We stayed there for about three weeks before I pitched a fit and said I wanted to leave. The doctor said my knee was healing good, but it wasn't healed enough yet. Daryl asked if it would make a difference if I had the brace now. The doctor said it wouldn't hurt but he didn't think I was in a state to be out there yet.

Daryl just glared at him and told him we wanted to leave. So that's what happened. Now I have this metal thing on my leg that makes me look like a robot. I was not happy about it at all.


We went back to that house we were staying at when the accident happened. Daryl said we wouldn't be staying here for long. We don't go back. That's why we left Hampton Lake the second time even after the situation we are in. I didn't want to stay there.

None of us talked the entire car ride. Daryl helped me out of the car they let us have.

"Don't ya try and walk up 'em stairs." He warned me.

I stood there and waited for him. I glanced at my bike and put my head down.

"Hey, ya okay?" Daryl asked.

I bit my lip. "I can never ride again."

He looked at me sadly. "Ya don't know that." He put his hand on my shoulder. "Come on." He carried me up the stairs and into the house. He put me on the couch.

"There, ya go." He said. "Ya okay?"

I shrugged.

"Well…I want ya to eat somethin'."

"I'm not hungry." I said with my head down.

"Ya need to eat." The look he gave me made me decide not to argue.

"Fine." I said quietly.

He disappeared in the kitchen and came out with a bowl of peaches and a bag of chips.

"These kinda contradict each other." I forced myself to smile.

"Good." Daryl said. "Eat."

"I'm eatin'." I said. "Where's Merle?"

"Don't know."

I looked over at him. He acts weird whenever I mention Merle. I just shrugged it off. Come to think of it, though, Merle still hasn't said a word to me.


"I'm tired." I said when I finished my food. "I wanna go to bed."

"Just sleep right there on the couch."

"I cain't." I slowly got up and limped into the other room.

"Where ya goin'?"

"Upstairs." I called.

"Don't ya even think about walkin' up 'em stairs, little lady." Daryl was there in a second.

I put one leg on the first step.

"Leann." Daryl warned.

"Just kiddin'." I said.

"It ain't funny." He lifted me. "What if ya fell?"

"So you're just gonna carry me up the stairs forever?"

"Yup." He carried me up to my room and put me in bed.

"Thanks, Daryl." I gave him a hug.

"Ya need anythin', ya just holler and I'll come."

"Okay."

I got comfortable and soon fell asleep.


I woke up at some point in the night, I was sweating pretty bad.

"Daryl?" I called weakly.

He didn't come so I struggled to get out of bed.

"Daryl?"

He wasn't in his room so I walked down the hall. I heard yelling. I limped down the stairs and stayed behind the wall. Daryl and Merle were in the kitchen arguing.

"Ya think this is easy fer us?" Daryl yelled.

"Never said that." Merle said.

"Well what are ya sayin'? Huh?"

"Why don't ya just chill out, okay?"

"No! You're down here gettin' high after what happened!"

What?

"Where'd ya get that shit anyway?"

"While ya were takin' care of Annie, I found that Jay guy and beat the shit out of him. Took his supply."

I gasped. Oh my God, Merle!

"You're pathetic, ya know that?"

"Oh yeah?" Merle yelled. "And what does that make you? Ya said you'd kill him if ya saw him!"

"I don't want ya around Leann anymore."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, that's right! Ya drove drunk with my baby sister in the car! And I'll never forgive ya fer it."

My eyes widened.

"All right." Merle said calmly. "I'll just leave then."

I heard footsteps coming and stepped back. Merle walked right passed me and out the door. Daryl followed him and watched him leave out the window. He sighed.

He turned and saw me standing there. I just stared at him.

"Hey." He came closer to me. "I didn't mean to wake ya up."

"Ya didn't." I sat down on the stairs. "It's kinda hard to sleep with a piece of metal on my leg." Daryl sat next to me.

"Well, I'm sorry ya had to hear all that."

I looked at him. "Is he comin' back?"

He looked hesitant. "He's just gonna stay away fer a while."

I looked down sadly.

"…wait a minute, did you walk down the stairs?"

I nodded.

"Imma smack yer ass, girl."

"Ah, you're all talk." I waved at him.

"What?"

"Ya always threaten to spank me but ya never do it." I giggled.

"Oh yeah? Ya wanna change that tonight?"

"You won't do it."

He just stared at me. "You're lucky ya have a hurt knee, or I'd put ya over mine right now."

"See! Ya always have an excuse." I laughed.

"Okay, well when you're feelin' better…you're gettin' a spankin'."

"Yeah, right?"

"You'll see."

I stuck my tongue out at him.

He shook his head and smirked. "You're like a child. Oh yeah. By the way, that doctor thought ya were thirteen, not fifteen."

I glared.

He laughed. "I thought you'd wanna hear that."

I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Aw, is my wittle, baby sister mad?" He pinched my cheek.

"Quit it." I smacked his hand away.

"Aw, poor baby." He rubbed under my chin. "What a cutie."

