A/N-Sorry this took so long to upload! I had to do my tax return and then I went on holiday! But I've managed to get it finished and find some painfully slow wifi :) Hopefully I've made up for the wait since its such a long one so you'll need to get comfy with a cup of tea and some biscuits! Also I wanted to say a big thank you to all the lovely words of encouragement, you don't know how much it makes me smile and keeps me writing to know that you are all enjoying this. I will continue this story as long as people want to read it. I just wondered if people were wanting an ending and then to read something new also I have to admit I'm excited to start part two of paths crossed but I don't know if I could manage writing two at once.
Daryl hauled his father out of the ditch and onto the road where his heavy drunken legs staggered towards Kate before Daryl could scramble out behind him. The sight of his father's hands wrapping around Kate's wrist made his stomach turn as if a mere touch could taint her.
Fucking hell, he could feel his cheeks burning and his heart pounding. The familiar feelings of every time his father had humiliated him came flooding back.
"You fuckin' this?" Will slurred, he almost sounded proud. "Christ almighty, I wouldn't mind a ride in this," he yanked Kate closer. His hands grasping at her arms, his beady eyes studying every inch of of her and Daryl could only imagine the stench of his breath as it wafted over her face.
"Thats enough!" Daryl grabbed his daddy's shoulders. "Get yer ass home 'fore ya die of exposure," he shoved him towards the turning that lead to the shithole Dixon house. His father could barely walk and as soon as Daryl stopped guiding him he flopped to the middle of the road like a defalted balloon.
"Ya okay?" he touched Kate's arm and wanted to rub away the place where Will Dixon's dirty hands had grabbed her. "Jesus Christ Kate, I'm sorry 'bout this."
"It's okay. I just..." she burst a leak, a flood of tears springing from her big brown eyes right before she span around so he couldn't see her. He felt even more like shit. His heart beat even faster than before. He didn't have a single clue what to do with a crying woman.
"It ain't okay, fuck," he reached out to stroke his hand along her back and give her some sort of comfort, "I'm sorry sweetheart."
She turned back around, her head lowered as her arms wrapped around his waist, "it's not what you think. I just… I can't believe that's the man that hurt you." She sobbed into his chest in a way he could hardly have imagined Miss Upppity sobbing and she felt so small in his arms. He nestled his nose into her hair, breathing in the sultry smell of her and his heart swelled. Even if she was a huge pain in the ass and had claws bigger than a mountain lions, right now she was all soft curves and pure woman. God he loved her more than he thought was possible. All he could think about was holding her and taking care of her.
He pulled a hanky from his pocket, "dry your eyes darlin', don't be cryin' over that."
She patted her cheeks with the hanky and sniffed her nose, "I'm so embarrassed."
"Don't be. I love ya no matter how much yer nose is runnin'."
She got that familiar wild look in her eyes and he knew she was embarassaed because she'd shown a bit of weakness. He wasn't going to point out that he liked it. He liked her gentle, vulnerable, feminine side. He liked being able to wear the pants in the relationship for five precious minutes.
"My Daddy's an asshole fer sure but he's too weak to do anythin' but make a fool of himself." He looked at his father all bent over in the road, "I have to walk him home. I'll just move him to the side of the road an' walk ya back to the farm first."
"No." Her hands wrapped around his forearm, "you don't have to do it alone."
His hand covered hers, it was nice to have someone that was just there. Nobody had ever just been there for Daryl.
/
Kate followed Daryl up the rickety porch steps of his fathers house to where a jumble of broken lawn chairs were strewn along the deck. The faded brown wood of the siding hadn't been painted in forever and she could see a few flakes of green paint that was ingrained in the wood to tell the tale of what the house looked like when someone loved it. It could be pretty but instead it was tired. She picked a splinter of wood that jutted from the porch railing and watched it fall to the dirt.
"Ya can wait out 'ere if ya like."
Call it morbid curiosity but she wanted to see and one look over her shoulder to the dark crop of trees that surrounded the house was more than enough reason to follow Daryl into the light or wherever he was going. She wrapped Daryl's jacket around herself, "I'd rather come in."
Daryl gave her a look and she wondered if he was hoping she would have stayed on that porch. He didn't say anything, he heaved his father through the screen door that had a giant cat sized hole kicked into the bottom and then the front door that had more than a dozen splits in the wood where it looked like it had been been struck by a bolt or a bullet. The sound of a TV blaring poured out of the door as it opened as did the smell of smoke.
