All the Time in the World

"You take care of your Dad and Deadpool while I'm gone." Nugget bottom lip quivered as she hugged her stuffed animal closer. "I love you the most."

She sniffled and tears fell down her rosy red, chubby cheeks. "Love you the mostest too Awex."

Her tiny arms wrapped around my neck and I struggled to keep my own tears from falling. Hugging her tight I stood, bringing the little girl with me. Maybe Rick wouldn't notice if I smuggled her out.

"I'll come visit soon," I promised.

Nugget's only response was another sniffle. Daryl reached over, prying the tiny human off me and holding her close. He whispered soothing words that instantly calmed the sad little girl. Daryl was a redneck baby whisperer.

Everyone was gathered at Hilltop's front gate to see us off. So far we'd said our goodbye's to almost everyone and there wasn't a dry eye in sight. We insisted this wasn't forever, simply a hillbilly-esc vacation, if such a thing existed. Still, it was the first time we'd voluntarily separated from the group, and it made everyone anxious.

Francine's eyes and nose were red and I pursed my lips, wrapping my arms around the smaller woman before she could say anything. I promised I would see her soon which brought on another round of tears. Merle gently pulled his wife away much like Daryl had done with Nugget, handing her off to Beth and Maggie, the sisters resting their heads on each of her shoulders.

Merle looked uncomfortable with the emotional turmoil which was comforting. It was nice to know that in the midst of so much uncertainty some things never changed.

"Ya take care of Darlina, ya hear?"

Nodding I smiled. "I always do."

"Come on, let's get this over with."

He grabbed my arm, hauling me against him in a rough embrace. My arms circled his waist as I rested my chin on his shoulder.

"I'm gonna miss you too Captain Hook." He mumbled something I couldn't make out and I looked at him. "Are you crying?"

"Hell no!" He pulled away, angrily swiping at his eyes like they'd betrayed him by leaking fluid. "It's the goddamn dust."

"Your secret's safe with me."

I squeezed his hand, giving him a soft smile. Daryl stopped by my side, the two brothers starring at each other for a beat before they both took a step forward, initiating the time-honored tradition of the "boy hug".

"Make sure ya leave a trail," Merle reminded us for the millionth time.

Daryl huffed, "Ain't got no choice." He hooked a thumb in my direction with a half-hearted eye roll. "This one's like a bull in a china shop."

"Ex-cuse me!" They both laughed, dismissing my outrage with an identical wave of their hands. "Not that this conversation isn't as titillating as the Mormon Kama Sutra, but can we go?"

Merle hooted, slapping his leg in amusement. Shaking my head I picked up my pack, slinging it on my shoulders. Carl was now holding Nugget, Deadpool holding his hand as they waved goodbye from the porch. Carol gave her best friend a kiss on the cheek, making him promise to be careful and visit soon.

Over the course of the last few weeks we said our goodbyes to everyone hoping to make this day as painless as possible. Explanation about why we were leaving weren't necessary. If anyone understood the need for space so we could heal, it was our group. At one time or another we'd all been there and would likely be again.

Daryl's hand slid into mine and I smiled up him as we made our way to the front gate. The guards gave us a finger wave, opening the gate. Glancing over my shoulder I saw everyone standing side-by-side watching us leave, some with tears in their eyes, some with smiles, some with what looked a lot like hope. I watched them until the gate finally closed then with a heavy sigh I scanned the perimeter.

"Ya sure 'bout this?"

Daryl was watching me carefully. I'd been cleared by Sid weeks ago, but he insisted we wait until I was 100% before leaving. The second my vision improved I started packing, but Daryl's idea of 100% and mine were drastically different. My definition meant being kind of see and walk without tripping most of the time.

Daryl's way of testing if I was ready was to haul me outside, hand me a knife, and gesture to a pole about 10-feet away. The first time I threw it I almost hit Gabby who was standing 15 feet to the right doing an impromptu sermon. The second time it sailed over the pole, landing in the middle of a group Apocalypse Barbie was teaching hand-to-hand combat. After my second close call my husband decided to pick a pole in a more remote location.

