A/N: Once again hello to my faithful followers and welcome to new readers! WARNING: There is some mild drug use and some smut in this chapter. Please follow and PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW! DON'T BE SHY! Don't hesitate to private message me with any questions or feedback. Enjoy! ~A

Chapter 7

The night had gone smooth enough and Daryl was relieved that Rick cleared her for acceptance into the group. He observed Alex fidgeting with the bandage on her wrist as they left the house and was equal parts pleased and impressed that she was able to handle herself.

"Doc give you anything for that?" He pointed to the bandage as he pulled her under his arm. Alex shook her head as she tried adjusting it to be more tolerable.

"No, just anti inflammatories. Still sore."

"Rick's got it for docs wife, says he's a drunk so I wouldn't be shocked if he's keeping the good stuff for himself." She sensed the annoyance in Daryl's voice. It was something she had noticed too, Pete was a drunk and horrible to his wife. "Come on." He pulled her along as he turned to head towards the clinic.

He walked up the stairs and saw the lights were out and no one was inside. Alex kept an eye out in case anyone happened to walk by as Daryl easily popped the lock on the door. They both entered quietly and listened intently as the door latched behind them.

"Daryl, really, I'm fine." Alex insisted as he poked around in a few cabinets and drawers. He looked up at her face and back down at her wrist.

"Nah, my girl isn't going to settle with baby aspirin." She blushed at the sound of him calling her "his" girl. She looked on as he pulled a small bag that was hidden beneath some medical books. She watched as he opened the mysterious bag and took a deep inhale, smelling the contents.

"Looks like doc likes to toke up." He held out the bag for her to examine. She stepped towards him and looked into it. Sure enough, the bag was filled with several skinny rolled joints. She looked up at Daryl and back down at the bag. She hadn't smoked weed since she was in college, and even then, only a couple times.

"Ya want one?" He offered.

"If you do." She replied as she watched him pull one and shove it into his jacket pocket. They checked over the inside of the clinic to make sure that they left the inside looking the exact same way as they had found it before they closed the door quietly behind them.

Alex and Daryl walked to her apartment together holding each other close. The already cool night was soothing and calm. He kept his arm wrapped tightly around Alex, pulling her body as close to his as he could. He couldn't remember the last time he had ever felt this way about someone, maybe he never had these types of feelings for another girl. His thoughts flashed back to the women he barely knew rolling out of his bed and out the front door. Most of them he never even caught their names. It was just another drunken night of killing time and loneliness. He looked at Alex and made the decision that he would do things different with her. He would do things right. He wouldn't make any plans to sleep with her, not just yet. They finally made it to her apartment and rushed in through the front door.

"So, you like music?" Daryl asked. He wasn't sure of what to say to her now that he was alone with her, and kicked himself for the stupid question. Everyone liked music. Alex had disappeared into the kitchen and Daryl listened curiously as he heard cabinets slam. Her mind and heart was racing. She wanted tonight to go smoothly and she was unsure of what to do or even how to act. She cursed under her breath as she realized she didn't have a single bottle of wine or beer to offer him. She heard Daryl ask her a question but his voice was drowned out by the racket she was making. She decided to give up and rejoin him.

"What?" She asked as she reappeared empty handed. She moved over to the couch Daryl was now sitting on and eased herself next to him.

"Uh, what kind of music you into?" He was hoping that the rephrased question would come off less stupid. She relaxed into the couch and rested her head. "All kinds really. Olivia had all sorts to choose from so I took a bit of everything." She kicked her shoes off and pulled her feet under her. He watched her as she relaxed next to him. He fought as hard as he could not to reach out and touch her. He took note of how smooth her skin looked and let his eyes trail down her neck and to her breasts. It was impossible for him not to notice that she wasn't wearing a bra. He felt himself harden against his jeans the longer he looked and quickly averted his eyes when she turned her head and locked eyes with him. He lost the fight and figured it would be ok to rest his hand on her thigh. Just sitting there together, talking, nothing more. Existing with her was the most relaxed he had felt since before.

"So is Carl Rick's only child?" Alex asked curiously.

