The Ðying Liƒe. »A Walking Dead Fanfic«

30. Always Learning

Note: While writing, I decided to change the story from first person perspective to third person for something new and to get a bit of insight into Daryl's mind. 

Nora rolled over on her back and stretched her legs out, "I almost forgot what it felt like to be in a real bed," she laughed to herself. Daryl laid next to her with one hand behind his head, he was deep in thought. "Hey," Nora turned her head to look over at him, "earth to Daryl," she rolled over and propped herself up on one elbow. "Hm?" his eyes moving from the ceiling to look at Nora's face.

"Are you OK? You seem a bit lost in your head," her brow knit together with concern. He was still so unsure of himself when it came to being with Nora. He didn't know if he would ever, or should ever, tell her that she was the first woman he'd ever been with. Would it even matter to her? She never gave him any clues that she wasn't happy with him. Daryl tucked the thought away and rolled over to face Nora, "I'm good," he said with a smirk, "how could I not be?"

That smile of hers that he had grown to love spread across her face. She leaned into him and pressed her soft lips against his. "I love you," she whispered against his mouth. He pulled his head back and looked over her face. She had no idea how she made him feel. He looked into her dark brown eyes, "I love you," he replied, wrapping his hand in her long brown hair, kissing her once more.

Just then, a knock at the door startled them both. "Nora? Daryl?" Dale's voice called to them. Nora's face flushed as she looked at Daryl, "I don't know where my clothes are," she told him in a hushed whisper. "Here, just wrap this around you and go in there," Daryl handed her one of the bed sheets and pointed her towards the bathroom. Dale knocked on the door again. "Yeah, shit! Gimme a sec!" Daryl yelled back. He swore under his breath as he tugged his pants up over his hips and went to open the door, pulling his shirt over head as he went. "What's up?" Daryl grumbled as he pulled the door open, placing an arm on the door jam to block Dale's view into the room. Dale's eyes glanced quickly over the room behind Daryl and then to Daryl's face. He wasn't a dummy, he knew what the two were doing, but it wasn't his place to worry. "Uh, Rick wants me to ask you if you can get your stuff out of the RV, then meet us all by the pool for a meeting." Daryl chewed on the inside of his cheek as he thought over Dale's request. "Yeah," Daryl finally said. He glanced over his shoulder to the bathroom where Nora was hiding and then back at Dale. "we'll be down in a minute, alright?" and closed the door as Dale retreated.

"Wonder what the meeting is about?" Nora said, appearing outside the bathroom door. Daryl just shrugged and started to pick up their clothes from floor and making the bed the best he could.

Rick was standing next to the massive empty pool dictating to everyone on what they should do next. Out of the corner of his eye he caught Daryl and Nora making their way to the stairs.

"Do you want to check out some of the stores here in town?" Lori asked, pulling Rick from his observation of Daryl and Nora. He wiped the sweat off his lips with the back of his hand, "well, I think we should wait until tomorrow. We need to make sure everyone has some sort of light in their rooms. Go check if there are any candles or flashlights in any of the vehicles." Lori's eyes darted across Rick's face. "What?" he gave her a confused look. "Rick, I'm your wife, you don't need to order me around like that," she huffed. Rick relaxed his shoulders, "I'm sorry, I just so focused on what I'm doing sometimes." He pulled her into an embrace and pressed his lips to hers.

Nora spotted Rick and Lori and stopped in her tracks on the stairs. Daryl bumped into her, "What the hell?" Nora couldn't understand what it was about Rick and Lori that made her tense up this way. Maybe it was the way they held each other, even when others were around. They held each other like it was the last and first time they'd ever seen each other. Under the circumstances that they all faced each day, it could very well be the last time they would see the other. They always had such an inmate embrace and Nora always felt like she shouldn't be watching them. She could tell that they truly loved each other. Daryl grabbed a hold of Nora's slim shoulders, pulling her from her thoughts and she continued down the stairs.

"Oh, there you are," Rick tired to sound like he hadn't known the two were behind him. He let go of Lori and she walked off. "I need you guys to clear your stuff from the vehicles and take them to your rooms. We're gonna have a meeting when every ones done taking supplies from the RV," Rick gestured toward the parking lot. Nora and Daryl went to do as they were asked without protest. As they made their way out to the parking lot, they crossed paths with Glenn and Maggie. They were laughing about something and each had their arms full of supplies.

"Hey guys!" Maggie called to them. "Hey," Nora tried her best to match Maggie's cheerful greeting. "Did you guys have a good first night? I can't remember the last time I slept so well," Glenn beamed. The sight of Glenn's bright smile still had some sort of effect on Nora but it didn't hurt so much now that she had Daryl.

"Yeah, I slept great. Nice to not have to worry so much about walkers," Nora answered him, glancing up toward Daryl. "Yeah, luckily Maggie spotted it," Glenn playfully nudged Maggie with his arm. Daryl wiped his forehead with his hand, "Luck ain't got nothin' to do with it. Not like we wouldn't of seen it. All we had to do was turn around." Nora whipped her head to look up at him and she gave jabbed him in the side with her elbow. "What?" he gave her a dirty look.

"Come on Maggie, lets get this stuff to Rick," Glenn had a hurt look on his face. As they walked off, Daryl turned to watch them. Even though Glenn hadn't done anything in the slightest to hurt him, Daryl was still very aware of the feeling Nora had harbored for the younger man. It was just his low self esteem getting in the way.

"You really need to stop and think before you speak sometimes," Nora said as they climbed into the RV. "I do. That's what I meant to say," he told her. She could tell he was serious. "Look, I know I can always count on you to say whats on your mind. I've come to expect that from you at this point. You just gotta stop and think about how what you say is going to affect those you say it to." Daryl's face scrunched up a little as he thought over what Nora was telling him. "Listen, I know you don't get along with some of the people here, but you're going to be stuck with them for a long time. Not everyone has the same hard exterior that you have, not everyone grew up with an older brother like Merle so you sometimes you have to remember that even when you'd rather cuss them out." She glanced up at Daryl's face and took his hands. "Just think about what I said, OK?" Nora raised one of his hands and kissed his knuckles. "Yeah, sure," he nodded. It was going to take time for him to really understand how to be mindful of others but he knew he could do it so long as he had Nora to help him.