So I have about 6 chapters left before I hit my writers block wall. ? if anyone has any ideas about which way this story should go, please PM me because I'd love your feedback! I'm playing around with a few scenarios but nothing is really jumping out
at me...

The incessant sound of the ringing doorbell woke Daryl out of a deep sleep. He cursed under his breath and made his way downstairs to answer it.

"This better be fucking important." he muttered to himself. But when he opened the door and saw Fiona standing there, it only pissed him off even more. "NO," he said emphatically shaking his head. He tried to slam the door in her face but she jammed
her foot in the way so he couldn't do it.

"I just want to talk, Daryl."

"And I just wanna fucking sleep. Is that too much to ask? I played babysitter to that asshole all night while you were inside fucking him!"

"Please let me in. It won't take long."

Daryl knew she wouldn't give up, so he reluctantly let her inside, figuring if he wanted to get back to sleep, hearing her out was the only way. "You've got five minutes so start talkin'." He walked into the kitchen and stood against the island counter
with his hands crossed over his bare chest, scowling at her.

"Last night wasn't planned. I swear to you. Rick had thrown me out after another big fight and I went to stay at Carol's. I couldn't sleep. And I wanted to talk to Negan. So I jimmied the back lock. That's how I got in."

"You wanted to 'talk' to him?" He sucked his teeth skeptically. "Bout what?"

"Nothing specific... I got to know him during the time he kept me there. He's not the man everyone thinks he is."

"I don't give a shit. I know the man that threatened us and the man who's now exploiting us. And you're fuckin'naive if you don't see it, too."

"He saved my life, Daryl. One of the Saviors was raping me and then planned to kill me afterwards. But Negan killed him. One of his own men. For ME."

Daryl grunted in what was his only response. "That's the least he could do after raping you himself. "

"He never touched me."

His head shot up and his eyes bored into her. "What!?"

"You heard me. He never touched me."

"What the fuck!? Do you know how worried sick we were about you!? The thoughts that kept runnin' throughour heads when you were taken? And you're telling me he never touched you!? Fuckin' asshole! After everything he said to us! All the
shit he talked, the way he disrespected you in front of everyone! That manipulative sonofabitch!"

"It was just a ploy to get what he wanted. And it worked I guess."

Daryl paused a moment and looked at her curiously. "So what the hell did you do with him then, play house?"

"I stayed in his house, yes, but slept in a separate room and just took care of Bryson. He got bit the morning after I was taken back there." She sank down on one of the counter stools and rested her chin in her hands. "Something happened after he
saved me, Daryl...I watched him beat that guy to a bloody pulp and then he held me as I fell in and out of consciousness and he was crying-crying because he had been too late...It was one of the worst experiences of my life... I honestly thought
I was going to die."

"So he saved you. Big deal. Did you fuck him as a thank you? Because, hell, I can think of a few times I put an arrow in a walker's head and saved you, too. You sure as hell didn't fuck me!"

Fiona rolled her eyes. "You're not listening to a word I'm saying."

"I think I'm hearin' you loud and clear."

"He didn't touch me while I was his prisoner! I got to know him instead! The man that he really is!"

"He's a KILLER!"

"SO ARE WE! But just like us, that's not all there is to him! He was kind to me! He protected me! He's had a tough past! He told me about his daughter, his wife, who Lucille was... He-"

Daryl slammed his hand down on the counter. "We've all had a tough past! We've all lost loved ones!"

"I'm not asking you to agree with me or to even accept the idea of him and I together, but I just didn't want you thinking it was all about a cheap fuck. That's not who I am and you should know that. I don't give myself to other people or let them
see the real me that easily... It's just with him it's...different." She paused and added quietly, "I'm falling for him...I know it's the worst thing I could possibly do but it's out of my control."

"You have no future with him."

"Do we really have any future at all? Any of us? I mean if you stop and think about it, what are we doing here exactly?"

"Survivin'."

