Chapter 4

Daryl woke with a start, his phone ringing. He gazed around in confusion, then remembering where he was he grabbed for the phone and answered it. Checking the time he saw it was one o'clock in the morning. The next damn call he got in the middle of night wouldn't be answered, it could just ring, he thought irritably.

"Yeah," he growled into the phone. The noise from the other end was ungodly. Shouting, car horns, glass breaking.

"Hey baby brother," he heard Merle yelling. "Got good news-ya don't have ta come get me. We had a jail break!" Daryl groaned and covered his eyes. The shit was never ending.

"What the fuck are ya talkin' bout Merle?" he snapped.

"Well, seems it's the end of the world," Merle cackled, "and we decided we weren't gonna stay locked up while the world went ta hell." Daryl ground his teeth. "So I'm out here with some new friends and we're helpin' ourselves along with all the other looters," and he cackled again. Trust Merle to use the end of the world as an excuse to rob places.

"Where the hell are ya?" Daryl sighed tiredly.

"Atlanta," Merle snickered and he mumbled something to somebody talking to him.

"Well, stay there. They have some safe zone that I was gonna go to tomorrow," Daryl said. Merle started laughing harder. He was drunk, Daryl thought. He sounded drunk or high or both. Jesus.

"Don't bother baby bro-the city has gone up in flames. It's crazy here. Stay put and I'll come ta you," and Merle laughed again. Daryl sat up and rubbed his face tiredly. So Atlanta was out. And he didn't want Merle and God knows who else coming here. What to do?

"Meet me somewhere," Daryl said, thinking quickly. "Remember that old bar we used ta hang out at sometimes, bout an hour south of Atlanta?" He hoped Merle remembered.

"That place where we got in the fight with those brothers and you busted that guy's jaw?" Merle yelled.

"Yeah, that place. Meet me there tomorrow at noon," Daryl said quietly. That would give him time to decide what to do with Vivienne.

"Okay brother, I'll meet ya there tomorrow at noon. Anything ya want me to get for ya while I'm out here shoppin' tonight?" Merle laughed drunkenly.

"No, just have yer ass there tomorrow at noon Merle." And Daryl ended the call. He looked up to see Vivienne staring at him quietly.

"That the same guy you talked to earlier?" she asked. He nodded. "I take it you're not real fond of him?"

Daryl frowned. "No. But he's my brother. Only blood I have now. So," and here he shrugged. Looking at her closely he frowned again. "Listen. We can't say a word about any of this to my brother. Understand?" and Vivienne nodded. "And….well, it's best if you pretend we're together. Merle is an asshole, not above rape." Vivienne's mouth dropped open. "If he thinks you're my girl that might be enough to make him leave ya alone." He studied her face. "I don't expect ya ta sleep with me, I mean….ya know…." And he trailed off in embarrassment. "Just stick to my side, don't let him catch ya alone and go along with what I say. Don't mention yer family havin' money. Just tell him if he asks that ya worked at the motel where I stayed. Desk clerk or somethin'" He looked at her thoughtfully. "Call yer cousin in the morning to see if ya can stay with her and I'll try ta get ya down there somehow. If it's safe." He lay down and began to chew his thumb again, thinking. Vivienne moved closer to him and lay her head down on the pillow. "It'll be okay," he mumbled, not sure if he was trying to convince himself or Vivienne.

Vivienne tried calling her cousin in the morning, but kept getting the message that all lines were busy. Daryl turned the tv up to hear what was going on. Vivienne gasped when there was a shot of Miami going up in flames. Daryl sighed. Well, scrap the plan of Vivienne going to Miami. Like it or not, he was stuck with her. In his head he could hear Merle laughing at that. "Sure bro, sure you're stuck with her. End of the world and ya got ya a fine piece of tail like that-best luck you've ever had in your life," he imagined Merle crowing. Vivienne had rinsed out her clothes from the other night and at least had something on that fit now. He threw his bags into her trunk and told her to follow him and not get out of the car until he told her to. He also gave her a gun of his to keep on the seat next to her. He'd briefly shown her how to shoot it, but realized that if she was going to stay with he and Merle he'd better give her some lessons. He'd never met anyone who hadn't handled a gun before.

They pulled up to the ramshackle bar just before noon. Daryl could see Merle and a few other guys standing around on the porch. Drunk. Daryl leaned his head into the car and whispered to Vivienne to keep the doors locked and to not get out no matter what. She nodded and watched him walk toward Merle with big eyes.

"Hey baby brother, now I see why ya were so shitty on the phone, looks like ya been busy while ol' Merle's been away," Merle cackled and some of the other guys looked over at the car. Daryl felt tense already. Daryl stopped a bit away from Merle, not trusting the other men or Merle for that matter.

"So what's goin' on in Atlanta?" Daryl snapped. Merle laughed again.

"Place is a mess. Folks runnin' round like damn chickens with their heads off," and he snickered drunkenly.

"What ya plannin' on then?" Daryl grumbled. Merle raised his eyebrows at that and stepped closer to Daryl belligerently.

"In a hurry ta get rid of your brother? That girl got ya wrapped already?" And Merle pushed past Daryl and stomped over to the car. He knocked on the window angrily and Vivienne looked over to Daryl. Merle looked back at Daryl and frowned. "What, ya protectin' her from yer own brother?" he asked angrily. Daryl sighed and walked slowly over to the car.

"Leave her alone Merle," he growled. Merle punched the window and Vivienne screamed in surprise. "Dammit Merle, leave her alone," Daryl yelled. Merle turned quickly and tried to punch Daryl, but Daryl moved out of his way. Daryl could see out of the corner of his eye the other men starting to move restlessly. Daryl felt his chest tighten with anxiety and anger. It was always the same. Merle bullied and pushed him and he caved in. This time though he had somebody else besides himself to think about. He couldn't let Merle hurt Vivienne, or those other men for that matter. The world was going to hell and all Merle could think about was drinking and fighting. As Merle staggered drunkenly toward Daryl, he made up his mind. He'd had enough of this shit. He was tired of trailing around aimlessly after his brother cleaning up his messes and waiting for him while he was in jail. He had known there would come a day when he would have to get his courage up and break off all contact with Merle and go out on his own. Looking at Merle, and then the men with Merle and then at Vivienne he decided that day was today. He didn't owe Vivienne anything, but if this was the end of things as they'd known it then this was his chance to start over with a girl who would never have looked twice at him before. And he'd be damned if he would let Merle fuck this up like he'd fucked everything else up for years now. He tossed the keys to the bike away from Merle, hoping he'd follow them.

"Here Merle, there's yer keys," he muttered. And to his relief Merle staggered over toward the keys. Daryl strode over to the car and motioned for Vivienne to unlock the door and slide over. He hopped in and spun the car around and hit the gas, leaving Merle in a cloud of dust. He checked the gas gauge and saw they had just under a half a tank. "Buckle up, we're gonna head to Atlanta. Don't trust Merle, we'll check it out ourselves," he snapped. Vivienne wordlessly buckled up and stayed silent as Daryl drove toward Atlanta.