Saturday Morning

"Why you looking so spiffed up this morning?" Charlene patted Daryl's back before she pushed some scrambled eggs onto his plate and then Jim's.

"I ain't," he snapped a little too quickly and she caught the defensive tone in his voice with a shrewd smile. "I'm just goin' over to Dale's to see the horses is all." The last thing he was going to do was tell her about Kate.

"In a new shirt? Cologne?" Charlene didn't miss a damn trick.

"You got a date you ain't telling us about?" Jim laughed.

"No," Daryl spat out before shovelling a big forkful of eggs into his mouth.

"Well…" Charlene sat next to him and Daryl knew that look she had on her face. It was the same look she got when she had backed Jim's truck into a post last month. "My friend from work… Cassie. She just moved around here a couple of months ago. She's a real sweetheart. I've been telling her all about you and she said yes to setting ya'll up on a date. Now you ain't gonna let me down are you hun?"

"Jesus, Char. Why ya gotta do that for?" Daryl folded his arms across his chest.

"I'm just looking out for you. Ain't gonna kill you to go for dinner with her. She's a nice girl, she goes to church and she has the cutest little dog."

Daryl scrunched up his face, "what the hell did ya tell 'er 'bout me?" He was pretty sure that the last people he would attract were sweet church going girls with little dogs.

"Don't matter, this ain't up for debating. You're gonna need a plus one at our wedding."

"You better do as she says," Jim said like he always did since he was so damn pussy whipped.

"Fuckin' hell," he finished his eggs and stood up. Maybe he should go back to living with Merle. He didn't want to have to go on blind dates. The mere thought of it made him want to stab himself in the eyeball.

He let the screen door slam shut as he headed into the back garden for a smoke. He was already regretting inviting Kate out today and all that talk of dates had only made him feel worse. He was nervous to see her but more than anything he was starting to feel like he was playing with fire. She was going to leave. It was only a matter of time. He wondered if spending more time with her would make him more or less obsessed. He might find out that she annoys the shit out of him, although he doubted that. It was like when you have a cut or a bump and you knew you shouldn't touch it but you had to just to see if it still hurt and how much. He knew he shouldn't let himself get involved with Kate but he wanted to see what it would feel like even if it was only temporary.

Jim stepped outside and Daryl passed him a cigarette before he confessed, "there's this girl at work."

"Why didn't you say nothin'?"

"You know how Char gets. And it ain't like that," Daryl let out a heavy grunt and kicked his foot against the porch rail. "Even if I got Kate, I couldn't keep 'er. In a little over a month she'll be livin' four thousand, two hundred and eighteen miles away." He'd googled it then stared at the number until it was seared into his brain.

"You're seeing her today?"

"I feel like I probably shouldn't. Shit, I already have the biggest fuckin' high school crush on this chick. I swear…" Daryl took a drag and laughed bitterly. "It's embarrassin'."

"Maybe she'll stay."

"There ain't no way that someone like her would stay in this shit hole for someone like me… whats she gonna do, move into the single room?"

"Why you seein' her then?" Jim took a seat on his chair and raised his eyebrows.

"If you'd seen 'er you'd understand…" Daryl stubbed out his cigarette and headed to his truck. What was the worst that could happen? It wasn't like he was going to fall in love with her. He wasn't sure if he even knew how to love someone.

/

The doorbell rang and announced Daryl's arrival. She looked at the clock and he was precisely on time. She was impressed. Kate finished the last of her tea then grabbed her handbag and Daryl's shirt which she had dropped off at the dry cleaners last night and picked up on her run this morning.

Daryl was standing so close to the front door when she dashed outside that she almost collided with him.

"G'mornin'," he raised his eyebrows and took a step back to give her room to shut and lock the front door.

"Morning," she said as she turned around and he just stood there, looking at her, like he was going to say something or do something but couldn't quite decide.

Kate looked at the freshly pressed shirt that was in its plastic cover and clutched in her hand between them. "I had it cleaned."

He took the hanger from her and she edged past him. "Shall we get going then?" This was nice. Now she knew he was getting married she could relax. It was like spending time with Lou except they wouldn't have to stop every 20 minutes for a sit down or a toilet break.

Daryl jumped in front of Kate to open the door of his truck for her and then shut it when she climbed inside. She recalled him giving Hailee a ride home last week and wondered once more if his fiancé was okay with him spending the day with her. Then it occurred that his fiancé might not even know. What if he was some sort of cheating player? She felt weird.

"Does Charlene know you're taking me out today?"

