Their love-making had started out ferocious that night, like they both knew it was going to be the last time and it had to be savored. But halfway they had both calmed down a bit and it ended on a sweet and tender note. They had kissed, licked, bitten and stroked every inch of eachother's bodies. Torn by lust, love and guilt she had cried again in the end, because she had made up her mind and knew it meant having to say good-bye to him. At least for now.

"What do you mean, you're leavin'? You can't just leave, you can't get back on that road, by yourself...?!" He tried to convince her to stay, but she was already walking around the barn, packing up her stuff. "I have to, I have no other option.", she tried to explain with pain in her heart. "Of course I want to stay, I want to be with you, but I can't. I can't stay here in this barn forever, waiting on you to come visit me. And as great as that is, it's not enough." She looked at him with her brows up, looking for some kind of understanding. But he didn't have any. He wasn't having any of this. "DAMMIT", he yelled, while kicking at the barndoor, "... can't you at least wait for the Counsel's decision? I'm on it too, I'll make them change their damn minds!" "Daryl, this isn't about scaring them into taking me back. If I go back, I go because they're ok with me being there, not because you threatened to kick their asses! But you saw Tyreese. And I imagine the rest of them won't react that much diferently. I begged Rick to take me back. I shouldn't have done that. That was the old me, rearing her ugly head. Still begging for a man to make it all right. I'm stronger now, I can do this. I'm gonna go out there and find a new group of people and start over. I could come visit you...right...?" She had no idea who she was trying to convince. Because it sure as hell wasn't either of them. But she had to put up a brave face to ease the pain for both of them. She wanted to at least try.

"Ppffrt, yeah right..." That wasn't enough for him. "I don't wanna fuckin' visit you. I want you to be with me. I want you to be mine. Finally we're here after all this time and you're fuckin' leaving? You're just like my damn brother!" And there was the old Daryl back again. He was about to get hurt, in a bad way, and he did what he knew best. Hurt them back, harder. "Okay then, fuck off, pack your stuff and get the fuck OUT! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN, YOU FUCKING BITCH! I risked my life to save you, put you up here, try to get you back into the prison, fuck you to kingdom come and this is the thanks I get?" She was surprised, was he playing this game, again? After all they'd been through in the last couple of days?
"Ahh, here we go...! God's gift to women, you want a fucking round of applause?! Get off your high horse, mister DIxon! I thanked you for saving me, I'm truely grateful, but if you were in my shoes, what would you do? Sit around here for the rest of your miserable life, waiting for me? No, you would go out there and find a better life for yourself! You know I'm right!" Yes, she was right. He knew she was right. "I'm not asking you to come with me. I'm not asking you to choose between me and Rick and the group, because I know that would be an impossible choice for you to make. So I'm making it for you!". True again, he was between a rock and a hard place. He would never be able to make that choice. To leave Rick and the group behind. Or to let her go. He was frustrated and angry and wanted it to be over. To wake up from his own bad dream, but he couldn't. "The group needs you. Rick needs you as his wingman. Go back to them, protect them, keep them safe and think of me often...and who knows, maybe we will see eachother again", she whispered, stepping closer to him.
By now, he was so angry, he wanted to hit her, give her a good shake to get her back to her senses. He wanted to turn away from her, but she stopped him. She tiptoed in front of him and gave him a tender kiss on the lips. "Can you give me a lift back to the stationwagon?". Which of course, he did.

Their good-bye was short but sweet. She didn't want to drag it out even longer than it had to be. This was painful enough as it was. She put all her stuff back in the stationwagon and focused on surviving on her own, at least for a while. She couldn't fit both thoughts in her head, missing him and staying alive, there simply wasn't enough room.
She gave him a last kiss, but he had already shut her out. He didn't respond and she was sorry for it. It hadn't been her intention to hurt him. It was an impossible situation and she hoped, in time, he would be able to give her a little credit for handling it this way. To forgive her, if you will.
She got in the car and drove off. He stood there in the road, crossbow behind his back, arms next to his body. Defeated. The rearview mirror showed he stood there for quite some time. She started crying after the first 50 yards and had to stop herself from turning back.

He was just numb. There she went. Like in his worst nightmare, she drove off, out of his line of sight. Out of his reach to keep her safe. He drove back to the prison in pure sadness. By the time he got bac, he was met again by Rick, just as the night before. "The Counsel's made a decision. She's not to come back." "I know", he replied. Back in his cell, he started to unpack his own bag, when a single Chrokee rose fell out, from between his stuff. She must have put it in there when he wasn't looking. "Goddammit", he cursed at himself. He put his head in his hands and started crying. What a fucking mess.
He wasn't granted a lot of time to grieve.

There was a Guvnor at the prison's doorstep. With a tank.

The End (for now) :-)