Stay

Trudging inside after a long night of work as dawn bloomed across the sky, Daryl shoved his work boots to the side of the foyer and progressed into the house. Ears pricked for any sort of sound, he carried on into the bathroom and shed his clothes, leaving them in a trail to the shower.

Flipping the hot water as far as it would go, he stood and watched the steam billow as he lazily scratched his stomach, tired from long night he had put in. Pulling open the glass door, he stepped inside and felt the scalding water wash away the grime and the tight muscles of his shoulders and back. Bracing his palms on the wall in front of him, he let he water sluice over his back, arms stretched as far as they would go, calf muscles standing in relief as he leaned forward, screaming after his sixteen hour shift.

Head whipping up when he heard the bathroom door creak, he watched as his woman walked in, hair sleep tousled, her sleep pants riding low on her hips. Smiling softly when her brown eyes met his, he nodded without saying a word and stood up, grabbing his shampoo bottle in the process. Hearing her mumbled sleep-filled greeting, he then heard the toilet flush from the other side of the half wall she had disappeared behind and watched as she still sleepily washed her hands and prepared to brush her teeth before rinsing the suds out of his hair.

“Sleep well?”

“Missed you.”

Barely catching her mumbled words as she fought to keep toothpaste bubbles from spewing over her lush lips, Daryl nodded even though he knew she wasn’t paying attention and lathered up his body, suds sliding down his tight and trim frame as he did so. “Sorry; overtime was offered and I grabbed it.”

“Yeah, I know.” Sighing and rinsing out the sink, Grace looked up and over towards the glassed in shower stall, water droplets sliding down the inside of the door, admiring without saying a word the man behind it. “I’ve got to get a move on or I’m going to be late.” Watching his nod, Grace sighed again and headed towards their bedroom.

Throwing open the small closet door, she rummaged inside and came back out victorious with a pair of black pants and an overly large turquoise sweater. Glancing longingly at the band t’s that hung inside still, she let out a puff of air and headed to her dresser intent on finding a tank to wear under the sweater. Glancing behind her as Daryl sauntered into the room, she wished for the hundredth time already since she had woken up that for once he had come home early. Keeping an eye on him as he dropped the towel that he had slung around his waist, she pulled the tank over her head and then her sweater.

“I should be pretty early getting out today; maybe we can do supper before you head in?”

Falling all but face first on the still rumpled sheets of their bed Daryl mumbled and then shifted so his woman could hear him better. “I said I have to go in early today.”

“Again?” Frustration tinging her tone, Grace threw her hands up in the air after gripping her long curly brown hair into her fists. “Jesus, Daryl.”

“Sorry, babe, but we need the money.”

“I’d rather have time with you, you know!” Yelling the words, Grace turned and headed towards the doorway. “But, whatever. Money, it is.”

Angrily slamming the door behind her, Grace headed back to the bathroom, the steam from Daryl’s shower all but gone; the mirror now clear enough for her to see. Quickly running curling products through her hair, she clipped it back from her face with bobby pins and then scuttled down the hall, not fooling with makeup even though she knew she probably should.

Glancing at the calendar as she filled her travel mug, she eyed the circled date a month from now and smiled sarcastically wondering if he even remembered what it meant. Heading back down the hall to their bedroom, she opened their door only to be greeted with light snores, the sheets already twisted below Daryl’s waist; even in sleep he was rough and tumbled. Walking in, she lightly placed a kiss on his cheek, finger tracing over the tattoo on his chest and turned to walk away, not noticing the one eye that was slit open watching her progress. Whispering “I love you” as she walked out, she grabbed her needed things and headed out the door to the office she worked at.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“We really can’t afford for you—“

“I don’t give a shit what you can’t afford! What I can’t afford is to lose the woman who’s been sleeping alone six days out of seven every night!” Words hurled angrily at the man in front of him, Daryl felt the weight of the badge hidden deep in his pocket, his sidearm tucked under the scarred leather jacket he wore.

“She’s not going to go anywhere, Dixon, she’s too far gone over you.” Eyeing him warily, the captain of the police force stared at the angry man in front of him.

“You don’t know what’s going on at home, asshole.” Words low, Daryl fought to keep reigns on his temper. Shuffling his feet encased in the usual work boots he wore, he clenched his hands into fists at his sides. “She’s going to fucking run off if’n I don’t get home on time.”

“You’re on an operation; there are no set hours.”

“Bullshit! Take me off it!”

“I can’t, Dixon, you’re the best we have for the job. They won’t trust anyone else at this stage of the investigation.”

