Hey guys! Since there will be another break from the Walking Dead, we have more time to write and read :)
Here is the next chapter. Enjoy it! As awlays R&R
By the way: Thanks for to all the readers who are still with me. Thanks for reading and the encouragement. You guys are the best!

Under his touch my skin had come alive. I had been with a man before. One man to be exact. But this had felt unbelievable. The way he had held me, had kissed me … it had been beyond imagination.

"What's that tat?" He whispered in my ear. He was sitting almost fully closed on the mattress, his back at the wall. I was lying half on him, my head resting on his chest, my eyes nowhere.

"Youthful folly." The warmth of his hand on my bare shoulder felt good.

"A little rebel inside." He laughed.

"Something like that." I closed my eyes.

"Why the toe dance shoes?" He was persistent. The shoes were at my low pelvis, pretty much hidden. When I was wearing underwear, you couldn't really see it. So my parents had never known.

"Life's a dance." I sighed remembering my brother's death. "After the accident with my brother, I couldn't dance anymore. My leg was badly broken and they said I could never dance again." I soaked in a deep breath. "My brother died in that accident … I thought it was a sign to never dance again."

"Sorry about that." I was a downer, telling him about the death of my brother after this wonderful moment. But I felt safe around him and I felt safe to tell him. "Ya brother … the one from your picture?"

I nodded. "He had always encouraged me to keep dancing. I got the tattoo for him."

"And ya started Ballet again?"

A sad feeling was spreading in my heart. Dancing had been my life. My parents had never wanted a tattoo on a ballet dancer. They had always disliked it, but after all that had been happening ... "You have some nice tattoos yourself." I turned to him remembering the demon on his arm.

"But I'm no catholic little girl." He grunted with a smile.

"No, you're the badass from next door." Seemed he still felt a bit uncomfortable. I didn't want him to feel uncomfortable, when I felt nothing but affection. Maybe he had a bad childhood, which would explain the scars. So I kissed him again.

...

I woke up from screaming. I thought it was me, but I wasn't. I was wide awake and the screams continued. At first I was disoriented where I was. I was still in the little library with Daryl … Daryl. Daryl was already up. "You stay here." He ordered me. Even if I had talked back, he wouldn't have heard me, he was already gone and shut the door. He didn't lock it but I felt claustrophobic none the less. I stood up too, searching for my clothes. As fast as I could I put on my shirt, grabbed my knife and ran after the screams. When I stood finally outside, I saw Daryl, Sasha and Rick running for cell block D. "Walkers in D!" Someone screamed.

I entered the block after them, people running passed me screaming for help. When I arrived at the cells, Rick stood in the door, screaming orders. "Go! Get out of here." The people panicked. Panic was never good. "Are you bit?" I heard Rick ask a woman. Then I understood why. There was blood on the floor and a walker was roaming in the middle of the cell block. The screaming was unbearable loud and only attracted the walkers inside. Walkers? Inside? How did they get inside?

Glenn almost ran me over. He looked back at me. "Get out. Help the people to get out!" He ran on, slicing a walker open. It fell back to the floor dead. It was a kid … I almost puked. Looking back at Glenn, he killed another zombie. Another one? What was happening here? I had been right … the calm was over, now the storm arose.

I straightened my back: I would fight this storm. We needed this peace. I walked towards another walker who ducked its teeth into a fat man. I was too late. While the man screamed in agony, I rammed my knife into the walker's head. Carol was at my side, helping the man up. She looked at me. "Stay save. Get out!" The second person who told me to get out. Maybe I should listen. Suddenly Merle grabbed me by the arm and pulled me with him. Carol didn't care, she took the man in a cell. I wondered what she might do to him.

"Let go off me." But he pulled me along into the prison. He wasn't getting me out. "What are you doing man?"

"What ya wanted to do all the time!" He told me and finally let go off me.

"Are we clear down here?" Rick screamed behind me.

"Yeah!" Someone answered.

Daryl walked up the stairs and Merle followed. "Check up here!" I went straight after them, when Daryl heard the footsteps he turned to look at us. He could only see Merle, I ducked and stood safe behind him. Would he be mad at me? For sure, I told myself.

