"Selena's still having a hard time," I spoke, wiping my nose with the sleeve of my shirt, "We all are, but it seems to get worse for her than better. She's doing the most around here and coming back utterly exhausted. I guess she's trying not to think about you so much. Your dad is better than he was a few months ago." I rubbed a hand over my colossal stomach and smiled, feeling my baby's foot through my skin.
"He's getting excited about the baby," I continued, " We haven't come up with a name if it's a boy yet, and they should be here soon. Your dad, Daryl, and Jacob are betting they'll be here within two weeks. Michonne, Carol, and I are thinking by early next month." Sharp pain in my pelvis made me wince and rub the spot, "I wonder if this is how Lori felt when she was pregnant," I wondered, feeling uncomfortable with how this kid was positioned inside me.
"I swear, this kid has been using me as its swimming pool," I chuckled, "Although they haven't been moving around as much lately. Oh, Maggie had her baby! Hershel Rhee! We went last week to see her and baby Hershel. He looks just like his daddy." I trailed, saddened as I thought about Glenn, "I wonder how this baby will look like," I mused.
"Will they have you and your dad's bright blue eyes or my dull ones? Will they look more like me or your dad? This pregnancy's been hard, and well, you know I didn't necessarily take care of myself early on." Again, I rubbed my large stomach and felt my eyes well up with tears, feeling incredibly guilty, "I was beaten, stabbed, and went three whole weeks without substantial food or water, no prenatal, and putting my body through hell. It was worth it, though." I wiped my eyes, but more tears fell. The wound in my heart reopened, and I licked my lips, trying to keep my voice strong.
"I-I got to have more time with you," I choked, my voice cracking, "I got to hold you in my arms and tell you I loved you before—" I shook my head and wiped the tears that were running down my face, "I didn't come here to cry today," I laughed pathetically, "I came here to fill you in on everything you've missed. Oh, which reminds me! You should've seen Judith today! She's talking so much more, and she's a little spitfire. Your dad says she's a lot like you when you were her age. Yesterday, she was prancing around in your hat and covering her eye—" I trailed off, "We all miss you, Carl." I whimpered again, feeling my chest constrict, "It gets easier every day, but the hurt is still there. I don't think I'll ever stop missing you or thinking of you. I know the same can be said for your dad and Selena."
"There you are," A low voice grumbled behind me, one I've gotten so used to over the years. I didn't try to hide my tears and looked at the rugged man behind me. He desperately needed a haircut—one I'm determined to give later on—and he seemed especially dirty. Daryl frowned and approached me, sitting on the ground next to me.
"I'm just talking to Carl," I muttered, my hands rubbing my baby. It reassures me that everything will be okay when I feel them swimming around in there, but lately, they haven't been moving around as much, which worries me, "Telling him what's going on with us," Daryl nodded and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me into him.
Together, we stared at the grave in silence. Carl was taken from us too soon—way too soon. Siddiq, our doctor, and man that Carl, Selena, and I rescued, tried his hardest to stop the bleeding, but without the necessary tools... Carl just slipped away.
Rick, Selena, and I were a mess for a long time after that. We tried—well, at least Rick and I tried—to heal, but the big gaping hole in our hearts will take forever to patch over fully. Selena, she's been a complete and total mess. She didn't want to eat for a long time after we lost him, she didn't want to talk to anyone, and every night for months, we could hear her crying herself to sleep. Now, she busies herself around Alexandria. We've constructed a windmill with an adequate water system so we wouldn't have to go outside the walls anymore, and our garden is flourishing beautifully, but there's still a lot to do.
She's constantly helping with gardening or rebuilding—which we've done a lot of in the past six months. At first, I was able to help with the building process, and I'm proud to say that I helped build a lot of the newer houses and the framework of the windmill before it started getting harder for me to do things.
Then, almost dragging her with me, Michonne and I started working on the gardens. Something I still work on to this day. I can't just stay at home doing nothing. Plus, Judith enjoys playing with all the dirt and soil, so I can take her to the gardens.
"How're you doing today?" Daryl grunted, breaking me out of my thoughts. I turned up to him and smiled, our eyes meeting.
