8

She brought real food in real glass containers. This alone floored Daryl. Macaroni and cheese, baked beans, potato chips. She had stopped by the gas station and gotten him a box of cheap plastic forks. "Make sure you dispose of these properly," she lectured as she handed him the box. He thought he promised to, but wasn't sure. The beans had hints of brown sugar and bacon. She brought various sized candles. As he inhaled a fair share of the food, she set about making the bed. She stacked the mattresses on top of each other, then put the clean sheets on the top mattress. Daryl watched as she fluffed the pillow, then flung the blanket out over her handiwork.

He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, then rubbed it on the thigh of his jeans. "Thanks," he mumbled.

"It's getting late. You should probably get some sleep."

He nodded to the bed, which looks better now by far. "You make yourself comfortable and I'll be right there." He didn't know if Merle was coming back or not, and he didn't want him to scare her again. "I'm going to go sit on the car for a bit."

She shrugged and began to unmake the bed as Daryl climbed back up. The light from inside the car emitted a slight orange glow and the night air felt good against his face. He wasn't up there long until he heard Merle calling from down below.

"You gonna give me the ladder?"

"No, you gotta climb up," Daryl answered stubbornly.

"Heads up then!" Another backpack came sailing through the air and Daryl barely dodged it.

"Daryl, is someone here?" A worried voice sounded from the car.

"It's just Merle."

"Just Merle, just Merle," Merle repeated to himself like a joke.

"Stop cackling, you jackass," Daryl said as he helped his brother onto the car.

Merle kicked the bag toward Daryl. "I got you some ointment. Some food. Some bandages. Your crossbow." As he unslung the crossbow from his back, he leaned closer to Daryl and whispered, "Condoms."

Daryl blushed in the darkness. "I-I don't… uh, know…" he stuttered. He saw Merle smile in the dark.

"Ain't never done it, have you?"

Silence.

"Well, that girl you're down there with, that Pinkman girl," he whispered. "She has."

"Shut up, Merle."

"Take this."

Daryl felt something leather being nudged into his hands.

"I'll see you around."

Before Daryl could say goodbye, his brother slipped back into the darkness. He sighed and climbed back down into the dimly lit car.

"Whatcha got there?" Sadie asked, gesturing to the object in his hand.

Daryl looked down and dropped it like it was a deadly snake. "Nothing." He fought the urge to spit on the vest that lay on the floor between them.

She studied it. "Don't look like nothing." She took in the faded and slightly torn wings sewn on the vest's back. "I've seen you wear that before."

Daryl kicked it into the corner of the car. "Ain't mine. It's my dads. Look," he began. "Merle brought me some stuff, too. Um. Uh. Well…"

She giggled. "What, Daryl? What is it?" He dug around in the backpack and pulled out a small package of Trojans. Her eyes widened. "Oh, jeez, Daryl, I-"

"I'm not suggesting anything at all, I just wanted you to know that… uh. Merle got them. I didn't tell him to, though, or anything like that," Daryl rambled. "You can sleep in the bed, I was plannin' on the floor anyway-"

She got up and met him in the middle of the boxcar and he noticed that she had taken off her pants while she was under the blanket. She stood in front of him, and her blue eyes came level with his chin. She looked slowly up at him, and gently wrapped her arms around him. She stood on her tip toes and lightly kissed his neck. "It's fine, Daryl," she whispered. "It's all fine." She led him by the hand back to the bed, and sat him down. "Do you want to have sex with me, Daryl Dixon?" she asked shyly. She began to run her hands up and down his thighs.

"I've never had sex before!" he let out in one rushed agonized breath.

"There's a first for everything," she cooed, coaxing and maneuvering him onto the makeshift bed. She balanced herself on his hips and tucked her feet under his legs. "Lay back, Daryl." she instructed. He obeyed and she noted his almost instantaneous desire to please her.

The sheets were clean and rough and pressed his old tshirt into his back. It began to throb. He gritted his teeth and tried to push the burn to the darkest corners of his mind.

"Take your shirt off," Sadie purred, tugging at it playfully.

He slapped her hand before he realized what he was doing.

"What now?"

"I want to keep my shirt on."

"Why?"

"I also want to go on top," he insisted.

She threw up her hands, and let him up. "Whatever makes your virginal self happy," she said with a sigh. As his feet hit the floor she knelt up playfully on the bed and tried to jerk his shirt off over his head. She yanked it back down almost as soon as she lifted it.

"Don't!" he yelped swatting to protect the small circle of protection around him. He darted across the boxcar and sat in the darkest corner.

"Daryl, I had no idea," she said with a gasp. "Those look bad, you might need stitches!"

Silence.

"Daryl!"

"They're starting to scab over, I don't need nothing!" he yelled at the silhouette of the girl across the room. She didn't move. "Just go to bed, Sadie."

"Will you come lay with me?"

"Sure."

He slid down into the sheets with her and felt her force herself determinedly into his arms. "Goodnight, Sadie," he whispered, running his fingertips across her hair.

"Goodnight," Daryl.

—-

"Daryl, wake up. Wake up!"

His eyes shot open and his first thought was how warm he was. He had never been this warm in the car before. Then he saw Sadie standing over him, and the bright purple blanket that was tucked around him.

"It's time for school! I think. It's early-ish, but it's definitely Monday morning."

He rolled over. "I ain't goin'." Yawned. "Just try to get me up, it ain't happening."

"Well, fine," she muttered pulling on her jeans. "I'm going. I'll come by after school?"

Daryl sat up, nodded. "Hey, Sadie," he called as she started up the ladder. She paused. "Don't tell anyone about this place, okay?"

She climbed back down, glided over to him, and kissed him lightly on the forehead. "Never."