<><><><><>

Daryl

Richard hadn't been kidding. The trail he laid to Carol was obvious. Any idiot could of followed it even as it wound through the woods. I followed it for a couple miles, swearing up and down the whole way. These people Carol had trusted with her location had been a bad choice. I just didn't understand why she couldn't a trusted me with it. If she wanted to be alone I woulda helped her.

The trail through the woods opened just down the street from a small yellow house. It wasn't big or overly protected, but at least it was behind a six foot high fence. The yard was filled with grave stones. I shifted uneasily as I realized Carol was living in a graveyard.

I froze for a second when I saw her standing on the front porch with five men forming a half circle around her. I brought the rifle up into my hands and was about to fire when I realized it was Ezekiel and some of his men. I recognized Jerry from here. Carol didn't look happy to see them and after they talked and Jerry handed her something they left quickly. I waited until they had gone down the road before I came out of the trees.

I stepped through the yard, frowning as I spotted a couple of trip wires. So she had some defenses at least. I stepped over them easily and walked up the porch. I didn't want to bug her, not if she didn't want to see no body, but I couldn't not see her now that I was here. It was hard, being without Jo, harder than I thought and I needed to make sure Carol was okay. I didn't trust that Richard hadn't done something bad to her or there wasn't something shady going on with Ezekiel.

I knocked softly on the door, holding the strap of my crossbow over my shoulder and shifting my weight nervously. She jerked the door open, looking annoyed as hell, but when she saw it was me she froze. A hundred emotions ran over her face and finally she sighed and stepped up to me and hugged me.

I let her hug me for a moment, patting her awkwardly on the back before I stepped away. "Okay," I said uncomfortably. I didn't know what I expected but it wasn't how fiercely she had hugged me or how happy she looked to see me.

She stared up at my face with tears in her eyes. I could see the question in her eyes but she didn't say nothing. She just stared up at me like she couldn't believe I was here.

"Jesus took us to the kingdom," I explained. "Morgan said you just left. I was out here and I saw you...Why'd you go?" I asked, I tried to keep my emotions in check but I couldn't. Carol and me had always been close. I couldn't believe she would just up and leave us like that. I never thought she would be like them.

Tears started running down Carol's face and she shook her head, covering her mouth with her hand as though she could hold back her tears. "I had to," she said, her voice breaking.

I nodded and stared down at my feet, trying to hide my disappointment. She was just like everybody else.

<><><><><>

Jo

I stretched out across the backseat of the car and closed my eyes. We had to wait for the garbage people to return with our supplies and I just needed a short nap. Rick watched me in concern but didn't say anything. I kept the sunglasses over my eyes and closed my eyes. I was achy and sore and felt like I could sleep for about a hundred years.

I drifted in and out for almost an hour before Rosita's obnoxious voice pulled me awake.

"We shouldn't be going back to Alexandria. We need to stay out and look for the guns for this deal," she was saying.

I sat up and was pleased that even the short nap made my head felt better. I shoved the sunglasses up on top of my head and looked over to where Rosita was speaking with Aaron and Tara.

"Jo is hurt," Tara argued. "Aaron is hurt."

Aaron trying to be the peacekeeper scoffed off Tara's concern. "I'm more nervous about what Eric will say if he sees my face like this again."

I glanced over my shoulder but Rick and Michonne were overseeing the return of our supplies. They were moving towards the car to load them in the trunk. I slid across the seat and stood. I stretched. My muscles had tightened up and I was sore. The movement pulled at the cuts on my shoulder and thigh and I grimaced. I was a mess. I wasn't going to be able to keep going like this without some time to rest up and heal.

"People back home need food, Rick wants to bring the supplies back home and regroup so that's what we are doing," Tara spoke more sternly than I had ever heard her speak before and I wondered how much of an earlier conversation I had missed. I stepped towards them but none of them had noticed me yet.

