So we pick up right where we left off after the last chapter...

Chapter 23 – Festive spirit

As the lights of Tahlia's car shrank to tiny twinkles in the night, Daryl belatedly realized what it must look like - him leaving with Nat, arm around her, ushering her into his truck; realized what Tahlia must have assumed, and he immediately clapped a hand over his eyes, swearing under his breath.

He'd forgotten to tell her a crucial piece of information about how he knew Nat.

He'd been about to tell her, right after they'd met inside, but then Andrea had appeared all, who was that? and Daryl had decided that it might be best if he kept the fact that that was Natasha Mason quiet for the time being.

He and Merle had first met Nat years ago at the Speedway, and Merle had assumed Nat was short for Natalie, and she'd said, no, Natasha, and Merle had said, fuckin' weird, how come you ain't shortened it to Tash? and she'd said, that's rich, getting grilled over my name by a guy called Merle. Then one thing led to another, and she and Merle had ended up fucking in a toilet stall, after which, Merle had said, Natasha's too pretty a name to be shortenin' it anyways. And after that, they'd dated for five years, which had been Merle's longest and most serious (and most intense and volatile) relationship, and never once had he called her Nat, she was always Natasha to him (or, most often, affectionately 'Mase', because he'd declared right at the start, Mason-Dixon? Baby, we're meant to be. Written right there in the history books).

Knowing how jealous Andrea could get over Merle's exes, Daryl figured that in Merle's absence, he'd end up being the one to deal with the fallout if she realized Nat was Merle's Natasha and he couldn't be bothered with that - had enough on his mind with Tahlia – so, for all of their sakes, he'd kept that to himself with the intention of telling Tahlia at a later point when Andrea was out of earshot. But then the Tahlia and Alden stuff had shoved it right out of his head, and it was only now in the emptiness of the chilly midnight air that he realized the ride home that he was about to give Nat (because her friends were still drinking and she had work in the morning and it was an honest-to-God ride home for an old friend and nothing more) had probably looked like a whole lot more to Tahlia.

He wanted to call Tahlia right then and tell her it wasn't what it looked like, not at all, but considering that she had spent the last half of the night wrapped up in someone else, he doubted that she'd even given it a second thought, and figured he'd just set things straight the next time he spoke to her.

Only, the next time he spoke to her, she was with Alden.

It was a few days later and he'd been sitting on the porch having his last cigarette of the evening as dreary dusky drizzle curtained around him and he'd called her.

Felt warm as soon as he'd heard her voice.

They'd talked for a couple of minutes, and then in the background he'd heard, "You like mushrooms, right?" And there was no doubt as to whom that voice belonged to. So Daryl went silent and for a moment so did Tahlia, then she quickly said, "He came over to cook me dinner. I had a real long day in court and he thought that maybe… anyway, it's… it's just dinner." And Daryl had cleared his throat and said, "Yeah, yeah, I get it. That's real nice of him." And they'd talked a little more, but Daryl had felt weird knowing that Alden was right there in her apartment, in her personal space; knowing that when he hung up, Alden would be right there waiting for her, and it seemed like it would be better to rip this Band-Aid off rather than prolong the discomfort, so he'd soon said his goodbyes and let her go.

More days passed and they talked again, but she didn't mention Alden or Nat or anyone else, so neither did he. Guessed that those were topics probably best saved for face-to-face rather than over the impersonal distance of a phone call.

It was a busy time of year, though, so finding the time to physically catch up was near impossible.

Tahlia was still in trial every day which meant that she worked more hours than usual on either side of it just to slog through her workload, and with Christmas around the corner, Daryl had been inundated with vehicles to fix and service at the garage, like 'by Christmas' was some kind of arbitrary deadline that everyone wanted him to meet, as if life wouldn't continue on as normal right after. Didn't help that he'd had to spend an entire weekend manning a stand at the annual classic car trade show. And it really didn't help when after that, all scratchy from long hours and no downtime and not seeing Tahlia, he'd made some comment to Andrea, who'd hardly been away from their house, that she should start paying rent (which he hadn't really meant because she more than paid her way with contributions to their bills and grocery shopping), and she'd replied that she was giving Tahlia and Alden some space to get to know one another, and Daryl didn't know if she meant in the carnal sense or not, but that's exactly what he imagined and that just made everything seem darker.

So, Saturday morning, a whole two weeks after the night at The Underground - the last time he'd seen Tahlia in person - Daryl decided to go hunting.

