She could feel her eyes drooping slightly in the fresh darkness, only dimly aware of the monotonous drone of the engine as she glided on.
"I could take over drivin' for awhile." He spoke softly, cautiously as if he were measuring his words before pouring them out.
She didn't turn to look at him, but she could feel him studying her carefully.
"We'll still go where ya want," he added. "But I could just-"
"No," She cut him off. "We should stop anyway. Find somewhere to settle in for the night."
"Yeah," He replied with a nod.
She frowned. "We passed a high school about a mile back. That might be good for filling up on supplies."
He shook his head. "No. If it's overrun, it'll be too much tonight. Best hole up in one'a them houses nearby. Easier to clear. We can check the school for supplies in the mornin."
She sat quietly with her lips pursed for so long that he was surprised when she uttered a simple, "You're right."
She pulled off the main highway and turned into the residential area. "We should get farther away from the main road, right?"
He nodded. "Less populated, with any luck."
She turned down a seemingly quiet street. "Looks deserted enough."
There weren't any cars in the driveway, so she pulled right in.
He got out first, holding his already loaded crossbow in front of them.
Her heart was pounding in her ears as she reached out to turn the doorknob, finding it unlocked. He was right behind her, so close she could feel his shaky breath, warm on the back of her neck.
At first there was nothing, then she heard the low gurgling sounds to her right. She drew her knife, her knuckles tingling as she gripped it tightly while her eyes adjusted to the darkness.
There were two of them, standing in the living room in front of an old bulky television, just swaying there as if they'd been waiting for her. Or maybe expecting company in general.
One of them moved forward, arms outstretched in preparation to grab at her throat, but she sank her knife into its skull before it even had a chance. She turned around to find Daryl pulling his arrow out of the other one.
He reached into his bag and produced a flashlight, switched it on and swiped it over every nook and cranny.
She stood still, watching him as he moved in a slow circle around her, eyeing the perimeter of the ground floor. His eyes darted upstairs and she nodded.
The stairs creaked a little under their feet as they slowly ascended. The second floor was small, with what she assumed was two bedrooms separated by a tiny bathroom. She paused with her hand on one of the knobs, listening carefully. She heard nothing, so she pushed the door open, her eyes darting around the room.
"All clear," she said over her shoulder in a loud whisper.
"Yeah," he called from the other room. "Windows're boarded up."
"In here too," she said, backing up into the hall.
She found him peering into the bathroom and she looked over his shoulder. There was no shower curtain, a detail she was grateful for as her mind recalled every single horror movie she'd ever seen when she was younger.
He shrugged. "We're alone."
She nodded.
"I'll take 'em outside," He offered. "They might ward off potential visitors."
"I'll help," she insisted, following him down the stairs.
It didn't take long for them to discard the walker bodies out the front door. It was only minutes later that she was pulling it shut, testing the lock and breathing a sigh of relief when it clicked into place. Almost as an afterthought, she turned the deadbolt too.
"We're alright here for a night," He assured her. "I'll take the first watch."
She nodded, moving into the kitchen.
"What're you doing? We can check on supplies in the morning," He told her.
She wordlessly pulled some soda cans out of the refrigerator.
He raised an eyebrow. "If yer that thirsty, you should be drinkin' water."
She shook her head. "Temporary alarm system," she informed him as she turned to dump the liquid out into the sink. "Now you won't have to keep watch."
He grinned, feeling a surge of pride towards this woman as he watched her methodically poke holes in the bottoms and string them together.
She didn't speak again until she was finished. "There." She handed him a long string of soda cans. "One to hang outside your room, and one for mine."
He moved ahead of her, peeked his head in the room she'd claimed as hers one last time and handed her a flashlight before turning in to his.
She placed the flashlight on the floor after he'd left, her eyes narrowing in the dim light that flooded the room. She took in the unmade bed and her skin crawled at the thought of sleeping in someone else's unwashed space, so she figured she'd look for some clean sheets.
She rummaged around in the trunk near the bed, still unable to shake the uneasy feeling. She was tugging the bottom corners of the sheets under the mattress when she heard heavy footsteps outside her door. They were accompanied by a soft knock a second later.
She opened the door and found herself face to face with Daryl. Her eyebrows raised questioningly.
"I'd sleep better in here," he mumbled, clearly unsure if he was saying the right words.
She thought for a moment, then let out a soft, "Oh," as she placed a hand against his chest. "Then come on in," she added, her arms snaking around his neck as she pulled his body against hers.
He shook his head, closing the door behind him and listening to the loud clatter of the soda cans. "We don't haveta do that. I just…. wanna stay in here, I guess…" He murmured awkwardly.
She nodded. "Fine. But you get the side against the wall."
"I could sleep on the floor."
"That's not necessary," she said, her voice almost a whisper.
He climbed into the bed, obediently sliding across to make room for her.
She lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling long after he'd started snoring.