Daryl is sitting and eating what passes for breakfast when Lori gets up the next morning. They don't look at each other anymore than normal. When everyone has settled except for Herschel on watch who is aware of the plans, Rick speaks.
"We'll stay here for a couple of days, scout the area, pick through the other properties and that shopping centre we spotted on the map, give us a chance to wash our shit too." He says laconically.
"Sounds good, I'd love the chance to wash our blankets and stuff." Maggie answers. Daryl hears Lori agree.
"All good, I'm gonna check out the game situation." Daryl stands and takes his plate to the counter. Carol tells him to leave it so he shoulders his crossbow, checks his other weapons and walks to the door. As he gets there Lori comes up behind him.
"Daryl, are you okay if I do your washing and stuff? Give you some clean clothes to wear?" She asks. When he turns she smiles privately at him and he finds himself running the fingers of his right hand across his lips. He can still smell her on himself.
Grinning at her Daryl nods. "Be nice to wear something clean for once." He says to her. Lori raises an eyebrow. "What?" He asks her grinning even more. "Just because I ain't got a problem with dirty clothes doesn't mean I prefer 'em to clean clothes you know.' He nearly laughs at her snort of sarcasm.
"Uh huh, sure. Well, regardless you'll have clean clothes tonight Popeye." She strokes a hand down his arm and turns back toward the kitchen. Shaking his head Daryl exits the house.
He remembers how they were with each other this morning when he'd gone back to bed after his watch. How he'd snuck under the blankets and sucked her awake, she'd been so warm and pliant and wet as all get out. He wanted more of that. He wanted to be inside her. He swipes his hand over his mouth again smelling her one last time before he focuses on hunting.
##########
Returning late that afternoon with a piglet across his shoulders Daryl stops at the sight that greets him. His clothes swinging on the line along with his and Lori's bedding and some of her clothes as well. It called to something deep and primal inside him. Shaking his head he stops and watches as Lori finishes taking some dry clothes off the line. She drops them in a basket that must have been in the house then squats slowly to pick it up.
"You right?" he asks her. Lori shades her eyes and looks over at him.
"I'm good, dry clothes are lighter. Oh God. Bacon." She says with a moan that makes him think of her coming in his mouth this morning.
Daryl snorts. "Got to prep it first. And set up somewhere to cook it."
"You're good there, Glenn turned into a monkey and cleaned the chimney this afternoon. He and Beth actually, by the time they were finished they were dirty enough to take cold showers and they discovered something." Lori looks over at him as they walk slowly toward the house. Daryl likes this, talking about their day. He realises Lori is waiting for him to ask what they discovered.
"Yeah?" Is as close as he'll come, too many years of being teased by Merle still haunt him. He doesn't show curiosity or eagerness anymore.
"This place has gas." He stops and stares at her, looks her over with a frown. She doesn't look any cleaner than this morning.
"I didn't, wanted to wait until you got back." Lori answers his unasked question of why she hadn't had a hot shower or bath.
"Don't think we can manage a bath together Olive." Daryl says though he wants nothing more.
"I know, but we can take one after the other and go to bed together tonight. Rick's left you off watch just for tonight he said." Lori says no more and Daryl wonders what it cost her to say Rick's name to him. It was none of his business and he needed to make her understand that.
"So anyway," Lori continues before Daryl can think of what to say, "If I dump these in our room, can I watch you prep little piggy?"
"Why?" Daryl stops to look at her.
Lori looks down at the ground then up at Daryl. "Andrea was right about one thing she said at the farm. Doing housework and cooking is good and all, but I need to know more." She looks over at Daryl as they get to the steps of the house. "I want you to teach me, I want to be an asset. I can't do much at the moment, but if you show me what to do I can take that job off your shoulders, or help you with it when you get back or something. I already know how to shoot. When bump finally comes into the world I'll be asking for fighting lessons too." She hefts the basket of laundry and walks up the steps and into the house leaving Daryl staring after her.
Shaking his head he turns away heading to the side of the house. Even pregnant and getting more so every day her legs were still do die for. Grabbing the chamois pack he'd left on the porch this morning he heads back to the treeline and the bench that he'd asked T to set there. He drops the piglet on the table and rolls opens the pack to reveal his skinning knives.
And he waits. Several minutes later he watches as Lori exits the house and moves down the stairs toward him. She is moving steadily is slower these days. "How far along are you now anyway?" He asks her as she comes up to him with a smile.
