Another week of their new life passed. Pandora joined Daryl on small runs every day and every time she went out, it was better. They never had a repeat of her episode in the strip mall. Instead, she trained harder. Pandora explained what happened to Rosita who had then changed how they trained. They worked on building and strengthening her muscles so that she could take down the harder walkers. Life around them continued on as usual though, every day looking much like the last one. Pandora just continued to get stronger and go to therapy every day.
That day held most of the same morning training with Rosita, therapy with Denise and then nothing. In the end of her day when she usually did nothing, she found herself outside with Daryl who was going over the bike.
Dressed in dark jeans and a long-sleeved sweater she lounged on the steps behind him. The sun was still high in the sky; it wasn't even noon yet. Therapy had been shorter than usual as Denise's mind had been elsewhere and Pandora was longing to be out in the sun since the warmth was so fleeting these days.
"You never looked in there before?" Pandora asked as she pulled her hair into a tight braid. She pulled her hair a bit too tight, but the pain that sent little shocks through her scalp only served to sharpen her focus.
"Naw, never thought about it." Daryl mumbled, pulling the little sack out from under the bike.
Pandora only nodded, watching him take the little carved figure from the bag. It was Dwight's, she remembered that now. Daryl had taken it from him when they gave the bag back. He had forgotten she was even there, she could tell by the way his face fell. Teeth bit nervously into the skin of her lip as she stepped back, slipping into the shadow of the porch. She didn't know what to say, didn't know how to talk to him right now. She wanted to hold him, fold him up in her arms and tell him it was going to be ok. She knew the battle he was having within himself. He saved those people, and they almost killed them. Almost killed her that was what he worried about. It should upset her that he cared more for her life than his own, but didn't it go both ways? She didn't even need to ask that of herself if it was her life or his she would pick him.
Pandora almost wrapped her arms around him until Carol started coming up from down the street. Despite herself and the relationship they had formed, Pandora found the slightest stiffness in her muscles. Carol had been off in the time since they had been back. Pandora had seen the distant look in her eyes that she often saw in the mirror, it was unsettling.
"Didn't even notice. You got your bike back."
That was an odd thing to say since they had been back for weeks now. Not that Carol had been present really, wandering Alexandria like a ghost. That was something she expected from herself, not from Carol considering how strong she was.
"Yeah." His voice was low, Pandora strained to hear it from where she sat, ever the silent observer.
Breathing deeply, she slipped up behind him, knees bumping in his back. She reached her hand out to his shoulder lightly, she felt him shift and relax under her touch. Touching between had increased in the last week or so, the contact calmed her down. Pandora was surprised to learn it did the same for Daryl.
"You got another one of those?" He asked, pointing at the lit cigarette in Carol's hand.
Carol shifted, fishing a pack out of her pocket. She pulled one out handing it to him and one to Pandora. They shared a brief nod as Carol handed her the lighter, Pandora took a deep drag, lighting it before handing it back.
"Those people you met, the ones in the burnt forest, they took it from you?" Carol turned to Daryl, eyes fixed on him.
The ash at the end of her cigarette reminded her of the burnt forest, of waking up with her hands bound, of the panic tightly coiled in her belly. In her mouth, Pandora could taste the burnt air of the forest. In the briefest moment when she closed her eyes the images of her capture with the gun in her face played behind her eyelids. Her fingers tightened around his shoulder and instantly his hand was on hers, fingers tangling in her own as he answered with another
"Yeah."
"You saved them, right?" Carol asked.
Pandora had to close her eyes. When she did, the moment of Dwight's betrayal started playing behind her eyelids. Her grip on Daryl tightened, but he didn't seem to mind, tightening his grip on her the same way.
"Sorry." Carol's voice sounds small in her ears. "It's who you are. We're still stuck with that."
Daryl rubs circles on the back of her hand, "No, we ain't. I should've killed em, for what they did to us, to her." His head jerked towards her. She tried not to look right at him, hiding her eyes under strands of hair. She obviously failed as his eyes pull her in, their gaze is locked now, and her stomach is doing tiny flips when he finally turns away. They lasp into silence. Why did Carol care what Daryl had done to the man, Dwight. Daryl should have killed them, she should have killed them. You don't get to live when you do things like that, you just don't. If she saw them again she would kill them that was something she knew for sure.
