Okay! I got it. You're not happy. I won't have it end there then. My apologies to everyone.


As abruptly as the kiss started, it ended. Jack was torn away as Daryl tossed him down onto the ground. "Daryl! Don't!" I cried even and he knelt above him and started punching. I ran over to the two men and started trying to pull Daryl off. He pushed me back and I fell to the ground. Rick immediately took my place trying to peel him off. Gertie began barking frantically, unsure of who's side to take. Suddenly there was shouting and the sound of running footsteps. Tyreese pushed Rick out of the way and hauled Daryl away.

"What is the matter with you?" I yelled as I ran to see Jack. I landed on my knees next to him. "Oh my God," I said softly as I looked at him. "Jack?" I couldn't believe that he was here. I could hear yelling behind me, but I paid it no mind.

Jack grimaced and propped himself up son his elbows. I laid my hand gently on the side of his face. His arm loped around my neck and pulled me in close. My arms slid around his back. I was both laughing and crying as he brushed kisses over my face. Gertie kept trying to push her way in between us. Finally we separated and looking down at him, I saw the bruises and remembered.

"Daryl!" I swiveled around to look behind me but he was gone. Rick, Tyreese, Carol and Lori were standing there looking down at us with shocked expressions. The mother of the little girl was still weeping quietly next to them. The rest of Jack's group was looking at us warily.

I felt so torn. The woman needed to know what was going on with her daughter, I had to find Daryl, but I couldn't just run away from Jack either. I pushed my self up. "Rick, could you take her to see Hershel? Please?" I just couldn't concentrate on telling her what she needed to know. I could see Rick was reluctant to bring her in, but eventually he nodded and escorted the woman into the prison.

I turned back to Jack. He was just getting to his feet. He put his arms around me and pulled me in. I held on tight for a moment before I pulled back. "Jack, I'm sorry, but I have to go talk to Daryl." I felt like crying.

He ran his fingers through my hair. "Whose that?" he asked confused.

"He's the guy that hit you. I have to go find him." The tears were getting closer.

Jack pulled me back in to his embrace. "No. It's fine. I get it, he was just protecting you. I'm glad you had people looking out for you. But right now, I'm not letting you go. I can't believe I found you." Jack moved to press his lips to mine, but I moved back.

"Jack, you don't understand. Daryl and I are together. We have been for a while. I'll be back and we'll talk, but right now I have to go." I pulled all the way out of his arms. Hurt, anger, concern all flashed across Jack's face. I felt so awful. Turning quickly I walked over to Lori. "Where'd he go?"

Lori brushed away the tears in her eyes. "He left, walked right out the gate. I don't know where he went."

I nodded then ran to grab my bow that I had set down by the cooking area this morning. It seemed so long ago. I ran out the gate and into the woods. I headed towards the marsh. It had become kind of our place. He had even brought me there last fall on my birthday. He packed a picnic and we made love all afternoon, with Gertie keeping watch.

When I got to the marsh I was breathing hard, and sweat was stinging my eyes. I broke through the trees and looked around. I didn't see him at first, he was so still. I walked over sat down next to him. "I'm sorry." I said quietly.

He stared straight out across the marsh. After a moment he spoke. "Are you alright? I didn't hurt you?"

I had to think for a moment about what he meant. "No, I'm fine. Daryl, what I did... it was so insensitive of me. I'm really so sorry." I winced as I thought of how Jack and I must have looked to Daryl. "I was just so surprised, although I guess I shouldn't be."

He turned his head to look at me. "What do you mean?"

I shrugged. "We were planning on heading this way before we got separated, and I've been staying still. You know that people have been spreading the word about this place. Hershel and I get people from so far away looking for medical help. If someone told them, then it would only make sense for them to head here as soon as that little girl got sick."

"What's wrong with her anyway?"

"She has leukemia. She's going to die, and there's nothing I can do about it. I'm not sure how long she has, maybe a few days, maybe a month." I sighed. "Daryl, I didn't come here to talk about her." He turned back to the marsh. "Please, we have to talk about this."

I could see his jaw clenching. "What do you want? What the fuck do you want me to say?" He pushed himself up and started pacing as he always does when he's angry and frustrated.

"I don't know!" I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself. "I love you, but I love Jack too. He's my husband, not some guy that I dated for eight months!"

His voice was so controlled, "Some guy like me, you mean."

I closed my eyes for a moment. I couldn't believe I just did that. "Daryl, I didn't mean it like that. It's just that Jack and I have a lot of history. We were married for six years. We were together for seven years before that."

"Yeah, it was apparent that you were very familiar with him." He said snidely.

