A/N: I hope you all enjoy this story! I have had a a wonderful time writing it. Some chapters have been revised. Don't forget to leave a review :)

Enjoy!

Chapter 1

New Jersey in the summer time is not a pleasant place to be. It was hot as hell and getting hotter as the as the day went on. Rayne was sitting around her apartment enjoying her day off. She was a part time tattoo artist/shop manager by day and an exotic dancer by night. It wasn't what her mother wanted for her but, it paid the bills. She was just about to light a cigarette when her cell phone went off. She was surprised when she saw that it was her friend Kim from college. They two girls were both art majors and they built a friendship through that. Kim had moved on to bigger and better things, while Rayne was still stuck in Jersey.

She smiled as she answered the phone,"Yo bitch"

"Hey girl, how have you been?", asked Kim.

"You know same shit different day. What do I owe the pleasure of this call?" Rayne was happy to hear from her friend again.

"Well I'm having an art show down here in Atlanta and I wanted you to come and bring some of your work. I know it's been a long time since we have talked but I just love your work and I want to show it off. Plus, I have a huge after party planned and I know how your always down for a party."

"I'm always down for a party. When is it?" There was excitement in Rayne's voice.

"It's in a week you think, you can come down here tomorrow? I know it's short notice."

"Ya, let me make a few calls and I'll get back to ya but I don't see why the fuck not."

She hung up with Kim and got on the phone with Tony, her boss from the club. She informed him that she was gonna take 2 weeks off to go see a friend. He threatened to fire her for taking so much time off but they both knew that she was the best dancer he had so he gave in to her request. She called the tattoo shop and talked to Mikey, the owner, and told him that she was going to take some time off. He wasn't happy about it either but he also gave her the go ahead to take time off. She called back Kim and told her the good news. She was walking around her bedroom while talking to Kim and noticed the bow case in her closet, "Hey, we should do a little target practice while I'm out there."

"Hey you know me, I'm always ready for target practice. Bring the big bow with you and I'll see if I can sneak out for awhile."

Kim's daughter was in the background trying to get her mothers attention. Kim had gotten married to a really nice guy after college and had a child with him. Rayne had always wanted to get married and have kids but with her job and lack of a decent man that didn't look like it was going to happen anytime soon. She was 28 and still didn't settle down with anyone yet. She liked her freedom too much to give it up that easy. She hung up with Kim and started to pack for her trip.

After getting all her clothes together she took her bags and bow down to the car. She owned a 1986 Monte Carlo SS. It was her dream car and most of all she loved to be under the hood. She had a family friend growing up whose dad owned a junk yard. He taught her everything she needed to know about cars. She loved getting her hands dirty. She wasn't your typical girl. She was more like one of the guys kinda girl. She could go out drink and party with any man she came across. She threw the bow in the trunk and for some reason she thought about putting extra supplies in there as well. She knew how much her car didn't like the heat so she got a case of water and some food in case she got stuck out on the road. With extra supplies and her stuff all packed up in the car she headed back upstairs. She started her usual nightly routine of getting drunk and playing on the computer.

When she woke up the next morning she headed straight for the bathroom to get some medicine for her nice sized headache she had. After getting in the shower and getting dressed she was ready for her long drive. She decided that she would stop in Charlotte since it wasn't too far from Atlanta. She walked out of her apartment dressed in skin tight jeans, a tight Lynyrd Skynyrd tank top that she made out of an old shirt and combat boots. She had long jet black hair what she dyed fire red streaks in. She had piercings all over the place. They were all over her ears, lips, tongue and a few other places. She was covered in tattoos as well. She was by no means an unattractive girl either. She was curvy but not too overweight. She had large breasts, flat tummy and an ass that matched her chest. An beautiful hour glass figure.

She made it to Charlotte in about 9 hours and stayed in a trashy motel for the night. She was standing outside her room smoking since there was a cool breeze outside. She had over heard on the TV that there was some kind of infection going around. She didn't think anymore of it after she turned off the TV and went to bed.

The next morning she had stopped for gas in some hick ass town. She went into the store and grabbed 6 cartons of Marlboros since there were dirt cheap compared to what she paid for them back in Jersey. The temperature outside was starting to get hotter by the second so she picked up some more water. She was taking back roads after she left the gas station. She wasn't in a hurry to get to Kim's house so she figured she would enjoy it. Georgia was a more beautiful that she ever thought.

After an hour of driving around the back woods of Georgia she knew that she was lost as hell. She had to stop somewhere to ask for directions back to the fucking highway. She was hoping that southern hospitality was still around and that she wouldn't get shot in the face. She turned down a dirt road and that had a few trailers on it. She figured 'ah what the hell, I'll just knock on one of those doors'. She pulled into a half ass drive way where an older model pick-up was parked. She turned off her engine and walked up to the trailer. She put her sunglasses on her head and knocked on the door. She waited awhile and knocked again. She turned around and contemplated leaving when the door to the trailer opened.

There in the door way was a tall redneck looking like he was asleep or drunk as a skunk. He had short light brown hair and stunning blue eyes, not what she expected to see. He was fairly attractive as far as rednecks go. Then he spoke, "Da hell ya want?"

"Hmm, well you ain't what I expected. Look I'm sorry for waking you up but I'm fucking lost. Ya think ya could help a girl out here?"

He looked her up and down for a minute and with a slight smirk he said, "Hell nah, now git da hell outta here"

"Well ain't you a fucking gentleman. Have a nice fucking day." She walked back to her car and started the engine.

