I hope I can keep my tempo up. At the moment my writing just flows and I try to give you a new chapter every other day. But I can't promise to keep this up.

The chapters are gettin' longer and my characters have their own life now. Every chapter turns out to be different than I planned them but when my characters want to do stuff, they should do stuff. Daryl and Connor are literally sitting next to me, whispering things in my ear. Sometimes they leave me confused.

Have fun!

Connor and Murphy split up their watch time and woke each other every once in a while so one of them could sleep while the other was watching. and while one of them was looking around the house the other would stay awake and listening to sounds and any sign of trouble. Connor avoided going back inside the house. he wasn't so eager to meet Daryl again. Murphy went inside once and just said: "Wow that guy has a stick up his arse." That was one way to see this or he had a massive trust issue. When it was dawning he heard the first voices inside the house and he woke Murphy so they could get ready to enter the house. Connor rubbed his brothers back and shook him slightly. Murphy woke up and looked at him: "Is it morning?" "Yeah. Good Morning Murph."
"Mornin' Conn."
"Come on. Lets get inside and look what the group is doing and plan the day."
Murphy snorted. "As long as you don't plan."
Connor shook his head. "No. I will let them plan. I will obey." Murphy eyed his brother suspicious. What was going on now? His brother would never obey someone and sure as hell would never let go the opportunity to make plans. "You okay?", he asked worried.
Connor stood up and sighed. His hand rubbing his head. "No. But I think they need to trust us and I don't know how we can pull that without obeying."
"Aye", Murphy agreed but was not so convinced that this was right.
Both entered the house and found the group already awake. Everyone was looking a bit better then yesterday. Only Daryl looked like crap and was arguing with Rick. "You need to rest Daryl. We are awake now."
"No. I need to help ya'."
Rick sighed and shook his head. "Will you ever get to your senses?" Rick was turning around leaving Daryl alone. He was sitting on the sofa, with Carl next to him. When he saw Connor and Murphy he looked away. "Man, does he hate us?", Murphy whispered into his brothers ear.
"I have no idea."
"Good Mornin' yeh all", Murphy said and clapped his hands, smiling as if it was the best day of his life. Connor smiled too because he loved that after all what happened his brother never lost his smile. He had a long time ago. He was tired of all this and he wanted to go back to watching movies and eat unhealthy food, get drunk every evening and working at a meatpacking factory. Connor was sick of fighting. He was getting too old for this shit. But seeing his brother smile made him feel as if everything was good and that everything was going to be okay someday.
He heard that some of them were greeting them and Rick came around the corner to gave them a handshake. "You two could rest a bit?"
"Aye. Me and Murph alternated with each other to keep watch so the other could sleep a bit. Yeh all okay in 'ere?"
Rick looked around and nodded. "Yes we are. Thanks to you."
"No need to thank us", Murphy replied.
"There is. It's not usual anymore that someone would help another group without even knowing them. This world is too broken for kindness." Connor and Murphy looked at each other for a second and then back to Rick and the group. They all looked tired, worn out, ready to give up. There was no hope left.
"You know Rick, even before the apocalypse this world was crowded with evil and bad people. We need to find those who are good, to make this world good again. I think it was somehow a chance. It is sad how this world is ending right now but to make is start again we need hope. we need people. I guess me and Murphy never stopped believing in faith and hope. I know how this sounds..Hell..I fuckin' don't know a shit anymore, what I do know is that yeh needed help, we saved yeh and tha's abou' it."
Connor felt Daryl's eyes on his face and he felt the change his words may cause. He looked at his brother. Murphy nodded. Agreeing. He always agreed.
Ricks head was hanging loose and he covered and rubbed his eyes with his fingers. "Maybe you are right. There was always good and evil..Hell I was a cop. I should know."
Connor raised an eyebrow. "And we were killers."
Daryl frowned, Rick froze and Murphy coughed. What was his brother up to? Get them killed?
