Phoenix

Author's Notes:

Thank you so much to all the readers. I really appreciate you taking the time to read my story and I hope you are enjoying it.

There's sex in this chapter. I tried to control myself and this actually ended up being pretty mild. I might make it smuttier in later chapters but you'll need to let me know if that's what you want. I can keep it mild like this chapter all the way up to super-smutty-smut (the really dirty kind that makes you blush and fan yourself). I'd love getting some feedback, so don't be shy.

Liberties with characters applies here: T-Dog isn't dead. Yea!

Thanks again, and now on with our story.

Chapter 2

WAITING

They waited.

Glenn knew the fever started.

"It isn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"R'ya hurtin'?"

"No, not really. Just a little achy." Glenn said with a little confusion. Daryl was relieved. He remembered what happened to Jim and that terrified him. He didn't know if he'd be able to hold it together seeing Glenn in pain.

Daryl was conflicted. He wanted to pray to any deity that would listen to make it quick yet he wanted every precious second he could get with Glenn.

FLASHBACK – GETTING CLOSER

Feeling safe and peaceful in Daryl's arms, Glenn let his mind wander.

Glenn and Daryl's friendship continued to grow. Glenn kind of became Daryl's assistant with hunting. Actually a better word would be apprentice. He didn't just follow Daryl around doing things as told. Daryl was taking the time to teach him how to hunt and track. He was even teaching him how to use the crossbow.

In turn, Daryl started going with Glenn on his runs. Daryl refused to let him go on his own anymore without any kind of protection or back-up. At first, Glenn was a little confused by his protectiveness, but he liked it. He also tried not to read too much into it.

They just seemed to naturally work together. They were a good fit. Whatever it was, it worked.

The members of the camp didn't seem to really notice, or they just didn't seem to care, that Daryl and Glenn were spending so much time together. The only thing they really seemed to care about was whether they were getting supplies or eating. In their defense, though, things were still very tense between their group and the Greene family.

The only person who seemed to show any kind of interest in their connection was Carol. To Glenn it seemed like she was always vying for Daryl's attention. He kept his encounters with her to a minimum, only communicating enough to answer questions, drop off the products of their hunts, and such. The fact that Daryl didn't seem to take much notice gave Glenn a warm feeling, and that could lead to all kinds of complications.

They had gone hunting again and Daryl had worked with Glenn on using the crossbow. Daryl was helping him site the target by standing behind him. He had his arms wrapped around him and Glenn was trying, without success, to ignore how good it felt. He could feel Daryl's warm breath caressing his neck. The warmth of his breath seemed to seep into Glenn's body and the heat he was feeling quickly headed south and pooled in his groin.

Yeah, he was in trouble. Serious trouble.

GOING CRAZY

Glenn couldn't hold back the tears.

"I don't know why it's taking so long! I'm going crazy. Why isn't it happening? Have I gone crazy? Am I crazy?"

"No, ya ain't crazy. Or we both are." Daryl continued to hold and comfort Glenn.

"What's going on? How much time has gone by?"

"'Bout 4 hours."

"And I barely feel anything. Not even close to what Jim went through. I don't understand," Glenn said desperately.

"I don't understand what's happening either – or actually not happening," Daryl said. He placed a gentle kiss on Glenn's lips and pulled him closer.

They continued to hold each other and wait.

At nine hours, he was still fine. He had been bitten, and he was still fine.

At twelve hours, the fever abated.

At 24 hours, they returned to the prison.

NOW WHAT DO WE DO?

"Now what do we do?" Glenn asks.

"Don't know. Ya think we should tell 'em?"

"It's too big of a secret to keep, isn't it?"

"Maybe. It's cold though so long sleeves ain't gonna draw attention. Maybe we should just see how it goes."

"I think if we do tell them, they'll completely freak out," Glenn said. "Hershel may be the voice of reason, but the rest…I don't know. I'm not sure I'd even blame them."

"Longer we wait, the more we can show that nothin's wrong."

