Wake the Dead

"You goin out tonight?" Syd asked as she sat down on my bed while I dug through my closet.

"Yep." Was all I said, my voice sounding void of all emotion, unable to say in words how I really felt. Anger, guilt, sadness, pain, and hatred filled up my mind bringing me down to that 'dark place' as Syd called it.

I can't remember the last time I actually went to a full day of school since Emily... Instead, I would go out, party, drink, maybe even have sex, and get high until everything went away... Every emotion.

I had a routine for leaving the house without my dad noticing and keeping Syd safe at the same from him at the same time. And right now my routine was taking its course as I found my leather jacket in my closet and slid it on. "You should stay home." Syd pleaded as I slipped on my converse. My shoes didn't really match with the tight skirt and fancy-ish shirt I was wearing, but who has the money to buy fancy heels anymore? Certainly not me.

Her pleas sounded like Trey's when he would constantly try to tame me, but I would just push him off. He eventually got fed up with me and I haven't talked to him in weeks. Good, he deserves better than to have me as his best friend, always dragging him down.

"I'll be back when you wake up in the morning." I said as I walked over to my window and slid it open. Syd always slept in my room when I was gone and put my desk in front of the door so our dad couldn't get in if he figured everything out.. I looked back at Syd one more time before I climbed out of the window and jumped down. I had learned to perfect my landing so I no longer had to worry about spraining my ankle or something.

I stuck my hands in the pockets of my coat and quickly snuck over behind my neighbors house and then out in front onto the streets. I looked back at my house to make sure everything was normal and let out a breath of relief when I saw Syd shut the window and turn off the lights of my room.

I turned back around and started to walk down to Craig's, it was Friday night so that meant he was hosting. I walked down the road aways, maybe a mile or so, but stopped when I passed Emily's house. This seemed to become part of the routine too, no matter how much I didn't want it to be, I always seemed to stop here everyday.

I saw that all the lights were off in the house besides the TV that I could see shining through the window. I looked up and saw Emily's room in the far, upper left corner of the house. A flood of memories washed over my mind as I looked up at her window. The memories started out good, but then the faded into the horrific ones that occurred last with her... Us yelling at each other, me storming out, and then when I came back the next day and I found her...

I felt myself start to shake and I quickly turned away from the house and started going off towards Criag's again.. I need a release from the emotions clouding my head.

I finally made it over to the house and could hear the music pumping as I walked up the lawn. Craig was standing by the door with a big drunk smile as he saw me. "DAFT!!" He cheered out and reached his arms out as I came over, putting one around my shoulder and walking inside with me.

As I got in I heard a few other girls and guys call out my last name, I think they only use my first when they are completely sober. I waved at them, but didn't stop to say hi because I was pulled into the kitchen by Craig. He threw open the door and kept his arms in the air as he yelled out to the guys that were in there.

"Ah if it isn't little miss Daft." I heard a familiar voice slur out. I walked over and sat across the counter from Merle, next to Blake. "You bet your balls it is." I said as I grabbed Blake's beer and finished it off, causing him to playfully punch me in the shoulder.

"So watch you got for me today, Merle." I said to him as I set the beer bottle down. Merle was buddies with all the guys here, yes most of them were older than me, but I can keep up with them just fine. I had never talked to either of the Dixon brothers much before, but after Emily died I found Merle at a party and he started to hook me up with anything that can make me forget reality and it became an occasional thing.

He was into the heavy stuff that you could get addicted to, but I never let my self get as bad as Merle has.. Or my dad.

They started to pass around a joint between the few people in the room, but I didn't even notice who was standing in the far corner until I walked over to the fridge. Daryl Dixon was staring at me, I'm not sure for how long, but once I got up to go to the fridge next to him, he quickly tore his gaze away. I reached inside and grabbed a beer, then slowly made my way back to the counter and sat on the bar stool, eyeing Daryl on my way... He was an interesting one.

"You guys hear about The Donelson's? They're movin away, gettin a divorce." Eric, one of the guys, said after he exhaled his smoke. Donelson's were Emily's parents, her family. I felt my self become fully tense at the talk of her. Some of the guys in this group knew her brother or just knew her, that's why we all seemed to hang out with each other.

It seemed like Eric regretted saying that because he cautiously looked over to me, along with everyone else in the room, waiting for me to explode. "I'm not stoned enough for this shit." I said and then grabbed the joint from Blake. Weed made me feel like I was just another low life stoner kid that dropped out of school and hung out at the skate park all day, but it got the job done, especially with a few beers.

