The weeks flew by and soon Daryl was beginning to go back to his old self. Despite the little situation days before- which he didn't seem to remember, Jasmine felt confident in being around him without having to fret that he may fall unconscious again. Her fears seemed to be diminishing each day, replaced by confidence in the archer. He was beginning to eat again (although it was mostly soft things, like pudding or porridge), and was trying to move about. Jasmine had removed the bowl of cold water and the rag from his room, and gave him clean sheets, as well as fresh clothes. The wound was no longer in need of bandaging, for it had closed up nicely. Wiping her brow after a long morning of cooking for the group, she had said her final farewells to them as they left the premises in search of supplies.

"Would you like to try walking today?" asked the brunette as she entered the room to take his bowl away. The archer was tediously cleaning his crossbow, most likely for when he was up and ready to use it. Right now, what he needed, was to build back his strength, seeing as the fever had sucked all his energy from him. There was a moment of silence as he proceeded to tinker with the weapon. "I'll be fine..." Yeah, he was slowly becoming his old self, that was for sure. Humming, she nodded and casually trailed along the edge of the bed. Slowly, she strolled up to the archer. Her eyes washed over the items upon the bed, curious as to what exactly they did.

There was a bottle of lubrication, a sponge and a rag... Jasmine's attention turned to the archer, eyeing the item within his hand. The screwdriver worked as he turned it, tightening any loose screws on the riser. A wicked grin laced her rosy lips, mischievous thoughts running rampant through her head. Leaning close, she looked at Daryl. The archer, after a moment, slowed his movements before stopping and turning his head up to face her. He appeared rather startled as she brought her face inches from his. "You'll be fine, eh?" she murmured. Resting her knee up on the mattress that lay between his legs, she allowed a dainty hand to perch upon his shoulder. At this point, his breath hitched and he tensed, completely at her mercy. The look in his eyes was not only dark and prurient, but priceless, becoming even more amusing when she snatched the screw driver from him and slipped away. The little bit of the crossbow hung loosely now, the nail landing in her hand.

Then you'll be fine without this?" asked the malicious woman. She eyed the screw within her hand, as well as the vibrant-handled tool. The archer took a moment to recover from the moment of odd behavior for Jasmine, an audible exhale escaping him stating that he had been holding his breath. He then rose up, stumbled, and caught her for balance. "C'mon Jas, give it back," he implored. It sounded as if he were speaking to a child. Jasmine's giggled and shook her head, taking a step back. The archer swayed, clearly having little to no patience nor confidence in himself to do this. "Jas," he warned. Oh, his tone was beginning to make her nervous... but nonetheless she pursued on, and continued to misbehave.

"Come get it then!" she chirruped, beaming devilishly. Batting her eyelashes, she waited. Daryl let out a sigh of irritation and took a few paces forward before he wobbled and stumbled. Jasmine managed to catch him, supporting him as he attempted to grab the screw driver. Pulling away, she stranded him in the doorway, where he caught himself on the egress. A smile twitched upon his face and the corner of his mouth curled up in a smirk. Relieved that he was having a bit of fun now, she proceeded on with her plan. "Come on. I know you can get it, Daryl." The archer responded with a roll of his eyes. After a moment of hesitation, Daryl began to walk more confidently, taking at least four steps now. Just as he was trying to take the fifth step, he swayed, suddenly lightheaded. Diving for him, Jasmine caught him just in time.

Alarm shot through her as he slumped against her. "You okay?" she asked. With no reply, she began to panic. Looking around, she felt completely helpless. The archer was growing heavier by the second, and with nobody in the house, she was all on her own in this situation. Oh, if only she hadn't pushed him! She felt awful. Jasmine gave him a gentle shake. "Daryl, honey... Daryl, please wake up..!"