On my third attempt I actually hit the pole. To celebrate my achievement I unleashed my best victory dance, but my other half was still skeptical. He produced a second knife and demanded a repeat performance. When the second knife veered hard left, embedding itself in the blacksmith's hut with a loud thump I conceded defeat.

It took two additional weeks until I was back to my old self, meaning I could throw a knife and not accidently kill someone. Now if I impaled someone I couldn't blame it on being blown up which was kind of a downer. Having an excuse for murder was handy in a pinch. Just sayin'.

Daryl wouldn't hesitate to go back if I said the word, but the truth was I needed this as much as he did. We'd been outside Hilltop for less than a minute, weren't even out of sight of the gate, and already it felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

"I'm good."

The corners of his lips twitched, and he nodded. "Where ya wanna go Red?"

Looking around I shrugged. "I have no fucking idea," I smiled.

He grinned. "A'right then."

He took the lead, the two of us walking in relative silence. We knew each other so well words, for the most part, were unnecessary. A subtle nod of the head or flick of the wrist was all we needed to speed up, slow down, or change directions. It reminded me of the beginning, when we lost the farm and spent the winter on the road.

It never ceased to amaze me that some people made it this far without having to survive like that. I wasn't sure who the lucky ones were in that scenario. In my experience it was only a matter of time before things went south. It was better to be prepared for shit to hit the fan than to get complacent behind high walls.

In hindsight maybe we should have discussed where we were going to go or at the very least, what we were looking for before we set out. We walked for hours, finding several places I thought were sufficient to set up camp only for the Legolas to grunt and insist we keep moving.

It was like traveling with a redneck Goldilocks, one place was too open, one was too closed off, another was too far from water, and the next too close. If I ever wondered what it would be like to be in an apocalyptic episode of House Hunters I now knew. I gotta say, it wasn't that much fun.

"What about here?"

Daryl bit his thumbnail, walking circles around the small clearing next to a bubbling river. Sighing I shrugged off my pack, leaning against a tree and letting my feet slide out from under me. If this inspection was anything like the last hundred potential homesites we were going to be here for a while. Who knew Daryl was so picky?

The one and only thing we agreed in terms of the location for our new home was it had to be no more than a day's walk from Hilltop. The proximity meant if we found ourselves in a tight spot we could get back quickly.

My husband made another loop, kicking over rocks and inspecting the riverbank with a critical eye. In my opinion it didn't get much better than this. It was close to a water which meant access to fresh food and water, and a fast getaway if the occasion called for it. The area was relatively open with no hills surrounding us which meant no one could sneak up on us without being seen, and at least for now the walker population was low. I checked the Yelp reviews and that was about as five-star as it got these days.

I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew he was nudging my foot with his boot. "Yeah, I'm up."

"Let's set up camp."

My mouth fell open, eyes wide. "Seriously?" He glared at me and I smiled triumphantly. "Lucky number 101!"

"Pain in my ass," he grumbled, dropping his own gear.

We worked efficiently to setup our camp. It would take days, if not weeks, to get something semi-permanent setup and protected but for now we'd settle for the basics, fire pit, tent, and security perimeter made of cans. I quickly gathered firewood and then got to work setting up the trip wires.

"Gonna see if I can find us some dinner," he announced, picking up his crossbow and disappearing in the woods.

It took me over an hour to set up the perimeter safety lines. When I finally made it back to camp the fire was roaring, a stick perched above the flames with a dead animal roasting. Brushing the last of the sticker burrs off my jeans I leaned over the fire, inspecting dinner.

"What is it?" Daryl pursed his lips, refusing to meet my eyes. "Katniss?"

