Daryl woke to streams of bright sunshine flooding through the blinds on the window. He prized his eyes open, half expecting to find himself in his room back at Alexandria, in the house he had shared with Rick, Carol and Michonne. A place that despite his best efforts he had never quite felt comfortable.

But suddenly it all started coming back to him. He hadn't been at Alexandria with his original group for a while now. He had woken in a hotel. A place surprisingly full of people and guarded by military. A sight he had never expected to see again. He hadn't expected to fall asleep so easily here either, but he had drifted off into a deep dreamless sleep pretty quickly.

Shifting a little more, Daryl realized he was lying next to a sleeping woman. Sienna. The sweet aroma of her scent filling the room still.

They weren't touching, he had been careful to leave a good space in the centre of the bed between them. But he silently cursed himself when he realised he was hard. His mind might have been trying to tell him he wasn't bothered, but his body couldn't deny that she turned him on, possibly more then any woman he had ever met. It wasn't the first time he had woken with a raging hard on since he had met her either. He'd had no control over the intense sex dreams he experienced most nights, since meeting the gorgeous blonde.

It had also been a long time since he had woken next to a woman on a bed in any capacity - particularly in a situation that didn't involve them having to be alert for their lives every waking moment - and especially a woman that physically had the effect on him that Sienna clearly did.

He fumbled around a little, throwing her a glance through his long scruffy hair, to see that her fluttering eyelids were still closed. She was lying on her side, her perfect voluptuous breasts facing him and the curve of her hip pointing upwards as her long hair spilled out over the pillow. She was still in her jeans, he had half expected her to have stripped down to something else to sleep in, stirring him even more. But to his relief she hadn't.

Before she had the chance to wake, he got up off the bed.

The sudden movement made her eyes immediately open. She didn't say anything at first, the pools of blue in her gaze adjusting to the daylight in the room.

"Morning," she said sleepily, with a shy smile, sitting up to stretch out her arms.

Head down Daryl shuffled across the room, hoping she hadn't noticed the bulge in his trousers as he just mumbled, "I'll meet you downstairs."

'What was up with Daryl?' Sienna sighed, running a comb through her long freshly washed hair from her shower the night before. She knew caring what Daryl thought of her should be the last thing on her mind. When she should be focused on meeting up with her friends again and working on her latest writing piece.

But somehow she couldn't stop thinking about her interactions with the handsome, rough around the edges, American survivor. There was just something about him.

She knew he had stayed with her here last night partly out of a sense of duty and because of the storm, because he wasn't an asshole he was a rare good person, and he felt he owed her one. But Sienna also got the impression at times that Daryl had genuinely wanted to be here with her and enjoyed her company.

Now, however, he was acting strange again.

She wondered if it was because of the back massage, she could tell he didn't let people touch him much. She had genuinely been trying to help with his pulled muscle, it was something she knew she was good at. But she'd be lying to herself if she said she hadn't also been a little curious as to where it could have led.

But they had been alone together in a dark hotel room and - nothing! He had behaved like a complete gentleman. Not so much as a single leering glance, or suggestive smile. Just nothing. Plus he had shot out of the room like he couldn't get away from her fast enough this morning.

Perhaps that was what was driving her so crazy about him. Most men were creeps and eye -fucked her the minute they saw her, but she knew they were mostly married or just jumping on any female that still looked like they took any sort of care over their appearance now. But with Daryl it was different, he seemed to genuinely want to just look out for her without wanting to rip off her underwear.

Maybe she just wasn't his type? She thought to herself. Maybe he went for more petite girls? Or ones that were tougher and didn't freak out over a stupid spider!

But even so, all that aside, he was still a male and from her experience most of them weren't all that picky, especially when it came to the end of the world and women being in short supply. But he didn't appear interested in women at all.

…..

She picked up the small pot of coconut oil that she always carried around on her, dabbing some on her dry lips to moisten them - and Sienna wondered when the last time Daryl had got intimate with a woman was. Surely he must want or need sex in some capacity?

