They slept for about an hour after Merle's call, and then Daryl woke up at the sound of keys in the front door knob, he had ears like a bat from years of hunting with Merle, and he nudged Allie awake. She looked over at the clock that said 12:30, ran her fingers through her hair and sighed.

They had been up till almost 3 am the night before, and no one was going to let them sleep apparently. It was almost comical. Allison rolled over and sat up and shaking her head with a grin.

"It's Tara, she has keys, she'll be in here jumping on the bed if I don't get out there." She said kissing him quickly, "Prepare to meet the little tornado."

She was out of bed in a flash and pulled a t-shirt and shorts on to head out towards the living room.

"Hey," Tara's voice came from somewhere in the living room as she tossed her keys on a table between the living room and kitchen, "Hey, hey wanna go to a party?"

She stopped short when she saw that Allison was at the end of the hallway in the doorway to her room, wasn't dressed and the music was still playing on the stereo.

"Hang on Tar," Allison called down the hall, turned back to Daryl in her room, smiled and then she was out the door.

"What it's almost one, and I know you didn't go out last night," Tara said when Allison met her in the living room, "You're listening to the happy mix." She observed as the words of a "Sublime" song came over the stereo.

Cause she's my ruca, I'm barely waiting for my heina

"Everything ok," Tara asked, "Is it happy music because you're sad or happy music because you're happy?"

Allie glanced down the hall at her open bedroom door then at the jackets, scarves, and shirts on the floor; Tara had totally missed that.

Perhaps she just thought Allie was a horrible housekeeper all of the sudden.

"Where's Christine? Your parking spot is empty." Tara asked, "Are you sure everything's ok?"

"Umm…I'm not alone…" Allie replied, trying to steer her into the kitchen.

"Oh bullshit," Tara laughed, "You and I both know you haven't had any action since…" He words trailed off as she saw Daryl come down the hallway with his flannel shirt on but not buttoned and buckling his pants. Her eyes went right to his left arm where there was a bulge from the sleeve and PICC line.

She knew who he was immediately, of course, she did.

"Well, fuck me sideways, I know who you are." She said and looked over at Allie then back at Daryl, "Damn, Happy New Year, I'm Tara." She held her hand out to shake, and he took it.

"Daryl," He said with a shy grin.

Tara turned to Allison with a smile, "What's for breakfast?"

3333333333333333333333

Daryl's phone buzzed later, and he picked it up, he knew it was Merle because no one else ever called or texted him on a holiday. He texted him back quickly and got back to the food on his plate, Allie made bacon and eggs and insisted he eat them for the protein. Once a nurse always a nurse, it was hard not to fall into that role and take care of everyone.

Secretly he liked it; it was nice to be cared about by a woman, he could get used to it.

The three of them chatted while they ate and he found that he liked Tara a lot. She cared about Allie, and she asked him questions about himself like a sister would of a man dating her family member. That impressed him, and Tara told him little things about Allie which he wanted to know.

She also fed bacon to Luna when she thought Allie wasn't looking, but it was clear everyone knew what was going on.

After breakfast, Tara was off to pick up Alisha from work and go to a party. Tara had been a wealth of information, Daryl now knew why Allison always had music playing, it was to stop her from thinking about things. Things like death and car accidents and cancer, he could understand that, and as the songs she chose came through the speakers, he got to know a lot about her.

Tara had divulged a few little things about Allison, like her favorite color, which was green and that she hated country music, except Brad Paisley. Now he knew that she cried when she watched 'Titanic' and 'City of Angels' every single time.

He knew, thanks to Tara that her favorite song of all time was 'Iris' by The Goo Goo Dolls.

The cat cuddled at his feet and he remembered somewhere reading that animals could sense sickness, he once had a dog that laid with him for six weeks when he had mono as a kid.

"She likes you," Allison said with a smile, "Luna is a good judge of character too, so I trust her."

Allison and Daryl remained at her kitchen table talking for most of the afternoon. She had some days off now because she had worked all the holidays and had no plans to do anything. She watched as Daryl texted back and forth with Merle and once in a while he'd smile at something funny Merle said.

~Hey, you coming home at all?

~Don't know.

~You ok?

~Yes.

~Like a kid on Christmas morning with a new toy aren't ya.

~Whatever.

~She kidnapping you or something?

~I couldn't get that lucky.

"Do you have work?" Daryl asked, "Do you need me to go?"

"I'm off for three days, and my car is busted," Allison replied, "I don't need you to go anywhere."

Daryl looked down at his phone and typed something else.

~ Did you get to her car yet?

~ All fixed, we can figure that out later.

~I ain'tleaving till she kicks me out.

~Well, good for you!

"He's just worried about you," Allison observed.

"I know, but I am an adult," Daryl said, turning the phone down and facing her on the couch, "I know he means well."

"He's a good guy, you're lucky to have him," She said.

Daryl nodded, "Any plans for today?"

Allison shook her head, "We can do whatever we want, go out, stay in and watch movies if you want…"

"If it was warmer we could go for a ride, but it's a little cold even for me," He said.

"I'll hold you to that; I haven't been on a bike since my father passed away when I was ten," Allie said.

"You got it," He smiled, "This cold snap will be over pretty soon."

"Good, I'll look forward to that," She answered.

"What time is it?" He asked.

"Almost two," She laughed.

"I think I wanna go back to bed," He said.

"Oh my god you must be so tired, I'm so sor…" She started to say but then his hand was in hers.

"I ain't tired." He said standing up and pulling her to her feet, "And you ain't my nurse today, you're my girl and today I take care of you."