Chapter 27 - Words
Daryl kicked open the door to the cabin with Emma in his arms. She was covered in the quilt, but she was still shivering. If she had woken at all during the ride, she hadn't tried to speak to Daryl. His guess was that she hadn't roused from her slumber. He could tell that she had run herself ragged. Daryl wanted to be angry with Emma for not coming to him when she found out she was sick, but he couldn't. He himself had proposed the idea to Emma that she didn't trust him. If he had to guess, Daryl figured that Emma had been just as worried about people finding out about her illness as he was.
As Daryl carried Emma into the cabin and used his foot to shut the door behind them, he couldn't help but feel responsible for her condition. Daryl laid Emma down in bed, using all of the blankets upon it, plus the quilt he had brought with them, to cover her completely. Meanwhile, he was going to collect water to boil. Daryl got a basin and left quickly so that he could return and get Emma into a hot bath. As he was on his way to the pump, Daryl looked down at the snow covered ground. He fell to his knees and began throwing armfuls of snow into the basin. The snow would melt quickly on the stove. When the basin was almost completely full, Daryl carried it inside and got it onto the stove.
While Daryl waited for the snow to melt, he tossed several logs into the fireplace and got a fire going. All the while, he felt guiltier and guiltier about Emma's illness. If he hadn't reacted the way he had after Merle's death, Emma might have trusted him enough to tell him she was sick. Then, she might not be as far gone as she was. That was on Daryl's shoulders, but he couldn't let the guilt weigh him down completely. He needed to focus on getting Emma well again. So, he went to check on the basin. The snow had melted and the water was starting to simmer. It would do. Daryl lifted the basin off the stove and carried it to the roaring fire. He set it down in front of the flickering flames.
Then, he went to where Emma lay sleeping. She hadn't moved once since he had brought her into the cabin. Daryl peeled back the blankets to reveal Emma's quivering form. He didn't like seeing her so vulnerable and weak. Daryl tried to think of a time he had seen her in such a state. He couldn't. Emma could always take care of herself. Even when she had fainted in town after Clarke passed, even when Benjamin tried to choke the life out of her body, Emma had picked herself up and dusted herself off. Daryl wasn't used to seeing someone so strong in such dire need. He needed to remedy that. Daryl gently undressed Emma, but he tried to do it quickly so that he could get her into the bath faster. Daryl felt a flicker of guilt return as he lifted Emma's nude body off the bed. It had been months since he had seen her naked body. He didn't want to take advantage of her, but he couldn't put her into a bath fully clothed. Daryl tried not to look too long at Emma's body as he took her to the basin and slowly put her into the water.
Emma still didn't wake. Daryl held Emma's head up with one hand so that she wouldn't sink down into the water and drown. With his other hand, he gently splashed hot water up over her chest, shoulders, and neck. Even after the ride through the cold winter night, Emma's skin retained its feverish feel. Daryl still knew that getting her into a bath was the right thing to do. He wouldn't keep her in long. After about fifteen minutes, before the water could cool, Daryl lifted Emma out of the basin. He carried her dripping wet body back to the bed, where he toweled her off and dressed her for bed. When Emma was dry and dressed, Daryl tucked her back under the covers. Then, he pulled one of the chairs up beside the bed so that he could watch over her.
Daryl watched the way the shadows played with the light on Emma's face. Even with a fever, Emma was still beautiful. Daryl had never really told Emma how beautiful he thought she was. She probably didn't know how often he noticed her beauty, but there was rarely a time when he didn't. There were blouses Daryl had come to favor over others because they brought out the color of her eyes, or her skin, or her hair. He liked her hair better in the braid Trish did for her on occasion than when she wore it in a bun or a knot. Daryl liked the way Emma's cheeks grew rosier than usual after a hard day's work, or if it was chilly outside. There was an alluring freckle on her left shoulder that Daryl loved to press his lips to. He loved that her hair was wild and unruly, even when she tried to pin it or tie it back. The nightdress Emma wore was one of Daryl's favorite things, not just about her, but in his life. Those were all things Daryl thought to himself, but he never told Emma. That guilty feeling struck again like a bolt of lightning.
