I do not own the walking dead or its characters. Please leave some feedback. I recently got back into writing, and this is the first time I have taken it more seriously. I have revised the first to chapters(prelude and chapter one), and will be re uploading them later on.
I am also open to story line suggestions, PM with ideas and credit will be given if I use them.
I want this to be a long story with lots of interesting things happening. I really don't want to use much of TWD story line since it is heavily used in fanfic. All characters are open for write ins, even dead ones. Who cares, this is a fantasy lol.
Chapter Two
Aspen Mayors
I wake up to the slamming of the storm cellar doors, I jump from the comfort of my semi-warm bed and am greeted by Daryl slamming the door closed and walking in the room.
"Get your stuff, let's get up in the house. I hardly slept it was so damn cold." he says bluntly.
"You got the keys?" I asked behind a yawn.
"I ran out when the storm broke, but it's not done. There is snow piling up outside still. I pulled the truck closer so that I wasn't out in this shit storm," he said wrapping up his sleeping bag and grabbing his carry on. I grabbed my things, as well the last two bottles of wine and the cards from last night.
"Aren't you going to put the wood stove out?" I said with sleepy concern, putting my sweater and coat on over it to bundle up.
"Nah, just embers anyway. It'll cool off and die soon, hurry the wind is still strong." He grabbed my bag and reached up to shove the door open. "You snore loud, that's what really kept me awake." He said before stepping out into the brisk winter morning, the sun was barely making way, but even then, the cloud coverage was so severe I imagine we wouldn't see it much the day.
Running around the house, Daryl behind me closing the storm door, I make my way up the steps to my home, wind blowing me almost off my feet as I reach the door. I turn and see Carol waving out her window across the street and I wave back, a big dorky smile on my face, half asleep, nonetheless. She blows kisses at us for our safe arrival last night, I assume. The group figured we stayed out, but I could see relief on her face as she stood in the window waving to Daryl as he rushed up and unlocked the door, giving Carol a nod and then pushing the door open and making his way inside. I followed but made sure to turn to wave bye to Carol as we both used our body weight to close the door and lock it.
"Phew," I make an exaggerated eyebrow wipe at the top of my forehead. "That was rough, I can't believe this is still going on." Walking into my living room, I make my way to the fireplace and check to see that I have wood next to it, a few pieces. I look around and notice there is no electricity, "the solar panels must be covered with snow. There's no point in going out to dust them since they will just fill with snow anyway." I say lowering by bag, I go on, "I'll grab all the blankets from the beds upstairs and you get the fire going, close all the windows too. We need to keep as much heat in as possible."
I run up the stairs, grab the bedding from the two spare rooms, and grab the bedding from my bed and closet. I rush down and toss them to the side of the couch, removing the cushions and reveling the pullout bed from the couch, I pull it up and outward to open it. I pick up my blankets and set them on the couch bed, looking around I don't see Daryl. I set the other blankets next to his bag on the recliner inside. Continuing, I grab some books, and puzzle books to keep us entertained. I contemplate more wine, but my, now dying phone, says its barely 9:45am. Too early to be drunk.
The front door bursts open and Daryl comes through, I rush over to help him close it and see he has brought wood from the storm cellar inside. We locked the door again, and I noticed he'd gone out for the guns we had left in the van as well. I give him a scolding look.
"It's not safe out there." I said, "you'll catch a cold."
"Just a myth, you can't get sick from being cold." He said, grabbing his cross bow and reaching for the door handle, "stay here," he points to me," I'm going to check on everyone else, I'll be back in an hour." I placed my hand on his arm to stop him.
"Ok, but can you wear I jacket?" I ask, in an almost angry tone now walking through the kitchen to the coat closet and reaching for a large coat with a fuzzy hood, clearly a famine one that had been here before I was here. I walked back and motioned him to turn around, which he begrudgingly does, and I slip the jacket on and turn him around to adjust the front, it fits perfect, and I laugh inside. I start to zip up the coat and look up at Daryl, he's impatiently waiting and looking away, "I can do this all day" I start giving him the same attitude, "don't be such a hard ass. I'm allowed to care about your safety," I say, having finished zipping the coat up I lift the fuzzy hood for added measure and embarrassment on his end.
He does a turnaround gesture and motions his arms out as if saying 'how does it look, can I go now mom' with that same impatient look, but added a semi-smile.
