Theme Song: "Vindicated" - Dashboard Confessional

I looked around, my eyes growing wider as the creek before us was as still as glass. Nothing disturbed it, that is until a stray turtle hopped off the bank and slid into the water.

I turned to Daryl and I slid my back pack off my shoulders and dumped it on the ground momentarily. I wanted to sink to my knees and thank the heavens above, but decided to silently send my thanks instead.

"Uh, ya' wanna get washed up..or.."

Daryl stumbled on his words for a moment, his right thumbnail already in his mouth as he chewed nervously.

He started to shrug off his bow and set up a small area for us near a tree that would provide some shade and cover.

I looked away quickly from his nervous gesture and hid my smile. I found a large rock and picked it up, hauling it over to the spot I planned to clean up at. It would make a nice surface to lay my camisole on.

I returned to grab my backpack feeling thankful that we had stumbled upon this.

Daryl was setting up behind the large tree that would shield him from me as I cleaned up. I turned around and just so happened to meet Daryl's gaze as it filtered over towards me while he was gathering sticks and foliage to burn in a fire.

"No peeking.." I said aloud and he shook his head, rolling his eyes too, no doubt. He quickly turned his back and continued to work on our campsite.

I stripped my camisole off and laid it on the log and decided to keep my bra on. I rummaged around in my backpack and saw my black leather jacket that I loved so much and smiled.

Daryl must have stuffed it into the backpack before leaving the prison.

I noticed that the water wasn't nearly as dirty as one would think it would be, but it wasn't clear either. I knew better than to drink it.

My hands dipped into the creek and I sighed with relief. I just needed to rinse off.

I proceeded to splash water onto my shoulders, my neck and even rubbed some under my arms.

I let the water drip down my chest and seep to my stomach. I did this a few more times, my eyes lingering down to my stomach as the beads of water creeped down towards the waist band of my blue jean shorts.

Though we were living in a post-apocalyptic world, I still had my lean muscle from my aerialist training.

But, I certainly wasn't as fit as I had been. To be honest, I felt more comfortable with myself than I had in years.

I pulled my camisole back on and though my skin was damp, I didn't care. I rummaged in the backpack, finding two button downs. They were both large, but I decided to take one for myself.

I didn't like always walking around in a skimpy camisole. And the nights were getting a little cooler.

I pulled on the red and black plaid shirt and buttoned it up quickly. As I grabbed my backpack and walked back towards Daryl he eyed me wearily, taking in my new shirt.

"Didn't drink it, did ya'?" I laughed lightly, "Hell no. I'm no fool." He nodded once with a small smirk.

He had put some stuff together while I had been down by the creek, "What's that?"

"Water filter. Takes a bit, but we can boil the water." I looked to Daryl, clearly impressed, "You are full of surprises, squirrel boy."

He narrowed his eyes at me, but there was a playful glint to them I hadn't seen in days, "Watch it." I smirked and he quietly picked out the remaining button down in the backpack and walked towards the creek.

My eyes watched as he walked down to the creek from our campsite. I quickly averted them the moment he started to take off his vest.

I busied myself with my sickles, cleaning them silently with his red handkerchief.

I heard the water splashing around and couldn't believe, of all people, Daryl was rinsing off.

However, after a moment my curiosity got the better of me when the splashing stopped. I had been leaning against the tree, keeping an eye out on our things.

But, now I turned around and watched as Daryl's taut back was facing my line of sight.

Even from my place, I could see the faintest lines on his back and I immediately thought about his story about having it hard with his father..the abuse.

I also saw what appeared to be two seperate tattoos, but I couldn't make out what exactly they were.

I bit my bottom lip in anxious thought and sadness before averting my gaze. I felt like I was prying. I didn't like it.

I also felt like I was seeing something he didn't particularly want anyone to stare at. And that in itself made me feel worse being so peeping tom-ish just then.

When Daryl rounded the corner of the tree a little while later, I jumped slightly, but if he noticed he didn't say anything. Daryl had already put the other button down on and he placed his vest on top of the backpack.

He silently started to pull at the sleeves of his shirt forcibly. Within seconds, he was ripping the sleeves off up to his shoulders. He dropped the pieces of shirt on the ground casually.

I eyed him with an arched brow, "Okay, Hulk.." His lips quipped into a smile, but he rolled his eyes at the same time.

His button down was open in the front and I watched as he walked towards the stump he had placed his make shift water filter on.

My eyes discreetly looked up to Daryl as the exposed part of his chest was in my line of sight.

I swallowed and looked away, choosing to finish cleaning my sickles to keep my mind off Daryl and his unbuttoned shirt.

I stood up and walked over to Daryl to hand him his handkerchief. He looked to the sickles on my hips approvingly before taking his red piece of cloth that found a home in the back pocket of his jeans.

"C'mere.." I murmured, without thinking, and he took a very small step closer with guarded eyes.

My hands hesitantly reached the bottom hem of his shirt and I started to button it with nervous hands. I cleared my throat as my hands worked their way up slowly, buttoning one and moving up.

He tensed, but then relaxed visibly after a second or two. I didn't dare meet his eyes, the gesture feeling oddly more intimate by the second.

