𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒, Daryl Dixon

⁴⁴, PICKIN' VIOLETS

  There was something strange about watching her mother being motherly to another person. Not strange bad, just strange.

  They set up camp as the sun began to set. Dean and Zeppelin worked together to lay out their beds as well as Vex's, while the woman sat with Judith.

  Vex was trying to let herself enjoy it. Making stupid faces at a baby just to see her smile.

  "You're good at that."

  "Ah, she's just a happy baby," Vex informed as Rick took a seat beside her, "It's easy when they're happy."

  Rick watched as Vex continued making Judith laugh, until the girl's blinks became slower, and the smiles became smaller. Then, Vex moved to cradle the girl, swaying just barely, and running a gentle finger down the bridge of her nose rhythmically.

  Judith was asleep in minutes.

  "I'm gonna have to remember that one," Rick said quietly.

  "Trade secret," Vex joked lightly, passing the girl to her father, "Thank you. By the way."

  "For what?" Rick questioned.

  "For taking care of my girl," She said quietly, sighing, "I know you're gonna tell me I woulda done the same thing if it was Carl or Judith. And I would have. But still. Thank you."

  Rick was going to say exactly that, but having his words stolen, he only nodded to her. Vex stood, patting his shoulder, before finding none other than Daryl Dixon in a more secluded area of the camp, keeping watch with his recently returned crossbow.

  "How's that leg?"

  "Oh, it's done with church."

  Daryl furrowed his brows, looking up to the woman.

  "It's not hole-y anymore," She explained with a loose grin.

  Daryl scoffed, but a small smile was present as she took a seat beside him.

  "I just want it to be healed."

  "I know," He said after a moment. "It will be."

  "It needs to," She sighed, frowning, "I'm trying. . . I'm tryin' to not feel useless. But it's hard-- I'm not used to being the one who sits back while people are killin' walkers and out hunting. It just feels. . . I don't know."

  "You're not useless, Vex."

  "Yeah, I know that," Vex breathed, resting her head on his shoulder, "Just feels like it when I'm watching everyone else work."

  "You're working. Carrying a kid ain't no joke."

  Vex breathed out a laugh.

  "Seriously."

  "Yeah, yeah," She waved off, soaking in the silence for a moment, "Hey."

  "Hm?"

  "You remember when we were in that Big Spot before all that shit happened?" She said, lifting her head to face the man, "And you were looking for somethin' for Zep?"

  "Yeah."

  "You were gonna tell me something. Or ask me something. . ." Vex said. "Point is, you had something to say. But that shelf fell and shit broke bad and you never got to say it. I don't know why, but it's been buggin' me. D'you remember what it was?"

  Daryl Dixon did, in fact, remember what he was going to say. Of course, he did. He'd thought about what to say and when to say it for weeks leading up to it, and the Big Spot wasn't his ideal location, but the sentence started on its own.