"Yes, now you can go and bring back some meat from the pantry, if you can, I want to make a stew." I half smile, a feeling bubbling up inside of me once again. He turns and opens the door and before closing it I blurt out, "Don't keep a girl waiting now," as a half joke but he opens the door back up and nods in a meaningful way that lets me know he will be back, sooner than later. He pulls the door closed and I help inside by pushing.
Left to my own devices I decide to check the taps in the kitchen to see if there is running water, and there is, albeit extremely fucking cold. I shudder, do I dare take a quick shower in this icy water? The answer is a clear hole in my logic because I joyfully take my ass upstairs to my bedroom but not before grabbing my bag from the front door and bringing my phone in the kitchen to charge up. Locking the door behind me, I gather a few towels and some really warm winter wear for afterwards. Socks, lady's boxer briefs and heavy sweats to counteract the cold warfare I am about to bring on myself.
I let the water run in what seems like eternity before bringing my naked self to enter the shower. I let out a yelp, hoping that it would go unheard by my neighbor, Rick. "Don't want to alarm anyone to how big of an idiot I am." I say to myself, reaching for the shampoo I begin to lather it in, the cold setting in faster and I quicken my pace. Conditioner in while I wash my body, using a lovely scent called gingham love. It smells of sweet rose meringue and warm red berries, it matches the lotion on my dresser. I have a menagerie of different soaps, body mists and lotions during my time alone. Since it was all readily available, I did not see a point in letting it decay on a shelf in the bath and body works back home. I had carried around a bunch of unnecessary shit in the beginning, soaps, lotions, candles, and the likes. Creature comforts really. I rinse out the conditioner and hurry out of the brisk water, my lips turning a lovely shade of blue-ish pale I can see in the mirror. I dry off and quickly get dressed, I notice the lights flicker on and I think to myself what Daryl has been doing out there this whole time, I assume he has gotten with Rick and maybe Carol to get the power back on for a few hours.
Wrapping my hair in a towel the heater kicked on, damn if I had waited a bit longer, I would have had a nice bath, warm and cozy instead of the fridged cold shower I took. I felt clean though and that is what I really wanted. I didn't feel dirty by any means, but it just feels nice to be cozied up and clean for a book reading shesh. I headed downstairs to an empty kitchen, part of me sad, hoping he had come back by now, but I realize that he is a highly valuable person in this community. Nonetheless I continue with my plans, I check the heat and bump it up from 75 to 85, it's extremely cold out. The windows are frosted over, that's how cold it is.
Gathering a book from the shelf in the living room, I evenly spread the blankets before crawling up onto the pull-out bed from the couch. I'm wondering when Daryl will be back, I really want to get that stew simmering soon. The longer it simmers the more tender it will be. I know the produce I have in the fridge is fine, it was nearly below 50 degrees inside earlier. Looking around I remember the fireplace hasn't been started, but is there really a point since the heat is back on? Why the Hell not? It's winter, it's snowing, and it might be...a bit romantic? I internally grown at myself, I'm so weird. I get up and start the fire like I should have, almost an hour ago now, which is an hour he has been gone. I'm starting to feel a bit weird by myself, but I remind myself crushes are normal, who cares? I'm fucking 30 years old; I can like who I want for fucks sake, hopefully I will just keep it to myself, the last thing I need is a relationship to maintain.
After what feels like another half hour the door opens, Daryl comes barreling back in, bags in hand and what appears to be his companion dog named, "Dog," I yell, the mutt runs over to me on the bed and jumps up in excitement. I laid loving dog smooches all over the pup, giving baby talk and ear scritches. Getting up I mosey into the kitchen to see what's been brought for me to work with.
"Ain't much, just some venison, carrots and celery." He said, grabbing a pot from below and setting it on the counter for me.
"This will be fine," I say smiling at him, grabbing my cutting board I get busy on the stock for the stew. "I can get this going, why don't you take a warm shower since you were out so long."
Accidentally brushing into his side, he looks at me and says, "did you take a cold shower? I know the water heater wasn't working an hour ago."
"What gave it away?" I laughed, "was it the near hypothermia I caught doing so, or the fresh smell of a flower shop you could walk by back in the day?"
"Your lips are slightly blue," he says matter of fact.
"No shit, really? I thought that would have cleared up by now, I didn't think it would be that big of a deal." I shrugged, getting back to my work at hand. The pot was now filled with water, and the stove was on, setting it to a near boil. Adding the produce, onion, carrot etc.
