AN: I got a few spare minutes to spruce this up so I ran with it. I'm still out here desperately wanting to update my stories and put my musings to computer screen, and I hope to do more of that when work calms down. Until then, here's another little tidbit. Happy reading!

Chapter 16

Daryl grunted a thanks to his assistant, Zach, as he dropped a few files onto is desk and then left to retrieve another stack. The regional meeting he and Sasha had been planning all month was set to start in a couple of hours. They were mostly ready; there were only a few odds and ends to wrap up. Sasha was one of those Type A kinda people so he didn't worry about any surprises creeping up on them that they wouldn't be prepared for.

Zach, returned once more and dropped off the final documents Daryl had asked for.

"That should be it. Glenn and Sasha are packing their car now, and I think Tyreese said he'd come along too to even out the numbers."

Daryl grabbed the extra paperwork and slipped it into his bag. "That's good. We could use the extra person with all the sales folks tied up at the last minute. I'm 'a grab some extra marketing crap and then we can roll."

"Sure thing, Daryl."

The kid really knew how to suck up. Carol told him to deal with it, that there were plenty of people who looked up to him and saw how much he did for the company, so he'd just have to get used to all the attention. No matter what she said, having folks being all nice to him would probably always seem strange. He'd gotten so used to being treated like garbage most of his life, usually by his own family.

Before Zach could get too far past the doorway, Beth appeared, her arms full of paperwork, probably running some errand as usual.

"Hey, Daryl." She waved at him and he nodded back, returning to his business and trying not to roll his eyes at her convenient appearance. "Zach," she continued. Her tone was nonchalant but her presence belied that impression. "Heard you were sittin' in on Daryl's meetin'."

Zach, being the young fool that he was, puffed himself up and threw her a saucy grin. "Yeah, well, I figured I could help out and learn a thing or too while I'm at it." His feigned humility made him look ridiculous to Daryl, and it didn't look like Beth was buying it either. "I mean, I've been going over this stuff pretty closely so maybe that'll come in handy."

Beth chuckled. "I'm sure it will. Okay then, have a good meetin'. She kissed him on the cheek and turned tail to back out of the doorway. Flashing an embarrassed glance towards Daryl, Zach followed her out.

"You're not even gonna wish me luck," Zach whined, loud enough for Daryl and his administrative assistant sitting outside his office to hear.

"Nope." She turned to escape down the hallway, yet she didn't bother to hide the grin on her face.

Daryl walked out of his office passing both young lovers, blazer and bag in hand. "You two," he said shaking his head. "Damn romance novel." He headed towards the elevator with Zach at his heels. When they reached the lobby, they met up with the rest of their crew and prepared to make the short trip to the meeting location. Sasha had somehow wrangled Bob into coming with them too, even though the guy was barely out of orientation after Daryl had recruited him a couple of weeks before. But if she thought he'd be useful, he didn't see any harm in his tagging along either.

Rounding the corner to the front door, he led the group out with purpose and then slowed to a halt at the view before him: Michonne handing Rick some kind of package, Carl looking on with amusement and a package of his own. She must be stopping by between business trips, and a day early at that.

Trying to play it cool, he strolled up to her and flashed a grin. She returned the gesture with that dangerous playfulness in her expression.

They'd both surrendered completely to their attraction and had spent the last few weeks getting to know each other in this new way. There'd been more evenings and weekends spent in each other's company and a whole lot of making out. Daryl couldn't get enough of having access to this beautiful woman and Michone seemed just as eager to be close to him. But they'd kept things under wraps, satisfied that they'd intensify the relationship physically or emotionally when the time felt right.

They also hadn't exactly told anyone what was going on with them. Instead they wanted to enjoy each other without any outside expectations or people nosing into their business, even if well-meaning. It wasn't so bad at work because Michonne wasn't in the office that often and they were pretty good about keeping things professional. But they'd had some close calls off the clock at Tyreese's Super Bowl party, especially after they'd had a few and their inhibitions were a little freer. They'd held it together and she'd ended up staying over that night so they could capitalize on all that pent up sexual tension.

"Well, look who's back," he drawled. She was a sight for his sore eyes, decked out in a professional dress and ready to head out of town for more business meetings. She'd come back late the night before from an overnighter. Her quick text said her plan was to turn in and get a good night's rest before heading out this morning. She had other vendor meetings a few counties over and promised to fill him in at the end of the week. He hadn't expected to see her this morning.

