A/N Thank you all so much! This chapter we're going to learn a little more about how Daryl and Connie's relationship blossomed. Enjoy!
It's a Little Lemony
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She's tough but it still takes the better part of a week before Daryl feels like she's fully back. Her deep brown eyes are clear again and her skin has regained its rich caramel color and silky texture.
In fact, he's decided she's doing better than he is. His whole-body aches from sleeping on the floor every night. He admits to himself he might be getting a little too old for that shit. He would have just taken a chance and crawled in bed with her if the bed were bigger, and there weren't people wandering in and out of the room all hours of the day and night.
For now he's standing over the bed watching her sleep and he can't help a small smile. He was so determined to find her and he planned to keep looking for as long as he was able, but he never really dared to hope he'd see her again.
Here she is though. She's right here with him and damn she's a beauty.
He knows it's out of the bag. People have been in and out of the room for days, they've all seen him there. Sure, some of them may have suspected he had feelings for her all along, but now there's no doubt. There's just one thing left to do. He needs to tell her how he feels.
That's his thought when her eyes flutter open again and she looks up at him and smiles. She signs, "You're still here. Don't you ever sleep?"
He surprises himself with how honest he is when he signs back, "Just what sleep I can get here with you. Not leaving you Connie."
She knows what he's saying and she keeps the promise she made to herself, signing back, "Good. I was hoping if I made it back here we would be honest."
He nods, even smiles a little shyly and signs, "It's time. I'm tired of fighting it."
She knows what he's talking about, she smiles back and signs, "You should kiss me."
He takes a quick look over his shoulder, they're alone. This isn't how he planned it, but shit, he's waited long enough. He smiles, leans down and kisses her. It's not deep and passionate, that's for another time. But it's warm and tender and perfect for the moment. He asks, "Tell me what happened."
He knows it's going to be awful, he knows a lot of it he won't want to hear. He'll be angry and there won't be anyone or anything to take that anger out on, but he just has to know. He wants them to be like that, those kind of people who tell each other everything.
He signs that to her and she nods and signs, "Yes, and I want you to tell me how you got each of your scars."
Fuck, that's a big ask. He never talks about that shit. Never. There's so many of them that he tries not to even think about or remember how they happened. But he wants her story and he'll give her his. He nods and signs, "Okay, you tell me everything too."
She makes the sign "yes" and then, "It will be good to know each other. Everything about each other."
They feel the same way, it's their past that built them. It turned them into the people they are now.
He signs, "Now that you're doin' better I'm going home and clean up. I stink."
She laughs but signs, "I want to go with you."
He weighs that as he looks into her eyes for a sign. Is this it? Will his place become their place now? He'll ask her when they get there. For now he holds out his hand to help her up and together they walk the short distance to his place.
They do make one stop, she's going to need clothes. Kelly gets them for her and as she hands them over to Daryl she smiles at the two of them, signing as she speaks, "It's about time you two."
It makes it easier for him that no one is surprised. He hates too much attention. He hates big deals.
They walk into his place and she smiles, "You need to clean." He's learned that about the deaf, they don't mess around. They tell it like it is.
He smiles, shrugs and signs, "I been busy." Then, "Sit, I'm going to shower."
She both shocks and thrills him when she makes fists with both hands, brings them together fist to fist, and rotates the joined fists in small circles, "Together."
He looks into her eyes and he can see she really is done pretending. He's done with that bullshit too. He nods as he answers back with the same sign. Bringing his fists together and making circles.
The shower is small but that doesn't matter. He has no plan to have his first romantic experience with Connie in a shower stall. Besides, right now what they both need more than anything is to clean up.
It's not all business though, they do manage to have a little fun. She washes his back and chest and he smiles when he grabs a wash cloth and washes hers. He lingers at her breasts, bends and kisses and softly licks each one. He feels the little shiver that goes through her, and he's got something going on of his own. He can feel himself responding to even this simple play.
It's been so long that he's waited for this, so long that he's wanted her. He wraps his arm around her back and draws her close as his hand slides over her mound. He cups her in his hand, smiling at the feel of the soft damp curls, and he can't resist letting his finger tease a little.
