A/N - I'm soooo sorryyyyy! It turned out that working, having a family and the holidays was too much for me to keep up my story for the last few months. I feel terrible that I've neglected Melissa and Daryl and most of all, all of you guys, but never fear! We're riding this one out to the very end and I apologize from the bottom of my heart that ya'll had to wait this long for the next chapter. A million thank you's to everyone who's been reading, following and (especially) reviewing. I appreciate it so very much and I promise I won't make you wait so long for the next update.

That said, here we go. This is a bit of a filler chapter, but there's going to be some action in the near future! Enjoy!


Chapter 49

Melissa couldn't remember her dreams, but they must have been really good ones. She woke up feeling refreshed, rested and happy. She turned to her other side, slightly aware of a pain on the back of her shoulder, only it wasn't the shoulder that had been shot and it wasn't the same kind of pain. Her recovering bullet wound felt more like sudden stabbing sensations as opposed to the stinging she felt now. She suddenly remembered that Daryl had given her a tattoo the night before. She sat up quickly and turned her head to look at it, but couldn't see much of it over her shoulder. She felt the bed move and she turned her head, looking to the other side of the bed to see Daryl take a deep breath and his eyes open for the first time that morning.

"Hi," he said gently as his eyes focused on her.

"Hi," she whispered. She looked down at the bed, slowly recalling moments from the night before. She looked at Daryl's bedside table and saw the nearly empty bottle of whiskey and wondered if there was anything that might have happened that she didn't remember. She suddenly became aware that they were both fully dressed, so she didn't sleep with him sleep with him and felt a mixture of relief and disappointment at the same time.

"You okay?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah, I think so," she said, rubbing her eyes. "What happened last night?"

Daryl felt himself frown, considering the possibility that she didn't remember what a great time they had, but he sat up and forced his mouth into a straight line before she could notice. "Nothin. We drank, we talked-"

"You gave me a tattoo," she interrupted with a grin.

Daryl smiled softly. She remembered that. Of course, that was before they started drinking. "Right," he answered, meeting her eyes. Her grin expanded into a full smile and he couldn't help but match her expression. She was so warm. Daryl suddenly felt the overwhelming desire to touch her, but like he had on so many prior occasions he kept his hands to himself. He reminded himself that that wasn't what she needed right now and decided instead to move across the room to the chair and put his boots on.

"You leavin?" She asked, trying not to sound disappointed.

"Thought I'd better get outta here before everyone wakes up and starts making assumptions."

Melissa nodded in understanding. If her first thought upon seeing him in her bed was to check that they were still fully clothed she could only imagine what the others would think knowing he'd slept in her room last night. Not that she would have cared if something had happened, but the more she thought about it the more she realized that the only thing worse than nothing happening was everyone thinking something happened when it, in fact, didn't. She raised her eyebrows at the thought and figured that when they were both ready, if it felt right, maybe they could try it all that again. If not, well, she didn't want to think about that. But as she watched him she thought to herself that at least she had part of him. He was there with her, after all. Not because he had to be but because he wanted to be. Romance or not he was her person and she was his. They both knew that. And as she watched him finish tying his last boot she felt grateful that at least she had that.

"You're my best friend," she heard herself utter without meaning to. She felt her eyes widen at the sudden confession. She nearly slapped her hands over her mouth in utter shock. The expression on his face as he froze and looked up at her was a cross between complete surprise and utter happiness and it made her realize what she'd said might have been okay. She waited for his response, unsure of what else to do.

He paused a moment, looking down at the floor. Then he leaned on his elbows and stared straight into her eyes. "You're mine," he said gently. He meant it. There was no denying that.

Melissa felt her mouth open slightly. She'd just confessed something she felt about him and he'd told her how he felt too. She realized what a big deal that was; how far he had come since the last time they were on Hershel's farm. It suddenly made her want to try other things as well, but before she could say or do anything else he stood, grabbing his crossbow out of the chair and strapping it around his shoulder.

"I'll see ya later," he said, walking around the bed and out the door.

Melissa couldn't help but wonder if he was running for the hills or if he really did need to go. Maybe he had watch. Maybe he felt they'd had enough confessions for one day. Baby steps, she reminded herself. Baby steps.

. . .

The afternoon sun was warm against his skin. Daryl wiped the sweat off his forehead with his arm as he leaned his back against a tree and cleaned his bolts with a rag. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and glanced up briefly to see Rick walking toward him from the house and he quickly went back to his bolts.

"Need any help?" Rick asked.

"Nah, last one," Daryl replied.

"Melissa seems much better today," Rick said after a pause.

"Yeah?" Was all Daryl managed to get out, as if he didn't already know.

"What happened yesterday?"

Daryl shrugged. "We had a good day, that's all." He gently smiled to himself in recollection. It had been a really good day, actually.