We eventually left the kitchen and went back out to the rest of the party. Merle had instantly gotten a whore to come upstairs with him, she was probably either too drunk or too skanky to care that it was Merle. The rest of us just partied like we didn't know how to do anything else, it was our second nature.

I could feel eyes on me all night and I suspected it to be just another horny guy, but every time I turned around I would see Daryl and his intense blue eyes. I didn't worry about it, just continued to drink, smoke, dance, and hang out, not thinking about a thing in the world... Trying to do something terrible so I could focus on that and not Emily.

"Hey pretty lady." I heard a husk voice behind me. I turned around and was greeted by some guy that I've never seen. He was big and muscular, standing tall over me. "I sure wouldn't mind a piece of you for dessert." He said in a low whisper. I wanted to focus on something besides pain and hurt..so why not pleasure? "You sure you're hungry enough?" I said in a seductive voice as I whispered up into his ear.

"Starving." He growled out and then grabbed my wrist, yanking me into a room that was on the first floor. Craig said before that he used the room we were in for his drunken buddies to crash, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind... I was too out of it to even have the right mind to think twice about this random guy.. no conscience. I've done it before, sleeping with guys that I had no idea what their names were, but didn't care because I just wanted to feel something good... something different.

He came over and shoved me against the wall with a hand on my throat, ripping my jacket off. He brought his mouth down on mine and started to shove his tongue into my mouth. I don't even know if this counted as a 'kiss'. It was sloppy and just him shoving his tongue all around my mouth, but it distracted me so I went with it.

He pushed his lover half up against me, making me feel him when he cupped my breasts over my shirt. He took one hand away and ran it down my back to squeeze my ass tightly. My body reacted to his touch, but my mind didn't, it was blank. He started to bite and suck as hard as he possibly could down my neck and to my breasts. He then stood back a little and ripped my shirt up over my head in one swift movement. I prepared for him to crash his body down to mine again, but instead he just stood there, staring with weird eyes.. almost disgusted?

I realized what he must have seen... The newly added scars to the collection all over my collar and lower chest.. The burn marks from my dad's cigarette, scarred over gashes from the glass of his alcohol bottles, or even just from him burning me with his lighter or even the damn iron. I started to feel my self get more and more pissed off as he just was staring at me like I was some alien.

I quickly reached over and grabbed my shirt off the ground, sliding it back on and then my jacket. "No no no, it's okay I just wont look at them, we can turn the lights off or something.. They're not that ugly."

I absolutely lost it at his words and kicked my foot up as hard as I could, hitting him square in the balls. "Asshole." I swung the door to the room open and stomped out. "YOU CRAZY BITCH!" He yelled after me. I walked into the living room that the main party was taking place in and everyone was now staring at me. I completely ignored it and went straight to the door.

"What the hell is going on?" Craig asked, holding the guy back from storming over to me with Merle. "That crazy bitch just kicked me in the nuts, man."

I stopped walking towards the door and turned around to face him. "I kicked you in the nuts because your a fucking piece of shit that needs to learn some respect!" I screamed at him, causing some of the other girls in the room to back me up, only making him more mad.

"Yeah well you're just a damn whore that needs to cover up those ugly ass scars if you wana keep getting laid!" He screamed. I felt fury wash over me, but also I felt uncomfortable in my own skin... Self conscious as I realized my scars were peaking out from under my shirt. I quickly moved my shirt to cover it and then wrapped my jacket around all the way so there was no way they could be seen, but I knew people already saw them.. Saw my self consciousness. I quickly walked over and punched him, hearing his nose snap from the contact with my knuckles.

He stumbled over to the side, but tried to get up to attack me. Merle and Craig held him back by his arms and nodded to me, telling me to do my worst. I punched him in the gut as hard as I could, causing him to try and double over, but they held him up straight. I kicked him in the balls again, but this time having a better angle, making it hurt worse. I punched him one more time in the face and started to take deep breaths, trying to get myself to calm down and not keep at it until I kill the guy.

Merle and Craig threw him down on the ground and this time he didn't try to get up, just held his crotch. Merle stepped over to me and I felt him slip something into my hands. I secretly looked down and saw what it was, drugs to make reality go away. Merle didn't even ask for anything in return, he knew I needed them right now.