They're both aroused and anxious and the rest of the shower goes quickly. He dries her and she dries him, just before he bends at the knees and scoops her up in his arms.
He carries her to his bed. It's not really meant for two but that's okay. Neither of them cares. The closer the better.
They share a smile as he lays her down, then nudges her knee with the palm of his hand and she spreads her legs and he nestles his body between them. With his body laying over hers he kisses her deeply, smiles and then begins to kiss his way down her throat, across her shoulders and down her chest to her sweet full breasts.
He softly sucks and flicks his tongue across her nipples as her fingers weave and wind through his hair. He pinches and licks and catches her by surprise when he begins to bite. She's startled but it's soft and he's careful and she finds it arouses her even more.
Everything he does makes her tingle and she feels the dampness begin to spread between her legs, then his mouth is kissing, sucking and licking her skin as it travels down her body, while his finger has slipped inside her and it's working some kind of magic.
He raises up on his knees, lifts her legs to rest on his shoulders and she doesn't fight it, she goes along willingly. She's waited so long to give herself to this man. He smiles at her while he slowly slips his finger back inside her and her hips raise slightly in response.
They don't close eyes, they don't whisper words, she doesn't make noise. He's on his knees, she's on her back and his finger is inside her, the palm of his other hand softly gliding over her thighs and abdomen. They're looking at each other, watching each other, reading the messages in each other's eyes and facial expressions.
She places the fingers of your right hand against lips and moves the hand down to lay flat in the palm of her left hand, letting him know "good."
His response is to slide his body down so that his mouth is on her and he can taste the sweetness of Connie. Her slim but muscled legs are now laying on his back and his arms wrap loosely around her thighs. He pulls his mouth away just long enough to suck and kiss the tender skin of her inner thighs. Then his mouth is back on her and his tongue inside her, teasing that sweet little nub.
Everything the man does excites her and her body's reacting to him. She's squirming and her hips seem to have a will of their own as they attempt to break free of his hold and raise up. He knows she's in the sweetest kind of distress and he eggs it on, reaching a hand up to pinch her nipple while his tongue and mouth move faster and deeper.
Her reacting to him like she is gets him so aroused he thinks he might lose it right now, and then she seems to freeze for an instant and he knows. All of his attention goes to her as her whole body seems to be in motion and her fingers are tugging harder and harder at his hair and she let's herself go. Her body quivers and pulsates and he knows she's fighting for air. Yet he gives her no rest. He slides his own body up and before she quite knows what's happening he's inside her.
The shock of it, it's almost too soon. She should have had a moment to recover, but he's moving slowly at first. He's letting her catch her breath and she's kind of amazed to find herself instantly aroused again. His hands weave through her soft corkscrew curls as he smiles and then kisses her, enjoying the way her body is keeping perfect rhythm with his.
He can't hold back for long, he begins pumping harder, going deeper as once more his mouth is kissing and licking its way to her breasts. Her dark nipples are taut and ready, and again he's sucking, teasing and taking those devilishly delicious little bites.
He feels her once again begin to squirm and quiver, her hips moving faster and rising higher. He knows she's close, he is too but he's doing his best to hang on. He wants her to lead the way, and he wants her to feel happy that she trusted him with her body.
He feels it happening then, her body seems to freeze and then quake and shiver as her release comes. His follows right behind and as he comes his strokes get harder, deeper, faster, even his skin feels electrified. She can feel the vibration of his chest and throat and she knows he let out some kind of loud groan, maybe even a scream. It makes her happy knowing she brought him pleasure.
He collapses next to her. Both of them breathing hard, bodies damp with perspiration and smiles on their faces. She's surprised, happy and grateful when he props himself up on one elbow, looks down at her and makes the sign, "I love you."
Although she had no doubt he felt that, she wondered if he would ever tell her. She doesn't hesitate in responding with the same sign. They embrace, then laugh. Her laugh is silent and his is almost silent. Laughing out loud is not something he does often, but she makes him so happy.
That's what this is, happy laughter. They're happily satisfied, happily in love, and happy that they finally gave in to that love.
