Chapter 8

Daryl opened the door to find a concerned Michonne. Even though he was dressed, his feet were bare, his hair was a disaster and his eyes were completely bloodshot. She pushed her way past him, with Rick following sheepishly behind.

"They were newlyweds. Shouldn't they still be in bed or something?" he thought to himself.

"Now's not a good time, Michonne, what is it?" Daryl asked. His head was still pounding and his mouth was bone dry. He walked over to the bottles of water on the desk and drained one without stopping.

"I can't find Gabby. She's not answering her phone and she didn't come home last night. I'm worried, did you see her?"

"She's fine Michonne," he told her. Well she would be fine once she got over the hangover.

"Where is she Daryl?"

Daryl looked at Rick, who instantly got it. He didn't understand it, as he thought the two of them didn't like each other, but he got it. "Michonne, come on let's go get breakfast…"

Michonne turned to her new husband looking furious at him. "Rick, my best friend is missing and all you want to think about is eating? What is wrong with you?" She turned back to Daryl, ignoring Rick's answer. "When did you last see her, Daryl?"

"About ten minutes ago," came the response from Gabrielle. She stood at the end of the bed, still wrapped in the hotel's robe. It was completely evident where she had spent the night.

Michonne's brown eyes got huge. She looked at her friend then back at Daryl. "Oh…Oh, I'm so sorry," she started to say. "Umm…Do you want to meet us for a late breakfast?"

"Give us an hour," Daryl told her. His look had her grabbing Rick's arm as fast as she could and headed for the door.

"Damn it Rick!" she scolded.

"I tried to tell you, babe, but …." the door slammed close blocking out anything else that they were saying.

"Do you mind if I wash my face before I go and do you have a brush?" Gabrielle asked him. He could hear the regret in her tone.

"Go right ahead. Ain't got a brush, but a comb's on the night stand," he told her.

Without a word of thanks, Gabrielle headed to the bathroom again, but not before scooping the comb up off the table. The door loudly slammed behind her.

"Great, the Princess is back," he thought. "Fuckin' great."

Daryl walked over to get another bottle of water, he was still thirsty. Drinking always did that to him. He'd figured he'd give one to Gabrielle too as she was probably as dehydrated as he was. When he finished chugging the second bottle some papers on the dresser that caught his eye and he went over to see what they were. He didn't remember leaving anything there.

He picked them up and glanced at the top sheet. His eyes got bigger and he read it again and again. Then he looked at the sheet below it. "No!" he said out loud to the room. "We couldn't have…no fuckin' way!" But the proof was in his shaking hand.

"I'm out of here," Gabrielle said with her clothing bundled in her arm. "Let's just forget this ever happened."

"That's kinda gonna be hard, Princess," he told her.

"No it's not. You forget you know me and I'll forget I know you. It's as simple as that." The condescending attitude in her voice was like nails on a chalkboard.

"No. It. Ain't."

Gabrielle was completely embarrassed and pissed off at herself. She did the one thing she hadn't wanted to do, which was sleep with Daryl. Neither of them may remember it, but her hips didn't lie. They were sore, just like they always got when she had sex. Figures the one time she has sex in months, she can't even remember it.

"Why not?" she asked. He was being totally frustrating. What was his problem?

"Look at these?" He handed her the papers from the dresser. He saw the shock register on her face. She looked at him and then back down at the documents in her hand...a hand that was wearing a wedding ring. Daryl barely caught her as she fainted.


Gabrielle walked ahead of Daryl into the restaurant that was off the hotel lobby where they were meeting Michonne and Rick for breakfast. They both looked as good as they felt, which was pretty damn bad.

Rick glanced over at Michonne who simply shrugged her shoulders. Neither of them knew what was going on with their friends. As far as they could tell Daryl and Gabrielle were like oil and water, yet why was Gabby in Daryl's room this morning undressed and looking thoroughly disheveled. Michonne was dying to find out how that happened.

Jake pulled out the chair for his new wife, before sitting down himself. Even as bad as he felt and as confused as he was, the responsibilities of a southern gentleman he never forgot. Whether you were from the right or the wrong side of the proverbial tracks, you pulled a chair out for a lady.

"So what the hell…" Michonne started to say, but Gabrielle raised her hand to stop her.

If Gabby didn't get a cup of coffee, in the next thirty seconds she was going to die. Lucky for her the waitress saw them join the table and she was immediately there with coffee pot in hand.

"Coffee?"

"Oh God yes," Gabby sighed. "Can you leave the pot?"

"I'll bring you a carafe," the waitress volunteered. She filled Daryl and Gabrielle's cups and went off to bring back the carafe.

