The day was chilled with a cool breeze. Winter would soon be upon us and I sighed to myself, my scientific mind taking over. I thought to myself about the post-mortem process; if a body is in hot temperatures, the body will decompose faster; and if the body is in cold temperatures, the body will decompose at a much slower rate. The old story of Otzi the Ice Man - a real tale I learned about when I was still in college a few years back - came to mind and a smirk appeared on my face.

The smirk turned to a frown as I thought back on my life before the world went to the dead. I had a good job that paid well, and I had a few secrets. Despite being a scientist like my grandpa and Uncle John and not only having a head for knowledge needed and unneeded, I had a talent for using certain weaponry. I was once a member of the National Rifle Association and could fire both 38-caliber pistols and 22-calibers with scopes, and was skilled in the arts of self-defense and was an agile knife-thrower. My old life was gone now but my skills came in handy as the world went to the geeks, as Glenn would say.

"Gettin' colder here, ain't it?" I turned from my post - my view of the zombies in the grassy prison courtyard - and looked to see Daryl walking up to me with his crossbow in hand.

"I don't mind the cold, but now . . ." My voice trailed off. "I can tell this winter is going to be tough for us all." One of the walkers was louder than the rest, so loud I could hear it from here inside the watchtower with the door broken from the hinges.

"We got Rick. He's a strong leader. I'm . . ." Daryl stopped and I looked back to him, seeing his cheeks go red - whether it was from the cold in the air or embarrassment, I didn't know.

"You're one of our strongest members of the group. You're like a high-powered piece in a game of chess." I let out a smile and Daryl looked me over. I wore a blue turtleneck shirt with a few holes in the arms and tattered jeans with black lace-up boots, my hair in a messy ponytail with my bangs lining my face.

"An' you're the smartest." Daryl complimented me. I looked the crossbowman over, thinking to myself how attractive he was. A cold gust of wind blew into the tower and Daryl cracked his neck from side to side and rubbed his arm holding the crossbow with his free hand, trying to generate friction. Trying to generate heat. Daryl wore a red and black plaid shirt with the sleeves torn of f and jeans that were ripped in the knees. He wore brown hiking boots and his hair was out of place and longer than when we first met.

Daryl looked and seemed different now. Not only was he stronger and tougher, he was also kinder than before and did his best to curse less when around me - despite that not always working out - and had revealed to me that I was someone he trusted. He trusted me just as much as he trusted Rick, and from that, I was blushing from the mere thought of it.

Daryl shivered again and I set down my rifle on the small desk behind me and embraced him, my arms wrapping around his neck. My face close to his, I kissed him and moved my hands down his muscled arms. My hands moved quickly, generating heat and warming Daryl up.

"What're you doin'?" Daryl asked me when the kiss broke.

"I'm using my body heat to warm you." I smiled, looking Daryl over from his head to his shoes, and then my eyes returned to meet his dark-eyed gaze. "It's one of the basics of a science lesson. Friction, I mean."

"Yer' smart." Daryl smiled but then frowned. I looked up to Daryl with worry in my eyes, instantly regretting kissing him, worried that he didn't feel the same way towards me. "Why did ya' kiss me? I mean, how does a genius like you fall for a rugged guy like me?"

My arms snaked around Daryl's neck again and I stood on my toes and kissed him once more, Daryl now letting his crossbow slip to the floor and moving his hands to touch my sides. My heart raced at his touch and he pulled me closer to him, now leaning me against the desk and pressing his lips harder against mine. When our kiss broke, I smiled as Daryl looked me over, seeing in his eyes that he was as hungry for me as I was for him.

"How can any scientist explain love? It's some sort of chemical balance or imbalance that makes me weak in the knees when I'm with you. I don't know why I love you; I just do, and . . . I want you to love me, too." Daryl was silent. "What's wrong? Do you have a girlfriend I don't know about?" I used Maggie's line after she had her kiss-and-tell with Glenn . . . It was more like a sex-and-tell since they hooked up. I hoped it would be my turn to be with Daryl.

"I love you." Daryl said to me, and I smiled. "I may look tough and act all badass at times but all I really worry about is you. I don't want you to be taken from me or lost forever. I want to build a life with you somewhere we can be safe together." With that, Daryl pressed his lips against mine and he pushed me to sit atop the desk, our movements how shaking the desk and, quite possibly, the whole watchtower!

An hour passed - maybe an hour; I didn't really know how long - and Daryl and I now sat against the cold wall of the tower, Daryl's arm wrapped around me protectively. The windows were steamed up from our . . . activities . . . and smiles were both on our faces. I looked up to Daryl and saw he was becoming more aroused - again! - so I pulled myself atop him, my legs straddling his lap, and Daryl looked to me and grinned.

"Want to try for five?" I asked him.

"Oh, Hell, yeah!" Daryl's arms wrapped around me again and pulled me down to kiss him, our actions yet again steaming up the windows of the watchtower. When we were finished - again - Daryl now lay on the floor panting like a dog in heat. I lay above him with my hands on his chest with a smile on my face and a laugh in my voice. "Sorry I don't have a ring for ya' yet. I promise I'll give one to you one day." My head shot up from his chest - listening to his racing heartbeat - and I looked to Daryl with wide eyes.

"Excuse me?" I said with complete shock.

"I know you heard me. We've known each other for over a year now and I wish I could give ya' a ring. A diamond ring."

"Daryl, what are you saying?" I asked the sexy crossbowman, now my lover.

"I'm saying I love you." Daryl sat up and looked me over before returning to gaze into my eyes. "Will you marry me?"

The silence was deafening and I could hear both my heartbeat race and Daryl's heartbeat, too. Daryl's hands lingered to touch my own as he waited for an answer. "Yes!" I shouted, pinning Daryl against the floor, now trying for six.

Six has always been my lucky number.