Rick POV

I followed Morales' instructions till I found the quarry and pulled in behind the red car Glenn had been driving.

"Come meet everyone." Morales said patting my shoulder as everyone poured out of the truck to greet the people at the camp. I had to wait a minute though. I had to brace myself for the possibility that I might not find Lori and Carl here.

"Hey helicopter boy." I heard someone call me. It was time to face the music. I stepped out of the truck scanning everyone to see if I recognized them but no such luck. Until I looked up and saw my boy, my Carl and his mother, the love of my life, racing towards me at the same speed I was now running to them.

Later that night…..

"Disoriented, fear, and confusion…but disoriented comes closest.' I told them as we sat around a fire.

"Mom said you were dead." Carl said to me.

"She had every right to believe that. Don't you ever doubt that." I replied.

"Hey, Ed." Shane said in the silence to a man around a different fire." Wanna rethink that log?"

After a rude comment everyone watched as he got up to enforce the camp rules.

"Have any of you considered Daryl Dixon?" the man named Dale asked." Or when what your going to tell him when he gets back about you leaving his brother?"

"I'll tell 'em." T-Dog said.

"I cuffed him." I protested." Its on me."

"Guys, this isn't a contest." Glenn stated." Don't want to bring race into this but, it might sound better coming from a white guy."

"I did what I did. Hell if I'm' a run from it." T-Dog replied.

What your husband did was the right thing to do." Andrea said towards Lori." Merle was out of control. He has no one to blame but himself."

"And that's what you plan on telling Daryl?" Dale said with much concern." We are gonna have our hand full when he gets back. "

"I dropped the key and ran. I was scared."

"We were all scared. What's your point?" Andrea asked.

"My point is, before I left I chained the door. The stairway is narrow so only about 11 or 12 geeks could fit. But they can't break through. Not that chain. N-not that padlock. What I'm saying is Dixon is alive. Up on that roof…with Morgan."

"that's where Morgan is?" Andrea said." You left her up there with Merle Dixon?"

"N-no, well yeah. But she told me to go; she said she would help him."

"Tillman, you bitch." Andrea said.

I remembered and looked to Shane. No recognition shown on his face. Did he even remember her?

That night I spent with my wife, worrying about Morgan and Merle.

Shane POV

That night I spend keeping watch. I couldn't believe it, she was alive. I had a strong feeling in my chest and gut. It would be nice to see her but it would more than likely end with a bullet. Through my head.

Rick POV

I woke the next morning to find clothes set out for me. I walked around till I found Lori.

"I've been thinking, about the two people I left behind. "

"You tellin me or askin me?" she said getting upset.

"asking." I answered.

"Well I think it's stupid."

Then we head Carl yelling and a little girl screaming." Mom! Mom!" everyone ran to find the kids had come upon a distracted walker feasting on a dead deer. Dale, Shane, Jim, Glenn, and I all attacked it and beat it till Dale decapitated it with his shovel.

Then a man walked up with a crossbow and a rope of dead squirrels hanging over his shoulder.

"Son of a bitch!" He said.

So, this was Daryl Dixon. Great. We followed him back into camp to see if we could calmly tell him about Merle.

"Merle! Merle! Get your ugly ass out here. I got us some squirrels.

"Hey, Daryl." Shane said. "Slow down, let me talk to ya for a minute. I need to tell ya somethin about Merle, back in Atlanta."

After a pause Daryl spoke.

"He dead?"

"We aren't sure." I said this time.

"It's either he is or he aint?" the man shouted.

"He was out of control. So I handcuffed him to a piece of metal on a roof. " I finally said.

"Let me process this. You handcuffed my brother to a roof and left him."

"Yea." I answered. " but-"

He charged at me but Shane helped me hold him down.

"Can you manage a calm discussion?" I asked him. And then Shane let him go.

"It's not Rick's fault." T-Dog said." I dropped the key."

"Couldn't pick it up?" Daryl asked as if T-Dog was the dumbest person in the world.

"Dropped it down a drain."

"That supposed to make me feel better? I don't!" Daryl said getting up.