"Good," I answered truthfully, "I gardened, took a long walk with Judith around the walls, and now I'm here," Daryl nodded and broke our eye contact, his throat clearing.
"You gotta start taking it slow," Daryl reminded me, mimicking Siddiq, "You can pop any day now," I rolled my eyes and leaned my head against his shoulder.
"Yeah, I know," I murmured and closed my eyes, loving how the breeze brushed past us. It was nearing winter, and I was ready for it. It's been unbelievably hot, so a nice, cold winter is something I desperately want. I'll probably regret wishing for a cold winter, though. "Was Kurt able to finish the crib?" Daryl grunted in response, confirming it.
"He finished a while ago," Daryl answered, using his words, "He's a good kid."
"Yeah," I answered, feeling happy. We took a chance on Kurt, and I'm delighted it played out; he had a knack for carpentry.
The Saviors have acclimated—well, most have—and have started trying to make a real home out of the Sanctuary. Most of us were still wary of them—I mean, who wouldn't be? Six months ago, they tried to kill all of us.
"Rick's looking around for you," Daryl informed me, "Something about trying to get that kid out of you," I blushed and looked at my hands, knowing exactly what he was talking about. Daryl groaned and lightly shoved me away.
"Seriously?" Daryl groaned, "You're already pregnant, and isn't it harder to—" I stopped him and shook my head, not bothering to give him details.
"It's actually recommended to have sex to help induce labor," I told him matter-of-factly, earning another groan from him.
"I don't wanna think about that," I giggled and grabbed his hand, placing it on the peak of my stomach and watching as a smile spread across his lips when the baby sent a sudden kick to the spot. "How do ya get any rest with all that moving?"
"I don't," I answered, "I'm so uncomfortable all the time." Daryl let his hand fall and looked at the grave one last time, nodding.
"Let's go," Daryl muttered and stood up, extending both hands my way. I gripped him tightly and struggled to get on my feet, laughing at how something as simple as standing back up had become impossible to do alone. Daryl walked alongside me in silence, both admiring our blossoming home. He paused a few feet from my house, giving me a reassuring nod. Since the Saviors surrendered and we've imprisoned Negan in our cells beneath our new home, Daryl hasn't been comfortable here in Alexandria. Neither has Maggie, and I can tell she resents Rick and me for keeping Negan alive.
It's what Carl wanted. He wanted us to stop all the senseless killing, and we started with Negan, even though Rick tried to end him. Negan now has a large scar across his neck from where Rick slashed his throat open—something he did out of grief ten minutes after Carl died. Siddiq saved Negan, stitched him up, and since then, he's been locked up.
"I gotta drag Selena back home," Daryl explained quickly, one of his many excuses not to come any closer, "You good?" I nodded at him and smiled tightly at him. He turned to walk away and disappeared around the corner, leaving me alone. Slowly, I ascended the steps and felt ridiculous for feeling so out of breath when I reached the top. The baby kicked me squarely in the ribs again, making me feel even more winded.
"Hey!" I turned and tried to smile at Jacob as he and Michonne came sprinting towards me, "You shouldn't be overexerting yourself," I waved him off and turned the knob to my home, slowly walking inside.
"June," Michonne scolded, "We all told you to start taking it easy, and that means no going up the stairs by yourself,"
"I'm pregnant, not handicapped," I muttered, letting both lead me to the sofa.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Michonne rolled her eyes, "You've been saying that your entire pregnancy,"
"Because it's true!" I snapped playfully.
"Says the lady who could barely go up the stairs," Jacob teased, earning a slap on the arm from me, "Seriously though, you should take it easy. This pregnancy hasn't been an easy one for you,"
"Yeah," Michonne nodded and sat next to me, her hand immediately caressing my stomach, "We all just want you and the baby to be safe,"
"I mean," I whispered, "I didn't do much during the whole war, though," Michonne frowned at me and shook her head, "Jacob, you were at the front of it! You took part in shooting up the Sanctuary and—"
"It's over and done with," Jacob murmured, sitting opposite of me, "We should be happy that it's over, and you should be focusing on the future,"
He's right. I can't linger on what I could've done, what should've been done, or what could've happened if things were different. I have to focus on the here and now and what's to come. First things first... I have to get this baby out of me. Then, I can start setting up trading routes between the communities, a charter, maybe even an annual fair where all the communities can come together to trade, sell, and buy. Suddenly, a strong, sharp pain encased my entire lower region, making me groan. I breathed shakily and doubled over, my hand immediately flying to my stomach.