"They might think I'm not safe no matter how much time goes by. They might make me leave."

"If they do, then we leave."

"I said make me leave, not us leave."

"There ain't no me or you. There's only us. We're a package deal. We both stay or we both leave, end of story."

"You can't do that."

"Hell I can't!" Daryl said emphatically. "Where you go I go, no matter what."

FLASHBACK – FINALLY TOGETHER

Daryl grabbed Glenn's arm as he passed near Daryl's tent and he pulled him inside and confronted him.

"What the hell's been wrong with you the past couple of days?"

"I'm not sure what you mean," Glenn said not making eye contact.

"Yeah, ya do. You've been avoiding me," he said, getting into Glenn's personal space.

Glenn's eyes closed of their own volition and his breathing sped up slightly. That was the reaction that Daryl was looking for. He leaned in and kissed Glenn. The kiss started out gentle but quickly grew passionate. Daryl pulled back and looked into Glenn's eyes.

"Tell me," he said.

"I can't," Glenn whispered.

"Yeah, ya can. Say it," Daryl said pressing harder into Glenn, molding their bodies together. Glenn inhaled Daryl's scent. His senses went into overdrive. Daryl was too close and too warm. It was too much and Glenn couldn't stop himself.

"I love you. I'm in love with you. I don't know when it happened, it just did." Glenn saw Daryl take a breath as his lips parted. "You don't have to say it. I don't expect you to feel the same way."

"The fact that I'm pressed up against ya close enough that we could wear the same clothes should tell ya I'm ok with it. I waited a long time for this, for you. Waited a lifetime. I have ya now and it was worth the wait. You were worth the wait."

Daryl leaned in and kissed Glenn. He gently laid them down onto his sleeping bag and pulled Glenn's weight on top of him. Every touch felt like an electric current running between them.

Clothes were shed: fabric straining, buttons flying, clothing launched across the tent. Then they were naked. Blessedly, skin to skin. Finally.

It was all warm hands, passionate kisses, murmurs, moans, and panting breath. They were slick with sweat, easily sliding against one another. There was heat and pressure and friction. It was almost overwhelming. They were delirious with need.

Daryl rolled them over and looked down at Glenn. God, he was breathtaking. Glenn gazed up at him.

"Never wanted anyone like I want you," Daryl said breathlessly.

"Then take me. I'm yours."

Glenn's leg parted and Daryl slid between them like he was made to be there. He fit perfectly. He kissed his mouth, his jaw, his chest, working his way down to where Glenn needed him most.

As lotion-covered fingers worked in and out, Daryl found what he was looking for. He applied just the right amount of pressure and Glenn almost jumped out of his skin.

He moved back up and leaned over Glenn. Never breaking eye contact, he slowly pushed forward. Sliding into Glenn was like coming home. It was where he always should have been and where he always would be.

There was movement and countermovement. Sliding together as one. There were gentle caresses, light and passionate kisses, moans and prayers, and names on lips as they fell over the edge.

All they knew was each other. It was all-consuming. They existed only for each other. There would never be another.

RETURN TO THE PRISON

They finally reached the prison in the late afternoon. By that time they had been gone for nearly 2 days.

The group members all ran up to meet them.

"Oh my God! Where have you been?" T-Dog asked.

"I was…we were so worried," Carol said pointedly to Daryl only. She completely ignored Glenn.

"Sorry, got a little side-tracked is all," Daryl replied.

"Yeah, it wasn't safe to come back," Glenn added. "We just had to wait it out."

"Well, you're here now, safe and sound, thank God," Maggie said with relief clear in her voice.

Everyone seemed to accept their vague explanation. They were just glad to have them both back. Well, except for one. For Carol, having one of them never come back would make her very happy.

They all took what they said at face value. Rick, however, had uneasy feeling. He sensed that they were hiding something.

A/N: Pease review. Reviews are like chocolate. Chocolate = happiness. Happiness = inspiration. Inspiration = more writing. More writing = faster postings. Everyone's happy.