Hey all, sorry for the laaate update, I was working like crazy and I'm kinda worrying, since this is the last fully typed chapter I have. Usually I can type new chapters quite easily, but I also don't want it to feel rushed, so stress-ball alert. Help me inspire my muse by telling me what you're looking forward to seeing when we get back to canon events;)

This chapter focuses on developing some relationships, but we get back on track in the next chapter. Thanks for all the favorites and follows, as well as to Guest and Lumora The White for reviewing!

Guest: I'm glad you like it, there's some more of it in this chapter;)

Enjoy!

Chapter 22

Daryl walked leisurely through the community, his lips still twitching from the sight of Anamika cornered by Carl with the help of Rick and being tickled. He loved seeing her with Carl, as the kid needed to be a kid again and she afforded him that opportunity.

Of course, it helped that it also relaxed her. He knew she was still twitchy inside the walls and uncomfortable around the towns people. Don't get him wrong, she loved the community and talked to the people, but she was always afraid she would do something horrible and so kept an emotional distance from most of them.

It was really only his group she truly mingled with and only really with him, Rick, the kids and Carol. She talked to the rest, but it seemed she had recognized something in them that caused her to be afraid that she'll hurt them. Though, he had seen her laughing with Abraham on occasion.

Another reason that scene lightened his heart, was the smile on Rick's face. He knew he should be jealous that his woman was in another man's arms, but Rick is his brother and he could see the stress this life and his leadership placed on him. It's been better lately, but he only truly relaxed when he was with his kids and Anamika had a way of bringing out the kid in Carl, which brought out the kid in Rick. All Daryl wants is for his family to be happy and safe and Anamika is providing that.

He knew he was going to pay though, for leaving her in their clutches and he didn't know whether to look forward to it or to dread it.

"Daryl!" He looked around, seeing Olivia coming closer and he stopped and waited for the woman to reach him.

"Sorry, I don't want to bother you, but Rick seemed busy and I just did a complete inventory of our supplies…"

Daryl grunted, motioning for her to continue and she swallowed nervously, adjusting her glasses, before soldiering on.

"The supplies you and Anamika brought in helped, but Denise has some specific medication she's running low on and though we're still set for a few weeks, food goes fast in a large community like this." Daryl nodded, his mind far away as he thought of where they could look. Seeing Olivia shift from foot to foot, he grunted lowly.

"Yeah, I'll talk to Rick, we'll go on a run sometime this week, hopefully find some stash or something somewhere. We haven't looked up west yet."

Olivia nodded and Daryl turned to walk away, his mind spinning over the new problem.

WD

Anamika lay gasping on the ground, her sides heaving as she side eyed the still widely grinning boy lying on the grass next to her. A toe nudging her side had her grunting as she squinted up at Rick, his eyes bright and a peculiar smile on his face. It immediately set her on guard and she narrowed her eyes at the words that came out of his mouth, knowing she had been right to be wary.

"So, you're ticklish? Good to know."

"What does that mean?" Rick just smiled at her again, that subtly devious glint in his eyes as he turned and wandered away. Anamika lifted her head, alarmed at his behaviour.

"Hey Rick! Rick! What does that mean?! RICK!" Their fearless leader just chuckled as he continued to walk away, and Anamika considered getting up and going after him, but finally dropped her head back to the ground, too worn out to bother right now. She turned her head to Carl, the infuriating boy still sporting a wide grin.

"This is all your fault you know."

"It was all in the name of training. You need to use your enemy's weakness against them, right?" Anamika paused mid-protest, then sullenly closed her mouth. She had taught the boy too well and she couldn't argue against him. Hearing footsteps, she saw Carol coming closer and before she had a chance to get up, a squirming Judith was straddling her, the little girl giggling as she sat on Anamika's stomach.

"I'm going to go see Olivia quickly, keep an eye on her?" Anamika had barely nodded before the short-haired woman was off and she turned her attention to the little girl who was playing with the strands of her hair that had come loose in her tussle with Carl. Pulling funny faces at the young girl, she couldn't help but smile widely at the adorable grin on her face and poked her nose, making funny noises.