"Indeed. Unfortunately, it's without a deal from that supplier we've been working on. And still no leads on what Blake's been up to." This supplier had been one of their last contacts who might have been able to give them information on Blake, but it looked like that was another bust, another sign that the trail had gone cold. Not that Michonne would like hearing that again. His expression tensed the thought of that conversation.

Instead he focused on the positive, like Hershel was always telling him to do. "It's good to have you back in one piece."

"I was thinking of taking a trip to Macon at the end of the week to check things out there? Maybe make some cold calls?" She frowned at seeing the tension from both him and Rick. "It's worth a shot," she added, irritation lacing her own angry reaction.

"Seventy miles on the road without any solid contacts or leads and no real business to get to? Is it really?" Michonne glared at him as if he'd sold her out. He hated to look like the bad guy, especially with her, but all this running needed to stop and he was nearing the end of being cordial on the matter.

Instead of responding, he turned to Rick who'd been watching them with interest. He let Daryl take the lead on dealing with Michonne as her department head. "Hey, we're off to our meeting. You sure you don't wanna tag along?" he asked Rick.

Rick shuffled around nervously. He still hadn't completely returned to all his former duties at AGD and regularly begged off these high level meetings unless he was absolutely needed. Daryl figured he'd have to get over that sooner rather than later for the good of the company. But today didn't have to be that day.

"Naw, I've got some paperwork I need to get to and a few calls to make. You and Sasha got it covered."

"We do. Just seein' is all."

"I'll go, Michonne piped up, picking up her travel bag and slinging it on her shoulder. "My meeting for today got cancelled, that's why I came in. I can head out tonight or early tomorrow instead."

"So you're not gonna be around all day? You just got here," Carl piped in.

"And I'll be back," Michonne grinned. "I promised you a rematch on that videogame of yours and I mean to keep that date. Maybe you should practice while I'm gone."

Carl laughed. "Yeah, right. Later then."

Michonne then turned to him and cocked her head, obviously past her previous annoyance with him. "That is if you're okay with me coming along, Boss."

He both loved and hated when she called him that. Daryl narrowed his eyes and tried not to imagine the smolder to hers.

"I guess," he responded with a smirk. He motioned for her to join him as he walked toward the door and the rest of the group followed.

With Michonne tagging along, they shuffled around the carpool, Tyreese, Bob and Glenn riding with Sasha and Zach and Michonne riding with him. To his annoyance, Michonne climbed into the backseat so she could review the materials for the meeting that he'd passed her. It left him in the front seat with Zach who often preferred idle chatter over silence. Besides, it was probably for the best to have Michonne out of arms reach, lest he forget himself.

"Hey," he called back to her when he pulled the company car out of the parking lot. "Where's your coat?" While she looked amazing in her violet dress and heels, her long legs crossed demurely, her arms were mostly bare. Given how much she liked to whine about the cold in his place and use him as a human hot water bottle, he figured she deserved some sassing on the matter. "I aint turning up the heat in here 'cause you don't know how to dress right."

She flashed him a smirk of her own that he caught in his rearview mirror. "Nobody asked you to," she responded. "And my jacket is in my bag, Dad." It looked as if she wanted to make another smart-ass remark about how much colder she usually was than him, but then quickly glanced at Zach. They weren't in the right company for her kind of reply, which excited him some.

They rode on without conversation for a while, the radio turned to some classic rock station. Zach tapped his fingers to the beat as they travelled. "Hey, I think I figured it out," he said abruptly.

"Figured what out?" Michonne asked, looking up from her study of his files.

"What Daryl did before working at AGD."

Daryl rolled his eyes. "He's been trying to guess for like six weeks."

"And the internet failed you, right?" They exchanged looks in the rearview mirror again over Daryl's eager assistant. Michonne was another one that liked to make fun of the kid's enthusiasm.

"It aint right for a man to be that off the grid," Zach added.

Daryl scoffed. "Just 'cause I aint on you kids' Facebook or whatever don't mean nothin'."

"Nobody's on Facebook anymore." He could feel the condescension of youth in his assistant's tone. "Anyway, I'm pacing myself, one shot a day."

"Well go on then." Daryl changed lanes and followed Sasha towards the highway exit.

"Well, the way that you are at work, you're management, you're good about helping people out. But you're still kinda … surly." Michonne's grin showed brighter from the backseat as she pretended to continue with her reading. "Big swing here. Government agent, like real C.I.A."

Before he could react, he heard Michonne cackling behind him. "Hey, what's so funny?"

She let her chuckles die down before answering. "Oh nothing. It makes perfect sense."

"Shows what you know. The man's right. Undercover. Domestic terrorism, drug busts, the works."

"Seriously!" Zach said. The poor guy looked shocked by his own instincts.

