Mara was sitting in her cell bed, flicking through an old book. It was nothing interesting but it was keeping her from obsessing. Daryl had disappeared after the incident with his brother. That in itself wasn't so unexpected but Mara had never seen him stay away this long.

Her heart hurt as she remembered the haunted look in Daryl's eyes and the vicious scaring on his back.

Merle was sleeping off the punishing hit Elias had delivered earlier. Mara had managed to thank the man for defending her honour but then her mind was consumed with worrying about Daryl.

Nathan had tried to ask her for more details but Mara had brushed him off in a completely unprofessional way. As far as she could tell her attachment to Daryl hadn't stopped her from doing her job properly. Except maybe for not driving the blade right through Merle's heart where he stood.

Merle's information on the Governor had been important but Mara wasn't sure he was worth the trouble he brought to the prison. Before he arrived they had settled into a comfortable routine. They were a real community but Merle brought with him a tension that permeated every aspect of life in the prison. The only person kidding themselves about Merle's ability to integrate was Daryl and even that illusion had taken a beating after today.

Mara's stomach twisted at the bone deep betrayal Daryl had felt today.

Mara was beginning to contemplate going to look for him. She knew when he was in this state that Daryl would want solitude but the thought of sitting around doing nothing was intolerable.

The gate to her cell slid open and Mara sucked in a relieved breath when Daryl appeared in the opening.

Her relief vanished as she took in his appearance. There were scratches along his arms and face as if he had run head long into the bramble. His head was hanging down and he wouldn't meet her eyes.

"I didn't want to be alone." His voice was rough, as if he could barely force the words out of his mouth. Daryl hated to ask for help so Mara got a sense of how absolutely desperate he must be feeling.

Mara was by him in an instant, pulling him gently to sit on the bed.

"Stay here," Mara instructed and quickly ran for a first aid kit. The prison was dark and silent, her bare feet made no noise on the floor.

Daryl hadn't moved from his spot on the bed. He was staring off into the distance and Mara felt a sense of panic. He was so withdrawn, even more so than usual, and she didn't know what to say to reach him.

Mara crouched by him, taking his large wrist in her hand. She carefully began to clean Daryl's arm. Underneath the dirt and blood, Mara was thankful to see that all the wounds were superficial.

Mara concentrated on her task, not trying to meet his eyes just yet. He wasn't ready for that. Mara hadn't forgotten what Merle had insinuated. That Daryl loved her.

The bastard had also said that she would never love Daryl. How wrong the idiot had got that one. Merle had always measured Daryl's worth by his attachment to him. Merle had pushed Daryl so firmly into his shadow that he didn't think anyone would recognise Daryl in his own right.

As Daryl shivered under her touch, Mara knew she loved him.

Mara turned to the graze on his face. She could tell from the bruising that this was courtesy of Merle's fist. Mara shifted so she could face Daryl straight on. She was on her knees in front of him.

Mara gently tilted Daryl's chin up. For a second he stared past her at a spot on the wall. Then his eyes focused, sharpening on her and the pain was raw.

Mara didn't flinch, determined to be strong for him. She cupped his uninjured cheek in the palm of her hand, holding him still. With a steady hand, Mara wiped the cut clean. Daryl hissed at the sting of the sterilizing swab.

Daryl looked like he was steeling himself. He was expecting her to reject him.

Mara let her medical supplies fall on the floor, leaning forward to press her lips against his.

Daryl grunted in surprise but didn't move away from her. Mara fit her mouth to his gently until Daryl yielded under hers. Mara was being so careful with him.

Daryl sharply inhaled, his fingers wrapping in her hair. He jerked Mara closer, almost painfully. Mara went to him willingly. Still on her knees, Daryl's thighs were on either side of her. She had to tilt her face up to meet his forceful kiss.

Unhappy at not being able to meet him evenly, Mara moved to straddle him. His hold on her hair made her gasp in pain when she moved but she was happy to do it. She could taste the desperation and need in his kiss. It was reflected in her too.

Mara hadn't realised how much Daryl had meant to her until she had thought she might have lost him. It had petrified her.

His fingers clutched in her shirt. Mara opened her mouth to him and then he was invading her, claiming every inch of her. His force was bruising.

Mara pulled his shirt up and over his head, throwing it behind her. Sitting back on his legs so she could see Daryl properly, she ran both her hands down his chest.

His chest and torso was so familiar to her. The tattoos and the little arrow scar was known territory. Mara still couldn't quite believe that he had managed to hide his back from her but when she tried to remember seeing it, she knew he had truly achieved it.

Daryl gaze was hot and hungry but also angry. Mara liked the hot and she definitely liked the hungry but she wanted to erase that angry hurt look from his eyes.

Mara lifted herself up from him and then moved so she was sitting behind him on the bed so that she could see every inch of his back.

Daryl stiffened. "Don't," he begged.

When Mara spoke her voice was throaty. "You're mine, Daryl. I want every inch of you to be mine."

Mara had never made such a propriety, primal statement but she wanted him to know that she wasn't abandoning him. What she saw made her sad but it didn't make her want to turn away from him.

Daryl's shoulders sagged and he surrendered. Mara hoped it was because he trusted her but some part of her was afraid that he was just to use to complying with abuse.

When Mara ran her fingers along his shoulders, Daryl jumped. Mara didn't touch his scars straight away. Instead she massaged the top of his shoulders. Mara patiently worked and kneaded at his taut muscles. Daryl groaned and Mara could sense his tension lessen.

