Sweet redemption
Chapter 16
Two months later...Eight months
Emma POV
"Dylan, listen to your dad you know you're supposed to stay in there for nearly another month don't go thinking about arriving early we aren't ready for you yet."
"Babe he or she is happy where they are. You on the other hand need to be careful okay? Don't you and Aaron do anything stupid? I don't want to lose my family."
"We'll be gone a few hours need to hunt for winter babe if we can get a couple of bucks then we are set for a while, I'll cook you up some venison, best you've ever had babe." He kisses my head.
"Call that a kiss?"
"No this is." He leans down into me and kisses me softly while placing a hand on my belly earning himself a sharp kick from Dylan. "Now son are we going to have a problem?"
"Nope he's just reminding you to be careful out there, you too Aaron. Bye, babe. See you in a few."
I watch Daryl and Aaron leave, I decide to drop in on the Grimes house and let Merlynn have a play date with Judith.
"Hey, Emma. You mustn't be long now?"
"How about four weeks, until they slice me open Carol."
"Oh that's right you're not having him naturally are you?"
"Denise's thinking I can't that he'll be too big. She thinks he is already nine to ten pounds, so he might go to eleven by the time he is born."
"Everything will be fine."
"I wouldn't ask but I have to go to docs could you look after Merlynn for a few minutes?"
"Sure we girls will have fun. You okay?"
"Yeah just a little niggling thing, Daryl worries so much so I didn't tell him I needed to go I usually just wait for him to leave."
"Okay, I hope everything is alright."
I left Merlynn with Carol, I know I said that I needed to go to the doctor but I wanted to go for walk and see how Deanna is, she hasn't been well what with Aidan, Reg dying, and now Spencer falling off the rails. I reach behind me and feel my knife and pistol in their holsters, Daryl insisted that I always carry them whenever I'm out of the house. It's silent except for the moans of the walkers, Daryl wouldn't have left if it is a lot but he did use the west exit so maybe he didn't know about this build-up, I see Rick and another man fixing the fence when all of a sudden they stop and are looking up at the fence my eyes follow them and I watch as the steeple from the old church outside starts to fall towards the fence, and it takes the fence with it.
"Oh shit!"
"Run everyone run back to your homes!" Rick yells. Oh god, Merlynn, I run to Rick's house to get Merlynn, but when I get there they aren't there.
"Oh fuck Carol what did you do with my girl?"
Then I see them there are tens of walkers in the street, fuck me I'm out on the street. I look up the road to my house there are walkers there as well but the park to the side of me is clear and leads to the lookout, I have no choice but to run and try and make the lookout, I pull my gun out and start running well as best as an eight-month pregnant woman can run. I'm close to the lookout when I feel a hand grab my shoulder and we fall on the ground, I land on my stomach pain shoots through me like I've been stabbed, I'm able to push the walker off me and I shot it in the head, as I do I felt something wet run down my leg, I hope I've pissed myself. I make it to the ladder as I do I have walkers trying to bite at my feet as I drag myself onto the tower I roll onto my side holding my belly as wave after wave of pain comes over me.
"Help me." I can barely say the pain is so bad. All I can hear is grrrr grrr grrrr. "Help me!" A little louder but still not yelling. "HELP ME. PLEASE! SOMEONE HELP ME!" I screamed.
Daryl POV
Aaron and I were heading out west and were tracking by the looks of the print of a very big buck.
"So Daryl you excited about Dylan coming?"
"Scared and excited never knew you could be the same at the same time. I wanna meet my baby but I'm scared for Emma giving birth it's so risky."
"Everything we do Daryl is risky. Falling in love is risky, telling someone you love them is risky, everything we do is risky."
"Very true." Then all of a sudden we hear a loud crash sound, hell someone crashed through the fence this time. "Oh god home."
"Come on let's go." Aaron and I start running back to the town. Minutes felt like hours until we reached the outskirts of Alexandria. That's when we see from our vantage point, that part of the wall is down and hundreds of walkers are roaming the streets. "Daryl calm down they're okay, Eric and Em are fine." From our spot, we can see everything here, the whole town. I can't believe my eyes.
"Oh god baby what are you doing up there?"
"Where? Where's Emma?"
"On the lookout, unless that's another pregnant woman there something's wrong she's laying down holding her stomach." I can hear her yelling. "HELP ME. PLEASE! SOMEONE HELP ME!" I go running towards her Aaron is holding me back. "Let me the fuck go Emma needs me, something is wrong!"
