Daryl didn't know how long Merle and he were standing like that. Their arms tight around each other bodies, Daryl cried into the hem of his brother's shirt, while he played his role as a big brother one time right and was there for his baby brother with just holding him close.
When Merle began to pull away, Daryl got it that it was time to let go, but best he wanted to bury his face again by his shoulder, when he also saw some tears glistening in his older brother's eyes. Still overwhelmed, Daryl finally managed to whimper "Where were you?"
Merle's expression suddenly changed, when he eyed his younger brother from the bottom to the top, before he finally asked pertly back "Where were you?" It was like a slape into Daryl's face. He exactly knew what Merle meant. He just wanted to explain his brother, that he had gone back for him in the city to take him, that he had searched everywhere he could, but he just couldn't find him. But before he could explain himself, Glenn, Carol, T-Dog and Andrea got closer and looked as unbelievable as Daryl, as he had done just minutes ago.
"Is it really you Merle?" Andrea asked confused and after the man had nodded amused his head, that stupid smirk already on his lips again, T-Dog just wanted to run away, when Merle stopped him with "C'mon man. Let us just forget the things, that have happened on the roof top."
Shocked T-Dog stayed still, scared that maybe Merle will hurt him, if he will just move one inch. Like T-Dog, everyone was just standing there, looking at Merle, at the poison he was, and Daryl got it pretty quickly, that they all weren't happy about him being here.
Except one. Beth, she was standing closest to Daryl, looking up at him so happy and compassionate, about having his family finally back. Of course Daryl was also happy for having his brother finally back, but at the same time it made him so sad. Because right now Beth just didn't know his brother and the way he was. She will change her mind pretty quickly and will stop smile at him that happy way.
No one said a word, everyone was just staring at Merle. It was already a damn uncomfortable situation, but Beth finally stopped it with saying "I bet you are hungry and thirsty, we should better go inside and give you something to eat and drink."
For the first time Merle looked at Beth then and Daryl could see it in the way he looked at her, the way he checked out her body and the damn smile in his face, that Merle liked what he saw. When they all headed into the direction of the prison, Daryl felt damn ill seeing Merle starring at Beth the whole time and making stupid comments about that he had never believed to enter a prison voluntary.
She leaded them into their dinning room and Beth just began to make Merle something to eat, when now everyone came closer to look at the black, unwanted sheep. Daryl was completely overwhelmed with the situation. Of course, he was happy to have his brother back, but he hated the way Merle looked at Beth, he also didn't like that the other weren't happy about his return. Maybe Merle will tell them and especially Beth stupid things about their past, maybe he will destroy everything Daryl had built up so slowly.
Merle was looking around himself, looking at the people who starred that skeptical way back at him. The people he had insulted, made fun off, laughed at or even hurt. He also looked at Maggie, Hershel, Tyresse and Sasha, who were looking suspiciously, because of all the stories they had already heard about him.
It was Merle himself who finally stopped the uncomfortable silence, when he asked "So, where is my best friend? Officer friendly?" Suddenly the door opened and Rick entered the room, with the same expression like all the other. "Merle, you are back." The man simply said, but didn't sound happy one bit about that.
"Yeah, have made it on my own down from that stupid roof. Didn't need your help for that." Merle answered scornfully, narrowing Rick with his eyes, before he went on "I see you are making your job as a leader pretty good, even when I think the choice of a prison for a home isn't the best, but I see why you took it."
Rick nodded his head, before he said "Thanks. But I'm not the leader any more. At least not at the moment." Obviously Merle was surprised about this, because his eyebrows got up to his hairline and his lips formed a big unbelieveable o.
"So officer friendly isn't the leader any more, huh? Why that?" Merle asked, never having a feeling about saying things right. Sad Rick sanked his head, trying to choose the right words, without starting to break apart. "After the things that happened, I just needed a break." The sheriff finally said and thank God Merle got it to not ask more about this topic.
Curious Merle looked around himself to get it, who the new leader was, always having that stupid smile in his face. "So who is the new leader now? I bet I have to tell him all the things why I want to stay here. That I have changed and I'm not the Merle from Atlanta any more. That I'm good and well-behaved now." Merle teased again and best Daryl wanted to hide himself in the next mouse hole.
