Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This

Chapter 17

Author's Note: More views! More reviews! Love you guys! So here's a bit of romance. Nothing major, but more supporting and falling in love. Lori just didn't support him enough! I love the saying I used to describe the Governor so Jane's gonna say it in the flashback and Jewel's gonna use it later.

"I don't care about whose DNA has recombined with whose. When everything goes to Hell, the people who stand by you without flinching they are family-Jim Butcher"

Jewel came into the house and closed the door as she put down her purse on the entry way table.

"Off work at 4, date at 5 and home by 6, that's a record even for you," Jane said as she patted the couch. "Sit," the older woman instructed.

"Where's Summer?" Jewel asked as she sat down.

"Eatin' dinner with the Hayden's," she instructed. "So, what it was it this time? He was to tall? To clean shaven? Not the right color shirt?"

Jewel rolled her eyes. "I'm not that bad," she insisted.

"Just scared of any type of relationship," Jane told her.

"Says the woman who isn't married," Jewel told her.

"I was married twice, divorced twice, but I still tried," the older woman told her. "I'm proud of you for how far you came since you walked into that AA meeting. I understan' you wanting to protect your daughter from getting' hurt, but what about you? She's 8 now, you blink and she'll be 16 goin' to the prom, then 18 and off to college. Where does that leave you? Alone," Jane told her as she patted her leg. "Not every man is like your daddy, or your brother Merle or the man who raped you. Not every man is a fun filled lollipop triple dipped in psycho," Jane told her.

Jewel laughed. "I seem to attract those kind," she answered.

"Lately you haven't given anyone the chance because you are afraid of lowerin' your guard. One day, when you are least expectin' it, some guy is goin' to catch you off guard. Maybe it's the smile or the eyes, or the way he makes you feel when you hear that voice of his. Safe, nervous, confident all in one full sweep. You're gonna get butterflies in your stomach the way he looks at you, and weak in the knees when he touches your hand, and woah baby when he kisses you, all you're going to think about is how close you can get to him. Knowin' you, you are goin' to try to make every excuse in the book when it happens, and when it does, and believe me it will, I'm gonna be laughing at you," she warned.

"I bet there's gonna be an I told you so in there too," Jewel said with a shake of her head.

"You better believe it. And if he hates Merle from the first time he sees him, then you know I'm gonna love him," Jane teased.

Nighttime on the road:

Jewel turned as she heard a noise as she drew her gun. "If you're human, you better identify yourself," she told the person.

"Now this is a change, a Dixon holding a gun on me and not the other way around," Rick teased.

Jewel shook her head as she lowered the gun. "Sneakin' around in the dark, serves you right," she told him.

"How's Summer?" Rick questioned.

"In a bit of pain, she wants to go searchin' tomorrow," Jewel told him. "She feels responsible," she told him. "I told her no," she answered.

"So do I, we both promised him we'd be back," Rick told her. "We'll find him," he assured her as he walked closer to her.

Jewel turned and looked at him. "Do you believe that? Or are you just sayin' what you think the group wants to hear? What I want to hear?" she asked as she took a step closer to him.

"Hope, right?" Rick asked as both of them stood inches apart, both of them looking at each other.

"What are we doing Rick?" Jewel asked.

"I'm not sure," he told her as he reached out and touched her face and brought it to her kissing her. "But whatever it is don't we deserve to see where it goes?" he asked as he held her face close to his.

"Or it could be the worst decision for both of us and be safer to just stop it right now," Jewel told him. "I'd hate to think we'd wind up hating each other."

Rick laughed. "My best friend is sleeping with my wife yet I'm trying to keep them both alive," he told her as he kissed her again.

Jewel took a breath as she stood back. "You know you need to be an ass like Shane and I could hate you. I mean you redeemed yourself, slightly, for handcuffin' my brother to a roof by savin' my daughter. I like my daughter a whole lot better then Merle," she joked as she playfully pushed her shoulder into his.

Rick laughed. "So do I," he assured her.

"I'm terrible at relationships, Rick. I mean horrible, go on one date and come back with an excuse or just never return calls type of terrible. Or send Daryl or Merle after them if they don't take a hint. Or bring out my favorite line when someone asks me out, 'Oh can I bring my daughter along?' I've chased a lot of potential dates away that way. So if I can't even date in the real world, or commit, I'm not sure what chance I have doin' it here, when tomorrow isn't guaranteed," Jewel admitted to him.

Rick looked at her. "Well, it's a good thing that I handcuffed one of your brothers to a roof, the other one I'm growin' on, and I did just save your daughter," he told her with a grin. "Lori and I dated in high school, got married at 20, Carl came along a few years after that. There was signs even before that it wasn't going to last. Her stayin' out with friends when she knew I was gonna be home, or me stayin' late at work, throwin' myself into the job. The past couple years I'd leave early just so we wouldn't fight, especially in front of Carl. But there were mornings that I didn't get out fast enough and we'd fight in front of him. The day I moved out, I knew it was over. The day I got shot, I met with a divorce attorney before work," he admitted. "I always told Shane every problem, that's what you do with best friends isn't it?" he asked.

Jewel looked at him. "Definatley the voice," she thought to herself. "Yeah I know you're laughing at me up there," she cursed Jane in her head. "Yeah," she answered.

"I don't think I've talked to Lori like this in over two maybe three years," Rick admitted.

"Have you thought that maybe you're just lookin' for a rebound relationship? I mean you woke up in a hospital, to the end of the world, you fought to get back to your family, and to be faced with Shane and Lori, so isn't it possible…" she started to say.

Rick touched her face. "I would never, ever, started this if that was even an option. Do you understand me? I would never do that to you," he told her. "Do you understand?" he asked as he kissed her again.

Jewel nodded. "Yeah…I understand," she answered in a whisper.

"I'm not goin' to do anything to push you. If you tell me never to touch you, never kiss you again, I'd respect that. You know that right?" Rick asked.

Jewel nodded. "I know," she responded as she reached her hand up to his chest.

"Rick?" Shane's voice came from a distance.

Jewel took a breath as she pulled back. She tried not to laugh. "I'm pretty sure that you don't want to tell him about us," she teased him.

Rick arched an eyebrow. "There's an us? Now that sounds promising'," he told her as he squeezed her arm. "Over here Shane. What do you need?"

Shane came around the corner and looked between the pair. "Just wondered where you got too," he answered. "Not safe bein' out here alone, with walkers' and all."

Jewel arched an eyebrow as she and Rick exchanged glances. "Well it's a good thing that he isn't alone now isn't it?" she asked.

Rick tried not to laugh. "How's T Dog and Summer?" he asked.

"Resting. Don't you think you need to check on them?" Shane asked as he looked at Jewel.

Jewel rolled her eyes and gave him a mock salute. "Right Doctor Walsh I'll get right to it," she answered. "I'll see you later Rick."

Rick nodded as he squeezed her arm. "I'll check in with you before I turn in," he said as he walked away. "Not a word Shane. I'm warnin' you right now if you even try to ask me something' about what's goin' on, I'll punch you," he said as he walked away.