Chapter 13

The wedding had been beautiful, a mix of quaint country charm and Korean custom. The early morning weather threatened rain but by noon the haze had burned off and a warm, shaded day emerged in time for the outdoor reception. Maggie was a beautiful bride and Glenn a doting new husband with their friends and family thrilled to celebrate the heartfelt union. Daryl was happy for them.

Otherwise, he was pretty miserable.

Currently, the guests were reaching the end of their three course meal with plenty of beer and wine and champagne to keep the party festive. On one side of him, his "date" was engaged in witty banter with his friend Tyreese, her laughter flaring up every few minutes over something charming he'd said. While that was going on, he and Sasha were breaking their no shop-talk rule to discuss a project he'd started working on a week before. None of that bothered him too much—he and Sasha got along fine and it was kind of cute the way Tyreese and Carol were taking a shine to each other. It was the couple across from him that had his blood pressure shooting up.

Michonne and Rick were deep in conversation, low tones masking the content of their discussion. He couldn't guess at what they were talking about. Maybe they were commiserating over Rick's relationship situation—it was something Michonne could definitely relate to knowing what he did about her and her ex-husband. Rick had moved out again, taking Carl who refused to stay with his mother. He was pretty shook up about the situation and Daryl had tried to be a friend to Rick while he was going through stuff. He'd never mentioned his problems with Michonne, though, for not wanting to burden the man with his embarrassing girl issues. But maybe he should have said something if only to prevent whatever was going on right now between the two of them.

The more the two chatted, the more he wondered. He knew Rick and Michonne were friends and would talk on occasion. Rick had become a good resource for her when she needed an off-the-record law enforcement opinion for her job and they'd been chummy on the few occasions they all spent time together. Had that camaraderie become something else in the few weeks since he'd last seen her?

It was the way they sat close to each other and the intensity and warmth of her demeanor towards him that had Daryl so tense. When they'd moved from the ceremony area to the reception, Rick had led her to their table, often with a hand to the small of her back, before pulling out her chair for her. Over the course of the meal, she'd occasionally touch his arm or hand and Rick would lean over to utter something in her ear that would make her smile.

He was used to seeing that behavior directed at him and it burned him up that Rick got all of her attention.

A few times like now, he found their heads huddled together, intently focused on each other and ignoring everyone else at the table, especially him. Or that's how it felt. And then they'd come up for air and pretend like nothing strange was going on, making comfortable conversation and commenting on the party around them.

And he couldn't even say anything because, of course, he was the one that had messed things up between him and Michonne.

He knew as soon as the words left his mouth the he had set himself up for trouble. It had been a mistake to just blurt his and Carol's plans out like that, no set up or explanation. And he kicked himself for letting her go without making sure she understood that nothing was going on with him and Carol, that she was the only woman he had eyes for. At his worst moments, he even cursed Carol for talking him into this mess in the first place. She'd asked him to the wedding because she didn't want to be the only one without a date, not because there was anything going on with them. That's not how it came across though. It did seem like they were sweet on each other from an outside eye even if they were only good friends in reality, more like family than potential lovers.

He'd taken for granted that Michonne would realize that about them.

That day had been so great too, showing her and the girls the spots he'd been exploring since he was a kid. Even with Ursula getting hurt, it was as relaxed as he'd been in a while. They'd started the day with lunch before leisurely strolling through the woods together, each of them finding something to marvel at. The girls had been so excited which made Daryl eager to show them more stuff.

And with every joyful smile and gentle touch, he'd felt that maybe his infatuation with Michonne wasn't as one-sided as he thought. Sitting by the lake, he remembered one of his first impressions of her, how the scent she wore reminded him of the woods in springtime. When he took her hand, her nearness terrified him. It also set his hormones on fire, and that fire had spread, triggering so many impulses: to hold her and taste her and claim her for himself. The allure of her holding his gaze seemed to confirm that she wouldn't mind it either. When they'd walked back to their cars, he'd thought about taking her hand again but the girls had kept them occupied. He figured he'd have all the time in the world to make his move.

