Five years later- Jacob's Garage

"Come on, Man. Let me see."

Daryl, now seventeen, rolled his eyes while he snorted a laugh then he rolled up the right sleeve of his overalls. On the inside of his right bicep was a demon tattoo and Kenny's eyes widened while a smile spread across his face.

"Shit. What did she say when she saw that?!"

"She said it was my body," Daryl said, rolling the sleeve down. His mind replayed the shocked look on Mrs. Grimes' face after she saw the tattoo. Jeffery thought it looked gross. Evie liked it. Mister Grimes smiled. Rick helped him change the bandage so his arm wouldn't get infected.

"My ma would've had a fit!"

Daryl still wasn't used to thinking Mrs. Grimes as his mother, but, deep inside, he felt like she was.

"Alright. Get back to work."

Kenny and Daryl looked at Jacob Banner, their boss, as they headed for the car they were working on and Kenny lightly nudged Daryl's right side. Daryl had been surprised when he got a part-time job working at the local garage, but he needed money if he was going to buy a motorcycle.

"Another thing she doesn't want me to have," he thought as he reached for the wrench and he started working on the engine.

He knew Mrs. Grimes worried about him just like she worried about Rick, who worked as a patrolman for the King County Sheriff's Department, Jeffery and Evie and he smiled, shook his head and went back to work.

"How's Leah doin'?" Kenny asked after a few minutes.

"Dunno. Haven't seen her in weeks," Daryl said with a shrug of his left shoulder.

Daryl had met Leah at a friend's house a year ago. She had sauntered up to him and they had an awkward conversation.

He hated how he was around women and he usually ended up losing whoever it was he was dating.

But Leah had stuck around and he began to like her.

Then she wanted to get intimate with him.

"I thought you two were tight," brought his mind back to reality and he looked at Kenny.

"Nah," Daryl said with a shake of his head.

"Shit. What's wrong with you? She's hot."

"Stop."

Kenny knew when Daryl glared at him it was time to stop and he nodded.

"Dixon, get yer ass over here!" Jacob said and Daryl used the clean cloth in his pocket to wipe his hands. He walked outside the garage while he squinted his eyes then he started walking to Jacob.

He came to a quick stop when he saw who was standing next to him.

Merle.

Merle looked older and his hair was still cropped close to his head. He wore jeans, work boots, a black t-shirt and a leather jacket. He held a pair of sunglasses in his right hand and his eyes widened when he saw Daryl.

"Son of a bitch," Merle said with a wide grin.

Every nerve in Daryl's body told him to run, but his feet moved toward them and he stood next to Jacob.

"What's up?" Daryl asked. His eyes locked with Merle's and Merle noticed his little brother was not pleased to see him.

"He needs someone to look at his car," Jacob said while he pointed to the Chevy. Daryl glanced at the car while something told him the car was stolen and he wiped his fingers with the cloth.

"What's wrong with it?"

"It's making these weird noises," Merle said.

"What sorta noises?"

"Just get it in the garage," Jacob said with a sigh. Nodding, Daryl walked to the car when he walked around the car and he noticed a few bullet holes in the back passenger door.

"What the hell?" he thought. He felt Merle standing next to him as Daryl glanced at him and Merle smiled.

"Those were there when I bought it," Merle said.

"Yeah. Sure," Daryl thought while he walked around to the door and he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Where're the keys?" Daryl asked.

"They're in the ignition."

"The garage is that way," he said while pointing to the garage.

"Hold on. What's with this shit? Ain't you glad to see me?"

"No."

"Look. I know the last time you saw me…"

"You left me at a diner in the middle of nowhere," Daryl said softy through clenched teeth.

"I didn't want to get arrested fer kidnappin'."

"It ain't kidnappin' if I wanted to go with you."

"Couldn't take the chance."

Daryl had gotten good at knowing when someone was lying to him as he titled his head to one side and glared at him.

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

"Just passin' through."

"Where're you goin'?"

"Why? You wanna come with me?"

The sudden urge to say yes moved through him while Daryl sighed and Merle smiled.

"You do," Merle said as he walked closer and Daryl backed up.

"I gotta get back to work," Daryl said as he turned then he half-ran to the garage. Merle frowned as he leaned against the car and he crossed his arms over his chest.

"What are you doing?" Jacob asked while he followed Daryl back into the garage.

"Drop it," Daryl said. He went back to the car he was working on while Kenny looked at him and both Kenny and Jacob noticed the anger in his eyes.

