Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Walking Dead, AMC or anyone/anything else. This is purely for entertainment purposes and is fiction created by me. No copyright infringement intended on anything associated with this account. This story does not reflect the actual series and doesn't claim to be anything but me having a bit of extra time on my hands getting the mental dialogue from my make believe stories in my head on paper (or computer that is). Any and all original characters created by me are not and do not resemble any known person(s). If you have any concerns or questions about what I've written please contact me and I will be happy to discuss anything.

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DAWN OF A NEW DAY

**authors note- Compared to my other fan fiction stories…this story contains material of a more graphic nature than some of the others I've written. Like all of my stories, is intended only for mature audiences only.

Chapter 2

Daryl laid on his bed face down. He could hear Merle bangin' Janine in the room across the hall. Janine was a bit of a screamer which made Daryl nauseous just to think about. Daryl covered his head with his pillow in attempt to drown out her constant moaning. Somehow he managed even through the noise to fall back asleep.

.

A few hours later the ringing of the phone woke Daryl.

Disoriented, Daryl stumbled into the kitchen and grabbed at the phone hanging on the wall.

"What?…." Daryl asked into the receiver.

"Daryl?…..I know you had a long day yesterday but two guys didn't show up this morning and John looks like hell, think he may need to go home sick. There must be something going around but I've got a heavy load today. Can you come in?" Jackson asked.

Daryl scratched his head then rubbed his eyes. "Uh….yeah….I guess…."

"You alright Daryl? You're not coming down with something too are ya?" Jackson seemed genuinely concerned. He had been a friend of Daryl's mother. Growing up, whenever Daryl ran into him he'd always ask if Daryl needed anything. Occasionally he'd give Daryl money or hand-me-downs from his own sons that were a few years older than Daryl and Merle. He was more of a father to Daryl and Merle than their own one was.

"Naw I'm fine…I just woke up is all…I'll be there as soon as I can get there." Daryl told him.

"I knew I could count on you son….if Merle wants to earn some money tell him to come on too." Jackson told him.

"I don't think he's here but if he is I'll ask….see ya in a bit." Daryl told him and he hung up the phone.

Daryl went back to his bedroom and grabbed a blue mechanic's jumpsuit from the closet along with an old white t-shirt. Quickly Daryl got dressed and then looked in Merle's room but he wasn't there. He went back into the kitchen and went to grab his cigarette pack from the table.

"Damn thief!" Daryl wasn't surprised his pack was missing but it still pissed him off. He went to the pantry and grabbed another one along with a lighter from one of the kitchen drawers and his trucks keys from the bowl on the counter.

Daryl headed outside, grabbed his boots next to the door and sat down on the front porch steps. As he laced up his boots he thought the neighborhood seemed eerily quiet.

Daryl hopped in his truck and headed down the road towards the shop. He pushed in the cigarette lighter in the truck and stuck a cigarette in his mouth. As he was waiting for the lighter to heat up he rolled down the driver's window. Daryl heard the pop of the lighter, grabbed it and lit his cigarette. When he looked back up towards the road, he quickly swerved to the left to avoid hitting a man that was walking down the middle of the lane towards his truck.

"SHIT!…" Daryl yelled as he struggled to keep control over his truck as he drove past. The man in the road kept walking his course without reacting to Daryl at all and appeared to have no concern of getting run over. Daryl watched the man in the rear view mirror and tried to keep his eyes in front of him at the same time.

'Fuckin' crack head…..starting early I guess….." Daryl remarked.

Daryl took a long drag from his cigarette, his nerves slightly rattled from almost running over somebody first thing in the morning. "It's gonna be one of those fuckin' days I guess…" Daryl remarked to himself.

He pulled up to the garage and parked his truck around the back of the building. He went in the back door and heard the clanking of tools hitting the concrete floor. Daryl walked towards the sound.

"John, man you alright?" Daryl asked him. John had sat on an over turned bucket next to the car he was working on. He was pale and sweating profusely. There was a tire iron on the floor by his feet. He just sat there looking dazed…."

"John?….." Daryl said again.

Slowly John looked up at Daryl. "Hey…..uh…..I'm not feelin' so hot." He told Daryl.

"Jackson said you felt like shit….go home, I'll take care of this…." Daryl told him.

"Think I'll lie down in the back for a bit first….." John told him.

"Whatever man….take it easy…." Daryl told him. John stumbled off towards the break room in the back of the building. Shortly thereafter Jackson approached Daryl as he worked underneath the car.

"Thanks Daryl….I'll really appreciate you coming in…." Jackson told him.

"Ain't like I got somethin' better to do." Daryl told him. He just kept working.

"Looks like it will just be you and me working in the shop today….like old times huh? No Merle I take it…..can't say I'm surprised, I don't even remember the last time he worked in here. Just as well, I've been wanting to talk to you about something for awhile now but didn't want to do it with others around." Jackson told him.

Daryl stopped what he was doing and rolled out from underneath the car. "Somethin' wrong Jack?"

"No….nothing's wrong Daryl….actually I'm hoping you'll see it as good news." Jackson told him.

Daryl sat up as Jackson sat on the over turned bucket across from him.

"Listen Daryl, you know I ain't getting any younger and my boys are grown and have moved off and started their own lives…..they don't want nothing to do with this old garage….." Jackson began.

Daryl had no idea where Jackson was going with this. If he just wanted to stroll down memory lane Daryl would rather he at least let him get back to work while he did it.

"So that got me thinking…..we're never hurtin' for business here and I can't run this place forever….if you're interested I'd like you to take over…"Jackson told him.

"What?…..What do you mean take over?" Daryl knew full well what Jackson meant but he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I mean Daryl, I want you to take over the garage….we'll be partners….Nancy will keep doing the books and I'll still take a portion of the profits for my retirement but all in all, the garage will be yours…..what do you say son?" Jackson asked.

Daryl sat there unable to speak at first….He felt his chest tighten as if he could hardly breathe. "I…I don't know what to say…." Daryl told Jackson.

"Say you'll do it you numbskull!" Jackson said jokingly as he took off his baseball cap and whacked Daryl upside the head with it.

Daryl couldn't help but smile so big it made his jaw hurt. "Ok…Ok old man! I'll do it…."

Jackson smiled and stood up putting his hand out towards Daryl. Daryl stood and gave him a firm handshake. Before Daryl could let go Jackson pulled him close and hugged him tight, patting him on the back.

"I'm proud of you son….you've made me a proud man…." Jackson told him. "Now get back to work….." He said with a laugh and smacked Daryl on the shoulder and walked back towards his office.

Daryl's eyes filled with tears but he quickly rubbed his eyes on his sleeve and choked them back. Seemed like today was going to be a much better day than he initially thought.