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After Daryl was more relaxed, they got up and decided to take a walk. He took her hand, interlacing their fingers. They slowly walked in a wide circle around the clearing. He kept his cross bow in his other hand, just because they hadn't seen any walkers doesn't mean they wouldn't. They talked lightly with him telling her what had happen with Merle, her talking about her parents' death.
After a while, Jillian stopped walking and reached down to pick a small flower. She straighten up and let go of his hand. She turned and put her back against a tree and smiled at him as she smelled the flower. He smiled at her then came forward. He put his hand into her hair and brought his mouth down onto hers. Once again they made out slowly. She dropped the flower and brought her hands to his shoulders. She pulled him close as he moved into her. His hands swept down her sides to her hips. He picked her up and held her against the tree. Jillian wrapped her legs around his waist and let her hands go into his hair.
" I'm sorry." Daryl said as he pulled away.
" It's okay." She said, her voice breathless. He gently let her slide down him til she was standing on her own. He gave her a quick, closed mouth kiss then smiled and took her hand again. They started walking again.
" Dating anyone when the walkers came?" Daryl asked.
" No. You?" She asked. She started lightly swinging their arms.
" No. I haven't dating anyone since you." He said.
" You went back to one night stands then?" She asked. Jillian knew his history before her, she knew he hadn't been into dating. She didn't want the answer but she needed to hear it.
" Ah, yeah. I mean, mostly I worked and hunted. Didn't really want to date anyone." Daryl said. Jillian's heart dropped. She knew it wasn't right for her to have her feelings hurt but they were. She had kind of hoped that he had stayed away from other girls. "Did you see anyone at all?"
" I dated a few guys off and on but it was nothing serious. I just couldn't get close to anyone." She said. Daryl sighed and squeezed her hand.
" That's my fault but I can't say I'm not glad. If you were dating someone now, you won't be given me another shot." He said. She laughed then.
" Who said I'm giving you another shot?" She asked as she looked up at him.
" Don't play around with me." He said as he looked at her. She laughed then.
" Anyway, you aren't the only reason I couldn't get close to anyone." She said, making him squeeze her hand. " I had to go into counselling to help me through everything. Having the guy confess and be put away helped ease my mind that he wasn't running around but I had pretty bad nightmares for a while."
" The break up didn't help, I bet. I should have been there to get you through." Daryl said as he stared straight ahead.
" Yeah, you should have but you weren't and I'm still here. I learned a lot about myself these past four years. Dealing with the rape, our breakup, you just completely disappearing from the world, my parents' death, then the world ending, I have learned that I'm very strong. I think I can handle anything now." Jillian said. He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.
" I used to drive past the diner. I just wanted to see your car or you but I never did." He said. Jillian sighed and, to his surprise, rested her head against his arm.
" I have missed you so much." She said softly.
" I missed you too." He said as he took his hand from hers. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her against him. Jillian put both arms around his waist and they walked in silence again.
After a while they decided to head back to the house. It was getting close to dinner time so they packed things up, putting the blanket and glasses into the backpack. Daryl was going to sit the basket on his lap. They got onto the bike and this time, he didn't have to take off for her to wrap around his waist. She came into his back and held onto him tightly on her own.
The ride back they were both comfortable and quiet. She rested her cheek against his back and closed her eyes. She inhaled his scent and slipped her hands under his shirt. She wanted to have his skin against her as he drove. She wanted to have a relationship with him again, wanted him to come into her room with her tonight. She wanted to sleep with him again, he had always turned her on, but Jillian knew she wasn't ready for that step yet. She was wrestling with asking him to come to bed to sleep. A big part of her knew that if he came to her, they'd have sex. Neither one would be able to hold back for long.
Once back at the house, Daryl helped her off the bike and they walked to the house, holding hands. She was still lost in her thoughts when she sighed deeply without thinking. He squeezed her hand and glanced at her, but she looked faraway. He opened the door for her then followed her into the house. She slipped the backpack off and tossed it on the couch before they walked to the kitchen and into the back yard.
As everyone ate dinner, Jillian sat across the fire from Daryl. He was worried because she hadn't spoken since they left the woods. She seemed miles away, wrapped up in her thoughts and he wondered if she was changing her mind about them. No one asked them where they had gone off too and after dinner, the group did what they always did. They talked about old times until everyone decided to turn in for the night.
Jillian and Daryl were one of the last people to head into the house. As they walked through the kitchen, Jillian ahead of him, Daryl reached out and took her hand. He pulled her back to him and kissed her forehead. She gripped his hand, making him feel better even though she wasn't talking to him. They walked up the stairs and down the hallway. When they reached her room, she sighed and faced him, leaning against the door. She took a hold of his other hand.
" I want you to come to bed with me but I'm not ready to have sex." She confessed.
" We don't have to have sex." Daryl said. She laughed softly then.
" You know as well as I do we will have a hard time not doing it. It will happen if you come in here with me." Jillian said.
" We didn't have sex the other night I stayed over." She laughed and smiled.
" We also didn't spend the day making out."
" And you didn't really like me then." Daryl said. " I will just go to my room, we ain't got to worry about this right now." He said. She sighed and nodded. He put a hand on her waist and leaned forward. He kissed her cheek and squeezed her waist. " Night, Jill." He said softly.
" Night." She barely got out. He pulled away and winked at her. Jillian took a hold of her door knob and turned it. She went into her room as he backed away from her.