Daryl was coming closer, looking at Connor and Murphy. "Are you insane? You can't just drop this bomb now. You two are really dumbfucks. Killers...when I get that right then..." "Daryl, shut up!", Rick yelled. Which left everyone wondering and Daryl looking at his friend and leader with an awkward expression on his face. Then he looked to the twins. "Ya' not tellin' me when I have to shut up Rick. I know what those two fuckers did before the world was going to end."
Rick looked at him. "You knew them? You knew they were killers?"
"They are not killers as you may think. Yes, they killed people but they were..." Daryl stopped he couldn't believe what he was doing. Why would he defend those two? Why would he argue with Rick?
"Go on!", Rick commanded. Connor and Murphy took turns on looking at those two fighting guys. Both wondering what was up with Daryls behaviour. Defending them.
"Did you ever hear of "The Saints"?", Daryl went on and side eyed the twins. HE KNEW! Connors head was on fire he knew who they were and he knew that Murphy existed. Murphy and Connor were staring at him and were both shocked.
Rick was looking confused. "You mean those guys from Boston killing mafiosi and bad people who broke out of hoag?" Daryl nodded.
"Yeah I heard of them...but..." He looked at Connor and Murphy. Then back to Daryl.
"Aye. We were those Saints, to make it short for you two. We killed fucks that were raping our wifes, dealing with drugs, killed innocent people like our friends and who made fun of people. We killed the bad. We were killers ourselves but we were acting on gods behalf. That is why they called us "The Saints"", Connor disclosed. Then his gaze went to Daryl and he nodded. Daryl nodded back. There was something they needed to talk about. "I don't know what to say", Rick spoke. "Rick, trust me on this, they are good guys. Believe me. I know I never speak much. You know me. I trust them", Daryl said which made Rick look at him again. The Leader nodded. "Okay. They can stay."
Then he walked away. Unable to speak to the guys. Then Daryl looked at them. "You crazy? Ya' can't just blow that out."
"Thanks. But I thought being honest would be a good idea", Connor replied.
Daryl shook his head and looked angry at him. "I wish the two of you were still in Boston."
"Why?", Connor wanted to know.
"I went through hell because of that face."
Both twins nodded. They could imagine. And they really had to talk about this but this was not the time. Daryl understood their silence and went back to his place on the couch. Tired as hell and even so he trusted them and just saved their asses it didn't mean that he liked them. Especially that Connor guy was freaking him out. With his temper. And Murphy was just a smiling kid. He may be older than Daryl but he looked like a teenager. And yet there was something about them that made him angry and something that made him feel something he never felt before. He couldn't even name it. He felt it the second he had seen them on TV. The second he had seen Connors eyes. The will to fight and die for something and the will to keep hope alive. The will to survive. And they did it in a much nicer way. They were all smiling and caring and open, while Daryl was always too afraid to speak, too afraid to be touched and he thought he wasn't allowed to smile. He did it, sometimes. Some days back, with Beth. He did touch her. Were holding hands. She was still out there. She had to be and he had to find her. Even if it meant going out there on his own. He needed to find her. And Carol. And Judith. And Tyresee. Because after finding Rick and Michonne and the others, he was convinced that the others still might be alive. He had hope. Something he never had. But when he saw Rick and what Rick had done for him and then he found the Saints..Those guys he hated and loved at once. Those guys he wanted to meet back when they were captured. Just to see Murphy. To see if they had another life than him. Maybe they would have helped him with his dad. Daryl was old enough. He could have dealt with it but he was no killer. He had never laid a hand on another human being. He didn't even like punching. Sometimes he did it to get the anger out of his system. Sometimes he punched a tree and broke his own bones. Daryl looked at Connor who was still standing in the hallway. Maybe he would have done better with a brother like Connor. Maybe he was jealous of Murphy. They only just met but Daryl could see how they were with each other. He never had that. Closeness. A real brother. Merle was his brother, yes, he cared sometimes but he also never accepted Daryl as a person. He was continually changing him into himself. Now he had this family and for some strange reason he wanted the twins to be a part of it. Daryl felt awkward since the two saved them. As if there was something more to it. And the way Connor was looking at him now, made him feel insecure. As if he was able to look right into his thoughts. Daryl closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. But in reality he was listening to everyone around and avoiding to listen to his own thoughts.