Daryl drank the small cup that was poured for him. "What's with a cop and saucer?" he wondered. "What about good old fashioned mugs?" That small amount of coffee was worthless

The caffeine from the coffee was already starting to take the edge off. He no longer felt as bad as he had earlier. Since his head was starting to clear, maybe he could figure out what the hell happened last night.

Michonne couldn't stand the wait any longer. How did her best friend end up in bed with Rick's best friend, when last they knew neither of them could barely stand the other, even though things were better last night? " Spill it guys. I know it's none of our business, but I don't care. How did you two end up spending the night together?"

"Michonne…" Rick said. As curious as he was, it was between Daryl and Gabrielle.

"Alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol," Daryl said softly, his gravelly voice deeper than usual.

The waitress placed the carafe of coffee on the table and Daryl grabbed it and automatically poured Gabby and himself another cup.

"You guys drank too much and ended up in bed together. That's it?" Michonne watched Gabby lift he coffee cup and take a sip. Her eyes got wide as she saw the ring on Gabby left hand. "Oh no…you didn't!" she exclaimed.

"What? They did what?" asked a confused Rick. What did Michonne pick up on that he didn't? His new wife looked shocked, Gabby was a light shade of green, and Daryl's expression was stone cold.

Gabby reached into her purse and handed Michonne several pieces of paper. "We think we did, but we're not sure. Look those over for us Michy. Please."

Michonne knew something was really wrong. Gabby hadn't called her Michy in years. It was a childhood nickname that only came out when Gabby was feeling lost and vulnerable. She quickly looked at the papers that Gabby had handed her. The top one looked exactly like the marriage certificate that she and Rick had. The bottom was the receipt for the 'Viva Las Vegas Wedding Package' at the Graceland Wedding Chapel.

"Oh shit," she murmured.

"What?" demanded Rick.

Michonne handed him the marriage certificate as she continued to read the receipt. It listed everything that came in the five hundred dollar package, but one thing caught her eye. Michonne grabbed her phone and started to search for the website that was listed on the receipt.

Rick realized what was in his hand and his eyes automatically flashed to his best friend's. "You two got married?

"Apparently we did," drawled Daryl.

"How? Why?"

Michonne started to laugh. "I can answer the how. You got married by Elvis!" Michonne turned her phone around and showed them a picture of the two of them, standing with an overweight Elvis impersonator with a just married sign behind them." You guys are so married!"

Daryl just closed his eyes as the words he hoped weren't real… were. He had married the Princess. Those damn Jager shots were what did them in. He knew they always fucked with his head, but he had to go and match her shot for shot. This however was a complication he never expected.

"Oh man," Rick said. "What are you guys going to do?"

Gabby put her head on her hands. "I am ruined. I am absolutely ruined. The partners will never take me seriously now."

Daryl cocked his head as he looked over at Gabby. "What are you talking about?"

"How the hell can I be married to you?"

"What the fuck is wrong with me?" he demanded. Sure this was a huge unexpected complication, and they would sort it out, but it wasn't like he was a serial killer or anything.

Gabrielle raised her head from her hands. "You don't have a credit card, you don't know how to order in a restaurant, plus you're some sort of biker. And me…me… married to a lowly mechanic? You've got to be kidding me. I could just see you at a one of our corporate dinners, I'd be completely embarrassed. I am so screwed."

Daryl stood up so abruptly his chair fell over in the process. He had never felt so belittled and humiliated in his life. He hated her in that moment and stalked out of the room before he did something he'd regret even more than marrying her.

Rick couldn't believe what she had just said to his friend. Daryl didn't deserve it, no one did. He glared hard at Gabrielle who was clueless on the damage she had just done. He looked over at his wife who was sitting there in shock. Her eyes met his. "I want her gone, Michonne. Gone!" He waited until she nodded before taking off after Daryl.

"What is his problem?" Gabrielle asked.

"What is his problem? What is yours?" asked an astonished Michonne.

"My problem is that I married a redneck mechanic I don't even know! So why am I getting the attitude?"

"Because that redneck mechanic is my good friend and you just were as cruel as you could be to him. I knew life in Atlanta was changing you, but I don't even recognize you anymore! Gabrielle Parson's you are a snob and a world class bitch. I'm embarrassed to ever have called you a friend. Thanks for ruining my wedding trip, now get the hell out of my life!" Michonne was mad and disappointed at the same time. The person that Gabrielle had turned into was no one that she wanted to associate with any longer. She was sorry she ever did.

She got up to leave the table, but Gabrielle grabbed her arm. "Why are you mad at me?"

"If you can't figure that out, then I feel sorry for you. Don't call me, text me or anything until you apologize to Daryl. Then maybe …maybe I'll talk to you again." Michonne shook her arm free and went to find the two most important men in her life.


A/N - I know at least one person guessed this, but there's a whole lot more twists and turns to come. Thanks for reading! Drop me a review. Spread the word if you like the story. See ya on Thursday!