"Look, I can't say I'm not happy to see him because I am. He's alive and that makes me happy. But I never expected this. You knew I was married, you knew I didn't know where he was. Did you think that he'd show up here one day? Because I didn't." I reached out to stop him. "Daryl," I murmured. "Please."

He glanced over at me. "Are you staying? Or are you going to be with him?" His voice was tight with anger and hurt.

I opened my mouth but nothing came out. I didn't know what to say.

He shook off my hand. "Go, go be with your husband. I don't want to listen to anything else you have to say." He began to move away.

I lunged forward and grabbed his arm. Tears were now streaming down my cheeks. "Daryl please. I just need some time. I don't even know how I feel about this yet. Please just give me a little time." I wanted so badly to bury my face in his shirt, to hold on and never let go. But I couldn't. It wouldn't be right.

Daryl looked down at me with hard eyes. "Do whatever you want. I don't fucking care." He pulled his arm free and walked back into the tree line.

When I got back to the prison Lori was waiting by the gate. "Stella, are you alright? Did you find him?" As the tears started to flow again she said, "You did find him. Come on, come sit down." She pulled me over next to the woodpile. "No one will bother us here. What happened?"

I shook my head and said, "It was so awful. I didn't know what to tell him. He was just so angry." I brushed the tears away.

Lori leaned over and wrapped her arms around me. "He's not angry, he's scared and hurt. Daryl loves you. You know this. It was just a surprise. He thought someone was attacking you and then to see you run back to him and how happy you were to see him... I'm sure it was hard for him to watch."

"I feel so badly about that. I just wasn't thinking." I wrapped my arms around myself and squeezed. I felt like I was breaking apart.

"Stella, anyone would have reacted the same way. That's a man that you loved, that you married. You didn't get a divorce, you were torn apart. You've always said how much you loved Jack. Of course you're going to be happy to see him."

"What do I say to him Lori? I have no idea how I feel about any of this. I've already hurt them both so much." I laid my head in my hands.

Lori sighed. "You didn't do anything to either one of them. If you had thought that you would have found Jack, would you have gotten together with Daryl?"

I thought about what she asked. "Truthfully? I don't know. Daryl was such a surprise. I fell for him so fast." I thought back to those first few rocky weeks. So much had happened since then. I looked around the prison. The place we had made into a home.

I looked over to the other side of the prison yard. I had to go. "Lori, do you know where Jack is? I'm going to go find him."

Lori nodded. "Rick put them in those rooms next to the clinic. They moved the little girl over there." As I rose to leave she put her hand on my arm. "Stella? Don't rush into anything. Make sure you make the decision you want. There won't be any going back."

"I know Lori. Thanks." I straightened my shoulders and headed over to the other side of the prison.

He was standing outside the door to Cell Block A when I came around the corner. I paused for a moment so I could just look at him. He was thinner than he was the last time I saw him, but the way he moved was so familiar. The man Jack was talking to saw me and jerked his head in my direction. Jack turned and started walking towards me.

As I stood there I thought about what I was going to say. Nothing came to my mind. What could I say?

Jack came to stand before me, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. "You're back. I was starting to wonder." His voice was tense.

"I know, I'm sorry." I looked around. There was a sitting area that didn't have anyone around not far. "Can we sit?" Jack and I walked down in silence. We took chairs side by side, but turned them so we were facing each other. Gertie settled in between us.

"How's the little girl?" I asked. I was stalling.

"She's the same. Hershel ended up sedating Mary, Jolie's mom. She's having a hard time. I think she really thought you'd be able to make her better."

"I wish we'd be able to help her, but..." I trailed off. The silence that followed was awkward. Neither one of us knew quite what to say.

He blew out a heavy breath. "Not exactly the reunion I always hoped for. I certainly never pictured you running off after another man when I thought about it."

"No," I agreed. "I wouldn't think so. I'm sorry about that Jack. I had to go talk to him. It couldn't wait. Daryl... Daryl's volatile."

Jack smiled wryly. "Yeah, I noticed," indicating his bruised face. "Good to know he looked out for you at least. Doubt you had a problem with unwanted suitors." I smiled, it was just like Jack to make a joke. "How long have you two been together?" he asked.

"Since the beginning of last summer. I had gotten myself into a little situation. Daryl helped me out and brought me to the rest of the group. They're really great people Jack. They've become like family to me." I was looking somewhere at his chest. I couldn't bring myself to look in his eyes.

"Stella," he nudged my head up. He gave me the look that he always did when I was procrastinating about something. "I'm not mad about it." His hand moved to the side of my face and I couldn't help but lean into it. "But I'm here now. We can be together again." Jack pulled me towards him.

