As I was walking around, I saw the guy I knocked out. Rob I think his name was?

"Hey," he turned and looked at me, "sorry 'bout yer head. I thought you was gonna attack us."

"Well I would've if y'all gave me a reason to."

I smiled. "Rob? Is that right?"

He nodded. "I didn't get your name, though."

"I'm Leann, but you can call me Le."

"Nice to meet ya."

"You too." I smiled. "Can I ask you a question?"

"You just did." He laughed.

I laughed not to be rude. That joke is so lame. "Seriously, though, where are we exactly?"

"Why, we're in Fayette."

"Fayette?"

"Yup. Fayette county, Pennsylvania."

What? I didn't even realize we traveled so far!

"Really? Wow. I had no idea."

"Where are ya from?"

"We's from Atlanta."

He raised his eyebrows. "You're far from home, Le."

"Yeah." I felt a pang of sadness.

"Would you like me to show you around?"

"No, that's okay. I'm just gonna go back to my room."

"I'll walk back with you then."

Rob walked me back to my room. We talked the entire way there, he seemed like a pretty cool guy. He was very nice.

"What happened to your leg if you don't mind my asking?"

I looked down at my brace for a second then back up at him. "Oh, uh…not at all, sir. I was in a car accident and my knife went through it."

"Youch."

"Yer tellin' me." I rolled my eyes.

"Well, you seem to be getting around okay. You should have it looked at. We got a great doctor here. Might be able to give ya some good news."

"Really?" I perked up.

"Oh yeah. He's great all right." Rob smiled. "His office is right around the corner from here."

"Okay, thank you, sir!" I smiled.

"Don't mention it." He paused. "So are you and…"

"Daryl." I said.

"Are you and Daryl comin' to the bar tonight?"

"Say what?"

"You should come. We have a lot fun. Tons of drinks and good food."

"Sounds great. We'll definitely be there." I said. "What time?"

"Usually around seven or eight."

"Alright, thanks."

"I'll see ya there I guess."

"Yeah, see ya." I closed the door once inside.

Did I just agree to that? I wonder how Daryl is going to take it?

I found myself at the doctor's office. We introduced ourselves, he was a very nice guy and funny, too! He actually made me laugh a couple times. I recognized him from before, his name is Tim.

"It's healing fairly well." He informed me while examining my knee. "Does the brace seem to help?"

"Um…I don't know. I mean…I guess."

"You should try not using it for a few hours and see how it feels. You may not even need it anymore."

I perked up at the thought of that. I hated having to wear this stupid brace. It made me feel like a freak. I just don't want anything worse to happen to it if I take it off before I'm ready. "Do ya really mean it? I—I mean…are ya sure?"

He nodded. "Just for a little while."

"Well…okay." I slowly slid off my brace.

"Walk around a little for me, okay?" He asked nicely. I nodded then got up and slowly walked around. My knee didn't bother me too bad. "How's it feel?"

"Pretty good, I thank." I lifted my leg and bent it a couple times.

"Good." Tim smiled. "Don't push yourself, though. If it starts to hurt, put the brace back on. No, dogsledding for you." I giggled. "I was also looking at your finger. Would you like a splint on that?"

"Does it need it?"

"Well, no, not really. I just thought I'd see if you wanted something on it?"

"Um…no, thanks."

"All right. Anymore questions?"

I shook my head.

"Okay then. You're free to go."

I gave him a big smile. "Thank you so much."

"No." Daryl said.

"Come on, just fer a few hours?"

"Hell no."

"Daryl, please?"

"I said no."

"Why?" I whined.

"I hate parties."

"…it's not really a party. It's just a bar."

"Don't care."

I sighed. "Okay, I guess I just gotta go all by myself then. There's gonna be tons of older guys there."

"I'm not goin' and neither are you."

"You cain't make me stay here."

"The hell I cain't!"

"Well I'm goin'." I stated.

"You do and I will come down there, throw you over my shoulder and bring you back here. Then we'll leave."

"I just won't go with you." I teased.

"I'll just throw you over my shoulder again."

I huffed. "Daryl, why are ya like that? Why don't ya ever want to have fun?" He didn't answer me. "I'm not askin' you to go and have a fun time with those people, I'm askin' you to go have a fun time with me." I smiled real big at him and hugged his arm. "You know ya cain't resist me."