She then thought about what Alex would have done had he been the one alone in the dark room sharing the bed with her the night before- and she could quite confidently say that her fellow cocky reporter wouldn't have kept his hands to himself or stuck to his side of the bed for very long. A thought that made her cringe a little.

She tucked the last of her things back in to her backpack and zipped it up. Tying her hair up, she looked into the dirty mirror to check she looked presentable. Her mind still on the night before and Daryl.

If she was honest, Sienna was pretty reserved about getting physically intimate too out here. She knew most people were at it, using the excuse of the end of the world. But it wasn't something she wanted to take too lightly. If she had wanted a quick thrill out here, she would have taken Alex or one of the other guys up on one of their flirty offers. But instead she had led a pretty much celibate life since she had arrived in America. Although that wasn't to say there weren't times when she craved sex and intimacy. But she just tried to throw herself into her work instead.

But Daryl had made her curious, in some strange way, he was awakening something in her. A need she had forgotten she had.

She pulled on her patterned leg-warmers and brown boots and after a final quick check in the mirror she turned to make her way downstairs.

….

Daryl was waiting for her in the lobby, he had his head down scanning over a map on the counter, a few people were coming and going but he ignored them,

He looked up as she approached him and jerked his head in acknowledgement.

"Here, I got you some breakfast," he mumbled handing her a bag with another sandwich in it.

"Thanks," she replied, taking it with a small forced smile. He was still giving off a slightly weird vibe.

"We best get going," he said, turning towards the door away from her.

The air felt fresh and new with the passing of the night storm as they wandered back out to the truck in the daytime sunshine. Daryl had thought about waiting for her out here, but had decided to stay inside the building - just in case.

"I'll drive," Daryl said, as Sienna went to get in to the drivers side.

"It's okay, I don't mind," she responded, brushing him off and opening the door to get in.

"Suit yourself," he muttered brusquely moving to the passenger side.

…..

"You know where we're going?" He asked. Watching her carefully as her bare toned arm pulled her seat belt over her shoulder, her blonde pony tail bouncing as she leaned over to fasten it.

They were quite far south from the original site they had stopped at two days before. The site Sienna had agreed to meet the rest of the original team, that had travelled out here with them from the military base back on the east coast.

"We just follow the road back the way we came," she replied breezily. Her blue eyes looking across to meet his. A waft of her scent filling the space between them again as they just looked at each other for a brief moment. Causing a familiar tingling to form in Daryl's groin again and he turned away quickly.

"Lets just get outta this shit-hole," he muttered gruffly.

He was in a bad mood and annoyed at the effect sharing a bed with her the previous night had provoked in him. Because he knew a girl like Sienna wouldn't look twice at a guy like him. She'd been married before, and he had no idea what her husband had been like, but Daryl felt certain he wouldn't have been anything like the redneck lowlife he and his brother had been.

If Merle had been here now he would most probably be hitting on her non-stop, driving her mind with flirty remarks and gestures to wind her up. But Daryl preferred to remain silent and distant.

Sienna reached down to fiddle with the dial on the radio, the crackling eventually turning into a semi eligible song as they headed off. She could tell Daryl was in a mood about something but she had no idea what. She wondered whether she should just insist he headed off on his bike now and make it easy for him.

But she didn't suggest that and neither did he. Instead they drove on in silence for a short while.

A song Sienna liked came on the radio so she turned the volume up, humming a little.

Daryl tilted his head from where it had been fixed looking out his window, to give her a long stare. Feeing self conscious, she went silent.

"You sing?" he asked, raising a brow.

"Nope - I am tone deaf," she replied a little embarrassed, her cheeks blushing. "Believe me, you wouldn't want to hear me sing."

His features softened a little at her honesty.

"I couldn't imagine a world without music in it though," she added thoughtfully. "It's what keeps me going most days."

Daryl turned away, his mouth set into a hard line, "Well way things have been going you're gonna have to do without a lot of good things soon," he snapped, thinking back to the way he and his group had been forced to live for the past nearly two years.

She pursed her lips, "Maybe….Maybe not. The best things will always be available…if you want them enough." She bit her lip, her eyes widening.

