A/N I said I was sorry and I meant it! That being said… here's what you've all been asking for! Thank you again for following this story and being so sweet in the reviews! I really appreciate it! And I love you all!

Beth feels the cold all around her. And there's a weight, a heaviness on top of her, holding her down. Something is tickling her face and when she realizes it's Daryl's hair everything that happened is a jarring flashback in her head. It's hard to breathe and even harder to speak. But she manages to squeak out Daryl's name,

"Daryl? Daryl.. please…" Nothing. No response. But he's breathing. She can feel the rise and fall of his body on top of hers. She notices her own body then. Besides the weight her face aches, her cheek stings. Extracting her arm from underneath Daryl her fingers tentatively flutter across her cheek and they're slick. When she finally opens her eyes she sees the blood on her fingertips. Nausea pushes the coffee and muffins from earlier to the back of her throat and she swallows, taking deep breaths. The windshield is a spiderweb of cracks, white and black blurs beyond it. And it's quiet, too quiet. Running her free hand over what she can reach of Daryl's body, something catches on his sweatshirt and she raises her hand and sees it, the silver ring- sparkling blue-white diamond winking in the dim light and all of a sudden she's filled with a fear that inflates inside of her chest like a balloon. They're hurt. She's hurt, how badly she's not sure and Daryl, he isn't even conscious. She can't call out for help and she can't reach her phone. The last thing she remembers is hearing sirens and seeing the reflection of the red and blue lights on the shattered windshield before closing her eyes. It hurts to keep them open. Her vision keeps fading in and out and everything hurts and it's better this way, with her eyes closed.

X X X

The first thing that Daryl thinks of when he's conscious again is Beth. He remembers they were driving and another vehicle swerved into their lane going the wrong way. In order to avoid a head-on collision, he'd jerked the steering wheel and veered them off of the road towards the trees. Either way, there was going to be a collision and his only thought was to protect Beth. The last thing he remembers was pushing her back onto the seat and throwing himself over her. There was an impact and a bright light and then nothing.

Now there's another bright light and a faint beeping and he's laying on his back somewhere warm and he doesn't know where Beth is. His body aches, it feels like it's taken a beating. One much worse than a brawl in a parking lot of some bar. Cracking open one eye and then the other it becomes clear that he's in a hospital. He's in a bed surrounded by curtains and an IV's attached to his arm. He tries pushing himself up but his chest is constricted by something. Pulling back the standard white blanket he yanks at the hospital gown and finds his torso wrapped up tight. Ribs. He's had this injury before. He doesn't let it stop him now that he knows what it is. But once he's sitting upright black spots cloud his vision and his head is pounding. Raising a hand he feels a bandage there, wrapped around his head. A wave of nausea has him holding on tight to the edge of the bed and frantically searching for something to puke in so he doesn't do it all over the floor. The sound of someone screaming focuses his attention elsewhere.

It's Beth.

Somewhere out there past the curtain, Beth is upset! She's crying, he hears her.

"The man I was with, where is he? Where's Daryl?" There are other voices, doctors, nurses, he isn't sure, all he hears is her. He tries again to stand, but the black spots are getting bigger and it feels like he could pass out. The IV tubing is tangled around his arm and he's frustrated and he does the only thing he can, he calls out to her.

"Beth!" He hears a scuffle and the curtains part in front of him and she's a force to be reckoned with, his girl. Tiny, blonde and wrapped in an ill-fitting hospital gown, the sight of her alone makes him feel about 50% better already. She jerks her arm out of the orderly's who has the task of holding onto her and he hears the intake of breath when she lays her eyes on him. Probably seeing exactly what he's seeing. She's hurt, there's a bandage on her cheek, she's in a hospital gown and her eyes are huge and terrified.

Like he must look. It's certainly what he feels.

"Daryl?" Her voice is soft and her actions, as volatile as they may have been a second ago, are gentle now as she crawls up on the bed beside him. She runs her soft fingers across his face and the bandage on his head.

"Beth?" She's nodding and he steadies himself on the bed with one hand, with the other he reaches out to cup her cheek turning her face so he can see her bandaged face. "Yer hurt-"

"Where the fuck is my brother dammit!" Merle. Daryl wants to smile, but he can't take his eyes off of her, not for a second, she might disappear. The swish of the curtains and a cool breeze are the calm before the storm known as Merle Dixon. "Found 'em, Hershel. Found 'em both. Shoulda known they'd be together, can't have one without tha other."

