where the holding cells were made quite a while ago before my departure.

What happened to the old Alexandria? What happened to the Saviors? This place seemed relieved, almost as if it hadn't had any emotional trauma in months. It was like before. Before Negan returned to my life for the second time.

I still remember the ways he tore apart the little bit of hope I had left. The way seeing him while in that line up only made me remember the girl I forced myself to be for him. The way I was his little toy, his perfect gal. The way that every time I had seen him, my emotions stirred inside of me. To this day, I could say that that was still the case.

Why was he locked up? What happened? Is this why he didn't come back for me? What would he think? What would he say? Did he still feel the same way about me?

Daryl walked me in, leading the way mostly, as a million thoughts raced through my mind. I found myself struggling to breathe properly as I got closer to the last door separating us from him.

"Ready?" Daryl wondered, because I had stopped in my tracks, simply staring at the door ahead.

Was I ready? Was this what I really wanted?

I could feel a soft but undeniable thump against the inner walls of my stomach, and with that, I knew it was time. It was like our baby could feel every ounce of my nervous jitters and was urging me to just get it over with already. Without hesitation now, I nodded.

Daryl gave me one last look of confirmation before unlocking and then shoving the door wide open, revealing the jail cell bars of the only cell in the room. There he sat, in the darkest corner of his small living quarters.

He didn't turn around to face me just yet. It was as if whoever was there to see him wasn't even worth half his attention. Like he was resisting to participate in a game of cat and mouse. Like he knew it wasn't worth his time. As stubborn as I can remember him being last.

"Turn around, ya piece of shit," Daryl's gravelly voice reached my ears, surprising me. I hadn't expected him to say anything at all but he had initiated the conversation, assumably because he thought I was too traumatized to do it myself.

My mouth gaped open, words refusing to leave my mouth as Negan slowly turned his head to face us, an expectant smirk already on his face. His eyes had found Daryl first before he spoke.

"Daryl, Oh I've missed the fuck outta you! First visit in what, five damn months? I see you've missed me too," He said humorously. Daryl ignored him, and slowly trailed his eyes over to me before tilting his head down.

That was the exact second that his eyes finally glided to meet my own.

"Holy fucking shit!" He said, standing to his feet, and stepping into the light. Due to our height difference, I could easily see a long scar running along his throat, stretching from one side entirely to the opposite one. My heart pounded against my chest from the way his eyes lit up. I was the last person he expected to see now, and pregnant. It was written all over his face. That bad boy demeanor dropped once again at my feet, his vulnerability exposed to me and me only. His eyes darted to my stomach, which I rubbed tenderly and protectively. His eyes softened immediately, the game he was playing gone from his mind and replaced with me being right in front of him, and pregnant.

"Deliana?" He asked the desperation in his voice confirming the burning question in my mind.

He still felt the same.