This might be the hardest author's note I've ever had to write. It's one where I announce we are saying goodbye to Daryl and princess.

I have been writing this story for three years. THREE YEARS. Daryl was my introduction to fan fiction. This was the first fandom that inspired me to write my own rendition of how I thought real romance should be in this world of heroes, villains, and zombies. Meanwhile, my nameless OC, lovingly referred to as "princess", is one of the first FOC's I've ever fleshed out. She's everything I would want to be. She's strong and brave and vulnerable and naive. Above all, I wanted her to be real and relatable. I wanted Daryl to have met his match.

This message is harder to type then the chapter itself. I wrote this finale not intending for it to be the last chapter and by the time I was finished writing, I realized everything had come together and that this was it. I couldn't give these two a better sending off point.

This note is another story. While I feel wholeheartedly that I am taking the right approach with my story and doing my characters justice, I also want you all to feel fulfilled and justified in this stories end. Please know that I want each of you to know that there is a peacefulness that follows the ambiguity in this ending.

I want to thank each and every one of you for your favorites, follows, reviews and overall support. There are so many of you that have hung around for this story since the beginning. I may have gone AWOL and scared some of you off with my absence. I understand. I hope the majority of you have stayed for this monumental send off.

I'll stop my rambling and blubbering now. Thank you for the amazing ride. I love you all and I hope you enjoy.

Deanna ushered me to an office space and instructed me to take a seat. She shut the door behind her. Still facing the wooden surface, she began her speech. "When I spoke with Daryl, I asked if he wanted to be here. He didn't give me a clear answer." She spun to face me. "Why do you think that is?"

"Daryl's always been indecisive. I think it's important to find out what you're getting into before you answer a question like that."

She smiled. "Did he tell you what he said?"

"No." I admitted quietly, embarrassed to admit that we did not have a very good communication system between us.

"He told me that it would be good for the others. He told me that Rick's children deserved some normalcy."

"That sounds like him." I nodded.

"Then he told me that if he had to, he would leave you here so that you would have a chance."

I was stunned into an uncomfortable silence. Deanna continued. "That's when I knew I could let him stay. Daryl is a provider, through and through. That level of selflessness can be an asset."

"It could also get someone killed."

She smiled at me, knowingly. "I'm very glad that Daryl accepted Aaron's proposal. I was skeptical at first, but after seeing Aaron's enthusiasm, I knew it would at least be worth a try. He says Daryl is quite a good judge of character. I would expect that bodes well for you."

I wasn't sure which tidbit of information to bite on first. I decided to work my way down the laundry list. "I'm sorry, Aaron's proposal?"

The congress woman quirked an eyebrow at me. "Daryl didn't tell you?"

"I don't think it came up."

"Aaron needs a second to help him recruit new members. He's chosen Daryl."

Daryl hadn't told me what Aaron had taken him to the garage for the night before. He didn't say much of anything. After our relaxing evening out with our newly acquainted friends, Daryl and I walked home. I was buzzed on wine and jaded by the simplicity of life in this new place. Daryl had put me to bed, avoiding my advances, and told me he needed to go out for a walk. That was the last I remember. I woke up this morning and enjoyed freeze-dried coffee with the grown-ups in the kitchen while Carl fed his sister. Daryl was nowhere to be found. Shortly after, Deanna sent for me via Maggie.

"We were having such a relaxing time last night; he probably didn't want to upset me." I attempted to brush it off, remembering that we avoided Deanna's party. "Aaron and Eric had us over for supper. That was more our style."

"Beautiful couple, those two. You and Daryl, too. It makes sense – the odd balls coming together." It slipped out before she could catch herself. "Excuse me, I didn't mean –"

"No, it's fine. I know what people must think."

She shook her head. "It's funny how things work out when the world all falls apart. We're forced together in unfathomable situations; do things we'd never imagine with people we never would have associated with before."

She hit a sore spot. I really was beginning to detest this woman. "I don't imagine you would know anything about that in a place like this."

She smirked. "No, I don't suppose I would."

"We knew each other before, you know." I didn't owe this woman any explanation, but I was riled up.

"You and Daryl, you mean?"

"Yeah."

"Were you married?"

I scoffed. "Not exactly. I guess you could call it dating."

"Interesting." She muttered, watching me carefully.

"In high school. We lost touch shortly after graduation. I moved away." I sighed. "We met by chance after the whole world went to shit. I guess that does prove your point in a way."

"Ahhh." She beamed. "It's funny how things work out."

I couldn't argue that. "Yeah, yeah. It is."

I found Daryl out with Rick by the main gate. They were talking to Abraham who was on patrol with an Alexandrian I didn't recognize.

"There she is!" Rick laughed. "How'd your interview go?"

I glared at Daryl as I responded. "Great. She asked me to work in the in Dr. Anderson's office. Daryl, can I speak to you privately?"

Daryl cut his eyes at me. "Trouble in paradise?" Abraham chuckled. Everyone ignored his teasing.

"Go ahead." Rick nodded. "We'll talk at dinner."

Daryl nodded back, then stalked off, at least ten paces ahead of me. I had to jog to catch up to him. "When were you going to tell me?"

"Tell ye what?" He shrugged.

"You know what! You told me they didn't assign you a job! You told me we were just laying low here for a while! You told me we weren't settling down here but I have to find out from a total stranger that everyone already has assignments and you're leaving!?"

We made it to the yard of our humble home before Daryl turned to face me at the foot of the steps. "Lower yer voice." He warned.

"You'll excuse me if I'm a little upset." I glowered at him, not backing down.

"I'll answer all yer fucking questions. Let's go inside."

