On a Wing and a Prayer (Walking Dead FanFiction w/OC)

Trouble

  Willow dug her nail into the wood of the bar, swiveling slowly in her stool. She was so tired of being here but what else was she going to do? Catching the eye of the old man behind the bar glaring at her, she stopped picking at the wood and took another sip of her soda. He didn't like her much and that was fine, she didn't like him much either even if he was her grandfather. She'd love nothing more than to leave this hole in the wall dive bar but ever since the world ended a few months ago, her choices had become extremely limited.

Barely 21 she had just moved into her own loft and couldn't have been happier. It really wasn't much to look at, just basically one giant room but she had her bed, her sofa and all of her art supplies. Her parents had teased her she would end up living like a hermit having everything she loved in one room, but she had just gotten a job as a receptionist at the art gallery in the heart of downtown Atlanta and she could feel things were finally beginning to happen for her. It wasn't much but it was a start and she had gotten her foot in the door and couldn't wait to someday have her own art show.

That's when everything changed in a blink of an eye.

The reports started intermittently having a story about it here and there on the evening news then it seemed like everyone was getting sick and then ultimately dying. She knew it was bad once they shut down the gallery and told them not to come in until they heard back from them. She had heard rumors at the gallery about the dead coming back and eating the living but she hadn't believed it...not until she had seen it with her own eyes. Scared, she packed a bag and headed for home to the Atlanta suburbs, leaving the city she loved. Hoping she would finally feel safe, she had been devastated learning her mother was another that was sick. Watching her die was bad enough but when her father had driven a knife to the side of her mom's head, she thought he had completely lost it. She knew why now of course, but those had been some dark days back then, not knowing why or how.

Not long after that, things really started falling apart and that's when her dad had decided that coming here to the backwoods of Georgia was their only choice. Her dad and her grandfather had been estranged for years and she had to admit she had been shocked to learn that this was where they were headed...she hadn't seen her grandfather in almost 10 years and doubted he would even recognize her. As her father drove up the winding mountain road he talked a little bit about his father and where he was living and the kind of company he liked to keep. He told her about the bar, the bikers, the drugs and the women and after he was done she couldn't help asking him why in the world they were coming here if he was that bad. His answer was simple.

"If there's anybody in this world that knows how to survive this thing it will be your grandpa"

She still wasn't thrilled about coming here but at least she understood better. They had driven for a few hours and her dad had said were almost there when as luck would have it their car broke down. Willow sat in the car staring out the window as her dad looked under the hood. She had been close to dozing off when she heard her father's blood-curdling scream. Tearing out of the car she ran to help but stopped as she saw her dad stabbing one of those things in the head with a screwdriver. At first, she thought he was fine but as he turned she could see a good portion of his neck was missing. Willow ran to him as he collapsed, she was scared and crying not sure what to do.

"Willow" her dad whispered "Your grandfather's place is about a mile down this road, grab your bag and get there. I don't have much time, promise me you'll get there"

Willow nodded her head still crying.

"It's going to be OK sweetheart" he whispered even more softly "Grab your bag and get ready to run"

Willow stood up and started to walk back to the car until her father's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Willow...don't let me...turn into...one...of those...things"

Willow turned around just in time to see the life leave her father's body. Sobbing, she ran to the car and grabbed her backpack and thought about just running from this place but her dad's words would haunt her and she knew what she had to do. Grabbing the screwdriver her dad had used on the other thing, Willow stood over him, looking down at his stone looking face. She was shaking and crying and wasn't at all sure she could do it until his voice started to repeat over and over again. Slamming the screwdriver down, she plunged it through his skull. Realizing she would still need a weapon, she tugged hard on the screwdriver trying to pull it out. The disgusting sound it made as she pulled it out was enough to make her violently ill. After heaving everything that had been in her stomach onto the road, Willow started running and didn't stop until she reached her grandfather's bar 'Boondocks'

Her grandfather hadn't been happy to see her but he didn't turn her away either. She didn't have to explain a whole lot especially when he saw the brain matter still stuck on the screwdriver. He had rules, though, rules that had to be followed or she would find herself out on her ass, as he so eloquently put it. His first rule which she thought was a really strange was that she was to be dressed as a young boy at all times. He even went as far as wanting to cut off her long dark hair which had always been a source of pride for her entire life with its dark rich color that turned into a deep shade of burgundy when the sun kissed it. He had settled for letting her pin most of it on top of her head, hiding it under a baseball cap , just cutting some of it short underneath so it rested on her collar.

