AN: hey guys, sorry I meant to update this last night, but I had a very rough day yesterday, lost a family friend to a terminal illness. It was expected but still rough. Anyway I had intended to go super smutty with chapter but I ended up going super fluffy instead. Let me know what you think:)

I do not own or profit from The Walking Dead

Chapter 8

In the dark of night

Those small hours

I drift away

When I'm with you

INXS~Be my side

Perception is a funny thing Daryl thought, when he opened the door. The light in the room was the same it had been every other night, an old lantern. But tonight, tonight the room seemed to glow in subdued ethereal tones. She was wearing the same the she usually did to bed an overdrive tank top, but tonight, tonight she seemed to be the most seductive sight he'd ever seen. She sat on the bed watching him, with a cute as fuck grin on her face, as if she already knew everything he was going to say. He loved that about her,she knew him, she understood him.

He wanted to tell her everything in his heart, his soul, but the sight of her sitting on the bed, her head cocked to the side a with that grin on her face had him speechless.

The attraction, the connection had sizzled between them since the beginning. The sexual tension between them increased over the past three weeks ten fold every day since their nonverbal acknowledgement of their feelings. But tonight was different . Tonight his world felt shifted on it's axis. The air between them felt like it was on fire.

He took a shuddering breath, he knew if he stood here like a gaping idiot pretty soon she would start to take control of the situation, to put him at ease. He wanted her to know he could rise above it, for her. But he still felt blown away,

"You're beautiful" he whispered

A beaming smile spread across her face and she laughed "You're blind"

"No," he said steeping forward starting his nightly routine of stripping down to his pants as he spoke. His eyes intense, never leaving hers as he spoke "I've been seeing pretty clearly for the first time in awhile." Stepping up to the bed he lightly ran his fingers over the spot on her head where she had been injured "this right here?...it only slowed me down, I knew before any of this happened. You and me were like a runaway train, it was happening, I had made up my mind to man the fuck up. Stop being scared, and do it. You've had my head going in circles, I was even dreaming about you" he said running his hand down to cup her cheek. She turned her face into his hand nuzzling it and smiling "I know...about the dreams"

"Yeah, how's that?" He said as he begun to nuzzle down her neck with pecks and kisses.

She shivered as his hands slipped up underneath the back of her shirt.

"That night I woke you for watch? I ran into Glenn in the hallway, he told me to listen at your door before waking you"

He stopped and looked at her "That sneaky little fuck!"

She giggle "oh leave him be, All I heard you say was that I made you happy,it gave me confidence, and made me feel good, made me want to flirt a little"

He grinned "you were doing that on purpose?"

She sat upon her knees running her hands up his chest and around his neck "of course I was doing it on purpose..I'm not some naive young girl, infact if you want I can show you just how much of a woman I am"

He smiled shyly at her and resumed the trail he'd be blazin on her neck.

She pulled back and reached down, grabbing the hem of her shirt lifting it over her head, smiling at his intake of breath when he realized she had no bra on underneath.

He slid his arm under her knees and picked her up, depositing her in the center of the bed gently.

Sliding the pad of his finger into the waistband of her underwear he slid it down then peeled them off entirely looking at her as she lay naked on the bed.

"You comin' or what?"she said grinning up at him. Ridding himself of the rest of his clothing he crawled towards her, stopping when he was above her, his weight resting on his arms. "I intend to, but you know ladies first and all"

She threw her head back and laughed, then her face peaceful she said "You know, I don't ever remember feeling this happy"

"Me too" he said suddenly serious "Thank you for waiting for me"he said as his hand trailed down in between her legs, groaning as he found her already ready for him.

She moaned as he continued and lowered his mouth to her breast

"Now, I need you" she said, and he lined himself up with her and pushed inside of her. He couldn't help but feel like he was coming home.

XxxXxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxxxxxx

Daryl opened his eyes, he could feel Carol's warm back still snuggled into him. The light in the cell seemed wrong somehow, there was a soft glowing light filtering in the room, from down the hall. Suddenly a soft sweet humming began filtering into the room, he glanced at Carol still sleeping than got up, throwing on his clothes quickly.

He followed the humming, walking past the cells, he noticed they were empty but he didn't feel alone. Coming around the corner he found the source of the humming sitting on the table, gangly legs swinging, her bright eyes smiling.

"Sophia" he whispered

"Hi Daryl!" She responded happily and then continued on as she jumped off the table "I've been waiting, to make sure she was happy, but now I can go, thank you, for everything."

"I'm sorry"

"Sorry? You have nothing to be sorry for, you did more for me than my own Daddy did my whole life" her tiny arms enveloped him in a hug "I have to go now, take care of her for me ok...wake up Daryl"

XxxxxxxXxxxxxxXxxxxxxXxxxxxxxxx

His eyes opened and he was back in his bed,Carol by his side. Reaching out for her he drew her into his arms, snuggling her back into his chest. He closed his eyes, drifted away back to sleep.