Ever the Survivor

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It had been three weeks since Kat returned to DC, and two since her and Leon had gotten back from their week long excursion in Iceland. For months they had been trying to find information on any new threats and try to capture or take out as many Umbrella or Tricell operatives as they could. Leon and Kat had both returned to their rendezvous point beaten, bloody and bruised. But with a plethora of new evidence they had saved on a small removable hard drive when they hacked onto one of the computers in the lab they were sent to. What they had found was both useful and frightening.

Blueprints for missiles that were filled with a toxic gas, that would have a 5 mile blast radius on impact. And they wanted to release several at a time from their labs all over the world. Aiming them at various populated cities around the globe. But of course not just that area would be in danger. Sure, everyone inside the impact zone that breathed in the toxic gas would get infected, but the virus would spread like wildfire once the victims had changed. Biting and tearing into people that were once like them, and in turn, spreading it even farther. Creating an endless cycle that they, again, would have to put an end to. They had done it before in Raccoon City, Spain, Africa, Russia and Greece.

But the data logs they had saved on the hard drive said that the tests for the missiles had failed. That the virus wouldn't adapt once they had put it in gas form, rendering it useless. Which put them out of immediate danger, but the fact that they were planning something that big was unsettling. How did they plan on keeping it under control had they gone through with it?

The DSO took the information on the locations of a few other facilities they were using. The people working at this particular place were smart enough not to list every one of their sister locations across the world, but they weren't smart enough to not list any. They logged the locations, some that had already been destroyed by the DSO or BSAA, and new ones they hadn't come across yet.

Kat's twin brother, Scotty, would lead a team of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance, otherwise known as the BSAA, into one of the new locations. While other agents continued going through all the data Kat and Leon had brought back. In hopes of finding something more that would shed light on any upcoming attacks or anymore weapons they were testing, or heaven forbid, information on a new virus. Because everyone knew, just because this lab's tests had failed, didn't mean they were going to give up. Kat firmly believed there would never be a day when the world didn't need the DSO or BSAA anymore.

“So how is your ankle feeling this week? Any better?” Sam asked his sister over the phone.

“Oh yeah, much. It will be all good to do some hunting with you guys next week.” Kat said into her cell phone. Kat had told them she had sprained her ankle really bad when her and Leon had went hiking a week and a half ago. When what had really happened, was they had to make a jump from the top of an idle elevator to one that was several feet below them on the way to their rendevous point. And the normally graceful, Kat, had landed on her foot wrong. Forcing Leon to half carry her back since she couldn't put any weight on it. They'd narrowly escaped a fire fight after that, though not without Leon being grazed by a bullet to the arm. So there they had arrived, Kat's arm slung over Leon's shoulders and his arm around her waist while she carried the hard drive. And the agents at the rendezvous point sent to pick them up, had the gall to ask why they were late.

Kat talked to the rest of the family for the next hour. She had plans on returning to Ellijay, Georgia in a few days, but this time for an extended stay. She planned on being there for two weeks to spend time with her family. Phil and Kay's anniversary was falling during the second week she was there and they planned on taking a little camping getaway to the Cloudland Canyon State Park, which was 2 hours away in Rising Fawn, Georgia. They would stay there during Kat's second week and return when she left. Phil had planned on leaving her and Dylan in charge of the boys and to help run the shop during they week they were gone. The DSO had let her and Leon both take a leave of absence which gave her the opportunity for a nice long trip back “home”.

Since she was going to have to take her gear with her on her trip, the DSO arranged a flight for her straight from DC to a private airport, for governmental use only just outside of Blue Ridge. Which was much closer to Ellijay and would save her from having to flash her ID to get through all the security checkpoints at an airport. Her time in the air would be much shorter as well. She was bringing her gear and weapons because the day she was to leave her trip, Leon would be flown in to Blue Ridge and they would both fly to Cuba. Where they would team up with the BSAA, to go to what they had discovered to be, was a huge underground lab run by a group calling themselves, Neo-Umbrella. This new group was thought to be the mastermind behind the gaseous missile plans and whatever else they were working on.