He shrugged, brushing his hair away from the side of his face. Noticing her eyes flickering across his face, she was studying him in that same intense way of hers again as if she was trying to read him. Like her curiosity was sparked and she wanted to ask something, but wasn't sure how to go about it.

"What?" He said, his eyes narrowing.

"You're not like other guys," she responded, still gazing at him.

He wanted to ask her to elaborate, his forehead creased, but he couldn't seem to find the words.

"You're driving on the wrong damn side of the road," he blurted out instead, noticing she had wavered across slightly.

"Not where I come from," she replied with a smirk, veering back to the right side of the completely deserted road.

He opened his mouth to reply with some smart retort, when something on the side of the road suddenly caught his attention. "Look out!" He yelled, noticing a female figure stepping out in front of them.

Sienna slammed on the breaks, bringing the vehicle to a screeching halt narrowly missing hitting her.

At first the figure could have been mistaken for a walker, she was filthy and covered in matted blood, but she was waving her hands around urgently and the look in her eye was definitely that of the living. Petrified and desperate.

"Stay there," Daryl ordered, glancing over at Sienna, before he stepped out the car to face the woman.

Clutching his crossbow, he looked her over. She didn't look threatening but Daryl knew only too well that you could never be too careful these days. She could be hiding something.

"You got to help me," the woman begged. She looked ageing, Daryl wasn't sure how old exactly but her scraggly hair was grey and thinning and she had deep wrinkles running across her hardened face.

He didn't reply at first, as he heard the truck door slam shut and he looked over to see Sienna walking over to stand next to him.

His pulse sped up at the sight of Sienna on the dirty road in front of the strange woman, her bright blonde hair sparkling in the sun, her eyes wide and curious. His grip on his crossbow instinctively tightened as he realised how vulnerable Sienna could be out here. The old woman might look harmless to the British girl, but he knew people weren't always as they seemed.

"Where are your people?" Daryl questioned in a rough voice.

"Dead," the older woman replied breathlessly, clutching her chest. "They got em…all of em."

"Who?" He asked. His eyes darting across to share a look of concern with Sienna.

"The ones with the dead eyes," the woman continued. "They killed my family, left me for dead too. Then the biters came, they showed me no mercy."

Something about the way she was talking made Daryl relax a little, she wasn't a threat. Just a frail old woman, who had lost her world. He could still tell the good from the bad and she wasn't bad.

"What's your name?" Daryl asked.

"Nancy."

"You been out there all this time?" Sienna asked this time.

The older woman nodded, "Yeah, we had a community not far from here. We kept it pretty well hidden, until they found us, now they're all gone…You gotta help me, I'll die out there."

Daryl nodded slowly, his eyes softening a little. She was weak he could see that and if things had been different, she could easily have been a part of his old community and he felt something tug at him a little as he thought back to all the old vulnerable people he had brought in to the prison from Woodbury. How he had failed them all.

He looked back to where Sienna was still stood by his side, her face full of concern now. There were bad people in the area close by and walkers too.

"Come on," he said, lowering his weapon and moving over to help the older woman to the side of the road, propping her down against a tree.

He watched as Sienna crouched down beside her, holding up a water bottle for the frail woman to slowly drink. "Thank you," Nancy murmured as Sienna lowered the bottle.

"You two married?" Nancy then asked, looking from Daryl to Sienna with a small smile.

Sienna looked to Daryl to catch his eye as they both blushed at the same time. "No," she was quick to respond. "We're just travelling together."

"I see, it's like that is it? Just watching over each other's back," the woman mumbled, still smiling, she raised an eyebrow. "He'd probably be getting a few nicer benefits if you were though."

Sienna blushed some more, as Daryl stepped away pretending not to hear. He put his hand up to rub the side of his face as he thought on what to do next. Looking over to see Sienna still talking to the woman, but it looked more serious this time.

She stood up to walk back over to him. "She's been bit," Sienna said, shaking her head. "She'll be infected now."

"Then you've got to help her," Daryl said passionately.

The look forming in her blinking blue eyes told him what he already suspected. "You can help her," he insisted, raising his voice.