Daryl hid his smile and got serious. "I don't like to talk about it 'cause it's classified. And that shit is heavy, you know."

It was clear that Zach really wanted to believe he'd been right about this one. "Dude, really?"

Daryl glanced over at the kid as they waited for the light. Zach stared back, picking up on the joke. Michonne laughed silently behind them, closing up the folder in her lap and looking between them.

"I guess I'll just keep guessing," he responded, sadly.

"Yeah, you keep on doing that." As ridiculous as their game was, Daryl actually found it kinda harmless. It sometimes upset him to think that he'd one day discover just how sad his life was before getting on with the company, but it didn't make sense to dwell on it. He'd made it this far after all. That's what Carol and Rick kept telling him anyway.

They pulled into the parking lot of the corporate complex where their meeting was to take place. As they all gathered up their things to meet up with the others who had pulled in beside them, he briefly caught Michonne pulling out a thick blazer from her bag.

Before they got out of the car, Michonne handed the files back to him so he could store them in his own briefcase. "You ready to do this, Agent Dixon?"

He popped her in the arm with the files in retaliation and then placed them in his bag. "Let's do it," he said and winked at her as he exited the car. He loved getting in the last word.

Daryl hung up the phone and leaned against the door to his truck. His shoulders sagged and he stared at the dark building in front of him as if he had to cross enemy lines to get inside. The others had already arrived and were probably waiting for him, but he wasn't yet ready to be surrounded by activity and people looking to him for guidance. He needed a few minutes alone to collect himself, get his head together.

Ever since the disastrous meeting earlier, he had been on the phone with Rick and Hershel, as well as folks from the their corporate headquarters, asking what the hell had happened. It was ridiculous how fast bad news spread after a shit-storm went down. Hopefully this last call updating Rick on his most recent communications with the head honchos would be it for the night.

And Zach had barely been allowed to pack up before hopping on a plane to start his transfer to the main office in New York City. The head assholes claimed it was to keep an eye on him, but who the hell knows what was on their agenda. Breaking the news to Beth had sucked. She'd taken it surprisingly well and then left to see Zach off.

He was so damn tired of losing people over transfers and layoffs and downsizing bullshit. And the stuff that went down today hadn't even been the kid's fault—it wasn't anybody's fault really. Bob had asked a question that wasn't even controversial and the other folks at the meeting had just gone off on some crazy tangent that came out of left field. They'd obviously been waiting for a chance to be assholes. And at the end of the day, it was the same old problems getting rehashed that kept all the companies involved from moving forward with their deal.

That's just how stuff goes down sometimes, as crappy as it was. And if anybody were to take the fall it was him and Sasha since they were the folks in charge.

Getting together now with everybody to wind down was needed for morale and, truthfully, for his own sanity. His instinct was to hightail it back to his place and sulk over a beer or two. Yet his life didn't boil down to that anymore.

But he could at least take a breather before that onslaught.

He leaned against his car and rested his head against the hood for a moment before staring up at the sky. There weren't any answers up there, but it calmed him. No matter how complicated things got, that same damn sky would be overhead reminding him that life was mostly the same shit on a different day. It reminded him that the simple things in life still existed whether he was a scared seven-year old running from his father or a punkass 15 year old trying to prove himself or a grown ass man taking responsibility for once in his life—simple like being able to peer up at the stars and know they weren't going anywhere anytime soon.

Hands at his waist made him jump—he hadn't felt anyone come up behind him so it could only be one person. Despite his mood, a smile tugged at his lips.

"So are you gonna stand out here all night?" Her hands moved from his waist to encircling his front from behind. Because they weren't used to being affectionate in public, the feel of her against him seemed both illicit and comforting.

Turning around, he looked down at Michonne tightly coiled in the cold night since she hadn't put her blazer back on before coming outside. He ran his hands up and down her arms to warm her up. He looked over her shoulder and not seeing anyone afoot, he entwined their fingers and held onto her tightly.

"Gon' catch a cold runnin' around half naked."

She chuckled. "Half naked, huh?" He raised one of their joined hands to brush a thumb against her chilled cheek and then across her collarbone to the dip of her cowl neckline. "I saw you stalling on my way back from the bathroom and thought I'd come check on you. Didn't have time to wrap myself up. Well, not in my blazer. I've made do though." She stepped into him until their bodies were pressed against each other.

"Glad to have you," Daryl said simply. She caressed his hands with her fingers for a few moments; then she let go to to encircle them around his neck. He wrapped his around her waist and rubbed along her back to continue to warm her.

"I know you're beating yourself up and you know what I'm going to say."

