*unedited*

She wasn't sure how long she'd stayed in the bathroom for, but by the time she gathered herself enough to go downstairs, they were all in the living room eating the food. Her bowl was sitting on the coffee table.

"Are you okay, Mom?" Heather asked.

"We'll talk about it later after the youngsters are asleep," she said, her voice cracking

Her daughter rolled some spaghetti onto her fork, and Sharon's stomach rolled like an ocean wave against the shore. Looking down at her own food, she swallowed the rising bile. "I think I'll eat later."

Karl glanced at her, his eyes full of concern. "I know that look."

Sharon held up a hand and shook her head. "I'm not talking about it right now."

If she tried, she'd burst into tears. They were right on the edge, ready to flow at any second. The knot sat high in her throat, making it hard to talk or swallow. Caroline was digging into her pasta, her face caked with sauce and a smile playing on her lips.

"Like it, do you?" she asked the young girl.

The child nodded. Her cheeks looked like a squirrel storing nuts. Sharon smiled. Oh, the simple joys of a child. Spaghetti was one of her favorite meals at that age, too. Not that it looked overly appetizing today.

"Should we all sleep down here?" she asked Karl.

"I think that would be a good idea."

After dinner, Sharon and her daughter brought down the mattresses from the second floor and laid them on the living room floor side by side. They allowed Caroline to sleep on the loveseat as she was the perfect size for it. It didn't take long before the two little ones were out for the night. Caroline's head was on Sharon's lap and Ben had his on Heather's.

Carefully extricating herself from his grip, she went and sat by Karl. "We have a situation."

"I kind of guessed that at dinner."

"She's been bitten."

He whistled quietly. "Ouch, wasn't expecting that. Poor kid!"

"What do I do, Karl? I can't—we can't..."

Karl rolled onto his side with his back facing the couch cushions and pulled open the sheet. "Come on, lay down," he said, patting the cushion beside him. As much as she shouldn't, she found herself laying down resting her back against him. He wrapped his arm around her waist. "It'll be fine. You'll see."

His arm felt wonderful resting against her, made her feel like she could take on the world. It was something she hadn't felt for a very long time, not even when she was in her husband's arms for the last time. There was just something about him that connected with her on a deep level.

She should have been concerned laying there beside him. He did just admit that he'd killed someone's wife, but somehow, she knew that if he did, he would have had a good reason. She rarely gave someone the benefit of the doubt. It wasn't part of her make-up anymore, not like it was before.

That didn't mean she wasn't curious though, but didn't want to risk ruining the moment by asking him anything. And she didn't exactly want him to turn it around on her either by asking about the worst thing she'd done in the apocalypse. It was sure to kill the peace.

Karl placed his hand on her shoulder and turned her so that she was partially facing him. "I can hear your gears turning. Wanna talk about it?"

Instead of answering, she slipped her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him towards her, pressing her lips against his. She didn't want to talk. She wanted to forget everything. He still tasted a little of spaghetti, but she didn't care; his warm, moist lips touching hers was just what the doctor ordered.

"I could get used to this type of talking," he murmured, not pulling his lips from hers.

"Help me forget."

He glanced over at the kids. They were sound asleep. Heather had her back to them, but was breathing slow and steady and the youngsters were dead to the world. "Are you sure?" he asked.

Her cheeks burned with realization. "Oh right. I'm sorry. I forgot you were hurt." She went to slip off the couch, but he held her tight. Her body tingled as his fingers brushed against her stomach.

"Forget that. I might be handicapped right now, but that doesn't mean I'm dead."

"You just about died helping us," she said, resting a hand against his chest.

He shrugged. "That's just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes."

"Not in any normal world," she muttered.

"Close your eyes," he ordered. "Don't think about anything except what I'm about to do."

"But—"

He touched a finger to her lips. "Let me be in control."

The look in his eyes excited her. Her body tingled at the possibilities of what was to come. Leaning over, she blew out the candle on the coffee table. Sharon closed her eyes and waited. For a moment nothing happened, and she started to open her eyes again.

"I said keep them closed, missy," he said, kissing each eyelid.

She giggled. "Okay."

"Good, good. Undo your pants for me."

She'd never been this kind of person. The quick affair type, but she wanted this. Needed this. Need him. Complying with his request, she undid the button and pulled down the zipper. The cover of darkness did little to dull her senses. Her eyes felt more open than ever, even though they were closed. When his hand came to rest on her bare belly, her muscle tensed automatically.

"I'll be gentle," he whispered in her ear, as he made gentle circling motions around her belly button with the tip of his index finger. "Just remember to be quiet."

Sharon glanced over at the kids. She'd never been a quiet lover. Slowly, he made his way to the opening of her pants. She sucked in a breath. It has been a long time since she let anyone get that close. Her life had been too preoccupied with staying alive.

It didn't take long for him to make himself right at home. She gripped the silk covers as his fingers moved back and forth over her clit, trying desperately not to cry out for him to move faster.

"You're already wet," he murmured into her ear. "That turns me on big time."

"Are you..." She let her word trail off, her facing heating.

"Why don't you check," he suggested huskily.