He half grinned at me. Then he sighed and I knew he caved. "Alright, we'll go…but only fer a few hours."

"Yay!" I hugged him. "Thanks, big brother!"

"Yeah, well…" He trailed off and looked down at me. "Where's yer brace, little lady?"

"Oh yeah! Good news!" I grinned. Daryl glared at me. "I went to see the doctor here and—

"You what?" He shouted.

"…I—I saw the doctor."

He bent down to my level. "Without me?" My brother sounded pretty angry, I was confused. "What I tell ya 'bout talkin' to strangers?"

My face flushed. "Daryl…I ain't a kid no more."

"Yeah, ya are. Yer fifteen! That's a kid!"

I gave him an annoyed look. "Well…anyway, I went to see the doctor and he said my knee is healin' real good. Said I might not need the brace no more. He told me to take it off fer a while."

"And you listened to him?"

I blinked at my brother. "Well, I mean…he is a doctor."

"Yeah, well, he ain't me and I say put it back on."

"I cain't. It ain't time yet."

"Le. What if it makes it worse. What are ya gonna do then, huh?"

I sighed. "I know, I thought about it already. Just…just lemme leave it off fer a little longer, kay?"

He glared at me and exhaled sharply threw his nose. "Fine! But it's goin' back on when we go to that damn thang 'd night."

I giggled. Then I laid down with Jax. He seems to be doing better.

Later on, I took a quick shower then Daryl and I played cards until we had to leave.

"Whatever happened with Tammy?" I asked him. I scratched the back of my neck.

"Oh yeah, thanks a lot fer that." He glared at me.

"Yer welcome." I smiled sweetly.

"She's weird. She's takin' me all around the whole place, Smilin' and gigglin' all the time."

I laughed, scratching the back of my neck again. "I'm tellin' you, she likes ya."

"I don't care if she does or don't."

"Full house! I win!" I said. Daryl took the cards to shuffle them. I kept scratching at the back of my neck. I finally let out a moan.

"What's 'a matter?" Daryl finally asked me.

"I don't know, it itches real bad." I got up and stood by him. "Can ya see anythang?" I turned around.

"Yeah, ya got like six mosquita bites back 'ere."

"What? No! How?"

"Hold on, pumpkin, I think we got some stuff to put on that."

Pumpkin? He's never called me that. I watched him go over to the sink area and come back seconds later.

"Here." He said. I put my hand out for it, but he went behind me and put some of it on his finger then rubbed it on the bites. "That should feel better."

"Thank you, Daryl." I said. I kept staring at him.

"What?"

"Ya never called me pumpkin before."

He shrugged. "Yer just pumpkin-ey. He smirked and pinched my cheek. I glared and smacked his hand away. He laughed.

After a few minutes, it stopped itching all together. I looked over at the clock and it was almost eight.

"We should go now." I said. I headed for the door.

"Hold up." My brother stopped me. "Forget somethin'?"

I looked back at him with a confused expression but then I saw him holding my brace. My shoulders slumped. "Cain't I keep it off fer at least a full day?"

"No ma'am."

"Daryl—

He came over to me and bent down to my level then put his face very close to mine. "Put that damn brace on or we ain't goin'."

I stared at him for a few seconds then smiled. "Yes, sir." I saluted him and hit him in the forehead with my hand.

He smiled and stood up. "Good girl."

The bar was super loud, you could hear it before you even got there.

"Looks like it's already happenin'." I said.

"Yeah, so much for keepin' the noise at a minimum." Daryl said.

I chuckled. I looked around the room for a place to sit. A young couple got up from the bar and left.

"Oh, look, we can sit there." I said.

"Nah, there's a table open back there." Daryl started heading towards it.

"That's in a corner."

"Yeah?"

"No one will see us."

"That's the point." Daryl said. I just followed him. I guess I shouldn't push him, at least he's here.

"I'll go get us a drink." I said once we got to our table.

"I think that's supposed to be my job. And I don't think I want ya drinkin' here."

"It don't matter." I waved him off. "What do ya want?"

"Mmm…I don't know…" He was biting the skin around his finger, nervously I guessed.

My shoulders slumped. "Well ya normally used to drink whiskey, right?"

"…yeah." Daryl shrugged.

"Okay, I just pick somethin'." I said quickly. "Be right back."

"No alcohol fer you." He called. I rolled my eyes.