Rosita nodded at Tara. "Then I'll go on my own."

Tara marched towards Rosita. "We are sticking together and that's it." It was sort of nice to see that I wasn't the only one who was fed up with Rosita's attitude.

Rosita looked Tara up and down in disbelief. "What is your problem?" she asked.

"We're not looking for a fight right now Rosita!" Tara exclaimed. "We're getting ready for one." Tara said it as though Rosita were a child who didn't understand what was happening around her. It pissed Rosita off.

Rosita stepped towards Tara aggressively. Aaron tensed and moved closer to Tara, making it clear who's side he was on. "It's always a fight Tara," Rosita snapped, too upset to notice she was alienating her last handful of allies. "I'm not letting anyone get in our way or slow us down. If we gotta stop people from taking from us or we gotta take from other people, I don't care."

I stepped forward. "I think you've made it pretty obvious you don't care."

Rosita looked at me in disbelief. "I saved your ass today!" she snarled.

I snorted and shook my head. "I risked my life for you today, twice." I snapped holding up two fingers. "And the worst part of it Rosita, is that you don't even see it. You're selfish and you don't understand. You aren't part of the solution, you are part of the problem."

Rosita scoffed. "Is that so?" she snapped back. She didn't have a response to my words and I could tell I had thrown her by calling her out so directly.

"Yeah," I said stepping towards her aggressively. Aaron shadowed me, hovering over me like he wanted to interfere but wasn't sure if he should. "You're picking a fight with our own people...here?" I asked glancing around us. I stepped up next to her so we were chest to chest. "We are surrounded by potential enemies. Use. Your. Head. We have to be careful here."

Rosita took a step back. "I am. We will win. That's all that matters. Grown up. Besides, who are you to talk? You're leaving. Running back to your boyfriend like a coward and leaving us all to fend for ourselves," she snapped and she spun on her heel and walked away from us.

I stared after her as she stalked away from us, my hands gripped into fists at my sides. "You should have slugged her," Tara said emphatically from over my shoulder.

"Yeah..." I said thoughtfully dragging out the word. I really should have.

Aaron cleared his throat over my shoulder and spoke in a careful voice. "Not really sure you look like you're up to it just now."

I snorted and nodded, looking back at him. "Not sure I am either." I confessed and returned to the car. Rick and the others had just finished loading the last of the supplies.

Gabriel waved goodbye to the garbage people and thanked them for their help. They didn't say a word in response.

Rick looked back at me and his face was grave. He knew what I was going to say. Rosita's words echoed in my head. It did feel a little like I was abandoning them, but I had to get back to Daryl.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Rick asked looking me up and down.

I scowled at him. "I'm going to pretend you didn't just ask me that," I growled back at him.

He smirked and shook his head. "And normally I wouldn't," he confessed holding his hands up. "But you normally don't look like a stiff wind will knock you over."

I scowled at him some more and he held his hands up in surrender and backed away.

Tara stepped up to me. "At least let me wrap that," she said motioning to my leg. I looked down and realized it was still oozing blood. Not good. It probably meant I needed stitches. Looked like I was going to get a chance to meet the doctor in The Kingdom as well.

"Sure," I finally agreed, seeing the determined gleam in Tara's eye I knew she wouldn't let this drop.

She smiled at me triumphantly.

<><><><><>

Daryl

I stayed with Carol for a couple hours. Helping her do things around the small house. We reset some of the wires the King's men had tripped, and cleared some walkers off the fence. And through it all she didn't offer me any reason why she left.

Once we were done outside we went in. I sat down at her table and watched as she fussed around her small, clean house. In here it looked like none of this had ever happened. Like the change hadn't happened and walkers didn't exist. It looked normal. She was in denial and that was dangerous.

As dark fell she lit candles and built a small fire. She made us dinner, putting it all in a small pot and putting it on a grate in the fire.

