Daryl was sitting beside Maggie as she nursed her newborn. "He is beautiful," Daryl said as he watched her softly, she was much like her sister, all he wanted was for her to be okay. The way she felt about Negan was a problem, it wasn't even that Daryl wanted her to like him, he just wanted her to be okay with him being with Negan.

There hadn't been a choice to become his, but even now, he needed her approval.

"Maggie..."

"Daryl, I know it isn't your fault." She snapped quickly as she ran a hand over her son's soft cheeks and forehead. "This isn't y-."

"You hate him, so you hate me..."

"I could never hate you," Maggie said again, "you're like my brother."

"Will you hate my child because their father is Negan?" Daryl asked softly. "Will you.. Will you wish them d-."

"No of course not," she remarked. "I could never..."

"Then I need you to accept he is a part of our lives Maggie, please.. I don't want you to make a choice that you will regret.... I ju-just can't... there is nothing I can do.. Negan is my mate and I can't have you hate me or him forever because of it. I know its not fair, I have one good mate, and a mate that despite all his flaws, loves me and you can't even have Gl-."

"Shut up Daryl," Maggie snarled. "I know what I have lost, but I know what you lost too, what you've been through..."

"Maggie.."

"I can never like him, I can hardly tolerate him, but my current concern is my son." She looked down at her young child, she knew he would be a strong little beta. "Y-you're... You are my brother, even if I hate him.. I will always hate that he took my son's father out of this world only to impregnate you."

"Will you hate my child for having a father?"

"I would never hate your child," Maggie snapped. "Never. I could never hate you or your children. Even if one of your mates is the worst alpha I have ever seen, I could never hate you."

Daryl let out a soft sigh, he watched over the young child as Maggie continued to feed him. "I love you Maggie, and your son."

"I know that as our alphas mate you see my son as your own, that you have full rights to take him from me and say he is yours, thank you for never doing that to our people, to me."

Daryl smirked softly. "I know, that is one thing about being omega I always found odd that people would just let me have their child because I happen to have the ability to get pregnant and smell sweet."

Maggie snorted a bit. "You're a good mom that's all.."

Daryl looked down at his belly then to Maggie. "Don't feel like that but I'm glad you don't hate me."

"I could never hate you, your mate... He well..." Maggie felt tears bristling, the image of her husband's shattered skull was flashing in her mind. "Does he at least tr-." She stopped mid sentence, his leg wasn't fully healed yet and he was pregnant clearly he didn't treat Daryl well. "D-Does he treat the pups okay?"

"Yes... other than you know... Carl's arm and all..." Daryl choked back a ragged sob. "He beats himself up about it but it was a fucked up thing to do..."

"Is Carl... Well how does Carl feel about him?"

"I don't really know, he says he will play nice.. Now that Rick and I are bonded again, and the venom between myself and Negan... Carl seems to be more calm around him to say the least.. Judith doesn't seem to understand much of a difference..."

"Will that pup be Rick's now too? How does venom bonding work?"

"I think so..."

"What was it like?"

"What?"

"Venom bonds.. Does it hurt?"

"Yeah..." Daryl brought his hands up to the venom bond with Negan. "If I deny him it hurts..."

"What?" Maggie's head twisted up quickly. "You're in love with him because of the bond, Daryl, that makes you want him around."

"It's the same now with Rick... I cannot deny either of them anymore. Even thinking about telling one of them no... It.. Well it hurts..."

"With Rick however you had a love connection."

"Yes, you're right but it's one of those things my desires for them both are clear. Even thinking about arguing with them hurts me... I want them both to love me, I want them both to adore my children and love me.. I want them to treat me well... I-"

"You want us to be a family." Maggie said softly. She looked down at her child and then back to Daryl. He was leaning back on a chair, one hand on his belly, tears brimming in his eyes. "I can see why you want me involved..."

"I want us to be the pack we were before..."

"Daryl..."

"I know.. I know we will never be the same. We lost so many people... Negan was... He was evil, he can be evil still but that anger and power can be used to protect us now.. To protect our pups..."

Maggie sighed softly, she looked between her own suckling pup and Daryl's belly. "He wants to protect us?"

"He will."

Maggie closed her eyes thinking hard. "I'm terrified of him, what he did to Glenn.. To us.. Daryl..."

"I'm sorry.." Daryl tried to move, it was almost too quick. He hissed in pain as he stumbled over his own crutches but grabbed them and went to leave.

"Daryl, you don't have to leave. I know you just want us to be happy, to be safe.. I know you didn't get to make this choice yourself. I know that you got forced into this life too... I just.. I- I can't like him. I can't love him."

"I don't want you to love him, I just need you to be okay around him.. I don't want to see you leave or not come around because of him. I can make him stay inside, or go on a walk or something.. I just... I can't lose my sister."

"Hill-Top is my place, I need to be here with these people.. I will come around, I won't leave here or Alexandria. I'll stay, these are our people too. I know you were gone for a while... Negan... He took you from us."

"He can never do that to me again, I need you to understand that Maggie.. I- I need you to get that."

"It's not going to be right away." Maggie remarked. "I won't put my child in danger because of my anger.. Or my fear."

Daryl smiled softly and leaned forward kissing her forehead and then ran his finger over the child's face. "Thank you for listening to me... I- I'm sorry..."

"Daryl I know this isn't your fault, I know that.. I just.. I worry.. What if he hurts someone else we care about?"

"I would kill him myself." Daryll said, Maggie could see it in his eyes. He was completely serious, and that put her at ease. "I promise..."

"Be careful with your leg, you goof."

Daryl grinned a bit. "Remember, once my leg is healed I'm going to kick him and you're going to get some good punches in too."

Maggie nodded softly in thanks. "Be careful."

"I will"

Maggie held her child close, she could never just accept it, but she knew very well that Daryl and the rest of them were her family, even with Negan being in the way. She wanted to be there to watch Judith and Carl grow up, she wanted Judith and Hershel Jr. to be friends. She even wanted to see Daryl and Negan's pup grow up safe.

Daryl was almost positive he was going to be giving birth soon, the pack had been strong and pushed forward despite everything going on around them. Daryl was able to fully walk again, with a bit of a limp. He was also rounder and pretty sure he was almost there. It was getting harder to sit or walk for long without feeling out of breath, and despite the obvious attempt at making it sound better than it was, people were making jokes about it too.

Negan would snuggle into him and say. "You're like a limpy penguin."

Daryl would only roll his eyes or make a quip about how it was his fault for the limp. Negan would then snuggle deeper and give him kisses of apology.

Rick had also made comments about it, but he was less vocal, he still wasn't sure how he felt about having Negan around and being a part of the family. He wanted Daryl all to himself, but the alpha was being somewhat better with the pack, he couldn't be fully angry.

Negan had actually become a helpful asset to their pack, Rick was watching Negan as he was cooking spaghetti in the kitchen. Rick was sitting at the dinner table helping Carl tie some knots. Judith was sitting in a pack and play smashing buttons on a light up kids toy.

Daryl was sitting on the couch taking a nap while Negan worked on dinner. "Dadda! Hungry." Judith cried.

Rick and Negan both chuckled and turned to look at the young pup.

"Almost ready sweetheart." Negan promised.

Rick smiled softly, he honestly didn't hate this domestic life they had. Since the saviors were no longer an issue, the biggest thing they had to worry about now was honestly the dead. The dead alone weren't really an issue either, their groups were so large that they didn't have a need to worry about the dead unless they were in large hordes and even then it wasn't much of a problem.

Negan had grown on him, they still slept in separate beds for now. He had a room across the hall from Rick's bedroom, but there were nights Daryl would sleep with Negan instead of Rick. Judith's nursery had grown I to a toddler room, she was on the move and talking and they knew very well that she would need the space. The new pups crib was set up in Rick and Daryl's room. Though Negan had protested saying it was his pup, but with the bond Rick had given while he was pregnant the likelihood of the DNA changing to have both men be the father was high.