The silence started to get tense around them before Carol stood up, placing the pack from her pocket on the step beside him.
"Hey," Daryl called her back. "The ones that took you and Maggie, what'd they do to you?"
Pandora stiffened at his tone, but doesn't say anything. Her eyes travel to Carol's face, what she sees there is broken. Carol hangs onto her composure, but just barely, Pandora can tell.
"To us? They didn't do anything." Carol turns away, but Pandora catches a flash of emotions across her face.
As Carol leaves, Pandora stands up from her seat, flicking the butt of her cigarette on the grass in front of them. Pandora slips into the seat beside Daryl, pressing herself a bit tighter to him. Daryl puts his arms around her shoulders, tucking her frame under his shoulder.
"We should go for a ride."
Pandora nods, "Yes please." The words come out as a breathy whisper.
He lets her go to heads for the bike, kicking up the stand and starting it. Moving to the end of the driveway, she tipped her face upwards, letting the few rays of sun warm her skin. Letting her eyes fall shut she stood still for a few seconds until the rumble of Daryl's bike floated towards her. Opening her eyes, she looked at him on the road. He sat under the bike holding it up with his weight, he was watching her too. Blinking, she jogged down the rest of the way to slip on the seat of the bike behind him.
They drove for a while, just enjoying the wind and the silence. She wondered what Daryl was thinking about, Carol, probably. He worried about her almost as much as he worried about Pandora. They had been part of their group from the beginning from what she understood, Daryl had met her on the road in Atlanta. They had a deeper relationship, something born from hard times and a sameness in them. She would be lying if she said the ease of their relationship didn't bother her.
When they finally stopped, the silence still stretched between them. Daryl pulled the bike off the road and onto the soft grass. Trees stretched out around them for miles, tops reaching up to the sun. He pulled a water bottle from the bag on the bike, handing it to her before easing down onto the grass.
"Thanks for taking me." Pandora whispered, handing the bottle back to him. She sat next to him, fingers skimming the grass under her. From the corner of her eye she watched him put the bottle in the little bag on the bike.
"Anything for you." The answer comes so quickly she almost isn't sure he had heard what she said. But no, she said thank you, and he said he would do anything for her. It shouldn't surprise her, really.
She leaned against him, fingers curling in the hem of his shirt. He wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on the top of her head. They stay like that for a while, pressed tightly together in their silence.
"Ready?" Daryl finally asks as sound starts to float towards them. The sound of the dead she's almost sure.
"Ya" Pandora stood, brushing off the back of her pants while she waited for him. She found herself watching him as he got onto the bike, bringing it roaring to life under him. She could tell he was still lost somewhere in his own thoughts as there was a faraway look in his eyes. She didn't comment on it though, only slipped up behind him to wrap her arms tightly around his middle.
They were rolling through the gates in no time and around them Alexandria was bustling with early evening activity. As they pulled into the driveway, Rick appeared on the sidewalk.
Daryl only nodded at him before rolling into the garage. Once they parked the bike, they left together to meet Rick who was still waiting at their driveway.
"Dinner at my place tonight?" Rick asked, hand in his pocket as he glanced at Daryl.
Pandora found herself smiling, "I would love to."
To her right, Daryl chuckled and bumped her shoulder lightly, "Guess we're coming over."
Rick nodded, a small smile tugging his lips as well, "See you in an hour."
Pandora turned, dashing inside and up the stairs. She needed to shower and change before they headed over as she hadn't showered after her training. It didn't really bother her when she was just hanging around, but now that she was going to dinner, she couldn't go like this.
"Where ya going?" Daryl called out to her from the front door.
"Shower!" She answered, throwing him a glance over her shoulder. "You can go after me!"
"Ah don't need to shower."
Stopping mid-way up the stairs she turned, eyebrows raised and head tilting to the side in question. "Really?"
