Just a little what if chapter. Wouldn't get out of my head.


They'd found the prison. They'd found a home, they hadn't had one in so long. The road had started to feel like the only home they could ever have. To be honest she'd gotten used to the constant moving, the running, the tiredness that made her legs buckle and sway, the way her heart constantly patted in acceleration against her chest. She found she kind of liked it, she finally felt alive.

The only problem was Lori she needed somewhere to rest so here they were.
After sharing a relieved chuckled with a happy but sour Lori, she'd fallen a sleep.
Rick and her relationship hanging on her like a dead weight and she wished she could do something for the pregnant woman but their relationship seemed damaged beyond repair.
The snores and heavy relaxed breathing were a comfort around her but after making herself close her eyes for an hour she felt antsy.
She couldn't lie here anymore letting her brain shift into overdrive and start over calculating every little thing so as quietly as she could she decided to get up.
She swung her legs over the bunk and using her forearms she let herself slowly slide till the ground, until her feet lightly hit the solid ground.

She didn't know where she was headed but she just needed to go somewhere. She was so used to having Daryl by her side after all that time on the road. Him grunting at her instructing her, helping her learn to fight. She gotten used to the feel of his back against hers as they tried to get warm and the sound of his breathing when he finally allowed himself to sleep.
They were an odd pair to be as close as they were and she knew everyone thought so but he was the only person she felt she could just be her without thinking so hard about it.
He had one hand thrown across his eyes and she cursed to herself a little bit, she'd been hoping that for some reason he might be awake. Sighing quietly she took the railing in her hand and start to pad lightly down the steps, her mind was alert and she felt herself drifting off intently taking in her surroundings.
"Where ye going?" his hoarse sleep deprived voice cut through her thoughts.
She turned on the steps to look at him, he had his arm pulled away from his face and was looking at her with a disapproving look in eyes.
"Nowhere. Just felt like going for a walk."
"Ye can't just be wandering off on yer own. Ain't I thought ye anything. Go back to bed."
She threw her head back and sighed not realising she was moaning like a child about it but she hated being looked after like this. She hit the railing with one hand in annoyance and frowning made her way back upstairs.
He was looking at her in amusement trying to wipe the smirk off his face. "What?" she finally asked.
"Nothing. Ye just acting like a baby who's past their bed time is all."
"And your just acting like my dad." She teased back folding her arms across her chest in defiance.
He scoffed some sort of snort at her. "Excuse me for giving a shit."
He rolled back on to his other side and she felt her heart lurch, shit she felt bad now.

"Hey. I just can't sleep. I'm used to being out on the road and well this feels very settled." She stepped forward leaning down to put one of her hands on his arm.
Before he woulda tensed, growled at her and shook her off but she thought he'd actually started to trust and like her a bit cause he didn't budge underneath her hand.
"Lori not exactly riveting company." He turned back to look at her a glint of playful amusement in his eyes and she lightly slapped his arm.
"Ye wanna sit down?"
He moved over to the left of the perch and she tried to hide the huge smile that was crinkling her face, she'd silently hoped that he might ask her to.
She got in beside him and he tried to throw her some of his poncho to go over her, she smiled gratefully laying her head back beside his.
She could tell he was a little bit apprehensive about her being in the bed beside him, he was biting and tearing at his nails. He didn't look at her.
She hit her shoulders against his ignoring the butterflies in her own stomach, this shouldn't feel any different than being beside him on the road. "Relax. I'm not going to jump ye."
He turned his head to look at her his lips being tugged into a smile and their eyes caught in an unseperable moment. She couldn't help how her heart accelerated, how she felt her palms start to sweat, now she was the one shifting uncomfortably beside him.
"Relax I ain't going to jump ye." He teased back.
They both chuckled quietly before silently agreeing maybe they should get some sleep and finally beside him her eyes started to feel heavy.

She could feel the warmth of someone's body radiating underneath her like a furnace and for a moment in a sleepy haze she was just dazed and confused.
Groaning she forced herself awake to find that she had turned in her sleep and pulled herself across his chest. She had balled his shirt in her hand and her grip had been firm there was no moving even if he wanted to, she chuckled quietly. "What's so funny?"
She craned her neck to look up at him, "Just seems like I wasn't letting you go anywhere even if ye tried."
"I ain't going anywhere so ye can release me."
Lori found her way out of their cell as she was just about to untangle herself from him pushing against his chest to raise up but it didn't look so good.
"Carol. Why you out here?" she asked as she approached them and her mouth dropped open as she searched for an answer.
Of course the cavalry joined her, Rick, Maggie, Glenn and Carl joined her side to look between her and Daryl as she finally pushed herself away from him.
She could tell he was uncomfortable and embarrassed, she saw his face heat up as he jumped to his feet grabbing his crossbow for comfort. "Couldn't sleep. Sorry shoulda told you I was leaving the cell."
"Looks like you were sleeping just fine." She observed and she silently cursed Lori, now Daryl wouldn't speak to her for a while, fantastic she groaned internally.
She ignored Maggie and Glenn's amused stares. Rick her savior right now drew attention from them, "We should all get a little of the food we have before we clear out this block."
Daryl grunted in approval hot on Rick heels not throwing her a glance back as they stormed down to the lower level.
Might take a little work to repair their relationship again, he just hated being centre of attention and people looking at the two of them now wouldn't help it.
Time to try pulling teeth from him and get him to talk again, she jumped to her feet to bound down the stairs and help them with food. Surprisingly he turned giving her a smile so slight not many woulda seen it and she smiled back at their silent exchange.
She felt herself relax, they were okay.