Willow (Daryl Dixon)

~35~

My voice strained as I sat up from bed screaming. Again...There was a cold sweat across my forehead as I quickly shoved the knuckle of my fist between my teeth to stop the scream. It was just a dream I told myself over and over again. The sad reality was that it was just a dream based off of real memories. I jumped when the tower door opened and a dark shadow entered the room with a flashlight pointed inside.

"You okay?" Daryl stepped in, hair a few different directions. I got up and through the blanket off of me, letting my feet hang off the side of the cot to place my head in my hands. I was so exhausted and sleep deprived that I was ready for somebody to just knock me out so I can actually sleep for more than four hours.

"Did I wake you up?" I asked him quietly as I stared at the floor. He came into view as he crouched in front of me, placing his hands on either side of me on the cot.

"No. Want to talk about it?" He looked up at me. Taking a deep and almost shaky breath, I pushed my hair from my face and sat up. His face was full of concern as his eyes locked with mine.

"We'd be here all night if I did," I shook my head. I grabbed the pack of cigarettes off the top of my bag on the ground and pulled out the last one, placing it to my lips. Before I could grab my lighter it was ripped out of mouth.

"Knock that shit off, what's going on with you?" He asked me seriously. I bit the inside of lip, there's no way in hell I'm telling him about Merle, but there was also no way he'd let this go. I had to tell him something.

"The kiss... what did it mean?"  I asked suddenly. He froze, eyes darting to the floor, he was thinking it over in his head. I immediately regretted bringing it up, his hesitation meant that it was just a heat of the moment type of deal. I sighed as I stood up and walked past him, picking up the cigarette off the floor from where he'd throw it.

"It's fine Daryl, it was just a mistake-"

I was cut off by lips crashing with mine, hands grabbing hungrily at my hips as my hands dropped the smoke and snaked around his neck for balance. I slightly moaned against his lips as I felt my back hit the wall, this only seemed to make him hungrier. But suddenly Daryl pulled his face away, cupping my face with his hands and gently running his thumb across my cheek.

"Darlin it was far from a mistake, it was the reason I came back," he assured me. My eyes bounced back and forth from his lips as I shook my head, not sure what to say.

There was a pause before he was kissing me deeply again and I could feel his hands on my bare skin around my waist. Believe me when I say I wanted nothing more than to tear his clothes off but I think we both agreed it'd be a bad idea and stopped, pulling away before it went any farther. His lips pulled into that half smirk he always did as he pushed a strand of my hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear.

"G'night," he said in a low voice, turning and walking towards the door. I found myself hesitating as I watched him leaving.

"Hey Daryl..." I called out. He stopped and turned around, waiting for what I had to say with a raised eyebrow. "Will you stay with me?" I asked him nervously. He smiled at me as he stepped back in front of me.

"Not on that thing, come on," he held a hand out towards me. I glanced at my tiny cot,  before placing my hand in his feeling myself being pulled towards the cell block.

We quietly passed all the other cells with snoring bodies inside them. After tip toeing up the steps to the second floor cells, Daryl brought us to the farthest cell from everyone else and plopped down on the bottom mattress. I was slightly shocked as he ripped his shirt off and chucked it into the corner. I felt out of place as I stood in the cell awkwardly. Daryl caught on quickly as he held a hand out to me once again and pulled me into his chest and pulling the thin blanket up to our shoulders. I found a comfy spot super quick against his bare chest as his arm wrapped around me. I felt myself relax more then my body had ever been in a long time.

I'd never experienced affection on a level like this before, I was taken back by how much I actually enjoyed it? Not to mention seeing Daryl actually care about something like this was strange. I'd only seen him come out of his shell like this a few times, but actually being in the same bed with him just boggled my mind.

"Hey Daryl?" I whispered. He made a 'hmm' noice that made his chest vibrate against my ear. He was playing with a strand of my hair as we laid together.

"Thank you..." I told him. I wasn't even really sure why I was thanking him, it just felt right. He didn't seem to question it though.

"Get some sleep, alright?" He mumbled to me. I felt myself yawn at the thought of sleep as my eyes closed, the sound of Daryl's heart beat making me relax. I'd forgotten all about the nightmares and for the first time in a long time, embraced the darkness.