* Please review. *

A little over 5 years ago:

Jillian was on the phone when he came down the porch. He couldn't see her but he could hear her and she was laughing softly. He stopped walking and listened to her. He was at the side of her apartment and he could tell she was outside on the porch. It didn't long before he could tell she was talking to her dad. He hadn't meant her parents yet even though they had been dating for nine months.

She had meant Merle because she had been to Daryl's place and he lived with Merle. He hadn't wanted to take her to his trailer, he was embarrassed of where he live, but she hadn't cared. At first her and Merle had gotten along well. She played drinking games with them, play fought with Merle, took every nasty comment he gave her with a smile and a comment back to him but lately that had changed. The more time Daryl spent with Jillian, the more Merle got mad. He didn't like that she was always around Daryl, that Daryl wanted her everywhere with him.

" I know, dad, I want you to meet him too." She was saying. " I just, I don't know how he feels about meeting my parents, you know? That's a big step." She paused in talking for a few minutes before she sighed. " Yeah, I'm totally falling in love with him." Daryl's heart stopped. " No, I haven't told him. He hasn't said it to me, I don't even know if he feels that way towards me, and I'm not going to rush it. If he feels it, someday he will tell me." Another pause. "Alright, I love you too and I will talk to you later."

He let go of his breath when he heard her screen door slam shut. He waited in his spot for a few minutes before he went to her apartment. He turned the corner and walked up to her screen door and looked in at her. Jillian's back was to him and she was in her small kitchen. He sighed and knocked lightly on her door. Jillian turned around and smiled at him.

" Why are you knocking?" She asked. He opened the door and shrugged.

" Just did." He said as he walked in. She smiled at him.

" So I made some dinner, you hungry?" She asked as he walked through the tiny living room. He went into her kitchen and took her into his arms. He kissed her slowly, drawing her breath from her. Jillian's hands came to rest against his chest. He tighten his hold of her quickly so she was completely against him. When he pulled away from her, he swept his hand over her hair. " Hi." She said softly.

" Hi." He said. They looked into each other's eyes for a few seconds. He couldn't believe he hadn't seen it before, she did love him. This beautiful girl was in love with Daryl Dixon. It was something he hadn't known he'd ever wanted. He smiled slightly. " What'd ya make your man?"

The night they first time had had sex, he had told her she was his, she was his woman and he was her man. He had told her he would protect her from anything and anyone. She laughed and said no one had ever talked to her like that. He had pulled her against him again and reminded her quickly that no one had ever made her feel as good as he had. He reminded her over and over again until late that first night, reminded her so many times she swore she couldn't cum anymore. From then on he called her either his girlfriend or his woman and he referred to himself as her man.

" I made salad and steak." She said as he let her go. He moved to the table that was right behind him. Her apartment was tiny so he only had to take two steps and he got to a chair. He sat down and watched as she got their plates ready.

" From that deer meat I brought you?" He asked. She nodded.

" Yep." She said. She set a bowl down in front of him with a salad in it. She set down a Bud Light in front of him, she didn't drink beer but she always kept some at her place for him. He always kept a bottle of Capt Morgan at his place for her.

" I never ate salad so much in my life." He said. She laughed and went back to the kitchen.

" It's good for you, Double D." She said as she grabbed their plates. She set one in front of him and one at her spot then sat down beside him.

" I think you're good for me." He said. She smiled again.

" I know I am." She said.

Another week had gone by and he was at her place for the night again. He was slowly moving his stuff into her apartment. It started with his clothes. He wanted to keep clothes at her place since he spent the night with her a lot. That night he had brought over a series of movies he had. They hadn't talked about moving in together but she knew what he was doing. Every time he came over, he had a hand full of stuff and she had cleaned out a draw in her dresser for him. He didn't have a lot of things but he didn't want bring everything he had at once. He had planned on bring things little by little and when it was all moved, he'd just never leave.

They had settled into the couch after dinner to watch a movie. He had his arm around her shoulders and she was nestled into him, her arm around his waist. He was running his fingers through her hair slowly. He kissed the top of her head then cleared his throat. His arm slipped from her shoulders to around her neck. She took a deep breath to inhale his scent as her hand played with the buttons on his shirt.

" Maybe we should go see your parents sometime." He said as he watched the tv. Her hand paused on his button.

" My parents? You want to meet my parents?" She asked. He shrugged.

" Been thinking about it. Why not? You don't want them to see your hick man?" He asked. She laughed and sat up better so she could look at him.

" My hick man?" She asked. He smiled but tucked some strands of her hair behind her ear. He tugged on her shoulder, making her snuggle back into him again. She put her head against his chest.

" Figured it's time. If I'm gonna keep being in love with you, I need to meet your family." He said.

And that was how Daryl Dixon told her he loved her. He had meant her parents the following week and two weeks after that, everything he owned was in her place. He left all the bigger stuff with Merle, the couches, TV, his mattress. Merle said he'd be back but Daryl hadn't believed him. As he put his clothes in the dresser next to hers, he was sure he'd never be back in that trailer with his brother.

Little did he know...