Chapter 4

563 i think were getting close now. not sure what road were on so weve been going slower until we figure it out. morgan took down two guys with a W carved on their forehead while i was hunting but wouldnt kill em. not sure how smart that was

They had been on the road a month, but making good time. They had come across a few undead, but nothing like the herds they had seen in Georgia. When they came across houses they would scavenge but not much was left. Once she had found a full ounce of weed stashed in some kids bedroom along with rolling papers and a small bowl. That night she packed the bowl and lit up. Morgan declined when she offered, so she shrugged her shoulders and took another hit. It was the first time she had been high in years, and it didn't take much to make her head swim. She had only used it once after that, deciding that she would only do it occasionally. Who knew when or if she would ever come across any more. Besides, going around stoned all the time would just get her killed.

The day had started out cold, frost covering everything, but had soon warmed up enough that they could keep their faces uncovered. They still weren't sure of where they were since the road they were on seemed to be lacking any and all markings. The food had run out two days before, and hunting has become harder with animals going to ground for the winter. Shadows were getting long on the ground and she had started scanning ahead for a suitable place to stop for the night when they heard music start up ahead of them. Morgan and Jane exchanged looks and began to run towards the sound. The road had a bend in it, and as they came around they saw a gated warehouse that looked to have been through quite the remodel. The gate had been thrown open, music was blaring and disco lights were flashing, and as they watched two men emerged from between two of the trailers, as a herd of undead gathered around them. They sprinted to a sedan, slashing at the undead in their way and dove in, shutting the doors just as the herd reached it. Morgan and Jane crouched low, taking refuge behind a Caddy parked just outside the fence.

"Looks like they could use a hand," Morgan said in a low voice. Jane nodded her agreement and peered around the bumper. Most of the herd had gathered around the car, but there seemed to be more on the driver's side, which was fortunate since the passenger side was facing the fence.

"Shouldn't be too difficult to clear a path to them. You head for the car, I'll stay behind you to keep it clear," she said as she pulled down her ski goggles and covered her mouth and nose with the bandana, then tugged her hood up to cover her hair. She had learned that it was easier to have them on when fighting because it kept the gore out of her face and her hair from being grabbed. "Let's go."

They crept around the car, moving quietly so as not to attract the attention of the undead until they were right on top of them. They got within 10 feet of the car before being noticed, but Morgan took the two that spotted them out with ease. He reached the car and smashed the head of the one in front of the door handle with his staff, blood and brains spattering the window before it fell to the ground. He flung open the door and the younger man leapt out, machete in hand, followed almost instantly by the second man. The four of them hightailed it to the fence, eliminating the six undead who had managed to give chase. The rest of the herd turned for them, but they were still on the other side of the car and unable to catch up. The man with the crossbow took down one with his knife before he swung the gate closed, Morgan and Jane slipping through just before the younger one latched it closed. He raised his crossbow and fired just in front of Morgan, taking down the lone undead that had managed to escape.

"That was-oh-thank you," the young man started, leaning over to catch his breath. He looked to be in his mid to late twenties, with brown curly hair cut short in the back and a little fuller on top, and a handsome face surrounding chocolate brown eyes. Morgan nodded as he began to wipe the blood from his staff. Crossbow was watching them, unsure what to make of his rescuers. "I'm Aaron, this is Daryl," he continued, indicating his companion.

"Morgan, and this is Jane," he replied. She tilted her head, taking a step towards Daryl. This man was a bit taller, his hair darker and longer, and his body full of lean muscle, but the set of his jaw, the shape of his eyes, the line of his nose matched her memories. And those two moles on his left cheek, that she had wanted to kiss more times than she could count. It couldn't be, could it?

"Why?" Daryl spat out.

"Why? Because all life is precious, Daryl."

Daryl looked at Morgan as if he thought the man made no sense and all the sense in the world, all at the same time.

