AN: Ok, so I know you all probably thought I would never come back to this story….to be honest, I didn't think I would. Life kind of got in the way, a lot has happened in the last few months. And then all of the negativity going around on the site kind of discouraged me from writing more but lately it just wont leave me alone so here we are. If anyone is still interested, let me know what you think!
Daryl
Daryl had gotten all of 100 yards outside of the fence when he realized that he might as well just turn his ass around and go back inside because he wasn't going to catch anything. He was just too distracted. So when a rabbit startled him by running right out from under his feet he just turned back. He could go tend the small fall garden they had going, maybe get another week or two out of the plants before they gave in to the coming winter. Michonne gave him a sly grin and a small shake of her head when she let him back in the gate and Carl stared openly, worried that something was wrong.
"Why'd you come back so quick? Forget something?"
Daryl chuckled at the boy, thinking he would understand soon.
"Just my mind is all"
Laughing to himself at the bewildered look on the young mans face; Daryl strolled into the great hall and realized that maybe he should start doing a little recon before just walking into this place.
All hell was breaking loose. Again. Except this time it wasn't his fault.
Or maybe it was.
Beth was in the middle of the room, yelling at her sister. He caught the last words she said and then Maggie's response that left the whole room stunned as she ran off in tears.
Daryl just turned and walked quietly from the room before Beth or anyone else saw him, Maggie's words ringing in his ears. End up like me.
He had felt like he was floating slightly above the ground all morning after the night with Beth, but her words had him crashing back to earth. He had been so caught up in her the night before that he had never even thought about the risk of getting her pregnant. What a fool he had been. It was his responsibility to protect her and he was the very one who had put her at risk.
His good mood shattered, Daryl stormed around to the garden where he threw his crossbow at the fence in a burst of temper and began to rip the plants out of the ground.
Glen
Of all the flying objects he had dodged in the 2 years since the world had gone to hell, Glen thought a crossbow was probably not one of them.
Coming around the corner of the storage shed to the garden plot he bent over to tie his bootlace and so was crouched behind the fence post when Daryl stormed around from the other side of the building. Before Glen could speak Daryl had flung the crossbow, hitting the fence post inches from his head.
Seeing the way Daryl began ripping the plants up in anger, Glen thought he should probably just back away quietly. He should have known that any movement would catch the hunter's attention. Once Daryl spotted him there was no backing out and the two men stood there, staring each other down silently for several long seconds. Glen didn't realize he was holding his breath until Daryl sighed, his shoulders slumping visibly as he let out a rough breath.
"How do you do it?" he asked.
The younger man was dumbstruck for a few seconds, confused as to what Daryl Dixon would be asking his expertise in…then Daryl continued and Glen's confusion gave way to astonishment
"Figure you are the only person in the world who knows how to handle these Greene women, maybe you could help me…..cause I got one gonna be mighty pissed off when she don't get her way".
Glen shook his head, laughing softly. "Well first of all, if I knew how to 'handle' Maggie, why would be out here looking for her? And from the scene we just had in there" he jerked his thumb back toward the building "I would say Beth already got her way with you so what are you worried about?"
The look of pure venom Daryl shot him killed the laugh on Glen's lips and had him stepping back slightly.
"Whoa, no offense intended, but why would you be coming to me for advice on women?"
Daryl was pacing now, arms waving wildly,
"Aint exactly been a lotta time to romance the crowds of women we have around here lately, what with the world ending and all! Then along comes this…girl…and she just puts herself in my face, in my bed, like she's supposed to be there, ya know? Damn thing is, feels like she IS supposed to be there. 'Cept now I'm scared that something's gonna happen to her cause of me!"
Daryl's outburst had both of them a little stunned and neither spoke for a few seconds.
It was Glen who finally broke the silence, speaking softly "Something like what I did to Maggie, huh? Something that could get her killed in this world, like being pregnant?"
Daryl didn't respond, just walked over to where his crossbow lay on the ground, picked it up and walked away.
Beth
When Beth found her sister she was sitting quietly at the table in the small library, turning a little baby hat Carol had made for Judith over and over in her hands.
Maggie didn't look up when Beth pulled a chair over beside her and put her arms around her, she just leaned into her sister, sobs shaking them both.