"Daryl." Beth finally said sweetly, when she handled Merle a plate with a sandwich. "Huh?" He asked confused, before Beth told him once more, while her eyes were fixed on Daryl. "It's him. Daryl is our leader." Absently he took the plate and with an opened mouth Merle looked at his little brother, not getting it what he had just been told.
Daryl flinched when Merle suddenly began to laugh out loud. Ashamed he looked down at his shoes, till Merle was finished and slowly the information sank into his mind "You are all making just fun, right?" They were all rolling their eyes, some even turned away, but Beth stepped in front of Merle once more and said all determined "No. Daryl is our leader."
Suddenly Merle's expression changed, when he got it that Beth was telling him the truth. Finally he even boxed amused his brother's shoulder and with a scornfully tone he said "Damn little brother, what have you paid them for it?"
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
It was after dinner, when Daryl leaded Merle to his cell on the other side of their block, far away from everyone, so he wasn't such a big fear. The words his friends had told him were still running through his mind. T-Dog was afraid that Merle will kill him, even when he had said that they should forget everything.
Glenn said, that he didn't want Merle close to Maggie or close to anybody. Andrea said, that it would have been best, if he had stayed from wherever Merle had comen from. And Rick told Daryl, that he was the leader and he had to keep his brother under control, otherwise he will have to leave.
Of course Daryl tried to defend his brother, but soon the good, positive arguments ran him out, about why Merle should stay. And the worst thing was, that nothing will ever be like before again. Daryl had just opened up to Beth in a way he had never done in his life before and now he just couldn't even eat dinner with her any more, because of his stupid brother.
Merle wasn't looking bad, when Beth had entered the dinning room with Judith in her arms. "Damn, who had got her pregnant? She doesn't even look like she is already eighteen." Merle said amused and Daryl knew, that the baby and probably also the boyfriend, if it would really be so, wouldn't be a problem for his brother to get what he wanted from Beth.
Rolling his eyes, Daryl simply said "It isn't hers." Confused Merle was looking at his brother, waiting for him to go on. "It's Lori's." Daryl finally explained and Merle began to laugh then, before he said amused "So Shane really got her pregnant. How damn funny is this? Where are these two anyhow?"
"Dead." Daryl simply said angrily and even when he had never really liked Shane or Lori, he didn't want Merle to talk about them like that. "Oh, damn." Merle said, he even tried to sound a little sad about their decease. "Rick had killed Shane and Lori died, when she gave birth to Judith. That's why Rick needs a break right now." Daryl told his brother, while his own eyes couldn't look away from the pretty, blond girl with the baby in her arms opposite from them.
"Here, that's your room as long as you stay here." Daryl explained, when they both reached their destination. Almost disgusted Merle looked around, Daryl knew that this all remembered him so much about the months he had already spent inside such tiny cells.
"What do you mean with as long as I stay here?" Merle asked confused, looking at Daryl that way he always hated so much. Leaning himself against the doorway and crossing his arms in front of his chest, Daryl said "You have to follow the rules man or you can't stay here."
First Merle even laughed about this, because he thought Daryl was making fun with him, but then his brain slowly got it, that he had meant everything serious. "You are the leader bloody hell. What do I have to watch out for? I'm your brother and you are the leader. That's it."
Shaking his head, Daryl just couldn't believe how damn stupid his brother still was "No, that isn't that simply Merle. You have to follow the rules, if you want or not. Or I have to kick you out. Don't you see their faces? Most of them are damn afraid about you and the stories they have already heard about you. Some don't want you close to their loved ones." Daryl almost said that he also didn't want his own brother close to Beth, but he bit down on his tongue, before the words could leave his lips.
"They don't want you here and you better change yourself or you won't even make it one full week inside here. And I.. I just want my brother back." Merle lowered himself on top of the mattress then, with his left palm he was rubbing his face, still not believing what Daryl had just said.