While Daryl went right, Merle and I went left. Merle went on to the last cell, but I stopped. Another dead kid was lying on the floor. We had to be careful, there may be walkers up here too. I was caught by hands from behind and a snarling sound followed. A Walker grabbed my shirt and held it tight, I was afraid it would bite me. He pulled my along while I tried to push him off. The thing was pretty strong, it pushed me to the railings and pushed me further.

"Down!" Daryl screamed. Suddenly an arrow went through the walkers head. It fell limb towards me and pushed me over the railings. Daryl held me while the walker flew down to ground floor. "Didn't I tell you to stay put?" He said angrily, but it wasn't the time to lecture me.

"Thanks!"

I looked down to the walker. "Oh no …" I sucked in a breath. "It's Patrick." Looking down on him it looked as if he had cried … as if he had cried blood. "What in the name of …?"

Merle checked the other cells. "It's all of them."

Glenn came from the other side. "Clear!"

Daryl turned to me again. "Do ya ever listen?"

"Don't scold her like a five-year-old!" Merle joked but he received a mad glance from Daryl.

"I'm sorry. I got it under control." I talked back.

He grabbed my arm. "It almost pushed you over the rails. Doesn't sound 'under control' to me."

The screams had gone silent. They were replaced by mourning and silent tears. Rick checked another cell and averted his eyes. There must be still one left. Rick stumbled back, looking pale. A woman in a nightgown walked out of the cell. Her arms stretched out to attack Rick. Why wasn't he moving? I threw my knife and met the female walker in the head. Daryl looked at me in surprise. "Under control." I told him.

I went to Rick to get my knife out of the walkers head. His eyes were somewhere else but he nodded to me in thanks. Rick really wasn't himself. I thought he was 'better', whatever that meant. Daryl loaded his crossbow while Merle and Glenn went downstairs. I looked to Rick again. "Hey man." I wanted to touch his shoulder in comfort, but he passed me avoiding the touching.

"Thanks." He told me and went downstairs.

Daryl waited for me at the stairs to go down again. "Come on girl." I walked towards him. "Why is it so hard for you to listen?" He was something between mad and caring.

"Don't know …" We walked down the stairs. I just couldn't keep my legs still.

Some people were already cleaning out the cell block. Corpses were pulled out leaving tracks of blood. In the very end a gnarling sound was lowly audible. This time Rick went for the closed cell and stabbed the zombie in the head without thinking. He opened the door and looked at the blonde boy. We walked over to him. Rick kneeled examining the corps. "No bites. No wounds." He looked up to us. "I think he just died …"

I turned to see Hershel and waved him over. He came followed by doctor S. Doctor S kneeled down to the walker. "What a horrible death … Pleurisy aspiration." I had no idea what it meant and looked to Daryl who didn't understood either.

"Choked to death on his own blood." Hershel explained to us.

I looked at the dead body too. His face seemed swollen and it looked as if he had cried blood. Just like dead-Patrick was looking like. His pale face made the blood look even redder. Doctor S told something about shaking a soda comparing this to a disease. Afraid I grabbed Daryl's hand. We thought the walkers were our greatest enemy – besides bad people – but now it was a disease. "Could be pneumococcal. An aggressive flu strain." Doctor S went on.

"I had talked to him yesterday. He was fine." Daryl said, squeezing my hand. "How could somebody die in a day just from a cold?"

"I had a sick pig. Died quick." Rick said, still kneeling on the floor next to dead Charlie.

"Pigs and birds, that's how these things spread in the past." Hershel told us. "We need to do something about those hogs."

"Maybe we are lucky … maybe it was just Charlie …" I said my eyes never leaving the bloody tears of Charlie.

"Haven't seen anybody lucky in a long time." I looked to the door were Bob suddenly stood.

"All of us in here … We all have been exposed …" Hershel said and my heart stopped beating. Would we all die like this? Daryl squeezed my hand again, this time harder. I looked up at him and his eyes told me to not think about it. He didn't seem mad no more. We all went silent looking down on dead Charlie.