"Stop. I'm pissed." I glared at him.

"Just makes ya more cute."

I continued to glare at him.

He laughed. "I'm just teasin'."

I suddenly got a pain in my knee. "Ow."

"Ya okay?" Daryl asked immediately.

"Yeah, it just started to hurt."

"Come on." He picked me up and carried me upstairs.

He put in my bed and got me a pain pill. I put my hand out.

"Open." Daryl said.

I opened my mouth and he dropped the pill in. Then he handed me a glass of water.

"That should help."

"Can I take this brace off?"

"I don't think so, baby."

"I'll put it back on when I wake up."

"I don't know."

"Please!" I begged. "I cain't sleep!"

"Well, all right. But this goes right back on as soon as ya wake up."

I nodded. He helped me take it off.

"All right. Sleep tight." He kissed the top of my head.

"Night, Daryl."

"Night, baby."

I slept way better after that.


Merle has been staying in the house across the street from us. Daryl is still mad at him. I realized I haven't talked to Merle in a very long time. I was sitting on the front porch and I saw him through the window. I waved at him. He hesitated but waved back. He hurriedly walked away from the window.

I actually felt bad for Merle. I mean…what he did wasn't okay, but I can't stay mad at him. I kind of miss ol' Merle.

"Daryl?"

"Hm?"

"When's Merle movin' back in?"

Daryl gave me an almost surprised look, but then went back to his food. "Don't worry about it."

"Well, I am worried about it." I looked out the window. "No one should be alone."

"Well, he's better off alone." Daryl said roughly.

I gave him disappointed look. "He's our brother."

"He ain't my brother." He snapped. "And he's a bad influence on ya."

"Come on, Daryl."

He shook his head.

"I wanna go talk to him."

"No." He said immediately.

"But, Daryl—"

"I said no." He narrowed his eyes. "And I mean it."

I looked down.

"Promise me ya won't."

I looked up at him. "Daryl, I—"

"Promise me."

"…I promise." I crossed my fingers behind my back.


Daryl piled the dead bodies in the alley way down the street and he was going to burn them. I figured that would take up a lot of his time so I took this opportunity to sneak out and go talk to Merle.

I limped across the street and up to the door and knocked on it. Merle emerged moments later.

"Hi." I said.

"Hey, kid."

"Can I come in?"

He hesitated then moved aside for me to come in. He closed the door and as soon as he turned around, I hugged him. It caught him off guard. He patted my head. I let go of him.

"Daryl know you're over here?"

I shook my head.

"Maybe ya should just go home then."

"No, I came to talk to ya."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." I sat down on the couch. He sat in a chair across from me.

"I take it, you're not mad at me?"

I shook my head. "I miss ya."

"Ya do?"

"Daryl does too but…he won't admit it."

"I don't know about that."

There was a silence.

"I'm so sorry, Annie." Merle said. "I really am."

It actually sounded sincere. I have never seen him like that.

"I don't expect ya to forgive me but—"

"I forgive ya."

His eyes widened. "Y-ya do?"

"Yes."

"How could ya?" He looked upset. "I almost killed ya. I ruined yer knee…I fucked up."

"Cause yer my brother, and I love you."

He gave me a surprised look, which made me smile. He smiled back and then nodded.

"Come home with me."

He shook his head.

"Come back home."

"Annie…"

"Please." I begged.

Merle sighed and looked towards the window. "Uh oh." He pointed.

I looked, Daryl was on his way over and he did NOT look happy.

I gritted my teeth nervously.

"Le!" Daryl yelled. "I know you're in there!" He practically knocked the door down. He stood there and looked at us. It was like time stopped for a moment.

"Get yer ass over here!" He grabbed my wrist and pulled me up.

"Daryl, I—"

"Save it! Let's go!" He looked at Merle before pulling me out the door. As soon as we got out on the porch, he swatted my backside hard.

"Ow." I put my hand back and looked at him sadly.

"Go." He pointed towards the house. I limped across the street. He was ahead of me.

"I'm so damn mad at ya right now, ya don't even know."

"Daryl, wait up." I called.

He waited for me by the stairs then carried me up them. We got inside and he gave me another swat.

"Ya lied to me!"

"I had to talk to him." I said close to tears.

"No, ya didn't!" He put his hand up and I cringed because I thought he was going to slap me in the face like that one day. Instead, he glared at me.

"I'm sorry." I said with tears in my eyes.

"No, ya ain't! But you're gonna be!" He took a step towards me and my eyes widened. I backed up against the wall and looked at him with fear in my eyes.

He stopped and just angrily looked at me. He finally lifted me and carried me upstairs. He put me in my room.

"You don't come out, til I tell ya to!"

I cried. "You cain't keep from him! He's my brother!"

"I can and I will! I'll tie ya to a damn chair if I have to!"

I cried loudly.

"I'm not gonna listen!" I yelled.

"What did you say?" He started to come closer.

I laid down on the bed and pulled my legs up to my chest and just cried.

He stood there glaring at me.

I put my arms over my eyes and cried some more.

