Waking up with Kate's soft curves pressed against his body was a good moment. Daryl savoured everything from the smell of her hair to the way his hand settled in the dip of her waist. He couldn't imagine ever feeling happier than he did right now.

Or maybe he could; Mr Darcy clawed at his foot like he had done for half of the night, despite Daryl getting up and throwing him out of the room more than once. He kicked the obnoxious hairball off the bed. Damn cat.

"He's just mad because you're in his spot," Kate mumbled, nestling her head on his chest, her fingers brushing along his stomach leaving a trail of pleasurable tingles.

Daryl kissed the top of her head and smiled. "Ya just had to be a cat person huh?"

"Get used to it," Mr Darcy jumped back up on the bed, climbing over Daryl, rubbing his head all over Kate and purring as she scratched under his chin.

Daryl stretched, glancing at the clock on the nightstand, "Jesus have ya seen the time woman… yer one helluva distraction."

"Well you shouldn't have kept me up half the night Mr Dixon."

He rolled onto his side, clasping her tighter to him, "can ya blame me? I've spent months waitin' to get my damn hands on ya."

"And was it worth it?"

What kind of crazy question was that? He squeezed her gorgeous ass, "more than worth it. But lord knows how I'm gonna get any work done now you're finally 'ere in Georgia."

She peppered his chest with kisses, "then don't work. Let's just play." He didn't need asking twice before they were enjoying another tangle between the sheets.

He'd taken yesterday off to collect Kate from the airport but today he at least needed to show his face around the fields, not to mention that he had big plans that involved leaving the bedroom at least for part of the day. They'd already missed breakfast. He was never so late to work, not even when he was half dead of flu last winter or barely awake from working two jobs.

He left Kate sated and half asleep in bed while he took a shower then pulled on some clothes. "I'm gonna help see to the morning chores, then I thought we could go on a ride."

Kate was laying on her stomach cuddling with the pillow, her legs tangled with a sheet and the rest of her all bare skin. "I miss you already," she purred.

Jesus. Somehow he forced himself out of the room and down the stairs.

Zach and Rooster were out by the paddock when he finally got to work.

"Mornin' Boss. Ya oversleep? Or was it undersleeping'?" Rooster winked and even the kid Zach dared a laugh.

"I'll worry 'bout my sleep an' ya'll better just worry 'bout not pissin' me off."

"Whatever ya say Boss," Rooster saluted. Zach gave a sheepish smile.

"How's Duchess?" Daryl asked like he did several times a day.

"She's coming on. Won't be long before this farm is filled with the pitter patter of tiny feet eh Boss?"

Daryl scratched his chin, looking over his shoulder at the two knuckleheads, "we'll see." Lord knows he couldn't wait to start working on it.

/

Kate stepped into the shower. Mr Darcy followed her into the bathroom taking a seat on the toilet lid. He hadn't left her side since they had arrived here yesterday and she had let him out of his crate to be almost eaten by Daryl's coonhound, Lady. Poor Mr Darcy. She'd been so worried about how he was going to cope with moving to Georgia that she almost hadn't brought him. The only other option would have been giving him to a shelter but she couldn't do that to the old cat. She'd been attached to him from the moment he'd found him half starved and hiding under her garden shed.

She'd forgotten to bring any of her toiletries into the shower with her and she was now discovering that Daryl's options were limited. Shampoo and a generic bar of soap. It made her smile. He was such a man. No frills, no fuss. Part of her was surprised he had the shampoo.

She lathered up, her memory filled with all the kisses and touches that Daryl had worshipped her skin with last night while her gaze couldn't help critiquing her new bathroom. Like everything else inside the house it was old but not in a classic way that wanted preserving. The suite was an odd shade of yellow that should never grace bathroom furniture and the tiles had twee little yellow and blue flowers all scattered around.

She wondered how Daryl would feel about her making changes to this house that he was so very accustomed to. If it was a house they had purchased together then she would have taken no prisoner. She'd be pulling on her clothes, grabbing a hammer and chisel then knocking those little flowered tiles straight off the wall with great pleasure. She could only imagine Daryl's horrified expression if she started taking a hammer to this house. She didn't need to be an expert to understand the sentimental meaning of every inch of this house. It had housed not only Dale and Irma but also Daryl's Grandfather and a whole host of other Dixon family members.