A few seconds later Hershel and Maggie are crowding in around the bed as well as a couple of nurses who look more than a little angry.

"Ms. Greene you need to get back into your bed. You can't rip out an IV! We need you hooked up to the monitors-" At that Beth starts crying. And they aren't happy tears at all. Pulling her in close to his body, Daryl digs down deep for the strength he needs before he starts swinging his arm (the one with the IV in it) around.

"Get the fuck out, all of ya! Get out and give us a minute." His voice sounds hoarse in his ears and it cracks like he's going to start bawling and maybe that's what sends everyone but one very brave nurse scurrying out of the little cubicle.

"One minute. You're both injured!" She looks tough and like she means business so Daryl gives her a nod. Once she disappears he does his best to turn on the bed and pull Beth closer.

" 'S okay baby. See we're both here, bruised and cut up but we're here. Fuck Beth, 'm sorry I didn't-" But he can't say anything else because she's got his face in her hands and her warm mouth is on his. He can taste her tears. She's mumbling something, but kissing and talking aren't working in their favor. So she settles for just kissing. And he lets her. Breathless, she leans back a little and fixes her gaze on him. She brushes her finger over his split lip as if she's worried about hurting him with that kiss.

"You were unconscious. I called you but you… Daryl, I thought you, I mean I could feel you breathing but you didn't wake up, you didn't…" Her arms are back around his neck and she's crying again and he does smile now, and he rubs her back and reaches for her hand, the one he held in his trembling hand and slid a ring on in that snowy meadow. There it is. Still there, right where he put it.

X X X

They stayed overnight after the nurses agreed to move Beth to the cubicle next to Daryl's. Maggie pulled back the curtain and pushed Beth's bed over next to Daryl's and it was like they had a double room in the E.R. The others didn't stay long. Just long enough to notice the ring on Beth's finger and congratulate and hug the two of them carefully. Hershel hugged Beth a little tighter and kissed her forehead.

"Daryl came to me at Thanksgiving and asked my permission to propose Bethy." Beth looked over at where Daryl was talking quietly with Merle. "Seems he was paying attention to Glenn's mistakes now wasn't he?" Hershel chuckles. She loves her daddy for telling her that. Letting her know how much thought Daryl had really put into all of this. He'd followed Glenn and Maggie out with the promise that they'd come back and bring them home tomorrow.

Merle seemed to be having a harder time saying goodbye. He had a chair pulled up next to Daryl's bed and was watching his brother's face closely. The pain was evident, Daryl was pale and a thin sheen of sweat covered his brow.

" 'S gonna be alright little brother. Y'all jus' rest and then, then come on home." Beth's never seen Merle so emotional. He's always cracking jokes or teasing his brother. She watches as he kisses Daryl's forehead and pulls the blanket up around his arms. Looking over at her he smiles. "You rest y'hear? And I'll swing by once y'all are home okay blondie?" Beth gives him a smile back and nods her head, afraid to speak because if she does she's just gonna cry.

It's finally quiet and a nurse turned off the overhead lights. Daryl's breathing isn't even and Beth knows he isn't completely asleep. He keeps groaning and moving his legs around like he's restless. She knows better though. He's in a lot of pain. Slipping out of bed, her own body aching she takes the couple of steps needed to get right up beside him and she slips her hand in his, brushes her thumb against his wrist.

"Hey, get yer butt back in bed," his voice is raspy.

"You're hurting," she whispers. Leaning over she brushes the hair from his forehead. He'd complained enough and the nurses had finally taken off the bandages on his head. They'd just covered the cut about his eyebrow and the gash near his temple.

" 'M be alright. Still wanna be my wife?" he's starting to doze and she leans in close and kisses his cheek.

"I told you, Daryl, I wanna stay forever, remember?" He smiles a sleepy smile and tears sting her eyes.

"Mmmhmm I 'member." His breath hitches a little and she runs a hand over his arm.

"Go to sleep Daryl. I love you."

"Love you too."

Daryl had a rough night but refused to let the E.R. doctor admit him for further evaluation. According to him he was fine and had been through worse and would follow up with his own doctor. Beth hadn't argued with him. There was no point. He'd made up his mind. Besides the tough nurse from the night before had told Beth she figured he'd refuse to stay especially if Beth was leaving, 'He'll' be fine,' she'd said, 'seems like a stubborn SOB. He's got a concussion though. You keep an eye on him and make sure he keeps his doctor's appointments.' She'd also slipped Beth her card and personal cell phone number, 'just in case'.

