Chapter 2 – Pain & Apologizing

****Daryl's POV****

Neither Merle nor Troy are on the roof but a sawed off hand. I started breathing hard. I yell spinning around to shoot T-Dog but Rick puts gun to my head. Rick cocks his gun and tells me "I won't hesitate. I don't care if every walker in the city hears it." I slowly lower my crossbow and ask T-Dog "You got a do-rag or something?" He hands me one so I sigh and go over to Merle's hand as he says "I guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuffs." "Ain't that a bitch." I say picking up the hand and wrapping it up before adding "They must have used a tourniquet, maybe his belt. Be much more blood if they didn't." going over and putting it in Glenn's bag. They follow me as I follow the blood trail to an open door. "Merle! Troy! You in here?" I call out, getting no reply I head down the stairwell. Looking through the offices for any sign of Merle or Troy the others stay in the hallway being useless. I knew Glenn was barely holding it together so I didn't blame him. I only find one walker so I shoot it before joining the others as we walk into a large room to find two walkers with single knife wounds in their heads and one with their head bashed in by a wrench that's on the ground next to them. "Had enough in him to take out these two sumbitches. One handed. Toughest asshole I've ever met, my brother. Feed him a hammer, he'd crap out nails." I says as I reload my crossbow and Rick being a smartass says "Any man can pass out from blood loss, no matter how tough he is. Besides, Troy's probably the one who took down the two not Merle."

****Rick's POV****

"Merle! Troy!" Daryl yells as we are in the doorway of what looks like kitchen. "We're not alone here. Remember?" I ask whispering but Daryl says walking into the kitchen "Screw that. He could be bleeding out. You said so yourself." "Shh" T-Dog says as we turn a corner and see travel stoves still burning, a belt, bloody rag, metal thing with burnt flesh and blood on it, and blood over almost everything. I pick up the metal thing and Glenn asks "What's that burned stuff?" "Skin. They cauterized the stump." I say simply looking at Glenn who looks disgusted. "Told you he was tough. Nobody can kill Merle but Merle." Daryl says looking at me so I say "Don't take that on faith. He's lost a lot of blood." "Yeah? Didn't stop them from busting out of this death trap." Daryl says walking over to the broken window and sticks his head through it. The others come over as Glenn asks "They left the building? Why the hell would they do that?" "Why wouldn't they? They're out there alone as far as they know, doing what they've got to do. Surviving." Daryl says as he walks away from the window. "You call that Surviving? Just wandering out in the streets, maybe passing out? What are his odds out there? Even with Troy with him?" T-Dog asks being a little bit of an ass. "No worse than being handcuffed and left to rot by you sorry pricks. You couldn't kill him. Ain't so worried about some dumb dead bastard." Daryl says as he gets in my face "What about 1000 dumb dead bastards? Different story?" I say before Daryl starts to walk away saying "Why don't you take a tally? Do what you want. I'm gonna go get him." I push him back saying "Daryl, Wait." "Get your hands off me! You can't stop me." Daryl yells at me so I say "I don't blame you. He's family, I get that. I went through hell to find mine. I know exactly how you feel and Glenn is feeling the same thing you do right now. Merle and Troy can't get far with that injury. We could help you check a few blocks around but only if we keep a level head." "I could do that." Daryl says before T-Dog says "Only if we get those guns first. I'm not strolling the streets of Atlanta with just my good intentions, okay?" We all agree and start to make a plan.

****Troy's POV****

I wake up and my head is pounding, the side of my face where T-Dog accidently punched me is throbbing, and my neck is sore. I wince as I sit up and my joints crack painfully. I breathe out a "Fucking hell." When I see that it's almost noon. I stand slowly causing the room to spin meaning I probably had a concussion. I kick the man's corpse once muttering "See ya in hell." I then start making my way back to the store. I exit an alley only for something to run into me causing us to hit the floor and my head to spin at the sudden movement. "Troy?!" A familiar voice whisper yells causing me to open my eyes quickly. Sure enough there was Glenn, leaning over me causing me to chuckle out "In the flesh." "Where's Merle?" He asks pulling me up so I say "Don't know. We got trapped, told him to meet me back at the store as I lead them away." "Daryl's not going to be happy about that…anyway come on." He says so I follow him as we head over to the tank in the street. "So what happened to you?" He asks as he picks up the bag of guns and I pick up the hat. "Some asshat tried to rape me." I answer as we start heading to a nearby alley causing him to quickly ask "He didn't do anything to you right?" "Other than give me a concussion and almost choke me to death, no." I tell him before we hear someone yelling "Ayudame!"

