A/N Thanks to everyone for reading, following, secretly following, the faves and the comments. I love reading your comments :) We're going to learn quite a bit about our favorite Biker this chapter, and we're going to have a bit of drama. Oh, and there's a little something I think you're going to like real well.

He was pretty damn sure he was the world's biggest dipshit. She probably wouldn't even show, probably came right to her senses by now. Why would a pretty little cream puff like her waste herself on a scuz ball like him?

But just in case she was nuts, he'd ordered the burgers and he was waiting while they got them ready and wrapped them to take.

If she didn't show he supposed at least he wouldn't go hungry.

She'd packed up things for their lunch, trying hard not to arouse suspicions at home.

She'd sneaked up in the attic the night before. Mama had an old picnic basket up there. She took the plates, the forks, the plaid Thermos bottle, the napkins, the cloth and the little food containers out. She hid everything in the bag that she used to use to carry her school books.

She hoped no one would notice. It seemed no one did.

Saturday morning she was in the kitchen right after she gathered the eggs. It was her week to give the kitchen a good cleaning, windows to floors, and no one was going to bother her while she was doing that. Heck, it wasn't like they wanted to help her.

She'd put some of the potato salad from last night's dinner in one of the little containers, and cut up watermelon in the other. She filled the Thermos with lemonade, and she wrapped the peach turnovers in wax paper. She wanted everything to be perfect. This was a special day.

Her first sort-of real date with Daryl Dixon. So cool.

But what if he didn't come? In fact, why the heck would he? Gosh, he was all manly and handsome, he probably preferred women closer to his own age. Not girls who had to sneak around just to meet a fella for a picnic.

She got herself kind of worked up with worry, but she was going to go because, well just maybe he would show up. And he had called her cream puff. Surely that meant he liked her. Maybe.

She told Mama she was going take Nellie for a ride, get her some exercise and she'd be back real soon.

She saw him up ahead, and gosh he looked swell. He had on jeans and a t-shirt, a real tight t-shirt that showed his muscles, and he was wearing those boots, and he, oh my gosh, he was just the most.

He'd just gotten to the spot with the sack of burgers when she came riding up.

He was kind of surprised and real relieved she showed. And damn if she didn't look adorable and badass all at once.

Her hair was up in that high ponytail. She had on jeans with the cuffs rolled up, a madras shirt, bobby sox and Keds.

And shit, she also had a scabbard on her saddle with a shotgun in it.

"Ya ain't gonna shoot me with that are ya?"

"Gosh no! Don't be silly. It's my Daddy. He always insists if me or Maggie go off riding alone we have to be able to protect ourselves."

He was standing by her now and he reached out a hand to help her down. "Sounds like yer Daddy's a smart man. Some crazy redneck biker might be lookin' ta chase a pretty little cream puff like you all over these woods."

He couldn't believe he'd said it, but he heard himself so he knew he did. And he knew his ears were fire red, and her little cheeks were pretty red too.

But she smiled at him.

"Golly Daryl you're really full of beans today." And she was still smiling at him.

He snickered, those weren't the exact words he'd have used.

"Yeah well I'm full a sumthin' I guess." He walked the horse over to the little bridge and tied the reign to the hand rail.

She was looking at him thinking he was full of a little bit of smart aleck and a whole bunch of dreamy.

She made a move to get the bag she'd tied behind the saddle, but he reached up and lifted it down for her. "Where ya want it?"

"I think we should sit right by the water, don't you?"

"Yeah sure."

Standing there, he found himself smiling at her, and he didn't know what the hell had gotten into him, but just like the other day he reached up and tucked that loose hair behind her ear.

When she smiled up at him all pretty and shy, it seemed he just forgot about everything else.

"Shall we sit?" That brought him back. She got a checkered cloth from the bag and he helped her spread it out.

They sat cross legged on the cloth and she kept reaching in the bag pulling stuff out. She'd said she was bringing dessert. He just figured she'd bring some cookies.

But she fixed each of them a plate with a burger, some potato salad and watermelon.