Maggie and Glenn came back to take them home. The ride wasn't easy for Daryl, he'd even taken a pain pill. She'd held his hand and shared a water bottle with him and prayed the drive went by quickly. The cabin was just as they'd left it and it felt like that had been a lifetime ago, not just two days. Their bed was still in the living room and Beth had told them to leave it when Maggie and Glenn started talking about moving it.

"You can't move it alone Glenn, besides it's easier here for now." Daryl had already laid down and pulled a pillow over his head. He was snoring before Glenn and Maggie left and Beth's relieved, that meant he was finally getting the sleep he needs. She curled up next to him, listened to him breathing, and twisted the ring on her finger.

A couple of hours later Merle shows up. Beth's up in the kitchen searching for something Daryl will eat. Soup's about all that sounds good to him. When she'd opened the fridge, she found it full of takeout containers from Tara's. And there was soup. And pizza bagels which Daryl had immediately decided he was in the mood for. Merle came in right as Daryl was taking his first bite.

"Went over ta the storage yard, got all yer shit from the truck. I had ta drink half a pint right there! Fuck! Y'all coulda been killed!" Daryl stops eating and looks down at his napkin, his brother's emotional reaction to all of this seems to be getting to him. Beth moves over to hug Merle. Letting go she leaves the brothers to talk and heads out to the garage to sort through their fir tree they'd found, the one Daryl knelt in front of and proposed was standing, a little lopsided, in the middle of the garage. Beth walks over to the little tree and fingers a dark green branch. She can't help the sob that catches in her throat. And she hurriedly makes her way back into the living room where Daryl's stretched out on the mattress and Merle's on the couch. Beth gingerly sits down beside Merle. Daryl's trying to push himself up on the mattress obviously he's seen her tears and assumed something is wrong.

"Merle you brought the tree," Beth says quietly. She lays her small hand on Merle's roughed arm. He shrugs and she a faint blush on his cheeks.

"Was still in the truck. Figured y'all went all that way, so…" Whatever else he was saying is muffled in Beth's hug.

"Thank you, Merle." Daryl's settled back onto the bed now that he knows Beth's okay. She tucks the blankets around him while Merle brings the tree in and sets it up right where she asks him too. Then the two of them head into the spare room and he digs out her Christmas box and puts it in the living room so she can decorate the tree.

"I'm headin' out. Y'all call if ya need anythin' okay?" Daryl nods and Beth hugs him again. She feels like he needs the hugs just as much as she needs to give them.

X X X

Daryl's grumpy, moody and horny- three weeks he's been down for the most part. Laying on the mattress that's still in the living room and watching mindless TV on Netflix. He's going stir crazy. Beth went back to work last week, the scar on her cheek a thin pink line. Daryl winces every time he looks at it. His head caused it. Smacked her during the wreck. But, as Beth keeps reminding him, throwing his body on top of hers saved her from a whole lot more injuries. Injuries he sustained instead. 'We're even Daryl.' He'd take the injuries to save her every time. She'd teased him that his body on top of hers would always be her saving grace. She's been tormenting him walking around in her tight little thermals, no bra and he swears she's making her nipples hard on purpose. They'd tried about a week ago, to recreate their first night on the mattress in front of the fire. But Daryl's body is taking it's time to heal. His head had ached and rolling over made him yelp and Beth had almost cried, begged him to please just give it time because she can't watch him hurt- even her hand on his cock caused him to ache with more pain than pleasure. She'd finally agreed to let him touch her, bring her to that place they both want to go. Cuddling up next to him on the mattress, she'd positioned herself so he had easy access with minimal strain on his battered body. It worked for him. Her naked spread out beside him, one long pale leg draped over him, vulnerable and whimpering under the ministrations of his fingers was almost perfect. Making her come while he watches almost makes him come too. But even that hurts, he doesn't share that with her though. He already feels inadequate and it's frustrating.

That's gonna change tonight. He's determined and once again so fuckin horny it's messing with his mood. He isn't seeing black spots when he stands up. His body's still stiff and sore, but it doesn't take his breath away to move it. If he can get through a shower all by himself (something Beth has had to help him with) without feeling weak than surely he can fuck her like he needs to, wants too. He's got two hours until she gets home. Maybe he'll even get dinner started, she's been doing everything for him. She's a saint. But now it's her turn. Smiling he heads towards the bedroom when his cell phone rings.

"Yeah?" he grunts.