She shook her head, "I'm sorry."

"God damn it woman, you've got the stuff right there, you can save her, like you saved me."

"I can't. I'm sorry, it doesn't work like that," she replied, her voice shaky.

He glared at her angrily.

"She has a fever, the infection is spreading, it's too late," Sienna said firmly.

"Weren't too late for me," he muttered gruffly under his breath.

He looked away from her and marched back over to the dying woman. He crouched down by her side and took her hand. "I'm sorry," he said gently.

…

Sienna remained in the same spot by the truck looking over as Daryl remained crouched down by the older woman for a few moments more. The dying woman was leaning over to say something to him as he looked at her intently. Sienna couldn't catch what it was, but by the look on Daryl's face it had moved him.

"I'm sorry," he then repeated again louder, and Sienna looked away a shiver running across her as she heard a single gunshot run out into the air.

xxxx

They drove on in silence.

Sienna could tell Daryl was mad. Not just mad at her, but mad at the world. He was staring out the window, his hand covering his mouth.

Daryl was too wound up to speak as they made their way on further up the road. It was just another dead person, a mere drop in the ocean as far as their world was concerned now. He had witnessed countless deaths and thousands of walkers, that were once living people. He'd also killed his fair share of people, in order for him and his group to stay alive.

But this death was different. It was a sign that despite all the things he had learned recently, the hope he had gained since meeting Sienna and the others, nothing had really changed. The world was still full of darkness.

Siena kept her eyes on the road ahead, when the truck suddenly spluttered to a stop. "Damnit," she exclaimed, trying to start it up again.

"We out," Daryl asked roughly. He knew they had been running low on gas.

"I don't think so," she answered, frustrated.

Without saying anything else, Daryl was out the truck checking the engine. "It's the battery," he said loudly, walking round to the back to lower the ramp to get his bike off.

He climbed on to it revving the engine, as it too spluttered and died.

Sienna watched silently from the side of the road as Daryl cursed, trying to get his bike working.

"Piece of shit," he yelled, kicking the side of the bike. He had built it as best he could from the parts in Aaron's garage, but it had always been a little temperamental.

"We need to get another battery," Sienna said calmly.

"Yeah, and how do you suggest we do that, little Miss fix it?" He asked roughly, his expression hardening.

Unfazed by his blackening mood, Sienna shrugged, "They'll be somewhere further up. This area is meant to be an amber zone still, that means there will be more check points where supplies are stored." She scrolled through the information listed on her phone, having charged it in the truck, to see what was in the area.

Daryl scowled, grabbing his bag and crossbow from the truck he slammed the door shut violently. "What we waiting for," he said loudly, marching off up the road.

She didn't follow immediately and he half wondered whether he should stop and check she was okay. He knew he was being a little harsh on her. But he was pissed and he couldn't help but take it out on her. In his eyes, she could have at least tried to have saved that woman. She had the means to. She had just refused.

Eventually he heard her footsteps coming up beside him. He didn't say anything, just glanced over at her through the edges of his hair, relief hitting him to see she was okay. As he immediately thought - why did she have to look so damn near perfect all the time? With her smooth flawless skin and sunny blonde hair tied up and falling down her back like it did.

Being out here alone with her was killing him a little.

He stared back in-front of him again as they carried on walking, as the tension between them grew.

"She's not suffering anymore," Sienna said hesitantly breaking the increasingly awkward silence, referring to the dead woman. "You did the right thing."

"Oh yeah, gonna put that in your book?" He snapped gruffly. "Better still, get your buddies out here to take a photo of her, maybe even make a video. Just make sure your hair's perfect first."

Sienna stopped walking, placing a hand on her hip. Her eyes flashing at him as she said, "You got something you want to say? Then just say it."

He stopped too. Her accusing stare was making him feel uncomfortable, as he turned to glare back at her, taking a step closer to where she was stood. He screwed his face up.

"You people…. you don't know anything. You think you have the right to come here and play God. You decide who gets to live and who gets to die. How fucked up is that? You could have helped that woman, but you didn't. I guess she just wasn't worth it."

