"Where were you? Why didn't you show at Deanna's?"

I can tell righ'away he's mad. I freeze, back t'the room and t'him, doorknob in one hand. I was actually lookin' forward t'getting home, and wasn't that an unfamiliar feeling? Now all I feel is fear, deep down in m'gut. I let the door fall shut.

When I move into t'living room I can' bring myself t'look at him. I don' understand this. Why would'e be mad? And why can' I just deal wi'it? Tell him what goes on inside m'head when he talks t'me this way. Instead I'm always like this, can' look at him, can' find the words. It's like I've forgotten how t'speak. Always has been, when people get like that wi'me. This, or attack. Hit them til they're on t'ground, not movin'. I haven' done that in years. I didn' wanna be tha' man, the one who hits first, asks questions later, if at'll. Fought hard not t'be pa, or Merle.

But words can hurt, too. I've not found out how t'make that work, but people use it on me, a lot. I realize I'm cradling my hurt arm to m'chest again. It had stopped aching, while I was at Aaron's, but now the familiar throbbin' and stingin' is back. Dealing with t'walkers today when we went fo' that horse must've torn somethin' loose'gain. It's not bleedin', but it's damn uncomfortable. And thinking of t'horse makes me feel sad again, too. We shoulda left him be. Now he's jus' another creature I couldn' save.

I can see him out t'corner of m'eye, and he looks impatient. He does that lots, too. Looking impatient with me, or disappointed. He hides it, usually, or tries t'. Or fights it down. I can tell he's trying now. He rubs his eyes wi'one hand. I've yet t'say a word.

When I imagined our evening earlier, at this point we'd already be upstairs, getting' ready for bed, or, if he was as keen as I, halfway t'another night of explorin' each other. I'd hoped for the latter, and I still do. After today I feel lonely'gain, an' going to sleep in his arms'd be t'perfect remedy fo' that.

Instead, here we're, separate an' miserable. 'm glad when he finally breaks t'silence. At least tha' moves things along.

"I'm sorry, Daryl. Long day… I didn't mean… It would've just been nice, to have you there. These people…"

An' suddenly I can breathe'gain. He's not happy with me, no. But t'main problem seems t'be not us, but this place, an' t'people. I move closer, and finally find I can look at him. He looks exhausted, an' worried, like he's come upon a dozen new problems during t'day.

Now I don' care how he's just made m'feel, I jus' worry 'bout him. I step right up into his space, til I can touch him, an' take his hand. Jus' hold onto it, hanging there by his side. I'm not tha' great wi' gestures, but I hope he gets it, what I can' say. That I'm there f'him. That he's not alone.

"Wha' happened?"

He sighs, closes his eyes. Leans forward an' puts his head on m'shoulder. Jus' breathes slowly for a bit, holds still. My hand comes up almost wi'out thought an' I put it on his neck, soothe and calm. He finally pulls'way, but he takes both m'hands and looks at me, long an' deep.

"Let's go to bed."

He pulls me up t'stairs, and I follow. How I wish we coul' jus' skip the talkin', though. All this day wi' Aaron was nothing but talk, and I really don' care t'listen t'any more words. But I know he needs it, needs t'talk some, get stuff off his mind, 'fore he can unwind an' settle for t'night.

When we get t'our room and he's closed t'door behind us I pull him over to t'bed an' down next t'me. Now I take his hands.

"Tell me wha' happened."

He looks surprised, grateful but unsure.

"You really wanna know?"

I consider fo' a moment, decide on blunt honesty.

"No. But you need t'talk about it. So go'head."

His smile warms me from t'inside. Somehow I know we've just moved t'somethin' new again. We're no longer alone.

"These people, they are weak, Daryl. They are afraid. Both of that has made them stupid."

Shoul' I tell him Aaron said somethin' real similar today? But I know Rick, he needs t'work through it at his own pace first. Then he'll listen.

"Michonne and I, we tried our best with Deanna, but I don't know if even half of what we said got through. And there's other stuff, I don't even know yet what to think… but it feels nasty."

He looks away, towards t'bay window which is a black rectangle now, reflectin' both of us.

"They don't trust us, Daryl, not a single bit." He looks back at me. "You be careful with them, ok? All of them. Thing's'll turn bad quick, if we don't pay attention."