I gave him a nod and then turned around, storming back out the door, keeping my jacket tight around me. I caught Daryl's stare again, but also noticed that his fists were clenched and he looked angry as he shifted his gaze over to the asshole holding his crotch. I didn't think twice about it and just continued to the door, walking out into the cool air of the night.

It was still dark out , but you could see the sun was about to rise. I started my walk back, which if anyone drove by, they would know right away what my previous events were. I didn't care though, I just stumbled down the street, wanting to go to bed... and never wake up. I quickly stopped and emptied out the contents of the little bag Merle gave me. I only took a little of it, enough to make me forget, and threw the rest away, I didn't need to turn into an addict.

I passed by Emily's house and stopped, once again. My mind was still so buzzed that I didn't find my self feeling anything as I looked at her house. I don't know how long I stood there and just stared at it, but it wasn't until a rough voice that I snapped out of my trance."Ya lost?"

I spun around and saw it was Daryl Dixon, walking over with his hands in his pockets. "What?" I asked, not really sure why he wasn't with Merle, or was walking home, or why he would think I'm lost, or how buzzed I was. "Are ya lost?" He asked again, his voice seeming a little agitated that he had to repeat him self.

"No, I'm Fiona." I said, as I looked blankly at him. He furrowed his eyebrows in annoyance, but I could see him trying to hide his smirk. "Ya lookin up at that house like a lost puppy." He stated, looking over to the house.

I looked at Erin's house and then back at the mesmerizing pair of blue eyes in front of me. "I'm not a puppy. Did you lose your puppy?" I asked, feeling very confused and buzzed.

"I ain't got no damn dog."

"Then I don't know what lost puppy you are talking about." I said as I turned away from the house.

"Never mind." He growled. I shrugged and started to walk down the street towards my house, Daryl following behind me. I felt his gaze on me as I walked, but he gladly never brought up what just happened. "Why are you following me?" I asked, turning around to face him.

"I live on the same street as you." He said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, which it probably was. I let out a long 'ooooooh' and turned around, starting to walk away again. "What about Merle? Where's he at?" I asked him, not looking back.

"Doin some girl he found at the party and gettin as drunk as a damn skunk. No way he was gettin home tonight, I'll pick 'em up tomorrow." He said. It seemed like he was more of talking to himself for the last part, because that didn't seem like anything I really cared to know.

I coudln't help the round of giggles that started to come out, causing Daryl to raise an eyebrow at me in anger that I was laughin at him. I laughed harder at the thought of how absurd it was for me to be laughing right now. "What?!" He snapped, making me laugh even harder.

"It would be funny to see a skunk get drunk." I said between laughs. Daryl's face seemed to soften from anger and I could tell he looked like he was hiding a smirk again.

I was so caught up in watching my feet as I walked down the rest of the road in silence that I didn't even notice my dad sitting on the porch.

"Where the HELL have you been!?" He yelled, making my head snap up to see him marching his way over. "Daryl, go home." I whispered to him, but he didn't move. "Daryl, go. Now!" I pushed him away a little and he hesitated, but started walking across the street.

I turned so I was facing my dad and started to walk past him, not making eye contact. "Where the fuck do you think you're goin?!" He asked, grabbing my arm and throwing me on the ground as I tried to walk by. The wind was knocked out of me for a moment from falling on my back, but I quickly regained my composure and stood up, brushing off. "Inside." I snapped at him.

I moved to push past him as pure hatred filled every bone in my body, but he grabbed onto the back of my shirt and yanked me back. I didn't fall over, just looked back at the house, not making eye contact, but that did no good. I saw him raise his hand up and then back hand me across the face, causing me to stumble and see black dots in my line of vision. "So now you want to go in the house? Maybe you should have stayed inside in the first place!" He yelled at me.

"Why would I want to be in the house with your fat ass." I hissed at him.

He back handed me once again, this time causing me to fall over. "Ya can stay outside, then, like the fucking bitch you are!" He yelled and then stormed off into the house, slamming and locking the door, along with the windows.

My bones shook with pure hatred and anger as I continued to lie on the ground, but then shot up. With the anger controlling my actions I ran up to the door and started to kick at it. "I FUCKING HATE YOU! YOU HEAR ME!? I HOPE YOU ROT IN HELL!" I screamed as I continued to kick and slam my fists against the door. "I GUESS I'LL SEE THAT WHORE EMILY DOWN THERE TOO!" My dad yelled from the other side of the door.

"I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" I screamed at him weakly, feeling tears threaten to spill. I started to back up away from the door, feeling the most intense anger I have ever felt, feeling my world crash down around me, and feeling like all I wanted to do was give up. Just give up. I turned around and ran down, away from the house, passing the mailbox. I punched the mailbox as hard as my body allowed me too and the watched as it completely broke and fell down to the ground. The thing was I can't just give up, I have to be here for Syd even if I don't want to be.. I'm trapped and living in my own hell.

My hand hurt like a bitch and I noticed that it was starting to bleed along with the bruises that started to form, great. I looked up and saw Daryl, standing in front of me, unsure of what to do. "You got any ice?" I asked him, holding my hand, trying to fight back tears of anger.

He simply nodded and then turned to walk back to his house, signalling for me to follow him.

*

I was crouched down, looking all around me with my eyes squinted and ears alert, listening for any type of noises. I was hoping to hear maybe a squirrel scurry across, but instead my ears were filled with the sound of Merle taking a piss.

I let out an aggravated sigh and stood back up straight. "Ain't nothin out here but 'squitos and ants." Daryl said, not having any luck either. "Patience little brother, sooner than later a squirrel is bound to scurry across you path." Merle said as Daryl leaned back against a tree, holding his crossbow pointed at the ground.

We had been out here all day and Merle and Daryl have already been at each others throats like I knew they would be. I had to say that it was working out all to well for me.. I'll have Daryl back at the prison by tomorrow if I'm being overly positive. "Even so, that ain't much food." Daryl said, looking left and right.

"More than nothin." I mumbled, feeling my self grow hungrier and hungrier. I heard Merle snicker at me, probably thinking the same thing. I hadn't said a word to Merle since I punched him and told him to shut it, I needed to calm down and I can't do that if I had him riding my ass all day. Daryl on the other hand, I was still pissed at for him leaving in the first place, even if I did plan on getting him back to the prison, he still left and forced me to make the choice between the two things I love most... The group or him.

I had felt him looking at me all day and I even would sometimes look back at him, but I wouldn't for long because some how I always felt my gaze shifting down to his arms. Or chest... Or shoulders.. Or how he moves when he tracks... Or how the sunlight would beam onto his fac-STOP. I quickly shook the thoughts out of my head, I was still pissed at him and definitely still Merle..

"Better luck going to one of those houses we passed on the turn off." Daryl said as he held his crossbow up, looking through the scope into the forest. Was he purposefully trying to flex his damn arms in front of me? God. "Is that what your new friends taught ya? Hm? How to loot for booty?" Merle said, zipping up his pants and then walking over to us.

I saw Daryl look down at the ground, not looking over to Merle who was just putting Daryl down like always. I could tell Daryl was getting fed up with it, but I think he secretly had a plan of his own to stay calm and get Merle back to the group. He was part of that family now and I knew he liked it. "We've been out here for hours now, we can try to find a stream, try lookin for some fish." Daryl said, shrugging his shoulders a little.

"I think you're just tryin to feed me back to the road, man. Get me over to that prison." Merle said as he crouched down, trying to pick up a trail. "Got shelter, food, a pot to piss in... Might not be a bad idea." Daryl suggested.

"For you two maybe.. Ain't gona be no damn party for me." Merle said, standing back up. "Everyone will get used to each other." Daryl responded, still not looking towards Merle.

"They're all dead. Makes no difference." Merle said, messing with his metal stump. I tensed at his words, they're fine.... Right? "How can you be so sure?" Daryl asked him.

"Right about now, he's probably hosting a house warming party where he's gona bury the rest of your pals." Merle looked over to me, then back at Daryl. "Let's hook some fish." He finished, and then walked off. I processed the information he just told us and found my self getting angry again, I hated 'the Governor' with every fiber of my being right now.

I kicked the tree near me and let out a grunt of frustration as I ran my hand through my hair. "Fi.." Daryl said, taking a step forward from behind me. "What if he's tellin the truth, Daryl? What if 'the bastard is out there attacking them right now?" I asked him as I spun around to face him. He just continued to look at me, thinking the worst.

"I'm so pissed off!" I let out a groan and threw my hands away from my face. "I'm so pissed of at this 'Governor' guy, pissed off at Merle, pissed off that we left, pissed off that I have dried blood all over my face, and pissed off at you! But you keep on going around and flexing your muscles in my face like all of the sudden I just wouldn't be attracted to you, but I sure as hell am, which only makes me pissed off even more! Ug!" I ranted and then stormed off in the direction Merle went. I felt like a freaking hormonal teenager, but in reality I'm just pissed off that I can't stay pissed of at Daryl.

Daryl hesitated, but then only a moment later he followed me as we caught up with Merle. He looked over to Daryl and then at me multiple times like he was trying to figure something out. "You two are fuckin aren't ya?" He asked with a smirk. "Nice goin Darlina, didn't think ya had it in ya all these years." He teased, not realizing it was much more than that.

"Shut up, Merle." Daryl snapped at him.

"What? I'm complimentin ya baby brother! Finally got in her pants after what? How many years? Just surprised you waited until the world went to shit instead of doin it when she lived across the street." He went on.

"Shut up!" Daryl snapped one more time and then started to walk off again.

"So you do go it goin down? Mmm mm mm."

"Yeah, so what?!" I got in his face. "So what that I fucked him?" I thought back to the multiple times I was with Daryl and shrugged my shoulders. "At least he's good in bed."

Merle didn't respond, probably unsure of what to say because he wasn't expecting me to say that or even fully admit it. I just rolled my eyes at him and went over to catch up with Daryl, who I'm sure heard what I said. I can just picture the damn smirk on his face...

We trekked on for a little, the sun starting to cause us all to sweat more and more. "Smells to me like the Saw hatchet Creek." Merle said as we trekked on.

"Ya stupid Merle? Any river near here is gona be the Yellow Jacket." I said to him, he's obviously lost more than a hand. "Yeah, shes right. We didn't go west enough for the Saw hatchet Creek." Daryl backed me up, only making the sexual tension thicker... Well for me at least..

"Ya have a stroke boy? We never even came close to Yellow Jacket." Merle argued. "Na we didn't go west, just a little bit south.. That's what I think." Daryl stood up for his opinion. Merle let out a breathy laugh. "I may have lost my hand, but you two lost ya sense of direction."

"Yeah, we'll see." Daryl said in a raspy voice. "What ya wana bet?" Merle said, lazily walking forward.

"Don't wana bet nothin. S'just a body of water, why's everythin gotta be a competition with you?" Daryl was soon edge with his brother, I could tell it wasn't going be much longer until they were yellin at each other. "Take it easy little brother, jus' tryin to have some fun. Don't gotta get your panties in a bundle." Merle said, but I was distracted from his words when I heard something that sounded like a baby cry. I immediately thought to lil ass kicker, but cleared the thought from my mind.

"Ya hear that?" Daryl asked, hearing the same thing.

"Yeah, wild animals getting wild." Merle said, ignoring the familiarity of the cries.

"It's a baby." I said, stepping further forward, looking around.

"Oh come on, why don't'cha just piss in my ears and tell me it's rainin." Merle joked stupidly. "That is the sound of Coo's making love sweet love, ya know what I mean?" He continued to joke. I looked over at Daryl, who was looking back at me and we quickly started to make our ways to the cries while Merle laughed at himself.

We slowly ran down a hill that led to an opening of the trees, revealing a creek. Yellow Jacket. I was distracted from proving him wrong when I heard screams in what sounded like Spanish, along with gun shots and baby cries coming from a bridge up ahead. "HEY! JUMP!" Merle called over and then started to laugh to himself again. Daryl and I both just gave him an agitated look and then started to walk over to the bridge. "Hey! I ain't wastin my bullets for a couple of that ain't ever cooked me a meal or place setted my piece. That's my policy." Merle argued.

"Who said we gotta waste bullets?" I asked, my mind going into attack mode as Daryl and I ran up to the bridge. It took us a little to get up to them because the hill was steep on the way over, but we eventually made it and saw two guys standing on top of a flipped truck, one in the grip of a walker. "Daryl." I called over and pointed at the walker about to take a bite out of the guy. He nodded and aimed his crossbow, hitting it perfectly in the side of the head.

I pulled out my knife as Daryl stripped off the backpack he was carrying and dropped it on the ground. He started to take out walkers coming up to us, while I ran forward and continuously started sending my knife through their eyes, earning the nasty brain crunching sound each time.

I had already started slicing a ton of walkers up when I noticed a lady and her baby in a car with walkers clawing at the window and crawling through the open trunk. I quickly ran over and stabbed the two by her window, smashing it's brains all over the car. Daryl took out one behind me and then ran over to the trunk with me. He yanked back the walker crawling inside and I quickly slammed the trunk door down on its head, timing my movements with Daryl's and getting blood all up my arms from the walker.

The other men here started to shoot at walkers while Daryl and I took them out quietly, Merle not doing much, besides looking at me dumbfounded, probably surprised I can take care of myself... Even though I always have my whole life and he knew that.

I struggled with focusing on the walkers and not at Daryl who's arms and shoulders would completely flex, causing his shirt to hike up. I had to say, even though he was killing nasty walkers, he sure looked hot doing it.

Daryl ran over and pulled out his knife, stabbing the last walker and then shoving it off the bridge. We both were trying to catch our breath, but then noticed Merle going through these peoples car, pointing his gun at their heads so he can take their stuff. "Let'em go." Daryl said, cautiously walking around Merle.

"The least they could do is give us an enchilada or somethin." Merle said as he put his gun away. He started to dig through their car some more, causing the guys to start shouting something in Spanish. I watched as Daryl slowly made his way over, watching Merle and then looking over to the other guys. He seemed unsure, but then stepped up and aimed his crossbow at Merle's back. "Get out of the car."

"I know you're not talking to me brother." Merle said, but backed out of the car. "Get in ya car and get the hell outta here!" Daryl yelled at the people we save, his voice raspy. "GO! Get in your car!"

The Spanish people seemed to understand just fine and ran over and hopped inside their car, driving off. I couldn't help but let my eyes linger on Daryl, him standing up to his brother was even hotter, but I knew this wasn't the time for that, someone was about to snap.

Daryl looked at Merle for a few more seconds, but then angrily ripped his crossbow away, threw the backpack over one shoulder, and stormed away. He stopped over at me and yanked up my arms looking them over for scratches. When he found nothing, he put his hand on my chin and moved my head around, checking my neck. He seemed satisfied and then turned around, storming off completely.

Merle stayed back a little and rummaged through the cars, but I followed Daryl back down the hill, hoping to wash off my face. "Hold up." I said to him as we reached the bottom of the hill. I ran over to the creek real quick and cupped water in my hands, splashing it over my face. I rubbed over my cheek and neck, trying to get as much of the dried up blood off. I looked at my reflection in the water and saw that it was as good as I was going to get, so I stood back up and walked over to Daryl who was waiting.

When I came back he immediately turned around and stormed back off, Merle catching up to us. "What you doin, pointin that think at me?!" He snapped at Daryl, following him closely behind.

"They were scared, man." He said, trying to ignore him.

"They were rude, that's what they were. Rude and they owed us a token of gratitude." Merle argued. Daryl just kept fast walked, causing Merle to have to run a little to catch up. "Na, they didn't owe us nothin."

"You help these people out of the goodness of your heart, even though you might die doin it. Is that somethin your sheriff Rick taught you?!" Merle snapped, causing Daryl to stop walking and turn around. "There was a baby!" Daryl yelled. I stood to the side, not wanting to get in the middle of their business, but was also ready if Merle tried anything on Daryl.

"Oh so if there wasn't you would have just left them to the biters then?" Merle asked, becoming harsh as he was referring to how he was left.

"Man I went back for ya... You weren't there. I didn't cut off your hand, neither. You did that, way before they locked you up on that roof! You asked for it." Daryl snapped at him, pointing his arrows in Merle's face.

Merle took a step back, letting out an angry laugh. "Ya know whats funny to me? Hm? You and sheriff Rick, like this now." Merle said, crossing his fingers tight in Daryl's face. "Right? Well I bet ya a penny and a fiddle of gold ya never told him how we were planning on robbing that camp blind!"

Daryl quickly looked at me, to see my reaction, but I wasn't surprised. The group was a bunch of idiots when I first met them, but now they are much better and Daryl would never think to even try to do that again. "It didn't happen." Daryl said coldly.

"It didn't, because I wasn't there to help you!"

"What about when we were kids? Huh? Who left who then?!" Daryl said, getting in his face.

"WHAT? HUH? IS THAT WHY I LOST MY HAND?!" Merle shouted.

"YOU LOST YOUR HAND BECAUSE YOU'RE A SIMPLE MINDED PIECE OF SHIT!" Daryl yelled back, turning around. Daryl was standing up to Merle. Something he never would have done before. He was his own man and didn't let Merle hold him back anymore. Merle let out a loud yell of anger as he grabbed onto the back of Daryl's shirt, yanking him down to his knees and causing his shirt to rip, revealing his scars.