"What?" He looked truly puzzled in that moment, and she couldn't help but laugh.
"Shower Daryl, then put on clean clothes I washed a bunch of your stuff."
"Yah didn't seem to mind a second ago." He mumbled, heading for the living room.
Her shower took no time; she had left her outfit in the bathroom so she could change before she came out. Pandora had found a pair of light jeans and one of the new shirts she had gotten from the store in the strip mall. In her room, she combed her hair out, styling it with some no frizz cream she had found that day as well. Perks of going out on the runs was that she got first dibs on all the good stuff.
Her reflection looked better than it had in weeks. The bags under her eyes had disappeared, leaving nothing but unmarked, caramel skin. Her face had filled in more, taking on more of the round shape she had before all of this started. She looked more like herself, more like the pictures of her face in the magazine they now kept in their living room. Her outside was a little more reflective of how she was feeling inside.
"Pandora? You ready or what?" Daryl's voice called up to her from somewhere on the main floor.
Sighing, she ran her fingers through her hair again before leaving.
"Ya, ya I'm coming." She muttered, stepping from the bathroom door.
At the bottom of the stairs she stopped, breath stuck in her throat as she took in the sight of him. He was already standing at the door dressed in dark jeans and one of the new t-shirts she had picked up for him. Of course, he had put his vest on over it, but she knew he hardly ever took that off. The t-shirt though fit his frame, perfectly hugging him a little more snuggly than his usual outfits did, and she had no problem with that. He was looking down, eyes fixed on the nervous tap of his foot so he didn't seem to notice her staring. It wasn't until she cleared her throat that he finally looked up at her.
"What?" He asked, pushing some of the hair from his eyes. "Got shit on my face?"
"No, no." The words caught in her mouth, tripping over each other to get out. "You look great."
He flushed, turning away from her to open the front door, "Let's go."
She wandered out first, using the sounds of the party to guide her to Rick's house. When she stepped inside, everyone was already there, everyone expect Rosita. Pandora noticed her absence right away, it tugged at her chest, causing her fingers to curl into fists. Rosita should be here, this was her family, she belonged with them.
She forced herself to look around though, making a mental note to visit Rosita tomorrow. In the living room Michonne bounced Judith on her hip, laughing with Glenn and Maggie. Carol was in the kitchen with Rick, doing what? Pandora couldn't be sure. The rest of the space in the living room was taken up by Abraham sitting next to Sasha, Carl opposite them and Morgan speaking in hushed low tones toward the back of the room with Father Gabriel.
The whole scene was so normal, despite the fact that she found herself frozen in the front entry way, unable to make her body move forward. It wasn't that she didn't want to be there because she really did. She felt stuck, like entering a scene where she didn't quite belong, or hearing a conversation that was a little too personal.
Behind her the door opened again, the hand on her made her jump despite the lightness of it.
"Pandora? Going in?" Denise was behind her, fingers lightly brushing her arm. "What number are you feeling?"
Pandora was so caught up in trying to think about what number she's on and why that she doesn't even notice Denise leading her gently into the room.
"I'm a three." Pandora finally answered when she had been moved to the living room. Daryl was beside her then, a beer in one hand, the other hand moving to cup her elbow.
"You good?" He asked, leaning down gently towards her ear.
"She's a three." Denise answered for her when her own silence had gone on for too long. The Doctor was gone then, moving into the kitchen to call a greeting to Rick.
Blinking Pandora looked up at Daryl, "I'm sorry, I don't know what's wrong."
"S'alright come sit." He was moving her again like Denise had, with a gentle hand on her elbow.
Once she was in the living room, Daryl found her a space on the sofa beside Abraham. Beside her, Abraham didn't turn to speak to her as he was wrapped up in his conversation with Sasha, but patted her leg gently in a way of acknowledgement. The moment she sat down, Michonne was passing Judith into her arms. The presence of the little girl always had a grounding effect on her.
In her lap, Judith cooed, reaching her chubby hands up for Pandora's loose curls.
