Carves into my hollow chest, spreads over the emptiness
It's bliss

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It was light out now, and Addie had been up for a while. Her legs kicking back and forth at the kitchen's island as she looked to her cereal, pushing it around and around.

"Ya don't gotta eat it hun, but the OJ is gonna do ya some good." Daryl motioned to her glass and she just chugged it down as she sighed down again.

"Anythin'?" Daryl asked, seeing Merle finally emerge back from the porch as he nodded. "Grams is on her way, Jarod is still at the hospital and Gramps is deployed." Addie nodded at that idea, but soon glanced back and forth. "Is Maddie coming?"

"I dunno sweetheart, I dunno." Daryl recalled the name, she was with Jarod back in high school. Only faith could dictate that they were together now.

"Hey hun, why don't ya watch some cartoons or somethin'." She nodded, getting up to put her bowl into the sink and going off towards the living room. 

"Fuck is she in a rut." Merle sighed, his hands coming to meet the island as well. 

"She just needs her mama. Grams would know to do too huh?" Merle nodded, but he too was on a hope.

They were all on a hope.

They haven't heard from Jarod in a good while, the most was that she going in for another surgery. Otherwise, it was a lack of info on his own side let alone everything else.

Instead, it was the sound coming from outside that made both men in the kitchen ease up.

Lucky started barking out the window. "Lucky shh, boy it's okay." She cooed, and the dog eased down as he curled back up to his couch. 

"We got a crowd, Addie hun...I dunno names so ya gotta help me out." Merle said looking out the window, and instead she smiled a little bit.

"That Rickey and Shaney. They work with mama." Merle growled. "Cops." He said, turning back to Daryl as he huffed.

"They don't know 'bout ya, so don't bother with that man. Just say ya friend." Daryl nodded and smiled down to the confused Addie. And all she could do is offer it back, just. Not as sincere.

Hearing the key sound coming through, Merle went to open the door. "Man it's occupied, coulda knocked." Merle sounded out, opening the door to Rick as he was a moment into getting the correct key.

"Didn't want to wake up the entire house...Rick Grimes." He offered his hand, and Merle took it within the moment. "Merle Dixon. My brother Daryl, Addie's just watchin' cartoons." Rick came on in, followed by Shane and Lori. With Carl within her arms.

Addie looked off behind the couch, and Shane bent down behind her. "How you feeling kiddo?" She held up her purple cast and continued to talk.

Daryl on the other hand just leaned against the wall to see how it all continued to play out. And the second Addie fell silent, he knew damn well that she was his. So much so that she too watched everyone, but didn't get involved.

The side smirk as he just watched the women, Lori as both Dixon brother's figured out to be. Tried to talk to her, but she shook her head and tried to get away. "What's the plan?" She whispered back, although it was towards the two men she came with. The soon glance over to Merle made him uncomfortable.
"Annett is comin'. Had to get on a plane. Should be here in a couple hours." He calming informed everyone. But even with the information was disbarring, so it was up to Lori to bring Addie back into the kitchen.
Trying to get her to eat something, anything. But she couldn't.

Shane's eyes trailed back and forth between the Dixon brothers, they weren't necessarily people who Blake would talk about. And a stab quickened in his heart as he realized that maybe one of the few of them are the mystery man Blake kept hinting at.

"What's the last you heard from Jarod?" 

"Nothin', haven't heard anythin' since we left the hospital." Shane nodded, cursing himself because it didn't save the conversation. Instead he sighed to the side and huffed. 

"Fuck." He growled once again, and Daryl just purked his lips.

'Rory sure knows how to pick 'em' He thought to himself, but his eyes looked firmly to Rick. Shane was iffy, but Rick was calm all things considering.

*

It was another hour before the car parked itself into the driveway and rushing into the house with a child firmly in her arms. Little Mickey. She had to knock at the door considering she couldn't reach for anything besides her arms to her child.

Aurora's half-brother.

