Theo woke up in the morning to bring the little spoon. Daryl was still asleep, but he held onto her and kept her close to his body.

He was snoring quietly as he held her close. 

One arm tightly around her waist, the other under her pillow, they couldn't get any closer if they tried.

She didn't move. She didn't want to move.

She wanted to stay like it forever.

It took Theo a second before she remembered what happened last night, making her stomach turn, her eyes water, and feeling every part of her body hurt from guilt.

Theo finally turned to face Daryl, him stirring slightly.

She took every inch of his face, knowing it was the face she wanted to stare at forever.

"Stop staring," he said without opening his eyes

"I'm not" She smiled, repositioning to get more comfortable.

He opened his eyes before closing them again, taking a quick look at her.

"It's creepy," he said, his voice still deep from waking up, sending butterflies around her body.

"I don't think it is," She told him honestly.

Daryl was still holding onto her; he had pulled her closer since waking up.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her, waking up more

"What are we, Daryl?" She asked; she had been too scared to ask until now, lying in his arms. It was perfect; she just wanted to stay like that. To never leave the tent, to face what the world held outside.

He opened his eyes to look at her.

"I dunno, I've never done the relationship shit before", he admitted, looking over her face.

"Me neither" She looked him in the eyes.

"I think take it slow, see what happens, but as we agreed, keep it quiet; I don't want people to fuss; maybe when Shane is gone, we can think about it again", he suggested

Theo nodded, agreeing.

"I like the plan, but my dad cannot find out," she warned, and he nodded in agreement. 

"I agree; he barely likes me as it is." Daryl smiled as she looked up at him.

He was about to get up when she grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Do we have to?" she asked, pouting.

"Dale..." he began, looking down at her sadly.

"I know," She said quietly, "Just a little longer?" Theo begged.

He nodded, laying back down and pulling her close to him again.

"You ever thought we'd be like this?" Theo asked, playing with his hands.

"Merle was here, no," he told her honestly, kissing her head.

"Why's that?" She asked, looking up at him and keeping their hands together.

"Wouldn't want you near him", he explained, looking down at her.

She snuggled her head back down.

They stayed there for a while before thinking it would look bad if they didn't join everyone to bury Dale.

"Daryl..." She paused as he tied his shoes up. 

She almost said those three words.

"Hmm," He stood, grabbing her hand without thinking; it was becoming a habit. 

She stopped and looked at him. 

"Thank you," she said instead. Daryl pulled her closer and kissed her lips quickly. 

"Anything for you" He smiled. 

They continued to walk hand in hand for a few minutes before letting go when they could see people...

"Anyone want to say anything?" Rick asked the group

"I do," Theo said quickly before anyone else could enter.

Rick nodded as she grabbed a stone and placed it beside Sophia and the others on his grave.

"Dale... Dale was a good man; he was willing to protect us all; he became our family, one of us," Theo cried. "I believe he's not angry at us; I think he knew last night that we didn't do it, but you can't let Dale's voice upset you in his last moments; you have to think about before that. When Dad wasn't here, he looked at me daily; I got to know him. I found out about his wife, and he's with her now. He would have found peace" The tears fell. "Dale... respected us all; he found a family."

Andrea hugged Theo as they both cried.

The group slowly parted; Theo sat on the far side, next to the tree, still in sight of Dale's grave.

The guilt inside of her was overwhelming at this point.

"Hey," Daryl said behind her

"Hi," She whispered, unable to look up.

"I'm heading out with some of the others. I'll be back soon. Are you going to be alright?" he asked, slowly crouching in front of her.

"Yeah" She smiled

He looked around quickly before placing a kiss on her head.

Theo smiled as he walked away.

She imagined what their relationship would be like, and she thought how good it would be and how they just balanced one another out.

She should have just told him, but it would have scared him off.

They were out for about an hour; when they returned, Maggie and Herschel gathered the group, telling them they wanted them to move into the house.

"14 under one roof, you sure?" Rick asked with a slight smile on his face

"We should have moved you in a long time," Herschel admitted to him.

"Okay, let's get the vehicles facing out, get supplies in, and let's go", Rick ordered.

Theo ran after Daryl.

"Hey!" She yelled

"Sup?" Daryl asked, trying not to hide that she made him jump.

"Can I ride it?" Theo smiled while giving him her puppy eyes to get to drive the motorbike, even if it was just up the path.

He looked at her with a playful 'annoyed' look before throwing the keys at her.

She smiled widely as she did a little dance over to the bike.

"You know what you're doing?" he asked her

"No..." She sarcastically looked up at him with 'doe' eyes.

 She smiled, winking at Daryl making him laugh,

Her parents looked at Theo, almost proud that she looked happy to be back on a bike.

She would do anything for her bike back.

Daryl smiled before getting in a car as she rode up the path.

Once there, she switched off the engine but wouldn't get off the bike.

"You miss it?" Rick asked, walking over to her.

"Probably the most out of anything" " she admitted, her hands running over the handlebars.

"How come you never grabbed your bike?" Daryl asked, walking over to the Grimes'

"Didn't get the chance" She frowned.

"We will find you another one" Daryl smiled at her

"Thanks" She smiled

"Oh, and happy birthday, trouble", Rick laughed, widening her eyes. 

She didn't want anyone to know there were more urgent things in the world.

"It's your birthday?" Daryl asked. 

"Yes, and I didn't want anyone to know," she told her dad, who threw his hands up before walking away.

"Happy birthday, the big 21" Daryl teased.

"Yeah, so tell me why I ain't in a bar..." she began but trailed off when she remembered.

"What?" he asked, looking concerned.

"Holy shit, I was distracted by everything going on; I forgot", Theo laughed, getting off the bike.

"Women, spit it out," Daryl told her.