"Hey little lady, what are you doing?" Pandora whispered, taking her hand and covering it in tiny kisses. Judith smiled at her blue eyes bright under wisps of blond hair.
"Hey little ass kicker." Daryl's deep drawl rumbled from beside her. He sat on the arm of the sofa, reaching down to ruffle her hair. "This little girl is one of the best things left in this fucking world." He mumbled, stroking her head gently.
Pandora couldn't help but turn her head up, locking eyes with him. His face became redder and as he takes a sip of beer, he uses the chance to break eye contact with her.
The evening was great, as the conversation swells around the table Pandora listens calmly, leaning gently into Daryl's arm. She joins in sometimes as well, adding a comment or laughing at a joke. With every passing moment she feels more at ease.
After dinner, the cooling night air finds Pandora and Daryl outside, lounging on the porch to smoke. Daryl was sitting on the railing, leaning on the post with Pandora standing behind him, half-hidden in the shadow. Every puff from the cigarette shone dim light on her face. The evening had been nice but as always, anxiety gets the best of her, causing her to need a space to think and cool back down. Blinking, she watches the walls in the distance, almost sure she can make out the figure on top pacing.
Was something out there? A mass moving in the darkness causing the guard to become uneasy. Despite herself, she pictures wolves scaling the walls and pouring in like ants to swarm over their home. Part of her knows she is being irrational, but panic claws up her chest. Her mind drifts too much, so she doesn't know her cigarette is out until its burning her fingers. Hissing, she tosses it away, popping the two burnt fingers into her mouth.
"Did yah have fun?" Daryl asked her as he started getting up to take her by the arm and pull her to lean on the wall. The doomsday scenario that was playing out in her head was gone, the brush of his fingers on her arm chased it away.
It's dark around them now and Daryl has pulled her more into the darkness. He has his back resting on the wall of the house, his arms around her as Pandora had tucked herself into his chest. It's the grounding she is always craving, the heat of his skin and firm pressure of his arms reminded her to stay at the moment. He must read her mind.
"Ya thanks for bringing me." She replied.
"You said you were going before Ah did." Daryl said.
Pandora only laughed, turning her head to press her cheek against his chest, his grip on her tightened a fraction and she sagged against the pressure. Her eyelids were beginning to feel heavy, blinks becoming longer and slower.
"Yah ready to head home?" He asked finally, she wondered if he could see her face from this angle. Maybe he was just a mind reader, he always seemed to know what she was thinking.
"Ya I guess, I'm kind of tired." She responded.
"Come on then, let's say bye." Daryl said as he started to move her again, letting his arms fall away and slipping out from behind her. Pandora stifled a sigh, would have been better just to slip away right now. The noise of the house was beginning to wear her down. She didn't say anything though, only stepped back inside behind him.
"Daryl! Come here. Look what we found." Rick is leaning out into the living room from the kitchen, holding a bottle in his hand.
"Gonna head home." Daryl said as he still moved towards him though, Pandora slipping up beside him to follow, his ever silent shadow.
In the kitchen everyone is gathered, Rick had shot glasses lined up and a bottle of tequila in his hand.
"One for the road?" Rick asks, holding an empty glass.
Daryl is looking at her now, running his hand over the stubble on his chin. Pandora doesn't speak, only nods to tell him that it's fine.
Pandora is watching Rick fill all the little glasses, she counts everyone around the counter then the glasses, noticing that there isn't one for her. Again, she glances up around the counter as Abraham meets her eyes, a grin splits his face.
"Missing one for the kid." He tells Rick, patting her on the shoulder.
Pandora grins at him taking an empty glass and holding it out for Rick to fill. She watches him look to Daryl first and sees a silent conversation playing between them. She is sure someone is about to comment on how the mentally unstable woman suffering from PTSD probably shouldn't drink, but no one does. Daryl only sighs and waves his hand for Rick to pour it.
Everyone grabs their glass, she admits to only herself that her hand shakes ever so slightly when she reaches for hers. What could one shot even do to her though? She doesn't give herself much time to think about it, just opens her mouth and drinks.