Not really understanding his rule but complying with it, she sat at the bar many nights and watched as his clientele came through the door. Most of the time it was the big and burly biker types, looking for a good drink, and a good time. Since cash was no longer needed, Willow watched as people paid in medicine, food and sometimes even gas that they would use in the generator so he could keep the beer cold, but most of the time it was canned food...she figured they already had a years worth supply of spaghetti O's. She thought everything seemed harmless enough, watching them shoot pool by the flaming candles on the wall and flirt with her grandpas "working girls". Everything did indeed seem fine until one night a few of them got a little too friendly with one of the girls. Three of them had attacked her and were going to rape her right on the pool table until grandpa got his rifle out. He threatened them and the men knew he meant it as he finally got them to stop but not before scaring the girl so badly that they never saw her again.

"Even in the apocalypse there will always be one truth" her grandfather said "men will continue to hunt for booze, drugs and for sex and will take any of them however they can get them"

She finally understood her baseball cap and boy clothes.

Willow continued to sip on her soda watching a few talk to the women and drink their beer. It was a quiet night and she was just about to turn in when the doors opened and a whole lotta trouble rolled in. Willow looked at her grandfather as his hand went immediately to his rifle. They were a group of about ten and each looked meaner then the last. They were loud and obnoxious and looked to be ready for anything. Pulling her cap lower so it covered her eyes, she stared at her drink, listening intently.

"Hey old man...long time no see" one of them said

"Hey there Merle" her grandfather said quietly "I was wondering when you Dixon boys were gonna come back around this way. How you boys been?"

The one called Merle laughed loudly

"Good man, especially since the apocalypse signed my walking papers from the state pen" Merle said as they all laughed loudly

"How about you?" her grandfather asked "You look good son, how you been?"

"I've been alright" the stranger said softly.

Willow couldn't resist glancing up to look at the soft spoken one. He seemed different from the rest, even though they all looked similar. His hair was long and fell around his face and rested on his broad, muscular shoulders. He was dressed all in black including a black leather vest adorned with angel wings on the back. He looked like he could be the most trouble out of all of them.

"Wudda you lookin' at lil' man?" Merle asked her "Why you eyeballin' my brother like that?"

Willow instantly dropped her gaze feeling her heart in her throat.

"That's my grandson, Will" her grandfather said "He don't mean nuthin...just lost his parents...I wasn't too pleased getting him on my doorstep but wuddya gonna do when it's family?"

Willow kept her head down feeling the men's stares burning a hole right through her.

"What can I get you boys to drink?" Said her grandfather "how about first shot is on the house?"

Willow breathed a sigh of relief as she heard the men turn their attention to the free alcohol.

"Will" her grandfather said quietly "why don't you go ahead and turn in. I can lock up here tonight"

Willow nodded and slipped out of her stool to leave but not before raising her eyes and locking them with the most piercing blue ones she had ever seen. Quickly looking away, Willow made her way to the back door then out to the trailer parked behind the bar.

Daryl watched as the kid started walking to the door but couldn't shake the feeling that something was really off about him. Why did the kid stare at him like that and seem almost shy about it and why was he even thinking about him?

I need to get laid, he thought. It's a sad day when a young guy's ass looks that good to him as he watched him walk out the door.

Willow sank into her grandpa's old recliner and sighed. What in the hell was that all about? Why had she stared at him and why did her heart do a funny flip when their eyes met? He was so not her type. She was into sensitive, pretty, artsy type of guys...not rough and dirty rednecks. The slight attraction to him was probably nothing more than him being the first male in months that was somewhat close to her age...that and maybe his muscles, there was no denying those.

Willow groaned into the throw pillow. She knew even the slightest attraction to him would be a very dangerous one. What if she did let on to him that she was a girl? Can you imagine what would happen if he told his brother and his friends? Images of the poor girl who was attacked on the pool table flashed through her mind as she realized she would have to stay far, far away from him. Slipping her boots off, Willow curled her legs under her body while resting her head on the arm of the chair. She needed to stop thinking about this immediately and hoped sleep would come quickly.

The old man eyed Daryl, pouring him another drink.

"So what have you been up to Daryl? You boys just passing through or you back at your old man's place?"

Daryl shrugged his shoulders

"I'm not sure Joe. Merle and me went to his shack but by the looks of things, nobody has been there for awhile. Have you seen him around?"

