Sorry it's been so long, been super caught up with work and other projects but I finally found some time and I figured I might at well update what little I have left and if people start to enjoy it, that'd make me motivated to write more! So please do tell me how you like this one!
"You all submit to a blood test, that's the price of admission." Len shifted uncomfortably, her hand on Daryl's flannel tightening. Daryl leered at her from the corner of his eye as she inwardly cringed and kept her gaze to the ground. Rick nodded.
"We can do that." He said as everyone walked forward. Len shuffled to the back as everyone followed the man into an elevator and led them into a large medical room.
The man, Jenner, took Andrea's blood first.
"What's the point? If we were infected we'd all be running a fever." She said.
"I've already broken every rule in the book lettin' you in here. At least let me be thorough."
After he was finished she stood up and staggered slightly but Jacqui ran to her side to help her.
"She hasn't eaten in days." She said, "None of us have."
"Well, when we're all finished I have a kitchen full of emergency supplies. You all can indulge yourselves tonight." He said taking Rick's blood.
After ten minutes they were finally down to Len and Daryl. He gestured for her to go and she fiercely shook her head. Daryl rolled his eyes and pushed her shoulder forward.
"No." She muttered and Daryl grabbed her arm and dragged her to the chair.
"Afraid of needles?" Jenner asked as Len took off her jacket, Jenner eyed her tattoos aware that she most likely was not.
"Not really." She turned her under arm to Jenner and tying a tourniquet around her upper arm. When a little vein popped up he brought the needle towards her. Len jumped back quickly, pulling her arm to her chest and looked away, "Sorry," she muttered, opening her arm again. Jenner's eyes were on her before she nodded, telling him to go at it again. He bent down and rested the needle at a vein but stopped. He pulled the needle away and looked up at her. They were faint and only a trained eye could spot the scars but they were there and they were multiple.
"How long's it been?" He asked her in a hushed tone. Len eyes never left his as she muttered.
"Six years."
"How many years did you abuse?"
"...Five—five years." Jenner raised his eyebrows.
"Well, your blood should be fine." He told her, she nodded, glad he was keeping the conversation between them. "But I'll have draw from somewhere else, I'm guessing the other looks the same?" Len nodded.
"You can draw from my neck." She assured him. "My hands are no good, and my feet. You'll have the best luck with an vein in my neck."
"You sure?"
"Have you done it before?"
"I have, but only once." Len nodded.
"I'm gonna trust you not to puncture my jugular, Doctor." Jenner smirked and breathed in.
"Okay..." He pressed a finger at the base of her neck and a vein soon grew under the surface of her skin. He brought the needle to it when Daryl started yelling.
"What the fuck do you think you're doin' Doc?!" Jenner pulled back and looked at Daryl.
"I can't get a vein in her arm, this is only place I can get a good one." Len turned herself in her chair and looked at him.
"It's fine, I told him to." Daryl held eye contact with her as Jenner put his finger back on her neck and quickly drew a vile of blood. He slipped the needle out and placed a piece of gauze over the prick that started bleeding.
"That'll bleed for about an hour and then you'll be fine." Jenner said as Len stood and pulled Daryl down in the chair as rough as she could.
"Your turn." She said and walked out of the room and sat out in the hallway. No sooner than a minute later Daryl barged out of the door and started walking down the hallway but stopped when he saw Len out of the corner of his eye. He saw her and paused.
Daryl bit his fingernail as he watched her stare at the ground.
"Everyone's having dinner."
"I'm not hungry."
"Am I gonna have t' drag ya to the kitchen too?" He said. Len sighed, her finger still on her neck. Daryl bent down and slowly placed his hand over hers and glanced at the wound under the gauze. He nodded and his thumb traced her jaw, "I asked Jenner what that was all about, he told me to look at tha underside o' your arms." Len looked at him, her eyes slightly frightened. "But I already know what's there."
"How?"
"Saw 'em a few days ago. My brother has the same scars." Len looked down and Daryl knew that look all to well, a gentle look of shame. "Don' phase me none. 'Less you're still ridin' the white pony, then we may have a problem."
Len shook her head, "It's been six years." Daryl nodded as he kissed her forehead.
"C'mon." He muttered and pushed her hair from her eyes.
Len sat up and walked next to him towards the kitchen.
Everyone soon began to file out of the kitchen to go to their rooms and shower. Daryl remained sprawled out on a chair with a bottle in his hand. Len watched him curiously. "Are you drunk, Daryl?"
Daryl laughed, "Only a little." Len laughed, taking the bottle and resting it on the table. She slowly pulled him up to a standing position, having him lean on her. "Oh, thanks." He chuckled as he leaned onto Len. "Why ain't you drunk?"
"I can obviously hold my liquor better than you, which is a bit weird." He snorted, wrapping his arms around Len's shoulders, "You're so shit-faced, Daryl."
