You're My Brother

Took a couple months of planning and deliberating but I finally came up with more to this story. Proud to say I can continue with something. Now just on record, I'm not a hundred percent sure on which of each of the boys is which so I'm sort of just making up who's who, it's been a while. Really the only one I know is Dan just from there being descriptions of him being the one to try and assault Carl.

Daryl and Willa were no closer to escaping then they were any other day, but by this point, they were just hoping to survive. Daryl kept doing good by Joe's ideals and so his requests for time with Willa were often granted. Both of them knew it was going to start getting harder, more tricky for any of the men to believe that they were fucking whenever Daryl took her away but so far, no one asked.

Dan almost followed them once but Joe had called out that there was other things for the large man to focus on and so they got to continue their few moments of peace.

They didn't even talk about getting away anymore, and that's when Daryl realized just how hopeless they were. Willa almost didn't talk at all anymore, just sat silently with him for the thirty to sixty minutes that he was now allotted to "get to know her". Sometimes he'd ask her how she was holding up, if only to break the silence. She would usually just look at him sadly before pointing out the stars, or the leaves, or anything other than themselves, the men they were with, and their current situations.

If they weren't camped out, they were walking, and it didn't take long for Daryl to start keeping an eye out for any place that would have shoes better fitting than len's boots for the girl. He had contemplated one of the female walkers but then thought against it when he saw the state of it's feet.

"I think we found him." Tony muttered to Joe around the campfire late at night. Daryl lifted his eyes from the crossbow, brow raising under his hair. "He's with a woman and some boy."

"You sure it's him?" Joe asked, not bothering to keep his voice down. Tony exchanged a look with Harley before nodding. "Well well, looks like we're finally gonna get revenge for poor Lou. It's about time. Harley, you keep a watch on him, tomorrow night we'll close in."

"I claim the boy." Dan spoke up, a disgustingly gleeful look on his face. Daryl shot his eyes to Willa and she cringed before catching his gaze.

"Daryl, you're gonna see what happens to someone to kills one of our own." Joe informed the newest member. "It's a lot like when one of us lies...but much...much worse." He smiled when the other man looked his way and Daryl felt a twist in his stomach.

He fought through it and wondered if he could use this as a way to finally leave and bring Willa with him. If Joe trusted him to guard her, it would be simple while the others all surrounded the poor fool. He didn't know how far they could go, or even where they'd go. He wondered about the signs all around the train tracks, contemplating if they could make it before Joe caught up.

It might have to be a risk he'd have to take.

***WDWDWDWDWD***

Why?

Why did the unfortunate soul who killed Lou have to be Rick? Daryl clenched his teeth as he watched Joe taunt his 'brother' before his eyes shot to the bush where Willa was currently tied up. They had left him with her and he was about ready to take off when he realized who there. He didn't want to leave Willa on her own in case things went bad but he had to step up, he had to help Rick.

"Trust me." Daryl whispered to the girl before moving away. He didn't look at her, didn't need to see what scared expression she would have.

"...seven Mississippi, EIGHT Mississippi.." Joe chanted out, trying to gaud a reaction out of his captive.

"Joe!" Daryl called out, walking around the truck with an air of cautious behavior to him. All eyes looked his way, Rick with an almost unbelieving stare.

Daryl paused slightly as he looked between Rick and Michonne, checking out Joe and Tony with their guns at the pair while Harley and Billy stood further back, ready to shoot when needed. Out the corner of his eye, he could see Dan pressing his fat face to the window of the truck, a frightened Carl huddled inside.

"Hold up." Daryl finally stated as he took further steps closer to the trouble.

"You're stopping me on eight, Daryl." Joe pointed out, annoyed. Daryl positioned himself in front of Harley, keeping his eyes on Rick for a moment before glancing back up at Joe.

"Just hold up." He spoke softly, attempting to calm down whatever anger fueled the moment.

"This is the guy that killed Lou, so we got nothing to talk about." Harley remarked roughly, keeping his grip steady, gun raised. There was no doubt he wanted to just shoot now and get things over with.

"The thing about nowadays is we've got nothing but time." Joe stated, giving Harley a look and almost starting to be amused now that his initial anger at being interrupted had passed. He looked over at Daryl and the younger man he had to be careful with his words. He could see that he had finally made enough of an impression to get this moment and this was going to be the make or break time that would determine whose lives ended this night.

"These people…" Daryl started, his voice a little higher than usual. He took a quick moment to steady himself as he held Joe's gaze, gesturing slightly towards his friends. "You're gonna let them go. These are good people."

"Aww Daryl...I think Lou would disagree with you on that." Joe shook his head, disappointment evident in his expression and tone. "I'll of course have to speak for him...seeing as how you friend here strangled him in a bathroom and all."