"June, are you okay?" Michonne's worried voice bounced off the walls, her hand finding my free one and squeezing. I closed my eyes and nodded as the pain started to subside.
"Yeah," I nodded, reopening them. Jacob kneeled on the ground in front of me, his worried green eyes scanning my face, "Yeah, I don't know what that was,"
"When you saw Siddiq a few days ago, did he say how effaced you were?" Michonne asked. I leaned back into the sofa and rubbed my tummy, wondering what was happening inside.
"Fully effaced," I whispered, "But he said it could take days or weeks until I go into labor," I didn't miss the worried look Michonne and Jacob shared, putting me on edge. "What?"
"Nothing," They both answered quickly and smiled at me.
"I'm going to go work on the—" Jacob started but was quickly cut off by Michonne.
"Yeah," Michonne nodded, "Be safe, okay?" He quickly kissed Michonne and exited the house, casting a worried glance back at the two of us. "So," Michonne turned to me and smiled, "What did you do today?"
"Gardened," I flashed her a faux angry look. She abandoned me today to work on the new water filtration system that Eugene was struggling to set up, "Walked the wall with Judith for about an hour," I repeated, feeling another dull pain start in my belly and spread to my lower back, "Then I went to talk to Carl,"
Michonne flashed me a saddened look and frowned, her grip on my hand tightening. His death hit everyone differently. It affected Rick, Selena, and me the most, but that doesn't mean we were the only ones. Michonne and Carl were pretty close; the same goes for Jacob and Daryl, but they've managed to deal with their grief healthily, and I see them at his grave occasionally. I felt the urge to use the bathroom and shifted uncomfortably in my seat.
"'Chonne," I whimpered, "Can you help me up?" Michonne immediately jumped to her feet and gently lifted me, even going as far as to walk me to the bathroom. I closed the door behind me and sighed, wondering why she was so uptight suddenly. I pulled my pants down and felt my eyes widen as the mess within them slid down my legs. It looked like discharge, but it had a reddish-pink hue to it.
"Michonne!" I panicked and held onto the wall as the door opened. Michonne poked her head in and rushed over to me, gripping my upper arms tightly, "Is that—my plug?"
"It looks like it," Michonne confirmed and helped me remove my pants and underwear, "Let's get you into something more comfortable, okay?"
"I feel grossed out," I admitted, "Can I take a shower?" Michonne chuckled and nodded, leaving me to turn on the shower.
"I'll get you one of Rick's shirts and some clean underwear, okay? Scream for me if you need me," I nodded and held onto the wall, trying to calm myself down. I've read that just because you lose your mucus plug, that doesn't mean you'll go into labor right away. I might still have a week or two left.
I removed my shirt with great difficulty and carefully climbed into the shower, washing my entire body thoroughly. The shower lasted about ten minutes, but I stayed in for about fifteen minutes, gripping the walls and taking deep breaths when the pain in my lower back and stomach returned. Braxton Hicks, that's all this is—or that's what I'm telling myself. I shut off the water and carefully waddled out of the shower, trying to take it as slowly as possible so I wouldn't overexert myself.
"June?" Michonne called from the other side of the door, "I'm coming in, okay?" I nodded, forgetting that she couldn't see me, and looked at my reflection in the mirror. The woman looking back at me seemed scared, and her eyes were squinted in pain. Her mouth was slightly agape, and quick breaths escaped and entered her.
"This has gotta be Braxton Hicks, right?" I whimpered, turning to look at Michonne. Michonne gave me a pointed look and handed me one of Rick's shirts and a clean pair of underwear.