"Who is that guy?"

"I said…"

Sighing, Daryl knew he would lose his job if he started a fight with Jacob and he leaned against the car.

"He's my brother," Daryl admitted after a few seconds.

"I thought Rick and Jeff were your brothers."

Daryl wanted to deny it, but his heart knew Jeffery and Rick were better brothers than Merle ever was and he pushed off the car. He walked back outside when he saw Merle was gone, but the car was still there. He snorted an angry breath of air as he balled his hands into fists and his hands shook.

"Daryl?" Jacob called out. Daryl turned to look at him and Jacob stopped next to him. "Do you want me to call the cops?"

"Yeah," he said with a nod.

"Why don't you clock out early?"

"No. I'm good."

"You sure?"

Nodding, Daryl walked toward the garage as memories of the last time he saw Merle played through his head and he sighed.

Rick sat on the couch while he sipped on the beer and he placed his feet on the coffee table. He glanced over at the framed photograph of him and his girlfriend, Lori, and he placed the glass of beer on the coffee table. He reached for the frame when he picked the frame off the side table and he looked at the photograph. He had been thinking about asking her to marry him and he leaned back against the couch cushion.

"Rick?" came from behind the door as someone knocked and he got off the couch. He walked to the door as he looked through the peephole then unlocked the door and he opened the door. He looked at Daryl as Daryl slightly shuffled his feet and Rick noticed the sad look in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Rick said while he opened the door so he could move by him and Daryl stopped at the center of the apartment. Rick closed the door as he walked to the small kitchenette and he opened the refrigerator door. "Want a beer?"

"Yeah," Daryl said with a nod. Rick removed a bottle of beer from the refrigerator when he tossed the bottle at Daryl and Daryl caught the bottle. Daryl walked to the counter as he carefully used the bottle opener to open the bottle and he took a sip of beer.

"Well?" Rick asked. He walked to the couch when he sat down and he placed the framed photograph on the side table.

Daryl walked to the couch when he sat down next to Rick, leaned back and he took a sip of beer. He watched the movie for a few minutes when he shook his head, turned to face Rick then he sat up a little straighter.

"Merle's back," Daryl said.

"He is?"

'Yeah. He came to the garage."

"What did he want?"

"He needed his car fixed. Thing is, it looked like the car was hot."

"The car was stolen?"

"Yeah. There were bullet holes in the back passenger door."

"Why didn't you call the police?"

"Jake did. But Merle had already fucked off by the time they got there."

"Did you talk to him?" Rick asked and Daryl nodded his head while taking a drink of beer.

"He asked if I wanted to go with him."

"What did you tell him?"

"I didn't tell him shit."

"Did you want to go?"

"Maybe," Daryl said with a shrug of his left shoulder. "Then I think about Miss Carter an' the shit she'd make if I did."

"I'm amazed she's still your case worker."

"Still is until next year."

They became silent as Daryl turned to watch the movie again. Rick glanced at him as he thought about how dangerous it would be for Daryl to go with Merle, but he also knew how much Daryl cared for him.

"Have you thought about what you wanted to do? I mean after you graduate?' Rick asked. Daryl was a little shocked by the question as he sighed and he pressed his lips into a thin line.

"Nope," Daryl said with a shake of his head. He really hadn't given it much thought. He had thought about becoming a deputy like Rick, but there was a part of him which wanted to find his own way in the world.

"You're a really good mechanic."

"I know, but I can't see doin' it fer the rest of my life."

"Dad has suggested you taking some time off. Do some traveling."

"Yeah, he did. He said the same to you."

"The reason I didn't is because I always wanted to be a cop," Rick said with a smile then he picked up the glass. He took sip of beer as they went back to watching the movie and Daryl looked up at the ceiling. "How's Leah?"

"Kenny asked me the same thing," Daryl said, but he kept looking at the ceiling. "I have no idea. Haven't seen her in weeks."

"You want my advice?"

"Sure."

"I think you should break things off with her."

"Why?" he asked as he looked at Rick.

"Just don't think she's good for you."

"What's wrong with her?"

"Not sure."

Daryl sipped on the beer when he stood, walked to the door and he opened the door. Rick watched him leave as he sighed and he placed his feet on the coffee table.