He was watching, having a little trouble believing anyone would go to all that trouble to eat a burger outside. She handed him a plate, "Looks real good. Did ya make the tater salad yerself, or did Mama make it?"

"I'll have you know I made that potato salad and I also made the dessert." And she gave him a sassy shake of that pretty little head and he felt his heart kind of seize up on itself. Shit she was a dolly, and he'd never had anyone do all this nice stuff for him.

"Damn girl, ya thought a everythin', I feel kinda bad that I just brought burgers."

"Well gee whiz Daryl, it's not like I asked you to bring anything else. And besides, I'm the one that asked you out." And damn, now her cheeks were really red.

She offered him some lemonade but he declined, "Nah, thanks anyway, I got a beer in my pack." He got up and went to the pack on the back of his bike and pulled out the can of beer.

She was watching him, kind of enjoying the rear view as much as she liked the front view.

He sat back down and she asked, "How are you going to open that can out here?"

"I always got a church key on me." He gave a little shrug of his shoulder while he pulled a key ring from his pocket. And sure enough, along with the keys there was a small can opener.

He cracked open the can and took a drink.

"Isn't it warm? I thought beer had to be cold."

"Yeah well, I got used to drinkin' warm beer when I's in Germany. It don't bother me."

"What in the world were you doing in Germany?"

"Ah, ya know, little thing called the draft. Uncle Sam sent me a love letter the day I got outta high school. Told me ta come hang with him for a couple a years, didn't give me a choice. So I done what he said, and after boot camp and training school, he sent me ta Germany."

"Wow that sounds scary, weren't you scared to go so far from home?"

"I didn't have much of a home. I's glad ta get the hell out. The Army was offerin' a regular place ta sleep an three squares a day. Most food I ever got. Plus all that, they sent me ta school. Polished up my mechanic skills and even paid me."

Every time he was around her it seemed like he talked up a damn storm. She asked a lot of questions like she wanted to know about him. No one ever wanted that. And she acted like she was interested in what he had to say. And she was so easy to talk to. And she was even easier to look at.

She was wondering, gosh he's so worldly, what was he doing with a simple farm girl?

"Is that where you learned to work on motorcycles?"

"Well I'd been workin' on any kinda engine or motor I could get my hands on for years. Fixed the motor in the fridge, got my old man's jalopy runnin' for him, more'n once. Fixed Merle's old motorcycle, also more'n once. Fixed people's lawnmowers an tractors ta make a couple bucks. I liked it.

Uncle Sam seen I's good at it. Went ta Germany an worked on staff vehicles an equipment for a couple years, then they cut me loose."

"Wowie Daryl, you must be really smart."

That made him smile, "Well shit girl, I ain't ever been accused a bein' smart. More like handy is what I am. And lucky. I's real lucky the Army put me through the formal trainin' and give me the experience. That's how I got the job at Dirty's. Now I'm his lead mechanic."

She didn't care what he said, he was smart.

"I was going to ask you about that. Why in the world would it be called Dirty's?" Could she get any fucking cuter? Nah.

"Guy that owns it, it's his name. Well his real name is Ron Russell, but he's called Dirty. It's his Biker handle."

"Do you have one of these handles?" Shit, she would ask that.

"Yeah, but I don't like it much. Probably be stuck with it the rest a my life, thanks ta Merle. He's my brother."

"Well?"

"Uh shit, it's Little Brother. Man I hate that. Let's talk about you. I'm sick a talkin' 'bout me."

"Well alright. Do you want some dessert first?"

"Sure, yeah, please. Whaddya bring?"

"Peach turnovers."

"Damn woman, yer speakin' my language." Gee whiz no one had ever called her a woman. She liked that a lot.

He ate the turnover so fast it was almost like he didn't even chew. Then he said something to her that made her little heart sing. "Yer real pretty and ya can cook." What girl didn't want to hear that?

And that was the second time he said she was pretty. Oh my it was a good thing she was sitting down.