Connor watched Daryl look at him and Murphy. As if he was trying to figure something out. Maybe he felt the same thing Murphy and him were feeling. Something was about to change. Something huge.

Murphy suddenly moved towards the kitchen and Connor followed him. Rick, Glenn, Michonne and Maggie were sitting at the table and were talking about getting new supplies and what to do. Connor and Murphy were just listening to them. Or pretending to listen. Connors head was still somewhere else and he was trying to convince himself that it was nothing that he felt but denying a thing only makes it worse. He didn't even realize that everyone was looking at him. "Connor?", Glenn said. "Hm?"
"Did you hear what we said?"
Connor shook his head and sighed. "Sorry I got distracted and I am tired."
"We asked if you would go out with us to run for supplies, while your brother goes with the others to check on Terminus again", Rick explained. Connor looked between them and then to Murphy. Splitting up with his brother? Not going to happen.
"No. I go where my brother goes. I don't want to be separated."
"Conn' I can take care of meself. Yeh are mother henning me again."
The older twin looked at his brother. The raven-black hair, the smile on his face and he shook his head in resignation. "Okay. But yeh be careful. Who is coming with you?"
"Abraham, Sasha, Michonne and me", Rick replied. "Aye. Then let me tell yeh, if my brother comes back injured or worse I will kill you." Rick nodded, stood up and looked Connor in the eye. "I promise I won't let anything happen to him."
"Big promise in a world like this"; Murphy stated.
Ricks hand was moving up and laying on Connors shoulder, while he watched Murphy. "It is the only thing left, right?"
Both twins agreed. "Aye. So you just ignore what you just heard of us. This is not some kind of trick to kill us?", Connor wanted to know.
"No. No. I promise."
"Good. Who is coming with me?"
"Glenn, Maggie, Daryl and Bob." The twins looked at each other. "Wait, who is taking care of the others that stay here?"
"Carl, Rosita and Tara are able too shoot. Eugene is not good with weapons but he needs to stay alive. At any cost."
"Why?"
"Because we need to get him to Washington. Glenn told me that Eugene knows how to end this virus."
Murphy and Connor opened their mouth at the same time and both just said: "Fuck what?"
Rick nodded and looked at Glenn. "Yeah. I met Abraham, Eugene and Rosita on my search for Maggie and the others. And they were heading for Washington. Eugene is some kind of science guy."
Connor couldn't believe what he just heard. Did that mean they found their miracle? The sign? His eyes searched his brothers and Murphy was completely astonished. He smiled like he just heard the best thing in the world. And maybe he did. "Well, then we need to get him there. We will do everything to help you all. So basically the plan is to gather some new supplies, maybe more than we need here. Find a car or more than one and go to Washington."
"Basically", the leader replied and moved back to his chair. "We got split up with others of our group and we are hoping that we will find them again. Beth, Carol, Tyresee and my daughter Judith. We don't know if anyone is still alive but we just..you know, have to make sure." Connor nodded. Rick looked sad and he could tell that they had lost a lot of people.
"Aye. We do that. Maybe we should give them some kind of hint."
"Oh they will have hints. I left messages in blood, when I was going to Terminus. Messages to Glenn that I would wait there", Maggie commented.
The twins smiled. Well this group was something. They would all work well together. "Well, then lets get started. We have a lot of work to do"; Murphy suggested.
"Aye." Connor went to get their stuff from the garage. New ammo, their guns and emptied his backpack. Murphy followed minutes later and grabbed his knife, made sure his guns were loaded and grabbed more ammo.
Together they went back into the house. Connor moved towards Daryl. "Hey Grumpy, I guess we are having a wonderful day together, heh?"
Daryl snorted. "Let us see if you come back at the end of the day, or if I need to shoot an arrow through your ugly head."
