Marie headed out of the shop, leaving empty handed. They didn't have what she was looking for so she would have to look elsewhere. She had been looking in almost every shop in town, she was starting to think that she would have to head to the next town to see if they had what she was looking for. She'd have to see if Merle would give her a ride.
Just then, she could hear a bike coming close to her. She looked up to see Daryl in the back of a motorcycle and he came straight over to her, stopping in front of her.
"What do you think?" Asked Daryl.
"What do you mean? Dar, don't tell me this is yours?" Asked Marie, a bit taken aback.
"Yeah, just got it off one of Merle's old buddies." Said Daryl. He seemed pleased about his purchase of the bike.
"Honestly, I think you're gonna break your neck. You know I think those things are death traps." Said Marie.
"Ah come on Mar, as long you know what you're doing these are great." Said Daryl.
"And you know what you're doing I suppose?" Asked Marie. She has never seen Daryl ride one before, of course that didn't mean he didn't. They weren't always together after all.
"Yeah. It's not that hard once you get the hang of it. You know Merle has one too." Said Daryl.
"Yeah, but Merle is nuts. You're suppose to be the sane one Dar, 'least I thought you were." Said Marie, with a smile to show she was kidding.
"Haha. Come on, I'll show you it's not as bad as you think." Said Daryl, reaching out and motioning for her to get on the back of the bike.
"No, I don't think so." Said Marie quickly, taking a step back.
"Mar, come on, you know I would never let anything happen to you." Said Daryl, gently trying to coax her into get in the back. He could tell that she was scared.
"I don't know Dar." Said Marie, staring at the bike.
"Mar, look at me." Said Daryl softly, waiting until Marie raised her eyes to look at him. "You have to trust me. I would never let you get hurt, you know that. I know you're scared but you don't have to be, not with me."
Marie stared at her best friend, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. She knew he was only trying to help. He would never force her to do something she didn't want to, but he didn't like seeing her afraid of anything either. He only gently coaxed her to do other things though, never pushed her. So after a few moments of thought, she nodded than eased her way on behind Daryl.
"You know I trust you." She told him.
"Yeah I know. Just hold on, and promise I'll go slow." Said Daryl.
Marie put her hands on his waist, not really sure what she was supposed to do. She had always been too afraid to get on the back of a motorcycle so she kept her distance from them. Being on the back of one with Daryl though, it just felt different. She knew she could trust him to take care of her.
Daryl started the bike back up and then he took off as slow and gentle as he could. It still seemed to scare Marie because she wrapped her arms tightly around him, holding on for dear life. He put a gentle hand on her arm and after a minute that seemed to help her relax and her hold loosened.
Daryl took Marie outside of town. They usually preferred to stay away from everyone when they hung out anyway, it usually led to back things happening. Not far from town, he found a quarry so he pulled off. He parked the bike than waited as Marie got off before he got off himself.
"Wow, this is beautiful." Said Marie, admiring the scenery. The water was so clean, the sun and clouds reflecting off of it. And it was surrounded by trees, which was something they both loved and enjoyed. "You know, if I could I'd build a house and just live out here. It'd be so quiet and peaceful."
Daryl sat on a rock while he watched Marie as she spoke, walking closer to the quarry. He could tell she meant every word. That's one thing he liked about her, that she preferred the woods like he did. It may not be for the same reasons, but that didn't matter to him. They were more alike than anyone thought they were or thought they should be.
"One day, I'm getting away from this place, go somewhere far away from here and build my own place in the middle of the woods away from people. Just live off of the land like you've taught me to. And you're coming with me. What do you think?" Asked Marie, sitting on the rock next to her best friend.
"You should know what I think Mar." Said Daryl, suddenly feeling a little bit uneasy. He wasn't sure why.
"Yeah, but I wanna hear it from you. I wanna know what you think." Marie told him and it was true, she did. She always valued his opinion, more than he realized.
"You know I've always thought about it, getting away from this place and the people in it. Well not all of them, just the bad ones, the ones not like you. Especially the ones like my dad. And I've never felt comfortable anywhere except in the woods. Of course, if I had to chose any one person to take with me, I'd pick you." Said Daryl, his eyes shifting a little, looking at her than somewhere else than back.
Marie couldn't help but smile listening to Daryl's answer. Of course she knew what he'd say, she still needed to hear it from him. Sometimes he could be hard to read, even for her and they had known each other since they were kids, literally grown up together. They knew each other very well, but Daryl also liked to change things to throw people off and not be too predictable. It was one of the ways he tried to protect himself, which she'd never fault him for. He had his reasons.