Kate stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself, briefly picturing Daryl doing his own laundry, then went in the bedroom to open her suitcase and dig out her deoderant. While she was pulling all her belongings onto the bed bright blue skies and endless green fields caught her eye. She walked to the window sill before perching on the edge and pulling the window all the way open to take in a deep breath of the fresh country air.

It was really something. This was her home too now and Kate was certain she could love this place no matter what the tiles looked like. In fact she couldn't believe her good fortune to be waking up to such a beautiful view each morning. For a split second she imagined a swing set in the middle of all the grass and little dark haired children running around, their peels of laughter piercing the quiet. For the very first time she not only imagined having another child but actually longed for it and it didn't feel like a betrayal to Harry. I had been more than two years now and she felt okay with starting a new life. It was allowed, it was right.

"I made ya a cup of tea."

Kate jumped, her hand slamming against her thundering heartbeat, "bloody hell, you gave me a start."

Daryl chuckled, "ya looked a million miles away. What were ya thinkin'?"

"Just... how beautiful it is here."

"You're happy?"

Daryl must have asked her that question a dozen times since he picked her up from the airport, like he was waiting for her to change her mind and regret her decision to live with him. She took the mug of tea, "I'm happy."

Even if being here was new and different and she had reluctantly said goodbye to her house and her job all it took was one look at Daryl to make her feel that being here was exactly where she was supposed to be. Being with Daryl was just right.

"I love you," she said, taking his hand and brushing her thumb along it.

He pulled her from the window, "ya can't be sittin' there like that," his eyes fell to the towel, "ya don't need to give Rooster any damn ideas."

/

He took a seat on the bed, watching Kate pulling on a pair of denim cutoffs and tucking in a slinky little white cami.

Having her here he could almost forget the last couple of months spent waiting and worrying about her visa and a million other little things. Now he could get excited to take her back to the fair they'd visited last year. Daryl planned on taking her on the exact same hike under the stars and instead of just talking he wanted to kiss her and make love to her on a blanket right out in the open. Maybe even spend the entire night out there.

He also couldn't wait to have her with him to host the fourth of July party that Irma and Dale always hosted. The old couple were even making their way over for the weekend and he was looking forward to seeing them again even if he knew Irma was getting pretty sick now. She was pleased that Kate had moved in with him and he'd talked with her over the phone a hundred times about all his plans for the farm and their life together.

In a few days Charlene and Jim were hosting a 'Welcome Home' BBQ for Kate to get reaquainted with everyone, including their newest additions. But first Daryl wanted her all to himself. He wanted to take her on a repeat of their very first horseback ride. He liked to think of that day as their very first date and even if she had spent half the time thinking he was marrying Charlene he'd spent the entire time falling in love with her.

When Kate was ready, he led her outside to find Rooster waiting on the porch steps.

"Boss, Boss's girl," Rooster grinned, tipping the hat he had on his head and flashing his ladykiller smile.

"Ya got everything' ready?" Daryl eyed Rooster with a stern glare.

"Yessir." Rooster winked.

When they got to the stables Duchess and Ace were saddled and waiting. He could tell Kate was nervous. Afterall, she hadn't rode in almost a year but she didn't complain or protest. She let him help her up and he remembered what it was like to put her into the saddle for the very first time. He liked it then and he liked it now.

As the horses trotted along the trail, she admired the crops that were swaying tall in the breeze and the way the freshly painted white farmhouse looked against the sky. Daryl just admired Kate and how pretty she looked out in the sunshine.

They passed under some magnolia trees, he picked a blossom and passed it to Kate without a single care for what a damn huge pussy he was. He'd gone halfway across the world to fetch this runaway woman and he'd be damned if he didn't worship the ground she walked on. She'd given up everything for him and never wanted her to regret it.

They stopped at the stream where they had watered the horses so long ago. He jumped down from his saddle, tying ace to the tree before holding his arms out for Kate.

"This is nice," she smiled.

"Ya remember me bringin' ya 'ere?"