Murphy overheard that and yelled: "Yeh' wouldn't have a chance to do it. Conn' would shoot yeh the second yeh tried. If Conn' comes back with one bruise I will rip your heart out and then put it in your mouth so yeh can chew on it after you turned. and then I will put a fuckin' bullet through your head." Connor laughed and looked at his twin in surprise. "Brother of mine you are such a psychopath sometimes. But I like the idea."
"You are both crazy", Daryl spit out and moved to the door. Everyone went outside while Rick gave last orders to Carl and Rosita. Everyone was standing in their groups and Connor suddenly hugged his brother and ruffled his hair. "Yeh come back t'me. yeh listen? Don't yeh dare leave me alone in this forsaken world", he whispered. He didn't like to be away from his brother where he couldn't save him. Where he wasn't able to care for him. "And you brother, come back to me or I will follow you into death." "God, you two are such pussies", the redneck said.
Connor and Murphy let go of each other. Both afraid to loose the other. They were always together. Since their birth and if one would die the other would be dead too. On the inside at least.
"Shut up. Yeh not even capable of emotions, are yeh? He is my brother. He is everything I have in this fucked up world. It was always him and me. Being separated from him is hard. Even if it is only for some hours but yeh know..In this world yeh can die in every second. And I fucking don't want to live one second with out him", Connor spat and felt how rage and anger were filling his thoughts. Emotions he had buried over the last year. "Alright, alright. No need to get bitchy you pussy.", Daryl tried to calm Connor down. Which didn't go so well when he saw the expression on the Irishman's face. "Nice", he thought. "That will be a great day." And some part of him felt so much more connected to Connor that moment. Losing a brother and someone you have known for so long must be hard. He cried when Merle died and Merle was a sick bastard. Murphy and Connor looked like one person to him. Two bodies, one soul. He had thought about that last night. They were so close. As if the other one couldn't breathe without the other. One part of him wanted to apologize but the other was angry as always and just wanted them to stop.

"Hey what do you think about that house?", Glenn pointed to an old farmhouse. Everyone looked in the direction Glenn was pointing to and they nodded. They had checked some houses but they were all clean and all deserted. No supplies. Connor told them to check basements and garages because that's where Murphy and him had found some of the stuff. It was pure luck if they would find something when they were so near Terminus. Someone should think that those bastards already cleared every house. Connor stopped walking, shook his head and smiled. "Of Course. Guys stop! We are stupid."
Everyone stopped and looked at him with question marks all over their face. "What are ya' talkin' about now? We don't have all day for ya' shit", Daryl spoke.
"Man, stop it with yeh attitude. Think abou' it. We are near Terminus and if you would run a place like this what would you do with the surrounding houses?" Daryl's face went from annoyed to surprised. "Oh", he whispered. "Aye", Connor nod. "I don't get it", Maggie said.
"If I would run that place I would clear all houses and grab every food in there to feed me people", the Irish explained.
"Of Course", Glenn agreed.
"Change of plans?", Connor asked.
It was Daryl that answered, because for once the idea of that stupid fuckhead seemed to be the right one. "We are going and join the others. They must have some sort of storage there. Lets go."
He lead them to Terminus. Connor was last, so he could have their back. Daryl was surprised that Connor was thinking so much about what to get and that he was so helpful. He blindly trusted all of them and he was such an open book. Daryl had watched Connor while he lead everyone to that little town and he was surprised how careful the Irishmen was walking and how he didn't care about his back. He trusted the others to shoot Walkers or he was just not afraid of dying. The Hunter noticed that there was something very strange about Connor. He looked skinny, he looked tired but on the other hand he looked incredibly strong and his mind seemed to be working all the time. Checking out possibilities. Making plans. They could use someone like him. Rick had made a lot of bad choices and wasn't really on his best state right now. Daryl never had the best ideas, he wasn't a plan maker, he was the doer. So they could use Connor. But he wasn't sure about that Murphy guy. Daryl stopped suddenly and gave everyone a sign to hide. He heard voices. While he was listening he recognized the voice and sighed. He smiled and looked at Connor who hadn't recognized that voice yet. So Daryl moved held his crossbow in the direction the voice came from and pointed it at Murphy's face who stopped walking an inch before the crossbow. "What the hell man. Get that stupid thing out o' me face, redneck." Daryl chuckled. And then got punched on the back of his head when Connor moved along, hugging his brother. "Sorry", Daryl mumbled "couldn't resist."