“I’ve got enough to bust their asses; we can do it this evening for all I fucking care.”

“The DA wants it airtight and you know it.” Shaking his head, almost sad, the captain looked up at the man in front of him.

Muscles aching from the tenseness, Daryl spat on the floor in front of him, no longer caring that he was in a superior’s office. “Fuck this. I’m out then.” Reaching inside his jacket, he pulled his gun out and placed it on the desk in front of him, his hand then sliding to his pocket to reach for his badge.

“Don’t do it, Dixon.”

“Or else?” Blue eyes flashing fire, Daryl stared down at the man who had now stood up, him having placed his gun on his desk bringing him to attention.

“Fine.” Shoving his hand through his hair, the captain looked up and let out an exasperated breath. “You want to tell her what you’re doing, go ahead.”

“I can’t do that and you fucking know it.” Thumb rubbing the badge he had pulled out, Daryl leaned forward.

“Don’t do it; I’ll grant your leave.”

Hand hesitating as he had been set to drop the badge he had fought hard to receive, Daryl stared into the fearful brown eyes of the man before him. “All three weeks?”

“We can’t let you go that long; what story are you going to feed them?”

Fingers loosening, Daryl let the badge he held dangle by the chain it was on, watching it himself now as it swung just above the glossy surface of the desk that should’ve been strewn by paperwork but yet wasn’t. “I’ve got a plan; you’ve gotta trust me.”

“Dixon, you can’t let this go right now.”

“Then I’m fucking gone.” Letting the chain slide out of his fingers even farther as he growled the words, Daryl thought of Grace at home, the circles under her eyes that had started before he took over the undercover operation seven months ago having darkened notably in the past three weeks. Knowing that she had the date of their five year anniversary circled on the calendar, he had fought to tie up loose ends, had fought to get his leave time granted, had squirreled away all that he could in the past several weeks so he could at least make up for some nights of not making it home.

Watching as the badge hit the glossy cherry surface, he felt nothing, not even the pain he thought would lance through his chest, as he turned, his captain sputtering behind him. “Good fucking luck on your damned operation.”

“Fine. Three weeks. Your plan will be a go. We’ll do what we need to.”

Hesitating with his hand on the doorknob to the office, Daryl looked over his shoulder. “I want that in fucking writing, you asshole.” Watching the captain nod and swallow, beads of sweat on his forehead, Daryl dropped his hand and turned around, crossing his arms over his muscled chest. “Now.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shoving leftovers in the fridge once again, Grace let out a long sigh of frustration and shut the door. Heading to the living room, she flopped on the couch and swiped the remote off the arm of it where Daryl had left it before being called in suddenly to work. They had dated almost five years, had been inseparable for almost all of that time, with the past seven to eight months being out of habit for them.

Flipping through the channels half-heartedly, she let it rest on a travel channel and watched as sugar coated beaches were featured. Almost groaning in frustration as her eyes caught the snow swirling outside of the window of the living room, she hit the channel button as watching that proved no better for her mood.

Quickly texting her best friend, she grinned when Noelle sent her a picture of the goofy lead guitarist of the band that they both loved, knowing she was trying to cheer her up after reading the text that she had sent of eating dinner alone once again. Hearing a knock on her door, she got up, sweats riding her hips loosely when they used to fit, and pulled the door open.

“I’m here to save the day, bitch!” Clutching two bottles of their favorite wine and a stack of DVDs, Noelle stood on the snowy stoop and grinned like a mad-woman. “Let me in! It’s fucking cold out here!”

“You’re the best, you know that?” Eyes stinging with tears even though she hated it, Grace stepped back and allowed the whirlwind that was her best friend into the house.

“It smells like man in here!” Shoving the wine and movies at Grace, Noelle then unwound the long pink, purple and bright blue scarf she wore and hung it and her jacket on the pegged shelf beside the door.

“I don’t know how considering the only time one is here is to shower, shit, shave and sleep it seems.” Words dry, Grace dropped the DVDs on the coffee table of the small living room and headed into the kitchen to find the corkscrew for the wine.

Pulling down wine glasses as she was as intimate with Grace’s kitchen as she was her own, Noelle looked over her shoulder. “Glad I got them already chilled.”

Giggling, Grace poured the wine. “You know me too well, sister-dear. Now, let’s get klassy, and seeing as you brought The Avengers, drool over some Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans.”

“Have any food?”

