Hello! Thanks for reading. I am glad you decided to give this story a shot. Here we start the story of how Katie and Daryl met, and get to know them a little better. Dear God, I hope this story is good. I feel so rusty when I sit down to write. Tell me if you love it. Hell, tell me if you hate it! -CJ
UPDATE- 2/21 This chapter has been revised and updated.
THEN: Two years before the outbreak
There was a live band playing at the bar the night Katie met him. It wasn't a place she'd ever been before, but she and her friends were feeling a little wild and decided to ride out to Jake's in her Honda Accord.
That morning, they'd turned in the last final of their college careers and they wanted to celebrate. It had been Emily's idea to hit up the biker bar, instead of their usual sports bar and Katie didn't hesitate to agree. Julia had balked at first, but it didn't take long for the other two to rope her in.
Julia and Emily had been friends since they were toddlers. Katie had met them freshman year and the three had quickly become inseparable.
The life long friends were both beautiful and turned heads wherever they went. Julia was a cute little button nosed blonde, while Emily had dark hair and striking features. Beside them, Katie was more plain, but she never felt self conscious around them. She had never really liked attention much, and preferred to blend into the background.
The parking lot of Jake's was littered with bikes. Katie's Honda stuck out like a sore thumb.
Inside the bar was dark and loud. Katie noticed subtle gazes turn their way, no doubt sizing the girls up and maybe wondering if they were lost. The three of them were definitely out of place.
"Let's get a drink!" She said in Emily's ear.
Emily's bright earrings bobbed when she nodded in enthusiastic agreement.
The crowd around the bar was deep, and Katie watched the throng of men part as Emily approached.
"Hey, sweetheart." a heavily tattooed guy cooed.
"Hey," Emily replied, and gave a disinterested flip of her dark hair.
Mr. Tattoo grinned and took a swig of his drink. Katie watched him say something to his buddy and they both laughed. The buddy looked over his shoulder at Katie and gave her a quick up and down, before catching her eyes.
She gave him a small smile. Those are some serious blue eyes.
His eyebrows raised and the corner of his mouth turned up before he turned back around and took a casual sip of his PBR.
Definitely not friendly. Definitely dangerous. Definitely hot.
She heard Emily order a round of Yuenglings, while she stared curiously at Blue Eye's flannel clad back. He was far from her normal type and that gave her a twinge of excitement. Tonight was all about cutting loose, having fun and forgetting the last six months.
Emily held a bottle in front of her face, and Katie grabbed it. "Thanks, girl."
"You get next round." Emily shouted over the band.
Katie gave a thumbs up while sipping her drink. Beside her, Julia pointed to an empty high top table across the room.
"Hey, girls." Mr. Tattoo yelled over the band before they could get too far. "How 'bout a round of pool?"
Katie smiled. She could never turn down a game of pool.
"Losers buy the next round?" She proposed.
Mr. Tattoo laughed and Blue Eyes smirked. "Sure, girly."
Mr. Tattoo pushed off the bar, and gave Emily another smile. Katie could tell Emily wasn't interested, but that didn't stop her from smiling back. She looped her arm through Katie's and followed Mr. Tattoo towards the back of the bar.
"I'm Cal," he introduced himself when they reached the table. It was a little quieter in the back, and the need to shout was gone. "That ugly piece of sin back there is Daryl."
Daryl ignored his friend's comment, and started to rack up the balls.
"I'm Emily."
"Julia."
"Katie. And I hope you're ready to get your ass kicked." She noticed Daryl's blue eyes drift in her direction as she spoke.
Cal let out a loud laugh. "I like your spunk."
Daryl gestured to the table. "We'll see 'bout that. Ladies first."
Katie turned to Julia, handing over her beer, trading it for the pool stick she offered. Daryl and Cal watched closely as she lined up her shot to break. It didn't feel like their eyes were on the game though. They were definitely on her ass. She was used to it, her ass had always gotten a lot of attention.