"Yeah, I know."

This shit happened in their line of business. Michonne realized that and so did he. He didn't have to get over it, but he couldn't wallow. Dixons don't wallow.

He hugged her to him. "I'm glad you're here."

"I know I'm running around all the time, but for this kinda stuff, where else would I be? Now hold me tighter." He complied, engulfing her in his arms and savoring the warmth of her and the softness of her curves molding along his body."

Pulling back after a few moments, he saw a shadow a few feet off and a flash of recognition as he held her loosely and allowed her to move her hands inside his open jacket to run up his chest. He ignored the new presence as soon as Michonne's beautiful face filled his view again. She'd let her hair down and it spilled over her smooth shoulders to frame her face. God, he loved just looking at her, especially when she had that spark of affection in her eye. It was the one that convinced him they were a real thing, that she truly saw him. His previous cravings for her friendship had transformed into a genuine craving for everything about her.

The sound of the door slamming drew his attention over her shoulder and he caught a clueless Glenn focusing in on the two of them, looking slightly embarrassed by interrupting what he saw as one good friend comforting the other. And unaware of his internal dialogue, Michonne got tired of Daryl's stalling. She leaned up to kiss him and he quickly followed suit.

Screw discretion and all this sneaking around. They didn't have to flaunt it; damn if he wouldn't own it though.

Neither pulled away until they'd both satisfied themselves with the other's taste. After letting the lingering kiss taper off slowly, he pressed her to him again and wrapped his arms completely around her, pecking the top of her head affectionately. He chanced a glance towards the bar entrance and smirked as he saw a new expression forming on Glenn's face: shock.

"Now that that's done, let's go inside!" Michonne pleaded, a shiver running through her that Daryl suspected had nothing to do with his moves.

He chuckled. "Alright then, but just so you know, I think the cat's outta the bag." He nodded his head past her at their friend and co-worker still standing at the door, too surprised about what he'd just seen to move. Michonne looked over her shoulder and immediately laughed alongside him. Grabbing his hand, she led him towards Glenn and the promise of warmth inside the cozy bar.

"Glenn," she greeted, trying to sidle past him as he blocked the door.

"Uh guys," he half whined, half scolded. "What the hell? If this is a secret rendezvous type thing, it all just got screwed."

Daryl slapped him on the shoulder. "Everybody knows you can't keep a secret for shit. If you're so pressed, just don't bring it up. If nobody's talkin' 'bout it, you won't have nothin' to say, right?" At this point Michonne had snuck through the door, smirking at the two men, and Daryl followed her, patting Glenn across the chest as he went.

Once inside, they went their separate ways, Michonne back to where their group had gathered and Daryl to the bar to order himself something. Before turning away, he saw Glenn silently slink back inside and sit stiffly next to Maggie. At this rate, his and Michonne's shit would be in the streets in no time. It should feel stranger that he didn't mind given how private he was, but that's what a woman like Michonne did to him.

He made his way to the group, still somber but not as bleak as when he'd been stewing in the parking lot. Everyone greeted him, anxious to hear about the rest of the fallout and he gave them the updates. It sucked a bit of the air out of the group, a tension returning that they'd worked to chip away at before he'd arrived. He felt the responsibility of being the guy they looked to that would help them brush this day off as best could be done, help them move on. He glanced at Michonne who'd returned to her seat in between Sasha and Maggie; she nodded at him, a slight lowering of her chin, but a clear acknowledgment. He returned the gesture.

"I know this shit day can't be over soon enough. But we did good out there. What happened happened and we couldn't 'a done no better than how it went down. So chin up and drink up. Tomorrow's comin' one way or another and we'll be ready. AGD aint goin' down no matter what any asshole throws at us, alright."

Silence fell as everyone reflected on his words. Then Tyreese raised his glass, "Here, here." A chorus of agreement followed and a little bit of that relaxed air returned. Daryl caught Michonne's tiny grin as she put an arm around Sasha, who'd no doubt taken things hard too, and let her know that it was okay to let go.

Always his wingman.

Daryl made an executive decision that the next day would be a late start so they all had another round and things started feeling like one of their nights out—insults flying, jokes exchanged, and shop talk making way to heckling and playful bickering. Everyone played musical seats as usual, but he kept his distance from Michonne, knowing that he'd get her to himself later. Besides, he didn't trust himself not to slide up on her if he got the chance, their friends and the public space be damned.

Tyreese, Carol and Bob were the first to decide to go and were saying their slow goodbyes to everyone. Michonne returned with another beer for him, water for herself and stopped at his shoulder to say goodbye as well.

