A/N: Aw Yay! Thanks guys for all the reviews and attention this story has received so far. I'm so glad that you're enjoying it :)
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Chapter Three
You would think that at 30 years of age I would have stopped believing in superhero's a long time ago. What, with the world going to shit more and more every day. Though even with all the hatred and violence that surrounded us, I couldn't help but hold onto that little bit of hope that there was still the odd person out there whom, in my opinion anyway, could be called a superhero.
Now according to Kelsi, I was a superhero. Someone who helped catch the bad guys and keep her and her Mom safe. I remember only a few months ago when she had come home from school with one of her drawings; a picture of the three of us where her Mom was dressed like a princess and I was wearing a windswept cape. I couldn't remember feeling as much pride as I had that day she brought that picture home. But as much as I loved the idea that my little girl saw me as her 'protector', her 'superhero'; I couldn't help but feel the fraud.
Since coming home I had watched Beth make dinner, do housework, help Kelsi with her homework and scrub at her Mother's old vintage rug that was sporting a rather large looking grape juice stain; all the while talking to me about the case and probably, subconsciously, coming up with a solution to world peace. So no...There was no way that I was the superhero in this family. Beth was.
It was close to 11 when she finally came to bed. Her long hair dancing round her shoulders as she pulled my Lynyrd Skynyrd t-shirt on over her head, her jeans quickly finding their place in the corner of the room as she sunk in next to me. She had insisted that Kelsi would go right to sleep, allowing us to have some 'alone time' together. Two hours the little darling fought for. I couldn't help but feel a little guilty though as Beth ran around chasing her while I took the opportunity to jot down some names of people that I thought may know something about Emily.
"That kid needs Ritalin." I mumbled, never looking up from my notepad, biting the end of my pen as Beth let out a small chuckle.
"I'm convinced Maggie stocks her up on sugar before we get home." She replied, scooting up into my side before tearing the notepad from my hands "No more work tonight, Honey." she carried on, sitting the notepad on the bedside table "Give your mind a rest for the night."
I wasn't going to argue. My mind was running haywire at the thought of all the names I had written down. Instead I sunk deeper into my pillow, Beth's small hand coming up to rest on my chest as her nails dragged across her and Kelsi's names which had been inked into my skin. Pulling her in a little closer, I turned to face her, my own hand making it's way into her blonde tresses.
"You know, I was thinkin'..." She began, propping herself up on her elbow "We should go away for a weekend when all this is over. Just the three of us?"
"Yeah, that would be good." I smirked, my fingers gently playing with the ends of her hair "We could drive down to the lake. Go campin' or somethin'..."
"Sounds perfect." She smirked, running her fingers through my short hair before gently tugging on it.
Propping myself up a little, I scooted as close to her as I could get, my lips making their way to her jaw as I slowly left a trail of kisses down to her chin. Hooking her leg over my hip she giggled, my lips capturing hers once more in a soft kiss as I lay her back down on the bed.
You know, I don't think I'll ever forget the first time I kissed Beth Greene. I had just turned 18 and we were in the front seat of my car after seeing Witness at the movies. I remember thinking that she was the most beautiful thing in the world. So I went for it.
I knew the kiss had come as a shock to her but for me it was a release to weeks of built up tension. I couldn't really remember when it was that I had began to 'like' her. Probably when I heard that that fucker, Jimmy had asked her out for her 16th birthday. To say that I was beyond pissed when I heard she had actually said yes was the understatement of the century.
Beth and I had always had a close relationship, but I had to be honest and say that it never once felt like that of a brother and sister. Best friends, absolutely. A flirtation, most probably. But a brother and sister, definitely not.
After the kiss poor Jimmy never heard from her about their plans for her birthday celebrations...I on the other hand was very much enjoying her all to myself.
By the time I was 24 we found out we were pregnant, and I'll admit, it was probably one of the most terrifying times of my life. We hadn't known how we were going to tell everyone. I remember Merle and my friend, Phil killing themselves, the whole thing seeming hilarious to them. But Beth...she had been close to tears at the thought of telling her Father. As far as he knew she was waiting until she was married to have any sort of physical relations with a man. But he didn't take it too bad. Frankly I think the only reason he took it so well was because I was the father. Maggie, on the other hand, was ready for running me over at any second.