Fiona shook her head. "More like living in denial. Things aren't going to change! They are only going to get worse! There's no cure for this...disease or whatever it is! So just please let me live my life the way I choose."

Daryl fell quiet for a few moments trying to process everything she was telling him. It was so convoluted and so fucked up but as he knew from his experience with Beth, falling for someone was not something you could control. He had loved her, but
had fought those feelings so hard and so long until it was too late and he never got the chance to tell her how he truly felt.

His voice hitched as he asked, "Does he care about you?"

Fiona shrugged. "A part of me wants to think he does...but...I honestly don't know."

"Why don't you ask him to leave us alone, then? Would he do that for you?"

Fiona wasn't surprised by the question because the same thought had come to her last night while lying in bed with him. Would he? She had no idea. It was much too soon to ask him such a favor anyway. Not when she didn't know where she stood or if
he was feeling anything beyond just physical for her.

"I don't know," she whispered again. "But I'm hoping to get him to the point where he will say he would."

"It's risky, Fiona. He's going to end up hurting you."

"Maybe...Maybe not...Life is too fucking short nowadays to worry about things like that anymore. Besides, I've been hurt more than enough already. Rejection by a man is small potatoes."

Daryl cracked a thin smile at her comment. "How do you plan on seeing him again?"

"Hadn't thought that far yet. Guess I'd need an accomplice. And an alibi."

She looked at him hopefully but he shook his head emphatically. "Fuck no! You can't ask me to betray Rick like that. Keeping this secret is bad enough. I can't help you sneak out to go fuck that asshole. I CAN'T."

"What if the end justified the means and I could really get him to back off of us? Would you help me then?" She watched as his brow furrowed thoughtfully and he weighed his options. "You're thinking about it at least," she said half jokingly.

"Na, I ain't."

"I don't need an answer right away. Sleep on it."

"Fiona, NO."

"You know it could work, Daryl. We both had the same idea!"

"I was just thinkin' out loud."

"Well, keep thinking." She hurried to the door before he could protest. "Sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep and we'll talk tomorrow."

Daryl grabbed her arm just as she got to the door and she spun around to face him. He stared at her for what seemed like ages before he finally spoke. "If he hurts you, I won't be able to live with myself."

She could see the concern and worry etched all over his face. She knew he cared about her but didn't realize just how much until right now. "He's not going to." And as she said it aloud, she actually believed it. "He's kind of a softy deep down. Sort
of like you." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for listening."

"Fiona?"

She stopped on the porch steps and looked back at him questioningly.

"What's this gonna do to Rick?"

She paused, considering the question. "The end justifies the means remember? The group -our family- has always come first to him. That's why he didn't fight harder when I was taken or give in to Negan's demands immediately to get me back.
You know it and I know it. So I think he will be okay. Besides, he broke up with me last night anyway. So I'm free as a bird."

She spun around with her arms outstretched to demonstrate her point but Daryl could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes. And he suddenly felt sorry for her. Not counting her past, which unfortunately he knew nothing about, she had been through so
much in the short time he had known her. She had built something with Rick, something meaningful, but then she was taken prisoner and it all fell to shit. Now she was having all these confusing emotions and her life was turned upside down again.

Was her sleeping with Negan just a way to get back at Rick?

He sure hoped not.

And from everything she had just told him, it didn't sound like that was the case.

But he couldn't seem to fully dismiss the possibility.

"He loves you, Fiona."

"He sure has a funny way of showing it then."

"Just make sure this is what you really want." She was walking away down the street so he yelled after her, "Because there won't be any going back! Not with Rick! You know him! You burn that bridge and you're toast!"

Fiona just lifted her hand in acknowledgement but kept on walking.

Daryl cursed and plopped down on the steps.

Who was he kidding?

Of course he was going to help her.

How could he not? She needed someone to protect her and watch her back in case things got ugly. There was no way she could pull this off on her own.

And besides, he could never seem to say no to her.