"Bullshit." He muttered, walking with Len towards an empty room. When they walked in Len shut the door behind them. "Thanks for helpin' me."
"You probably wouldn't have made it past the kitchen if I'd left you there." Daryl scoffed and heaved himself onto the couch and started to take off his shoes but was struggling with his laces. Len sighed and knelt down and untied them for him.
"Shit, Len." She pulled his shoes off and placed them perfectly in line next to the couch. "I'm gonna take a shower, you wanna take my clothes off too?"
Len looked him in the eyes and smirked. "You want me to?"
Daryl paused and looked at her. Never had he gone from being so shit-faced drunk to sober so fast in his life.
Len smirked, only kidding, resting her hand on his cheek and left.
…
After Len had showered she dressed in one of the dresses she used to sleep in while she was in India. It was a gentle cream colored fabric of thick silk. Fabric she was comfortable in.
Len ran a towel over her hair, brushing her fingers through it, actually realizing how long it had become. She'd never looked at herself in a mirror in seven years, the temple never allowed it, nor could she cut her hair more than once a year, and that was just so it'd be healthy to grow for the next year. It reached well past her shoulders and she silently wished she had a gel or a curling iron, just to see what it'd look like. But she was stuck with her thin strings, pulling her locks over one shoulder and letting it dry that way. At least when it was all bunched together it didn't look like straw.
Len sighed as she exited her room, with her mat in hand, planning to meditate in the rec room with the kids. But as she walked toward the door Shane barged out looking dazed. When he bumped into her he gave a frightened, crazy look and stormed down the hallway. She gently opened the rec room door and saw Lori holding herself, sobbing violently. She looked like a scared, baby deer.
Without hesitation Len dropped her mat and ran over to her.
"Len." Lori sputtered out and clutched onto her shoulders, heaving herself at the her.
Len's eyes widened and she quickly pushed away the feeling of discomfort to comfort Lori the best she could. Len rushed to her, not thinking that she needed to be comforted but that she was hurt, and in some way, she was. And Len knew it have everything to do with Shane.
"Lori, c'mon, it's okay." The older woman shook fiercely, and Len had never felt such secondhand sadness in all her life. Lori cried until her legs gave out and she fell to her knees with Len. She gently brought the woman up from her shoulder and eyed her, "Tell me what happened." Len brushed some of her tears from her cheeks and held her hands on her face to get Lori to look at her. "It was Shane, wasn't it?"
Lori nodded, "It's nothing, just—stupid shit."
Len shook her head, "No. Not stupid. Look at what he's done, Lori."
Lori breathed in, placing her hands on Len's wrists, bring them down and holding her hands. "He was drunk, came in telling me he loved me, but he lied to me Len, he said Rick was dead—where-where else was I supposed to find a comfort? And now that Rick's back I just—I can't deal with him anymore, he's out of control." Len breathed in, watching Lori's face every second, "He came in here, tried to kiss me and touch me. I had to scratch him to get him off...you can't tell Rick any of this, Lennon. You can't."
"Lori..."
"Len, you promise me." She squeezed her hands. "Rick can't know any of this."
Len closed her eyes and nodded but looked Lori straight in the eye, "But if he ever touches you again, Lori, I'm doing something about it." Lori smiled sadly and nodded, fully knowing that Len couldn't handle Shane, but conceded anyway.
"Thank you." Her hand rested on Len's face, "And don't tell Daryl either."
"Why would I tell Daryl?" Lori just replied with a knowing look in her brow, to which Len rolled her eyes slightly.
"You're such a good person, Len, thank you."
Len nodded, "C'mon, let me me help you back to your room."
"So, this thing with Daryl..." Lori asked as they walked down the hall. Len looked toward the ground.
"There isn't a 'thing'."
"Oh, please, Len, no one here is blind to the relationship you two have." Len shook her head.
"There is no relationship." She replied gently, but bluntly.
They stopped at Lori's door. "But you want there to be one." Len tried not to look too abashed by her completely true statement. "Don't tell me that's not true, either, I've seen the way you two interact; like two nervous teenagers one second and like an old married couple the next. It's weird." She laughed.
Len chuckled and nodded, but not completely understanding what she meant.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Lori. And if you need anything, my room is just down there." Len pointed to the door that was conveniently located right next to Daryl's. Lori nodded.
"Want me to wake you up for breakfast?" Len smiled. Even though Lori couldn't be more than five years older than Len she still took on a motherly role that Len adored.
"Yes, thank you, that'd be wonderful." Lori kissed Len's cheek and closed her door behind her.
Left in the hallway Len leaned against the wall and sighed, trying to process what just happened. She knew the reason Lori brought up her and Daryl was to get her mind off of Shane. And that whole thing was something she'd have to reserve time to think about, not only because she had secret to hide but also because now Lori mentioned Daryl, who she still couldn't forget about even for a moment. That's why she was going to the rec room to meditate.