At 8:30am, it was later than he'd normally set out, but he'd slept in on account of too many beers at Fox's last night (and that was on account of Tahlia being glaringly absent because she'd opted to go see a movie with Alden). Tossing his crossbow onto the bed of his truck, he'd just climbed in behind the wheel when his phone rang. With a grunt of annoyance, he dug around in his back pocket to try and silence the grating noise. He hadn't meant to bring the fucking thing with him at all because he preferred not to be contactable when he was out trying to clear his head (and there was usually no service where he went, anyway), but he'd obviously pocketed it absentmindedly. Been using the damn thing a hell of a lot more since he'd met Tahlia.

Finally locating it, he glanced at the screen and raised his brows.

Silver

Of course, most of his phone calls were either from her or work, but given she'd been with Alden last night, he really hadn't expected to hear from her today. Figured they'd still be together 'getting to know one other' and that was the bulk of the reason he was heading into the woods. But she was his drug and he'd take what he could get, so he answered the call.

"Dixon!" she greeted him, her smile bright and sunny down the line. "How the hell are you, stranger?"

"Fine. You?"

She chuckled at his gruff response. "Also fine. Thanks for asking. What are you up to? Are you busy today?"

Pausing, Daryl glanced over his shoulder to his gear laying on the truck bed, then bit his lip. "Not really. Why?"

Her smile sounded even wider. "Well, I'm thinking of going Christmas shopping this morning, and I'm also thinking that you should come with me."

Daryl gave a disparaging snort. "No fuckin' way."

"Please?"

"Naw."

"Daryl! Come on! There'll be tinsel and carols and festive spirt everywhere!"

"Exactly." he replied flatly.

"Aw," (he could practically hear her pouting) "But it's been so long that I can barely remember what you look like, and I miss you!"

And that's how Daryl's hunting gear ended up back in the shed and his hunting clothes ended up back in his closet and half an hour later he ended up outside Tahlia's apartment.

"I'm glad you brought the truck." said Tahlia cheerily as she climbed into the passenger side, beckoning for him to lean closer to her so she could kiss his cheek – he rolled his eyes, but happily obliged, feeling himself relaxing already - "More room for all the presents I'm going to buy."

"Just so we're clear," stated Daryl as he pulled out onto the road, "I ain't trailin' 'round shops with ya all day. You get one hour."

"One?!" echoed Tahlia indignantly. "That's not enough time for anything! I want three."

"Two." Daryl countered. "And if you go one minute over, I'm gettin' in my truck and leavin' you and all your damn presents in town."

Tahlia laughed because the mental image of Daryl dumping a handful of bags at her feet and stalking out of a shop and away from her was absolutely conceivable. "Ok, fine. Two for shopping. But…" she prodded him in the side and he reflexively slapped her hand away, "How long do I have you for?"

Daryl huffed out an irritable breath. This fucking girl. "I got shit to do this weekend, y'know."

"Course you do." she agreed solemnly. "So, how long?"

He threw an attempted frown her way then punched her in the thigh. "Long as ya want, you giant pain in the ass."

"Perfect." she grinned contentedly, catching hold of his hand and giving it a squeeze. "You're stuck with me for the whole day, then."

"Great." he retorted sarcastically, even though he meant it. "Guess I should be glad you made time to fit me in."

"What?!"

"Ain't seen ya this past couple weeks."

"I know." Tahlia rubbed a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry. Had a lot of work on."

"Uh-huh. It work takin' up your time, or your new boyfriend?"

Tahlia's mouth dropped open as she sent an insulted look his way.

"Work!" she insisted adamantly. "You know I've been in trial every day and I have to fit my other clients around that." Then she stuck her chin in the air. "And he's not my boyfriend."

Ignoring that last comment, Daryl hummed. "Everyone was askin' for ya at Fox's last night." Then snuck a glance at her out of the corner of his eye. "So, how was the movie?"

Tahlia looked at him warily. "It was good. It was one of the film festival ones so, you know… subtitles." She added that last part a little apologetically because she knew how he hated subtitled films. His dyslexia made them too exhausting to follow.

"You been seein' the boy a lot since you met him." stated Daryl, attempting to hold a level tone although the accusatory notes clanged through loudly.

"Not that much." replied Tahlia a little defensively, because she knew she had. She'd been really trying with Alden - trying to let something grow, take root; trying to encourage something to blossom despite the shade of Daryl that seemed to obscure everything else in her life right now. "A couple of dinners, a couple of walks, a couple of coffees, a movie."

