Chapter 16 – The Final Chapter of Heal

With his jacket over her shoulders, Dwight and Sherry walked hand in hand down the street where their new house sat on the new border of Alexandria. Not even having to relay the day they had just shared, they each wore satisfied smiles on their faces.

Sherry hated to compare Dwight to Negan as she often sometimes did but it was in the similar moments that she knew how different the circumstances really were. Remembering her first night in Sanctuary and her first night as Negan's "wife," there was a lot of fear and uncertainty for the future. In their life, she knew time to be short with the people she loved. Any relationship had the potential to be full of fear and uncertainty but with Negan it was more than the walkers. She feared him.

As she walked with her husband to their small home there was no room to feel anything less than joy and contentment. There would be a day when she would have bad moments but Dwight had proven himself countless times to stand beside her in times of said grief. Indeed, she never could conceive such a partner in her head as he became much better than any man of her dreams.

"Good day?" Dwight asked in the silence. There was a sense of peace behind his words when he said it.

"The best day," Sherry replied. "Everything about it was… It was amazing."

Dwight kept on walking as Sherry often sighed while soaking in every memory that transpired within the last twenty-four hours. His thumb would stroke the side of her hand smoothly with fondness. "I have a wife now," Dwight stated with an awestruck voice.

"Weird to say?" Sherry inquired.

Dwight stared up to the sky in thought as she followed his eye line to see the millions of stars scattered throughout the black canvas. With the lack of lights in nearby cities, they were able to enjoy luminous constellations in all its grandeur everywhere they went. As time moved on and things settled into a groove, they all were growing accustomed to their new world in ways where they thought it was sometimes better.

"Yes," Dwight finally said, "And no. I'll definitely get used to it and I am liking the sound of it. What about you? How will it be introducing me to someone?"

"'This is my husband, Dwight,'" Sherry played along then smiled at how it all sounded out loud.

When they reached their home, Dwight faced her, leaned down, and brought arms behind her knees and back to pick her up. Surprised at the cheesiness that was very much Dwight's personality when he wanted to be cute, she snickered and wrapped her arms around his neck. Holding on tightly to his chest, he smiled at her and continued stepping towards the house with ease.

"Nothin' but traditional, baby," Dwight said lightly once they made it to the front door. Attempting to grab the door handle, he reached down but couldn't while holding her. With a disheartened grunt, he carefully let her down on her own two feet. "Hold on one damn second," he muttered then opened the door. Not skipping a beat, he brought Sherry back into his arms and carried her through the door.

"Less than a perfect delivery," Dwight said grudgingly but smiled as he still held her tightly in the front entryway.

"I liked it," Sherry encouraged with her arms wrapped around him as she glanced up to his eyes. His smile slowly faded but the admiration in his gaze still lingered. The familiar feeling started to form inside of Sherry. She wanted to be with him. Feeling like a completely renewed woman, she wanted to continue to ride the good wave. Not wanting to wait for the opportunity to pass, she was convinced she could commit to Dwight that night without hardly any influence of alcohol persuading her.

Mentally speaking, she had a great day. Sherry was nervous but knew she was ready and the thought of being with Dwight made her happy. She knew he wouldn't hurt her. She felt she was finally able to separate the bad from the good in the most intimate way possible.

…

Dwight placed her down and tried to read what was going on in her mind. She never broke eye contact with him and almost looked to him with pleading eyes. Her face read the same admiration that she carried throughout their special day but the gaze she gave him in their home was intimate and far more precious than Dwight could describe.

"Well, what do you want to do next?" Dwight asked lightly. "We can watch a movie on the couch and relax." He didn't want to watch a movie himself but he only wanted to assure her that there was no pressure to do anything that she wasn't ready for.

Sherry blinked at his question several times and shook her head slowly. Reaching down to take her shoes off, she looked around the house while he watched her mind form some idea. "I… I actually need help getting this dress off. The zipper is kind of tricky."

"Isn't that the first time you've worn it?" Dwight questioned but watched Sherry quickly walk to her room. He stood dumbfounded in his spot wondering if he should follow her or not. Not wanting to be that guy, he refused to see any implications that could have laid under the surface. Finally moving his feet, he walked towards the bedroom while loosening his tie.

He quickly scanned in the bedroom but then saw her standing in the adjoining bathroom just in front of the mirror. She stared at her reflection with both palms on the counter and took several deep breaths.

Putting his tie on the antique dresser beside the doorway, Dwight made his way over to her and rested one hand on her shoulder and the other on her waist from behind. His eyes trailed down to the back of her dress and saw what she spoke of before. "This zipper?" He inquired even though the question seemed lame but couldn't help but feel a little shy towards his wife when she asked him to undress her.

Meeting his gaze through the mirror she nodded. "Yep, that's the one."

