Disclaimer: I don't own them, cept 'Fin
Notes: This chapter becomes M rated for more than just language and the occasional dead zombie bits. :)
(Updated 4/3 for typos and wording fixes)
Thanks guys! ; )
Chapter Nine
(Fin POV)
We've traveled most of the morning into early afternoon in complete silence. The only thing we've found is two dead, quickly dispatched by arrow.
I'm about to suggest we take a short break when we both hear a wail. I recognize the sound immediately.
We're both bolting through the trees searching for the source. As the sound gets louder Daryl calls out; and I can only hope we're not about to ambush total strangers in the woods.
"Maggie! Glenn! Michonne!" He's yelling as he runs. He's got longer legs then me; but I run a lot so I'm just behind him as we reach the top of a hill and find them.
"Maggie!"
Daryl races down the hill at full speed somehow managing to keep his feet underneath him. He runs right to the tall brunette with short hair. The baby is clutched in her arms, the other woman with her is holding a freaking sword I note as I join them at the bottom of the hill. She watches me as I approach slowing to a cautious jog.
"Where's Beth? Is she okay?" This must be Beth's older sister, they look similar.
"Yeah she's fine, I'm worried about this little lady right here." Daryl takes the screaming kid from her arms. The girl stops screaming almost instantly.
Seriously?
Redneck Rambo is also a freaking baby whisperer?
My brain hurts.
I drop my pack and pull out the two things I stuffed in there before leaving. Back when I realized there was a small possibility we might find the baby still alive. I pour water from my canvas into the bottle, add powder and shake it holding it out to Daryl. He grabs it without a word while I put my bag back together. Maggie and the other woman stare at us in silence as we move.
The other woman has put away her sword but she's still just staring at me. Hasn't said a word since we showed up.
She and Daryl must get on like peas and carrots.
"Fin this is Maggie, Beth's older sister." He doesn't look up from the kid now devouring the bottle of formula. "And this is Michonne." He nods his head to the samurai chick.
"Nice sword."
She grins at me finally. "Nice bow."
"And this little badass is little AssKicker." The man is a nanny with a crossbow, unbelievable. I hope they didn't let him actually name her that.
"Have you seen Glenn? Tyreese anyone else?" Maggie is talking a mile a minute. Obviously worried for the rest of the group. She has the same sweet face as her sister; but it's more guarded.
Michonne is mostly silent still. Though she does inquire quietly as to whether Rick and Carl made it out after Daryl shakes his head to answer Maggie.
"We went to the meeting spot but no one was there. We've been trying to find anything that could pass as baby food. But we had to get off the highway into the woods before this huge herd moved in. We were thinking of heading to the coast. We didn't know if anyone else was alive."
"Rick and Carl were with Fin when I found them."
"Hold up, who found who?" I think I see Michonne's lips twitch at that.
"Beth's with them taking care of Rick. Governor did a shit job on him."
"We left a car back there, it's got enough gas to get you back through town to where they're staying. Daryl can go with you, show you how to get back."
"Hold up, The Hell you mean? You're not staying out here by yourself."
"I live here, I know the area, and they have a baby. That's way more important."
They have no idea just how important obviously.
"What about the others? They don't know you. Daryl should go with you." Maggie's got her hands full with a baby in the middle of the woods and she's turning down extra help. "No one should be out here alone."
I can see that no one is going to agree with me.
"Fine. I'll give you the map and my watch; it's got a compass so you should be able to follow it back to the warehouse."
I quickly explain to Michonne and Maggie how to get back to the road, and the car; and where to go from there. I'm reasonably confident they can get back. I also need to get Maggie's hands free before they go, just in case she needs to defend herself.
I take the sleeping bag from my pack open it and cut a long strip from it while Daryl watches. I give Maggie my extra fleece to wear and use the long strip to tie the baby whose real name is Judith to her back. At least now she can carry one of my machetes in her hand. I help her tuck the baby bottle refilled with water into the make-shift baby carrier strap, and the small travel packets of baby formula. Michonne takes one of the waters bags from me. I hand her my compass watch. She's turned down Daryl's fleece for herself.
I'm surprised he hasn't cut the sleeves off it already.
Maggie gives Daryl a tight hug that he looks uncomfortable with before they leave. Michonne says nothing but a quick 'good luck, stay safe.' And they leave us.
I can't help but feel like this is a mistake.
Daryl should be going with them not just to protect them—traveling without him would be a lot less complicated. Though I can hardly tell them my real reasons.
"Michonne's a badass, and Maggie's very capable. They'll be okay."
I don't reply, we have a long way to go now. Since Maggie and Michonne have told us they waited at the meeting spot for a full day before moving on, we'll have to search the woods and roads on either side, while avoiding that herd, and looking for members of their group that my still be alive and either coming or going searching for others.
