I've been really trying to write shorter chapters, but somehow they keep turning into these big long rambling things! Thank you to anyone who has the patience and concentration to read through them :)

Chapter 21 - Stop talkin'

Sunday morning found Tahlia waking slowly, refreshed and relaxed after a long deep sleep that she had sorely needed. Stretching her arms above her head, a small smile played on her face as she thought back to the previous night. The party had been fun, but the best part of her night by far had been the end: the beanbag; Daryl; and then after, back here at the apartment.

Because Merle had to be up early for work, the plan had always been that he'd drop Andrea and Tahlia home, except Andrea had been all drunk so he'd had to haul her up to her room and God knows what they were getting up to in there because he didn't emerge for a while and there were some strange noises emanating from within.

So, while Daryl was waiting for his brother, Tahlia had insisted on sitting up with him instead of going to bed and she'd made them some tea which made Daryl laugh ("You and your damn cups of tea, grandma."), and they'd squashed up on the sofa together and shared a set of headphones while taking turns to choose songs from Tahlia's iPod and mocking the other person's choices until Merle came out, took one look at them together and rolled his eyes then stomped to the door with a, "Let's go, Darlina." And Daryl had thrown back the rest of his tea and smiled at Tahlia and squeezed her thigh before getting up to follow, and Tahlia had grinned and watched him go, then went to bed and slept like a baby.

And now her smile widened as she checked her phone for the time - just going 9am - and saw a message from Daryl waiting for her.

Feelin ok this morn?

Short and to-the-point as had always been his way, but still, as hearing from him had always done, made her disproportionately happy. Sending a quick response, she then rolled out of bed to shower and dress and read her book on the sofa.

After a couple of hours, Tahlia heard the first signs of Andrea waking – specifically, the sound of her pained groans.

"Tahly! Tahly, you there?" she wailed pitifully. "Help me, I'm dying!"

Laughing, Tahlia wandered into Andrea's curtain-darkened room, and flopped down onto the bed next to her.

"Morning, sugar! How're we feeling?"

"You're not even hungover?" complained Andrea, weakly pushing at Tahlia's shoulder. "I hate you. I hate myself. I mixed way too much last night. Ugh, I think I need a bucket."

"Really? Want me to go grab something for you?"

"No," huffed Andrea. "Not really. I just want sympathy. And bacon."

"In which order?"

"Bacon first."

"Hmm, how about an Alka-Seltzer and a piece of toast?"

"And the sympathy?"

"This is it!" insisted Tahlia drawing her brows in her best attempt at a commiserative expression. "Look at my face. Do I not look sympathetic to your pain?"

"You look annoyingly fresh and un-hungover!" muttered Andrea crossly. "And for that, I will also require a power smoothie from South End café and a foot rub."

"I can offer you apple juice from the fridge and a kiss on the forehead."

Andrea chuckled. "Done."

With some coaxing from Tahlia, Andrea dragged herself out of bed and they whiled away the rest of the morning – Andrea mostly in front of the tv and Tahlia pottering around doing chores, while having a good old gossip about the scandals of the previous night (which Tahlia was quietly pleased she and Daryl didn't get a mention in).

Later, Tahlia managed to convince a reluctant Andrea to accompany her to the grocery store and while Andrea was draped over the back of the trolley grumbling at Tahlia for taking so damned long to read the ingredients on a box of crackers, Merle called and told Andrea he'd just finished work and was planning on cooking up a venison roast for an early dinner and they should come over.

Arriving at the Dixon residence late afternoon, they found Merle busy in the kitchen.

"Something smells good!" complimented Tahlia as she rolled up her sleeves to give him a hand.

"Cookin' the meat low and slow." he told her as he greeted Andrea with a dirty kiss. "Chop that onion for me, wouldya, Tahls?"

"Sure thing." said Tahlia struggling to clear a space on the bench. "Did a storm just tear through here, or something?"

