Suddenly...Gone

Chapter 34

It was the aroma of food cooking that woke Emma up. Her stomach growled loudly in response as she realized she hadn't eaten in almost two days. She sat up in bed and looked around the room. It was empty, Daryl wasn't here. Emma swung her legs off the bed and noticed a box on the floor that she almost stepped on. She leaned over and picked it up. Emma's face lit up when she realized it was full of seed packets. Daryl had found her seeds!

The thought of fresh vegetables for their meals was exciting. She couldn't wait to show Maggie. Emma quickly washed her face and put on some clean clothes. At some point, Daryl must have moved her boots and pants so she would be more comfortable while sleeping because all she had on was her shirt and underwear.

The clock on the side table said it was going on six. It was dinner time. She had nearly slept the entire day, but she felt rested and good. In fact, better than she had in a long time. Emma was ready to get back to living again. As she pulled on her pants, she smiled to herself thinking of the many times Daryl had taken her clothes off. Had he remembered that when he was undressing her? She hoped he did, and then realized that was stupid. Of course, he did, he was a guy.

As Emma was buttoning her jeans, she realized that the thought of Daryl and sex wasn't making her panic. While she always wanted to continue their sexual relationship, just thinking about the act of sex would make her break out into a cold sweat. It wasn't happening. She was fine.

Emma sat back down on the bed, and she started to smile. She was okay...really okay. Even though her kidnapping was a horrible ordeal to have gone through, Emma realized two things. She stayed strong throughout the whole ordeal. She never panicked or felt afraid. And the reason for that was Daryl.

She never doubted that he would find her and he did. He loved her so much that he would do anything for her and that included killing the men that took her. Before this crazy apocalypse happened, that would have frightened her into running away from him, but now it was a way of life. He was her life...her soulmate, and he would never ever harm her. She realized that with every ounce of her being.

Even though she knew this before, it was different now. She had not just seen it but experienced it. She was ready to share everything with him again....including her body. Emma was deliriously happy. They could get back to what they had before and that included a whole lot of sex. She couldn't wait for that intimacy again as Daryl could make her body feel things that she never thought possible.

The only bad thing was that she would have to wait, just a little while. She needed to join them downstairs and help them plan the elimination of Negan and the Saviors. Her information was critical.

Emma picked up the box of seeds and headed downstairs. As she entered the kitchen, she could see Maggie quietly cooking, and the rest of their group huddled around the big table talking.

Maggie saw her and smiled, "I'm so glad you are okay"' she told her. She stopped what she was going to give Emma a hug, but the box was in the way. "What do you have there?"

"Daryl brought us a present from the last supply run, I think. Look at these." Emma put the box on the counter and showed Maggie all of the seeds inside. There must have been a hundred packets in there.

While Maggie was excitedly going through the box, Emma looked over at Daryl. He knew the second she came into the room and had been watching her ever since. He tilted his head silently asking her if she was okay, she nodded back that she was and blew him a kiss. The usually stoic Daryl broke out into a big smile.

Rick saw Daryl smile and saw where he was looking. Emma had woken up and come downstairs. "Emma, good to see you up, we could use your help here."

"Let me grab something to eat, and I'll be right over. I'm starving," she told him.