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It was some serious spaghetti. Juliana and Daryl had stuffed themselves full of pasta, something neither of them had had for God knows how long. She had noticed Aaron and his husband, Eric, exchanging looks between the two of them, but that didn't stop Daryl or Juliana from stuffing their faces. It was nice to eat something other than opossum or rabbit for once.

"Thanks," Daryl muttered with the last full of spaghetti, slurping up a lone noodle into his mouth. He wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve as he did so. From across the table, Juliana leaned backwards into the chair, placing her hands on her bloated stomach.

"Yeah, thanks guys."

Eric and Aaron both smiled before Eric spoke up, turning slightly in his chair to speak to Daryl, "When you're out there, if you happen to be in a store or something, Mrs. Neudermyer is really looking for a pasta maker." Juliana's eyebrow cocked up slightly at Eric's request and her gaze then drifted to Daryl, who was staring at Eric like he had grown a second head.

Eric continued, "And we're really trying to get her to shut up about it. I mean, we have crates of dried pasta in there, but she wants to make her own or something. I really think she just wants something to talk about, so..if you see one out on your travels, it would go a long way to.." Juliana had sat up, elbows up on the table as she looked over at Eric, curious as to what he meant exactly by Daryl 'out on his travels.'

"What's that supposed to mean?" she questioned. Eric's eyes widened slightly and he looked over to Aaron who was giving him a 'you shouldn't have said that', look.

"I thought it was done. You didn't ask him already?"

"Ask him what?" Juliana inquired, now turning her attention to Aaron. She had leaned back slightly to be better able to look at him, with one arm slung around the back of the chair.

Aaron sighed heavily. Placing each hand on the ledge of the table, he pushed himself backwards, the chair squealing against the wood floors as he did so. "Come on," he mentioned towards a door that was just past their kitchen. Juliana and Daryl exchanged glances from across the table before Daryl reached out, chugging what was left of his wine before standing. Juliana followed suit, following both of the men back towards the doorway.

Aaron opened the door, clicking on the light that led out into the other room, which turned out to be an attached garage. Daryl paused at the top of the steps, taking in the scattered parts of a motorcycle before he moved into the garage with Juliana behind him, followed by Aaron.

"When I got this place, there was that frame, and some parts and equipment. Whoever lived here built them."

Daryl picked up a spare part, fiddling with it for a moment, "It's a lot of parts for one bike," he mused.

"Whenever I came across parts out there, I brought them back. I didn't know what I'd need. I always thought I'd learn how to do it, but I get the feeling you already know what to do with it." Juliana watched from the side of the room, trying to busy herself with awkwardly fumbling with parts as she kept an eye on Aaron and Daryl, watching as Aaron kept his gaze on Daryl as he meandered around the garage.

"And the thing is," Aaron continued, "you're going to need a bike."

Juliana lifted her head, eye flittering between Daryl and Aaron. She watched as Daryl finally stopped pacing around the room to turn his attention to Aaron, "Why?"

"I told Deanna not to give you a job because I think I have one for you." He paused, "I'd like you to be Alexandria's other recruiter. I don't want Eric risking his life anymore."

Juliana scoffed from behind him, dropping a large part purposely on the wooden work table which caused Aaron to jump, "But you want him to risk his life, right?" she questioned, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she stepped out in front of the table.

Aaron sighed, "He knows what he's doing. He's good out there. But he-and you-don't belong out there." Daryl began to wander around again, but Juliana knew he was still listening to Aaron. Aaron took a step to Juliana, trying to justify his case to her now, "I know it's hard getting used to people getting used to you. And I understand that he, and maybe you, need to be out there sometimes. So do I. But-" he stepped back, looking over to Daryl again, "the main reason I want him to help me recruit is because you do know the difference between a good person and a bad person."

Daryl caught Juliana's eye, and while he heart ached, wanting to beg him to just stay here, she knew he needed this. Even as much as he complained and people assumed he was some tough badass, it was far from the truth.

"I got nothin' else to do," he mumbled, finally breaking eye contact with Juliana, "Thanks."

Aaron nodded, smiling slightly as Daryl accepted his offer, "Yeah, no problem."

"I'll get you some rabbits," Daryl added, stepping around the front of the motorcycle as he made his way back towards the door that led into Aaron's house. Aaron let out a soft laugh, rolling his eyes slightly as Daryl's awkward attempt at humor.

"Is he really going to?" he asked Juliana who was beginning to walk in Daryl's direction, stopping next to Aaron first.

She shrugged slightly, gaze drifting towards Daryl for a moment as he became distracted by another part before it flickered back to Aaron, "Probably. He keeps his word." She paused, leaning in closer to Aaron, her voice barely loud enough for him to hear, "You keep your word, got it? Just 'cause he's good, don't mean you're gonna take advantage of him. Don't get him killed." Aaron held his hands up, nodding at Juliana.

"You have my word."

Narrowing her eyes at Aaron, she nodded, pulling back from him, "Thanks for the spaghetti." She added, meeting Daryl at the door.
The two of them say their goodbyes to Aaron and Eric. Daryl had planned to come over tomorrow to start working on the bike later in the morning before he and Juliana headed off. She noted that the party was still in full swing, the same sounds of laughter and clinking of glasses faintly heard in that direction.

"He's right, you know," she told him as they walked side by side through Alexandria.

"Hm?"

"About you bein' able to tell a good person from a bad person. He's right."

Daryl shrugged at her comment, "He don't know me."

"But I do, and he's right."

"You know me, huh?"

Juliana rolled her eyes at his smart remark, "More than you wanna admit."

The weight of his arm around her shoulder made Juliana's inside flutter. Turning her head, she tilted her chin up slightly to look up at him. They had come to a stop after walking a few paces, his arm dropping from around her shoulder and slid around her waist, gently pulling her closer to him. She could feel his fingers nervously tugging at the fabric of her shirt on her back.

She swallowed, hard, lifting her eyes to look at Daryl, his face just barely illuminated in the dark from the few houses that had some sort of light on inside.

"You scare me," he admitted, voice quiet.

Juliana's eyebrow knitted together with a slight worry behind them, "Why?"

" 'Cause I tell you think I can't even tell myself," Daryl mumbled. Her heart melted.

"Daryl –" she began, but he had moved in, carefully and slowly pressing his lips up against hers. He was soft and gentle, treating her like she would break apart. Juliana's eyes had fluttered shut and she lifted her hand up, placing it on the side of his face. Her action caused him to tighten his grip around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Their kiss deepened, and Juliana's hand moved from his face to her arms snaking around his neck.

He pulled back finally, their foreheads resting against each other's. She felt her heart racing, her cheeks were flushed. Daryl was looking down at her through hooded eyelids, his free hand reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You're right."

"Huh?"

Daryl pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead, pulling away from her and moved his arm back up around her shoulder, tugging her along so they could continue down the street.

"You do know me."

Juliana leaned into him a little more at his honesty and her arm snaked around his own waist to keep him close to her. They were a risk and sometimes a mystery to each other, but for Juliana, Daryl was the most certain thing she had ever known.


A/N
I wanted to add a quick author's note (because I don't think I have before?), but I want to thank everyone for reading! Did this chapter finally give you what you wanted? GOOD. BECAUSE GET READY FOR IT TO GET TAKEN AWAY. Make sure you leave a comment, too! 
-KC

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