Chapter Text
Even though Daryl and Jesus were meant to be back yesterday, Maggie wasn’t too worried. They were two of the most capable people she knew and they’d probably just got held up somewhere. Still, she couldn’t help but find herself doing jobs near the gate, ready and waiting for their return.
“Heya Maggie, look who I’ve got!”
Maggie turned around, smile already breaking out on her face, heart skipping a beat like always as she saw her beautiful son being carried towards her safe in the arms of Tara. Although she’d struggled at first, clearly not keen on getting so close to another child after what happened to her niece, Tara just didn’t seem to be able to resist the charms of Hershel. He was too much like his father already.
Holding out her arms wide, Maggie gratefully took hold of his perfect little body, so soft and squishy, all but smothered in the toddler clothes and little knitted hat Daryl had found on one of his and Jesus’ runs. They were always bringing things back for the kids, Daryl especially never holding out on spoiling them rotten.
“They still not back yet?”
Maggie stopped pressing raspberries onto Hershel’s chubby little cheeks to look at her friend. “No not yet, but you know them. They’ll be fine an’ come back with more than we sent em out for.”
“Think if we sent them out with a list that just said ‘find your true loves you fucking idiots’ they’d get the idea?”
Maggie just chuckled and rolled her eyes, Tara’s utter exasperation with the two of them never failed to maker her laugh, even if she felt the same way.
“Who knows,” she said with a grin, “Maybe an angel sent them a Christmas miracle or somethin’”
“We live in hope.”
Focusing back on the wriggling child in her arms, Maggie couldn’t help but smile as she watched his perfectly formed little hands grasp at the bits of snow still falling, those familiar eyes wide and shinning in joy as he looked at everything around him.
God he reminded her so much of Glenn. It both hurt her and soothed her every time she caught a glimpse of him in their son, in the wonderful life they’d managed to create together. Glenn should be here for this, he should get to see their son’s excitement when he saw anything new, should get to hear his peels of laughter when someone tickled his little tummy. Maggie could only hope he was still somewhere around, watching them, feeling the love they had for him that would never fade.
Though he was too young to understand it yet, Maggie never stopped telling Hershel all about his daddy. His bedtime stories always involved him in some way; either a child appropriate version of the things he’d done, or by using him as a character in fairy tales.
Maggie would ensure he grew up knowing his dad, hopefully feeling his presence and character even in his absence. She knew the rest of her family contributed to it with their own stories and Aaron had spoken to her of doing the exact same thing with Gracie, never wanting Eric to fade out of existence entirely.
It was so viciously cruel the way such perfect life could be snuffed out in a second. It was such a fucking waste, such a tragedy. She still got so angry sometimes, not managing to purge it from her completely. It was a part of her now just as much as her sorrow and though she tried to keep control of it, sometimes it welled up in her so furiously she wanted to explode.
Jesus always seemed to help her with that. Though he’d never said much about it and she never expected he would, not to her at least, he seemed to understand what that explosive anger was like, knew how it’d eat away at you if you didn’t control it.
Maggie could clearly remember the first time he came to her after she’d lost her temper over something so stupid she couldn’t even recall it now. She’d stormed off to her room and wanted to trash it, just so unbearably angry at everything and everyone. There’d been a knock at the door, Jesus entering before she could even finish shouting at whoever it was to fuck off.
Maggie was ashamed to say she lost her shit at him, just screamed and let loose in a way she hadn’t been able to before. The war had finished about a month earlier, things finally starting to settle as those left living picked themselves up and began to move on. And everything she’d been putting on hold until that point came rushing out of her.
Afterwards, she’d just slumped to the floor and instead of leaving like she fully expected him to, Jesus came and sat next to her in silence. Then he held her as she broke down in sobs so violent she could have sworn she tasted blood, all her pain just being wrenched out of her. She missed Glenn so much it almost tore her in two.
Ever since that particular episode, Jesus started sparring with her. Gently at first, mindful of the fact she’d not long ago given birth; just some light boxing and stretching really. Then he showed her how to meditate, how to do yoga, how to breathe. It helped her so much, giving her that little lifeline she needed to keep it together. Jesus saved her from loosing herself to the grief and anger, something she could never thank him enough for and wouldn’t even try, knowing he’d never accept it.
It was just after this that she started to really notice how inseparable Jesus and Daryl had become. It was crystal clear that Jesus had something to do with the way Daryl had finally stopped spiralling down into mindless self destruction, but it was also apparent that Daryl was doing just as much for Jesus, even if it wasn’t as obvious.
Strange how even at the end of the world, you could find the person you were always meant to be with.
And if she and Glenn could get together in the middle of a damn pharmacy, then those two had no excuse. But Maggie had faith, she knew they’d figure it out eventually. Somehow.
“Car’s coming, I think it’s them.”