But Kat would worry about that when the time came. Right now, she was laying back in the big tub in her apartment, enjoying the hot, bubbly water that she was resting in. She had a glass of wine in one hand, and her favorite book in the other. Walden, by Henry David Thoreau. She couldn't count how many times she had read that book since she was little, but she loved it every time. She was interrupted by her cell phone buzzing on the edge of the tub. She looked down at her tattooed thigh, to see her quote from the book and a lovely nature scene before putting the book down and grabbing her phone. She had a text from Audrey.

'You'll never guess who is at Jake's.' was all it said.

'the easter bunny?' Kat replied. A few minutes passed before her phone buzzed again. This time saying she had a multi-media message. She opened it up to see a picture of Daryl. He was sitting on a bar stool a few seats from where Audrey must have been sitting. Looking straight ahead talking to the bar tender.

'Wow, you creeper.' Kat replied with a smile. As she waited for her to reply, she went back to the picture again. It was just of his profile, but she admired it for awhile. He was a good looking man. Maybe a little shy, but she could tell he had a tough side. There was something about his eyes that she couldn't get out of her head. Like they had a story to tell.

'He asked about you.' Audrey's text said.

Kat smirked a little. 'Oh yeah, what'd he want?'

'To see if I knew when you'd be back in town. He looked slightly pleased when I said next week :)'

'Slightly, pshh. You think it'd be more than that after a month.'

'Well in his defense, it did look like he was trying to fight himself from breaking into a full on smile?' Audrey said. That, turned Kat's smirk into a full on smile.

'Hmm. Well I trust that you told him we would be at Double Shots on Friday night then.'

'Duh :P'

Kat smiled and set her phone back down. Going back to her book for awhile before she got out of the tub and went to bed.

She enjoyed the rest of her relaxing week, packing here and there, before Monday morning came.
Leon was at the private airport in Washington, helping Kat load her guns and gear. He said he would meet her at Blue Ridge in two weeks, and they parted ways. Leon was needed back at the DSO headquarters to be briefed more on the lab in Cuba. The BSAA had been scoping the place out for a week and was giving them daily updates. Leon told Kat he would send her information he got, even though she would receive a full filed report when they met at Blue Ridge again. “Good reading material for the plane ride” is what Leon had called it on one of their missions together.

Kat texted Dylan to let him know she would call him when she landed. He was coming to pick her up since the private landing strip in Blue Ridge was much closer to Ellijay than Dalton. Besides, Dylan had a little more of an idea about her job than that she just helped out with security, since he had seen her more 'special weapons' once. So she felt more comfortable with him helping her with her equipment than anyone else. Jase or Phil would've asked a lot of questions about the heavier bags.

“Man, am I glad you're going to be working with me next week. They've had me running around like a chicken with its head cut off, like I'm the only one working there.” Dylan said as the two got into Kay's car at the airport.

“They're just trying to get everything done since Phil won't be there at all next week. We'll be fine.” Kat said as she put her seat belt on.

“Yeah. Things won't be any different I guess. You've been bossing me around our whole lives anyway, it'll be just like old times.” Dylan teased his older sister with a smile.

“Shut up, I have not.” Kat smiled as she playfully slapped Dylan's arm.

They talked on the short way back to Ellijay. Dylan had only asked why she had to bring her stuff with her this time. All she had told him was that her and Leon had something to do right when she left, so they were meeting back at Blue Ridge. He didn't ask anything else. He knew she wouldn't be allowed to say. Kat was loyal. That was something he always admired about his sister, she would always have your back. The ride back to the Robertson's property only took a little under half an hour. She made a mental note that she would try to ask her superiors if she could use this method of transportation back and forth more often.

“It's so weird you being here on a Monday. Usually you're gone by then.” Dylan laughed as he parked in front of her house next to her car.