Daryl frowned. That was more than he'd thought. He was tempted to push the matter. Grill her about how fast she was moving with Alden; find out exactly how long since she'd last seen him, since he'd last touched her (could she still feel the press of his lips on her body? Was she still wearing the scent of him on her skin?), but Daryl knew if he carried on in that vein it would only serve to drive a wedge into their friendship and make her feel like he wasn't in her corner; make her feel guilty; make her feel like she couldn't be open with him. He didn't want that. Not at all. He wanted to keep her close and be her person and the only way to do that was to play it cool and keep things light no matter how salty he was secretly feeling.

So he pulled a smile onto his face and gave her knee a playful squeeze.

"Just that, shit Silver, never woulda picked you as one of them girls who forgets all 'bout her friends soon as she gets a man on her arm. How far ahead I gotta schedule time in with you now?"

Grateful that his mood had lightened, Tahlia laughed and rolled her eyes and smacked his shoulder. "Oh yeah, I'm a total flake. Ditch you as soon as someone else looks my way. Because clearly I've spent these past couple of weeks all wrapped up in a love bubble instead of stuck in a stuffy courtroom, huh? Anyway," She arched a brow, "You're one to talk. Didn't see you at Fox's last Sunday."

That comment had Daryl snapping his head her way. "You ended up goin'?"

"I hadn't planned on it, but Merle said you and Dwight were gonna come down after your trade show drinks. Dwight came, but you didn't." she added unnecessarily, because Daryl obviously already knew that. "And he said that you were all tied up with a supermodel called Vanessa."

Daryl swallowed drily. "She weren't a supermodel."

"Looked like one though, right?" said Tahlia with a half-smile, trying to pretend it didn't sting (how long until it wouldn't?) "That's what Dwight said. Said she was set on you."

Daryl scowled. Fucking Dwight. Putting that shit in Tahlia's head.

Yeah, maybe Vanessa had covergirl looks but that shit was all subjective and Daryl didn't know how to tell the girl sitting next to him that Vanessa had nothing on her, no one did, and he was pretty fucking certain that no one ever would. And what's more, thanks to Vanessa, things had now slid alarmingly into focus.

At the trade show the previous weekend, the stand opposite Daryl's had been a Chattanooga-based car painting and airbrushing business manned by Vanessa, a blonde, beautiful, confident saleswoman with a 1000-watt smile and the flirtiest chat around. It had been obvious from the get-go that she had her eye on Daryl, and hadn't held back in letting him and everyone else know. At one point, Dwight had punched him in the arm and said, "You lucky bastard. What the fuck are you waiting for? Get in there. My God."

And she'd continued to flirt relentlessly with Daryl all weekend and he'd walked a neutral line, considering, and then at the vendor closing drinks on the Sunday night, they'd started circling closer to one another. There was no doubt as to where her intentions lay, and he knew that she fit the bill of just what he thought he needed – someone he had purely physical chemistry with, no connection to, and would never see again after a night together.

The perfect person to help him figure out his feelings for Tahlia.

And in hindsight, he supposed, she had helped him to do that. Just not in the way he'd expected.

He had ducked out for a cigarette and Vanessa had followed, taken it from his hand before he'd had a chance to spark his lighter, pressed herself up against him and whispered, "Save it for after." then gestured to the hotel across the street. Daryl's cock had twitched as a wave of desire washed over him, but there was something else overriding that, grounding him. And without even thinking about it, he'd said, "Sorry, but I ain't your guy." And she'd smirked in disbelief that he'd turned her down and said, "What, you someone else's guy?" Which made Daryl let out a little ironic laugh because she had no idea how complex that question was, and he'd replied, "Somethin' like that, I guess. Keep the cigarette. Have a good night."

And then he'd turned away without a second thought and felt kind of freed and went home to his bed that reminded him of Tahlia and, with startling clarity, realized that he had no interest in anything with anyone else, not now, not for the foreseeable future. No room for anyone else in his head, nor in his bed. All roads led back to Tahlia and unless it was with her, he was officially closed for business.

Thing was though, he didn't want Tahlia to know that. It was something he was still trying to get his head around and he didn't think he was ready for the questions it would raise. Especially not while she was seeing someone else. Thought actually, maybe it would be better to let her believe that he was operating the same as he always had, because then it would throw her and everyone else off the (surely glaringly obvious) fact that he was alight for her. Give himself a little more time to figure out what the fuck he was going to do about it.

He wouldn't lie to her, though. Not outright. But he could play carefully around her questions, stay within the realm of truth.

So, he nodded. "Huh. Yeah, guess so."

"So…" pressed Tahlia, "Did she get breakfast out of you?"