"When's mom going to have the pup?" Carl asked while tying another knot.

"Soon enough."

"Boy or girl?"

"Your mom didn't want to know".

"Do you have names picked out?"

"No..."

"Two dads and not one of you could come up with a name?" Carl chuckled.

Negan pointed the spoon at Carl. "You know kid, you should be nicer to your dads."

"You cut my arm off!" Carl snapped, Negan dropped the spoon in the bowl.

"Fair point, I concede. Rick, your turn."

Rick sighed and turned to Carl. "I think your mom wanted to pick a name."

"So does he have a name or?"

"I don't know.... You could ask your mom when he wakes up."

Carl chuckled as he did another knot. He had to relearn how to do a lot of things now that he had his metal arm. "You're doing good Carl, I'm impressed." Negan praised.

"Thanks."

"Alright dinner is done. Will you go wake your mom up?"

"I'm going." Carl said as he got up and headed into the living room. He made his way into the living room and poked Daryl. "Mom... Get up."

Daryl rolled slightly, he raised a brow at his son before he groaned. "Alright... I'm getting up." Carl offered his hand to help his mom onto his feet. Daryl stood upright and smiled softly and started to walk with him to the kitchen.

"Do you have a name idea for the puppy?"

"Potentially.. Not sure yet though.." He smiled as he placed a hand on his belly, he wanted to have a genuine answer but he didn't have much of one. He had thought a few times if the pup was a girl or a boy but he honestly couldn't come up with an official name yet. There were a few options, one of which Rick would love but Negan would hate.

"Can I hear them?" Carl asked with a smile.

"Well pup, I think you may have to wait, just like your pa and dad."

"Rude." Carl mumbled as he walked behind him. Daryl grabbed the chair and went to sit down when he felt his pants growing wet.

"Oh.. fuck..."

"What's wrong?"

"I-I think my water just broke."

Negan's eyes widened. "What?"

"My water broke." He snapped. "We are having another pup..." He hissed as he held a hand to his stomach. "A-alright..."

Rick moved quickly, this would be the first birth for Daryl he would actually get to be there for. He hated himself that he didn't get to be there for the birth of their twins, so he was going to be there for this pup even if that pup wasn't really his child. He loved Daryl so much regardless and he knew he was going to love the pup too even when it was Negan who pupped him.

Negan didn't really know what to do at that moment. "Wh-what d- what do I do?"

"I need you to run across and get Carol so she can watch Jude and Carl." Rick snapped as he wrapped an arm under Daryl's arm and began to walk him towards the infirmary.

"Ri-right.. Okay." Negan took off across the street. Carl got himself and Judith a plate of spaghetti as their parents all took off.

"Well Judith, I guess we are going to have a little brother or sister by the end of today." He smiled as she squished the noodles in her fingers. "What do you want puppy? Brother or sister?"

Judith tossed a noddle at him. "I hope its a boy, you're a lot of work."

She clapped her sauce-covered hands together.

"Hey pups, are you all good?" Carol asked with a smile.

"Of course, I'm just glad I get to have dinner. Moms missing out."

"Not your momma's fault he's having your sibling, you'll love them I know it."

"Pups are a lot of work," Carl said as he offered garlic bread to his sister and then to Carol.

"Yeah, but you are a good brother." She smiled as she plated some spaghetti for herself. "Alright now, are you ready for another sibling?"

"Yeah I guess," he smiled, "I'm not against it. Just feels weird, you know how it all happened."

Carol sighed. "I know pup," she ruffled his hair and kissed his forehead. "I know it will all be fine."

Carl nodded and snuggled into her with a soft smile, he was glad the pack was there and so supportive of their family. Carl was excited to meet his newest sibling, even if he didn't act like he cared.