Daryl laid on the roof of the truck with his ankles crossed and lit a cigarette as he was looking over the rows of cars. Saturday night at the drive-in was looking like a drag already, as usual, but it beat staying home he guessed.

Still, it was dirty and dusty and gross and he was already done with it all.

He had seen both movies before and could recite the dialogue probably, this was the lamest night of his life. He figured he'd sit there for a while and try not to pine over her too much, then he was out of there.

There were couples in most of the cars and trucks, and Ray's car was one of them, way in the back corner. He tried not to look that way.

Some people were milling around the snack bar and some loners like him were perched on other cars. The same old thing and the same old people.

He was glad he brought his motorcycle because he already knew Merle was going to take Shelly to some dirt road later for the main event of the night, and it wouldn't be the first time. He had declined Darleen's offer to "Pop his cherry" fifteen minutes before, as she so eloquently put it and now he was sure she was telling everyone all about it at the snack bar.

He didn't care what she said about him, he didn't want her like that. He wasn't sure how it would even feel to wanting a girl that way. When he thought about Gina it was with respect and admiration and always the feeling that she was too good for him.

But that didn't mean he was going to have sex with Darleen just to get it over with.

After a while Daryl saw that Abe and Eugene were walking towards him, as they passed Rick's car a couple of spaces away they handed Lori an order of fries through the window, and Rick gave them a five-dollar bill.

"Thanks, guys," Rick said, and he and Lori dug into the food immediately.

In the last row Abe and Eugene climbed on top of the hood of Merle's truck, next to Daryl and Abe gave two short taps on the window; Merle and Shelly waved, but they were clearly busy and planning to get busier.

Merle had parked in the last possible space for privacy, apparently, Ray had done the same thing, and hadn't even bothered to bring Gina over to say hi to her friends that invited them. He was such a dick and Lori had been complaining about that just a few minutes ago to Rick.

Ray's red Camaro was clear across the parking lot, way in a corner, and it stuck out like a sore thumb. Daryl kept an eye on it from the corner of his eye, even though it was too far away for him to see what was going on inside of it.

Thank God.

"Come on let's go walk around," Daryl said, "This is fucking lame."

He knew Merle was about to get down to some business with Shelly and that was fine, he just didn't want to witness any part of that scene.

This was another way that they were not the same, Merle was seventeen and had sex for the first time when he was thirteen, and just kept going after that from girl to girl. He'd said it was better than any high you could get from drugs; and he chased that high, with vigor.

Daryl had never had sex at all, he was sixteen years old and had barely even kissed a girl. He couldn't really explain that or understand it. He'd had a crush on Gina for a year and a half, and he hadn't dated at all yet.

He supposed that he should forget about her and find someone, but there wasn't anyone he wanted, he hoped that would change.

Something had to give in his life.

The three boys started to walk to the snack bar where Tara and Rosita were. On the way, they waved to Maggie and Glenn who were sitting on the tailgate of Maggie's father's truck that she drove from time to time.

/

Ray was all over her and had her pinned up against the car door inside, and he didn't seem to care that he was hurting her. Tonight he was getting what he wanted, they had been dating for six months and she hadn't even let him get to second base. That was bullshit.

It was also going to change, tonight. He'd take it if he had to.

Gina was well and truly scared as he pushed against her and shoved his hand up her shirt. He had never gotten quite like this before, he was pushy but never like this and she was frightened, terrified.

"Come on now Gina, you owe me," He said as he slobbered disgusting kisses on her, "I ain't waiting any longer."

Ray maneuvered her so that she was trapped underneath him; he started to tear at her clothes and Gina was starting to panic. He was not going to take no for an answer tonight, that was very clear to her.

"No," She begged, "Stop it."

But he wasn't stopping, she knew that deep inside and they were too far away from everyone for her to get help. She would have to save herself from him, but she didn't know how to do that. He was bigger and stronger and he would take what he wanted to from her, whether she consented or not.

As Gina slapped at his hands to get him off of her, she reached around blindly in terror for the car door and opened it finally. They both tumbled out into the dirt, she got to her feet as fast as she could and prepared to run.

/

The three boys wandered around for a while and then they all saw it and heard it too because she was screaming. Off in the distance, Gina was pushed up against Ray's car, and he was pressing against her in a way she clearly didn't like. Daryl's face contorted in fear and rage as Ray pulled and ripped her t-shirt and grabbed her around the waist, as she tried to get away from him.

Daryl was too far away to get to her quick enough, but he dropped his cigarette in the dirt and took off running anyway, leaving Abe and Eugene in his dust as they tried to catch up to him.

