Beauty and Her Beast (Daryl Dixon Fanfic)

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Today we were packing. The most vulnerable, like Carl, Luke, Hershel and Beth were going out into the woods. Daryl wanted me to go too, but obviously, he lost that argument. Carl seemed to be angry with his father. Likely because of the choice Rick made. Daryl had insisted that if I was going to stay, that I wear one of the chest plates from the riot gear. "You ready for this?" He asked as I approached him.

I shrugged. "As ready as I can be."

He nodded in agreement, kissing me briefly. "Then let's do this."

~*~

It felt like we were waiting hours before they got here. First I heard a truck, then an explosion, then gunfire. They broke down the gate and came in, breaking down the gate to the cell block. It was quiet for a while after that. Then the alarms started blaring.

I braced myself, ready to start firing as soon as they left the cell block. "Get the hell out of here!"

Glenn, Maggie and I started firing at their feet, trying to get them to the exit. We had to take cover when they fired back at us, keeping us from hitting the Governor. We kept firing until they were in their cars and out of the field. We stood up, smiles on our faces. "We did it?!" Maggie yelled.

"We did it." Glenn said from where he was. I held my hand up for a high five. Maggie chuckled, pulling me in for a hug instead. "Let's go see the others."

We went back inside the cell block, our arms linked.

~*~

We gathered at the front gate, looking around. "We did it." Rick said. "We drove them out."

"We should go after them." Michonne suggested.

"We should finish it." Daryl agreed.

"It is finished. Didn't you see them hightail it out of here?" Maggie said.

"They could regroup."

"We can't take the chance. He's not gonna stop."

"They're right. We can't keep living like this." Carol shook her head.

"So we take the fight back to Woodbury. We barely made it back last time."

"I don't care." Daryl shook his head, looking at me for a second. I nodded in understanding.

"Yeah." Rick sighed. He started walking back towards the prison. "Let's check on the others."

~*~

Daryl was sitting on his bike, waiting for the others to get ready. I walked up beside him, pressing my lips to his softly. When I pulled away, he chuckled. "What was that for?"

"In case you don't make it back."

"Hey," Daryl grabbed one of my hands, setting it on my belly. "I got three reasons to make it back to you, even if we lose. You, Luke and this baby. You got that?"

I nodded. Daryl looked around, then leaned over, kissing my belly. I giggled and he leaned back up, his face red. "I hope no one saw that."

I looked past Daryl to see Maggie smiling at us, but I decided against saying anything. I looked back at Daryl, putting my hands on his cheeks. "You come back to me. If it gets bad out there, promise me you guys will run."

Daryl nodded. "Good." I smiled, pecking his lips. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Maggie and Glenn opened the gate and they drove out. All we could do now was wait.

~*~

I didn't get any sleep last night. No matter how much Maggie assured me he would be fine. When Carol rushed into the cell block announcing they were back the next morning, I was the first to run out the door, briefly confused at the sight of a bus with people pouring into one of the cell blocks.

I rushed over to Daryl and jumped into his arms. He grunted, holding me up by my thighs. I pressed my lips against his, kissing him roughly. When I pulled away, resting my forehead against his, he chuckled. "Miss me?"

I punched his chest playfully. "Of course I did, you idiot."

"Charlotte?"

I let myself fall from Daryl's arms and turned to where the voice was coming from. It felt like the air was knocked right out of me. "Elizabeth?"

She came running towards me, wrapping me tightly in her arms. I hugged her even tighter. "I thought you were dead!" She cried.

I pulled away, a bright smile on my face. "Well, I'm not, and neither is Luke."

As if on cue, he came running over. "Auntie Liz!"

She grunted when he ran into her, burying his face in her stomach. "Hey, buddy!"

He pulled away, looking behind Liz. "Who's that?"

There was an older woman standing behind Liz. My mouth fell open. She smiled, waving at us nervously.

Liz sighed, her face falling. "That's mom."