Rick was the first to leave. Hershel and Dr. S followed, they went to check on the others. I looked up to Daryl. "What do you think?"

"I hope this is just this one …" He looked from me to the corpse of Charlie. "But I think we are not that lucky."

We had never been that lucky, had we?! "We both have been exposed …" His eyes snapped back at me.

"We don't know yet." He grabbed both of my shoulders not breaking eye contact. I gave him a weak smile. We both knew the truth. "Let's get out of here."

He pulled me with him. I was between shock and trauma. We were exposed, looking around all these people were exposed. We walked outside to see Maggie and Carl walking towards us. "Stop! "

Maggie looked at me in disbelief. "What?" They stopped walking. "What happened?"

"There might be a flu … an aggressive flu strain …" I recalled Hershel's words. "We were exposed. Stay away from us …" I looked to Carl who held his sister." Rick too." I looked back to Maggie. "As was Glenn. We should avoid any contact."

Maggie walked on, but Hershel and Glenn came out of the prison, telling her to stop walking too. "Don't get any closer." Hershel told her. "It's too dangerous right now."

Daryl's voice was like a wake-up-call. "We really should stay away. No need to infect other people." We walked on, he still held my hand. "Why did you go in there … now ya 're exposed too."

To be honest, I was better ill with him than alive without him. "Maybe it is some kind of flu we are immune too."

"Since when are we that lucky?" He recalled Bob's words.

Merle suddenly appeared and startled me. "Officer Nice-Guy told me you should gather." He told Daryl while he looked at us and our hands. We were still holding hands. "The Council is gathering … to the rescue!" None of use was laughing.

"Don't go anywhere Ella." He emphasized my name. This time I would listen. "I'll go and talk to the others. We need a plan … we need … something." I nodded to his words. "Don't get too close to others who were not in there." I nodded again.

He turned to walk away, but before he had the chance to go, I grabbed his arm. "I'm sorry I followed you."

He turned back to me. For a very brief moment Daryl looked to Merle who just sniffed and walked away. "Damn romance love shit." Merle commented.

Daryl squeezed my shoulder carefully. I could see the huge burden on his shoulders he felt too and the sadness in his eyes. "I'll be right back." He hesitated but turned and went to meet the council.

I saw Merle in the distance and followed him to our training area. Here we had no chance to cross somebody's way. "Did prince charming let you go?"

"He is worried you know …" I got the feeling Merle was pissed.

"Cut the emotional shit bad ass." He said looking down on me. "Ya aimed pretty good." He told me.

"You taught me well. Thanks Merle." I went next to him. "Are you okay?"

"Need to be."

We didn't train this time. We just sat there. "Merle …" I started cutting the silence. "If it really is some kind of flu … we might all have it." Merle looked at me now. "I'm afraid I might have caught it too." A lump formed in my throat and I felled all the fear I had felt days ago again.

"I thought ya were pregnant." He sighed heavily. "I had heard some things …" Had the governor told him anything? I wanted to say something, but I was tired. I had the same horrible thought. "But now …" he didn't go on.

My heart was filled with pain. "I still am afraid … they had …" My voice cracked. Tears formed in my eyes.

He moved his hand. "No need to say it." I tried to hold back the tears. I normally didn't start crying that easily. Another pang in my heart … another sign … The tears started to fall down my cheeks …

Merle hugged me with his one good arm slightly. We sat in silence until we heard Maggie scream for Daryl and Rick. We jumped to our feet, I wiped the strain of tears away as we ran towards her voice. When we ran around the corner into the yard the fence shook. The zombie's growling was so loud I wondered why we hadn't heard them. Maggie, Daryl, Rick and others were running towards the fence and started to stab the walkers. Merle was the first one to run and I followed. Before we entered the space between the fences, we grabbed a weapon which were put on the fence. I took a machete while Merle took a sharpened crowbar. We ran to help, Daryl gave me a glance, but nodded. I nodded back and we started killing. Now we needed every hand to keep up the fence.