I remember Carl's fingers tracing over the routes from the prison to their meeting spot. It's close enough to the Peacock farm that I'm starting to worry that some of them could have been intercepted on the road-
Taken in for the Winter.
The thought makes my skin crawl.
:: walking dead ::
Here's something you might not realize; walking aimlessly, and looking for people that aren't dead gets incredibly tedious after a few hours.
Daryl's hardly a Chatty Cathy.
It will be dark soon, dusk is setting and the air is already noticeably cooler. I spare a thought for Maggie and Michonne with the baby and hope they are okay. If they found the car we left moving in their more direct line they should be back with the others tonight. I'm going to have to figure out something to make the top two levels 'baby safe' when I get back. That will be an interesting challenge.
I stop looking around for people, and start looking up at the trees. I soon find three trees the right height and distance apart. I tell Daryl to stop, he does without question setting his pack down and gathering wood to work with. He's already got a small fire going while I prep the tent for going up. None of the snarky comments from yesterday, just silence.
"I'll be back." He leaves with his bow without waiting for a response. It's so strange to see him be so relaxed with a baby that would terrify most grown men, and so awkward with everyone else.
Daryl returns well after dark I have long since finished the tent, boiled water, and used a damp hot cloth to wipe down my face arms and legs. I even changed into fresh clothes while he was gone and hand washed the others. I am itching to put out the fire so no one sees it in the dark. Daryl walks into the light, sets down his crossbow and sits down across from me. He's got a small brown grey rabbit in one hand, pulls out his serrated knife and starts working on it.
"I was thinking-about tomorrow." He pauses, concentrating on what he's doing for a moment. "-and I think we can make it to that bridge early enough to search at least one side of the road for anyone stuck out there."
It's not a bad idea. I pour the cooled water into the first canvas water skin. He looks up from his hands to watch me.
"Where'd you learn to do that?"
"I assume you don't mean pour water." I pick up the next canvas. "My uncle Darion had three boys that spent most of their time running wild, hunting and camping. I used to spend all my summers there as a kid. Used to drive my older cousin's crazy with a stupid girl following them around. Till I grew a pair of boobs and could give them tips on how to get a date."
He's staring at me again making me feel strangely self-conscious.
"Anyways, my Uncle would send us out into the woods with bare essentials and we'd have a competition to see who could stay out the longest without coming back. He was a pretty big survival enthusiast. What about you? You're pretty handy in a pinch."
He's putting the rabbit on two sticks, positioning them near the flames. "I didn't have a good childhood. We had to hunt to eat we were so poor. I spent most of my time chasing my brother through the woods to avoid being home at all cost, when he wasn't in juvie. Then I was on my own out there. Learned the hard way."
"I'm sorry." We sit quietly for a while. Eventually he hands me one of the sticks, and I take my time pulling medium rare rabbit bits off of it. "It comes in handy though, this is great."
We finish eating and he grabs the canvas bucket again to put out the fire. I help him kick dirt onto the logs this time. "We should sleep."
I go up the ladder first, the tent sways a bit more then yesterday with the wind having picked up. But it's still sturdy. I've removed my boots and hung them off the overhead rope beneath the canopy by the time Daryl joins me. He slides away from me just like yesterday and does the same, hanging his boots in the far corner. I pull off my belt harness and hang that too, sleeping on it was a little uncomfortable last night. I pull up the ladder and fix the tent flap closed then move closer to the other side of the tent ready to go to sleep.
The wind blows again, hard enough to shift the tent just enough to sway back and forth. Daryl happened to be sliding over to make more room for me and the shift in the tent obviously upset him enough for him to grab me in the dark.
"We're not going to fall." I'm whispering. Why am I whispering?
He lets go but I can still feel his fingerprints like ghosts against my hip, burning my skin.
I tell myself to go to sleep and lay down pulling my side of the cover up. Daryl lays down too, facing away from me again.
I close my eyes and try to sleep listening to the wind through the trees.
:: walking dead ::
It's warm and dark.
Heat presses into me, strong arms are wrapped around me. One hand cradles my left breast. Thumbs over my nipple. I arch unconsciously toward the caress, a soft moan escaping on my exhale.
Fingers dip down under my layers, knead the muscles and skin of my middle, trace the dip from my hipbone up to my waist; ghost up over my ribs, cup me again. Someone's heavy bulge is thrust against the swell of my ass making my core flood with impossible heat and slick want.
A mouth presses to the curve of my neck. Warm slow kisses press up my neck then down to tug my collar open with teeth. Nipping at my shoulder.
Oh god. This is such a bad idea.
