Chapter 52
I should have known that my relaxing vacation was over as soon as I reached the prison walls that morning. I walked in to see my brother and Carl back along with everyone in the main room. The second I stepped in the room, I felt a tightness in my gut. "Where's Michonne and Merle?" I asked, noticing the two were missing. Everyone shrugged or looked around themselves, not noticing that the two weren't in the room until I pointed it out.
"Shit!" I swore, running up to my cell to get more ammo for my gun before running back down the stairs. I hopped in one of the cars, not noticing Daryl following behind me. He slid in the passenger seat and threw his crossbow in his back.
"God dammit Merle..." I heard him mutter. "God I hope he didn't do something stupid."
"Me too." I whispered, starting up the car.
I swear to god, I had never drove that fast in my lifetime. I traveled on the road to Woodbury, my heart rate never slowing down for a second.
"Careful Katie, herd comin' up." Daryl announced. "Katie..."
I hesitantly put my foot on the break, slowing down, the herd appearing above my eyes. I narrowed my eyebrows, trying to figure out what exactly was happening. They seemed to be following something. "What's going on?" I asked.
"Don't know." He mumbled. "Try goin' around." I pulled the car around to see that they were following a car with Merle in it, radio blasting. "For how stupid your brother is, he's a genius..." I admitted.
Daryl rolled his eyes, grabbing his crossbow as I parked the car. We got out, killing walkers left and right. Their limp bodies fell to the floor, one by one until none were left. Merle's car stopped and we ran toward it. I threw open the door to find him staring ahead, looking like stone.
"Are you stupid or something?" I demanded. "What was your plan? Drive up to the gates of Woodbury with all those walkers and turn yourself in."
The older Dixon grabbed a pack of cigarettes, lighting one and taking a drag. "Something like that."
"Why would you do that?"
He sighed deeply, looking me in the eye. "To give ya guys yer best chance against him."
In that moment I realized something important. I always knew that Daryl would do anything for his brother, but I never thought that went both ways until after he said those words. Daryl was all that Merle had left and he would do anything for his baby brother, for his family. Merle Dixon was a different man then he was a year ago.
"Get in the car." Daryl said, his voice wiped clean of emotions. He opened up the back seat door and stared at his brother.
Merle followed the directions of his brother, opening up the door and walking up to his brother. "I'm sorry."
"Where's Michonne?"
"Heading back in the car. She should be there by now." He muttered, sliding into the seat and shutting the door.
I rested my hand on my husbands shoulder, searching his face for any emotion, anything. Instead he gave me the same look he used to give me when we first met. "Are you alright?"
He bit the corner of his thumb, staring down at the floor. "At least we know my brother has a heart." He muttered before ripping one of his arrows out of the dead walker's head. "Go get in the passenger seat. I'm drivin'." He ripped the last few arrows out before putting them in his quiver. "Did I stutter?" He hissed, shocking me that he would ever say something like that to me.
I shook my head, walking over to the car and sliding in.
"He pissed?" Merle asked, his head down too.
I nodded. "Yeah. Never seen him like this."
"I messed him up."
"Yeah, you did. Do you know what would have happened if we didn't find you? You would have been dead. Do you know what that would have done to him?"
He shrugged, taking another drag of his cigarette. "He would have gotten over it."
I rolled my eyes before looking back at him. "That's bull shit and you know it." I looked at the cigarette. "Give me one of those."
He pulled the pack back out and gave me one along with the lighter.
I lit it before taking a deep drag. "Would have hurt me too."
"How so princess?"
"You're family. You said it yourself. You're my brother too now."
The car door opened and Daryl slid in, not looking at either one of us. He started the car and turned around, heading back to the prison.
We reached the prison to see Rick at the guard tower, looking down on us. I sighed as Daryl put the car in park and I climbed out, jogging up to the door and sliding in to see Michonne and Carl with Judith in the common room of the prison.
"Hey." I said, my voice weak and tired. "How is everyone?" I asked, mostly at Michonne.
They all looked behind me to see Merle step in, shooting them a glance and a small smile before going up the stairs.
"You saved him." Michonne stated.
I nodded, sitting down next to the kids and wrapping my arm around my nephews shoulder. "How are you?"
He shrugged, resting his head on my shoulder. "Tired."
"Then why aren't you in bed?"
