Daryl

Daryl woke up on his side and close enough that Glenn would feel his dick if he scooted back an inch. He eased away regretfully. Something was going on between them but this Immortal deal was too important right now.

Glenn turned over, stretched and smiled. Daryl kept his eyes on the kid's face, not letting his gaze drift down the length of his body.

"How do you feel about what you learned yesterday? Did it keep you awake?"

"I slept fine. Seems a little unreal now. I know it happened but I gotta keep reminding myself."

"Perfectly natural. One day soon you'll realize you're doubts are gone. It becomes a fact of life."

Glenn rolled up the sleeping bags while Daryl refilled the gallon jugs from the rain barrel outside. They packed everything away, replaced the floorboards and pushed the bed back in place over them. Breakfast was protein bars. They ate as they walked towards the clearing.

Daryl noticed something was missing. "Where are your swords?" Glenn had cleaned and dried them last night while Daryl fixed supper. Daryl couldn't believe the kid left them behind. Good thing the shack was still close.

But Glenn just grinned and turned his back to Daryl. "See anything?"

A nice back narrowing to lean hips was probably not the response he was looking for so Daryl stayed quiet. Nothing else was visible.

"Go ahead and feel."

Daryl had no objection to running his hands down the kid's back. Good muscle definition. Glenn reached over his shoulder and pulled out a sword that wasn't there. He did it again with the second sword.

"What the fuck!" Daryl pulled up the kid's tee shirt. Nothing but smooth skin.

"I don't know how it works but an Immortal's blade isn't visible unless it's actually in someone's hand. If you know where it is, you can touch the handle and pull. It stops humans from wondering why so many people have a sword fetish. Of course swords wouldn't stand out now that everyone has a weapon of some kind."

"Put 'em away again," Daryl said, sure that he would see it now that he knew what to look for. It didn't happen. The sword was suddenly gone.

Glenn handed him the second sword. "Swing it a few times and get the feel of it. Use two hands for now."

Daryl grasped the handle without awkwardness. It felt like it belonged in his hands and swinging it was a natural movement. He was a crossbow and gun man and he'd been worried about learning sword fighting but now he was looking forward to it. Daryl realized he'd already made up his mind to make his First Death happen.

"Does it feel good?" Glenn asked.

Daryl nodded.

"Unless you have another blade you prefer, that can be yours. But I'll carry it for now."

They continued to the clearing and discovered walkers had found the body during the night. There were none in sight now but signs of feeding from both ends of the neck were obvious. Their footprints had obscured evidence of the fight.

"This is good," Glenn said. "I was going to tell them at the quarry that walkers must have got Shane. It won't be a complete lie."

"This guy was with your group?"

"Shane Walsh. He arrived a few days ago with a woman and a boy, the widow and son of his friend. They were both deputies in King County. They came in with the Peletiers, a couple with a daughter.

"How did you know he was Immortal?"

"Immortals sense each other when we get close. It's like a buzzing in your head but you feel it instead of hearing it. It's stronger the older or more powerful the Immortal is. We know when it's a pre-Immortal because it's much fainter."

"That's how you knew I was there before you saw me."

"Exactly."

"Why did you fight?" Daryl paused before going on. "You said you'll tell me and Merle but I don't want to wait. Can't we catch him up later?"

"You're right. We've got a lot of walking today and you may as well learn as we go." Glenn took a deep breath. "Immortals are fairly equally divided between good and evil. No one knows where we come from but we exist to fight the ultimate battle between the forces of light and darkness. Eventually, when only a few remain, there will be a Gathering. We'll be drawn to where the final battle takes place. In the End, there can be only one. If good wins, it means a golden age for humanity. If evil wins, it means anarchy and chaos."

Daryl stared. "This is for real?"

"Absolutely."

"Sounds like trying to make it to the next level of a video game."

"Good analogy because we call it 'the Game' but it's not so fun or friendly and the stakes are much higher."

Daryl shook his head.

"You don't believe me?" Glenn asked. "Or you don't understand?"

"I believe you. And I guess I understand. Enough for now anyway. It's just that I never cared for mumbo jumbo and suddenly my life is full of it."

"You'll be surprised how quickly it becomes normal."

"Will we have to fight? I can tell you're on the good side but what about me? What if I'm evil?"

"The fact that you're asking is the answer. You can choose your side."

"I never been a model citizen."

"Do you want to rule the world, or at least your corner of it?"

"Hell no. Mostly I want to be left alone."

"You could have power and influence."

"I'm not the leader type. I don't want to tell other folks what to do."

"You sound like a better person than you think you are."

Daryl shrugged. "I don't mind trying to keep assholes from running things."

"That should be our motto."

"So this Shane was evil?"

"Evil enough to challenge me. I don't go looking for fights. I was willing to let it go, especially because we've got walkers to deal with now. But I knew he was trouble right away. I've been going to Atlanta every few days to scavenge the unburned areas. He offered to go with me and I knew what would happen."