****Daryl's POV****

Glenn had left a few minutes ago when I heard footsteps behind me. I come out from behind the dumpster and aim at a kid who quickly says "Whoa don't shoot me! What do you want?" "I'm looking for my brother and a girl. He's hurt real bad. You seen them?" I say but he starts yelling "Ayudame!" "Shut up! You're gonna bring the geeks down on us. Answer me." I say then stepping closer I add "Answer me." But he continues to yell "Ayudame! Ayudame! Ayudame!" so I knock him over and go to cover his mouth saying "Shut up. Shut up. Shut up." I finally get my hand over his mouth when I'm kicked in the side and start to get kicked and hit with a baseball bat. One of the guys then says "That's it! That's the bag, vato. Take it! Take it!" and run after Glenn and surprisingly Troy. "Fucking hell!" Troy yells as she and Glen get caught before the guys punch them down and start to kick them. Glenn's yelling and trying to get away but Troy isn't moving anymore so I shoot one of the guys in the ass as I'm beyond pissed at this point. He starts yelling and the other grabs Glenn who starts yelling "Get off me!" A car pulls up and a guy gets out and grabs Troy as the others are pulling Glenn to the car who's yelling "Daryl! Daryl!" I aim my crossbow but they use them as a shield even though Troy is knocked out. I start running at them as they get in the car and drive off yelling "Come back here! You sumbitches!" But I have to close the gate as the walkers are now there. Glancing at the ground I see Troy's bow and arrows so I pick them up before I yell as I run at the kid and push him into a wall just as Rick and T-Dog come running up the alley. "Whoa, Whoa, Whoa! Stop it!" Rick yells pushing me away from the kid so I yell "I'm gonna kick your nuts up in your throat!" "Let me go." The kid yells so T-Dog tells him "Chill out." "They fucking took Glenn and Troy! That little bastard and his little bastard homie friends! I'm gonna stomp your ass!" I yell as Rick holds me back. "Guys! Guys! We're cut off!" T-Dog yells so Rick says "Get to the Lab. Go." Before getting the stupid bag of guns. He pauses so I say "Come on. Damn, let's go." He grabs the hat and we all start running back.

****Time skip****

When we get back to the lab and I start pacing trying to figure out why I was so pissed off that they took Glenn and Troy. I mean I hate the girl, so why was I so pissed to see the harsh bruises on her face and around her neck? "Those men you were with, we need to know where they went." Rick tells the kid but he says "I ain't telling you nothing." "Jesus, man. What the hell happened back there?" T-Dog asks causing me to yell "I told you, this little turd and his douchebag friends came out of nowhere and jumped me." "You're the one who jumped me, puto, screaming about trying to find his brother and some girl like it's my damn fault." The kid accuses. "They took Glenn and Troy. Could have taken Merle too." I say before wondering why I said Troy's name the way I did. But the kid knocks me out of thinking by saying "Merle? What kind of hick name is that? I wouldn't name my dog Merle. Or Troy for that matter." Copying the way I had said it. I go to kick him but Rick stops me as he says "Damn it, Daryl. Back off." 'Why am I more pissed off at what he said about Troy than Merle?' I think as I go over to Glenn's bag and Troy's bow and arrows. I avoid looking at the bow as I get Merle's hand out of Glenn's bag and start unwrapping it asking the kid "Want to see what happened to the last guy that pissed me off?" before throwing it on him. He screams and jumps out of the chair so I get in his face grabbing him by the shoulders saying "Start with the feet this time." Rick pulls me off him and says "The men you were with took our friends. All we want to do is talk to them see if we can work something out." The kid then tells us were they are and all I can think about as we go there is Troy's unconscious and bruised body being used as a shield and being pulled into that car.

****Rick's POV****

As Daryl paces I tell the kid "Those men you were with, we need to know where they went." "I ain't telling you nothing." He replies so T-Dog asks "Jesus, man. What the hell happened back there?" "I told you, this little turd and his douchebag friends came out of nowhere and jumped me." Daryl yells so the kid accuses him "You're the one who jumped me, puto, screaming about trying to find his brother and some girl like it's my damn fault." "They took Glenn and Troy. Could have taken Merle too." Daryl says and I look at him wondering if he knows he put an emphases on Troy's name for the second time. "Merle? What kind of hick name is that? I wouldn't name my dog Merle. Or Troy for that matter." The kid says coping the way Daryl said Troy. Daryl then goes to kick him but I stop him saying "Damn it, Daryl. Back off." Daryl then goes over to Glenn's bag and Troy's bow and arrows. I watch him as he avoids looking at the bow, gets Merle's hand out of Glenn's bag, and start unwrapping it asking the kid "Want to see what happened to the last guy that pissed me off?" before throwing it on him. He screams and jumps out of the chair and Daryl gets in his face grabbing him by the shoulders saying "Start with the feet this time." I pull him off and tell the kid "The men you were with took our friends. All we want to do is talk to them see if we can work something out." The kid then tells us were they are and I think of reasons why Daryl would put an emphases on Troy's name and get upset when the kid did the same as we go to get Troy and Glenn. Though I come to a conclusion very quickly.

