I hope you are enjoying the read. Commit and review. Good, bad, indifferent. It all helps. You didn't come to read my endless babble so here's chapter 21. Oh and there are some adult situations in this one so if you don't like that stuff sorry.

Chapter 21: Something

I woke up alone for the first time in a long time. I didn't remember Daryl getting out of bed. He must have been in stealth mode or something. I quickly put on my boots and made the bed.

"Have you seen Daryl?" I asked Glenn when I walked down the stairs.

"Uh…no," Glenn said. I knew he was lying.

"How about Maggie?" I asked. I told her last night that Daryl had proposed and wanted to talk to her again.

"Oh yeah, she and Daryl went on a run," he said. I knew there was more to the story but didn't have the energy to pry more information out of Glenn.

"You want me to take first watch?" I asked.

"No, I'll do it. I think Rick wants to talk to you anyway," he responded.

"Ok, is he out in the yard?" I asked. I felt like I was playing twenty questions. Glenn just nodded and walked out to take his turn at watch.

"Hey there princess," Merle said sitting at the table eating his powdered eggs.

"Good morning, Merle," I said, "Did Daryl tell you where he was going?"

"Nope he was gone when I woke up," he said. "You two have a lover's quarrel?"

"Fuck you," I said and fixed myself a plate then sat down across from him. Merle had started to grow on me. He was family now.

"One of these days I might take you up on that offer," Merle said.

"It wasn't an offer," Michonne said from the other side of the room. I smiled. Two people that just a few weeks ago were trying to kill each other had somehow learned to get along. Maybe we could work something out with the Governor. Anything was possible.

I finished my food, put my plate away, and walked outside. Rick was sitting on the bleachers looking out at the sky.

"Hey," I said as I sat next him, "You looked like you could use some company."

"I feel like no matter what choice I make it's going to be the wrong one," Rick said softly.

"You're right," I said, "I don't think it matters. If you turn her over, he'll still try to kill us. If she stays, at least we'll have her on our side."

He nodded and said, "Let's talk about something else for a while. This is giving me a headache."

"Ok," I said, "Yesterday while you were talking to the Governor, Daryl asked me to marry him."

"Did he now?"

"He didn't get down on one knee ," I stated, "No diamond ring or anything."

"You've never been partial to diamonds anyway," he said, "You used to say that it was ridiculous the amount of money they cost and that you would never expect anyone to give you one."

"I know," I said, "But we had just killed some walkers and kind of blurted it out. No thought in it."

"He's been thinking about it," Rick replied.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Cause he'd be a fool not to," Rick responded. "You and Daryl huh?"

"Yeah," I said, "If the world hadn't gone to shit I don't know that I would have ever met him."

"You guys are meant for each other," he said, "Besides you're both from Georgia so it would have happened another way."

"I guess we'll never know, huh?" I said back. "I wonder why he took Maggie on this run instead of me."

"Run?" he asked confused.

"Yeah he and Maggie left early this morning. Before I woke up," I said.

"Oh yeah," Rick said, "We were needing more stuff for Judith."

"Oh, ok," I said. I couldn't think of anything else Judith would need right now. She had enough formula to last another couple of months. I shook my head. I wasn't really sure what else a baby would need.

"Do you think my dad would have like him?" I asked.

"Your dad didn't like anyone," he replied, "No one was good enough for his little girl."

"He liked you though," I responded.

"You didn't see that shotgun he showed me when I took you out," he replied, "I was scared to death when I brought you home late. And I had my own gun."

"Oh that's why you didn't take me out a second time," I said. I looked at him with a smile. He smiled for a moment and then looked off again. I remembered the reason we didn't go out again was because Lori was pregnant with Carl. "Sorry I didn't mean to bring up stuff for you."

"I'm working it out I think," he said.

"Do you still see her?" I said. Hershel had told me that Rick had been seeing visions of his dead wife.

"Sometimes," he responded. "I've lost my mind. If it weren't for you, Carl, and the baby I don't know what I would have done."

"You would have figured it out," I said.