"How is she?" Annett projected, coming into the house and letting Mickey down to his feet as he ran into the kitchen. The boy himself didn't know what was going on, but he ran right to where Addie was and showed something her what he had gotten in Connecticut on the trip.

But then...His eyes looked up towards Daryl, and the familiar glance between the two boys fired through. Only until Annett recognized him as well. Stopping cold heartily as he shot her direct attention to Merle.

"Bound to happen, he knows. She don't...Look, last time I was talkin' to her brother she was still in surgery." 

"I called him when I landed, Blake had to have another surgery. She's out, I was going heading there after I dropped off Mickey at—" Lori pipped up from the kitchen and offered to babysit as everyone migrates to the hospital.

The appreciation was parted both ways, more or less loudly as Daryl couldn't help but gag at the thought of Lori. Making Merle smirk in complete comedic as he leaned in. "That's Rory's best friend, ya best get used to her." 

"Are ya sure?" Merle bobbed his head back and forth and then shook his head.

"Nah, she was friends with 'em before her." It made more sense in Daryl's mind than before. His Rory wasn't that able to—Scratch that, she could just about make friends with anyone.

"Don't call her that." 

"Call her what? Rory?... Fuck brother, y'all be lucky if she won't kick ya out in the second." Daryl sighed down, already looking to his feet. Annett, who was the given few feet away was taking ever lick of their conversation before coming over.

Both men straightened their backs when she did finally stop before them. "I wanted to thank you...For coming when you did." 

"'corse, anythin' for Blake and Addie," Merle spoke, but then her eyes landed on Daryl.

She knew in the instant who he was. Her granddaughter's father, the man that Blake couldn't trust to raise her own daughter.

It's been a while since Daryl couldn't even swallow his own spit, let alone lack any emotion towards the conversation. But it was easy to see what Annett was doing, judging him. Almost reading into his soul.

"And him?" 

"He knows..." Annett perked her lips and rose a brow, straightening her own position and tilting her head. "Addie—" 

"Don't know yet, just wanna make sure Rory's okay first." Annett flinched when she heard the nickname, blinking so violently as she nodded once again.

"It's been awhile..." She calming digressed, and it made Daryl sigh a nod. 

"Too long." He ushered, and that right there was a good ounce of clarification. Annett never assumed anything about her daughter's relationship with the man beside her.

But it was surely love. Even she could see that now.

"I'll take Addie...The rest of you can follow in your own cars, assuming you two have Jarod's?" Merle nodded and then explained how he doesn't have a booster seat. And the only reason Jarod has one in his because he too takes Addie ever so often, or Mikey. So it was the combination of being a good uncle and brother.

"Her mom don't age neither, looks the same too." 

"I don't wanna hear nothin' but a plan from ya..." Merle dictated, proceeding to follow Annett from Blake's house all the way back towards the hospital. While the two officers were needed back at the pecans

"Any ideas...Ya the one who's talkin' to her."

"Hmm, and I'm still fresh outta luck brother, but if anythin' this is good on ya side. Just don't—don't be yellin' or causin' her pain. Don't think she's gonna be feelin' too good." The youngest Dixon started biting on his nail the moment anything related to health indulged the conversation.

"Fuck she don't deserve this." Daryl ushered, shaking his head back and forth before finally leaning back to look at the ceiling. 

"...Shit happens brother, she ain't the same as she once was. She tougher. Ain't gonna say mean, but she—She quit a lotta thin's after ya." Now it caught the little brother's attention and yet...Merle didn't give him a bother to glance back.

"What ya mean?" 

"She ain't smokin'...Quit drinkin', if anythin'...Her bein' on drugs is gonna make her more antsy, think her ma knows it too." He gestured forward to the car in front of them.

"She really—" 

"Look, fuck brother I just wanna dump ya beside the fuckin' highway right now but ya'd probably walk to the damn hospital. So shut the fuck up and let me think." He hollered, and that did indeed shut Daryl up in the moment.

And for the next twenty-four minutes, the car just filled with Dixon energy.

They soon parked, as well as waited for Annett to get Addie on out of the car. 