Daryl suddenly reanimated, his body twitching and tensing; guttural noises gurgled within his throat. Oh no... no no no no! He couldn't have turned so suddenly, could he?! Completely terrified, she froze to the spot, unable to move. As Daryl's head came up, she looked into his milky-dead eyes-

She relaxed as soon as he began chuckling. Jasmine shook her head, realizing that his slate gaze was as lively as ever. "Not so tough now, are ya?" asked the archer, holding up the bolt and the screwdriver. Having been completely oblivious to his sneaky little trick, she looked at her hand in confusion, then scrunched up her nose. "You sly son of a bitch!" she laughed. The archer was standing perfectly now, as if the fever were all behind him. Jasmine placed a hand on her hip, audibly sighing in relief.

"Well, you seem fine now.." she remarked. Shaking her head, she extended a hand and coaxed him over. Carefully, he took a few more steps, before dropping the judicious way of traveling and becoming more adventurous. Reaching her, he took hold of her arms and began to stroll further, given that his legs seemed to disobey him once more. The two pivoted carefully and walked the opposite way, back toward the archer's room. After a few more steps, Jasmine released Daryl, and he began to walk at a reasonable jaunt. The two proceeded down the hall, which seemed to be going on forever until they reached the balcony. Jasmine made sure that he knew she was right beside him every step of the way.

As Jasmine backed up a few more steps and turned, she began the short journey back down the hall, only this time she began to increase her speed. "Do you think that you can catch up with me now?" she challenged. Daryl seemed a bit uneasy but eventually trotted forward. He jogged straight up to her, a slight breeze wafting up in her face as he stopped so abruptly. The archer wobbled, but she stopped him, beaming up to him. "Try going the other direction now." Doing as he was told, Daryl strolled away toward the end of the stairway, before breaking into a trot again, winding the corner that lead off onto the side of the balcony that overlooked the foyer. Jasmine watched him disappear from view and sighed in content. Oh, this was great! Finally, he was up and about.

A certain type of sadness washed over her as she thought about being left behind in the cabin; Daryl would start hunting again, and that would leave her alone most days, aside from Carol, Judith, Jordan, and even Reese. "C'est la vie," she sighed softly. The dark haired girl turned and registered that her bedroom door was shut when she had distinctly left it open so that Judith could get some air, and so that Jasmine could hear her if she were crying. Oddly enough, she couldn't hear anything coming from inside.

Then she strained her ears. Resting her hand upon the doorknob, Jasmine went to turn the handle; only to stop herself. The sound of breathy voices were coming from inside, causing her confusion. She eventually turned the knob and allowed the door to open a pinch, pressing her ear to the gap. She then peered in. "Oh, fuck..." Michonne's moans drawled out from inside the bedroom, the sound of creaking and rustling sheets causing her stomach to drop. Suddenly her knees were weak. From what she could see, she caught glimpses of ivory and raven, entwined into one beneath the sheets. Settled vertically upon Rick, she straddled him; her hips rolled as she rocked rhythmically, her breasts engorged and exposed in all their glory. Two large hands reached up to caress them, earning a groan of delight from the raven beauty.

Jasmine pushed the door open and gasped, bringing her hands to her to her mouth as what she saw before her suddenly ended. Alarmed as they had been caught in the act, the raven beauty let out a scream. Rick reached up and covered Michonne, who reached behind herself and brought the quilt up over the both of them. Almost immediately after her discovery, Daryl had reached her. "Jas...? Hey, what's wrong?" At first he was completely oblivious, up until he turned his head and immediately froze, following her gaze.

"J-Jas-" Rick fumbled. "I-I-" His partner covered her mouth, mirroring Jasmine's actions for a moment, before she allowed it to fall and slipped off of Rick, exposing his manhood for a moment before the blankets were hastily pulled up. "Jasmine... I'm so sorry!" Michonne wept. She bowed her head into the crook of Rick's shoulder.

