I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, rushing away from the shell of a life I once lived and abandoned everything I had. I left behind me the dead bodies of my parents and brother and all my belongings, and even my dog . . . whom by now is probably zombie chow.

It's been months since the apocalypse rose up from the ground - literally - and I've been moving south ever since. I think it's safer than moving north. Why, you ask? If I move south, it gets hotter and corpses decompose faster in the heat; whereas in the cold, bodies decompose at a much slower rate. I'd stolen tons of cars from a Prius models to an array of jeeps. I'd stolen food and guns, and even livestock from farms as I moved to the countryside.

Things changed me - mentally, physically, and emotionally - during the first few weeks of the zombie uprising. I no longer needed to sleep, I could go days without needing to eat, and I no longer held myself back in battle, giving it my all when I killed others. They say to fight the dead and fear the living, and I've been doing just that. I've been hunting the zombies and killing them as much as I could, when I could, and I haven't stuck around in any certain group.

That all changed, though, when I met him.

Daryl Dixon. The name sounded southern and badass, pardon my language. It actually isn't like me to say even the start of what leads to colorful language, so unless I am truly angry, you won't hear a peep out of me concerning any foul language. That's just not me.

Anyway, Daryl was the last surviving member of his family - just like me. He started out brazen and had a foul mouth but was actually a very deep person, in truth. I found that out after we'd met and had formed a close bond. Despite being quite the deep-souled person he was, his aggression was unprecedented, and it was noticeable but a valued asset in this world gone to Hell.

It had been only a few days since Lori died and Rick entered into a deep depression. We'd made it to the prison and had found ourselves actually quite safe. I had just begun to enjoy life there. I had my own room again - a cell, really - and I had my friends by my side. Carl was always asking me about what I did before the world went to the dead, Beth liked to listen to stories of my travels as she watched over baby Judith, and Carol was both a best friend and a motherly figure. She'd changed so much, too, going from the quiet, abused housewife to the secretive, gun-wielding assassin of the dead. I hadn't had real friends since before the apocalypse and now I had them again. And I had Daryl. He had known I loved him since first we met. He wore his isolation like a shield, in which he believed no one wanted to break through. I was the first, he said, and I broke through his icy exterior and then love had formed. We were lovers, star-crossed in a post-apocalyptic world in which I wouldn't dare get pregnant. I didn't want to wind up like Lori: pregnant, then dead.

Daryl and I both knew extreme loneliness and I couldn't imagine life without him now, and nor him me. I couldn't allow myself to carry a child and then risk complications and even death. I used to want a baby but not in this world. Not anymore . . .

I stood in the guard tower with my rifle at the ready to shoot down any walkers that got through our defenses, but none came. I had entered my own head and thought to myself about what the afterlife must be like. I'd never been a religious person but I couldn't think to imagine there wasn't a place where one could simply be happy for the rest of eternity. It may sound stupid to some, but not to me. I thought about my parents and how they must be together. My dad didn't believe in God but he was a good person in life, so could God really banish him to Hell when he already lived it?

I felt a pair of hands touch my shoulders before feeling them slide down my arms. I turned my head and looked to the tall Daryl standing behind me. I let out a smile as I felt him kiss my neck and wrap his arms around my waist.

"It's early in the morning . . ." I could tell Daryl had an idea in mind. A naughty idea which I found quite enticing. "Rick and the others are asleep. You and I are the only ones up, and it isn't just the sea water rising, you know what I mean? Care to have a little . . . fun?" Daryl whispered into my ear. I let out a small laugh as I turned towards him in his embrace, snaking my arms around his neck.

"I know we don't have any alcohol-"

"Wish we had some. It'd be more . . . romantic."

"But we could-" I paused. "We should have some fun." Daryl let his crossbow slide to the floor and then kissed me hard on my lips, cupping my face in his hands. Our kiss deepened until he broke it. I was concerned he'd seen a walker out of the corner of his eye, but no. Instead, he looked to the desk in the lookout tower and saw an old radio and some old papers and manila folders. He swiped them away with a hand and then pushed me onto the desk with the other. He was so strong, so rugged, so sexy. Now running his hands down my button-down top, he began getting me undressed as we kissed passionately, not allowing the world around us to fall apart even further.