Two weeks after my 25th birthday, Kelsi Dixon-Greene came into the world, and when she did all the fear I had been feeling left. I remember watching as Beth, exhausted from the hours of pain she had went through, fell back against her pillow laughing, the sound of tiny cries filling the sterile room. I couldn't help but watch in awe as she held the tiny bundle in the pink blanket, her laughter turning to tears of joy as she had taken my hand and pulled me down to sit next to her.
12 years and one kid later, to me, she was still the most beautiful thing in the world.
Continuing my assault on her lips, my hands soon came to a rest on her hips, her own slowly running up my back as her nails grazed the old scars that covered me...and that's when I heard it. The soft knock on the bedroom door.
"Mommy...Daddy..." Came the muffled voice of Kelsi "C-Can I sleep in next to you? It's too dark in my room and I-I'm scared."
Sighing I let my head fall forward, my face burying into the crook of Beth's neck as I tried to hide my agitation. Cock blocked by a five year old.
"Who needs a condom when you have a kid..." I mumbled, reluctantly climbing out the bed as Beth gave a small chuckle "Coming baby girl!"
Opening the door I was greeted with the sight of a tired looking Kelsi, clutching her battered teddy bear to her chest as if she were about to lose him at any moment. I could tell that she had been crying; probably holding off coming to us as long as she could before getting too scared. She just stared up at me with those big blue eyes, sniffling and wiping her nose with the back of her hand as I gave her a gentle smile and picked her up, her small arms instantly wrapping round my neck.
"My side or Mommy's?" I asked, my tone cheery as I brought her over to the bed.
"I want a hug from you Daddy." Came her muffled reply, her face buried tightly into the crook of my neck.
Climbing back into bed I moved into the middle, Beth reaching over and running her hand though Kelsi's hair as she lay down and curled up against my side, sleep quickly overtaking her. I couldn't help but smile once again as Beth turned off the bedside lamp before cuddling up on my other side.
"Night, Honey." She yawned, giving me a kiss as she lay down "Love you."
"Night, Baby." I replied back "Love you too."
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There's nothing I hate more in this world than getting woken from a good night's sleep. It had been that way ever since I was a kid. Whenever Merle would wake me up in the middle of the night as teenagers to share a story about his latest conquest, I wanted nothing more than to knock his fuckin' teeth down his throat. Getting a decent nights sleep in our house was practically unheard of...especially for me.
It must have been around 3 in the morning when I felt the urgent shake to my shoulder, my clouded mind trying to work out if it was real or not. But when the shaking continued followed by a 'Daryl, wake up!', I knew my biggest hate was coming true. Groaning, I turned away from Beth, burying my nose into Kelsi's hair as I tried, and failed, to block out her voice.
"Daryl, I swear if you don't get up this instant..." She muttered, shaking me again.
"What!?" I finally relented, flipping on the lamp at my side before turning to face her with a scowl.
"There's someone in the house..." She whispered, all annoyance leaving me when I saw the worry in her eyes.
Listening, I waited to hear what had awoken her. A creek or a thump, but all I heard was a deafening silence, the only sound being the deep breathing of our daughter.
"It's probably just the wind picking up, Baby." I finally spoke, lying back down "We're due a storm soon."
"No Daryl I'm bein' serious, I heard bangin'." She replied "Please go and check before Kelsi wakes up."
Ready to try and put her mind to rest once again, I opened my mouth to argue, only for the sound of a glass smashing followed by a mumbled 'fuck' causing me sit bolt upright. Listen to the woman. Always listen to the woman.
Gently moving Kelsi over to her Mother, I quickly reached for the glock I kept in the top drawer, motioning for Beth to keep quiet and stay where she was. Silently I got up and made my way for the bedroom door, careful not to give myself away by the knowing creak it was so famous for. With the gun clutched tightly, I began to follow the sound coming from the kitchen. Of all the rooms in the fucking house the bastard was starting there. The closer I got the louder he got and with on final breath, I spun round the corner and pointed the gun at him.
"Don't fuckin' move asshole!" I shouted, the man who was hunched over in the fridge going ridged.
"You wouldn't shoot me now, would ya?" Came a familiar voice as the man straightened, slowly turning to face me with a smug grin as he raised his hands in a mocking manner.
"You've got to be fuckin' kiddin' me..." I mumbled, lowering the gun immediately.
