Summary: One of the very few on his list, Daryl had to respect the woman despite not even knowing who she was. He knew what kind of man Merle was when he was as high as a kite. But she stayed with him when everyone else ran back to the camp. She had balls, he had to give her that. Daryl/OC
Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of TWD, only the OCs appearing.
This intro chapter is a bit short.
Hope you enjoy! Thank you for reading~
The heat, if anything was what I couldn't stand the most about this state. And I was pretty sure it was the suffocating humidity that would ultimately end up killing me. Not the ever-hungry, rotting zombies walking around the planet. Just watching the biters stumble around aimlessly on the street from the rooftop made me want to bark out in laughter. Just a few months ago, I was the biggest fan of zombie movies, but now. I wouldn't touch another damn zombie movie with a ten foot pole. But really, calling them zombies didn't sit well with me. Now that everything was reality, with the world literally shutting down, the term zombie seemed just too comical. Just as comical as me choosing to stay on this rooftop with some cracked-out, racist, hill-billy named Merle.
I gripped the compact bow in my arms in comfort, it was the only long-range weapon I had with me. I wasn't Legolas, but I prided myself in the years of training. I could shoot down a bird. It wasn't exactly the prettiest or most accurate of shots, but I could get the job done. But other than my pack of goods, a metal bat, and a huge-ass hunting knife, I was vulnerable.
I suddenly felt the slightest of regret leaving the comfort of my hovel.
I had survived this long on my own, and for the first time in a while I was depending on someone else. Rick Grimes. We had only met a day ago, but so far, I respected the man and liked him. I wouldn't say I was to the point where I fully trusted him, but it was more than what I gave towards the other people I've had the pleasure of running in to. I knew Rick didn't want to leave Merle like this, if the look in his eyes when he left the roof said anything. So I guess, that was part of the reason I stayed with Merle. I was still working that part out.
I hoped to the high heavens that he would keep his word of doing his best to get me out of this city alive. The current plan, as it were, was to wait it out for a while. The tools that T-Dog had dropped honestly didn't have anything to cut through the cuffs or pipe, we've already tried. And if everything went to hell, we'd have to improvise somehow.
He was a hunter, that I could tell, but between him being chained up and me with my limited supply of arrows, we wouldn't last long against a hoard.
So, all in all I was having a mental breakdown, but it was better than being chained to the rooftop.
A dry cough had me glancing over my shoulder at said man. I couldn't help but feel a string of guilt, his lips had already begun chapping painfully. Setting down my bow, I reached around into my backpack and pulled out a half-filled bottle of water. Without feeling a need to say anything, I crouched down next to him and handed him the plastic bottle. With years of having to cater to all kinds of people in the hospital, I managed a small smile at the man.
I was pretty sure it was instinct, but Merle gave me a queer/snarling look, his pupils dilated to the point of blackening his entire iris. When I refused to move or drop my smile, he reached over to take the water hesitantly. I was pleasantly surprised that he hadn't said anything to me as of yet. He alternated between being completely silent, coughing, and mumbling to himself ever since T-Dog chained the door and descended the stairs. He stared at me for a good fifteen minutes with an array of expressions. But not a word. I wasn't sure if I should be happy with that or scared. Because before all this shit went down, he was more than happy to fly insults to everyone within fifteen feet of him.
I must've dozed off for a second while observing him because the next thing I knew, I was flinching the slightest at his voice.
"So, Mulan, why the fuck d'ja stay," his thick accent was a strange comfort for me.
As a California girl, the Californian accent was an everyday thing, so to hear other accents made me happy. Not sure why.
"Well, Xiang Yu," I wonder if it offended him that I had to crack a smile at the nick name he gave me, a Disney reference, who knew, "As much as I loved our first impressions, I don't believe in leaving a man behind. Especially if I can do something about it."
"Tha kind of thinkin' will get ya killed out here, girl," He definitely didn't spare nice words,"And doubt Officer fukin' friendly would've liked you staying here."
Shrugging, I stood up and walked back to my bow, shaking off the numbness in my legs.
"He wouldn't want you up here either, neither did T-Dog," I shared, taking my post once again.
A rough snort left the man.
