Two years later

The dismissal bell rang as the doors slammed open and the students ran down the stairs. Daryl, now twelve, walked outside while holding onto the straps of Rick's old bookbag and he smiled.

"Hey, Dixon, you gonna come watch the football team practice?" Charlie Bates, one of his best friends asked.

"Nah. Gotta get home. It's Meatloaf Night," Daryl said.

"Shit. Wish my mom made meatloaf like Mrs. Grimes. Hers sucks," Charlie said then ran off. Daryl watched him heading off toward the football field when he felt like he was being watched and Daryl slowly turned his head to the right.

"Well, well, lookie here," a familiar voice said. Standing at the bottom of the stairs was someone he thought he'd never see again.

Merle.

Merle Dixon was ten or twelve years older than he was and his hair was cropped so short that Daryl though he had gone bald. But his steely blue eyes and sly smile looked the same. Merle wore jeans, work boots, a wrinkled gray t-shirt and a black leather vest.

"Merle!" Daryl called out as he ran down the stairs then he stopped in front of his older brother. Softly laughing, Merle placed his hands on top of Daryl's shoulder and Daryl smiled up at him.

"Hey there, Little Brother," Merle said, gently squeezing Daryl's shoulders.

"Where've you been?"

"I was in the Army. Christ, you really are slow."

"No, I ain't."

"Only teasin'. I was in prison."

"What did you do now?" Daryl asked as he scrunched up his face.

"Ain't no concern of yers. Now, what the hell is goin' on?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean why are you livin' here? Did you an' the old man move an' ferget to tell me?"

Daryl hadn't thought about Will or what had happened in a long time. But seeing Merle made him feel like it only happened a few days ago. Merle noticed his little brother was shutting down as Daryl lowered his head and Merle lightly shook him.

"Come on. Tell me," he said and Daryl looked up.

"Dad got rough with me an' Children's Service took me."

"He got rough?"

"Yeah."

"Son of a bitch," Merle growled with a shake of his head. He then locked eyes with Daryl and Daryl wondered what he was thinking.

"What are you doin' here?" Daryl asked.

"I was visitin' a friend."

Daryl knew what kind of "friends" Merle had and he nodded.

"Ok then…," Merle said as he looked at the teachers and parents. "Guess we better get goin'."

"Where are we goin'?"

"Home. Where else?"

Daryl knew the Grimes would get into trouble with Children's Services if he did go with Merle, but a part of him wanted to go.

"What's up with you. Don't you wanna go?" Merle asked as he let go.

"Sure. It's just…," Daryl said then he pressed his lips into a tight line.

"Well, you better make up your mind damn quick. People are startin' to stare," Merle said while he looked around with his eyes. He had noticed a few parents and some of the teachers watching them and the urge to pick Daryl up and run was growing stronger with each second.

"Let's go," Daryl said and Merle smiled. They headed down the sidewalk as Merle looked at the bookbag on Daryl's back and he lightly pulled on the bookbag.

"What's in there?" Merle asked.

"Just my homework."

"What did I tell you? You ain't gotta do that shit."

Daryl nodded while they headed down the sidewalk, passing parents and teachers, then they headed for the rust, red Ford truck and Merle turned to look at Daryl.

"Get in the back," Merle said. He cupped his hands while Daryl placed his hands on Merle's shoulders then placed his right foot in Merle's cupped hands and Merle lifted him up. Daryl got into the back of the truck then Merle nodded, checked for cars before he went to get into the cab of the truck then Merle started the engine. The truck moved away from the curb just as a red car pulled up to the curb and Rick stopped the engine.

He thought he had seen Daryl in the truck as he frowned, got out of the car, closed the door and looked down the street. He watched the truck growing smaller in the distance while one of the teachers, Mrs. Winters, walked to him and he turned to look at her.

"Hello, Rick," she said.

"Hello. Uh, Mrs. Winters, have you seen Daryl?" Rick asked.

"Yes. He was over there," she said as she pointed to the stairs. "He was talking with some man."