I just sat and watched her. Silence between us used to be comfortable. I had always felt like we understood each other, like we had been through similar things in our pasts and because of that we got it. I didn't understand this at all.

She knelt in front of the fire, watching it as it grew and finally she sighed unable to take the silence no more. "I couldn't lose anyone, I couldn't lose any of them. I couldn't lose you," she said honestly, turning to look me in the eye as she said it.

I frowned. There had never been anything romantic between Carol and me, but we had always cared about one another and looked after each other.

"I couldn't kill them," she said, her voice breaking and I knew she meant The Saviors. I remembered what Jo had told me about their time being kidnapped by the saviors and how Carol was with that. How she almost lost it.

She looked down thoughtfully and shook her head, as though disagreeing with herself. "I could," she finally confessed as though it were something to be ashamed of. "I would," she said meeting my eyes once more. "If they hurt any of our people, any more of them - that's what I would do." She turned back to the fire. "And there wouldn't be anything left of me after that."

I didn't say anything because I didn't know what to say to that. She was afraid of losing herself to it. I couldn't be mad at her for that.

As usual my thoughts went to Jo. She already had lost herself. She lost herself a long time ago and remade herself into who she was today. She was beautiful and strong and smart and I loved her like crazy. But I remembered the woman and her family we rescued at the beginning and they weren't exactly the same people. I knew Jo well enough to know she wasn't about to lay down and cry over what happened but I knew she would never of chosen that path. And she sure wouldn't wish it on anyone. Hell I didn't wish it on anyone. I saw what it did to her. I remembered what she was like after we rescued her.

When I didn't say anything Carol spoke up again. "The Saviors, did they come?" she asked fearfully.

I wished every day I coulda saved Jo from the horror she went through. Even though it made her a survivor, even though what she learned to become had saved her
life a hundred times over...I wished I coulda saved her from it. And I didn't want anyone I cared about to go through what she had to.

"Yeah," I finally responded, my voice raspy and quiet. I didn't know what I was going to tell Carol. I had been so pissed at Morgan for lying to her, for not telling her, but now I thought I understood why he did it. He was trying to save her too.

Carol turned away from the fire to look me in the face as she asked the next question. "Did anyone get hurt?" The look in her eyes was so broken, it was like she knew what was coming, she knew what I was going to say and she was preparing herself for what she was going to have to do.

I kept my face blank. I couldn't react. I couldn't tell her. I couldn't be the one to lay that on her shoulders.

"Is everyone okay?" she asked, her voice breaking with emotions. "Did the saviors..." she wiped away at her tears unable to ask the question. "Is everybody back home okay?"

I didn't say nothing, I didn't know what to say to make it better. I couldn't do it. I was a hypocrite, just like Morgan. I was willing to lie to protect someone I cared about.

"Daryl?" she asked desperately.

I had been quiet for too long. I had to answer her.

"Daryl where's Jo?" she asked her voice rising in panic as though it had just occurred to her that I was here without Jo.

"They came," I finally said. "We got 'em all." I promised. "We made a deal with the rest of 'em. Just like Ezekiel. Everyone's alright." I lied and lied.

Carol let out a relieved sob, covering her face with her hands.

"Jo's fine, she's helping Rick, she'll be back soon. Everyone's all right," I repeated the lie again.

Carol smiled through her tears as she looked at me so happy and hopeful I felt like I was gonna be sick. I licked my lips looking away from her. "We gonna eat, or I gotta be a king or something to get food around here?"

Carol laughed out loud, smiling at me. "Shut up," she snapped and turned back to the food.

She carried the pot back to the table and started dishing us up soup in our bowls. Then she went around to the chair across from me and dug in.

I pushed the soup around my bowl with my spoon, my appetite was suddenly gone. "Ezekiel," I started. "Is he okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, I think he is." She said and she blushed. I could tell she liked him. I just hoped her instincts were right about him. Because his second had proved himself
to be an asshole.

