Daryl!" A deep voice from beside the fire shouted as they approached. "'Bout time you got your pasty white ass here."

"Shut your pretty mouth and get me a beer, bitch." Daryl hollered back.

His friend howled in laughter. "Love you too, Dixon!"

"That's Ricky." Daryl told her as the guy stumbled over to them with two beers.

"Who is this?" Ricky slurred while obviously looking Katie up and down.

"Katie." She answered.

Ricky draped an arm over Daryl's shoulders and laughed. "My man. You brought a lady! Is the Dixon slump finally over?"

Daryl growled and pushed him off. "Man. Shut up!"

Ricky stumbled away laughing and Daryl managed to grab the beers from his hands before he got too far. He handed one to Katie.

"Thanks."

Daryl nodded, even in the dark Katie could tell he was embarrassed.

"Ricky seems…. fun?"

Daryl snorted. "He's a dumb drunk." He took a swig of beer. "I'm gonna go make the rounds. Go make yourself comfortable."

She thought it was weird that Daryl would ditch her as soon as they arrived, and figured it had something to do with Ricky's comment. She decided it was best not to get too bothered about it. Finding an empty camp chair by the fire and making herself comfortable just as Daryl instructed, she caught sight of him across the open field. A cigarette dangled from his lips as he threw two more logs on the already blazing fire.

She drank and kept her eyes on Daryl until a redhead in a crop top sat down beside her. "Hey."

"Hey."

"I'm Angie."

"Katie."

"You came with Daryl?"

Katie nodded.

Angie pursued her lips and nodded. "Daryl's never brought another girl around before."

Katie hummed and took another sip of beer. She didn't like Angie's tone. What was this chick's end game?

Angie laughed, but Katie could tell it wasn't a happy laugh. "When did you start hooking up?"

"Huh?" Katie shook her head. "I'm not- we're just friends."

"Mmhmm."

Katie looked at the girl beside her. "What's it matter anyway?"

Angie lifted her finger and pointed to a girl who had moseyed up next to Daryl. A small smirk hit the corners of Katie's mouth when she saw Daryl recoil when the girl touched his waist. "That's Erica. My best friend. She's been on and off with him since they were 17."

If Angie was trying to get under Katie's skin, it wasn't working. "Sorry. Daryl's never mentioned an Erica to me."

Angie frowned and stood up abruptly. "Just watch your back, bitch. Daryl belongs to Erica."

Angie stormed off and Katie couldn't help but laugh. What the hell was that all about?

She took the last swig of her beer and saw Daryl walking towards her. He held up a drink, silently asking if she wanted another. She stood up, meeting him halfway and extended her hand in an answer.

"Having fun?" He handed her the drink.

Katie shrugged. "I met Angie."

Daryl didn't say anything, just nodded and stared into the fire. They stood side by side, drinking and watching the flames until Katie broke the silence. "So, Erica?"

Daryl continued staring into the fire. "What about her?"

"Angie said you two are kind of a thing."

Daryl shook his head. "Naw."

"Is she gonna come try to bitch fight me?"

Daryl huffed out a laugh. "Don't think so."

"According to Angie she might.."

"Angie's a shit for brains gossiping bitch."

"Well, then."

Daryl stared at Katie. "Forget bout those two."

Katie stared back. Why were his eyes so intense?

"There ain't no me and Erica. Never has been. Not for her lack of trying. Ain't my type."

Katie nodded and filled in the unspoken reason. Because he's gay. She didn't press any further. They stood there for a few more beats before Katie heard her current favorite song start playing.

"Oh shit." Her hips started to sway and she shimmied against Daryl. "It's my song, Dare. I can't stop the dancing."

Daryl rolled his eyes and groaned.

Katie laughed and gave his hip a bump with her own. "Well, here you come again and you're lookin' so fiiiine. You don't notice me but it's alright." She belted out offkey.

Daryl tried to move away, but Katie caught his arm and pulled him back. "I'm just a girl who wishes that I could be your girl someday ohhh ooooh."

