Daryl didn't tell her about the bird cursing him out right away and Pretty Boy said 'Fuck off' to him too while Molly was in the bedroom. Daryl gave him the finger and then laughed at himself for giving a bird 'the bird.'

Molly came out and asked what was so funny and Daryl just shrugged. She had on a pair of biker boots, a pair of black jeans and a t-shirt, the boots were black with buckles on the sides and he sucked in his breath.

Was this the nurse in scrubs that took care of his father? She was looking hot as fuck right now, and was he the lucky bastard that got to take her out today. He watched her throwing some things from her purse into a back pack like a seasoned rider.

"No really, what's so funny." Molly said but he was still staring at her.

"Uh, your bird." He looked over at Pretty Boy in the cage. "Called me a douche bag, and said fuck off."

Molly turned and looked over at the bird in the cage and he flapped his wings at her. She turned back to Daryl with a huge grin on her face.

"I can't believe he talked." She walked over to the cage. "Pretty Boy say I love you Molly, say I love you Molly."

Daryl followed her to the cage as she kissed at Pretty Boy's beak.

She blew kisses at him and he just stared at her, she turned back at Daryl. "Either he really likes you, or he really hates you."

"Tara teach him that shit." He asked, already knowing the answer to the question.

Molly nodded. "Yup, I guess you really do know her."

"Well, I know you don't cuss like that." He said giving he that wicked grin he had and pulled her into a tight hug. Pretty Boy started to squawk and Molly started laughing. "Not in the living room anyway."

"Try me?"

He looked at her with a soft look in his eyes with his hands still on her arms. "Don't tempt me."

"I'm not fucking you in front of him." She laughed. "But your living room is an entirely different thing."

"Come on." He took her by the hand. "We got shit to do today, and then I'm taking you back to my place."

"You think?" She said backing up and he followed.

"I know." He said getting her right up against the wall and Pretty Boy started squawking and flapping his wings again. Daryl put his hands above her head and cocked one hip.

"Maybe, that's all you're getting from me." She said looking up at him.

"Oh, I'm getting more."

She nodded. "Yeah, you are."

He leaned over and kissed her and the bird squawked again. He smiled against her lips.

"Ok, you ready Molly." He said and she swatted at him. "I aint got all day."

"Yeah, I'm ready."

"Good, then, let's go." He said. "And we aint done here."

"No?" She said.

"No." He moved his hand between them. "This isn't done."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door. She stopped them at the door.

"Can I ask you something, just curious ok?"

"You already know how bi…."

"Oh for god's sake." She smiled. "It's not about your dick."

"Go ahead, ask away baby."

"So, I know you weren't shooting dope, cause you're afraid of needles." Molly said. "I'm guessing you smoked heroin."

"You're pretty smart.'

"I've had a lot of experience." She said. "My sister called it chasing the dragon."

He nodded because that was exactly right.

"Yeah, that's it alright."

"Claudia's sponsor had a dragon tattoo on the inside of her forearm, it was gorgeous. You know, because of smoking. She called herself 'The original girl with the dragon tattoo' but it was to remind herself, like you. Did you go to NA?"

"Every day in jail for five years, and then when I got out for a bunch of years, still go a few times a week."

"You sponsor anyone?"

"Two guys right now." He nodded. "Did you ever do drugs?"

"Kush, in high school."

"Did ya inhale?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist. Putting his forehead to hers.

"Maybe." She smiled at him. "I stopped you know, when I needed to, but she couldn't and it went…" She frowned. "So far."

"So." He took her hand. "Now that we've both exposed all our shit now, what do you say we go for a ride."

"Sounds great." She said. And he led her out the door, she called over her shoulder "Bye Pretty Boy"

The bird was silent, and behind his back Daryl flipped him off again.

/

They rode down the road on the bike and her arms were around his waist. She had her cheek on his back and her hands were on his hips. She had definitely been on the back of a bike before. When he stopped at traffic lights she ran her hands over his back and he reached back and touched her leg.

"Gotta stop by the store, you up for it?"

He yelled over the engine and she nodded her head. He turned right at the light and drove the three miles to the store.

They pulled into the parking lot and Jake's truck was there along with a few other cars. He stopped and hit the kickstand and Molly got off the bike. They hung their helmets on the handle bars and he turned to her.

"Jake is going to be glad to see you." He said, taking her hand. "You mind? I have to pick up the ledgers to do over the weekend. I was supposed to work today."

"Are you kidding me? Are you using me as a buffer?" She stopped short and he walked a few steps in front of her. "Are you kidding me."

"Nope, not even a little bit." He said. "Come on, I have to do the monthly books by Tuesday."

She crossed her arms over her chest and followed behind him as he walked into the store. It was a huge garden center with a store in the front, there were plants and flowers outside and a greenhouse next to the store.

A young boy was by the door moving bags of seed and her stood up as they walked in. "Oh man is he pissed at you." He said to Daryl.

Daryl looked around for Jake, not seeing him immediately. But he knew he was around.

"So pissed, no call no show." The boy named Zack said and then her saw Molly behind him and he stopped talking abruptly. "He said, he'd fire you if he could."

"He'll get over it." Daryl said grabbing for her hand, which she refused to give him.

"Hey there miss…." Zack started to say and she grabbed Daryl's hand.

From the other side of the store they heard Jake yelling. Molly looked over at Daryl and he shrugged.

"That my son, Zach?" Jake yelled. "Daryl you fucking …."

He came around the corner about to light into him and he saw Molly. He stopped short and looked at Daryl and then at Molly.

"Molly." He said. "How are you love?"

"I'm good Jake." She said going closer to give him a hug. "You look wonderful."

"Feel, great hun."

"I'm so glad." She said smiling. "You really look great."

Her smile was genuine, this was the kind of thing that made her happy, to see a patient well and happy. Jake was one of the success stories for the moment, but in her line of work she learned to live in the moment. It was all you had.

"You here with him, Molly?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Dad, leave her alone, I'm getting the ledger and you'll have it all done by Monday, I aint coming in tomorrow either." Daryl said. "Let Zach and Beth handle things, we don't have to be here every second. You need a day off too."

He looked over at Molly and then back at his father. She noticed how much alike they looked again, Daryl had the same color hair as Jake and they had the same eyes.

"I'm gonna go get the books, you be good old man."

He walked across the store and into the back office.

"Well, guess I don't have to fake that heart attack after all." Jake said.

Molly started laughing and Zach just looked confused. Then she remembered, he didn't know about the ring.

"I'm not married Jake."

She had forgotten and wanted to make sure that Jake knew she wasn't cheating on anyone.

"I knew that cookie." Jake replied. "You weren't fooling me with that fake ring."

"Jake." She said with a giggle and then Daryl was back holding a huge binder.

"Can you take this and shove it in your back pack and we'll ditch it at my house." He said as Molly was taking off her backpack.

"You took a weekend off, eh, Molly." Jake said.

"Yes." She said. "I did."

"Good." He turned to Daryl. "See you Monday, next time answer your fucking phone."

"I was busy."

He said as he opened the door for Molly. And they left after Molly kissed Jake's cheek and gave him the brightest smile.

After they left Jake turned to Zack. "Call your little girlie and tell he she's working tomorrow. I am taking the day off."

"Daryl have a new girl I guess." Zack said to Jake.

"And it's about fucking time too, I wasn't kidding, I was going to fake a heart attack to get that little girl back at my house, she wore that fake ring but that didn't stop my kid from eye fucking her every time she came to see me. It was fucking pitiful."

Zack laughed as he watched them walking out to the bike.