14

Patience wasn't my best virtue. In fact I lacked a lot of it. Night was almost falling and with the sky darkening my worry and nervousness increased. I tried to think that they were fine, that everything was going into the right way and they'll be back soon, all of them safe. On the other hand I didn't really comprehend why Rick decided to left me here instead of letting me go with them, I mean, I was good at fighting and shooting, I could've help them in that place. But no, I was doing nothing, just standing in the middle of a road hiding behind a tree and waiting.

Waiting and thinking. What if something happened to them? What would I do? What would I explain to everyone at the prison? The thoughts rushed in my mind but I fought them, kicking all of them in the back of my mind. I would not let my own brain take control over my emotions.

After what it felt like three, maybe four or five hours I heard a noise from the black shadows in the trees. I aimed my shotgun ready if a walker or someone strange appears. Giving a step back I waited with my blood pulsing in my temple in expectation.

I slowly lowered my weapon watching how Michonne walked out the darkness and behind her were Maggie and Glenn. I ran to them hugging Maggie. But when I saw Glenn my heart dropped to my stomach. He was bloodied, with a black eye and bruises all over his face and torso.

- Oh my God — I breathed out, cupping his face with a hand, he hissed in pain at the touch. — Who did this to you?

- Merle — He said with disdain — Daryl's brother — Glenn explained while I guided them to the car.

- He is the Governor? — I didn't know what to think, I didn't even know that Daryl had a brother.

- No, he's his lieutenant or something like that — Said Maggie. She opened the car door helping Glenn to sit. My heartbeat got faster when I realized that there were just the three of them. And nobody else was coming out the woods.

- Where are the others? — My voice almost cracked. Maggie exchanged a glance with Michonne and then she looked back to me.

- Rick and Oscar went back to Woodbury — Michonne's low voice was heard in the silence of the night. I turned glancing at her.

- Why?

- Daryl was captured, or that's what we think — I looked back at Maggie, she stood up and said that, but my heart was already pulsing uncontrollably.

- They'll bring him back, Mary you don't have to worry — Glenn mentioned behind me, I couldn't think straight what my ears just heard. Daryl captured?

- Show me the way — I asked to Michonne, the woman looked at me hesitant and eventually shook her head.

- I'm not coming back there, Rick told us to wait here.

- Okay — I replied quietly. — Then I'm going by myself.

Maggie protested behind me, grabbing me by the arm but I freed myself of her grip, they were telling me that I shouldn't go that it was too dangerous and another things I didn't really listened. In that moment I had only one thing in my mind and nobody in this messed up world was going to stop me. Walking to the trees I didn't get too far when someone pushed me down to the ground twisting my arm behind my back.

- Let me go you psycho bitch! — I fought trying to get myself out of Michonne's grip.

- You're acting without thinking and it'll get you killed — She said.

I took my only chance to swing my head backwards punching her right in the face. I rolled over standing up rapidly and ran to the woods. But she grabbed at my hair making me stop abruptly. Turning around I saw how she had her sword still on her back and when she tried to grab it I leaned back taking my impulse and kicking her in the gut. Michonne touched her stomach gasping for air. I thought it was over when the woman took off her sword still sheathed. And I looked back at Glenn and Maggie, when I glanced again at Michonne a smack on my face almost made me fell.

I felt dizzy for a second, my head spinning and my cheek stinging like fire. Reaching out for one of my knives a shout stopped me.

- Enough! — Maggie suddenly was between us with her hands up — Mary you can't go to that place! — She yelled at me.

- Maggs, I came here for you two and Rick told me to stay, now Daryl's in there and you want me to stay too — I whimpered — What the hell is wrong with all of you?

She approached me lowering her arms and grabbing my hand. I noticed in that instant that she had cried in some moment of that crazy day.

- You just can't go — Maggie mumbled — We need you here, I need you here.

I held my tears back when she said that. Yes, I was worried about Daryl and I lost my mind for a couple of minutes. Maggie and Glenn were safe again and if Rick told us to wait then I'll wait even if my heart felt like a ticking bomb inside my chest. Gulping I stared at her green eyes and nodded slowly. She looked at me with a bit of relief and then pulled me away from Michonne. The woman was sitting on the pavement without looking at us; instead she glared at the forest.