When she moved her touch down an inch, Daryl sat placidly under her fingers. Slowly she worked her hands up and down his back, taking care to attend to every inch of his skin. Inevitably she brushed the scars. They were ragged and had clearly not seen medical attention.

Mara swallowed but tried to contain her reaction. This was about helping Daryl and not about her giving in to her own sadness.

Daryl finally leaned back against her. Mara wrapped her arms around him. Daryl ran his hand up and down her calf. Mara suspected the motion was soothing him.

Daryl's touch on her skin was light and left a trail of goosebumps in his wake. Completely unbidden, a moan escaped her mouth.

Mara clamped a hand over her mouth, embarrassed that his touch had evoked that reaction from her even in this sombre moment.

Daryl's fingers gripped into her skin at the sound she had made.

Daryl turned to kiss Mara again.

Mara pulled away and said something she had wanted to for a very long time.

"Make love to me."

Daryl's eyes were dark and intense. Mara knew there was a very real possibility that he would still run away from her.

Daryl slipped his hands under her shirt to run along the skin of her stomach. Where he touched her, her flesh seemed to burn.

Daryl lightly peeled her shirt away from her body. Mara didn't have a bra on underneath it so they were able to touch warm skin to warm skin.

Daryl pressed Mara back into the mattress. Her legs hooked around his hips, pulling him even closer.

Mara was struck by how much she wanted him still. Time seemed to stand still for a second but then everything crashed forward.

All tenderness was abandoned and they both fumbled to remove any last bits of clothing. Mara tried to be quiet but she wasn't achieving it. For once she didn't care. God knows, they had all had to listen to Glenn and Maggie enough times.

When Daryl entered her, it bowed Mara's back. All hesitancy of their first time had gone completely.

Daryl set a punishing pace, channelling all his yearning into her body. Mara tilted her hips up to meet him, crying out. Daryl ran his mouth along her neck, grinding in to her. Mara bit her bottom lip, so close to losing control.

As she was pushed over the edge, Mara pulled his mouth down to cover hers, stifling the screams. Pleasure exploded low in her body and ran along the rest of her in fissures.

Mara dug her fingers into Daryl's back. She felt him tense along her body, a shudder running through him.

Daryl lingered over her breathlessly. Mara's legs had enfolded his waist and there was fine trembling in her muscles.

"I-" Daryl started but couldn't finish. He licked his lips and tried again, "I-"

"I love you too."

Daryl's eyes bored into Mara's. He nodded once and then dipped his head to claim her lips. Mara shifted out from under him, forcing Daryl to lie on his side. Mara curled up next to him so that the line of her body was aligned with his back, shielding him.

Daryl's hand circled her forearm.

...

Mara fell asleep before Daryl did. He could feel the beat of her heart against his back. It had raced against his skin and then eventually slowed. The soft flutter of her breath was against his neck; regular and deep.

Daryl didn't know why he stayed awake so long. He was weary to his core, both physically and emotionally exhausted.

Daryl knew no one else was surprised by Merle's actions but him. He wasn't as blind to Merle's faults as everyone claimed but he was his brother. He couldn't be expected to just walk away from blood. That wasn't how things were done. Not in the old world. Not now.

Merle had betrayed him though. He'd had identified the thing that would hurt Daryl the most and set it in motion. He figured Merle still blamed him for not coming to get him on the rooftop in Georgia. Merle just couldn't understand that Daryl had tried his hardest to rescue his big brother. For Merle, that wasn't good enough.

Merle's vindictive streak ran deep and he had a habit of holding a grudge until he thought they were square. Daryl didn't know what could ever recompense Merle for the loss of his hand.

Despite his rage, beating on his brother had torn Daryl up. He was secretly relieved that Elias had stepped in and ended the fight cleanly. Merle now had a broken nose and a new foe to worry about. Merle would always trump Daryl in a fight; partly because he was meaner and partly because he wouldn't hold back even though Daryl was his brother, but Elias was stronger, taller and better trained. Not to mention the exemplary control he had. Daryl had never seen Elias come that close to losing his temper.

Stupid Merle. Attacking Mara like that in front of the soldiers. They had formed a bond as deep as family and would happily defend their own. Their connections had extended to the rest of the prison too and now they were all one big, dysfunctional family.

Mara shifted in her sleep and softly groaned. She was dreaming. Daryl shifted them so now she was tucked up against his chest.

He didn't know how it had ended up here. She'd gone from a woman he actively disliked to someone he loved. And inexplicably she loved him too. Daryl had known their sex wasn't all about the physical but he'd never dreamed that somehow she had fallen in love with him too. He felt a huge sense of relief that the scars were know out in the open. She knew his dirty little secret and it hadn't spooked her.

Maybe he should thank Merle, he though wryly.

Mara looked even younger asleep. In real life her confidence and bravery gave the impression that she was older than what she was but lying here, Daryl was forced to acknowledge that there was actually quite the age difference between them. It had never bothered either of them; Mara was a hard person to take advantage of. Still it made Daryl realise that she should be going to parties and studying but instead she was here in a prison cell bed with him, killing walking corpses during the day.

Just went to show how unpredictable life could be.

AN: I hope you like this chapter. It's big on the feels hopefully. Thanks to everyone who review last chapter. Made my day.