"He always cooks like a hurricane." supplied Andrea with a roll of her eyes as she perched lazily on a stool at the counter. "It sucks being on clean-up after him."

"Can't make an omelet without breakin' some eggs!" declared Merle as he threw another pan on top of the mountain in the sink.

"Looks like you smashed all the eggs then chased every single chicken around the kitchen before slaughtering them too." remarked Andrea drily as she pulled the bowl of potatoes towards her to start peeling.

Merle hooted at that. "Lucky the cook don't gotta clean up, huh?"

"So," ventured Tahlia after she'd finished with the onion and started on the garlic. "Daryl around?"

Throwing her a disdainful look, Merle tsked. "And here I was, thinkin' you came 'round today just to see me."

"Oh, I did." shot back Tahlia with an overtly innocent batt of her lashes. "It's not me that wants to know. I'm asking for Andie."

Andrea dropped her head back in a loud peal of laughter while Merle let out a fierce growl and whipped Tahlia with the dish towel, making her squeal.

"She knows better than to mess 'bout with my brother." replied Merle then gave Tahlia a pointed look before adding, "And so should you."

"Merle." warned Andrea immediately, and he threw his hands in the air.

"Just sayin'! I'm just sayin'." he declared defensively. "Don't go thinkin' he's gonna change for ya. Lotta girls think that 'bout him, think they're gonna make him different, and ain't one of 'em been right so far."

Tahlia shook her head solemnly. "He doesn't need changing. Not one bit."

"Ah, shit." said Merle, throwing an arm around her and pressing a kiss to her temple. "And that's why I worry 'bout you the most."

"You're a goddamned mother hen, Merle Dixon." smiled Tahlia. "Who would've thought?"

That earned her another whip from the towel, then Merle shrugged. "What can I say? Care 'bout my brood."

And at the heart of it, this big, brash, rough-as-shit redneck really did, and for that alone, Tahlia would love him endlessly.

"Brought you some books." she told him, changing the subject.

"Oh yeah? Hope they're better than the last lot."

"Merle!" cut in Andrea quickly, because she knew better than most that once these two started on their book-debates, it'd be near impossible to get a word in. "Get me a beer, please."

"Thought you were hungover?"

"Hair of the dog. And hair of me putting up with you two."

Grinning, Merle obliged, just as Tahlia propped her hands on her hips.

"And what was wrong with the last lot?!" she demanded, waving away Merle's offer of a beer. "A Clockwork Orange is a cult classic!"

"Yeah, for all them fuckin' assholes who reckon they're culty. Fuckin' overrated. And what 'bout that stupid long one?"

"I just know you don't mean Shantaram. That was amazing! It was a totally immersive slice of life in India."

"Waste of my time." maintained Merle airily. "Didn't mind the one with the herbal medicine, though."

"Herbal…? Oh my God, you liked Clan of the Cave Bear?!"

"Least that one had some useful shit in it."

"Wait until you get to the next books. More herbal medicine. And a lotta sex."

"Oh yeah?" smirked Merle. "I'm all 'bout healing."

"And what kind of healing might that be?" teased Tahlia as Merle waggled his brows, then she pushed a bowl of freshly chopped green vegetables towards him. "What's next?"

"Mm, think we're done for now." Then he jerked his thumb in the direction of the hallway. "He's down at the shed out back. Workin' on his bike."

"Who?" asked Tahlia with feigned innocence.

With a withering look, Merle nudged his head towards the corridor. "Fuck outta here."

Ambling through the house and out the back door, Tahlia scuffed her way across the dusty yard to the shed down the back of the property where Daryl's motorbike was parked on the concrete just outside, and he was crouched next to it.

"Afternoon, Dixon."

Turning to look over his shoulder, he appraised her for a moment, squinting in the late afternoon sun. "Heya, Silver. Lookin' a little more awake today."

She laughed. "Sleep made me all kinds of brand new. How are you?"