"Mr. Dixon, this is Deanna Monroe. I'm the lawyer-"

"Beth hired ya- whas' goin' on?" He's nervous. Insurance, lawyers, police, Beth takes care of all that because she knows what to say. He doesn't do well with any of it.

"I couldn't get ahold of Ms. Greene, I know all calls were to be direct to her, but... Look, Mr. Dixon, I understand that all of this has been difficult, but I actually have some good news-"

When Daryl hangs up the phone he feels like someone just turned the page in the book of his life and he's in a completely different chapter. The trucking company that employed the guy who caused the accident have settled out of court. For an enormous sum. One that Daryl would never have even imagined. Turns out the guy was not only driving under the influence at the time of the wreck, he was also driving on a restricted license. He shouldn't have been on the log for the trip. 'Many laws were broken Mr. Dixon and unfortunately, you and Ms. Greene were the victims.' But they'd survived. Walked away basically. And yet they were still given enough money to keep them for the rest of their lives.

He heads back in the direction of the bedroom, where he'd been headed before the call. It's surreal, all of it and he isn't sure what to feel or even how he actually feels. The tile on the bathroom floor is cold on the soles of his feet as he stands in front of the mirror looking at his face. The scar above his eyebrow is healing, it's just a thin pink line like Beth's. The gash on his temple is a bit puffy where the edges were glued together. The bruising around the eye socket of his left eye is the result of a hairline fracture that, thankfully, is healing on its own too. He tugs his shirt over his head and checks out his ribs. No fractures there, just an ugly mess of bruises that'll eventually stop hurting. He has had a split lip, concussion and some bumps and bruises on his legs, but Beth's alive with very few injuries and they walked away.

It's a little less than a week before Christmas, four days to be exact. Beth is wearing his ring, she's gonna be his wife and stay with him forever and that phone call and all the money in the world can't top that.

X X X

The smell of something delicious welcomes Beth as she hurries into the cabin, the wind whipping her hair around behind her. Tossing her bag on the couch she glances over into the kitchen. Daryl's at the island cutting up salad fixings. That's not what makes her smile though. It's the fact that he's up and dressed in clean sweats and his hair is still damp from a shower. He looks like a different man. He's got fading bruises on his face and a scar like her, but he's up and he's smiling back at her and it's the best thing she's seen all day.

"Hey! You're up? And making dinner?" She joins him at the island and almost tells him he should have rested, waited and let her do it, but she holds her tongue because he needs this. Daryl needs to feel useful. She's learning that and she'll let him be.

"Mmhmm, grilled up some venison ta go with Tara's chili." That's what she smelled, his venison. Besides the salad he's working on there are bread bowls, a couple of his beers and the crockpot warming the chili. He turned on the Christmas tree lights and it's twinkling by the fire. He even made their bed. Sliding an arm around his waist and loving the feel of the strength there, she leans into him.

"Everything looks amazing Daryl. And dinner smells so good! Thank you!" He stops what he's doing and slides his arms around her, pulling her close and she finds herself holding her breath, waiting for him to wince or groan in discomfort or pain. But that doesn't happen. He holds her tighter and lets his hands roam over her body.

"Don' gotta thank me. Ya been takin' care of me. 'S yer turn." He nuzzles into her hair and her whole body aches. For him. For them. He wasn't the only one who'd been frustrated when they tried to make love. Seeing him in pain had hurt her, no matter how bad she craved his body next to hers, inside of hers, his pain would always be something that she would bear too.

"I love taking care of you, Daryl," she whispers siding her hands gently underneath his shirt. He shivers and turns her back to the island.

"Yeah? Hope so, gonna take care of each other after dinner." He kisses her neck and that spot behind her ear that makes her moan and she can feel the bulge in his sweats that he's pushing up against her. "Got things ta celebrate."

"Oh?" she's breathless and he feels so good. Resting her hands on his hips she hooks and ankle behind his calf and lets him know she feels and wants what he's rubbing against her. "What are we celebrating?"

" 'S almost Christmas and yer my girl and I want you so fuckin' bad…" They might not make it through dinner. Not if he doesn't stop. "And yer wearing my ring, and…" He kisses her and he tastes like the beer he's drinking and cucumbers and she can smell the soap he washed with and it's an aphrodisiac. Her favorite one. She lets her hand drift down between them, caressing him through his sweats. His cock jerks at the attention. "There's one other thing.." The expression on his face changes from playful to serious and he brushes a finger over cheek tracing the scar there. She knows he's always gonna feel some guilt for it, no matter what she says.

"What's the other thing?" She plays with the curls of hair that frame his face.