Then he'd implied that he and Carol were a thing and got all flustered instead of setting the record straight. She'd shut down quick and tried to hide it but he'd already hurt her without trying to. It felt terrible.

That had been about a month ago. There were a couple of texts and a phone call when Octavia insisted on telling him about her pre-school project that involved naming her imaginary squirrel play-friends. Other than that, there were no chance meetings, no social invitations and no impromptu home repair requests. That wasn't entirely unusual yet it still felt like a loss.

The worst part was that Daryl didn't know how to make things right. With any other woman, hell, any other person, he'd just blow it off and move on. Meeting Michonne and getting to know her daughters, making all his new friends; it had him wanting to hold on to these few good things to happen to him lately.

He wanted to fight for a second chance—if only he knew how.

He thought the wedding would be as good a time as any but the opportunity hadn't arisen. They'd sat separately during the ceremony and when they found their shared table, she settled as far from him as she could get and spent the afternoon talking with anyone but him—when she wasn't coddling and conspiring with Rick.

And now things were about to get even worse as Andrea made her way over to their table. Daryl had the urge to go grab another beer but there was no way he would leave Michonne to face her distant friend without him.

A glance towards Michonne caught the tension in her expression so she must have seen her coming too. At least her boyfriend Phillip was nowhere in sight. In fact, he hadn't spotted the man at all at the event so maybe she wisely left him at home. Or maybe she'd finally gotten her act together and dropped that bastard for good.

Stepping up to the table, Andrea looked around, sizing up who all was there. As far as Daryl knew, she was acquainted with everyone at the table, some better than others, of course.

"Uh, hey everybody. I thought I'd come over and say hello. It's been a while."

The table was silent as no one was quite sure how to handle the situation. Sasha and Tyreese had no quarrel with her although they were aware of how frustrating others found her of late. Carol was still a little miffed at her impromptu abandonment of the shelter. They'd found a replacement and those things just happened sometimes so she was mostly over it.

Rick was a little more wary given that he'd had a major incident with Phillip. Apparently the man had wanted to watch over Andrea during her clinic hours but visitors were strictly monitored at Sophia's Haven for safety and privacy reasons. Phillip hadn't liked the implication that their clients would feel threatened by him and insisted that he was an upstanding member of the community; Andrea had backed him up, vouching for the man with Rick. But rules were rules and Rick told him quite cordially, if a bit coldly, to either wait out in the parking lot or come back for Andrea when she was done.

Phillip had not taken that well, continuing to plead his case and argue with the sheriff. Rick just shrugged and left the man on the doorstep of the building to fume. Andrea gave Rick and earful about it and, after that, Rick was pretty through dealing with her too.

Carol was the first to speak. "Hey Andrea. It's good to see you." She stood up and gave the woman a hug and kiss on the cheek. Tyreese followed suit as did Sasha. Michonne, Rick and Daryl kept their distance, although all three nodded a greeting.

"Beautiful wedding," Andrea said when Sasha had retaken her seat. Everyone nodded and murmured their assent. Honing in on Rick, she offered a strained smile. "Hey, how's Lori and Carl? And gosh, I bet Shane's found himself some trouble too knowing him." She laughed nervously, hoping to break the ice.

Everyone at the table winced as Andrea stood by, confused.

"You could say that," he responded, fists knotting before he clasped his hands together in front of him. Michonne gave him an encouraging look that spiked Daryl's irritation again. "Lori and I are takin' a break. And, uh, Shane's takin' a bit of a break himself." Daryl snorted at the understatement, causing Andrea to stare in his direction and then look away. "Carl's fine though." He didn't mention anything about the rest of the drama with the affair and the pregnancy and the sabotage and that was probably a good thing. Too complicated for polite talk.

Andrea turned to Carol. "Is everything okay at the shelter? I talked Phillip into contributing a donation back at the fundraiser on behalf or his company."

