The fallout from Tom Dixon's arrest and the truth of Daryl's parentage continues.
It's been about a month since I posted the last chapter of this, so thanks for hanging in there with me. Hooray for Spring Break & time to write!
Family Matters
"About time, Merle. I called you three hours ago. God damn lawyers couldn't get here from Atlanta until morning n' I wasn't about to cool my heels in the county lock up until—" Tom Dixon stopped his rant when he saw the woman who had come to bail him out of jail.
"Well, if it isn't my lovely wife." he snarled and pursed his lips and looked her up and down. It was the middle of the night, but she was, as always, dressed with immaculate care, not a hair out of place. For some reason, that infuriated him.
"Tom." Karen Dixon said evenly. She knew that when he was like this the best reaction was no reaction.
"Dixon." the deputy guard escorting him handed him a manila envelope with his keys, cell phone, wallet, watch and jewelry, including his wedding band and an oversized jeweled ring.
"Hey—wait—this ain't mine." Tom frowned and held up the large gold fraternity ring.
"In your bag, it's yours." the Deputy shrugged and walked away.
Frustrated, Dixon shoved the ring in his pocket and turned back to his wife, pulling on his watch and ring, pocketing his keys and wallet and thumbing his phone on before putting it in his belt holster.
"Let's get out of here." he took her upper arm and started to steer her towards the door, but she wouldn't go.
"Did you do it?" Karen asked in a low voice. "What they arrested you for?"
"What?" Tom quickly looked around to see if any of the people in the room were close enough to hear her and then jerked her hard, forcing her to walk out ahead of him.
"Where's the car?" Tom demanded, scowling, when they reached the parking lot, he was checking his phone, frustrated when there were no new messages, slamming it back into its cradle. "And where's Merle? Prob'ly fucked out of his mind on coke again worried about his piss ant little brother when he should be minding the store. No respect from either a' them."
Karen continued ahead until they reached her car and then she stopped and faced him.
"I need to know." Karen said adamantly, refusing to go any further.
"You need to know? You need to know? All you need to know is what I fucking tell you!" Dixon raged and quick as a rattler his hand cracked across her face, knocking her back against the car. He raised his hand for another blow as she held herself up by clinging to the car door, but then she pushed off and pulled a small 9 millimeter handgun from her purse, aiming it at his crotch.
Tom's mouth fell open, dumbfounded. He watched the blood trickle down from the side of her mouth, looked up into her steely dark eyes, realizing how supremely he had just fucked up.
"That's all I needed to know." Karen said coldly, gesturing with the gun for him to back away. "We're done."
"Baby—please? I'm sorry—it's just—everything just went to hell tonight—I didn't mean—"
"Done—now back off before I turn you from a rooster into a hen." Karen said icily, clicking off the safety and taking a two handed grip on the gun. She tilted her head at her husband, who sighed in defeat and took two steps back.
"I hope they nail you to the wall. For everything you've done. For what you've done to Daryl. I'm going back inside now to make my statement to the sheriff and then I'm going to call my father." Karen said, spitting out blood, "You probably want to call your lawyers again." She backed away from the car and headed back to the sheriff's station.
Tom stared at her until she turned her back on him and put her gun back in her purse, safe inside the station, unable to believe that this was happening. How had his life so completely run off the rails in one night?
Daryl. Somehow it all came back to him. He was screwing Peletier's wife, wasn't he? The two of them were setting him up for the murder. That had to be it. Boy had killed his momma, tried to go against him at every turn... Little prick thought he could get away with another betrayal?
Tom reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys, sorting through them until he found the duplicate of Karen's Mercedes.
He'd find the little fucker and beat the truth out of him. No way was he going down for a murder.
"And you still maintain that you didn't know any of the Dixons before you met Daryl at your apartment that day." Detective Morgan Jones questioned Carol.
He'd shown up at the Greene farm with Rick and Shane about a half an hour ago. The raid on the packaging plant had given them good blood evidence which Mamet was processing now to hopefully match it to Ed Peletier, but the simultaneous one on Blake's house was still in progress, slowed when several booby traps were discovered in the lower levels under the home prompting a call for the bomb squad. In the mean time Jenner had ordered Jones and the deputies to dig deeper into the newly discovered connection between Tom Dixon and Peletier Publishing.
"As I told you, I had seen Tom Dixon at my husband's place of business, but I didn't meet him or learn his name. I thought he was a repairman or something. I met Daryl's brother, Merle at Rick's house after my apartment was destroyed last week." Carol was sitting at the café table, gritting her teeth, trying to stay patient with the man, but after the third time through the story of her relationship with Daryl, she found herself on the verge of telling him where to get off.
"You seem to have the younger brother wrapped around your finger quite handily in an amazingly short amount of time, Mrs. Peletier." Morgan said, dryly suspicious.
"Back off, Detective." Daryl warned from his place next to Carol, leaning forward, breaking the sight line between her and Jones.
"I don't need to defend our relationship to you detective." Carol said.