"Err… I'm sure Jim will tell 'er."

"Jim?"

"He's my oldest friend. They tell each other everythin'," Daryl started the engine and the radio started blasting out a country song that Kate didn't recognise. There was nothing weird, it was all in her head. Not everyone was like her husband had been. Ryan used to get insanely jealous if Kate went for an after work drink with a male colleague let alone spending the entire day with one.

/

The drive to the farm was nice. Daryl had enjoyed watching Kate watch the Georgia countryside rolling outside of her passenger window. He'd been more than a little bit worried about spending so much time with just the two of them but talking to her was easier than he had anticipated, natural even, and the radio had filled in the gaps.

Irma was out in the garden pegging out washing when they pulled up. She dropped what she was doing to hurry over and squeeze Kate into a big embrace. "It's so nice to see you again… come inside…" The middle aged lady ushered the brunette along and Daryl followed obediently.

"Thank you for inviting me," Kate smiled sweetly and Irma pulled out a chair for her to sit on.

"If it ain't too much trouble for you Daryl, Dale could use a helping hand up on the roof," Irma pointed to the ceiling before she placed a big bag of lemons on the table in front of Kate. "I thought we could make a little fresh lemonade."

Kate picked up a lemon and held it to her nose to smell it and Irma started shepherding him out of the door. He took the hint. He was more than happy to help Dale. He'd helped the man fix almost every square inch of their house and the outbuildings over the years. He suspected that this was more about Irma having some alone time with Kate than anything else. Since the Horvath's never had children they had become like a surrogate Mama and Daddy to Daryl and probably half of the town. They had a handful of nieces and nephews that used to visit and be doted on but they were all grown up now with lives of their own. Irma loved to make a fuss over people, especially girls. She'd once said that she'd "always wanted a little girl of her own."

/

Irma passed Kate a knife so she could chop the lemons in half for juicing. She felt like she'd been transported back in time and was suddenly 13, sitting in her Nana's kitchen. She remembered that warm comforting feeling of being loved and taken care of. It had always felt like that at Nana's house which was why she had spent most evenings and weekends there until she was 15 and her Nana passed away. Irma emitted that same warmth. The house had that same feeling. The kitchen counter was cluttered with flour, rolling pins and a million other ingredients for baking and the mouth-watering smell of freshly baked bread hung in the air. Like Irma, her Nana had loved to bake and cook, Kate always regretted that she never let her teach her like she had wanted to.

Mrs Horvath stumbled and Kate jumped up to catch her, "are you okay?"

Irma nodded meekly and Kate helped her into a chair. "It's my medication, makes me a bit woozy."

Kate crouched in front of the woman with the kind eyes that had a spider web of crinkles at the corner from a lifetime of smiling. "Do you want me to get you anything?"

Irma rubbed Kate's shoulder, "No… I'm glad you're here, sometimes I worry about Daryl…" she looked past Kate and out of the window and before she could ask 'why?' Irma announced, "we should finish the lemonade."

/

Dale left Daryl to finish the last of the roof tiles which was a blessing since the man had no idea what he was doing. Sometimes he wondered what had made the Horvath's buy this farm. Maybe it was simply because his Daddy had sold it cheap but they had little clue how to run and maintain the place. They'd kept it floating but the stables that used to be filled with horses was now down to four and the fields that had once had crops as far as the eye could see now only had a small vegetable garden and a crop of pumpkins that Irma sold to the locals every Halloween.

The sun beat down on the back of his head and Daryl hammered the last nail into the last tile before he wiped the back of his hand against his brow. He was hot and thirsty. He peered over the roof to the floor and wondered where the ladies were with that lemonade. He might have thought that Miss Uppity wouldn't have come running to serve him up a drink even if he was working his ass off in the heat. He climbed down the ladders and worried that he'd messed up his shirt before laughing at his own thoughts. He'd never worried about a dirty shirt in his life.

When he walked around the side of the house he peered in through the kitchen window to see the two women. They were laughing and playing a game of cards. He was all forgotten about now he'd brought the pretty little brunette around. He smiled to himself and let the warm feeling that was starting to bubble flood his entire body before he opened the door and joined them. He could hardly blame Irma, he couldn't think of much else when he was with Kate either.

"Oh goodness… we forgot to bring you the lemonade," Irma threw her hands in the air and Daryl shook his head.

"Stay where ya are ladies, lemme get it," he opened the fridge and pulled out the pitcher before grabbing three glasses and setting them down on the table.

"Gin," Irma said.