“Dumb question, bitch, of course I do.” Rolling her eyes, Grace pointed to the fridge. “Daryl’s plate is in there; heat the shit up and then come out to the living room.” Watching Noelle nod as she titled her head and stared at her, Grace quickly high-tailed it out of the kitchen and into the living room knowing that the head tilt meant she was about to be question and/or scrutinized.

Hitting play as soon as Noelle crossed the threshold into the living room, Grace drew her legs up on the couch and patted the cushion beside her, forgoing the empty wine glass that was on the table in front of her in favor of just the bottle.

Sighing and drooling equally as sex walked across the screen in front of them, the girls quickly drained the wine and finished the film. Shutting the power of the DVD player and TV off, Grace let her head rest on the back of the couch. “Do you think he’s having an affair?”

Bursting into giggles, Noelle turned her blue eyes to stare at her best friend. “What? Seriously? That man is devoted to you! Always has been!”

“Well, he’s gone so much lately. He’s always working, and damned if I can figure out where the extra cash is from him doing so.”

“Grace—is the rent being paid? The electric, water, sewer, gas? Phones and cable?”

“Yes.” Brows drawn together, Grace stared at Noelle wishing for more wine.

“Then what gives?”

“I don’t know; just wondering what’s wrong with me, is all.”

“There’s nothing wrong with you!” Words exploding, Noelle jumped up, bobbled from being slightly tipsy and grabbed Grace’s hands. Pulling her up, she stared into her brown eyes. “There isn’t a thing wrong with you!”

“Then why isn’t he home anymore? What happened? He used to tell them to fuck off for overtime and now he goes whenever they call him, or calls me saying he has to stay over. He works 16 hour days on the regular, and on his day off he allows himself, he sleeps all day or sometimes even goes in for eight more! He’s never home, Elle, never.” Eyes brimming, Grace tugged her hands away. “So, I’ve concluded that he’s having an affair and that’s that.”

“That’s that, huh?” Watching as Grace sat down, Noelle stared down at her best friend. “That’s not the Daryl I know and love. He would never do that, Grace.”

“Well, then what the fuck is it?”

“I don’t know, but I don’t see him having a side piece.”

“Well, it’s something, and I’m fixing to leave as I can’t handle it anymore. I can’t find mention of anything in his phone or anything else that I’ve investigated, but he’s always so quiet and always been so secretive that it doesn’t surprise me.” Taking a deep breath, Grace let it out. “I’ve been meaning to ask, but haven’t wanted to—can I stay at your place until I can find one of my own?”

“What?”

“You heard me, shut your pie-hole, you’re catching flies.” Wanting to giggle, but not doing so, Grace stood up. “I’ve thought about it the past few weeks and that’s all I can come up with.”

Holding his breath, Daryl looked into the living room hidden by the wall of the foyer and watched as his woman’s best friend nodded reluctantly. Hearing her say that Grace should at least confront him and talk to him, he turned and walked silently out of the house, pulling the door shut behind him as quietly as possible, thanking the heavens that their dog had been sound asleep on the couch and hadn’t heard him come in.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Walking in to the bedroom she and Daryl shared, Grace threw her hoodie on the bed and started to peel off her sweats, sweaty from the run she had just completed despite the snow that still lingered on the ground and that threatened to fall from the sky at any moment. Kicking them off her toe, she watched as they sailed to the corner near the bag she was slowly and methodically packing as she and Noelle had determined that she wouldn’t move out until at least her and Daryl’s anniversary had passed. In Noelle’s mind it gave her best friend a week to think her actions and decision through, and in Grace’s mind, it gave her time to pack her shit up without a huge fight evolving.

Heading down the hallway of their small home back to the bathroom in only her undies and sports bra, Grace shut the door behind her even though only she and her dog where there and stared into the mirror. Rubbing at one of the circles under her eyes, she looked over her shoulder in the mirror and turned around.

Reaching out a hand, she fingered the dress that hung on the towel rack in front of her, a note pinned to the silky fabric.

Grace,

I haven’t forgotten what day it is. I’m fixin’ to get out of work today early but had to go in to finish one last project. I’ll meet you for dinner at the place you’ll find a card for in the shoes that match this dress. Blame this lovey shit on Noelle. It was her idea.

-Daryl

Tears burning the back of her eyes, Grace turned to the shower stall and opened the door, gasping when she saw all of her favorite ‘smelly shit’, as Daryl called them, products in the space, including the shampoo and conditioner she favored. Making quick work of her shower even though she wanted to dawdle as she had forgotten to search for her shoes and find out what time dinner was, she swaddled her hair in a turban towel and took off running back to their bedroom knowing the shoes would be where she kept her good ones.