"M'alright. Had some time to service this today. Change the spark plugs, all that." He stood up and ran a hand through his hair. "Hear 'bout what happened after we left last night?"

"No?"

"Justin got all pissy with some guy he reckoned disrespected Frankie. Smacked him 'round and smashed him through that glass table in the hall."

Tahlia's mouth dropped open. "Oh no! Was everyone ok?"

Daryl bit his lip to contain his smile. Her first thought was always the wellbeing of others. His had been the same as Merle's – that it sounded like the fucker deserved it. "Yeah. Mostly wounded pride today, I think."

"Damn. I feel sorry for Sherry's little sister and her friends. Frankie bribed them to do clean-up duty."

"Sure woulda had their work cut out for them." agreed Daryl, kneeling back down next to his bike.

With a contemplative hum, Tahlia wandered to the border of the path and pulled out a couple of weeds.

"Did you get in touch with your mystery girl today?" she asked casually.

Huffing out a quiet laugh, Daryl kept his eyes on the bike.

"Checked in with her, yeah."

"And?"

"And what?"

"What did she say? What did you say? Did you make a plan to see her?"

Sitting back on his heels, Daryl gave Tahlia a mysterious look. "That's between me and her."

"Are you serious? What a hold-out." Tahlia propped her hands on her hips. "You know that you're supposed to tell me everything, right?"

"That right?" he smirked.

"Yes! I'm your confidante." replied Tahlia, with an airy flick of her hair.

Daryl snorted. "You're just nosy."

Then he turned his attention back to the bike, and Tahlia got a little lost watching him – the crease of concentration across his brow, the familiar ease with which his hands moved around the engine.

After a few long moments, she bit her lip. "Da-ryl…?"

"Mm-hmm?"

"If… if you do start seeing someone, will you still hang out with me?"

The note of raw vulnerability in her tone made Daryl look up, and he raised his brows.

"Tahly, are you gettin' all insecure 'bout a girlfriend I ain't even got?"

She pressed her lips together and ducked her head bashfully. "Um… I guess it kinda sounds that way, yeah."

Standing up, he wiped his hands on his pants and shook his head. "Got nothin' to worry 'bout. Always gonna have time for you." He gunned the engine and revved it a few times, listening carefully before nodding, pleased, and killed it again. "Anyway, you got a date of your own to be thinkin' 'bout this week."

"I do?" replied Tahlia in surprise.

"Don't ya? The guy Michonne's settin' you up with?"

"Oh, yeah, that's right." She wondered how that had slipped her mind. "Friday."

He nodded. "Friday. Guess that means I'd better take you for a ride today."

"Really?" she lit up. "Now?"

"Yeah." he confirmed with a roguish half-smile. "Wear my helmet. I'll go get Merle's."

Soon he was flying along the backroads with Tahlia pressed up against him and not another soul in sight, and he had a wild urge to just keep going, to steal her away and ride until they reached the coast, find a little hideaway somewhere and leave everything else behind.

But instead he settled for an hour of asphalt blurring under his wheels and the clutch of her arms around his waist and actually, that was enough for now.

Dinner was about ready by the time they arrived back and Daryl headed for a quick shower despite Merle bitching at him to hurry the fuck up, but once they were all around the table Merle was relaxed and not at all abrasive, the conversation was easy and benign, and the meal was delicious.

Clean-up didn't take too long because Andrea had taken care of most of it while the food was cooking, and Merle soon settled into the armchair.

"Movie then bed?" he asked Andrea, turning on the tv. "You're stayin' tonight, right?"

"Yeah." she replied, dropping into his lap and snuggling in. "But you have to take me to work in the morning."

"Ok, I'm gonna go." announced Tahlia, heading for her handbag. "Thanks for a beautiful dinner, Merle."

"What? Just 'bout to put a movie on! Sit your ass down."

Andrea nodded her agreement. "Stay for a while, Tahly. You're just going to go home and end up watching a movie there by yourself anyway."