"Hi." I said to the people at the bar. They all greeted me very loudly.

"What can I get for you, sweetie." The bartender said.

"Can I have two Jack and Cokes, please?"

He chuckled. "Two Jack and Cokes comin' right up." I was surprised he didn't question me.

This one guy kept looking at me. He finally spoke. "Aren't you a little young to be drinking and in a bar by yourself?" He smirked.

I glared at him. "No. And I ain't by myself. I'm with—"

"Me, she's with me." Daryl came up from behind me and put his arm around my neck pulling me closer to him.

The bartender handed me the drinks.

"You're the new comers, aren't ya?" One of the guys said. I recognized him from before but I don't remember his name.

"Yeah, we just got here yesterday." I said.

He took a big gulp of his drink and nodded. "Glad you could make it."

"Yeah." I took our drinks and turned to leave, but he stopped me.

"Why don't y'all sit up here?"

I looked at Daryl and he shrugged.

"Okay." I said.

Daryl hurriedly sat down next to the guy that was talking to me so he was in between us.

"I got us Jack and Cokes." I told him. "Hope that's alright."

"I said no alcohol fer you." He glared.

"Who cares." I went to take a sip but he took my drink away from me.

"She'll have a coke." Daryl then said to the bartender. I huffed and crossed my arms.

He stirred his drink with the straw, then took it out and took a big gulp. He was acting sort of strange.

"So, how do you two know each other?" One of these guys asked. "She your daughter?"

I almost laughed.

"She's my baby sister." Daryl said putting an arm around me.

My face flushed. What? Why's he have to call me baby?

"Oh, she's your sister?" The guy from before said. "That's good."

Daryl glared at the guy and finished his drink then started on the one that was supposed to be mine, I only just started drinking my coke.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I just didn't want ya alone around these guys."

"Oh." Was all I said.

The time passed. We drank and talked to those guys, people left, more people came in. We were laughing and actually having a good time.

"Hey, Darlin', can I get you a drink?" Some drunk guy came over and asked me.

"No, she's good." Daryl said putting a protective arm around me.

"I don't believe I asked you." He slurred. "What, can't the little lady speak for herself?"

"Yeah, she can, but the little lady is a little girl." Daryl snapped. "She's fifteen, ya perv."

My face flushed again. "Daryl…" I whispered.

"Hmm…fifteen, huh? Hell, I thought she was younger than that." The guy laughed and walked away. Daryl got up and followed him.

"No!" I tried to stop him.

It was too late though, Daryl punched him hard in the face. He hit the ground, he looked like he was in a daze.

"Ay, get a beer fer my friend, 'ere." Daryl said to the bartender. "Get a beer fer my friend."

The bartender handed him a bottle. Daryl handed it to the guy. "Get the hell out."

"Don't let the door hit ya in the ass on the way out!" The bartender yelled to the guy as he was walking out.

Daryl came back over to me and pushed the hair of my face then put his arm around my shoulders as he sat down. I just looked at him. "You alright?" He asked me.

"What the hell was that?" I ignored his question.

He threw his drink back. "Just havin' a little fun. You wanted to have fun, right?"

"Not my idea of a good time."

He just looked at me and didn't say anything.

I shook my head. "Let's just go." I stood up.

"No, no." He grabbed my arm. "Come on, sit back down and have another drink."

I wanted to leave but I saw that Daryl was having a nice time for once and I didn't want to ruin that. I sighed and sat back down. "Fine but no more fights…and I want alcohol this time. A Captain and Sprite."

"Fine." He agreed and called to the bartender.

I had a few more drinks and I was definitely getting there. I don't want to get too drunk, though. A couple of the guys were telling jokes, some of them were funny some of them weren't.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom." I said to Daryl. "I'll be right back."

I walked into the bathroom, there wasn't a line surprisingly. That's when I realized that there weren't many women here. I wondered why Tammy didn't come. Then I thought about how she drools over Daryl and I was glad she didn't come. She'd ruin his good time.

I looked in the mirror at myself. I looked different to me. I actually liked it, though. My hair was looking good that night. I smiled.

I don't know how much time had passed, but it felt like I was in there for a long time so I left and went back out to the bar. As I made my way over to Daryl, I saw that someone had taken my seat. Daryl was laughing at one of the jokes the guys were telling, he didn't even notice me when I came over.

