Phoenix

Author's Notes:

THIS IS A REPOSTED VERSION OF CHAPTER 5.

I posted a really smutty, graphic version of this chapter earlier today. However, I have received some messages that it was a bit too much, even with the warning in my notes. I'm not sure if the notes were read before proceeding to the chapter.

This is what I originally said:

Fair warning: There's sex in this chapter (last section). It's smuttier than Chapter 2. A lot smuttier. A lot. And there is some smut-appropriate language. You'll know you hit the section when you get there. When you get there, if you don't want to read it, just hit the back button since it is the last section for this chapter. This won't play a role in story continuity. You'll be ok if you prefer to go with the general concept of: "They had sex." If you keep reading, you'll get the M-rated, detailed version of: "They had sex."

I have reduced the final section of this chapter to be less graphic. It is still sex/smut, so please bear that in mind if you read it. My above notation still applies. You don't have to read the section. It won't affect the story.

If anyone wants to read the original version, it is still on WWOMB.

As always, thank you for leaving reviews. Also thanks for making this story a favorite and/or follow. You guys are awesome!

Feel free to PM me any time.

Chapter 5

FILLING IN THE BLANKS

It was in the early hours of the morning when Glenn woke up. Daryl called for Hershel.

"What happened?"

"What do you remember?" Daryl asked.

"I remember Carol asking for my help with something. I think I was tied up. I remember seeing you."

"That's all?"

"Man, my head is killing me."

"I'll get you something for that. You have a concussion, so it won't be any of the really good stuff," Hershel said with a bit of a smile.

"Thanks."

"So, what happened?"

Daryl filled him in on everything.

"So Carol's dead because of me," Glenn said without expression. "If that guy wasn't after me, she would still be alive."

Daryl turned Glenn's face toward him so they were eye to eye.

"Listen to me. Carol got involved on her own. She wanted me and you were in the way. Simple as that. None of this was your fault."

"Well, I guess I can appreciate wanting you," Glenn said with a forced smile.

"If anything it was my fault. I'm the one she was after," Daryl said.

Hershel walked in with the pain medication. "Now you're both just being stupid. Cut it out. Neither of you are to blame for this. There are two people to blame and they are both being buried today." Both Daryl and Glenn nodded.

"So, what about my memory?" Glenn asked Hershel.

"Well, it may come back or it may not. Head injuries are strange. Each one is different and there's no way to know for sure. You may have gaps simply because you were unconscious."

"With any luck, you won't remember any of it," Daryl said. "It'd be pointless. It'd probably just give you nightmares."

"Yeah, but I don't like having a big gap there."

FUNERAL

Carol's funeral was late that morning.

The man who took Glenn was buried. There was no ceremony to it; he was just simply buried in a separate area of the yard.

Daryl was still angry. Glenn was conflicted. The others were still confused about why all this happened and concerned about how Daryl and Glenn would deal with it. Obviously they were all still in shock over the events that had transpired. Some tried to talk about what Carol might have been feeling or what might have gone wrong with her, like maybe she was just hurt or she just wanted to be loved. Mostly, they just felt sorry for her. Daryl took this to mean they were trying to make excuses for what she did.

"That's bullshit. She knew right from wrong, same as the rest of us. She chose her path," Daryl snarled.

"Well, it doesn't really matter now. Now, we need to bury her," Maggie said.

"I'll get started. It'll probably take about an hour so why don't you all head down there about then," Rick said to the group. They agreed and dispersed.

Daryl didn't want to have anything to do with it.

"Please, Daryl," Glenn said. "I think we both need to go down there with the others."

"No."

"Why not?"

"She doesn't deserve it."

"Funerals aren't for the dead. I think we both need to go. We need to have closure. Please think about it, ok?" Daryl nodded. Glenn gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand before separating.

Once they were alone, Hershel turned to Daryl. Daryl looked at him and already knew what was coming. Before Hershel could even begin, Daryl was already speaking.

"Damn it, Hershel. She could have taken everything from me. She almost did. How am I supposed to forgive her for that?"

"How do you feel when you think of it?"

"How do you think I feel? I'm pissed off. I'm frustrated. I feel guilty that I didn't see it. I feel like I let it happen."

"Sounds like you need to forgive yourself as well as Carol."

"What if I don't want to forgive her?"