Sienna shook her head, still glaring at him. "It's not like that and you know it. It doesn't work like that. You can't save everyone," she replied passionately, raising her voice too, standing her ground with him.

"Oh yeah, well how come you saved me?"

"That was different."

"No it wasn't. I was ready to die. I didn't ask you to save me and bring me back to this goddam hell-hole," Daryl yelled, his voice wobbling a little this time.

"It's doesn't have to be like that, the world doesn't have to be filled with darkness for you," she replied, her tone slightly calmer. Her wide blue eyes locking with his deep expressive blue ones.

He looked away, shaking his head, thinking how she was so beautiful, so smart and yet so clueless all at the same time. "You need to stop acting like things are going to be just fine, because they aint. Nothing will ever be fine again." He responded, his gaze moving back to her face again to watch her reaction.

She shook her head and blinked, "And you need to stop acting like there will never be any light in the world again for you, like there is nothing to live for. All this surviving you've been doing out here - have you ever stopped to ask yourself what you're surviving for?"

They glared at each other for a moment more. Sienna still couldn't work out why Daryl seemed so emotionally stunted, he had a heart she could tell that. But despite the developing feelings she had been experiencing for him, he was just acting moody and distant.

Daryl knew he needed to find a way to deal with his growing frustration and anger. Soon she would be back with the others and he would be alone again. Maybe he'd fit right back in at Alexandria. But he'd still be alone, he'd always been alone - and she just didn't get it.

Averting his eyes from hers, without saying anything further, Daryl turned to stomp off into the woods located to the side of the road.

He needed to take a piss and he also needed a moment alone to cool down. Because she had no idea what she was talking about. They came from different worlds. There had never been any light in the world for him before the world had changed, so he seriously doubted there could be any for him now the whole world was in total darkness now too.

…

Alone in the woods, he zipped up his flies, having cleared his head a little. Deep down, he knew Sienna meant well. She was a good person, and he was lucky to have found her, even if their time together was only going to be brief, he was nothing but glad to have met her.

With that in his mind he turned to make his way back to where he had left her on the road, when he heard her scream.

It wasn't like the scream from the hotel room, when she had seen the spider. This was a proper blood curdling scream. She was in trouble.

Instinctively Daryl reached for his crossbow. Rushing back to where he had left the blonde British girl. He peered out from behind the tree's.

His body immediately filled with adrenaline, his heart thundering violently in his chest. She was being held captive by two men.

They were filthy and rough looking with W on their foreheads. One had a knife held to her throat with one hand, while his other hand was groped her around the waist. The second man was stood closely by with a gun in his hand. They were clearly part of the same group that had tried to kill him and Aaron around here, possibly killing the old woman's group too. The group Munroe was after that had been operating in this area.

"It's been a long time since we've seen a beauty like you," the man holding her said with a gappy evil grin, running his hands up and down her side.

She wriggled, "Fuck you," she spat.

"Now, now, that's not very nice," he responded, tugging on her blonde ponytail. "We aren't even planning to kill you either," he said. "We want to have some fun with you first. You're quite something. You know that?"

Daryl felt his jaw tightening, his blood simmering. He raised his crossbow, he had a reasonable shot at the man nearest to him from here, if he was quick he could possibly take him out. But that would leave the man holding her and he couldn't risk Sienna's life like that. He couldn't lose her. Not like this.

Instead he exploded out on to the road. He didn't have a plan, but he growled fiercely, "Let her go."

All eyes turned to Daryl.

"Look what we have here, your knight in shining armour," the man holding her said, still grinning.

Daryl looked to the blonde girl, his insides churning with anxiety, realising she meant more to him then he had ever thought possible.

"Stay out of this," the man with the knife said, glaring at Daryl now, his tone darker.

"Just let her go," Daryl repeated, holding his crossbow up.

"She isn't yours anymore, she's ours now," the other man growled. Tugging sharply on her hair again. "And it's been a long time since I have seen a woman that looks like her, she's something real special. It's our lucky fucking day."

