Daryl studied me in the moonlight. And I watched him. The way the light illuminated his face, his dark hair looked black, and his bare arms gleamed. I bit my lip, waiting, letting him choose our pace. He stepped closer, looking down at me and smiled.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered, letting his hand come up so his fingers could trace the lines of my face. "I can't believe you're mine." I kissed the pad of his finger as it made a pass along my lips. "Since ya shared your story with me, I wanna share some of mine with ya." I nodded. He stepped back and pulled off his vest, sitting it at the foot of our makeshift bed. Then his shirt came off and he turned so his back was in full view.
I gasped, stepping carefully forward and gently touching the deep scars marking his skin. "What happened?" I asked, my fingertips tracing each dent and groove. "Who did this?"
He was still, but I could feel the tension leaving him as my fingers moved along his back. "My dad was a mean son of a bitch. He drank. He got mean. And he hit whichever of us was closest." I let my hands run down his back and trace the tattoos and smooth over the rest of his skin. "My mom died when I was twelve. Merle was in and out of juvie until he joined up. That left me." I could hear the pain in his voice, but I could also hear the pride of a survivor. "I wanted to show ya, I don't show no one. Hell, even Merle don't know."
I tugged on him so he'd turn to face me. I looked up at him with such a fierce feeling of protectiveness. "No one touches you again, Daryl Dixon. Not like that, not-"
His lips crashed down on mine and I was left without words. His hands, usually so carefully above the waist, cupped my ass and pulled me tight against him. He wanted me, there was no doubt at all about that, and I needed him to know it was mutual. A moan, deep in my throat built and he swallowed it. Our tongues tempted and tasted one another, and I knew, barring some kind of catastrophe, tonight we would finally come fully together.
Our clothes fell off in record time, I can't be sure who took what off of whom. All I know is that we were both, completely and totally bare beneath the bright moon and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. He cradled me into his arms and then we were lying on the blankets. One kiss became another, our hands touching every inch of each other, learning and testing what each one liked the best. The answer? Everything. Everywhere Daryl touched me a fire flared. Everywhere I touched him, I could feel his need.
As he kneeled between my open legs, he looked down at me and gave that half smile that I'd come to love. "I don't got protection, Jessi, so we're gonna have to be careful."
I sat up and cupped my hand behind his neck, pulling him down with me. "I don't care, Daryl. Just take me."
And then, one rock of his hips and we were finally joined. His forehead met mine, our eyes locked together once we adjusted to just how perfectly we fit together. Then our lips brushed and I arched up against him. I felt him moan into my mouth and he moved. Together we moved, thrust being met with the same intensity. Our mouths searching for any bit of skin we could reach, our lips together every other second.
He'd compared my beauty to the stars, he was like my sun. Bright and hot and burning with every touch. As we came together, moving and clutching, I felt sure of one thing in my world. Daryl Dixon loved me. And I'd die for him.
GREENE FARM~ JUST BEFORE SUNRISE
I was snuggled in Daryl's arms, his head resting on the top of mine. He was right, and it would be annoying how often that happened if I didn't enjoy it so damn much. Our first time was memorable, and magical. We'd made love so many times during the dark hours that I lost count. Touching, tempting, burning, it was so amazing and I'd fight to keep experiencing it with him.
I felt him stir and smiled. "You waking up?" I asked, kissing his chest. "Maybe we should head back?"
He groaned at the mere thought. "Can't we just stay here forever?" He asked, and I grinned up at him. "Could start a new Eden. You be Eve, I'll be Adam?"
I hummed in approval as his hand slid down my body. "That's pretty damn tempting, Dixon." His hand landed on my ass and grabbed a handful. "I think we'd scare Hershel's horses. Not sure they've seen naked people around here."
That made him laugh. "True 'nough." He pulled me up so I could be kissed thoroughly. "I love you, Jessica Grimes." He whispered as he released me.
"I love you, Daryl Dixon." I said without hesitation. "I'm probably going to be walking funny for a few days, so I'm sure everyone's going to know just how much we love one another."
We both giggled at that. "Ya sore?" He asked, once he calmed down. Worried, like always.
"Just a bit." I assured him. "It's been a long time, you know."
He nodded. And held me in his arms. "Know what they say, practice makes perfect, or in your case, less painful." He kissed me again and I reconsidered the new Eden idea.
