𝐍𝐄𝐅𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 | daryl dixon

- 𝟒𝟕

     "get the gate!" daryl demanded, "come on, we're gonna lose the light."

     rosaline walked inside of the cell block, beth rushing to prepare a cot for the newborn baby.

     carl walked over to the girl, "rose? can i? you should sit down."

     she nodded shakily, gently passing the baby over to the boy. rhaegar whined and scratched at her leggings, trying to grasp her attention desperately. rosaline couldn't seem to do it and just stared beth who was rummaging about trying to find anything fit for a cot.

     she couldn't believe lori was gone. just like that. all her losses were piling into one.

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     rosaline had spent hours sitting on the stairs, rhaegar's muzzle in her lap trying to comfort her until beth came over.

     "rosaline?" the blonde called to her gently, "you need to come out of this, you're better than that. this baby, she's your sister. she needs you."

     the girl's eyes raised to look at beth. she kept her silence for a moment, unsure of what to do or say. rosaline had lost a mother twice now. her real and her adoptive one - of course at one point they were all going to die. she just wasn't expecting it this soon. with all of this, she had a duty.

     "please?"

     the girl let out a shaky breath pulling herself together for the baby's sake, grief still resonated within her, "okay, where is she?"

     beth had a smile growing on her features, happy that a simple conversation after leaving her to her own for a few hours sufficed. rick had already gone insane, turning on glenn in the tombs in a blind rage.

     she stood up, rhaegar spinning around on his back feet letting out a low bark, finally, she offered him a pet after being so touch-starved and made her way over to carl. the boy gently passed her the baby.

      after minutes, the baby started wailing. crying out of hunger. although, just in time, maggie and daryl burst through the door.

     "beth." maggie yelped to her sister. they needed to prepare the formula and fast.

     daryl took off his poncho, rushing to rosaline who was bouncing the baby up and down in her lap trying to ease her mood. the scene made his heart swell, "how's she doing?"

     it seemed like he hadn't heard her voice in ages, because when she said something daryl's heart rate increased rapidly, "she's starved."

     daryl nodded, rosaline offering him to hold the baby. he seemed surprised but took the offer anyway, hushing the newborn as he took her into his arms.

     he cradled the baby in his arms, walking around. rosa watched him intently absolutely warmed by the whole thing. it seemed like her feelings had returned when she stared at daryl who was handling the baby so gently.

     he'd make a good father. she thought.

     beth quickly passed him the bottle and daryl started to feed her, "come on, come on." he eased her into it. rosaline couldn't fight back the smile growing on her face.