"What have they done to you, that you are such a wimp now, little brother? I thought, that I have taught you right, but look what you are now. You are soft, following damn rules, like we have ever listened to about what other have said." Merle said disgusting, looking at Daryl like he didn't even know him.
"I have just got it how life is working now. Night." Daryl answered, before he turned around and left Merle behind. Almost the whole night long Daryl couldn't sleep, because he was just always thinking about what he should do with Merle, how he could bring him to change himself, even when he already knew, that this wasn't possible. Maybe his tired eyes also didn't let him fall asleep, because he hadn't spoken with Beth since hours.
oooooooo
Even when Daryl was happy that he had the last, living member of his family back, he also hated it so damn much at the same time. Merle was almost the whole time next to his side, what was good on the one hand, so Daryl could watch out for him and explain to him the rules, but on the other hand he couldn't speak with Beth that much, since Merle had entered the gates days ago. Not to mention to meet her someone alone, which was just impossible right now.
But whenever Beth could she smiled into his direction and Daryl just couldn't act any other than smiling back. Whenever he got the chance to, he was staring at Beth, wishing so bad to be alone with her for at least for five minutes. Watching her sitting opposite from himself and Merle on the dinning table, he best wanted to stand up, get over to her and lead her out of this room to kiss her passionate behind the next corner.
Daryl and Merle had the night watch together tonight. They were already sitting since minutes quiet next to each other in the guard tower. If Merle wouldn't be here right now, Beth would join him like always, which Daryl would have liked so much more.
They would probably have sex on the mattress or maybe against the wall right now. Daryl would kiss her heated, making room for his needs he had already since days. Maybe after they would cuddle, till their lips would meet for a second round.
Deep in his thoughts, Daryl almost flinched when Merle asked suddenly "So you got a thing for blondie?" What? Daryl was in shock for the first few seconds, but after blinking surprised at his brother for a few times, Daryl shook his head, before he said "I don't know what you mean."
"I mean the blond girl with the big, blue eyes you are staring at every time you get the chance to. She had also called you Mr. Dixon this morning." Merle teased Daryl, obviously having fun with doing so. "Her name is Beth." Daryl simply said angirly, not answering his question. "Oh okay, you don't need to get offensive. So you have a thing for sweet, young Beth, little brother?"
"Shut up Merle." Daryl said annoyed, trying to give his attention to the forest. "That wasn't a no brother. I have known it. You even smile at her like a damn dork and she looks at you like.." Merle said, before he got interupted by Daryl, when he just wanted to tell him angrily "Shut.. Like what does she..?"
Amused and with a big smirk in his face, Merle was looking at him, because he had exactly got what he wanted. Daryl had tapped into his trap, which caused the older Dixon to laugh out lout. "Stop it Merle!" Daryl yelled already damn mad, more about himself for being that stupid than to his teasing brother.
"I'm sorry little brother. Everything is just too funny for me. The little sheriff and you are best friends now, you are the leader of the whole fucking prison and you have a crush on that pretty, young girl." Merle said, while he couldn't stop laughing that stupid way. He never knew, when it was enough, he could just never stop.
"Fuck you Merle. I'm not having a crush on Beth and I also don't have a thing for her. There is nothing." Daryl explained his brother, hoping that he will buy it. "Okay, okay it's alright, if you say so. I believe you little brother. So, when you don't want her.. How old have you said she is?"
Now Daryl got really mad, when his chair smashed against the floor, because he had stood up that fast and with narrowed eyes, he was pointing with his index finger down at Merle. "She is nineteen and way too young for you bastard. She is Hershel's youngest daughter and if I will every catch you just laying one of your dirty fingers on her, I will throw you out of here instantly. You got it?" Daryl said with clenched teeth, feeling damn bad at the same time, because he was even the one, who had already his dirty fingers everywhere on Beth's body.
Holding his hands surrendered up in the air, Merle tried to sound sorry, when he said "Woah little brother. Keep calm. I was just making fun. I won't touch her, I promise." Slowly Daryl stopped pointed at Merle and after a few more seconds looking mad at him, he finally lowered himself on his chair again. Damn this will be damn long watch tonight.