"Who ever set that trap is coming. But I have good news. We do," Aaron corrected. "We have a community not too far from here. Walls, electricity, it's safe. If you'd like to come join us-"

"I thank you," Morgan said, cutting him off, " but we're on our way somewhere. Fact is, we're lost, so, if you could tell me where we are-" he stopped, pulling out the map and handing it to Daryl. As he took the map and unfolded it, she kept staring at him. There was no way this could be the same scrawny kid from all those years ago. His hair was hanging in his eyes, making them harder to see, but she knew as soon as he had spoken, that one word in that same voice. There was much more depth and pain since she had heard it last, but there was no doubt. She was rooted to the spot, her mind a whirlwind as Morgan and Daryl were discussing something about the map. She didn't hear any of it, she was lost in the tumbling emotions that sucked the breath out of her like a punch to the gut. He was more beautiful than she remembered, time had matured and deepened the rugged handsomeness of his dirty face, and his body had definitely matured as well. But it was his eyes that stopped her heart. There was a pain there, an almost haunted look, and she knew that she had helped cause it. How would he react when he realized who she was? Her vision blurred, and the last thing she heard was Morgan saying "Do you hear that Jane?" before everything went black.

When she came to, she was propped up and Morgan was pulling her pack off. She groaned at the searing pain in her skull.

"Jane, can you hear me?" Morgan said, the worry evident in his voice. She nodded and put out a hand. Morgan grabbed it and helped her up, a steadying hand on her arm.

Daryl strode up to her, their faced only inches apart, and growled, "You bit?" He had become anxious when she fainted, worried that they had just invited in someone who may turn out to be a problem.

She shook her head and pulled down the bandana to reply, "I'm fine Dixie." He froze, the wind sucked from his lungs as she pulled of the goggles and pushed her hood back. Only one person had called him that, and he thought she was long dead. But there she stood, ice blue eyes, that same constelation of freckles across her nose, and that red hair, now held back in a ponytail instead of the braid she had always sported. Her lips seemed fuller, and the full body of a goddess to match. Emotions rolled over him, warring with one another. Anger at her for leaving, disbelief that she was standing in front of him, but what won out was the overwhelming joy that she was alive. She stood there, tense, watching the war within him, unsure of what he would do.

With a clatter his crossbow fell to the ground and he flung his arms around her waist, burying his face in her neck. She relaxed and hugged him back, fingers twining through his hair, tears streaming down her face as his shoulders hitched in a sob and he breathed a single word, "Kitten."

"It's me. I'm here. It's gonna be ok," she whispered, her face pressed into his hair. All the familiar smells, everything inherently Daryl, assaulted her nostrils. She felt as if her heart was going to burst. They stood there, unable to let go, the rest of the world forgotten.

"I hate to break this up but we should go," Aaron said hesitantly. Daryl nodded and took a stabilizing breath, then broke away to pick up his forgotten crossbow. Aaron headed to the car with Morgan, and she scooped up her bag and turned to follow but he grabbed her hand and pulled her over towards his bike. Without a word he climbed on and started it up, then stood it upright and waited for her to climb on.

"Hold on," she said, and ran over to the car and handed Morgan her bag before bolting back, a 1000 watt smile spread across her face. She stepped on and swung her leg over, putting her hands on his shoulder for balance. As soon as she was seated, he handed her the crossbow and she slung it across her back, then she put her hands at his waist, and he dropped it in gear and took off, the Caddy lumbering along behind them. She was almost numb the entire ride as the cold air whipped over her, and she leaned against him, her arms wrapping around his torso. He brought his right hand down and placed it over hers, their fingers intertwining. Her heart beat faster at his touch, as if no time had passed, but the way they had left things made her unsure if the joy would last.

It was just after six when he appeared. She had been sitting on their rock, waiting for him to appear, just like always. He was behind her and she hadn't noticed him yet, so he stood watching her. Her hair was in a braid, like a line of fire snaking down her back. She had on a deep blue halter dress that shone against her fair skin, accentuating her budding breasts. The fabric was worn and was a size too small, but he knew she didn't have a whole lot to choose from. She was his rock, the one person he could show his innermost self to. Even in his pained state he couldn't help but notice how pretty she was. He shuffled up to her, his movements halting. She turned to look at him, knowing everything by the way his feet moved, but she was taken back when she saw his face.

"Tell me," she said, scooting over and patting the space next to her. He sat down gingerly as she turned to grab her bag, the one she always brought with her nowadays. His right eye was swollen and purple, blood covering the lower half of his face and soaked into the front of his shirt. She pulled out a clean towel and a bottle of water and gestured to him to remove his shirt. As he peeled it off, he gave a sharp cry as the dried blood on his back pulled away with the fabric, drawing fresh blood. He turned his back to her, where there was a long gash running from his the side of his ribcage to the base of his spine.

