This is just something that popped into my head today while swimming. Weird I know. I've already got a back story sketched out, but wanted to post this to see how it looks so far.

Chapter 1

As the sun rose, Merle made his decision. He called the ranch, knowing they were two hours behind and although it was very early he was sure Daryl was already up stomping around, or already out in the fields. It was April, he knew from what he'd been told that it was lambing season and the hands were out in the pastures nearly round the clock.

"Hello," a sleepy male voice answered the phone in the bunkhouse.

"Hey, I need ta speak ta Daryl Dixon. This is his brother calling from Georgia," Merle rasped. As much as he had drunk, he was stone cold sober due to the circumstances of the call.

"Aw, Merle. Ya know he won't talk to ya," the voice chided him. Merle frowned.

"Tell him it's important. Tell him it's bout Lucy," Merle snapped back. "I'll stay on the line, don't care how long it takes but get his ass on the phone," he snarled.

"Okay, okay, hold on and I'll go find him." And he heard the phone clunk down. He couldn't make out the noises muffled in the background, but after about five minutes the phone was picked up again.

"What the fuck do ya want Merle?" he heard Daryl snap. He sighed. At least Daryl had gotten on the phone.

"Got some bad news, baby brother," Merle said slowly. He wasn't sure how he was going to say this, hadn't really thought it out.

"She dead?" Daryl whispered without emotion.

"No. But Wade is," Merle answered back.

There was a long silence on the other end, and Merle started to wonder whether Daryl was still on the phone or not.

"What's that got to do with me?" Daryl snarled finally.

Merle rubbed his hand over his face. "She killed him Daryl. And she's gonna be locked up in the mental hospital. Again." Merle braced himself for the torrent of fury that would soon come through the line.

"What? What the fuck ya talkin' bout?" Daryl yelled, his Georgia drawl reasserting itself instantly. 'What do ya mean again? What the fuck is goin' on there?"

Merle heard his brother's breathing pick up and could just picture Daryl starting to pace now in fury.

"Long story, too long to go into now. Nough to say that things are shit here, and Lucy needs ya to come home and be with her through all this," Merle spoke as calmly as he could.

"Where she at now?' Daryl asked tersely.

"In the hospital. Got stabbed in the stomach, lost the baby," Merle mumbled. He heard the phone drop and Daryl yelling and cursing loudly.

The phone picked up again but it wasn't Daryl talking, it was the person who had first answered the phone. "What happened Merle?"

"Where's my brother at?" Merle yelled angrily.

"He's rushed off to pack, he said. Said he's gotta go home," the voice replied. Merle sighed in relief.

"Tell him to be careful coming home," Merle said and hung up.

That night Merle was startled to hear banging on his door. Opening it, he was shocked to see Daryl. Merle stood with his mouth hanging open, one of the few times he was speechless. Daryl brushed past Merle and stomped into the living room, throwing his duffel bag by the couch. Turning he stared angrily at Merle and they each took measure of the other.

Eight years of hard work outdoors in all weather had hardened Daryl. His face was all sharp angles, small lines in the corners of his eyes from the sun. His skin had a weathered look, which actually made him more handsome. Merle could see Daryl's shoulders had filled out, he'd gotten taller and had a lean, muscular look to him. He also had a confident air to him, self- possessed, that he'd never had before. He looked like a dangerous man to cross.

In turn, Daryl stared at Merle-he realized he now was slightly taller and broader built than Merle and for all that Merle looked fit and muscular Daryl believed he could beat Merle in a fight if it came to that. He realized Merle no longer intimidated him. He'd learned how to survive out on the ranch in ways he'd never had to here in the woods of Georgia. He wasn't afraid of anything anymore. No man would ever again raise a hand or their voice to him.

"What the fuck happened Merle? No bullshit, I want the whole story," Daryl muttered angrily, as he lit up a cigarette. Merle leaned his back against the door and studied Daryl closely. He realized as tightly wound as Daryl was, it would be best to give an abbreviated version and not mention everything that had happened.

"How the fuck did ya get here so fast?" Merle rasped, hoping to stall a bit.

Daryl snapped his head up and glared at Merle. "What's it matter? I'm here. Tell me what the fuck happened," and without realizing it with each word Daryl's voice had gotten lower and colder as he spoke. Merle's eyes widened. His brother had never spoken to him like this. He had always been polite and respectful to Merle unless they argued, and even then he had definitely been the submissive one.

Merle cleared his throat, aware that he actually felt a bit anxious around his brother. Daryl was unknown to him right now and that made him nervous. "Well, short story is Wade and Lucy ain't ever been happy. And he was apparently more crazy than any of us gave him credit for," at this Merle stopped, hearing Daryl growl impatiently. Merle spread his hands out placatingly and tried to smirk but failed in the face of Daryl's cold stare. "Um, well, guess Wade got Lucy pregnant and …well, she stabbed him to death. Then tried to kill herself," Merle blurted out. Daryl stood very still, gazing over Merle's head coldly. Merle noticed that Daryl was a lot more still than he'd previously been. No restless squirming or pacing.

"So why ya call me? She's got family, they can take care of her," he muttered, still staring off at nothing.

Merle felt a chill creep up his spine. He was beginning to think Daryl was as crazy as Wade had been. He was unnaturally still and that alone made Merle feel anxious.

"They took her to the hospital in a strait jacket. After they got it off they saw she'd been stabbed in the stomach. They had to knock her out to stop her screaming," Merle whispered, bracing himself for Daryl's fury. He was shocked when Daryl continued to stand as still as a statue, silent. "This ain't the first time she's had a breakdown brother. They're afraid she won't come back from this one," and his throat closed up when Daryl turned his eyes to him. The look of pure cold hatred in Daryl's eyes was something Merle had never thought he'd see on his brother's face directed at him.

"So, she's been in the nuthouse a few times now? And now she's killed Wade and tried to kill herself? And not one fucking person thought to get her away from that crazy son of a bitch? No one thought to help her at all?" Daryl's fists were clenched at his sides and he ground his teeth.

For the second time in the space of a few minutes Merle was rendered speechless. The very fact that Daryl had asked that meant to Merle that Daryl had forgotten what life was like here. Around here you didn't interfere, didn't question. You kept your head down and hoped no one noticed you.

Merle shrugged helplessly. "You've forgotten what it's like here brother," he began.

Daryl held his hand up. "Fuck no, not that shit. Don't care who the fuck her family is or anything else bout that. Somebody somewhere should've helped her. I've seen a lot and been a lot of places since I left here and I know now that this place is in some kind of time warp. Like everyone here still lives in the time of slaves and cotton and those that have money can do damn well whatever they please. If ya ain't born with money yer life is shit and won't ever be anything but shit. Ain't like that anywhere else. Just here, in this little spot of hell." Daryl snorted with disgust. Merle remained silent, watching his brother closely. "Where she at?" Daryl snapped.

"She's at the hospital. They got her sedated from the surgery and because…..she started screaming again when she woke up." Merle whispered.

"Why she screaming? She in pain?" Daryl asked angrily.

Merle sighed. "No. She's been screaming your name. She's been screaming Daryl ever since they found her kneeling over Wade's body."