Maggie looked up at Kal, manning the gates as always, a relieved smile breaking out on her face as he confirmed it was. She stood to the side with Tara and Hershel as the gates opened, the car pulling inside to make unpacking easier. From what she could see through the windows, it looked like they’d found a good haul as always.
They seemed to linger in the car a few moments longer, looking at each other and obviously talking. Maggie wasn’t sure if she was imagining it, but Daryl looked almost bashful; ducking his head at something Jesus said but not before she caught sight of a soft smile and a nod. Intrigued, she stepped closer to wait for them, smiling in greeting as they finally got out of the car.
“Hello boys, what time do ya call this?”
Jesus all but bounded over, a smile on his face that she’d never seen before. Something was different about him. But he kissed her on the cheek as always and gave Hershel a squeeze.
“Well you wouldn’t believe what happened. But we did manage to get a lot of stuff.”
“Holy shit is that medicine?!” Came Tara’s voice as she helped unload.
“Yep,” grunted Daryl, walking past her and up to them, arms piled high with boxes. “Got almost everythin’ we needed and found a pharmacy. ‘S why we’re late. An’ cover his eyes in a minute, got him some presents.”
“Oh my God Daryl, he won’t even realise what they are, I think it’s safe.”
“Nah, he’s a clever kid, he’ll know.”
Maggie felt her heart melt as Daryl dropped a quick kiss to Hershel’s head when he started babbling after seeing his beloved uncle. She also saw Jesus turn into a pile of pathetic, heart eye’d goo at the sight, eyes following Daryl as he walked off towards to medical trailer.
“So what happened in the pharmacy then?” She asked, watching Jesus reluctantly tear his eyes away.
“It was really weird to be honest. We’d finished scavenging and the weather was turning so we wanted to get back. Daryl saw a little pharmacy though so we decided to check it out.”
He broke off, watching Daryl walk past them again and shooting him a soft smile, which Maggie was shocked to see Daryl return. Okay, something was definitely different. Usually they only looked that sappy and love struck when the other wasn’t looking. Despite the risk of disappointment, Maggie felt her heart speed up.
“And?”
“Hmm? Oh yeah, well the front of the store was pretty empty but we got some stuff. We were gonna leave but I saw a door in the back. We get there, no lock or anything and go inside. There were loads of boxes, some were empty but we actually found all sorts. Wasn’t exactly sure what was useful so we brought all of it.”
“Cover his eyes, I’m comin’ past.”
“Oh for goodness sake.” Chuckling to herself, Maggie turned Hershel away as Daryl hurried past like Santa. The kids really were getting spoiled at this point, but Daryl wouldn’t hear a word of it and no one could deny how lovely it was.
Looking back at Jesus she saw he was, once again, staring at Daryl. For heaven’s sake.
“And?”
“Err, yeah, well we’d just got inside and the door slams shut behind us. Then when we tried to get out, the door wouldn’t open! Was just totally stuck which is weird when it had no lock, but Daryl reckoned it was the cold making it stick. And it was cold! So we-, err, well we had to stay there all night and in the morning after-, erm, yeah, the door just kind of opened.”
There was more, there was definitely more. It was rare to see Jesus look shy or awkward and that last sentence actually brought a blush to his face. Maggie would bet her last damn chocolate bar that there was more to this story.
Oh! Maggie’s breath caught for a second, heart in her throat as she remembered the conversation she’d had with Tara and Aaron the other night. The fact it was a pharmacy...
“Jesus,” she began hesitantly, hoping she wasn’t overstepping but she needed to know. “Did something else happen. With, with you and Daryl?”
Jesus froze for a second, a brief flash of hesitation crossing his face.
“Paul, you comin’?
Then he looked up and saw Daryl, the softest smile she’d ever seen spreading over his face before he turned back to her.
“Yeah, yeah it did.”
Maggie watched with wide eyes, heart pounding as he walked towards Daryl, the other man waiting for him with his own sweet smile. Then she all but gasped as the two of them walked off towards their trailer hand in hand.
“Wait, what the fuck?”
Maggie turned to Tara, the other having rejoined her just in time, her eyes wide before a huge grin broke out over her face. “Oh my God did that just happen?! Did that really just happen?!”
Maggie nodded and choked out a laugh, eyes filling with tears, her heart so happy she felt like it would burst.
“Yeah, it really did.”
And though she couldn’t explain it or prove it, Maggie knew in her heart that Glenn had something to do with it. She just felt it.
Wiping her eyes with one hand, Maggie just looked down at her precious son, pressing her lips to his head.
“Hey Hershey, did I ever tell you what a hopeless romantic your daddy was?”
She started her way up the hill, talking to her son all the way, heart full of love and gratitude. Though her own love story had ended far too soon, Maggie was pleased to see another just beginning. It was about damn time.