Daryl didn't try to move away again, but he didn't dance either. He watched Katie as she sang and danced to the Keith Urban song around him, a small smirk at the corner of his lips.

"Ya drunk already?"

Katie playfully punched his arm. "No. Asshole. You know I can't fight the music."

She bumped his hip, and Daryl's hand shot out landing on her waist. Even though it wasn't the first time they'd touched, something about this felt different.

The song ended and a slower tempo one replaced it. Katie turned and faced Daryl, moving closer. His blue eyes were so stormy it took Katie aback. She let him pull her closer and rested a palm on his shoulder while her beer dangled in the other hand. They slowly started to sway.

Every time our eyes meet

This feeling inside me

Is almost more than I can take

Katie was confused, but let him pull her even closer until her head rested on his shoulder. They continued to sway, Daryl's solid body firm against her.

I've never been this close to anyone or anything

I can hear your thoughts, I can see your dreams

I don't know how you do what you do

I'm so in love with you

It just keeps getting better

On her waist, Daryl's grip tightened and, even though he claimed to not be a dancer, the pressure from his hand led her back and forth.

Katie inhaled deeply. Smoke, earth and a hint of soap. She could definitely get used to this. Why was being Daryl's friend so damn confusing?

When the song ended, they reluctantly pulled away.

"Katie." The way he said her name gave her chills. He opened his mouth to speak again just as an empty beer can whizzed their way, hitting Daryl's arm. An explosion of laughter exploded near them. Daryl spun around, cursing.

Katie groaned inwardly wondering what he was going to say, but the moment was lost.

They were both drunk when Daryl drove her home around 3 am. Katie knew it was a bad idea for him to be driving, but she didn't see any other way of getting home.

The party at the bonfire had slowly cleared out, couples paired off together and others drove home alone.

Daryl drove to Katie's place silently. All night his unfinished sentence had been nagging at her. The more she drank the more she wanted to know. Was he going to tell her that he was gay? If that was it, maybe he needed some encouragement. Some reassurance from her that it was okay.

Daryl pulled into her apartment complex and through her beer fogged brain she desperately searched for words. "My brother, Joe, is gay."

Daryl raised an eyebrow. "Good for him."

"I guess I'm saying that it's okay."

"Girl. What are you babbling about?"

What was she babbling about?

"I think you guys might hit it off. Joe's been single for awhile, but he's amazing. And you're like freaking hot. I guess Joe is hot, but he's my brother, so I can't really be a good judge of that. Whatever. I know he will like you."

She thought that Daryl was only half listening, until she saw his eyes pop wide open. His head violently whipped towards her.

"What?!"

Katie reared back and frowned in confusion. "Uhhh." She quickly searched for words. "Sorry, I assumed you didn't have a boyfriend."

A vein popped out on Daryl's forehead and his face turned red. "A boyfriend?! Ya think I wanna fuck yer brother?"

His sudden burst of anger confused her and she sat up straight placing her hands in front of her. "Whoa."

Daryl scoffed. "Don't 'whoa' me."

"Chill. I'm sorry."

He pointed to his head. "You stupid, girl?"

"Hey! What the hell is your deal?"

"Pfft." Daryl reached a crossed her and opened the door. "Shoulda known not to waste my damn time. Get out."

"What does that mean?"

He got close to her face, his eyes dark and flashing anger. "Shoulda known not to waste my damn time with some dumb college bitch!"

Katie flinched out of instinct. His words stung, and she blinked back tears. "Wow. Okay."

Daryl saw her flinch and immediately backed up. Katie jumped out of his truck and he started to pull away before her feet touched ground.

"Fuck you, Dixon!" She shouted after him.

He threw her in the bird in response and Katie watched as he peeled away. What the hell had happened? Katie ran through the events of the last two minutes in her head. What had struck such a nerve with Daryl? Maybe she wasn't supposed to know he was gay, had his brother outted him?

A single hot tear slid down her check and she angrily swiped it away. She was done crying over men. She'd done enough of that with her dad, and then Zach. She wasn't going to let Daryl Dixon make her cry too.