"Maybe this will; before I left I chained the door with a padlock. And he's not alone. A woman we met out there decided to stay and help him."

"tell me where he is." Daryl demanded." So's I can go get him."

"Im going back." I told them.

Then I went to get I walked out of the tent I was stopped by Shane.

"so that's it huh?" he asked." your just gonna leave? To hell with us?"

"no Shane. Not to hell with any of you. Least of all Lori."

"tell her that."

"she knows." I said back.

"well I don't, Rick. So you could you throw me a bone here! Why risk your life for a deuce bag like Merle Dixon?"

"Hey, choose your words." Daryl warned.

"oh no, I did. I meant deuce bag." Shane stated.

"I can't let him die like that. And I can just forget about Morgan. Your remember her? The woman you used to love?" I asked.

"so you and Daryl?" Lori said." that's your plan."

I looked to Glenn who sighed.

" I know it's not fair and I have no right to ask, but you got us out. Can you get us back?"

"So your gonna risk three men?" Shane asked.

" four." T-Dog stepped up.

Daryl chuckled." why you wanna save my brother?"

"you wouldn't understand." T-Dog answered." you don't speak my language."

"just know your putting everyone in danger by doing this. We need you here."

"what we need is more guns. I cleaned out the the station but dropped it when I got swarmed. Theres a walkie talkie there I have linked with a man who saved me. I have to get it to warn him."

"oh yea and Morgan has guns too." Glenn said.

I went on to explain to Lori and Carl that I had to go. I made a deal with Dale for his lock cutters and we loaded up into the loading truck.

We arrived along the train tracks and went through a wire fence to sneak our way around.

"Merle or the guns first?" I asked.

"we are not havin this conversation!" Daryl yelled.

"yes we are. Glenn its your call which one?"

" Merle's closest. We'll double back for the guns." he replied.

We ran till we got to the store and quietly. I found a walker an signaled for Daryl to take care of it with his cross bow.

"Damn your an ugly skank." Daryl commented quietly dispatching her.

We made it up the steps and out the door. Immediately we searched for Merle and Morgan.

"Merle! Merle!" he yelled.

Unfortunately we came upon a severed hand.

"No! No!" Daryl repeated almost sobbing.

Morgan!" I called out. There was silence.

Daryl swung his cross bow at T-Dog but stopped and took a breath.

"you got a due rag or somethin?"

When T-Dog handed him one he wrapped Merle's hand and placed it in Glenn's backpack and picked up his crossbow.

"Saw blade must have been to cut the cuffs. Aint that a bitch."

Here followed him as he walked along a blood splattered trail to find Morgan unconscious.

"Dont get so close Damnit!" Daryl shouted when I knealed to check her.

Morgan POV

I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. I was almost too afraid to open my eyes. At first I squinted but then opened my eyes to see Rick, Glenn, T-Dog, and a very dirty, very mean looking guy with a crossbow nearly literally shoved in my face.

"Is that what I think it is?" I asked dumbly.

Rick helped me up and repeated his question of I was ok.

"yea it's just my head." I replied." it's sore."

"lemme see." he said lightly placing a hand around my forehead.

"yep, you'll be fine it's a little bump. You'll live."

I smiled lightly.

"so who are you?" I asked the man while checking and seeing I still had my guns.

"Daryl." he said looking around.

Wait? Daryl? From Merle's story?

"my brother Daryl was there. He's probably still out huntin."

"Daryl Dixon?" I asked.

"yea. You seen my brother? You know where he went?" he asked pointing the weapon at me once again and."You better tell me."

"The last thing I saw he was freaking out and I got knocked out apparently. I was trying to help him."

I walked around to see that he had cut off his hand.

"Oh God!" I turned away with a hand over my mouth." That damn fool!" I was beginning to feel woozy so Glenn helped me stay up.

"What do we do now?" I asked irritated.

So how do you think this will play out? Why did Merle leave Morgam her guns. Why did he mov. Her unconscious body? Tell me what you think. Please review:)

TheSpazChik