There was no way out of this, he could tell. Daryl's eyes shot backwards to where he knew Willa was. He hadn't spoken to her, she didn't know what was going on, who these people were. He just hoped, with what he thought of next, that Rick would make sure she lived.

"You want blood, I get it, I do." Daryl muttered, putting down his crossbow and lifting his arms. "Take it from me...come on." He knew he had thrown off Joe with that, the look on the leader's face was anything but understanding. The confused expression might have offered any of them time to do something had they thought quick enough.

Unfortunately, they didn't.

"That's a damn lie." Joe remarked, waving a finger in Daryl's direction. "This man, he killed our friend. He ain't good people. I'm disappointed in you Daryl, I really am. But you know how we feel about liars." Harley was suddenly right at Daryl, ramming the butt of his rifle into the other man's stomach. Tony coming in from behind to join in the beat down. "Teach him fellas, I don't think he got it the first time round."

Harley's fist rammed into one side of his ribs while Billy hit at his head. Daryl fell against the trunk and glanced in at Carl as Dan finally pulled him out. His blood ran cold, hearing the pained sound the boy let out. He knew from Willa's words what would come of this, what Dan wanted to do. Daryl fell to the ground as the boys hit him with fists, feet and guns. He tried to cover up, tried to protect himself in some way. His eyes turned to see Rick struggling against Joe, see the flash in the man's eyes as a part of him shut down, another part starting to take control.

Officer Friendly was leaving.

"It was me, it was just me." Rick argued. If Daryl could speak out to him, he would tell him it was pointless to try and take it all on himself. He was learning that now, knew a bit of it before. He just hoped that whatever Rick became and would do in that heat, he'd find Willa and take her in.

"That's right, you got it!" Joe praised, leaning down to be level with Rick, keeping the barrel of his gun at the man's temple. "See,we can settle this. We're reasonable men, you'll find. First...now, first we're gonna beat Daryl to death. He lied, it's his punishment." He looked around at everyone present, contemplating. "Then we'll have the girl, then the boy. Least Dan will. Then we'll shoot you, and then...then we'll be square. Now ain't that easy?"

Over all the other sounds around him, Daryl could hear Joe laugh, could hear Carl struggling against Dan as the large man pinned him on the ground. He felt dirt in his eyes, blood and sweat cascaded across his face as he tried to hit back against the onslaught that rained upon him. Dan was laughing as well, and Rick...Rick was muttering something. Daryl got one clear shot, one long second look at everything around him.

Just beyond the truck, he could see Carl struggling to push Dan off, his shirt torn up his body, Dan pushing to pin the young boy's arms on the ground with one hand while the other went to his own zipper. Michonne was gazing between Tony and Rick, trying to figure out her best moment for attack as she had seen the change in Rick as well. And Rick…

A second later, Rick had slammed his head backwards into Joe and the gun had gone off, missing everyone. He got to his feet and rammed his fist into Joe, only to be knocked back down when Joe punched him right back to the ground. Michonne attempted to do the same, throwing a punch at Tony but getting knocked down as well. Daryl was lifted off the ground and thrown back into the truck and he could see Carl was turned onto his stomach, Dan's pants and belt open as the large man grabbed for the boy's pants. Rick stumbled up to his feet and Joe grabbed onto him, almost as if he were hugging him.

When Rick bit into Joe's neck and ripped out a chunk with his teeth, it felt like the world had gone completely quiet. Joe gagged on his own blood as he slowly crumbled to the ground, blood spurting out the wound. Harley and Billy stopped beating on Daryl, Tony moved back from Michonne, even Dan froze above Carl.

Michonne took the moment, grabbing Tony's gun and shooting him. Billy ducked under and ran as Daryl punched Harley back and Michonne fired at the same man before turning the gun on Dan, who now held Carl by a knife at the boy's throat. Carl stared with tears in his eyes, face dirty, clothes in shambles.

"I'LL KILL HIM!" Dan screamed, brandishing the knife by Carl's face. Daryl could see the whites of Michonne's eyes in her determined yet scared gaze as she kept the gun aimed at the larger man.

"Let the boy go." She warned.

"No." Rick muttered, taking a knife from Joe's body. A wild look was in his eye as he passed by Michonne, heading straight towards Dan. "He's mine."

Daryl stomped down hard on the side of Harley's neck, ensuring it broke, before picking up a bolt that had scattered away from his crossbow in the process of the tussle. He glanced in Rick's direction as the man approached Dan who quickly released Carl in favour of begging for his own life with his pants around his ankles. Daryl caught onto Michonne's eye before turning and heading back towards the bush, knowing exactly where Billy had gone off to.