Finding a new pair of glittery pink heels to match the dress on her shoe rack beside the closet, she spied the card inside of one and pulled it out, eyebrows winging up at the address on it. Spotting the time and seeing he had allowed her two hours to get ready in, her heart melted a tad as only he would know how she prepared for a date night out. Placing the card on their neatly made bed, only his pillow rumpled from when he had obviously laid on it before leaving, Grace set about getting ready.

Smoothing the lotion on that matched her soaps, she then rummaged for her strapless corset bra that had garter snaps at the bottom for her hose she had secreted away but had never worn. Pulling the fishnets up her trim calves, she hooked the garters at her thighs and headed back to the bathroom. Pulling open her makeup drawer, she spotted all new cosmetics had taken over what the drawer had held this morning, knowing that by the order they were in, Daryl had put them inside even though the brand they were spoke of Noelle’s doing.

Smiling, she slowly did up her face, blending the shadows and eyeliners into the perfect smoky look that she knew would make Daryl, her hardened never-let-anyone-else-see-the-inside-man, come undone. Spritzing the body spray that matched all over the room, she walked through the cloud of it and then added some of the extra glitter body spray that she knew had been Noelle’s idea alone.

Grabbing out her straightener and curling iron, she set to work plugging them in to warm and then blow-dried her hair, intent on pulling it up with some curls escaping due to the way the dress hanging behind her was cut. Spraying the style lightly into place, she pulled on one curl she had let dangle to her shoulder and let it go, letting out a small giggle when it sprung back up and into place. Knowing that Daryl would complain later about how many pins she had sunk into it when he was trying to get all of her hair down to wrap around his fists, she smiled at her reflection again as her belly tightened at the thought.

Picking up the dress that hung on the towel rack, she carried it back down the hallway, the hanger over one finger. Placing it on the bed, she spread the skirt out and reached out to touch the gossamer fabric, wondering how much say Daryl had had in the picking of it out. Knowing that he loved her collarbone and cleavage, she wasn’t surprised that it was strapless and dipped down in the front into what would reveal the tops of her full breasts. And, knowing Noelle, she wasn’t surprised that it was short as her best friend knew she was always self-conscious of her height and how long dresses always seemed too long on her short frame.

Slipping into the dress, she suddenly felt like a princess and turned to look into the mirror. Gasping, she raised a hand and rested it on her throat and stared. Having done her makeup, her brown eyes popped, the color of the dress accenting them and the deep dark brown of her hair which she had all but swept up off her shoulders. Seeing the tattoo that graced her collarbone, she shivered in remembrance of how Daryl’s tongue glided over the colored skin and forced her eyes off of the spot. Slipping into the shoes she had fallen in love with, she then grabbed the bag that had been sitting beside them and quickly filled it with the contents she’d need for the evening.

Heading towards the front of the house, she eyed the time on the microwave through the kitchen doorway and headed to the foyer to pull out her good coat knowing damned well even though she wore it, she’d still freeze thanks to the dress. Pulling it over her shoulders, she heard a horn outside and peeked through the foyer window blinds. Eyebrows drawing together, she opened the door, patted their dog on the head, grabbed her purse and headed out into the cold twilight and down the walk, which she now noted was completely ice and snow free where it hadn’t been when she had come home a few hours before.

Taking the hand of her best friend’s husband, and Daryl’s best friend, Grace raised her brows.

“Daryl didn’t want you driving tonight.”

“Thanks, Matt.” Whispering the words, Grace placed a kiss on his cheek as he handed her up into his pickup truck which she noticed had been waxed and washed. “Did you really wash and wax this pretty beast even though there’s shit on the ground still?”

“I did.” Nodding and blushing, Matt took off down Grace and Daryl’s street. “If I’m carrying around a pretty dolled up lady, it had better look nice I was told.”

Knowing that Noelle had been the one behind it, Grace laughed and shook her head. “Just how much of this evening was Noelle’s idea?”

“I’m not at liberty to say, but I will say that she only did the smelly shit, provide sizes, style and stores and the makeup.”

“So you can’t tell me, but in effect, just did tell me?” Laughing, Grace watched him smirk as he continued to drive.

Thinking back to the day five years ago when she had met Daryl almost an hour later, she reached out and squeezed Matt’s arm. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Startled as he pulled up to where Daryl had told him to drop her off, Matt looked over at Grace.