"Sorry for yellin'..earlier." His rough voice broke my thoughts and I was now at the button in the middle of his chest, which forced me to start looking up at him.

I nodded silently, licking my bottom lip and then finding my voice, "I was out here on my own a long time before we all met that day. So, if you need help..just ask me, Daryl."

He nodded solemnly, taking in my words, but choosing not to respond. My message was loud and clear and he got that.

My hands reached the last buttons on his shirt and I continued, "We're in this together, you and me." I paused, getting to that last button and our eyes locked together.

His dark blue hues pulled me in for a brief second, but I looked back down at the last button. Once I was done, my hands lingered for a beat longer than they should have.

I let my fingertips run over the collar, my inner voice telling me to stand down, but my heart was thrumming away and pushing me to touch his face.

However, I chickened out

He cleared his throat, his jaw clenching as he ground his teeth nervously. He didn't say anything, but I could tell he was digesting what had just transpired.

I backed up and took my spot against the tree as we waited for the water to be ready to boil.

The conversation that afternoon was minimal, but it was different from before. It was light-hearted.

And I saw him smile a couple more times before it got dark too.

That night we sat in silence, but I felt slightly cooler due to being so close to the water. It was always colder near a body of water.

We had just got done eating frog legs and my taste buds were in shellshock. I had never eaten frog before. And I didn't know if I wanted to eat them again either.

"Ya' cold?" He asked over the fire. Shadows flickered around him and sometimes I could hear a rustle in the water, but I suspected woodland creatures.

I shrugged lightly, my knees to my chest and my chin lazily resting on top of my knees.

"Well ya' sure are shiverin' like it." He bit back, annoyed that I wasn't telling him the truth. I sighed, relenting for once, and muttered, "Yeah, I'm cold tonight. Happy?"

Daryl shook his head, "Nah. Now, get over 'ere." His abrupt demand made me stare for a second. I pulled myself up off the ground and walked around to Daryl. I sat down next to him, but kept a space between us.

He tsked slightly, "Ain't gonna' bite ya', girl." My lips curved into a small smile. I pushed closer to Daryl so that our sides were touching and we were both staring into the fire and out to the creek.

After a long moment, maybe even ten minutes, he looked down to me, "Better?" I hummed in response, nodding and relishing in the warmth of just being against him. My forearm against his was sending tendrils of electricity to my body and I found I liked it.

I felt content, considering we were on our own with limited resources. He was full of surprises tonight because he started talking again, "Ya' really think somethin' is out there?" His voice was filled with genuine curiosity about a safe place.

I gathered my thoughts before answering in a whisper, "I know there's something. I just..I just can't give up hope, Daryl. It's all I have left."

He was silent next to me before answering lowly, "Ya' still got me." My eyes drifted up to Daryl and my breath hitched at his startling words of kindness.

He looked down at me before returning his gaze to the fire. "I do." I murmured, nodding my head for emphasis and a smile crossing my features.

However, it faltered as I looked up Daryl with a serious gaze, "You have to try and have hope, Daryl. Promise me?" My whisper raised an octave and he stared into the fire before looking down at me. I stared up at him imploringly.

"I'm tryin'.." He whispered raggedly and I figured it was a start, so I nodded silently.

Sometime later, I lied down on the ground, facing away from him. I pressed my back up against him, wanting that security of feeling him next to me.

He didn't move away, nor did he protest. I blinked, feeling my eyelids grow heavy, "Wake me up in a bit, okay?" He muttered a low sure and I rolled my eyes, "You're not going to wake me, are you?"

"Nah, prolly' not."

I chuckled, my chest moving up and down with the laugh. "You know, I could have done this on my own, right?" I asked, hinting to the fact that I could be by myself and I'd survive.

My words were laced with humor and I knew without looking that he was looking down at me, "Not if ya' got stuck up in a tree.." He trailed off high and mighty like.

I groaned aloud, shaking my head at the reminder of my screw up..a thing he liked to poke fun at me about every now and then.

"I know ya' could, Red." Daryl added for good measure a few moments later. I smiled at the way he said it..the way he knew that I was strong and it was something he respected about me.

And I knew even though he would never admit it..he found that part of me attractive.

The thing was, neither of us wanted to be on our own when it came down to it. We'd much rather be in each other's company.

"Well, for what's worth, I'm glad I'm here..with you." I muttered sleepily as I got situated, stretching my legs and then pulling them closer to me in a fetal position.

I turned to crane my neck to look at Daryl, our eyes meeting in the firelight and I saw him nod.

He looked down at my elephant necklace for a moment and then our eyes met, locking intensely as I recalled every moment we shared up until this point.

Including the kiss.

Clearly, he felt the same, but being a man that didn't put much emotion out in the open, he chose to nod at my words and not say anything out loud.

He knew from our time at the prison how I felt. I knew it had not been forgotten. I had told him in so many words I would wait..as long as it took for him to open up to me about how he felt.

That night as I drifted off to sleep, I found the warmth of him against me was something I could get used to.

Because at the end of the day..home wasn't a place. It wasn't the prison or that safe place either.

It was a person.

And I was laying right to him.

Author's Note: Hope you all enjoyed and Happy Sunday!! Give me a week or so to update this one. ^^