"I fought back this time," he mumbled through gritted teeth as she started to wipe away the blood. "Guess that wasn't too smart." She stayed quiet, gently cleaning the wound so she could look at it.

"This is gonna be bad when it heals. It's a lot deeper this time. I wish I knew how to do stitches," she said. Things were getting worse now that Merle was in juvie, and there was nothing she could do about it. She pulled some gauze and tape out along with some butterfly closures she had swiped from the medicine cabinet. She always made sure to only take some when her bag was getting low so her father wouldn't notice. She pulled the edges together as best she could, then covered it with gauze and tape. She leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on his bandaged back, her signal that she was finished. "There, now let me see the rest."

He shifted slowly, turning until he was face to face with her. She used the now pink towel to clean the blood from his face, then pinched his chin, turning his head side to side to assess the damage.

"Well there's not much I can do with that eye, but it doesn't look like your nose is broke. You've got one hell of a fat lip though." She gave him a small smile, understanding in her blue eyes. Her dad was the same way, but he usually only beat on her mom. She leaned forward, cleaning the dried blood from his chest, one hand on his bare shoulder for balance. He caught a whiff of her hair, the smell of her shampoo faint in his nostrils. He had always loved that smell on her, but today it made him feel funny. He was feeling that way around her almost all the time now. He saw the freckles on her bare shoulders, sprinkled across her nose and cheeks, and had a sudden urge to touch them. His flesh tingled where her hand rested on his shoulder, and he felt a corresponding tingle in his groin. Why was he getting like that around her again? He looked down at her eyes, the long lashes almost brushing her cheeks when she closed her eyes. Another stirring down there made him shift, causing him to wince in a sudden flare of pain. She pulled her hands back when he did, worried that she had hit a tender spot.

"S'ok, wasn't you," he said quietly, "just moved wrong." She gave a smile and continued, noticing that even though he was still scrawny, his chest and arms had begun to fill out with muscle. She set the towel down, the last traces of blood wiped away, and just stared at his face. He wasn't handsome in the classical sense, but his features were pleasantly aligned.

"What?" he said, wondering why she was looking at him like that, and why he liked it so much.

"Just, ah, making sure I got everything," she replied as her cheeks turned crimson. "Let me see your lip." She pinched his chin and pulled it down, then used her thumb to roll his bottom lip out. They were like silk on her fingers, and her touch sent a jolt of electricity through him. "It seems to've stopped bleeding," she remarked, their faces mere inches from each other. She wondered what it would feel like if she kissed him, and before she lost her nerve she closed the gap and pressed her lips to his.

His eyes went wide and his breath caught in his throat. He had thought about this so often lately, but he had never imagined just how good it would feel. Before she could pull away, he put his hand on the back of her neck and kissed her back, his tongue sliding out just enough to touch her teeth. Her mouth opened wider, and their tongues met, gliding over each other. She let out a small moan, and his cock responded, straining against his denim jeans.

He broke away, leaning his forehead against hers. "We shouldn't do that." His breathing was shallow as he tried to steady himself.

"Alright." It was just that one word, but he could hear the rejection in it, her shoulders slumping. She turned away, but not before he saw the glisten of tears in her blue eyes. His heart sunk.

"It's just that I don't wanna mess this up," he stated softly. He stroked her arm with the back of his fingers. The last thing he had wanted to do was hurt her, but he knew that he had. She shrugged his hand off, her shoulders shaking in a silent sob. "Look at me," he pleaded, wishing he could take it back, "please Kitten."

Even now she couldn't resist when he called her that. She turned to face him, and he was undone by the anger and hurt in her eyes. He leaned forward, ignoring the scream of agony in his back, and covered her mouth with his. He cradled her face in his hands, his lips moving over hers in desperation as his thumbs wiped the tears from her cheeks. She melted into him, the sensation of his lips on hers like lightning, sending shocks down her spine. She felt a warmth blossom in her belly, making her moan. She couldn't believe it. She had thought he didn't like her, not like that, but he was kissing her like he did. More than that, like he wanted her.

