Just something quick I threw together to avoid studying for finals. Hope you like it, even though it's short and sweet. This story DOESN'T contain slash, by the way, so don't be too quick to judge. However, my future Walking Dead stories will...

Also some news on Draco's Peril... Yeah, it's still not done... *Dodges rocks* It's on a long hiatus until I get the inspiration back. Maybe the release of Catching Fire will give me some desire to finish that story, but for now it's Walking Dead fics. I have summer break coming up shortly and I won't be taking summer classes this time, so I'm gonna try to get back into writing since I got so many ideas flooding my brain and I need to let them out. A lot of them will be short fics like this one, but I got some Walking Dead ideas in mind.

Anyway, I'll stop rambling - enjoy the fluff.

Daryl couldn't sleep. It's been like this ever since Merle returned. At first – when his brother was still alive, he was far too worried to even doze off. Worried because he knew that if Merle made one slip up – on mistake it would reflect on him, and Daryl didn't want Rick to lose trust in him. He couldn't afford to be thrown out into the walkers. He knew Rick wasn't that heartless, but it still made him nervous after everything Merle has done. He was Rick's right-hand man and best friend – or the closest to a friend he ever really had. That trust was one of the few most important things in Daryl's life and he never wanted that to go away.

Now that Merle was gone, the hunter only found it even more impossible to rest. Every time he shut his eyes all he could see was his brother's infected and decaying face staring straight through him. He still couldn't shake the memory of stabbing his brother in the face seven times and that alone tore him apart from the inside out. It made his guts churn and he whined softly to himself at the though, pressing his face into his pillow to muffle out his soft crying.

It was late and he groaned in irritation as he shifted on his bed until he was facing the wall. Was he the only one that was unable to sleep tonight? The prison was far too quiet for his liking. Even Lil' Asskicker was fast asleep, not even cooing or crying. He actually missed hearing his brother snoring from his cell down the hall when he was around. Again, Daryl felt sick, because Merle wasn't around anymore.

Soon the silence and nausea became too much to handle and he got up, grabbing his crossbow with him.

He quietly made his way down his perch, sneaking by a sleeping Rick so as not to wake the leader. Rick's back was pressed to the wall, his head hanging by his chest. The hunter guessed he fell asleep like that, too tired to go to his cell. Daryl almost stepped on the Sheriff at first, gasping softly when he heard Rick groan in his sleep. He seemed to jump at every little thing now-a-days. But when he looked down to see Rick shift slightly in his uncomfortable looking position against the hard cement wall, Daryl let out a breath that he didn't even realize he was holding. It was a good thing Rick didn't wake up, because Daryl was far from in the mood to talk and he knew the leader would insist upon it.

Outside, he found Glenn keeping watch around the prison gates. The hunter sighed again, trying to shake the sleep from his eyes as he approached his friend.

Before Daryl could even say hey, Glenn must have heard the hunter's footsteps dragging tiredly against the ground and turned around to face him. "Hey, Daryl." Glenn said tiredly, but still managing to keep a friendly smile on his face.

"Hey..." Daryl said, nodding his head to the kid before stopping in front of him. "Why dontchu head inside?" He stated. Glenn tilted his head, clearly confused. "I can take over watch for the night." The hunter finished, slightly smirking at the dumb look on the kid's face.

"You sure?" Glenn asked. "All night? It's still early, aren't you tired?"

"Exhausted." Daryl admitted. "But I can't sleep and I figured you deserve a night off watch."

Glenn dropped his shoulders slowly, finding this whole thing a bit suspicious. "Is this about Merle?" The question came out a bit too quickly and abruptly and for a moment Glenn thought he saw a bit of shock in Daryl's tired eyes. He blinked and shifted uncomfortably, almost stepping back, "Oh… Shit, Daryl, I didn't mean-"

"It's okay," He said, cutting the kid off, "Yes, it is about Merle. It's keeping me up…"

"Well… Maybe you need to sleep? Maybe it'll help you relax. Pacing back and forth out here won't help you at all, trust me." He glanced pass the gate at a lone walker limping amnesty around the field. "And watching them isn't a joy either…"

Daryl shook his head. "I can't…" He said simply, not wanting to go into detail about the nightmares he keeps having. He trailed off with a shutter, remembering his brother's cold, dead gaze glaring at him as if he were Merle's next living meal.