"You cheap, motherless prick!" Daryl snarled, pushing past her and charging over to the very nude Rick Grimes. Jasmine turned away and began to sob, rushing to find shelter somewhere where she could come unhinged in private. There was a holler from down the hall as the group had returned and rushed to see what Michonne's startled cry had been about. Daryl, at this point, had lunged for Rick's throat and pinned him to the mattress. The leader's lover began to try and pry him off, and just before it seemed as though the archer was going to break Rick's nose, Abraham had burst into the room and ripped Daryl off just as he had been about swing. The brute tossed him away, sending him sprawling back into Carol and Maggie, who caught him. Daryl attempted to break from their grasps, huffing and growling in frustration, but remained where he was as the older woman grasped his arm. "What in the name of Christ's white ass is goin' on here?!" Abraham inquired, his voice belting out into the room.

"This lyin' motherfucker jus' fucked himself over- he's fuckin' dead!" Daryl struggled against grip of Rhee and Ford.

"Easy Daryl..." murmured Maggie. Glenn had just joined the party. Upon seeing the sights he didn't wish to see, he swallowed nervously and averted his eyes.

"What?! The cocksucker deserves every fuckin' thing I call him! After what he fuckin' did!"

Rick began to attempt to make peace, even as he so nervously covered Michonne. "There's no reason to throwin' around profanity- let's just talk this out-" That was when Daryl lunged again, his teeth exposed and his jaw set. "What about Jas?!" the archer growled. Glenn and Abraham snatched him, holding him back as Rick protectively cast an arm in front of Michonne, who hid behind him with wide eyes. "You lied t' her!"

"Rick, how could you?" Carol piped up, clearly upset too. "You would do this to Jasmine even after she came to you saying she was carrying your child?"

"Alright folks, let's jus' calm down..." Maggie soothed, raising her hands. "We need to leave these two to get dressed n' hen we can sort things out.

"No, this is their own business," Carol retaliated. She then shook her head and exited, followed by the young brunette behind her. Glenn followed third, leaving Abraham to drag Daryl back, whom stared Rick down.

"I ain't lettin' you go near her, you fuckin' hear me? You're fuckin' dead if you do!" Daryl threatened. Rick narrowed his eyes and turned to Michonne, soothing her quietly. Daryl was yanked into the hallway and the door was shut with a loud bang. Abraham let out an exasperated exhale and ran a hand through his hair, moving away from the stress of the situation. Glaring at the door for a good solid few seconds, the archer remained still, before he turned away and stormed off to find Jasmine.

Jasmine had to admit, she felt like a child as she laid beneath Carol's bedsheets. She sobbed heavily, her body curled into a ball; her torso heaved as she took deep gulps of air. She struggled to compose herself, the sheer impact of the moment having knocked her hormones flying. They now buzzed around within her brain as her heart ached and her face burn from both the effort, and the embarrassment. How could she have been so stupid? Shuttering, she curled tighter, holding her swollen stomach. She could now piece together what had been happened- if only she had known before the whole incident and hadn't found out too late. With how distant he had become, she would spend the night in Daryl's room, sleeping in the windowsill. It was beginning to get to a point where it became a nightly event. She wouldn't even get up to check on Judith when she was crying, leaving Rick to wake up and soothe her.

"Jasmine, honey?" Carol's voice was faint and thin. She could tell that it had hit her hard. The door shut softly behind her; a beat or so after, the sheets that were curled over her head were pulled back, revealing her ruddy tear-soaked face. Carol let out a solemn scoff and reached down, drawing her in. "Its okay... you still have all of us. Don't worry..." hushed the older woman. Jasmine clung to her like a young kid who had just scraped her knee, and cried softly as Carol stroked her hair. They remained like that for a while, even when Daryl sauntered in. She felt the older woman frown and her lips part. There was a moment of silence as Jasmine hid her face before the door creaked once more and Daryl made his exit, the latch clicking behind him.