She turned, looking behind her. Yes. Confirmed. Daryl's eyes had landed on her ass. Cal, on the other hand, only seemed to have eyes for Emily. His hooded eyes flicked up, and an immediate blush hit his cheeks when he realized he'd been caught. She gave him a coy smile and pulled the stick back, taking her first shot. It was decent, not her best, but there was something about Daryl that was very distracting.
He rounded the table, looking for his next move. "Not bad."
"Thanks."
Katie sipped her beer while he lined up his shot. For the first time in months she was having fun and felt herself relax. The feelings were forgien to her. She started to let her body give into the booze and music, feeling loose and free.
The game flowed quickly. Cal and Daryl were good, but Katie knew she was better and she was having fun beating their asses.
"8 ball. Side pocket." She lined up the last shot.
She heard the men laughing behind her. "Good luck with that one, girlie."
"Just you watch, gentlemen." She aimed, pulled her stick back and watched as the ball sailed smoothly into the pocket. Applause erupted around her and Katie took a bow and then let out a breath. That was a lucky shot.
She heard Daryl release a low whistle. "Damn, girl."
She smiled at him. She liked his voice. Hard and gravely, definitely the voice of a smoker. It gave her an idea. "Can I bum a smoke?"
He nodded and tilted his head towards the door, indicating for her to follow.
Outside Katie took a deep breath of the cool, clean air, it was a welcome break from the stale air inside. Daryl led her over to the side of the building, and stood a few feet away from another group of smokers. She watched him reach into the front pocket of his flannel and pull out a pack of reds. He flipped open the top and held them out toward her.
"Thanks," she said before placing one between her ruby lips.
He flicked the flame on a lighter and lit the end for her. Katie took a long drag and studied him. He wasn't her usual type, but her usual type hadn't exactly been working out too well lately. Underneath his unbuttoned flannel he wore a black t- shirt. The writing on it was so faded, she couldn't make out what it said. When he moved, she could see his biceps flex under the thin fabric. His face was scruffy, hard and fierce.
"Ain't ever seen ya girls here before."
"First time." She took a drag. "So, you're here often?"
"Every damn night just 'bout."
"We usually go to Mick's."
Daryl inhaled. "Place is full of dumb college kids."
Katie gave him a sheepish smile and shrug. "Guilty."
Daryl gave her a long look up and down, taking in the tight, ripped jeans and loose white tank top with thin straps. Her outfit was simple, but she knew it looked hot. Her white lace bra peeked out from her shirt, and heeled ankle boots made her stand just a little taller. She shivered a little, and wasn't sure if it was from his gaze or the temperature. Nevertheless, she wished she had grabbed her jacket.
"We're celebrating tonight. Finally done with college."
Daryl nodded, but was clearly not interested. "Congrats," he said half heartedly.
"Thanks."
"How'd ya get the shiner?"
She reeled at the abrupt change in topic. "Huh?"
Daryl's eyes rolled. "That black eye. How'd ya get it?"
Well. Shit. She thought she'd done a good job of hiding the bruise. Guess not.
"Oh. Um. Volleyball game. I, uh, took a spike to the face."
"Mmm." Daryl took another drag and gave her a look that clearly said she was a bad liar.
Just then the door to the bar swung open and out stumbled an older guy, totally drunk off his ass. His eyes darted between Katie and Daryl and he gave them a wicked grin before clapping Daryl's shoulder.
"Can I get one of them too, little brother?"
Daryl tossed the pack over.
Daryl's brother lit his cigarette, before asking. "Ain't interrupting, am I?"
"Nope." Daryl answered, he finished his smoke and ground it out in the dirt with the tip of his work boot. "Gonna head back in."
"You owe me a beer." Katie said to his back.
He acknowledged her with a backwards wave before disappearing inside.
Beside her, Daryl's brother inhaled and mumbled to himself. "I need something stronger."
Movement to her left caught Katie's attention and a deep voice called out. "Yo, Merle!"
"Bruce!" Daryl's brother called back.
Bruce let out a hearty laugh. "They let your ass out again?"