Glenn nodded, not wanting to force any more out of him. "I understand… I mean… Maybe I don't fully understand – I wasn't there. But I know how you feel – we all do. Besides, I think I kind of owe you an apology."

Daryl tilted his head. "Why?" He was so tired, and the exhaustion was clear as day in his tone

"Well… After what he did to me in Woodbury… I kind of took that anger towards him out on you. And that wasn't right. You didn't deserve that, so…" He trailed off.

Daryl nodded, lowering his eyes at the memory of what Glenn had mentioned about Merle back at Woodbury. How his brother beat the kid senseless – almost killing him. Not to mention about what the Governor did to Maggie.

"I'm sorry." Glenn continued. "You didn't know all the details, and I was wrong to take my anger out on you. I've just been holding a grudge against him for it for so long."

It took a moment for Daryl to answer, but when he finally did, he caught Glenn off guard. "Do ya still hate him even though he's gone?"

The kid looked at him shocked. "No!" He jumped at the tone of his own voice, looking past the gate to make sure no walkers heard him before continuing. "No…." He said more quietly.

"Ya don't haveta lie, Glenn. It's okay if ya do, I'll understand."

Glenn sighed. "I don't hate him. I'm not lying. After what he did… Letting Michonne go, and going to face the Governor himself told me a lot. He bought us time, and he tried to save us. I forgive him, because even though he never told me, I know he was sorry."

He looked at Daryl as the hunter lowered his head. Glenn couldn't tell if he was crying, but he found it best not to asked. "You know he loved you, Daryl. He would have gone to hell and back to protect you. Even though he seemed like he had a funny way of showing he cared, I know he did. That day at Woodbury, the only reason why he wanted to find the camp was to find you. All he cared about was you, not what the Governor wanted."

Daryl's shoulders quivered and he inhaled deeply to keep himself calm before looking up. Glenn could tell he was crying since his eyes were slightly glassy. "Thank you." Daryl rasped, his voice a bit shaky.

Glenn smiled a little and held out his arms, "Come on. You need a hug."

Daryl looked a bit taken aback by the kind gesture, but he accepted it and wrapped his arms around the kid, but with a bit hesitation. Oddly enough he found himself hugging Glenn so tightly as if he were desperate for any sort of comfort. And maybe he was, it was just hard to admit he needed someone. He's always been alone, and having people that care about him was still a bit hard to get used to.

"You know, I'm not giving up my post," Glenn said with a smirk when they pulled away, "You're gonna go back inside and sleep."

"Glenn-"

"Would Merle want you moping around like this?" He cut him off, "In fact he'd probably give you a slap in face and tell you to stop being a bitch."

Daryl laughed dryly, "That's exactly what he'd do."

Glenn smiled. "See? Besides you have early watch tomorrow." Glenn finished dryly, wincing a little when he noticed Daryl's shoulder drop.

"It's okay, I'll talk to Rick." Glenn continued, knowing Daryl needed sleep. "We'll work something out."

Daryl sighed, "Thank you."

"Now, please get some rest? We don't wanna lose you too."

Daryl shuddered. "Alright, alright. Thanks, kiddo."

Glenn nodded at him as Daryl walked away and continued his watch.

x-X-x

He still wasn't feeling one hundred percent better, but his little talk with Glenn really did help a little more than he thought. The hunter will never get over the loss of his brother, but Glenn was right: Merle wouldn't want him killing himself over it.

And to be truthful with himself, he never felt so tied and as soon as his body hit his bed he let out a heavy sight, hearing Rick shift from downstairs at the noise.

Daryl didn't even care if the sheriff woke up, because the hunter was already asleep.