"Jacob went to find Rick and Siddiq," Michonne informed me. When did they develop the skill of telepathy? I was right in the room with them, and nothing even close to that came out of their mouths!
"No!" I shouted suddenly, "I'm sure it's nothing! I'm sure it's just the baby's head pushing on my pelvis. You know how much that hurts!" Michonne smiled at me and helped me with my underwear since I couldn't bend that way anymore.
"With Andre," Michonne began and started to lead me to the living room once I was fully clothed, "The last trimester was hell," She chuckled, her head shaking.
"I started getting morning sickness again, and then his big head was constantly pushing on my pelvis, so I was always in pain—I called it lightning crotch," I giggled, understanding that pain all too well, "I went past my due date by two weeks, imagine how uncomfortable I was at 41 weeks!"
"That does sound like hell," I murmured, "If Siddiq is right, I should be pushing on 39 weeks, and I'm tired of this shit," Michonne and I laughed together. She sat on the sofa beside me, her hand still holding mine.
"When it was time to get induced, I was so excited," Michonne laughed, "Until I wasn't. It hurts, June. I'm not going to lie." I felt my heart pound violently and used my free hand to caress my aching stomach.
"I was lucky to have gotten an epidural cause that shit—" She exhaled loudly and shook her head, "But I know you can do this, June. I know it's scary, but it's all worth it when that baby is in your arms."
Finally, the mountain of worries that I had swelling in my head for months came tumbling down like a massive landslide, and tears started to prick my eyes. That's one thing I'm excited about is coming to an end—the hormone cyclone I go through daily.
"But what if I can't push them out?" I worried, "What if Siddiq has to cut me open, and I die before I can hold my baby? What if," A tear slipped from my eye, "What if they die while I'm trying—"
"None of that will happen," Michonne whispered, her grip on my hand tightening.
"I wish that were true," I cried, "But we both know that it could."
"You're tough, June," Michonne reassured me, "One of the toughest people I've ever met. It's going to hurt, and it could seem like it'll take forever, but I know you can do this." I nodded and looked up at the mantle, letting a lone tear slip from my eye.
Several pictures lined the mantle, all of them of our family. One of Selena and Carl—she's sitting on his lap and smiling widely. That was taken a month after he was shot by that demon, Ron. One was of the five of us—Jacob had managed to snap the pic, and it reminded me of those pictures families used to take at Wal-Mart or something. One was of Rick, Daryl, and I. Another was of Michonne and me. One was of just the kids—Carl and Selena held Judith between them, and Judith was giggling wildly. And the final one was of Rick and me.
Looking at all the pictures made me feel better and made my worries disappear. I can do this. I've survived hell and thrived, gaining a family in the process. I survived losing a son, and I know I can survive childbirth. I looked at Michonne and squeezed her hand, my tears no longer clouding my vision.
"Promise me you'll stay with me the entire time," I whispered. Just because I knew I could do this doesn't mean that I'm not terrified. I no longer have my mom to lean on for support, but I have Michonne. She's my best friend, my sister, and I'm happy she came into my life when she did. She's been my rock to lean on in so many ways. I just hope that she loves me as much as I love her.
"I promise,"
~*~
"I'm going to kill him," I sneered and paced around the living room, my hands massaging my lower back. "If he thinks he's ever touching me again, he's mistaken! I'll cut his hands off," Daryl and Michonne shifted in their seats and covered their mouths, obviously amused by me. I turned to them and glared, angry that my suffering was entertaining them.
Jacob rushed into the room with Judith in his arms, his wild green eyes landing on me momentarily before dropping. After I chewed him out about three hours ago, he's been avoiding all eye contact with me, muttering something about not wanting to piss off the laboring pregnant woman.
"Where is he?" I moaned and leaned against the mantle, closing my eyes when another sharp pain hit me, "He said he wasn't leaving Alexandria for the next month or so in case this happened!"
"He's bringing back Selena," Daryl muttered. I raised my head and glared at him, my lips in a tight frown.
"Oh, just you wait," I winced, trying to talk through the pain, "You think me scolding Jacob was bad? Wait until you hear what I have in store for Selena!"