I looked over to Maggie and made a step away, which earned myself a sad glance. She hadn't been exposed. Suddenly she fell back, Glenn wanted to help her, but she denied. "Don't. We're supposed to stay away from each other." A sudden cloud came over me. I didn't feel healthy – maybe I was just pregnant – I winced at that thought – but maybe I was just ill. I could be infected. My eyes found Daryl who was working like crazy. I should stay away from him too. Maybe he hasn't caught the disease …

"Someone is feeding them!" Sasha yelled and some of us joined her to look at the deeds.

I stood in my place not daring to get closer to any of our people. Merle and I kept on killing walkers. I wondered where they all came from, but maybe Sasha's discovery was the key. Suddenly the fence seemed to tilt. "The fence!" I screamed. "It's gonna give!" They all returned to the fence and tried to hold it.

"Daryl get the truck, I know what to do. " Rick suddenly said from my right.

Daryl nodded and walked past me. "Keep your pecker up." He told me. Was that his new way to tell me to stay put? I and the others left at the fence started to push our weapons into the walker's heads again. Maggie ran for the gate to let Daryl and Rick out. They were making quite a noise and some of the walkers turned their heads and started to walk towards Daryl and Rick.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Rick killing pig after pig. But what he did kept the zombies following him. Seeing him kill another one made my stomach turn. I puked right onto the walker in front of me. Maggie immediately stepped away and I stumbled back. Merle was at my side with a worried look. "Stay away from me." I told everyone around me. Merle took my arm, but I shook him off and stepped back. "You all should stay away from me." I felt nausea again and stood up. There weren't much walkers left, so I felt free to go.

I walked to the yard where the graves were. Someone had started to dig graves. There were already Lori's, T-Dog's and Axel's, now there were going to be a lot more. I started digging and soon heard someone appear. I looked up to see Glenn and Maggie giving me a sad glance. Maggie took another shovel and walked a few feet away to start digging. Glenn began digging right next to me. Nobody knew what to say, so we dug in silence. I caught Maggie and Glenn looking at each other from time to time. Hard times were coming up.

"Don't get infected when they'll bring the corpses." Bob walked by, handing out gloves. "You need to wear masks too." I took one of the gloves. They were too big, but better than none. A woman passed Bob and put down a small bundle. She was lowly crying. She went away without looking at anyone of us. I couldn't believe a small kid was wrapped in towels lying at my feet.

Moments later Carl brought us wooden crosses. He had made them himself. On one of the crosses he had pinned Patrick's glasses. He put them down and left wordlessly. I began to sweat from working, but Glenn's eyes told me different. "You're ill Ella. You should rest" I hated this sentence but he was right.

I climbed out of my whole and looked down. "Maybe you should safe one for me."

The moment I said it, I got a slap from the side. I held my cheek looking up to the slugger. "Merle …"

"What a load of crab." He grabbed my arm. "Ya need to be treated!" He pulled me along. "The ill ones go to cell block D!"

"Wait." I tried to stop him. "I need to tell Daryl."

Merle released my arm. "You wait here." He gave me a look and when I nodded he left me standing alone. I felt myself sweating again. I heard a coughing … more coughing. I looked around to see two people entering cell block D.

Daryl came on walking fast, Merle in tow behind. "Ella!" He screamed.

I lifted my hand to stop him. "Don't get any closer." I saw Hershel approaching us. "I think I got the flu."

"What …" Daryl's eyes went big.

"I need to go in cell block D." He shook his head again.

Hershel came closer. "I still hope it is just the concussion." He felt my head. "No fever." His face looked like he reflected something. "Any other symptoms?"

"Look at her she 's sweatin' like hell." Merle said.

Another person coughed behind us. I saw Sasha looking pale. She coughed again and looked into her hand. "Oh no … not her." Hershel turned around to see Sasha on her way to cell block D.

"I need to see Doctor S." She said when she passed us on weak legs in a safe distance and coughed again. Sweat was all over her face.

"I'll help her, I need to see Doctor S too." I turned, but Hershel stopped me.

"I am not sure you have the flu." He told me. I shook my head slightly. I didn't want him to say out loud what he was thinking. And he seemed to understand. "You need rest." He looked around and looked at the tower.

"Wanna look me up like Rapunzel?"