All night, Daryl looked after Emma. When beads of sweat appeared at her hairline, he got a cool rag to lay across her forehead. Daryl wanted to keep Emma hydrated, so he tried several times to give her water. The first time he tried to slowly spill water into her mouth from a cup, she sputtered and coughed in her sleep. The second time, Daryl tried soaking a rag in cold water. Then, he gently squeezed drops of water onto her lips and into her mouth. The water went down easier. Daryl made sure he tried to give Emma water at least once an hour.
As the sun started to come up, Daryl could barely keep his eyes open. Without meaning to, he drifted off to sleep in his chair for a few hours.
0o0o0
That day, Emma still didn't wake. Daryl tried not to worry. He told himself that Emma's body was taking care of itself. If she needed to sleep, she needed to sleep. Daryl continued giving her water, but he wanted to get something in her stomach, too. There was no way he could feed her while she slept. He just had to wait it out until she woke up. Then, he would give her something to eat to get her strength back. The more he thought about it, the more Daryl wanted to have something to make for Emma when she did wake up. So, he decided to leave her for a while to go and hunt.
Daryl was able to bag a rabbit, which he butchered and packed in snow. He didn't know whether to be relieved or alarmed that Emma's condition hadn't changed since he left. Daryl made himself some coffee, then continued his vigil of sitting by Emma's side.
As the day wound down, Emma suddenly stirred. Daryl eagerly sat forward, waiting for Emma to open her eyes. Then, Emma started to moan in distress. Her eyes remained closed as she weakly tossed and turned under the blankets. Daryl didn't know what to do. He wasn't sure if Emma was in pain, or if she was dreaming. Daryl scooted to the edge of his seat so that he could reach Emma better. Her moans turned into whimpers, sounds Daryl had never heard Emma make before. Daryl held Emma's face in one of his palms. With his other hand, he laid two fingers over her pulse point. Daryl gently shooshed Emma as she continued to whimper in her sleep. He used his thumb to stroke her cheek as he tried to soothe her back into a peaceful slumber.
"Emma..." Daryl reassured her softly. "Emma, I'm here..."
Several minutes passed, and as each second ticked by, Emma calmed down. Daryl thought she had fallen back asleep, but he looked up from her body to see that she was watching him through half lidded eyes.
"Daryl..." Emma murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Emma-"
"Daryl..." Emma's eyes fluttered closed. "Daryl, I love you..."
The sound of hoofbeats approaching the cabin reached Daryl's ears. Normally, he would react protectively when it came to Emma's safety. As Daryl heard the hoofbeats come to a sudden stop, he felt an even deeper, more primal urge taking over. He knew it had everything to do with the words Emma had just spoken to him, half conscious or not. They were running through his mind as he took his hands from her face and neck to get up out of the chair. As he picked up his crossbow, Daryl was no longer the hunter. Beneath the skin he was shedding in those anticipatory moments, there was an alpha male revealing itself. Though he initially did what he did to protect Emma, after she said those three words to him, that protectiveness became something more. It was an animalistic instinct. It was fierce.
The door slowly opened to reveal Rick on the other side. The moment he saw Daryl with his crossbow aimed at his head, he stopped in the doorway with his hands raised.
"Daryl," Rick said slowly, "I came here with good and honest intentions."
"Get out." Daryl commanded from deep within his chest.
Rick was visibly taken aback by Daryl's tone and demeanor.
"I came to tell you that it's safe to bring Emma back."
"I don't believe you." Daryl retorted with narrowed eyes.
Rick started to take a step forward.
"Daryl-"
"Don't take another step." Daryl growled.
"Okay." Rick complied calmly. "I'll stand right here."
"...Daryl?"
Emma's weak voice only strengthened the protective instincts Daryl was experiencing. Her voice said his name, but all he heard was, "I love you".
"Go back to sleep, darlin'." Daryl replied as gently as he could, keeping his eyes on Rick.
"Daryl, if you bring Emma back to the farm, nobody is going to-"
"I said I don't believe you." Daryl interrupted, his rough tone returning.
"Emma needs a doctor." Rick pleaded.