"Calm down Daryl. I know you want to go there I get it I would too if it was Eric, but she's safe at the moment we need to think. We need a plan."
"HELP ME!"
"What do we do?"
"I think she's in labor, yeah she is." Aaron says looking through his binoculars.
"She's gonna die, Aaron, Denise said she can't have that baby naturally, I can't sit here watching her die."
"She won't die, though she might be close to giving birth."
Emma POV
"HELP ME!" I've been screaming it feels like hours but I know it's only been minutes. Then all of a sudden I have a contraction and another stronger than the first. Okay think Em you can do this, all the while I can hear the creatures moaning and groaning trying to get to me. "Okay, babe if this is where you want to come out then fine." Thank goodness I'm wearing a dress. I pull my underwear off, really girl is the hospital too much to ask? I do I put my hand between my legs good news the liquid is clear so that's good, so far so good. I have no idea what I'm doing, remember Emma what did I do with Merlynn? I start breathing trying to concentrate as another contraction hits me. "Goddammit." I'm hit by another contraction as more fluid gushes from me. This time I look down and I start freaking out, there's blood.
"Oh god. OH GOD PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME!" I look down and the horde has increased, I can't climb down but I look over the side of the wall there are no walkers there they are all in Alexandria. I'm standing there thinking can I climb down? No way. What do I do?
Daryl POV
It's my worse nightmare. I can't watch it but can't help but watch it. I'm watching Emma, she's taking her underpants off, and I see her look at between her legs. I can see she's trying to breathe she must be having contractions. Then we hear it.
"OH GOD PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME!"
"Baby we are coming babe. Okay, Aaron, we need to get to her she's freaking her shit out." We watch her look over the fence baby don't do it, I'm coming.
"Stupid question you have a pen?"
"Yeah never know when you need one. Why?"
"I gotta plan. Paper where are you? Okay." I scribble on a note on the paper and now what can I use to tie it to the arrow? "What can I use to attach it? Hang on I got an idea." I untie one of the ties on my pants and roll the paper on the bolt and tie it to it. "God please work." I've hit things further away. I aim, breathe in, breathe out, and pull the trigger. Man, please hit the mark. I watch it fly through the air.
Emma POV
I lie down Dylan's planning on making his or her appearance known soon. Above all the noise I heard a thud look up and it was one of Daryl's bolts, I move so I can grab it and pull the paper off it.
'We are coming babe. Hold on.' I look around I can't see him. Just then I had a stronger contraction I need to push.
"OH, GOD!" As I feel pressure and I have to bare down. I move to lie down as I do I see more blood on the boards as I try to lie back down on the lookout. Then I start to hear gunshots. That's just great I'm having a baby on a battlefield. I'm pushing I feel like I'm being ripped apart. I feel the head thank god Dylan is the right way, when I move my hand it's covered in blood. "OH GOD HELP ME I'M DYING!"
Daryl POV
"OH GOD HELP ME I'M DYING!"
"I'm going to her you can either help me or get out of my way." We move towards the town. The walkers have dispersed. "Come on Aaron. Hurry up." We make it to the wall but we can't climb over it so we have to go to the breach and hope none of the fuckers notice us. I can hear Emma screaming, I'm coming babe, and then the sound of a baby crying. I move as quickly as I can as we get closer we see the lookout is surrounded by the dead.
"We need a diversion, Daryl."
"Yeah, good idea. Noise is good."
"The cars use cars that might work."
"Even better that house right there use that and hope like hell it's got a radio and make as much noise as possible. Or better yet you climb on the roof and make as much noise."
We creep to the house thankfully it is empty okay stereo, well that's just great I break into the only home that doesn't have rock music. I grab the first disc and the house is filled with Kelly Clarkson 'Since you've been gone'.
"I like this song." As I turn the sound up full blast the glass nearby is rattling. We open the windows.
"Aaron concentrate. We need to see if it's leading them away." We climb the stairs and look out the window I can see the fuckers moving away I can see Emma but she's not moving.
"Fuck I have gotta get over there."
"Okay, this yard connects to the park you think you can get past them?"
"I'll die trying Aaron. My family needs me."
"Okay, you go out the backdoor. I'll keep them here and interested."