"Herschel says about six and a half months." She answers as she rubs her hands over her stomach soothingly. It makes Daryl look at her belly and he's surprised to see it press out quickly before it becomes the hard smooth ball he's used to again.
"Jesus, was that?" He looks up at Lori in shock. She grins at him.
"Yes it was, feels like she's playing football today, here." She takes Daryl's hand before he can step back and presses his palm to the place where the foot had made itself known. After several seconds he feels another kick.
"Jesus!" He says again, pressing on her stomach a little he feels another one. "Not fucking gentle is she?" He questions. Laughing this time Lori shakes her head.
"Not at all. Carl was way worse though. Which is why I think this one is a girl." She looks down at the knives and reaches out a finger to slide over the handle of the filleting knife. A thought strikes him and he looks at her.
"Six and a half months means its Shane's." He says it simply and with no rancour. He sees Lori's fingers stutter on the handle of the knife.
"Yes. It would never have been his of course if he had lived, but yes, he's the co-creator of my bump. We were careful, obviously not careful enough." Shaking her head and taking a deep breath Lori looks over at him. Daryl realises he's still got a palm on her stomach. He pulls it back and then looks down at the knives.
'You sure about this Olive?" He asks as he gestures to the knives and piglet. "Gets messy you know." Lori merely nods.
"There isn't really anything in this world that isn't messy anymore Daryl." She says in return.
"Fair enough then. No upchucking now." And so Daryl begins to teach Lori how to skin and dress game for the table. He gives her a lesson in the knives he uses as well and when they've finished with the piglet and he's started it on to roast he then takes her through cleaning and sharpening the knives. Lori realises it's almost an art.
The way you slide the knife through skin and flesh, making sure to miss the gut bag, not pierce any intestines, sliding it between this and that, peeling off the skin. It was indeed an art. And one that didn't make her vomit. When they're having dinner that evening it gives her more of a sense of accomplishment to know that she'd done more than cook it, or help cook it rather.
But now she really needs that shower. There is a relaxed atmosphere around the table this evening. Everyone is enjoying under a roof and the peace and quiet it brings. Lori has made up her and Daryl's bed tonight with clean bedding and she can't wait to slide into it once she's clean herself.
Eventually she feels herself beginning to flag so she says goodnight and tells Daryl she's off to shower, he nods and Lori heads back to their room. She gathers up her toiletries and moves to the bathroom. Carol had scrubbed out the bathroom when the hot water had been discovered. Closing but not locking the door Lori strips while the water heats up. She scrubs herself down with soap and a washer and then washes her hair as well. She should do it in the morning but it's too itchy and she really wants to be a hundred percent clean when she gets into bed tonight.
There is a knock at the door as she's dressing. "Yes?" She calls out.
"Me, you decent, can I clean my teeth?" Daryl asks her. Lori opens the door. She's wrapped in a towel with Daryl's flannel shirt and another towel wrapping her hair.
"Yes, nearly done anyway." Daryl leaves the door open so anyone can see they're not doing anything untoward. Lori realises they need to talk about whether they're telling people. She doesn't want to hide Daryl but she also doesn't want to tell people. She wants to be selfish. But she decides to leave it up to Daryl. She grabs up her dirty clothes and then waits while Daryl cleans his teeth and strips and she takes his dirty clothes too. She smiles at Beth as she walks past and she smiles back.
"More washing tomorrow." Beth says as she passes. "Night Lori, night Daryl."
"Night Beth." Lori returns and Daryl merely grunts. Lori smiles as she takes all his clothes and heads back to their room. She dumps them on the floor just inside the door and then grabs the cream she usually hoards and moisturises herself. She feels heat pool deep inside her body as she thinks of Daryl waking her with his mouth on her last night.
Crawling into their bedding Lori takes off the towel from her hair and brushes it out. When Daryl comes in wearing nothing but a towel Lori drinks him in. She's left two lanterns going and she can see him clearly. His taut skin, hardened muscles and moles, freckles, tattoos and scars. He was beautiful.
Taking her towel Daryl hangs it off the bed frame and then takes off his own and hangs it as well. His backside is firm and Lori wants nothing more than to bite it. Daryl glances over his shoulder at her and Lori nearly flushes as she realises she'd said that out loud.
"Do I have to worry about you turning into a Walker Olive?" He asks on a huff of laugher. Lori drops her brush and places her face in her hands in embarrassment.