"Why do you care all of a sudden?" Daryl snorted.
"I have always cared for Emma." Rick snapped, lowering his hands.
"You sure haven't shown it lately." Daryl argued.
"Look, I came to persuade you to bring Emma back so that the doctor can help her." Rick lowered his voice. "Why would I do that if I didn't care about her?"
"'Cause ya'll want her dead."
"We don't want her dead." Rick insisted, frustration creeping back into his tone.
"Rick, leave the way you came, or I'll kill you where you stand." Daryl snarled darkly.
Daryl could see Rick's wheels turning as he considered his options. He knew Rick was wondering whether or not he would really kill him, but he also knew he wasn't going to take his chances. After Rick took the time to think about Daryl's threat, he finally gave in with a sigh.
"All right." Rick conceded. "I'll go, but if you...I hope you change your mind."
Daryl didn't lower his crossbow until Rick had shut the door behind him. When he heard Rick leave, Daryl set down his crossbow and returned to Emma's side.
"Emma?" Daryl gently shook Emma to try and wake her. "Emma?"
It was no use. Emma had drifted back into unconsciousness. Daryl was furious. He had missed his opportunity to feed her, and it was all because of Rick.
0o0o0
The next day, Daryl went outside to check on the rabbit he had packed in snow. Animals had made off with it under cover of darkness. Daryl decided he would go back out. The instinct to feed Emma was growing stronger and becoming harder to ignore the longer she went hungry. As Daryl took up his crossbow and headed out on his hunt, he truly felt less like a man and more like an animal. The moment those three words left Emma's lips, they awakened something deep within the depths of Daryl's being. Overnight, they changed the way Daryl felt about his purpose and his relationship with Emma. Never again would he betray her trust. Never again would he turn his back on her. It didn't matter that the words had been uttered in the throws of a fever dream. Even if, when Emma got well, she didn't mean those words, it wouldn't change how Daryl felt. It wouldn't take away from the revelation that he had finally come to. Daryl loved Emma.
Daryl trudged silently through the snow, his eyes and ears honed in on his surroundings. He investigated any twig that snapped. He pursued any flash or flicker of movement. He refused to return to the cabin empty handed.
As he hunted, Daryl thought about how Rick came to be at the cabin. Daryl had a hard time believing that Sam would have given up Emma's location. Sam cared deeply for Emma. Daryl knew Sam would never want any harm to come to her, so he dismissed the notion that Sam had told Rick where to find Daryl and Emma. Daryl knew that Rick knew about the cabin. He thought that maybe, when everyone discovered that Daryl and Emma were missing, Rick had figured they would be at the cabin. That was the only logical conclusion Daryl could come to, because the first option was too painful for him to consider.
Daryl headed back to the cabin when he scored two squirrels. As he came up the hill to the cabin, he stopped dead in his tracks. The sight of the cabin door left ajar turned the blood in his veins to ice. Daryl dropped the two squirrels as he swung his crossbow around, ready to use it on whoever had dared to enter the cabin in his absence. Daryl crept up on the cabin quietly to surprise whoever was inside. As he approached the open door, he saw something unsettling. There were no sets of footprints entering the cabin, but there were two sets leaving. One set belonged to him from when he had left to go hunting. The other set could only have belonged to Emma.
"Emma?" Daryl said her name loud enough that if she was in the immediate area, she would have heard him.
Daryl followed her footprints. As he circled the cabin, he came to the top of the hill that the cabin was perched upon. Below, there was a medium sized pond that Merle, Sam, and Daryl had often fished out of. The pond was one sheet of glass, and Daryl could tell because there was snow upon it. Also, to his horror, Emma was walking across it.
"Emma!" Daryl bellowed, his voice echoing all around him.
Daryl abandoned his crossbow as he ran down the hill so quickly that he stumbled along the way. The last leg of the hill, he practically slid down in the snow. Emma was still walking across the frozen pond, barefoot in her nightdress, her arms swaying in the air as though she was dancing. Daryl knew she had to be hallucinating from the fever. Emma wasn't crazy. She wouldn't be acting so foolishly if she was in her right mind. Daryl prayed the ice would hold fast until he could coax Emma back onto safer ground.