I cleared my throat. "Daryl, where am I supposed to sit now?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, baby." He said. "You can sit on my lap." He suggested.

"No way!" I scowled at him. He ignored me and he wrapped his arm around my waist and lifted me onto his lap. My face flushed.

"Sorry, did you want me to move?" The guy who took my seat said.

"No, no yer fine." Daryl said. I laughed nervously.

"Want another drink?" Daryl asked me.

"No, I thank I'm good."

"Want some of mine?"

"Uh, no." I pushed his drink away.

"Come on, take a taste of that." He held it up. I took it this time and took a little sip. I grimaced.

"Ew." I said. Daryl laughed and pinched my cheek. I saw some of the people looking at us. My face flushed again. I wanted to get up but Daryl kept me there with his arm tightly wrapped around me. "Daryl, can we go actually?" I whispered. "I'm tired."

"Alright." He threw the rest of his drink back. "Imma go take piss then we can leave, all right?" I hopped off his lap and he headed to the bathroom.

"Aw, y'all ain't leaving yet, are ya?" One of the guys said to me.

"Yeah, we're gonna go but it was nice talkin' to you." I said.

"Nah, come on. Stay a little longer." He handed me a cigarette. "Have one of those."

I laughed nervously. "No, thank you."

"Come on. Just one."

"Nah, I cain't. My brother'll tan my hide."

He laughed. "All right. Wouldn't wanna get you into trouble, now."

I gave him a small smile. Daryl came back. "All right. Ya ready?"

I nodded. My brother put his arm around me and we walked out together.

"Are you okay?" I asked Daryl when we were outside.

"Yeah, yeah I'm good." He said lighting a cigarette that he must have bummed off one of those guys.

"You seemed like you was havin' a good time." I laughed.

"Yeah, we did."

"I'm glad we went. 'Cept when you was embarrassin' me."

"When did I embarrass you? I don't embarrass ya."

"You took my drink off me and called me a baby."

"Well…ya are."

"No, I ain't!" I glared at him.

"Leann, yer still a kid whether ya like it or not. So get used to it."

I crossed my arms over my chest.

We took our time getting back to the room.

"Hey, why was you in the bathroom fer so long? Did ya get sick?"

I thought for a minute. "No, I hooked up with one of 'em guys." I smiled.

"Oh yeah?" Daryl raised his eyebrows at me.

"It was the one ya beat up, he came back." I laughed.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, but then he asked me who my friend was. He liked him better." I giggled.

He threw his cigarette on the ground. "Comere!" He grabbed me and threw me over his shoulder. I yelped. He smacked my bottom.

"Ow, hey!" I said. I ended up over his shoulder just like he said before.

He carried me back to the room like that. He threw me onto the bed once we got inside and we both laughed. Jax ran over to me and jumped up on the bed.

"Hey, Jaxy! Was you a good boy while we was gone?" I petted him and rubbed his belly. He was happily wagging his tail.

"Why'd ya tell those guys that I was yer baby sister anyway?"

"I don't know." Daryl shrugged. "I didn't want 'em botherin' ya."

"So the solution was that yer my overprotective brother?" I laughed.

"Well you ain't ugly enough to be my daughter so I figured I'd stick with the truth."

"You ain't ugly, Daryl!" I hugged him from behind. He was sitting at the table. "You just stink." I laughed. He laughed and I knew he remembered the memory of me telling him that once when I was little. "Yer my favorite brother, by the way."

"Am I?"

I smiled and kissed the top of his head like he does to me. "Wow, I never realized how soft yer hair is." I touched it.

"Get outta here!" Daryl yelled making me laugh.

"Can I pull yer hair up in a ponytail?"

"What? Hell no!"

"Please!"

"No, get outta here."

"Please! I just wanna see what it looks like! I'll take it out right after, I promise!" I gave him "the face."

He sighed. "Fine."

I laughed and pulled my hair band off my wrist. I tied his hair in a high ponytail. "Looks good."

"Really?"

"No." I laughed loudly. He took it out immediately and threw the band at me.

"Never again."

We talked for a little longer. I'm not sure exactly when but we got into bed. I don't remember falling asleep but we must have.

I woke up at some point in the night and Daryl had his arms wrapped tightly around me.

I didn't care, though, I just snuggled closer to him and went back to sleep.