Then any hope that Tahlia had of sticking to her guns and leaving disappeared with Daryl's subtle nudge of his head to the space next to him on the sofa.

"Mm, ok. I'll stay for the movie." conceded Tahlia as she took a seat next to him and shook open a folded blanket from the end of the sofa. "Want some of my blankie?"

"Gonna lay it over your knees, old lady?" smirked Daryl.

"Suit yourself." she replied, then laughed as he reached for one end and tugged it over his lap.

"Oh, this movie." remarked Andrea, mid-yawn. "With the guy."

"Michael Myers." supplied Merle. "One of the Halloween movies. Dunno which one."

Daryl glanced at his brother. "Not this. Change it."

"Naw." grunted Merle, eyes on the screen.

"Put somethin' else on."

"Naw. Feel like watchin' this."

"Merle! Tahly don't like horror movies."

At that, Merle swiveled a look Tahlia's way. "For real? I know you got some sick books on your shelf, what's the difference 'tween readin' and watchin' it?"

Tahlia shrugged. "I don't know. The images just kind of stay in my head and then I end up freaking myself out. Dumb, I know."

Waving a hand at her, Merle made a dismissive noise. "This shit ain't even scary, anyways. Just some masked-up asshole killin' people. You ain't gonna get freaked out."

"Oh, great. A movie about a murderer." muttered Tahlia drily. "Just my cup of tea."

Daryl chuckled at that, then nudged her. "Don't watch this if you don't wanna."

She smiled. "I'm sure it'll be fine."

But soon Tahlia had the blanket tucked up to her chin, her body rod-tense and her eyes saucer-wide.

"Oh my God." she whispered, her voice taut with fear. "Don't do it. Don't… why would she go in there?! Clearly he's in there! Why-?" With a loud gasp, she elbowed Daryl. "See?! She's an idiot! She should never have-"

"Hush, woman!" Daryl reached over and pulled the blanket right up over Tahlia's head, then caught her in a headlock and held her under one arm. "You gonna keep up this damn hysterical runnin' commentary through the whole movie?"

From under the fabric Tahlia giggled. "Sorry! I'm sorry! It just helps to talk it through!"

"Well, it ain't helpin' me." stated Daryl, trying to sound gruff but having a tough time containing his smile.

He loosened his hold on Tahlia and she sat upright, pushing the blanket from her face and running a hand through her hair before shuffling right into Daryl and settling herself comfortably against his chest.

"Can I have that arm back?"

"Only if you don't talk no more." countered Daryl, angling himself into her and wrapping his arm across her chest.

From the armchair, Merle was staring at them reproachfully. "You two have a real hard fuckin' time keepin' your hands off one another, doncha?"

Daryl frowned, his cheeks burning self-consciously, and he tried to drop his arm from Tahlia but she was clutching it with both hands and held it firmly in place.

"Oh sure," she retorted loftily, sending a pointed look Merle's way. "All very well for you to say sitting over there in your smug relationship. Single people need cuddles too, you know. We might be alone, but we're not dead inside."

Chortling loudly, Merle shook his head but focused back on the movie and let them be.

Then on the screen, Michael Myers stepped out from behind a wall, and Tahlia jumped sharply.

"Fuckin' hell." grumbled Daryl. "Nearly headbutted me." But he pulled her closer and slipped his other arm around her too, just because.

Merle had checked out of the movie well before it ended and was much more interested in Andrea's neck, undeterred by the fact that she kept shoving him away, her eyes glued to the screen.

"Movie's over!" announced Merle as soon as the credits began to roll. "Bed. Now."

Andrea tsked. "God, Merle. You're the only person who would get turned on during a horror movie." Then she giggled as he stood up, lifting her in his arms as he did so, and started down the hall.

"Bye, Tahly!" called Andrea just before she disappeared from view. "I'll see you at home tomorrow night!"

"Bye!" laughed Tahlia as she and Daryl disentangled themselves, then she slapped her hands on her thighs. "Ok, that's my cue to leave."

