"You need a ride?" Lori asked as they walked back towards the car and Gina looked over at Daryl.

"I got my bike, I can take you home." He said reaching in the back of Merle's truck for a sweatshirt for Gina. It said NIN on the front in white letters against the black background, and it swam on her. It also smelled like him and she breathed it letting the relaxing scent wash over her from head to toe.

It was a cross between musk, cigarettes, and gasoline and it smelled divine to her.

Gina had never been on a motorcycle before, but she liked it. She held onto him tight and for dear life as they sped down the road and secretly she hoped he'd take her out on the bike again sometime They were friends and she would work up the courage to ask him soon.

They pulled up in front of her house and she worried that her father would come out to see who brought her home. That didn't stop her from hugging Daryl right there in her driveway though. Her father could pound salt as far as she was concerned, Ray was a monster and she intended to tell him just how badly she had been treated by the star foot ballplayer.

She wrapped her arms around Daryl and held onto him tight, the gratitude she felt towards him was overwhelming her senses. He saved her, she was sure of it. Ray would have raped her if Daryl hadn't been there.

"Thank you again," She whispered against his neck and he almost moaned out loud. He didn't want to feel the feelings she was stirring inside him, it wasn't the right time. She had been hurt that night and she needed a friend, not another guy manhandling her.

"Weren't nothing," He said pulling himself away from the thoughts that were consuming him, he couldn't stop thinking about kissing her.

"Yes it was," She pulled back to look into his eyes, "It was everything."

They stared at each other for a few more minutes, and she brought her face closer to his, just one kiss just to see what it was like she thought to herself. But then the porchlight flickered, and that was her father's signal to get the hell inside.

"I gotta go," She said, wondering if her father already knew what happened and what he would do.

"Ok, I'm sorry this happened to you Gina," Daryl said after the spell was broken because he had felt it too.

"I'll be ok," She said as she turned to leave, then she stopped and turned to him, "Text me later."
Daryl nodded and then she was gone inside the house.

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~ You ok?

~ Yes, are you?

~ I'm fine, had worse.

~ You saved me, he was going to…

~ I know, are you sure you're ok?

~ My dad was pissed.

~ At you?

~ No, he called Ray's father and told him off, and threated to call the cops on Ray, I talked him out of it. I told him you handled it. They're not partners anymore. He said if you hadn't beat him up he would have.

~ That's good. Your Dad is a good guy.

~When he wants to be.

~I'm so glad you're ok Gina.

~ Thanks Daryl, you're the best.

~Nope.

~I think so.

~ Really?

~Yes.

~I'm just glad I was there.

~I called my Mom, she wants to summon a demon to take Ray out, she's hellfire mad.

~ LOL

~ You have to know my Mom she's harmless but... Daryl would you call me? I can't sleep.

He called her and they spent the next hour whispering to each other over the phone in the darkness of their bedrooms. It would become a regular thing after that night as their relationship began to slowly change.

They held nothing back from each other. Daryl told him about his upbringing, which she knew already, hell everyone in town knew, but he told her more and opened up to her like he had never done with anyone before, not even Merle.

Gina explained about her parents living separately, and never getting married and told him about Jenny. She told him about how sometimes things happened when her mother was around, but never anything bad.

She told him about the push; that thing her mother did that made you want to help out with chores around the house, her gift. Jenny would just say, "Gina don't you want to empty the dishwasher?" Gina's father just could not deal with it and that's why they were no longer together, one of the reasons anyway.

He'd called Jenny Sabrina, the teenage witch when they were first together, it was cute to him, Brad had loved everything about her. The quirks and things that were Jenny had warmed his heart but then he had tried to change her.

Jenny, like her daughter, was not a woman who could be changed.

Daryl laughed, it sounded like Jenny was a just free spirit and he liked that idea. She was so different from his own mother, God rest her soul and he hoped he'd meet her one day. He was glad Gina had her Mom and Dad on her side.

It could have gone so differently.

If you had your parents on your side made a difference in your life, he knew that first hand. If your parents built you up, made you feel good about yourself, you could conquer the world. If not, you'd always feel like that kid from the other side of the tracks, the wrong side, that dirtbag even your parents couldn't love.

That was how he felt most of the time, unworthy, but talking to her like this made him feel good about himself. That feeling didn't come too often and he savored it.

Daryl's old man had never come home that night after all and Merle showed up later and walked past Daryl's bedroom door. He listened for a bit as his brother whispered into the phone on the other side of the door and smiled when he heard him because he knew who he was talking to.

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The next day was Sunday and Gina was up early and over her mother's house with two coffees and two doughnuts by eight am. Jenny was pleased to see her and led her out on to the back deck where they could sit amongst the flowers and plants. As usual, she had music playing.

*******Today love smiled on me, it took away my pain said please.******

The sun was shining and the day was supposed to be beautiful. To Gina, it seemed like a new beginning and she couldn't hide her smile. She felt free, for the first time in a long while.

"You're up early today."

"I couldn't sleep," Gina answered.

"What's on your mind sweetheart?" Jenny asked, "Are you ok?"

Gina nodded, "Ray and I are done for good. I've never felt better in my life."

"I'm so glad for you honey, are you sure you're alright..."

"Daryl beat him up and when Daddy found out he ended his partnership with Ray's father's company." She said quickly, realizing she was skipping over the attempted rape part, but that's what it was.

"I'm so sorry he did that to you, honey," Jenny sat next to her daughter and took her in her arms, pleased most of all that her ex-husband had taken Gina's side. The man had never been on her side but at least he treated Gina better, that was all that mattered.

"He scared me," Gina mumbled as Jenny stroked her hair.

"So your Daryl stood up for you?"

"He isn't mine."

Jenny leaned forward and met her eyes, "He will be, I read your cards yesterday..."

"Mom, I don't believe in tarot you know that."

"It doesn't matter honey, I believe. Besides I did it with regular cards, not tarot." Jenny continued, "First I drew the Three of spades, meaning separation and the Ace, a difficult situation. Then the Queen of hearts and then the last card I drew was the King of diamonds, love, and prosperity." Jenny said with glee.

"Sounds like you stacked that deck Mom." Gina laughed.

Jenny shook her head, "Nope, it was a spur of the moment, something told me to read your cards, what time did all of this happen?"

"At the drive-in, around nine-thirty," Gina said slowly, "Did you...use the push?"

*********Where I go I just dont know, I got to got to gotta take it slow.*******

"You know I can't make thing happen, honey," Jenny replied.

"But did you? I know you nudge things sometimes, just tell me did you use the push...?" She pressed softly, then louder, "Did you freeze Ray?"

Jenny nodded and Gina huffed, of course, she froze him, she froze anyone who she felt threatened Gina, her only baby girl.

"I didn't push, I would never put you in harm's way, I just drew the cards."

Gina scoffed and bit into her doughnut, "Unfreeze him, I don't want the bad juju."

"It's not bad juju; you know that" But Gina remained silent and firm, "Fine." Jenny said with a smile, "And by the way, this Daryl is going to be the love of your life."

"I'm sixteen Mom."

"I'm just telling you what the cards told me, honey." Jenny explained and then her face lit up, "So when do I get to meet the king of diamonds Gina."

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