I'm in a very good mood so I decided to post again and give you guys a little Emery and Daryl :) this chapter will have a flashback (back to the good ole days of Emery and Daryl's relationship) the flashback will be in italics! Here's chapter 5

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I had the good fortune of knowing Daryl Dixon before he was completely unleashed. Sometimes I wonder when he turned so bitter, if it was because of me or because of the apocalypse. I'd never ask him, so maybe I'd never know. I just wish that part of him I knew wasn't completely gone. For my sake it couldn't be completely gone.

I blinked awake from a small crash and it was that moment that I realized I was laying alone. The empty spot beside me was still warm. I rolled over, propping myself up on my elbow.

"Where are you going?" I asked smiling when Daryl's eyes looked up at me. He was bent over, re-stacking the CD cases on the carpet from where his foot must have knocked it over a second ago. "I didn't wanna wake you," he confessed.

I laid back down pursing my lips. "So you decided to just leave me here on the floor?" "Hey, it was your idea to sleep on the floor last night," he reminded me, pulling on his baggy sweatshirt. "Only cause you were too lazy to clear off your bed," I retorted. Not that I was complaining. Daryl had set a sheet on the floor and tucked a quilt over us when I told him I was tired. Already I was missing the feel of his arms around me.

"You told me you didn't mind," Daryl pointed a finger at me. I shrugged. "Where are you going anyway?" "I'm all out of cigarettes," he replied simply rubbing his face.

"You're leaving me for some sticks in a small package. Not to mention they're overpriced. Thanks, that shows how much you care," I teased, kicking off the blanket then I stood up. A yawn escaped my lips as I stretched, standing on my toes. "God, why is it always so hot in here?"

I turned to Daryl, who was leaning back against the door frame, just watching me. "What?" the deep look in his eyes made me self-conscious. He flashed a brief smile, one of the genuine ones I only see him reveal around me. "Nothin'. I advised you that it would be better for you to sleep in your underwear, more comfortable ya know. It's your fault you didn't want too."

I scoffed, smacking his arm when he came closer. "Oh really, that is not why you wanted me in my underwear," I moved around him slipping on my sneakers. "You don't have to be embarrassed. I've seen you in less." I narrowed my eyes at him. "I am not embarrassed." "Says the blush on your face," Daryl smirked. That was his game, to get some sort of satisfaction out of the way he can make me feel. I could feel the heat across my face, betraying me.

"Well remind me to never do that again if all you're going to do is make fun of me." I frowned grabbing my black beanie hat and put it on after running my fingers through my hair. I was about to walk out of his room when Daryl grabbed hold of my arm to pull me to him.

I tried to step away but his arms were already locked around me. Not in the dominating way, but gently, like he didn't want me to leave just yet. "You're not seriously mad, are you?" he questioned, a smile playing on his lips. He bowed his head lower, trying to catch my green eyes. "Come on, I was kidding." He nudged my shoulder.

I nodded. "I have to use the bathroom, meet you outside." Daryl's lips formed a firm line. He let go and brushed past me, a stiffness building over him. That's the last thing I wanted, to have him start the day off already angry. I quickly went to the bathroom. It was tiny, but so familiar. I spend so much time over here it's like I've migrated away from my own home. I washed my hands and splashed water on my face to fully wake me up from my drowsy state. I shut off the light and opened the door, but stopped short in surprise.

"Merle," I gasped, a hand over my heart. The older Dixon stood before me, a drunken dead look masking his scruffy features, again. "What are you doing?" Merle licked his chapped lips and leaned closer. "You goin' out with my brother again?" he asked. He knew the answer. I sighed. Every time, why does he have to put me through this every time? It was evident Merle didn't like me, and I can express the same when it came to him.

"Daryl and I are just going to the gas station," I explained, "excuse me." He didn't move. He breathed in and out through his mouth, passing the scent of strong liquor to me. "Did you want something?" I finally asked, "Daryl's waiting for me." "Just tell him to buy me another six-pack. We're all out of beer," Merle said looking like he was about to pass out. "Yeah." I pushed past then, not wanting to be the thing that breaks his fall.