He couldn't believe he said it out loud, twice, but shit, it was true. She was pretty and she was sweet and he just dug being around her.

They packed up the picnic and he stood, and he held a hand out to her. She took it and he helped her up. "Wanna go for a walk?"

"Yes, that would be nice." And she didn't let go of his hand. He'd never just walked around holding a woman's hand, well shit, who would want to hold his hand? She did, and it felt kind of just right. Her little hand in his.

"So did ya just graduate this spring?" He didn't know what the hell he was supposed to ask her, but that seemed like as good a place as any to start.

"Yes, I couldn't wait to graduate from high school, but then I realized that golly, I had no idea what to do with myself next. That's when I got the job at Ripley's." Was she rambling? She hoped not, but being around him, well she kind of got distracted.

"Seems like a nice enough place ta work as long as no one bothers ya. That guy ain't come back ta bother ya again has he?" He'd been worrying about that little dipshit, didn't want him around her.

"Oh no, he hasn't and I'm so relieved. It's all thanks to you, I think you scared the pants right off him." And she looked up into his face and she could see he was a little embarrassed. He had a habit of chewing on that bottom lip. She already knew that about him.

He was trying to think fast. "So what do you do in yer free time, for fun an such?"

"Well I love to ride Nellie, and I like to listen to Rockabilly and Rock & Roll music, it's so cool. My friends and I like going to the record store, all of us squeezing into the sound booth and listening. And I also like singing in the choir." Did she sound boring? Oh darn it all, probably. He looked like a fella who liked exciting adventures.

"The church choir huh? That's fun is it?" He was smiling a little, but he looked like he just didn't get it, so she tried to explain. And that's when it started.

"Well we do other things besides just sing at church on Sundays. Like tonight we're having a Sock Hop." She was pretty proud of that and she had a great big smile on her face. But he didn't seem to think it was so keen.

"So yer goin' to a dance tonight?" He didn't look too happy and he'd let go of her hand.

And she thought about that for just a minute, "Well gee, it's a fundraiser for our church. Just music and dancing and snacks, stuff like that."

Oh he got it now. That's what this had been all about. Pretty little gal wanted to prove something to herself or to some boyfriend. Win over the badass Biker, that would make boyfriend jealous, or make her think she was hot stuff. She was running a play, acting.

"So if yer goin' out dancin' with someone else, why the hell did ya ask me ta come out with ya today? Is this some kinda fake-out? Ya tryin' ta make some guy jealous? Or leadin' me on ta see if you could get me ta fall for ya? Then you was gonna drop my ass? What's the deal girl, what's yer bit?"

"No, no it's not a fake-out, not at all and there's no one I'm trying to make jealous." She reached out to touch his arm but he pulled it away like she was going to bite.

"Listen girl just cuz yer pretty an all don't mean ya got a right ta just play with a guy. I ain't one a yer slick boys, but I got feelins same as anyone."

"Daryl please," And he could see she had tears in her eyes. Well good. He'd been taking this serious and she'd been teasing, acting. "There's no other guy. I'm not going to the dance with some guy, I'm going with my Mom." And then the waterworks started.

And then he felt like an asshole. And she was so sweet, and she was so nice, and she was so pretty, and he had no fucking idea what came over him but he grabbed her and he kissed her. Hard. On the lips.

And she didn't fight that at all, she kissed back.

And then they just hugged for a while. And then they kissed some more, and then he told her, "'m real sorry, I's a dick. I ain't got a right ta act like that. You deserve a guy that's gonna be real nice to ya, treat ya special. Ya don't need my ass ruinin' yer life cream puff. Ya need ta find ya a nice guy."

"I found one."

"Shit." And he gave her a hug and he knew. He wasn't walking away until she told him to.

"I ain't sure I know what ya want from me Beth. I mean, ya sure ya wanna be seein' a old guy like me? An if ya do, how the hell we gonna make that work?"

"Yes Daryl, I'm sure I want to be seeing you. And you're not old at all. And I don't know. I hate to sneak around behind my parents' backs, but I'm going to if that's what I have to do. Because I want to be with you."