"He sent T-Dog up here to unchain you, didn't he?" I couldn't help but defend before Merle could spout out another racist throw.
"Real good job he did, chained you up here too with good ol' Merle."
"...yeah. But they'll come back."
Unfortunately, I was pretty sure he caught the inflection in my words. I didn't fully believe them either.
The silence this time was more so annoying.
Then came the groans.
Both our heads snapped towards the roof-access door.
We shared a panic look.
It was time to improvise.
The guilt that ate at his consciousness almost overruled the calm, rational side of himself as his family stood firmly in his way.
"Make me understand," Lori Grimes urged from her recently-discovered husband. She had just gotten him back after all this time, she wasn't about to let him go. Especially for a man like Merle Dixon.
"I owe my life to Jolene, a man, and his son, Lori. It's because of them I made it back to you at all. Jolene saved my life and came with me to Atlanta to help me find you and Carl," Rick was thankful Lori paused to listen to what he had to say, "And the man and his son, they said they'd follow me into Atlanta. They'll walk into the same trap we walked into if I don't stop them. And I have to save them, Lori. I told you what happened to me, they're the reason I'm alive. I can't leave anyone out there like I did to Merle."
Because honestly, no matter what she said. He had to go back.
Chaining Merle Dixon to the rooftop wasn't a mistake.
Leaving him there with a mass of walkers at the door, was.
And the girl he owed his life and grown to be fond of, stayed to protect Merle.
It just seemed like with every good that came his was, always came at a hefty price.
Daryl didn't bother suppressing his look of disgust as the camp argued on going back. Just a day ago they were more than willing to gobble up whatever he and his brother hunted. Not even an ounce of appreciation from any of them, just judgmental stares and frowns. And the moment they had a chance to get rid of either of them, they jumped like disease-ridden geeks.
The younger Dixon bit at his thumb as he thought of his brother chained like an animal on the rooftop. The tears almost threatening to blur his vision again. Fucking bastards. All of them.
Then the mention of that woman's name again, Jolene had him pause. Whoever she was, she had stayed with Merle and chose to stay with him even as T-Dog locked them on the roof. Who was she? Why did she even give a flying fuck. He knew what kind of man Merle was when he was as high as a kite, and not. But she stayed with him when everyone else ran back to the camp.
She had balls, he had to give her that.
He almost cringed at the thought of having to thank her in some way, if they were even alive that is. Merle was a tough son of a bitch to kill, and he was pretty damn sure he would still be alive. But the girl? He didn't know nothin' on her and her ability to survive and fight. It wasn't so much having to thank her that bothered him but he wasn't that good at giving any pleasantries to anyone.
At least not in the "civilized" way, or so the pricks at this camp prattled on about.
All of them had lived with the two Dixons for at least a month but wouldn't raise a finger to save either of them. The only women that even dared to go near them were the whores at the bars looking for a night. And they didn't even bother staying that long either, not that he wanted them to.
So who the fuck was she?
Granted even during peace times, the Dixons weren't exactly the favorite in their own back-water town. But two total fucking strangers do, the entire camp goes rioting. The fuck was wrong with these people.
Either way, he didn't give a shit.
He was going to save his brother and, begrudgingly, the girl.
There was no other way. My fingers trembled the slightest as I tightened the belt just above Merle's encased wrist. I pulled until his hand turned an unhealthy red. The Georgia heat no longer a problem, almost cool compared to how much I was sweating and heating up at this turn of events.
With one last grim look at one another, I held onto the dull saw in my hand with a grip that could strangle and pop the head off a pigeon. I didn't bother asking if he was ready, because honestly, neither of them was.
Sucking in an uneasy breath, I squared my shoulders and lowered the serrated blade.
"Just do it," Merle snarled out, his entire body strung up like the string on my bow.
Not even my experience as an ER nurse could have comforted me for what I was about to do to this man. The situation only worsened by the constant growling and groaning just a few feet from them.
"Like a bandaid," I quipped.
His short, disgruntled laugh was a first.
"Like a bandaid," he repeated.
Without any other pleasantries, I dug in.
His screams would haunt my dreams for a long time.
There was no other way.
I wasn't about to just leave him after abandoning my greater chance at making it out alive.
They had to survive.