Outside it was hot. The full effect of the coming summer weighed down on my tense shoulders. Daryl was leaned against the front hood of his truck and automatically frowned at my state.

"What's wrong?" he glanced back at his shabby house. "Nothing just....your brother," I loosely crossed my arms. Daryl chuckled. "I keep telling you he's not that bad," he pulled me into a reassuring hug.

"I know," I mumbled heavily into his chest, a bit surprised at his abnormal, comforting gesture. He wasn't the kind to hug anything , so I didn't want to waste this one. With every breath, I inhaled his boyish smell. The good kind. The one that smelt of fresh cut grass and a hint of lingering smoke from a previous cigarette.

"Are you still mad at me?" His whispered words tickled my ear. I shook my head, feeling the goosebumps run across my arms. "Good," he said lowly, kissing below my ear and the side of my face. "Let's go." Our hands were locked until we split, me to the passenger side and him to the driver side.

I leaned back against the seat and watched him drive the two miles to the gas station. He sniffed once, wiping his nose with the back of his hand and biting adorably at his bottom lip.

Dixon and I have come a long way. Meeting at the start of high school, but never talking until Junior year where he tripped me in the hall. I still believe it was an accident, but to keep his bad boy reputation, he fed into my face plant by laughing like he meant to do what he did. Then from there the dirty glares started. He passed them to me in the halls, in the one class we had together, and when occasionally I bumped into him outside of school. Nothing I ever looked forward too.

Come Senior year, I regrettably thought the summer did him well. How can someone be so attractive and still be an ass to you when you don't even know him? During the first dance of the school year, totally not my scene, I ditched as soon as it started. When I walked out the back door of the gym, there he was beside a dumpster. The smoke he blew out of his mouth visible in the dark. It turns out, between the lines and all the bullshit, we had more in common than I realized, than he realized. I still can't believe he ever convinced me to go to the bar, where they gave us drinks on the house since they "know Merle." My first drink with Daryl Dixon, my first kiss with Daryl Dixon to follow. How is it that he  can get me to do things I'd never do?

Number 1: Go out for a beer or two which got me tipsy to his amusement.

Number 2; Skip school a few times.

Number 3: Go out with him. He never used the term "date." He said it was too conformative...is that even a word? I think he made it up. I think he was just afraid. I still am.

Number 4: Stay out late.

Number 5: Crash at his place without even telling my parents. Logan knew what I was up to and had his eye on Daryl. Still, I know I'd  be in for an ear full by the time I arrived home, but I wasn't ready for that yet.

"Hey," Daryl repeated, snatching me out of my daze. We were parked next to a gas pump. Only two other cars were doing the same on the opposite side. "Hmm?" my voice raised, knowing he had been trying to get my attention. "Beautiful," he said softly, catching me off guard.

I knew I was flustered by the time he leaned in to kiss me. His lips seemed to shape perfectly to mine. Then he was getting out to get what he had come here for.

I can't say what initially made us break up. Whether it started from his yells or mine, but I knew it was because I was getting too deep because I was falling for him, like I'm falling for him again now.

Why did it have to be Daryl Dixon? Why couldn't it have been someone else? I think he knows it, how I'm breaking under that steel gaze of his. We're still compatible, still musing around each other like nothing ever happened. Who am I kidding? Not with the way he treads around with that crossbow, with the way he sometimes stares at me, as if everything was back to the way it had been when we were 18, but it wasn't.

"No," Daryl shook his head and paced back and forth. "No! No! No!" each time it grew louder and his red face scrunched up. I edged closer and saw not the torn up body of Merle Dixon, but something that was worse. In his brother's case, Merle's hand.

Daryl continued to walk back and forth like it would kill him to actually shed a tear and stand still. For him, it would. Instead of crying, he drew all his rage to his crossbow as he pointed it at T-Dog. To my dismay, Rick pointed his gun to the side of Daryl's head.

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And there's chapter 5! It gives you a little insight on Emery and Daryl's relationship pre-apocalypse. Please comment and tell me what you think! There will be more flashbacks through the series! Vote, comment follow!! XOXO Jess