Chapter 1: The First Conversation

The Dixon brothers drove into the quarry with their new group. The city had just been bombed and they knew anyone alive in the city couldn't have survived. Merle got off his bike and Daryl got out of the truck. He only had one thing on his mind. He walked over to Shane who was unloading the RV. Daryl had known Shane for a long time. Long before the apocalypse and they didn't necessarily like each other but they could tolerate each other. They had to for Shane's sister Brooke.

"Shane was she still there in Atlanta? Did she go to the beach house?"

"Daryl I don't know. She was at the hospital there at a medical convention when it all broke out. The only thing she told me was to go to the beach house." Shane ran his hand through his hair, trying to hold back tears. "If we had gotten there sooner! I don't know where she is! I don't know if she's alive! I promised I would protect her!" Daryl could feel his eyes stinging. He helped him unload the rest of it and went to find Merle who had disappeared into the woods.

"So Darylina, did you figure out where the little bitch is?" Merle asked smoking a cigarette. Daryl rolled his eyes and shot a squirrel.

"We think she was in the city." He answered softly. "If she was I don't think she would've made it."

"Well little brother I think I'm actually gonna miss her. I'm gonna miss her trying to shut me up." Merle smiled teasingly. Daryl knew he actually meant it though. Brooke had helped Merle out many times even though she didn't like him. Even when he would call her sugar-tits she was level with him. Brooke Walsh was one of the few people who knew how to fight Merle and get on his good side. Dinner was called and Daryl didn't eat their first night in the quarry.

"Mom?" Carl asked.

"Yes honey." Lori replied. She was still upset from the news about Rick. Was she sad that Brooke maybe gone? Yes but it wasn't much of a loss for her. She never really liked Brooke.

"Is Aunt Brooke okay?" he asked. Shane looked up from his plate and looked at Lori who didn't know how to answer. He ruffled his hair.

"I'm sure she is kiddo." Shane answered with a warm, but fake, smile. "She's tough remember?"

"Yeah I remember." Carl said and continued eating. Lori signaled a thank you and continued herself. "You gonna eat Daryl?"

"Ain't that hungry." He grumbled. Merle laughed at him.

"Don't need to be watching your figure for that girl anymore." He howled. Shane took Carl and Lori to their tent since Carl had started to weep. Daryl stormed off to his tent that he shared with his dog of a brother. "Oh come on little brother! I was jus havin' a little fun!"

"Jus go to sleep Merle." He growled. "You need to watch what you say now because that little kid has already lost his dad. He needs to have some hope left."

"You have a thing for little boys now?" Merle asked.

"Shut up Merle!" he yelled. His brother snickered.

"Whatever! I'm going into the woods."

"Whatever." Daryl grumbled. He just laid on his cot and thought about Brooke. She was his best friend in the entire world. He could always go to her when he needed a person and she could do the same. He remembered the first time he saw her. It was eleven years ago in King County.

Daryl was 17, just about to turn eighteen and it was October. He sat in Gina's Café with his mother after a long day at school. They walked in and each ordered the legendary red velvet cake and peppermint tea that the Café was known for. He saw three ladies. An Indian girl with jet black hair and was the shortest of the three. A blonde haired girl with a nose piercing that looked to be about sixteen. And then he saw her. A girl with long, dark brown hair, tan skin, and dark blue eyes. She was wearing a baby blue sun dress with little pink ribbons on the straps. A Beach Boys song was playing on the radio and they were all twirling and singing while getting their order ready. The brunette with the blue dress carried the platter .She looked to be about 15.

"Hi! So that's two slices of red velvet and two mugs of peppermint tea is that correct?" she asked. Her voice was smooth and sweet.

"Yes it is!" his mother replied. She still had a bruise on her arm from his father and a cut on her cheek that began to bleed.

"Oh goodness! Let me get a bandage!" the girl said and pranced behind the counter. She came back. "What happened?"

"Oh nothing hun. Thank you." Daryl kept quiet and watched as the girl ripped open the bandage. He lifted his hand and took the bandage.

"I can do that." He said bluntly. She nodded, brushed her hair back behind her ear and greeted the next two men that came into the door.

"Hey Shane! Hey Rick! What can I get ya?" she greeted. She was picked up off her feet by the tall one with dark, curly hair. She soon hugged the other one. She gave them each a kiss on the cheek. Her lips were the perfect shade of pink without any lipstick.

"Hey Brooke!" the dark haired one greeted. "The usual. Where's mom?" So her name was Brooke.

"She's in the back. Mom!" she called. An auburn haired woman stepped out from the back room. She was very pretty with a brilliant smile and this Brooke girl looked just like her. The woman greeted her son and his friend and got them their usual. Daryl had finished his meal and so had his mother. The Indian girl brought their check. His mother looked into her wallet and found it empty and Daryl had the same fate.

"Merle." He cursed. He looked to see the Brooke girl looking at them. She quickly looked away and went to her mother. Her mother smiled and nodded her head. She smacked her shoulder as the girl ran to the cash register. She took a twenty from her own purse and put it in the cash register. She took out some dollars and change and walked over to their table. She placed the change from the twenty on the table.

"This one's on us." She said with a wink.

"No that's really-" His mother began.