Merle barked. "Good behavior, my man!"
Not wanting to hang out alone with an ex-convict, she dropped her cigarette to the ground and stepped on it. "See ya inside." She said quickly.
"Hey girlie." Merle stopped her. "Don't waste your time on ole Darylina. You ain't got the right goods. If'n ya catch my drift."
"Thanks." She mumbled and opened the door to the bar.
Her eyes adjusted to the light and she found Emily and Julia still at the pool table. She made her way over, spotting Daryl back at the bar. He caught her eye as she walked by and held up a fresh beer, it was exactly what she had been drinking earlier.
Katie smiled at him. "Thank you."
"Yer gonna need it for our rematch. C'mon."
She followed him to the back where the pool tables sat. Emily gave her a little eyebrow wiggle as they approached and Katie shook her head in return.
"He's gay." She mouthed to her friend.
Julia shook her head, and pointed to her eyes then her ass, indicating that Daryl had been checking her out. Katie just shrugged in response.
Daryl and Cal were racking up another game when Katie felt a strong hand grab her elbow. "There you are!"
Julia registered what was happening before Katie even had time to blink. "Don't you fucking touch her!" Her friend yelled.
Katie felt an immediate surge of panic as she was whirled around and came face to face with her ex.
Fuck me.
He towered over her and his eyes flashed with anger. "I've been looking all over for you."
Katie stood firm and tried to keep her voice neutral, even though she was trembling inside. "Why?"
He gripped her tighter, fingers biting into her flesh. "Cause we have plans tonight, babe."
"Uh. No. We don't. Did it slip your mind that we're over?"
He wasn't listening to her. Shocker. "What the fuck are you doing in this place?" He ground out. "And what are you wearing? Your tits are practically hanging out."
She snatched her elbow away from his grip. "Get lost, Zach."
"Haven't you done enough damage?" Julia scolded him.
Zach sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly annoyed. "Julia, please. This really isn't your business."
Julia made a move, but Katie held up her hand to stop her. She needed to handle this on her own. "Zach, you need to go."
Zach's face softened and he ducked down, looking into Katie's eyes. His fingers softened, gently sliding down her arm. "Can we talk outside, babe? I just want to fix this."
His quick change in demeanor triggered her. She used to fall for it, he was always so quick to play with her emotions, and trick her into staying with him. Now she saw straight through his act.
Katie saw movement to her left, and Daryl was as suddenly between the pair. "She told ya to leave, asshole." He said sternly.
"Who are you?"
"Daryl Dixon. Who are you?"
"Katie's boyfriend."
Daryl turned to Katie, looking directly at her black eye. "You do that to her?"
"Do what?"
"Her shiner, ya jackass."
Zach rolled his eyes. "No, she's a clumsy bitch."
Katie felt an angry heat rise in her face. There had been a time when she would have made an excuse for his bad behavior, and tried to diffuse the situation, but she was done with that shit. She watched as both men's fists curled inward. She felt an angry growl rise in her throat. She didn't' need Zach's shit and she didn't need a stranger fighting her battles.
"Watch yerself, pretty boy." Daryl warned. "Look around. I got a lot of friends in here."
Zach was just cocky enough to ignore Daryl's warnings, and Katie could see him contemplating whether or not he wanted to throw the first punch. She had to act fast before something bad happened.
Sidestepping Daryl, she reached for her jacket and threw it on. "We're leaving," she announced loudly. "This is ridiculous and it's over."
Zach unclenched his fists. "That's my girl. Let's get out of this shithole."
"No!" Katie held up her hand. "NOT with you. I am not leaving with you."
Julia and Emily scrambled to gather up their things, but Katie was already halfway to the door. They had caused a small scene and the crowd parted as she stormed towards the exit.
"Leaving so soon, sweetheart?" It was Daryl's brother, Merle. She angrily flipped him the bird as she passed.
Emily was running to catch up. "Give me your keys. I'm driving."
She didn't care to argue, tossing her car keys and sliding into the passenger side.