Daryl wasn't sure how long he walked until he saw he was standing in front of Leah's apartment building. She had moved out of her parents' house after a fight and she had moved in with some friends. He had only been to her apartment a few times and he had admitted he was a little jealous. He walked up the steps to the front door as he scratched the ears of the black cat sitting at the top of the railing then he opened the door. He walked inside as he closed the door then he looked at the stairs leading upstairs.

"Hey, Daryl," made him look to his left and he looked at Leah's landlord. He was bald and heavyset and wore jeans, work boots and white shirt.

"Hey," Daryl said with a nod.

"If you see Leah, tell her she owes me last month's rent."

"Ok."

Daryl headed up the stairs as his mind replayed his conversation with Merle and he took the stairs two at a time.

"You wanna come with me?"

That was the question.

Did he?

If he has asked him that when he was ten or twelve, the answer would have been yes. But now? Now, he wasn't sure.

"If you go, he'll just leave you. Like always. Rick would never do that."

"But Rick ain't family."

"He's been family for the last seven years."

"He ain't blood."

"Neither are you, but he treats you like you are."

"Merle wants a second chance."

"How many chances are you willing to give him?"

Daryl stopped. He looked straight ahead as he tried to find an answer, but he couldn't think of one.

"Fuck," he whispered while running up the stairs then he walked down the hallway. He could hear the sounds of a television or a baby crying as he stood in front of a door and he knocked. He waited a few seconds when he knocked again then he heard the sound of someone unlocking the door. He looked into Leah's eyes as she gave him a slightly startled look and she opened the door a little wider.

"Hey," Daryl said with a nod.

"Hey," Leah said. He noticed she was wearing just one of his old shirts and his eyes lingered on her bare legs.

"Catch you at a bad time?"

"I was taking a nap."

"In the middle of the day?"

"Look…," she said as she started getting angry and she arched an eyebrow. "What do you want?"

"I just wanna talk."

"You could have called."

"I called."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Stuff."

"Daryl…"

A feeling something was going on moved through his head as he lightly moved her so he could go inside the apartment and she glared at him.

Daryl looked at the mattresses on the floor, the piles of dirt clothing stuffed in the laundry baskets, the piles of dirty dishes in the sink, some plates of uneaten food and a stale smell filled the air.

"I didn't say you could come in," she said with an annoyed tone. He stood at the center of the apartment as he tried to figure out what was wrong then he turned to look at her.

"We alone?" Daryl asked.

"Why?"

Leah walked to him as he crossed his arms over his chest and she stood in front of him.

"Look, I need you to go," she said and he frowned. Before he could say something, the door to the bedroom opened and Daryl's eyes became tight slits.

"Was that the pizza guy?" Merle asked. He was just wearing his boxers. He took one look at Daryl and a wide smile spread across his face. "Well, lookie who's here."

"What the hell are you doin' here!?" Daryl asked.

"Was gonna ask you the same thing."

Daryl looked from him to Leah then back and his heart slammed in his chest.

"She's my girlfriend," Daryl growled.

"You are?" Merle asked, looking at Leah.

"Not really," Leah said as she waved a dismissive hand.

"What?!" Daryl asked then he looked at Merle. "How long has this been goin' on?!"

"We've been together for about two weeks."

"Two weeks?!"

"Shit. Keep it down."

"I outta here," Merle said as he headed for the bedroom, but stopped when Daryl ran to cut him off. He locked eyes with his little brother and he cleared his throat.

"How did you meet?" Daryl asked, pointing to Leah.

"We met in a bar."

"How the hell did you get into a bar?" Daryl asked as he looked at Leah.

"I used a fake ID," Leah said with a shrug.

"Whoa. Why would she need a fake ID?" Merle asked.

"She's seventeen!" Daryl shouted and Merle's eyes widened.

"She told me she was twenty-two."

"I tell a lot of guys I'm twenty-two." Leah said. Merle and Daryl looked at each other when Merle went into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. Daryl headed for the door as he opened the door, turned to look at Leah. "That's right. Run. This is why I need a man and not a little boy. Loser."

Daryl walked into the hallway when he slammed the door and he stood there, looking at the door.

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

"No one wants you!"

With a loud scream, Daryl slammed his fists against the door as he turned and he ran down the hallway. He ran down the stairs when he saw Leah's landlord standing at the bottom of the stairs and Daryl stormed toward him.

"What was all that about?" the landlord asked.

"Leah's runnin' a whore house in her apartment," Daryl said.

"She's what?!"

"Just caught her with some guy. They've been up there doin' it fer the last two weeks."

"Not in my building!"