Kate took one last gulp of fresh night air before she followed him. Merle and Harley were sitting side by side on a worn old three seater sofa that was a shade of brown she was sure it hadn't been when it was new. On every surface there was clutter but it wasn't knick knacks and ornaments that reminded her of Lou's house the clutter was over flowing ashtrays, old beer cans, bits of paper and other random collections of junk that needed to be scooped into a black bag for the binman rather than have pride of place about the room. The walls were nicotine yellow and bare of photos or anothing personal.
"Sparky, help yerself to a seat'."
Kate looked at the recliner which had as many stains as it had bits of crap covering it. "Thats Pa's chair," Merle tapped the seat that was in between himself and Harley with a wide smile.
"I'll stand."
Merle shrugged and took a slug of his beer, "suit yerself princess."
She felt the indigation settle on her face as she looked away towards the room that Daryl had taken his father. She couldn't believe he would take care of him like that or that he was even in his life anymore after the childhood he had suffered. Her heart sank at the thought of him being a child and living like this. If it would have been her father she would have left him in that ditch with no second looks.
Harley handed her an unopened can of beer. In his soft as a feather voice he told her, "ya look real nice tonight Miss Katy."
"Thank you Harley," despite his bedraggled black hair and his leather clad body she was starting to realise that Harley was just as gentle as his soft voice, "that's very sweet of you to say."
His smile was lopsided and as quick as it flashed across his face it was gone to the tune of Merle's loud snort of disapproval.
Kate rolled the can of beer between her hands with a decision not to open it while she wondered if her mascara was smudged from her ridiculous emotional outburst. She hated herself for crying in front of Daryl like that but she'd had a lump in her throat for most of the day with the wedding, Charlene's baby, little Lilly and knowing that every second brought her closer to getting on her flight home. Meeting Daryl's father and putting a face to all the horror he had endured as a little boy had been too much to hold in.
"Ya alright princess? Ya not like seeing how the other half live?"
"This isn't how the other half live. Have you never heard about bins? Dust pans, brushes? Soap and water? You do realise these things exist?"
"Come again…"
Kate gestured to the room, "how on Earth can you stand this?
"Needs a woman's touch I recon…" he waggled his eyebrows, his eyes landing firmly on her breasts.
"This might come as a shock to you Merle Dixon but I'm willing to let you in on a little secret… Men can get off their lazy backsides and clean just as easily as women can."
"That so?" Merle sniggered, "I betcha have my brother runnin' around in damn circle's. But I guess any man would run after an ass like yers."
"You're insufferable."
"It's a compliment princess. Ya might be my brothers old lady but I still got eyes. Ain't nothin' wrong with lookin'... ya got plenty for a man to look at."
"Perhaps you should avert them and behave like a gentleman."
Harley sniggered and Merle crushed his can of beer before throwing it over her shoulder where it hit the wall and fell to the floor. If he was trying to intimidate her it didn't work, she stood unflinching and considered pouring the can of beer in her hand over his stupid head when Daryl stepped back into the room, shutting the bedroom door tight behind him. "He's out fer the night. Why'd ya let him leave the house when he's like that?"
"I ain't his daddy and I don't give a crap what he gets up to. The sooner he doesn't make it back home the happier I'll be," Merle opened another can of beer and Kate studied Daryl's face. He didn't seem suprised at what his brother said,or upset by it. Bloody hell, these Dixon men really had disfunctional family down pat.
/
Merle threw Daryl a beer that he caught with one hand.
"Ya know yer 'bout twenty years too late for prom baby brother. But if ya'll wanna have a little after prom noogie ya can use my bed. Might wanna change the sheets first… unless ya'll like that kinda thing..."
Sometimes he could literally kill his brother. He let out a long breath and decided not to take the bait as he set the beer down on the table, "Jim and Charlen got married today."
"Ha.. finally put a ring on ol' firecrotch. I don't know how he can stand that bitch chewin' off his ear all damn day. I tried to warn him at the titty bar but he didn't want none of it."
"Course he didn't want none of it… it was his damn bachelor party. Jesus Merle." Daryl rinsed his hands in the sink that was now working since he'd taken a look at the plumbing a few weeks back.