He finally walked away.


Daryl came into my room about two hours later. I was still a little scared of him. I curled up into a little ball.

"Hey, ya can…come out now." He said softly, but I stayed in my position.

He took a step closer. I hid under the covers.

"Le, I'm sorry." He finally said. "I was mad and I—I didn't mean to." I felt him sit down on the bed. I didn't say anything. "Will ya please come outta there, sweetheart?"

"No." I said quietly.

"I wasn't gonna hit ya. Ya know, when ya winced? I just put my hand up, but I wasn't gonna hit ya. I promise."

I didn't respond. I just stayed under my security blanket. I sniffed and wiped at my tears.

"Baby, please come here."

"I cain't."

"Why?"

"I'm scared." I cried.

"I'm not gonna hurt ya. I would never hurt ya."

"You were goin' to."

"No, baby."

"Ya had me against the wall!" I yelled. "I said, I'm sorry, and you said, no ya ain't but you're gonna be! What were ya gonna do then?"

"I don't know." He said.

"What do ya mean ya don't know?"

"I just…don't know."

I sobbed then slowly came out from under the covers.

He held his arms out. I hesitated.

"Comere, it's okay."

I slowly scooted over. He immediately wrapped his arms around me and held me close. Our faces touched.

"I am so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry."

"Ya were so mad. I was scared."

"I know. When I saw how scared ya was, I wanted to kick myself."

He finally let me go.

"Daryl, about what I said earlier…I don't take that back." I shook my head. "Merle's my brother and ya cain't keep from him. You can mad at him all ya want but…I'm not."

"How can ya not be mad at him?"

I was quiet for a moment. "I forgave him."

"What? Why the hell would ya do that?"

"Cause he's my brother and…I love him." Tears welled up in my eyes.

He looked surprised, just like Merle.

"Think if it was you." I wiped my eyes. "Wouldn't ya want me to forgive ya?"

"The difference between Merle and I, though, is that I would never do somethin' like that."

I gave him a look. "Daryl? Ya know what I mean." I sighed. "I hate to bring it up but ya slapped me that time and I forgave ya. And look what happened earlier and I forgave ya again."

"You forgive me?" He gave me a small smile.

"Of course I do."

He let out a little laugh and grabbed my hand.

"So…what do ya say?"

He sighed. "Okay, he can move back in, but…the next time he messes up, he's out! And I mean it."

I hugged Daryl, which of course he returned. He kissed my cheek with a loud smooch noise. I giggled.

"So, yer bottom okay?" He laughed.

"I looked in the mirror after ya left and yer hand prints in my butt."

"Really?" He looked at me wide eyed. "Lemme see."

"What? No way!"

"Come on, lemme see." He reached for the waistband of my pants. I grabbed ahold of them.

"Let go."

"No." I whined. "No, Daryl. No."

"Le, it's okay. I just wanna see it."

"I don't want ya to see my butt."

He laughed. "I seen it before."

"Yeah, when I was little!"

"Come on." He lifted me and stood me in front of him.

"Fine." I pouted.

He lowered my pants. "Damn." He said. "Aw, poor baby. I'm sorry." He laughed though.

"Okay, ya saw it." I turned away.

"Wait, what's all this?" He grabbed my arm.

"Nothin'." I said too quickly and tried to pull away. His grip was too strong, though.

"Le? What is this from?" He sounded concerned.

"What?"

"It's like all…discolored or somethin'. Like it's permanently bruised. Right on yer sit spot and into yer thighs."

"It's been like that."

"Why?"

I finally got away and pulled my pants up. I sat down on the bed.

"Le? What happened to ya?"

"I don't wanna talk about it." I said quietly.

"No, we don't keep secrets anymore, remember?"

"Damn, pinky promise." I swallowed hard. "Fine. It's from gettin' whipped, okay?" I blushed.

"From dad?"

"And uncle Jess. I got beat almost everyday."

"Jesus."

"Yeah." My face was probably super red.

"Hey." He made me look at him. "Ya don't need to feel embarrassed. Ya don't." He pushed my hair out of my face. "Okay?"

I nodded sadly.

"He beat all of us."

I took a deep breath. "Those scars on yer back? That couldn't have been from a belt?"

"No, it was a bullwhip."

I grimaced.

"I'm just glad he didn't use that on you."

"I'm sorry that he did that to ya."

He gave me a small smile and put his arm around me.


We let Merle back in the next day. The three of us had a discussion then we all made up. I was so glad.

I hugged both of them at the same time.

"Dixons back together?" I asked.

"Dixons back together." Merle said.


Hello everyone! :D Thank you all for the reviews, favs and follows! It's much appreciated! Well...that was a weird chapter, huh? I don't care, though. Leann and Daryl are extremely close and I regret nothing! Hehe. Just a little heads up, the next chapter will be the last one! Aw :( All good things must come to an end, though, right? So, stayed tuned for that because I really think y'all will enjoy the finale. Then again, ya might not ;) Lol You'll just have to wait and see...Y'all probably think I'm crazy :O