AN HOUR AFTER SUNRISE
We walked hand in hand back to our tent. Most of our group wasn't awake yet, so we ducked inside the tent and took a nap. It wasn't long after that we heard the sounds of the rest of the world waking up. I was still in Daryl's arms when I heard Dad and the others talking about another grid search.
"Gotta get up and goin', baby." Daryl whispered into my hair. Kissing my forehead, he sat up and I felt a chill go down my spine.
"Daryl?" He turned to me and I smiled. "Be careful today?" He squinted at my tone, I knew I sounded scared, but I knew that something was going to happen today. "Just humor me?" He leaned over and kissed me when I sat up.
"'Course I'll be careful." He gave me a breathtaking smile. "Got a lot worth livin' for, don't I?"
I nodded and sat in the tent trying to understand the chill. Carl was fine. Dad was clearly doing alright. Lori was being a little weird, but that's understandable considering. So Daryl had to be the source of my worry. Didn't he? When I left the tent, Dad walked over to me.
"Jessi," he said, taking my shoulders in his hands. "I want you to stay behind. Most of the strongest fighters are going on this search, and since Hershel doesn't mind your bow."
I nodded. "Which grid does Daryl have?" I asked, looking around. He didn't seem to be anywhere. I nearly missed the guilty look on Dad's face. "What?"
"Look, yesterday, I told Daryl he didn't have any more obligations to us." I gaped at him. "I didn't KNOW, Jessi. I didn't know that you two were really-"
I felt my face fall. My own father had tried to push out the man I loved from our group. The ONE man other than him that cared about these assholes' survival. "That doesn't answer my question, Dad." I breathed. I wondered why Daryl hadn't told me, but it didn't hurt that he didn't. Knowing him, he hadn't wanted to cause a rift between me and my dad.
"He's on horseback, Jessi. He's taking the ridge." His tone was an attempt to sooth me, it almost worked. "He'll be alright. I have to admit, he's a tough one. And he's amazing at tracking."
"And he's alone on the grid." I bit out. "Alone and in a strange part of the forest." I glared up at my dad. "You taught us, Dad, you taught me and Carl and Lori that partnering up on a search was the ONLY way to go. So Daryl doesn't get that, does he?" I turned away from me to hide my fear and worry, but my dad knew me too well.
"Sweetheart?" He pleaded, touching my shoulder. "What aren't you telling me?"
I felt the burning heat of tears in my eyes, but I wouldn't let them fall. Not yet, not until I KNEW they were necessary. "Nothing, Dad, I'm not keeping anything back." I turned and walked toward the RV. "I'll take the first watch. Dale's going to boil alive up there one day."
I watched over the property. I watched Dad and the others, including Hershel's youngest daughter's boyfriend go off to work the grid. I wondered at Daryl leaving alone. I kept my eyes peeled as Carol ventured out and spoke to Lori. My stepmom looked shocked, but nodded. And when Dale insisted I take a break, I walked to the house to check on Carl.
As I came up the steps, I bore witness to a conversation I hoped I could burn out of my memory, but figured I wouldn't be that lucky. Glenn and Hershel's oldest daughter, the one that came for Lori and me, Maggie were standing at the door.
Glenn was trying to flirt, I guess, when I heard this zinger. "You know, we have eleven condoms left." Ugh, I thought, they had sex. And then I was wondering where they'd scavenged the condoms.
Then the farm girl hit back with a below the belt attack with, "you see eleven condoms, I see eleven minutes of my life I won't get back." Ouch, I thought, looking at Glenn's face fall. That's harsh, and sad.
Sad puppy face Glenn begging for confirmation that he didn't suck at sex, "it wasn't that bad was it?" I closed my eyes to hopefully stop the trainwreck in front of me, but wait, was she giving him hope?
"I don't even know if I like you." Maggie offered. Thank goodness, I thought, because Glenn didn't deserve the destruction she almost wrecked.
"But you're thinking about it. You should." Yep, Glenn got his sorta swagger back.
I wished I could disappear, because that's when they noticed me standing at the foot of the steps. "Sorry. It was like the slowest moving trainwreck anyone has EVER had the misfortune to experience." I offered, feeling my face burn bright red in sympathetic embarrassment. "Plus, I didn't think I was being all that quiet when I came up. I mean, I'm not Daryl." Shit, fuck, get me out of here. They were still staring at me. "I promise, your secret? It's safe with me." I moved past them to get in the door. Inside I let the sort of cool shade take the heat out of my face.