A tipsy Carol turned her attention fiercely over to Michonne. "Oh, I almost forgot! You want us to drive you back to your car?" He figured she must have gotten a ride over with them.

Michonne didn't miss a beat. "No I'm good. I'll get this one to take me over." She nudged him in the shoulder and he had the urge to grab her wrist and plant her in his lap. Instead he opted for another type of flirtation.

"You aint asked me shit. S'pose I don't wanna be bothered chauffeuring your ass all over creation."

He almost grinned as she rolled her eyes. But then she leaned down to playfully hug him from behind where he sat. "But you will because you're my friend, right?" He grumbled in protest, not that anybody bought his act. It was no secret that Michonne could get him to do anything and the other way around. So his protests and Michonne's insistence to the contrary by squeezing him even harder elicited the usual chuckles.

So distracted by Michonne's arms around him and the comforting enjoyment of his friends he didn't notice Glenn playing the role of the ticking time bomb.

"Guys, they're totally doing it," he blurted out.

All conversation stopped and everyone stared at Glenn, red-faced and not just from the beer in his hand. Michonne had paused too with her arms still loosely around his shoulders and she was staring as well. Carol was the first to look away, scrutinizing the both of them through the haze of her buzz.

"Glenn, you shouldn't be talkin' about folks' like that," Maggie said from his side.

"Talking about folks like what? I'm serious." His slight slur betrayed his sobriety, which cast enough doubt to have everyone at the table looking from him and Michonne to the messenger across from them. "I'm not gonna sit here and watch them taunt me with their…innuendo."

Michonne's arms retreated from him and rested on the back of his chair. "Taunting you with our innuendo?" Daryl could hear the amusement in her voice.

"Yes," he said addressing her directly. "Innuendo. It's too late to take it back. The joking and all the looky-kissy faces you've been making all night. We all see it, you know."

"We do?" Bob said, a little clueless as he shrugged on his jacket.

"Yeah!" Glenn looked around at everyone. "C'mon guys. "I saw them making out in the parking lot. And everyone knows I can't keep a secret."

Daryl still felt done with hiding his relationship but that didn't mean he wanted to be the center of attention about it. Michonne wasn't one for that either. When he glanced up at her, though, he caught the glint of playfulness in her eye and felt a tight pleasure in his chest at the view.

"You sure you didn't just see someone offering a moment of support to a friend?" All eyes shifted back to the young executive.

Glenn waved his bottle at her. "Yes, I'm sure. I know what making out looks like."

"He really does," Maggie added with a grin." Glenn abruptly stopped his ranting to shake his head at her, embarrassed.

"Well we aint 'doin' it,' Daryl spat out truthfully, finally responding. Narrowing his eyes at Glenn, he took a drag from his beer.

"Really," Michonne added. "I mean, the man is my boss." Planting his bottle on the table, Daryl stared daggers up at her where she stood behind him.

That was his trigger.

He'd had enough of this shit. These were their friends, he'd had a crap day and he was done playing around. He swiveled around to loop an arm around Michonne's waist and scooped her into his lap.

"Woman, what I tell you 'bout callin' me that?" Then he leaned in and kissed her soundly amidst the sounds of heckling and whistling from their co-workers and I told you so's from Glenn. A few balled up napkins landed at his head too, but he only had attention enough for one thing and it was the woman currently sitting so warm and pliable in his lap. She pecked him on the lips a final time after he pulled away, and he stared into her eyes in defiance for a beat before releasing her.

Michonne turned in his lap and put an arm back around his shoulder. Glancing over to Carol, she said, "I think Daryl is okay taking care of me tonight."

"I'll just bet," Carol said, laughing. She grabbed Tyreese's arm and headed for the door, a confused Bob at their heel.

Sasha wasted no time grilling Michonne about how long this thing between had been going on, but Michonne only smiled and shook her head. Daryl just sipped his beer looking as content as was possible after the disappointments of the day. Things were still really fucked up and he dreaded going to work the next day to clean up the mess. Yet at the moment, he chose to focus on what he had: his friends, a job that wouldn't hang him out to dry for the day's failing, a few drinks to numb the doubts in his head and helluva woman in his lap to make it all seem like just another day in a life that wasn't so bad.

A couple hours later, in those moments before sleep took over, he tightened his arms around Michonne, clad in one of his thermal shirts. He let her even breaths sooth him. She'd be gone again in the morning, runnin' off even if she denied that's what it was. He'd be back at AGD doing what was called on him to do and hoping for her safe return.

However, she was here now, content to be right where he needed her to be.

TBC...