I resisted. "Jack. It's not that simple. I can't just say thanks for everything and see you later. I have a life here." I took a deep breath and said it. "I love him Jack."

Jack pulled back in surprise, but quickly recovered. "Stella, I'm your husband. We belong together. I love you, you know this." He slid his hands over mine. His thumbs rubbing circles on the backs.

"I know Jack," I murmured. "I do love you. I've always loved you. But he's a good man Jack. I have to think about everything. It wouldn't be fair just to make a snap decision. To either of you."

"Stella," he protested, "We can start over here. It'll be just like it was."

I stared at him. "Jack. We wouldn't be able to stay here. We'd have to leave." How could he think we would be able to stay?

"What? Why would we leave? This place is safe. I don't know how long you've been here, but it isn't getting any better out there. People are desperate."

"Jack" I cut him off. "First of all, the group would have to request to stay and then it would have to be approved. We can't take in everyone, we don't have the resources. Secondly, if we stayed, Daryl would leave. This is his home. This is his family. I won't do that to him." I rubbed my forehead. I was getting a headache. "Look, we're getting ahead of ourselves. I can't think that far ahead."

Shock was evident in Jack's voice. "You'd leave because of him?"

I thought back to that night in the tower, what I'd said to Daryl after. "Yes Jack, I would leave. It would hurt him too much if I stayed." Jack sat back, stunned. "I just wanted to come over here and talk to you. I'm not deciding anything right now. I need some time to think everything over, let it sink in." I stood, Jack following suit. "I have to get back."

As I moved to leave Jack reached out and pulled me in. My arms reached around him of their own volition. He held me tight for a moment. "I love you Stella. I know you'll do whatever you think is right." I felt his lips along my hairline. "I'm so glad I found you again."

I pulled back and smiled sadly up at him. "I'm glad to know you're safe Jack." It was true. I was glad to see him, but his arrival had turned my life upside down in a way I had never anticipated, never wanted. I headed back to my side of the prison.

Daryl didn't come back in time for dinner. Merle shot me dirty looks all night. I didn't mind it. At least he was keeping his mouth shut. I had a feeling Rick had probably told him to keep his distance. The group was subdued that night. Beth offered to take my shift that night over at the clinic. I thanked her gratefully. I still wasn't in any shape to look after the people there.

The group began to break up for bed. Still he wasn't back. I looked out towards the tree line, hoping to see him. It wasn't the first time he hadn't been back at this time, but before I always knew that he wanted to be here.

Rick came to stand beside me. "You should go get some sleep. He'll be alright. Daryl can take care of himself." He gently tugged on my arm. "Come on. You look exhausted."

I was exhausted. I curled up in the bed that I had shared with Daryl for almost a year, Gertie stretched out beside me. But still sleep wouldn't come. The day ran through my mind nonstop. I couldn't sort out any of what I was feeling. Jack was here and he was alive. We shared so much history. Almost my entire adult life had been spent with him. I had so many memories with him. But was I still that person? Life in the last two years had changed so much. I knew I had changed. The question was, had I changed in ways that meant we shouldn't be together? Had he? Daryl knew who I was now. He loved who I was now. And I knew I loved him. He was always the first person that I wanted to tell a funny story to, or talk to when I was upset. I loved the way he loved me.

As all these thoughts raced through my head, the door opened and he stepped in. I choked back a sob of happiness. Even as I moved to get up his voice cut through the darkness. "You're here." It was an angry statement, not one of relief.

I knelt on the bed. "Where else would I be?" I questioned. For what seemed like the zillionth time today I apologized. "Daryl, I'm sorry for how things went earlier. I know I didn't say or do the right things." I got up to light one of the lanterns in the room, then turned to face him.

His face was set in hard lines, his eyes glaring at me. I knew I had hurt him and that knowledge caused my heart to ache. When I went to step toward him, he stepped back. "I just came to get my shit. I'm going to go bunk in with Merle." He started throwing things in a bag.

I felt my knees go weak and I sat down heavily in a chair. "What? Daryl, no. I don't want you to go." I could feel my body start to tremble with anxiety. "I don't want this. I just need some time to think about things."

He threw the last of his things in the bag and zipped it shut. "Exactly. You need time. If you wanted to be with me, you wouldn't need that time. You'd know it. I don't want to be with someone that can't figure out if they want me, or another man." He pivoted and stormed out the door, slamming it behind him.


So, I hope you all are happy that I'm continuing on with the story. I just wanted to remind people that after tomorrow I doubt if I'll be able to post more than once or twice a week, but you never know. I'll see you soon.