"That's not good, you should go get warm." He says, removing my hands from the workstation, shock overtaking me at this response, and he leads me to the living room and tucks me into the pull-out bed. "Dog, sit with Aspen." He orders his obedient dog, and he obliges. Looking back at me he goes on, "I will finish getting the stew set up, take a warm shower and then you will get in a warm bath if your lips are still blue tinted." I rolled eyes, "hey if you can care about my warmth and safety, I can do the same," he says popping the collar on the ridiculous coat I put on him earlier in the morning.
"Ok, yea this is just pay back for making you wear that in the snow." I cross my arms, looking at dog I give him some pets and lay back to my propped pillow and grab my book, "Fine, have it your way. I can just read." Opening my book, I go back to the first few pages and reread them to catch back up on where I was. Feeling him brooding at me I look up, "can I help you?"
"Nah, I was just wondering what kind of crazy you have to be to take a cold shower when its below freezing outside." He retorts with a small, but cute chuckle. My heart strings swoon, why is this friendly playful banter getting to me? "Just relax, enjoy the snow in, storm is picking back up anyways, I had seen some big gray clouds coming this way again, we're not going anywhere for another day or so. Rick and I will take turns making sure there is power every 6 hours or so. We spent the better part of an hour getting an old diesel generator up and going to charge the battery banks for the solar. It will give us a week; everyone is bundled up at Carol's or Rick's to conserve power. They said we are fine where we are." He finished, pulling a walkie talkie from his back pocket, and tossing it on the end table between the couch and recliner, "We use this only in emergencies and to communicate when out checking the power."
Daryl comes out from the upstairs bathroom and waltz downstairs to the living room, calling my name out surprised I wasn't down there, he makes his way into the kitchen and finds me red handed with the second bottle of wine open, and a half eaten pb&j sandwich in my hand. I raise the sandwich to my head making a gesture to indicate I thought ahead on the drinking with an empty stomach then take another bite out of it. I motion to the center island, where I left another pb&j sandwich accompanied by a glass of wine. He shakes his head and grabs the sandwich, taking an animalistic bite out of it, and sipping on the wine.
"I hope the others don't get jealous when I tell them about this gourmet meal I had, thanks." He says, enjoying another rather large bite and downs the rest of the wine, he contorts his face, "I'll tell them to skip the wine, shits rank. Gives a killer buzz though, for only being 3pm trapped in a blizzard, I say this is probably the best way to spend it."
Swooning internally at that statement, I catch my heart in my throat and swallow it down with the last bite and chug of my wine glass. I turn to the pot and dowse a small amount of the wine into the pot, "this will add a bit of flavor, but the alcohol will render down. I'm not sure if this s a good cooking wine or not but I am using it anyway." I finish deglazing any of the meat from the bottom of the pan and add some more water followed by beef bouillon. I glance behind me and see that Daryl is finishing his sandwich and rinsing his glass in the sink. I take note of what he is wearing, soft pajama pants, and a warm flannel type shirt. He walks over to the thermostat, to turn it down since it was getting rather toasty in here and he leaves into the living room. I hear the tv click on and the rummaging of DVD cases from the shelf opposite side of the bookshelf in the living room.
I leave the kitchen to see him thumbing through the movies, he grabs one and shakes his head, and asks himself quietly, "what is this hot garbage?" sets it back.
"What, you never seen The Hot Chick?" I ask, startling him and he gets grumpy. Grabbing a different movie, he puts it in the player and starts up the disk. "The Emperor's New Groove, that's a good one," I say in a whisper. He shrugs, and I go on, "is there anything you'd like laundered? Might as well keep busy, I need to stay off the wine."
"You don't have to do that." He says coldly, as if I have upset him. Selecting play on the movie menu. I look at Dog, curled under the sofa bed, as form of shelter for him. He lets out a grown and closes his tired pup eyes.
Bringing my eyes back forward, "no, I don't but I want to, I don't have a full load and I'd like to keep busy; dinner is simmering for the next few hours, and I figured it's this or we play twister." I say sarcastically, while heading up the stairs, "your stuff, is it up in the bathroom? I didn't see it with you when you came down." he nods a yes, "good, I'll just go grab it then."