"And you, Daryl, you had no idea your father was working with Carol's husband?" Morgan pressed, "You didn't go to her house intending to do more than make a plumbing call? Got seduced instead?"
In one statement Morgan had just insulted both Daryl and Carol, insinuating he was nothing more than a hit man and that she deserved a red A on her breast. The man was on a roll.
"Just what're you askin' me? You think that my relationship with Carol is part of some big fucking Dixon conspiracy?" Daryl said, quietly furious, "That I would ever do anything to hurt someone—a woman—on Tom Dixon's orders?"
"Most people have some loyalty to their father." Morgan said, unimpressed with Daryl's denial.
"Most people don't have fathers who beat the shit out of them regularly and almost whip 'em to death as a graduation present." Rick interjected, coming to Daryl's defense.
Morgan raised his eyebrows. He'd read the arrest report and records on Carol's husband, knew she was a domestic abuse survivor, but there'd been nothing in Dixon's about him being one as well. That might help explain how quickly the two had bonded. Damaged people recognized it in others... He felt the waves of discomfort and embarrassment coming off of the younger brother; saw how Carol threaded her fingers through his without a word, saw the strength Daryl took from the contact.
"And that ain't all. You gonna tell him?" Merle asked Daryl with a hint of gleeful malice. "Or do I have the pleasure?
Daryl exchanged a look with Carol—Rick should know the truth before this line of questioning went any further. This wasn't exactly how he'd envisioned it coming out, but he deserved to know.
"We'll be up top." Daryl said, ignoring his oldest brother, looking at Morgan, then Michonne and Andrea, both of whom looked concerned. "C'mon." Daryl stood and gestured to Rick to follow him up the stairs. "We need to talk."
"I'm not done with you here." Morgan protested, but Michonne put her hand on his arm.
"Let them go. We'll explain." the therapist told the detective.
"They knew each other, before. Were... high school sweethearts...I guess. After she'd been with Tom and they'd broken up. Found out she was pregnant with Merle so her parents made her go back to him. Travis did what he was told was the right thing and let her go." Daryl explained what had happened as he understood it.
When they'd come upstairs Daryl had asked Maggie and Glenn for some space, so the young couple had gone about halfway across the field between the old and new farm house sites where they stood keeping watch, every once and awhile looking back to the men's conversation curiously.
"And?" Rick asked, needing the rest of the story.
"They didn't see each other for years. Went on with their lives. Travis met Sarah, they married, got pregnant with you. Then Merle got arrested."
"Merle." Rick grunted.
"He was a kid—about 12. Travis recognized the name on the arrest sheet. Took him home to Ellie." Daryl shrugged and then said simply, "They made me."
"They had an affair."
"Travis says no—it was just the one time—then he stayed away again. Didn't know about me...bein' his. My mom lied about it, to him and Tom both."
"Then we ended up in the same class at school."
"Yep. I guess she thought enough time had gone by it was okay to see him again—to try and be friends." Daryl said, "And she wanted us to be too."
"Our moms—they were friends—I remember how devastated mine was when Ellie died. When she finds out—"
"Sarah knows...she knew all along." Daryl told him. "She tried to help my mom get away."
"What?" Rick was shocked.
"She guessed; figured it out after she met us. She knew my mom was being...hurt...by Tom. They had a plan for her to get away from him."
"And take you away?" Rick asked.
"No—she wanted me to be with you and...and my...our dad. But when she died Tom wouldn't let them have me." Daryl said. "Wouldn't let me leave his roof."
They both thought of all of the horrors Daryl had lived through in that house; how if Travis had known Daryl was his son he might've been spared them.
"What is it?" Rick asked after Daryl hadn't spoken for several long minutes.
"I thought—I guess I thought you'd have a problem with it." Daryl said, looking off into the distance, towards the big white farm house. "That it would change how you feel about me."
"Like what?" Rick asked. "Finding all this out—knowing what we know now, how does that make any difference to what we are, what we've been to each other since that day in the cave? You're my brother, Daryl."
"How can you be good with Travis...doing what he did? To Sarah? Betraying her?" Daryl said quietly.
"Because she knew and forgave him a long time ago. Because she loves you like her own." Rick said, clasping his arm, forcing Daryl to look him in the eyes. "You're family, Daryl. Blood just makes it official."
After a beat or two the corner of Daryl's mouth turned up in one of his lopsided small smiles.
"Rick! We've got a situation." Shane yelled, sounding panicked, running towards them.
"Blake?" Rick called back, releasing Daryl's arm.
"No." Shane looked at Daryl with an angry fearful glare, "Tom Dixon."
"Tom? He's in jail—Andrea told us—" Daryl asked, confused. As Pelletier's silent partner he was probably in league with Blake as well. He was their best bet right now to take the king pin down.
"He made bail and went looking for you—he's lost it, man!" Shane said to Daryl. He was agitated, talking too fast. "We gotta go." he directed that at Rick, backing away and gesturing towards the house where the squad car was parked.
"Where is he?" Rick asked tersely, starting forward.
Shane's face crumpled and his body sagged, fighting to get out whatever it was he had to tell them next.
"Your place...and it's bad...real bad."
"What?" Daryl asked; dread laying an icy curtain over his heart.
Shane looked like he was going to throw up, staggered and sat down hard on the big tree stump next to the shelter doorway.
"Shane—just tell us!" Rick said, his voice breaking.
"Like I said, he lost it. Went to the farm looking for Daryl n' when he wasn't there Travis tried to get Tom to leave. He pulled a gun. Shot T...and your dad..."
"Fuck!" both Rick and Daryl bit out, Rick staggering back against his brother.
"Alive?" Rick asked.
"Forced Travis inside with him—he's alive but we don't know how bad he's hurt." Shane said, passing his hand over his face, "T-Dog's in surgery and it don't look good—might not make it."
"Shit no!" Daryl exclaimed softly, thinking of the big man's kindness, his family...
"Forced inside—no! no! no! Lori? Carl? Mom?" Rick was close to panic.
"He's got them as hostages—says he won't release them unless Daryl comes." Shane said looking at Daryl with desperation now. "Look I know you're in protection, man, but—"
"Let's go." Daryl said, interrupting him and starting forward.
Rick grabbed Daryl's arm, holding him back.
"You can't. Blake's still out there—looking for you, for Carol. She needs you." Rick said, his fears for his family at the farm and for the ones here clearly warring within him.
"That's our father! Your mom and wife in there-your son, my nephew and unborn niece! He wants me, he's got me." Daryl muttered.
"Count me in." Merle said, coming out from behind the door to the underground shelter. He'd obviously been listening to the conversation.
"Nah, just me." Daryl said. "I need you here to watch over Carol... she's family too."
"Daryl-Merle's the favored son though, right?" Shane protested, standing. "He might be able to get through to your dad."
"Shit." Daryl said, knowing Shane was probably right.
"The detective can stay—call for back up from Jenner." Merle suggested.
"We have to go, Daryl, now." Rick was practically jumping out of his skin to leave for the farm.
"Have to tell her—why I'm leaving." Daryl insisted. He wasn't about to abandon her without a word.
Merle stepped back into the doorway and hollered down the stairs.
"Carol—need you up here—quick now!"
"Damn it Merle—you'll scare her!" Daryl glared at his brother and pushed him back out of the way. He looked back over at Rick. "You and Shane head out—we're right behind you."
Rick looked undecided, but Shane nodded and headed for the squad at a run.
"Go!" Daryl urged Rick and then quickly turned back to intercept Carol before she could come out into the open. Rick gave him a terse nod and took off after Shane.
"She ain't gonna like this." Merle warned softly.
"Don't expect she will." Daryl agreed, sighing.
"Make it quick then. I'll go warm up the bike." Merle said and headed for the house as well.
"Daryl?" Carol called, "What's wrong?"
"There's trouble at the farm—I have to go." Daryl explained, his voice low and rusty sounding, taking her hands in his. She looked pale in the moonlight, worry creasing her brow.
"Trouble? Lori? The baby?" Carol asked, gripping his hands more tightly. When he hesitated she grew more concerned. "Is it Blake?"
They both heard the grating mechanical rumble of Merle's Triumph roll across the meadow between the house and the shelter as he started the bike.
"No—Tom—took hostages—."
"What do you—hostages? Who?"
"Family—Travis, Sarah, Lori and Carl—T almost died trying to stop him." Daryl told her, grimacing at the tears that filled her eyes, the way she shook her head side to side in denial.
"He's asking for me in exchange." Daryl explained, "Travis is hurt—I have to get him out of there. I have to go."
"He's your father, I understand... but...I can't lose you too!" Carol said, quietly anguished. The thought of letting him deliberately ride off into danger—a life or death situation—terrified her. She'd just found him; how could she face it if he didn't return?
Daryl pulled her tight against him and kissed her, willing her to remember how strong she was, to know he'd come back to her.
"You won't lose me. It'll be okay. I'll have Rick and Merle and Shane as back up. Band of Brothers. You go back now and tell Andrea and Michonne what's happening." Daryl advised. "The detective will have back-up coming out here soon to keep an eye out for Blake, tell him Rick called it in."
"I know you'll get them out. Stay safe." Carol said, kissing him again, quick and sweet.
"Love you too." Daryl replied, holding her tightly and pressing a kiss to her hair before he released her. He waited until she was down the stairs, door locked behind her before he took off at a run for the farm house, passing Glenn and Maggie on the way and directing them back to their vigil watch, his heart in his throat for all the members of his family in danger this night.
I liked the double meaning of the title of this chapter a lot. For both Tom and Daryl it's all about family relationships "mattering." Tom's borderline personality finally reached a breaking point and his family imploded, causing shock waves that are threatening the Grimes clan and their friends.
Karen's threat to Tom: "I'll turn you from a rooster to a hen." is my favorite quote from the film 9 to 5,uttered by the immortal Dolly Parton.
Thanks for reading!