Shaking my head, I moved further into the house to sit with my brother, and try desperately NOT to worry about Daryl.
HOURS LATER~GREENE FARM
I was still with Carl when I heard the flurry of activity in the kitchen. Lori stepped into the room to let us know that we'd be having a big dinner together, that our group decided to cook dinner for Hershel and his family to thank them. I smiled at the gesture and hoped that it would be taken as such.
I was leaving to check in with Dale when I overheard Maggie and Hershel's discussion about us leaving. Clearly, Hershel didn't want us to be a permanent addition to his land. I walked quietly past the room they were chatting in and outside. The sun was still burning and I noticed that the others were back. I headed for the RV, thinking I'd relieve Dale again.
I heard Dale warning someone to not shoot, then I heard the damn shot fire. I took off running and realized that someone had put Andrea on watch. For God's sake, I thought and realized that she looked proud. So why were my dad and Shane standing WITH the fucking walker? And that's when I knew. This dumb, useless, gun-toting moron had shot Daryl.
I gave her no thought as I rushed to meet Shane and Dad who were trying to pick up at bleeding Daryl. He was covered in dirt, blood, and more blood. Was that a necklace of ears? Jesus, I glared at my dad and kneeled beside Daryl. I took his bleeding head in my hands and breathed easier when I realized Andrea had only grazed him. His side, that was another matter, I gasped when I moved his shirt out of the way.
"Lift him up," I ordered, stepping away and removing the necklace. Eww, he and I were going to have to talk about appropriate accessories when he wasn't so injured. "GET HERSHEL!" I yelled as we neared the house.
Daryl was leaning on his elbow as Hershel worked on his side. His head was bandaged and he was cleaner, thanks to me. I had sponged off most of the dirt and gore. He pointed out where he'd found Sofia's doll on the map Maggie had provided for the grid search. And he wasn't the least bit admonished for taking the horse without permission, he threatened the damn thing. I nearly laughed, but thought it best to restrain it.
"You're fussin', Jess." He grunted, as I wiped more of his face clean.
I shook my head. "No, I'm just cleaning up my favorite masterpiece." Hershel finished up and gave me a smile. "Thank you, again." I offered the older man. "You keep saving the most important people in my life, going to owe you a huge debt soon." He shook it off and left.
Dad and Shane asked Daryl a few more questions and then they walked out too. I sighed and Daryl's hand met mine. "You knew, didn't ya?" He asked, and I knew what he meant.
I nodded. "Yeah, I didn't know WHAT, but I knew something bad." I studied his face, clean now and pulled out the 'necklace' from my pocket. "Wanna tell me about this?"
He grimaced and laid back on the pillows. Patting the bed next to him, I crawled in and lay beside him. He groaned and pulled me closer, wanting my head on his chest. Hearing his heart pound steadily under my ear, I felt calmer than I had all day. "Horse threw me, fell on my own damn arrow, may have had some freaky ass visions of Merle, and killed some dead assholes that thought I was an easy meal." He said, making it sound simple.
"And the 'souvenir'?" I reminded him, having handed it to him and let him put it in his pant's pocket.
I felt him shrug, and wince at the pain it brought to his side. "Seemed right at the time."
I chuckled and turned my face up to look at him. "This was Daryl's no good, very bad day, huh?" He grinned and agreed with a nod.
"Better now," he whispered, kissing my hair. "Couldn't think of nothin' but gettin' back to ya." He sighed. "Gettin' to ya, makin' sure ya knew I was ok. I knew why ya looked at me like that this mornin' as soon as the horse threw me. Then my asshole brother came into my head and I fought."
"I'll have to thank Merle when we find him again." I smiled, and he grinned back at me.
We heard a light tap on the open door and saw Carol standing there. She held two plates and a smile on her face. "I thought I'd bring you two dinner, and give my thanks to the bandaged hero here." She sat the plates on the bedside table. She leaned down and tried to kiss Daryl on his bandaged head, but he shook her off. Shaking her head, and smiling at the two of us pressed together, she went back to dinner with the others.
"You gave her more hope," I said, sitting up to reach over him for the plates. Handing him his, I raised an eyebrow. He stared back, Clearly he wasn't reading me for once. "Want me to feed you, hero?" He glared at me without heat and picked up his fork. Laughing I followed suit.