"Lawyer called. That Monroe lady." Beth is surprised. Already? She figured it would take months for things to get started. Before she can ask him anything he tips her chin up so he can look her in the eyes. "Beth the company settled outta court. Wanted to take care of it as soon as possible I guess. Gave us 1.6 million dollars." She can't have heard what she thinks she's heard. But the expression on Daryl's face mirrors exactly what she feels, bewildered.

"That's, I mean.." She actually has no idea what she means.

"I know. Company prolly doesn't want the bad press, 's all I can figure." Daryl lets his hand drift down to her shoulder and he kneads it gently.

What kind of bad press? 1.6 million. Money has never been important to Beth. Not in abundance anyway. And this is an abundance and it bothers her.

"I thought they'd take care of our medical bills, replace your truck, I never thought…" She folds her arms against her body.

"Hey, whas' wrong?" Daryl asks.

"I just, I feel like it's wrong. I don't need all that money. I, you're safe, alive. That's all I need Daryl. All that money, it's just greedy."

"It's insurance Beth, thas' what it's for. We shouldn' ta had to suffer like that. It was wrong."

"Yeah, but 1.6 million dollars wrong?" Beth asks. Daryl reaches out and traces his finger along the thin pink line on her cheek.

"Yeah." His blue eyes are dark and she knows what he sees is her. Hurt. And his scars, the bruises that cover his body, his ribs, the cut on his head- laying there in the wrecked truck and calling his name and being so terrified because he didn't answer, no amount of money makes up for that. It shouldn't have happened. They are victims. He's right. And this is their recompense.

"So, um we have a lot of money then Daryl." It's a surreal feeling.

"Mmmhmm, ain't changin' nothin'."

"We're still us. Beth and Daryl," she says moving back into his arms.

"I like tha'- Beth an Daryl." His smile is sweet. She loves him, loves how good he is even though he doesn't always believe it himself. Pushing herself up on her toes so she can reach him, she lets her lips brush his and linger there like a promise.

"Can we eat? Everything smells so good and I'm starving," she whispers against his scruffy cheek wanting more than just food and knowing he knows what she's implying.

X X X

Daryl cleaned up after they ate and got the fire going while Beth took a quick shower. Now the only light is coming from the fireplace and he's stretched out in it like a cat in the warmth of the sun. When Beth moved her things over from her apartment she brought a bookcase full of books and he indulged her and let her put it in the living room. It also piqued his interest. He was never much of a reader, he couldn't sit still long enough. And his childhood wasn't one filled with bedtime stories. But being laid up and really hating TV, he'd looked through her books. She'd told him they were mainly books from her childhood, ones she couldn't let go of. Most were fairy tales, which made him smile because that just seems to fit her, but a couple of days ago he came across the Swiss Family Robinson and after reading a few pages he was hooked. So that's what he's doing when she walks in wearing one of his flannel shirts, and only his flannel shirt. He tucks a napkin in the book, it's all he could find to mark his spot and goes to lay the book on the floor, but Beth spots it.

"You're reading my books!" She sounds like he just gave her a present. Crawling up on the bed she sits beside him, one side of the flannel slipping off her shoulder revealing her perfect pale skin.

"Yeah, got bored watching TV." He can feel the blush heating up his cheeks as she takes the paperback from his hands.

"Oh, this one is good! And perfect for you Daryl." She thumbs through the pages smiling at whatever it is she sees there.

"I like it. Never read a book just fer fun. Only did cause a teacher told me I had too." He takes it from her hands and puts it on the floor. He doesn't want to have a conversation about his newly found reading habits. He'd much rather take the flannel she's wearing the rest of the way off. She seems to have the same idea as she shrugs the other shoulder and looks at him, her blue eyes wide feigning an innocence he knows is just for show. The shirt is bunched around her waist and the firelight flickers on her skin and in her eyes. She stretches out beside him resting her head on his bicep and brushing back his hair.

"Make love to me Daryl." As if he has to be told.

X X X

After everything they've gone through, this is what they need. This is what they should've had that night in Spring Town at the cute little hotel they'd driven by. But they didn't get it. They can have it now.

Daryl cups her cheek leans in and kisses her so softly and sweetly it makes her heartache. His blue eyes are dark, but this time it's with desire.

"Gonna take it slow, try an make it last. Been to fuckin' long Beth." His voice is hoarse with his want and need. Running her hand along his bicep she hooks a finger in the elastic waistband of his sweats.