Daryl raised his brows doubtfully. "Sure you're ok to go anywhere?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"You're jumpy as hell."

"I'm totally fine."

Watching as Tahlia fetched her jacket from the back of one of the dining chairs, Daryl picked up a cushion and frisbeed it past her and it hit the wall with a thud.

"Jesus!" exclaimed Tahlia, nearly jumping out of her skin, then with a hand pressed to her chest, she shot Daryl an accusatory look. "What was that for?!"

"Put your shit down and get your ass back over here."

"Why?"

"You ain't goin' nowhere."

"I have to go home. I have that trial starting in the morning."

"Exactly." nodded Daryl. "If you go home on your own, you ain't gonna get no sleep coz you'll be shittin' your pants at every noise, then you'll be all out of it for the trial. Just stay here, then go early in the mornin'."

Staring at him for a moment while she contemplated his suggestion, Daryl beckoned to her again.

"C'mon." he said softly. "There's some chick movies on that shelf. Put one of them on, might settle your nerves. And anyways, best we watch somethin' else for a while," He jerked a thumb towards the hall. "Don't wanna be down that end of the house 'til them two are done with whatever freaky shit they get up to."

"Ok. Maybe just another movie." said Tahlia, laying her jacket down and wandering over to the DVD shelf. "Then I'll go. Whoa, you really have a lot of chick flicks! Huh. Never had you Dixons pegged as romcom kind of guys."

"Ain't ours. Some ex of Merle's left 'em all here."

"Mm-hmm. And you two have never watched a single one? Sure, sure, bet you've never had a Tom Hanks marathon on a rainy Sunday cuddled up with your popcorn and hot chocolate."

"Ain't never done that!" fibbed Daryl, biting the inside of his cheek to keep his smile at bay because that description was dangerously close to accurate. "We just keep 'em there for big babies like you who get scared of the dark."

Tahlia spun around, brandishing a case. "Lucky for me, then. I think Love, Actually will help me sleep."

Daryl groaned and she grinned.

"Well, it is nearly Christmas, you know. Going to have to watch this at least five times over the next month, so better we start now."

They kept a respectable amount of distance between them during this movie, and Daryl made sure to keep up a decent run of disparaging comments, lest Tahlia get the idea that he actually liked this kind of trash.

"Oh! This bit gets me every time!" declared Tahlia emotionally when everyone was hugging in the airport at the end of the movie.

"You're ridiculous." said Daryl as he switched it off, although secretly it gave him a few warm and fuzzies too. "Alright, it's late and you gotta be up early. You can have my room."

"No," protested Tahlia as Daryl pulled her to her feet. "I'm fine now, honestly. I'll go."

"Don't gotta pretend to be brave 'round me, y'know." he told her as he led her down the hall. "Already know you're a massive wuss, and I don't mind." He tugged her into his room. "You sleep in here."

"I don't want to –"

"Tahly. You gave me your room for a week. Least I can do is give you mine for a night. Sofa's fine for me."

Daryl didn't own enough stuff for his room to ever be messy, but he quickly gathered up the few items of clothing on the floor and threw them in the hamper, then straightened the bedding, grateful that he had put fresh sheets on his bed during the week.

"Here." Digging through a drawer, he tossed a shirt at her - the one he'd lent her that night forever ago up at the Blue Lake (that he hadn't worn since she'd returned it to him because he didn't want it to stop smelling like her). "I know you like sleepin' in this." he said drily, and she grinned.

"My shirt!"

"What else do ya need? Might be a spare toothbrush in the bathroom cabinet."

"I have one in my handbag. I think I'm good."

While Tahlia got ready for bed, Daryl checked the doors and turned off a few lights, then moved to the kitchen to put away the last of the dishes that had been drying in the rack.

"Thanks for this." came Tahlia's soft voice and Daryl turned to see her at the corner of the counter, a smile lighting her eyes, his shirt skimming the tops of her bare thighs, and fuck, sometimes she just made his chest ache so bad.