"Want and need are not the same thing. You need to let go of the anger. There is already too much sadness in this world. You don't need to hold onto any more when you can let it go."

Hershel left Daryl to think about what he said.

Daryl thought about what he felt about Glenn and how Carol's delusions could have taken everything from him. Hershel was right, though, regarding what they had all been through since Wildfire started. Did he really need to carry around the hatred that he now felt for her? Could he let it go?

They are all out in the yard when Daryl walked up to join them. He stood next to Glenn and Glenn took his hand.

"Thank you for coming down for this. I know it's hard for you and I'm proud that you made the decision to do it. I think we both need this."

The service, if you could even really call it that, was led by Hershel and was short and simple.

After everyone else left, Daryl paused and turned to Carol's grave. "I hope you rest in peace. I don't think you had much of it since you lost Sophia. I really do hope you find it now."

RED SHIRTS & REALITY

Time was passing. Life at the prison was settling and the people were recovering. Glenn had regained little of what happened but Hershel figured that was due to Glenn being semi-conscious for a good part of the time. Between what Glenn did remember and what Daryl said, they had a pretty good picture of the entire thing so Glenn let it go.

The Woodbury group was trying to make good on their promises. They were doing their part to contribute including participating on supply runs. They were also trying to help clear walkers from other parts of the prison to give them all more room.

During that time, one of the members of the Woodbury group was bit. She was the first bite since Glenn's miraculous recovery, so they all had hope. It was short-lived, however, because the victim showed signs within hours of the bite and only lasted for two days. While this was longer than anyone they had previously heard of or seen, it was still disappointing. This also created more questions on why it didn't happened to Glenn.

Daryl wanted to get out and do some hunting. The weather was warmer so he had high hopes that he would be able to bring down something. Roger from the other group would join him this time. It would be good to have another familiar with the area who could help with the hunting. Roger had been a avid hiker in his previous life. He had also done some hunting, but nowhere near to the extent that Daryl had. Even so it was expected that he would be of value on the hunt.

Glenn, Maggie and T-Dog would make a supply run to see what they could find. As time went on, each trip out produced less and less. This would cause them to need Daryl and Roger even more.

They left the prison together.

"You know if this was Star Trek, I'm pretty sure I'd be wearing the red shirt," Roger said with a laugh.

The supply group dropped Daryl and Roger a couple of miles from the prison and then proceeded on to scavenge north of the prison. The made sure they all knew to be back inside the prison by nightfall.

It had been going ok with Daryl and Roger getting the feeling of how each other handled hunting. They were making progress tracking a deer when they were suddenly facing a dozen walkers. They managed to put up a good fight and took out all of them; however, the damage was done. Both Daryl and Roger were sporting bites: Daryl on his calf and Roger on his forearm.

"Looks like we're both wearing red shirts today, huh," Daryl said with a grimace.

"We better get back," Roger said. "We know what happened to Nadia. She lasted longer than expected, but she ended up the same as everyone else, except for Glenn that is. Don't know how much time we have."

"You have a cousin there, don't you?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah, I do. I thought for a second about not going back. I guess it wouldn't be fair to let her just wonder what happened…to never know for sure. It might be easier if they don't have to see us go through it, though."

"I can't just walk away. I have to go back. I can't take the chance that they'll send someone out to look for us. I have to see Glenn…to say goodbye. It will be the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but I love him. He would be pissed if he didn't get to say goodbye. He'll also need to be the one who finishes it. I know him. He won't let anyone else do it."

"What do we do if they won't let us stay?"

"They'll let us stay. They'll watch us, but they'll let us stay. I know my people and they won't turn us out."

They arrived at the prison well ahead of the expected time. Glenn saw them approach and noticed that Daryl was limping. Glenn thought he probably twisted an ankle and that's why they came back so soon. Then Glenn saw the look on their faces. He saw the blood wrap on Roger's arm and winced because he felt relieved. Then he realized Daryl had a similar wrap on the calf of his leg. Glenn turned around and promptly expelled his lunch onto the pavement.

Roger's cousin ran up screaming and crying. Their group was obviously heartbroken about Roger. They took him with them leaving Daryl with his own group.

"Rick, help me get him to our cell," Glenn ordered.

"Beth, please go get your father and have him meet us there," Rick said.

"That's not necessary," Daryl interjected. "We all know the drill. It's just a matter of time. Hershel can't do anything."