"Hey there baby brother..."
Merle.
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3:45 and I was beyond pissed. Before it has even begun I could tell it was going to be one of those days.
With a look that I'm pretty sure would kill you on the spot, I sat glaring at Merle as he shovelled eggs into his face, Beth quickly adding sausages to his enormous plateful as he shot her a disgusting smile. I swear, if she wasn't in the room I would have killed him by now. Don't hear from him in months and the first time I see him I have a gun pointing at his ass in the middle of the night as he raids my fridge. Fuckin' dick.
"Oh, cheer up Darlena!" He smirked, rolling his eyes a little as he took a swig from one of my beers "Thought you'd be happy to see me."
"I could'a shot you, you prick!" I scoffed, my anger boiling.
"Daryl!" Beth hissed before turning to my idiotic brother "Of course we're happy to see you Merle. I think what Daryl is tryin' to say is it probably would have been better if you came at a more appropriate time."
"No I'm not." I replied, my gaze never leaving Merle as Beth rolled her eyes "What the fuck are you doin' here? You could have woken Kelsi up!"
"Needed a place to crash for a few nights." He shrugged, suddenly finding his food very interesting "Was just goin' to grab some grub before settin' up on the couch. You two need to better secure this place."
Placing the frying pan in the sink, Beth joined us at the kitchen table. She looked tired, but for some reason unknown to me, she actually liked Merle, and wanted to make sure he was seen to. There she goes carin' again.
Watching as he continued to stuff his face, I could tell that food and sleep was not the only thing that my brother had dropped in for. Life with Merle just wasn't that simple.
"And what else you wantin'?" I asked, taking a swig of my own beer as I lit myself a cigarette, Beth quickly taking it from me and stubbing it out.
"You got him trained good there, Bethy." Merle chuckled, sitting back in his seat as he stared me down "Ok...you got me...I needed to talk to the both of ya's 'bout somethin'."
"And it couldn't wait?" I replied, figuring he was looking for money.
"No it couldn't." Merle practically growled, pushing his near empty plate to the side "Word through the grapevine is that you two have taken on Emily Torrence's case..."
"Where'd you hear that?" Beth asked curiously "We only just decided to do it."
"Word get's 'round fast." Merle answered, glancing at me as he shifted uncomfortably "And I think you two would be wise if you dropped it and told Charlene to go fuck herself."
"What'd you know, Merle?" I pressed, Beth taking my hand as I stared my brother down "You know who's taken that little girl?"
"...Can't say." He mumbled, my fist clenching "All I know is that if you don't drop this case, things are gonna get messy for ya's."
"Merle..." Beth began, her voice pleading "A little girl's missin'...you have to tell us what you know..."
"All I know is that bitch Charlene ain't as truthful as she's makin out." Fuck, even I knew that "Playin' the innocent victim. That broad couldn't care less where her daughter is."
I couldn't help but think of Kelsi. If I was in Charlene's shoes I wouldn't rest until she was home safe, and let me tell you, if you stood in the way of my daughter and her safety, I wouldn't even hesitate before putting a bullet in your skull.
"What's you relationship with Charlene, Merle?" I asked, my stomach lurching as I thought of the possibilities "You two an item?"
"I fucked her if that's what you're askin'..." He spluttered "Ain't no relationship."
"You Emily's daddy?" I asked, praying that what I believed was the truth.
"Nah." He shook his head, relief washing over me "I ain't cut out to be a dad. Kid wouldn't have a chance! I'll leave fatherhood up to you."
I could feel my patience wearing thin, Beth rubbing soothing circles on my back as I held back the urge to grab him and beat the information I needed out of him.
"Fuck this shit." I mumbled, standing up and staring down at him "What the fuck do you know, Merle!? I don't want to find a little kid in a dumpster!"
"Daryl, Honey, keep it down." Beth pleaded soothingly.
"All I'm sayin'..." Merle began, his gaze fixed on mine "Is that I think there are some really dangerous peoples behind this. Charlene's been involved in some serious shit in the past, so who knows who she pissed off...You don't want to find a little kid in a dumpster, that's fine, but I don't want to find you dead."
"And what makes you think that'll happen?" I murmured, Beth taking hold of my hand once again.
"'Cause if ya's don't leave it alone..." He carried on "You will be..."
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