Between the Thorns
Chapter 35
As they passed through the gate, entering the area around the outpost, Daryl caught Rose by the back of her shirt and reminded her to put her arm back in her sling before her mother saw her. She complied with a sigh and a roll of her blue eyes, stuffing her arm back in the detested sling before she picked up her speed and started calling for her mother.
"Moooommmm! I shot a deer!"
Daryl laughed as he watched the girl tear off into the building. He headed for the kitchen, intending to drop off the deer Rose shot before he went looking for the girl's mother. But there was no need for a search. Because Jean was in the kitchen, helping another woman wash a massive stack of dirty dishes. Lily was nearby, sitting on the floor with the other woman's baby in her lap while the little girl whacked at a large metal bowl with a wooden spoon.
The little girl stopped her noisy play, looking up at the deer that Daryl and his companion were wrestling onto the table with big wide eyes. Jean wiped her hands off onto the apron she had tied around her slim waist and leaned down, lifting the little girl up into her arms. She carried her over, letting her get a better look at the large deer. Lily cringed when her mother allowed the baby to reach forward and touch the deer's rough coat of fur.
"Ewww," Lily moaned, wrinkling up her nose, "...should Gracie be touching that dead deer?"
"It won't hurt her any," Gracie's mother said, trying not to laugh at the disgusted look on Lily's face. The girl might be turning her nose up now. But once the deer was butchered up and simmering on the stove in a nice pot of venison chili, she would likely change her opinion on how gross she thought it was. Gracie let out a loud squeal of delight, smacking wildly at the dead deer.
Jean had a soft loving look in her eyes as she smiled down at the little girl in her arms. She seemed natural and at ease holding her, which Daryl supposed was because of all the experience she had with her own girls when they were younger. And he suddenly found himself growing concerned about all the times he'd slept with Jean and taken absolutely no precautions at all to avoid getting her pregnant. In fact, the possibility of such a thing happening never crossed his mind until he saw her holding Gracie. He wasn't even sure how he would feel if Jean did get pregnant. The thought of a baby wasn't altogether unappealing. But being pregnant in the middle of the end of the world didn't sound like a good time. Maybe if there wasn't a full on war brewing, it might be different. Daryl tucked his concerns away for the moment, not bringing them up until he and Jean were alone in bed together.
Jean tucked the girls in. Lily had a little plastic lantern in bed with her and she was reading through a book someone in the outpost loaned her. Rose rolled onto her side, already halfway asleep before Jean even pulled her blankets up over her shoulder. Clicking their door shut behind her, Jean turned towards her own bed. Daryl was already in it. And his shirt was off. But he was sitting up, fiddling with the large hunting knife he kept on the bedside table. Jean crawled across his legs, sliding under the covers and flopping down on her pillow. In their new room, the door was on the opposite side of the bed from her bedroom in the Sanctuary. Normally, this wouldn't affect her position in the bed. But Daryl insisted on sleeping closest to the door, with her closer to the wall. So Jean wriggled around, trying to get used to the feel of having him on the other side of her.
Once she relaxed into her pillow, Jean reached across the small space. She trailed the tip of her finger up Daryl's arm. Then down again, sliding her hand under his arm and across his bare stomach. He smiled down at her, tossing his knife onto the little table next to their lantern before he slid down lower onto the bed. Jean pulled him in for a kiss. And he kissed her back. But she could tell something was wrong. His body felt stiff against hers. And he had a pensive look on his face before, when he was fiddling with his knife. Jean guessed he had something on his mind.
"You can tell me," she whispered. "Whatever it is that's bothering you."
Daryl didn't say anything right away. Which Jean knew by now wasn't unusual for him. He just slid lower under the covers and tucked himself into her, resting his head against her breasts. His hand moved under the hem of her oversized t-shirt, rubbing up her thighs to stroke her stomach. She combed her fingers through his hair, waiting to see what he had to say. Expressing himself verbally was a struggle for him. Jean knew that. So she just waited patiently, relaxing into the bed as Daryl sorted out what he wanted to say.
"Do you think we should be using something?," Daryl finally asked. He tilted his head so he could see Jean's face. And since she looked confused, he explained further. "Like a condom?"
"Oh," Jean sighed as she caught onto what he was implying. "You're worried I might get pregnant?" Daryl flicked his blue eyes up at her again. Then he shrugged and nodded his head. "I know a few places you can stick it where there's no danger of that," she teased. Daryl snorted, his body shaking with silent laughter. And Jean was glad she'd succeeded in lightening the mood a little.
"I'm bein' serious," Daryl scolded once he got control over his laughter. His hand was traveling up over the curve of her waist. And when he cupped her breast under her shirt she sighed, arching into his calloused palm. Instead of applying more pressure, he lowered his hand, clearly intent on finishing their conversation before anything else happened.
"After I had Lily I got an IUD put in. My doctor switched it out for a new one about a year before the outbreak," Jean explained. Daryl glanced up at her again. And it was obvious from the look on his face that he had absolutely no idea what the hell she was talking about. "An IUD is a little plastic thing they put way up inside you that keeps you from getting pregnant. It's supposed to be way more effective than pills or condoms or whatever," Jean said. "So there's nothing to worry about."
"I wasn't really worried," Daryl said. "I just wanted ta make sure nothin' happened that ya didn't want ta happen." Jean held him closer, pressing soft kisses into his hair. She could tell Daryl had never been in a serious relationship before. Because this was a conversation that would normally have happened a long time ago. Like before they slept together. Or at the latest, after they slept together the first time. But Jean still appreciated Daryl's concern for her. And with the strange nature of their relationship, all their milestones seemed to happen out of order anyway. So maybe this was the perfect time to have this conversation.
"What about all the things that I do want to happen?," Jean teased, sliding her body and pulling on his so she could wrap her legs around him. Daryl nuzzled his face into her breasts, nipping and sucking at them through the thin material of her shirt. When he lifted his head and looked at her, this time his eyes were dark with desire.
"What kinda things ya got in mind?"