I reluctantly consented and followed him into the house where he called out, making sure no one was downstairs. He waited a few moments, satisfied when no one replied. He then took the stairs two at a time, checking all the bedrooms for living beings ending on the room we were supposed to be sharing that used to be Michonne's. She let us take it over on the pretense that we would be sleeping together again, but since I had left the infirmary, his side of the bed had been cold and lonely.

Daryl shut and locked the door behind me, running a hand through his hair to massage his neck before turning around to face me. His eyes still lingered on the floor.

I took a seat at the edge of my freshly made bed. "You lied." I snapped, my voice muffled from my anger.

"I didn't lie." He growled, turning to face me. "I really didn't think they were gonna let us stay. I didn't want you to get yer hopes up."

"Bullshit. You knew when they threw that stupid party that we were welcome here. You knew last night that he was giving you a job. You knew and you refused to tell me."

"I didn't! Fuck! Look at me, girl." He knelt down in front of me on the floor and took my hand. "You know I ain't no good with feelin's an'shit. What happened to ye in the woods? I ain't never been so fuckin' scared in my life. I felt completely helpless. It was a fuckin' miracle Aaron found us when he did. We all had our reasons to come. Rick agreed to come fer his kids. Glenn had to think about Maggie. Abraham had his girl and Eugene. I came here fer you."

I whimpered. "You act like I'm some fragile creature - I'm not."

"Believe me. I know yer not. I know yer strong. I know all the things ye've had to do to survive, I know all the fucked up shit we had to face, all the shit we've seen. I don't want none o'that no more." He growled. "I ain't sayin' yer weak. I ain't sayin ye can't handle yer shit. I'm sayin' that I don't want ye to have to shoulder all that shit anymore. I want all that shit behind us. I wasn't sure about it until yesterday, but I want this to be the new future. I believe in this place. I wanna make this work." His voice trailed along with his focus. "That's what I was talking to Rick about today. He and Carol had a plan B. They thought we would need a way out if things went South but I don't think it's necessary."

I digested this information slowly in silence until Daryl broke it. "Y'ain't never this quiet."

"What about the job? Deanna told me you agreed to be a scout to help Aaron find more people. That's what he called you to the garage for last night, not just to show you the bike parts. You knew then and didn't say a word."

"He needs me." Daryl whispered quietly. "I told him I had to see if they let you stay but he told me not to worry, you were in if I was."

"So you want to stay here? You think we could stay here?"

He glanced off, still holding my hand, seeming distant. "Yeah."

I shuddered, daring to ask the next question begging to be unearthed. "What if I don't want you out there?"

He scoffed. "What are ye talkin' 'bout?"

"You want me locked away, safe behind these thick metal walls. What if I want the same for you?"

"Ain't the same." He grunted, pulling away to stand before me. He took a few steps backward to lean against the chest of drawers.

"Isn't it?" I muttered. "What if I want the same for you?"

"You think I'm in danger?"

"Every time you walk out of that door, you're risking your life! What do you think you owe this place?"

"I don't owe them shit! But there are others out there, people who need help! Ye can't just abandon them! We could be doing real good taking em in!"

"That's real hopeful thinking. What about reality, Dare? I'm right here! Carol, Rick, Carl, Judith...Michonne, Glenn, Maggie. We all need you! I need you!"

"But I ain't gonna be doin' no one any good in these walls, princess. If we wanna protect this place, to keep it thriving, then we'll need more muscle."

"Every time you let strangers in, you make this place weaker." I hissed. "You never know what kind of crazies you're letting in."

Daryl snickered. "You think they was wrong fer lettin' us in?"

When you took a good, long look at the scoreboard, it didn't bode well for us. We had an outstanding track record for ruining everything we touched. "Maybe they were. Maybe we'll ruin this place just like every other."

Daryl's went dark from across the room and I instantly wanted to take it all back. "You really think that?"

"I don't know what I think anymore, Dare." I lied. "I want this place so badly. I want it to work. I want all of it. I want to hide away and pretend like everything before this was just a bad dream and we're all going to make it through this because this place is impenetrable and we have supplies. We have all we need right here and nothing could ever take it away. I want to believe that more than anything. I want you to be safe. I want you, I want this. I don't want this to be a dream." Everything drew up from my chest with no control, it was like turning on a faucet. Once I began, I couldn't stop myself. I wasn't just a hysterical, never ending ring of rambling thoughts, but a never ending well of tears as well. I drew up on the bed, balling my eyes out and cursing incoherently.

Somewhere in the midst of all this hysteria, Daryl drew himself around me, holding me to his chest. His shirt absorbed my tears and his chest muffled my cries. "Hey, now." Daryl muttered, stroking my hair. "I want all them fluffy clouds and rainbow shit, too. You need it, you deserve it." He consoled me. "I'm gonna do anything I can to preserve that for ye. Sometimes that might mean I'll 'ave ta go out there to scavenge and fight for ye." He kissed my forehead. "I wanna promise that this place'll be here forever. I can't. But I promise that as long as yer here, I'm always comin' back."

I laughed through the tears. "You can't possibly promise that."

He scoffed, taking my face in his strong, rough hands. His thumbs worked circles over my cheeks, wiping away the sadness. "I think I just did."

His lips sealed over mine for the first time in forever. What started out as an innocent, soft kiss soon blossomed into a passionate embrace of lips and tongues. Butterflies bloomed into my stomach doing full-out somersaults. That was Daryl, that was the effect he had on me. He was that dark, brooding boy who stole kisses under bleachers and snuck me out late at night. He caused me to curse and kick and scream, but still stopped the world to defend my honor. He fought tooth and nail to get to me while running off to the forest to get away from everything and be alone with his thoughts. He was a tumultuous blend of dark and light, hot and cold, right and wrong... And he was mine. No matter what life threw at us, there was always this. I couldn't help feeling like maybe he was right. It wasn't just another promise he would never be able to keep. That would always be enough.