Placing his fingers on the zipper, he also grazed her bare back and lingered his touch. He tried to focus on getting her dress off instead of focusing on her body. Dwight cleared his threat and started unzipping as requested but was surprised at how easy it was when she said it was difficult before. Still not wanting to get too excited, he focused on the task at hand regardless.

Once the zipper was all the way open, Sherry took her sleeves off as she guided it down and off her body to reveal white lace undergarments. Dwight took a sharp inhale and briefly looked away only to scold himself that maybe she wanted him to see. As he glanced back, she saw Sherry already staring at him with a small smirk while walking into the bedroom to hang her dress in the closet. Her underclothes consisted of a sleeveless corset with a deep V-neck to accommodate for the low neckline that her wedding dress had. She walked back into the bathroom to smile at Dwight's reaction as his jaw stood agape. Absentmindedly, he touched her waist to feel the curves under her taut corset but pulled his hand back immediately in shame that he couldn't control himself until his wife gave the say-so.

"I'm sorry," Dwight stammered as he hung his head. Sherry then placed both hands on the side of his face then pulled him down to kiss him deeply. Putting his hands firmly on her waist again, he quickly fell into the tender lip lock as it grew into a more passionate affection.

…

Sherry was ready. Even though a part of her felt terrified, she wasn't scared for the reasons that she thought she was going to be. It felt right to be with Dwight and nothing in her mind told her otherwise. She trusted him completely and he would always be there to protect her when she needed it.

"We don't have to do this if you don't want to," Dwight offered, giving her a way out. His grip on her waist suggested he felt otherwise to which Sherry was relieved.

"Shut up," Sherry protested as she unbuttoned his shirt, "I want to."

Kissing her jawline and trailing his lips to hers, he lowered his hand from her waist to bare upper thigh. "Sounds good to me," Dwight replied with some enthusiasm.

It took merely seconds for him to unzip his pants as he went back to kissing her gently but with strong appetite. Sherry reveled in the love that Dwight was emitting. She had been with others before but with Dwight it had always been different. It was a deep rooted love that had survived every terrible scenario that had ever previously attempted to destroy it.

Breaking their kiss, Sherry led him to their bedroom by taking his hand in hers. He looked thoroughly entertained at where their night was headed and smirked.

"Not wasting any time, I see," Dwight teased as she let go of his hand and removed the top comforter on the bed.

Sherry smiled. "Can I clarify that this is the bed that we both share together? I don't want you to sleep in the other room."

Dwight was taken aback by her forward attitude when it came to such a personal setting as she usually reserved her hands on touch to community matters. "Only if you're sure."

"Positive," Sherry affirmed while watching him stand by the bedpost. Sitting down on the bed, she continued to watch him as her heart pounded like a rabbit thumping its foot. "You going to come over here?"

He chuckled and removed his button-up sleeves off his shoulders. With undershirt and boxers left, he met Sherry at their bed. For a brief moment he saw hesitation that read through Sherry's eyes as he stopped dead in his tracks as if approaching a wild horse.

He waited while Sherry took a deep breath. Her vulnerability showed through as she looked to Dwight with near pleading in her eyes. Dwight stepped closer to her and simply reached for her hand and squeezed tightly. She sat on the edge of the bed while he stood in front of her. Kissing her hand, he then brought his forehead to hers then kissed her cheek.

"What do you want me to do?" He asked.

"I want you to take the lead on this one," Sherry confided. "I just don't know…"

"I understand," Dwight said even though he could never comprehend the fear that applied with such an enjoyable life experience.

Putting a hand on her thigh, he leaned her back to lay on the bed as he crawled on top of her. She wrapped his legs around his middle as he began to kiss her face lightly while trying to get her to relax. His hands began on her thighs or waist. But as Dwight furthered his kiss while exploring the inside of her mouth, the urge to explore other parts of her body became stronger.

Sherry invited his touch with the simple way that she acted as she pulled his face closer to hers even though he couldn't physically be any closer. His hands began to fall lower than her waist and Sherry let out a sharp inhale when he found that part of herself while leaving nothing for his imagination.

Dwight worked slow and let the feelings build. She tugged at his shirt as he took the hint and removed it but quickly fell back on top of her to resume what he started. A breath escaped her as he touched the lace on her shoulder and slowly started peeling it off. She allowed him to continue with what he was doing as her heart beat quicker from excitement and slight anxiety. Yet she didn't want him to stop. She still wanted him.

No clothes were on as it made it easier to touch the places that he dreamed of kissing or holding for years. With their last encounter, he was fully intoxicated and could only vaguely remember bits and pieces. On their wedding night, he was able to appreciate each moment more fully. Whether it be holding her chest or tracing her bare body with his fingertips, he was enjoying every minute.

No longer able to be satisfied with foreplay, Sherry was the one who found him and soon after made the connection. The act nearly did him in but he wanted to ride the sensation further as he swayed back and forth while Sherry quickly responded to the action and arched her back towards him.

