Kill First, Feel Last ; Daryl Dixon

twenty three:: giving birth and surprises

"Maggie, I need you to breath for me, okay?" I soothed the woman in front of me as she screamed in agony. 
"I'm trying!" She screamed as Daryl, Rick and Dad laid her onto the prison cot mattress.

I could only ever imagine the pain this woman could be going through. The sweat poured off her face like a waterfall. It trickled down her skin in the shape of a tear drop. She heaved her breath, and screamed each time. Her hand was entwined with mine as we awaited for the moment she could push. The pain of labor was a prison for her mind. In that jail cell of fear and confusion the time passed without her being able to keep track. Her stomach tightened, she heard her own scream without being aware of making it.

"Mags, I need to give you some morphine okay?" I asked, cautiously. Once I watched her nod, Daryl handed me the syringe that he had scavenged from a hospital a few klicks away. 
She laid still as the medication was administered, waiting for the agony to subside.

"It's going to be okay, Maggie." Rick soothed. 
"No!" She screamed. "If daddy was here, he- he'd know what to do."
"Deep breaths Maggie!" I tried to calm her. I clutched onto her hand as she squeezed harder into the skin. I though her fingernails had broken the skin, but thankfully it hadn't. She took a few small breaths, followed by some larger ones. 

Hours past and she had finally been fully dilated. 
"Okay.." I said as calm as possible. "Daddy- I need you to take ahold of her hand please. It may be blue afterwards."
Dad nodded his head and bent down, level with Maggie. "Sweetheart, take my hand okay? Squeeze it as hard as you need be." 
Maggie nodded her hand, and wiped the sweat off her head before taking Dad's hand reluctantly. 
"Gross." Dad chuckled, making Maggie laugh slightly as well. 
"Rick.." I began. "Find blankets and rags. Anything you think that will be needed once this baby comes out." 

Rick nodded his head frantically before sprinting out of the cell.
"Need me to do anythin'?" Daryl questioned as he leaned down to my height.  
"Just... Just be ready." I nodded at him as I faced the area that Maggie's baby was going to come from. 

"I'll get the formula." Sasha panicked. 
"I'll get..-- something." Rosita also began to freak out. I chuckled lightly at their wittiness. 

After 5 minutes of pushing and ordering Maggie to push harder; After 15 minutes of my Dad's groans of pain from Maggie's hand; A small, delicate and human child was in my arms. It's tiny fingers curled around my pinkie finger as it's brown, asian- like eyes scanned the room. Not a peep escaped the new born's mouth. I watched as the newborn peered through it's brand new eyes at what must be such a strange world after life in the womb. It's legs kicked in a tiny, jagged motion and that was when I realized; It was a girl. 
"It's a girl, Maggie." I choked as I stood, wrapping the baby girl in a cotton blanket. I walked over to the newly mother and handed her the beautiful baby girl. 

"Oh my." Maggie sobbed as she stared into the eyes of her child. "A girl." 
"She's healthy, Maggie. You did so well." Rick applauded her. 
"Ass kicker will have a buddy to play with now." Daryl chuckled as he watched the baby in Maggie's arm. 
"What's her name?" Michonne asked. "Have you thought of one?" 
"I don't know." Maggie smiled as she ran her fingers over the babies tiny nose. "We've lost so many and I want to honor them all but... Beth."
"Beth." I smiled. Daryl came up from beside me and wrapped his arm around my neck in a loving manner. His lips found my temple and he whispered in my ear. "Come outside, get some air." 

I nodded my head, and followed him out. Not without walking over to Maggie and kissing her sweaty forehead. "That was gross, but congratulations." 
"Kaylie." She smiled, looking up at me. "Thankyou. Thankyou so much." 

I smiled and bent down to place a kiss on baby Beth's forehead, I finally left the room and walked directly outside- meeting Daryl. 

"You okay?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around me. 
"I'm good." I nodded. "Overwhelmed, but good." 
"Ye' did great, Kaylie." He complimented. "No matter what ye' do-you're great at it." 
"Well.." I jokingly scoff and flick my hair. "I don't mean to toot my own horn here, but yeah. I really am." 

Daryl let a slight chuckle out, then unwrapped his arms from my shoulders. He began biting his nails, like he was nervous. 
"Something up, Dare?" I asked. "It looks like something's wrong." 
"Nothin's wrong, Kaylie." He assured. "Just thinkin'." 
"About what?" I laughed lightly. 
"I wanted to do somethin' while we were out in the woods a few weeks ago, but ye' were too eager to get your smokes." He taunted. 
"I think we did everything we possibly could have out there, Daryl." I laughed. 
"Nah." he shook his head. "There was one more thing." 
"And that was?" I grew confused. 

"I uhh-" He was nervous. 
"What do you want, Daryl? Mouth to mouth resuscitation? Spit it out!" 
"I love ye' Kaylie." 
'And I love you, Daryl. You know that." I smiled. 

Nervously, and reluctantly- Daryl reached into the pocket of his angel winged vest and pulled out a shiny, silver ring. Almost instantly- my hand found my mouth in shock. 
"Marry me, Kaylie." He smiled slightly. "We could die any day now and I'd wanna' be able to die with you as my wife; as a Dixon."