Little Grimes

thirty four

Everything in my apartment is exactly how I left it. It's been untouched somehow during this shit show of the world.

I look around and flinch at the pictures that I have around my home. Rick and me as kids. Carl as a baby. Lori, Shane, Rick, and I. Lots of Shane and I. One of him kissing my cheek. One of him with his arms wrapped around me and a big smile on our faces.

"You seem like a nerd," Daryl teases me, staring at one of the three book cases I have filled with my favorites and ones that were untouched.

"Oh hush," I roll my eyes playfully as I push  his shoulder with mine.

He grabs my wrist gently and pulls me against him, "I need a distraction."

"I have the perfect distraction for you!" I exclaim, knowing that he's about to love what I show him.

I drag him into my small kitchen and open up the cupboard to reveal my liquor stash. He raises his eyebrow at me, "I knew I liked you for a reason."

"Liked?" I tease.

"Love," he corrects himself, grabbing a bottle of whiskey.

I grin at him, "That's not even the best part."

"There's more?" He asks, grabbing a glass and pouring some of the liquid into it.

I reach back behind the liquor bottles and grab a pack of cigarettes.

Once he sets his eyes on it, he snatches the pack from me, "It's going to be a good night."

I straddle Daryl's waist as he lays underneath me on my bed. I have Rick's old school t shirt on that I stole years ago and fresh panties! No one talks about how awful it is not having fresh undergarments during the apocalypse. I quickly got rid of my bra and panties a week into the apocalypse.

Daryl's hands roam under my shirt and he gently massages my breast. I can tell he's deep in thought about something.

"What are you thinking about?" the alcohol in my system has me brave enough to try to get some information out of him. The times I have asked about personal stuff, he'd snap and shut down.

He doesn't answer for a moment like he's trying to find the correct words, "You would have never even looked my way before this."

I gently trace the tattoo on his chest before answering, "Would you have looked my way?"

"Fuck yes. You're the type of woman I would drool over."

I let out a soft laugh, "You would not."

"You're probably right but Merle would definitely make fun of me for staring at you."

I press a light kiss to his lips. They are a bit chapped but they mold perfectly against mine.

"I don't want to think about the past. I don't even know if our paths would have crossed," I tell him.

"I'm not good enough for you," he says so quietly that I almost don't hear him.

"Daryl Dixon!" I smack his chest softly.

"Well! It's true!" He says, rolling us over so that he's hovering over me.

I run my hands down his chest and over his abs, "it's not true, Daryl."

"You were with a cop before this and I'm just an unemployed criminal," he mutters, "you would of got married to him and had a house in the suburbs to fill with children. I could not have given you that."

I know what he is saying is true but how could I not have fallen in love with him before all of this? He caught my eye from the moment I seen him and I had Shane then. I don't exactly believe in soulmates but I know my body reacts to him in a way it's never done before. I ache for him when he's not around. I feel like i'm missing half of me when he's out of my sight.

I immediately look for him in our group. He's the only one I feel safe with except for Rick. I can let my guard down when Im around him. He's my comfort person.

"Will you just shut up and kiss me?" I ask him, knowing he'll love an out to stop talking about this.

"No, I'm serious," he says, taking me by surprise.

He moves off of me, pulling me up in a sitting position as he does.

I stare in shock as he pulls something out of his pocket. A fucking ring. Daryl Dixon has a ring in his pocket.

An engagement ring! what the absolute fuck is happening?

"Daryl..."

"Maeve Grimes, I know I can't give you a perfect life but I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. I want a future with you. I want to find somewhere safe for us to have a kid or two. I want to try my hardest for you to be happy with me. Will you marry me?"

My heart melts at the scene in front of me. The man I love is holding a ring out to me with loving eyes. I know the alcohol might have had something to do with this but he was clearly holding onto the ring. For me.

"Of course I'll marry you," I answer him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

His arms go around my waist and we sit there for I what seems like eternity just holding each other.

He finally slips the stunning ring on my finger, "where did you find this?"

"I found it while I was with Beth. She helped me pick it out," he answers me.

I feel really guilty for ever thinking he would cheat on me.

I never expected to be engaged during the apocalypse.