"Well I guess yer no better… why ya not answerin' my calls? Might have anythin' to do with some fancy pussy?"
"I don't answer yer calls cos ya talk a lotta shit, an' if ya say another thing 'bout Kate I'm gonna have to lay ya ass out."
Merle took one long look at Kate as he stood up and moved closer. Daryl felt his fist clench into a ball and every hair on his neck was on end as he waited to see what his brother would do.
"Just take me home," Kate's hand squeezed at his bicep and when he looked at her he didn't like the look she had on her face. Whatever it was he hated that his brother made her feel like that.
She passed the can of beer she was holding to Harley, "goodnight," and took Daryl's hand.
"Miss Katy," Harley called after them and she paused to look back, "when you're settled on the farm, gimme a hollar if ya'll want help fixing up the place."
"Thats kind of you. I'm sure Daryl will do just that."
Merle sunk into the couch, his boots landing heavily on the coffee table to kick off a line of empty beer cans, "fuckin' hell, why don't ya stick yer head up 'er ass too while yer at it Harley?"
That was his cue to leave before he really did get into a fight with his asshole big brother. He pulled Kate outside before he slammed the door shut. "Every man an' his dog thinks you'll be livin' in that farm house with me as of next week. Won't they be surprised…"
"Well perhaps people shouldn't make assumptions."
There was an icy edge in her voice and he knew he was saying all the right words to land them in the middle of another battle of wills. No matter how close they got he wanted more and she'd be damned if she'd give him an inch without a mile of fighting for it. He'd got her on a date, he'd got her in his bed, he'd even managed to get her to say I love you and now he had less than twenty four hours to get her to give him the rest. He wasn't sure it was enough time.
He realised he probably shouldn't force the issue of her staying so soon after she'd just helped him drag his degenerate father home. In fact part of him wasn't sure he should have her or marry her after seeing her standing in that run down old house. He'd never seen something look so wildly misplaced.
The very last thing he ever wanted Kate to see was the fucked up part of his life. Merle was bad enough on his own. The scars on his back were proof enough of his shitty childhood. Throw in the house and his liquor fueled Daddy then she had enjoyed the full nickel tour.
She didn't say much as they walked up the long drive to the Horvath's and he wondered if she was slipping away. She was probably thinking that he would turn into a man like Will Dixon and run the farm into the ground. Sometimes he wondered the same thing. He looked across the miles of fields and knew he didn't deserve it, just like he didn't deserve Kate.
When they stepped into Irma's kitchen there was nobody there to greet them which he was thankful for. He wanted Kate all to himself for the rest of the night although dawn was fast approaching. 3:06AM, how had it gotten so late? If he concentrated he could hear the faint snores of two heavy sleepers creeping out of their bedroom and all the way down the stairs. He opened the fridge and pulled out a jug of lemonade to pour them each a small glass.
"I didn't want ya to see all that."
She sipped her lemonade, then set it carefully down on the kitchen counter, "the way you help your father… you're a far better person than I am."
Their eyes locked, "It ain't just him… the house, my brother, that ain't me."
She touched his face, a soft stroke than glided soothingly until her hand settled on his chest, "I know."
"Ya know?" his gaze dropped to her lips.
"Yeah… you're very sweet, very gentle… you're going to make someone very happy…"
Someone. Daryl cupped her chin with his fingers to tilt her head so she was really looking at him, "don't I make you happy?"
"Well…" she hesiated, "yes."
"Then why would I want anyone else?"
"I-"
He didn't want to hear Kate's answer. He pushed her against the kitchen counter until his body was pressed against hers and his lips were stealing any words that might come out.
Her tongue was sweet lemonade against his, her lips were soft and giving. He buried his hand in her hair tilting her head for a deeper kiss. He wanted to forget about his fucked up family and the idea that the clock was ticking down to her flight time. All he wanted to think about was the way her arms held tight around his neck, the way her body curved into his so perfectly as his lips devored hers as they stumbled across the kitchen.
Daryl pushed Kate against the doorjamb, his gaze falling from her lips all the way along her dress, "yer so goddamn beautiful." he'd watched her all day. From the way her dress swished around her legs when she was dancing to the way the lace cupped her breast and the moment he'd realised she didn't have a bra on underneath.