"Emma," Daryl stood at the edge of the pond, "can you hear me?"
Emma continued her strange dance across the ice, her back to Daryl.
"Emma, come back this way." Daryl pleaded, raising his voice as the wind whipped around him.
Finally, Emma seemed to hear Daryl. She spun around to face him, smiling, but as she turned, the ice beneath her feet began to groan.
"Shit." Daryl breathed as the ice moaned louder.
"Dance with me!" Emma cried, waving her arms rhythmically back and forth as she stood still.
"Emma, stay where you are." Daryl told Emma sternly as he started to remove his boots. "Don't move a muscle. You hear me?"
Daryl had one boot off when Emma started to dance again. The groaning grew louder. Then, there was an awful crack, like lightning.
"Emma!" Daryl shouted to her as she continued obliviously dancing. "Emma, no!"
It was too late. The ice beneath Emma's dancing feet finally gave way. Daryl watched helplessly as Emma went through the ice. She threw her arms up at the last moment, as though the introduction to the freezing water had shaken her to her senses, but to no avail. Emma disappeared from sight.
Daryl kicked off his other boot and stepped out onto the ice. He started out carefully, taking cautious steps so that he didn't fall through before he reached the break in the ice. Daryl grew impatient. The longer it took him to get to Emma, the less likely it was that he would get to her in time. So, Daryl broke into a run, which turned into a swift slide across the ice. He barely skidded to a stop before he was diving into the water after Emma. The moment his body hit the freezing cold water, his muscles seized up. He felt like hundreds of sharp pins were stabbing him all over as he tried to send commands to his muscles to swim.
"Daryl, I love you..."
Daryl used all of his strength to swim. It felt like swimming through thick sludge, but he pushed through it. Emma was counting on him. Daryl wouldn't let her drown. He finally saw her floating at the bottom of the pond, her limbs spread out like she was a star, her eyes closed. Daryl reached out for her wrist. When his fingers wrapped around her wrist, he pulled her to him. Her body felt heavier than it really was. Her clothes were weighted down with water. The water they were surrounded by was freezing. Daryl held Emma to him around the waist, then used his free arm to swim back up to the surface. He was growing weaker the longer he was beneath that ice cold water, but he refused to quit. Daryl kicked his legs furiously until finally, he broke the surface with a gasp.
Daryl swam to the edge he and Emma were closest to. He barely pulled her and himself up onto the snow before he was collapsing beside her, breathing heavily. Daryl lay flat on his back catching his breath for several moments before he was able to turn to Emma.
"Emma..." Daryl tried to call out her name, but his voice came out raspy and weak.
Daryl hovered over top of her as water from his hair and face dripped onto her still face. He lowered his head to her chest, fear and panic flowing through him when he could barely hear her breathing. Her heartbeat was so slow and quiet. Daryl lifted his head and grabbed Emma's face in between one of his hands and shook her.
"Emma..." Daryl managed to raise his voice a little. "Emma..."
Daryl's vision was beginning to blur. He shook his head as if he could shake off the darkness threatening to sweep over him at any moment. Then, he let his instincts take over. Daryl knew Emma might have water in her lungs after having been submerged for so long. He had to get the water out of her lungs. The only way he could think how was to help her body push it out. Daryl placed one of his hands on Emma's chest, then covered that hand with his other hand. With all his might, Daryl pressed down on Emma's chest. He pumped his hands in time with his heart.
"Emma..." Daryl tried to call out to her wherever she was, but he couldn't.
Then, Emma suddenly started coughing. Daryl felt water splash him in the face as she sputtered beneath him. The last thing he remembered before succumbing to unconsciousness was falling off of Emma and onto his side next to her.
0o0o0
"Emma..."
Daryl slowly opened his eyes, expecting to still be out in the snow. Instead, he was staring up at the cabin ceiling. Then, there was a hand wrapping around his wrist. Daryl jerked away at the same time he looked over to see who the hand belonged to. It was Dr. Torrence.