"Stay safe brother." As I open the door and quickly run to the back fence climb it and move toward the lookout, I'll say this my child has good lungs on them they haven't stopped crying, that's my boy, though probably not a good idea daddy's trying to rescue you. There are a few walkers near the lookout I stab those that are near me, I'm at the ladder and I start climbing, when I get to the top I'm shocked by what I see there's blood everywhere Emma's laying on the boards, and between her legs is our baby. I check for a pulse on Emma and it's there she's just fainted probably from loss of blood. I move to pick up the baby well hello my son we have a son okay I need to cut the cord, I grab my knife slice the cord, grab another tie from my pants and tie the umbilical cord. I pick up Dylan and hold him he's so much bigger than Judith was when she was born.
"Hello, Dylan. I'm your dad. That sleepy lady she's your mum. She's not feeling all that good right now." I start seeing people I guess move around taking out walkers I do Rick and my whistle signal.
"Daryl, what the hell are you doing up there?" Rick says walking toward the tower.
"Well Em thought here would be as good a place as any to have our son."
"You had a boy. Congrats. Is she okay?"
"I don't know she's unconscious. We need to get her down. She needs Denise."
"Okay, we will as soon as we can, hang tight there okay dad? Oh, Michonne has Merlynn by the way in case you're wondering."
"I don't even wanna know. Just tell her to be careful."
"Of course, she will be."
Dylan's still crying he must be hungry or knows mom is sick. I wonder if she can feed while asleep. I take my knife and slice her shirt open unhook the bra and bring Dylan to her nipple, I can hear him suckle and Emma moans, that's good my girl.
Rick and the crew were able to barricade the opening with several cars.
"Daryl, exactly how are we going to get her down from there?"
"Maybe I can wake her and she can climb down someone needs to be under her in case she falls."
"Nah I'll let her fall. Come on first let us have the baby, then climb back up and help her down."
I take Dylan from Emma he starts crying yeah I like them too son you'll have them again soon okay? I hold him inside my shirt and somehow climbed down.
"Hello, baby Dixon. You're a big one ain't you? I see you're bigger than your dad everywhere I see."
"Oh fuck off Rick."
"Oh I'll just be leaving you then shall I? Just kidding go on help your woman down." I climb back up.
I sit beside Emma. "Come on girl wake up we need to climb down. I wanna know how did you end up here by the way? Come on you've slept enough." I lightly tap her face.
"Go away."
"Nope ain't gonna happen. Come on princess. We need to get down." She feels her stomach.
"Oh my god, where's the baby?"
"Dylan's fine. He's..."
"We have a son?" She starts crying.
"That's usually what he means babe. Come on we need to climb down I want you to meet him."
"Okay." I help her so she's at the ladder her legs are shaky but she manages to climb down. As soon as she does I scoop her up and carry her to the clinic. But Denise isn't here fuck this can't be happening.
"Rick, where is she?"
"Could be anywhere. Okay let's fan out and find her, we need her Emma could die if the bleeding doesn't stop."
We go separate ways, then I see it I see Denise being dragged by some guy. He sees me.
"Drop your weapon! I want your weapon! Or the woman gets it!" I shot him hitting him square between the eyes.
"Fuck off. I ain't got time for your shit. Denise, are you okay? We need you Emma's had the baby and she's bleeding bad, been bleeding for a long time."
"I'm okay. Thank you and come on let's go. Okay, tell me what happened?"
"I don't know she was on the guard tower and had the baby that's all I know don't know why she wasn't in the house. She's bleeding please doc you gotta save her."
"I'll try my best Daryl honestly I don't know." Denise races into the clinic wash up and go into the cubicle. "Hello Dylan whoa you're a big boy is he a boy?"
"Yeah saw it myself he's got twenty-one fingers and toes. He's built like his dad."
"What small? Sorry, couldn't help it." Denise starts poking around Emma and internally checks her. "Emma you with me? Good hey momma. Okay, your afterbirth hasn't come out yet, I have something I can give you to speed it up. You've torn as well so that might account for some of the bleeding."
"I fell on my stomach."
"Okay, we need to do an ultrasound to see the damage to the uterus."
"Is Dylan okay?" I asked
"I will check on him once mom's taken care of but he looks good all things considered. But mom let's see where this bleeding is coming from."
"Denise, is she gonna die?"
"Not if I can help it Daryl she won't." She leaves and comes back with the ultrasound machine and a needle. "Okay, Emma let's see where the bleeding is coming from this is the drug Syntometrine it helps make the afterbirth come sooner you do want that right, Emma?"