My hands ran down his muscular shoulders and to his belt buckle. My fingers slipped but Daryl was right there to undo it himself. Pushing off his pants, he returned to my embrace and toyed with himself to bring about an even harder arousal. I felt myself grow hot and to keep away suspicion of what we did, I pulled off my shirt quickly and undid the loose belt I had on, tossing my jeans aside. I didn't want my clothes torn - or stained - because the others would question what Daryl and I did in our own time . . . Maggie and Glenn did it nearly all the time; they copulated like rabbits, but Daryl and I did it without prying eyes, doing it in secret. There were occasions a few chosen friends had to cover for us but we had our fun just as Maggie and Glenn did.

I was left in my bra and panties and Daryl looked me over as he stripped off his plaid shirt - the one with the sleeves torn off - and let out a smile as he kissed me again; first my lips, and then he moved lower to my neck and even lower. I let out a sigh as I felt the heat in the tower, now thinking we were steaming up the interior of the small room which was barely able to hold the dimensions of five or six people.

"You're my gal. Forever." Daryl said to me as his hands rand down my bare legs, his tongue leaving trails down my body.

"Get up here and do me. Now." I ordered my lover.

Daryl stood up from the floor and looked me over, his hands now pressed on either side of me on the desk, a crooked smile on his face. "You're a tiger in the sack, ya' know that?" Daryl smiled and I laughed.

"Only because you make me you're feisty feline." Daryl entered my embrace and pushed me into the glass window, careful not to break it and awaken the others - not that they would hear it - and kissed me again and again.

Things became amusing when Daryl supported himself on one of the manila folders and slipped, falling to the floor. I fell with him and now lay atop him - and unclothed - on the floor. Daryl began to laugh and I kissed him again, his arms now wrapping around my back and touching my skin, making my whole body come to life.

I don't know how much time had passed, but it felt like forever. Daryl and I got it on and five became our new lucky number - if you know what I mean! - and things got only better and better until I heard Rick's voice calling my lover. "Daryl! Daryl, where are you?"

"Rick's out there." I said to Daryl quickly, who was dazed that I'd nearly worn him out.

"No, he's not. You're hearing things." Daryl smirked.

I tossed Daryl's torn jeans at him, now clipping my bra back on. "Daryl, I'm not going to be the one found naked when we're discovered. Now get your clothes on!" I whisper-shouted. Daryl groaned gruffly and stood up, pulling on his pants again.

I had just put on the last of my torn clothes when Daryl emerged from inside the watchtower, holding up his crossbow and motioning to Rick that he was there. I looked down as I felt a breeze and I sighed out in irritation. Daryl, in the midst of taking off my button-down shirt, had torn off one of the buttons, now leaving my ample cleavage exposed. It would have to do until I found spare clothes that fit me - Carol, Maggie and Beth being a few shirt sizes too small - so I emerged from the watchtower after Daryl with a red-cheeked face of embarrassment.

It was now that I realized Daryl still hadn't had his shirt on, and it was too late for me to go grab it for him because Rick and Glenn and Maggie were approaching us. Glenn held up a hand to high-five Daryl and Maggie crossed her arms in front of me with a twisted smile on her face.

"I told you, Rick . . ." Maggie shook her head. "Glenn and I are not the only ones hooking up in this group!" The three of them laughed and Daryl put an arm around me, crushing me into him, my hand touching his bare chest.

"I love this girl!" Daryl announced to all - Rick, Glenn and Maggie, and the walkers outside the fence - and smiled broadly. "Ain't none of y'all are gonna' take her from me. Not you guys, not the damned Governor, and certainly not the walkers. Damned things." I let out a smile and was a bit surprised that Daryl trusted his friends enough to see him kiss his girl - me - in front of them all.