Chapter 36

It felt later than it was when Melissa finished her shift on watch duty that night. The cell block was dark and quiet and everyone appeared to be asleep, exhausted from the day's efforts. She made her way to Glenn's cell and woke him quietly, so as not to disturb Maggie, who was sleeping in his arms. Glenn slowly rolled out of bed and Melissa waited with him as he got ready then she walked with him back to the loading dock.

"Quiet out there again tonight," she remarked as they walked. "Warmer than it was last night too."

"Good," Glenn replied. "I was freezing my ass off out there last night."

"Me too," she laughed.

They continued to walk in silence, making their way through the halls of the prison together.

"You did well in training today, during the drills." Glenn stated after a while, interrupting the quiet, and she wondered if he wasn't just complimenting her to avoid an uncomfortable silence, but she settled with a simple "Thanks."

"How do you feel about all this, anyway?" He asked as they reached the loading dock.

Melissa sighed, stepping outside with him to take another look around. "The days of peace and slumberous calm are fled," she replied, leaning against the fence surrounding the platform.

"Keats?"

"Yeah," she smiled; surprised that he recognized the quote.

"And for our country 'tis a bliss to die," Glenn offered and Melissa was sure she knew where he stood on the matter, as if that was ever in question.

"Alexander Pope," she uttered. "I always liked him." Although she never imagined death to be blissful.

"Yeah, me too. I didn't have much choice though. My English professor was a huge fan, so we read a lot of his stuff. How do you know him?"

"Public library," she grinned. "After I had to drop out of school I read everything I could get my hands on. Guess I was hopin' to make it up to myself." Glenn saw her face drop a little, picking up on the traces of melancholy at the recollection of some distant memory.

"You did what you had to do," Glenn confirmed.

The two smiled at each other in warm appreciation, grateful to have something to bond over. They had always liked each other and the discovery of this mutual interest meant they now had something that was theirs and it felt good.

"If I don't get a chance to tell you tomorrow, take care of yourself," he uttered warmly.

Melissa nodded and Glenn saw a gentle smile spread across her face. "You too. Take care of Maggie."

"I will."

Glenn watched her fondly as she nodded and turned to leave, but something stopped her and she turned back to face him.

"You guys are lucky, ya know," she said.

"To have each other?"

"To know what you mean to each other," she corrected. "That's really special, Glenn."

"Yeah… I guess it is," Glenn seemed to realize out loud.

She smiled gently and handed him the rifle that was hanging on her shoulder. As he accepted the weapon Glenn suddenly couldn't get past the feeling that she seemed to be saying goodbye. He nodded and smiled back, not knowing what else to do.

"Look, Glenn. I know you've been chompin' at the bit for a war with Woodbury ever since what happened to you and Maggie. I get it. I just hope you understand what we're getting into."

Glenn stood a little taller, the sweet expression on his face faded to a firm, more serious display.

"We're gonna win," he said confidently. "I know it."

Melissa seemed to consider his statement then offered him one quick nod. "I hope you're right," she said gently as she turned to leave.

"Our business in the field of fight is not to question, but to prove our might," Glenn quoted. Melissa turned back to face him again, half in and half out of the door. She rested her hand on the door frame and her eyes looked down, searching, and Glenn knew she was constructing the proper reply. He waited for it in warm apprehension, anxious to hear who she would quote next.

"An eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind," she replied softly. She searched his face, but recognition seemed noticeably absent. "That's Gandhi," she said as she turned to walk back to C-block.

As she walked she tried to get her thoughts in order. She knew this could be her last night with the people she had grown to love, her makeshift family, but it didn't have to be. She tried to let Glenn's words sync in, to believe that they could and would win the inevitable war. She tried to visualize it, but something was still pulling at her. Fear, anxiousness, apprehension, she couldn't nail it down.

She entered the cell block to find Beth in the commons area, making a bottle for Judith. She approached Beth and held her arms out in an offer to take the crying baby.

"May I?" Melissa asked warmly.

"Oh thanks," Beth smiled sleepily as she handed her over.