The shot burns like fire all the way down and by the time it reaches her stomach, she is sputtering and coughing, doubled over with her hands wrapped around her middle. Around her laughter erupts, Abraham's deep laugh vibrates around her as he pats her on her back gently.
"You're alright kid, just take a deep breath."
The fire subsides enough for her to stand up straight without coughing. The liquid is still there though, turning her belly into a fire pit. Daryl is at her side then, pushing a glass of water into her hand. She takes it, using small sips to calm the burning.
Around her everyone is mulling about again, conversation swelling around her. Blinking past the tears in her vision, she wipes her eyes and sets the glass on the counter. Daryl is at her side like always. As she moves her eyes to look at his the expression on his face shocks her. He looks amused, lips upturned into a small smile. She would have assumed he would be pissed, pissed that she had taken the drink in the first place and that she clearly couldn't handle it. Instead, there was a lightness in his eyes that she hadn't seen since that day in the clearing when he had come back from dealing with the Saviours.
"Now I think I'm ready to go." She says, laughing, which is surprising to her. Turning to look at the rest of the group she takes a minute to catch up, wavering on her feet. After so long with not drinking, a shot was probably not the best idea she had ever had.
"Too late now." She says out loud before stopping herself.
"What?" Daryl asks, leaning into her to hold her elbow firmly.
"Nothing, nothing." Waving, she called out her goodbye, voice carrying over the din of conversation. A few people looked up, surprised maybe to hear her so loudly. Maybe drinking was a good thing.
Daryl started pulling her away which she was grateful for. Her limbs were beginning to feel too light, jerking too far with every movement she was trying to make. They were home in no time.
"Come'on, bed." Daryl said as he was pulling the front door shut behind him. Sleep was the last thing she wanted to do though. He was already moving though, heading for their bedrooms.
"No, come on" Pandora's plea was a long whine as she grabbed for him, stopping his movement towards the stairs. He stopped even though she was sure that she wasn't holding hard enough to actually stop him.
He does stop though, turning to watch her from under a few strands of hair. "What do yah want then?"
His question is more loaded than he knows, or maybe he does because he is looking at her with a look that she is sure can look right into her soul. Swallowing hard, she tenses, fingers digging into the hard flesh of his arm.
"To look at the stars." She says finally, not sure how else she could prolong the evening.
Daryl doesn't answer, only removes her fingers from his arm to take her hand, leading her towards the back door. Pandora followed, hand gripping his. The alcohol inside her was making her feel light and happy.
When they step outside her hand slips from his, bouncing down the back steps to the small patch of grass that was their backyard. They didn't have much green space, their small townhouse was directly in front of the wall. It was small, but lended itself to privacy, something they both held as a high priority. Collapsing down onto the soft grass she spread out her arms around her. The grass felt cool and damp underneath her outstretched fingers. Her breath escaped her in a deep sigh and beside her she could hear Daryl lowering himself onto the ground beside her. He didn't lay down, she noted, turning her head to the side.
"This is what yah wanted?" He asked, turning towards her with his eyebrows raised.
"Yes," her answer was came quickly. Turning, she looked up at the clear sky. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, the stars shone with a brightness she was sure wasn't there before the world ended. "I feel good, I'm not ready to end the day yet."
His chuckle was soft beside her, but he didn't say anything.
Minutes ticked by in silence, finally Pandora pulled herself up to sit beside him and press her frame against his.
"I can't believe one shot is my limit." She muttered, rubbing at her eyes, everything seemed to feel different. She wasn't even sure how to put it into words.
"Can't believe Ah let you take even one shot." He muttered, shaking his head.
"I have to live sometimes you know," Grinning, she turned her face up to him and lifted his arm to tuck herself under it. He moved, shifting to make room her tucked in beside him.
"Besides life has been pretty boring these days you have to admit." She said.
"Ah like boring, it's safe." Daryl answered, he shifted a fraction until her head was tucked into his chest. The change in position triggered a sag in her frame, every muscle relaxing at once in his arms.
They sat in silence for a while, every so often Daryl would shift beside her.