"Yes. Anything just make the bleeding stop I don't want to die."
"Not on my watch honey you won't but you might if we can't figure out where it comes from. Okay, here's your uterus it looks like you might have ruptured your placenta, and seeming it is being expelled as we speak I think we need to wait and see if the bleeding gets heavier if it does then we will need to investigate more but first I need to stitch the tear to stop that bleeding and check the afterbirth as it comes out to make sure it is intact due to your fall."
"But there was a lot of blood."
"Daryl it might have been the placenta rupturing and nothing else. I say we wait, Emma isn't bleeding profusely now but I need to keep an eye on her. Now while we are waiting on the afterbirth to come out let's check on the star of the show. Hello Dylan, for being early he looks very good, he has strong lungs.
"Yeah, he has been screaming up a storm."
"Let's get you weighed. No wonder you tore mom you're a big boy ten pounds four ounces, momma has been feeding you well hasn't she? Guys, he's beautiful."
"He takes after his mother, not my ugly mug."
"Oh really? That's why he has your mole Daryl, and those pretty blue eyes you have. I could go on but he is the spitting image of you, mom didn't get much of a look in except for the hair."
"Well, he will be beautiful. Because his daddy is."
"You guys are too cute." I watch as Denise stitches Emma up I hurt just seeing that, as I'm holding Dylan, the next thing I hear is.
"Dad dad dad."
"Hello, kitty cat. Thank you very much Michonne, how did you end up with Merlynn?"
"Oh Carol dropped her over at Jessie's, no one has seen Carol."
"Oh she was at the jailhouse, hell someone needs to get them her and Morgan were unconscious."
Michonne said she'd get her. Damn things went to hell I was only gone an hour.
"Dad! Dad! Dad! Bub." I pass Dylan onto Emma and pick up Merlynn.
"Hey Merlynn, this is your baby brother Dylan, your mom's holding Dylan."
"Momma?"
"Oh god baby girl you said my name. Daryl, she said momma."
"See I told you she'd say it when she was ready."
"I'm sorry that I was so moody over it."
"It's okay. Hormones remember. Babe, I have to ask, why'd you climb the tower?"
"I went to get Merlynn and she wasn't at Rick's, then went to go to the home and there were walkers everywhere, the only way out was towards the tower as I got close one of them grabbed me and I fell on the ground that's when the pain started, I killed it and climbed the ladder."
"Oh, god babe. You could've died."
"I wasn't thinking, I was trying to survive."
"You did so well. I have to go, I'll be so quick you won't even notice I'm gone."
"Okay, babe we aren't going anywhere." I walk out I hear. "Hey, Merlynn wanna met your brother? This is Dylan." I look back and hear Merlynn saying momma and bub which makes me very happy, I walk out of the clinic and head to our house as quickly as I can. I needed to do something, I have a quick shower changed my clothes grab what I needed and head back to the clinic. I come back and see Merlynn and Emma on the bed looking at Dylan I wish I had a camera it's a perfect moment. "Hey, daddy. You look nice got something important that you have to dress all fancy?" I'm in a long sleeve shirt and dark pants.
"I'm not fancy. How are he and you doing?"
"Good the bleeding has slowed down, the fall and Dylan here hurt mommy. But you know I wouldn't change a thing."
"I'm glad you are okay. I wanted to ask you something."
"Yeah? What do you want to talk about?"
I get on one knee, I can see Emma start to cry.
"Emma don't cry. I wanted to know if you might wanna marry me. I don't have anything to offer you but I'll love you forever."
"Did you just ask me to marry you?"
"Yeah I know I'm nothing but you make me a better person Emma. I wanna live with you however long we have. I love you, Emma."
"Daryl you aren't nothing. You're something to me, you're the most important man in the world to me and the kids. I'd be honored to marry you."
"You wanna marry me?"
"Yeah, I want to be Mrs. Daryl Dixon."
"You are too perfect to be my wife." I get up and kiss her. "I have something for you I hope it fits your finger." I pull out the ring I found a few weeks ago. It's a diamond solitaire ring it's pretty big by my account.
"Oh, Daryl it's beautiful." I slip it on her finger, it's a perfect fit.
"It's almost as beautiful as you. Emma, you have beautiful kids you know that?"
"I have had good-looking men. You Dixon men are beautiful men. I love you, Daryl."
"I love you too Emma." I kiss her.