Her alarm tune woke her up and as she reached to turn it off, the one thing that told her the day before had really happened, was feeling his arm stiffen around her waist as he stretched. Rolling over she nuzzled into his chest, a smile on her face.

"What?" He asked about the smile.

"I thought maybe it was a dream." She looked up at him. Daryl moved a lock of hair from her face and she saw him looking at her like that again, the way he did in the beginning. People had always looked at her like she was different, because she was, but he looked at her like she was different in another way. Like she was special for another reason. She sighed, "Only you could make me want to not go to work."

"Rather that than makin ya want to go to work." He pulled her in close.

"That's only happened when I worked in the towers." She smiled as she gave him a quick kiss before trying to get up.

"Nuh uh." He said, pulling her back down, her laugh muffled by their kiss. Daryl enjoyed the sounds of her laughter, almost as much as he enjoyed her kisses. When they'd been in the tower, he thought that'd be all they had, but then they also had the hotel room after that. He never thought though he'd be in her bed, in California, and happy. It'd only been one day, but he could see how happy she was, and it was a surprise to him how happy he felt too. "I shoulda left the night you did if I knew that I coulda been wakin up to this."

"You wouldn't have right away." She told him, "I went to my uncles in Virginia afterwards. Didn't want to explain why I wasn't using all of the time I asked for."

"I'm sorry." He looked down at her.

"Stop." She laughed and gave him a shove, "You're here. You're here and we're together and that's all that matters. But unfortunately, I do need to get up for work."

"Need me to do anythin?" He asked as he begrudgingly let her go.

Looking over her shoulder at him she said, "I need you to relax." When he looked at her confused, she elaborated, "Daryl you just spent days on the road going across the country. You need to rest and recover a bit."

"I'm fi-"

"Liar." She started heading for the bedroom, "You snored last night. You only did that when you were really tired."

Daryl didn't realize he snored. "I don snore."

"It's not consistent, but yeah you do." She laughed as he heard the shower starting.

He guessed that spending one day resting wouldn't be to bad. At least it would give him time to familiarize himself with her apartment. Staying in bed while she showered, he didn't want to be tempted without protection, he then watched as she got dressed for work. When she grabbed her phone, she sat back on the side of the bed. "I should be home around five or five thirty. Until then, make yourself at home."

He nodded and she leaned down to give him another kiss, which he once again held her there for.

"Bye." She whispered on his lips and he muttered it back as she left.

She walked into the office and Mikey offered her a donut, "Sorry about yesterday Ms. Reiter. We just assumed-"

"You know what happens when you assume." She smiled at him.

"Makes an ass out of you and me, I know." He mumbled out.

She started walking to the elevator as she scanned her ID, "Oh, hell no, just you, I didn't do anything."

The two of them laughed as she got into the elevator and rode up to her floor. Once she was out, she made a b-line for Beccas desk. Once there her friend looked up, "Hey, you going to elaborate now?"

"Yeah."

"Cool, I just put on a pot of coffee." Becca stood and the two of them headed for the break room, "So who was he? He looks like one of your brother or uncles friends."

"You remember Daryl? From Georgia?" Ren asked as they made it to the coffee machine.

"No way." Becca gasped.

"Yeah." Ren tapped on the table nervously.

"Why is he all the way out here to see you? You said the dude didn't even have a cell phone?" Becca looked at her confused.

"Well…you see," Ren tried to figure out the best way to put it, "After the whole Chris thing…Daryl and I kinda started sleeping together?"

Becca gasped once again and started smiling, "I love you." Ren couldn't help but laugh at her friend, who then asked, "But if it was just a rebound, why is he here?"

"Because…it wasn't a rebound?" Ren spoke cautiously.

"Wait…so you two…? There are feelings?" Becca clarified and Ren nodded. After a moment she looked at her friend, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wasn't sure how you'd feel about it." Ren answered honestly.

"Feel about what?"

"About the age difference, the fact I just got out of an engagement and now I had feeling for someone else, stuff like that." Ren felt the tension in her shoulders release telling her best friend all of this.

"Bitch, does he make you happy?"

A smile slowly started to form on Ren's face as she nodded, "Yeah."

"Then I couldn't give two shits about any of that stuff. You're my best friend. All I want is for you to be happy." Becca smiled then shrugged, "Plus Greg is five years older than me, so I don't care."

"This is a little more than five years." Ren told her, "More like thirteen or so?"

"Makes sense though, you've been around people significantly older than you your whole life." Becca shrugged. "Guess I'll have to make Greg give Sean the bad news."

"Really? Isn't that kind of messed up though?" She asked.

"I mean a little but considering I'm the one that talked you into the situation…" Her friend laughed.

"Whoa, what is this breakroom bullshit and why was I not invited?" Marco walked in and asked seeing the two girls.

"Ren has a boyfriend." Becca answered.

"What?" Marco came over with a smile after pouring his coffee.

"He's not my-" She stopped not sure exactly what he was.

"He came from Georgia to be with you." Becca looked at her. "Is he going to be living with you?"

"Yeah…" Ren answered.

"Boyfriend." Becca told her.

"Wait, another one's going to be living off you?" Marco asked, "I'm not going to allow that."

"He wants to get a job." Ren defended, "But…"

"But what?" Marco looked at her.

Ren sighed, "Don't judge him, but he's never had a 'real' job before."

"Define 'real'." Becca quirked her head, "Like 'real' as in how people classify careers vs like retail or never been employed?"

"He worked sort of like a freelancer I guess for the rangers out in Georgia." Ren told them, "But other than that I don't think so."

"What's he good at?" Becca asked.

"Tracking, hunting…cars." Ren thought about it.

"Cars?" Marco asked and Ren nodded. "I might be able to help him out. My cousin's shop just got a big boom in business. I could vouch for him through you to get him an interview."

