Theme Song:
Heal - Tom Odell

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I opened my eyes the next morning well before the actual sun rose above the clouds.

I lay there for quite some time, my chest heaving up and down deeply as my mind replayed the happenings of the night before.

I would feel my cheeks flush from the mere thought of his lips and that was when I found myself subconsciously putting my fingertips to mu lips, as if I could still feel him there.

Daryl kissed me last night

This was a very strange thought to have and though it wasn't unpleasant by any means..it was still a bit startling.

I'd known Daryl for a while now and he sure wasn't a man that needed, or wanted, physical contact.

Hell, he shied away from it all costs, but last night he initiated an actual kiss with me.

Sure, I had goaded him a little bit with my speech, but Daryl Dixon had acted on his feelings for me and he let me in in one of the most intimate of ways.

Involuntarily, I smiled lightly and then that small smile turned into a broad and open mouthed smile as I giddily flipped on the bed and buried my face in the pillow.

As the realization sank in, my inner child came out for a very brief moment and I allowed myself this moment of happiness.

When I flipped back over and sat up on the bed I realized how much weight had been lifted off my shoulders from all that I had told him.

Even before he had kissed me, I had an overbearing weight of all the unsaid things I wanted to explain to him, like how I felt, but it was never really the right time..until last night.

And now that it was out there in the open and Daryl had acted on it, I felt lighter.

More relaxed.

I didn't know exactly how he was going to react, but I had a feeling Daryl would be Daryl and he'd probably ignore me..or keep his distance.

Time to face the music

I stretched, getting my sickles off the nightstand and sheathing them into place and putting my boots on.

I felt healthier too and my limbs ached less and less every single day.

I swallowed nervously before opening the door and hearing muffled voices downstairs.

As I crept down the stairs the voices became clear and I immediately recognized Daryl and Calvin's voices.

I stopped shy of the bottom step as Calvin spoke in a low whisper, "You think she's up for traveling already?"

A gravelly voice responded and I  couldn't help but smile as I knew it was Daryl. I didn't quite catch what Daryl had said, but Calvin responded quickly.

"Okay, so we move out tomorrow morning?"

I walked down the last step and the voices ceased, so I quickly walked around the corner to see both of them had their hands ready on their weapons.

"It's just me." I stated softly before seeing their bodies visibly relax. They looked at one another and then back at me as I crossed her arms.

"Making plans to ditch me?" I arched a brow playfully and Calvin snickered, "Darn, you caught us."

Daryl looked away from me quickly, but I had seen the small little smile grace his lips at my joke.

Calvin looked between the two of us as silence followed and it made him uncomfortable. That made two of them because the tension was so thick it could slice bread right about now.

"Uh, well Daryl was just saying we need to probably head out tomorrow."

I looked between them as Calvin spoke up to break the silence and then I looked to Daryl.

"Why not today? I'm up for it."

It was hogwash because in reality I was deathly tired from staying up after the kiss, but I'd never admit that.

Daryl shifted uncomfortably and then he got up from the chair in the kitchen and grabbed his bow from the table as if he were going somewhere.

"Need to pack and make a plan. Then we head out."

His words weren't gruff, but he was avoiding eye contact with me and he made himself scarce, leaving Calvin and me in the kitchen.

Calvin waited a few beats before raising a brow at me.

"Spill. What happened? He's acting weird and personally, I don't think he slept well last night. He looks incredibly tired. And so do you."

I felt taken aback and not by Calvin's question, but by the realization that maybe I wasn't he only one that had stayed up thinking about the kiss.

"I, uh, I mean nothing. I-"

Calvin gave me a look as I stammered on my words uncharacteristically.

"Did you.." He trailed off and when I avoided eye contact Calvin punched a fist into the air and pointed a finger at me, "I knew it!"

I looked around, feeling the heat creep up my cheeks as I was very much busted.

I whispered harshly, throwing my hands in the air like a crazy person as I spoke.

"Look, nothing like that happened, okay? And will you lower your voice before you make an awkward situation worse?"

Calvin was still cheesing like a little kid in a candy store, but he did lower his voice as he whispered, "You told him how you felt then?"

I nodded sheepishly.

I didn't necessarily plan to tell Calvin the intimate details of my night because I was private in that aspect and so was Daryl.

I shrugged lightly and whispered, "We might have had a moment."

It was all I'd offer up though and the rest was going to be kept under lock and key.

Calvin's smile turned a bit more serious as he nodded lightly, "That's good, Vicki."

There was another moment of silence and I blew out a breath and Calvin spoke up.

"He'll come around. Just needs time to digest it all, I'm sure. He's stubborn, remember?"

I met Calvin's eyes and I saw the innocence and youth that radiated in them. I nodded lightly hoping he was right before getting up and stretching my limbs again.

"Guess we need to pack up, then?"

Calvin nodded and the two of ua proceeded to start to pack.

Daryl kept a look out while the two of us scavenged the old man's non-perishables. We couldn't take everything, but between all of us we could take a nice amount of supplies.

As Calvin and I packed up, I stopped suddenly as a grateful feeling came over me. Calvin turned to look at me with a questionable gaze and I smiled, feeling the shimmer in my eyes as my throat tightened.

"After everything we've lost..it's just nice to be here with you two."

Calvin stopped short as he took in my words carefully, putting another can into his knapsack after inspecting it.

