No Tomorrow

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*That Night*

Belle's POV:

"So with that being said, we don't think the two of you should be with us anymore. I think it's in everyone's best interest for you to leave and branch off on your own."

The sun had set a good two hours ago but everyone had held a meeting under the huge barn porch because it had rained off and on ever since the barn was cleared, Jay had taken up a defensive position in front of me but it still felt like pure heart-break listening to Rick talk to us like that. Daryl would look at nothing else but me but I couldn't bring myself to stare at him for too long.

"Why? We've done nothing but help you and your people, we haven't done anything w r o n g."

"One of you had to know about the barn, a lot of those things had bites and scratches on them."

Jay growled and threw an arm out in my direction, his shape blurring around the edges a little and his hair moving around like an invisible breeze was blowing it.

"You're trying to condemn us over b i t e s? What kind of horse-shit is this?! I'm not violent if there's no call for it and neither is she!"

I put a hand on Jay's back to try and calm him and he calmed down enough so his form stayed the same as it was, the last thing either of us needed was to change and scare these people even more.

"Don't, please."

I cleared my throat and stepped around Jay enough to see everyone but keep my arms out behind my back to make sure a few fingers stayed on Jay's chest.

"If you want us to leave then we will, I won't fight any of you on that. But just know that neither one of us were aware of that barn or what was in it until everyone else did, we can see into one another's mind when we're transformed and it would have been pretty obvious if we were trying to hide anything. I understand that some of you might be scared but you need to think, why would we spend more hours then anyone searching for Sophia if we were just going to mutilate her body? We wouldn't."

This time I directed my gaze to Daryl before I spoke and a lump kept trying to form in my throat.

"Do you want me to leave? I've spent most of my time here with you."

"No, I want you stay."

I stopped touching Jay and Daryl rolled his eyes before he waved a hand at us and turned an angry look on everyone else that was left on the porch.

"I t o l d you that there was nothing to worry about, I'll move with Belle further away but she's not going anywhere. Neither is her friend. Get over yourselves."

He turned to Carol who was wiping at her face with a cloth that was damp from her tears and wilted looking.

"They helped look for your daughter even more then I did, don't forget that. I'm sorry we didn't find her alive but no one here would hurt her and that's the truth."

*

After the fated meeting that one summer night nothing else really happened until the weather started to cool off, Dale had to be put down when a rouge walker got onto the farm and tore his stomach open and by then Hershel had gotten used to us and everyone more or less got over their fear of me and Jay. Daryl and I still lived a little further away from everyone else but ever since Dale died, we'd taken over his old RV for the most part and sleeping in the back bedroom to keep up appearences. I hadn't changed to my other self in almost two months now but my body never seemed to change, in fact, it didn't appear to be aging at all anymore.

"Wake up-"

I blinked myself out of my nap and Daryl was there on top of the bed fully dressed with his shoes on, he smiled lazily when I sat up and rubbed at my eyes with the backs of my hands; his brown hair was longer now and almost touched his shoulders in some spots and some of the muscles in his body were more hardened then they'd been earlier that summer.

"Happy birthday Princess."

I moaned and leaned back to bury my face in the covers but he pulled them away and kissed either side of my face until I was finally awake all the way.

"Ok, ok, I'm up-"

He jumped up from the bed to let me out and watched as I stretched my arms above my head and got up too, padding over to the tiny closet built into the far wall, naked, trying to pick what I wanted to wear for the day. Every time Glenn made a run into town he always brought back a few articles of clothing that would fit me until I had a tiny wardrobe established; I pulled on a pair of leggings with blue trim along the thighs and ankles and a plain black shirt before Daryl came over and touched the small of my back.

"Can I help you there Mr Dixon?"

"No, just admiring the view- got any plans for today?"

I swatted his hand away and bent down to snag a pair of low-rise boots with dark brown laces and metal in the toes.

"A run into town myself maybe, but other then that not really. Why?"

I turned around and he just held me by the hips and swayed the two of us around in a small circle on the worn beige carpet, I couldn't help but lean my face into his chest and just inhale his scent.

"Just curious.....want me to come with you?"

"Mmm....no, you don't have to. I can take care of myself, remember?"