“It's weird I'm here for more than 5 days, what are you talking about,” Kat said with a smile, getting out of the car. They both grabbed her bags and made their way inside. Putting everything down inside her bedroom, she would sort through everything later.

“So uncle Phil said you could just settle in and visit today, but tomorrow he wants you to go with me to the store. Help me stock some stuff, go through invoices, just get the feel of things. You'll mostly just be in the back helping Dianna with the paper work and shipping orders next week, but I might need your help every now and then. So he just wants you to know what goes on.”

“Yeah, that's no problem.” Kat said as she threw the last bag full of clothes on her bed.

She'd went to the local grocery store with Dylan to stock up on a little bit of food for her house when they were done, before heading over to the Robertson's. The boys were home from school by then and were excited to see their sister. Miss Kay was hoping Kat would scold her younger brother Sam, for being put in detention that day. But simply gave him a “good for you” when she asked what for. An older boy, Mike, was bullying him and when Sam just ignored him, Mike got annoyed. Getting frustrated that the boy wasn't getting upset. 'Don't give them any satisfaction' Kat had always told her younger brothers. So Mike pushed Sam against his locker in the hallway and got in his face. Sam had pushed him off and punched him. Needless to say, Mike wouldn't so much as look at him after that. Every one of the Carsen's could throw a good punch, Kat included. Kay just shook her head at her niece while the girl ruffled her younger brother's hair.

“Need any help Kay?” Kat called over her shoulder to her Aunt, who sounded like she was struggling in the kitchen.

“Yes dear, would you come get this roast out of the oven, it should be done by now.” Kay said as she was trying to reach for a pot that was in one of the higher cupboards. She let out a frustrated sigh as she turned and looked at her niece who just got into the kitchen.

“Don't look at me, I'm shorter than you.” Kat laughed. Dylan hearing the exchange, got up to help the women.

The next few hours passed quickly. Like they always did when Kat was with the ones she loved most. Jase and his wife had come over to see her and have supper with them before she went back to her house that night.

“Be here at 11 tomorrow morning. We'll go get lunch then go to the store.” Dylan had said as he gave her a hug before she walked outside. She gave him a kiss on the cheek with an “okay” before she got in her car.

After she had taken a bath and got dressed for bed, she grabbed her laptop. Bringing up her DSO email, she opened the file Leon had sent her. It didn't contain much information even though the BSAA had been there for a week, watching. Most of the staff must've stayed inside the building. The lab was an underground facility. So they only saw a few people topside, entering and leaving. They wouldn't know much until they got inside, as Kat suspected. She closed her computer, putting it back in her bag and grabbed her phone. She decided to call Leon and talk for awhile before she went to sleep, to see if they had said anything else in the briefing that wasn't in the file.

The next day at the shop was a lot more work than she remembered it being a few years ago when she had to help out. The company had grown a lot since then. It was 3pm and she was going through a box with Dylan in one of the isles near the front of the store, restocking camping gear. She was reaching above her putting a rolled up sleeping bag on the shelf and looking back down at the clipboard in her hands when a voice interrupted her.

“Don't I know you?” A voice came a few feet to her right.

She turned and saw a confused looking, but smiling Daryl. He had a box of pistol ammo and boots in his hands. “Hey, what are you doing here?” She smiled at him.

“I should ask you the same thing. Thought you didn't live here, you look like you're workin.”

“Well I'm here for a little while this time. My uncle wants me to help out since him and Kay will be gone next week so,” Kat started but Daryl cut her off.

“Wait, old man Robertson's your uncle?” He asked, a look of surprise on his face.

“Yeah, that's who the boys live with. That's why I come here to visit more.”

“No shit.” Daryl said. She didn't look or sound like a country girl. Far from it.

“Daryl!" Kat heard another familiar voice yell. "We gotta go. Boss-man wants that wall done by the end of the day." Merle said, she couldn't see him, but his voice carries.