But when he grinds his length against my core pulling a strangled gasp from my lips I forget my objections. His left hand winds around my waist lifting me up, curls around my waist so he can pull me back into each grinding thrust.
My whole body is tingling, my sex is burning with empty need...
I meet his next thrust with one of my own. Lifting my leg to rub the heat of my aching core across his firmness, now it's his turn to cry out.
Fingers cup my breast, lifting my bra to cup full globes and roll my pebbled nipples between his forefinger sending sparks down my spine straight to my center. I'm panting, moaning, pressing my hips back against his desperate for pressure; for the friction I want…no. I Need.
Release: my whole body trembles begging for it.
I'm going to burst into flames from the heat and want and that gorgeous wet mouth dancing over my skin.
Fingers grasp my pants, pull them open, shove them down my hips. I wiggle free, thrusting back impatiently, moaning when I feel hard skin against slick skin.
Throbbing engorged heat presses to my folds. I gasp, and claw handfuls of the blanket trapped in his iron grip. I want so bad. His cock slides against my folds in the worst agonizing tease ever. "Please, please." I'm thrashing, can't get what I want...
I'm dying, I'm so empty, nothing but raw nerves and wet heat driving every impulse in my trembling body. I press back against his length feel it slip along my entrance, coated with my essence. How much more of an invitation does he need?
Fuck. I know what I need.
I pull my leg up rock back and feel his arm coil around me in a vice grip. He's guiding his head to my center pulling me back and thrusting into me fully even as I buck and thrash and nearly come undone.
Oh God.
He feels huge, buried to the hilt; I'm sorry I couldn't see it before. I can only imagine what it would look like hot and throbbing with need. I'm so full I ache, burn with every thrust. But each pump of his hips sends pleasure racing down my spine; tingles the base of my skull as he's fondling my naked breast, thrusting into me with a rough deep tempo that has me rocking back to meet him.
My back arches, pelvis rolling with the first hint of my release...so close...
His mouth bites down on my shoulder fingers pinch and roll one nipple while I grind back into his thrust.
"Fuck, girl I'm going to come."
My brain explodes in total shock. Fuck it's Daryl!
He's groaning against my neck wet heat explodes inside me the swelling just before his release pushing me over despite my paralyzing shock.
"Fuck. Fin! Wake Up!"
My eyes snap open.
My whole body is instantly on alert. Slick molten heat burns through my still empty core. Throbbing with each heartbeat.
Not some nameless person in a dream….Fuck. Why Daryl?!
Curse my brain.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" I twist trying to pull away from him.
Daryl's vice grip on my waist is a parody of the one in my dream. Let go please...
I take in a shaky breath; hide behind my hands even in the dark. Waiting for my heart to slow, trying to ignore the slick throb between my legs. The way my nipples press into my satin bra.
"The Hell kind of nightmare was that?"
I let out a choked laugh.
The worst kind. God it felt so real.
I could close my eyes and squeeze my core in the rhythm of the imaginary thrusts in my dream and come right here I'm so close.
Daryl needs to get his hands off me before its me ripping off his pants.
So not good.
I should make him sleep outside tomorrow,
Yeah Right.
"Fin," His breath is right in my ear. My whole body shudders.
"What?" God I sound like I've been fucking. Jesus, I need to get a grip.
I swallow, try to clear my throat; my face flushing furious shades of red.
"What. the. Hell. was. That?!"
Like he doesn't know. I'm not going to say it! But then...Oh my god. Maybe he doesn't know? Is that even possible? I almost snort in near hysterics.
How can a man that fucking gorgeous be so utterly clueless?
"Fin," He's practically hovering over me now.
Damnit. So not helping. What small portion of my brain was still functioning just went south to party in my pants.
"Um," Brilliant. "Nightmare." I finally gasp.
"I thought you were going to thrash right out of the tent."
Oh God. Thank you for darkness. Maybe by sunrise I'll be a color other than beat red. It's hard to focus on anything but throbbing slick heat, and empty want. But I need to get this back under control. Fast.
"Really, vivid nightmare" I emphasize.
"The fuck did I do to you?"
"What?!" I squeak. OhMyGod!
"You said my name, again."
Shit. Shit. Shit. "I …" I trail off.
What can I say? Sorry Daryl but you were fucking my ever loving brains out, didn't mean to enjoy it so thoroughly? Yeah. And die of humiliation.
I swallow. "I don't really want to talk about it. I'm sorry."
He's still hovers over me in the dark. ...I could reach up and kiss him, run my tongue over that bottom lip. Suck his earlobe between my teeth, wrap my legs around his hips, gasp his name…
"Whatever, quiet thrashing around at least."
He rolls away from me and I lay there aching for far too long before falling back asleep.
Thankfully without dreams.