Author's note: Hey guys! Once again sorry for the lack of updates. It's finals week and I've been crazy busy. But after this coming week, I have a month off. So expect a lot of awesome things. Anyway, I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. Meeehe.

Please review! :)

Lucien watched as his boss threw his cigarette on the ground. The butt landed on the asphalt and made a small firework of orange embers in the blackness of the night. Now that civilization was gone things got real dark now; there were no lights from houses, stores, or streetlights. No, all of the city lights were gone that took away the harshness of what a real night was. Lucien had thought he'd seen darkness before, he learned otherwise when the world went to shit.

"So, what's the plan?" Lucien asked, knowing it was the question that was also on Miguel (who was still a red in the face from his encounter with the Scott sisters earlier that day) and Rosa's minds. As he knew they would, both Rosa and Miguel seemed to perk up when he asked the question. The three of them had known since they arrived at the dorm that the boss would show up and wreak his revenge in some way, but how the boss had never told them. The boss snickered as he reached out a steel-toed boot and crushed the cigarette butt out, more or less for the feeling of killing something, even if it was inanimate.

"Well, I plan on waltzin' in there with you three keeping back the troops with these," He said as he turned on his heel and leaned into truck and pulled out a big army duffle bag, which when he unzipped revealed three sawed off guns. "I'll go find the hick and the bitch, an' I'll punch him square in the nuts, kiss her tender and yell 'Bill's back in town!'"

Daryl was laid back in his bed, the quilt was still thrown off of him and was half hanging off the bed so that it brushed the floor with it's frayed edges. His jeans and boxers were still off as well, thrown on the floor by Harley. She had left, gone downstairs to get him some food. As much as he hated her to be gone, it gave him some time to reflect. Daryl liked being alone; alone was what he was used to.

Daryl closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the feather pillow, which still smelled like Harley. He remembered that first night he laid down his sleeping bag beside her, after fighting his hammering heart and negative thoughts, he had pulled her close and some long, wavy locks of her dark hair had brushed his face and tickled his nose. That had been the first time he'd smelled her hair; even without that girly bullshit he was sure she used to use, she smelled good. Harley had two smells: the first was the smell of her perfume mixed with cigarettes, a sexy, mysterious and dangerous scent that had attracted him to her as much as it had scared him away. The other was the smell that clung to his pillow now, the way her hair had smelled that night. It was clean, gentle and had a touch of something floral to it; like the features of her face, the smell was delicate and feminine. It was thinking of her smell that led Daryl imaging of her under him, with her hot breath hitting the side of his neck and ear, sending shivers down his spine as if they were in the Antarctic, and her trimmed nails digging into his shoulder blades, urging him to go harder on her, which he would give her without any questions…

Well, that wouldn't be happening anytime soon, Daryl remembered with a feeling of sorrow in his loins. Hell, even trying to sit up was a challenge. Dixon's were fast healers though, and Daryl convinced himself he would be up on his feet within a couple days. Hell, he was only bruised and cut after all; he'd checked himself and had Harley check him for broken bones and besides swelling from sprains, nothing felt abnormal to either of them.

"Fuckin' sitting in bed over bruises," Daryl scoffed as he extended his arm out as far as it could go until his fingers met with the quilt and he could pull it back over himself. Daryl set a plan up in his head: he would sleep tonight and rest, and then tomorrow he would get up and get his own food, do whatever he wanted to.

Harley sat down in the lounge with everyone else, looking down at her half empty plate of macaroni and cheese. It was the third night in a row they'd had macaroni and cheese, not that she was complaining; food was food, but still. The idea of breaking into the old cafeteria was looking better and better.

"How's Daryl doing?" Carol asked as scraped her fork across her plate to get more noodles.

"Well, this morning he was cussing up a storm and saying the usual Dixon type things, so I think he's on the mend," Harley replied and gave Carol a smile.

"That's great!" Andrea said from beside Harley.

Harley had been sitting with her back to the lounge door, so when she hear it squeak open and slam closed, she didn't think much of it. She had assumed it was Lucien, Miguel and Rosa finally deciding to come join them and get food. It was when everyone across the table from her eyes widened and Rick jumped to his feet that Harley knew something was very wrong. Harley swallowed the last bite of her food and chanced a look over her shoulder and her jaw instantly dropped and she felt fear seize her.

At the entrance to the lounge, Rosa, Miguel and Lucien all stood holding sawed off guns, aiming them at everyone at the long dining room table. Behind them, Bill stood with a big smile across his broad features. Remembering the night before they left the cabin flashed into Harley's memory. Having him pin her against the wall, and him telling her she had to do this or else her sister, her responsibility, would be kicked out and would have no where to go. It was like it had all been a nightmare; she'd thought about a lot since they'd been at the dorm, though less and less. She thought Bill's torment had been over.

"Lawman, you sit the fuck down," Lucien roared at Rick, who had gotten to his feet. Rick gulped hard and nodded as he slowly lowered himself back down to his seat, where Lori reassuringly patted his knee, even though she looked absolutely petrified as well. Bill gave a happy sigh as he walked in between Lucien and Miguel so he would get closer to Harley. Once he got close to her he ran his thick fingers through her reddish brown hair and smiled. Harley's hair was smooth as silk and shiny, and he loved the feeling of it against him.

