Sugar and Spice

Chapter 1

I woke up wrapped tightly in Daryl's strong arms keeping my back pressed firmly against his chest as he buried his face into my hair. Glancing at the clock 5:56 am it was a bit earlier than usual, but it never hurt to be early since I could always run into traffic. Slowly, I pried Daryl's arms from around my waist it always took a while but eventually and reluctantly he let me go. I grabbed my uniform making my way to the bathroom as quietly as possible so I didn't wake him up. It shouldn't take me that long to get dressed and I didn't have to rush, but I always liked to get there early in case something had happened over night. I worked as a nurse in the next town over it was a stressful job, but I loved that I got the chance to help people. Quickly, I stripped out of my dress clothes taking a moment to inspect my body in the mirror I'd always looked a bit more feminine with the slight curves to my big eyes and soft features. Daryl always told me that it was something he loved, that I complimented him perfectly him being rough while I was always on the softer side. Once I got my clothes on I walked back through the bedroom walking to Daryl's side of the bed and placing a soft kiss on his cheek, it was like a tradition to me I would always give him a kiss before I left then one at night when we came home. He'd never admit it, but I knew that he did the same every time he would go on overnight hunting trips with Merle. Leaving swiftly I made my way out grabbing the keys to my truck on the way out as I started the long journey to the next town over.

It took around an hour to get to the hospital I hadn't been here over the weekend so it was nice to be back, making my way in through the staff entrance and clocking in I received my patient schedule of who I would be visiting today. The list was pretty standard and there were some long term patients that I treated on a daily basis on the list however there was a new person that caught my eye Rick Grimes gunshot victim it was rare that we got gun shot victims here as this was a relatively quiet area with no serious crimes. I made my rounds checking on the different patients making my way down the list it wasn't mandatory to do it in a certain order however I preferred to treat it like a check list that I could easily work with. It was a quiet day as I made my way to the next patient, the gunshot victim that had caught my attention earlier. When I entered the room there was another man talking to the comatose male in the bed I knocked quietly on the door feeling bad for interrupting, the sudden noise caused the man too look up at me.

"Sorry to interrupt I just need to check up on Mr Grimes' condition." The man gave me a forced sad smile as he moved away from the man, I walked over checking his IV, heart monitor and oxygen supply were all intact then marking down everything onto his chart. The man in the room stared at the man in silence.

"Is he okay?" The man asked quietly from where he stood staring, he moved his gaze too me.

"Well Mr..." I started, hinting for him to introduce himself I liked to get to know my patients and those who were visiting them.

"Walsh, Shane Walsh" As he held out his hand for me to shake which I gladly did with a smile.

"Well Shane everything seems to be in check his heart rate is all good as well as his blood pressure," I told him confidently giving him a reassuring smile. "Now all its a waiting game for when he'll wake up." Shane gave a grim look at my words.

"Don't you mean if that's what all the doctors have been saying." Shane told me bitterly with a sullen look, the words caused me to frown a bit though Daryl always told me when I frowned it looked more like a pout a child would do when they were told they couldn't have dessert.

"Well I'm not the doctors and I have every confidence that your friend here will wake up he seems strong and I have every faith that he will be up and about in about," I thought about it for a moment. "A month" I gave Shane a bright smile as he stared at me with disbelief but I could see a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, eventually it spread to a full smile and a small chuckle.