"Hormones." She says. She knows it's not true, but she'll take any excuse she can get at the moment. God, she'd told Daryl she wanted to bite his butt. She was so far gone it wasn't even funny. She hears Daryl snort a laugh again and then he sits down behind her, his bare legs straddling her hips. His hand scoops up the brush and he starts to brush her hair.
"Oh God, you don't have to, I'm so glad that you are, but you don't have to and I'm shutting up now in case you decide to stop." Lori says. Her hair stirs from more of Daryl's soft laughter. They sit like that for what feels like hours as Daryl brushes her hair letting it dry slowly. Their room is actually reasonably warm. Being right next to wall with the fireplace in the living room they're getting some of its heat.
Eventually her hair is nearly dry and Daryl stops brushing it. Lori leans back on his warm chest as he leans down and kisses the side of her neck he'd just bared to him. The softest of moan drifts from her mouth. His lips are soft despite their chapped skin from the cold of winter. His breath is warm and his tongue is wet.
Licking a trail up to her ear Daryl nips at the lobe lightly making Lori wriggle back against him. She feels his hard cock brush against their shirt and goes to reach for it. Daryl stops her. "Not yet woman." He says quietly. Pushing Lori forward slightly he then starts to rub her neck and shoulders through the flannel shirt they now share. The muscles are slightly loosened by the hot water and his manipulations finish the job.
Massaging down her back Daryl relaxes her lower back muscles as well until finally Lori feels like a limp noodle. Another soft laugh makes her realise she's said that out loud as well. Dammit. "God, I'm going to have to watch my mouth around you Daryl, you make me so comfortable I don't think before I speak."
"Never have to watch what you say around me Lori, never. Remember I like your shitty personality. Then you can leave off worrying." Pulling back a little Daryl moves back and then pulls their blankets down, rolling them until they're at the foot of the bed. "Lie down now." Lori lies down watching as Daryl moves one lantern and switches it off. The other he turns down but leaves on. Then he kneels between Lori's bent legs.
"Want to fuck you Olive, you up for that? Don't know if you can, carrying a second person and all." Lori nods.
"I can, just need to be careful and a bit slower is all. I want you Daryl, inside me. I want you to come inside me." Closing her eyes Lori opens them knowing what she feels for Daryl is swimming in their depths. "I've wanted you for so long." She tries to sit up and reach for Daryl but can't so holds out a hand that Daryl unhesitatingly takes.
He looks down at their intertwined fingers before he speaks. "Don't know what we have woman, but I'm along for the ride wherever it takes us, even if it takes you back to Rick." He doesn't know what else to say to let Lori know that he'll allow that to happen. Wasn't like he could kidnap her and cart her off to keep forever, though the caveman in him wanted to do exactly that.
"Even this?" Lori asks, smoothing her other hand over the child, Shane's child that she carried.
"Yeah, bump too." Daryl calls the baby what Lori calls it and she smiles. "If we make it I'd be planting more of them in you, just so you know." He says as Lori just gapes at him.
"You want children? I mean, children with me?" She is incredulous that Daryl has even thought of children though she knows damn well she shouldn't be. He'd already said he told people with children about the quarry, no one else. Other's had found it of course, but still.
"If we make it that far yeah. Like I said last night I do know that Popeye and Olive were married and in love, do you remember that they had a child Lori?" Daryl asks her discerningly. Lori does flush this time.
"Yes Daryl I do. And okay then if we're doing this then 'this' includes children," she says making a quote mark with her one free hand. The smile Daryl gifts her with is not one she has ever seen before. It is breathtaking. His eyes crinkle at her even as the blue in them seems to explode in a firestorm of colour, it fractures Lori's heart with its beauty. The openness in his expression leaves no room for doubt.
And so she accepts that she and Daryl are something that will continue. Even though he's making plans she knows if Rick somehow wants her back and she even accepts him Daryl won't blame her, he won't cause an issue, but he's fighting for her Lori knows. His every word, his every expression that she and she alone sees is a fight, he is letting her in as he lets no one else in. He is letting her know he is worthy. But, Lori suddenly realises, she's not worthy of him.
"I'm, Daryl I'm not worthy of you."
"Don't be fuckin' stupid." He says nothing more, leaning over her instead and taking her mouth in a kiss so erotic Lori nearly comes from the pleasure of it alone. Lori forgets her doubts and fears as Daryl's tongue snakes into her mouth, over her own, slides over her teeth and then fucks in and out of her so slow she simply melts into a puddle of arousal underneath him.