Carol furrowed her brow and looked confused. "It must have slipped his mind. I would have remembered from the accounting we just did for our taxes. Phillip Blake at Woodbury, right?" She and Andrea turned to Sasha. "Maybe your organization got it?" Sasha shook her head. "Or I may just not be recalling," Carol offered, although that was doubtful.

Embarrassment flushed Andrea's cheeks. "That's odd. He said he'd been generous. I didn't think to check on it sooner."

Daryl scoffed. "Well, that was a while back. Guys like him are a lot 'a talk. Always got their hands in places they don't belong and never where ya need 'em." Carol frowned at his forwardness and, for the first time, Michonne gave him her attention as well. He didn't know if her glare was over the situation or directed at him personally.

Andrea sighed. "Come on guys, I'm making an effort here."

"Speakin' a which, where is your boyfriend?" Daryl asked. All these other folks at the table could sit around and play nice if they wanted but he was going to cut to the chase before he considered entertaining her company.

Andrea crossed her arms, ready to defend herself. "He couldn't make it. Business matters came up." Rick looked at Michonne and then turned away.

This stoked Andrea's temper. "What have you told them?" Michonne raised an eyebrow, questioning if she realized to whom she was speaking.

"I haven't told them anything."

"She didn't have to say nothin'," Daryl added, his quick interjection an impulse to defend her. "It's not like he's been a sweetheart to a lot 'a folks here." Michonne flashed him an unreadable expression but he ignored her.

Shaking her head, Andrea's shoulders slumped in acknowledgment. "I know Phillip hasn't made the greatest impression at times. I can't excuse or explain it. But I want to make things right. We both do."

"Did he say that," Rick asked. Her silence served as clear confirmation to the contrary. Rick shrugged. "Then I don't have too much else to say on it. You and me? We're fine but as long as you're seein' that guy, I'm gonna be wary."

"It's a small world, no matter how big a place we think Atlanta is. I just don't want any animosity to cause trouble down the road."

Rick leaned back, propping his arm on the back of Michonne's chair. Daryl narrowed his eyes at that, not that anyone was paying attention to him. "That's entirely up to him. But feel free to let him know that if he doesn't watch himself, he'll have me to answer to."

Andrea frowned and turned to Michonne. "I feel like you've been poisoning them against me."

Instead of being angry at her words as Daryl was, Michonne appeared nonchalant. "I just told them the truth, that I don't like your boyfriend."

Andrea gripped the back of Carol's chair in frustration. "I didn't choose him over you, Michonne. I'm trying to build a life with a man who loves me and all you see is some imaginary monster. You hated him from the beginning."

"That's because I could see it from the beginning. You were already under his spell and you still are. That man will hurt you."

"Hurt me? He's helping people all the time but you won't acknowledge that no matter what he does, will you?"

Michonne scowled at her. "And what about the people Carol and Sasha help, Andrea? What we volunteer our time for? Or you used to anyway." Andrea huffed at the dig. "That man put his hands on me and you let it go. He probably would have turned on you too if you'd had my back."

Carol and Sasha's gasped in shock and Daryl also caught Tyreese's angry press of lips.

Rolling her eyes, Andrea then pleaded with the rest of the group to hear her side of things. "We'd all been drinking that night. It was just a misunderstanding."

"Uh uh," he heard Sasha mutter under her breath. He wasn't an expert on the subject but excusing violence with a 'we all just had a few too many' argument was not going to sit well with either Sasha or Carol.

"You can tell yourself whatever you want. The fact is that you chose a warm bed over a friend and that's why I have no time for you or your proxy excuses. And I don't give a shit if he's exposed for the bastard he is. I know that'll hurt you but it can't be helped as long as you keep your head in the sand." All of her words had been spoken with a soft, matter-of-fact intensity, her anger increasing with each accusation. With an air of finality, Michonne threw her napkin down and rose from the table. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to get more wine for the table. This is Glenn and Maggie's special occasion and I'm not going to make a scene over this. It's not worth it." She wandered off towards the bar and Daryl wondered if he should go after her. Before he could decide, Rick stood up and followed.

Now Daryl really wanted to punch something.