"So," she said uncomfortably after a few awkward moments of silence. "How's Jo?" she asked trying to change the subject.

I smirked down into my soup and snorted. "She's...Jo," I said shrugging. "Same as always I guess."

I honestly didn't know what to say. I didn't know how Jo was. I had been so wrapped up in what was going on in my own mind I didn't know how she was doing or what she had been doing when I was gone. I needed to get back to The Kingdom, that was where she was going to meet me. I didn't want her to get there and find me gone. She had faced The Saviors today, Negan today, I needed to find out if she was okay.

After dinner I cleared my bowl and headed towards the door. Carol held it open for me and stood in the doorway watching me leave. I made it halfway down the walk before I turned back and strided back up the porch to give Carol a hug. She seemed surprised at first, but she hugged me back.

I pulled back. "Ya watch out for yourself alright?" I said, backing away. "Ya be careful who you let around here and ah...watch your trip wires.
Maybe move a few, hide 'em
better," I sounded like an anxiously mother hen, I needed to stop before I have anything away. 

Carol frowned at me but she nodded once. Satisfied she would be okay for now I strided away into the night.

<><><><><>

Jo

Rick insisted I take a car to The Kingdom even though I had planned on walking. When I got there in just an hour I was glad for his suggestion. It was already getting late and had I stubbornly insisted on walking it would have been nearly morning before I arrived.

I parked in the lot the guards had insisted we leave our car in on our previous visit. I shouldered my pack and headed up the long drive towards the community. It was strange to be here by myself. I hadn't had much time by myself in I didn't know how long. I was sure their outer guards had seen me but no one stopped me. It seemed as though King Ezekiel had been true to his word that I was welcome here.

The gates opened as I approached and closed slowly behind me once I entered. I glanced back over my shoulder and the woman manning the gate waved cheerfully to me. I didn't recognize her but she obviously knew who I was. I suppose from the feast. Ezekiel's desire to parade us around suddenly made a lot of sense. It allowed his people to know who their allies were. I hadn't considered that being a problem, but then we didn't have the numbers The Kingdom did.

"Jo," I turned at the sound of my name.

Richard, Ezekiel's captain of the guard, or whatever his title was, was walking towards me, emerging from between two buildings. I glanced over his shoulder frowning. As far as I could tell there was nothing that would have required his attention between the buildings unless he was inspecting the foundations...in the dark. Which meant he had been waiting and he had wanted to do so out of sight of the people on patrol and the people at the gate.

He stepped out of the shadows and into the light. He looked rougher than when I had seen him that morning. There was bruising along his left jaw and by his right eye. There was also a tension to him that I didn't understand. It made me wary. I didn't look away from his face, but I was mentally cataloging where things were around me and if I had any allies here.

"Richard," I greeted. I forced myself to appear calm and relaxed though I was anything but. I was exhausted and injured and standing here in this strange place surrounded by strange people who may or may not come to my aid made me feel extremely vulnerable. 

He shifted his weight, but not in an aggressive way. Maybe I was just overreacting. Either way I rested my hand against the handle of the knife at my waist, letting its smooth familiar grip soothe my frayed nerves. 

Richard looked over me to the gate. "Is it just you?"

I tried not to read too much into his question. He was responsible for security, he needed to know who was coming and going. Despite my very rational reasoning my instincts were still telling me something was off with him, so instead of answering outright I side stepped his question.

"I'm looking for Daryl," I said simply. "Do you know where he is?"

Richard tensed at the mention of Daryl and he wouldn't meet my eyes. He shook his head.

I scowled at his answer. "Is he here?" I pressed annoyance coloring my voice.

Richard looked at me sharply, my tone taking him by surprise. He stared me down as though he could intimidate me. I got the impression he was used to being able to intimidate most people with a look. But I wasn't most people, I was me and I was the woman who fell in love with Daryl frickin Dixon. A scowl was hardly going to send me running for the hills.

