First and Last

13/27

Daryl wasn't sure if he'd fallen asleep or when, but it seemed like so, cheek resting on his hand and his elbow over the armrest, eyes closed and lost between the dream world and the awake one, when Y/N's doorbell startled him. He looked around confused, Y/N was still curled up at the other end of the sofa, but the doorbell rang again and she stirred awake, seeming as confused as him.

"What..." Her eyes and landed on him..."Shit, I'm sorry, I-" Another ring and Y/N jumped onto her feet. "I have to open."

Daryl didn't know what to do. He guessed he should go and talk to Rick and Carol, see what they were going to do now, what they needed him to do. He didn't move from the sofa, though, running a hand through his messy hair and rubbing his eyes as he heard Y/N speaking with whoever was on the door.

"Hey, Rachel, thanks for having Jane and bringing her back."

"It's okay! They were already tucked in bed last night, reading that book Jane had brought."

"Thank you...we'll talk about last night later... Jane, say goodbye."

"Bye! Thank you! I'll see you later!"

Daryl saw Jane walking past the corridor and towards the stairs but then she backtracked, looking into the living room and frowning, but she grinned when she spotted him.

"Daryl!" She rushed to him and Y/N also walked back. "Have you come to have breakfast with us?"

"I, uh..." He really should go talk to Rick, help around, just do something. "Yeah?"

"Jane, got showered and change clothes while I make breakfast," Y/N instructed, giving Daryl and apologetic look, and Jane nodded and rushed upstairs. "I'm sorry, Daryl, you stayed all night because of me and I fell asleep on you, you could have left..."

"I kind of fell asleep too..." He wouldn't have left her like that, without her knowing he was leaving and waking up alone after such a night.

"You don't need to stay, I know there must be things to do after...well...everything..."

Daryl was sure too, but he shrugged. "It's okay, I want that breakfast."

Y/N looked at him with a smile that reminded him a bit of Jane's and nodded, going towards the kitchen and Daryl followed her.

*

"It's not fancy..." Y/N said ad he stirred the oatmeal she was making for breakfast.

"I ain't one for fancy..." Daryl shrugged. "That's what we always had at the prison anyway."

"Bet Carol makes it better than me..." Y/N muttered and Daryl snorted, shaking his head.

"She's good at cooking but she ain't no cook, not just, don't know what she's doing playing that here..." Daryl wasn't sure if Carol and Rick would want him to say that to Y/N, but did it mattered after last night? Besides...that was Y/N...

"What's she then?" Y/N stopped stirring to look at him.

"She's..." What was Carol? A friend, a good woman, but a dangerous and lethal one when needed to. He was lucky he was her friend and not an enemy, having someone like Carol protecting you was good, way better than having her killing you when needed. "She's a survivor."

"Aren't you all?" Y/N smirked. "But yeah...I know...I think there's more to her than what she shows."

"She's a fighter, one of the best. Saved us at Terminus, and many more times."

"Can't believe such a place existed...." Y/N shuddered at the mention of Terminus. "I think I'm going to make some tea...can you?"

Y/N passed him the spoon to stir the porridge, and as he looked at the pot it suddenly dawned on him how weird and surreal all of this was. He was in a strange safe place in the middle of the apocalypse, making porridge as if nothing in Y/N's kitchen after finding her again seventeen years later. He wondered if Y/N thought like that too, and when he looked at her she was frowning at the pot.