Chapter 19

Where are the fun drugs when you need 'em?

"You okay?" Joel asked her the next morning when he caught her absentmindedly rubbing her temples at breakfast.

"Yeah, I think I slept funny last night." Her neck was sore and head was pounding. Where did Daryl get that bourbon? She wondered. She had barely a sip…

Joel frowned. "Are you nauseous? Dizzy?"

"No, I think it'll pass once I get some food in me."

"Okay. Find me if you need me."

}.{

It didn't pass after she ate and got worse on Rick's run. When they were driving back, she could barely see. She covered her eyes with her hands, the sunlight on the snow was blinding.

"Archer you don't look good." Rick was riding shotgun. Jean was driving and she was sitting in the back seat with Michonne.

"You're pretty pale." Michonne echoed Rick's concern. "Maybe you ought to see Joel when we get back."

Archer nodded, knowing the pressure of her own voice on the inside of her skull would be too painful. Even with her hands over her eyes, she could see flashes of light.

}.{

With eyes closed, she stumbled out of the car back at the fort.

"Easy." Rick grabbed her elbow and steadied her. "Let's get you to Joel."

She shook her head. "Just my room." God it hurts to talk. "Just need sleep."

"Okay, but I'm gonna get Joel to swing by anyway."

"I'll get him." Michonne offered. "Just get her back to her bed."

Archer let Rick lead her back to her quarters. When she got there, she kicked off her boots and tossed her winter gear in a pile on the floor before hiding under the heavy blankets on her bead. She heard Rick take a seat on the rocking chair she kept in her room. Apparently he was going to stay with her until Joel showed.

She heard the door creak open. "Emma?" Joel had arrived. She stuck a hand out of the covers and waved at him. "Anything happen on the run?"

"It was quiet, a few walkers but no real trouble." Rick advised. "She was squinting a lot. In the car she wouldn't open her eyes at all. Got real quiet too."

"Emma," She felt Joel sit on the bed next to her. "is it a migraine?" He tugged the covers back down over her head.

She nodded, covering her eyes with the palms of her hands.

Joel moved one hand aside and pulled her eyelid open, checking her pupils. She sobbed when the light hit.

"Okay." Joel said. "I'm done with the eyes. Let me take your temperature and your blood pressure. Then I'll let you sleep it off."

"What's wrong?" Daryl's voice came from the doorway.

"Migraine." Joel pronounced, as he finished checking her over. "She gets a bad one once or twice a year."

"She'll be okay?" Rick was worried. She wanted to reassure him that it wasn't his fault. She just couldn't find the words.

"It'll pass."

"Can't ya give 'er somethin'?" Daryl asked

"I'll give her a sedative to help her sleep it off." She felt a prick in her arm as Joel gave her the needle. "If it's not gone tonight, I'll see what I've got pain-wise."

Archer felt heavy as the drug coursed through her veins.

"In the meantime, we'll keep it dark in here." Joel pulled the covers up over her shoulders. "Sleep Em."

So she did.

}.{

She heard the door of her room creak open.

"Emma, brought you soup. Joel says you need to eat." It was Daryl.

"I'm tired." She whined and rolled over.

She heard Daryl set a dish down on the table that served as her nightstand. "C'mon, sit up." He reached an arm under her shoulders and pulled her up. He sat behind her back to prop her up.

"What time is it?" She wondered blearily.

"Late. Everyone's asleep." He handed her a cup. "Here, drink."

She sipped the mug, stopping to roll her head from side to side. She wasn't seeing flashing lights anymore, but her neck was still sore. She reached a hand up to rub it.

"Neck sore?" Daryl spoke softly.

"Yeah. Must've slept on it wrong last night."

Daryl took the empty cup from her hands. "C'mere." He pulled her shoulders back into him. "Lemme fix that neck."

His thumbs massaged little circles into the base of her neck, following down along the underside of her shoulder blades as his fingers slipped under the collar of her shirt.

"Oh." She sighed. "That's nice."

His calloused hands massaged the tops of her shoulders, before slowly making their way back up her neck. Once there, Daryl removed the pins holding her hair up, letting her mane loose. Finger splayed, he used his thumbs to massage the base of her skull, while his fingers worked on her scalp.

She closed her eyes, Daryl's touch was absolutely heavenly. Her head lolled back and if she were a cat she'd be purring.

"Better?" Daryl asked. She blinked realizing she must have fallen asleep on him. Flustered she sat forward allowing him to stand. The muscles in her neck and shoulders had released. She looked up at him "Much better, thank you."

He nodded, heading back to the door. "Got back ta sleep."

She hunkered back down under her blankets, wishing that Daryl had stayed with her. The sedative was still in her system though, so she fell back asleep quickly.

}.{

Emma didn't get out of bed until noon the next day. Sheila was glad to see her awake and sent for Joel while she sat and watched Archer devour breakfast. Joel pronounced her fit to be out of bed, but advised her to take it easy.

She spent the day in the officer's mess reading in one of the armchairs by the fireplace. It was warm, and she was comfortable. Emma was lost in the world of the Scarlett O'Hara when Daryl snuck up on her.

"There y'are."

She jumped, nearly dropping the book. "Damnit Daryl, you scared me half to death. I swear you're some kind of ninja."

He sat down on the other armchair that flanked the fireplace. "You better?"

"Lightyears." She smiled. "Thanks for the help last night."

"Was nothin'" He stared into the fire. "Whatcha readin'?"

"Gone with the Wind."

"Ain't that a movie?" He leaned towards the fire and tossed another log in.

"It was a book first."

They sat quietly as she read and he watched the fire. It was an easy silence, Emma knew Daryl wasn't a big talker, and she let him be.

Rick walked in, breaking the silence. "Dinner time." He nodded to Archer. "Glad to see you're back on your feet."

"Thanks, it's good to be up." She said and started to follow Rick.

Daryl grabbed her arm. "One sec." He pulled her into his arms. "You really feelin' better?"

She looked up at him. "Yeah."

"'Been thinkin' 'bout you." His eyes were dark. "'Been thinkin' I promised you somethin' when I came off shift that night. Somethin' I didn't deliver."

A shiver ran down her spine. She blushed and averted her eyes. "Thought you'd forgotten."

"Man's gotta keep his word." He said, "Can I come by after first watch? Make it worth yer while."

"One condition." She wasn't sure she wanted the answer, but Emma had to ask. "I don't share. I'm not asking for flowers and romance. If we're to have an ongoing…" she searched for the word "..arrangement, I don't want there to be anyone else."

His eyes narrowed."Same go for you?"

"I think we've already established that I don't take up with just anyone. So yeah, same goes for me."

"Sounds fair."

She smiled, standing up on her tip toes, she planted a chaste kiss on his cheek before disappearing down the hallway after Rick.