I Need You

Meeting

Daryl

Fresh and clean from a shower, I decide t'sleep in my boxers and undershirt. It ain't because I feel safe. I'm just too damn tired to care to put on my jeans. I lay them next to my boots on the floor next to the bed. I can't wait to take a load off. Turnin' around, I stare down at the bed, wonderin' if I should sleep on top of the covers. I go back and forth, tryin' to decide what's right.

"Screw it." I pull back the covers and slide on in. I'm exhausted and it's gettin' colder out. Plus, if that damn herd escapes from the quarry and runs this town to the ground, I ain't gonna die not knowing how it feels to actually sleep in the bed with Beth. The herd at the quarry looms over us like storm clouds. We know it's gonna rain, we just don't know when.

We just got back this afternoon. The first stop we made was Deanna's to talk t' her and Rick. Deanna made us record what happened out there. Why, I don't know. It ain't like those damn tapes are helpful. After that, Beth insisted we stop at the infirmary. She wanted the new doc, Denise, to take a look at my leg. I complained, limping, the whole way, even though my leg hurt like a sum'bitch. Denise complimented Beth on her stitches, then proceeded to tell me to take it easy for a couple of days.

Rick met us there as soon as we were done, he told us t' go home and rest, everythin' else could wait until tomorrow. On one hand, I'm thankful. I'm beat and I know Beth is too. But on the other hand, I want us to sit down and figure this shit out now. Rick said he'd go with a couple of the others to look at the quarry so he can see what we're workin' with. I don't think we've ever seen a herd that big. I ain't got the slightest clue what we're gonna do. I know we will figure it out though. We always do.

I hear Beth's shower cut off. She's been quiet ever since the attack. I don't know what's goin' on inside that pretty lil' head of hers. She does that though. When we run into some trouble, she gets quiet afterward. I guess it's just her nature. Her way of processin' it all. She did it back at the farm, after the prison, after Grady, and after Noah. She seems to be okay though. She's still smilin'. Even after all the shit we've been through, she still has that light inside her. She's so damn tough. Before the prison fell, I couldn't see it. Then when it was just us, I started to realize she's a lot like Hershel. He was tough but fair. He saw the good in people and tried to find the good in e'ery situation. Beth's like that. I used to hate it. But turns out faith is contagious. It's hard not to be hopeful 'round her. It makes me want to do better and believe better. Bein' so damn negative ain't done shit for me. But bein' hopeful has. It helped me keep lookin' for her, it helped me admit my feelin's for her, and it helps me believe in the life we can have here.

I see her appear in the doorway. Her long blonde wavy hair is slightly damp hanging over one shoulder. The other shoulder is exposed. She's wearin' one of my tshits and doesn't look like much else. My eyes wander down to her sleek legs and cute feet. I look back up and see she's smilin' at me. "You look comfy."

I shrug. "Yep."

She giggles as she climbs in bed and snuggles up into me. Once she's got her body pressed almost completely against mine with our legs all tangled up and her head in the crook of my neck, she sighs deeply. "Feels good to be home."

Home.

I used t' hear people say dumb shit like home ain't a place, it's a feelin' or home is where the heart is. I always thought it was all bullshit but maybe they were right. I never thought this place could ever feel like home. Sure, it's got a bed and a bath but it's still a cage. At least that's what I first thought when we got here. If I'm bein' honest, ain't no place ever fully felt like home. But after scoutin'... pulling the car inside the gate... bein' back in our house... surrounded by all of our family... it's pretty damn close.