"No problem." he replied, quickly turning away again.

"Need a hand with anything?"

"Naw. Go to bed. Night." Allowing himself one last glance over his shoulder as she bade him goodnight was both a treat and a punishment, and when he heard the click of his bedroom door closing, he puffed out a long, afflicted sigh.

Daryl hadn't been lying there on the sofa in the dark for very long, but he already knew that the jumble in his mind was going to make sleep very unlikely. Hands behind his head, he was staring up at the ceiling when his skin began to prickle, and he sat bolt upright.

She was standing there in the entrance to the hall, arms folded, shoulder against the wall.

"What?" he said sharply, the sight of her putting him on the defensive, as if his thoughts were swirling in the air above his head and she could see every one.

Shrugging, she simply said, "There's a noise outside."

"Probably just a racoon."

"It's making it hard for me to get to sleep."

"What," frowned Daryl. "You want me to go ask him to keep it down?"

Laughing softly, Tahlia lifted a hand and ran her fingers slowly through her hair, the action making the shirt ride up dangerously high on her thighs. "I was actually hoping you might help a girl out and come sleep in this bed with me, hold my hand or something?"

Daryl fixed her with a wary look over the top of the sofa. "Naw."

"It would really help me to sleep. I promise I won't try anything untoward." she said solemnly, although even in the dark, Daryl could see the playful sparkle in her eyes.

Despite his misgivings, Daryl found himself standing up. "Ain't holdin' your hand."

Tahlia broke into a huge grin, and he rolled his eyes as he turned her around and ushered her back down the hall into his room.

The pale glow of moonlight stretched through the gap in the thin curtains, and Daryl quietly closed the door behind them and pointed to the far side of the bed nearest the wall.

"You sleep there."

"Ok. Is this your side?"

"Don't got no side. But I'ma sleep closest to the door so when the murderer comes in, he's gotta go through me first."

"When?!" Tahlia hissed as she whirled around to face him.

"Yep." nodded Daryl gravely. "You know that there's hundreds runnin' 'round just outside waitin' 'til you fall asleep so they can get ya, right?"

"Shut up." giggled Tahlia, then looked over her shoulder. "Wait, what if they come in through the window instead?"

Daryl shrugged. "Then they'll get to you first and I'll be able to make a run for it coz I'm near the door."

With a gasp, Tahlia swatted his chest, and he chuckled lowly.

"Get into bed, woman."

He shoved her backwards onto the bed and immediately regretted it because she fell onto her back and the hem of the shirt flicked up to her waist and for a taut, quivering moment she was lying there on her elbows, gazing up at him all luminous and expectant, her bottom lip between her teeth, tiny lace panties on display, and there was only a thread of self-control stopping him from throwing himself straight down onto her and ripping that fucking shirt open from neck to hip and goddamn… he averted his eyes and pressed the back of his hand to his mouth in an effort to stop that train of thought before it ran right off the tracks.

By the time he looked back at her she had shuffled up the bed and was settled under the blanket on her side, gazing curiously up at him.

With a sigh of resignation in expectation of the torturous, sleepless night that lay ahead, Daryl climbed in beside her, careful to stay as close as possible to the edge of the bed as he lay on his back with his arms crossed over his stomach.

The tension rolling off him was palpable, and Tahlia slowly reached out and flicked his shoulder, raising her eyebrows in amusement when he flinched.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothin'."

"You're all weird and uncomfortable. Here," She worked a pillow under the blanket between their bodies. "Pillow wall. Better?"

"Naw. That ain't… it's just… nothin'."

"Daryl, come on."

Blowing out a slow breath, he then turned his head to look at her, his voice low and unsteady. "Just… ain't never had a girl in my bed like this before."

"Like…?" asked Tahlia, her forehead creasing in confusion, then, "Oh!" as she realized that he meant platonically, and let out a tinkling laugh. "Well, we could just quickly have sex if that'd make this less weird for you."