"What do you mean he was talking with some man?!"

"Is there something wrong? Wasn't he a friend of your dad's?"

"No," Rick said. He got back in the car as he started the engine then he drove off. He knew the reason why Daryl had come to live with them and the thought of whoever took Daryl caused a cold ball of ice to develop in his chest.

Hours later

The headlights cut through the darkness while the truck pulled into the parking lot and Daryl saw Daisy's Diner shimmering in red neon on the sign. He always enjoyed riding in the back of Merle's truck. He thought about the shocked looks on the people in the other cars or trucks and he would flip them off after they would honk their horns.

"You hungry?" caused him to shake his head and he looked at Merle.

"Yeah," Daryl said then he climbed out of the bed of the truck. He landed on his feet as Merle smiled down at him then they headed for the door. "This gonna be a eat an' run?"

"Damn right, it is," Merle said as he opened the door. Daryl glanced around the diner with his eyes as they headed for the counter and Daryl sat on one of the stools. Merle sat next to him as Merle looked at the mirror over the top of the order window and Merle kept an eye on the door.

"Well, hello there. What can I get you?" the waitress asked. Her bright blonde hair was swopped up into a high beehive and her lipstick was a bright pink. Merle looked at the nametag pinned to her tight pink blouse and her name was Honey.

"My, my, aren't you a sweet thing," Merle said and she laughed. "We'd like two burgers, fries an' a coke fer my little brother. I'll have a beer, if you got some."

"Sure enough," Honey said as she wrote the order on the order pad then she walked over to the order window. "Two cows on a bun with potato slices."

"Coming' right up!" the cook said.

Daryl looked at Merle as Honey brought over the drinks and Merle gave her a sly grin. He slid the glass over to Daryl as Daryl took a sip of the soda then he placed the glass on the counter.

"So…," Merle said as he took a sip of beer. "If Children's Services took you from the old man, who've you been stayin' with?"

"Just some family," Daryl said with a shrug of his left shoulder.

"They treatin' you good?"

"Yeah."

"What're they like?"

"They're ok."

"What's the old man like?"

"He's nothin' like ours. He doesn't yell or do shit like hittin' me."

"Not gonna learn to survive that way."

"I do fine," Daryl said with a growl then he took another sip of soda.

"What about his old lady? What's she like?"

"She doesn't stay in bed, drinkin' and smokin', an' bitch about shit," he said then Daryl paused. "Not like Ma."

"Ma was weak."

Daryl glared at Merle. A few minutes later, Honey brought over plates with the hamburgers and fries on them and she paced the plates on the counter.

"Thank you, Sugar," Merle said with a sly smiled. Daryl noticed the blush on Honey's cheeks and he snorted a breath of air then they started eating. "So, is it just the three of you?"

"Nope," Daryl said as he swallowed. "There Evie."

"Who the hell is Evie?"

"Their daughter."

"What's she like?"

"She's a brat. Thinks it's funny to jump onto my back while I'm watchin' tv."

"Did you pound her after she did that?"

Daryl glared at Merle then Daryl placed ketchup on the fries, placed some fires in his mouth and sighed. His mind replayed the first time Evie had jumped onto his back when he was watching cartoons while lying on the floor and he started chewing.

"Son of a bitch! What the fuck are you doin'!?"

"I'm sitting on you."

"I ain't no pillow! Get off!"

"No!"

"Rick, get her off of me!"

"Sorry. She does that to all of us."

"Yeah. Better let her do it or she'll tell Mom."

"Fine."

Daryl admitted he got used to her jumping on his back and she'd wrap her arms around his shoulders. When he got tired of her being on his back, he'd roll from one side to the other until she fell off and she'd laugh then shove him.

"No. I didn't pound her," Daryl said with a shake of his head.

"You've always been the sweet one," Merle said as he took a sip of the beer. "So, it's just the four of you?"

"Nope," Daryl said, placing some fries in his mouth. Merle waited for him to swallow and Daryl took a long drink of soda. "There's Jeff an' Rick."