In the rec room Len meandered around, looking at the books and through the cabinets trying to get her mind from the ridiculous redneck. She spotted something on a shelf though, that made her smile.
…
Len stood outside Daryl's door, staring at the the white wood trying to bring herself to knock. She fought to equalize her breath. Her hands fiddled with her new find from the rec room as it hung from her neck and she finally just sucked in her breath and opened the door.
The door opened easily with no squeaks. She closed the door behind her and the gentle click it made when she closed it made Daryl, who sat with his back to her on the couch, quickly turn to her. His face suddenly showed relief but then confusion.
"What're ya doin' here?" He grumbled as he eyed her and the camera around her neck, "Where'd you get that?"
Len brought it up to her face, "The rec room." She opened the flash and took a photo of his hands, clasped in front of him. "I just wanted to..." She paused and pulled the camera off from her neck and placed it on the coffee table. "I don't know, I'm sorry." Len quickly turned to leave but Daryl grabbed her arm before she could. He stood and hovered over her.
"You don' need ta be sorry." Len looked at his hand that was still around her arm and she nearly melted from his touch, much like she had in the woods the day before. But she shook her head, knowing for some reason, some way, this was wrong.
She pulled herself from his arm and headed for the door and left.
Daryl could hear her own door quickly slam behind her. He sighed and looked at the table where she discarded her camera. He saw the photograph of his hands that she'd taken. He could use that as a good enough reason to go see her, to at least talk to her. But when he opened his door a moment later he saw Len, her small form standing there about to open it.
Her eyes lit up though and she grabbed his shirt and kissed him with such might Daryl nearly lost his breath, just nearly though. Daryl grabbed her shoulders and pulled her in, slamming the door and pushing her up against it. The camera was dropped and Daryl kissed her again, not as gentle as he was intending but Len responded quickly. She pulled his hair and bit lightly on his bottom lip making him moan into her mouth.
He ran his hands through her damp hair, catching a few knots as he pulled her head back and kissed her more deeply. She moaned, his tongue suddenly on hers and right then she could have melted into his arms.
Daryl quickly pulled back and picked her up, purposefully wrapping her legs around his waist. Len kissed him again before motioning toward the couch. When he dropped her on the couch with him she started to unbutton his shirt.
Daryl quickly pulled back and caught her hands but she'd already caught sight of a dark scar across his ribs. She eyed it for a moment before placing her fingertips on it. The skin wasn't risen but the scar was there. Daryl tried to button his shirt back up but Len caught his fingers.
He sighed above her and closed his eyes.
"I didn't want you to see those."
"There's more than one?" His eyes still closed he nodded. Len sighed and placed her hand on Daryl's cheek as they sat next to each other. He looked at her as she brought his hand to the underside of her arm. She traced his fingertips over the small healed track marks. Daryl sucked in a breath and looked at her, his fingers clasping around her arm. He kissed her gently and she let her fingers run down the side of his face.
"I really care about you Daryl." Daryl looked down and refused to make eye-contact with her. "But I don't care if you have these scars on your body. Don't phase me none." He smirked and as she snaked her hand over the top of his chest that was exposed and she could have sworn he got chills. She slowly began to unbutton his shirt, all the way this time and Len ran her hands over his chest and back as he kissed her again.
Len laid back and Daryl followed over her, his arms wrapping under her.
Daryl's hand rested on Len's knee, as she leaned against him.
"This isn't going to last." She said, not referring to their position but their new home at the CDC. Daryl looked at her with a hard expression.
"I know." He looked down, "But that doesn't mean we can't make it last for at least the night." Len smiled. Daryl smiled back as his hand pushed her dress up to her thigh until he reached the edge of her underwear.
…
"You have such long hair, jesus." Len smirked as Daryl ran his hands through her hair, her head on his chest.
"I wasn't allowed to cut it more than an inch a year at the temple."
"Man," he said, "Can't imagine that, my hair's pissing me off already, touchin' my ears." He muttered, scratching his ear while he said it.
"I can cut it for you sometime, if you want. I could probably make it even." Daryl nodded.
"Yeah, I'd like that." His gentle tone making Len almost squirm in his arms. Daryl smiled, wishing he could see her. Within their multiple escapades within the past three hours they had turned off the light, but now he so wished they hadn't. He fought a yawn, knowing it was the darkness that brought it on.
"We should probably go to sleep." Len said and Daryl sighed.
"'Suppose you're prob'ly right." He scooted closer the edge so that Len had room to lay. He held her hand to his mouth and rested his lips on her fingers. Not in a kiss but just rested them there. His breath warm on her cold skin.
Len's fingers traced his lips, his facial hair and cheeks gently and tiredly. Daryl never wanted anyone in his entire life to touch him, but with Len it just felt like air, a natural breeze of relief that he could trust another person under his skin. And he fell asleep with that thought in his head, knowing that Len was someone he thought he'd never meet.