"Daryl, God. Yes." Is all she can say. Again she feels Daryl snort a soft laugh, this time she catches his breath with her own mouth. And she does come. Mildly like she had standing by the Cherokee but an orgasm nonetheless, it ripples through her gently and Lori feels Daryl's hands slide up her body now. "Daryl," Lori says again, "Touch yourself, I want to see you touch yourself for me." Lori looks up as Daryl pulls back to look at her with a raised brow. Then without saying anything further he sits back and takes his hard cock in his hand. And still looking at Lori, his eyes blazing at her he begins to jerk himself off.
Back and forth, his hand strokes his cock, slow and steady. Lori alternates between watching his face and watching his hand on his cock. She licks her lips as she sees his pre-come drip slowly out of his slit. "You like watchin' me? You wanna taste me again?" His questions are breathless as he continues to stroke himself off. Over and over his hand moves on his beautiful hard cock. Lori feels heat pool between her legs and flow out.
She wants to push her hand down under their shirt and flick her fingers over herself until she comes as well. Even better, she wanted Daryl's rough fingers stroking the wet sensitive skin of her clit until she spasms around him in orgasm.
"Answer me Olive." His words are even more breathless, Lori can see his stomach and hips working toward orgasm. His stomach is moving, rippling in need and she finds that sight almost sexier than the sight of Daryl's hand still stroking himself off, slow and steady, working himself without any rush toward an orgasm she will watch.
"Yes." It is all Lori can say, she has no idea what the question even was. She hears Daryl laugh lightly at her though.
And as he laughs his head drops back, his eyes closing and Lori sees him swallow, his Adam's apple moving up and down and come drops out of his cock, splattering over Lori's thighs where they're spread around Daryl. Daryl's hand on his cock slows down as his orgasm recedes and he relaxes his body.
Lori is panting uncontrollably, before she realises what she's doing she pushes her hand under her shirt and into herself. She is wet and slippery and her eyes flutter when her fingers touch her clit. She is so aroused its like a hard little pea under her touch, standing out from under its hood, wanting and needing to be stroked.
Without realising it Lori is whimpering in need. Suddenly she feels something at her lips and her mouth opens before she even realises what is touching her. Fingers, she sucks on Daryl's fingers, licking and scraping them with her teeth. His taste explodes across her senses and she moans around the fingers in her mouth. Lori opens her legs and spreads herself wide.
"Beautiful Olive, just beautiful." Lori barely hears Daryl's whispered words to her. She moans again around his fingers still inside her mouth as his other hand slides inside her, fucking her as she still slides her own fingers across her clit.
"Please." Lori whimpers around Daryl's fingers, she is asking to come. Asking for Daryl to help her come, let her come.
Daryl's fingers are gone from her mouth, leaving her feeling bereft and then she opens her eyes to see Daryl move between her thighs. His cock is hard again and in his hand. He leans over her bracing himself on one hand and slowly, paying attention to the child between them he pushes inside her. Lori can do nothing more than hang on and wait for his cock to enter her.
Surprising her again as soon as he has seated himself, Daryl's arms move underneath her body and pull her up carefully. Then he kneels up straight and Lori finds herself seated on his thighs. "Comfortable Olive?" Daryl asks her as he steadies her and settles himself inside her.
Lori smiles. "Yes Popeye, I'm comfortable, I'll be even better when you make me come." One eyebrow rises in amusement or sarcasm she isn't sure.
"Since when does Popeye 'make' anyone do anything?" Daryl questions breathlessly as he lies down and pushes his legs up. Now Lori was straddling Daryl and his knees were bent behind her so she could rest her back on them. This was infinitely more comfortable.
Dropping his hands from touching Lori, he puts them behind his head as he looks up at her. Lori knows he's up to something but she has no idea what. Daryl's eyebrow raises again as he looks and smiles at her. "Well?" He questions almost querulously, "Ain't got all day."
Oh God, he meant for Lori to get herself off on him. Taking a breath Lori leans back on Daryl's raised knees, she puts her arms back, wrapping them around his thighs to anchor herself and she slowly raises herself off his cock and then lowers herself again.
As she sinks back down she finds herself groaning softly. "Can't make any noise Olive, don't want the other's to know you're balllin' Popeye now do you?" Daryl questions her quietly. Lori shakes her head though right now she doesn't give a shit. Carl could walk in on her and she wouldn't stop, she is too far gone, she can't stop. Daryl's cock is hot and hard inside her and she can feel it swelling and throbbing in need as well.
"Good staying power." She comments breathlessly. Daryl laughs lightly.
