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That night, everyone was sitting around the fire, some talking quietly, others staring into the fire. Jillian was sitting on the ground in between Daryl and Merle. They all had their backs against the bench log and were all staring into the fire. Both Merle and Daryl had their legs out in front of them. Both had their arms and elbows resting on log while Jillian was sitting indian style. Rick and Shane were on top of the RV again. Dale sitting directly across of Merle, Glenn was across from Daryl, Andrea and Amy were sitting on the other side of the fire on Merle's left and across from Lori and Carl. Ed was walking up and flopped down in between Dale and Glenn. He was smirking as he stared at Jillian. She felt herself tense up.
Merle noticed first as Daryl was lost in his own mind. Merle reach behind Jillian and tapped Daryl's shoulder. Daryl looked over Jillian's head at his brother who motioned with his head. Daryl looked towards Ed then at Jillian. She was frowning, sending daggers with her eyes to him. Daryl sat up and put his arm around her shoulders. Jillian allowed him to pull her against his chest. He stared Ed down hard as he kissed the top of her head. Ed actually paled and swallowed hard under Daryl's eyes before he looked away.
" That fucking asshole needs his eyes popped out." Daryl whispered into her hair. She tilted her head up and smiled at him. He leaned down so she could whisper to him.
" Maybe we could glue them shut when he's sleeping. Can you image the panic he'd feel when he tried to open them?" She asked. He started to laugh, making Merle look at them. He smiled as he watched the two of them start to whisper back and forth, both taking turns to laugh. He looked back to the fire.
" You're mean." Daryl whispered.
" You have no idea. I'd love nothing more then to waltz over there and punch him right in the mouth." She whispered.
" How did you get to be a probation officer with an attitude like that?" He asked. She shrugged.
" I was good at hiding it." She said. He smiled and laughed again.
" Maybe we could drown him." He said. " You lure him out to the water then I will jump out and grab him."
They continued to whisper together and laugh about what they wanted to do to Ed. After a while they settled in together and fell into a comfortable silence. He kept his mouth against the side of her head, she was nestled up against him, even bring her legs close to his lap. He brought his hand to her legs and pulled them against him more, holding her to him as he started rubbing her outer thigh without thinking. Jillian readjusted herself so her head was laying against his shoulder. She sighed and closed her eyes. It had been a long time since she had cuddled with anyone and Daryl was more comfortable then she thought he'd be. The arm he had around her shoulders started playing with her hair. He let his finger tips glide down her back as he twisted her hair around.
She sighed and seemed to be completely relaxed against him. He was surprised at hold comfortable he was feeling. He was warm and started to get sleepy. He had never been much of a cuddlier but she brought it out in him. She made him want to carry her to their tent and be wrapped around her the entire night. He shook his head lightly at his thoughts. He didn't want to be wrapped around her, he wanted to be wrapped up in her. He wanted to be on top of her, inside her, his hands in her hair as he moved against her. She looked up at him at his movements.
" What?" She asked softly. He looked down at her.
" What?" He asked.
" You shook your head. What are you shaking your head for?" She asked. He hadn't realized he had done it.
" Ah, just tired. Trying not to fall asleep." He lied.
" Then go to bed." Jillian said.
" Oh yeah, and leave you out here? No." He said as he looked away. She sighed and he expected a fight. Instead Jillian stood up and took his hand. She tugged on it til he stood up.
" Well I think we are going to bed." Jillian said. A chorus of nights followed them as they started towards their tent, each in their own worlds.
Daryl's point of view:
I waited outside the tent while she changed her clothes. I was kind of glad Ed was leering at her because it gave me an excuse to keep our ' relationship' going. Her soft voice let me know I could come in and I found her sitting on the bed, brushing her hair. She'd be washing it in the lake and I loved the smell of her soap. I walked to my side of the bed and sat down. I heard her start to get comfortable as I undid my laces.
