This came from a picture that Sweetkiwi604 shared with me. It put this little morsel in my mind. This is season two. Some things are different here. Rick and Lori aren't together here...though that don't really play a part here but I figured I'll get a message or two asking. I hope you enjoy.

Rick damn near puked when he heard the crack roaring through the air and Daryl's entire body whipping around. He fell in a limp heap and that was when Rick felt bile rise in his throat. Shane's voice was a muffled fog that didn't penetrate his mind as he ran for Daryl.

Dropping to his knees next to him and moving his hands frantically to see how bad the wound was. He blew out a breath that carried a thousand unsaid things. Shane was kneeling on the other side of Daryl talking quickly to someone near by.

Daryl's eyes fluttered open when Shane's finger's pressed into Daryl's throat feeling for a pulse. He grunted and squinted his eyes glaring at the man, "Stop touching me." He snarled and his eyes cut to Rick's, "I was kiddin'."

Rick's eyes widened realizing Daryl was talking about the time he'd pulled his gun on him. He smiled suddenly and they pulled Daryl upright as his eyes dropped again. Between Rick and Shane they were able to get him across the field and into the house while Daryl's body was limp. His head was lolling and on Rick's chest as they rushed not sure what else was wrong.

"Rick..." Shane muttered quietly while they outpaced the rest of the group. "He's bleeding from his side."

Rick kept his face calm but his worry was clear and he knew Shane could see it. Shane had known him as long as Lori had. It took seeing Lori leaving him for Shane for Rick to realize a lot about himself back then. He use to be bitter at the pair of them but let it go when he realized it set him free too just like it had Lori. He still had Carl after all.

The room cleared when Hershel walked in but Rick stood his ground looking at the hunter sprawled and bleeding. Shane shot him a look before he shut the door and Rick could hear him speaking to someone. He figured Andrea since she was the one to pull the trigger and had come rushing towards them when he realized she had shot a member of the group.

Hershel was leaned over Daryl looking at his head when he came around again. Daryl flinched violently away from the man and groaned in pain his hand shooting to his side and head.

"Son you need to hold still." Hershel scolded.

Daryl shot him a look but Rick's movement caught his eyes and he raised a brow. When Daryl told him he'd found the doll he'd called Shane back in as Daryl showed on the map where he'd been. Hershel was cleaning him up as best he could but Daryl kept moving away from his hands.

"This cuts the search grid in half." Rick looked up at Daryl meeting his eyes and Daryl looked down. "We can start looking again in the morning."

Daryl nodded and flinched when Hershel started stitching his side. "If I had known you all were going to be going through so much supplies so quick...well" He shook his head, "Be more careful."

Daryl scowled at him and Shane laughed slipping out the door with the map. Hershel walked out behind them shutting the door and Daryl huffed trying to set up. Rick's hand met his bare chest and Daryl looked up at him his face slightly stunned.

Rick felt his heart thundering in his chest. They had danced around this since the Quarry but neither had moved beyond this. It was always simple looks, touches, nothing more but it was there. Both knew what it was but neither pushed the boundaries but something about seeing Daryl's entire body jerk from that shot changed things for Rick. Changed a lot of things and took any fear of the unknown away.

Pushing Daryl back into the bed Rick shook his head, "You heard Hershel Daryl."

"Old man don't know shit." Daryl snapped.

"Knew enough to stitch you up." Rick challenged. "You need to rest."

The tension in Daryl's body was pulling his stitches tight and Rick wanted to smooth the crease from between his eyebrows. Daryl's breathing was heavier and he wasn't sure if it was because his hand was still on his chest as he leaned over him keeping him in place or pain.

Rick could feel the sandy grit on his hand on Daryl's chest from where Daryl had taken the fall into the water. His hair was mussed and messy just like the rest of him. Squatting down to be eye level Rick ran his hand slightly through the smattering of chest hair on the man.

Daryl's chest rose visibly and his breathing was more audible, "What're you doin'?" His voice had deepened to a rough sweetness that came with a southern twang.

Rick met his eyes, "You're filthy."

