Chapter Text
“She’s a rebel child and a preacher’s daughter. She was baptised in dirty water. Her momma cried the first time they caught her with me, they knew they couldn’t stop her!”
Your voice rang out strong through the prison’s small kitchen area, the baby on your hip laughing as you bounced her along to the beat.
“She holds tight, me and the bible, on the backseat of my motorcycle. Left her daddy standing there preaching to the choir, you see. God love her. Oh, me and God love her!”
Judith’s joyous shrieks caused you to tip your head back and laugh. There was nothing that made anyone smile more than the sound of the little girl’s light giggles.
You cupped her little cheek, giving her a loving kiss on the head. You had always loved children, and when Judith had been born, her mother gone physically and her father just as gone mentally, you had slipped into the carer role easily. For her, and for Carl.
Even with Rick back, once again the strong leader he had been, you had continued on with that role. Carl wasn’t always too pleased about it, but his angst was stemming from the fact that his number one carer wasn’t his father. The tension between the two Grimes’ was steadily mounting, but you were staying out of it.
“Not gonna touch those land mines, are we, Judy?” You asked the baby, not expecting a reply. “No, we are not.”
As you set about preparing Judith’s lunch, the baby began to bounce in your arms. She was shrieking again,
happy but frustrated, her attention at something by the doorway.
You glanced briefly at the baby, following her gaze.
“Daryl,” you breathed, pleasantly surprised. “Didn’t see you there.”
Daryl simply nodded, stepping further into the room. Seeing Judith’s struggle, he held out his hands, allowing you to pass her over easily.
Settled in the man’s arms, the baby beamed a gummy grin. You scoffed, laughing.
“Oh yeah, I’m thrown out because Daryl’s here,” you teased, tickling the baby’s belly.
The mutual affection between the hunter and the baby was well known throughout the prison. It was because of Daryl that Judith survived her first day on Earth. Despite the losses and exhaustion, he’d headed out into the dangerous world, intent on making sure they didn’t lose the most innocent of them all.
“How is she?” Daryl asked, barely reacting as Judith reached up and slid her palm over his chin. She was obsessed with pulling hair, and without a cut soon, Daryl would become her favourite target.
“Good,” you answered, turning back to her food. “Gettin’ her first tooth, that’s why she’s been so cranky. Is anyone going on a run soon?”
Daryl shrugged, tipping his head up. “Why?”
“She could use some stuff,” you answered sheepishly. “Teething rings would help, maybe some baby aspirin. Couple a clothes, for the winter.”
“Baby aspirin?”
“Teething babies can come down with low fevers that the aspirin would help. As well as helping with the pain of her teeth erupting,” you explained. You motioned towards the table, holding up the plastic bowl.
Daryl took a seat, situating the baby on his lap as you sat beside him, and began to feed her. The man remained quiet for a while, and as you encouraged the baby to eat, you could feel his eyes on you.
Daryl wasn’t a man of many words, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t communicative. Since Judith’s birth and Rick’s deterioration and recovery, he had been hanging around a lot more. It was all down to the kids, you knew. Whilst Rick had been pulling himself back together, Daryl had taken over for him. He made everyone his priority, checking in on everybody as often as possible.
Over those months, the two of you had developed your own ways of communicating. A nod here, asking if everything was ok, and a subtle hand signal there, alerting the other to something of interest.
It made you warm, learning all the little things about Daryl. The group had been together for years now, and he was still considered a mystery. But not to you, not anymore.
“Alright, we can head out tomorrow,” Daryl spoke suddenly, causing you to snap your eyes to him.
You gave him a smile, ready to say thanks until his words fully registered and you paused.
“Wait, we who?”
“You an’ me.”
“On a run?” You asked, surprised. “Outside the prison? Together?”
“Ya been outside before,” Daryl scoffed. “Ain’t nothin’ new.”
“No, I know, but...” you hesitated. “I’m outta practice, surely I’ll just slow you down.”
“Only way to get practice in is t’go out there and get it,” Daryl pointed out. “‘Sides, you know what lil asskicker needs better than any o’us. We leave early, we’ll be back ‘fore dinner.”
The baby gurgled up at you, waving her tiny fist. You were nervous, terrified even, but he was right. You had to keep your skills up, had to remain capable. Staying inside the prison, though safe and comforting, wouldn’t help if, god forbid, you found yourself on the road again.
The memories of the last Winter caused you to shudder internally. The thought of another one, with baby Judith in tow, made you gulp.
Besides, a break would be nice, you thought guiltily. Taking care of the kids was great, and you loved them like your own, but it was hard. Judith was demanding, and not very fun to talk to considering all she could do was blow raspberries back.
And Carl... he was a good kid. But he was approaching his teens, and going through more than any pre-teen had before him. You ached to help him, but sometimes you just ached.
“Ya ain’t gotta -“
“What time?” You flushed, the two of you speaking together. You gave him a smile. “What time do we leave?”