Best Friends to the End

It was an exciting day for Sadie. After months of waiting patiently and not throwing a fit when Daryl said no, he finally agreed to a sleepover.
Daryl hadn't seen his dad since January, he had a strong feeling he was gone for good. He had also fixed the stuck window in his room. He missed the sleepovers and with school starting on Monday he figured with him working afterward he wouldn't bee seeing Sadie as much.
Sadie was in her room getting ready. Daryl was going to pick her up after he got off work and they were going to rent some movies and get a pizza. She had opted to stay home today instead of following Daryl to work. It was her last Friday before school started and she wanted to bake by the pool so she was extra tan for Monday. She just finished packing her overnight bag when she heard Daryl's motorcycle coming up the street.
"Bye mom!" she said stopping in the kitchen to give her a kiss.
"Sadie, you two be careful! I don't like you riding around on a motorcycle. I know it's Daryl but that doesn't make the machine any safer" Mrs. Montgomery said with worry.
"Don' worry, I'd never let anythin' happen to her!" Daryl said coming in and hugging Mrs. Montgomery.
"Daryl, hunny, how are you? We don't see you around much anymore."
"Been workin' much as Gus'll let me" Daryl said grabbing an apple from the kitchen fruit bowl, "may I?"
"Help yourself" Mrs. Montgomery said, "please be careful, with both of you!"
Daryl nodded at her, with a mouth full of apple.
"Mom, Daryl would never ever let anything happen to me" Sadie assured her, pulling Daryl arm to get him to exit the kitchen.
"I love you both!" Mrs. Montgomery called as they exited the front door.

"How do ya know I won't let anythin' happen to ya?" Daryl asked playfully. He was in a great mood and feeling light hearted. Gus had just told him when they graduated, if he stuck around long enough, he'd make him a full time mechanic at the shop. He also gave him a raise and told him by next summer he wouldn't have to be a trainee anymore.
"Because you wouldn't be able to live with yourself, just like I wouldn't if something happened to you" Sadie said climbing onto the bike behind him and putting on her helmet.
"That's true" Daryl said, "I do have one question for you."
"What's that?" Sadie asked as Daryl reved the engine, make Sadie wrap her arms tightly around his waist. She was still a little scared of the bike.
"How are you going to carry a pizza with your arms so tight around me?" Daryl laughed.
Sadie yelped as he sped out of the driveway and buried her face into his back.

Once they FINALLY got back to Daryl house, after driving super slow because Sadie had to balance a pizza and try to hold on at the same time, they discovered Merle was home.
"Dammit!" Daryl exclaimed pulling up beside his truck.
"What? Merle's no bother" Sadie said handing him the pizza so she could stumble off the bike.
"I know but I was looking forward to it just being me and you" Daryl grumbled.
Sadie's heart did a small leap at his words. 'Stop it, you're being silly' she told herself.
Daryl placed the pizza on the kitchen counter while Sadie dug the movies out of her overnight bag.
They looked up as they heard a noise that sounded like high heels clinking down the hallway. Sadie raised an eyebrow at Daryl from across the kitchen. Apparently Merle had company!
Merle and a couple of laughing woman came back down the hall.
"So that's the grand tour ladies, now would ya like to stay and get ta know ol' Merle a little better?"
Sadie could see the woman from her spot in the kitchen but they had yet to notice her. One of them was the old woman from the party who had tried to hit on Daryl. The other was a younger version of the woman, Sadie assumed her sister.
"Merle you and Trish can have a time if you like, but I'd like to know when your little brother is gonna be home" the younger one said before giggling like a school girl. Sadie could tell she wasn't as old as her sister but hadn't been a school girl in some time.
"You mean that little brother over there, Roxie?" the one named Trish asked before laughing so hard she had to use Merle to stay upright.
"That's the one" Roxie said apparently trying to sexy walk over to Daryl. "How 'bout it baby, you lookin for a woman to spend a little time with? I've been wantin to spend some time with you since your party."
Sadie decided she'd had enough. Her blood was boiling and she wasn't one to stand down in any situation.
"Hey" she yelled, stepping from her blind spot and marching over to stand in front of Daryl. Who looked completely uncomfortable. "I don't know who you are but you need to back off, right now. I'm giving you one fair warning, the next time I won't be so nice."
Sadie felt Daryl arm wrap around her waist to pull her back into him. It was a gesture meant to calm her down, Daryl's way of saying 'back off tiger, you got 'em', but Sadie wasn't done. She pointed at the older woman "and I know I've told you already", Sadie wrapped an arm around Daryl and pointed at his chest "MINE".
The Trish woman nodded, not laughing anymore, "I..I'm sorry, I forgot."
"Don't forget again" Sadie warned.
The Roxie girl didn't seem phased by Sadie though, she rolled her eyes and mumbled something. Sadie heard her and tried to step forward but felt Daryl's grib tighten.
"Let's go" he said quietly next to her ear, "you know they are no threat to you, let it go."
Sadie nodded and grabbed her bag off the floor while Daryl picked up the pizza. He followed her to his room to make sure she didn't try to turn back and start something.
Merle had stood quiet through the whole exchange, but once Sadie was headed down the hallway she heard him bust into uncontrollable laughter.
"What the fuck is so funny?!" Roxie started yelling as Merle laughed even louder.
Sadie smiled to herself, knowing she had gotten to the girl.
"Whatcha smilin' 'bout killer?" Daryl asked with a grin.
"Just thinking about how I might have to kick that girl's ass" Sadie said putting a movie into the player and sitting on Daryl's bed.
Daryl sat next to her and put an arm around her shoulders, "my knight in shinin' armour" he laughed before opening the pizza box and handing her a slice before taking his own.
Sadie's tone turned serious for a moment, "Daryl you know I'd do anything for you."
Daryl nodded, "and you know the same goes for me."
Sadie nodded back as they heard the front door slam and heels go stomping down the steps.
Daryl leaned over and took a huge bit out of Sadie's slice of pizza.
"What?! What'd you do that for?!"Sadie trilled, trying to shove him away.
"I said I'd anythin' for ya, I'm stoppin' ya from all 'em calories!" Daryl joked, "don' want yer butt gettin' any bigger!"
Sadie sat upright and looked at him with eyes and mouth wide open, "Daryl Dixon you did not just say I had a big butt!!" She then began hitting him with his pillow.
"S'not big yet, but gettin' close!" Daryl laughed, trying to dodge the pillow.
Sadie worked her way on top of him and began wacking him with the pillow as fast as she could.
"Take it back! Say you like my butt!" Sadie yelled, laughing.
"Ok Ok I love yer butt!!!" Daryl yelled, covering his face with his hands.
Sadie rolled back to her side of the bed "I didn't say you had to love it, just admit that you like it".
Daryl's face turned red when he realized what he'd said but figured there was no turning back now, "I don't just like it though, I love it" he said pulling her close and hiding his face in her hair.
Sadie didn't know what to say to that. Luckily the movie started and Sadie took a huge bite of pizza.