Kate dropped her cards to the table and narrowed her eyes, "are you hustling me Mrs Horvath?"

Irma looked shocked but Daryl let out a great big laugh, "ya don't wanna play cards with Irma…"

The middle aged lady batted his arm before she stood up, "I made you both a snack to take on your trails."

"Ya ready for your first riding lesson?"

Kate bit her lip and furrowed her brow. She looked like she wanted to say no but didn't know how.

"Finish ya lemonade and we can at least go meet them…" Daryl suggested before an idea occurred to him, "even if you're too scared to ride..."

A wild, defiant look settled on Kate's face just like he had thought it might. It was the same look she had got when Lou had offered Daryl's assistance with the crates, the same look she got when Lou had offered Daryl's assistance with the crossbow. She didn't like to look weak, he recognised it in her because he recognised it in himself.

"I'm not afraid."

"Then ya ain't got nothin' to worry about."

Irma placed a small basket of food on the table and Daryl stood up, "thank ya ma'am."

"Be back in time for supper at 5.30 sharp…" said Irma.

Daryl opened the door for Kate and she hesitated before taking her leave of the safety of the kitchen. He wondered if she was more scared of horses or scared of being told what to do.

The four horses were waiting for them in the stables. Three mares and one stallion. Daryl liked Duchess the best, she was a dark bay colour and was the sweetest of all the girls as long as you petted her and gave her an apple first.

The big boy was called Ace since he was as black as the ace of spades. He was a bit of a mean son of a bitch but Daryl kind of liked that.

The other two horses were called Peaches and Cream, and their coats matched their names. They were nice enough but Duchess was the prize horse, strong and fit with a rich dark coat. She was the one that Dale should have been breeding from, if he ever listened to any of Daryl's advice.

The horses recognised him when he entered the stables and all but Ace walked to the end of their box to greet him. He petted Duchess then looked at Kate, "she's real gentle… she won't bite…"

/

Kate let out a nervous laugh before lifting her hand tentatively. She was sure that was what they said about all things before they bit. What if horses just inexplicably hated her? She thought about that scene in The Omen when all the animals freaked out at the kid. But Daryl was watching her and she would never admit she was afraid. Besides, it wasn't like she was facing her biggest fear right now or anything as melodramatic as that. She'd already been forced to face her biggest fear a little over 18 months ago and nothing could ever be as bad as what had happened that day.

Kate's hand inched closer to the horse, slow and purposeful until she brushed against the soft fur on Duchess's long nose. The horse just stood there, still, silent and accepting. This was okay. There was no horse hatred. She could do this.

"Good girl," Daryl said and she didn't know if he was talking to her or the horse. She hoped for his sake it was the horse as she turned to look at him and he gave her a devilish smile which she rolled her eyes at.

Daryl pulled an apple out of the bag that Dale had given him and reached for Kate's hand before she had a chance to move it away. He stretched out her fingers and ran the palm of his hand along hers to make sure it was flat before he sat the apple in her hand.

Kate looked at the apple then at the horse's mouth. Duchess' face was gigantic compared to her hand. No way. She wasn't going to put her hand to that beast's giant mouth. She shook her head and tried to pass it back to him. But his fingers wrapped around her wrist, strong and all encompassing. "Trust me," he whispered as his gaze held hers and she found that she did trust him.

Daryl's fingers fell from her wrist and his hand cupped hers as he guided the apple under Duchess's mouth. He held her hand in position and steady as her heart stopped beating in the moments that it took for the horse to eat its treat with its wet, clumsy tongue.

"She'll be ya best friend now… won't ya Duchy?" Daryl cooed as best he could in his deep smoky voice and Kate's hand fell from his.

/

Daryl had done enough acquainting Kate with the horses. He wanted to get outside in the sunshine and ride along the trail he had carefully planned out.

He saddled up Duchess and Ace while Kate sat perched on the fence of an empty stall watching him. He could feel her eyes on every move he made and he liked it. He knew what he was doing so he didn't feel judged, he felt like he might be impressing her.

"Ya ready?" he nodded to the stable door and led the horses outside.

Kate stood by Duchess and stroked her mane. It occurred to him that he was going to have to help her onto the horse and for that he was going to have to place his hands on her body. Daryl couldn't take his eyes off her as he tied Ace's reins to a fence post to stop him wandering off. She was wearing tight black jeans that moulded all the way up to her waist where her floaty red camisole was tucked in.