"Maybe you should—" Jacob started but stopped immediately when I turned to him, his eyes dropping again.
"Take it easy on her," Daryl grunted, "She's going through a lot," I shuddered and pulled away from the mantle, slowly stalking towards him.
"I know she is," I whispered, "We all are, but she can't keep doing stupid shit like this!" I pointed an accusing finger at Daryl, "I know you two have been sneaking out of Alexandria; don't deny it, Dixon! Do you know how dangerous it is for her in her mental state? She can get sloppy! What if she isn't paying attention, and she gets bit!"
"June, you needa—" Daryl started, holding his hands up in defense.
"Don't tell me what I need to do!" I screamed at him, "Don't tell me I don't know what's best for my daughter! We're all struggling, but Rick and I have to keep strong to finish rebuilding Alexandria for Carl. It's what he would've wanted," Daryl stood up from his spot, his eyes squinting and mouth pursed tightly. I started to pace and groaned, thoroughly pissed off and scared.
Warm hands replaced mine and started massaging my lower back, making me sigh in contentment. Daryl worked the stress from my muscles and gently lured me towards the sofa, "You need to relax. All this can't be good for ya,"
"I-I-I just," I started, feeling the large waves of hormones crash into me, "I just want Selena and Rick to come home. We don't have a name for this baby if it's a boy, and I'm scared. I'm in pain, and I just want my mom," Michonne scrambled off the couch and kneeled in front of me, her white teeth showing as she smiled at me.
"They'll be here," Michonne reassured me, "I know you're scared and in pain, but you're not alone. I know we aren't your mom, but you have us. Even Jacob is trying his best to soothe you despite being yelled at," She chuckled, "Which even scared me," I laughed and wiped at my eyes.
"If you want, I'll go out and look for them," Jacob offered, sitting in Michonne's previous spot with a sleeping Judith in his arms, "I'll drag them back here before the real show starts," I shook my head and grabbed onto his knee, smiling at him.
"No," I whispered, "If I don't have Rick here, then I want the three of you to be by my side,"
"It ain't like we were gonna leave anyway," Daryl shrugged and flashed me a smirk, "I'll go get Siddiq real quick, okay?" I nodded and watched him run out of the house. So much for not leaving... Oh, Rick, you better get your ass here fast.
~*~
The sun had already set long ago, and my contractions were getting closer and closer. Daryl and Jacob held my hands while Michonne sat behind me and rubbed my back. Siddiq pulled his fingers from me and flashed me a worried smile. Before this, he'd only delivered one baby before—Maggie's. Now I'm lucky number two. I grabbed Jacob's wrist and looked at his watch, groaning again. It's been 5 hours since this started, and I'm ready for it to end.
"You're dilated," Siddiq told me for the umpteenth time, "Three centimeters," Three? Just three? I thought I'd be at a good eight or nine by now and start getting ready to push.
"You gotta be shitting me," I snapped and peered toward the door, "Just three? Are you sure?" Siddiq nodded and rubbed my knee soothingly.
"If your water hasn't broken in a few hours, then I'll break it, and hopefully, that could speed up the process a bit," I groaned and struggled against Daryl and Jacob, wanting to stand up.
"My wife," Jacob started hesitantly, "She spent twenty hours in labor with Lyric,"
"I was in labor for sixteen hours with Andre," Michonne nodded. I groaned again and clenched my fists. I know they're trying to be helpful, but thinking about being at this for another ten to twelve hours does not help. At all. Another sharp contraction vibrated through my body, and I had to shut my eyes to deal with the pain. It felt like I was being ripped in two. It's period cramps but twenty times worse.
The front door opened, making my head snap in its direction. Selena and Rick walked in with smiles on their dirty face. Selena had tear stains on her face, but she was smiling—something I hadn't seen in a while. The contraction passed, and I stood on my feet with Jacob and Daryl's help. I glared at the two as I approached them, my breathing ragged. Their smiles instantly fell, seemingly understanding what the look on my face meant.