They hold each other for a while, neither anxious to let go of this new found closeness. When they finally breakaway they agree, another shower is in order. This time they're more relaxed and playful, and each wonders why they would ever again shower alone.
After the shower they open a jar of home canned green beans and one of tomatoes, jars that miraculously survived the war with the whisperers. As they eat they begin to tell each other their stories. Not just how they've lived and survived in this world, but how they lived and survived in the old world.
They don't emerge from his place for two days and no one bothers them. There's no reason to and everyone is just happy they've finally let down their walls and taken up housekeeping.
That's just what they do. She gives his place the kind of cleaning she prefers and moves her few possessions in.
They're not just happy together, they also make a formidable pair. They're fighters and survivors who are trusted unconditionally. Their extended family turns to them for guidance and to help find the needed supplies.
Sometimes Kelly joins them, but nowadays Kelly's just content knowing her sister's safe. She wants Connie and Daryl to have their time alone.
It's while they're on one of these runs that they find it.
Animals have become scarce since the whisperers and the herd came through, and they've had to go further and further out to find food.
Alexandria is close to sea level and although now overgrown, it's still a city. Before the world ended it was a city with many, many parks, but those carefully manicured parks have now almost completely returned to nature.
Still, the wildlife has not fully recovered, but if a person knows where to go there are always remote areas. Walkers don't tend to climb hills, so Daryl decides that's what they should do. Not climb some mountain, but increase elevation.
They're wandering up a tree covered hill, tracking a small herd of deer when they happen upon it. A small stone house easily a couple of hundred years old. Some family must have built it themselves, and that was obviously long before electricity. That's okay, they know how to live without it. There are signs someone had been using it sometime in the past few years, but certainly not lately. Not since the world ended.
It doesn't seem that anyone has stumbled across the place either, that's good. It's isolated and off the beaten path. It's also dusty and dirty but that's easy to fix..
They guess that whoever the last owners were used it as a fishing and hunting getaway. There's a woodstove for heat, a sofa and easy chair, a bookcase and a small table against the wall with an oil lamp and a chair. It appears to have been used as a writing table.
On the kitchen side of the room there's a kitchen table and chairs, a wood burning cook stove and a sink with a pump handle to draw water.
They venture through a doorway to a bedroom. The room contains a full size bed, highboy dresser, one night table and in the corner another sink with a pump handle and a big metal tub. He smiles and writes on the paper, "it's one a them en suite baths."
Aside from no indoor plumbing and no electricity it has everything they need. There's just a few dishes, more than enough for them, some cookware, also enough, bed linens and plenty of books on the bookshelves.
They venture outside and find the root cellar. It's rudimentary and that's perfect for their needs. There's a small dug-in storage that holds an ancient ax and an equally old shovel and rake. No matter, he has more tools he'll bring, if Connie says yes. There are also some large copper tubs. They know what they're for, laundry, baths, and soap and candle making.
He finds the well and there's also a nice stream within a short walk. They look at each other, talking with their eyes. They've been looking for a place to settle, a place for just the two of them for a while. He's hopeful when he signs, "Is this good enough to be home?"
She smiles and signs back, "Yes, I will be very happy here with you."
They take a day to clean it, her way, and smile often at their good fortune in finding it. But they also talk about their family. They won't just abandon them, but they agreed long before they don't choose to live a communal lifestyle. They want a home of their own where they can raise their family. Daryl especially seems to crave that.
Their family. It feels so good to think those words. They've known for a month or so they have a baby coming.
When the cleaning is done they wash up with water they've been warming on the cook stove, then hurry back into the bedroom. They're laughing as they plop down on the bed, and then officially christen the little stone house as their new home.
She's never felt so happy. Over time she's come to know and understand so many things about the rough and irascible redneck. Things most people would never suspect about him. In the private, intimate moments Daryl Dixon becomes an unbelievably tender and loving man.
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A/N Well now we know how it all officially began, and how Connie came to be in the little house having a baby. Please leave a comment. Next chapter we'll find out exactly where Daryl is and why he's not home yet. As always, there's a chapter photo on my tumblr blogs, gneebee and bethylmethbrick. Please check it out. I hope to see you all back next Tuesday for more of Waiting for you. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee