It had been 3 years since Daryl and Merle agreed to her terms.

Merle was a deadbeat but he brought in enough money, Daryl was the brains and was quickly becoming Y/N left hand man.

"Ah, you're here. I need you" She spoke quickly as Daryl strolled into the room, leather jacket on and a confused look on his face.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

She sighed, grabbing her cropped leather jacket - The whole team had one, but hers was noticeably different. "It's not safe here, most of the boys have moved everything, but we need to go--" That was when the pair heard a bang and a large group of armed men moved into the space the pair were sharing.

Y/Ns face dropped as Daryl's eyes went wide. A larger man stepped forward, a pistol held tightly in his hand. "Ah, Y/N, long time no see, how's things going these days?"

She said nothing, only scowling at him as the men grabbed the pair and threw them on their knees. "Just tell me what I want to know, it'll be easier, we both know it"

She stayed silent yet again before the man sighed, "Fine, I like it when you play hard to get anyway" He smirked as Daryl was pulled away from her and she was kicked and beaten in front of him.

The man clearly wanted information, but she would not give it up, not without a fight at least and after more than an hour, she was black and blue and suffering, not that she would admit it. Daryl could do nothing, only watch as the beating continued until she was on the ground unconscious.

The man gave it up, screaming to a man down the phone that it was useless and with that, they fired a few shots into the ceiling and stormed out of the house, not without turning it upside down first.

When they left, Daryl scrambled over to Y/N who was laid on the floor, her breathing scattered and irregular. He wasn't even sure she was still conscious. He tapped her shoulder and lifted her head onto his lap and her eyes opened slowly, "Daryl..." She whispered with a struggle.

He nodded, "I'm here, they've gone"

"I'm sorry, did they hurt you?" She asked with her eyes fluttering shut again.

He shook his head this time, "No, no they didn't, don't worry about me, I'm going to get you to the hospital"

She sighed, her voice straining, "No, no, don't take me to the hospital"

Daryl paused for a second, unsure of what to do before he thought, "I'll take you to mine and Merles, that way they won't find you and you can stay until you heal"

If she could, she would have argued, but she did not have the strength and so Daryl carried her to her truck and drove them to the home he shared with Merle.

As usual of course, it was a mess, bottles everywhere, the smell of booze reeking from the walls. But she couldn't tell, her mind battling other demons.

He placed her gently in his bed and she smiled, thanking him and without thinking, he kissed her atop the head and left her peacefully to rest.

She was now a queen with no crown.