"I may be this group's leader, Teddy," he said, "But you're the glue. You're the one that holds us together. You've brought out the best things in all of us. You've even helped make Merle tolerable."

"I can't take credit for that one," I said, "He's still a total asshole." I laughed a little.

"That's better than the fucking asshole he was when he got here," Rick replied with a smile.

"It's amazing what the Dixon boys have survived," I said.

"We've all survived this and you're a big part of it," Rick responded.

"I didn't do much," I said looking down at the ground. Rick lifted my chin and looked into my eyes.

"You don't see it but you've saved me. Just being here," he softly said.

"What about Michonne?" I asked, "Have I done anything to change your mind about her?"

"That's something I still have to think about," he responded. "Teddy do you mind if I sit here alone for a little while."

"You sure?" I asked standing up. He nodded and I went back inside.

Merle and Carl were in the common area when I entered. They looked to be taking stock of the weapons Rick had procured on his trip back to King County.

"Hey Carl I found something you may want to give Judith someday," I handed him the smiling picture of his mom and dad on their wedding day.

"Thanks," he said and went back to organizing.

"You and your dad were sure able to get a lot in your trip," I said.

"Yeah," he said.

"Stop bugging the kid, princess," Merle stated, "He's busy."

"Ok," I said. Everyone was being so short to me today. Oscar and Hershel hadn't said a word. Beth was off hiding out somewhere. I felt useless. So I went back into my cell and laid down. I fell asleep.

Daryl woke me hours later. "Hey babe," he said.

"Hey," I answered, "Where did you go?"

"I got something to show you," he said.

"What?" I asked.

"Close your eyes. You'll see."

I did as I was asked and he guided me down the steps. "Don't let me fall ok?"

"I'm always gonna catch you," he responded. "Ok you can open them."

When I opened my eyes, it didn't look like I was in the same prison anymore. The tables were covered with white table clothes. There were flowers everywhere.

"What is all this?" I asked.

"I didn't want you to get the chance to change your mind so I arranged our wedding," he said, "Well Maggie did most of the work. I just drove."

"I'm sorry we had to lie to you," Carl said.

"It's ok," I felt the tears forming in my eyes.

"Hey don't cry," Maggie said, "Come with me and Beth. We'll get you ready."

"What?" I said.

"Just come," Maggie demanded and the sisters pulled me back into the cellblock. "I guess wedding dresses were not on the top list of things people need at the end of the world so I was able to find this one." She pulled out a long white dress.

"It's beautiful," I said, tears again trying to make their way to my eyes.

"Sit," Beth said, "Let me do your hair and makeup."

"Make up?" I asked.

"Got that too," Maggie said with a smile as she sat me down in a chair. The girls pulled my hair and applied makeup to my face. They handed me a compact and I didn't recognize the girl that was staring back at me. She was beautiful.

"You look beautiful," Beth said as she finished her creation.

"You can't start crying now," Maggie said, "We don't have much mascara left." I stepped into the dress and it was a perfect fit.

"Thank you," I said to Maggie.

"It was Daryl's idea," she replied, "He just wanted me to do the girl stuff."

"Daddy's gonna marry you but who's going to give you away," Beth said.

"Rick!" Maggie exclaimed. She charged back into the common area and drug Rick back with her.

"Wow," he said, "You clean up nice. Daryl's a lucky man." I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him for a moment.

"Are you sure about all this?" I asked.

"Life was too short even before all this," Rick said to me, "Now you have to grab every second of happiness and hold onto it tightly. Otherwise, it is gone. Now come one let's get you married."

"You ready?" Maggie asked me.

"Yes," I replied. Daryl was the one thing that I was sure about. I followed the ladies to the cellblock doorway. Rick extended his arm and I laced mine through it. We followed Maggie and Beth through the doorway. They lead us to the front of the common area. The ladies stood in a row on the left and Daryl stood with Merle and Glenn at his side. Hershel stood between them holding his bible.

Daryl's eyes were fixed on me as I walked down the isle. He continued to stare when I reached the end.