"Grams, that's Daryl. He's my new friend." The little girl pointed up to the newest Dixon she's met yesterday.

Annett was a kind woman, and by that all her coworkers and anyone who have ever through of the name Annett Holden was sure to think of one of the few things: Mother. Gentle, and above all...Caring.

But in this moment, she huffed and felt the heat of anger rise through as she knew what this man did to her daughter. The pain, neglect...Ruined her daughter within the moment he meant her.

"Come on sweetie, we're going to see if your mother's awake." She smiled down to the little girl strapped to her hand, pulling along as the Dixon's tailed behind.

In the hallway mirror that she was so readily fond of, working in a hospital in all. She'd hope Daryl see her warning glare, and he sure as hell did. Because the second the clock ticked for her, she darted her eyes back. "Best behavior." 

"Annett he—" Merle tried to defend his brother, but all joking aside.

The women before them both has had a lot of shit to deal with in the last given decades.

"I mean it." She struggled to keep her fear levels down, but all in all. She was scared to look at her daughter, much less allow Addie to see.

"Aurora Blake Holden, she was in a car accident last night?" Annett checked all of them in, and luckily for Merle's approach, it was the same women pulling this morning shift as well. Or continuously around the clock, he didn't bother with the details. But he did offer a wink in recognition as they walked through to the given floor.

And just like that, was Jarod waiting by the elevators as he engulfed his mother. Arms over her shoulders in the instant as he knew that is exactly what she needed. "Where's Mikey?" 

"Lori's watching him, how's she—" Annett mentioned Blake for just and a moment, and Jarod couldn't even begin to look to anything specific. 

"She's alive...I don't think she should see her yet." Annett gripped Addie's hand closer as this was a mix of ideas, what to do against what Blake would want them to do.

"She can take visitors...I'll stay with Addie." He offered, leaning down to take hold of Addie into his arms. "Is Maddie here?" 

"No, she's with Joey back at Fort Benning." He deemed, and she too followed through to the hallway. Something that Jarod had said made it obvious to what she was looking for.

"How do we know what room she's gonna be in?" Merle asked, and Annett just nodded her head forward. Something that screamed as a move for Rory to do, or at least Daryl could pinpoint.

"Ma'am." One of the two men offered, and it made both Merle and Daryl frown in offering. "243." She mumbled, and they both stepped aside allowing the three of them by into the narrow bit of a hall to get to Blake.

But both men were brought to a quick halt. Annett's hand covered her mouth and broke. 

"I—I can't." She breathed out, sobbing so quickly as she leaned against the wall.

And it wasn't Merle who spoke first, it was Daryl. "She's alive...Gotta 'memeber that." He whispered, and with teary eyes did the mother nod. She needed a moment before continuing further.

But now it was the quickening depth that Daryl was playing with. This is the first time in years he is seeing her. And by the intaking of the front bed frame, both Annett and Merle's demeanor vanished.

Daryl conveyed the same power that Annett confined herself in having, allowing him to move forward and seemingly see the women in the bed.

The paleness wasn't just highlighted to her face, but the pasty color continued to follow through to her arms and neck. The cuts and damage were clearly visible, as well as how difficult it looked to see her body shiver after every breath.

As if it's painful and uncomfortable.

Annett was the first to move, getting the chair beside her daughter to take the hand that was lacking a wrist guard. Interlocking the hand did Daryl note that it was lifeless, not only did he follow his brother to the other side. But the eldest Dixon just sat above the heater.

"We're all thinkin' it. Why those two men in front of the door?" He questioned, honestly. And Annett shrugged her shoulder as she looked back to the door. 

"I dunno. Protection?" Licking her lips after her guess was singled as a finished statement for Daryl to huff. "Hell for?"

With that question now in the air did they all take the moment to try and assume what they are positioned for. Until it switched to the newfound member, the nurse coming into the room.

"I'm just going to check on her vitals and bandages, the doctor will be here in a little bit." Annett nodded and moved away for the nurse to do her job. With that, she moved beside Daryl. Reaching down to grip his hand and squeeze.