"Who?"

"Their sons."

"What are they like?"

"Jeff's an asshole. Gets away with tons of shit. Rick? He's cool. He lets me drive his car."

"Sounds like you got yerself a new family."

Daryl saw the sad look in Merle's eyes when he shoved Merle and snorted a laugh. Merle lightly shoved him then Merle looked in the mirror. His eyes slightly widened when he saw the red and blue lights twinkling on the top of the sheriff car as the sheriff car pulled into the parking lot and the deputies got out of the sheriff car.

"Shit," Merle said.

"What?" Daryl asked as Honey walked closer and Merle looked at her.

"Something wrong, Sweetie?" Honey asked.

"Where's the bathroom?" Merle asked.

"It's that way."

"Thank you, Sugar."

Merle rose from the stool when he moved toward the bathroom and the door opened. The two deputies walked to the counter as Honey looked at them and one of the deputies smiled.

"Hey, Honey," the deputy said.

"Hey, Danny. The usual?" Honey asked.

"Not today. We're looking for…"

Danny's partner nudged him after he had seen Daryl looking at them and Daryl slowly slid off the stool. Before the deputy could grab him, Daryl ran for the door and went outside. He headed for the truck when he opened the driver's side door and he climbed inside. He closed the door then locked the door and he reached over to lock the other door. The deputies ran out of the diner as he ducked down and the deputies looked for him. Daryl carefully slid to the floor as he pulled the blanket off the passenger seat and he covered himself with the blanket.

Danny walked to the truck as he tried the doors then he looked into the cab. Sighing, he walked away as the other deputy walked to him, but Danny shook his head. They walked back in the diner, but Daryl didn't move and he felt his heart slamming in his chest.

He wasn't sure how long he stayed under the blanket as he moved the blanket down, carefully peeked out the window then he moved to unlock the driver's side door. He opened the door enough to crawl out as he crouched and he closed the door. He moved along the side of the truck when he broke off into a run and he headed down the street.

A short time later, Daryl walked down the road when he noticed the gas station and he hitched up the bookbag. He had ducked into the bushes whenever he saw a sheriff's car then started walking and he admitted he was getting tired. He walked to the door to the gas station when he saw the payphone and he picked up the receiver. He had some change in the bookbag as he took the bookbag off then he unzipped the small back pocket. He removed the change he had in a small plastic bag when he placed the coins into the slot, hoped he had enough money then he pushed the buttons. He looked out into the darkness while he held the receiver to his right ear and he yawned.

"Hello?" Mister Grimes' voice said and Daryl sighed. "Who's there?"

"Me," Daryl said.

"Daryl?! Where are you!? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Can I talk to Rick?"

"Rick? Why do you want to talk to Rick?"

"Is he there?"

"Hold on."

Daryl could just hear voices on the other end of the line as he leaned against the wall and he rubbed his right eye with his knuckle.

"Daryl!? You still there!?" Rick's voice asked. Daryl heard the concern in his voice and Daryl sighed.

"Yeah. Can you come and get me?" Daryl asked.

"Where are you?"

"Dunno."

"Then how can I come and get you?"

"I… Just come an' get me. An' just you. If I see a sheriff's car, I'll run."

"Are you sure everything's ok?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Now, I need you to look around. Tell me what you see."

Daryl looked over at the neon sign as he titled his head to one side and he blinked. He told Rick the name of the gas station then he heard soft voices. He knew Rick was talking to someone, he guessed it had to be the police, and the urge to hang up and run moved through him.

"Ok, I know where you are," Rick's voice suddenly said.

"Just you, Rick," Daryl said with a small whine.

"Yeah. It will be just me. Is there somewhere where you can go and wait for me?"

"There's a store."

"Go and stay in there."

"They won't let me. They'll think I'm gonna steal shit."

"Daryl…"

"I'm gonna hang up."

"No! Don't do that!"

"Screw it."