"So things are better with her now?"

Daryl looked up at Rick for the first time, wondering what that question was supposed to mean. Wasn't it obvious that she felt better? Hadn't Rick just admitted she seemed like she felt better? Daryl wondered if he was pressing the issue in case he felt like he needed or wanted to talk about it, which he didn't. It wasn't anyone else's business what did or didn't happen between them.

"Serously?!" They suddenly heard from the direction of the house. Rick turned and Daryl stood, looking to see Maggie trudging down the porch steps. She walked toward them quickly, an annoyed expression on her face.

"Maggie! Come on," Glenn yelled after her, following her out of the house.

At first Daryl assumed the two had had some kind of lover's quarrel, but Maggie walked straight up to Daryl, a determined look stuck on her face. "You got her drunk and gave her a tattoo? Have you lost your mind?"

Daryl glanced at Rick who raised his eyebrows before turning his attention back to Maggie. "It worked, didn't it?" He answered defensively. "Look how much better she feels."

"She's not your prison buddy or a member of your biker gang, Daryl. She needs real help," Maggie lectured, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Down, girl. It wasn't just that, okay? I talked to her. Got her to open up, just like your Pop's wanted me to."

"You got her drunk on whiskey and cut her skin with the same knife you use to kill walkers."

"Glenn, can you call off your dog?"

"Please don't drag me into this," Glenn murmured from behind, refusing to get involved.

"Alright, everybody hold on a second," Rick interceded looking around. "Where's Melissa right now?" He didn't want to make a scene with her around, knowing it would surely make her uncomfortable.

Maggie gestured back at the house. "She's inside… singing Judith to sleep."

Nobody said a word. After a beat Daryl raised his eyebrows and put his hands on his hips. "You're welcome," he mocked.

Rick raised a hand to his mouth to suppress a smile. Maggie looked around to see he wasn't the only one. No one else seemed nearly as bothered by Daryl's unorthodox way of getting through to her.

"Fine," Maggie conceded. "But if she gets an infection it's on you."

Daryl nodded, trying to appear serious, but he couldn't help but grin as Maggie walked back to the house. Rick turned to face him, giving him a look.

"What?" Daryl smiled.

Rick took a deep breath, placing his hands on his hips. "I'd better go get Hershel. Have him go check up on Melissa's prison tat," Rick uttered, attempting to keep a straight face.

Daryl smiled again then forced his own face straight. "Ah, hell. I'll get him." It was his doing after all.

Daryl walked inside, searching for Hershel. Unable to find him on the first floor he made his way up the stairs. And he was halfway up when he heard Melissa's voice. Remembering what Maggie said about how Melissa was singing Judith to sleep he slowed and quieted his steps so that his boots no longer made a noise on the wooden floor. Her voice sounded pretty and sweet and he suddenly forgot why he'd come inside, drawn to her sound. He followed her voice to her room. The door was open less than half way, but enough for him to see her holding the baby. She was standing up, looking out the window of her room, swaying gently from side to side. Judith was lying against her chest, her tiny arms wrapped around Melissa's small frame. Her head leaned against Melissa's shoulder, but Daryl couldn't tell whether or not Judith's eyes were closed.

He leaned gently against the door frame and watched her, listening to her sing.

I never made promises lightly

And there have been some that I've broken

But I swear in the days still left we will walk in fields of gold

We'll walk in fields of gold

Many years have passed since those summer days

Among the fields of barley

See the children run as the sun goes down

As you lie in fields of gold

You'll remember me when the west wind moves

Among the fields of barley

You can tell the sun in his jealous sky

When we walked in fields of gold

When we walked in fields of gold

We walked in fields of gold

She hummed a beautiful and sad melody at the end of the song that Daryl had never heard before. As he watched her he couldn't help but think that she was born to be a Mother. She would have made a great one and he felt a sense of overwhelming sadness at the realization that it probably was never going to happen for her. It wasn't fair; how some people got to be parents and then someone like Melissa didn't. He felt his eyes tear up and he looked away from her to stop the overwhelming sensation. He refused to allow himself to think about how close she had come to having her shot at being a Momma. Truth was he'd missed his chance too; his chance to right his own father's wrongs. It wouldn't happen for him either. He wished he could forget. He wished, like her, that he'd never known.

He shook his head, taking a silent breath and wiped his eyes, making himself go back downstairs to look for Hershel.


Chapter 49 Playlist:

Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold

Again, a million thank you's to those of you who have/are paying attention to my story. I really am trying hard to make something good for you all and I hope you are enjoying it. That said, please review review review. Let me know what you think. I want to hear your feedback. What did you think of this chapter? Where do you want this story to go? What or who do you want to see? Feedback means the world to an author, good or bad, so please... bring it! :p