Chapter 25: D.C

Morning

I woke up in the same bed with Sam. Even though I didn't want to because of the body heat we were sharing and the comfort I felt, I woke him up and we left the house together heading off to work.

The same schedule again, children went home with their parents at twelve and this time no sign of James. I got to my house and grabbed my key and turned the knob. Suddenly Sam jumped up from behind me.

"Crap Sam, you're gonna give me a heart attack!" I laid my right hand over my heart.

"Sorry. I got something for you."

Sam and I walked into the house and he pulled out my knife and gun from the inside of his jacket.

"Glenn helped me get them. He knows just to let you know."

"Thank you so much Sam!" I hugged him sighing with relief. "Have you seen Daryl?"

"No, haven't really seen him around actually."

"Well if you see him can you tell him I was looking for him?" I looked to Sam letting go of the hug.

"Of course."

Sunset

I spent the course of my afternoon looking for Daryl but came up empty handed. I couldn't find him anywhere. I went back inside and took a nap getting ready for tonight.

I woke up and checked the time. 1:47 a.m. I put my jacket on, made sure all my things were packed and ready, went outside and sat on the cold porch to think for a moment before I took my leaving.

"Can't sleep?" I heard Daryl's voice.

I looked around and through the darkness I vaguely made out his figure. He was next door sitting on his porch.

"Daryl, I've been looking for you." I told him hoping he would walk over to me.

He didn't say a word. He didn't even bother moving. "Daryl." I called out again but nothing. I walked over and stood right in front of him as he was still sitting. He didn't even bother looking up to me.

"Daryl?" Again no response. I sat down next to him on the porch. I started getting frustrated with him. He wasn't talking or looking at me.

"Hey, talk to me!" I forcefully grabbed his face to look at me.

"Grab my face again and I'll…"

"You'll what?" I interrupted him.

"Just leave me be." He got up and walked to his door. I quickly got up and blocked the door before he could open it.

"No, you don't get to do this to me. You need to grow some balls and talk to me. Why are you so angry?"

"Like you don't know. That asshole who kissed you. You and Rick leaving Carl with Glenn and Sam so you two could be alone in your house for hours. You two seemed nice and cozy hugging on your porch and don't think I didn't see Sam leavin your house in the mornin. I know he spent the night. Quit waistin my time!" He pushed me off to the side and opened the door. I quickly went inside before he closed it shut.

"Get the hell out!" He growled.

"James kissed me and on the cheek. He caught me totally by surprise. Sam spent the night because I kept having these damn dreams and really needed someone to talk to and didn't want to be alone. I tried finding you but you fuckin disappeared on me. And as for Rick, you really think something is going on between us? Nothing is going on. We had diner. The whole time I was talking about Matt and Hunter and he was talking about Lori and Carl and the hug, you wanna know what that was about? It was about your dumbass! He knows what's going on and he's happy for us. He thinks we're a good couple. We're friends Daryl! I hug all my friends; it's what I fuckin do! And what about you? It feels like forever since I've seen you. I tried looking for you and I see you at the party drunk with three other girls who seemed to be all over you!"

"Whatever. I tried looking for you and nothing happened with those girls. I was drinkin and they came up to me and started talkin and askin questions. You really think I'd do anything to hurt you?"

"Well you think I would hurt you!" I yelled in frustration. "I just happened to be in the group. Now that we are in a community you don't have to be with me. There are plenty of women here who would suit you better."

"Don't change the subject. Why the hell where you with that James guy anyways!"

"The same reason you were with those whores."

"Whatever." He turned his back to me.

"Damn it Daryl you are one stupid red neck!"

"Red neck? Nice insult coming from a harlot." He turned back to me.

"Fuck you Daryl."

"I have a feeling you already gave enough fucks to Rick, Sam and that asshole already."

I walked up to Daryl and slapped him hard on his check.

"Bitch." Daryl muttered under his breath as he rubbed his cheek.

"Go to hell!" I turned my back to him and walked out the door and to my house. As I was about to slam my door Daryl pushed it open catching me by surprise, I didn't hear him behind me.

Daryl quickly closed the door, grabbed my arms and pushed me against the door. I let out a small whimper of pain that lightly seared through my bullet wound and stab wound on my shoulder and gulped, not knowing what was going to happen next as I looked down to his hand on my upper right arm. He leaned his forehead on mine and slowly started caressing my arms realizing the force he released on me and his hand that was on my wound.

"I'm sorry." He then put his lips to where my bullet wound is and kissed it though the jacket I was wearing. His lips then moved to my left shoulder and kissed my stab wound as well.

"Daryl…" I whispered. He then buried his face into the right side of my neck letting out a deep breath. "I hugged Sam at the cabin, he spent the night and you think something is going on. I understand why you got angry at James but when I hugged Rick you thought something was going on. Why do you keep assuming?"

He deeply sighed though my neck. "This girl I really liked, Jennifer, we were together for almost a year. I took our relationship seriously. At the end I guess she didn't. I found her in bed with my best friend. I'm just… afraid…"

"Daryl…" I interrupted him and gently cupped my right hand to his cheek bringing his face up to look at me. "I'm not Jennifer. I know how it feels to be cheated on and I would never want to hurt you like that. I care about you to damn much you jerk."

Daryl rested his forehead on mine and cupped my face with both of his hands, slowly moving his hands towards my hair, letting his fingers tangle in as my hands rested on his chest. His lips pressed on mine, slow and soft. He let the kiss linger and rested his forehead on mine again.

"Lana, I, I love you." Sincerity, sorrow, honesty, and love etched on his caring face.

I closed my eyes but a few tears still managed to escape as I took in a deep breath.

"Daryl, I love you too." I whispered letting his words sink in.

His lips seduced mine, he lifted me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. Our lips did not stop as he carefully walked me to my bedroom and laid me down on my bed. I held on to his neck with my right arm and with my left hand I pushed my backpack out of my way and it dropped to the floor.

Daryl stopped and looked to the floor seeing my bag packed and the hunting knife that fell out of it. In the back of my mind I was hoping he wouldn't think anything of it. He got off me, picked up my bag and opened it. He saw that my things were packed along with the gun.

"You leavin?" He put my backpack down on the bed and stared hard at it.

"Yeah." I whispered.

"Were you even gonna bother tellin me?"

"Why do you think I was lookin for you. Daryl…"

"Where?" He interrupted and now shifted his eyes to mine through the dark room with only the night light shining through the window.

"D.C."