AN: hey I'm sorry I've been spotty updates this week, on Wednesday I got hurt pretty badly. I'm ok, slowly coming around but bare with me :)

I do not own or profit from The Walking Dead

Chapter 13

"I wasn't scared to leave." She said softly a little later. Daryl had packed a few snacks and and bottles of water. She was sitting next to him, her hands propping her up.

"It was taking that first step, making the change, having no one to go to, no help" she said taking a bite of an apple. "There was nothing he could do to me that he hadn't already done."

"I wanted to help you, for so long. I...understood." He said staring out at the water. "Everything you went through, with your aunt, and Ed...been through it myself." He sniffed scratching his chin. "But things got better for me, they seemed to get worse for you." He whispered. "I wanted to find you, so bad, I could never see your name." He said.

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "You found me when it mattered," she whispered.

She leaned in towards him her lips brushing his softly. "Somehow, I always knew you were there."

She bit her lip, he could feel the confusion in her, the way she was trying to work through all the feelings inside her. "I want this." She turned staring into his eyes. "But, I'm not sure if I have anything left to give."

He snorted, his hand coming up to cup her cheek. "That's bullshit...I know what's inside you. You're not broken, you haven't lost anything." He said. "You ever hear the stories about the Phoenix?" He said and she nodded. "We ain't the ashes, we're the Phoenix."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He didn't want to push her, whatever she was willing to give he would take and be grateful for it.

The walk down the trail had been pleasantly silent. There didn't seem to be a need to fill the emptiness with meaningless chatter. Daryl enjoyed the fact that they were together outside, and the peace her mind gave him.

She had flushed brightly then slipped her hand into his. Their fingers loosely intertwined and shoulders brushing all the way down the trail.

They had eaten together, he was getting used to Carol cooking. Then sat on the floor in front of the fire while Ruby napped in the corner.

The strap of her tank top had fallen of her shoulder. Before he even realized what he was doing, his fingers slid up her skin, tracing a pattern with his fingertips. She turned her chin resting on her shoulder watching him, as he pressed a kiss to the stab wound scar.

Her skin was so warm, he could feel a slight shiver rushing across her skin with each brush of his lips.

His lips were trailing up her shoulder.

"You're beautiful." He whispered.

You're blind her voice echoed through his mind.

"Naww," he whispered pressing kisses to her neck "I can see pretty damn clearly, always could. Here's the thing, you're letting that asshole cloud your mind still, letting him change you. His opinion is shit know why?" She shook her head no. He smiled and kissed her lips "Because I liked you first."