"Are you comfortable?" She asked him
Daryl shifted again, this time he rested his head against hers, "Yah this is nice." He pulled her tighter again, arm draped heavily over her shoulders. She felt him move his other hand, so it rested on her tight as he drew tiny circles on the material of her jeans. Shutting her eyes she tried to imagine he was drawing pictures on her.
This was almost too good, there was part of her that was waiting for the other shoe to drop: for the dead to come streaming over the walls, or the wolves with their blades and carved foreheads. Under her skin her muscles grew tight at the thought of something shattering their moment.
It was almost too much for her to believe that she would be allowed something like this. After all that she had done, all the people she killed and all the ones she left behind. But here she was, safe and happy, held tightly in Daryl's arms.
The heat that gathered under his hand spread slowly outward to every inch of her skin, pulling her back to the present moment. She had never been one for drugs or alcohol but with him she could understand addiction. She needed him, needed to be close to him, to touch him because it kept her grounded. Without him, her skin itched, her mind was unable to focus, it was an addiction. Moving her head, she stared at him, or tried to. The sun had long set, leaving his face hidden in shadow. She could see him though, his face burned into her memory after so long. Pandora didn't even really notice that they were moving until his breath, warm and soft, tickled her face. Pandora could make him out now that he was closer to her, the storm in her eyes reflected in his own. Fingers reaching for him, she brushed her thumb along his chin.
They moved together then, neither one of them taking the lead over the other, both in sync. The kiss was soft, like everything was with Daryl. With his lips pressed lightly against her own, she sighed against him. It wasn't fireworks or lights, it was a slow burning in the pit of her stomach. A dull heat pooling and spreading like water. Every nerve buzzed, her fingers burying themselves in the strands of hair at the base of his neck, trying to pull him tighter. Pressing herself tighter to him, she tried to deepen the kiss, mouth opening just a fraction. He stopped her then, hands firm on her shoulders pushing her away.
Pandora found herself gasping in the absence of his lips. Her other hand which had found its way to his chest fell away into the space between them. She could taste him still, feel the presence of his lips on her own. Fire coiled tight in her belly, nerves sparking with electricity.
He had stopped her, meaning she had done something wrong. In her veins, her blood sung, she longed for a moment to just be that close again. Daryl was sliding away from her though, so she moved as well, forcing herself away from him. Shame flared suddenly, hot and bright inside her, her brain skipped over and over like a bad battery.
Suddenly she was picturing a new life, different from the one they had now. Where the lines of their relationship were drawn deep in the ground. She pictured nights alone in her own bed, waking from nightmares without his arms to bring her back. It scared her, stealing the breath right from her lungs and leaving her gasping.
"I, I, I, I." She couldn't form a sentence, couldn't fit the words to say what she needed. Her hand shot up, tracing the shape of her lips, feeling where his has touched her own. "I'm sorry." She whispered, lowering her head, hair falling over her eyes.
Slipping out from under his arm, Pandora put more space between them. Beside her Daryl was still stiff, and she was moving, turning and getting ready to stand. It had happened again, just like in the store she had gotten too caught up at the moment. Space, some space would help. She felt him touching her before she saw it, his hand clasped around her wrist freezing her in place half standing.
"Don't" He whispered. With a tug she was beside him again, tumbling into his lap. Hands moved then, hers and his. He brushed her chin, fingers moving to curl in her hair. Her breath escaped in a quiet sigh. She had almost forgotten what had happened a moment ago when he pushed her away. Her head leaning back, relaxing into him. "Don't go." Daryl's whisper is barely audible. He's tilting his head towards her now, lips leaving tiny kisses along her chin. "Ah didn't mean that. Had to be sure."
She isn't really sure what he means by that, but she isn't sure she cares either. His lips trail down her neck, each kiss leaving a tiny fire behind in its place. Her body is limp and boneless in his arms, "Daryl." She whispers his name like a prayer, not sure what she is even praying for. She reached out for him again, fingers trailing down his cheek. Shifting, she tangles them in his hair as he leans his face in kissing her. He doesn't shy away this time, instead gives into the moment, mouth pressing firmly down on her own.