"I insist." Brooke simply said and walked away. They left the café but Daryl just didn't feel right about what happened. He'd just let a lady pay for his meal.

"She was nice." His mother said. "She was cute too!" Daryl's face went red and his mother nudged him with her elbow. Later that night at six o'clock he went back to the café to pay back his debt. He didn't have any money but he would figure out something. The café was just about to close and he walked in.

"Mom, I'll close up. I can walk home." Brooke said.

"Alright honey just be safe." Her mother said. "Well hello!" she said to Daryl."I'm about to leave but Brooke can help you. Goodnight!" Daryl just nodded and she left. He could tell that Brooke remembered him.

"Hello again!" she greeted."Can I help you?"

"Um, I wanted to thank you for earlier today." He stammered. She was really cute.

"No problem!"

"I just wanted to pay you back." He explained.

"Oh that's not necessary." She said as she began to clean up the plates. He grabbed some too and began to walk behind the counter. "Wait what are you doing?"

"Paying you back."

"No I don't think so! It's really no big deal!" She said. He ignored her and turned on the faucet if the sink. She quickly turned it off, took the plates from him, and made sure he couldn't reach the sink by standing in front of him, her face just a few inches from his.

"I don't have money to pay you back and I've seen the people who can't pay do the dishes in the movies so just let me help you do the damn dishes!" Daryl said frustrated. Brooke's eyes widened.

"Alright, alright. You can help." She said defeated. He washed the dishes while she dried them off. "So what's your name?" He didn't answer. "You talked a whole damn lot before so why not now?" He handed her a teacup. "My name's Brooke Walsh."

"Man you're a chatty one." He said.

"And you're a cranky one." She replied. He smirked and stopped washing the dishes. He held out his hand.

"Daryl Dixon."

"Nice to meet you Daryl!" she shook his hand with a broad, gleaming smile. "So how old are you?"

"I'm seventeen. I'll be eighteen next month." He replied. "How old are you?"

"Happy early birthday! I just turned fifteen in September." She answered. So he was right. He gave himself an imaginary pat on the back."I graduate next year."

"I graduate this year. He stopped and looked at her. "But you'll only be sixteen."

"I skipped two grades." She said. Which means she was smart. Probably smarter than him.

"Why do you work here?"

"My mother is Gina herself." She said."Next question." She smiled. He smiled back.

"Okay who were those other two girls that you were dancing with today?"

"The Indian one is Amber Kapoor, she's my age and she graduates next year as well. The blonde one is Becky Tate. She's two years older than me. We're all in the same science class and we're the closest thing we have to sisters." She explained. "And the guys that hugged me was my brother Shane and his best friend Rick. They both plan on going to the police academy." That means that her family would not like his, especially Merle. "What about you? Any siblings?"

"One but he's not that special."

"Not a strong relationship huh?" she asked. He grunted in response as he remembered the beating he got earlier today from him. "Okay let me think."

"What do you want to do when you graduate?" Daryl asked.

"I want to be a doctor for cancer patients. Maybe do a little research on the side. What about you?"

"I don't know yet." He knew that made him look stupid. In fact he already did. He was covered in dirt, his hair wasn't brushed, and his clothes were just pieces of crap.

"My friends don't know what they want to do yet either. They say they'll figure that out once they're in college. Hopefully we all get accepted into Georgia." She hoped. There was a silence but it was a comfortable silence. "So tell me Dixon." He laughed at her sentence. "Why did me paying for your meal bother you so much that your helping me clean?"

"I ain't never let a lady pay for my things before." He admitted.

"So I'm a lady?" she asked. He looked up and down her body.

"I'd certainly hope so." He said. "Or else I would be confused." She laughed at this and playfully slapped his arm. Man did she have a great laugh. "Sorry that's just the way my momma taught me."

"No! I like that. There are not many men like that anymore. It's refreshing!" she said. Daryl had a smug look on his face. So he wasn't like the other guys. He guessed that was good. "My brother barely does that with whatever college whore he's dating." She admitted and Daryl almost spit out the water he was drinking.

"Was not expecting that!" he howled. She laughed and took a sip of her water. They talked for however long it was until she looked at the clock.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed. Its 9 already! I'm sorry Daryl but I have to close up shop!"

"Aw, you kickin' me out Brooke?" he teased. She turned off the lights, let Daryl out and locked the door. She started walking. "You walkin' all the way to your house?"

"It's only fifteen minutes away." She said like it was no big deal.

"Come on do you need a ride?" he asked but took it back. "Sorry that seems kinda creepy." He walked in the opposite direction.

"Wait! I'll take that ride!" she yelled behind him. He secretly smiled and opened the car door for her.

"Your chariot awaits." He said. She giggled and climbed into the car. She gave him the directions and led him to a three story, white house. "Wait!" he said. He went around and opened her door. "Bye Brooke." He said.

"Bye Daryl." She smiled. "Oh and if you ever want to pay me back don't hesitate to come by."

"I'll keep that in mind." He said.

Daryl snapped out of his day dream. He sighed and pulled the covers closer to his neck. He would always remember that day. It was one of those days that were impossible to forget. Who knew that one night was just the start of something he'd never had before. Someone to care about and to have someone care about him.