"What the hell is going on?" Andrea asked as she glared up at Bill as he stroked Harley's hair affectionately, who had turned her face away from him.

"You haven't caught on yet?" Bill asked and started to laugh hysterically. "Miguel, Lucien and Rosa over here work fer me. Not too long after y'all left, these three showed up at my cabin just like you had. I was pretty pissy, I had a swollen nose and bruised ribs because of that fucking hillbilly. I let them stay for a week or two, got to know them, and then told them if they wanted to stay in my cabin with me, they'd have to do me a little favor. Bet you can't guess what it was?" Bill asked in a teasing tone as he started to giggle again.

"You made them come look for us," Carol said quietly as she turned her gaze down to the floor. Carol was already on edge from everything that had happened to her, well… Ever. The last thing the woman needed was a gun being pointed at her.

"Sure did," Bill nodded. "Now, I don't want to hurt none of y'all. So, as long as y'all do as I say you won't get shot, alright?" Bill asked. No one moved or said anything. "Here's what's going to happen: I'm going to go upstairs and pay that white trash piece of shit a visit, and then I'm going to leave with Harley in tow, got it?"

"What!" Harley yelped. "There isn't any fucking way I'm going anywhere with you!"

"Sorry sweetheart, I think I've got the upper hand now," He said in a wink as he reached over the back of her chair and grabbed a hold of her wrist to tug her up to her feet. "Why don't you come say goodbye to Daryl with me, huh?"

"Look Bill, things got bad at your cabin, it's true. But, there's a better way than-" Rick started to say, with everyone nodding vigorously around him.

"Shut the fuck up!" Bill shouted and for emphasis, Lucien shot his gun at a wall. The noise alone had everyone jump nearly a foot, and caused a scream from Carol and Andrea. "Now come on, darlin'. Let's say goodbye to that boy of yers," He said as he tightened his grip on Harley's wrist and started to drag her out of the lounge, leaving Riley sobbing and the rest of the group staring helplessly after her.

"Wait out here, sweet thing. Don't even think of runnin'," Bill said in a wink as he walked in through Daryl's door. Daryl had been on the verge of falling asleep, when he saw that familiar, stout figure walk through his door. At first he thought he'd been dreaming. It had been a long time ago that he and the group had been at the cabin and seen Bill, but no matter how many times he blinked to try and get rid of the image of Bill, it didn't go away.

"Well, hello there," Bill said in a sneer as he stood at the foot of Daryl's bed.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Daryl snarled.

"Whoa there, testy, testy," Bill said in a laugh. "I'm just coming back and taking what's mine," He replied as he wrapped his hands around bed post and leaned forward a bit. He was wearing all dark clothing and the way he had almost perched himself at the foot of Daryl's bed made Daryl think of a gargoyle.

"What are you talkin' about?" Daryl asked as he tried to sit up all the way, so he could kick his legs off of the side of the bed and get up. He was able to ignore the pain and sit up, but by the time he actually had succeeded in doing so he was light headed.

"I'm taking Harley back with me-"

"What the fuck! No you ain't," Daryl yelled.

"Shh, don't want to cause a raucous, son," Bill said. "Harley!" He shouted, and she walked slowly through the door. Daryl met her eyes and he could see the fear in them. Never in his life had he hated himself so much; he couldn't even get up to try and protect his woman. Well, fucked if he wasn't going to try, he thought. Daryl swung his legs over the edge of the bed and got to his feet, his walking was wobbly but he made it to Bill who had watched his struggle with glee.

Harley knew it wasn't possible, but deep down she had hoped somehow Daryl could have been alright, he could have somehow saved the day, but he was too weak. Harley watched as he tried to punch Bill, who avoided his hit and in turn, struck him down. Daryl hit the wooden floor with a sickening thud. Harley started to run over to him, to help him get back up or just tell him it was okay, but Bill put his hand out and stopped her.

"Also, this ones just to even the score, you understand," Bill said as he lifted his leg up and brought it down on Daryl, just as Daryl had done to him before they left the cabin. Daryl let out a loud yell and pressed his forehead hard onto the hard wood floor to hide his pained face from Bill and Harley.

"We're going now," Bill then said firmly. On her way out the door Harley took one last look into the room, Daryl was still on he floor but he was looking up at the back of Bill's head with venom in his eyes. He was layed out on his stomach and some blood was rolling, bright red, from his nose down over his lips, which were drawn back in a rage induced growl. His eyes then made their way to Harley's, and despite the seemingly hopeless situation, his eyes had given her some kind of hope. She could tell that as soon as he was better, there wasn't anyway she would be stuck with Bill for long.

Bill led Harley back into the lounge where the scene hadn't changed at all. Everyone from the group was still sitting around the table, their half eaten plates of food still in front of them, all of them looking pale and uncomfortable, some looking down at their feet to avoid the situation in front of them.

"C'mon, we're getting out of here," Bill barked out to Rosa, Miguel and Lucien, who all nodded and started backing their way out of the lounge. Harley looked at Riley who had been staring at her. Tears were streaming down Riley's freckled cheeks and the girl just looked so hopeless, it broke Harley's heart anew.

"I'll be back," Harley mouthed before being dragged out of sight by Bill.