"Let me take them off, Daryl." He rolls over onto his back and she kneels beside him and starts to gently ease his sweats down.

"Ain't hurtin' no more Beth, just get 'em off," he growls. She throws her head back and laughs, this is her Daryl. Rough and impatient and so perfectly hers. When the sweats are off she sees the bruises that mar his muscular thighs. But they're only bruises and they're healing already. His cock is hard and it makes her ache. She moves to climb on top of him, straddle him, but he stops her.

"Daryl?"

"Uh-uh, I'm driving baby. I need this, wanna make you feel good okay?" She simply nods, why would she argue with that? She lets him lay her back and drape his body across hers. His mouth is everywhere and she can't breathe for how good it feels. His palm across her belly makes her shiver in anticipation and once his fingers find their intended destination she arches her body to meet them.

"You do Daryl, I want you inside of me, please…" She happens to know that sometimes when she begs just a little it turns him on. This is one of those times. He's smiling and reaching for her hands, pinning them above her head against the mattress. With the other, the one he had buried in her wet folds, he traces circles with her slick around each nipple and then leans over to suck them into his mouth one at a time. He's teasing her, but he's also using a knee to nudge her legs apart, make a place for him. When he's finally there, where he belongs she runs her hands through his hair pulling him down to her lips and before she kisses him she whispers softly against his lips, "Fuck me, Daryl."

"Girl," he growls and lifting her leg he shifts and slides his cock inside her. It's controlled. His muscles are taut like rubber bands threatening to snap. She knows him, slow and steady usually isn't his style. Whimpering beneath him, she hesitates before rocking her hips forward, lets him pull out and slide back in with a little more force this time. And slowly they get a sweet rhythm going. But it's not going to last, she doesn't want it to last. He's better, they have forever and right now she wants him to make her come. He can. He's still holding one of her legs up and she wraps the other around his waist and gives in to the need to thrust up against him, force him deeper so his cock brushes her g-spot and sends little shockwaves through her body. He's got her wrists in his hand and she twists them, imploring him with her eyes.

"Uh uh, going slow…" As if to bring his point across he thrusts back into her once and then stills his movements, his eyes on hers. It's delicious the way he's stretched out on top of her, his weight holding her down. He's always so careful, afraid of crushing her. But she likes it. Right now it's maddening though. Because she wants, no needs to come.

"Daryl, please… I need.."

"Whaddaya need Beth? Tell me.." His breathing is ragged and she can tell he's close too.

"I need to come, Daryl! Please make me come!" Arching beneath him but never breaking eye contact she sees the minute his resolve falls apart.

"Yeah? Want me ta go faster? Harder?" He's already doing it. She loves it when he loses control when he lets go.

"Yes Daryl, yes…" He's let go of her hands, braces himself with his arms and thrusts into her faster and harder like they both want. The motion of his pelvic bone against her clit brings her orgasm crashing down around her and he follows, shaking and whispering her name into her hair. Wrapping her arms around him, still coherent enough not to squeeze too tight she breathes back into his ear,

"I love you, Daryl, you.. you make me feel so good." She can taste the salt of the sweat he's worked up on her lips, feel the vibrations as he chuckles against her breastbone.

"You do the same fer me. Every single fuckin' time Beth." He eases over onto his side and she curls up against him. His chin rests on the top of her head and she places soft little kisses on his chest. He shivers and nudges her head. "Tryna ta get me ready for round 2?" Giggling she stretches a little, feels just the ghost of an ache in her body so she knows he's gotta be feeling some discomfort to, but there's no way she's going to even ask about it. He doesn't want that reminder right now.

"I need a little bit of a reprieve big guy, but round 2 is definitely happening. I missed you like this. I'm gonna need some more…" His chest vibrates as he laughs. And that laughter is so good to hear. He doesn't laugh a lot, it's just not in his nature, but with her, it happens more and more and she loves it.

"Gotta get up and put 's'more logs on the fire soon," he says lazily.

"Not yet. Just hold me for a little longer." She knows he won't object and she scoots in even closer pulling the blankets up over them.

A/N I've said it before, I tend to get wordy! So there is one (as far as I know) more chapter to go! I have (tentatively) planned two one-shots that will cover some of the things I am going to keep sweet and short in the next chapter. I hope everyone is feeling okay with the outcome of the wreck? I couldn't give them major injuries, I just couldn't do it! And I may have gone way overboard on that settlement but like Daryl, I believe they deserved something… Ok off to get ready for tonight's episode! Hugs to everyone!