He kissed her collar bone, letting his tongue drag across it before his lips moved lower to press against the tops of her breasts before he eased them out, scraping the wisps of lace down as his heart pounded in anticipation. Her nipples were hard rosy peaks for his tongue to flick and suck, finishing with a bite that made her gasp. He wanted to make love to her until the sun was high in the sky and he had no choice but to let her out of his bed. He ran his nose up her body and nuzzeled his face into her neck before he span her around.
Her hands gripped the doorframe and his body pressed against hers kissing her neck while his fingers unzipped her dress and eased it to the floor.
Red panties. Lacy and sexy as hell. His thumbs traced over the fabric before cupping her ass and squeezing it.
Kate turned to face him and pushed at his shoulders, her face was flushed, her eyes were dark, "what about Dale and Irma?"
"They're sleepin'," he grabbed the back of her thighs, picking her up and wrapping her legs around his waist to carefully carry her up the darkened stairs to his bedroom.
He always used the same room when he stayed at the Horvath's. It had been his Grandfather's in a past life and was the biggest in the house. Irma and Dale's was across the hall and that one had the prettiest view of the fields. It occurred to him that he'd never had a woman in this house before. Kate would be his first. Hopefully his last.
He dropped Kate on the bed. He liked the way she watched as he unbuttoned his shirt, unbuckled his belt then dropped his clothes to the floor until he was naked. He held his lengh in his hand and pumped it under her lidded gaze before he scraped off her panties and fell on top of her. He kissed his way down her body, settling his face between her thighs, scraping his stubble over the sensative skin before his tongue teased her until she was writhing. Kate silenced the noises he was working from her with the back of her arm and he felt like a naughty teenager, making her moan in the dark with Dale and Irma sleeping across the hall.
"Don't stop," she pleaded as her hips thurst off the bed wanting more. He thrust one finger inside to feel her orgasm ripping through her before her body sank down into the bed.
Daryl crawled along her body, gently kissing her stomach and breasts as she came back to him. He rubbed his length against her, enjoying the feeling of her wetness soaking his end. Kate gasped and her heavy lids crept open, one sultry look that told him she was ready for more.
Daryl couldn't wait another moment before he was spreading her legs and sinking into her, stretching her body around his inch by inch. He groaned into the kisses he was plundering her mouth with. The whole day he had watched her in that red dress and thought about the moment he could strip it off and have her underneath him. Every move he made emitted a rhythmic squeak of the old wooden bed.
"They'll hear," Kate panted.
"They won't."
"Daryl," she tried to wiggle away but he grabbed her hips, lifting them higher so he could enter her deeper. There was no way he wasn't finishing this. He slammed into her even harder and the bed groaned louder than Kate. He pulled her up, wrapping her legs back around his waist and carried her to the old oak dresser. This was probably a little sacrilegious on a piece of furniture that was older than his grandfather but he sat her on top, his mouth nipping at her neck before he was inside her again. The dresser rattled with every movement.
Jesus, he wouldn't have this problem next week, he could fuck her all over the house as loud as he wanted. He pulled her off the dresser and bent her over a chair, giving her bare ass one hard slap before grabbing her hips and pulling her onto him. Every position felt so good, so tight but especially this. One hand swept from her hip to her breast squeezing the soft flesh and teasing her nipples before his finger played between her thighs.
Kate's pants were more run away and he was right at the edge. He pulled out, his balls clenching to hold in the release while he slammed her against the wall, picking up her legs and grinding up into her. Their lips crashed together, his tongue dancing over hers and relishing every breathless groan that escaped.
He kissed the sound she shuddered as her walls tightened around him in time with his own release. He held her tight, his head leaning on her shoulder before he peeled her from the wall to fall onto the bed together. The mattress fell straight through the slats with a colossal bang.
"Jesus." So much for not waking up the Horvaths.
Kate pressed her laughs into the mattress and all he could think about was at least the bed wasn't going to squeak now and "we don't have a right lotta luck with furniture."
"What's Mrs Horvath going to think?" she exclaimed as her giggling subsided to wide eyed look of horror.
Daryl rolled on top of her and laughed, "I reckon she'll think I've been givin' ya some good ol' fashioned country lovin'."