Daryl stepped closer but I took a step back. "I don't want anyone near me." I was frustrated. I wanted to have the flu so badly … the other option was just … no … it just couldn't be …

I started walking towards the tower. "I'll keep watch!"

"She needs water." Hershel said behind me.

I made my way for the tower and climbed up. A hunting rifle was always up here. I took it and sat down at the end of the platform. I sighed, wondering why I felt okay … maybe I really didn't have the flu. While I checked the gun, the gun barrel was pointing at me. Could I do it?

In the yard the pig stable started burning. Rick was standing next to it, watching it burn. So they killed all the pigs. Hershel had said something about pigs and birds spreading the flu. So they were now killing it all. Our food … was our existence at bay?

While I was thinking and scanning the fences, I felt tired and depleted. But what if I would really die in my sleep. I didn't want to be a danger to anyone.

Time passed and I heard a knocking. I turned and saw Daryl standing a few feet away. "Stay right there!"

"I got water!" He put the bottle of water down on the only table.

"Thanks!" I wanted to throw myself into him, kiss him, curl into him … I wanted to be with him forever. That hurt, maybe I would die of the flu. Why was I thinking of dying all the time? Maybe because I got off the hook to many times. Luck had to fail at some point.

"Ya drink a lot. I'll bring ya some tea later." Where the hell would he get tea? I remembered his last run to a supermarket where he had lost Zack.

"Daryl … do you remember me telling you I don't want to be afraid to be alive?" I didn't look at him.

"Yeah." His raspy voice reached through for me.

"I am afraid …" I almost cried again. Not only was I afraid of dying or being pregnant. But losing it all.

"I told you …"

"It's not your hands." I sighed. "What did the council say?"

"It's spread. We keep cell block A in isolation." He hesitated to go on. "Hershel said there is no stopping it. You get it, you have to go through it."

"So we just all die?" There wasn't much hope left in me.

"No. There is a veterinary college about 50 miles … I'm gonna take a group out."

"Who's going?"

"Me and Michonne, Bob. Merle." Sure his brother would find a way to escape this prison. "I asked Tyrese. Not sure if he will show up."

"Why?"

Daryl hesitated to talk. I finally turned to see him still standing far away. "He's devastated about Karen being ill." He looked away.

"It's far away …" Maybe I won't make it. What if I die … "Thanks for doing this Dar'. You are a good friend to all of this people."

"I need to go. The sooner we're out, the sooner we're back."

He turned to walk away and I looked back into the yard. "Hey Ella." I looked back at him. "Do me a favor and be the madcap and stay wild until I got back." He smiled.

"Sure …" I smiled back at him. "Love you." Oh my god, no … I didn't just say that. Daryl nodded und walked away. Was there anything more embarrassing than that?

I watched Daryl walking to the Cars. They were already loading Zack's car. It was the fastest of them all, they would be back pretty fast. At least I hoped they would be. I could see Bob and Daryl. Suddenly Tyrese showed up. So there would be enough people to gather medicine, antibiotics and stuff we needed.

"Ya looking for someone?" Michonne's voice was as clear as ever. I had imagined a talk to her when she had been gone, now she was so close again.

"What about your little trip?"

"Can't wait to see me get going again?" That wasn't funny at all.

"Please be careful."

"You too. Don't trust anyone you don't know?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Someone killed Karen and David."

"What?" Daryl had told me Karen was ill … He had lied to me.

"I want you to lock the door. Be careful. And don't get close to anybody." She told me sternly. There was no lock on the door. But all I could think about was: Why had Daryl been lying to me. "And don't die!"

Tears formed my eyes. Again the sentimental crab pushed me. I had never been like that. "Be careful out there! And come back in one piece." I sighed. "Please …"

A sad smile met my sad words. Michonne left and I watched them entering the car. When they were driving out the gate, Merle waved at me. Daryl seemed to be avoiding my glance. I felt a sudden uneasiness. Why had he lied to me?

I remembered the last talk I had with Karen

I walked the fences all alone. It was nice to have some time alone in a prison full of people. I looked into the woods, but there were just walkers roaming around. There were two women and a man killing zombies at the fence. I passed them and nodded.