I head upstairs and grab his clothes from the floor, what a man thing to do. Maybe he figured he would just put them on later if he needed to, or he just was tired. I haven't seen him sleep. I headed into my room and grabbed my towels and clothes from earlier. I look in the mirror and notice my lips are normal color now. I smile at myself and think what a miraculous recovery I made. Grabbing the basket, I headed downstairs and round the corner to the laundry room that's down the hall past the stairs, and I see Daryl passed out. Blankets covering him and chair reclined. He looks so peaceful.
I start the load with the clothes first. Using an old cheese grater, I grate the Zote soap into the washer and add a small amount of Carol's homemade fabric softener. It smells like juniper berries and lilac. I hope Daryl doesn't mind smelling like a flower. I start the washer and hand place each item of mine, and then his, stopping at his vest. Two tattered angel wings, "one white and one blue. "Something old, and something new," I say to myself. Quickly peeking out the door to make sure he was asleep still, I put it on and let it sit for a minute. I inhale his scent, at this point I've accepted I've gone full creeper, but it's not like I am smelling his stanky undies.
His scent is so masculine. Coffee, whiskey, and stale cigarettes. It's intoxicating, I peek once more and see he is sound asleep still. I decided not to wash this piece, to preserve his scent on it for later. I close the washer machine and peek out once more, still sleeping like a baby. I sit on the humming washer; it gently arouses me, and I let myself imagine what it's like in his arms, him coming up to me at the stairwell and pushing me, stomach up against the railing. His rough hands caressing and gripping my thighs, and his lips grazing my neck, my back to his chest. The stubble on his face rubbing against my neckline and back of my shoulder, calling me like a siren in the night. I grip the side of the washer and edge myself kitty corner to sit on the edge of the washer and feel more of the vibrations, the spin cycle will start in 5 minutes since this is a light wash and I know I have time with him out like a light. I go back to my thoughts, him twirling me around lifting my shirt off and seeing my braless perky, small, and full breasts come out. He grazes a thumb over one and places the other in his mouth, pressing my back gently to the stair railing. A small sigh escapes but it's quiet and controlled, I am sure. I am imaging lifting his shirt off and grabbing his face in my hands, bringing him in to a deep kiss, parting my lips, I sigh.
The washer rumbles below me and I know the spin cycle is about to start, I go back to my thoughts almost forgetting who is in the other room down the hall. My thoughts race as I near the peak I've been feeling for, his hands gripping my waist and spinning me back around maneuvering me onto the stairs belly down. In my head he peels my panties down with one hand and with his other traces the small crease between my leg and ass cheek with his thumb, taking the remaining four fingers and gently brushing my soft center. Taking his other hand, he retraces up my other leg and grabs my opposite ass cheek, planting a small smack making me jump and squeal in excitement for him. I hallucinate him removing his hand from my moist center and hear him wrangling his pants from behind me, placing his legs on either side of me and moving his right hand above my head and crouching in a position that I can only describe as animalistic in nature, he mounts himself between my legs. Using his right hand to keep himself centered, his left is used to trace the outer edges of my opening with his dick, gently pressing the tip of himself less than a centimeter into me, I moan, in real time and louder than usual but I continue my dangerous masquerade of self-indulgence because when was the last moment in time, I did this?
With the spin cycle in full swing and the washer subsequently off balance making a now lovely and stronger vibration on my clit. I continue in my head almost reaching the precipice of pleasure, him grabbing the nape of my hair at the back of my neck and firmly holding as he swiftly but gingerly makes his presence known inside me, thrusting in small calculated strokes, he leans lower, resting each knee on either side of my legs and pressing them closed with his legs creating an even tighter space for himself, and sending me into a downward spiral of tummy aching pleasure building up inside me.
Thinking of him grunting and sighing at the feeling of the first contraction of my soft and wet flexible insides makes me go over the edge of this tantalizing adventure I've gotten myself into, I climax on the washer as I continue dreaming of him taking me in fuller and more uncontrolled thrusts, heavy breathing from us both, as he loses himself to my contractions. My core, now imagining on its own, his stiffening cock pulsating inside me as he reaches his climax and moans my name, bringing an end in my head to this satirical fantasy I have placed us in. I'm left in a hazy aftermath of wet panties, and lightly sweat covered bangs. I did not expect to get this far into the moment, but it felt so good and so dirty when I really let it boil in.