Kate buried her face in his chest with a groan and he used the opportunity to kiss the top of her head and hold her close. There was no way in hell he could go to sleep. "I don't want this to be our last night together."
"I know."
His heart skipped, "it doesn't have to be, ya could get another visa. We could be like this every day."
He could feel her body stiffen in his arms. "Daryl, please lets not go over this again. I've already told you… I can't just move here."
He hated forcing the conversation but he didn't have any choice. "Well, I want ya to change yer mind." He didn't just want her to, he needed her too, he was certain he'd never love another woman like he loved her. He'd never even want another woman like he wanted her.
"Just like that? Lets just forget about the fact that I'm not allowed to just live here but even if I could it would mean giving up something I've worked my arse off for. Years of studying, juggling everything around Harry… you don't realise how hard it was. I can't exaclty get a position lecturing on Medieval English history just anywhere."
Maybe he was being selfish but, "there are other things ya could do…"
Kate reached around and found her panties, tugging the lace up her legs before jumping from the bed and grabbing the first thing she could to pull on her body. It was the t-shirt he'd been wearing this morning and it hung mid thigh as she yanked it over her head and stepped out of the room.
Fucking Hell.
Daryl pulled on his jeans, following her to the bedroom down the hall with the twin beds and faded pink wallpaper. He leaned into the doorway with a frustrated sigh that caught her attention.
"I'm tired and I just can't go over this with you again. I never said I would stay. Do you think its easy for me to keep telling you no?" her finger was pointing in his face and she had that wild look in her eyes that told him she wasn't feeling very sleepy at all.
He slipped his hand up the doorframe, one on either side, "then don't tell me no."
"Goodnight," she shut the door in his face but it was the sound of the deadbolt scraping into place that really pissed him off.
"Kate!" he shouted under his breath. There was no way in hell this was goodnight.
"Go away."
"I wanna talk to ya." she didn't say anything and he felt his blood starting to boil in the way that only she could boil it. "Open the door woman."
"I don't wish to talk to you."
He sucked in a breath through his nose, god she was going to make him fucking crazy. "I'm gonna give ya five seconds to open this goddamn door."
"Will you just bloody well piss off and stop making this difficult."
He gripped either side of the door frame, raised his foot up and bang. The door fell open more easily that he had expected. Kate stood next to the bed, her eyes wide, her chest heaving in pure unadulterated yet somehow so very sexy annoyance.
"What the hell's wrong with you?" she screeched.
"I said I wanted to talk."
"Why don't you hit me over the head with a fucking stick as well since you're such a fucking caveman," the nearest thing to hand was an old stuffed rabbit, she hurled it at his head and he punched it away. Then she threw a paperback which he caught with a grin that incenssed her more.
"Is everything alright?" Irma's sleepy voice drifted from down the hall and he turned to see the old lady standing barefoot with her nightdress skimming her ankles.
"Yes ma'am, sorry for the disturbance. I'm tryin' get Kate to... be more agreeable."
"He's an animal Mrs Horvath," Kate spat as she pushed passed him towards Irma. "I think he should leave."
Irma held Kate in her arms and stroked her long hair fussing over her before she turned smiling at him, "you shouldn't go to sleep on an argument. But don't stay up too late Daryl, you have chores to tend in the morning."
"Yes ma'am."
Kate's face dropped and her eyes grew even wider, "Mrs Horvath?"
"Goodnight dear," Irma nudged Miss Uppity towards him before she returned to her bedroom shutting the door behind her.
He hooked a finger in the loop of his jeans, bit back his grin and watched Kate carefully. She was looking at anything but him, her chest still heaving in agitated little breaths and her hands were two balled up fists held tight by her side. He had a feeling he was going to get a whupping before the night was out. Which made him realise she probably couldn't get any more annoyed than she already was.
He took slow steps towards her and she watched his every movement, her eyes darting from his face to his feet. "What are you going to do?"
He didn't answer, he tackled her, throwing her tiny frame over his shoulder like she was a bale of hay.
"Put me down! Right. Now."
"I don't wanna disturb the Horvath's with all yer damn racket."
"My racket? I'm not the one destroying the bloody house," she kicked her legs and smacked her hand againsts his back as he carried her down the stairs.
"Ya love it when I rough ya around," he decided, giving her ass a resounding slap which was like poking a bear with a big stick. He could barely contain her squirming as he marched across the field to where she could scream and shout at him as much as she pleased.