Daryl looked to his left, where Merle must've been, over by the cash registers and door.

"Guess I'll see ya this weekend." Daryl said with a quick smile. Kat returned it with one of her own and a nod before he walked off.

Kat could hear the brothers as Daryl got closer.

"What the hell was takin you so long?" Merle asked. She could hear Daryl mumble something but couldn't make it out. Kat just smiled, going back to her task.

The next day had passed quickly. They all looked forward to dinner though. It was what was dubbed at the Robertson's “Wacky Wednesday”. They had all kinds of Mexican food for supper and most of the Robertson clan came over. Kat went to the back game room with all the boys who wanted to play video games, as they were talking about their hunting trip they were going on with her the next day on the Robertson land. They wanted to get some squirrels, pheasants and ducks for Kay to cook that night. Which would hopefully keep the boys fed through the weekend, since Kay wouldn't be there to cook. Her and Phil were leaving on Friday night before her and Dylan went out with Audrey and Sarah.

“Hey Kat, be on my team, you're a good shot.” Sam had said to his older sister, handing her an Xbox controller. Yes I am, she thought and took it with a smile.

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It was late Thursday afternoon, the light had turned green a few seconds earlier, but Daryl was too focused on the sight he was seeing to his left. Kat had on a thin, black long sleeved shirt, camouflage cargo pants and Dylan's Remington 597 .22LR slung across her back in the parking lot of Robertson's Sporting Goods. They had parked in the back of the parking lot away from the other cars. Her and the 4 boys had been in the woods all morning, and it showed in the back of Jase's truck. Which he loaned them for the day, because he doubted Dylan wanted to explain bloody animals in the trunk of Kay's nice car.

Dylan had run into the store because they needed to stock up on some more LR rounds since they had all used some today. Phil didn't like being short on anything.

“Green means go, boy, what the hell you lookin at?” Merle yelled. They had just got done with work for the day and Daryl needed to run to the store again for a new sheath for his hunting knife. He could've got a cheap one at the little store in Barksdale but he was hoping she would be here. But he didn't expect to see what he did, she looked kinda hot in hunting gear and a gun across her back. He pulled into a parking space next to her, with one space between them. She was hopping up to sit on the back hatch of the truck which was down. Sam, Kaleb and Blake were all in the back of the truck, sitting around the various animals. Sam kept switching the safety from his Long Rifle on and off, Kaleb was wiping off one of the hunting knives Dylan and Kat had used to field dress the birds. And Blake was playing with a dead squirrel. Which Daryl could hear her telling him to put it down as he got out of his truck.

“Hey there.” Kat smiled to him as she looked over.

“Looks like you guys have been busy today.” Daryl said walking up to Jase's truck with his hands in his pockets. Merle was making his way around Daryl's blue and white 1979 Ford F150.

“Yeah, I promised my brothers I'd go with them when I came back this time. We've been out all morning. Boys, this is Daryl and Merle. Guys, this is Sam, Blake and Kaleb.” Kat said as she pointed to each of her brothers. All who either said hi or waved.

“Well shit, Red. Didn't take you as the huntin type.” Merle was leaning against the back of Daryl's truck. He didn't bother coming any closer. He just wanted to go home.

“This is Phil Robertson's niece. Course she hunts.” Daryl looked back at his brother quickly. He looked as surprised as Daryl was when he first found out.

Kat raised her eyebrows and shrugged, hiking one of her legs up on the back hatch and resting her elbow on her knee. “So what are you here for today?”

“New sheath for my blade.” Daryl said and patted his right front jeans pocket. Where Kat could see a leather sheath that looked like it was barely holding itself together.

“Oh shit, yeah. Come on.” Kat said hopping down and walking past the younger Dixon, who quickly turned and followed her. Merle just shook his head at his younger brother. Damn boy already following her around like a puppy and she ain't even gave him none yet.