Pulling away, Carol wiped Jasmine's face free of tears. "Just give it a few days to all blow over... don't you worry, everything will work out just fine." The younger woman's mouth opened, but all she managed to utter was a broken squeak. She then began to sob once more, her eyes shutting. A sigh escaped Carol and she leaned over, kissing her forehead and cooing to her. Jasmine's eyes peeled open, a film of hot tears blinding her, transforming the room into a mucky mixture of muddy tones. "Now, see here. Crying over a man who has done her no good... aren't you supposed to be Daryl's right-hand man?" she inquired, peering at her. "You're stronger than this... don't let this blind you to what is important in the long run." Carol's hand rested upon her abdomen. "For their sake..." Silence ensued and she sniffled, nodding. "Are you going to be sleeping in his room? Or would you prefer to sleep here tonight?"

Jasmine swallowed, holding down nausea from the strain of crying and the stress. She hiccuped and swallowed once more, before croaking out a few words. "I'd like to stay here..." Carol nodded, understanding completely. She pulled her in ever so gently and proceeded to soothe her.

"Alright, my dear. As you wish..."

Freezing rain had rolled in by early evening, plunging the lodge into darkness. Jasmine shuffled around, lighting candles and trying to keep herself warm. After the situation between Rick and Michonne she had witnessed, she had cried herself to sleep next to Carol. The older woman had only woken her up for dinner, and now that it was to be served, she could feel her gut rolling. She would have to face the group herself. As she finished lighting the large standing candles, she was suddenly startled as she nearly stumbled over Jordan who chased after her scuttling pet chicken. "Hey Jordan," she mused. "Is Reese hungry?" Honestly, she wondered what exactly Jordan fed him; he was very plump for an avian in the zombie apocalypse.

"No, he already ate," the little girl trilled in her adorable southern drawl. "But I'm suuuuper hungry!" Rubbing her hands together, she stuck her arms out much like a bird and 'soared' over to the den where she happily plopped down in Abraham's seat. The burly man had taken a shine to the little strawberry blonde and her pet, and Sasha had too. At times a complete stranger would most likely mistake them as her parents, which Jasmine found touching. The stairs creaked and her heart leaped. Carl was the only one to descend, thankfully. The small crowd all began to gather from different points in the house, including one odd man out in particular trailing behind Emily and Jude...

Her mask had been removed, her cloudy eyes gazing around unknowingly. Confused as to why the pale-eyed boy wasn't helping her, she eyed Jude carefully. She was just passing the three of them when Fallon perked up. "Oh, hello Jasmine," she peeped. A chill ran down her spine. She swallowed gently and her lips parted.

"Fallon," she replied simply.

"How is the baby coming along?"

"Well, I haven't felt any kicks yet, but I'm sure it won't be long before I do..." The two paired off from the group and stepped up onto the platform. "And the nausea went away..."

The blind girl nodded. It was hard to believe that a simple teenager could rule an entire empire, let alone one who couldn't see. "That's good news. I'm sure you're nervous for when the time comes.." Fallon purred. Jasmine hadn't really thought of it until now, and thus it hit her hard. Without modern medicine or a doctor around, she would be in for a hell of a ride. Retrieving a bowl, she began to fill one for herself... Jasmine then turned her head to face Fallon: her hair was flawless and always clean, her complexion of ivory, the beauty mark just below her bottom lip. She was a beautiful young girl, about Carl's age. Probably a year or two older...

Instead of taking the meal as her own, she handed the bowl to the young lady. She reached out and gently prodded her wrists before sliding her hands down to meet Jasmine's own set. She then smiled softly and retrieved the bowl. Why was her heart hammering in her chest? To be touched in such a fond manner by someone she had once called an enemy...? She couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine as she watched her trail over to Carl. This sparked her interest. The two greeted each other, exchanging simpered, before she caught up with Emily and Jude... All as if she could see just perfectly.

Jasmine was glad that for the moment Daryl wasn't around. He had most likely gone out for fresh air and gotten stuck in the storm... Hopefully he would return soon. She kept glancing at the door, over and over, listening for any sort of sound that could signal the Archer's return. "Jasmine, honey," Carol suddenly piped up beside her. "Take the bowl..." Startled by the older woman's voice, she broke away from her thoughts and looked upon her.