"I don't know," Richard finally responded and I didn't believe him. He was head of security at a community this large and this well run, you didn't get that position by being incompetent. And it was incompetent to have someone as dangerous as Daryl around and not know where he was every second. 

"So, are you here by yourself?" Richard pressed taking another step closer to me. 

I shifted my weight to my good leg, rocking back and resting my other hand on my hip. To someone who didn't know me it would look like I was relaxing, instead it put my hand closer to my spine sheath. It wasn't my fastest draw, but with my shoulder what it was right now it was my best bet and would require the least motion pulling against the cut. 

"I'm here for Daryl," I replied, lifting my chin. 

Richard made a noise in the back of his throat and nodded. "So you guys are together then? You're important to him," he clarified taking another step toward me, this time it did seem aggressive and I closed my hand around the knife that ran along my spine. 

I stared hard at him, wondering where he was going with this. As I stared at him my scattered thoughts went to Daryl and I once again noticed the bruising along Richard's jaw and around his eye. I scowled, a right hook followed quickly by a left was someone I knew's favorite combination. 

"What happened to your face?" I asked innocently. 

Richard drew back, his face shutting down and hardening and I realized in that moment that it was more than likely Daryl who did that to his face. I resisted the urge to glance around us as I suddenly did not feel as safe as I had just moments before. 

Feeling vulnerable was not common for me, but I was hurt and tired and he was standing in front of me holding a rifle over his shoulder. The look in his eye suddenly seemed dangerous. I wasn't safe here. I slid the knife halfway out of it's sheath. 

"Lady Jo!" Ezekiel's voice carried from down the block. 

Richard's head snapped up towards his king. Something between annoyance and guilt flashed across Richard's face and he quickly stepped back away from me. 

I let out the breath I hadn't realized I had been holding. 

"Your highness," Richard greeted, dipping his chin as Ezekiel approached us. 

I didn't look away from Richard however as Ezekiel approached. There was some niggling feeling in the back of my mind that told me it was a bad idea to take my eyes off of the man standing in front of me. Something had happened between him and Daryl and that something had just made me a target in his mind. 

"Ezekiel," I greeted as the King stepped into the light where we stood. 

"Lady Jo," Ezekiel said again. "It does my heart good to see you back with us so soon. Don't you agree Richard?" Ezekiel asked, turning back to Richard. 

Richard nodded quickly, but he wouldn't meet his King's eyes. "Yeah, it's great. If you would both excuse me," he said quickly and he walked off into the darkness. 

I watched his retreating form and it wasn't until he was gone from sight that I was able to turn my attention to Ezekiel. 

"Where's Shiva?" I asked, surprised to find the king didn't have the tiger by his side. 

Ezekiel just smiled in response. "She had visitors I didn't want to interrupt. So I decided to take my walk alone this night." 

I nodded but I was still distracted, my tired brain was still trying to figure out what had been going on with Richard and why he seemed so off to me. Had something in fact happened between him and Daryl or was I jumping to conclusions. I scrubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands. I needed to get some sleep, I wasn't thinking clearly and that was dangerous. 

"Are you quite well Lady Jo?" Ezekiel asked, frowning down at me. 

I started to nod but then stopped, and for some reason I found myself telling Ezekiel the truth. "I just want to find Daryl and get some sleep it's been a rough day," I said honestly. 

"Of course my lady, allow me to escort you." 

I glanced back in the direction Richard had gone. "He didn't seem too happy to see me," I said thoughtfully. 

Ezekiel sighed. "There is not much that makes Richard happy these days I am afraid." 

"Is Daryl here?" I asked, hoping the king would give me a straight answer at least. 

"Yes," Ezekiel said and a fond smile crossed his face. "He is visiting Shiva." 

I don't know why, but that didn't surprise me in the least. 

