First and Last

26/27

"You excited about this fair thing?" Daryl asked to the baby in his arms, who babbled a yes, grinning in that way of his that always had Daryl smiling like an idiot. "Yeah? I ain't sure myself..."

Almost six years had passed since Alexandria began trading with the Kingdom and the Hilltop, and for some reason, Ezekiel had decided he wanted to hold a fair that year. Daryl didn't think it made much sense, they all traded anyway, but apparently, he wanted some kind of big event, like with stalls of people selling things or teaching stuff, or games, music, or whatnot...It sounded all strange to Daryl, and he didn't know what to expect. He was going anyway, with a group of people from Alexandria, and so was Hilltop.

There were lots of people excited about it, including Y/N and Jane, they'd been talking about it and planning it for days. And the baby in his arms seemed to be excited about it too, even if Daryl was sure the kid didn't know what was going on.

The baby...his son.

Daryl looked at him, his lips curling up into another smile. He still couldn't believe it. He had never thought he'd have a son, in all his life. He was grateful enough he'd had the chance to take care of Jane as his own, and then, about a year and a half ago, Y/N and he had a boy too.

Daryl had been terrified for months, couldn't help himself, even if he knew Alexandria was safe, even if they had been safe for all those years. He was terrified of something happening to Y/N, no matter Maggie, Michonne, and some other women had had kids too without any problem. He was terrified of him not being good enough for the baby too, even if Jane hadn't ever complained and seemed happy enough. Y/N had been worried about the safety of the baby at first too, he knew, even if she tried not to make him worry.

But everything had been okay, they were still safe, Y/N and the baby were fine and healthy, neither of them two nor Jane seemed to think he was an awful father, although Daryl still woke up some nights wondering if everything was not a dream, wondering how he'd gotten so lucky to have not only found Y/N again, but also have two kids with her, because she loved him as he loved her, and Daryl couldn't wrap his mind around it, but by now he'd learned to not overthink it and just enjoy it.

Y/N had wanted to let him name the kid, but Daryl had never been good at names, never had thought he'd have to name a kid, much less one of his own, didn't think he could come up with something good, and so he'd let Jane and Dawn decide it. After saying no to some more than stupid names, in his opinion, like Sherlock or Poirot, the girls had finally come up with Deacon, and it sounded good enough for Daryl.

"Mom! Sis! Dog!" Deacon's babbles took Daryl from his thoughts and he saw Y/N and Jane walking to him, while Dog ran to them, being the first one to reach them, jumping and trying to lick the kid, who giggled.

"Dog! Stop it!" Daryl grumbled, though he was smiling too.

"Hi, sweetheart." Y/N picked up Deacon, who was reaching for her, and then she leaned to peck Daryl's lips. "Everything is ready to go."

"Okay."

"Remember you told me you would take me with you on the bike, dad," Jane reminded him, and Daryl was once again surprised to realize she was almost as tall as Y/N now.

"Yeah, you got everything ready?"

"My bag is in the cart," she nodded. "With the rest of the stuff."

They were taking some carts with them, they had been going everywhere in horses for a couple of years now, gas was almost impossible to find anymore, and the strange fuel that Eugine made was enough for the Hilltop's tractor, Daryl's bike, and not much else. They were bringing part of the harvest with them, some baked goods, deer meat from a buck Daryl had hunted yesterday and got ready so they could take it all to the fair, and also stuff that people made by hand, all sort of trinkets and whatnot, that they could trade for something else.