Glenn realized there was something more than dreaming going on when he woke up and Carl didn't share his look over breakfast. It was Daryl, instead, that changed his actions. He declared very loudly that he wasn't going hunting. He'd be joining the group going into Atlanta.

Shane tried to argue with him. Merle, too. Shane because the group was already big and having both Dixon brothers on it seemed like a bad idea to him. Merle because he thought his brother didn't trust him.

"I don't want you dead!" Daryl exploded, getting right in his brother's face, and making the rest of the camp go quiet. Daryl never yelled like that at his brother. Daryl talked shit, but he didn't do a lot of real back talk to his brother. Merle was the one in charge of their family.

"I can't handle you dying on me! Not again!" the words choked out with tears and for the first time – for most of them but not Glenn – the camp saw Daryl at a breaking point. He ignored the looks, and grabbed Merle by the collar, pulling him into a hug. "I can't do it. I can't. You can't die on me. I need you."

Merle was the one left flustered and unsure. Standing there with his mouth agape while his brother clung to him, being more emotional than he'd ever known him to be in view of anyone not family. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't bring himself to push Daryl away, but he couldn't have people thinking they were a couple of pussies, either.

Seeing Daryl like that decided things for Glenn. He stepped forward and put a hand on Daryl's shoulder to get his attention. Merle almost swung at him, but Daryl was fast, holding his brother's arm down as he looked to Glenn.

"You can come," Glenn said, smiling and nodding. "Both of you. Bring your crossbow. We'll probably need it."

Daryl smiled that soft smile Glenn knew and reached out to pat him on the shoulder. Glenn reciprocated before turning and heading toward the car they were taking in, "Get whatever you're bringing. We leave in five. Stragglers stay in the camp."

Merle pushed Daryl away, growled under his breath about 'going native' and Daryl just smirked at him. He didn't try to push back. He'd already won. All he needed was his crossbow and they'd be good.

T-Dog made to get in the passenger seat, but Glenn stopped him as the Dixon brothers joined them, "No. I get shotgun."

"Then who's driving?" Andrea asked, halfway into the back seat.

"Daryl," Glenn answered as if it were obvious. To him it was, of course. Him and Daryl, that's how they rode. Daryl at the wheel and Glenn ready to act. It wasn't a dig at his own driving skills. It was just the way things had settled while they were at the prison. Before the Governor's return. It was their way.

He ignored the confusion in T-Dog's eyes, the hurt at knowing he was going to have to squeeze in next to Merle of all people. They were taking a station wagon, but it was still going to be a tight fit. Daryl, for his part, just nodded and jogged over to take his spot.

The drive in was filled with Merle talking shit and mostly Daryl barking 'Shut up, Merle' back at him. Though there was a moment of stunned silence that followed a particularly nasty exhange.

Merle was insinuating that 'Darleena' had a case of yellow fever and was trying to impress his boyfriend. Daryl continued his chorus of 'Shut up, Merle', but Merle leaned forward and poked Glenn's shoulder, "That's what's going on, isn't it? You done cut my brother's balls off, didn't you chinaman?"

"He's Korean!" snapped out of Daryl as he slammed the breaks and turned around to push his brother back into his seat. Glenn smiled a bitter, but triumphant, smile. And the rest of the group just stared, eyes going between Daryl and Merle like they expected the two to start wrestling right then and there. But Merle was so shocked, he just sat back blinking. Beyond any kind of sorts as he tried to figure out what the hell was going on with his brother.

The rest of the run went about as smoothly as it could. Daryl kept Merle in line while they were on the roof. He didn't give his brother a chance to be alone long enough to pop his pills. When Rick showed up and Glenn got him to the roof, Glenn already knew the plan to get out of the city. He was ready with it and Rick smiled at him like he was the most ingenious bastard he'd ever met.

Daryl was the one that brought up the guns, crossbow over his shoulder while he paced in front of his brother, "You dropped something when that horse went down."

"Yeah," Rick nodded. "Bag of guns."

"Your hat, too," Glenn grinned, leaning back on the wall that edged the roof. He pulled his own off and held it out, "You can borrow mine until we get it."

That had Rick and most of the group laughing, Daryl included (but not Merle, Merle wasn't a part of whatever they were sharing and he didn't like it). Rick held his hand up, shook his head, "Naw. You keep yours. Mine isn't as important as those guns."

"So we'll get 'im on our way out," Daryl said with a shrug. "Glenn's already gonna distract the herd down there. He can pull them away from the store and the tank. Me an' Merle, we can go in there, grab the bag, grab your hat, and hop in the van after you get the rest of 'em."

Rick's eyebrows raised and he tilted his head in thought, looking between everyone and judging their reactions. Most of the group were nodding or shrugging. It was a sound enough plan. But still, "I don't like the idea of putting you and your brother in danger like that."

"We need those guns," Daryl answered, pointedly. "And me 'n Merle? We can handle a couple dozen dumb dead bastards. Long as Glenn gets their asses off us, leastways."

Glenn shrugged when Rick and Daryl looked to him, "I can handle that. Daryl's crossbow is quiet and Merle's good with a knife. As long as they go in silent, they should be able to get in and out no problem. The two are a good team." He paused for a second, turned to meet Daryl's eyes and smile, "I trust them with my life."

Only Daryl knew he was really saying 'I trust Daryl.'

When morning came and Glenn looked for that shared knowledge in Carl's eyes, he didn't find it. Instead, he found Daryl staring at him, jaw clenched and eyes tight. Glenn offered a smile and a nod. Daryl inclined his head back before starting in on his brother.

Neither of them could call it a dream anymore. They couldn't remember waking up.