"Did you know you'd win?"

"It's never certain no matter how old or powerful you are. The odds may be in your favor but one mistake can be fatal. Shane underestimated me. A lot of Immortals do. It's an advantage."

"Why not join up with other Immortals? Two or more could beat one."

"That's against the rules. One-on-one combat only."

"Any other rules?"

"We can't fight on holy ground."

"Like cemeteries?"

"Cemeteries, Indian burial grounds, churches, shrines, any place that's considered holy by anyone."

"How can you keep track? Old cemeteries and Indian burial grounds might not even be marked anymore."

"We can feel when it's inappropriate. It's not the same as sensing an Immortal but we know."

"What happens if you break the rule? Not that I would but just for instance."

"I'm only aware that it happened once. Mt. Vesuvius erupted and buried Pompeii."

"That's some serious consequences."

"Yes indeed. Methos told me about it. He doesn't know what happened to the victor of the Quickening. The city has never been completely excavated. The Immortal might still be buried there. Imagine dying, reviving and suffocating over and over."

"You don't stay dead if something like that happens?"

"Nope. You can suffocate, drown or starve endlessly."

"I hope I'd have a knife or something that I could cut my own head off with."

"You'd have to be fast enough to sever the spine before your neck started to heal."

Daryl winced. "I get the point. I won't be breaking the rules."

There was a guard at the quarry who called out, "They're back!" Apparently he hadn't looked closely enough to see that Daryl was a stranger.

A bunch of people came to meet them, greeting Glenn like a younger brother or favorite nephew. A boy about twelve and a woman with long dark hair ran up and stopped short when they saw that Daryl wasn't Shane.

"I'm so sorry, Lori," Glenn said sincerely. "Walkers got Shane. I know he's been taking care of you and Carl. We'll all watch out for you."

Lori hugged her son and started to cry. A woman with short gray hair led them away. An old man with white hair asked Glenn what happened.

"Walkers blocked the road on the way to Atlanta. When they started for the truck we decided to leave it and draw them off then circle back. We got separated in the woods and I got lost. Then the storm started and I met Daryl. We stayed in a shack last night. I hoped that Shane made it back here but we found his body this morning." Glenn swallowed. "It's pretty bad. It looks like walkers chewed through his neck."

There were murmurs of sympathy and distress. Daryl didn't know whether to be impressed or disturbed by Glenn's ability to lie so plausibly. He was utterly believable.

The old man sighed. "We should bury him." He looked around and two men nodded and stepped forward. "Jim and T-Dog will go back with you."

"I'll help," Daryl said.

Glenn introduced him. "This is Daryl Dixon. He and his brother live nearby. I'm going with Daryl to talk to his brother about joining us. They're hunters and they know these woods."

"You'd be welcome," Dale said. "We've got about twenty people here. There's a decent supply of canned goods, thanks to Glenn, but not much meat."

Two shovels were produced and the four men headed back through the woods. Everybody was quiet with the knowledge of recent death.

Jim and T-Dog were shocked by the state of Shane's body. The four of them took turns digging the grave. The soft ground made it easy and Shane was soon buried. T-Dog, a usually cheerful black man, led them in the 23rd Psalm. Daryl knew enough to get by. A moment of respectful silence and it was over.

"Daryl and I will leave from here for the Dixon place. It's closer than going back to the quarry. We'll be back tomorrow and I'll try to get into Atlanta the next day."

Daryl pointed them towards the road where Glenn and Shane had left the truck.

"You're quite the accomplished liar," Daryl said when they were alone.

"I wondered how you'd feel about that. I told them what they needed to hear. It's for their protection as well as Immortals."

"I get it. Just didn't think you'd be so good at it."

"Well, practice. You know the old saying."

"Practice makes perfect. You're perfect all right."

"So are you," Glenn replied and suddenly they weren't talking about lying.

They'd only known each other one day but under extraordinary circumstances during what was shaping up to be the worst time in human history. There was no good reason to deny themselves.

Glenn stepped forward, Daryl closed the gap and they kissed. Neither of them had had a partner for awhile and the kiss was so satisfying that they kept it going.

After they finally broke apart and started walking Daryl said, "When you cut off Shane's head …"

"It's called a Quickening. The light show is a result of power transferred from the loser to the victor. You become the sum of all the Immortals you've absorbed."

"Is it always like that? You looked kind of like …"

"I climaxed?" Glenn laughed. "It looks similar and it's intense but it doesn't feel as good as the real thing."

"I hardly remember," Daryl muttered.

"Me neither."

They were back at the shack. Their eyes met. Both were breathing faster.

They didn't get out the sleeping bags. They barely got out of their clothes.

Afterwards, drained and sated, Glenn said softly, "Lies are for other people, Daryl. I won't lie to you."