I give a half-nod. I wonder whether I shoul' tell him about Aaron now a'all, about our day, and wha' he's got planned for me. Lookin' at him I decide I better wait. His mood is strange, and while this is definitely Rick, something's shifted suddenly. Thinkin' back I realize what he reminds me of tonight. He's like he was back at t'prison, righ' after Lori died. The thought gives m'nother stab o'fear. He almost didn' come back from tha' dark place her death had flung him then. What if it happens'gain?

"Promise me you'll be careful."

His eyes are two intense pressure points on m'mind, and tha' does nothing t'make the unpleasant fearful feeling disappear. I nod more strongly.

"I'll be careful."

He smiles, then, his eyes softening, an' I relax a little as he looks more like himself. He looks down a'our hands, intertwined between us. Slowly he pulls one away an' places it on the front of m'pants. M'body wastes no time, 'm already half hard before his fingers tighten. I can see t'smile reach his eyes as he watches t'reaction his actions have on me. My pulse picks up as t'arousal grows.

I let him rub me through t'fabric for a while, it feels s'good. I close m'eyes, lean back, brace m'hands on t'bed, press into his hand. When I open m'eyes 'gain he's lookin' at me like nobody has ever looked at m'before. Without thinking I lean towards him, push him back into t'pillows. He sinks down immediately, his eyes still locked wi'mine.

I have him out'f his pants quickly. He's rock hard as I pull down his underwear. I look at'im, sprawled before me, desire written all over his face, an' despite everything, at that moment I feel real happy. I cup his balls wi'one hand an' lean down. As I take him into m'mouth he exhales sharply.

I take my time, lick up and down his shaft slowly. Take him deep, let m'tongue play around the tip of his erection. I can hear a growling start deep inside his chest. I recognize the sound and my heart leaps at how familiar we're getting wi'each other. He starts t'tremble under me, but finally stops me wi'a hand in my hair. I look up.

"Lemme have you."

His eyes are bright wi'lust, an'm happy to oblige. My own erection inside m'pants is almost painful now. I climb off t'bed and quickly strip down, turn t'lights off before m'shirt joins t'heap of clothes on t'floor. I know he's watchin' me, I know he'd rather I didn' plunge us into darkness'gain but, for now, he doesn' question it.

It's our third night together, an' I still find't hard t'believe this's real. As I straddle him, an' he enters me, I forget m'wonderment, an' much else besides. It feels s'good. This angle is new, and it's heaven. As soon as he's fully inside me I know I won' las'a minute.

"Don't hold back. 'm almost there with you."

How he can tell in the near darkness I couldn' say, bu' I can tell from his voice that he's not lying. I start to move and within seconds I can feel him edgin' close.

The angle is near perfection for him to hit m'sweet spot. I feel t'peak approachin' and I speed up almost without meaning t'. His hands are suddenly on me. One intertwines wi't'fingers of m'left hand, the other strokes firmly up and down m'cock.

I feel myself tipping, gliding, falling. He's right there too, an' holds on as I come into his hand and all over his stomach. His back arches off t'bed an' he shakes under me as we ride t'wave together.

When the orgasm ebbs away I slide off him an' lie down next to him. We're both still breathin' hard. He pulls me close and'I put my arms around him. Who cares that we should clean up. There's no rush, an' it's nice t'just lie here and feel close.

I could go t'sleep like this, I feel so comfortable. But evidently his mind is returning to t'worries of t'day, now that t'distraction is wearing off. I can tell he has somethin' else t'talk through before he even says a word.

"When you were over at that doctor's house, Pete. Did you notice anything odd?"

M'gut suddenly feels tight with fear again, and I don' even know why. What's he asking, exactly?

"What d'you mean, odd?"

"I've talked to Jessie a few times, his wife. She's the one who cut my hair."

I wonder where this coul' be going.

"I know. What about her?"

"There's something odd going on with her, she's so sad. Or frightened, I don't know. I saw her around earlier, and then with her husband at Deanna's… There's something not right with these two, but I can't put my finger on it, not yet…"

I feel annoyance bubble up. He's bringin' up this perfect stranger an' her problems now? I don' say anything cos I just have no idea wha' he could possibly want t'hear. But t'relaxed feeling I jus' had is pretty much gone.

He sighs, squeezes m'shoulders, then disentangles himself from me and t'sheets. He gets up, an' I let him go. As he walks around t'bed he distractedly waves one hand at me, the bed an' the clothes all over t'floor.

"Let's get this sorted out and then go to bed. Early start again tomorrow."

Only now do I realize he hasn' asked me one single question about m'day.