"I can feed her and put her back to bed," Melissa offered, bouncing the baby gently in her arms to soothe her crying.

"You don't have to."

"Don't be silly, I want to. I haven't spent much time with her lately anyway," Melissa assured.

"Thanks," Beth grinned and Melissa could tell how much she appreciated the break. She handed Melissa the warm bottle and smiled once again as she turned to walk back to her cell.

The baby started to fall asleep about three quarters of the way through the bottle and took her time finishing it, but Melissa didn't mind. She enjoyed her time with her, actually. It was a nice break from the stressful thoughts that had filled Melissa's head the last few days. When the milk in the bottle was gone Melissa carefully placed the baby on her shoulder and patted her back. After a few pats the baby burped loudly. Melissa raised her eyebrows and smiled.

As she held Jude against her body she suddenly yawned, realizing she was more tired than she thought she was and she began to crave her bed. But, as she removed Jude from her shoulder in preparation to carry her back to her crib she noticed her eyes were open and she was wide awake.

"You little stinker," Melissa said softly.

The baby responded with a large smile.

. . .

Judith stayed awake for a while, despite Melissa's best efforts. She rocked, she swayed, she hummed, she sang. Melissa even pulled out the big guns, dipping the baby and swaying from side to side simultaneously, but nothing she did could crack the child. So she found herself entering the begging stage.

"Jude, I know currency's not really a thing anymore, but if you go to sleep right now I'll give you a million dollars," Melissa whispered excitedly, nodding her head as if it would somehow convince her.

She heard the sound of soft laughter and looked up to see Glenn on his way back in from his watch duty. That meant it had been two hours. Melissa frowned to herself, but returned Glenn's smile as he walked toward his cell.

A few moments later, as Melissa gently sway Judith back and forth in her arms, Glenn reappeared with Daryl.

"What happened to Maggie?" Melissa asked.

"Thought I would let her get her sleep tonight," Glenn answered.

Must be nice, Melissa thought. She smiled at Glenn warmly. It was a nice gesture.

"You doin' okay?" Daryl asked.

"I'd say I'm at about Defcon 3."

Daryl smiled to himself. "Heard you singin' up there."

Melissa turned her head, curiously.

"Why didn't you come down and keep me company?" She asked.

Daryl's face dropped and his eyes appeared to be searching and Melissa felt it clear that Daryl hadn't realized that was an option. He pursed his lips and nodded a quick goodbye to Melissa. Then, taking the rifle from Glenn he left the cell block to start his watch.

"You gonna be okay?" Glenn asked.

"She'll crack eventually," Melissa smiled.

"Night," Glenn said as he headed to his cell.

"Night," Melissa replied, turning her attention back to the baby. "You're turn now," she whispered.

. . .

Melissa was right. Judith did crack eventually. Melissa had run out of ideas, so she made one more bottle and the baby passed out less than half way through. As Melissa laid Jude in her crib she sighed in relief and rubbed her lower back, which was feeling a bit achy, as she slowly walked back to the commons area to grab a lantern.

When she reached her cell she set the lantern on the floor, removed her shoes and socks and changed from her jeans to a pair of grey cotton shorts that she almost always slept in. She peeled off her grey t-shirt, but left on the blue tank top she wore underneath.

She began the climb to her top bunk as she had every night. She was midway up when she saw it. It froze her mid climb as soon as she spotted it lying against her pillow. A Cherokee Rose. She crawled toward the flower slowly, picked it up and smelled it. And she knew.

After it all, after everything they had been through, this gesture told her everything he hadn't been able to. This was his sorry.

Suddenly overwhelmed with the desire to see him, she sat the flower back on her pillow and jumped out of her bed. She walked quickly on her bare feet, her need to see him growing more urgent as she made her way down each hallway and rounded every corner. When she was close enough to see the open door to the loading dock and the bright blue moonlight spilling into the prison she increased her pace, nearly running to complete the distance.