"That man, the old man I mean.." He trailed into dangerous territory as I realized Calvin was talking about Hershel, not the cooky old man that owned the home.

"Hershel?"

Calvin nodded as I barely whispered his name, though it rolled off my tongue it felt foreign now.

I wondered if it would always sting to say his name.

"What about him?"

Calvin shifted before murmuring, "He was one of the good ones, huh?"

I was caught off guard by this and I looked to Calvin a little exasperated, "Yeah, he was."

My bottom lip trembled and I avoided contact with Calvin when I spoke again.

"We have to keep going for him; for all of them." My voice was strong and sure as I continued, "And if we don't..it's all for not."

Calvin put a hand on my shoulder and smiled lightly with a small nod. The two of us continued to pack in silence for the rest of the morning.

That afternoon came and went and Daryl made himself pretty scarce. I only spoke to him a few times and the most I got was a few gruff words.

Calvin would give me a reassuring smile, but I found myself getting a little more frustrated as the day went on.

However, I kept quiet about it.

As the evening neared, we had decided on sleeping in shifts again.

We were around the kitchen and Calvin was taking his gun apart, cleaning it with precision.

I watched until Daryl nudged my shoulder, "Wanna check the perimeter?"

Calvin eyed us for a brief second and then continued to take apart his gun without a sound.

I flushed from the mere brush of his fingertip on myshoulder, but I swallowed my feelings down and nodded curtly, "Sure."

We walked out of the kitchen and unbeknownst to them..Calvin was smiling brightly as they walked away together.

As we made our way outside to do the nightly stroll around the house I admired the moonlight's shine on Daryl's tanned and muscular stature.

He eyed me warily as our boots crunched the soft earth before asking, "Ya' gonna be up for bein' on the move again?"

I nodded earnestly, "Yeah, I mean I feel better. No more aches, no more fever. I'll be good."

Daryl nodded and I could see the relief in his eyes.

I bit my lip and looked down as we walked and from time to time I could feel his eyes drift to me, but I kept my eyes averted and towards the perimeter.

"Thinkin' maybe we could get back on track..towards the place you all been talkin' about."

His voice was as soft as it could be for being Daryl, but it still had that lyrical twang to it.

I felt my lips tug into a smile and I finally looked up to his pools of blue.

They weren't as dark as they had been before and I swore they seemed a little lighter.

"What else do we have to lose, ya know?" I muttered, kicking a stray rock with my boot and then looking back to Daryl.

His eyes narrowed slightly, but I realized he was thinking as his forehead knitted together.

He didn't have to say a word in that moment because I could see it all over his face..he was thinking they did have something to lose...each other!

We stood there for a brief, intense moment, holding one another's gaze before he nodded towards the house, "Let's get inside, Red. Need ta' get some rest before we head out."

I asked curiously, "We waking up about dawn?" Daryl nodded in confirmation and I smirked, "You'll be up already, huh?"

He nodded curtly and I smirked, "Figures. You're always up with the birds."

He blew out a breath, "Someone has to be 'round here."

We fell into that familiar banter we always had, but the tension was still palbable and thick.

Neither of us said a word about the kiss, but the twinkle in his eye when he looked at me was confirmation that he thought about it.

It made two of them.

And if I had it my way I'd kiss him every night before bed for the rest of my existence.

Everyone took their shifts that night, but Daryl had been pretty strict that I get the most sleep since she had been recovering from her illness.

I didn't argue and Calvin didn't either, but Calvin snickered when I saluted Daryl. Daryl rolled his eyes and I marched upstairs to sleep.

The next morning came and went so fast I almost wondered if any of us had gotten ANY sleep.

The night before had been wrought with little sleep due to our moment, but this time I slept pretty darn hard.

"Wanna stay 'ere all day, Red?"

A familiar accent broke through my morning thoughts and though I was awake I had my arm draped over my eyes and my legs hanging lazily off the bed.

I groaned and sat up while meeting Daryl's eyes in the doorway.

"I'm up, I'm up. Let's go."

I saw Daryl smirk and nod his head towards the hall, "Alright, then. Let's get movin'."

Calvin was already read when I made it downstairs, but his hair was a tussled mess and I found myself fixing it without thinking.

"You ever heard of a comb?" I asked while smoothing it down and Calvin chuckled.

"You remind me of my sister."

With this, I looked down at Calvin and smiled lightly, but Calvin quickly got a faraway look in his eye at the mere mention of his sister.

"Ya'll would have been friends."

Calvin muttered and I smiled again.

"Yeah?"

Calvin nodded mutely and I knew Calvin looked up to me like he would have his sister.

I had taken a fierce protection to the boy since finding him running from the group of hillbillies and it had been kind of like having a brother again.

No one would ever replace Henry, but I'd protect Calvin with all I had no matter what.

I smiled lightly and patted his shoulder before seeing Daryl grab his bow.

Everyone headed out and it was then they fell into silence.

It was a comfortable silence and I was glad for it. The sun beat down on my already tanned legs and shoulders.

With one last glance at the house that changed my relationship with Daryl I smiled lightly and continued walking.

I fell into step beside Calvin and felt more hopeful of the future the farther we got from the house.

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Author's Note: Another chapter will be posted tonight or tomorrow!  So, so sorry for the delay. We are nearing the end of Book One..I believe the next chapter will be the last one and then I'll start on the sequel book soon :)