Daryl's face twisted with rage, a vein popping out of his neck. Blood simmering beneath the surface. He knew he'd die here to protect her.

"I tell you what," the man holding her still, said to Daryl, "We won't kill you straight away bowman...we'll take out your eyes first, so you can still hear but not see what we're about to do to her. Then when we're done with her, we'll feed you both to the dead."

He then took his knife and ran the blade gently up the outside of Sienna's leg over her jeans barely touching her, just toying with her as he moved it up the side of her body, skimming her breasts.

Daryl looked at Sienna to see terror had overtaken her face. She wasn't stupid she knew what they were planning to do to her. He couldn't let that happen. Not here, not to her.

At the sight of the filthy animal in front of him touching her, something powerful kicked in, the fire burning inside Daryl took him over. He knew it might not end well, but he had to do something. He lifted his crossbow and fired fiercely at the man holding the knife, hitting him straight between the eyes, knocking him back, the other man spluttered for a minute, stunned, before his body went limp. He was dead.

Acting fast, Daryl aimed at the second man, who had already raised his gun at him. He fired again before ducking to avoid the shot fired back at him. His arrow hit the second wolf on the shoulder, making him stumble around for a second. Daryl lifted his crossbow again, ready to take another shot before the other man could, when he heard a gunshot.

He turned to see Sienna shakily holding her gun up with a look of surprise on her face as the second man that had been holding her captive was slumped to the ground, blood pouring from his temple with the bullet she'd put in it. She'd killed him.

Sienna's hand flew to her mouth as she let out a startled gasp. She had actually killed him, he was dead, both the psychotic assholes were. Daryl had made sure of that. He had saved her. Her eyes glistened with tears as she looked to him. Something electric running through her as he looked back at her briefly and they shared a moment.

Before he rushed across to check they were definitely dead and wouldn't come back to life.

Satisfied they wouldn't turn, he looked back to a still shaken Sienna. "Stay there," he ordered. "I'll check they were alone."

She nodded, her eyes shimmering with emotion as she looked at him in a little awe at how he was handling this. Taking control so calmly.

Minutes later he was back. "There wasn't anyone else," he said confidently. His heart rate back to normal. He was fairly certain in this area they had been acting alone.

He glanced at her properly, to see her face was still flushed and her eyes glossy, her neat hair was now messily falling out of it's ponytail. This might just be a part of life to Daryl now, but he knew it was new to her.

Unable to take his eyes off her, his face softened, searching for something comforting to say now. He couldn't help but feel like a dick. If he hadn't take off like he had into the woods. She wouldn't have been such an easy target.

He also knew that she thought he saw her as weak, but he didn't. She had been outnumbered, it could have happened to anyone and when it mattered she had stepped up and killed the man, taking care of herself.

But before he had the chance to speak, she had moved towards him and her arms were around his neck. Her shaken body was pressed tightly in to his as he sensed her heart beating quickly next to his. She still smelled fucking amazing and he couldn't help but hold her tighter to him. She was safe, he had her now. He wasn't going to let anything happen to her again. His own heart-rate suddenly speeding up all over again, but for a different reason. She felt so fucking good.

Sienna breathed out slowly with relief into Daryl's muscular chest, full of emotion still a few of her tears escaped in to his sweaty neck. He had saved her. Despite their argument, he had come back for her, and right now she wanted the comforting feeling of being held in his strong arms to last forever, as his arm moved gently across her back. Then she felt it, something hard against her groin. It was subtle at first but his growing erection was enough to let her know that he wanted her in a different way.

She didn't fight it, instead she pushed herself closer into him. Just for a moment, before he quickly sprung apart from her. Turning away, his face reddening a little.

Sienna realised she had to tread carefully. She touched his arm, with a small smile, "Come on, I've got an idea," she said, gesturing for him to follow her in the direction of the woods.

He flicked his hair out of his eyes and gave her a half smile in return as they both slowly made their way off the road and into the unknown.

TO BE CONTINUED… (Next chapter we will see a slightly different side to show Daryl :)

Thanks as always for reading and reviewing. It is so appreciated.