"It's ok if he looks, but Daryl's right. We just need to be left alone," Glenn said.

Rick looked at them. "You know we can't do that."

Once they were at the cell, Glenn told everyone to get out.

"Glenn, be reasonable."

"I am. Just lock the door behind us. It's ok. That will make us all feel better. I will be with him and I'll take care of it when it needs to be done. But only when the time comes. Daryl decides when that is. He was going to do it for me, and I'll do it for him."

"Glenn, you can be with me but not in the cell," Daryl stated flatly.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm going to be with you to the end." Glenn turns to the group outside the cell. "Lock the door. Don't come back until I tell you to." Rick nods.

"Let us know if you need anything," he said.

"I'd like to come check on you in the morning, if nothing happens before then. Would that be ok?" Hershel asked.

Glenn nodded. "But only you. We just need some privacy. That's all we ask."

The group separated to let Glenn and Daryl have their final time together. They didn't need an audience for that. Daryl knew he was appreciated and was part of their family. He didn't need a bunch of cliché goodbyes. He knew. All he needed right then was Glenn.

Hershel came over the next morning to check on them. He let Glenn and Daryl know that Roger didn't last through the night. Along with the news about Roger, Hershel brought food and water. Glenn and Daryl both reiterated that they didn't want anyone else to come near the cell. They trusted Hershel to make sure that their request was respected.

Hershel was glad to be able to pass on the news that Daryl wasn't showing signs yet, but tempered that by adding that it was still early on.

They stayed in the cell for 4 days and Daryl didn't so much as break a sweat.

What the hell?

TOGETHER AGAIN

They looked at each other and it hit them both at once. Daryl wasn't getting sick. At all. They both were bit, they both survived so they both were immune. They looked at each other and the realization dawned on them at the same time.

Daryl grabbed Glenn's face with both hands and pulled him into a hard bruising kiss. Their bodies slammed together. Their tongues battling as Daryl continued to kiss Glenn forcefully.

Glenn grabbed the front of Daryl's shirt and pulled. The shirt opened and buttons flew everywhere. He pulled the shirt down Daryl's arms and off. Daryl whipped Glenn's t-shirt over his head.

Glenn pushed Daryl backwards up against the wall. He unfastened Daryl's pants and roughly pushed them down and Daryl stepped out of them. Glenn stood back up and his mouth plowed into Daryl's again.

Daryl spun them around so Glenn was up against the wall. Daryl dropped Glenn's pants and boxers, practically ripping them off of him.

Daryl turned Glenn toward the wall so his back was to him. Daryl licked Glenn's neck as he put his hands on his shoulders. He ran his hands down Glenn's arms from his shoulders to his wrists. Daryl took Glenn's wrists and moved his hands up to the wall. Daryl leaned up against Glenn's back. He continued to map Glenn's body with his hands, reacquainting himself.

Glenn blindly reached over and started grabbing at items on the nearby shelf. He finally found the lube, but not before knocking over everything else. He handed it to Daryl. By the time Daryl had him prepared, Glenn's moaning was constant and he was panting.

Glenn finally couldn't stand it anymore. "Jesus, Daryl stop messing around and fuck me already!" he yelled.

Daryl leaned closer to Glenn, his lips barely grazing Glenn's ear. "Brace yourself," he whispered. Daryl slicked himself and pushed into Glenn to the hilt with a shout of Glenn's name.

It wasn't long before Glenn's grunting and harsh breathing told Daryl he was already close.

"So good. Please, Daryl!" Glenn cried. "It's been too long. I can't wait any more. I gotta…I gotta…"

"Come on Glenn, I'm there too. Let me hear you."

With him calling Daryl's name, Glenn came hard pushing Daryl over the edge.

Both stood there panting unable to move, Glenn leaning on the wall, Daryl leaning on Glenn, both trying to regain their senses.

"That was amazing!" Daryl said.

Glenn only had the energy to mumble. Daryl thought he heard him agreeing. They slid to the floor panting, nothing left in them. They looked around. The shelf and little desk had been cleared and everything was scattered on the floor. There were clothes everywhere and they were pretty sure they'd never find all of the buttons.

They managed to get over to their bed and curled up together.

"Love you," Daryl said.

"Love you, too," Glenn whispered back.

They made love later that night and again in the early hours of the next morning. It was much slower, almost worshiping. They were once again lost in each other.