"Jesus, Tahly!" Daryl exclaimed, sounding winded as he raked his hands down his face. That was the last fucking suggestion he needed right now.

"I'm joking!" she giggled, "I'm joking!"

"I know!"

"God, you look so horrified - I'm almost offended!" remarked Tahlia, her tone wobbling with amusement at his discomfort as she tried to keep a straight face. "Am I that repulsive? Lay it on me. I think I can take it."

"Shut up." growled Daryl, his eyes squeezed shut.

"So, if we were the last two people on earth and the continuation of our species depended on us having -"

"Shut up!"

Stifling a giggle, Tahlia resumed the ribbing. "For the sake of the entire human race, do you think you'd be able to bring yourself to –"

In a sudden movement, Daryl grabbed the pillow between them and tossed it onto the floor, then rolled half onto her, clamping a hand firmly down over her mouth.

"Shut up. Stop. Just stop talkin'!" He could feel her shaking with laughter below him, her eyes dancing with mirth only inches from his own.

"Quit bein' a jackass!" he rebuked her sternly. "You know you're fuckin' beautiful and don't I goddamn know it too, but that ain't the point right now."

She stilled at that, sobered, and he dropped his hand and shifted off her, shuffling back to lie facing her, one arm tucked under his head.

She mirrored his position, his seriousness, wondering how one gruff admission from him could so easily take her breath away.

"Alright," she whispered somberly, "Then what is?"

"It's just that…" He swallowed hard and gave a little shake of his head. "It's just… I don't fuckin' recognize myself around you, Silver."

"Oh." she breathed, her eyes wide and glinting like stars. "Oh. But… do you like the person you see?"

And whether she meant for it to be or not, that question was so loaded, so deep that Daryl couldn't even begin to wade through it, so instead he huffed out a pained breath, and rolled onto his back.

"Go to sleep. You got a big day tomorrow."

"Ok." she agreed softly. She wasn't sure what was going on in his head, what was tormenting him, but whatever it was, it was clear he wouldn't be unpacking anymore of it right now, and she needed to leave him be. "Goodnight."

Turning away from him, she nestled her hands by her chin and let her eyes flutter closed, keeping them shut even when the mattress bounced a little as Daryl shifted positions. They did snap open, however, when she felt Daryl's fingers alight on her shoulder, trailing slow warmth all the way along her arm until his hand found hers, enclosing it gently.

"Rea-lly?" she said through a smile as he thumbed slow circles over her wrist. "Thought you said you weren't gonna -"

"Hush." The low rumble of his voice so close to her now as he moved his body in behind hers. Then his mouth directly against her shoulder as he murmured, "Go the fuck to sleep."

Grey fingers of morning light unfurled through the gap in the curtains, and Tahlia drifted slowly, serenely out of her dream into consciousness, blinking her eyes open and taking a moment to register that she was in Daryl's room, Daryl's bed, and that the solid warmth holding her firm was Daryl himself.

They'd hardly moved away from one another all night, and even now as she lay on her back, he was on his side, half angled across her, his breath warm and slow against her neck, his arm slung around her waist, his thigh hooked over hers, and – her belly flipped heavily - his hot, hard length pressed against her hip. With a stuttered breath, she felt herself dampening in immediate response and she clenched her thighs together, which only served to intensify the low throb in her core and send delicious sensations fluttering right through her. The slight movement elicited a low moan from the still-sleeping Daryl, and reflexively, he pushed himself against her, his hand sliding slowly down towards her ass, and then suddenly he woke, his body tensing immediately as he sucked in a sharp breath and quickly shifted away.

"Sorry." he muttered, squinting sheepishly at her. "Mornin'."

And whether that was a perfunctory greeting or an elaboration of the apology, Tahlia wasn't sure, but it didn't really matter, so she just smiled.