“For Daryl. I mean, you’re the reason we know each other.”

“Noelle, too, I mean, she met me and I brought Daryl along, so really, it’s not me you should be thanking.” Ducking his head, bashful despite his work as a hardened undercover cop who served alongside Daryl, Matt then looked up his hazel eyes glittering from the street lamps outside the truck. Knowing already that the somewhat rough area they had travelled an hour to get to was clear of all thugs and miscreants, he spoke again.

“Well, you’d better get out there to Daryl. I’ve gotta get back to work and he played hell getting off early for tonight ya’ know.”

Nodding, Grace climbed out of the truck and wondered just where she was supposed to go as it wasn’t the address on the card Daryl had scrawled and left in her shoe. Hearing a whistle, a smile came to her plump lips she had been chewing on, and she hurried down the alley in front of her. Coming to a stop at the end of it, she looked to her left, hand clutching the front of her jacket. Hesitating to go farther, she looked at her man who was standing against a gray wall as if he had no care in the world, hands behind his back, white dinner jacket tossed over a white t-shirt, his black trouser covered knee out, with his boot clad foot on the wall behind him.

Watching as he nodded and tossed the cigarette down he had been smoking as he exhaled, Grace let her eyes scan the wall behind him, the word STAY spray painted on it, a little behind and above his one shoulder. Tears stinging her eyes, she willed them away although glad she had used the waterproof makeup Noelle had stocked in her drawer and felt her hands tremble.

Watching as his woman’s lips trembled, and her hand shake, Daryl pushed off the wall and sauntered towards her. Reaching out and cupping the side of her cheek with his large, rough hand, he let his thumb grace the fullness of her lips.

Pressing his thumb gently, he heard her intake of breath and leaned forward. Bracing his hand on Grace’s hip possessively, he plundered her perfectly made up mouth, bracing himself as she all but melted into his arms.

Tasting the flavor that was Daryl’s and his alone, Paige felt his tongue slide against hers and fought to keep her head above the tidal wave of feelings he caused within her. Finally pulling back when she felt that she could breathe no more, she took a baby step back—all that he would allow with his hold still tight on her—and stared up the few scant inches into his baby blue eyes thanks to the height of her heels. “How’d you know?”

“I overheard you. I was coming in when you told Noelle you thought I was cheatin’ on ya and were going to leave me.” Pain filling his eyes, he looked over Grace’s shoulder and then forced himself to look back. Seeing that the pain he felt was echoed into her eyes, he cleared his throat. “So, I, um, I told my boss that the hours are going to be cut back and that I can’t do that shit anymore. You mean more to me than money, more to me than anything.”

Heart melting as she knew Daryl rarely spoke his feelings Grace nodded and placed a kiss on his lips. “I love you.” Brushing off a piece of lint on his jacket, she stepped back when he dropped his hands. “You clean up nice, factory man.”

“Thanks.” Ducking his head and fumbling in his pockets, Daryl looked up, wishing for the millionth time in their relationship he could really tell her what he did in Detroit at night. He knew it was for the best that he kept his mouth shut and didn’t tell her, but there were moments when he knew that it would be easier to explain his ‘constant job changes’ and ‘lack of responsibility to maintain a steady job’ as his line of undercover work required him to change ‘professions’ quite often which would maintain peace in their relationship a lot easier, not to mention all the ‘overtime’ he was putting in lately. He had vowed, along with Matt in regards to Noelle, to never tell the girls exactly what they did for their safety.

“Um, Daryl, I’m a little cold.” Shivering with her words, Grace let out a chuckle when he looked up, almost startled at her words.

“Shit, babe, I didn’t think of that.” Shaking his head, he finally found what he had been looking for and shoved his lighter and cigarettes back into his pocket. Taking her hand, he held a tiny key with the other. “Real quick, just look at the wall over here, would ya?”

Walking slowly even though the ice and snow had been removed in a path towards the wall, Grace spied a piece of wire string attached to a nail that had been driven into the wall beside the letter Y . Reaching out slowly, she caught the wire in her hand to see what dangled at the bottom of it and gasped.

“So, um, would you stay forever then?”

Barely hearing his mumbled words, Grace whirled around and threw her arms around Daryl’s neck, the ring dangling on the bottom of the locked wire forgotten, his arms automatically banding around her trim frame when she did so. “Yes, yes, yes, I’ll stay. I’ll stay forever.” Sealing her words with a kiss, Grace melted into his embrace, the cold of the evening forgotten as her heart warmed once again.