"NO!", Daryl screamed and let himself fall down to his knees. Murphy was standing next to him, his face looking to the spot where his brother had been standing seconds ago. They were too late. It had happened. They failed.
Murphy placed his hand on Daryl's shoulder, fighting his own tears to comfort the man on the ground.
"Come on Dar'. Come on. We need to kill them. We need to get his body."
Daryl shook his head. "No...Connor", he whined.
"I know", Murphy replied scary calm. In that moment he saw Rick an some other running past them. Rick only looking at him, his eyes wet and shocked. Murphy watched them kill the last walkers. Watched them until the last walker was gone and then started to move, slowly pulling Daryl up. His black shirt and tie dirty, bloody and damaged. Daryl's face was a grimace, a broken face. The face of someone who had lost everything. Murphy dragged him along and then fell down on his knees in front of his brother. His face, his beautiful face was untouched and he was smiling, looking like he was just asleep. Murphy's eyes wandered down his body. There was blood everywhere and his shirt was shred into pieces and so was his stomach. Daryl next to him grabbed Connor's hand, the one with the ring. "He said yes. He wanted to be my husband. Murphy...", he whispered with a shaking voice. "I kno'. 'm sorry."
Murphy placed one arm around Daryl's waist and placed a kiss on his dead brothers forehead. He was searching for the rosary and couldn't find it. "Where is his rosary?", he asked without addressing anyone. It was Beth who suddenly gave it to him. It was covered in blood and broken. Murphy shook his head. Connor needed one when he was going to see their lord. He fumbled around in his pocket and hang another rosary around his twins neck. Daryl was sobbing in his arms and Murphy knew now what Connor needed him to do. He needed him to save Daryl from drowning in his own tears. From choking himself with grief.
Daryl was still holding Connor's hand and was playing with the ring, when Murphy turned to him and hugged him. His head resting on Daryl's shoulder. "Yeh need to say goodbye now. He will turn soon. Yeh kno' we need to kill him properly."
"No. He is not dead. He is just sleeping. See. He smiles."
"Oh lil' brother", the dark haired twin said. "He is dead Daryl. Connor is gone. He's with Merle now." Murphy knew this wasn't true but he needed Daryl to understand what happened. The Hunter was in shock.
"No. Merle is in hell and Connor is here."
Murphy looked around and saw them all standing around them. He looked up to Rick and Carol. Maybe they would get through to him. Both of them knelt down next to their friend and tried to convince him to say goodbye. When they finally did, Murphy moved so Daryl could say goodbye alone. He saw him pressing his forehead against his twins and gently pressing a kiss to the dead lips. Murphy started crying and hid his face on Rick's shoulder. The former sheriff hugged him and said: "I can shoot if you want. You don't need to do it."
"No. I have to. He would want me to and he needs a prayer."
"I am so sorry Murphy", Rick said and Murphy answered with pressing him closer to his chest. Then he let go of him and looked back to Daryl, slowly wiping the tears from his face, to help his soulmate cope with the loss. He sat behind Daryl and threw his arms around him, kissing his neck and pressing him close. "It's time now", he breathed.
"Murph' I can't..he is gone."
"Aye. I want to pray for him."
"Yes. He would like that."
Murphy grabbed his rosary and his weapon from his peacoat. "Daryl, yeh need to move away now." Daryl did as he was told and moved behind Murphy, his arms around his waist and burying his face between his friends shoulder blades.
Connor, his man, his life was gone. Everything he had left was his ring and his brother. When Connor died he died with him. Daryl heard Murphy pray.

"Deep peace of the running waves to you
Deep peace of the flowing air to you.
Deep peace of the smiling stars to you.
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
Deep peace of the watching shepherds to you.
Deep peace of the Son of Peace to you."