"Motherfucker!" She yelled and slammed the door.
"How did he know where we were?" Julia asked, scooting quickly into the back.
Emily started the car, and put it into reverse. "It's Zach. He probably put a fucking tracker on her car."
Katie laughed wildly, but not because she found anything to be funny. "Oh my god. He WOULD do something like that."
Emily exited the parking lot and there was a roar of an engine as a bike pulled after them. Katie leaned her head back and groaned. "I just wanted one night to have fun."
Julia reached forward and squeezed her shoulders. "I'm sorry."
The girls drove silently for a spell, lost in their own thoughts, Katie wondering if she would ever be able to get away from Zach's toxic behavior.
"I think that motorcycle is following us." Emily said, reaching up to readjust the rearview mirror.
"Maybe it's Daryl," Julia guessed. "He followed us out."
Katie checked the side mirror, looking at the single headlight behind them. "Why?"
Emily shrugged. "He was flirting with you."
"He wasn't flirting. His brother told me he's gay."
"Maybe he wants to make sure we get home okay?" Julia mused.
Emily nodded. "He was pretty pissed about Zach."
"No shit. What was that all about? He put two and two together real quick. Did you tell him that Zach gave you the black eye?"
Katie shook her head. "No. He figured it out on his own."
Emily took the exit back to their school, and the bike followed. She slowly pulled into the parking lot adjacent to their dorm, finding a spot near the entrance. The bike slowed, stopping about 20 feet away under a street lamp, and idling.
Katie peered through the windshield, her eyes squinting to see in the dark. "It is Daryl." She sighed. "I guess I'll go handle this too."
"Be careful." Julia warned.
He watched her as she walked towards him. She should be scared. Why wasn't she scared? A stranger on a bike had followed her home, but for some reason, she had no fear. "Hey."
He sat back. "'Ey. Wanted to make sure the fucker didn't follow ya back."
Katie shrugged. "It wouldn't matter. He knows where my dorm is."
He nodded, but remained awkwardly silent.
"Okay, well. We made it safely. Thanks." Katie said.
"Yeah." He nodded. "Stay outta trouble."
Katie gave a little wave and backed up, heading towards the dorm where Emily and Julia were waiting at the door. Julia scanned her key card and the trio slipped inside. Katie gave one last look behind her before the door closed behind them.
XXX
With a sigh, Katie flopped down onto her bed. The night had gone nothing like she expected it. All she wanted was a little drinking, dancing and maybe some flirting. What a shit show.
She looked at the clock on her phone. 2 am. She was way too keyed up to sleep.
On a whim, she pulled back the blinds and peered out into the parking lot half expecting to see Zach. But Zach wasn't there. Instead, she could see Daryl's silhouette, and the cherry red glow of his cigarette. Without thinking it through, she quickly threw a hoodie over her pjs and hurried down two flights of steps before stepping out into the cool air.
He flicked his cigarette to the ground when he saw her coming.
"What are you still doing here?"
He crossed his ankles and gave a casual shrug. "Watchin'."
Katie crossed her arms across her chest and shifted from foot to foot. "You don't really owe me anything. You can go."
"Yeah. I don't really take too kindly ta assholes who think it's okay to beat up on women." He pointed to her bruise. "Don't really think that prick learned his lesson."
Katie's fingers lifted to her face. She had showered and washed her makeup off when she got back to the dorm, there was no hiding the deep purple color now.
"I told you. It was a basketball."
"Nuh uh. Ya said volleyball."
Shit. She let out a loud sigh. "Give me your phone," she turned her hand out and wiggled her fingers.
Daryl raised a wary eyebrow, but reached into his pocket to retrieve his phone anyway. Katie punched her number into his contacts and handed it back.
"There. Now you can check in on me without having to sit here all night."
Daryl stared down at his phone, and Katie watched him punch a few keys before sliding it closed and returning it to his pocket. "Thanks," he mumbled.
When she got back to her room she checked her phone to find a single text.
Stay safe.