"Really?" Ren perked up. She wasn't sure how good he would do at an interview, but she knew he'd try his best. But she knew he knew enough about cars to get hired. "He was able to tell what was wrong with my rental just by looking under the hood."

"Alright. I'll talk to my cousin and let you know." Marco said, then smiled, "Don't say I don't love you."

Daryl had been bored most of the day. He'd slept a little bit longer after she left, then he got used to the apartment, then he turned the TV on but didn't really watch it. He had to admit though, she was right. He needed a break after that long of a ride. He munched and nibbled throughout the day, finding little pockets of food around her kitchen and around four forty-five, he pulled out enough to make them something for dinner. It wasn't fancy, but it was based on what she had. It was really the one thing she'd said he should do. He did it for her all the time before, just not official like this.

Her timing on getting home was perfect as he was finishing up. Ren put down the bags in her hands and walked into the kitchen, "What's this?"

"Dinner." He told her.

"Smells delicious." She said looking down at the grilled cheese sandwich.

"Wasn't much to work with." He looked over at her and she smiled, getting up on her toes to give him a quick peck.

"I stopped and got somethings that can last us until we can go grocery shopping." She said and then went over to the bag, "Also got you this." He watched as she walked back over and handed him a box with a cellphone in it. "It's not fancy and it's prepaid. You don't have to use it a lot if you don't want to, but just in case I get stuck at the office or something I can text you and let you know."

"Alright." He nodded. He was definitely going to have to figure out how to use it.

"I can teach you after dinner if you want." She smiled as he was just looking at the box. He nodded again and she laughed, "Is it done? Because I'm starving."

"What'd you do before?" He asked putting the sandwiches on a plate.

"Got takeout delivered?" She spoke and he looked at her and she gave him an innocent smile, "When I remembered?"

"Uh huh. Here." He handed her the plate and she hopped up on the counter and began eating. Daryl couldn't stop the smile at her doing this. She had always had cute habits, but seeing her in her own home, he enjoyed them so much more. He leaned against the other counter as he ate his and there was a peaceful quiet as they ate.

When they were done, she put up the few groceries that needed to be in the refrigerator and then they went to the couch where she explained the phone to him. She texted the phone to show him what it would look like and showed him simple ways to respond. Ren showed him some of the features of it and tried her best not to confuse him.

"So, it takes pictures?" He asked.

"Yeah." She told him and pulled out her phone, opening the gallery, "I took this one in Georgia when it started to snow."

"Huh." He looked at the tiny thin black rectangle. He'd only ever seen the ones that were thick and mostly a keypad. Opening up the camera he moved it to where he saw her on the screen.

"What are you doing?" She laughed at him and he clicked the button she'd shown him, and he saw the picture of her smiling pop up there for a moment. "Did you just take a picture of me?"

"Yeah." He answered. After she'd left all he had were his memories of her, and each time he tried to remember how she looked, it was as if it faded more in his mind.

"Alright then." She picked her phone back up and aimed it at him. He looked back up at her right as she hit the button, "Two can play at that game."

"Nah." He shook his head and she laughed nodding hers.

"Yup." She moved her hand away from him as he reached for her phone. Laughing more as he tried harder, she slid her phone onto the floor, and this pulled him down on top of her. Smiling she pressed her lips against his and when they broke, she whispered, "That's going to be my new phone background."

"Stop." He moved a bit of hair from her forehead.

"Nope. It's official Daryl Dixon." She smiled.

"Fine." He kissed her again, giving up. He'd always hated photos of himself, but he couldn't say no to her. Her fingers grazed his jaw as their kiss continued.

She looked up at him when he stopped it though, "Come on. Help me put up the rest of the groceries."

"Alright." He lifted himself off of her. They didn't say much while putting the few things away, but they were glances and small smiles. When she grabbed the last bag, he collected the rest of them, balling them up on the counter. She started carrying a bag with stuff still in it into the bedroom, and he asked, "What's in there?"

"Just some essentials for you." She looked in it, "Toothbrush, deodorant,…condoms."

She smirked as she started to turn back towards the bedroom, but he caught her arm and turned her back to him, his lips meeting hers. He knew she'd been waiting to tell him so they could get done what they needed to with dinner and the phone, because they both knew that once they started, they weren't going to stop.

His hand wrapped around her back as her fingers went through his hair. Moving his hands lower they went over her ass to her thighs and he picked her up, her legs wrapping around him as he carried her to the bedroom. She dropped the grocery bag beside the bed as he laid her down on it and climbed on top of her. Ren didn't waste any time in getting his shirt off as they kissed more feverishly, their tongues dancing.

Once her shirt was off, he removed her bra and his hand swiftly found the mound and hardening bud. She felt him wrap the other arm around her and his body was pressed against hers. She didn't know why she enjoyed it so much, the feeling of his weight on her, but she did. Unable to stop the moan as his mouth moved to her neck, she felt his hips grind against hers. His gravelly voice dripping with want entered her ear, "You gotta work tomorrow?"

"Yes." She let out a laugh before nipping at his ear, "But it wouldn't be the first time I've pulled an all nighter."

That was good because he wasn't planning on them sleeping much. He'd missed more than he'd ever missed anyone, and now he had her, and she'd been right, they didn't have a time limit. He took his time, his hands and mouth exploring and rediscovering every part of her. Her hands gripping him tight and his name leaving her in moans and ecstasy laced whispers. Sweat on their bodies building more and more with every orgasm she had. Ren wasn't even sure if she'd be able to walk properly the next day, but she didn't care. All she cared about was that he was there, and they were together again.

A/N: Hope you guys like this one! Sorry it's taking me so long to get chapters out. Life is crazy!