"Where were you two?" I scolded, trying to keep my voice low since Judith was upstairs sleeping, "It's way past sundown! Do you know how dangerous it is at night?!"
"Sweeth—"
"Don't sweetheart me, Rick Grimes!" I seethed, my hand on my large stomach, "Do you know how worried I've been?! How scared?" Selena approached me and gripped my hand, offering me the smallest of smiles.
"I'm sorry," Selena whispered, "I snuck out. I couldn't be trapped in here anymore, and Rick followed me. I didn't mean to worry you," My lower lip quivered, and I shook my head, hating how emotional I'd been today.
"You're in a lot of trouble, Selena Tor—" I hissed and held onto the wall beside me, gritting my teeth when another contraction rocked my body. Rick immediately rushed to my side and wrapped an arm around me, his worried eyes on me.
"She's three centimeters dilated," Siddiq spoke up from his spot, "I'd say by tomorrow morning, there will be a new addition to Alexandria," A large smile broke out across Rick's face. He led me towards the sofa, his dirty hand caressing my cramping stomach.
"You'll need an assistant, won't you, Siddiq?" Selena asked, looking terrified, "I want to help,"
"How long have you been—"
"Five hours," I answered, cutting Rick off. "We haven't picked a name for them,"
"I really like that name I ran by you the other night," Rick whispered, "And Melody, if it's a girl,"
"I love it," I nodded and gripped his hand tightly, "Let's get this baby out of me," Rick smiled and leaned down, his warm lips pressing against mine.
~*~
I hunched over the bed, my knees on the floor while my upper half rested on the mattress. A deep groan escaped me, and my entire body felt like it was on fire. Rick kneeled to my right, holding my hand and rubbing my back, while Michonne kneeled to my left and whispered words of encouragement into my ear. Selena and Siddiq prepped the bed with clean sheets and a water basin to clean off the baby when it got here.
Daryl and Jacob sat in the hallway, stating they couldn't watch. Over the hours, word got out that I was in labor, and everyone from Alexandria patiently awaited to hear whether mom and baby made it out safely. Before coming to the room an hour ago, I saw Rosita, Eugene, Aaron, and Gabriel lounging around the living room.
"I don't know if I can do this," I whimpered, leaning into Rick, who was now showered and free of dirt and walker blood.
"You can," Rick reassured me. He tilted my head and kissed my temples, his hands still massaging my lower back.
"We're right here," Michonne nodded, squeezing my hand.
"Siddiq," I whined, "Check me, please. I've been at this for nearly eighteen hours," Eighteen long and excruciating hours of agony. I've always said I'm pain-tolerant, but childbirth is another monster entirely. After this, I don't want to go through it again.
"Alright," Siddiq answered and motioned to the bed. Rick and Michonne stood up, their arms looping under my armpits, and hoisted me onto my feet. I shuffled onto the bed and opened my legs. Usually, I would feel uncomfortable exposing myself to a good friend, but I just want this kid out of me. I don't care anymore. Siddiq spoke lowly to Selena, showing her how to check for dilation, and slipped three fingers into me. He removed his fingers and nodded, a smile on his lips.
Selena looked up at me, almost as if she was asking for permission. I nodded at her and looked up, keeping my eyes on Rick. He brushed the hair away from my face and stared down at me, smiling. He's absolutely breathtaking. I would commit every detail of his face to memory if I weren't in so much pain. Selena slipped her fingers out and smiled widely.
"You're ready," Siddiq announced. I let out an exasperated chuckle and nodded, excited to be nearing the end of this painful journey.
"You're doing so good," Michonne praised and sat on my left, grabbing my hand, "We're almost at the finish line,"
"Thank you for staying with me the entire thing, 'Chonne," I whispered. She smiled and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze, her lips pulling over her teeth.
"Ready to meet our baby?" Rick asked, his voice barely above a whisper. I nodded and followed Siddiq's directions. Rick and Michonne held each leg under my knee, holding them open while Siddiq and Selena sat between them, their gloved hands ready. With each contraction that raked through my tired body, I pushed with all my might, gritting my teeth and closing my eyes. It felt like my entire pelvis was on fire, and my whole body was drenched from head to toe in sweat. I could feel everything that was going on down there and tried to dissociate.
