This Monday sucks! Just in case you guys are having a bad one too, here's an update =) Several of you have expressed a little love for Piper. It makes me laugh because Piper is a little like a 16 year old Haitus. So thanks for that. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter Five

Carol was a nervous wreck and it seemed like every single time she opened her mouth something embarrassing came out. She usually enjoyed company. She usually had a knack for putting people at ease. Not so much this person. This man had her acting like a complete idiot.

"So, is this where you work?" She asked, willing herself to calm down.

He pulled the car around to the back of what looked like a bike shop. Once they were through the gates, however, she was surprised to see quite a few people milling about outside. Her heart sank. The women were all dressed like they just came from working at a strip club, the men looked like they had just been released from prison.

"Yeah, somethin' like that," he muttered. "I didn't think it'd be this goddamn packed. Usually it's worse on Saturdays." He glanced over at her. "You could wait out here if you want. It's only gonna be worse in there."

She looked at the crowd of people that were staring at the car curiously. She shook her head. She didn't normally judge people like this but she would feel a lot safer if she just stuck with him. Not that she knew him at all but she at least knew he wasn't dangerous. These men looked dangerous. "I'd rather go with you."

He sighed and looked over, meeting her eyes. "You sure?"

She nodded.

"Just follow my lead then. You're like a lamb walkin' right into the lions den."

"What does that mean?" She asked, a little breathless as her heart sped up.

The corner of his mouth pulled up slightly. "Nothin'. Come on."

She got out of the car just as he did but he didn't make a move towards the open back doors until she was next to him. There was loud music and laughter pouring out into the parking lot and she flinched when she heard someone whistle and then call out behind them. The next thing she knew he was leading her through the doors and into even more chaos.

"Dixon! How bout we make a trade, you son of a bitch!"

Carol's head shot up, her eyes seeking out the louder voice that had called out. It was a man that looked to be around the same age as Daryl with his arm around a blonde woman who looked to be around Carol's age. She was obviously drunk or on something else because the man was pretty much holding her upright.

"Not a chance, Dave. You can keep yours. I ain't gotta dope mine up first."

Carol realized then that the man had been talking about her. She stepped further into Daryl's space. "Is he talking about me?" She asked, unable to keep the panic from her voice.

"I told you," he muttered, leaning closer so she could hear him over the music.

"Come on Dixon! You can share. Introduce me to this lady here!"

Carol looked up and the man, Dave, was standing in front of them, grinning down at her. She was surprised when she felt Daryl's hand grip hers. When she looked at him his face was hard.

"Back the fuck up, asshole."

The guy put his hands up and backed away. "Right on, Dixon. Just not used to you bringing your own piece with you. It's cool."

Daryl pulled her through the throngs of people. Now that he had a hold of her hand there was no more cat calling and no more advances. She was surprised to see most of the men make a clear path for them as they headed towards the back. He led her through a door that was down a narrow hallway and then they were finally in an empty room where silence prevailed. He dropped her hand as soon as the door was closed behind them. There were car and bike parts everywhere and it smelled heavily of oil and gasoline, sweat and saw dust. The smell had her head spinning. This room was all man.

"You wishin' you woulda stayed in the car now? They can get pretty rowdy around here. That Dave is a pain in the ass. I don't even know why the hell he hangs around."

"What is this place?" Carol asked as he walked up to a work bench and grabbed something.

"This is a party. Invitation only kinda get together. Not somethin' you want anything to do with. I got it," he held up the battery.

She narrowed her eyes at him and glanced back towards the door they had just came through. "Why wouldn't I want anything to do with it?"

He studied her curiously. "You tellin' me you like havin' men lookin' at you like that? Just a piece of meat. A conquest? Come on. Can't say that I know you, but I know enough to know that this ain't your scene, lady."

She thought about it for a second. Did she like having men look at her like that? She certainly wasn't used to it and she knew for a fact that she would never take them up on any of their offers but in truth, she did enjoy it in a strange way. To feel like she was someone that could be lusted after, even if it was just a bunch of drunken bikers. She used to feel attractive, back when she had first gotten married. She hadn't felt that way in a long time though. And soon, Ed would be back and her life would go back to the way it had been for nearly half her life. She wouldn't be anyone special. She'd just be Ed's house keeper and cook. Right now, in this place, she could be anyone she wanted to be. She didn't have to be anything at all. "Can we stay for just a little while?"

His eyebrows shot up and he sat the battery back down. "Why?"

She shrugged. "Because I have the option of staying if I want. I never have that option. I'm bored and if you wouldn't mind staying for while then I would like to stay." He didn't answer right away and she suddenly felt like an idiot. "I'm sorry. Of course you don't want to stay here with me. It was stupid to ask." She laughed nervously. "Let's go ahead and go. I don't have any business in this place."

