Sorry for the wait! :) I hope you all enjoy this chapter!


Part Seven

Daryl ran frantic and angry hands through his hair and couldn't sit still. Where the fuck was Merle? He couldn't go after the men who had taken Carol, lest they kill her and the only thing that would ensure her safety was for Merle to pay off his debt.

He was going to fucking kill Merle! All this time, he had thought his older brother had wanted to move to New York to expand his business when in reality is was because he was running from the lunatic Phillip Blake. Of course, Daryl was the one to suffer for his brother's mistakes. Like always. This time, he didn't know if he'd ever forgive Merle, though. Because even if they saved Carol, Daryl knew there would be no way she would want to be with him anymore. Not with all this crazy shit she was going through because of him.

Just thinking about Carol out there with men who intended to hurt her made him even angrier and with a strength he didn't know he had, he punched a hole through the wall by the door. Merle could pay for the fucking damage.

After this, he was gone. He didn't know where he'd go but he was going to get the hell out of New York. Despite being there for a short period, it held many memories, which would turn into painful memories when Carol would leave him. Maybe he'd move back to Georgia, somewhere familiar, and spend the rest of his miserable life there. Alone.

God, he was going to miss the hell out of Carol. Daryl had never felt anything like how he felt towards her and even now, he felt like there was a giant hole in his chest because she wasn't there with him. He'd remember scoffing at those who would talk about falling in love at first sight, thinking that there was no such thing, but here he was in love with a woman he had just met the day before at a park.

Just then, the door opened and Merle stepped through, a huge grin on his face and a bag of takeout in his hands. "Hope you all are hungry. 'specially since ya'll burned all those calories, earlier." However, he didn't get very far into the apartment before Daryl slugged him hard in the face and he fell to the floor. The takeout they'd ordered went flying and spilled all over the ground, but neither Dixon brother took any notice to it.

"What the fuck?!" Merle yelled, rubbing his now swelling jaw. "Jus' cuz you finally got yourself a woman, doesn't mean you can jus' go around punchin' the shit out of me!"

Daryl looked like he was about to hit Merle, again. "Ain't got no woman anymore."

"Aw, did you all have a fight." Merle stood to his feet and smirked. "Did little Miss Carol realize she didn't fuck the better Dixon, after all?" The smirk wore off quickly when Daryl reached for his vest and slammed him up against the wall. Right next to the hole Daryl had punched in it earlier. "Damn, must have been some fight."

Daryl's grip on him tightened. "Weren't no fight. Some men came and took her. Held a gun to her head and took her from me." He had never been so angry in his life. "The man's name was Phillip Blake. Sound familiar?"

All the blood drained from Merle's face. "No," he muttered. Daryl released him and ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah. He knocked on the door like he was some kind of visitor and snatched Carol up. Told me that if you don't pay off your debt in a week, he'll kill her." His older brother was oddly silent and that worried Daryl even more. "Come on," he said and grabbed Merle's arm. "Let's go."

"I don't got it."

"What?" Daryl whirled around and snarled.

"I ain't got the money. Sure, I have a few hundred on me, now, but that's nowhere near the amount I owe the fucker. Why the hell did you think I moved us this far away from Georgia."

All the fight and anger left Daryl, then, and was soon replaced with sorrow. "Shit, Merle." He leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. "He's goin' to kill her." Tears pricked at his eyes and he covered his face with his hands. He should have never walked over to her bench, yesterday. Should have just left her alone.

~C-D~

Carol whimpered when Phillip ran a hand down her cheek. Together they sat in the back of a black Lexus that had tinted windows and with the grimy looking man from before as their driver. Instead of flying back to Georgia, Blake had decided they'd take the 'scenic' route back.

"So soft," Phillip said and traced a finger over Carol's pink lips. "I can see why the little Dixon is smitten with you."

"Can you please stop touching me?" Carol hated how weak her voice sounded. This wasn't a time to show weakness. This man needed to know that she wasn't a woman to mess with. However, how could she show that when he'd pressed a gun to her head and forced her in the car?

"Oh, honey, you better get use to it." With that, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her body close to his. "Now, this is going to be a long ride, so I suggest you get comfortable, dear." Carol knew there was no way she'd get comfortable with this man being so close. She'd only be comfortable when she was finally back in Daryl's arms.

~C-D~

The two brothers sat in silence for what seemed like hours. Daryl looked so defeated and Merle had never felt so guilty in all his life. Carol had been perfect for his brother; he could tell that within the first few minutes of meeting her and Merle knew that Daryl didn't have very many good things in his life. Their pa had seen to that early on.

"Listen, Daryl-"

"Shut up," Daryl growled. "Don't ever want to hear your voice, again." He got up to walk away, but Merle grabbed him firmly by the arm and turned him around.

"Listen, here, bro. We ain't givin' up that easily. She's your woman, Daryl, and we're goin' to fight for her."

"With what?" He sounded so defeated. "We show up without his money, he'll kill her. We don't show up at all and he'll still kill her. There's no way we're goin' to win this."

"So, you're jus' goin' to give up?"

"What the hell are we goin' to do?" Daryl roared. "There ain't no way of winnin' this and I promised I wouldn't let anythin' to happen to her. Didn't think I'd have to protect her from my own brother and his stupid ass decisions." He spat.