And then he felt a hand grabbing one of his. Pressing his fingers so hard that Daryl thought they would break but he didn't flinch. Murphy said: "I'm sorry brother", before pulling the trigger and stop their soulmate from turning into a living dead. Daryl heard a metallic sound on the ground and a second hand was grabbing his. Murphy's knees were giving in and Daryl let himself fall down to the ground too. His arms still around Murphy. He was too afraid to let go. Too afraid he might lose him too. After a while Murphy seemed to relax in his arms and his grip loosened. "Come on brother, we need to carry him away from here and in the morning we will bury him."
Daryl nodded and whispered: "I will carry him."
"Yeh don't need to. Someone else can do it."
"No, I need to do it. You ended him. I need to carry him, just like I did weeks back."
They crawled forward and Daryl shoved his arms under his dead loves body and lifted him up. And this time he was carrying the world in his hands, his life and heart. He was carrying the one soul he had promised to love until his death. Just hours ago they were happy and now nothing was left than a ring and his memories.
Murphy was walking by his site and Daryl knew he was thinking about his twin. Grieving as much as he was. They were two souls now, with the same big hole. The same piece missing. Daryl was biting down on his lip while Murphy was constantly rubbing his hand. He knew everyone else was walking behind them and when they reached the camp they were greeted by Lambert.
"I'm sorry for your loss guys. I prepared a room for our dead until you can bury him tomorrow."
He led them into a tiny room where he had lit some candles. There were four other bodies. Riley, the Captain and two soldiers. Daryl suited Connor next to Riley and wiped away the blood from his mans lips and kissed him again. "Goodbye Leprechaun."


The next morning

Everyone was standing around the grave that Murphy had dug with Rick together. Daryl was too weak, too broken to even stand alone. When Murphy had promised Connor to be the strong one he had never thought how hard it would be. Now fully understanding what a hard work Connor had to do all those years. They were all staring at the ground, some were crying and some were just looking empty. Daryl looked like a ghost and it broke Murphy's heart. His eyes were distant and he hadn't slept or spoken since he had brought the lifeless body of Connor into the little room. When Murphy had tried to lay down next to him he had shook his head and pushed him off the bed. Murphy had left and laid down in the next room, his mind open just in case Daryl needed him. And Murphy was honest, he needed Daryl now because he had lost Connor, his twin, his best friend and soulmate. It was always him and Connor. Now he was wiped away from this planet like someone had blown out a candle. Rick was steadying Daryl and Carol was holding his hand. Murphy was kneeling in front of the grave now, praying.

"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen"

Murphy stood up and turned around to the others. "Does someone want to say something?" He looked over to Daryl but the hunter just stared at the cross that Murphy had made from some twigs.
Murphy nodded and then spoke: "I have known Connor all my life and he was the best man I ever knew. He made it his task to slay the wicked, fight evil and even so he could be a badass he was also the most gentle soul. Never ashamed to give love, where love was needed and never afraid to touch, where touches were needed. My brother was strong and if there is one thing that I will always remember than it is the wonderful shining soul. To me he was pure gold and the best brother in the whole wide world. May he rest in peace and may his soul find freedom."
His eyes were wet and he moved closer to Daryl, giving Rick a sign that he would take over now. Both Carol and Rick looked at Murphy and Daryl. The hunter was slowly facing Murphy and Murphy saw nothing but grief and pain in his eyes. Murphy closed the distance between them and pressed Daryl closer. "We are the only ones left. Yeh an' me."
Daryl didn't move at first but when he realized that it was Murphy holding him, he slowly moved his arms around Murphy's waist and then rested his head on his shoulder. "I can't feel him anymore", Daryl mumbled.
"Me neither."
Murphy saw the others leave and he closed his eyes, gently running his fingers through Daryl's hair. Daryl took the fabric of Murphy's shirt in his fists and allowed himself to hold on to the other man. "It's okay Dar'. The others are all gone. We are alone. Cry. I'm here for yeh." Murphy swallowed to stay strong and gently let his thumb run over Daryl's cheek. "We failed. We failed to protect him", the hunter hissed. It felt like someone just had stabbed Murphy. "No. Don't say that. We knew the day would come. We always knew." Daryl let go of Murphy and stepped back. "Fuck you. I wish you two had never shown up. I wish I had never fallen in love with him." He turned around and walked away. Murphy yelled: "Yeh don't mean tha'. Yer just hurt. Daryl!"
Murphy ran after him and took Daryl's hand to stop him. "Don't yeh dare touch me."
"Dar'. Please. We promised him."
"Fuck him. It wasn't right to ask us to stay close when he died. I can't be around you."
Murphy let go of Daryl and waited until the hunter was out of sight. Then he let himself fall down to the ground, crying. He had lost Connor and Daryl.
How was he supposed to live on? To be strong for the both of them.
"Fuck Connor, yeh fuckin' idiot. Why did yeh leave me alone?"
Murphy wiped away his tears with the sleeve of his peacoat. He couldn't feel Connor anymore. Connor was gone. Maybe forever. What if they wouldn't find each other after death? Would they be separated for eternity?
Part of him was missing. Part of him was dead. How can someone live with just one third of his soul?