They made their way towards the back where they had the different knives in cases and helped him pick out a new sheath that hugged his Busse TG very nicely. It was a fine blade but Kat preferred her Gerber Silver Trident. It was her best friend when they were out hunting. It wasn't in the sheath she had on her left hip at the moment though, Kaleb was cleaning it in the back of the truck. They ran into Dylan on their way back out so they all walked out together.

“So are you gonna be at Double Shots tomorrow night?” Kat asked Daryl as they walked to his truck.
“Planned on it. Probably be there round 9.” Daryl said looking down at her, messing with his new sheath.

“Well I'll see you there then. I better get these guys home so we can skin and finish cleaning all the shit in the back.” Kat said. That shouldn't have turned him on, but it did for some reason. He didn't even know why. He guessed it was just the thought of her not being afraid to get a little blood or guts on her, and knowing how to handle a knife, made something click in him. He looked away from her face.

Get in the car. NOW. His mind was screaming at him. Merle slamming his truck's door took him out of his mindset. Merle hadn't even wanted to ride with him to the store, but Daryl didn't want to drive across town to Barksdale to drop him off, then come back when they were going right past the store.

“Yeah, I'll see you then.” Daryl said. Kat leaned around him to wave at Merle, who flashed a quick smile and waved back, before she got into the passenger's side of the truck she was in.
“What?” Daryl said to his brother when he got in the truck, seeing the look his older brother was giving him. Merle just smirked and shook his head. The two trucks went separate ways, honking once at each other as they pulled out of the parking lot.

They had sat outside over at the picnic table at Phil and Kay's house to finish getting all of the small game ready for Kay. Kat had got each of the boys hunting knives Phil had in the garage and put them to work cleaning the animals. Once they were done they each had something in their hands to bring in to their Aunt. As soon as they were walking through the door, Kat's phone started to ring. She handed a duck to Dylan and wiped her free hand on her pants before she grabbed her phone and clicked the Answer button.

“Hey Leon,” Kat said as she answered the phone. He had just wanted to know how hunting had gone since she mentioned it to him the day before. He hadn't got any new information on the lab, so she didn't ask. After a few minutes she caught Kay out of the corner of her eye mouthing 'Let me talk to him when you're done.' She walked over to her with the phone. Leon had lost his parents several years beforehand and was basically alone. So Kay took it upon herself to always ask Kat how Leon was doing and always sent her back with food to bring her handsome partner.

“Oh hello honey, how are you?” Kay said as soon as Kat gave her the phone. She smiled and took the skinned squirrel she had in her other hand and put it on the counter with the rest before walking to the kitchen sink.

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Daryl had been practically buzzing all day. He wanted the day to be over as soon as possible so he could see her that night. He didn't know what it was about that girl that made him act like this. He almost felt like he was in highschool again with his first crush. He'd told Merle he just wanted to get the work done and go home, but Merle knew. The boy had been acting weird since he met that girl. They had a lot of work for a Friday, so they got done a little later than usual. But they all parted ways and started to their homes at about 7. Daryl went home to his small one bedroom house in Barksdale to have something for dinner and take a shower.

Kat was saying goodbye to Kay and Phil, who were passing out hugs and I love you's to each of the boys and herself. Blake was saying he wasn't feeling well, but Kat figured it was just because he didn't want his Aunt, who was basically his mother, to leave for over a week. Even if he was going to be with his big sister. Kay told him they'd be back before he knew it and to go lay down. Kat had helped them with their bags out to Phil's truck and said goodbye one last time before she watched them drive away. She went back into the house to see Dylan and her two younger brothers in the living room watching TV. It was 8pm by now so Kat and Dylan were getting around to leave. Sam would be in charge for awhile while the two oldest Carsen's were gone. He'd been left alone with the boys before for a few hours so they weren't worried. He was old enough. He knew to lock the door and knew both Kat and Dylan weren't that far away if he needed to call them. He also knew how to use a gun and was a good little shot if something happened.