Daryl heard him call his name when he placed the receiver back on the cradle and he placed the bookbag back on. He looked at the darkness when he looked inside the gas station and he opened the door.

He wasn't sure how long it took before he saw Rick's car pulling up to the gas pumps and the man behind the counter nodded at him. He had told the man he had gotten lost, called for a ride and asked if it was ok for him to wait. The man took pity on him and had let him sit near the counter. Daryl thanked him when he left and he slowly walked to the car. Rick reached over to open the passenger door as Daryl took off the bookbag, placed the bookbag in the car, got in the car, put on the seatbelt then he closed the door. Rick put the car in gear while the car headed onto the road and Daryl looked straight ahead.

A short time later, Rick pulled the car over to the side of the road when he turned the engine off, removed the seatbelt from himself then Daryl and Daryl wondered what he was going to do. Slowly, Rick moved closer while he slid his arms around Daryl and they hugged.

King County

Amber Carter sat on the couch with her briefcase on her lap and she looked at Mrs. Grimes sitting on the couch across to her. The Grimes' lawyer sat next to her and they were talking. Amber looked at the suitcases sitting near the front door and Jeffery and Evie were sitting on the stairs.

Mister Grimes was talking with the deputies while he glared at her from time to time and Amber kept her face blank.

She had been at the Grimes since she had gotten the phone call about Daryl's disappearance and she silently admitted she was terrified.

"How could they be so reckless?" she thought.

Even after two years, she had a fear Daryl's father would find Daryl and she shuttered internally over the thought of what horrible things Daryl must be going through.

The sound of a car made her stand as Mister Grimes quickly walked to the front door, opened the front door and he walked outside. He headed down the stairs while Rick got out of the car and he saw the worried look on his father's face.

"Rick?" Mister Grimes asked and Rick held up his left hand to silence him. Mister Grimes slowly walked to the car when he saw Daryl leaning his head against the glass and his eyes were closed. Mister Grimes carefully opened the door while Daryl leaned toward him and Mister Grimes removed the seatbelt. He slid his arms around Daryl when he carefully removed Daryl from the car and Rick closed the door. Mister Grimes adjusted his hold on Daryl and Daryl placed his head against his right shoulder. Mister Grimes carried Daryl to the house with Rick walking behind them and Mrs. Grimes opened the door.

"Is he alright?" she whispered. She gently stroked Daryl's hair and Daryl shifted his position, but didn't wake up.

"He fell asleep a few minutes ago," Rick whispered. Mister Grimes nodded his head toward Jeffrey and Evie as they headed upstairs and he followed them. Rick picked up the suitcases as he followed his father and Amber walked into the hallway.

"Where are you going?!" Amber demanded. She walked to him as Daryl whimpered and he buried his face against Mister Grimes' neck.

"I am taking him upstairs," Mister Grimes said.

"No, you are not!"

"Miss Carter, that will be enough," Mrs. Grimes said, glaring at her.

"Daryl…"

"Has been through enough," Mister Grimes growled then he headed upstairs. Rick followed him upstairs while they headed down the hallway and Jeffrey and Evie went into their rooms after Rick handed them their suitcases. Rick turned on the light as Mister Grimes walked to Daryl's bed and Rick moved the bedding back after placing the suitcase near the door. Mister Grimes slid Daryl on the bed while Rick helped Daryl sit up and Mister Grimes started undressing Daryl. When Daryl was in his underpants, Mister Grimes slid Daryl onto the bed then he moved the bedding up to Daryl's right shoulder and Daryl sighed. Mister Grimes moved back when he turned to the door and he glared at Amber.

"Rick," Daryl grumbled. Rick knelt next to the bed as he looked at Daryl and Daryl barely opened his eyes.

"Hey," Rick said with a small smile.

"We home yet?"

"Yeah. We're home."

"'m sorry."

"You're sorry for scaring the shit outta us?"

"Yeah," he said with a small nod.

"Why did you go with him?"

"He's Merle."

"Wait. The guy who took you was Merle?"