"For someone that don't even eat breakfast most days, you sure got a fixation with it."

Tahlia rolled her eyes. "You know that's just a metaphor for a girl making it to a second round with you."

Daryl snorted. "Second round. Make it sound like a boxin' match."

"Well," smirked Tahlia holding a hand up, "I'm not judging. Whatever floats your boat."

Unable to help laughing at that, Daryl punctuated it with another punch to her thigh.

This was still a relatively new facet of their relationship - teasing one another about their personal lives while attempting to appear nonchalant about the whole thing – one that neither of them were particularly good at yet, but still they pushed on, building a façade to hide behind.

"Ain't been no one gettin' no breakfast or no second rounds outta me. Now get outta my truck." he instructed as he parked up one street back from the main drag.

"Come on," coaxed Tahlia, joining him on the sidewalk. "What about Nat?"

Daryl's brow knitted. "What 'bout her?"

"Brutal!" she laughed. "What do you mean, 'what 'bout her'? You took her home!"

This would be the time to set the record straight, but the fact that things seemed to be hurtling ahead with Tahlia and Alden only cemented Daryl's idea that it wouldn't be a bad thing to let her believe in him and these other women. Just for now; just for his own self-preservation. And damn, her choice of words made that so easy.

"Yeah?"

"She seemed really cool." said Tahlia sincerely, while simultaneously wondering why the hell she kept doing this - encouraging Daryl with other people, trying too hard to cover up her own fruitless desires that she wished would just dry up already.

"She's cool. But there ain't nothin' there."

"Really?" mused Tahlia as she tucked an arm through his. "Ok, well what about your mystery girl, then? She's the only person you've ever seemed to show more than a fleeting interest in. Have you spent the night with her yet?"

That question tore through Daryl with serrated edges as that night with Tahlia all perfect and plaguing flashed in his mind and he stopped to stare down at her, all amusement falling from his face.

Taking his silence as affirmation, Tahlia's brows shot up and her gut dropped at the thought of him and yet another woman. "Oh, you have?! Wow. Ok, that's… good on you." She forced a smile. "Guessing she got breakfast?"

Eyes darkening, Daryl huffed out a sharp breath. He really couldn't keep this shit up.

"Alright!" he declared, squeezing her against him as they turned the corner onto the main street - all red and green and gold decorations, carols in every store, trees in every window, set to the happy hum of festive shoppers. "Enough with the fuckin' interrogation. Ain't got nothin' worth tellin', anyways. Let's get on with this goddamned Christmas shopping. Where to first, then?"

Quickly shaking off the webs of their previous conversation and turning gratefully into the change of subject, Tahlia gave him a disbelieving look. "Is that a serious question? Where do you think? To get coffee, of course!"

Daryl narrowed his eyes. "What number'll that be for you today?"

"Three."

"Tahly! It ain't even 9:30!"

"But I've been up since 6!"

"Tough shit." asserted Daryl firmly. "You ain't gettin' no more coffee 'til you finished your shoppin'. That'll give you reason to hurry your ass up."

"So cruel!" whined Tahlia, then immediately perked up as she spotted a bookstore. "Ooh, let's go in here."

Daryl rolled his eyes. "You only got two hours, remember?"

"Yeah," grinned Tahlia, picking up a book from the display table at the front of the store and quickly skimming the back cover. "An hour 45 reading books in here, then 15 minutes to get my shopping done. I'm kidding!" she laughed, taking in his kill-me-now expression. "There's a book I want to get for Merle."

"You gettin' a present for Merle?" Daryl sounded surprised.

"Yeah, of course." Tahlia looked up at him. "You're not?"

Daryl shook his head. "Naw. We ain't never done presents."

"Who do you buy presents for, then?"

"No one." shrugged Daryl, tracing his finger over the embossed letting on the cover of a cook book. "Ain't never had no one to get 'em for."

"Oh." Tahlia took a moment to absorb that. "Well, the gifting side is just a total marketing ploy anyway."

"That you're a sucker for." said Daryl fondly.

"Yup." agreed Tahlia happily. "Ooh, here's the book! Perfect. And… maybe this one for me. So, what do you usually do for Christmas?"

Daryl shrugged again as he followed her to the counter. "Nothin' special. Ain't never made no big deal of it. Sometimes go to the cabin if the weather ain't too shit. Some years Merle goes off with a girlfriend and I just do whatever." Then he shoved at her. "Don't fuckin' look at me like that, like you feel sorry for me. Don't mean that much to me. It's just another day."