"Possum." I closed my eyes and seriously considered returning to Hilltop. I hated possum. "Ain't that bad." I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest and sitting down next to him on a log. I grimaced watching the fat from the possum drip into the fire. "Starrin' at it ain't gonna change nohtin'."

"I'm just a girl, standing in front of a possum, asking it to be anything else."

He snorted, poking the fire with a stick. The smile on his face slipped away as he took a deep breath. "Sorry, it was all I could find and I was losin' the light."

"It's fine." I cleared my throat, using my finger to turn his chin until he was facing me. "Really."

I slipped my hand into his, giving him a genuine smile to let him know everything was OK, even burnt possum for dinner. It was no secret he worried leaving the safety of the communities was a mistake. We had no one to rely on now here but each other. If we wanted food we had to find it. It we were thirsty we had to boil water. There may not be many luxuries that survived the end of the world, but we'd forsaken them all when we left.

We ate in silence. If I knew Daryl, and I was pretty sure I did, he was compiling a list a mile long of everything we needed to do. Me, I was chewing and swallowing mechanically, using copious amounts of water to wash the meat down before it touched a taste bud while hoping I didn't puke on his boots.

"Yur lookin' a lil' green."

I swallowed down the last of the marsupial and grimaced. "Taste like chicken."

He snorted, unrolling our sleeping bags. We were lucky it was such a nice night. We'd need to build a shelter to protect us from the elements tomorrow but tonight the weather was pleasant. Kicking off my boots I laid on top of my sleeping bag, one hand behind my head as I gazed up at the inky, black sky. Daryl settled in next to me, eyes constantly roaming the pitch-black woods surrounding us.

"Is that the big dipper?" I asked, biting my lip to keep from laughing.

At first, I wasn't sure if he remembered the conversation we'd shared on top of a bus outside a prison in Georgia, but when he gazed down at me I saw the sparkle in his eyes.

"Ya still suck at star gazin' Red."

"At least I'm consistent," I shrugged. "Maybe if you came over here and showed me, personally, I'd get better at it."

The humor in his eyes turned to molten lust in a heartbeat. He didn't hesitate, rolling over and caging me in with his body. His elbows were on either side of my head, his body positioned between my legs. I locked my heels behind his back, squeezing my legs to pull him closer.

"We're gonna fuck in the dirt, ain't we?"

I wiggled my eyebrows at him. "Maybe a little bit."

I pulled his head down, pressing our lips together. His tongue darted out, swiping across my lower lip and I moaned, arching my back. I could do this for the rest of my life and never get tired of it. The need for oxygen pulled us apart and he rested his head on my forehead.

"Don't want to hurt ya."

I held his face in my palm and he leaned into it, closing his eyes. "I'm fine. I promise."

Sid had given me a clean bill of health, but it hadn't stopped Daryl from worrying. Clearly it was going to take a little more convincing which I was more than happy to provide.

Before he knew what was happening I'd rolled our bodies, repositioning us so I was straddling him. I grinned mischievously at him, slowly trailing my hands down his chest until I reached his belt. I raised my eyebrows, slowly unlatching it. He swallowed hard but said nothing. I could feel him under me, hard with need and I ground my hips into his. He hissed between clenched teeth, hands digging into my hips.

"Don't worry, I'll go slow, just the tip. You won't feel a thing," I purred.

"Smartass."

I laughed, unzipping his pants and slowly moving down his body to pull them off. He didn't take his eyes off me. Hell, I was pretty sure he didn't blink. His erection sprang free and my hand immediately gripped it, stroking slowly up and down. He cursed, hands curled into fists at his side.

When my mouth closed around his shaft his hips bucked violently and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. He reached forward, pulling my hair from ponytail. My long hair cascaded over my shoulders and he buried his hand in it, urging me to move. I obliged, licked and sucking, my hand working in tandem to bring him to the brink.

"Fuck. Red, ya gotta stop or..."

"Or what?" I smiled, rolling my tongue around his head.

