Lone Survivors

“I think I owe you an apology,” I said after I had shut the door behind us. Daryl was already climbing the stairs to the watchtower that we slept in, but he stopped and faced me.

“For what?”

“For a lot of things…” I sighed, beginning my own ascent. “Like, I doubted you. I thought one reason why I just couldn’t be pregnant was because you’d be no good with a baby or a child and it would make things so difficult between us, but… I saw today that you’re actually really kind and gentle with a new-born and that you care about it livin’. I didn’t realise that that could even be an option.”

“’t’s understandable. Not like we ever talked about it or anythin’,” he mumbled as we reached the top.

“Had I have known, I wouldn’t have freaked out so much,” I admitted, tugging my shirt over my head. “And I wish I hadn’t. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Daryl shrugged it off so easily. Did it really not bother him?

“How come you’re so good with babies?” I asked with a bit of a teasing tone in my voice. Daryl glared over at me, now also shirtless.

“Just a natural, I guess. Someone had ta do it,” he answered before starting to undo his belt. “Mandy?” I looked up from my own pants and saw concern.

“Yeah?”

“I saw what Maggie grabbed at the convenience store… It’s for you, isn’t it?” he asked. I could sense the anger he was trying to hold back. Somehow, I managed to nod. “You’ve been stuck on keepin’ it a secret, but ya go ahead and tell her? Why didn’t ya get me to do it?” I winced at how frustrated he was at me.

“I didn’t want to make you even more worried about it,” I replied with a shrug.

“I’m already worried enough, and you going behind my back isn’t helpin’!” Daryl retorted in a raised voice. That was fair enough. I wasn’t even mad at him for being mad at me. He had every right to be.

“You’re right. I’m sorry,” I said simply. We were silent as we took the rest of our dirtied clothes off and got onto the two mattresses we’d taken from a cell and placed side by side. Daryl still pulled the blankets over us and hugged me from behind, seemingly regardless of what had just happened. His hand moved down from my chest to my stomach and held it, making me uncomfortable. I opened my mouth to speak, but he bet me.

“Ya know, if there is a baby in you… I won’t abandon you or anythin’. It won’t change a thing,” Daryl said in a hushed voice. I could hear the sincerity, and it relaxed me.

“Thank you,” I breathed as I twisted to face him. Daryl pressed his lips against mine, then pulled me into a closer embrace. I shifted back to my original position and listened to his breathing slowing and his small snoring starting. Things between us felt different now. There was something more than just being there for each other in a tough time, surely. Daryl wouldn’t have said that a few months ago.