A look of concern marred her elegant features, causing Jasmine to feel a bit bad for leaving her hanging. Clearing her throat, she uttered an apology and handed the bowl to Abraham, whom she exchanged a glance with. He still seemed a bit irritated about the situation from earlier. "Nervous?" Carol murmured to her. Letting out a sigh, she shrugged. She hadn't said a word since the incident. The fire crackled and soft voices were beginning to fill the room. Maggie and Glenn were chatting with Sasha over by the fireplace, Abraham was conversing enthusiastically with Jordan and Carl; Emma, Jude and Fallon all sat together on the couch. Reese plodded around, bobbing his head curiously as his owner ate.

The stairs creaked and Jasmine swallowed hard. The first to descend the stairs was Michonne. Carol handed her her own bowl, exchanging nods with the beautiful woman. No matter how many times Jasmine looked at her, she couldn't escape how exposed she had seen her, nor the sounds she had made. Turning away, the young girl stepped over to the dish pit and began to clean up the bowls they had used to make the stew. "Are you not going to eat?" asked Carol. She could practically hear the older woman frowning. She shook her cranium in response.

"I'll save you some for later..." the older woman suggested, returning to the large pot perched up upon the island table.

Jasmine scraped the pot with all her might, ignoring how awful the water smelled or the sight of the disgusting morsels left behind. It didn't bother her at the moment; she simply needed to distract herself. She began to rinse out the large bowl just as the group's leader came venturing down the stairs. Judith's happy babbles could be heard, signifying that he was carrying the little tot. Her fingernails dug deep into the sponge as silence suddenly filled the room. There was the brief sound of a spoon scraping a bowl, and then Rick cleared his throat. "Evening folks," he greeted. A few voices returned the salutation, and then the chatter rose once again. Behind her, Rock began to make himself a bowl of stew. She could picture every muscle moving, the way his clear blue eyes followed the spoon, the way he placed the item within the meal and hoisted up the bowl; all whilst holding Judith.

Jasmine's movements slowed and she gripped onto the bowl for a while, staring at the wall just beneath the cupboards. Adrenaline courses through her, her hands trembling greatly and her legs had become weak. Taking a deep breath, she held her composer, continuing to wash and rinse. Her duty was just about finished when the familiar rumble of a motorcycle approached off in the distance. In that instant, she wanted to bolt for the door, but she knew that if she did, the others would stare. Gently, she finished her job and set the last dish on the tea rag to dry. Jasmine then carefully dried her hands and then ran a hand through her hair.

As she usually would, she tousled her dark locks and then looked out over the foyer, off toward where the others are their dinner. A great wave of halcyon washed over her as she pulled the sleeves of her long-sleeved shirt down from where she had pushed them up. Despite the conflict that had taken place earlier on in the day, the group still came together; even Fallon was participating in conversation. As her gaze rested upon Rick, she happened to notice that for a split second, he was watching her. The leader had thankfully averted his eyes and was now focused on his meal. A lump formed in her throat, but she swallowed it down.

No, she would not show weakness...

Jasmine turned and crossed the kitchen's hardwood floor, traveling toward the front door. Stepping off the lip, she knelt and removed her boots from the mud-mat. Tying them hastily, she then rose and reached into the closet, pulling on her coat. After she finished, she gracefully glided to the massive wooden egress and turned the handle, ignoring Sasha when she called and asked where she was going.

The door shut behind her, and she walked out to the edge of the veranda. Daryl was just trudging up the hill with his bike, two partially frozen rabbits slung over his shoulder. As soon as his eyes registered that it was her, she felt the lump in her throat form again.

I will not cry... I will not cry.