"Take her hand," Hershel whispered to him. He obliged and took my hand guiding me up the steps. We looked deeply into each other's eyes as Hershel read from the bible.

Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him."… So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon

the man, and while he slept, took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh

"Daryl," Hershel said, "you wanted to say a few words."

"Oh yeah," he replied, "I don't know how much of that shit I believe in. I used to think that marriage was just a piece of paper. It's more than that. It's knowing that you'll always be there for me. And I'll always be there for you. It's standing in front of our family and saying this in front of everyone."

I softly wiped my eyes to stop the tears. This was the first time Daryl ever said anything that emotional to me.

"Teddy, do you have anything you'd like to say," Hershel said to me.

I had a thousand things that I wanted to say but couldn't spit the words out. "I love you, that's all I've got," I said to Daryl.

"That's enough," Hershel said. "Do you have the rings?" Glenn fumbled with the two bands and handed them to Merle who gave them to Daryl.

"The ring is a circle with no beginning and no end, just as your love is," Hershel said, "Teddy place this ring on his finger." I obeyed. "Now Daryl place the ring on her finger." He also obeyed.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," Hershel finished. We both looked at him waiting for him to say the last line. "Oh and Daryl you may kiss your bride." He pulled me into his arms and kissed me on the lips.

"Now baby brother you really are pussy whipped," Merle said.

"Shut up," Daryl said and kissed me again.

Merle took my hand and said softly, "Princess, you're beautiful. Take care of my baby brother." I smiled at him and kissed him gently on the cheek. "How's about a hug for you're old pal Merle?" I wrapped my arms around his neck. His good hand slid down.

"Get your hand off my ass," I said as I released him.

"Sorry, princess, old habits die hard. You're a Dixon now. How does it feel?" he said.

"I can't think of anything better," I said back. I find Daryl and pull him to me and kiss him softly on the mouth.

"Stop woman," he said with a smile, "People are watching."

"I don't care," I said, "That's part of marriage; I get to kiss you when ever I want." I kissed him again. He lifted me up in his arms and carried me outside.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked.

"You gotta perform your wifely duties," Merle said from behind us.

"Gladly," I responded. Daryl carried me to the guard tower and set me down so I could climb up.

When I entered, I see that it is laid out like a honeymoon sweet. Soft pillows and blankets made a bed. Candles softly lit the room that smelled of roses. Daryl circled his arms around my waist and we walked to the window and watched the sun cast pink and purple beams across the sky. I looked at the ledge and see the heart shaped stone that Daryl had given to me sitting beside the love knot I had given him. I couldn't hold back tears anymore.

"You ok?" he asked me.

I turned to him and shook my head. I had no more words so I laced my fingers through his hair and pulled his face to mine. I kissed him deeply and hungrily. I felt his hands on my back trying to unfasten the dress.

"Damn this has a lot of buttons," he said as he slid the dress to the floor. He kissed my neck while he unfastened my bra and slid that too to the floor. His lips followed my neck as his hands cupped my breasts. My fingers still tangled in his hair. He circled his tongue around my hardening nipple. His other hand dipped into the tops of my panties.

"I can't believe this is mine," he said parting my folds with his fingers.

"It has always been yours," I said quivering as he glazed his finger over my clit. He smiled and slid my panties down to the floor. He returned his hand and tickled my clit again. He licked his finger and slid it inside me. His tongue replaced his fingers on my engorged clit. He flicked his tongue over it and sucked a little. I couldn't hold back anymore and came hard.

He laid me gently on the make shift bed. I watched him as he removed his own clothes. I started to get to my knees in front of him.

"No babe," he stopped me, "This is about you tonight." He kissed my lips again, spread my legs, licked, and sucked my clit again. My second orgasm came.

"Daryl please," I begged. I wanted him inside me. He guided himself slowly inside me. I trembled beneath him. "I love you." He finally was deep inside me. He caught my lips with his and kissed me hard while he thrust deeper inside me. I clenched against him, pulling him as tightly as possible. I felt his release inside me.

"I love you, Teddy Dixon," he said when he rolled off me. I cuddled into his arms.