This is for season three. Each section is a bit of a time jump that is self explanatory.
Watching his brother crash to the ground and hearing the shredding of his shirt was nothing that he hadn't seen before. Hell he'd been seeing Daryl bust his ass for years since he was nothing more than a kid but he'd never felt so sick to his stomach in those moments as he did now. Telling himself that he left all those years ago to keep from killin' the man was one thing but seeing the damage with his own eyes was another.
He wasn't going to make Daryl tell him what he'd already come to understand. Daryl was a different kind of man than him even now and the divide was growing. Merle wanted to be mad, he wanted to blame someone else anyone else for that matter but it came down to him. He'd created that divide when he'd left his brother to the wolves years ago and these nights were like a dagger now. Long, cold, and sharp.
Daryl was a better man than he'd ever been and it seemed the time away from each other had gave him a chance to really be that man. Merle spit on the ground sneering at the thought of what Rick Grimes had been able to do for his brother when he himself hadn't. He'd do right by his brother.
Trailing behind his pissed off brother and watching each shift of the pack on his pack that hid the damage of their youth Merle chewed at his memories. It was in those deep dark hills where things started and things ended. Merle had left even when their piece of shit father had told him he'd never make it out of that place alive, hell no Dixon had. Looking back now he knew it was a mistake to leave his baby brother with that monster of a man.
"What happened that night?" Merle spoke suddenly.
Daryl's entire body went rigid, "You walked away Merle."
"That's on me brother." Merle acknowledged a bite in his tone already.
Daryl looked at him from the corner of his eye and picked his pace up, "You know what happened."
Merle let his eyes go to Daryl's marred back and knew. "That the same night he done that shit?"
Daryl flinched but nodded and Merle felt a swell of rage wash through him so violently it felt like a dose of poison. His very soul was sick with the thought of his brother having to fight that man off him and the burden that had been on his shoulders.
Daryl was quiet and Merle let him have it. Daryl was always a more solitary person any youthful need for people squashed out by their ole man early on. Merle rubbed a hand down his face and tried to clear the memories that were a torrent of pain from his mind. He thought that when he found his brother again things would be better than before with him being clean for the first time in years. He hadn't expected the shit that came with sobriety and the memories that were unearthed.
Merle watched as Rick nodded to Daryl when they got to the prison. It was clear he wanted to get Daryl alone and talk but he didn't speak up, yet. Merle watched him and swallowed down all the anger he felt at the son of a bitch. Rick Grimes wasn't shit to him. Wouldn't ever be shit to him but the man who had left him for dead and to trace his blood line. He was left with his father's words about never getting out a live.
Him and Daryl had both proved that man wrong. They'd got out alright only to be faced with a world of dead bastards.
The eyes of the group were on him like he was the devil himself and a chuckle rolled through his frame raising a few brows. Daryl shifted and looked to him his eyes pleading with him. Merle nodded his face clearing of his smug smile to suit his brother. He would do this for him. This man after all kept his brother whole and safe. He'd come back for him when he never had Merle and that had to mean something. It wasn't blood but it was as close as Daryl had when he'd been apart from him.
Rick clapped Daryl on the back holding his bicep and Merle watched as Daryl just nodded. No flinch. That was a first something he'd never seen happen with anyone and Merle raised a brow. Rick hadn't hurt him like Merle had himself over the years.
"Something you need officer?" Merle smirked feeling his eyes on him.
Rick walked further into the room dropping his proposition on him. Daryl's words of just wanting his brother back were thick in his mind carrying the weight of decades of divides and hurt. There was no doubt that at the end of the day they were brothers. There was no doubt that Merle loved his brother and that Daryl loved him but that didn't take away pain of bad choices and words said. Actions brought upon someone over and over in time that poisoned you against trusting someone. Made for a bitter brew to drink and you spent you life thinking about how to get away.
"Daryl know about this?" Merle questioned sizing Rick up.
When Rick let him know that Daryl did he knew that his brother wasn't alright with this. He knew though that the Governor was never going to let them be so long as him and Michonne were both there. He wasn't the one leaving this time like Daryl thought. No he'd do this for him and make sure those wolves were off his back unlike all those years ago. He wouldn't leave his brother to carry another burden when he could fix things before they ever got started.
"Officer." Merle called his eyes already searching for what he needed, "Keep an eye on him."
Rick nodded, "He'll be fine Merle you'll see that when you get back."
Merle gave a dry humorless chuckle but it went unnoticed from the man as he disappeared from the door.
Ignoring the looks she kept shooting at him he felt that old familiar sting begin as he itched for drugs. Merle didn't like remembering and drugs had been something to take those away. For years he killed it all away but now...now he remembered everything. It was bothering him that this woman was walking with him as if accepting already that he was made to make her hurt. Daryl had followed him just as easily and the thought and symmetry caused him to flinch and stop.
Watching her in the rear view mirror after having turned her out. One less person to the wolves. What had he become that he was this man? Everyone he knew goes away in the end but he'd make sure that Daryl was the last man standing. He wouldn't let him down. Merle felt like he was full of broken thoughts and memories he couldn't repair. Daryl was someone else now, better, stronger, and better off but he was still right here.
Shots ringing out time seemed to slip away. There was nothing more to give in his bones that he wouldn't and did give for Daryl. Sliding down the wall a laugh slipped from between his lips and he seen anger blare in the Governor's eyes.
"I think finding you like this would be good for him."
Merle looked up and sneered, "That wolf will be looking for you then."
Emptiness was filling him to the point of agony and the darkness was coming in around his peripherals. He knew this dance. Chuckling again as he looked down at his hand seeing the blood pulse between his fingers. Things weren't what they use to be and now Daryl had a chance and he wouldn't have stand this hell he was feeling.
Growing darkness Merle leaned his head back calling it to hurry if this shit was happening. "Goddamn brother." Merle rasped his voice heavy and his words slurring. "I'll find that old bastard in hell brother and I'll make up for it there. Eye for an eye." Merle smiled blood slipping from between his lips as his breathing stuttered in his chest.