Born 2 Be Wild-A Merle Dixon love story

Chapter 35

  Sleeping in the chair in Daryl's room sucked, but I've slept in worse. The entire time he was there I stayed by his side. He would have done the same for me. After a few days in the house he settled back into our tent, but he can't do much because of the stitches. I know it's driving him crazy to just lay there all day.

I got our laundry off of the line and was on my way back to the tent when I saw Andrea go in. I know I shouldn't, but I'm going to eavesdrop anyway. I walked softly nearby and waited.

"Hey. This is not that great, but..." Andrea said.

She must have given him something.

"What, no pictures?" I heard Daryl reply

She gave him a book.

"I'm so sorry. I feel like shit."

"I bet you do after Jess got a hold of you." Daryl said.

"I don't expect you to forgive me, but if there's anything I can do..." Andrea trailed off.

"You were trying to protect the group. We're good." A short pause as Andrea stepped out of the tent. "But hey, shoot me again, you'd best pray I'm dead." Daryl told her.

I waited a minute and walked over to the tent from the direction of the clothesline. I stepped in and sat the clothes down, then sat down beside Daryl's cot.

"So, why was Andrea in here?" I asked.

"Gave me this book." He said holding it up. "And to tell me she was sorry for shooting me."

"Well it's good that she apologized."

"Mmhhmm. Her lip has almost healed from where you busted it."

"Yeah, I noticed. She's been keeping her distance. I guess she realized I can get just as angry as a Dixon can."

"Well you pretty much are a Dixon."

"Yeah, I guess that's true." I said sitting back against the side of the tent.

"You gonna help them train people today?" Daryl asked, looking over at me.

"I've been thinking about it. Might be good to shoot something not trying to eat me for a change. You sure you trust me being around Andrea? I might break her nose this time." I said smiling.

"Yeah. You've cooled down now. You didn't do nearly as much damage as I was expecting. You going soft on me Jess?"

"No. Just older and wiser is all."

"You should go. Talk to someone that isn't me for a change."

"Oh. Okay. Yeah, I'll go." I said getting up and heading for the door of the tent.

"I didn't mean it that way Jess. Jess!"

But I was already out the door. I walked over to the Cherokee and leaned against the side.

"I'll help out with the training today, if you need me." I told Rick.

"We can use all the help we can get." He replied, nodding his head.

After Rick had to walk away to deal with a family issue I had no idea what to do with myself. I can't go back to the tent after the way I left, all pissy. So I wandered over to the campfire and sat down beside it. The campfire is like the water cooler of the post apocalyptic world.

I sat there until everyone was gathering for training. I got into the back of Hershel's pickup and rode to our make shift gun range.

We set up glass bottles and cans on a fence row and let the trainees go to town on them. Rick, Shane, T-Dog, and I were the instructors. Although I did fire off a couple rounds myself.

Andrea and Shane stayed behind, but the rest of us left. When I got back to camp, I didn't know what to do again. Not having to go on supply runs or go hunting, or run for my life for the first time in months is a strange feeling. So I swallowed my pride and went back to the tent. This must be what Merle felt like every time he came crawling back home after leaving. It was not a pleasant feeling.

Daryl was either asleep or pretending to be, so I got out a book and started reading. When I'd read a few pages Daryl turned towards me.

"How's that pride taste?"

"You're about to find out how my fist tastes."

"Aww c'mon Jess. You wouldn't hit and injured man, would ya?"

"You're healing, so I can real soon."

"I'm sorry Jess."

"No. I'm the one that should be sorry. I know you didn't mean it that way."

Daryl nodded. "I guess I have been kinda avoiding you. I've been doing it without really realizing it. I've had a lot going through my mind lately."

"I get it. We haven't spent this much time together since we were teenagers."

"Except for the zombies and us being almost 40 we could be teenagers again. We're on a farm complete with a farmhouse and a crotchety religious man."

"And all the other people."

"Well that's true. Okay, so maybe not." He said laughing.

I fixed us a nutritious dinner of fried bologna and beans. After we were done I washed our plates and changed Daryl's bandages. When I'd got the one around his head in place he grabbed my hips and pulled me closer towards him.

"Jess. The reason I've been avoiding you, is because I've been wanting this." He said pulling my face to his and kissing me.

When I had to breathe I pulled away from him and sat down on the cot. I ran a hand through my brown hair and looked at him.

"I've wanted to that ever since we left the CDC. I thought we were going to die in there. I thought that we would both die and I wouldn't get the chance to do that again."

I didn't reply. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his. When we broke away from the kiss I stayed close to him.

"Well why didn't you just do it then?" I asked him, slightly out of breath.

"I didn't picture it going this well honestly." He said with a smile. "I figured you wouldn't want to be with me because of Merle."

"Merle's dead. Nothing's gonna change that. If the situation were reversed he would have definitely already moved on." I told him.

"You're right." He said pulling me in again.