"What-"
"You shouldn't try to speak right now." The doctor interrupted Daryl as he reached for his wrist again. "You need to rest."
"Where's Emma?" Daryl asked, ignoring the doctor's advice.
"Emma is asleep in front of the fire." The doctor explained as he looked down at his watch. "Rick made her a bed-"
"Rick?" Daryl asked as he tried to sit up.
"Daryl," the doctor put his hands out to stop Daryl, "I must insist that you lay back down."
"Emma-"
"I'm taking care of her." The doctor reassured Daryl as he easily pushed him down onto the bed. "Rick went to get food from the farm. There isn't any here..."
Daryl had more questions to ask, but as the doctor continued prattling on, he involuntarily drifted off to sleep again.
0o0o0
Daryl woke again later, but he didn't know how much time had passed. He sat up just enough to have a look around the cabin. Rick was asleep at the table with his head resting upon it, while the doctor was snoring in one of the armchairs. Emma was where the doctor had said she would be. Daryl threw back the covers and got out of bed. He felt much stronger than before, but still not totally himself. Daryl crept across the room to where Emma lay sleeping. He slowly sat down beside her. Even in the firelight, Daryl could tell that Emma's face held a healthier color than it had in days. As he watched her breathe, he himself breathed a sigh of relief. Emma was getting better.
"Daryl..."
Daryl looked up to see Emma watching him. For the first time in days, but what felt like years, her eyes were fully opened and looking at him. Daryl felt a great weight fall off of his shoulders as their eyes met and Emma smiled up at him.
"Hey there." Daryl replied in a whisper so as not to wake the doctor or Rick. "How do you feel?"
Emma answered Daryl, but her voice was so quiet that he had a hard time hearing her. Daryl slowly laid down beside Emma so that he would be able to hear her better.
"I feel much better." Emma repeated herself for Daryl to hear.
"Has the doc been taking good care of you?" Daryl asked.
"Mhmm." Emma nodded at the same time she stretched, then she rolled onto her side to face Daryl. "Has he been taking good care of you?"
"I didn't need him taking care of me." Daryl whispered as he lifted his hand to feel Emma's forehead and cheeks. "You ain't nearly as warm as you were before."
Daryl's fingers lingered longer over Emma's face than necessary. They swept curls off her forehead, skimmed the outline of her face, glided over her cheekbones, and fluttered over her parted lips. Emma remained silent while Daryl's fingers took several trips across her face.
"Rick told me what happened." Emma finally broke the silence when Daryl's hand settled on the side of her face, her cheek perfectly nestled into his palm.
"What'd he say?" Daryl asked.
"That after you refused to bring me back to the farm, he decided to bring the doctor here. He said that when they arrived, they found the cabin empty. So, they took a look around. They saw us down by the pond, and it was pretty clear from above that the ice had broken in several places. By the time they got to us, we were both unconscious and soaking wet..."
Emma closed her eyes and nuzzled her cheek into Daryl's palm.
"You..." Emma slowly opened her eyes. "You saved me..."
Daryl didn't answer.
"Thank you." Emma murmured.
Daryl tipped Emma's face up to look into her eyes better.
"You don't ever have to thank me for that."
"You should go back to sleep." Emma told Daryl suddenly, changing the subject.
Daryl shook his head.
"I ain't going anywhere."
Emma lifted up the quilt that Rick had covered her in. Daryl slid beneath it, then wrapped his arms around Emma as she adjusted the quilt over both of them. They fell asleep together in front of the fire, wrapped up in each others' embrace.
0o0o0
It was another day before the doctor said Daryl was well enough to travel, but two more days before he said it was okay for Emma to travel. She was able to keep food down and her fever had lowered significantly. As everyone prepared to return to the farm, Daryl pulled Rick aside. They went outside to speak in privacy.
"You probably think I'm crazy..." Daryl began their conversation.
Rick shook his head.
"I don't think you're crazy." Rick replied as he and Daryl walked around the cabin. "Truth be told, I might've acted similarly had it been one of my kids in Emma's predicament."
"So, you understand why I did what I did...said what I said?" Daryl asked in surprise.
"To an extent."