"I don't like the sneakin' around part either, don't seem right, an 'sides, I wanna just be able ta take ya out n stuff. I could try n talk ta yer Dad."

What the hell had gotten into him? He'd never even been on a date and now he was planning on sneaking around, on seeing her regular, or shit, talking to her Dad? It was nuts.

"Oh no, I don't want you talking to him, at least not yet."

xxxx

When she saw the time she knew she'd messed up again. She was supposed to be home helping Mama make snacks for the Sock Hop. Rice Krispy Treats, and brownies, and cookies.

It happened every time she was with him. She just got so wrapped up in being with him she forgot everything else. Now Mama was going to skin her alive for sure.

She rode Nellie at a gallop until she got close to the farm, then trotted her into the barn. She hurried to get the saddle off, cool the horse down, she stashed the book bag in Nellie's pile of hay, and she ran in the house.

And it was worse than she thought it was going to be, because Mama ruined her life that afternoon.

"Just what do you have to say for yourself young lady?!"

"I'm sorry Mama. I just lost track of time. It was so nice down by the river."

"Oh is that so? Well it wasn't nice here in this kitchen doing a job you had promised the rest of the choir you would do. Thank God I had your sister to help me.

And this is the third time this week you've used that excuse with me, lost track of time. Well I've got news for you. You're about to spend a lot of time thinking about time right here at home. You're on restriction until Maggie goes back to school. She'll be driving you to work in the morning, and picking you up right after. And it will be that way every day.

There will be no socializing. No record stores, no burgers out. Church and choir practice will be it. And maybe, just maybe you'll acquire a sense of time and responsibility."

"No Mama please, I promise it won't happen again, please!"

"No. My mind is made up. That's that."

She ran up to her room and threw herself on the bed. Her life was officially over. She wouldn't be able to see him at all. And now he'd see she was just a kid with her parents bossing her around.

No way was he going to want to put up with this.

She didn't want to go to the dance, not one little bit, but Mama made her clean up, get ready and go.

Mama was not happy with her, and she was not happy with Mama.

He knew he was a fuckin' weirdo. Hiding there in the trees. But he just wanted to see her all dressed up. And maybe, just maybe, he was seeing if she really was going to this dance with her Mama.

Because he still couldn't quite believe she wanted to be giving him her time.

He saw the car pull up and a woman he was sure was her Mama get out. Mama opened the passenger door and she didn't seem too sweet when she kind of yelled, "You get out of the car now young lady or the punishment is going to get a lot worse."

And he saw her get out of the sedan. She looked so cute. Pink poodle skirt, crisp white blouse, big black belt around her tiny waist, and her Bobby Sox and saddle shoes. She was a dolly.

An unhappy dolly. He could see Mama had a firm grip on her upper arm, practically dragging her into that church hall.

That must be her sister that got out of the backseat, and she wasn't looking real happy either. But just more like rolling her eyes and wishing she was somewhere else.

Once they were inside he rode off, wondering what the hell was going on.

She rushed to her room the minute she got home. She was writing in her diary. Telling it how perfect he was, what a wonderful day they'd had. And she told Dear Diary all about the kiss. Oh my gosh. She would never forget her first kiss from Daryl Dixon.

She also told the diary how unfair everything was, that she was 18, entitled to date whoever she wanted. She was a grown woman, why Daryl had even said she was a woman.

And then she wrote him a long letter telling him what had happened. Letting him know about the restriction. Telling him she understood if he didn't want to put up with such things. If he didn't want to see her anymore.

And she cried.

Maggie was in her room where she'd made up her mind. Tomorrow after church, when Beth was cleaning the horse stalls, she was going to be in Beth's room.

She knew her sister had been writing in the little diary, and she had a pretty good idea where she was keeping it hidden. She was going to find that book, and she was going to find out just who this boy was that had caused her little sister to lose her mind.

A/N What will Maggie think when she finds out who Beth is seeing? Thanks so much for reading, I would love to read your reviews/comments. xo