"All you sweetheart." Lori blinks.
"Touch me." Her voice is plaintive.
"Where?" Daryl asks. He has no experience with pregnant women, he has no idea if sex is different in any way.
"Clit." Is all Lori can say as she starts to move up and down on his cock trying to find a rhythm. Daryl unhooks a hand from behind his head and slides it down his torso. Lori watches it move hungrily. And then he is under the swell of her abdomen and his fingers are threading through her curls until he scrapes a nail across her clit making her jump.
"Oh God, yes." She says as she clenches down on him tightly. Daryl starts to thrust up as she drops down. And so they begin. Slow and steady Lori feels her body tighten as her toes curl and cramp from the position they're in. But she won't move until she has come. She groans without realising and Suddenly Daryl is sitting up, his mouth catches hers.
Lori's mouth opens for his tongue and Daryl swallows her next groan, muffling her. His other hand winds through the hair on her head, before sliding down her back. Her hair falls around them when he lets it go, cocooning the two of them.
Other hand still on her clit Lori's breath hitches in Daryl's mouth as her orgasm explodes out from her. He muffles her groans as she comes and Lori in turn muffles his groans when he tightens and releases inside her. She unwinds her hands from Daryl's legs and winds them around his shoulders, holding him to her tightly.
As her breathing slowly evens out, Lori relaxes. Daryl laughs as she allows him to simply push her off him and onto her side as he gets them both under the covers, pulling them up and settling them down on the pillow together. Lori feels completely boneless.
They sleep peacefully in the warmth of their room.
##########
The next morning Daryl wakes and dresses, he's putting on his boots when Lori stirs.
"Morning." She says as she sits up sleepily.
"Morning Olive." Daryl says to her. He leans over and kisses her thoroughly not letting Lori away from what she calls morning breath. He laughs at her instead. Sliding a hand down her torso Daryl pushes a finger inside her, eager for a taste of her to start his day with.
Pulling back he withdraws his hand smiling at her moan of displeasure. He sucks it into his mouth still looking at Lori. Metallic. He tastes metal. Pulling his finger out he can see the faintest bit of pink around his nail.
"Fucking cunt of a cocksucking whore." His words are vile and make Lori jump. Daryl tears the blankets off her without saying anything further and pushes her on her back spreading her legs.
"Daryl!" She protests but he ignores her, his fingers pushing in and out of her again quickly. Before Lori can curse at him he raises them to her eyes. "Oh God." Tears water her eyes as she holds her child still in her womb.
"You hurting? Cramps or anything?" Lori shakes her head. Daryl nods. "I'm gonna wake Herschel." He pulls his own pants closed and fastens them as he stands, wiping her blood on the side of them.
"He'll know." Lori says as his hand touches the doorknob.
He stops but doesn't turn back. "Ain't got a problem with it, less you do?" He questions her without turning around, standing facing the door and waiting for her answer. His shoulders are hunched.
"No, I don't have a problem with it." Daryl nods and his shoulders straighten as he opens the door and closes it behind him quietly. Lori waits for him to bring back Herschel.
##########
Daryl is pacing outside the bedroom door when Herschel opens it and motions him inside. Lori is standing and dressed. She smiles at him. Daryl looks back at Herschel.
"Its fine, but no more intercourse, you'll have to be creative." Herschel smiles as he says this and exits the room leaving them alone together.
Not knowing whether he should do or say anything Daryl has any decision taken from him when he finds his arms full of a tall, leggy, crying pregnant woman. His own arms return her hug and against his will his head drops to nuzzle the top of hers. "Fuck." He mutters quietly.
"Seconded Popeye." Lori says in a choked voice. "I don't know that I could survive losing this baby after everything. As horrid as it's going to be, I need for her to survive." Something leaps in Daryl's chest at her words. He wonders what she's not saying.
"You'll survive Olive, you're a tough one." He says trying to mimic Popeye. It's woeful but it does the trick. Lori laughs. "When is he gonna check you again?"
"A week, unless the bleeding gets worse. I need to up my protein as well." Daryl nods, protein is iron.
"Got it, gonna be okay for me to go huntin'?" Lori nods.
"Yes, I've got more washing to do and I thought I'd see if anyone else wanted their knives sharpened, you know for the practice." Daryl looks at her. She was strong, she'd be alright and if she wasn't well, he'd be on up there in JC's face if she wasn't and that was all there was to it.
"Sounds good to me." Kissing her forehead Daryl takes a breath and leaves her for the day.