Author's Note:
Back with another multi chapter. I started this a long time ago and decided to post everything I had started. It will follow Daryl after he gets left at the gates of Alexandria, after being held by the Saviors for a month. Basically the story will show all of the people who help get him back in his right mind, with a lot of help from a surprise character who died way too soon. I will be including my newest ship, slight Caryl, slight Bethyl, slight Meronne, and slight Richonne. Enjoy!
(No POV)
A small truck headed down a pavement dirt road. Night had fallen and it was a cool summer evening. There was a gentle breeze carried through the winds. A man and a women sat in the front of the truck, not saying a word for the entire trip. It wasn't a smooth trip either, the truck went over many bumps along the way, some big enough to lift the passengers from their seats.
The truck skidded to a halt as they reached a tall fence. The woman glanced up. "This it?" She asked.
The man nodded and removed his key from the ignition. He opened the front door and climbed out, slamming it shut behind him. The woman opened her own door and stepped onto the dirt. She stretched before heading towards the back of the truck, where the man already was. He unlocked the door and opened it.
Inside was another man, his skin caked with dirt and dried blood. He was lying on his side, asleep. The man climbed into the truck to lift him up, while the woman helped by grabbing the second man's feet. They carried him out of the truck and set him gently on the ground.
The man then knocked on the fence in front of them a few times, before quickly going back towards the truck. The woman opened the passenger door and climbed in as he started the engine. She glanced back at the man lying on the ground, concern crossing her face.
The man grabbed her hand. "He'll be fine" he told her.
She met eyes with him. "And us?" She asked.
He swallowed nervously. "It was either this or let him die" he told her.
She bit her lip and nodded slowly. She didn't say another word as the truck pulled away from the gate, back in the direction it had come from, east.
At the same time the fence opened to reveal a dark skinned woman. She noticed the man on the ground and immediately called out "Rick!" She opened the gate and grabbed the man by under his arms and dragged him in, just as another man closed the gate behind her.
"He was just lying there" she told him softly. "There was a knock and I opened it and saw him"
"No one else?" He asked.
She shook her head. He rubbed his head in frustration, staring down at the man on the ground. "Rick it's not a trap" she whispered.
Rick glanced up at her. "Why would they just leave him here?" He asked.
"Maybe he escaped" she suggested.
"And passed out right in front of the gate?" He shook his head. "No someone left him" he looked down again, sighing. "He needs a doctor" he decided.
"We can't risk bringing him to Hilltop" she told him. They all remembered too well what happened the last time they had traveled to hilltop. The most horrible night in their entire lives, watching two of their own get smashed by the leader of the saviors.
He nodded. "I know..." He trailed off. He bit his lip, rubbing his head again. His eyes moved over the man, noticing the obvious bruising and cuts on his skin. He looked like he had been through absolute hell, and knowing where he had been for the last month, he probably had been. He felt sympathy and pity for the man he had come to know as a brother.
"Get him some blankets, a pillow, probably some food, water-" he knew he was rambling but he just wanted to see him in a better condition as soon as possible.
She nodded just as another women approached the group "Rick, Michonne!" She called out and then stopped. "Is that?..."
Michonne nodded. The second women looked horrified. "What did they do to him?..."
Michonne gently grabbed her arm. "Rosita, get him something to eat for when he wakes up"
Rosita nodded and went to retrieve what she had asked. Michonne went back towards where she and Rick slept, before remembering that they were both low on blankets and pillows. She sighed remembering who had stolen all of them, probably just to be an ass to Rick.
She headed towards the small storage shed that he had claimed as his and knocked on the door softly. "Merle" she called out in a quiet tone. She sighed again, as she opened the door and stepped inside. She coughed on the thick smoke fumes that filled the air.
She saw him, four pillows behind his head, sitting up, a cigarette in his hand. "Well if I had known it was you I'd've opened the door" he told him in his usual raspy voice, a small smirk on his face.
She stood over him, ignoring his comment. "I'm going to need to take a few of the pillows and a blanket or two" she told him.
He grabbed the blankets and moved them away from her. "Hell nah! Rick ain't gettin' none of this shit!" He argued.
"It's not for Rick..." She muttered slowly.
He looked up at her. "Who's it for?"
She met eyes with him. "Daryl"
A mixture of concern and relief immediately crossed his face. "He's back?" He asked breathlessly. "Where is he? Is he ok? Why didn't ya tell me?!" His voice had become louder at each question, until he was shouting.