Merle raised his hands in a placating manner. "Hold up, baby bro."

"No, you hold up!" Daryl stabbed a finger in Merle's face. "You couldn't keep your nose clean for five fuckin' seconds and look at what's happened! You owe some psychopath a shit ton of money and now, he has Carol! Once again, I'm the one who has to pay for your stupid ass."

"Daryl." Merle reached for his brother but Daryl slapped his hand away.

"Don't fuckin' touch me," he hissed.

"Listen, I'll get the money or try to, anyway," Merle started talking in a tone he hoped would placate his younger brother. "I have some people here that owe me a bit of money. I'll call 'em up to collect and then we'll go and get your girl."

"And if we don't get enough money?" Daryl's voice was so soft. Defeated.

"We'll still go after her." This time Daryl allowed his brother to place a hand on his shoulder. "We ain't goin' to leave her with that crazy fucker. I promise."

Daryl knew better than to trust his brother's word. Merle had let him down too many times in the past to count, but this was Carol and he knew that he was going to need all the help he could get to get her back.

"Fine," he said. "Go get that money and we're leavin' as soon as you get back. Best be fuckin' quick, too." The longer they stood around here with their thumbs up their asses, the longer Carol had to be with fucking Phillip Blake and there was no telling what the man was doing to her now.

~C-D~

An Hour After The Kidnapping

Phillip's arm remained around her shoulders and it felt like a ton of bricks. Carol didn't want this man touching any part of her. This man was sick and part of her wouldn't mind if Daryl or Merle were to kill him just so that he wouldn't pull this stunt on any other unsuspecting innocents.

"I hope Dixon gets me my money," Phillip spoke in a smooth, even voice. "I'd hate to have to kill a pretty thing such as yourself." His hand curled on her shoulder and his thumb stroked her cheek. Carol tried to jerk away but couldn't move far. She was smashed between the door and Blake.

"Then, don't." Carol was surprised to find her voice.

"Hmm, you don't like my that company that much, then?" He scooted even closer, which she hadn't thought was possible. The stroking of his thumb stopped, though. "Oh," he shifted to slide a hand down her leg and pulled something out of her pocket. "What is this?" It was her cell phone.

Carol's eyes widened. She had forgotten that she had the device on her person.

Phillip turned to her with a smile that she could only describe as evil. "Would you like to call your dear boyfriend, Daryl?" She searched his face, hoping to see his true intent but couldn't decipher anything in the dead blue of his eyes, so she nodded.

"Sorry, honey." He moved to place the phone in his pocket but Carol lunged for it.

"Wait!" She cried. Her hand circled around his wrist and she forgot for a moment how much she didn't want to touch him. Ever. "You- You said that Merle owed you lots of money, right? Well, I-I have some money at my apartment. If you let me call Daryl, then he could get it and that would help you get what you are owed."

Blake eyed her for a moment before grinning and handing her the phone. "Even though, I'm a little upset that you would like to leave my company so soon, I really do want my money." He leaned back in his seat and thankfully gave her some space. "You have five minutes."

~C-D~

Daryl hadn't been able to sit or stand still in the hour since Merle had left to collect the money he was owed. Most of his nails had been gnawed to the quick and he was almost positive he would soon run a whole in the carpet between the living room and kitchen. The waiting was killing him. They needed to get on the road now.

When his phone started to ring, he nearly vaulted across the room and grabbed it from the table beside the couch. The number being shown had him nearly dropping the device before answered.

"Hello! Carol? Fuck, are you okay? Jesus. Tell me you're okay." Both hands clutched the phone to his ear and he spoke frantically, knowing that he was nearing on hysteria.

"I'm fine, Daryl." Her soft voice did wonders to his aching chest. "I don't have long to talk, though."

"Tell that fucker, I'm going to kill him!" He growled.

"Daryl, please. Just listen to me, all right?" He could hear Carol take a deep breath before she continued. "You need to go to my apartment and grab the piggy bank labeled 'Art School', okay? Smash it and take everything inside. Give all of it to Merle. I know it's not everything he owes, but it'll help."

"But that's for your college. I can't take that from you, Carol. You told me how much you wanted to go to art school."

"But I want to be with you more and if it helps to get me out of here, then take it. Take all of it. Every last penny."

"Carol..." A large lump formed in his throat and he willed the tears away. This woman was going to lose the one thing she dreamed about doing for so long because of him. If only they hadn't met...

"Daryl, it's okay. I can always raise the money, again." There was a forced cheerfulness in her voice and he knew she was trying to make him feel better. To feel less guilty. It wasn't working, though.

"Yeah, maybe in another five years. Carol-"

"Listen, Daryl, it's okay. Really. Take it and get me out of here."

"Fine. I'll do it." Finally, he agreed and hated himself for it.

"Thank you. I have to go, but I'll see you soon." She paused. "Right?"

"You're damn right." He said with a fierce determination. Then, his voice grew soft once more. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Then, the line went dead.

Daryl wanted to hurl his phone at the wall in anger. Last night and this morning had been so perfect. He should have known that it wasn't going to last.


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