He lunged forward, grabbing my shoulders and pulling me up. "Yur overdressed."

"By all means." I waved a hand down my body with a grin.

He didn't hesitate, all but ripping my clothes off. The way he looked at me, it felt like he was kissing me with his eyes. He hadn't even touched me yet and I was quivering with desire.

He knew exactly what I needed, kissing me soundly, domineering strokes of his lips and tongue teasing me slowly. He wasn't rushing because he knew how to wait, knew it made everything that much sweeter with every agonizing second he delayed. When he finally slid his tongue against mine in a slow deep thrust that slipped past my lips to invade my mouth I couldn't stop the moan of pleasure or jerk of my hips.

If someone had told me a few years ago that a man could bring me to the brink with just a kiss I'd have called them fucking delusional.

Then I met Daryl Dixon.

He kissed me like the whole world was ending and this might be his last chance, like a man who knew what it was like to lose everything.

My arms slipped around his neck, fingers buried in his hair, pulling him closer even though there wasn't a stitch of clothes or space between us. The slightest increase in my breathing or buck of my hips drove him crazy, like pouring gasoline on a raging fire. He nipped at my earlobe, licking his way down my neck, his large, calloused hands worshiping every inch of my body.

He was on top of me, and I marveled, yet again, at how our bodies fit together. It was like we were made for each other. His gaze was smoldering, hungry, making the heat flare almost painfully between my legs. Curling my fingers into his long hair I pulled hard and he hissed, a devilish smirk on his face. He massaged my breasts, thumb rolling over my nipple before squeezing slightly. I couldn't stop my ensuing gasp of pleasure, didn't want to.

"Daryl," I moaned, "Please."

He was more than happy to oblige.

"It's been too long Red." Amen brother. "I wanna take my time, taste every inch of ya." Holy shit on a shingle. Was it possible to have an orgasm just listening to someone talk? "But I can't wait. I'm gonna take ya hard and fast this time."

Hard and fast.

This time.

Oh.

My.

God.

Words failed me, a wild, raw sound of agreement my only response as I dug my nails into his shoulder.

"Ya ready?"

"Hell yes," I all but whined, arching my back in anticipation.

He rocked his hips forward, one thrust driving him into to me to the hilt as we both gasped. For a moment he didn't move, eyes closed, face pinched as he lay there buried inside me.

"You mentioned something about hard and fast."

He finally opened his eyes, looking down at me and I smiled, moving my hips, desperate to increase the friction between us.

He growled and it reminded me of thunder, and then he was moving, snapping his hips hard and fast, crashing into me again and again. I couldn't help but tighten around him which only spurred him on. Biting my lip, I rocked my hips in rhythm with him, feeling the slow ache of pressure building in my core. I felt like I was on fire, inside and out, and boy what a wonderful way to go.

We fucked like we fought, passionate, relentless, an intricate dance of give and take. Every thrust he delivered wrecked me and must have done the same to him because he moved faster and faster until I wasn't sure who was pushing and who was pulling.

"Come for me Red. Come with me!" he snarled and I could tell he was close but I was too focused on my own imminent orgasm to respond verbally.

My stomach clenched, legs tightening around his waist. He roared, driving deep into me and that was all it took. An electric charge exploded inside of me, ripping through my body so intensely I was momentarily blinded. He shouted my name and I could feel his own release as his dick expanded and jerked deep inside me.

It took a moment for both of us to come down, catch our breath. He kissed my forehead tenderly before rolling over on his back, his hand slipping into mine. We lay there, panting, staring at the stars, butt ass naked.

"Hard and fast gets my vote," I joked. He snorted, pulling me into his arms. "What's the encore?"

His chest rumbled under my cheek. "Guess you'll just have to wait and see."

Snuggling into his side I smiled, "I've got all the time in the world."


Woah, is it hot in here or is it just me? LOL

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Any guesses on what's to come?

Until next time...