"What's that for?" 

"I ca—can't stand seeing her like this..." She cried, just crying even further as the open skin of where Blake was under the knife just this morning. Making all the people in the room flinch in sight of it.

It took Daryl a moment to realize what her mother was talking about. And once he had, he squeezed in recognition of it.

"She told me 'bout-" 

"I know she did. I could tell." She mumbled, but the second the nurse left and they were alone. She wiped her eyes free of tears, leaving Daryl's offering. Starting to pace back and forth, her arms holding against her did Merle just shake his head.

"I'm gonna check on Jarod and Addie, ya want a coffee or somethin' hun?" She just mindless nodded her head and continued to pace as Merle singled off towards her.

And the second that Merle left, the doctor was allowed passed the given guards with a clipboard in his hand. "Hello, I'm Dr.Getty. I was present for when they removed the glass from her stomach." 

"G-glass?" Annett repeated, and she moved closer into Dixon's hold as he couldn't manage through it either whether it be holding something or otherwise.

"Anythin' else doc?" 

"She has twenty stitches in the back of her head, her wrist and left ankle were close to broken but they should heal just nicely. Otherwise, there seems to be nothing other than the slight concussion."

The silence brushed through the both of them as the doctor waited for them to swallow the information. "I'm sorry, who you both are—" 

"I'm her mother, the man in here was her brother and he's..." She motioned towards Daryl and he completely panicked. "Boyfriend." He ushered, and the women looked confused.

She leaned into the bag that they stashed everything of her belongings in. "Fiancee?... Bet you want to have that back." She calmly offered, and Daryl took the small baggie in hand before thanking her once again.

There was nothing more needed to be discussed, but Dixon called her back. "When she gonna wake up?" 

"Soon, she's been under a lot of medication. Be patient." She cooed, but the mother of the injured women in bed.

"What about the men—" 

"And the men in suits outside?" That made the women pause and walk the given distance back. "They said it was classified until more information is given. Whether that be health wise or superior approach, I don't—I don't know. I'm sorry...Just that I am to inform them of any updates just like I am to you...And that when she wakes up, she needs to speak with them." Daryl just shrugged it off, allowing her to be completely dismissed from the room.

"I swear to god if I hear classified one more god damn time I swear I'll—" 

"Whoa whoa, calm down." Daryl issued, and his eyes just allowed her to breath out.

"Look, I know she ain't gonna like it. But Merle and I are gonna be there to help. Whatever ya'll need." 

"If she allows that..." She reminded, and Daryl was taken back. Even with all he is doing with her mother, there is still the possibility of not being enough.

"Merle don't know that much 'bout Addie. He said she's in first grade?" The women nodded, and then proceeded to go to her wallet to show another picture of Addie in the arms of her mother.

Similar to the one at home.

"You saw her house...Did Addie sleep alright?" 

"She woke on up twice, Lucky slept with her. Merle and I stayed downstairs...Feels weird, seein' her like this." His attention switched towards the unconscious women.

The mother of his child.

Something that he couldn't get the idea fully across.

"Why didn't she tell me?" 

"Because Blake is the type of women to take a problem by the head and make it look flawlessly." She spoke, smirking towards her daughter as she is more than god damn proud of what she's done with her life. With Addie's life.

"Blake?...Thought ya were allowed in callin' her Aurora." 

"Not—Not after..." She mumbled the rest, and it poured out as a scoff. Wiping his hand down his face.

"Ya kiddin' me?" 

"It felt wrong, she didn't say anything I just...I couldn't do that to her." The mother sighed, taking the small clipboard to that the nurse had previously left. Everything looked alright in her eyes.

Just her heartbeat was a bit high.

"Hmm..." The women moaned, and both their eyes shot up to see. All Blake had done was shift, furthering her head deeper into the pillow. And move her undamaged feet a bit more to the side.