Audrey, Sarah, Dylan and Kat had been sitting at a booth, just sipping on beers and listening to the band that was playing when Kat's phone started to ring. She saw it was Kay's house phone, so she answered it.

“Hello?” Kat said. She heard mumbling on the other end, and could vaguely make out Sam's voice. “Sam, hold on, I can't hear you over the band.” She said as she pushed on Dylan's shoulder so he would get up and let her out of her seat. She made her way to the front door and walked outside.
“Okay, what's up?” She said as she leaned against the building, outside.

“Blake wants you to come home. He's puking.” Sam said, sounding kind of bored.

“Oh, shit. Alright, well give him some Tums, they're up in the cupboard above Kay's bathroom sink, and me and Dylan will be there in a little bit, okay?”

“Alright.” Sam said as they hung up.

As much as Kat wanted to see Daryl again, her little brother was more important. She went back inside to let Dylan know what was going on. He was fine with leaving, the band sucked. She told Audrey they would be back tomorrow night and said bye to the girls. Before Kat left, she went up to the bartender and ordered a Budweiser. She wrote something down on a napkin and told her who to give it to when he came up to the bar.

Only 20 minutes had gone by since Kat and her brother had walked out, when Daryl walked in. He looked around, spotting her two friends sitting in a booth across from each other, but didn't see Kat anywhere. He walked up to the barstools and sat down in one, flagging the bartender down. He was getting ready to order when the man pushed a Budweiser to him, with a napkin underneath. Daryl nodded a thank you to the man and picked up the napkin. It had neat handwriting on it.

Sorry I missed you. Little brother got sick. I'll be here tomorrow night.
xo
Kat

She'd wrote a number that must've been her cell phone, above the words. And signed it with a lipstick kiss. Daryl took his cell phone of out of the pocket, replacing it with the napkin and saved the number in his phone. He thought about calling her, but decided to text instead, after he finished his beer. He'd come alone tonight, so he would finish it and just go back home.
Kat was in the bathroom with her little brother, wetting a small hand towel to put on the back of his neck while he was laying his head down on the toilet seat. She'd taken his temperature and he wasn't running a fever, so she thought it was just something he had ate.

She felt her phone buzz so she took it out of her pocket, seeing a number she didn't recognize. She smiled a bit, hoping it was Daryl's.

'How's the kid?' It read. She replied before saving his number in her phone.

'He'll be okay. Just ate something that didn't agree with him.'

'Probably one of them squirrels you gave him. Your fault.'

'Shut up, no one else got sick haha. It was probably the dead one he was playing with. Bad karma.'

She waited for a text back but her phone started ringing instead. She was kind of surprised, she didn't expect him to call. But he wanted to hear her voice.

“This is just faster.” He had said. They talked for a little longer, Blake still retching every now and then.

“There's not even anything coming up anymore. Poor thing is just still getting sick though.” She said into the phone, rubbing her little brother's back.

“You got any Apple Cider Vinegar there?” Daryl asked her.

“Um. I'm sure Kay does somewhere. Let me go check.” Kat said as she got up and made her way to the kitchen. Daryl could hear her opening and shutting cupboards, moving things around.

“No, I dont think.....Oh, wait, here's some.” Kat said. Daryl frowned a little. He wanted an excuse to just bring her some.

“Take about a tablespoon of it and put it in warm water. Let him drink that for awhile. It'll calm his stomach down. Put honey in it if he don't like the taste.”

“Never tried that before. He hates peppermint and that was the only thing I could think of to calm his stomach down. I'll try this then.” Kat said. They talked a few more minutes while Kat made Blake his water. Daryl said he would let her go so she could take care of her baby brother. They exchanged goodbyes and said they would see eachother the next night.

Blake was sipping his water with Kat on the couch. It had been almost two hours, and just like Daryl had said, the water had calmed his stomach down. He hadn't gotten sick again after he started drinking it. Kat pulled her phone out and decided to text Daryl.