It was then that her car started to act up. She got out of the car yelling and cussing. She popped the hood to take a look. Pulling out the dipstick she noticed that she was really low on oil. She wiped the dipstick on her shirt and went looking through her trunk for some oil. Usually she keeps some in there but of course she didn't have any and she was stuck in a cranky redneck's lawn. When she came around to the front of the car she saw the man leaned against the side of the car, sipping on a beer, "Ya know what your doing there girl?"

"Thought you didn't give a shit. But yeah, I know what I'm doing."

"Your right I don't." ,he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Look, I'll make you a deal. You get me some oil for my car and I'll trade ya a carton of smokes. Then I can get the hell out of your hair."

He stared at her for awhile then nodded his head. He took off toward the house but went around back. She leaned against the front of the car and lit a cigarette. As he was walking back in her direction he could hear the roar of Merle's bike. She could see him looking down the road and saw the expression on his face change. He looked nervous and a bit scared.

"My name's Rayne by the way."

"Name's Daryl."

She extended her hand to him but he looked at her funny. Maybe he didn't like to be touched. He hesitated but took her hand in his and shook it. She went around to the driver side and grabbed a carton of cigarettes like she promised. As she handed them over a big burly man on a chopped pulled into the yard. He looked too young to be his father so maybe his brother.

He shut the bike off right next to her car, "Well what we got here lit'le brotha? Did ya git me a present? She ain't really mah type but she sure does look like a sweet piece of ass."

"Oh you have got to be fucking kidding me. Trust me, I ain't your type at all." Rayne saw suddenly sick to her stomach looking at the older man.

"Well then darlin', what da hell you doing here? I know ya ain't here to see ol' Darylina.", he asked her.

She could see the timidness all over his face. Daryl looked over at his brother and gave him a stare. He may have been an asshole to her earlier but she thought she would help him out. He looked like he could use a boost of confidence.

"And what if I am?" ,she said to him with a raised eyebrow.

Moving closer to Daryl she put her hand on his chest lightly. She felt him tense up under her hand.

"Well I'll be damned, ha ha. I didn't know ya had it in ya baby brotha. I'll leave y'all to it then."

"It was nice meeting you umm..." ,she couldn't remember if she got his name or not.

"Merle...Merle Dixon" ,he told her.

She extended her hand to him and said, "Rayne O'Brien"

Merle nodded to his brother and walked in the trailer shutting the door behind him. There was a silent sigh of relief from both of them. She removed her hand from his chest and backed up. They looked at each other in the eyes for longer than normal. She turned around and went over to the front of the car to put her oil in. She went to touch the oil cap but it was hot, "Ahh fuck!"

"Here", Daryl handed her a rag from his back pocket. She took it from him and her fingers touched his. There was a kind of electric surge between them but they tried to ignore it. "Da fuck ya do tha' fir anyway?"

"I don't know. Your brother kinda looks like a jerk so I thought maybe I would give ya something to hold over his head. I'm pretty sure that there aren't a lot of girls that look like I do out here."

"Ya sayin' I'm scared of him cuz I fucking ain't!" His voice got deep and angry as he got in her face. She didn't even flinch when he got in her face. Either this girl was hard as nails or has gotten her share of ass kickings. She watched his eyes dance around looking for a sign of fear on her face.

She spoke to him softly and almost seductively since he was so close to her face, "I didn't say that at all. I was just trying to help you out but if you don't want it then I'll just leave." She narrowed her eyes and continued, "Ya gonna hit me or kiss me redneck, cause your a little too close don't ya think?"

His body relaxed and his eyes darted all over her face and body. An evil smirk came across her face as she turned around and walked to the trunk of her car. Daryl was curious about her now but he wasn't the kinda of guy that warmed up to people very easily. He kept his distance but watched her to find out what she was doing. He heard the sounds of beer cans being opened as she handed him one. She threw her hair up and started to fill the car up with oil. She took a long swig of her beer while eying him down. "Ya gonna drink it or stare at it?"

"Ya fucking done yet so ya can git outta here?" ,he said as he drank his beer.

She cocked her hip out to the side and crossed her arms under her breasts, pushing them closer together, "Well ain't you fucking sassy. I like my men with a little fire in them."

He thought that this girl was strange, but alluring. She had a beautiful face, even with all the metal in it, and a body to match. He wasn't a womanizer like Merle. He didn't really date he just had a few one night stands with the local girls from the bar. He wasn't much for talking to women but this girl was different. She was hardened and looked like she could take care of herself. He wanted to try to get to know her but his past wasn't the kindest so he was closed off and unsocial. She also had to be the biggest tease he ever met in his life. "Yea I bet you do. Maybe you should git to know Merle then."

"What if I wanna get to know you instead?"

"I doubt that girly. Jus' finish up and git going." He walked passed her chugging the rest of his beer.

As he went to walk in the house she said to him, "It was a pleasure meeting you Daryl Dixon."

"Yea whatever." He shut the door to the trailer to find Merle sitting in an old beat up recliner.

"Ain't ya gonna invite hot stuff inside for another beer? Maybe try to get some if your lucky."

"Shut up, Merle." He stood by the window watching her. He watched as she finished and walked back to the trunk he couldn't help but notice the sway of her hips. She came back around to shut the hood and he watched as her shirt lifted up as she reached for the hood. She had such pale white skin.

He stopped staring at her when Merle came to stand beside him, "If you ain't man enough to hit that then I think I will."