"To what extent?" Daryl asked.
Rick stopped at the back of the cabin and folded his arms over his chest.
"I still think you should have brought Emma back when I told you to, especially since you aren't a doctor and there was one readily available on the farm."
"What if she hadn't gotten better?" Daryl asked. "What would ya'll have done?"
Rick turned towards Daryl.
"What would you have done?" Rick asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"I...would have done what needed to be done, but I would've given her a chance." Daryl replied with a frown.
"We would have, too." Rick shook his head. "We did give her a chance."
"Well, I know that now..." Daryl grumbled, scratching the back of his head.
Rick closed the distance between himself and Daryl.
"So, from now on, will you trust me?" Rick asked, stretching out his hand to Daryl.
Daryl looked down at Rick's hand, then back up at his face. Rick had proved to Daryl that he really did care for Emma, and that he would do what was best for her.
"Yeah," Daryl nodded as he shook Rick's hand, "but there was something else I wanted."
"What?" Rick asked as he let go of Daryl's hand.
"You and the doc go on ahead." Daryl motioned with his head to the trail they would take. "Emma and I...we got some things to talk about...alone..."
Rick held his hands up.
"Say no more."
0o0o0
There was enough food leftover from the past few days to feed Daryl and Emma as they sat down to supper that evening. Emma had been puzzled when Daryl had informed her that they were staying another night, while Rick and Dr. Torrence were leaving. She didn't question Daryl's decision. The truth was, he had earned her trust back. After Emma was fully conscious for the first time in days, and she discovered all that Daryl had done for her, the lengths he had gone to to protect her, she knew she could trust him again. So, Emma remained behind with Daryl without kicking up a fuss or asking a lot of questions.
All day, and as they sat down together at dinner, Daryl had been quiet. Daryl wasn't much of a talker anyways, but Emma sensed that there was something on his mind. She caught him looking at her strangely several times throughout the day and evening. When she would look up at him, he would lower his eyes. Emma tried to think if she had said something to upset, anger, or even confuse Daryl. As she racked her brain, her thoughts drifted to all of the crazy dreams she had had while feverish. She had the recurring dream about the group burying her body with smiles on their faces. She had a dream in which she dug up Merle's severed arm to return to him, but that when she found him, he was a biter. They weren't all bad dreams, though. Emma had dreamed of Daryl several times. In one dream, they were dancing. In another, she told him that she loved him.
When Emma remembered that dream, she nearly choked on her dinner. Then, she lifted her eyes to watch Daryl as he ate across from her. Could she have really said those words aloud? Could her dream have been real? Is that why Daryl was acting differently?
"You've-"
"Could we-"
Emma and Daryl both started to speak at the same time, then became silent.
"Is there-"
"What-"
For the second time, they both interrupted each other. Emma smiled. Daryl chuckled.
"Go ahead." Emma spoke first.
"Are you sure?" Daryl asked, giving Emma the same strange look he had been giving her all day.
Emma nodded. Daryl sighed, then stood up from the table. Emma watched as he came to her end of the table, then offered her his hand. She allowed him to pull her out of the chair.
"I wanted to talk to you because..." Daryl hesitated as he led Emma to the fire.
"What is it?" Emma asked.
"I've been...feeling strangely for a while now-"
"Poorly?" Emma asked worriedly.
"No." Daryl shook his head. "It's...well, it's hard to explain..."
"You can tell me." Emma reassured Daryl, setting her hand on his waist.
Daryl swallowed.
"Well, it all happens...when I'm..."
"Yes?" Emma asked.
"When I'm...with you..." Daryl finally spit it out, his voice soft and low. "Whenever I see your face, my stomach flip flops, just like a fish out of water."
Those words sounded familiar to Emma. She tried to remember where she had heard them before, but it was hard with the way Daryl was speaking to her.
"Sometimes, it's hard for me to breathe around you." Daryl confessed.
Emma suddenly remembered where she had heard those words before. They were words she had spoken to Sam a year before, as they sat on Merle's front porch. Sam was feeling blue without Amy, and Emma was describing how it felt when...
"When you touch me, my heart starts pounding," Daryl lifted Emma's hand to lay on his chest, "just like this."