He dropped her down for a soft landing in the long grass but she was anything but soft and gentle right now. Her hands balled into the grass and she threw two fistfuls at him, "you're intolerable. I can't stand you," she shoved him, "I would rather live anywhere but here with you and your fucking biceps." She smacked his arm and he play flinched with a smirk.
"Ya don't think that," he laughed, "so help me I love it when yer all fiesty," he reached for her and she batted his hand away. "Ya already told me that ya love me. I think ya wanna stay if you'll just stop bein' so damn stubborn and think 'bout it for one fucking minute."
"Stop telling me what to think." Kate jabbed her finger into the centre of his chest, "I don't know where the hell you get off kicking in doors and carrying me around like I'm a sack of fucking potatoes." She jabbed him even harder, "I'm in control of my own decisions Daryl Dixon."
Kate began to storm back through the long grass that was caressing across her bare thighs and tugging up the hem of the t-shirt in the most alluring way. Holy fucking shit, if it wasn't for the way she looked he wasn't sure he could stand to put up with all her shit. But hell the woman knew how to walk away and she had the ass for it.
"I didn't fall in love with a woman to let 'er move her ass half way across the damn world." He grabbed her shoulders and spun her back around. "You were mine the moment ya said those three little words an' I ain't lettin' ya go."
"What are you going to do lock me in your fucking basement?"
He grinned, "I don't have a basement."
"Urgh."
He took hold of the crook of her arm, "I have a hay loft ya seemed to enjoy… I could tie ya up there if ya like."
Her jaw clenched and he thought she was definately going to smack him in the head. He likely deserved it too. He gripped her wrists and tried not to look too pleased with himself. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry... " he wasn't really sorry, he enjoyed pushing her buttons and watching her temper flare. As much as he loved her softness, he loved her wildness. It made him want to throw her down in this field and do whatever it took to make her scream his name in pleasure rather than anger.
"I don't wanna control ya darlin'." Although she could probably do with some controlling since she had no damn clue what was good for her. "If ya don't wanna live 'ere then I'll come with ya."
"What?" her voice was soft, "give up all this… your family's farm?"
He looked back to the house that had been built by Dixon men, where they had raised their children, laid their heads and lived their lives. "I'd work somethin' out…"
Kate looked around and flopped down into the grass, running her hand along one of the long blades, "you don't mean it... and you'd resent me for it."
"Of course I don't wanna but if that's what it takes… then I would an' I'd stand by my decision."
"You'd regret it, you'd throw it back in my face and then you'd hate me for it."
"I'd never hate ya."
Her eyes locked with his, "I'm hardly the easiest person to get along with."
"I have noticed."
She snapped a blade of grass and flicked it away to let the breeze take it, "we both know you can't really give up this farm. I know what it means to you."
Daryl dropped to his knee to pick up her hand which was so soft and smooth in his, he kissed the back of it and breathed in the sweet smell of her skin, she always smelled so good, "then you'll stay?"
Her eyes locked with his and he could see the wheels turning in her head, her teeth chewing that bottom lip in indescions before she whispered. "No," She pulled her hand away slowly, "you'll stay."
The pain of another no from her was almost too much to bare and as much as she said she hated to tell him it, it was a million times worse to hear her say it and know that she was snatching away the only future he could ever imagine for himself. Before her he'd never thought about tomorrow, or the next day. He'd just existed and now he knew it wasn't enough and she was going to be taking that away.
"This was fun. I've enjoyed being with you and you've made me feel things that I didn't think I'd ever feel again but you want what I can't give to you. Marriage, children… I've already done that and I'm not doing it twice." She ran agitated fingers through her hair and stared off into the distance, "I was a terrible wife and… I'm never replacing Harry. Ever. I don't think I even want to live with someone again."
"Yer wrong," he stood up shaking the grass off his jeans and admitting defeat. When he looked back at Kate, she looked so soft and feminine. All he wanted to do was scoop her up and look after her. If her first marriage had been terrible he was certain it was because she'd been married to the wrong man. He couldn't tell her what to think and he clearly didn't have the time to coax her around. He let out a long sigh as he held out his hand to help her up, "maybe one day you'll realise just how wrong ya are."