"Aw." Tahlia stuck her bottom lip out and linked her arm through his – unconcerned by the fact he kept his hands jammed in his pockets - as they left the store. "Have you ever had a proper Christmas dinner before?"

"Yeah, course. Like when I was little. And a couple times Sherry and Dwight's done a thing at theirs when they ain't been headin' up to her folks. Anyway, your Christmas can't be much better, hangin' out with your dad."

"Oh no," replied Tahlia, pressing closer to him so they could move through the bustle of people on the sidewalk. "I haven't spent Christmas with him in years. He usually goes back to England to visit family there. I think he's flying out tomorrow, actually. I always go to my aunt and uncle's place. You know, my mom's brother, the one with the vineyard out in Charlottesville? I head across a couple days before Christmas then stay 'til after New Year. They're so amazing, it's always been a second home there for me and so much fun – they go all out with decorations and food, and because they don't have any other family either, they open their house up to all their workers and their families, the neighbors come by, too," She chuckled. "Their house is like Grand Central Station. It's the best, I love it."

With a picture in his head that she'd just painted, Daryl nodded slowly, soaking it up. He was glad she had all that; glad she had a warm place in the world with people that pulled her in and drenched her with love.

"Oh, we have to go in here." instructed Tahlia, suddenly pulling him into a dimly lit, tiny store hanging with crystals and beads and colorful tapestries, the heady aroma of frankincense curling through the air.

"My aunt's a bit of an old school hippy." she explained as she squeezed through a narrow space between two long tables laden with candles and dusty books. "This place does an oil blend that she's obsessed with." Then she stopped in front of a rack of oils and glanced at him with a smile. "Why don't you come with me? To the vineyard. My aunt and uncle love when I bring friends to stay. All the more people for them to fuss over! I can picture it now – you in a Santa hat and a Christmas sweater pulling crackers around the tree with us… it'd be fabulous!"

Daryl eyes widened in horror at that mental image. "Nope. No way."

Laughing, Tahlia waved a hand at him. "Even the biggest grinch wouldn't be able to help having a good time there. Seriously though, I think you'd like it."

And the sudden tug in Daryl's chest told him he probably would. But he had to ask – "Alden gonna be there?"

With an exaggerated gasp, Tahlia pressed a hand to her chest. "Excuse me, sir! What kind of girl do you think I am? I've only known him for two weeks. I don't invite just anyone to spend Christmas with me, you know. You're the only one that's made the cut this year." She gave a bottle of oil a delicate sniff. "I'm flying out on the 23rd if you want to join me."

Suddenly the prospect of sharing all this festive shit that he'd never bought into before with her at the place she thought of as home with the people she loved most in the world smacked him in the face, and it felt kind of overwhelming, like it might be something he needed, like it might fill a void in him that he hadn't even realized was there.

But it had always been hard for him to leap into good feelings because they'd always been in short supply, they never stuck for long, and when they inevitably disappeared, he was always left feeling worse.

So if he did this with her this one time (because he couldn't let himself believe that it could ever be more than that), then the nothing of his next Christmas and the one after that and the one after that would be a bleak, barren space in comparison. It felt safer not to put himself through that. Felt easier to lean into excuses.

"That's less than a couple weeks away. Flights gonna be all booked up."

Tahlia gave him a pointed look. "One of the very few perks of having a father like mine is that with his connections, we can always get a seat on a plane. So, you don't need to worry about that. Anyway, worst case? We drive."

With a disbelieving snort, Daryl shook his head. "What's that, like 7, 8 hours?"

"Something like that." grinned Tahlia across the stand of oil burners. "Think you could handle being stuck in a car with my singing for that long?"

Daryl puffed out a breath. This whole idea was just getting more and more appealing. Too appealing. Too good to be real.

"Dunno, Tahly. I got work in between Christmas and New Year and… and…" Excuses running thin.

His reluctance was palpable, but Tahlia knew him well enough not to take it personally. Daryl was an island and bridging the waters between him and other people had always been a tentative thing. So she smiled and piled an oil burner and a box of oils into his hands for him to carry, then gestured for him to follow.

"Don't need to decide now. The offer's there and I'd love you to come, so just let me know either way before Christmas." Picking up a candle, she turned and wafted it under his nose. "Shall I get you this pine-scented candle? You could burn it in your room and pretend you're at the cabin."

"No candles." he said staunchly, even though the smell really did send him straight to the woods.

"Ok," she shrugged and carried on to the checkout. "I already have something else in mind for you anyway."

"Don't get me nothin', Tahly." he insisted, following her down the narrow aisle.