Emma was experiencing Daryl's exact symptoms as he looked into her eyes, her hand over his heart, and spoke her words from so long ago back to her.
"This is...scary...because believe me when I say, it's new for me." Daryl lifted his other hand to rest against Emma's face. "At the same time, it's intense, and exciting, and thrilling..."
Emma could feel her knees quivering like a schoolgirl's.
"It sounds like...you love me..." Emma said breathlessly.
Daryl took his hand from Emma's so that he could hold her face between his hands.
"I do." Daryl finally admitted. "I love you."
Daryl leaned in and kissed Emma before she could reply. The moment their lips touched, Emma's knees buckled. Daryl, who felt Emma's knees knocking as he kissed her, had already lowered one hand from her face so that he could wrap it around her waist. Emma wrapped her arms around Daryl's neck as he slowly and carefully lowered her to the floor in front of the roaring fire. Without breaking their ongoing kiss for very long, they took their time undressing each other. First, off came Daryl's shirt. Then, Emma was stripped of hers. They continued losing items of clothing until they were nude together for the first time in months. Daryl gently laid Emma down on the makeshift bed in front of the fire. Their flesh came together as hands and fingers wandered.
Emma used her hand on Daryl's already hard penis. She used a firm grip as she stroked his growing manhood up and down. Daryl used one hand to hold his body up while Emma stroked him, groaning as her pace quickened, then slowed to ensure he didn't release too soon, then quickened again. When Daryl felt that he couldn't take it anymore, he pried her hand off of his penis so that he could use his fingers to make her ready to receive him. At first, he gently rubbed Emma's mound with his fingers. The sound of her moaning, the feeling of her body writhing beneath him, it sent strong pulses through his manhood. He could barely contain himself when he slipped two fingers inside of her, and she gasped. The sound nearly sent Daryl over the edge. He had to have her, and she seemed just as eager.
Daryl guided himself into Emma's wet mound easily. The moment the tip of his penis pushed past her walls, they both moaned. When Daryl filled Emma with his entire length, she gasped again. The feeling of her inside and the sound of her gasp sent shivers down Daryl's spine. Emma bucked her hips against Daryl's as he pumped back and forth at a slow pace. Part of him wanted to drive into her hard and fast because it had been so long and he wanted her so much, but another part of him wanted to take his time. Daryl wanted to savor all of the expressions on Emma's face, the way her lips would part as she exhaled or gasped or moaned, or the way her eyes grew wide or closed tightly when Daryl's penis filled her up at just the right angle. He wanted to revel in the sound of her heavy breathing, the pitch and tone of her moans. He wanted to feel the hard beat of her heart against his chest for as long as possible. So, Daryl kept a slow pace that Emma seemed to enjoy just as much as he did.
The flames from the fireplace seemed to grow hotter as Daryl and Emma made love in front of it. Sweat was rolling down Daryl's back as he continued thrusting himself deep into Emma's core. Her forehead was beaded with perspiration. Several curls unwound upon her slick forehead. Emma's muscles were squirming more and more against Daryl's erection. He knew she was close. So was he. With great pleasure, Daryl picked up his pace. Emma gasped at the sudden change in speed, but welcomed it as her hips moved accordingly. Daryl groaned and grunted as he was pushed closer and closer to release. Emma's moans were becoming louder, until she was crying out beneath Daryl. Together, they reached the peak of their lovemaking. Daryl shuddered inside and out as he released, while Emma arched her back and moaned one last time as he came deep inside of her.
Afterwards, Daryl and Emma laid together in front of the fire. Emma nestled into Daryl's arms as he held her close. That missing piece, that emptiness within her, it was gone. As Emma slowly drifted to sleep in Daryl's arms, she smiled to herself knowing that it was those three words he had spoken to her that had filled that empty space.
"Fire Don't Know" - The White Buffalo [Daryl cares for Emma]
"Sweet Hereafter" - The White Buffalo [Daryl finds Emma out on the ice, saves her]
"Have A Little Faith In Me" - John Hiatt [Daryl and Emma confess their love, make love]