Thank you to all the new followers, I'm glad you found this! Thank you to everyone who has followed/reviewed/favorited, ect. It means so much to know that you like the story, and you continue to read. Let me know if there is something you want to see, or feel I am missing, I would be glad to hear it.
I heard a song that fits Natalie and Daryl right now: "Trying Not to Love You" by Nickelback. Kinda fitting I think..
On with the show!
Natalie heard the thunder of hooves before she stepped out the back door. Streaking across the pasture for the stable was Daryl laid low against Zip's neck with Allie trailing close behind. Natalie ran towards the stable, seeing a grin plastered on both their faces as they pulled up slow, trotting the horses into the corral.
She took a defensive stance as Daryl led Zip into the stable, tying him off to the saddling tie on the wall. Daryl's grin disappeared as soon as he spied Natalie waiting for them; the look on her face was clearly pissed off. Allie tied Mira off to the opposite wall, quietly removing her tack to put away. The tension was that heavy in the air, no one could have missed it.
"What the hell do you think you're doing taking my daughter out for a ride without asking me, much less telling me first? You could have been attacked by walkers! Anything could have happened and I would never have known!" Natalie yelled at Daryl, following him as he put his saddle in the tack room.
Allie shouldered past them both, running for the house. She didn't want to witness this fight between them. It started off sounding too much like fights her mom had with Jake throughout the years. Hearing them fight in the front yard from inside the house was one thing, being in the direct line of fire was another.
"Your daughter? Goddamn it Natalie, she's my daughter too! Or did you just conveniently forget that you fucked my brains out that summer night to get her? I just about think you did it on purpose so you could replace what we lost! You took off the next day for Wyoming, you never even gave me a chance to say goodbye. You never told me you were pregnant, I'd have married you. Woulda went wherever you were. But instead you married another man, who looks just like me and let him raise my daughter. Damn nice of you Natalie. Real fucking nice. I had shit handled, Allie coulda backed me up. We were fine. You just don't like the fact she's trying to get to know me!" Daryl roared in retaliation to Natalie jumping on him. What the fuck was wrong with her? Daryl watched her chest heave, as she paced a tight circle around him, waiting for her next attack.
What happened next caught Daryl totally off guard. Next he knew his back was smashed up against the stall door, Natalie's hands were on both sides of his face, her body pressed firmly into his. Her lips were like nuclear hellfire, searing his lips, burning through his soul. Daryl's instincts betrayed him as his right hand glided down Natalie's back, cupping her ass, his left tangling into her hair. Everywhere her body connected with his felt like electricity shocking him back into the land of the living. Natalie groaned as Daryl's tongue found purchase past her lips, twining with her own. A deep growl resonated from Daryl's chest, Natalie groaned between their lips.
Natalie snaked her hands down to the buttons on his jeans, flicking the top two buttons open as her nails grazed across Daryl's abs. Daryl jerked away from her touch, pushing her out at arm's length. The fire in her eyes made him shiver, Natalie was madder than hell at him, and she wanted him bad. Daryl shook his head, hands trembling as he buttoned up his jeans.
"Can't do it Natty. You're pissed at me, I'm pissed at you. Fuckin' ain't gonna fix it this time. Ain't that I don't want you, Lord knows I do. But we need to get things fixed the right way this time. We need time without hormone fueled memories getting in the way. We ain't kids no more, sex don't fix everything. We got alot to talk about and figure out. Allie being the first thing. I'll see ya in the house." Daryl walked slowly out of the stable, hearing Natalie cursing as he opened the screen door to the house. She had to learn that she can't control him with what's between her legs anymore. Daryl wasn't seventeen anymore; he was more hardened and scarred than she ever could know.
Natalie heard the back porch door slam shut as she punched the stall door. Just minutes ago her body was molded into Daryl's tall frame. All she could hear was her blood pounding through her veins, his hands on her body, his lips devouring hers. Natalie had felt the heat pool in her lower abdomen when Daryl's growl vibrated against her chest. She couldn't deny that she wanted him; they were like fire and gasoline. They weren't good for each other, but they weren't good for anyone else either. Natalie thought by getting the sexual tension out of the way, that they would be able to get past the anger and talk it out like adults. Apparently that assumption was wrong for once; Daryl wasn't the same as she remembered him being.
"Damn it Daryl! I can't get you out of my blood. I know what I did was wrong, and I'm sorry for how I went about doing it. You gotta believe me when I say I never meant to hurt you. I just needed a part of you with me. You're all I've ever known and wanted." Natalie whispered to the stall door leaning her head against it, struggling to control her breathing from the anger she had blown through when Daryl walked out earlier.
