The alarm clock went off at 4:30 am, way too early the next day, and Daryl just groaned as he usually did when he woke up too early. He had never been a morning person, and lately, it seemed like he could never get enough sleep.

He knew it was temporary and sleeping with her gave him the best sleep that he could remember, so that was a good thing. Still, he was tired, but he knew that was the medication.

Allie sat straight up in bed and rubbed her eyes, peering out the window next to the bed. It was dark out, and she felt like she had slept ten hours when in reality it had been after midnight when they finally fell asleep.

She just slept better when he was next to her.

"So this is it?" He said, pulling her down next to him, "Are you sure you won't call out and stay in bed with me all day."

"That's an exceptional offer, but I never call out," Allie said, "I'm sorry..."

"Shhhhh…" He kissed her and rolled over so that he was on top of her, then smiled down at her leaning on his elbows, "Guess we have to make it count then?" He said pulling her close, "Morning sex is the best anyway."

They made love one last time, and it was slow and desperate because they weren't going to be together for many weeks after this. It was a goodbye, a sad and despondent goodbye.

"I'll miss you," She said cuddling up to him later before she had to get up and shower. There was more Allie wanted to say, but she didn't. It was too soon, and there was a lot at stake for her

"Gonna miss you too," Daryl said holding her close to him, "But we can do this."

Allison nodded and got out of bed, holding her hand out to him, "Come take a shower with me."

She didn't have to ask him twice.

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Merle was reading the morning paper in the kitchen when he heard the front door open, it was six thirty am, and Andrea was still in bed. It had been four nights total that Daryl hadn't been home at all. Merle had seen him the night before when he and Andrea came to bring back Allie's car, and they had dinner, but that had been it since he went out for a six pack of beer on New Year's Eve.

Merle was glad, but it didn't mean he wasn't going to give him a hard time.

"Well, hello, stranger." Merle said, observing that Daryl had stayed at Allie's till the very last minute before she had to go to work and his hair was wet, "Looks like you had a good time."

"I did," Daryl replied, "Going to bed."

"Aint you been in bed enough this week," Merle laughed, as Andrea came out of the bedroom, they shared, "Feelin ok darling?" Merle said to her.

She nodded and sat down at the table with him, Daryl was leaning against the sink opposite them drinking a glass of juice he had poured for himself. He poured one for Andrea and handed it to her then took his spot against the sink again.

"Thanks," Andrea said with a sweet smile on her face.

"When are you seeing her again?" Merle asked.

"Not," Daryl said with a shrug.

"Come on what the fuck Daryl, wasn't everything ok just last night?" Merle said, "You shacked up with her for four days for nothing?"

"Not till I'm not her patient anymore. Five weeks." He held up his hand and five fingers for emphasis.

"You can't see her at all?" Andrea asked.

"Just at chemo. She's afraid, and I don't blame her. She could get in a lot of trouble for this." Daryl explained, and Andrea's face showed all the concern that she had for him. He was her brother now and had been for a long time.

Merle was not about to let this mood go south, though, and they both knew it by the smile on his face, "Well at least maybe now you'll be a little more pleasant to be around now that you got your pipes cleaned."

"Merle!" Andrea laughed, and Daryl glared at him.

"And ya got a little love bite there on your neck," Merle said pointing to his own neck to show Daryl where it was.

"Blow me, Merle," Daryl said and finished his juice in one gulp.

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Allie had a rough day. While Daryl slept most of the morning, she just couldn't keep her mind off of things. It felt unfinished with him and although she did her job as she always did, with care and concern, deep inside she was wound tighter than a spring.

She wanted to share this with Maggie; she was a nurse, she needed another nurse's opinion. Maggie was the only nurse she was friendly enough with to share this news with. Instead, she let it run wild in her head until she had her answer.

Somewhere between the time she left him until now, Allison realized that if it came to it, she would walk away from nursing for him.

It was all she'd ever wanted to be since she was nine years old but she'd do it for love if that was what it came to.

Love was always worth it; she knew that.

Allie needed a woman to talk to that would be objective, Tara was already on board this ship, so she would tell her just to do it.

Do what she couldn't stop thinking about.

Allison realized that she missed him so much more than she thought she would, and she could still feel his hands all over her.

At lunch time she ate with Maggie and then excused herself to the bathroom where she stared at herself in the mirror willing herself to get a grip, but it was no use.

Allie wanted to tell Maggie she really did, but not today. She had something more important to do.

She couldn't wait until they talked tonight, she had to say it now, out loud. She couldn't hold on another minute.

The phone rang twice, and Daryl answered finally, he'd been reading and had fallen asleep.

"Hey," He said into the phone, rolling over in bed onto his stomach and saw that it was three pm, and realized she was calling from work, "You ok?"

"I need to tell you something," She blurted out before he even got to say anything else, "I should have said it before you left, I should have said it."

She said holding the phone close to her ear in the staff bathroom.

"Me too," He replied, "I have to tell you something too."

"I love you," Allison breathed out.

"I love you too."