"Honey...Aurora...Can you hear me?" Annett whispered, taking the chair to pull it over closer to her. And the second the interlocked hand became duel powerful, the grandmother in the room began to weep. 

"Hey...How are you feeling?" She whispered, and Blake's eyes just watery opened up. The redshot and blood covering in one eye made it damn near impossible for either of the two visitors to not look at.

It wavered to and fro, trying to delegate what seems to be the most important. 

"Do you want some water?" The women shook her head 'no,' and that was a sign of any that she's putting some though process into it.

"Addie..." The women breathed, almost like waking up from a nightmare. And the first instinct the mother had was to look off behind her, like she had been in the car. 

"Shsh, Aurora...You're in the hospital, do you remember what happened?" Blake looked to her mother, who was shy in offering Dixon into the mix as she readily sent a pause. Not to bombard her with coming out and saying 'hi'.

"Yeah...Some asshole hit me." She whispered, but the lump in her throat was dry and as soon as she reached for the water, it came to a stop as she saw the brace on her wrist.

"How bad is it?"
"Internal bleeding, they had to take out the chunk of glass from your stomach. Stitches behind the head, and I have to ask about the—" She mentioned her eye, and in theory it was just a vision indifference but she will be fine.

"And Addie?" 

"Broken Arm...Two sets of stitches, she's fine. She's with Merle and Jarod." The level of relaxed soon dwelled into Blake's system, until her senses enacted. And it wasn't any longer than that, that Dixon would be hidden.

"And him?"

"H-hey hun." Blake tried her best to straighten her position, but in the end she groaned in agony as she held onto her stomach.

"Honey don't, it's okay...Addie didn't know who to call, she didn't know anybody's names except Merle's." Although it was pointless for Annett to vouch for Daryl, she attempted.

"Fuck." She breathed, realizing that she was in a position that made it painful to breathe. And trying to fix it, did her mother fluff her pillow. Almost in the instinct of knowing.

"How'd you even get through?" She growled, and Annett didn't like the hostility in the air and decided that she'd pour her a glass of water before sitting back down in her seat.

"Merle lied. Said I was ya boyfriend, or fiancé..." Daryl issued, placing the small ring packet down beside her.

Even then did she not like the honest closeness of the two. Then it hit her. He knows, he so desperately knows and it's killing him that he can't yell or scream.

"Guess we're all full of lies." The women whispered, taking it in between her fingers before letting it fall back to where he had placed it.

Dixon honestly was in a rut, he could text Merle that she's awake. Give her a few moments before those men in suits were supposed to talk to her.

Anything else is apparent, but he sighed looking to Annett for guidance. "Should we go tell 'em guys." The mother completely forgot about the doctor's instructions and filled Aurora's glass up once more.

"What guys?" 

"Two men in pimp suits, think they got ear pieces too." It was then that Blake refused the refilled glass and her head fell into her hands. Daryl didn't know what to make of that either, instead he and Annett waited for her to pop back on up.

"I'm going to lose my job." 

"Oh honey no...They just want to make sure you're alright...Everything that happened is going to heal up, don't you worry about a thing." Her mother tried to calm her down, but Blake was smarter than that.

"Thanks for trying mom, but even with the added amount of drugs in my system I can tell when you're lying." Daryl was taken back, the sincereness in the women's voice was there.

"Those stupid classes," Annett grumbled, frowning off as she had tried her best to persuade her into thinking everything is going to be alright. "I need you to leave." 

"Comeon hun, been waitin' for ya to wake up since last night." The upbringing of her frown made her let out a steady growl.

"But I can't—I can't deal with you." She issued, pinching the brink of her noise as she nicked her head to her mother. 

"I'll talk to them and then they'll go. Simple as that." Annett nodded and pushed Daryl out the door as well, only to find that the two body guards had been shifted to four.

Two had manned the door, the same two that had been standing there the majority of the night while the two new ones were heavily set into briefing Blake on what happened.

The car accident was on purpose.

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Date Posted: 12-25-18

Time: 8:08

Word-Count: 4135