Chapter Seven

Daryl sighed, moving over to his brother.

"We don't have time for y'all's lil pissing match. Merle sit the fuck down and shut up. Prick, you don't know us, we don't know you. Keep it cordial."

Shane glared at him. "And if I don't?"

Daryl shrugged, a dark smile of his own crossing his lips.

"Well, just because you don't kill the living, doesn't mean I won't."

Shane narrowed his eyes at the archer, dark eyes nearly black with his rage.

"Is that a threat?" He sneered at the man who snorted, his stormy gaze full of annoyance.

"No. It's a promise." He replied and the former cop let out a wordless snarl, moving into the younger man's personal space, only to be forced back by Merle, who looked livid.

"Touch m' brother an' I kill ya m'self."

Rick stepped between them all, rubbing his brow tiredly.

"No one's killing anyone, so everyone, calm down." He snapped at them and Daryl fought a flinch, feeling a sharp pain lance through his already broken heart at his mate's disapproval. His hand twitched with the urge to grip his chest, but he refrained, feeling Merle glance at him worriedly.

"We have enough to deal with, without you three fighting each other! Look around us, people's loved ones are dead and they don't need you barking at each other! So get it together!"

Merle whistled lowly and grinned at the other man. "Well what do ya know, Officer Friendly? Ya have some balls after all." He slung an arm around Daryl's shoulder, discreetly comforting his baby brother without alerting the humans. "Alrigh' we'll behave. Right, Daryleena?"

Daryl rolled his eyes, feeling the adrenaline leave him.

"Sure, Whatever." Rick nodded at them then turned his stern gaze on his best friend who snorted.

"Fine." He replied sullenly, turning and storming off. The other man sighed and turned to the Dixons, who seemed to be holding an entire conversation with their eyes alone. For a moment, he didn't speak, cerulean eyes roving over the slender form of his former lover longingly before he forced those feelings away. He had Lori and Carl now. He couldn't afford to grow feelings for the other again.

Merle narrowed his eyes at him and pulled his brother close.

"C'mon, you need to rest." He murmured to the younger who nodded slowly, sagging against him tiredly.

"Merle-"

"Good night, Friendly." The vampire interrupted rudely before leading his brother away from the human. Rick stared after them and sighed.

Looks like they wouldn't be helping with clean up then.

Daryl stumbled, wavering on his feet and Rick smiled slightly. Then again, Daryl really looked like he needed to rest and if Merle wanted to take care of his baby brother, he couldn't really begrudge the man.

His eyes found Carl and he smiled softly, pulling his son into his arms and soothing himself with the warm clean scent his child. No, he couldn't begrudge the man at all.

The CDC was a bust.

He could tell as soon as Jenner allowed them entry and his every instinct screamed for him to get the hell out that place. The scent of death and despair hovered in the atmosphere of the place, so thick and cloying it set his nerves on end.

One glance at Merle showed he wasn't the only one.

Still, there was a swarm of walkers at their back and there was no way that the humans in their group would survive if they stayed out there. Hell even his and Merle's survival was iffy at best.

Sharing a nervous glance with his brother, he followed the humans into the building, their relief doing nothing to ease the dread in his stomach.

Merle growled lowly under his breath and moved closer to him, eyes flashing in his unease.

"I don't like this." He murmured, too low for the humans to here and Daryl swallowed.

"Me neither, Mer. But we don't have a choice."

The elder twitched, listening to Jenner's conditions of their stay with half an ear.

"I know. But I don' trust the doc."

Daryl glanced at the man, taking in the weary draw of his features and the almost lifeless look in his eyes and he shuddered. He looked like a Perditae, one that had chosen the other way out. Is that what he would look like? By the Gods.

He looked away but didn't answer his brother, his entire being cringing at the thought.

Maybe…no.

His gaze sought out his mate and found him with Queen Bee, her cub, and Walsh, then moved back to Jenner's wan form.

He wouldn't end up like Jenner.

He couldn't.

Even if his heart had to die in the process.

"Does your group know you're not human?"

Merle stiffened at Jenner's question, while Daryl blinked and shrugged.

"Not all of them."

Jenner nodded and turned to the younger Dixon with a sad look on his face.

"They don't know that you're dying either…do they?"

Merle snarled at the human, pulling his baby brother into his arms.

He had been avoiding the thought because even with the way the sickness drained his brother he hadn't wanted to believe it. Somehow, having scientific evidence backing it up, hearing the scientist say it was making it more real.

No matter how strong Daryl's will to live was, the Illness would win eventually.

Daryl swallowed and stared at the scientist whose sad smile hadn't wavered in the face of Merle's anger.

"Something is attacking your body at a molecular level and it is slowly killing you. In fact, from what I can tell from the tests, your body is attacking itself."

Daryl nodded.

"I am a Perditae." He responded softly. "Our kind is only allowed to Mate with our Destined. If we meet our Destined and they reject us, die, or Abandon us…we are left with two choices. We die by our own hand or we die slowly of the Illness."

Jenner nodded. "You chose the latter."

"I am strong. I will live."

The doctor scowled at him. "Does your Mate know?"

"No."

Merle growled at the thought while Jenner sighed, understanding in his gaze and Daryl knew his first thought was correct. Jenner had lost his mate too.

"You are a stronger man than I." He murmured softly.

"V will lead you to your rooms."

TS-19.

Jenner's mate.

Daryl felt his stomach cringe as he watched the Jenner's face during as the man showed them the video of his wife's turning and consequent death, unable to even imagine himself in the man's place.

Behind him Merle was still, horror written in his gaze even as his expression screamed indifference to the humans.

"Let us out." Rick pleaded and Jenner shook his head.

"I told you, once the doors closed they would not be opening again." He glanced over at Merle and Daryl. "Besides it is better this way."

Merle glared at him and raised the ax above his head, ready to lunge at the human. Rick held him back.

"Please! What about our children?!"

Daryl shuddered, vision wavering briefly as a sudden bout of the Sickness overcame him. He stamped it down forcefully, biting down on his lip to repress a coughing fit.

Merle glanced at him worriedly but he waved him off, turning his cyan gaze on Jenner.

"Please."

He murmured, appealing to the man not as a survivor but as another Perditae and Jenner hesitated before smiling sadly.

"V, open the doors." The others cheered but he cut them off. "The outer door will not open, even by my command. It is up to you to figure out how to get out."

He stood and clasped Daryl on the shoulder. "I repeat, you are a stronger man than I, my friend. I wish you the best."

Rick's eyes narrowed at the two, but he rushed to help Merle and Shane in beating the outer doors. Carol looked around and found a grenade.

Moments later found them all, barring Jacqui standing by the vehicles watching as the CDC burned.

Turning and climbing into his truck, Daryl couldn't help the dark thought that crept into his head, heart clenching as Rick kissed Lori relieved.

Maybe it would've been better if he'd burned with it.

TBC…