'Your food poison remedy worked great. Thanks :)' She sent the message. After a few minutes she got a reply. He had said he was glad to help.

'Good night.' Her text read. He smiled and replied.

'Night Kat.' He laid back down in his bed. He put his hands behind his head and stared at his bedroom ceiling. He was going to ask her if she wanted to go get coffee with him when he saw her tomorrow night. Girls like her like coffee right?

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Kat's phone went off with a text from Leon before her and Dylan were getting ready to leave for Double Shots the next night.

'Check your email.' Is what it said.

She told Dylan to wait for her in her living room, she had to do something real quick. She went back to her bedroom and pulled her laptop out, opening her DSO email. The file Leon had sent her said that the BSAA agents on lookout had seen a larger group of people arrive at the lab in Cuba, bigger than they'd seen the last two weeks. They had pictures of them going into the small building that led to the underground facility. Kat could see at least 11 people filing into the small building, when the BSAA had previously only see 4 or 5. Leon sent her another text before she closed her laptop.
'They might be flying me in early. They're deciding whether or not they want us to leave and meet Scotty there earlier.' Kat sighed and replied.

'I need to get drunk.'

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Daryl could hear music before they walked in. Cherry Pie by Warrant was playing from the Jukebox.
“Woowee! Would ya lookie here!” Merle said looking at the bar with a big grin on his face. Daryl looked around his brother, seeing Kat. She had on black leggings and a long, loose fitting dark gray tank top that came a couple inches past her ass. It had a big faded white + across the front with a big dark red rose on top of it with what looked like faded blood or paint dripping down it. But that wasn't why he was looking at her, not entirely. She and her friend Audrey were up on the bar dancing with eachother, holding her plain black heels in her hands. All the men around were staring up at them, whistling and smiling.

He wanted to go up and talk to her, but really didn't want to interrupt the show. He flicked his tongue out over his bottom lip. The way she was moving her hips was taking his mind to awful places. He leaned against the wall behind him, putting his hands in his pockets. The girls continued to dance until the song ended. Kat turned around, grabbing the thin wooden column that went from the bar top to the ceiling at the corner of the bar. She glanced toward the door quickly and noticed the men standing there. And quickly noticed a certain man with a black and grey button down flannel on and a smirk on his face.

“Daryl!” Kat yelled with a big smile on her face the moment she saw him.

Yeah. Hearing her yell his name really wasn't helping his thoughts either. But he walked past Merle, who looked a little dumbfounded, and started towards her.

“Come on girls, get down, this isn't a strip club. Pull your dress up.” He heard Sarah say who was laughing and holding out her hands to help Audrey down.

“Was wonderin where you'd be when I got here. Didn't see this comin though.” He said as he got closer.

“Help me down.” She said as she smiled.

Daryl stepped up closer to the bar. Kat sat her heels down on the bar top and bent down to put her hands on his shoulders, he instinctively brought his hands up to her waist. She in turn put most of her weight onto her hands while he lifted her down from the bar and set her on the ground again.

“Thanks,” She smiled and looked up as him before turning around and grabbing her heels. She took a seat in one of the bar stools and put them back on.

“Don't weigh nothing.” Daryl said as he sat down next to her. She felt light as a feather.

“Don't let that fool ya. She's 108 pounds of mean when she needs to be. Which is more often than not.” Dylan said coming up and sitting on the other side of Kat.

“Is not.” Kat smiled and hit her brother's arm. Daryl smiled at the interaction between the two. He could tell they had a close relationship with each other.

They had a few more drinks together, except for Dylan. He was going to drive home that night, so he stopped awhile ago. Kat was already pretty drunk by then. She was laying her head down on her arm and looking at Daryl while they talked. She sat up as she heard Audrey laughing at something Dylan had said. Audrey tried to get up and stumbled a little, grabbing onto Dylan's arm, giving him her best set of bedroom eyes.