Natalie gathered herself together the best she could, walking slowly for the house. She could smell food cooking, Allie must have started dinner. Natalie was surprised to see Daryl sitting at the kitchen table cleaning Allie's P30. Allie set a plate on the table at Natalie's usual chair, along with a glass of tea. Natalie took her seat across from Daryl, intently watching him put Allie's gun back together. It dawned on Natalie that Daryl was being protective of Allie already, checking her gun, keeping her close. She was fairly positive that he wasn't even aware of what he was doing, that it was coming on naturally. Natalie smiled to herself when Allie set a plate in front of Daryl and he thanked her for it. Something good was taking him over, something in him was changing.
Allie sat down with her plate in front of her, cutting into her meat after lightly salting it. "Mom, I went over to the Miller's yesterday, the place is a gold mine of guns, food, all kinds of supplies. Mr. Miller locked his house up and left for Alaska. I was thinking tomorrow we could take the truck over there and clear the place out. You know the three of us; it would go a lot faster with three of us."
Natalie nodded, "That sounds like a fine plan as long as Daryl wants to help out. We could use the supplies and I'm sure his camp would appreciate some of it as well. I know they are fairly safe over there at the McCaffrey's place, but we could always move them over here. Strength in numbers and all that." Natalie glanced over at Daryl, gauging the expression on his face.
"Yeah. If we asked the people over at my camp, they would probably help us raid the house. It would make the day go faster. I'm sure they wouldn't mind helping. Your mama's right, it would be smarter to have them here with us. Dinner's real good Allie. Thanks." Daryl smirked at Allie, who beamed at him. Dinner was finished in silence, tension was still high, but not as thick as it had been before. It was easier to let things go for the night, so people could rest easy.
Daryl went upstairs to get ready for the night, his side was starting to ache, but he would never let Natalie know that. Daryl sat back against the headboard, wiping down Allie's bow and arrows. While he was sure she was taking care of her weapons, he just wanted his own peace of mind. A soft knock came at the door, rousing Daryl out of his thoughts.
"Yeah?" Daryl croaked, his eyes training on the door, nearly hoping it wasn't Natalie. He wasn't feeling up to fighting with her again. Twice in one day was more than enough.
Allie poked her head around the door, "Is it okay if I come in? I just wanted to check your sutures and if you need any pain meds?" Genuine concern litted out in her voice.
"Sure baby girl, come on in." Daryl drawled, setting the bow and rag aside to make room for Allie to sit next to him. Daryl struggled to get out of his tee-shirt, his arms were getting stiff from not moving much as he cleaned and tuned Allie's bow.
Allie giggled as she saw the look of disgust on Daryl's face, "It's ok to need help sometimes you know, not everyone is Superman." Allie pulled the tee-shirt gently over Daryl's head, laying his wounded arm over her shoulder as she ran her fingers over the suture lines. "They're a bit angry still, but look like they're holding well. You want some pain meds? I can get you a little bit of hydrocodone to take the edge off."
"Nah. I'm good. Don't need to get hooked on it like my brother did. I can live with the pain." Daryl whispered, the emotion evident in his words.
"What happened to my uncle Daryl? Is he still alive?" Curiosity got the best of Allie as she saw the pain in Daryl's eyes mentioning Merle.
"Sweetheart, as much as you want to know, I just don't feel like talking about it right now. Someday I'll tell you, I promise. Need to get you some sleep, tomorrow's a big day. Got a lot to get done." Daryl still was internally warring with what happened with Merle; he still hadn't fully come to terms with it, how could he explain it to Allie?
"Yeah, I have first watch, so you and Mom can rest. I'll get some sleep in the morning. Good night Daryl. If you need something let me know ok?" Allie knew not to pry Daryl for details he wasn't ready to give, but she knew in time he would tell her when he was ready.
Daryl nodded to Allie, before he handed over her bow, "I know you can take care of it yourself, but I just wanted to double check. Get me if you feel tired alright?"
Allie took the bow from Daryl's outstretched arm before walking out the bedroom door. It had been a long time since someone had shown her the kindness Daryl had today. Allie kind of liked having Daryl around, as much as her mom didn't seem to like it. But, that was all on Natalie to deal with, since it was her mess she made. Allie walked around the house, making sure all the doors and windows were locked, this was her usual night routine. She felt safer with Daryl here; a man in the house was comforting feeling after so long empty.