Buck heard the bike coming from a distance. One week. Daryl had been right to the day. Buck placed the box he was working on top of his work bench, and walked up as merle shut off his bike and walked over.

"Long time, no see. What bring's ya out here?" buck asked merle, already knowing the answer. Merle bit his lip before looking down.

"I lost him. I can't find Daryl. Ain't seen him in 4 days. Ain't answerin' his phone either." merle said quietly.

Buck looked his eldest son up and down. Merle looked like he hadn't slept in a week. He was twitchy, and fidgeting around. Anyone who wasn't blind could tell merle was itching for a hit, a drink; but there was something else there. Merle was freaking out, panicking.

Buck leaned against the work bench.

"Daryl left Atlanta a week ago."

at buck's simple statement merle's eyes shot up.

buck looked over at the clock, and smirked before turning back to merle. he caught his son in a gaze.

"Daryl came to me with a problem. I am helping him solve it. He would have gone to you, but he couldn't trust you this time. Too much at stake."

at hearing his brothers distrust merle grew angry. "he trusts you over me?! You nearly killed him! I was the one that stopped ya!"

buck nodded. He had expected a fight from merle.

"I ain't denying that. You saved Daryl's life that day, he knows it too. But Daryl has a lot of shit on the line here. Not just his life, but his future."

merle growled as he stalked closer to buck. "he has a life, with me!"

buck glared at merle as he responded. "and ya honestly believe he was happy?! The boy ain't had a chance at happy, he was too busy savin' your ass!"

merle was about to respond when buck's phone went off. With a last glare to merle he grabbed it and flipped it open.

"buck."

D/C D/C D/C D/C D/C D/C

merle was pissed. Red hot pissed. How the fuck would Daryl not trust him?! merle ground his teeth as he listened to buck's half of his phone conversation.

"yeah we're movin' now."

"me and my son."

Daryl moved in with buck?

"And his woman and kid."

merle looked up to buck's eyes shocked. Buck gave a curt nod. When the hell did Daryl get a woman and kid?!

"na I'll be there tonight. Might be a bit late. Workin' on gettin' a new guy. may take a few minutes more."

merle looked warily at buck, who was now smirking.

"thanks Hershel. See ya when I get there."

buck hung up the phone, and chuckled at merle.

"boy you look like ya seen a ghost. Come on, gotta meetin' ta get to."

"who the hell were ya talkin' to?"

buck stood in front of merle. "Hershel. My AA sponsor. He's been callin' me every single Tuesday night for the last 5 years. I ain't missed a meetin' yet."

buck pushed merle back as he pulled the garage shut and locked it.

"what the fuck are ya pullin' me into?" merle spat.

Buck walked over to merle, standing dead in front of him.

"here's the deal. You want to know where Daryl is? You want your brother back? You leave Atlanta, move in here with me, just as Daryl and his family are. You go to AA, NA. You get clean. You pick your brothers side."

merle glared at buck. "what other side is there?"

buck shrugged. "one of your asshole friends' side. This is gonna explode, and soon. Be on Daryl's side, or you will most likely never see him again. Cause he will be in prison, dead or want you dead."

merle stood back. "what the hell is goin' on buck? What did Daryl do?"

buck shook his head. "ain't just about what Daryl did. Several people are involved in this. Several people I care about and one I will kill if this goes badly."

merle shook his head, confused. "so what ya tellin' me is that Daryl don't want me near him?"

buck once again shook his head. "fuck no. merle, leavin' ya behind damn near killed Daryl. Ya boys, ya ain't meant ta be separate. You've been thru a shit life, together. Ya two work well, get each other. Better than most siblings could say. But Daryl had to make a choice, and you were a threat. Still are."

buck took in merle's expression. He was pissed, but hurt. And still very confused. Buck walked up to his son and grabbed him by the shoulders.

"ya gotta do this merle. Come with me tonight. Step one of gettin' clean. Afterwards, if ya do this, I'll take ya straight to Daryl. Even got a bed for ya merle, a job, a home, a family. But you gotta take this step."

Merle looked at buck, his face stone. "What the fuck is goin' on buck? What the hell happened ta Daryl? And why the fuck isn't he answering his fuckin' phone?"

Buck sighed. "Because I told him not to."

Merle glared before shoving buck back. "what the fuck ya do that for?!"

Buck raised up his hands. "it got ya fuckin' attention didn't it! Jesus merle, Daryl left Atlanta this time last week! Ya missin' three days! This shit is gonna kill ya, I know because it damn near killed me. And I ain't fuckin' lettin' that happen."

Merle swore. "Fuck you buck. Ya didn't give a shit about me when I was takin' the hits did ya?!"

Buck crossed his arms. "Merle I regret every single hit, everythin' I fuckin' said. I've got a chance here ta make things right, both with Daryl and you. And while Daryl may have started this, it's your turn now."

Merle sneered at buck. "My turn for what?"

Buck met merle's eyes. "Your turn ta change ya life. Daryl's taken some huge steps, this is your first. Come to the meeting merle."