~I do not own the Walking Dead~
Daryl POV
I could not keep my mind off Archer being alone in the city. I knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself but with the heavy shit happening lately it was hard.
"You still got your mind on her?" Merle asked as he was cleaning his knife.
"She's my wife, I can't help it."
"Didn't think you would get soft brother."
"When you have your own family, you tell me that you don't worry."
"No need to get your panties in a bunch brother. Come on let's go hunt and quit your worrying."
I sighed in defeat and called the kids to follow us out. I left them by the river to fish while Merle and I went off on our own. After 20 minutes I found some deer tracks and started to follow it with Merle right behind me. They started to get weird when I saw human foot prints messing with the trail. The problem was though that these footprints were all over the place.
"Merle, you see these tracks?" I asked him.
"Looks like some drunk." He replied.
"That doesn't seem strange to you?"
"You are being paranoid now."
"Jackass I have a 14 and 10 year old running around these woods with a lunatic." I snapped at him as I continued to follow. I stopped in disgust at the sight that I saw. This "drunk" was feasting on the deer we were following.
"Nothing to worry about, huh?" I asked Merle sarcastically.
"Now is not the time to test my patience brother." Merle snapped. He whistled and the thing turned slowly to look at us. His face was torn to shreds and there was deer meat and blood around it's mouth.
"That just ain't right." I commented. It stood up and tried to reach for us. I shot it in the chest and stared wide eyed when it didn't do anything. "What the hell?!"
"That's not even human." Merle responded as he shot it multiple times and nothing was affecting it until he shot it in the head. "Well problem solved."
"Problem ain't solved. What the hell was that?!"
"The hell if I know."
I was about to yell at him when I heard the kids screaming. My heart pounded as I ran in the direction of the river. I was even more scared when I heard gun shots as well. By the time I had gotten into the clearing, Madi ran into my arms crying and I took in the sight before me. They had taken down two more of those things.
"We're leaving and going home to get your mom." I ordered as I grabbed the kids and headed to our camp.
"The fuck you are. We ain't going nowhere." Merle yelled.
"Did you not see those things?! If they coming into the woods, it's worse in the city!"
"Exactly! She's a gonner! Sorry to be the bearer of bad news."
Madi broke down more into tears as Kenny hugged her tight and fought his own tears/ I had enough of Merle. I went over to him and punched him in the jaw. "Listen you piece of shit, she is my wife and I am not abandoning her. If there is one thing you taught me, you look out for your own, and she is blood. She is a Dixon and we vowed for better or worse so I rather go out there and die before I abandon her ass."
"You're an idiot. Think of your real blood, your kids."
"I am. They need their mother. "
I stomped away towards the camp as the kids stayed close behind me. We quickly packed our shit and tossed it in the truck. When I was about to take off, Merle threw his shit in and jumped in the front.
"I'm not abandoning my brother." He glared at me. I nodded at him as I sped off towards home.
Archer POV
I was heading in our normal direction, the cops stopped me saying that the only direction I could go was towards Atlanta and that only people entering the town can take that road. I tried arguing that my family was in that direction but he wouldn't budge.
I let out an irritated sigh and drove towards Atlanta. If I know Daryl he would come back but when is a mystery. I got stuck in traffic and took this as a time to figure out what I should do.
a) I could just drive all the way to Atlanta and wait at the refugee center.
b) I could hang out in the woods and wait for them.
I still had more time to think so I just quietly sat in my car as traffic moved slowly.
Daryl POV
The 4 hours of driving felt like 10. I was itching to get home and hope that everything was alright. The minute I parked on the driveway I jumped out and ran inside without so much turning the car off or thinking of the others.
"Archer! Archer!" I screamed as I ran through the house. I was getting pissed when I couldn't find her and I almost lost it when I saw her dead father in the kitchen. "This can't be happening!"
I screamed as I started to throw shit around and punch the wall. I slid down the wall and just stared angrily at the fridge with all our pictures. I looked up when Merle came in and examined the chaos of the kitchen.
"She's not here." I groaned.
"Seems like she took off. Saw that your extra guns in the house are gone." Merle pointed out.
"Where would she go?"
"Probably riding the crazy train like you are."
"I just…"
"You love her. Old Merle used to know a thing or two about that but you need to get your panties out of a bunch and suck it up."
I sighed and got up and grabbed a duffle bag from the closet and grabbed what we could use that Archer didn't take.
Merle and I went back to the car and the kids were listening to the broadcast telling everyone to evacuate to Atlanta.
"You think mommy is there?" Madi asked hopefully.
I looked at Merle. "She could be or lingering around there."
"Your call little brother."
I looked back at the kids. I knew they would go wherever I say but deep down in their eyes I could tell they want whatever way gets them closer to their mother. "I guess we're going to Atlanta."
~So what do you guys think? PLEASE REVIEW! I'm still debating whether they find Archer while with the group at the very beginning or when Sofia goes missing. What do you guys think?~