She wanted to know as much as she could about his family and even more so about him. A smile grew on Daryl's face as he thought of Judith. "Nah, he's got 2. There's ass kicker, Judith. She was in her crib when we were over there tonight." Alex felt a twinge of pain in her heart as she thought of an infant tucked in warmly in a crib, and how she would never look down on her own child that way. Not now and not ever. She tucked her sadness deep into her heart and kept the conversation going. "You have any?" She asked, knowing he didn't but curious on his opinions to having children. He let out a loud laugh, "Hell nah, you?" She almost told him. This was her opportunity to break a chain off of herself that was weighing on her for so long. "I can't have any." She answered truthfully. Since after what happened in those woods, after what she lost, she didn't bleed every month like she used to. She figured it was just another cruel joke the world had played on her. Daryl didn't respond. He wasn't sure if he should or even how to. Instead he patted his pockets for his pack of cigarettes only to realize he had none. They were left on kitchen counter at his home. He laid them down as he was waiting patiently for Rick to ask his 3 three questions outside with Alex.

"You got any smokes?" He asked as he rose from the couch. Alex shook her head no as she remembered that she was always bumming them off of Daryl. "I left mine at the house, I'll be right back." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. She reached her hand up to pull him down to her lips. Her lips glided across his softly as he parted her mouth slightly with his tongue. He felt a fire raging inside of him that he was finding almost impossible to tame. She pulled away knowing that if she kept him pulled down to her, that he would never be able to retrieve his cigarettes. He couldn't help but to keep his eyes on her as he walked backwards towards the door.

"I'll be right back. Don't run off anywhere." He pointed his finger at her jokingly and relished in the smile on her face.

"I won't." She answered, waiting to hear the sound of the door closing behind him.

Rick was awake and mixing a bottle for a sleepy and fussy Judith when Carol approached him.

"What did you learn about her?" She asked, ready to reject her. Rick looked at her, knowing whatever he would say would be difficult to change her mind or convince her that Alex wasn't a threat. Or weak for that matter.

"She's alright Carol. I asked her all I needed to know and she answered. She's one of us, not one of them." He tried to get Judith to take her bottle but the defiant little girl spit it out and continued crying. Carol took the bottle from Rick and walked into the kitchen and placed it into a pot with water. She set the stove to low flame and turned to Rick.

"Just like that? Five minutes alone with her and just like that she's just one of us?" Rick shook his head to confirm everything she just said. He could have told her how he knew her from before, back in Georgia, and everything he knew about her up until now but decided against it. That was Alex's cross to bear and he had no place in disclosing that information to anyone, especially not until she had a chance to tell Daryl. Carol pressed on, Rick half listening.

"I mean, come on Rick. Isn't she a little young…. He just met her…She has to be hiding something Rick….. We've gotta keep an eye on her….. If you don't, I will…."

Rick let her words go through one ear and out the other. It was only natural for her or anyone to be cautious around new people, but he knew Alex from before. Even as he tried to ignore Carol's concerned words, he felt a tug in his gut of the truth that nowadays, everyone had something to hide.

The front door closed as quickly as it had opened. Daryl took fast steps into the kitchen and retrieved his cigarettes. He stopped as he realized that Rick and Carol were staring at him.

"What?" He asked as he searched for his lighter. Rick looked back at Carol, hoping she would let it go.

"Nothing, just feeding Judith. You done babysitting for the night?" Carol sarcastically asked as she moved to lock the front door. Daryl glared at her from across the kitchen, annoyed by the joke made at Alex's expense. It was clear that Alex was younger than him, in her twenties, but old enough.

"Nah, headin back out. I'll be at Alex's if ya need me. Just come back to grab these." He held his cigarettes up for them to see. He noticed a lighter at the bottom of a kitchen drawer and shoved it into his jean pocket. Carol huffed as she grabbed the bottle and walked upstairs with baby Judith, now satisfied that her milk was warm.

"What's her problem?' Daryl asked Rick as he, leaning his head towards the stairs.

Rick's hand was becoming a permanent extension of his forehead since he seemed to keep it there anytime he was thinking, frustrated or was being asked a question.

"Tired I reckon. Want me to wait up for you?" he looked at Daryl and realized that he probably wouldn't see him again until the next day anyway.