"Because I was waiting for you to get home. I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway unless you were back."
I kissed his head, closing my eyes tightly. "Why don't you go put Judith to bed and go lay down. I'll be in after I go check on Daryl, alright?"
He nodded before turning to me. "Is he alright? Michonne told me what Merle was going to do. I know how I'd feel if you or Dad did that."
"He's... he's Daryl. Now run along. I'll be up in a minute."
Carl gave me a sad smile before getting up and leaving the room.
"Did you say anything to Merle to let you go?" I asked Michonne.
She shook her head, taking a sip of her water. "Either way, he was trying to be a mater. By sacrificing me and himself he hoped it would get The Governor off your back. Once he realized how messed up that man is and that he'll never let you guys go, he sent me back. Night Katie."
"Night."
She stood up and left me alone in the common room.
I sighed deeply, running my fingers through my hair. I got up and walked back out the door, walking over to my brother who was standing outside of the guard tower. "Hey, how is he?"
Rick scratched the back of his neck, trying to find words. "I've haven't seen him like this. He's acting like how Carol describes him before you two became friends."
I pressed my lips together tightly, remembering the man who didn't trust anyone. "I'm going to go talk to him. Why don't you go say goodnight to Carl and Judith."
"There not in bed yet?"
"Judith is out but Carl was waiting up."
He gave a small all-knowing laugh. "Figures." He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead. "Remind him that Merle's not his only family, alright?"
I nodded, leaning into him. "Of course.
Rick released me and started back toward the prison.
I sighed again before opening the door to the guard tower and climbing up the stairs to its balcony. I stepped out to see Daryl just sitting there, staring off into the distance. I slid down next to him, resting my head on his shoulder. "Hey." I muttered.
He hesitantly wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me too him. "Hey."
I completely relaxed into him, already feeling better about the whole Merle thing. "How are you holding up?"
Daryl closed his eyes in a way that almost looked painful. "Fine."
"Talk to me." I prodded, looking up at him.
He bit the corner of his thumb before looking back at me. "It sucks, to think I could'a lost my brother today. If we didn't act sooner... I don't know. I don't wanna think of the outcome at all."
"I know." I whispered.
He looked back out into the distance, looking remorseful. "Sorry I snapped on ya. I was just thinkin' that if Merle wanted to leave me, maybe you did too."
I shook my head, trying to get even closer to him. "If that was the case, I never would have married you." I held up my hand to show him the ring he got me. "You see this? This is my promise to you that I will never leave you, that I will always love you and remain faithful to you and only you for the rest of my however long life."
"Even if I act like a total ass?"
"Who says it's an act?" I teased.
He rolled his eyes, smiling for the first time since the cabin. "Wanna go to bed?" He asked, helping me up from the floor.
I shook my head. "No. I have to go say goodnight to Carl." I rested my hand on his stubbly cheek, peering into my favorite eyes in the world. "Go talk to Merle. He just wanted to give you your best shot. He didn't want to leave you."
He sighed deeply, resting against my hand. "I know."
We walked back into the prison, both going our separate ways. I climbed up the stairs and slipped into Carl's cell. Of course, he was still awake. He may have gotten older but he was still my baby. I crawled into bed with him and wrapped my arms around him.
"I'm not scared anymore." He whispered into my shoulder. "You said to me before Atlanta was bombed that I have to be strong, that I couldn't be scared anymore. It took till now to realize that I'm not scared at all anymore for something like The Governor."
I ran my fingers through his shaggy hair, looking down at him. "Why is that baby?"
"Because of you. You wouldn't let anything hurt me, Judith, Dad, Daryl, and the rest of the family. So that's why I'm only afraid of loosing you. Dad taught me to be able to cope with his and mom's deaths, but I wouldn't be able to loose you. I'd...I'd be lost. And I'm scared that this Governor might separate us and I'll never see you again."
"Don't think like that. That will never happen. The Governor can't separate us for long, do you know why?"
He shook his head.
"Because we're family. I'll always find you, no matter what."
"You promise?"
I smiled, resting my head on his. "Of course."
Author's Note:
Hm... a bit of foreshadowing in there? Is Merle going to live for long? Or will something else happen that might cause his death? Let me know what you are thinking by dropping a review. I love reading each and everyone of them. (And they make me write faster)