"Too late. Already got something on order. Not sure it'll arrive before Christmas though."

"Hope it ain't nothin' from this shop." remarked Daryl drily as he jerked his head to the side to avoid walking into the feathers on the base of a dreamcatcher hanging from the ceiling. Chewing on his lip for a moment, Daryl then kicked the back of her sneaker. "What'll I get you?"

"Nothing!" she replied breezily. "Anyway, you just said you don't do presents."

"Naw," he replied stubbornly, depositing the items she'd given him on the counter. "I said I ain't never had no one to get 'em for. Now I do. So gimme an idea coz I ain't no good at this."

"I don't need any more stuff." she said, paying for her things. "Ooh, but maybe you could give me the gift of knowledge!"

"Fuck you on about?"

"Like teaching me something! Something outdoorsy and useful."

"Huh." Daryl considered that as they left the store. "Like debonin' a fish."

Tahlia wrinkled her nose. "Maybe something that doesn't involve dead things. Like… tying knots or building a raft."

Chuckling at that, Daryl elbowed her. "A raft? You plannin' on sailin' somewhere?" Then he nodded, pleased that she wanted to learn from him. "Sure thing, Boy Scout. I can teach you some stuff. Easy."

"Great! We're sorted, then. Oh, hey, I meant to ask, how did the chat with Axel go?"

Daryl sighed. "Oh yeah. Said he'd like to be outta the business within 3 months, if he can. But would prefer me to buy him out rather than sell to anyone else."

"Ok. Well, I'm still in trial this week, but that should be done by Friday so I'll set up a meeting for the following Monday with Axel so we can go through some different options for you to take over. Does that sound alright?"

Chewing his lip, Daryl gave a hesitant nod.

"Please don't worry about it." Tahlia said softly, reassuringly. "Put it out of your head until we have the conversation, then we'll have something to go on."

Trying not to think about how impossible it seemed to be able to buy a whole business and run it and be solely responsible for it and all the workers, Daryl was grateful when Tahlia offered a distraction by pointing to a furniture store just ahead.

"Do you mind if we pop in there for a minute?"

His forehead creased. "You buyin' someone furniture for Christmas?"

"No," she said as they went inside. "This is for me. I want a new bed. My one's old and lumpy, so I want to replace it and they've got some really good deals on right now."

"Ain't nothin' wrong with your bed. Most comfortable one I ever slept in."

She made a face. "Ugh, no, the mattress is awful. It has roll-together."

"Oh." Daryl raised his eyebrows at the same time that Tahlia realized her implication and she hurriedly tried to backtrack.

"I mean, like, I always sink into the middle of it."

Daryl gave a disbelieving hum and his insides went concrete as sudden images of her and Alden and all the getting-to-know-you they'd be doing in her bed strobed through his brain. "You buy a new bed every time you get a new boyfriend?"

"What? No!" she protested. "This has nothing to do with him or anyone else! I've wanted to do this for a while, I just haven't gotten around to it. And he's not my boyfriend."

"Uh-huh." Daryl folded his arms then reminded himself it wouldn't do any good to go dark over this. To keep her close, he had to keep things light. But she wasn't going to get away without him giving her a little bit of shit. "This the real reason you wanted me to come today? So I could be your stand-in for mattress-testing?"

"Of course not!"

"Coz if that's the case, then you probably shoulda brought Andrea. Y'know, coz Alden's more like the same size as her."

Tahlia's mouth dropped open and she smacked his arm indignantly. "He is not!"

With a smirk, Daryl dropped to sit on the side of the nearest bed, bobbing up and down experimentally. "How much bounce does he like?"

"Oh my God. We're not doing this." Tahlia shook her head and started to turn away. "Let's go. Forget this whole thing."

"C'mon, Silver! We're here now." Daryl jumped up and caught her hips, spinning her back around to face the beds. "Let's find a new bed for you and your boy."

"It's not -" started Tahlia, then dropped her head back in a sigh. Daryl wasn't going to ease up on her so there was no point trying to argue. There'd only be one way through this - to try and beat him at his own game.

"Oh, look – bunks." Daryl pointed to a set up ahead. "Separate beds. Solves your roll-together problem. Feel like Alden's a single bed kinda guy, right?"

Tahlia smiled sweetly up at him. "We would love the coziness of a single bed, but the playing field just isn't big enough for the games that we play."

Momentarily thrown, Daryl's eyes darkened, but he managed to keep his composure. "Yeah, true – board games need a lotta space. What's he into? Scrabble? Monopoly?"