“Come on, Dylan, let's go dance.” She said as she licked her lips. Kat knew Dylan thought Audrey was hot. And Audrey thought the same of her friends younger brother.

Dylan raised his eyebrows and started to get up. Audrey was leading him to the dance floor and passed by Kat, who grabbed her arm.

“Audy, please please, do not fuck my little brother.” Kat said to her friend with her eyes closed.

Audrey laughed, “We're just dancing, lighten up.” She winked at her and led her brother away.
“Oh god.” Kat said shaking her head and laid back down.

“Ya alright?” Daryl said, smiling down at her and picking up his beer.

“Yeah I'm fine,” Kat said as she sat back up. “I just don't really want that to happen.” She pointed to Audrey who was grinding on her brother. She picked up her empty glass and shook it at the bar tender, who started making her another Sex on the Beach.

They sat there in silence for a few minutes before Daryl finished off his beer and looked at her.

“So...I was thinkin...” He said, messing with the label on the empty beer bottle in front of him.

“Yeah, what about?” Kat smiled at him. She could tell he was nervous. He looked back down at his beer bottle.

“Well....Maybe,” Daryl started but was interrupted by yelling at the back, causing the two of them to look in the direction of the noise. A fight had broken out and a couple bouncers were trying to break it up. And guess who'd started it.

“Damn it, Merle!” Daryl yelled as he got up. Kat got up and followed him.

“I got him, I got him.” Daryl said to one of the men. He grabbed his older brother's arm and started yanking him to the door. “What the hell are you doin?”

“Guy's a fuckin pussy!” Merle yelled in the direction of the other guy. He was obviously very drunk. Daryl could hardly keep him standing straight.

“Damn it, ya big ape. Come on. Before you get in more trouble.” Daryl said leading him to the door, with Kat behind him. Merle just had to ruin everything.

He looked back at her as he reached the door. She smiled up at him. He had a strange look on his face, she could tell he didn't want to leave, but he had to take care of his brother.

“Go on, I'll talk to you later.” Kat said with a smile.

Daryl nodded his head, and she came forward, placing a quick kiss on his cheek. He turned red as soon as she pulled back, he hoped she didn't notice, but she did. She waved and said bye to the brothers as she made her way back to her seat.

Daryl dragged his brother to his truck and got him in the passenger seat before he started driving him home. He couldn't stop thinking about what just happened. He glanced over at his brother, passed out and snoring. He smiled as he turned back to the road. Resting his left arm on the door panel and bringing his hand to his cheek. He kind of wished he could still feel her lips on him. She had smelled amazing.

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"Hey beautiful, how you feeling?" Audrey's voice sounded over the phone.

"I'm promoting my liver to CEO because it's clearly worked harder than any other organ in my body this weekend." Kat rubbed her temple with her free hand. "Doesn't your head hurt? Shouldn't you be throwing up or something? You could hardly walk when me and Dylan left."

"No, I feel great. You wanna go grab some lunch?"

"Shit, lunch? What time is it?" Kat sat up straight.

"Its 12. Ya know...lunch time?"

"Fuck! I was supposed to be over at the store to help Dylan at 10 this morning. I told him to wake me up. I gotta go." Kat said, clicking the end button on her screen. Kat rushed around making herself look somewhat presentable. Luckily her makeup from the night before stayed for the most part, so she threw her hair up in a ponytail and went out to her car.

The rest of the day had went slow. And coupled with last night's shenanigans, Kat was exhausted by the time she got home. They warmed up the last of the leftovers and had dinner with each other before turning in for the night.

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Daryl was laying in bed. He hadn't talked to Kat since the night before. But he knew she was supposed to work at the Robertson's store this whole next week. He was going to be busy tomorrow, but Tuesday he knew would be a slower day. He was going to see her at the store on his lunch break and ask her if she wanted to grab something to eat with him. But that day never came.