I gather myself and peek out the laundry room, I've gone unnoticed this whole time, which brings even more excitement to me since it can stay my little secret and no one will ever know or find out. I go back to the washer and move the clothes over into the dryer and start the next load of laundry, my towels, after that. I head back down the wall in sort of a tip toe, as to not disturb or be caught, as if Daryl would know what he caught me doing anyway. The Emperor's New Groove is still playing in the background, I give a silent chuckle to myself. I remember when this movie came out 22 years ago. I headed back into the kitchen to check on my stew, it's thickened up nicely and it's brought a savory smell to my whole house. Add the last ingredient, which is the potatoes, if you add them too soon, they become soft and mushy, but I wouldn't mind, I just did them this way for a change. They have about an hour before they become soft for serving, I take note of the kitchen clock – 4:14pm.
Gently tiptoeing back into the living room, I climb into the pull-out sofa bed and grab my book, covering myself up with the blankets. I start reading and lean back into my propped-up pillow but before I know it my eyes have betrayed me, and I've drifted into a deep sleep. Dog comes up from under the bed and curls beside me, resting his head on my leg.
I dreamt of my life before, it's summer break and it's my birthday month, June. I love that my birthday is during the summertime because I don't ever have to worry about planning my party around school. I just barely graduated this year and I'm getting ready to start college in August. Blurry faces from my past of people I used to know surface and it turns into a night terror that makes me thrash in my sleep. I don't even know what I'm like when I'm asleep because I'm asleep, I just know when I wake up and I feel unrested, and a deep sadness arises inside of me.
I don't know how long I was asleep for, but it must have been long enough for Daryl to wake up before me, because I'm awoken to him gently pushing my shoulder and nudging me awake, calling my name in concern. I'm too tired though to get up and so I brush his hand off me and roll over to my side, my back facing him. Then I feel my fucking eyes bulge out of my skull as I open them wide.
I'm still wearing his fucking vest.
I abruptly sit up and look over at him, an almost terrified gasp escapes my mouth and I hold my hand to my lips, feeling a guilty tremble in my throat, I push it down and give my confession, "I'm so sorry, I was only playing dress up. I did not mean to sleep in your vest. I didn't wash it because I didn't want the patch work to be obliterated in the washer, it's so dainty I figured I would..." Stopping my sentence and placing my face in my hands, I pull them down stretching my eyes, cheeks and mouth downwards releasing a sigh, "...figured I would just try it on." I say, looking up at him his expression is unchanged, but has now cocked an eyebrow at me and I go on, digging a bigger hole for myself, "don't look at me like that. I'm not a creep, a weirdo but I did not have indent to sleep in it."
"What were your intensions?" he asks, crossing his arms over his chest now, a simple question that has butterflies taking off in my stomach, and I almost feel the need to yak.
"I... I don't know." I barely manage the sentence, but I start to feel a red hue take over my face and removing the vest from each arm, holding it in front of me like a white flag interoperating my full and complete surrender.
He gently takes the vest with two fingers and sets it in the recliner chair, and heads to the kitchen, not a single word from him, dog in tow, what a traitor. I get hastily get up and follow him into the kitchen, realizing that it's well after dark and the storm is still going strong outside. I can smell the Stew getting stronger as I go round the corner and see two bowls, filled with steaming Stew sitting at the island table, complimented by two full wine glasses, I swoon. Daryl, already sitting, motions for me to join, and I see Dog with his own small bowl of stew.
He starts, "you wanna tell me what sort of nightmares you're having?" taking a bite of his stew, a small amount dribbling down his beard and I start to drift off imagining it's me on his face but quickly regain my composure and shake my head indicating a 'no.' Continuing he goes on, "I was going to let you sleep, but dinner was done. I set the bowls up and came back to the living room and seen you flailing your arms around." He looks at me, shoving more stew into his mouth. I shrug, looking at Dog, who has now cleaned his plate.
Start taking small a spoonful of the stew, letting my silence speak for me, but I give in, "I don't know why I dream what I dream. It's always the summer before the infection happened and it really was the end of my life that I knew of. I had just graduated high school; the start of summer is my birthday month, and I was having a fun time. Then everything happened and I couldn't find a purpose to live," I say, small tears now welling in my eyes, "I mean I didn't even get to really date anybody; I had one boyfriend in high school, but he was so focused in the chess club that it just didn't work out. back then you used to get made fun of for being a 30-year-old virgin and now that the dating pool has been drained seems normal." He chokes on his food at that last bit of my sentence, but I go on, "what? Is that really alarming to you, it's not like I'm going to go out and whore myself around for supplies. I'll die before I ever do that." feeling slightly jaded I grab my glass of wine and I chugged the entire fucking thing.