Carl scooted closer, also playing with his sister, but it was evident that Judith was already worn out, as it didn't take her long to start blinking longer and slumping forward. With a wide yawn, the little girl rubbed her eyes and Anamika eased her down, nestling Judith's head into the crook of her neck. She rubbed her back softly till she heard the little girl's breath deepening and glanced at Carl, who nodded to signify Judith was asleep. Instead of getting up, she just relaxed back into the soft grass, the sun warming her body as she enjoyed being outside.

"Hey Anna?"

"Yeah?" Carl hesitated and she looked at him curiously, but waited patiently for him to speak. He opened his mouth, but at the last minute seemed to deflate.

"Nevermind, it's nothing. Stupid thought." She saw the way his hand twitched up to the bandage he wore again on his face, covering his scars and the way his face angled away from her, as if to hide that side of his face. She could guess what he wanted to ask.

"You don't need to be ashamed of it or hide it Carl. That scar shows how incredibly strong you are, what you survived and you should wear it as a badge of honour."

"But it's ugly…" His whisper was so soft she could barely hear it, but she did hear it.

"Who said that?" He looked uncomfortable, mumbling something about some housewife or other who had talked to someone else about how unsightly it was. Anamika scoffed, anger bubbling inside her at the ignorance of people.

"Then they're idiots. Your scar is not ugly, it's badass and I, for one, think you're rocking it. Never be ashamed of your scars Carl, they're your history, your survival record. Besides, I think it adds character to your face, gets rid of some of your baby fat."

Carl sputtered and Anamika laughed softly so as not to disturb Judith, but her heart lightened at the relieved grin Carl was sporting. He was one of the bravest kids she knew and she didn't like seeing him unhappy. She was just glad that her words got through to him and she vowed to always be there for him and to protect him from any harm.

"Hey Carl, your dad is looking for you. He's waiting by the infirmary, Denise wants to do one last check, just to make sure everything healed as it should have." Anamika glanced up to see Michonne blocking her sun, the woman's eyes focused on Carl. The teen nodded in acceptance, standing up and brushing the grass of his clothes, before he waved at Anamika and went on his way.

As Judith was still sleeping soundly, Anamika stayed where she was, but she was surprised when, instead of leaving, Michonne sat down besides her. After a moment of comfortable silence, she finally spoke up, her voice low.

"I heard what you said to Carl. That boy has been through so much and it's not been easy for him. This… This is just another obstacle in his path, but you managed to turn that around in his mind. T...Thank you. It's not always easy for me or Rick to tell him stuff like that and have him listen to us, because he never wants to let us down. I'm glad he could talk to you about it."

"Of course, Carl is like the little brother I'm not sure I ever had…" Anamika trailed off, conflicting emotions raging inside her at the thought of her lost memories and what she might have left behind. Michonne's voice interrupted her thoughts and she turned her attention back to the dreadlocked woman.

"So you really remember nothing about your past. Must be hard, but sometimes I wish I could just forget mine…" Anamika regarded Michonne closely, seeing the anguish in her eyes and feeling her heart break for the strong woman besides her. Michonne gently stroked Judith's soft hair and Anamika had an epiphany as she saw the sadness in her gaze.

"You lost a child…" Michonne glanced up sharply, but didn't deny it. She pursed her lips, before exhaling slowly.

"My son, Andre. He was three and I had left him with my boyfriend and his friend as I went out to hunt. When I came back…" Anamika stayed quiet, knowing there was nothing she could say to make it better. Michonne closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, composing herself, before her eyes opened again.

"My boyfriend had been high as a kite and hadn't been able to protect our son, much less himself. I watched him and his friend die and turn, then I cut of their arms and jaws and chained them. It was to punish myself and them, but it was only later that I realised they protected me, hid me from other walkers. Kind of made the punishment a moot point."

When it seemed like Michonne wasn't going to continue, Anamika breathed in deeply, exhaling harshly as she came to a decision.

"I killed 37 people before I arrived here. Most of them deserved it, men and women who tried to take advantage of me. Some were people who tried to keep me with them once they saw my skill, who didn't want to let go. But some, some I don't know if they were bad or good, I simply killed them because I couldn't take the chance and they weren't backing off. There was one couple, however, that I killed in the beginning. I had travelled with them and I knew how to survive, to fight, but they didn't."