"Of course." her big brown eyes locked with his and she cocked her head to the side, "you know I never did reveal the secret location of Fort Dixon."

Daryl laughed. God he couldn't wait to take her into that tree house and claim the kiss he had failed to take last year.

/

Kate brushed passed Daryl, leaving him fumbling with Ace's saddlebag as she made her way over to the heart tree to look at the carving made by his grandparents. It was sweet of him to bring her back here and she liked spending this time together, just the two of them. She remembered the moment she had first seen this place and the moment when she had realised he wasn't marrying Charlene. She remembered looking at him as her heart had beat out of control, desperately wanting him to kiss her and not kiss her at the same time. She could almost feel that same breathless anticipation by just being back here again.

She swept the hair off her neck, enjoying the hot Georgia sun as it trickled through the canopy. She touched her index finger over the bottom tip of the carved heart and almost instantly the air in her lungs held tight, her heart stopped beating and her eyes noticed a new addition to the big old tree.

"I couldn't finish it," Daryl's gravelling voice blew into her ear, his body pressed against her back. There was another heart carved into the bark, the top had 'D D' and the bottom only had a 'K'.

She tilted her head to look at him, his lips brushed against her ear.

"You couldn't?" she breathed in a whisper.

"Ya ain't got the right initial," one of his hands held steady onto her waist. The other brought a little black box in front of her. His thumb flicked open the lid. Nestled in the dark navy velvet was a ring that seemed to capture every flicker of sunlight that was working its way through the trees.

Her throat went dry, her heart was now pounding out of control. Her first thought was that Daryl had great taste, or at least knew someone that did, followed swiftly by, "yes." She didn't need to consider the answer. She knew exactly what moving over here was going to mean for them both. "Yes," she said even louder.

She span around to see the wonky smile that was lighting up his face, "slow down woman, I ain't even asked ya yet."

Kate bit her lip, holding back a huge grin.

"Will ya marry me?"

"Errr…" she stalled, teasing, "let me think…"

"Good lord, yer a damn pain in the ass," he scolded with a smile.

"It's such a pretty day, such beautiful land and such a perfect ring... so I suppose I will marry you Mr Dixon."

"Good," he slipped the ring along her finger and Kate barely had time to admire it before her back was pushed against the tree and he kissed her, his tongue slowly stroking along hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let him guide her to the picnic blanket he'd retrieved from Ace's saddle bag.

He eased her down, climbing on top of her, making out for an endless amount of time under the trees with the stream babbling away and the horses happily whinnying. He rolled over to pull a bottle of champagne and two plastic cups out of his saddlebag.

The cork shot clear across the steam and the champagne bubbled out of the bottle before he poured her a glass, "Mrs Dixon," he smirked.

"All this would have been pretty bloody awkward if I'd have said no."

Daryl snorted, "yeah, I tried not to think too much 'bout that."

She sipped her champagne and Daryl pulled out the rest of the picnic that he'd organised while she had been showering.

"So…" he cleared his throat, his eyes flickering to her, "when do ya reckon i'll be finishin' up that carvin'?"

"You're very impatient."

"So ya won't make me wait long then huh?"

"Perhaps you should learn some restraint," she prodded his arm, toying with him although she was almost certain that they would be married before the year was out, probably before the summer was over if it was up to Daryl.

"I can't restrain myself around you," he rolled on top of her pinning her to the blanket and kissing her as if to prove his point.

After the picnic they lay under the trees basking in the sun and talking about wedding plans. Everything from eloping somewhere exotic to turning up at city hall in a pair of jeans and a tshirt. Kate didn't mind what they did but she got the feeling that this no frills man wanted it to be special. He wanted a white wedding with all the trimmings.

Kate lay her head in the crook of his arm, relishing the closeness and admiring the way the ring looked and felt on her finger. No matter what came tomorrow, today was perfect and it was only the beginning of forever in Georgia.

AN- The End- or at least the end for now. I feel good about where I'm leaving them and hope you do too. I might pick this story back up again with a part two or maybe an epilogue but for now I want to write something new and have a break. Thank you for reading, favouriting and all the comments you have left along the way. You don't know how much it means to me to know that you enjoy my story xxx