Sherry was nothing short of perfect. Every moan that escaped her lips and every time her fingers dug into his shoulder upon his movements made him love her even more. They emphasized so much attention on the trust aspect of their relationship that Dwight nearly forgot there was so much more to a couple than they were exploring at the time.

It was a new level that they found themselves in. Something far more deep than he could have imagined. It was close to what he thought a perfect union would feel like but even better than his mind could concoct.

Sherry's breathing became shorter while no longer able to contain the euphoria that escaped. Dwight was drawing to a close but once her sighs sounded as if the sensation was unbearable, he let out a groan and slowed his pace.

Dwight could hear her sniffling quietly in the dark as he thrust inside of her one last time. He worried that he took it too far and she didn't tell him of her discomfort. Above everything, he didn't want their day to end on a sour note. "Sher?"

She cried but he heard a small laugh. Confused he just rested on top of her and kissed her cheek. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Sherry said sweetly. "Thank you for being so great, Dwight." Her voice broke as she said it and he knew she meant it.

"Well, all of my lovers usually thank me after sex," Dwight teased as she jokingly punched him on the arm. He laughed quietly and kissed her again. He knew what she meant when she said what she did. And he was grateful that he could be someone who could make her happy. He finally felt that he kept his promise to her from long ago. They came from hell and back together and he couldn't ever think of being with anyone other than Sherry. She had changed his life and gave him a purpose. She was everything that he ever wanted.

"Sher, you are the easiest person to love, you know that?" Dwight said as he looked at her getting emotional. It ran deeper than her being thankful for the day that they had. She had been able to break down a wall that she thought would always be there. And it was perfect in every way.

…

Dwight laid on his chest with one arm draped over top his wife sleeping next to him. To describe himself feeling content would have been a gross understatement. He watched her sleep peacefully as her chest moved up and down beneath the sheet on top of her. He was still in utter shock that Sherry was his wife or that he was someone's husband. It was a feeling he could get used to. There they were in their house on the bed they shared. He felt incredibly humbled and didn't imagine this being a life he could have had when the world fell apart.

The world almost seemed more put together than it ever was before. It was a huge contrast from his life over a year ago when he wished that he could have just died from the heartache he experienced as he tried to juggle so many things at once under the leadership of Negan.

His life was now a stark difference from those days. And he welcomed the change with open arms. Sherry was free of the pain as much as he was which made him feel elated. She was finally letting herself move on.

She stirred in her sleep as Dwight kissed her shoulder tenderly. She woke up slightly and turned to face him as he propped himself onto his side to face her better. In her half asleep state, she kissed him on the lips slowly and then again.

He kissed her back as he positioned himself to be on top of her. Their kiss deepened as Dwight grinned in spite of himself. "I could definitely get used to this."

"Me too," Sherry replied quietly.

AUTHOR'S NOTES, TRIVIA, & FACTS –

#1 – As usual, the playlist/soundtrack for Heal!

Tracks in the Snow by The Civil Wars

Heal by Tom Odell

All We Do by Oh Wonder

Night by Adna

Love Like This – Acoustic Version by Kodaline

Maybe I'm Amazed by Paul McCartney

I'll Be Good by Jaymes Young

To Build a Home by The Cinematic Orchestra

Can't Help Falling in Love by Fleet Foxes

Sweet Dreams by Midas Whale

Demons by Dry the River

Work Song by Hozier

#2 - "The man of her dreams" line is a homage to a favorite chick flick of mine. Somewhere in Time. "The man of my dreams is almost faded now; the one I created in my mind. The sort of man each woman dreams of in the deepest and most secret reaches of her heart. I can almost see him now before me. What would I say to him? If he were really here? 'Forgive me. I have never known this feeling. I have lived without it all my life. Is there any way I could tell you how my life has changed? Any way to tell you what sweetness you have given me? There is so much to say...I cannot find the words. Except for these: I love you.'" Yes, that was from vague memory. If it's wrong slightly here and there, oops! But it is one of my favorite quotes!

#3 - Halfway point of the whole series! Wow! I don't have any plans to go further than book 10 (Fire & Rain). Excited to do Book 6 which will begin several arcs that are occurring in the comics right now! More notably, the Whisperers! Book 6 will be on the same timeline as H.O.P.E. which is written by my best friend apenny12! Just from a different POV as she focuses on Daryl and...another character that may be familiar to y'all.

#4 - This is my favorite of the five so far. Just throwing that out there. If I had to choose an order of favorites, I would choose 5, 2, 4, 1, & 3. I'll rank 6 somewhere in there when it's finished.

#5 - I think that's the most detailed I have ever been with a sex scene. I feel like I just did the "dirty" as Miranda Sings puts it. I do believe sex scenes have a proper place though. It won't be something you read often from me but when you do, I want it to fake-rock your world!