Joe's heart tugged slightly. He couldn't help remembering Daryl as a small boy who used to sit in a bar stool quietly while his father drank himself into oblivion. His dad had been one of his regular customers ever since he built this place and many nights he had served the boy dinner, knowing he had probably not had anything to eat all day. His dad had been a mean man and Joe saw a number of times how mean he could be when it came to his son. The kid could do nothing right in his eyes and would cuff him on the back of the head just for blinking too loudly.

He knew Merle as well, but he really hadn't been around the bar much...he was too busy breaking into homes, stealing cars and being an all around asshole just like his old man. Daryl might have turned out to be a halfway decent man if it wasn't for his dad and his brother. He had heard awhile back that Daryl had been doing real good, working as a mechanic and getting his own place...that was short lived though once Merle got out of county after a couple of drug charges. Merle says let's go and Daryl goes, no questions asked. That had been and would always be Daryl's downfall...the love and loyalty for his brother who on most nights didn't deserve Daryl's loyalty. Daryl even to this day still had some sort of loyalty to his dad after all these years even after the beatings and abandonment asking about him..that was just amazing to Joe who shook his head.

"No...sorry Daryl, I haven't seen him in awhile." Joe said softly "Last I heard he was heading down to Florida with some waitress but that was even before everything ended"

Daryl nodded

"Yeah, I heard that too but wasn't sure if he had come back this way once everything happened."

"Wudda doin' little brother?" Merle said hanging on Daryl's shoulder, obviously drunk and having a good time.

Daryl grinned at him

"Just shootin' the shit with Joe here"

Merle got that look on his face that Daryl dreaded

"You're askin' 'bout him, aint ye?"

Daryl sighed. He knew his Merle hated the old man, and he probably did too but he still wanted to know if he was alive or dead. He was after all their dad, whether it was a good or bad thing.

"Just wanted to know if he'd seen him but he hasn't so let's drop it." Daryl said quietly

Merle stared at his little brother, wanting to kick his ass for even thinking about the prick but he knew his little brother couldn't help his soft heart.

"Whatever man" Merle spat. "He sure as hell wouldn't be asking about you. C'mon, there's some pretty ladies over here that was just askin' 'bout you."

Daryl looked at the two whores and gave a quick nod.

"Thanks Joe, take it easy" Daryl said before following Merle over to the small party that seemed to be going on.

Joe nodded watching the boys laugh and talk with the women, who eventually led the group of men out the door, promising a good time. Finally the bar with the bar empty, Joe walked over and locked the door and walked around blowing out the candles and turning off the lanterns. Walking out the back door, locking it behind him, he made his way to the trailer, hoping Willow was still up. He needed to make something crystal clear to her and it could not wait.

"Willow" her grandpa kicked her foot

Willow's eyes opened and blinked looking at her grandpa

"Hmm?" she said softly

"Wake up girl, I need to talk to you"

Willow sat up in the chair looking around at their trailer trying to collect herself. She was so tired, what in the hell could he want this late at night?

"I'm awake. What's going on?"

Willow's grandpa looked pissed and she couldn't help but shrink under his glare

"What do you mean staring at Daryl Dixon like that?"

Hmm so that was his name...

"I don't know what you're talking about.... I didn't even see his face! I looked at his vest, that was it. I –I thought it was cool" she lied.

Joe sighed running his hands through his grey hair.

"Willow, I know you're a young lady and I get this can be a pretty lonely place sometimes but the last guy you should be looking at is him. By himself he's not so bad but he's never by himself...he's always with his brother Merle and Merle is trouble...bad trouble. You do not want to get mixed up with that. Remember the girl on the pool table? That would be a party compared to what Merle would do. Just stay away from them....I mean it. If they come into the bar, I want you to leave immediately. You hear me?"

Willow nodded

"I don't want anything to do with them grandpa...I was just looking at his vest...that's it."

Joe looked at his granddaughter and grunted. He knew better then that...he had seen the way she looked at him up and down and he wasn't stupid, he knew that Daryl was a handsome man, especially for these parts.

"Just so we're clear. Stay away or else"

Willow nodded again

"I will"

Willow headed to her room hoping to fall back asleep quickly. Laying in her bed she tried to ignore the feeling that her grandfather had inadvertently made Daryl Dixon just that more interesting to her. She had never been good with the off limits type of stuff and she couldn't help to feel a little excited that he had just drew a line in the sand...one that she intended to enjoy crossing.