Chapter 21

A new year

Emma was walking to the upper fort with a snow shovel slung over her shoulder when she heard Daryl and Rick talking by the Gatehouse.

"Fuckin' hate snow." Daryl groaned.

"Never thought I'd need to shovel a driveway," Rick was puffing "much less a whole fort."

"Goddamn Canada."

She smiled as she turned the corner and saw the silhouette of the two men leaning on their snow shovels in the shelter of the arched entrance to the upper fort. She stopped to admire the view, it was rare to catch Daryl looking so relaxed out in the open.

"It's not so bad." Rick sighed. "Winter keeps the walkers at bay."

"Almost doesn't seem fair. Pickin' em off while they're stiff."

"Safer than the alternative."

"Give ya that one." Daryl agreed.

"So you and Emma?" Rick's question made Archer duck back behind the corner, out of sight. She felt guilty eavesdropping, but not that guilty.

There was a pause before Daryl answered. "Yeah." He said simply.

"She's nice, good worker.." Rick chuckled a bit "Terrible shot though."

"Heard you tried to teach her." Daryl changed the subject "How'd that go?"

"Best she stick with a knife" Rick sighed "or that staff of hers."

"Or goddam Churchill. You remember that?"

"Hard to forget."

"Fuckin' amazin'." There was pride in Daryl's voice.

"She's a good woman, Daryl. I'm glad for you."

"Yeah." Daryl shrugged it off. "C'mon, this shit ain't gonna clear itself."

Emma listened for the sound of snow shovels at work, when enough time had passed she rounded the corner and walked up to the gatehouse. Taking the shovel off her shoulder she said "Heard you guys could use a hand?"

}.{

"3-2-1 Happy New Year!"

None of them were exactly sure that it really was midnight. They just decided to go by the clock in their dining hall, most everyone used it to keep time anyway.

After dinner, they celebrated with a couple of bottles of sparkling wine they'd stockpiled and the apple wine made during the fall harvest. Emma looked around the room at their motley group. Everyone did their best to dress up for the evening. Even Daryl had shaved and put on a clean pair of black jeans with a grey knit sweater. It was the most dressed up she'd ever seen him.

When he smiled at her and leaned in for a New Year's kiss, she was quite grateful he didn't dress up more often. She'd never be able to resist tearing off his clothes. When he pulled away, she told him so. He ducked his head.

She noticed Michael and Joel slip out of the room. She knew exactly where they were headed and decided to follow their example.

"Daryl I have a confession to make." She looked over as their 'band' returned to their instruments. The party would be going on for some time.

"What's up?" Daryl asked.

She leaned in to whisper in his ear. "I'm not wearing any panties."

Daryl gulped. "Fuck me."

"Kinda the plan."

"Let's go."

She smiled. "I'd like that."

"C'mon." He walked over to the door where he'd left his coat and boots while she ducked through the kitchen to her room for her own gear.

They were walking across the parade square when Daryl pulled her into the shadows of a pillar. He leaned in for a kiss, pressing her against the wall.

"Mmm. " Daryl purred, his hand slipped up under her coat and the wrap dress she'd worn. He felt up her leg to her hip.

"Checking to see if I was lying about the underwear?" She asked.

Daryl kissed down her neck, sliding his hand around to feel her ass. "No harm in checkin'." He said

"You know that was another first for me, right?"

Daryl was puzzled. "Not wearing underwear?"

She laughed. "First time I had anyone to kiss on New Year's ."

He smiled. "I got another first I wanna try with ya t'night." Daryl led her across the square to his quarters. His eyes were on her as he stripped off his coat.

Feeling bold, partly due to alcohol, partly due to knowing she'd have Daryl all to herself tonight she licked her lips. "So what's this first you want to show me?"

Daryl reached over and pulled her into his arms, his hands travelling down her back to grasp at her buttocks. She reached around and reciprocated, slipping her hands into the back pockets of his jeans. "Take them off, Daryl." She ordered.

"You do it."

She smiled and sank down onto the floor in front of him, trailing her hands slowly down the back of his legs. Emma enjoyed feeling the contours of his body as she slid her hands back up the inside of his legs and started unbuttoning his jeans. She looked up at him to see him staring down at her with hooded eyes.

When his jeans were undone, she slid them down his legs, taking his boxers with them. His cock sprang free, and she smiled knowing it was her that had made it so stiff. She looked up to see Daryl watching her expectantly.

She trailed her hands back up to the apex of his thighs, cradling his balls in her hand, she licked her lips and gently blew on his penis.

"Shit woman." He groaned.

Slowly she circled her tongue around the tip of his penis while she stoked a finger along his length. When she finally sucked the head of his penis into his mouth, Daryl's hands tangled in her mane. Gently she licked and suckled at his throbbing manhood, eliciting groans from Daryl.

"Fuck me." Daryl pulled her up off her knees and kissed her.

She frowned. "Did I do it wrong?"

"Naw, Em. Just don't wanna come yet." He was breathing heavy. "Not time." He pulled at the ties to the wrap dress and let it unravel. He let out a sigh and kissed the tops of her breasts, reaching a hand around to free the clasp of her bra. "Got things to do."

He walked her backwards to his bed and pushed her down to sit on it. Kneeling before her, he pulled her thighs up over his shoulders. Licking his lips he looked up at her. "So how many licks will it take?" He asked mischievously.

Emma's eyes opened wide. "Daryl.." She warned, feeling his hot breath on her center. He erased all thought when he flicked a tongue across her slit. "Oh my god." She said.

"One." Daryl smiled, and leaned into her again. His tongue went in deeper this time.

"Two." He placed a finger inside her and circled it as he sucked .

"Three." She fell back onto the mattress, writhing at his touch.

"Four." His movements were long and slow.

"Five." She moaned again, hands grasping the covers of the bed.

"Six."

Emma could feel her climax coming. "Please, Daryl. Please put it in me."

"Seven."

Emma came undone, her body shuddered and she tried to close her knees but Daryl held her legs apart. His hands rubbed the insides of her thighs as he watched her breathing slow.

"Now. " Daryl stood and crawled up her body to lick her nipple. "I counted three firsts."

Eyes closed, Emma merely nodded. She heard him open the condom. "Daryl." She said breathlessly.

"Got some more breakin' in ta do." He slid into her. She cried out his name as he grasped at her breast. "Remember, s'more fun if you relax." He kissed her gently on the lips. "Breathe."

She nodded, trying to focus on her breathing, when it slowed he rewarded her with a slow thrust. Her breath sped up again.

"Naw, that ain't right." He chuckled. "Nice 'n slow. In and out."

When she slowed again, he matched her breathing with his thrusts. In and out, in and out.

"Yeah baybe, that's riiight." He purred. "Mmmmm… You're so wet and warm." He kissed her again.

His slow progression started a fire deep in her belly. She felt it build slowly.

"Daryl, I can't…." She stammered between breaths. " It's too much."

"Hold on…" Daryl grunted. "Almost there."

She clenched her hands on Daryl's shoulders as he slowly brought her up a staggering peak.

In and out.

In and out.

"Come for me." He said as his own body began to shudder. It was all she needed to hear. A spasm rocked through her body causing her toes to curl.

Daryl's head rested on her breast as his hand idly traced the curve of her thigh. "Best New Year ever."

She couldn't agree more.