"It's not the end of life," he musters, halfway through his bowl, grabbing a piece of bread and smearing it with butter he had laid out with dinner, "you got the rest of it ahead of you. Getting by is what we do, we live and remember those who didn't." He starts spooning stew onto the buttered piece of bread.
I snort sarcastically, "well it is, or was for me. I spent so much time alone and when I did finally find people, they just ended up dying. After 10 years of being stuck in a desert wasteland I decided that I was gonna go out sightseeing," I laughed mid-sentence, "that's so ridiculous to say, but it's true I wanted to see what I was missing. So, I went from Arizona through New Mexico and Texas. Everything was just so desolate, and I ran into more people trying to kill me than Walkers at that point." I sneeze, feeling my nose clog up because at this point tears are racing down my face.
"I'm sorry you went through all that, especially at that age." Feeling Daryl's eyes burning a hole through the side of my brain, I looked over at him and unexpectedly he wraps an arm around the top of my shoulders and gently pulls me over for a light hug while patting my left shoulder, I internally melt. "You're here now though, everyone in this community, including me, are gonna do whatever it takes to make sure that you survive and aren't alone."
Wiping the tears off my cheeks I give a small chuckle I think what a fucking dork I am. I can feel the wine loosening me up and making me feel less sad, I know I shouldn't have any more wine, but I get up from my seat, leaving my wine glass and grabbing the bottle from the counter. Opening it up I take a big swig of it and look over at Daryl, who is now finishing his bowl and staring at me. I looked away to the Stew pot that's on the stove I noticed that there is still quite a bit left, I looked back at Daryl opening my mouth to say, "we can have this for leftovers tomorrow." I say very in a very unclimactic tone, I can now feel the capillaries in my body absorbing heat from the blood rushing over them.
I didn't finish my dinner, instead I found Tupperware for the rest of the food, I took note of the time from my now charged old phone, 9:18pm. There's so much that I use one large tub and one small tub, placing them in the fridge I close the door turn to the sink where is start turning on the water and filling the pot with soap to soak. A very strange wave of fluttering waves over me as I peek over my shoulder and see Daryl finishing the last of my bowl. I smiled and had a big grin but turned around so that he couldn't see me. I'm not sure why but my feelings are growing, and I hardly know a fucking thing about this guy. We've gone out on three runs together and this has been our most crazy one yet. Who would have thought that we'd be locked up in my house for almost two nights now, and come to think of it, Daryl's house is only three houses away from me. Why is he staying here? He knows that I live alone and it's not safe. Everyone else is either at Rick or Carol's, we could have easily gone to theirs.
My thoughts are interrupted by Daryl reaching over and grabbing the detachable waterspout to rinse both of our bowls out, "I could have done that, thank you." Is all I can manage, not making eye contact but I make sure to sound grateful because most days house guests are few and in between. Feeling shy of relief when he walks away, I notice he's put the butter back in the fridge and started to wipe down the kitchen island. I look up at the ceiling and let this new feeling wash over me, it's like everything he does this starting to influence me. Not just an arousing feeling either, I feel more whole, and I gently wipe a single tear before escapes the corner of my eye, I don't want to be seen crying. I was past all those years ago from the harsh reality that came crashing down on me. The thoughts of knowing I'll never marry, never be pregnant or have a family. It all used to consume me, and I felt robbed. I let myself silently sob but only for a couple seconds. "You're fine," I say in a little whisper to myself.
I can't help but feel ridiculous, I'm looking for a knight in shining armor and it feels like a joke. Or it's my biological clock ticking, I remember hearing about that when I was younger. When a woman hits her late 20s, early 30s and hasn't had children, she starts to feel like her biological clock is ticking. I know I'll never have a kid; the world now doesn't have the patience for it, and I don't think I do either. I stepped away from the sink, stopping myself from grieving my former life and grabbing the bottle of wine taking down more. I'm mid chug and there's a knock at the door. I heard Daryl spring up from his chair in the living room, I was so self-absorbed this whole time I didn't even notice that he went back to the living room. Wiping my eyes to make sure there is no evidence of my sorrow, I wipe my hand on my shirt readying myself, placing the bottle back on the counter. I walk over to the edge of the island counter and watch Daryl as he opens the door.