Hi! This is a short, short chapter while I get back into the swing of things. I'm excited to *finally* continue this story. I hope you enjoy and come back for more-another chapter will be posted soon.

Rick looked at the group with heavy eyes and informed them of the day's grim findings. When he finished, he waited for someone to speak.

"Where is Daryl?", Carol asked quietly.

Rick didn't really know at the moment. "He's...around. He'll be back. You can imagine..."

She nodded and looked away from him, uncomfortable.

"Who knows where she could be by now...", Lori said.

"It doesn't matter", Rick replied, already exhausted from the familiar argument. His eyes stayed on his wife for a minute before acknowledging the group as a whole. "Look. We all know we aren't united on this issue, and at this point you all know you can do what you want. Think what you want. Help or not. But thats it, I'm done fighting about this. And Daryl...most of all Daryl doesn't need to hear it."

"Hear what?", Daryl asked, voice husky. He had come out of the woods quietly and made his way to his friends. No one said anything and he didn't bother to inquire futher. He knew Rick told them what was going on. "We know what to look for now. Some kind of similar set up-"

"What if she's already been...what if she isn't with the same guys anymore?", Andrea said carefully. "We'll never-"

Daryl looked at her so sharply she simply stopped talking. "Tomorrow, we retrace our steps. See if anything stands out. They could now be at any of the places we've already checked." He paused for a moment, half scowling. "And by 'we', I mean whoever gives a shit enough to come with me."

"Merle...", Rose breathed, nearly shuddering with difficult and varying emotions.

A smile overcame the man's face. "Yeah...? He been runnin' his mouth about me? Bet it ain't been nothin' good." He chuckled before going quiet, looking at the girl with his usual undecipherable eyes. "You know...s'good to know my little bro is still around. Thought he'd have kicked it by now without me."

Rose didn't know what to say. She knew she couldn't say what she wanted-that Daryl is the most amazing, capable man she's ever met in her life. That he doesn't need Merle or anyone else. That Merle should be proud to have him for a brother. "He thinks about you", she managed.

Merle snorted, drumming his fingers on the back of his chair. "What's a guy to do, huh? I'd like to see my brother again, I reckon. But I ain't exactly a hero. Don't really care about savin' no girl..." Even as he said it, his expression softened. He chewed his lip. If Daryl had told her about him, maybe she meant more to him than Merle thought. Daryl wasn't one to go around telling his life story.

Rose tried to stay calm, but it was hard to keep her voice even. "Please help me, Merle."