"I wouldn't." Daryl answered. He was planning on spending as much time with Alex as he could tonight. He had to head out early on a run with Aaron tomorrow and knew that she would be on his mind the entire time he was outside the walls. He knew what Rick was thinking and of course it was on his mind too, regardless of as hard as he tried to push the thought out.

Do things differently. Wait. You're a fucking man not a horny teenager.

Rick grinned and put his hand on Daryl's shoulder.

"Alright then." Rick said as he closed the door behind Daryl.

After Daryl left Alex's apartment she jumped off the couch and ran upstairs. She combed her hair and brushed her teeth. She pinched her cheeks a bit and sighed as she moved her hands down the front of her shirt and down to her thighs. She knew her scars would tell many stories of her past and had no way of hiding them from Daryl, whether that be tonight or another night. She filled a glass of water and placed it next to the easel by her window. She sat in her stool, staring at the blank canvas, biting her nails. She was anxious for Daryl's return. She had nothing to paint. Nothing came to her mind.

She skipped down the stairs and into the kitchen where she retrieved a bottle of soda and ran back upstairs. She felt suffocated sitting in her apartment alone. She opened her bedroom window and climbed to the roof. She laid back and looked at the stars. The stars were so much brighter now without the light pollution from the cities. She sipped her soda, anxiously waiting on Daryl to come back into the apartment. She had no idea how the night would go and decided to let the night go the way it is going to go. However that may be.

"I'm back!" She heard Daryl yell from downstairs. She listened as he walked up the stairs and pause in her bedroom. He looked out the window and onto the roof and spotted her.

"Hide and seek?" He asked as he helped her back inside the window.

"Just getting some air." They stood awkwardly in the bedroom, unsure of what to do. He pulled out the skinny stick they stole from the infirmary from his jacket and shook it at Alex. He extended it to her and she took it, rolling it between her fingers.

Alex hesitated a bit when he pulled out his lighter. Daryl noticed the uneasiness that came about her and set the lighter down. "You ok? We don't have to." He suddenly felt guilty, he meant for it to be like a bit of toast for celebration or something to help her relax after such an eventful day. He figured that she had the impression he was trying to get her high enough to get in bed with him. Something he would never do to her.

Alex shook her head. She took the lighter and ignited the end of the joint, the smell invaded her nose but she took a small drag, hoping to calm her nerves. She held it out to Daryl as she kept the sweet tasting smoke in her lungs. As she exhaled the smoke, she began a coughing fit.

"Maybe you should stick to soda and cigarettes." He joked as he pointed to the nearby bottle. He took a drag himself and blew the smoke out with ease. She moved to sit back at her easel. She could feel Daryl behind her. His presence was strong and like the electric current that seemed buzz when they were close, she felt the static raise goosebumps on her skin.

Daryl looked at her and wondered why he was here and what she saw in him. He saw so much in her and yet so much was still clouded in mystery. He pulled another stool next to her and looked at her as they passed the joint back and forth to each other. The silence surrounding them was becoming less awkward and instead changed into a calm awareness of each other. Daryl wasn't going to make the first move. He let the end of the joint go out and set it down on a table. He leaned back in his chair, watching her and enjoying the small high he had acquired. The more he relaxed and look at her, the harder it was to control his thoughts.

Take it slow

Alex was building up her nerve. She was sick of waiting. She had wasted so much of her life being unhappy and doing things she didn't want to do. Tonight she wanted to be with him. She wanted to be his. She wanted to give all of herself to him. She felt her nervousness fading and a bit of courage rising inside of her. She was surprised when he nudged her foot and began an innocent game.

"Truth or dare?" He asked. She turned and gave him a puzzled look.

"Truth." She responded.

"What did you do before?" He pulled two cigarettes out and lit them, passing one to her.

"The same as what I'm doing now. I painted and worked as a counselor. Truth or dare?" She looked at him.

"Truth." He answered as he took a long draw from the cigarette. His head was buzzing and he was feeling confident enough and ready to tell her anything that she wanted to know, in hopes that she would do the same.

"What about you? What did you do before?" She asked.

"Nothing. About the same as I'm doing now. Truth or dare?" He was growing entertained and even amused at the game. A combination of ease of being around her mixed with the weed was helping him shed any inhibition he had earlier when he walked into her room.