Anamika paused, remembering their frightened faces, but Michonne's quiet support allowed her to continue. She had only told Daryl of this before and though she was fairly sure Daryl told Rick, she wasn't sure if Rick told Michonne.

"After a particularly nasty fight with a group of dead, they tried to kill me, as they were afraid after seeing what I could do. But… I killed them before they could kill me. It messed me up, made me doubt myself and avoid joining any group in fear that I would lose control again. It took Aaron to get me here and Daryl to get me to see that I wasn't to blame in that situation, though I still think I could have reacted differently. You have a chance here to move on and though I'm not saying those memories don't hurt, they don't have to stop you from making new ones."

Michonne nodded, her eyes bright and lip trembling ever so slightly as she cleared her throat. Leaning over, she eased Judith off Anamika's chest, cradling the girl's sleeping body against her as she stood. Anamika stood as well, as it had started to get chilly and she wasn't wearing a jacket. Right before Michonne walked away, she paused, her dark eyes piercing Anamika.

"Thank you." Anamika nodded as the woman walked away, a smile on her face, before she made her way to her house, intent on tracking down a certain traitorous bastard.

WD

Daryl finally entered his house, his body weary after spending the day helping out around Alexandria and finalizing some details about a run with Rick. It was dark and he assumed Carol was at Tobin's again, but he was surprised Anamika wasn't back yet. Instead of turning on the lights, he just made his way to his bedroom, too worn to bother now and all he wanted was a shower and his bed.

The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as he entered his room and he had a split second to realise he wasn't alone and curse at himself for leaving his crossbow by the bedroom door before someone was on his back, muscular arms wrapped around his neck and powerful legs clenched around his hips. He stumbled with the extra weight, but soft lips nipping at his ear had him pausing and it only took him another second to recognize the scent that surrounded him and for his body to tense for an entirely different reason.

"Well, what do we have here? A traitorous rat, a betraying bastard. Whatever shall I do with you?" Anamika's voice was sultry, her breasts pressed tightly against his back as she ground herself lightly into him. He groaned, his hands clenching on her thighs as he tried to control his breathing. He grunted as she bit down on his neck, nipping the skin before soothing it with her tongue and he felt all his blood rush south.

'Hmmm, delicious. But you have been incredibly naughty, leaving me to the two demons and their satanic fingers, tut tut." Daryl scoffed, choking back a laugh at Anamika's ridiculous words and he could feel her grinning against his neck, where she was still nurturing a hickey.

Having enough of her teasing, he poked one finger in her side, where he now knew she was ticklish and as her body flinched automatically, he grabbed her waist and slid her around, holding her against his front.

"Hmmm, I think if you really wanted, ya could have escaped Rick and Carl yourself." He bent forward, kissing down her jawline to her neck to her collarbone. She trembled in his arms as she gasped, her head tilting back to give him more room to work with.

"Tha-that's not the p-point, ah, you were su-supos- oh god- supposed to be on m-my side. Daryl." Daryl ignored her, steadily making his way own to her breasts, but before he could reach them, her legs slipped from his waist and she spun him around, pushing him down on the bed.

"I have to punish you for not helping me. Don't worry, I'm sure I'll enjoy it." She stood back, slowly slipping her shirt off as she kept her eyes trained on his. He swallowed thickly as the completely impractical black lace bra was revealed and wondered where on earth she had even found the thing. He started to sit up, but she held up a warning finger.

"Ah ah ah ahah. None of that mister. No touching, only looking." Huffing, he sat back, his eyes narrowed as she toed off her boots, taking off one sock then the other while keeping her eyes on him. He saw her biting her lip as she teasingly slipped her pants down her long legs and he about choked.

Good lord, she had matching black lace panties.

"You like them? I especially searched through my stash to find them for you…" Daryl swallowed, he liked them very much, as the smooth, lean skin of her body stood out in mouth watering contrast to the black of her underwear. She was all curves and muscles, the contradiction not making sense in his head, but making sense when it came to her. The silvery scars he could see on her body didn't even matter and now he know how she felt the other night. They were just another part of her for him to worship.