"Last round Ella?!" The woman asked. She was the one I had seen with Tyrese. I needed to think twice, to get her name right.

"Karen." I said and it sounded like a question. "Yeah, last round. Glenn and Maggie will replace me in a bit." I looked up to the sky, where the stars were already shining bright.

"Great. Than you can finally have some rest, you look pretty tired." Her work coat was bloody and she was sweating although it was getting chilly.

"Yeah, been a long day." Or was she just saying I still looked like shit? "What about you? I saw you working at the fence the whole day. Aren't you exhausted?"

She let out a short laugh. "Kinda. But we need to keep this place save." She looked back at the men who were still killing zombies like flies on a pie. "A little less sleep but a bit more safe."

"Now I feel bad for going to sleep."

"Don't." She smiled. "See you tomorrow."

"Night!" And I went on walking the fence. The three of them had already killed a lot of walkers, but it wasn't enough, would it ever be? Walking on alone I was trying to turn the walkers gnarling and growling into the sound of the ocean, but that didn't really work. Sunset had been hours ago, and I began to freeze. In the distance I saw my replacement. Maggie and Glenn were approaching me, holding hands. Even Glenn had grown a little overprotective. They looked so cute together.

"Hey Ella, time for bed." Glenn laughed.

"Thanks, I'm freezing."

"I told you to take a jacket." Glenn hissed.

"Jeez bro …" I laughed. "Don't call Mommy." Maggie laughed out loud.

"You're not 100 percent Ella." You could tell he was just caring. "You need a handful of sleep to get better." He knew me just too well, knowing I wanted to support the group.

"Have a good rest." Maggie told me before they went up watch tower.

"You too." I walked into our cell block. It was still us in here. Us, the people I had known since the camp – well minus the ones who had died and plus Hershel's family. I walked through the common room and saw a few bottles on the table. Someone must have brought them back from a run. I took a closer look and the label of one of the bottles made me happy at once. I couldn't have a warm shower now, and the blanket was not that warming either, so I took one of the bottles that said whiskey. I passed Merle in his cell who was snorting as loud as hell. Walking upstairs, I looked into Daryl's cell. He was still up, reading a book.

"Just the glasses are missing, professor." I stopped at the doorstep. "What are you reading?" I said a little shy.

"Steven King." He looked over his book.

"Isn't it already scary enough outside?" I slowly walked into his cell.

He sat up. "Outside my cell or the prison?" He watched me through his shaggy hair. It's funny how he still had the same way of looking at me.

I walked into the cell and leaned against the wall opposite of him. "Like I don't want to wake the snorting lion downstairs."

"Don't think that one has teeth anymore." He chuckled. I still felt cold and chittered. He looked at the bottle in my hand. "Ya going to drink this all alone?"

"I'm just cold, thought that would heat me up." That came out wrong. "Want to share a glass?" I opened the bottle and realized I hadn't brought glasses nor were there any glasses here. I sniffed at it and old memories started to fill me up.

"Ya drink whiskey?" He asked me, still looking at me through his hairy barrier. "Thought ya were a champagne-chic."

"Nah." I took a sip. "When I was younger, me and my brother used to steal our fathers alcohol. He was just collecting whiskey, like the good ones. He practically stored it up, just to look at it." I laughed to myself. "We filled the empty bottles with tea." I took another mouthful of the alcohol that tasted like good mementos, before I passed it to Daryl.

"Ya brother?" He asked, took a swig of whiskey and read the label. "That is a good one. Man, if I knew we had something that good lying around unattended I would have taken it myself." He drank on.

I was glad he didn't ask any further about my brother. "Hey there, I'm the one freezing, not you!"

He tossed the bottle back to me. "Take ma poncho and sit down woman."

I looked to the corner next to me, where a poncho was lying on his bag. I grabbed it and when I put it on his scent was immediately in my nose. I took a deep breath and sat down on the ground, my back facing the wall. Looking at the bottle I realized Daryl had drunken more than a few sips.

"Told ya it is good." He chuckled.