"Morning." Rolling onto her side, she gazed at him for a moment. "Thanks for letting me stay. I don't think I would've slept that well on my own."

He gave a slow nod of agreement, his brow furrowing because he'd never been able to get much sleep while sharing a bed before, never enjoyed it, but maybe he should have expected that it would be different with her because everything fucking was.

"You gotta get up now?"

"Yeah." she sighed. "Although I don't want to. I feel like I could just stay here all day."

His lip quirked and his eyes darkened devilishly. "I'll call in sick."

And that exchange felt a lot less like their usual banter and a lot more like flirtation, but Tahlia knew that it was probably only in her head because she was still kind of turned on, and the progress she'd made in boxing up those types of thoughts about Daryl was about to blow up in her face if she lay in this bed with him any longer, so she laughed and sat up, pushing herself brightly to stand.

"Unfortunately, duty calls, so I'd better move my ass."

Tucking one arm behind his head, Daryl's eyes tracked her as she moved around the bed and collected up her clothes.

"You want me to make you breakfast?"

Tahlia broke into a big grin and nodded encouragingly at him. "That's it! That's all you have to do! Next time you wake up with someone, just ask that, and you've taken the first step. Proud of you, Dixon."

And a frown shadowed his face as he watched her head out to the bathroom, because it was all very well to give him that goddamned advice, but after this morning, she'd kind of ruined him for wanting to wake up with anyone else again.

It turned out that she didn't actually want him to make her breakfast, not even coffee, and ten short minutes later he was watching her get into her car, the heavy chill of the overcast morning hanging in the air and the feel of her lips still hot against his cheek and the scent of her all over him.

Just as he shut the door, Merle came ambling down the hall, scratching his chest and yawning widely, then stopped in his tracks as he saw the car pulling out of their drive.

"That Tahly just leavin?" he asked in surprise, and Daryl folded his arms and turned slowly to face his brother, sticking his chin staunchly in the air, ready to weather whatever Merle was about to rain down.

"She stay the night? Where'd she sleep?"

Daryl just glared.

First looking at the couch, then over his shoulder in the direction of Daryl's bedroom, Merle finally turned back to Daryl with raised brows. "Or, more to the point, where'd you sleep?"

"Sounds like you already fuckin' know." snapped Daryl, not in the mood for Merle's shit this morning. "And before you fuckin' ask, coz you seem to be so goddamned invested in what goes on with me and her, no, we didn't fuck. Didn't do nothin' 'sides sleep. I fuckin' told you she don't like horror movies but you convinced her to watch it anyways."

Merle scrunched up his face as he tried to make sense of what he was hearing. "You had her stay over; sleep in your bed with ya, coz she gets scared?"

"Ain't like I was gonna send her home to her empty apartment so she could be alone and awake all night! She's got a trial startin' today." Daryl added that last point like it would lend some weight to his reasoning.

"So, what," asked Merle, unable to manage a derisive tone on account of his incredulity, "You just cuddle all night or somethin'?"

Daryl flushed right to the tips of his ears. "None of your goddamned business." he snarled and stormed off to his room.

Staring after him, eyes fixed on the empty space long after his brother had disappeared, Merle found himself speechless for perhaps the first time in his life.

Sure, Daryl had always been the kinder, more thoughtful Dixon, and sure, Daryl and Tahlia had become close, but Merle had never known him to show this level of pansy-assed softness over anyone before, didn't think he had it in him.

Cunt-struck, Merle would've said, except Daryl wasn't getting any from Tahlia, and what's more, had obviously heeded Merle's caution and wasn't even trying to. Which threw a whole different light on the situation.

Now, Merle didn't like to be wrong, and liked to admit it even less, but it seemed like maybe he'd been off with his warning to Daryl. Seemed like whatever Daryl had going on for Tahlia was different; seemed like it might well be the real thing.

And there was one thing that was glaringly clear to Merle now: his baby brother who had never even come close to having it before, sure had it real goddamned bad for Tahlia.