"I see the head," Siddiq announced. I leaned back and took a few breaths, waiting for the next contraction to hit. When it came, I gritted my teeth again and closed my eyes. My voice sounded strained as I pushed, and my hair stuck to my face. I could feel the head push through and refrained from screaming.
"Oh my god," Selena breathed, "One more push, and that's it, June!" Tears pricked my eyes, and I nodded, ready for this to be over.
"You're doing so good, sweetheart," Rick praised, brushing the hair from my face, "So good. I love you," Michonne laughed from beside me, her eyes full of tears.
"One more," She repeated and nodded. I closed my eyes and felt tears slip through them as I gave a final push with the contraction. I felt something leave my body and let out the breath I had been holding, throwing myself against the pillows. A tiny cry penetrated the air, and I couldn't stop the waterworks. Siddiq rushed over and placed my baby on my chest. A sob tore through my body, and I wrapped my arms around the tiny body, taking in its features. Rick leaned down and sniffled, holding me tightly while he stared at the tiny human we created.
"Oh, June," Michonne cried from beside me, peering at the tiny person in my arms, "He's beautiful." I nodded my head and cried, watching my son open his eyes. Striking blue eyes looked back at me, taking my breath away.
"Congratulations, mama," Siddiq smiled. I looked up at Rick and put my forehead against his, my love for everyone in this room radiating off me.
~*~
After delivering the afterbirth and cleaning up, Rick and I sat side by side, marveling at our son as he slept soundly against Rick's bare chest, doing skin-to-skin. Michonne smiled from her place on the chair beside our bed, tears streaming down her cheeks. A knock came from our door, and Daryl's voice came through.
"Is it alright to come in?"
"Yes," I answered, smiling as his worried face peeked through the doorway. Daryl shuffled in with Jacob trailing behind him. Rosita, Eugene, Gabriel, and Aaron stood by the door, not wanting to crowd into the room, but they all had eyes on the tiny being in Rick's arms. I looked at Daryl and beamed, proud of myself for creating such a perfect tiny human.
"Want to hold him?" I asked him. Daryl visibly swallowed thickly, but he nodded. Rick held his arms out, gently transferring the baby into Daryl's arms. Daryl awkwardly stood there, peering down at my son until a smile broke across his face.
"You did a good job, June," He nodded at me, lifting his pale blue eyes, "He's beautiful,"
"That's half me there, too, you know," Rick teased, nudging Daryl slightly, "Calling me beautiful, too," Daryl rolled his eyes and looked back down at the baby, rocking him gently.
"You ain't horrible, I guess," Daryl answered, earning a laugh from the both of us, "What'd you name him?" I bit my lip and hoped for the best.
"Thaddeus," I smiled, "After Thaddeus Beaumont from Stephen King's The Dark Half,"
"One of my favorite books," Rick quickly interjected.
"Thaddeus Grimes," Michonne said from her spot, a smile on her lips, "I like it,"
"Well," I started and looked up at Rick, earning a nod from him, "His full name is Thaddeus Daryl Grimes," Rick and I stared at Daryl for the longest, studying his facial expression. Daryl's never been an expressive man, but to see the tears well up in his eyes made me start blubbering again. Awws came from everyone inside and outside the room, and I wiped away the tears streaming from my eyes.
"We love you, brother," Rick spoke, his voice thick with emotion. Daryl looked down and sniffled loudly, his eyes on my son.
"I like his name," Daryl answered with a smirk, "Gonna call him little D," Rick and I chuckled. I leaned into Rick and sighed contently when his lips connected with my head. All these people in my house have my heart, wholly and quite pathetically, but none of them have me as enamored as Thaddeus Daryl Grimes.
----*----
I stand by this little guy's name. It's unique (and for my religious folk, it also has religious connotations, although I, myself, am not religious), and took it entirely from the Stephen King book. If you haven't read it, I recommend it because it is a good book!
Sorry to all my OG readers, the name ain't changing! 😝