"Yeah."

"Where were you going?"

"Home."

"But this is your home."

"I just…"

"You just wanted to be with your brother?"

"No. I wanted t'be with Merle," Daryl said with a yawn then he closed his eyes. Rick watched him drift off to sleep while Mister Grimes looked at Amber and she frowned. Mister Grimes walked to her as he pointed to the stairs and she headed down the hallway. They went downstairs as she looked at Mrs. Grimes, the lawyer, the deputies then she crossed her arms under her chest.

"How is he?" Mrs. Grimes asked.

"He's asleep," Mister Grimes said while he walked to her.

"Did he say who took him?"

"It was Merle."

"His brother? Why would he take Daryl?"

"It sounds like he wasn't taken as much as he wanted to go with him."

"Why?"

"He wanted to be with him."

"I cannot believe this," Amber said.

"Miss Carter…"

"You are damn lucky he was able to get away. If he had been…"

"Get out of my house."

"Alright, but I am coming back in the morning to…"

"Get out!"

Sighing, Amber headed for the front door when she opened the door and she headed outside. The deputies followed her while Mister Grimes looked at his lawyer and she gave him a small smile.

"I'll make sure she can't do anything," she said then left and Mister Grimes closed the door. He looked at his wife then they headed for the stairs, going upstairs.

He didn't know where he was.

He couldn't see.

He couldn't move.

"Hold still, Boy."

He felt the pain moving through him as he whimpered and the loud snapping sound filled his ears.

"Stop cryin', Boy. It'll only make it worse."

The pain grew as he screamed and he felt the tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Rick!" Daryl screamed as he sat up and he felt something warm moving over his legs. He flinched after the lights came on and he went onto his right side, curling into a ball. He heard the sound of footsteps as he covered his head with his arms and the warm feeling grew.

"Daryl?" filled his ears, but he didn't move.

"Don't move, Boy. You move and I'll hurt you again."

"Daryl? Sweetie? Can you hear me?"

"Stop crying!"

"It's alright. It's just a bad dream."

"I said don't move!"

Daryl flinched from being picked up then he felt arms around him and he moaned. He felt fingers moving through his hair while someone hushed him and he whimpered a little louder.

"Easy now. You're alright."

"Did he wet himself?"

"Yes."

"I'll go get some clean sheets."

"Mommy, is Daryl going to be alright?"

"Yes, Evie. He just had a nightmare."

"I thought he stopped having those."

"I… I…," Daryl whispered while gulping air, but his lungs didn't want to work. He heard hushing sounds as he held onto whoever was holding him and his body started shaking. "I don't wanna go."

"You're not going anywhere. Now, let's get you cleaned up."

"No."

"You're all wet."

"Don't care," he said then he whimpered. "'m sorry."

"You're sorry you went off with Merle?"

"Yeah. I just wanted… I wanted to be with him," he said as he started crying harder. "He… He left me. Again!"

He felt someone rocking him as he tried to calm down, but something had snapped inside him.

"You're nothin', Boy! Nothin'!"

"No one wants you!"

"You should've died in that fire with yer ma!"

"Go away! Shut up!" Daryl shouted, holding his head in his hands. The hushing sound came again as the rocking increased and he felt someone kissing the top of his head. Soon exhaustion overtook him as Daryl shut his eyes and the darkness took him.

"Is he alright?" Rick asked. He watched his father checking Daryl then Mister Grimes nodded and they went about cleaned Daryl and changing the bed.

"Why do I have the feeling this is going to be a long night?" Mrs. Grimes asked while she moved the bedding up then she kissed the side of Daryl's head.

"I am gonna kill Merle."

"Rick….," Mister Grimes warned. They led Jeffery and Evie out of the room while Rick walked to the bed, knelt down and he watched Daryl sleeping.

"I swear. If we ever meet, I will make sure Merle never hurts you again," Rick whispered. He took hold of Daryl's right hand as they wrapped their fingers together and Rick snorted a breath of air.