She awoke with a start, eyes wide and unblinking in the darkness. "Daryl? Daryl?" She cried out, nearly gasping for air over the panicked feeling in her chest.
"Right here," he murmured sleepily, rolling over and facing her back. His eyes swept over her undressed body in the moonlight, registering her soft curves and his arm went around her, coming to rest upon her hip. He pulled her tight against his chest and she yanked his arm, pressing his hand over her heart.
"Good," she said, breathing a sigh of relief as she clutched him.
"Ain't goin nowhere," he whispered against her ear before brushing his lips over the back of her neck. "Go back ta sleep."
XXXXX
The next time she woke up the sun was shining through the squeaky clean window in her bedroom and she thought she could actually hear birds chirping in the trees outside. She rolled over, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with her hands and nearly doing a double take when she realized that Daryl was still beside her, yawning lazily.
"Good mornin'," she greeted with a grin on her face.
"Mmmmmm, five more minuts, ma," he mumbled, eyes still closed.
"Oh, you are so going to get it," Carol said, half laughing as she leaned menacingly over him.
He sat upright, catching her wrists in his hands. "And what is it I'm gonna get, huh?" He asked in a low voice.
She groaned, almost inaudibly.
"What, you're tha only one that can do the teasin?" He asked, now fully awake. He pushed his bangs out of his face, gazing at her thoughtfully. "No more nightmares?"
She shook her head. "No more nightmares." She paused for a moment before adding, "I'm really not that high maintenance, I promise."
The corner of his mouth tugged up on one side. "S'ok." He reached out to place a hand over hers under the covers. "You okay?"
She nodded.
"I meant about the other…. stuff."
"Oh," she whispered, gazing at him wide eyed. "Yeah, that… stuff was good too."
His face flushed and he lowered his eyes.
She stretched, letting the blankets fall away from her body as she moved to lower her feet to the floor.
"That my shirt?" He asked.
She turned her head to find him staring at her, eyebrows raised expectantly.
"I'm sorry," she said, starting to unbutton it. "I was cold, it was the closest thing I could grab without waking you."
He shook his head, reaching his arm out and placing a hand on her shoulder, gently tracing her collar bone with his thumb. "Darlin'… I got anything ya want, you just take it. It's yours."
She looked back at him, not sure what to say.
"Although," he murmured, scooting closer to her. "If ya still wanted ta take it off, I wouldn't say nothin…" He ducked his head, pressing his lips to her exposed skin between the opened buttons on his shirt. He raised his eyes to look up at her, just in time to see her eyelids flutter shut as she tilted her head back.
"Wait," she said softly after a few moments. "We can't take this too far. Don't you have to go soon?"
He nodded solemnly, his hands still on her skin as he realized this was the first time he was ever reluctant to leave the gates of Alexandria.
"This is another long one, right?" She whispered.
"Right," he whispered back, his voice almost cracking.
She shrugged. "Well then, I guess we'd better get dressed."
She pulled on her jeans and sweater quickly, moving to give him some privacy as she headed towards the kitchen. She made herself busy with washing the dishes from the previous night, only looking up when she heard him approach.
"I gotta go," he said hoarsely, making his way toward the door. "See ya later?"
She nodded, reaching out to brush his hair back, her fingers lingering on his face. Without warning, she pressed his back against the door, standing up on her toes to kiss him thoroughly, her hands moving to the back of his head.
He held her in place, arms wrapped around her waist as he kissed her back, letting her tongue sweep deliciously across his.
"Damn," he murmured when she finally pulled away. "You gonna kiss me like that when I get back?"
She smiled. "I guess you'll have to find that out."