Throwing herself onto a large bed, Tahlia casually inspected her nails. "Twister. You know, the nighttime version."

Really starting to regret his decision to rib her about Alden, Daryl found himself blushing when she called out, "Daryl! Come and sex-test this bed with me."

He threw a pillow at her and she laughed.

"Seriously though, this one is comfy. Lie down."

With a withering look, he did as she asked but shook his head. "Way too soft. Feels like a big marshmallow. End up messin' up your back."

"Ok," she said, getting up and lying on the next one. "How about this one? Hey. It's no good if you just lie on the side like that. Come closer. Cloooser."

With a sigh he shifted until he was only an inch or two away from her, then she rolled onto her side to face him.

"Now jiggle around a bit."

"Piss off."

She batted her lashes. "But how else will I know if this is any good for me and Alden?"

Clenching his jaw, Daryl stared up at her. She was only teasing because he had started it, but it had made a whole host of scenarios that he really, really didn't want to imagine spin through his head, and he'd had enough of that now. Then a devilish, errant thought sparked in his mind. He couldn't stop anything between her and Alden, but he could certainly give her something else to think about when she was alone.

"Alright," he growled as he sat up. "You wanna sex-test these beds? You wanna make sure they'll hold up for you and your boyfriend?"

Tahlia's eyes widened at the dark intensity on his face. "No." she said hurriedly, sitting up too. "I was kidding; just kidding."

"Aw, c'mon. We gotta test 'em proper like." On his feet now, Daryl caught her hands and pulled her up, then scooped her easily into his arms bridal-style and tossed her onto the next bed as she let out a little squeal.

"Decent bounce." he noted assertively, then grabbed her ankles and dragged her to where he was standing at the edge of the bed and propped her calves on his shoulders before catching her hips and angling them into his. "Height's pretty good, too."

"Oh my God, Daryl!" shrieked Tahlia, her cheeks flaming, painfully aware of all the other shoppers in the store. "You're-"

But she was cut off as he dropped her feet down and flipped her effortlessly onto her stomach, then leaned his full weight over top of her.

"How's that feel?" he rasped into her ear, relishing both her embarrassment and pliability.

Dissolving into hysterical giggles, Tahlia was hovering somewhere between mortification and wild arousal, then before she knew it, he'd shoved her further onto the bed and scooped one arm around her waist to pull her onto all fours as he knelt close in behind her.

"How 'bout this? Enough support? Get right down onto your elbows."

"God, Daryl stop! They're going to throw us out!" Tahlia managed to choke, her pulse racing, her fucking treacherous body responding, but by that time he'd dropped onto his side, pulling her down with him and spooned her tightly, his hand splayed wide on her belly and his voice low and dirty in her ear.

"This feels good too."

"I'm going to kill you." swore Tahlia through her hands that were now covering her face.

Still managing to keep his own laughter at bay, Daryl rolled onto his back and tucked a hand behind his head. "Hop on, sweetheart, see what it feels like on top."

Beet red and watery-eyed from laughing, Tahlia elbowed him hard in the side then scrambled away from him and off the bed, jumping to her feet.

"You're an asshole!" she wheezed, wiping at her eyes and trying to ignore the fact that she was inappropriately turned on in the middle of a fucking furniture store. "I cannot believe you!"

Still casually lying on the bed with his hand behind his head, Daryl grinned up at her. "You wanted to sex-test beds, didn't ya?"

"Never say that again." hissed Tahlia through her mirth, then glanced to the side where an elderly couple were standing nearby, clutching each other's arms and staring at them in horrified disapproval. "Sorry about that." Tahlia directed an abashed apology their way, which was all but nullified when Daryl said loudly,

"Gonna need a different headboard though, baby – this one ain't got nowhere to attach the handcuffs."

"Oh my God." muttered Tahlia, hiding her face in her hands once again.

Openly laughing now, Daryl stood up in front of her and gently tugged her hands down. "Lemme see. Ah, yeah – the color of your cheeks makes the fact that you forced me to come shoppin' with you today totally worth it. You've earned your coffee."

"I can never show my face in this town again."

"Nope. You're gonna have to move up to the cabin."

"And first I'm going to have to buy the most expensive bed in this store to make up for what you just did."

"You asked for it."

Sucking on her top teeth, Tahlia shook her head. "You started it!"

Then she was quiet for a moment as she looked down at her hands that were still encased in Daryl's. "You know that me getting a bed doesn't have anything to do with Alden, right?"

Daryl nodded, softly serious now. "I know."