****Time skip to retirement home****

We get to the place and I look around corner and ask T-Dog "You sure you're up for this?" as he's going to be our cover. "Yeah." He says while nodding so I say "Okay." As T-Dog goes to roof Daryl looks at the kid and says "One wrong move, you get an arrow in the ass…just so you know." "G's gonna take the arrow out of my ass and shove it up yours. Just so you know." The kid says looking at him. I look at the kid and ask "G?" "Guillemo. He's the man here." He answers. "Okay then." I say looking at Daryl and cocking my gun before adding "Let's go see Guillemo." We then all go through the hole and walk towards large wood doors. We stand there a bit with our weapons trained on it when a guy I assume to be Guillemo walks towards us. He stops and asks "You okay, little man?" "They're gonna cut off my feet, carnal." The kid says causing him to ask "Cops do that?" "Not him. This redneck puto here. He cut off some dude's hand, man. He showed it to me." The kid says and Daryl tells him to "Shut up." "Hey that's that vato right there, homes. He shot me in the ass with an arrow. What's up, homes, huh?" A guy with a gun pointed at Daryl says as he walks towards us. Guillemo pushes it down saying "Chill, ese, chill. Chill. This true? He wants Miguelito's feet? That's pretty sick, man." "We were hoping more for a calm discussion." I say. "That hillbilly jumps Felipe's cousin, beats on him, threatens to cut off his feet. Felipe gets an arrow in the ass and you want a calm discussion? You fascinate me." Guillemo says so I counter with "Heat of the moment. Mistakes were made on both sides." "Who are they to you anyway? You don't look related." Guillemo asks. "They're one of our group, more or less. I'm sure you have a few like them." I say before Daryl asks "You got my brother in there?"

"Sorry, we're fresh out of white boys. But I've got Asian and a pretty girl with a bad bump on the head. You interested?" Guillemo asks. Daryl looks ready to tare Guillermo's head off with his bare hands so I say "I have one of yours who's not hurt, you have two of mine one of who's hurt. Sounds like an even trade." "Don't sound even to me." He counters causing the kid to beg "G? Come on, man." "My people got attacked. Where's the compensation for their pain and suffering? More to the point, where's my bag of guns?" Guillemo says so I ask "Guns?" "The bag Miguel saw in the street. The bag Felipe and Jorge were going back to get. That bag of guns." He answers so I state "You're mistaken." "I don't think so." He counters so I counter back "About it being yours. It's my bag of guns." "The bag was in the street. Anybody could come around and say it was theirs. I'm supposed to take your word? What's to stop my people from unloading on you right here and now and I take what's mine?" He counters again so I say "You could do that." Then look at T-Dog and add "Or not." Guillemo pauses and looks at T-Dog, a minute later he yells "OYE!" looking up at the roof. Three guys bring Glenn and Troy into view, the bags over their heads are ripped off and they have duct tape over their mouths, Glenn is looking at us hopeful but Troy is visibly pissed off. "I see two options. You come back with Miguel and my bag of guns, everybody walks. Or you come back locked and loaded, we'll see which side spills more blood." Guillemo says before looking at T-Dog then at me then his group starts to go back so we go back to the lab.

****Troy's POV****

Glenn and I are taken to the roof by three guys with bags over our heads and duct tape over our mouths, which was because I kept swearing at them. I'm beyond pissed off at these dumbasses now, and really want to kick at least one off the roof. First they make my concussion worse and now put a bag over my head and drag me to the roof. The bags are ripped off our heads and I see Daryl, Rick, and the dumbasses. Glenn is whimpering beside me as I'm glaring Guillermo, the stupid leader guy who didn't listen to Glenn and I. I look closer at Daryl and see that he's staring at us and looks ready to rip someone's head off with his bare hands if he had too 'Does he think they have Merle too?' I ask myself but then we're pulled back and we get the bags over our heads again.