I drank too. "So you are a whiskey-guy?" I was avoiding the brother-topic pretty good. Seemed he didn't even remember he had asked me.

"I was almost every night at the bar before the apocalypse."

"Really? You don't look like Sir Drink-A-Lot to me." I drank on without giving him the bottle.

"I had watched Merle." He held out his hand, ordering me to pass the bottle. "And I had been working behind the counter from time to time." My lips didn't let go of the bottle. "Have you even eaten yet?"

I stopped drinking, and thought about my last meal. But I couldn't quite remember. "Yeah, something Carol had cooked." There was too much going on in my head, I even forget about the simplest things. He took the bottle out of my hands easily. I didn't even realized he had been so close to even be able to take the bottle. Finally I was getting warm. The warmth spread from my belly into all of my limbs. I could feel my cheeks turning red. Was it the alcohol or the sight of Daryl?

"Heating up already?" He referred to my own words.

"At least I'm not freezing no more." I tried to stand up, but my head felt weird, so I fell back. "Maybe not cold but try dizzy." I smiled. Thinking about to go to bed, I tried to stand up again. Daryl sat up, drank the alcohol while his eyes were on me. I watched him steadily. When his lips released the bottle, I finally managed to stand up and grabbed the wall. I remembered, my last meal had been breakfast … I needed something to eat badly. My stomach yelled a hungry cry. I sat down next to him, feeling weird. Hunger and dizziness made me lose control when I looked into his eyes. "Anyone ever told you that you have beautiful eyes?" I was losing my mind and my mouth was working on his own.

"Stop drinking woman." He took a sip from the bottle again.

The alcohol remembered me of good old times. When you could still do the things you love and not be ordered to do nothing but regain strength. "I would die for a little music to dance to." I remembered all the parties I had been to, all the fun I had while dancing. There was nothing that lighted up my mood better than a good song to dance to.

"You would die, cause music attracts the dead." He said dryly. I stood up from his bed and began to move to an imagined song in my head. I closed my eyes and danced until I felt a hand on my shoulder. I opened my eyes and looked at Daryl. "Ya're crazy, ya know?" I stood in front of me, looking a little alarmed.

"Yeah." I answered in a whispered voice. The alcohol did much damage to my system and my eyes slightly closed themselves. "And I'm in good company."

"Sit down or you'll hurt yourself." His voice was slightly emotional and a lot uncomfortable.

"I won't, can dance with eyes closed. I had been a dancer." I shortly laughed out loud and performed a pirouette. I didn't fall, didn't vary.

"A dancer, heh."

"Yeah. Needed money." I shortly paused. "Not what you think." Was he blushing a bit? "But I tried." I teased him, now being the one blushing. "Tried dancing in a club, but the audience was rather bad." I laughed again. "My pride was more worth than the money." I steadied myself on the wall. Suddenly I felt his arm around me and I was pressed to his chest. With one eye I saw the wall moving … No I was moving, Daryl carried me. "Where are we going?" I managed to say, hungry, tired and drunk.

"To bed." When I opened my eyes again he put me gently down on a mattress.

Before he could go, I held his arm. "Don't go." There wasn't alcohol speaking, it was all me. I didn't want him to leave, I wanted him close.

Daryl sat down next to me and I curled up beside him. He touched my face. "Ya're warm."

"I'm hot." I smiled with closed eyes.

"Ya are drunk." He spat with a smile.

"Shut up." I grabbed his leg and moved in my position so my head was in his lap. "Let's enjoy the little peace we got." I looked up to him, to see his face. I was suddenly all emotional. He was still there, he looked at me. He was so close … He wasn't going away, like he would have done normally. This startled me and I managed to sit up, not breaking eye contact. Staring at him wordlessly, I followed my words and enjoyed the peaceful scenery, kissing him with all I got.

He still didn't turn nor run. He pulled me closer, like the one time in the woods. He pulled me closer and I felt a burning in my chest. It wasn't the kiss, it was my broken rib. But I didn't want to feel pain, all I wanted was him. Holding his face with both of my hands, I demanded more of him. His hands were on my back, pressing my body into his. I move to sit in his lab and he didn't stop kissing me.