"Get up...get up you worthless whore...move!" The man's voice hissed out in urgency not too far ahead. The bush that Daryl had left Willa had was vacant but clearly they hadn't gotten far. He ducked under the tree line and followed the voices, BIlly's urgent hissing, Willa's pained whimpers. He crept up alongside them as she fell to her knees in resistance. Billy glared down at her and swung his foot out to kick at her stomach. "You wanna die bitch, fine! I can find another." Billy crouched down, brandishing a knife in Willa's face. Her eyes widened and then shifted to the side.

"Hey Billy." Daryl muttered, just seconds before he rammed the bolt into the side of Billy's throat as the man turned to face him. He yanked it out just to stab it back in again. Willa shuffled backwards as blood sprayed around. Daryl crouched down over top of Billy when the dying man fell backwards and shoved the bolt into his eye.

Willa watched in silence as the last of her tormentors died, her blue eyes never lifting from the body.

***WDWDWDWDWD***

"How'd you wind up with them?" Rick asked softly, wiping the blood off his face as he looked at Daryl beside him. Both men sat beside the truck that currently held Michonne, Carl and Willa as they slept. Or at least, rested quietly. It wouldn't surprise either man if any of them were awake. There weren't many words said when Daryl rejoined them, Willa in tow. He introduced them and Rick had nodded only once before turning away. Michonne had been the one to quietly suggest the rest and Daryl had nudged Willa inside, telling her he wanted to keep an eye on Rick.

"I was with Beth." The hunter muttered. Willa, perched on the front seat, shifted the shirt that covered the broken window only slightly so that she could peek out. She caught Michonne's eye before the older woman went back to observing Carl sleeping. "We got out together. We were together for a while."

Willa watched Daryl's face carefully. She didn't know who Beth was but seeing the expression the man bore, she could tell he cared deeply for her. However he lost her, it was tearing him up inside. Willa wanted to know what happened because she wondered if it had to do with the way Daryl treated her. She frowned slightly in the few seconds of silence before Rick voiced her question for her.

"Is she dead?" the former deputy asked. Daryl lowered his head before turning it towards his friend. The look of defeat, of self loathing he carried made the girl in the truck want to hug him, tell him that it hadn't been his fault, whatever it was.

"She's just gone." Daryl finally spoke, his voice sounding with a finality that he had come to accept. "After that, that's when they found me. I knew they were bad." Willa shifted her eyes for a moment, watching Rick angrily clean the dried blood off his fingers. There was so much tension yet defeat between the two men. "They had a code...simple...stupid...but it...it just…"

"You were alone." Rick assured the man, coming to a conclusion that would hopefully help his brother.

"They said they were looking for some guy." Daryl continued his story. "Last night they said they spotted him. I didn't realize it was you. I was gonna leave. Was gonna take the girl and go while they were distracted. Then I saw you three."

Rick and Willa both watched Daryl as he spoke. Willa knew Rick had to be curious, had to wonder about her. The fact that he wasn't cutting in to ask spoke levels about the man.

"You being back with us here, now, that's everything." Rick stated. Daryl looked down, levels of insecurity keeping him from meeting the other man's gaze. "You're my brother." The speed of which the hunter's head came back up was remarkable. He looked so disbelieving but at the same time there was hope in his eyes. It was at this moment that Willa realized just how little she actually knew if Daryl. Were these actually brothers? Did either of them have other brothers? What had happened to bring them this close, to make Daryl look at Rick the way he was?

Both of them sat silently, not looking at each other for a minute, taking in the weight of Rick's words. Willa looked into the back seat, saw Carl's eyes open and looking in her direction, Michonne's hand rested lightly on his head. She held his gaze before sighing softly and lifting her eyes to Michonne. While the men outside were bonding through words, the people inside were making silent acknowledgements. They all knew in that moment of shared gazes what the other had gone through. The girls unhappily inducting Carl into the fold of unspoken understanding. Their pain, while not unacknowledged, didn't need words. But like the men outside, Willa made no physical contact through the understanding. That was too much too soon.

"So they had the girl before they found you?" Rick asked, directing all the attention back to the outside world.

"No...but not long after they found me." Daryl explained. His hand clenched on his knee as he contemplated that first night. "We covered in an old shop and she was already hiding in there. Joe decided to take her along." Willa could see Rick's hands clenching and twisting the little cloth as he imagined her torment. She really didn't want the pity, didn't want to feel like that would be all he'd see her as, some broken person they'd need to protect. She wanted to be something else, and in order to do that, she was going to need to overcome the things that had happened and learn to work with these people.

I need to figure out how I'm going to go through these seasons in this story so don't be surprised if it takes a while for the next chapter as well. But with Walking Dead returning on Sunday, I really wanted to get something up. There wasn't really a whole lot of Willa to this chapter, and she actually had no lines at all, but she'll build up soon, I promise. By the time we get to Alexandria and Negan, she's gonna be a much stronger person.