- I have a first-aid kit in the car — Walking to the car I looked for it trying to think in another thing that wasn't Daryl.

The night was infinite for me. I tended as best as I could to Glenn's wounds, and when I finished, Maggie checked at my hurting cheek. Using one of the car's mirrors I saw how a purple bruise was slowly growing in the pale skin of my cheekbone, it wasn't swollen but the sting was annoying and uncomfortable. I wasn't going to say anything; I knew I deserved it for my stupid behavior. In an attempt to ease the tension around us I asked Glenn what happened back in Woodbury. It did not ease the tension in me when he told what they did to them; in fact it only pissed me off even more.

The sun was rising and patience had become nonexistent in me. Hearing the inhumane growl of a walker I stood up lazily taking my loaded shotgun, Maggie stood up too. Aiming at the moving branches. The undead limped out the woods with a horrid yell and I just waited for it to get closer. A whiz of something flying was heard and suddenly the walker collapsed to the ground with an arrow through its skull. The branches cracked and they came out of the woods.

Daryl was like a vision in the morning, the sun taking glimpses of blue color in his breathtaking eyes. Relief filled me when I saw him walking to us and letting my own impulse taking control over me, I approached him in a matter of steps and I hugged him, circling my arms around his neck. He stiffened immediately at my gesture but I knew he would, what I didn't expect was how he hesitantly and slowly held me by the waist with one strong arm, pulling me closer to him. I couldn't believe he hugged me back. I stepped back a little ashamed, glancing at him with one of my shy smiles and to my surprise he was almost grinning, almost because it disappeared in the blink of an eye.

- The hell happened to ya? — He asked while one his rough fingers lightly traced my bruised cheek.

- Is nothing I just...

- Damn little brother, who's this pretty biscuit o'er here?

I glanced to the trees finding a strange man with something like an iron glove in his right arm. This was the man who beat Glenn almost to dead. I didn't have to aim my shotgun because everyone was already arguing and yelling. And Glenn had already aimed his gun at the other Dixon. I found myself in the middle of a mess, Michonne had raised her sword, Maggie was aiming at her, Rick trying to make all of they step back. But the reason was the same; they were all arguing because of Merle. The noise of the hassle didn't let me understand what they were saying; I heard some words about Woodbury, the Governor and then Andrea. Andrea? I saw how Michonne raised her sword once again and someone grabbed me by the arm pulling me out of her way.

- Put that thing down! — Rick ordered releasing my arm and focusing his attention to the woman — You know Andrea? — He questioned but she remained silent.

- She does, her and Blondie spent all winter cuddling up in the forest. — Merle told with a smirk — My Nubian queen here had two pet walkers. No arms cut off the jaws and kept them in chains. Kind of ironic now that I think about it.

- Dude, what on earth are you talking about?

- Why don't you ask her, biscuit? — He replied to my question like all this was a big joke, Merle leaned close to me while talking and I stepped backwards.

- Hey man, stay back — Daryl pushed me behind him giving a glare to his brother.

- C'mon lil' brother we snagged them out of the woods — Merle responded ignoring Daryl's warning — Andrea was close to dying.

- Is that why she's with the Governor? — Asked Maggie.

- Yea, snug as two little bugs. So, what you gonna do now, Sheriff? — Merle asked Rick. — Surrounded by liars, thugs and cowards. All these guns and no bullets in them.

- Would you shut up? — I glared at him.

- Shut up yourself! Bunch of pussies you…

Rick knocked him out and Merle collapsed unconscious. I was relief that he finally shut up, the man was incredibly annoying and I couldn't believe he shared genes with Daryl.

We debated for a moment about Merle fate, what we could do with him and what were the options we had. This discussion was getting anywhere; it was completely useless, we didn't want him at the prison, in fact none of us except for Daryl who wasn't taking his words back.

- Look I'm not having him at the prison — Maggie said pointing at Merle who was waking up.

- Are we even debating this? Look what he did to Glenn — I mentioned staring at Daryl. — And not to mention the kind of friends he has.

- They ain't friends no more, not after last night — He replied back. Rick explained again that he wouldn't let Merle be in the prison, and then the argument was leaded to Michonne and what would we do about her.