Daryl watched as the landlord stormed up the stairs then Daryl walked to the door, opened the door slammed the door behind him and he looked at the black cat. He carefully picked up the cat as he walked down the stairs and he headed down the sidewalk.

King County Sheriff's Department

Rick sat at his desk while his partner, Shane Walsh, sat across from him and Rick sighed. Shane had been Rick's best friend since they were kids and he knew when something was bothering Rick.

"What's up? Having trouble with Lori?" Shane asked.

"No. We're good," Rick said. Rick had a suspicious feeling that Shane liked Lori. He sat back in the chair while Shane waited for him to say something and Rick crossed his arms over his chest. "It's Daryl."

"Shit. What did he do now?"

"He didn't do anything."

"I've told you before. He's nothing, but trouble."

"He's a good kid."

"He's garbage. Look at all the shit he's done since he's come to stay with you and your family."

Before Rick could speak, the phone rang and he picked the receiver off the phone cradle.

"King County Sheriff's Department. This is Deputy Grimes," Rick said as he sat forward.

"Rick, this is Mom." Mrs. Grimes' voice said.

"Hey, Mom. What's up?"

"Honey, I need you to come home."

"What's wrong?" he asked and he held up his left index finger to stop Shane from talking.

"It's Daryl."

"What about Daryl?" Rick asked and Shane snorted a breath of air while rolling his eyes.

"He came home a few minutes ago with a stray black cat…"

"He brought home a stray cat?" he said with a grin and Shane softly laughed. "Doesn't sound so bad. Bet Evie's loving it."

"The cat's not why I'm calling. He went outside shortly afterwards. We have no idea where he went."

"Oh."

Rick knew he should have gone with Daryl after he had left his place, but he thought Daryl was going to go straight home.

"Did he seem upset?" Rick asked.

"Yes."

"Damn it."

"Rick?"

"Look, Mom. Daryl came to see me a little while ago. He said something about…," he said then paused. Shane didn't know about Merle as Rick sighed and he cupped the bottom of the receiver with his hand. "He said it had to do with Merle."

"Merle?!"

"It appears he's back."

"Oh dear. Did he say what happened?"

"He said Merle wanted him to go with him."

"Do you think he went to meet with him?"

"I don't know. When Daryl left, did he go out the front door or the back?"

"He went out the back door."

Rick thought for a few seconds when he nodded his head and he softly smiled.

"I think I know where he is," Rick said as he placed the receiver back on the phone cradle, stood up and Shane watched Rick walk away. Anger started building up inside of him as Shane growled and he bent his fingers into a fist.

Daryl leaned back against the log while the moonlight danced on the water and he placed his wrists on his knees. His stomach was growling, but he wasn't hungry. His mind kept replaying what happened in Leah's apartment. He could still see the smug look on her face when she called him a boy. He thought about those two weeks she had been with Merle. Now he understood why she stopped kissing him. Why she didn't want him to touch her. Why she was ignoring him.

"Asshole," Daryl whispered with a shake of his head.

"Who's an asshole?" Rick asked as he sat down next to Daryl and he pulled his legs up.

"I am."

"Ah," he said with a nod. They sat in silence for a few seconds then Rick looked at Daryl. "Mom called. She said you were upset. Wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"Ok."

Rick was good at letting Daryl take his time. They watched the moonlight on the water when Daryl sighed and he lowered his head, locking his fingers behind his head. He slowly let go while he lifted his head and Rick tilted his head to one side. Daryl started talking while Rick listened and Rick nodded his head from time to time. When Daryl finished, he looked up at the dark sky and Rick gently placed his right hand on Daryl's left shoulder.

"Is there somethin' wrong with me?" Daryl asked.

"No, there's nothing wrong with you. If anything, there's something wrong with them."

"Yeah. She said the same thing."

"Ma?"

Daryl nodded. They looked out at the water again when Daryl's stomach growled and Rick snorted a laugh.

"Sorry," Daryl said, softly.

"Let's go get something to eat," Rick said as he stood up then held out his right hand. Daryl took his hand as Rick gently pulled Daryl up to his feet and they headed down the trail. "So, uh, about the cat…?"

"It's this stray I see sometimes when I got see Leah."

"Ah."

"You think we can keep him?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Besides, Evie's already attached to him."

"But he's mine!"

"Then you better get ready to share. You know how Evie is."

"Yeah," he said and Rick slid his right arm around Daryl's shoulders.