I laid down beside her as she sighed. She was laying on her left side, not facing me. I wanted to touch her, my hands almost hurt because I wanted to touch her so bad. I laid on my left side, watching her breath. I thought she might actually like me. She responded to me both times I kissed her, she cuddled into me, she held my hand as tightly as I held hers. I was surprised at myself because I was always a confident man until I meant her. I never had a problem picking up a girl at the bar and taking her to my truck or going to her place and now I couldn't even reach out and touch the girl laying beside me.
" Thank you, again." She said softly.
" For what?" I asked.
" For helping me with Ed." She said. I smiled slightly.
" No problem." I said. She sighed again as she turned over. She turned to her side so she was facing me.
" I'm going to try and work on not getting so mad." Jillian said.
" Yeah right, me too." I said. She laughed and rolled her eyes as she turned to her back.
" Sure you are." She said. She looked back at me and smiled again.
" Good night, Daryl Dixon." She said.
" Good night, Jillian Winters." I said before she turned over to her side, not facing me again.
In the middle of the night I woke up again with her close to me. She was laying on her side, facing me. She had her legs tucked in so she was laying like a ball. She had a hold of my shirt with both her hands. I ran my hand through her hair and she smiled in her sleep. I kissed her forehead then pushed her knees gently down so I could move closer to her. She made a soft noise in her sleep and put her leg in between mine. I put my arm around her waist and pulled her completely against me. I rested my chin against the top of her head and closed my eyes. She made me feel completely relaxed and comfortable.
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We fell into a routine then over the next three weeks. During the day, she'd stay with the girls while Merle or I hunted. She seemed to get along with Amy and Andrea. They were always laughing and joking around together while I watched her. I loved to see her smile and to hear her laugh. At night, she sat by me at the fire. If I had spent the day in the woods, she surprised me by asking me how my day went. I was sure we didn't have to pretend so much to be a couple but neither one of us stopped it. We still held hands and I even kissed her in front of Ed and Glenn. I kissed her before I left the camp to hunt and when I came back. She responded to me every time. Sometimes I even kissed her if no one was even around. She didn't seem to notice that we were alone when I did it. She never looked around to see if they were watching or not.
At the end of the three weeks of being with the other group, five weeks after we came into the woods, Rick and Shane decided some members of the group needed to go to town to find some supplies. We were sitting around the fire at dinner time when Rick was talking. I wasn't paying attention, I wasn't gonna go. Instead, I was playing with her hair. I was twisting strands of it in my fingers, completely soaked up in her until I heard the list of people going to town.
" So it's going to be me, Andrea, Merle, and Jillian." Rick said. I felt my head snap up as I dropped her hair.
" The hell she's goin!" I said.
" Brother." Merle started. I looked at her as she faced me.
" You ain't goin." I said. She placed her hands on my chest then. She tended to do that when she thought I was upset.
" Daryl, I'm going. I know the town better then anyone other then Rick." She said softly.
" You ain't goin." I said as I stood up. I pulled her up with me and Merle stood up. I looked at Rick then. " She ain't goin. I don't give a shit what any of you mother fuckers say, she ain't goin." I took her hand and started pulling her towards our tent.
" Daryl, wait." Jillian was saying as she hurried to keep up with my pace.
" Daryl, hang on!" Merle said as he followed us.
" No, you ain't goin. I'm not havin my woman going there with those things." I snapped at them both. Once we reached the tent Jillian pulled way and I faced her.
" Daryl, listen, I'm not your woman. You can't just tell me what to do." She said softly.
" What the hell!" I snapped at her.
" Listen to me," Merle said. " I'm going to town, you got to be in the woods hunting all day, you want to leave her at camp with Ed?" I felt like my brother was betraying me. He knew how I felt towards her and he was going to let her go off into town.
" How the hell can you go along with this?" I asked him.
" She will be with me the whole time. I'll protect her. You don't want her here without one of us." Merle said.
" Did you volunteer to go?" I asked her. Jillian nodded.
" I want to help. I want to go." She said. I could only stare at her. I shook my head, feeling my face red with anger.
" Whatever. Do whatever you want." I snapped and stormed away.