First and Last

18/27

Everything was moving and Daryl didn't know what the hell was going on, but he felt he was falling down, his foot planting onto the ground out of instinct...oh, yeah...the damn swing bed...he had fallen asleep on the damn thing and lost the balance.

He realized all that as he woke up, damn, he hadn't even meant to fall asleep, he didn't remember falling asleep...unfortunately, he didn't wake up on time to stop Y/N from rolling off him as the swing shifted backward and she fell onto her ass.

"Shit, sorry!" Daryl sat up, waking up completely and reaching out for Y/N. She was blinking, looking confused, but then she chuckled.

"This is you trying to get rid of me or just your way of quietly slipping away? Cos either way, it didn't work?" She chuckled again, shaking her head and taking his hands, but she didn't get up.

"Nah, it's me falling asleep like an idiot." He scoffed.

"Me too...there's stuff we should be doing, not sleeping..."

"You needed to rest."

"I guess you did too..." She smiled at him softly and Daryl found he couldn't fight it. "I gotta say, that was a really good nap..." She finally got up, looking down at him, still smiling in that way. She let go of his hands, running his fingers through his hair and making him close his eyes and hum, before cupping his face. "How are you?"

Daryl didn't know how could she ask him that, he should be the one asking, she had lost a lot of her neighbors, had to deal with a group of murderers getting in, then the biggest herd of walkers, had to look for her kid not knowing is she was safe... "I'm good, and you?"

"I'm better, I think." She gave him that smile again. "Are you hurting?"

"I've had worse." Daryl shrugged, he was just fine, she didn't need to worry.

"I know..." She whispered, one of her thumbs stroking over his cheekbone. Her smile was gone now as she looked at him, and then she was leaning in, slowly, and Daryl's pulse sped up. Was she going to kiss him now, for real? Maybe...maybe not? His heart was hammering like it was going to jump out of his chest, but damn, he wanted to kiss her...He reached out a tentative hand, placing it on her waist softly...

"Finally awake!"

Y/N pulled away from him at Lisa's voice, the girl walking out of the house and looking at them, and Daryl took his hand away from Y/N's waist, though one of hers was resting on his shoulder, so maybe she didn't mind?

"Dawn woke up with a nightmare but I managed to calm her down, Jane's reading aloud now," Lisa explained. "Dad...he hasn't moved from that same spot, wouldn't listen to me..." She sighed.

"Shit...I'm sorry, darling I didn't mean to fall asleep." Y/N pulled away from him completely, running a hand through her messy hair. "I'm going to check on the kids, thank you for helping, and I'll try talking with your father..." She looked overwhelmed again, not like she looked when she had woken up, and Daryl reached out to squeeze her hand and brush his thumb over her knuckles. She gave him a smile before turning his attention back to Lisa. "You need something, sweetheart?"

"No, I'm going to the infirmary to see how's Carl." The mention of the boy filled Daryl with worry again, closing his stomach...the kid was supposed to pull through, and yet...

"I'm going too," he said, getting up.

"I'll join you both once I've made sure the girls are okay and then I'll go see if I can help with the wall or something." Y/N said.

"You don't need too, you gotta make sure the kids are okay..." Daryl reached out for her hand again, couldn't help himself.

"And I have to make sure this place is okay too." She gave him a soft smile. "I'll see you later, okay?"