He tilted his head, not saying a word but watching her closely. Finally he reached into the inside pocket of the leather vest and pulled out a phone. He kept his eyes on hers as he put the phone to his ear. "You home?" He asked by way of greeting. He rolled his eyes as the person on the other end said something. "Well, Sophia can stay if she wants. Tell her that her mom's on her way home. I'm stayin' here at the shop."

Carol bit her lip and waited for him to hang up.

When he did finally pocket the phone he put his hands on his hips. "You sure bout this?"

She nodded and was surprised when he took her hand again. He led her back down the hall and through the crowd to a bar that ran the length of one wall. He held up two fingers and suddenly there were two shot glasses placed in front of him. He slid one over to her. She stared at it. How long had it been since she had drank anything other than the occasional glass of wine? "If I have to drive home maybe I shouldn't drink," she said, her heart beating hard in her chest.

He laughed at that, his stoic face transforming before her eyes, causing her breath to hitch. "You ain't goin' home."

She swallowed. "What?"

He pointed to the ceiling. "You wanna experience the real deal then that's what I'm gonna give you. You wanna stay then you're gonna stay. You ain't goin' home. You sure you wanna stay now?" There was a challenge in his voice. She realized then that he didn't truly believe that she would.

She wasn't exactly sure what staying meant. Did he mean that if she wanted to stay that she would have to sleep with him? Surely that wasn't what he meant. She didn't even know him! She was married. Her marriage had never been a great one but she had never considered cheating on Ed. "Do I have to have sex with you if we stay?" She asked, deciding that she could be just as bold as he was, even though her face was on fire.

His eyes widened and some of that bravado faded. "What? No! That ain't what I meant. I'm just sayin', if I get drunk I ain't leavin'. I gotta room upstairs. Jesus, lady!"

"Well then, let's do this," she said quickly, grabbing up the shot and downing it. He followed suit, suddenly looking like he needed the shot just as badly as she did.

~H~

"You wanna beer?" Piper asked.

Sophia glanced at her, her eyes wide. "What?"

"Beer. Do you want a beer? The guys will be here in an hour, figured you'd wanna loosen up a bit."

"I've never drank beer," Sophia said, raising from the couch and following Piper to the kitchen. The house was nothing like she had expected. It was large and sprawling with big open rooms, much nicer than the house her parents had just bought. "And won't your dad get mad if you have boys come over?"

Piper shrugged. "Beer ain't so bad. Taste like piss but it's better than nothing. And no. You just gotta know my dad. He's in bed anyway and he's probably stoned so he isn't gonna wake up no matter what we do."

"Your dad is on drugs?"

Piper shook her head. "Not anything hard since I was born. He just smokes weed."

"What guys are we talking about? The guys you hang out with at school?" Sophia was getting more and more nervous. Maybe she shouldn't have been so eager to stay here.

"Yeah. Soon as I told Damon you'd be here he was ready to come over right away. He likes you."

Sophia felt her eyes bug out. "Likes me?"

"Yeah," Piper grinned. "As in, he wants to shove his tongue in your mouth and possibly cop a feel while he's at it kind of like."

"Oh God," Sophia groaned. This was horrible. Not that she didn't think Damon was cute. He was great. He was nice and he was good looking and he was tall and he was...

"Oh man. You've never even kissed a dude, have you?" Piper asked, cracking open a beer and taking a huge drink.

Sophia didn't want to look stupid in front of the only person that had been nice to her since moving, but she couldn't act like she was something that she wasn't. She shook her head.

"My God, where did you live before you moved here?" Piper asked. She looked more curious than anything. She wasn't openly making fun of her though. She simply looked like she wanted to know more about her.

"Atlanta. I didn't really get out much though. My dad's kind of strict."

"He must not be too strict. Daryl is full of shit. In about an hour he's gonna have your mom up in that room of his. She ain't home. She's with him."

Sophia gaped at her. "You have no idea. My mom would never do anything like. And besides, my dad's out of town so if she did stay out all night, which she wouldn't, he wouldn't ever know about it."

"Do you have a home phone?" Piper asked.

Sophia nodded.

"Call it. I bet she's not there. I'm not trying to be the bearer of bad news or anything but I'm telling you, she's not home. And this is big cause Daryl don't take chicks to his room up there. He usually bangs them in the parking lot."

Sophia let that information sink in for a moment. She thought about all the times she heard Ed put her mother down. She thought about all the times that he put his hands on her. She thought about how sad her mom looked when she thought no one was looking. She felt a slow smile creep over her face as she met Piper's eyes. "Good."

Piper quirked a brow. "Good that my uncle is probably gonna be banging your mom tonight?" She offered Sophia the other beer.

Sophia took it, making a face at Piper's choice of words. "Not exactly, but it'll be good for her to have some fun. She never does. My dad treats her like crap. As long as your uncle doesn't try to hurt her..."

Piper chuckled. "No chance of that. She might not be able to walk right tomorrow, but not because he hurt her."

Sophia grimaced and took a drink of the beer. "That's disgusting."

Piper grinned. "What? The beer or your mom not walking right after Daryl is finished with her."

"Both."