Ezekiel frowned down at me and his eyes locked on my thigh where the injury was clearly visible despite Tara's clumsy attempts to bandage it. "You have been injured my lady. Come, I shall escort you to our doctor."

Ezekiel held his arm out to me, offering it as though I were some damsel in distress. I resisted the urge to snort and slid my knife away. I lightly placed my hand in his arm. He rested his other hand over mine and we strolled down the street together. It felt ridiculous to my over tired brain and I had to bite back the urge to start giggling uncontrollably. There was something about Ezekiel however that felt very safe to me, and I couldn't exactly put a name on it. I wasn't entirely convinced he wasn't insane, but that didn't seem to play into it. He just seemed so genuine to me, sincere. I trusted my instincts and I found myself letting my guard down around him. 

Ezekiel brought me to their doctor just as he said he would. Their doctor was a quiet and efficient middle aged woman. Ezekiel stayed with me at first until the doctor asked me to remove my shirt and pants so she could stitch my shoulder and thigh. 

"I will take my leave Lady Jo," he said bowing at the waist. "I shall find Daryl and inform him of your locality." 

I looked away from the doctor to the king and nodded. "Thank you Ezekiel," I said sincerely. I was surprised by how much I liked him, even if he did call himself a king, he seemed to be a good man. 

Ezekiel paused in the doorway and smiled warmly at me. "You have fought the Wasted today, defended your family well. You are very brave Lady Jo, you have the heart of a true warrior and my home and hospitality is always open to you," then he bowed at the waist and left. 

I didn't know what to say to that. I glanced back at the doctor, but she was entirely focused on stitching me up. She didn't seem the least bit surprised by her leaders behavior. Maybe they were all used to it by now. I wasn't sure it would matter how long I was here, it would always seem strange to me. 

The doctor had finished with my shoulder and was just working on my thigh when Daryl came barreling through the door. He shoved the door open, his eyes dark with concern. I was shocked to see he had a crossbow strapped across his back. I wanted to ask him about it, but the fear I saw on his face had me biting my tongue. I wondered what exactly Ezekiel had told Daryl that had him running here. When he saw me sitting on the exam table his gaze immediately softened. He moved with long strides to my side. 

I held up my hand to slow him down. "I'm fine," I told him. 

He looked over me, taking in the visible injuries and he raised his eyebrows clearly not believing me. 

"Really," I promised. "It's nothing."

"Nothing but two lacerations which required a minimum of ten stitches each, a mild concussion, what looks like bruised ribs and if I'm not mistaken extreme exhaustion." 

I glanced up at the doctor, narrowing my eyes at her. She hadn't said two words before this and now she was ratting me out to Daryl. She met my gaze unapologetically as she bandaged my thigh over the top of my stitches. 

When she had finished she pulled off her rubber gloves and turned her attention to Daryl. He was standing a few feet from me, scowling. I was going to owe him an explanation when we were alone. "She needs rest," the doctor told him. "At least a week of rest to make sure she doesn't tear any of her sutures." 

Daryl never took his eyes off my face but he nodded to show he understood. 

The doctor sighed and turned back to me. "I mean it," she said firmly. "If you want to be able to keep fighting you need to allow yourself to heal. The fact that you didn't even mention the ribs were bothering you is extremely worrisome to me." 

I climbed to my feet and pulled my clothes back on. The doctor eyed me as I shouldered my gear. I flashed her a reassuring smile. "Thank you," I said sincerely, holding my hand out to her. 

She shook my hand and nodded, a knowing look twinkling in her eyes. "I mean it," she repeated. 

"Don't worry doc," Daryl said, pushing off of the wall he had slouched against. "I'll keep an eye on her." He picked my backpack up from the corner and slung it over his shoulder. 

The doctor looked Daryl up and down, taking in the weapons strapped to his body and the crossbow over his shoulder. She snorted and shook her head. "I don't know if that makes me feel any better." 