He slid his hands down her back, sending shivers across her bare skin. She touched his chest, feeling his pebbled nipples under the palms of her hands. She inched herself closer so that she was sitting sideways between his legs, the warm surface of rock on the backs of her thighs. He brought a hand to the nape of her neck, toying with the loose tendrils of hair, the other hand at the small of her back, pulling her into him. He kissed a path down her jawline to the tender spot behind her ear, his lips and tongue tracing a line of fire across her flesh.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asked, hoping she wouldn't. She felt better than any dream he had of her, dreams that had left him with a raging hard on when he woke.

"No, don't stop, I like it." She felt the dampness in her panties, an unknown yearning for more, but what she didn't know. All she knew was that if he stopped she would go crazy. She could feel his hard length on her hip as his hips pushed against her, and gathering her courage, she slipped her hand down to press on it. It was longer than her hand, and seemed almost as thick as her wrist, and when her fingers dragged across the straining fabric, he groaned in her ear.

"Oh, God Kitten, that feels so good." She shivered at his breath in her ear. He pulled at the ties on her dress, loosening the flimsy fabric that covered her breasts. He looked at her face, waiting for her protest, but the look he saw was the exact opposite. Her eyes were closed, lashes fluttering on her cheeks, mouth open just barely as if begging to be kissed. He willingly obliged, kissing her lips as if to devour her. He pulled the straps from her shoulders, baring her small breasts, cupping them in his hands. He gave them a gentle sqeeze, pinching her nipples and making her gasp at the pleasure. She fumbled at his waist, taking three tries to pop the button on his jeans before she could pull the zipper down. His boxers tented as his cock strained to be free of the restrictive clothes, as if begging to be touched. She complied and put a tentative finger on the tip, making it jerk in response.

Keeping a hand at her tits, he put his other hand on her thighs, his fingers moving up the inside. She moved her knee, spreading her legs for him. He touched the cotton covering her sex and noticed how wet it was. He pressed his middle finger down and could feel her slit, hot and pulsing on his fingertip. She rocked her hips involuntarily, her breathing became heavier, and he pressed harder, feeling that little nub of pleasure.

She was overcome with need at his touch, not even fully understanding it, but she wanted him naked, to see every inch of him bared to her. She moved to her knees and pushed at the waist of his jeans, desperate to remove them. He braced himself up on the rock and lifted his hips, allowing her to pull them down to his knees, the pain in his back almost forgotten. She reached back up and hooked his boxers, sliding them down around his engorged dick. She stared for a second, the sight of his manhood on display making her lick her lips with longing. She stood up, her dress pooling on the ground at her feet, and peeled off her panties. He took in her naked form, the pink areolas surrounding taut nipples, slightly rounded belly, and the patch of downy fire red hair on her mound.

She crawled on his lap, straddling him, and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him, her tongue delving into him as she ground her hips, his shaft sliding inside her slit. He held her waist, moving in rhythm with her as she picked up speed. Instinct drove her, her juices flowing over them, when stars exploded behind her eyes, her core clenching in orgasm, making her shift a little farther backward. When she rocked forward, instead of gliding across her clit, his cock slid into her, stretching and filling her. She cried out in ecstasy, at the same time a shuddering groan escaped him. She was so tight he almost came, but the suprise had made her hold still for a breath. When she moved again, he pumped his hips, driving himself deeper inside her.

"Holy fuck," he growled, driving harder, desperate for release. "I didn't know it would feel like this." He slipped his hand between them and flicked her clit with his thumb, sending her over the edge just before him, her orgasm milking him for every drop. With a final shudder, she collapsed onto his shoulder, their breathing ragged. He kissed her neck where it met her shoulder, his hands moving lazily up and down her spine.

"Dixie," she murmured, her voice a breathy whisper in his ear.

"Hmmm..." he replied languidly.

"Thank you."

"Anything for you, Kitten."

They made love three more times that evening, exploring the depths of each other until well past dark. When she had realized the time she hurriedly got dressed and pack up her things. She gave him one last kiss and told him she'd see him tomorrow. It was the last time they would see each other for 20 years.

Thanks for the positive reviews! Hope you're still enjoying the story. The next few chapters are gonna be kinda dirty, but there's a reason, I promise. Things will probably start to move slower now that they're reunited. I'll try not to take too many liberties with the timetable, but some things will be adjusted to fit my story better.