A/N- *Slipping on her pea coat and sunglasses* Are you ready for this shit, my dear readers?


It was so cold, it had been months now and we had moved from campsites to farmhouses. At the moment we were huddled up in a farmhouse we had cleaned out. We were all tired and hungry, winter had settled in about two months ago. No snow, but when night fell I swore a few times we were going to freeze to death.

At times, I admit, it's hard to believe everything that's happened, all the people we've lost. Though this has also brought us closer together, made us grateful for those we still have around us, I just pray for peace, even for a little while. Lori was only about two months or so from giving birth, I knew that would add a whole new challenge for us and we had to be ready.

I lay on an old mattress inside a bedroom, staring out of the large window as lightening streaked across the sky. Rain beat down on the roof and was comforting in a way. I loved the rain, even now, it soothed me and put me at ease. I play with the ring on my left finger and smile. It reminded me of the promise Daryl made me, reminded me that someone loved me as much as I loved them.

The sound of boots draw me from my thoughts as I turn my head towards the door to see Daryl. He closes the door smirking at me. Sitting up, I give him a curious look as he drops his bow by the bed, handing me a make shift bowl, inside what I was guessing was squirrel as he and I had caught a few before the rain set in.

"I got some cooked before the rain came. Feeling better?" Daryl asks, sitting down next to me.

"Yeah, some what." I say, picking up a piece of meat from the bowl.

I had gotten a touch of the flu because of the cold weather and I was made to rest, Hershel's orders. I eat slowly, Daryl watching me. He worried about me; I saw it in his eyes ever since I got sick. Smiling, I lean over and kiss his cheek.

"Stop worrying." I say softly.

"Can't help it, not like we can do nothin' about it if you get worse and I don't wanna lose my wife." He says in a gruff voice.

I smile, him calling me his wife still got to me. Over the months he and I only grew closer. He was my life line in a way, my salvation and I would always be grateful for him. I sit the bowl on the floor, getting to my knees behind him. I place my hands on his shoulders, rubbing them gently as I whisper in his ear.

"You won't lose me; can't nobody can kill a Dixon, but a Dixon." I grin, kissing his ear.

"Damn right they can't." He whispers back, leaning into my hands.

"I still like when you say that." I smirk, still rubbing his shoulders.

"Say what?" He asks.

"When you say my wife. Never thought I would have anyone call me that, hell or even want to call me that." I say with a small sigh.

Daryl looks over his shoulder at me; his eyes meeting my two toned ones. He always gave me that look, one that told me to shut up and stop doubting myself. I smirk a bit, leaning over his shoulder to kiss him. I feel his arms around my waist, pulling me over his shoulder and onto his lap. I wrap my arms around his neck, deepening the kiss as he cradles my body against his.

Thunder echoed in the distance, rain was pouring harder and I was in the arms of my blue eyed hunter. Even though we were in the middle of the apocalypse, this moment was perfect. Sure, I didn't have an actual house, nor did I have a bed or even a hot shower… but I had Daryl and I knew we could make it with the family we had come to care about.

When the kiss breaks, I look up at Daryl, offering a smile. I feel him run his fingers over my cheek, but I turn my head to cough a bit. Daryl helps me sit up on his lap. He rubs my back as I lean into him, groaning softly.

"So, kissing you may not have been a good idea. I don't want you to get sick." I say, my head on his chest.

"Don't care if I did, I'll kiss you whenever I feel like it and there ain't nothin' you can do." He says, kissing my forehead. "Fever broke." He added.

I sigh softly, nuzzling his neck with my nose, clinging to him almost. Couldn't help it, I was always clinging when I got sick. I smile when I feel Daryl rub my back, arching into his touch a bit.

"I love you, Dixon." I say softly

"Love you too, Dixon." He says in return.

We sat like that for I don't know how long, I just wanted to be close to him and he didn't seem to mind. I wish I could express how he made me feel, how secure, even in this crazy world, he made me. I never had that in my life, never had anyone care like he did. Even as the world was dying around us, I clung to him because I knew he would do his best to make it better for me as I tried to do for him.

It's short lived when we hear voices and Beth scream. I jump off Daryl's lap, going for my eagles as he grabbed his bow. He goes to protest, but I just point to the door and we both rush out, running down the stairs just in time to see the front door open and about ten walkers break through.

I raise both eagles and start shooting as Daryl does the same. Rick jumps over the banister lining the stairs, shooting the walker that had grabbed Beth. I hear Abby scream and go into panic mode. I run down the stairs after the walkers were cleared, yelling her name as the walkers seemed to keep coming. I hear Rick yelling we had to go, but I wasn't going to leave Abby. I fight my way through, seeing Abby on the ground; her gun had been knocked away. My heart leaps into my throat as I rush towards her, kicking the walking on top of her in the head. I shoot it in the head before helping Abby to her feet.

"Please say you're not bit!" I yell panicked, checking her over.

"I'm fine Murph." She assures me.

She grabs her eagle, pressing her back to mine as we polish off the walkers at the back of the house, but saw more coming in the distance. "Fuck" I mumble, yelling out there was more coming. We all rush; Abby and I bolt upstairs to get out bags. Rick was ushering everyone out. I grab Lori's hand as we pass, slinging my bag over my shoulder before helping her out to the car. Everyone one loads up, I could see the walkers had made it to the house and were coming out the front door.

I hop on the back of Daryl's bike, holstering my eagles before I wrap my arms around him. We all take off just as the herd reaches us. My arms tighten around him; I bury my face against his back as hot tears slowly fall from my eyes. This was getting to me, but I knew I had to stay strong. I feel Daryl's hand on my leg for a moment causing me to lift my head. I knew what he wanted. I lift my chin, resting it on his shoulder and he gently nudges it with his own. It was his way of saying he loved me and it would be okay, something he always did when I was on the back of his bike.

I held on to Daryl, eyes forward, nudging him back to say I loved him. He squeezes my knee when I go to look back. He yells out not to look back, keep my eyes forward, there was no use in looking back.

I knew he was right so I held on to him, praying for peace and trying to keep hope for the future. I just pray we're ready….


A/N- Let's do some gratuitous reading! Hehe Lame I know. Short, but I wanted some kind of intro before the story really got going. For new readers the eagles I refer to Murphy and Abby having are twin Desert Eagle Mark XIX .357 Magnum's with fluted barrels and silencers.