"Truth." She waited for his response.

He decided to drop the bomb.

"How do you know Rick?" He watched as the blood drained from her face. He overheard bits and pieces of their conversation after dinner but wanted to know what happened to her. How did he know her?

"Daryl, I… I.. . knew him from Georgia. He was the sheriff in King County. I lived there. " She didn't lie, but she wasn't ready to reveal the full truth yet, either. Not yet, not tonight.

"Did you work with the police?" He looked at her curiously, it was obvious there was more.

"Sort of, sometimes, in court, sometimes they needed a counselor present to testify." Not entirely a lie, she remembered seeing him at city hall many times, only that wasn't where they met.

"huh."

He raised up from his stool and took another drag from his cigarette. He figured it was something like that. Something from before, back home. He could tell that there was more than them knowing each other in passing, he could tell by Rick's tone, although the words were muffled from the chatter inside the house. He wouldn't push her into telling him everything herself just yet, he planned on being around her as long as possible. His thoughts were soon interrupted by a question.

Her turn.

"Truth or dare?" She asked again, hoping to move on from talk of the past.

"Truth."

He stared at the cassettes on the nearby table and stuck one into the player at random. A laid back, ambient song began to play as he listened. He blushed as intimate lyrics poured out of the speakers.

~If it's on ,it's on for good…..~

The music was almost too fitting for the moment. He couldn't stop thinking about her, what did she go through up until now, why did he feel so strongly for her? He never felt his heart drawn to someone so intensely before. His heart jumped as he sensed her movement across the room.

"Do you care about me, Daryl Dixon?" Alex was now standing with her back to the wall, facing him.

~Let me tell you…~ The music drifted through the room.

He stopped fiddling with the cassettes and stood there. He turned his head to look at her and nodded.

"Yeah."

He knew it the minute he laid eyes on her. Whatever it was that existed between them he had never felt with anyone else. This is what love felt like. Hope.

"More than that."

~If you stayed over, you know we would…~

Alex held his gaze and took in a deep breath before she spoke again.

"Prove it."

Daryl dashed across the room and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her furiously. He abandoned any thoughts he had before of taking things slow with her. Something primal had taken over him. An urge to smell her, to taste her. He pulled her away from the wall and pressed her closer into his chest. Her hands pushed his jacket off and her fingers moved quickly to unbutton his shirt. He pulled her shirt over her head and let it drop to the floor. Her hands caressed his back and he felt himself twitch as they moved lightly over his scars. He removed her bra hastily and let his eyes roam over her breasts. His hands wandered over her body, taking in every inch of her soft skin. He moved his hands up and down her back as he pressed her body into his.

Alex was ready. She hadn't been with anyone like this since before and it never felt as right as it did at that moment. She was scared, excited, and worried, but she was ready to be with him. She pulled back and looked into his eyes. There was something in his eyes that she had never seen before. He had a hunger, a desire that she shared with him. Alex unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them down his hips.

They moved hastily to the bed, tripping over articles of clothing that now littered the floor. The world outside of this room, this moment, ceased to exist. They crashed onto the bed together.

He traced his tongue over her collarbone and down the front of her. She gasped as she felt his tongue circle her hard, pink nipple. He took her breast into his mouth and bit down slightly as he sucked. Daryl kept his eyes focused on hers, watching her, making sure he was pleasing her. He couldn't remember the last time he had been with a woman and worried about messing it up somehow. He unbuttoned her jeans and slid them down her legs, pulling her panties along with them. He stopped what he was doing and sat back on the bed and looked at her body. His eyes roamed over her breasts, her stomach, he noticed the silvery scars littering her thighs and kissed each one softly. She had felt pain, and he was intent on taking it away. She was imperfectly perfect to him. She ran her hands through his hair and pulled it hard in her fingers.

He moved up her body until he was hovering over her.

"Are you sure?" He asked, looking into her eyes to make sure this is what she wanted. "We don't have to." She lifted her head and pressed her lips to his.

"Prove it." She whispered into his ear.

He kissed her deeply as he positioned himself between her legs. He felt his arms shaking, suddenly unsure if this was really happening. He lifted her head and cradled it into his arm. He wanted this to go perfect but the constant worry of disappointing her kept arising in his head.

