Author's Note:
Hello everybody! I'm actually on track with this story! I really enjoyed writing this chapter, like a lot! I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do! Thank you guys so much! I'd like to thank the following people for reviewing:
Chapter 10:
Darssy0405: Haha, that's what I'm attempting!
FanficGirl10: Aw, thanks
DarylDixonsWife: thank you darling
Crazywritinggirl96: haha, I love supplying those images ;)
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Chapter 11:
Sissymac: yes, I love trouble!
xXRoweenaJAugustineXx: I respect that, thanks anyways!
DarylDixonsWife: Nope, you can count on me!
FanFicGirl10: Just a dream, love, Aliyah just dreamt that up! And thank you!
Anon: Literally laughed at this, ok, enjoy your pain honey, hey I can't please everyone!
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Emily xoxo
My breathing hitched as the rustling grew louder and closer, walker or not I got a feeling that I would need backup. I jumped over the fire pit, twisting my ankle as I did so and tried to wake Merle. His blue eyes opened, clouded in a sleepy daze. "Someone or something is in the woods." I said as I got up and walked over to where the rustling was. "Is it Daryl?" I mouthed to him.
"What?" He mouthed back clearly not understanding me. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. A tall figure still disguised in the shadows was drawing nearer. It definitely wasn't Daryl or a walker. Finally, he got close enough to notice us.
"Jai, is that you?" He asked.
"No, but Jailynn-." Merle groaned as a knife was pushed into his stomach. My shrill scream woke Jailynn out from a dead slumber.
"How could you?" I cried as I tried to blink away the tears.
"Get the fuck out of my camp." His deep gravelly voice said.
"Jayceon!" Jailynn yelled once she figured out what was going on.
"Who are these people?"
"Survivors, waiting on a friend, you promised you wouldn't do this anymore!" She sobbed.
"Babe, it's either kill or be killed you choose." He said.
"They weren't hurting anyone!" She said. I sighed and took off running, cringing at the stinging pain in my ankle. I stripped off my shirt as I tried to run to the lake. I dampened my shirt to get off the excess dirt off and then walked as fast as I could back to Merle. I tied my shirt around his wound, my small shirt barely fit around him, so it was extremely tight.
"I'm sorry about your friend." Jayceon said.
"Yeah, you better fucking be sorry. I said as I lifted up an unconscious Merle from the ground, he must've hit his head on the way down. I strung his arm around my shoulder; the blood was beginning to seep through my thin shirt. "It's alright, Merle, you'll be just fine. Daryl we'll come here and we'll leave." I said as his eyes fluttered open. I almost collapsed under Merle's sturdy weight multiple times before I propped him up against the tree. I sighed in disappointment at myself, I should've handled the rustling by myself, then Merle wouldn't be hurt and my ankle wouldn't be twisted. "Got any water?" I called out. Without a response a bottle of water was kicked over to me. I put it to Merle's lips and he greedily drank in the water. "Sleep, I'll wake you later." I said.
An hour later, Merle was sleeping with a flushed face, he was dehydrated and in pain. Jailynn and Jayceon were arguing back and forth about something. I just wanted Daryl to get here so we could leave, I was worried but he said he'd be back and I believe him. I was cold, starving and topless but I couldn't bear to think of myself when I'd nearly gotten Merle killed.
"Hey, Merle, wake up!" Daryl yelled when he strolled into camp.
"He's hurt." I said looking up to him.
"What do you mean, he's hurt?" He asked, curiosity in his eyes when he roamed my barely clad torso.
"He got stabbed by one of the people in this camp." I said, Daryl opened his mouth to speak again but I cut him off. "He'll be fine Daryl, it's just a stomach wound." I said sending a reassuring smile his way. Daryl nodded and reached into his pocket.
"Give him these." He said pulling out a pill bottle. I raised my eyebrow in confusion; I didn't know he took pills.
"Don't look like something died, I took them from him earlier he used to be a druggie, no use in getting hooked now." He said and I nodded in understandment and shook Merle until he woke up.
"Take this; it'll help the pain, Daryl's back." I said smiling down at him.
"Are you babying my brother?" Daryl asked.
"He's hurt."
"So are you." He said.
"I'm fine." I said and continued giving Merle his meds.
"Thanks, Blondie."
"No problem, I'm sorry this happened."
"I'm fine." He said.
"Don't lie." I said helping him stand.
"I ain't a pussy." He commented.
"I didn't say you were."
"Let's go!" Merle ordered Daryl. Daryl nodded and we began walking after Daryl had a few choice words with Jayceon.
"Here, wear this." Daryl said tossing his leather vest at me. I smiled as I shrugged it on and the woodsy manly scent of Daryl filled my nose.
After stopping to help a family on a bridge Daryl and Merle were fighting. "There was a baby!" Daryl yelled.
"Oh otherwise you would've just left them for the biters?" Merle yelled.
"Man, I went back for you, you weren't there, I didn't cut off your hand neither, you did that, way before they left you on that roof, you asked for it!"
"You know, you know what's funny to me? You and Sheriff Rick are like this now, right? I bet you never told him that we were planning on robbing that camp blind, did you? It didn't happen did it? You know why because I wasn't there to help you!"
"When we were kids, who left who then?" Daryl asked.
"What? Is that why I lost my hand?" Merle screamed.
"You lost your hand because you're a simpleminded piece of shit!" Daryl screamed and Merle dove for him, pushing him to the ground ripping his shirt off in his efforts. It was like the world moved in slow motion as my eyes were glued to the numerous scars on his back.
"I didn't know you-."
"Yeah you did he did the same to you, that's why you left first." Daryl said getting up.
"I had to man; I would've killed him otherwise!" Daryl began walking away and I ran after him. "Where you going?" Merle yelled.
"Back where I belong."
"I can't go with you; I damn near killed that black bitch and that Chinese kid!"
"He's Korean."
"Whatever man it doesn't matter, I just can't go with you!"
"You know I may be the one walking away, but you're the one who's leaving…again."
"Oh my God, Daryl, I'm so sorry!" I said tears in my eyes threatening to overflow.
"Yeah, well, don't be." He said.
"Daryl, don't push me away." I pleaded.
"Don't push your luck." He said his voice hoarse. I walked over to him and grabbed his arm, making him turn to me. I pressed my lips to his frozen state.
"Daryl, I know you're hurting." I said after I released him. "I also know we have something special going for us, promise me you'll talk later?" I said looking up into his eyes.
"Fine." He said turning around. "You look badass in that by the way." He said and I blushed in response.
"I kind of miss home."
"I guess it's where we belong." I smiled at him.
"Yeah, I hope you realize we have a lot of talking to do." I said remembering Merle's comment about robbing the camp.
"Whatever." He said as we began the silent walk home.