Silence descended upon the table again, although none of the other guests seemed to have suspected anything amiss with their group. His friends were absorbing what had just gone down; Daryl remained irritated at Andrea's presence.

Finally, Carol straightened and backed her chair up as well. "Michonne's right. Let's not put a damper on the occasion." Grabbing Andrea's arm and attempting a weak smile, she guided the woman towards the farmhouse in the distance. "Let's go take a trip to the ladies room and we can catch up." Sasha and Tyreese breathed a sigh of relief at the suggestion. Daryl continued to glare. Carol may be cool with her, Sasha and Tyreese indifferent, and Rick willing to forgive but there was no love lost between him and the blonde woman.

Ten minutes later, Michonne and Rick returned with a bottle of wine which Michonne helped herself to immediately. Five minutes after that, Carol returned too, without Andrea who had gone back to her own table across the room. In the interim, Daryl had calmed down by putting the incident behind him and idly chatting with Sasha and Tyreese. None of the others discussed the matter further either and things resumed their familiar rapport from before, including the semi-awkwardness between him and Michonne.

When a few taps to glasses transitioned into a tinkling cacophony, everyone turned their attention to Glenn and Maggie who were modestly smooching to satisfy their guests.

Daryl chanced a quick gaze at Michonne's delighted reaction to the couple, her smile broad and free. Maggie did indeed look lovely but it was Michonne who stole his breath with her beauty. She was so gorgeous tonight, even more so than when she'd dressed up for that holiday fundraiser. She wore a wine-colored sleeveless dress that made him want to lean over and press his lips to her smooth, dark skin or stroke his fingers against her long legs. He hair was down this time but tied back; her makeup flawless and natural except for a hint of burgundy across her lips. It was captivating, the effect she had on him.

Toasts were given and glasses raised. He tried not to stare as Michonne leaned over to tap glasses with her table-mates, her eyes still unwilling to meet his. It pained him, the distance between them.

When conversations around them started up again, Rick got their attention with a wave of his hand.

"I know it's last minute but I was wondering if y'all were interested in spendin' Memorial Day out on the coast? Lori and I had this timeshare reserved damn near a year and with everything goin' on with us, she'd rather stay close to home. It's already paid for and it would seem kind of depressing for only Carl and I. The house is big enough for a group if folks don't mind sharin' rooms and stuff. We could bring down some food and games and make a party out of it."

It was a good sell. And Daryl thought it might have promise. It wasn't like he had shit else to do for the holiday and he did have the time off. Of course, a big factor was who else planned on going, or more specifically, whether she planned on going.

"That sounds sweet!" Tyreese proclaimed, always the social butterfly. "Sasha you're going too because you definitely need a vacation." The woman glared at her brother with a wicked grin.

"I'd have to check my schedule but I'm certainly interested. Carol, we've got that grant application due at the end of May so if we finish that, we should be okay, right?"

Carol nodded, taking a sip of her wine. "I think so. I haven't been on the coast in years. Gosh, not since I was in my twenties, I think. I imagine a lot has changed."

"The bathing suits have gotten smaller for sure," Tyreese joked. She jabbed him in the arm and he pretended that she'd actually wounded him. Their flirting was getting a bit out of control. "Probably still as crowded though."

"This place at least comes with it's own backyard and it's real close to a privately shared beach. So maybe it won't be so bad." Setting his sights across the table, he narrowed in on Daryl. "What do you think, Daryl? You in?"

Michonne hadn't said anything yet but he decided that it'd be nice even if she couldn't make it. He'd try to have a good time at least. "Yeah, man, I'm in. Just tell me what to bring."

Rick smiled, brighter than Daryl had seen from the man in a while. "We'll work all that out right before I'm sure." Turning next to him, he grinned at the last holdout. "Well, Michonne, it's just you left. The peer pressure is on."

Her eyes cut around the table, darting past him more than the others. "I don't know. I have the girls that weekend and it might be a tight squeeze with all of us there. And I don't want to rain on anyone's party parade with my G rated crew."