He remained silent, his expressing becoming that of question as he proceeded to approach. As he came closer, she felt something squirm within her belly; the first kick her baby would ever make. The lump began to choke her, and she could feel the tears beginning to rise up into her lids. Jasmine squeezed her eyes shut and sobbed, holding her belly. The soft golden light coming off the lodge cast over his face as he proceeded to trudge. His hair was ruffled from the wind, flames of snow peppering his shoulders. The cold had pinched his cheeks, his gate all two familiar. He was wearing his usual heavy leather coat and trademark vest. "Jas?" inquired the archer.

Jasmine bolted off the side of the veranda and ran through the snow, making a b-line for him. Surprised, Daryl slowed and stopped, catching her with open arms and leaving his bike to fall over in the snow. Burying her face into the archer's shirt and coat, she breathed in the familiar intoxicating scent of leather, the woods and snow; he smelled like the earth, the wild. The smooth aroma of tobacco outlined the archer's rough and broken edges, yet added to the incredible moment. Her fingers gripped the back of his vest, the touch of hide and the scruffy, worn imprint of the wings of a fallen angel having been stitched to the item of clothing that Daryl so often wore. His strong arms collected her and held her against his strong body.

"What do I do?" she wept, tears flowing relentlessly. "What do I do when the baby comes? How can I raise it without a father?" A large calloused hand stroked her back, his strong arms wrapped around her shoulders, his chin resting on top of her in a comforting manner. At first, the archer did not answer. Silence ensued as she sobbed softly into his chest, her body trembling. He allowed her to cry in his arms for a little while until he finally answered. "I don't know." His voice rasping in his throat as he spoke in his usual gravelly tone. "You're gonna raise it well, though..." Sniffling, she pressed herself flush against him, nestling her cheek up against him. They remained like that for a moment longer before she pulled away, wiping her eyes and letting out a sigh.

Daryl remained silent out of respect while she cooled off. "C'mon, I gotta put the bike away. Why don't you tag along?" he proposed. "The air'll help..." Jasmine sniffled and ran a hand through her hair, nodding as he picked up the bike. The two traipsed through the snow. "These are from Sasha's traps. I have t' admit, they aren't anywhere close to your's. She needs to learn a bit more..." For once, the archer was the one talking, and it was soothing. Jasmine listened to how his voice abraded through his chords, creating a warm, husky, sonorous sound. She could listen to it all day. He never really spoke in such long sentences, or at least not often.

The duo returned the bike in silence before walking to the front doors together. Jasmine went first, followed by the archer. All heads turned to look upon who had entered, yet Daryl ignored the group's attentive gaze. Casually, he pulled off his boots and then crossed the foyer. Mimicking his actions, Jasmine followed after the archer. Slowly the attention they were given diminished as the two went over to the stew pot to grab themselves a dish for themselves. Daryl then excused them, telling Carol that they were going upstairs to eat, as well as keep watch. Jasmine waited patiently by the stairs for him to return. Once the archer had made it to the staircase, he began to ascend, the wooden case creaking and complaining. Jasmine plodded up behind him.

The duo traveled in silence, passing through the upper balcony overlooking the foyer. Daryl handed her his bowl and then yanked down the latter from about. He then retrieved his dinner from the woman behind him and began to haul himself up to the look out. Jasmine followed in suit. Once she had reached the attic, she glanced around; it had felt as if she had just witnessed this space for the first time in millennia. The smell of mothballs and dust filled her nose, causing her to sneeze. Daryl had already lit the lantern by then, casting a warm glow throughout the room. He then rested in the windowsill and pushed the window open, letting in the chilly winter air. Jasmine shivered faintly, goosebumps rising upon her skin.

Quietly, she watched as Daryl began to eat as if things had not changed within the household; he ate as he would before the whole situation of Hatchback Grove. After a few spoonfuls, he turned his cranium and faced Jasmine. His eyes flitted a few inches in an awkward sort of glance and his lips parted. "Comin' to sit down?" he asked. Jasmine looked upon him for a little while longer, and then smiled softly.

Daryl Dixon was back.