"I got you a gift", Theo laughed.

She walked over to the car Rick, Glenn, and she took that night when they went after Herschel, making Daryl follow her.

She unlocked the boot before grabbing her bag and pulling out the rum bottle.

"When...?" Daryl began, looking at her amazed.

"That night, in town" She explained

He nodded before laughing.

"We can use it to celebrate tonight," he said, putting it back in her bag before walking off to their stuff.

"Hey!" Lori yelled, walking over to her.

"Don't say it too loud" She stopped her

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Carl screamed, making everyone look over to Theo.

"You little..." She playfully smiled

"Happy birthday, baby girl", Lori hugged

"Celebrating your birthday tonight, we will cook you some food. I will allow you some drinks, and Maggie has enough ingredients for a cake; what do you say?" Herschel smiled, tapping her on the shoulder

"Thank you, I would love that" Theo smiled gratefully

Theo got a happy birthday from everyone; there goes her secret.

Theo minded her own business for a while before she noticed Daryl blocking up the hole in the barn where Randall was.

"Need some help, handyman?" She teased. He looked over the ledge down at her before sighing.

"You got no one else to annoy?" he teased, trying not to break his 'hard' act.

"No one else I like" She smirked, looking up at him. 

"Come on then", he gave in.

She stood on the hay barrel as he gave her his hand up.

"Hand me the nails," he said as she sat behind him; he hammered the wood into the barn, Theo handing the nails over to him.

"Hey, before I forget," Daryl began. "Close your eyes," he told her, placing the hammer down.

So she did

"Hold out your arm", he followed, sitting before her. 

Theo felt something go on her wrist.

She opened her eyes to see a bracelet.

"It ain't much, but I made it out of old rope, and Maggie had some ribbon, so happy birthday", he nodded.

"Thank you; I love it." Theo smiled, looking at it, impressed by how he had made it from scratch.

It was a comfortable silence for a moment as Daryl finished everything up.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, sitting next to her

"Okay, you?" She asked

"Fine, I've moved our stuff up, but I'd rather you sleep in the house," he told Theo.

"I would rather you sleep in the house" she reminded him

"That ain't going to happen."

"Well then, I ain't either" She smiled, making him smile back.

"Come on then," he told her as he jumped down from the ledge and back onto the floor before helping Theo back down.

"Your dad and I are getting rid of Randall tonight. I know it's your birthday, but when I'm back, we can drink that rum, yeah?" Daryl smiled

"I have cigarettes left" She smiled, knowing Theo hadn't touched one in a long time.

"Sounds great", he smiled as Theo left him to talk to her dad. She headed inside, seeing Maggie cooking away.

"Hey" She smiled, her and Beth turned and looked at Theo

"Hey, birthday girl", she smiled before hugging her. "You think you could do something for me?" she asked, turning serious.

"Sure"

"Glenn, I don't know what's happening, but please talk to him for me", she begged.

"Yeah, of course," Theo smiled before leaving to find Glenn.

She saw him in the corner of the dining room; he looked worried.

"Oi," she yelled, making him look up at her. She tilted her head, indicating that she wanted him to follow.

Once outside, Theo sat on the bench by the trees.

"What's up?" Glenn asked, having only spoken a while ago; there was much catching up to do between them.

"We haven't caught up in a while", she smiled, holding onto his arm

"Nothing new" he frowned

"You and Maggie, you wanna explain why she is begging me to talk to you?" Theo asked

"I don't know, I'm just not feeling it right now", he admitted

"And that's fine, but you need to make her understand that because where she's concerned, she feels like she has done something wrong, and I know you are grieving; we all are but don't push her away now", Theo told him honestly.

"I know", he admitted. "I will" he smiled

"Good" She returned the smile

"You and Daryl?" he asked

"I'm not telling you, you suck at secrets" Theo smiled

"I know, but I can't help but see a new bracelet on your wrist" He smirked up at her. 

"Shut it, you" She smiled.

It fell silent for a moment.

"Glenn, I think you deserve to know the whole truth." She began as she looked at her best friend. 

She trusted him for a long time, and he had been protecting her for a long time. 

"Shane hasn't just been hurting me now..." Theo began as Glenn looked at her, worried. 

"Theo...?" He looked at her, worried. 

"He hurt me in another way when I was 17" Theo took a deep breath. 

Glenn closed his eyes, having an idea in his head. 

"You don't have to say it, T" Glenn squeezed her hand as she cried. 

"I want you to know I love you," Glenn began. You are like the sister I never had. You're my best friend, Theo. And I'm always going to have your back. So, you don't have to say those words because I can guess how hard it is for you to tell them. But you are safe with us." Glenn smiled as she leaned over the table to hug him tightly. 

He held her close before looking at her, removing the tears from her eyes. 

"I love you too, Glenn. You're my brother in this world, my best friend," Theo smiled.

Glenn smiled back at her. 

"My mum knows, and I plan on telling Dad soon, or Daryl might, for me, while they are out, so he's away. And I have time before they return," Theo explained, catching Glenn up.

"Are you ready for it?" he asked

"Yeah", Theo nodded. "It's about time."

She caught sight of Carol, excusing herself from her conversation with Glenn, and ran to the woman alone. 

"Carol," she said gently as she walked over to her. 

Carol sighed before crossing her arms and looking at the young girl. 

"I am the last person you want to talk to, but I am sorry. I won't be able to forgive myself, Carol. I am so sorry that I didn't protect your little girl like I should have done," Theo told her honestly as Carol looked at her with tears in her eyes. 

"It's okay. You did everything you could have" Carol smiled at her before walking away.

Theo sighed to herself. It was true; she would never be able to forgive herself. She should have done more. 

But that was something she couldn't change no matter how much she wished she could.