"Oh no you don't. There's plenty of room. It's a six bedroom house on three levels. You can even have the master so you and the girls get a bathroom to yourselves. And no worries about catering to the little ones. I'm bringing Carl and Patrick so it's not like we'll be doing body shots with strippers while we're there." Everyone at the table exploded in laughter at the thought of that.

Daryl felt like he was holding his breath waiting for her answer, hoping she'd open the door for a chance to win her back.

"Alright," she finally said. "I'll ask the girls but it sounds like fun." Admittedly, she didn't appear to be entirely convinced but Daryl didn't care about that. The slight smile he wore at her answer must have caught her attention since she briefly held his gaze before looking away.

Right then and there, Daryl vowed to make things right between them again, starting tonight.

Soon after they started discussing preliminary logistics, Glenn and Maggie took their first dance, serenaded by her sister Beth, and then the reception kicked into full swing. Tyreese swept Carol up, quick to turn her around the dance floor. Sasha next dragged Rick with her when Daryl adamantly refused to embarrass himself by trying to get his two left feet to act right. She nudged him as she got up gesturing towards Michonne. He glanced over in time to see Rick giving Michonne a similar look as he buttoned his suit coat.

Maybe Rick hadn't been nippin' at his prize after all.

Left alone, Daryl and Michonne sat awkwardly across from each other, neither knowing how to proceed. Daryl took the first step and rose to move into the seat next to her. Her posture turned rigid but when he slid into the chair, she smiled over at him as she'd done in happier times.

"You better not ask me to dance, Dixon. I've heard about your two left feet."

Although the thought of swaying to the music with her in his embrace thrilled him on a level, he had no wish to ruin the fantasy by exposing his lack of rhythm.

"Aint enough champagne on the planet to get me on that dance floor."

"Not even for the electric slide?"

"Especially, not for the electric slide." The sound of her chuckles sparked down his spine. He'd missed this with her. "You might wanna cut a rug though. I remember you havin' some moves when you was at that fundraiser. Or was it the scotch talkin'?" She rolled her eyes but grinned at the memory.

Daryl was sure she hadn't seen him watching her but he'd caught her on the dance floor on his way back from re-stocking one of the bars. He'd stopped in his tracks, observing her limbs flowing and hips swaying, all sleek and feminine yet somehow powerful. It had been a sight for sure.

They watched their friends for a while, noting how drunk Glenn was starting to get much to Maggie's amusement. The father of the bride, Hershel Greene, stopped by their table for a few minutes and met with an enthusiastic greeting from Michonne. She'd made the introductions and they'd had a nice, if short, conversation. He'd liked the man instantly and enjoyed the easy and warm rapport between Hershel and Michonne. After the older man left, they chuckled at Sasha's dance moves and Rick's awkward but enthusiastic two-step. He wondered if she'd picked up on the vibe between Carol and Tyreese as the latter twirled the former in an elaborate turn. Carol's clumsy delivery only charmed her partner and made him do it again so she could get the hang of it.

"They make a cute pair," she said, referring to their two friends.

Daryl nodded. "Normally, I'd be pissed if my date bailed on me. I don't mind so much this time though." Michonne scrutinized him for a moment, trying to determine his intentions before quickly darting her eyes back onto the dance floor.

He scooted his chair a little closer to hers, noticing that she stiffened but didn't move away. It wasn't his usual thing to make the first move with a woman yet here he sat thinking of how he could get back in her good graces. Besides, she'd actually made the first couple of moves, once by planting an enchanting kiss to his cheek and again when she'd shown her interest during their walk in the woods. He may have picked up on it too late to capitalize, though there was still time to rectify that if he had his say.

The most important tactic, he figured, was being straight up with her.

"Carol and I aint together or nothin'. I guess it's pretty obvious now," he chuckled, motioning towards the dancing couple now swaying close for a slow song. Sasha and Rick were at the bar having a humorous but animated discussion with the bartender as they got another glass of wine. "I wouldn't have … "

"You don't owe me any explanation, Daryl." He recognized her sincerity when she turned to give him her full focus. "But yeah, it's pretty obvious." They laughed feeling a bit of the tension between them lift.