He stood swiftly and he heard Daryl blow out a breath behind him. He smirked and stepped into the bathroom and grabbed a few wash cloths wetting and soaping them up. He walked back over and set down right below Daryl's hips. Lifting his hand he slid the soapy rag over Daryl's chest removing the blood and grit. Daryl jerked suddenly his eyes flying open and looking at Rick wide-eyed.

He grabbed for the rag but Rick caught his wrist, "I can this myself I aint no fuckin' invalid." Daryl growled.

Rick moved on without answering him and then took just the wet cloth wiping away the soap he'd left around Daryl's chest. Daryl was watching everything he was doing and breathing heavily. He kept trying to shift but he couldn't with the way he was hurt. Rick tossed the cloth away onto Daryl's bloody shirt and looked back at the man.

His pupils were blown wide and Rick leaned in, "You scared the shit out of me." Daryl grunted at him his eyes tracking Rick's hand on his torso.

Rick let his hand slide a little more firmly against him and Daryl sucked in a breath. Rick smiled and Daryl met his eyes, his blue eyes a dangerous dark of lust and longing. Rick leaned in quickly before he could think about it and kissed him.

Daryl was completely still against him the tension gripping his body palpable. Rick didn't back away knowing that this was what they both wanted but kissed him rougher as the sounds of their scruff met his ears. Daryl groaned finally and broke kissing him back. He smiled against Daryl's mouth as he felt his hand grip the back of his neck holding him in place.

Rick took a chance wanting to ease the tension from Daryl's body and make him forget about the pain in his body. He was also selfish and wasn't able to keep his hands from the man. So when he slipped them lower he started kissing him more chasing every ounce of Daryl he could get. When he felt Daryl's teeth catch his bottom lip he groaned and pushed his hand into the man's pants without warning.

Daryl's entire body jerked and he swore, "Fuccck." His voice was a low rolling timber Rick had never heard.

Daryl looked at him and Rick slid his hand futher down his length grasping him completely. Looking from Daryl's face down to his groin he wanted to pull his jeans open, hell he wanted to tear Daryl's jeans completely from his body.

Pulling his hand away from Daryl's erection he started working his jeans open and smiled when Daryl's cock sprung forward.

"Never figured you for commando." Rick commented and grasped him again.

Daryl's hips jerked and he hissed out a breath, "Shut up."

Rick met his eyes again and Daryl let his tongue slide along his bottom lip fully. Rick mirrored his actions and tightened his grip pulling off long smooth strokes that had Daryl panting in time. Watching Daryl like this had Rick painfully hard and leaking in his own jeans but he ignored knowing that Daryl wasn't able to do anything. He wasn't physically able and Rick wasn't going to push him for it, not right now.

Groaning again when Rick tightened his grip and twisted his hand around the head of his cock Daryl's hips bucked. His grip on the sheets tightened and he bit his lip to stifle his groans but Rick's name slipped between his lips.

"Be quiet Daryl or I'll have to stop." Rick leaned in speaking lowly and speeding up his motions. He could feel his pulse thundering chasing his strokes and claimed Daryl's lips again.

Everything turned feverish and he could feel him getting closer. Moving more on to bed he brought his other hand down and cupped him. Daryl's hips lifted again and his body arched into Rick seeking him.

"Fuck I'm close." Daryl panted against his lips.

Rick nodded watching his eyes wanting to see everything that passed through his eyes. It didn't take long before Daryl's entire body was gripped with tension and then he was cumming. Rick jerked him through every bit until Daryl tried to pull away becoming to sensitive.

Both of them were still watching the other closely. Rick's eyes briefly flicked to the bead of sweat that slid down Daryl's temple before coming back to his blue eyes that were still dilated to a charring black.

"You scared me today." Rick growled bringing his hand up Daryl's body.

Daryl nodded at him but his words died on his mouth when Rick cleaned his hand up right in front of him. He barely had time to move his hand before Daryl was kissing him roughly. When they finally broke apart Rick grabbed the rags he'd used earlier while Daryl righted his pants. Cleaned up both of them relaxed and Rick smiled when he seen the tension he'd been worried about earlier gone from Daryl's body.

"I don't like being in here." Daryl bitched.

Rick looked over kicking his boots up next to Daryl's feet. "You heard what he said Daryl."