2. Never Tear Us Apart

-feels like the first time-

-THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET STEAMY BTW-

They locked the gate behind the prisoners, and Theo and Daryl began returning to the others.

"We found the showers, in case you wanna get all that off ya," Daryl told Theo as she was drenched in Walker's guts.

"Yeah, I have one more clean shirt. Can you go back and get it from my bag?" she asked, trying not to itch her face and get more blood under her nails.

"Yeah, take the next left, and I'll meet you there," Daryl explained as he headed to get clothes and a towel.

Theo went to the shower, took off all her clothes, and got under the freezing water. However, freezing was better than nothing.

She looked down at the plug hole, all the blood leaving her body, swirling and disappearing and washing away all her thoughts at that moment. 

She felt at peace. 

"Here..." she heard Daryl say from outside the shower she was in.

She smiled, knowing he had bought her everything she would need.

She leaned her head back into the water, trying to get any blood and guts from her hair.

"You know..." she began, a teasing tone in her voice.

"Not happening" Daryl shut down the idea of them sharing a shower with a small laugh.

"Can you wait here, though?" she asked, laughing. She wanted to finish her shower without worrying about anything sneaking up on her.

"Yeah, I wasn't bout to leave you anyway," he smiled, sitting outside her shower, playing with his fingers, and waiting patiently.

"I'm taking guard on the far tower tonight; you wanna join me?" She asked, "Could you take blankets and pillows up and take sleep shifts?" She continued, feeling clean for the first time in a while.

"Hmm," Daryl agreed. "Yeah, that sounds like a plan," he grumbled, the tiredness in his voice shining through. 

He looked at the floor as he thought back over the last eight months. 

In his mind, he had cowardly decided not to ask Theo to be his girlfriend despite having known her for almost a year. 

They were kissing in secret, sleeping next to one another. 

We are holding one another to make the nights easier. 

He protected her at all costs; he knew she could defend herself, but he constantly had an eye on her, unable to think about losing her.

The sound of Theo turning off the shower snapped him from his daydream.

Daryl picked up a towel and waited for her to hold her arm out so that he could pass it to her. As soon as she did, he handed it to her.

She walked out looking fresh and clean, smiling as she met Daryl.

A towel wrapped tightly around her body.

"You didn't get hurt today, did you? That walker took you down hard" Daryl stood, walking towards her, lazily holding her hips, holding the towel tight to her figure. 

She had lost a lot of weight, as had everyone during the winter; food was limited, most of it going to Lori and Carl.

She ensured the baby was being kept fed and the mother had all the nutrients she needed. 

"I hit my head, but apart from that, all is good", she smiled, rubbing the back of her head. 

Daryl placed a quick kiss on her cheek before allowing her to change.