"I wanna explain things to ya 'cause I messed it all up before."

"No I messed things up before by being weird—"

Daryl held his hand up to stop her. "We'll call it even then."

She let out a calming breath. "Deal."

He leaned forward on the table and started picking at the modest flower arrangement angled towards where he was sitting. "Truth is, I aint real good with women so I trip over myself when I like somebody." He didn't dare look at her for fear of the negative response his admission might have. He didn't even want to imagine the picture of her frown, disapproving of his attachment to her.

"I like you too," she murmured beside him. There had been a hesitation to her response, a slight tremor in her voice. Why did it surprise him that she might be just as terrified as he was of screwing things up between them? He felt her hand on his shoulder briefly, tempting him to turn back to her. He complied. A coy grin and panicked but bright eyes met his anxious expression and his frown transformed into a smile at her approval.

He leaned back, bringing his body even with hers. The shoulder he had been admiring before was within reach and he had to stave off the impulse to put his arm around her so he could test her skin's softness. He didn't want to creep her out by getting handsy. Instead he went for what had worked before. He reached over towards her, slow enough so that she could stop him if necessary, and he took her hand, relishing the softness and firmness of her fingers intertwining with his.

To anyone around them, they'd seem like two friends sitting back and enjoying each other's company while basking in the festivities. In reality, they were two people who were about to leave friendship behind in the hopes of finding something more.

"Ya look beautiful by the way." He dropped his eyes again, embarrassed at having blurted that out.

She squeezed his hand to reassure him, caressing it with her thumb. How he'd craved this quiet acceptance from her. "You're not so bad yourself." She reached up and tugged at his collar. Carol couldn't wrangle you into a tie though?"

"Hell no," he replied, smacking her hand away. He was rapidly turning into such a sap, but he had the urge to hold her other hand in his grasp as well. Glancing towards the dance floor, he got her attention again. "So you and Rick? Is there somethin' I should know about?" he asked carefully.

"Is that what you were stewing about over there?" Her eyes held a knowing glint and he nudged her with his knee in reprimand. It was another relief that he wouldn't have to tear Rick's throat out for stealing his girl.

"It aint right to play with a man like that, Michonne. He might embarrass himself makin' a manly show for your affections."

Michonne rolled her eyes. "That's true. But, despite the sexism of it, a manly gesture might prove to be effective anyway." She reached up and stroked his cheek. "And there's nothing going on with me and Rick. He's going through a rough time and dealing with things I'm very familiar with. We're just being supportive to each other." She dropped her hand and glanced away for a moment. "Also, maybe he had a few choice words on not jumping to conclusions about folks when they obviously care for me."

"Amen to that." She poked him in the chest, making him smile through the sting of her jab. The woman really didn't know her own strength. He threw caution to the wind and put his arm around her like he'd wanted; he sighed over how good she felt against him. "And that's what I figured anyway, 'bout you and Rick," he tried to play off. Her laughter caused a tightness in his gut and he eyed the line of her neck up to the apple of her cheek and the brightness in her eyes. That light in her filled him up and made him feel like he could do anything and be anything for her.

There were a few things he had in mind to start with.

Rather than continue down his increasingly lecherous train of thought, he willed himself to change the subject. "Now tell me, how are my girls doin'?" Michonne grinned and pressed into him for a moment. Unable to resist, he rested his head against hers, cheek to crown, as she hovered close to him. The contact was as intimate as a kiss, although not as satisfying.

Daryl vowed not to wait too long to conduct a proper comparison.

TBC …

AN: Special thanks to those folks to whom I can't send my personal appreciation. As always, thank yous and kudos to everyone sticking around and supporting the story (no cookies for FFN's servers that lost my edits and slowed my update for the second time this week).

Also, I'm broadcasting a warning that this story will get bumped up to an M rating in the near future in case that's not your bag. I'll be sure to post a clear notice about it though.