"Well, then one day that's what we're gonna do. We're gonna find the perfect place to go and we're gonna do just what we wanna do. We're gonna do it our way." She said.
"What about Merle? And Cassie?" Asked Daryl, curious.
"I don't know. I mean Cas gas plans to go to college and get this big career. Wants to be an event planner but she wants her main clients to be like actors and singers. And Merle, not sure he'd ever actually leave. I mean if he did, that'd be great. You know I'd never leave him behind. But he'd have to built his own cabin near ours." Said Marie, half as a joke and half serious.
"Fair enough." Said Daryl with a small laugh. He did know that his brother had a knack for causing trouble and being incredibility irritating. He understood well enough what Marie was getting at.
"You really think we can do it? Just leave everything and everyone we know behind?" Asked Marie.
"Well, I know I could, especially for you? Wouldn't you?" Asked Daryl.
"Leave everything behind for you? In a heartbeat. I'd do anything for you." Said Marie.
"I know you would. I've never asked to do the things you do for me but you do them anyway and I know it's cause you care about me. I'm grateful, grateful for all you've done for me. Always will be." Said Daryl.
"You're my best friend, you don't have to ask me for anything." Said Marie, smiling as she placed her hand on his.
Daryl only nodded, not sure what he could say. He had never been good with words anyway.
"So, how'd you get the bike anyway?" Asked Marie curiously.
"Saved up the money. Took a while but I finally managed to save enough." Said Daryl.
"You mean the money I've been helping you with? You spend all that on a bike?" Asked Marie. She wasn't mad, just a little surprised.
"No, not all of it on the bike." Said Daryl, looking down.
Marie was confused. What else could he have spent it on? Before she could ask, she watched him reach into his pocket and pull something out.
Daryl took hold of Marie's hand, facing it palm up. He then placed something in it than closed it.
Marie took her hand from Daryl's, bringing it toward her than opening it. She gasped a little when she saw what he'd placed in her hand. It was a locket, a silver locket with angel wings on the front. She opened it and inside was a tiny picture of the two of them together, smiling. She looked back up at her best friend.
"It's beautiful Daryl. I love it." She told him. She leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you." She then put it on.
"Promise you'll never take it off." Said Daryl. It might seem ridiculous to anyone else but this request was very important to him.
"I promise Dar, I'll never take it off." Said Marie, her fingers grazing over the angel wings.
Ever since Daryl gave her the locket, Marie felt that she needed to get him a gift as well. It took a little time but she eventually found the perfect one. Or rather she made it. And she was meeting up with Daryl to give it to him right now, although she hadn't told him that she had something for him. She wanted to surprise him so she hid it in a bag that she was able to sling over her shoulder.
Right then, Daryl pulled up on his bike and she couldn't help but smile. She always smiled whenever he was around. He just had a way of making her smile.
"Miss me that much already?" Said Daryl jokingly.
"Only always. Besides, I have something for you." Marie told him, taking the back off.
"Mar, you know I hate when you do things like that. You don't always have to get me things." Said Daryl. He felt a little every time Marie bought him something rather than saving her money for herself.
"I know, but I wanted to. Plus, it suits you and I know you'll really like it once you see it." Said Marie. She pulled it out of the bag and gave it to him.
Daryl held up a leather vest. When he turned it around, he saw it had angel wings on the back, much like the ones on Marie's locket.
"Figured you have a bike now so you're gonna need a vest too. Sewed the wings on myself. You like it?" Asked Marie.
Daryl couldn't help staring at the vest. It was best thing she'd ever given him. And her taking the time to sew the wings on it herself made it that much more special to him. He couldn't help himself as he grabbed her and hugged her tight.
"I love it Mar. Thanks." Said Daryl.
Marie smiled as she returned the hug. One because it was unusual for Daryl to actually hug someone first and two because he said he loved the vest. She hoped that he would.
"You're welcome Dar." Was all she told him, not wanting to break the moment just yet.
It was a few minutes before they did finally pull apart, Daryl clearing his throat out of slight embarrassment. He felt awkward.
"Well, put it on! Let's see how it looks." Said Marie.
Daryl climbed off his bike than slipped the vest on. He liked the way it fit. Not too big but not small either. He was young and knew he still could grow some so he didn't have to worry about it getting too small for him.
"It looks great on you Dar. It's perfect for you." Said Marie with a happy smile. She was pleased with herself. Of all the gifts that she had gotten him over time, this one she felt the most pride with.
"Come on, feel like going for a ride now." Said Daryl with a smile, getting back in his bike.
Marie gladly climbed on behind Daryl, placing her arms around his waist, holding on as be started the bike and headed off.