She stepped out into the loading dock to find it empty. Confused, she crossed her arms over her chest as the cool air hit her skin. She searched with her eyes for Daryl, unsure where he could possibly be, when she looked up to see him standing on the balcony of the nearest guard tower, the only one left they could get to without dealing with the field full of walkers.

As soon as she saw him she seemed to forget that she was angry with him. That she was hurt by him. Somewhere, amidst her exhaustion and the threat of death looming over her, she forgot about everything else and all she could think of was the fact that this could be the last time they were ever alone together. And that was enough to push her forward.

She slammed the fence door surrounding the loading dock open. It hit the brick wall beside her with a loud smack and Daryl's attention was drawn to the sound. He looked down to see Melissa running toward the guard tower. Alarmed at first, he walked to the stairs and began his way down to her.

Melissa met him halfway up the stairs. She reached out grabbed his shirt, pulling him close to her, and her lips landed on his hard. He was frozen at first, and she was sure her kiss had caught him by surprise, but after a beat she felt his body relax. Their lips parted together and they exchanged a breath before he closed his mouth onto hers. His arms wrapped around her torso and he kissed her back passionately, and it wasn't long before he reached his arms under her thighs and lifted her body up onto his. As he turned to carry her up the stairs and into the guard tower she squeezed her legs around his waist and held on to him as if her life depended on it, kissing and exploring his mouth the whole time.

He set her down on a table in the middle of the room, freeing his hands to re-familiarize himself with her body again. She squeezed his shirt in her hands, pulling him closer and he kissed her harder; exploring her with his hands and tongue simultaneously.

But soon, his lips were hovering over hers. She felt his neck stiffen and his breath bouncing off her skin as he held his face away from hers. She opened her eyes to look into his. He was looking down at her softly, but she could see his want for her in his eyes and she realized the reason for his sudden hesitation. He was giving her a chance to stop if she wanted to.

Melissa knew that a kiss or anything it might lead to wouldn't fix what had broken between them. That if they lived through the day tomorrow that it would take time for her to forgive him the way he would want her to. The way she would have to if they were to have any chance. She was sure he knew it too. But time was not their ally. Never was. And if this was her last night to live there was no one else on earth that she would want to spend it with and nothing else she would rather do.

She smiled softly, leaned in and kissed him again, softer this time, her tongue gently entering his mouth. He moaned lightly and the next time she opened her mouth she felt his tongue on hers. It was soft and warm and wet and felt so good. She felt a warm, almost numbing sensation deep inside of herself. The sensation spread through her body until it had taken up residence in every part of her. Every time Daryl plunged his tongue into her mouth gently she felt the warmness intensify and she was sure she had never wanted anything so badly. She wrapped her legs around his waist again, pulling his growing erection against the spread of her legs and Daryl quickened the pace and intensity of their kissing. She held the sides of his face and kissed him harder, their need for each other palpable in their pants and moans and gasps for air.

He reached up the back of her shirt, feeling the soft skin of her bare back underneath her tank top. He rubbed and gripped her softness in his strong hands as she matched each kiss, each prod of his eager tongue exactly, but it wasn't enough. His body missed hers and he needed her now.

She felt a tug on her shirt and she instinctively lifted her arms as he pulled her tank top over her head, only breaking their kiss long enough to allow her shirt to pass between their lips. She squeezed his shirt in her hands and pulled it up over his head without unbuttoning it. Daryl grabbed her hips and pulled her body toward his, her shorts sliding easily along the table's smooth surface as she crashed into him. He trembled at the sensation of their bare skin touching; her body so warm and soft.

Finding her hair, he gently ran his fingers down the length of the messy side braid that rested against her chest. When he got to the end he pulled out her hair tie. He stopped their kissing and looked into her eyes and she stared back as he slowly unwove the twists and turns she had created that morning. He let the braid come apart under his fingers until he was left with nothing but soft waves. Then, lightly sweeping her hair behind to her back, he bent down and kissed her neck softly. She tilted her head back, lost in the sensation. She felt him stop and opened her eyes to find he was once again looking down at her. She smiled at him gently and, as he took in all the glorious beauty that was her he knew that there was no one else that he ever could have belonged to, even before the world went to hell.