She stalked closer, her movements graceful and predatory and pushed him down on the bed from where he had sat up to see her better. Climbing on, she crawled forward till her knees was on either side of his hips, carefully keeping her body from touching him except where her knees pressed against his side. He lifted his hands to place them on her waist, but she stopped him once again.

"No touching darlin'" Daryl huffed as his hands fell back to the bed, his fingers clenched in the sheets. Anamika's hands was in her hair, shaking it loose after she removed the hair tie, before they trailed down her body, smoothing over her breasts and sides as her eyes gazed intensely at him. One of her hands travelled back up to pinch a nipple through the sheer fabric of her bra, while another slowly cupped her sex.

"M-Mika…"

"Nope, you're only allowed to watch, not touch. It wouldn't be punishment otherwise right." Daryl felt a twinge in his chest, a flash of doubt lancing through him, that maybe he had gone too far or-

Her hand slipped inside her black panties and the lace was so thin he could practically see her finger pressing down on her clit, rubbing a slow circles as she gasped and shuddered. Her hand left her panties and she reached behind her, unhooking her bra and slipping it off tantalizingly slow, before tossing it over her shoulders.

Her breasts now bare to his gaze had him salivating and twitching to touch her, the need so strong he thought he might go mad without it. He swallowed and his hand rose again involuntarily, but her sharp voice had him flinching back, her words stern, "Don't you dare touch me Daryl Dixon!"

He looked up to see her eyes trained on him in a smoldering gaze as she massaged her breasts, moaning as she bit her bottom lip and Daryl felt self-doubt creep up on him again.

She didn't want him to touch her. Maybe she was really angry with him and only mocking him with this now, while he would never be allowed to touch her again. He withdrew into himself, his old self-hatred rearing its head as he grew more uncertain. Maybe he had misjudged, maybe she didn't care for him the way he did her. He didn't believe that their entire relationship was based on sex, at least not anymore, but it made him feel stupid and used when she didn't allow him to touch her while so clearly tempting him to.

He guess she must have seen the uncertainty and vulnerability in his eyes, because the next moment he had a lapful of Anamika, her body pressed tightly against his as her arms wound around his neck. He kept his hands away from her sides, afraid that she still didn't want his touch, but her eyes were no longer playful and sultry, instead they were serious and gentle at the same time, a contradiction just like everything else about her.

"What's wrong?" He swallowed, not sure if he can articulate what he was feeling, as words weren't his best weapon, but he knew he had to try, if only to be sure where she stood with him.

"Not allowed to touch ya. Are ya just mocking me? Gonna rile me up and then leave me?" She seemed surprised, as if the thought never occurred to her and that made him feel a bit better, but still not entirely sure of himself.

"Daryl, I'll never use sex as a punishment. I might tease you as I'm doing now, torture you a bit, but I'll never withhold sex from you unless I'm not feeling well; I certainly will never rile you up on purpose and then deny you. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it to appear like I was maliciously playing around with you. I'm yours, whenever and wherever."

He could see the sincerity in her eyes, the apology as she hugged him tightly and he knew that he didn't need to worry. He leaned his head up and she willingly kissed him, their tongues intertwining. He pulled back, seeing her swollen lips and dazed expression and he smirked, smug that he was the cause of it. Rolling them over, he leaned over her, kissing her neck before whispering in her ear, "Whenever and wherever?"

"Always."

She gasped as he nipped her neck, his mouth travelling down, ravishing each breast before moving down even further. And when he reached his destination and was tongue deep inside her with her fingers clutching his hair and her body arching up as she cried out, he knew it was true in the reverse as well.

He was hers, whenever and wherever.

WD

I hope I managed to convey in a convincing way how uncertain Daryl still is in their relationship. He's not one to talk about his feelings, so it's a bit difficult to show his struggle without some physical outlet for him and I don't want him and Anamika to fight if it's not about something important, since Daryl also isn't the impulsive hothead he was anymore. Hope you liked it, we get back to canon next chapter:D