"I'm gonna help ya on." Daryl swallowed down hard and tried not to enjoy it too much as his hands wrapped around her waist then slipped to her hips so he could help her up onto the horse. Kate was short and Duchess was tall. His hands ended up cupping the perfect ass that he had looked at a thousand times and like a pervert he did enjoy touching it. Jesus Christ, her ass was so firm, round, and perfect just like he had imagined it would be. He wondered what it would feel like without her jeans in the way of his hands and found himself starting to feel flustered.

Kate was on the horse and he cleared his throat trying to ignore the dirty thoughts that were encouraging the blood to rush to his pants. He passed her the reigns and she held them tight in her hands. Her gaze caught his and her big brown eyes were wide and uncertain making her look vulnerable. It was a good look for Miss Uppity. He liked her looking a little bit helpless, probably more than he should have done. For once he felt like the boss.

Daryl jumped on the horse like a pro and pulled Duchess along until they were trotting side by side at a relaxing pace. "Ain't so bad is it?"

"I'll tell you when we get back," she laughed nervously.

"I'll make a horsewoman outta ya yet…"

"I don't think you have enough time for that."

Daryl felt a stab of pain in his chest. When he was with her like this it was easy to forget that this wouldn't be forever or that it hadn't been forever. He wondered if this was what Jim felt when he was with Charlene. Like it wasn't forced, like it just fit, made sense even when it seemed like it shouldn't. Daryl would have been the last person to believe he could have such easy conversation with Kate but the more time he spent with her the easier it was. It was so easy that he found himself telling her all about how this farm had belonged to his family until his Daddy had sold it to Dale. He hadn't mentioned the drunken part, or the gambling debts, but he'd liked telling her the rest. He was proud that Dixon's had built this place. It was the one thing that always reminded him that he didn't have to be like his Daddy.

/

"Ya wanna go see somethin' cool?" Daryl asked with an almost boyish smile that made Kate smile too.

"What is it?"

"A surprise," he pulled at Duchess' bridal and began to lead them in another direction, up a small slope where they came to a stream. "We'll have to leave the horses here, it's a short hike the rest of the way."

Daryl helped Kate down and she was pleased to get off the horses back. Riding was uncomfortable. Maybe, if there was ever a next time, she wouldn't wear such tight jeans. He watered the horses before tying them to a tree and she wondered if this was the same stream from their hunting trip. She submerged her hands in the water to rinse them off and caught Daryl's eye, "fancy taking another dip?"

The corner of his mouth twitched, "you go ahead, I'll watch..."

She shook the water off her hands and laughed. There was no way she would be jumping into that stream. A big carving on a tree caught her eye and she walked to see what it said. It was a heart with 'N D + L D' in the centre. She reached out to touch it and felt Daryl hovering behind her.

"My Grandpa an' Grandma," he rasped, low and quiet with his mouth only inches from her ear like he was telling her a secret.

How romantic. She traced the outline of the heart with the tip of her finger then turned to face him. She wondered if, despite appearance, this kind of saccharine sweet romance ran in the Dixon family. "Is there a tree out here with yours and Charlene's initials?"

"Huh?"

Kate looked over her shoulder at the carved heart, both last initials were D. "You'll only do it when you're married?"

"What?" Daryl scratched his chin and they gave each other a questioning look before is eyes grew wide. "You think…" he half laughed. "I ain't marryin' Charlene… she's gettin' hitched to Jim."

Now it was her turn to be confused. Kate felt the heat rise to her cheeks as her mind raced. He wasn't getting married? He was just… "No girlfriend?" she blurted.

Daryl leaned his hand on the tree trunk besides Kate's head, trapping her between him and the tree. "Not that I know 'bout…"

She thought about gift shop girl taking a ride in his truck, "Hailee…"

"Jesus… definitely not."

A strange silence filled the space between them and everything felt different. What had been friendly banter and him putting his hands on her body to help her on and off the horse seemed like something else. Daryl seemed to edge even closer and Kate held her breath. She would never in a million years have said yes to coming here today with him if she knew he was single.

/

Shit, Kate had spent this entire day thinking he was getting married or with Hailee. The idea pissed him off until he realised, "ya think about that?"

She let out a little puff of breath and sank down the tree to duck under his arm, "what did you want to show me?"

She was avoiding his questions and something told him it was because the answer was 'yes'. She thought about him. Daryl didn't exactly know what to do with that information. But there was no avoiding him when they were in the middle of the woods. "This way," he inclined his head and gestured his hand. Kate tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and got that vulnerable look on her face again. Like he was the hunter and she was the prey.

A/N- Thanks for reading :) Let me know if you're enjoying it and want more...