****Time skip****

I'm resting my head on a table, the coolness sort of helping the pain, when Mr. Gilbert starts having an asthma attack. I go over and get him to copy me while the nurse's grandmother goes to get him. I'm breathing deeply through my nose nodding six times before letting it out slowly, calming Mr. Gilbert so he doesn't panic and make the attack worse, as nurse boy comes in with Rick, Daryl, and T-Dog in tow. "What the hell is this?" Rick asks so Glenn answers "An asthma attack. Couldn't get his breath all of a sudden." "I thought you guys were being eaten by dogs, man." T-Dog says at this they look at the Chihuahuas sitting on a dog bed, the fluffy one barks at them causing me to groan, the sound causing my head to pound. "Could I have a word with you?" Rick asks Guillermo as nurse boy tells me "You have a concussion and thanks for keeping him from panicking." "No shit Sherlock." I say before Glenn and I walk over to T-Dog and Daryl as Rick talks to Guillermo. "Take a picture it'd last longer." I growl at the two staring at me causing them to look away from me, I knew I probably look like shit as I was sure to have angry looking bruises on my face and around my neck. "I'm sorry…I didn't get to apologize for hitting you." T-Dog says then causing me to sigh and say "It was an accident. I was in the way."

****Glenn's POV****

The look Daryl gave T-Dog when he apologized for hitting Troy was confusing. It was like the one Merle got when it happened, but why? All they've ever done was fight or completely ignore the other so why was he so pissed? But his face goes back to neutral as we follow Rick and Guillermo into another room. "What about the rest of your crew?" Rick asks as I lean on the back wall next to Troy as Guillermo explains "The vatos trickle in to check on their parents, their grandparents. They see how things are and most decide to stay. It's a good thing too. We need the muscle. The people we've encountered since things fell apart, the worst kind-plunderers, the kind that take by force." "That's not who we are." Rick says causing Guillermo to say "How were we to know? My people got attacked and you show up with Miguel hostage-appearances." "Guess the world changed." T-Dogs says causing Troy to say, bitterly, "No. It's the same as it ever was. The weak get taken." Everyone but me gives her a questioning look but Guillermo says "We do what we can here. The vatos work on those cars, talk about getting the old people out of the city. But most can't even get to the bathroom by themselves, so that's just a dream. Still, it keeps the crew busy, and that's worth something. So we barred all the windows, welded all the doors shut except for one entrance. The vatos, they go out, scavenge what they can to keep us going. We watch the perimeter night and day and we wait. The people here, they all look to me now and I don't even know why." "Because they can." Rick says then before handing his shotgun over to Guillermo. "So…Troy, did Merle do that to you?" T-Dog asks suddenly causing Rick to pause while adding guns to the pile on the desk and him and the others to look at her as Daryl says "Ya should be askin' where Merle is." "We got trapped. I told him to meet me back at the store as I lead them away. That's when I ran into the asshat that gave me a concussion, tried raping me, and choked me half to death." She explains like it wasn't that big a deal as the others give her a 'How are you so calm about that?' look.

****Troy's POV****

After saying bye to the Vatos I follow Glenn and the others to get his bag and my bow and arrows that Daryl had apparently picked up for me then we headed to where they said they left the van. Daryl was pissed that they only found me, which I don't blame him for. We're almost out of the city when Glenn says "Admit it, you only came back to Atlanta for the hat." "Don't tell anybody." Rick says causing me sigh. "You've given away half our guns and ammo." Daryl says and I frown not liking his attitude. "Not nearly half." Rick says looking at me, probably gaging my reaction. "For what? Bunch of old farts who are gonna die off momentarily anyhow? Seriously, how long you think they got?" Daryl asks causing me sigh out "Shut up." "How long do any of us?" Rick asks before a fight can start out between Daryl and I, like normal. "Boys…We might have a problem." I state then looking forward at the still empty road in front of us causing them to stop and look as well. "Oh my god." Glenn says as my frown deepens. "Where the hell's our van?" Daryl asks so Glenn asks "We left it right there. Who would take it?" "Merle." Rick says causing Daryl to look at him and say "He's gonna be taking some vengeance back to camp." "Well that's just great." I state sarcastically so Rick then looks at me and asks "Do you know how to hot wire a car?" "Yeah but we'd have to back track to find a working car. I doubt we have time for that." I state so we start to run.

****Time skip till dark****

Screams and gun shots were all I needed for me to push my limits and sprint the rest of the way to their camp leaving the others in the dust. I show up just as Amy gets bit on her neck. I quickly close the distance and tackle it off her and stab it in the head with one of my arrows. I quickly stand up and start shooting the walkers going after her, Andrea, and the others in camp making their way to the R.V. The walkers are dwindling and I'm running out of arrows as Rick and the others show up with Rick yelling "Baby! Carl!" Carl runs to him just as we take down the rest of the walkers. Everyone is panting and I turn and drop down next to Andrea putting my hands on hers adding presser as she cries "I don't know what to do, Amy." A few seconds later Amy dies and Andrea starts to wail "Amy!" I scoot back to give her space to grieve and take in the chaos while silently apologizing to Amy and the others for not getting here faster.