She felt his hand slowly trace up and down her inner thigh, awaiting his touch. He sucked at her neck and enjoyed as she let out a soft moan.

His fingers found her moist center and he softly pressed down onto her clit. She gasped and kissed him furiously. He circled it and enjoyed feeling her grow wetter. He brought his arm up and held himself up above her. He looked deep into her eyes, ready to stop if there was any hint of hesitation.

~If you go now then you'll never know…How it goes..~

"Ya ready?" He asked her, searching her eyes still for uncertainty. She nodded her head and kissed him again. Their tongues melded together passionately. She wasn't going to turn back now. The heat between them was like an untamed fire.

And she was ready to burn.

Her head shot back as she felt him push slowly into her. She released a small yelp as he entered her, not realizing his generous size. He quickly pulled out, afraid that he had hurt her.

"Shit, did I hurt you? Is it your first.." He never thought to ask her if this was her first time and he had just assumed that it wasn't.

"No it's not my first time, it's been so long. Don't stop." She assured him. He moved back in between her legs and entered her again, cautiously and even slower than before. She winced slightly as he pushed inside her. She allowed her muscles to relax.

Daryl looked into her eyes as he slowly began moving himself in and out of her. Alex had never experienced sex that felt this way: natural, wanted, real. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist as their bodies rocked together. She moved her hips to match his pace. She had never been filled so well by a man and her moans grew louder as he repeatedly hit her g spot with each thrust. She bit her lip trying to hold back her orgasm, she was determined to finish with him.

Daryl felt like he was losing control over his mind and body. She was warm and tight around him and it felt like she was growing wetter with each push. Her hands wrapped around his waist as she pushed him deeper inside her. She grabbed his hair and pulled his head close to her lips. Her pleasure caused her to have a difficult time forming a sentence but all he needed to hear was two words from her.

"Faster….Harder…" She managed to whisper.

He pumped into her harder and rapidly. The entire bed was now shaking and hitting against the wall. He bit his lip hard enough to bring blood to keep himself from finishing until he felt her tighten against him. Her back arched as her orgasm sent waves through her body and her moans turned to screams of pleasure. He couldn't hold back anymore and his body bucked as he came. He grunted loudly as he felt his body convulse. He collapsed on top of her, feeling each pump as he spilled himself inside of her.

The cassette had finished playing and they laid there, in silence. Daryl pulled out of her and rolled onto the bed next to her, his body exhausted and still tingling. He reached to the side of the bed and felt around the floor for his jeans and lit the usual two cigarettes and passed one to her.

Alex sunk into the bed, still in shock that it happened. She quickly pulled a sheet to cover herself as she took the cigarette from Daryl. She put the cigarette to her still quivering lips and took a deep drag.

"You ok?" He looked at her, still worried he hurt her.

You were supposed to wait. He felt guilt beginning to tug at him but pushed it away for now, not letting it ruin what had just happened between them.

"Yeah I'm ok." She answered, still trying to catch her breath. She took one last drag off of her cigarette before extinguishing it in the tray on her night stand. She laid back into the bed and felt Daryl turn to face her, holding his head up with his fist. She felt her body relax and her eyes grow too heavy to hold open. He stared at her face for a long time. He watched her lay there, next to him until she fell asleep.

Daryl reached his hand out to move a piece of hair that had fallen onto her face. He waited until the rise of her chest was steady and she was in a deep sleep before he got up from the bed. The sky that was once black had turned to shades of blue and gray, signaling that the late night had turned into an early morning and he knew he needed to meet Aaron by the gates soon. He pulled on his pants and buttoned his shirt. He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled his boots on and turned to look back at her. He pushed his guilt away as he stared at her. She was beautiful and this was the single most intimate moment of his life. He decided that he would never let her go. He loved her and he wanted to say it to her, but it would have to wait until he returned.

He walked down the stairs and to the front door, sighing as he closed it behind him, turning the knob to make sure it was locked.

A/N The song playing during is Bonobo featuring Fink, If You Stayed Over. I hope you all enjoyed and will review this chapter. Also, be on the lookout for the next chapter. Will update very soon. ~A