"And," she drew her gaze back up to his, her expression earnest. "He's a really nice guy. One of the good ones."

With a sigh, Daryl took her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. "Yeah. I know that too."

So, Tahlia bought a bed.

Paid extra for the delivery truck to take her old one away and drop it at Daryl's house, because he'd said it was the comfiest one he'd ever slept in. He didn't protest because if he couldn't sleep with her every night, then sleeping in her bed was the next best thing.

After that, Tahlia didn't feel like shopping any more, so they got coffee and drove out to the Blue Lake instead, the memory of the late-summer party they'd both attended flashing freshly in their minds – Tahlia's broken down car; Daryl's offer of a ride home; the beginning of their unexpected friendship.

Now, walking through the woods in the crisp winter morning air, leaves crunching below their feet and the concrete-colored clouds hanging low above their heads, Daryl thought about how, without anything really changing, things could feel so different in a matter of months; how, although his life was still essentially the same, the addition of one person in it now made him feel full to the brim, bursting at the seams, in the best possible way.

He threw an arm around her as they made their way down to the lake's edge, the still water gray and glassy under the moody sky, and though he'd never had many gifts in his life, so far, this was the best fucking gift of all.

The days of another week spun by in a slip-sliding hurry, and on Thursday evening, Daryl realized that he and Tahlia had been so busy that they hadn't even managed to catch one another on the phone since they'd spent the previous Saturday together.

He'd been thinking though. Thinking about her invitation to spend Christmas at her aunt and uncle's place. Thinking that maybe he'd like to take her up on that, and he'd tell her so the next time they spoke. With just over a week until Christmas he doubted he'd get a flight, but he didn't mind driving. Would mind it even less if she came with him. He'd tell her that, too.

"Drink!" Shadow's shout pulled Daryl out of his thoughts, and he turned his attention back to the pool table. He'd met Dwight and Shadow for an impromptu game of pool and a couple of beers after work, a way to blow off a little steam at this hectic time of year.

"Drink." repeated Shadow, pointing a cue at Dwight and handing him a shot of tequila. "You didn't sink a ball, you gotta drink."

"Bullshit! I sank two on my last turn!" Dwight argued, accepting the glass anyway.

"Don't matter, man. You gotta drink. Dixon, you're up."

Setting down his second beer of the night, Daryl picked up a cue. "I ain't doin' shots."

"Well then, you'd better make sure you sink a ball."

Chuckling, Daryl moved slowly around the table to choose his position, then stopped as he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. Fishing it out, he looked at the screen, then up at Dwight and Shadow.

"Gimme a sec. Just gonna take this."

"One guess as to who's calling!" crowed Dwight. "Only one person I ever seen you drop everything for!"

Laying the cue on the table, Daryl extended a middle finger in Dwight's direction because there wasn't much to say back to that. Dwight wasn't wrong. Wouldn't stop Daryl from doing it though, and he went ahead and answered the call.

"Heya, Silver. Was just thinkin' I need to talk to you. How you doin'?"

"Daryl, honey, where are you?"

"I'm at Fox's with – piss off, asshole," chuckled Daryl as Dwight whacked a pool cue across his butt. "At Fox's with a bunch of dickheads. Why don't you come on down so I don't gotta hang out with 'em?"

"How much have you had to drink, Dar?" Her voice quiet down the line.

"Huh? Couple beers? Ain't gonna have much, got work tomorrow."

"Daryl, I need you to –"

"Hold up, Tahly. Can hardly hear ya in here. Lemme go outside." Swinging his jacket over his shoulders, Daryl headed out the front door of Fox's into the night, a light spit of rain just beginning to fall. "'Kay, that's better. What's up?"

"You've had a couple of beers? Can you still drive? Or if you can't, I –"

Ice shot through Daryl's stomach as he registered her tone – serious; controlled.

"What's wrong, Tahly?" he interrupted, his own words now urgent with worry. "You ok? I can drive. I'll come get ya right now, you just tell me where you are."

"Daryl -"

"Tahly! Tell me what's happened to ya. I'm gettin' in my truck now. Tell me where you are!" Daryl demanded as he jogged across the lot, attempting to scoop his keys out of his pocket at the same time.

"Daryl. Stop. Listen to me."

Her courtroom voice now. Cool, clear, commanding. The one she used when she wanted people to pay attention.

So, he did. Stopped in his tracks. Listened.

"I'm fine, ok? I'm fine, but I'm on my way to the hospital with Andrea and I think you should get here, too. It's Merle. They say he's been stabbed."