I stepped forward, ready to pounce on Merle, but he just stood back, staring at the large and many scars on Daryl. Daryl frantically tried to cover his shirt back up, I knew he didn't like people seeing them, mostly me, but it's not like I haven't before, hell I had similar ones, but they weren't as big or bad as his could be, looked like his dad had tried to kill him before... "I-I.. I didn't know he was..-"
"Yeah, you did... He did the same to you." Daryl said his voice weak, fragile. He put the backpack on to cover up his scars. "That's why you left first." Daryl picked up all the arrows he dropped along with his crossbow and stood up.

"I had to, man... I woulda killed him other wise." Merle's voice was weak, too.. Vulnerable, almost sounding choked up. Daryl immediately started to walk away. "Where are you going?!" Merle asked him, already knowing the answer.

"Back where I belong." His voice was still weak as he looked over at me when he talked. He belonged at the prison, with our family.. with me.

"I can't go with you! I-I tried to kill that black bitch... Damn near killed the Chinese kid." Merle said, calling them names so he seemed tougher, not like he was about to cry. "He's Korean." Daryl said, standing up for Glenn.

Merle shook his head. "Whatever! Doesn't matter man, I just can't go with ye."

"Ya know... I may be the one walking away, but you're the one that's leavin.. again." Daryl said, vulnerable to his emotions, and then started to walk away.

Daryl Dixon... My attraction to him wasn't just because of how he looked, it is also because of who he is, what he's been through, and how he has become a better man because of it. He let him self become a better man, no one holding him back besides his own thoughts, but since he is such a strong hearted, stubborn, and willed man, he's overcome his demons.

Merle let him walk off, but put his hands on his hips, taking steps back and forth, deciding what to do. He caught my gaze and held it for a moment, but then gave me a nod and turned to follow Daryl back to the prison.

No one talked as we got back, unless it was Daryl and I trying to remember how far back the prison would be at. I walked closely behind Daryl while Merle was a little farther behind, sulking about how he had to go back to the prison.

I could tell Daryl wasn't happy at all that he had shown vulnerability in front of us. He was so used to masking his emotions, putting up that hard front. His hard walls had softened, but he still wasn't going to go around the rest of the group telling them about his problems and feelings. I also knew that he didn't want to know what my reaction would be to seeing his scars so up close and personal, along with his vulnerability. He would expect the worse; that I would either be disgusted by it or shower him in pity, but neither is something I would do. He just had to remember that I knew what it was like.

We walked on a for a little bit, but stopped at a small stream real quick. Daryl crouched down and started to wash his hands off, getting all of the blood from the walkers off of him. I knew he desperately wanted to take the backpack off, or at least adjust it, but he wouldn't, not if it meant showing his bare back. I eyed the backpack, wondering who packed it and what they would have packed.

I sighed and walked over, opening it up. Daryl's whole body tensed, thinking I was going to rip it off, but I just told him I was grabbing something. I searched through, not really knowing exactly what I wanted, but when I spotted a small roll of duct tape, I was satisfied. "Take the backpack off." I said to him as I closed it back off. He didn't say anything, just shifted uncomfortably and tried to stand up. "Just take it off, gona fix your shirt." I said, putting my hand on his arm to push him back down. He looked at me with unsureness and hesitation, but ended up shrugging the back pack off.

I moved it out of the way and got down on my knees behind him. I pulled the parts of his shirt that were ripped and dangling over his sides back to the middle of his back where they are supposed to be. I felt him tense and shiver under my touch when my fingers grazed him, but he slowly started to relax. I unrolled a long piece of duct tape and ripped it off, holding the roll with my mouth as I used two hands to tape up the bottom of his shirt. I ripped of a few more pieces and eventually I got the shirt looking semi-normal if you avoided the duct tape on his back. "Good as new." I said and stood up, putting the duct tape back in the bag.

He mumbled a thanks and picked up his crossbow and bolts before he stood up completely. I saw him look around for Merle and noticed that he had his back to us, watching for danger. Daryl took a step forward and looked at me straight in the eyes with his piercing blue ones. We looked at each other for a minute, our eyes saying everything that needed to be said and right as something was about to happen, gunfire could be heard...

Coming from the prison.