He put his mouth back to hers, kissing her slowly and tenderly, putting everything he ever wanted to tell her but couldn't into his kiss and she spoke his language. She kissed him back, running her hands through the back of his hair in the way he had so grown to love. She sucked his lips softly at the end of each kiss and she felt him squeeze her hips in the grip of his strong hands in response, causing her to slowly gyrate her hips toward his body. He pulled her lower half against his and pushed himself against her, giving her what she wanted while displaying his own need for her. He never wanted her to doubt how much he needed her again. He watched her mouth fall open as she felt his want for her between her legs. Turned on even more by her expression he leaned into her and pressed himself against her again.

Melissa's head fell back and Daryl held her from underneath as he pressed his weight onto her, gently lowering her back onto the table. He ran his hands over her breasts and she moaned softly as Daryl licked and nibbled her exposed skin, continuing to express his need for her through their clothes all the while. But he soon decided he'd had enough of that. Clothes were bullshit.

With a newfound sense of urgency, he pulled her shorts and underwear off at the same time. Melissa heard the clinking of his belt as he unfastened himself and she waited in breathless anticipation. Pulling his pants down just enough to free himself, he lifted her back up into a sitting position so he could look into her eyes and watch her become his. Then, using his hand as a guide he placed himself over her entrance and pushed his entire length into her in one thrust.

It was a cross between a gasp and a moan, the sound that escaped her lips as she felt him fill her. And he loved it. When he thrust a second time he felt the warm wetness of her heaven surrounding him and his own moan equally matched hers. Then he quieted the sounds of their lovemaking with a kiss before he really started to move.

When they were finished and he was finally able to move again he propped himself up onto his elbows, one at a time and gently placed his forehead onto hers. He lightly kissed her lips. She felt her eyes open, her senses and her consciousness slowly returning from the ether of her second orgasm. Her eyes looked up into his; her green eyes to his blue.

They were on the floor now, and as she looked around Melissa realized she had no idea how they had gotten there. All she knew is it was where they had ended up.

She stroked his too-long sideburns with her fingertips and returned his kiss. She never wanted the moment to end. She thought about running off into the woods with him, just the two of them, living off in the wild somewhere forever. Like Adam and Eve. If they had no apples she would eat squirrels every day, she didn't care. But she knew neither one of them was going to do that and she let the fantasy go. Their place was here.

She could tell by the way he lingered on top of her, the way he kissed and nuzzled her instead of dressing almost instantly as he had their first time, that he wasn't in a hurry to let the moment go either.

"Geez, you're shattered, aren't you?" Daryl said gently.

"Hmm?" She suddenly felt herself awaken. She hadn't realized she had fallen asleep. She opened her eyes to see Daryl looking down at her gently.

"Why don't you go inside get some rest," he offered regrettably, but tenderly, lightly running his fingers down her cheek.

She felt herself nodding off again at his soft touch and was forced to admit that he was right; she was wiped out.

"Okay," she conceded.

Daryl helped her to her feet, handing her a few pieces of her clothing before dressing himself.

"Can I take that inside for ya?" She offered, reaching out to take the waded up shirt in his hands that he used to empty himself into in an effort to be careful with her.

"Nah, I got it," he said as he put the rest of his layers on over his bare torso and Melissa pledged to herself that, if given the chance, they were going to start using the condoms she found so he wouldn't have to do that again. She wished she had brought one with her, but the truth was she never expected something like that would happen.

When they were both dressed he opened the door to let her outside. She crossed her arms over her chest as the cool air once again hit her skin in such a contrast from the warmth she had felt moments ago as Daryl's body covered hers.

She didn't mind that all he offered her once they were outside was a gentle nod goodnight. She smiled and turned, heading down the stairs less hastily than her earlier climb upwards. Saying the right things at the right moments had never been a stronghold of theirs anyway and, even if it had been, what could possibly be left to say that he hadn't just told her with his body? The way he held her tight, touched her softly and practically worshiped her with his mouth. She smiled to herself as flashbacks from their encounter already began to flash through her mind.