- So what do we do? We stay here the whole day arguing about this? — This was getting on my nerves, I was sleepless and Glenn needed to be properly tended.

- It's easy, we don't know who she's. But Merle's blood. — The archer said with determination.

- No, Merle is your blood. — Glenn answered back. — My blood, my family is standing right here and waiting for us back at the prison.

- And you're part of that family too — Said Rick with a low voice. Daryl looked at the sheriff for a few seconds and finally he nodded.

- Fine, we'll fend for ourselves.

My jaw tensed at his words. He couldn't be serious.

- Are you fucking kidding me? — I almost yelled walking behind him. He started grabbing his bag from the car ignoring our words at his sudden decision.

- No him, no me — Daryl replied without looking at us. I pulled on his arm making him stop on his tracks.

- But don't you see? He's a mess Daryl, he almost killed Glenn — He stared at me speechless — You're in denial!

- Denial? You know a damn thing 'bout me! — He barked glaring at me — You're just a spoilt girl who plays pretend to be in a family.

- You can't do this, you just can't — Anger was taking me — What do I say to Carol? Or everyone at the prison? — He kept ignoring me — What do I say to myself?

- I don't give a hell 'bout what you think, stupid brat — He snapped and I knew this was it.

I stepped back at his words with a knot growing in my throat. This was enough. I would not stand him treating me like that. Daryl said my name in a whisper and reached out to me when he saw my reaction but I just moved away from him.

- Is okay Daryl, go ahead and pick that idiot over us. — I turned around walking to the front seat — Just don't come back when you realize that you fucked things up!

- No danger of that! — Daryl exclaimed behind me.

- Good! — I yelled, opening the car and getting inside the driver seat slamming the door.

We drove back to the prison; Rick sat in the passenger seat and looked as bothered as I felt. I wanted to break something or beat someone. This wasn't okay; Daryl just left us like he didn't care about everything we've been through. And I was mad at him, I was so angry that when we got at the prison and Carol was waiting for us in the front yard I completely ignored her questions. She asked for Oscar and Daryl but I just stormed away from everyone and walked straight to my cell. Beth, Effy and even Sophia called for me in the common area, but I shook my head so they didn't follow me. I threw the shotgun to the cell floor and took off my jacket and my boots, freeing my hair from the ponytail I wore for half a day I laid on the bed closing my eyes in an attempt to sleep or calm my temper.

I woke up at the sound of my cell door being open. Rick was there carrying a bottle of water, he woke me up on purpose; I knew it and it only increased my bad mood. I sat on the bed and he handed me the bottle as he sat by my side.

- If you talk to me about him I'm going to explode, I've never been so angry in my life — Rick chuckled at my words.

- Okay, I get it — He replied — But your sisters are worried about you, and by the way — He mumbled giving me a serious glance. — I wanted to thank you for how you took care of Judith when I was figure things out.

- That's a lovely name – I grinned at him – Hey, I know I acted like a drama queen, but He was an ass with me. – Rick gave me a nod and stood up reaching out his hand to me. When I grabbed it he pulled me into a hug. Deep inside I knew Rick needed this hug more than me. – Why you didn't let me go with you to Woodbury? – The sheriff stepped backwards.

- I'll tell you, but I need your help with something.

- I knew this wasn't just a heart to heart – I pouted jokingly. Rick just shook his head.

We stepped out to another cell block. And to my surprise all the group was there. There were other people too, four of them, three men and a woman to be exact. Beth told me how Carl found them fighting walkers in the tombs, and that he locked them in this cell block till we came back. One of the men, Tyreese was his name and he asked Rick if they could stay, the conversation lasted just minutes and for a moment when Hershel exchanged a couple of words with Rick I thought he was going to agreed. The sheriff looked at the old man and he nodded. Rick was about to talk, he looked up to the stairs and suddenly all his features were filled with a horrified expression. He whispered something I didn't comprehend and then he raised his eyes again.

When he started to shout at nothing turning around and yelling "Get out" repeatedly, I felt afraid.

Our leader was out of his mind.

Hello :D new chapter here. Daryl's gone, Mary's mad at him and now Rick is distraught.

Let me know if you like this story in the reviews.

Next one this thursday.