I was moving stiffly and while Daryl must have noticed he didn't say anything. Instead he followed me slowly back to the dorm room we had shared the night before...had it only been last night? It felt like years had gone by. 

I exhaled as the door clicked closed behind us and we were finally alone. The sudden weight being lifted from my shoulders was a heady release. I hadn't realized how tense I was surrounded by other people until it was just to two of us again. I was hurt and tired and being with Daryl made me feel incredibly safe. 

I dropped my shoulder rig on the desk and immediately began stripping off my clothes. Daryl stood in the middle of the room watching me carefully. "How bad is it really?" he asked after a few minutes of silence. 

I dropped onto the bed and groaned. I rolled onto my side and let out another contented sigh. "I may need a couple days," I mumbled tiredly. 

Daryl nodded briskly and I could tell something was bothering him. "Do you wanna tell me what happened that made you smash up Richard's face?" I asked lightly. 

Daryl's eyes flashed in surprise and I smirked at him. "You think I wouldn't notice?" I teased him and he grunted. I couldn't tell if he was pleased I had figured him out or annoyed by my teasing. 

"Ya wanna tell me what happened to you today?" he asked. 

I wrinkled my nose at him. "Not tonight," I sighed. I knew I was going to have to tell him about what happened with out on the road with Rosita and back at home with Negan and about the garbage people, but it seemed like too much to face tonight. "I just want to forget today even happened." 

I held up the blanket inviting him to join me. After a few moments Daryl finally relented and he tossed his weapons down with mine. He stripped down to his boxers and climbed into the narrow bed. He lay down beside me and I rolled into him, snuggling myself against his warmth. 

He let out a quiet sigh and I felt even more of his tension slide away. We lay in silence together for a few moments. I reached down and took his hand, pressing my palm against his, playing with his fingers. His hands were so much larger than mine, warm and strong with long, graceful fingers. I loved his hands. I glided the tips of my fingers over his palm and smiled. 

He watched silently, chewing on his lip and I could tell he had something on his mind. 

"We're done here," he said in a gravelly voice after a few minutes. "These people aren't going to help us, and they aren't the kind of allies we want." 

I stilled and swallowed. Rick had been adamant that we convince Ezekiel to help us, but I trusted Daryl's instincts. 

"Where do you want to go?" I asked him in a gentle voice. I didn't want him to think I was arguing with him. I wasn't. I was so tired, I was ready for someone else to make some decisions for a while and to be honest Daryl was the only one I trusted that much. If he told me tonight he was done and we should just disappear into the woods I would have followed him, no questions asked. It spoke volumes of exactly how out of it I really was. 

Daryl stared up at the ceiling, one of his arms propped behind his head. "Maggie and Sasha are at Hilltop," he said. "She's training those people to fight, maybe we can help out there." 

"Okay," I agreed and once I had spoken that last bit of tension he had been holding onto left. It occurred to me then that he had thought I was going to argue with him. I wasn't. "We'll leave in the morning." 

"You up for a trip so soon?" he asked in concern. 

"With you? Absolutely," I said. I pushed myself up and pressed my lips against his briefly before I lay back down. I wiggled closer, snuggling under his arm and resting my cheek on his shoulder. His warmth was sucking me in and I knew I wasn't going to be able to stay awake much longer. I remembered Daryl had been having trouble sleeping but I wasn't sure I was going to be able to stay awake long enough to check on him. "Are you okay?" I asked sleepily around a yawn. 

He snorted and drew me closer, brushing his lips across my hair. 

"I love you Daryl," I said tiredly, barely able to hold back a second yawn. 

"Love you too darling." 

I was sleeping before I realized he never answered my question. 

<><><><><>

Hi everyone, I really hope you enjoyed this update. It was a tough one for me to write. I know where I want to go with the story, but there is some leg work to get there ;) Anyway, it was a bit of a struggle for some reason so I really hope you like it. I so appreciate all of your continued support! I couldn't do it without you!