However, as she began to approach the cell block she once again found the space in her mind become occupied by thoughts of Rick's request. How could she possibly leave Daryl to fight without her if the time came, especially after what had just happened between them? She was sure that Daryl had no knowledge of Rick's request. She was confident that had he known he would have supported it, even encouraged her to go. But she also knew that if the situation was reversed that there was no way he would ever leave her to die. The conflict caused her chest to hurt and suddenly the weight and looming had surrounded her again and all traces of her post coital contentment were gone.

She thought of something her mother had said to her a few times as a child; that a good night's sleep can solve almost any problem, and she suddenly longed for her pillow.

As she lay under her covers she found herself once again examining the Cherokee Rose that Daryl had left for her. She watched the pedals spin gently as she carefully rolled the stem between the pads of two of her fingers. As she examined the flower from all angles she suddenly had a thought. What if she had never met him? What if he had never come back after he left with Merle days earlier? Or worse, what if he was taken from her tomorrow?

Each question she asked herself seemed to hurt her worse than the one before. She felt her eyes begin to fill up, but she pushed the sensation down, trying to imagine that somewhere, somehow, there could be a happy ending for them. A place where they could be safe. As she tried to picture that place in her head she fell asleep.

. . .

She dreamt of water, the sound of waves and a warm, soft breeze on her skin. And sunshine. She heard the sound of laughter, a child's laugh but younger, like a toddler. She saw tiny feet running in the sand, leaving tiny footprints in its wake. She heard the sound of her own laughter and she felt herself increase her pace as she attempted to catch up to the tiny feet running quickly and clumsily ahead of her. Just as she was about to reach down and grab him he was swept up by the strong hands of a man. The man blew on the little boy's belly and Melissa laughed warmly at the sound of the young, boisterous giggles.

That's when she realized, she was dreaming of their son.

Happy Sunday!

So, I originally wrote the scene where she finds the flower leading her to the Warden's Office to find Daryl there waiting for her. They were supposed to have a small conversation and hug, but no matter what I did I couldn't get the scene to feel right. I decided to re-write the scene entirely and found myself going a whole new direction that I hadn't planned on, but I suspected you guys would be happy about and, to be honest, the words flowed out of me so easily and I thought it turned out so beautiful that I had to leave it in. I admit I wanted to hold off on any further sex between them and keep the tension going for a while, but as I thought about it I realized that when you are fighting for someone it's the happy moments and times that you know you're meant to be with that person that keep you going and, let's face it, Melissa and Daryl were due for one of those times. However, that doesn't mean it's going to be all rainbows and butterflies moving forward. They still have some things to work out. So, that said, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope it's enough to fullfill your Sunday in the absence of the real thing. :)

Much love to ya'll!

Chapter 36 Playlist:

(These songs are the bomb dot com and fit so well within this chapter. I really hope you guys check them out!)

Florence + The Machine – Never Let Me Go

Daughter – Switzerland

Jonsi & Alex (Riceboy Sleeps) - Stokkseyri

R&R:

FanFicGirl10 - We'll have to see what she does and what that knowledge leads her to do. Thanks, as always. Hope you enjoyed the update!

dreamerforlife500 - Thank you so much and no worries! :) I'm glad to have you along for the ride!

VanityMayhem - I know, right? Talk about being under pressure and now that pressure is intensified. Working on a scene with Merle for a future chapter, most likely the next one that I hope you will enjoy.

SuspenseAhh - Thank you for your review. That's a good question. Might have to put some thought into that one. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! ;)

And a few I missed the last time around:

Dixon-Grimes - Your review made my day. I literally laughed out loud when I read it. Thank you so much. Glad to have you along for the ride!

KimberlySlater - So nice to hear from you and thank you for your lovely review. It means a lot to me. The feedback from you guys is one of the things that keeps me going, so thanks. :) I hope to continue hearing from you in the future!

Sportyreffy - Thank you so much and thank you for listening to the songs. I'm really into music, much like my O/C, and I love sharing it with you guys! Hope you are still enjoying the story!