Running, panicking, screaming.

That was what I was doing. 10 minutes ago, I was wrapping Merle's ruined wrist up as carefully as I could while the twins helped Daryl pack up our camp. It was all fine until Ed's screams were heard from his tent and then the walkers came out of nowhere and began attacking. I lost the twins in all of the panic but I knew they were safe seeing as Merle and Daryl were with them.

Now you are probably asking yourself if my sons, man and his brother are safe, why would she be running?

Well the answer is simple, my mother's pain-filled screams were heard over the moans and other screams. Even though I don't get along with my mom, she still raised me and is the last thing I have to remind me of my father.

Jumping over a walker eating a woman who I didn't learn the name of, I don't stop to kill the walker, I just keep running. Swinging my machete, I watch as the walker that was over my mother split in half.

I kneel down at my mother's side and hold her hand as she looked at me with almost dead green eyes. A chunk was missing from her neck and her stomach was ripped open. A hand was placed on my shoulder lightly. "I can't do it, Matty. I can't kill Mom."

"Then let me do it."

I stand up and hide my face into Matt's disgusting shirt. I jumped when his gun when off. His other arm wraps around me as we stood next to our mother's dead body.

Pulling apart my brother and I sigh deeply before we walked over to the main camp fire. Shane and Rick were off to the side quietly talking to themselves. Andrea and Amy say next to a crying Carol and Sophia. Carl sat in front of his mother as he held Sophia's hand. Roxxi was holding Frankie to her as Stacy cried into her mother's side. Torrie sat next to her twin looking down at the gun in her hand as she twisted it this way and that. Max stood behind them with his now bloody hockey stick in his hands. Jade and Chris stood by the RV with Kane in front of them. Jasper and Spencer stood talking to T-dog and Glenn. Dale stood on top of his RV with his shot gun while Lily sat on the edge looking at me with a knowing look. I nodded my head towards her and she gave me a broken smile back. But the four that I was looking for was near the trees. Merle and Daryl stood leaning on some trees while my twins were sitting by Merle's feet. Ryker was cleaning the knife Merle gave him while Jax leaned back on his father's right leg.

I squeeze Matt's hand before walking towards my family. I ran my fingers through Ryker's hair before pulling his head back and kissing his forehead. I did the same to Jax before kissing Daryl on his dirty cheek. I turned towards Merle and hugged his waist. Merle's left hand buried itself in my hair as he pushed my head closer to his chest. I turn my head to look up at him. "My mom is dead." I whispered to him and he nodded his head.

"Ed is dead. Morales and his family are dead. Jim is dead. Jacqui is dead. And Kristen is dead." Rick's voice sounded out over the silence. Me, my brothers and sister in laws all flinch when Rick mentioned Mom.

"Grandma is dead?" Stacy cried out as she looked at her father. Matt nodded before looking at where we left our mom.

Shane sighs before looking at Matt. "Did you..."

"Yeah, I did." Matt spoke looking Shane in the eye before looking at me. I knew what Matt was doing and so did our brothers. Shane sighed once more before looking at me. I nodded my head with a forced smile. Shane understood I didn't and couldn't talk about what I saw and didn't do.

I rest my head on Merle's chest as Rick began to talk about the CDC and how they can save us. Merle snorted as Rick spoke that.

"You have something to say, Dixon?"

"Yah I do. I think y'all are pretty fucking stupid if ya think that the CDC is gonna do anything but kill us in the end. Ya think that the CDC is gonna help us, ya dead wrong. The CDC is no more. There ain't nothing or no one there anymore, man. It's a dead end." Merle looked over at Shane and smirked a little. "So is Fort Bennett. We are on our own. Gotta get that threw ya pigass head of yours."

Merle then pulled me and Jax with him towards Daryl's truck as Ryker and Daryl followed. Merle put Jax and Ryker in the bed of the truck before looking at me and Daryl.

"The two of them are gonna lead us to our deaths."

I place my hand on Merle's bandaged wrist and look him in the eye. "That's why we are leaving them, Merle."

"Your brother ain't gonna let you or our boys go anywhere without him." Merle fumed as he glared at Shane and Rick.

"You're right but what the hell can we do?"

"Take charge."

Merle stomped over to Rick and Shane before punching Shane in the face. Rick jumps in only to get thrown off Merle by Chris.

Daryl shakes his head and leans against his truck. "Of course he would do it like this."

"He wouldn't be Merle if he didn't use violence to get something he wants." I pull myself up onto the bed of the truck and leaned over Daryl's shoulder to watch Merle, Rick and my brothers' fight. "And what he wants the most is the four of us safe."

"Yeah you're little family safe." Daryl grumbled under his breath.

I smack the back of his head and force him to look at me. "No when I said the four of us, I meant me, the twins and you. The four of us mean the most to Merle and even though he is an asshole to you, that redneck loves you. And do you know why?" Daryl shakes his head while staring into my eyes. "Because you're his baby brother that he would do anything to protect. Even go against your father."

"Merle never-"

I cut Daryl off by covering his mouth with my hand. "Yes he did. Merle fought your father every damn time he was home with the two of you. Why do you think your father never touched you when Merle was around? Merle threatened to kill him over and over if Merle ever found out your father put his hands on you." I look over at Merle and watch as he spoke to the others as Shane and Rick was bleeding on the ground. "Merle loves you Daryl and he wants the four of us safe and happy in this fucked up world."

Tears began to fall from Daryl's eyes as he finally realized everything I said was true.

"And the only reason he is tough on you is for when he is gone."

"What?"

"Merle wants you strong enough to take care of me and the twins after he goes." I felt my eyes burn as tears came to my eyes. "He does what he does to keep us safe. Everything he does has a reason."

Daryl nodded his head and wiped his eyes before wiping mine. We smile at each other just as Merle's voice sounded out.

"If we are going to stay together then I am the leader now. You follow me now, not these pigs. And if any of y'all have a problem with that, then have fun on your own."

And with that Merle is now the leader of the group.