"Oh, here we go, son of a dick," Abe muttered to Eugene as they took off running after their friend.

/

"I'm done Ray," She was screaming, and he wouldn't let her alone, she pulled off his letterman jacket and threw it at him and then he went into a rage. What she saw in his eyes now terrified her and she tried to turn and get away.

"You don't leave me unless I say I'm done with you." He yelled at her, grabbing her arm and twisting it behind her. She screamed as she elbowed him in the ribs and took off running towards the snack bar by the entrance to the drive-in.

When he recovered and started back after her, Ray was even more enraged.

"Gina, I'm gonna kill you when I catch you!" He bellowed after her, but she kept running.

/

Abe and Eugene were far behind Ray and Gina but continued following after Daryl because they knew shit was about to go down, not that Daryl needed back up because he didn't. He was going to kill Ray, they were sure of it.

Rick saw the three of them run past the car, looked ahead to see Ray chasing Gina from the other direction and was out of his car in a second to give chase as well. Lori followed after him and as she passed Merle's truck she banged on the hood, while she ran past the steamed-up windows.

She did the same on the hood of Maggie's truck, and soon there was a crowd of kids heading the way Gina and Ray had gone.

Merle, slightly pissed that he was interrupted, sat up, followed by Shelly, but then he saw what was going on.

"Oh, Goddammit," Merle growled as he pulled his shirt back on, "Be back in a minute sugar."

And then he was out the door and running towards the scene unfolding in front of half the town.

/

"Get away from me," Gina screamed at Ray, but he just grabbed at her and backed her against the wall hard. Her back slammed into the wall hard and she hit her head making her momentarily dizzy and even more scared.

Ray was enraged and clearly didn't care if people saw him acting this way, he was in a blind rage and the only thing that mattered was getting her and making her pay for this.

Still a distance away Daryl was yelling, "Get off of her you fucking psycho," as he ran towards them. Abe and Eugene were behind him, followed by Rick and Merle who had stopped to zip up his pants.

"Gina, you listen to me right now," Ray was yelling, "I'm not done with you." He yelled as he grabbed her by the hair and just then Daryl flew into him and landed on top of him. The three of them fell to the ground with a thud.

Tara had been working in the snack bar with Rosita, and Andrea and soon they were on the scene too. They needed to get Gina out of the melee that was happening.

As Daryl scrambled to get on top of Ray, who outweighed him by fifty pounds at least, Lori and Maggie ran to Gina and helped her up. The girls went inside the snack bar and Tara and Rosita got Gina some water to drink.

"Jesus, he's kicking Ray's ass," Andrea muttered.

"With good reason," Tara said handing Gina the glass of water which she gratefully accepted.

"Hell yeah," Rosita replied.

Rosita put an arm around Gina and they stood in the doorway to watch while Tara got her a washcloth to wipe the dirt off of her face.

Daryl was on top of Ray now, raining his fists down on his face and the crowd was getting bigger by the minute. No one stepped in for either side, they knew better.

"You ought to mind your own business, Dixon," Ray screamed, trying to get a hit on Daryl, but he was too quick and wirey.

"You ought to act like a gentleman with a lady Parker." He exclaimed as he pummeled the other boy's face.

That was gonna leave a mark and cause an epic shit storm, but all the boys closed rank around them and finally Merle showed up too with his belt buckle still undone.

"Well, shit brother," Merle said with a laugh, "This wasn't what I meant." He explained with a chuckle as he stood next to Rick watching his brother give an epic beat down on the bigger boy.

Finally, they pulled Daryl off of Ray and he immediately went to Gina, who was coming out the snack bar door.

"You ok?" Daryl said softly taking her gently by the shoulders.

Gina nodded and whispered "Thank you," to him as he instinctively put his arm around her shoulder. She leaned into the safety of his arms and was enveloped in the security he offered her.

Ray stalked off leaving him and Gina standing with the group by the snack bar, but he ranted about them not seeing the last of him. Daryl just flipped him off as he walked by the window back towards his car.

"Thanks, Daryl, you didn't have to." She said pulling her shirt closed.

"He was hurting you."

She nodded. "Yes, he was."

"Come on; I got a hoodie in the truck you can wear."

"Daryl," She said touching his face by his right eye, "You're bleeding."

"Ain't nothing, come on, let's get you something warm to put on." He replied but Gina wasn't having it.

"Tara can you give him a cup of ice." She asked and then she sat there and insisted he ice his face as the others in their group slowly started to filter in the door.

"Oh man, that's gonna leave a mark," Tara said as she went to fetch the ice.

Notes: Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think.