Her lips open just a fraction to let her tongue dart out and taste him. He tastes just like she thought he would: cigarette smoke, tequila and home. He opens his mouth to her then, her tongue brushing his teeth causing him to make a sound into her mouth. She can feel a groan in the pit of her stomach. In that moment she knew this would change everything. Now that she had him like this, she was never going to be happy with anything else. There was no way they could go back to before, quick touches and stolen moments. When she breaks away from him she's gasping, needing the fresh air.
Leaning forward their foreheads touch, faces impossibly close. This seemed so important, this one moment, she wants to stay here for a while. She wants to commit everything to memory, every detail: the grin on his face, the light in his eyes. It's important she knows, because moments like this one don't come often. She doesn't speak, but her hands never stop moving, they are trailing his jaw, twisting his hair between her fingers. His hands are moving too, rubbing lazy circles on the small of her back where he held her in place in his lap.
Above them, the sky opens up and rain drops began falling. It's nice, the cool water putting out the fire that is her skin.
Daryl is grinning down at her, wide smile splitting his face. He looks years younger with that smile, she wants to see him like this always. His lips are moving, she is sure he is speaking to her, but the words never reach her. Until she hears, "Time for bed." That had her nodding in agreement, she wants nothing more than him in the dark. She doesn't seem to notice the rain around her, water seeping into the layers of her clothes.
He is lifting her then, supporting almost all her weight as they move back inside. Before she knows it they are in her room and he is pulling the sheets down before leaning down to take his boots off. It was hard to remember what had happened between outside and here. Especially when he was pulling off his vest with the shirt following it not long after. She imagined how warm he must be and her fingers began to work again to pull off her own clothes. It takes her a few tries to work the button on her jeans, mind distracted by this new place she finds herself in. Getting ready for bed this time is different, the humming in her blood sets it apart and the eagerness to be closer to him is stronger than usual. She slipped under the covers in boy shorts and a tank top. He joined her, dipping the mattress under his weight.
Silence stretched around them as they laid in the dark. Pandora found herself uneasy, suddenly not sure of what to do next. Different things to say whirled around in her head, thoughts like tiny flies she couldn't pin down. It was disturbing not to know where to go next, what to do with this new information she had been given. Like always, Daryl knew. She felt him shift to close the space between them until she could feel his warmth.
"S'lright?" His voice carried over to her in the darkness.
She tried to open her mouth and speak, she really did, but emotions rolled inside her, shutting her throat. Instead, she closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath to let her body do the speaking for her. Blankets pulled up to her chin, she slipped up to him, frame tangling with his own. Her free arm wrapped around his chest pressing tight to his side. The feeling was different, she had to admit. This new place they both found themselves in was somewhere she never thought she would be again. Yet there it was, the blooming warmth in her chest spreading from her core and out to her limbs.
Beside her Daryl shifted, pulling her closer to him. His movements were softer than usual as if he was frightened that he would break her if he moved too quickly or held too tightly. Tight was what she needed though, tight was safe, tight was grounded. So she tried to show him without telling him, pressing herself even tighter into him. He knew what she needed, he always did and when he tightened his arms she sighed, letting her eyes slip closed.
Daryl's hand found the small of her back, rubbing slow, deliberate circles there. It sent shivers through her, a buzzing electricity running a current under her skin. It felt good, it felt normal, like this was how it was supposed to be. There was a rightness about this moment, how long had she waited to have him like this? It was hard to even remember when the gratitude at being saved turned into something else, but it had.
Without opening her eyes, she sighed, "Sleep." She whispered. Tangling her hand under his arm, she entwined her fingers with his, keeping his hand still. The day was too heavy suddenly, pulling every part of her body down under its weight. She was so tired now like she had run too fast, for too long. Sleep pulled at her now but she was dimly aware of Daryl's voice in the darkness. She felt the feeling of his lips placing soft kisses on her head.
What a thing to fall asleep to, she thought, fingers tightening around his a fraction, 'Maybe I'm dreaming.'