"He's asleep" she told him softly. "And we just found him"
Merle stood up "just bring 'im 'ere then" he told her, starting to straighten up the mess of blankets. She smiled slightly, seeing that he was trying to make it perfect for when they finally did bring his brother in. Although at first it really didn't look like it, Merle did actually care about Daryl, probably more than anyone in the group did, except for maybe Rick.
She left the shed and went back to where Rick was, still watching Daryl, who hadn't woken up. "Merle wants him to stay with him" she told Rick.
He nodded. "Ok" he bent down into a squat. "Help me" he lifted the man off the ground with a grunt of effort. Michonne lifted his feet up and they carried him towards the shack where Merle was waiting. They set him down on the makeshift bed of blankets and pillows.
Rick left and as Michonne turned to leave, Merle spoke. "What the hell did they do to 'im?" He asked in a low growl.
She sighed "I don't know but he's going to be ok" she told him.
"Stay" he whispered softly, his eyes not leaving his brother's face.
She nodded and sat down next to him. After a long moment of silence she spoke again. "You alright?"
He shook his head. "Not 'til I know he is..." He rested his hand on Daryl's forehead, feeling that it was burning. They clearly hadn't taken good care of him.
Moments later there was a knock on the door. Michonne stood up to open it to Rosita carrying a plate of food and a glass of water. She set it on the floor by Daryl's head, before standing up again. "Still hasn't woken up?" She asked.
Michonne shook her head and sat back down. "Can you tell me when he does?" Rosita asked.
"Sure" she told her, knowing why she probably wanted to know. Daryl had stood up for Rosita when Negan had been intimidating her, after Abraham's death. He had punched him in the face, which had lead to Glenn getting killed and probably his own capture.
"Thanks" Rosita muttered before walking back out the door.
Michonne glanced back at Merle, who appeared to be cutting a piece of the blanket with his knife. "What are you doing?" She asked. He ignored her, continuing to cut. Once he had a decent sized piece, he poured water on it, and then squeezed it, letting the excess water drip off. He unfolded it and placed it on Daryl's forehead.
A small smile made its way across her face. Merle glanced over at her and turned away, seeming to be embarrassed. "It's a start" he muttered.
The smile stayed on her face, as she watched him move Daryl's bangs away from his eyes. He turned around. "Wha' the hell ya smirking 'bout?" He demanded.
"Nothing" she started, as he turned around. "It's just..."
He whirled around. "Just wha'?"
"It's sweet" she whispered softly. "You care about him"
He turned back towards Daryl "Why wouldn't I? He's my baby brother..." His voice trailed off. "I swear I will kill whoever the fuck did this to 'im" he growled.
"Rick'll come around" Michonne added. "It's just a matter of time"
"Good" he took the damp piece of cloth off Daryl's forehead, and rested his hand on it. "Better" he muttered, pouring more water on it, squeezing it out, and setting it back.
Michonne felt a yawn coming, but did her best to hide it. Merle wanted her there, as much as she wanted to curl up in bed with Rick, she couldn't. Besides Rick was probably not going to sleep until Daryl woke up. She sighed, scooting so that she was sitting up against the wall.
She felt her eyes begin to shut, and forced them open. She needed to stay awake, for Merle, for Daryl, for Rick, should he need her.
She figured someone had probably taken up her guard duty, maybe Rosita, since she was supposed to in an hour anyways, or Rick, since he wasn't going to sleep that night. It didn't matter who, just that she didn't have to feel guilty for abandoning her position for Merle. It didn't help that she would've probably fallen asleep in the guard tower anyways. The day had been a busy one, going on a run with Spencer and Rosita.
They hadn't found anything amazing, but they had found a few guns, except when they showed them to Rick, he told them to leave them outside the gate, per Negan's rule against guns. Of course Michonne had kept one for herself, and so had Rosita.
Michonne sighed, causing Merle to look over at her. "Ya alrigh'?" He asked, his cigarette back in his hand, although he wasn't smoking it.
She nodded. "Just tired"
"I feel ya" he put the cigarette out on his hand, not showing any sign of pain as he did so. He looked up at her again "well I wish I could" he added with a chuckle.
She rested her head in her hands, trying to hide the fact that his dirty ways slightly amused her. Not only that, they reminded her of her old boyfriend. A small smile had started to form on her face. There was a reason she ended up spending so much time with Merle, but to say she enjoyed his company was definitely a huge overstatement, he was annoying as all of hell, but he did make her smile every now and then, which was rare in this world.