Connor smiled at him. "Yeh warmin' up with us? Don't yeh think I didn't see how yeh were watchin' me ass the whole time?" The Hunter snorted and shifted his body and let down the crossbow. Ignoring that comment and yelling inside how stupid he was to think Connor hadn't noticed that he was observing him (not his ass). "Lil' brother did yeh find someone?" He looked at the whole group and everyone shook their heads. Rick looked at Connor: "But why are you here?"
"Did yeh check for supplies down there?" He pointed at the fences that were now in sight. "No", the leader answered.
Daryl moved towards Rick. "Well then we go and do that. Connor figured out that they might have supplies down there."
Rick nodded. "We should go with you so we can go through it faster." Everyone agreed and so the group made their way back to the old factory property. Connor stayed at Murphy's side. "Did everything go fine?", he whispered in gaelic. "Aye", his brother replied in the same language. "They were really nice. I like that Sheriff."
"Yeah he is a good man."
"They all are. I think even that Redneck."
Both agreed. "How do yeh know that?"
"The way he looks at you."
"Wha'?", Connor spoke in english again.
"I think he trusts or admires you because he is watching you", Murphy explained.
The older twin looked over his shoulder and caught Daryl watching him even so the hunter tried to look away. He had noticed the hunters eyes on his back the whole day and he saw how he checked him out. As if he was trying to get answers by staring at him or as if he is figuring out if he really could trust them, even so he was the one convincing Rick to let them stay and that they are good. They had to get that right. They had to talk about this weird behaviour. That he knew them and that he had his brothers face. And for some reason Connor liked the way Daryl watched him. Usually he was the one watching someones back. Murphy's back. And for some reason it felt nice that there was someone acting as if he would take care of him, if anything happens. Like an older brother. Even so he guessed that Daryl was younger. "Aye. I think he tries to find out how we are related or whatever", Connor finally said.
They reached the fences and Rick was separating everyone in groups. Glenn and Maggie, Rick and Michonne, Daryl and Bob, Connor and Murphy, Abraham and Sasha.
Everyone agreed, except Daryl. "Rick, I want to go with Connor. I don't want them to run out of us, when they are together."
Every single pair of eyes were now looking on the hunters face who tried to look as serious as possible. The main reason he wanted to be with Connor was to ask him questions. They had a lot to talk about and he didn't want to have everyone listening. Maybe his plan was a bit stupid regarding that everyone was looking at him as if he was mad.
"Yeh stupid? We wouldn't run and if so what would it matter? Huh?", Murphy asked.
"Maybe ya' with another group and ya' come back and kill us", Daryl tried to reason with them.
Rick sighed. "Daryl, you are talkin' nonsense but as you wish. Connor, you agree to go with Daryl or are you two killing each other?"
"I'm fine", Connor replied. Which made Murphy look confused at his sibling. Connor just looked at him. His eyes telling him "I got this".
"Murphy you go with Abraham then and Bob and Sasha." Everyone bobbed their head yes.
They all went in the direction Rick was sending them and while Daryl and Connor were walking in silence towards all the train wagons, they could hear absolutely nothing. This place sounded more haunted than every other empty place. Everywhere were dead people. "We should burn them", Connor said.
"Yeah", Daryl agreed.
"Maybe we should burn that place down, once we checked every corner."
Burning. Daryl remembered that place him and Beth burned down before they found that funeral home. But Connor was right. Burning was the only option.
"We should do that."
They went into the wagons and checked two doors leading into the building but both were locked. "I could try to shoot the lock".
The hunter choked down his laughter. "Nah that would made too much noise and we are not in a movie."
"Aye but we could pretend we were in one." Connor smiled which made Daryl shake his head. Crazy fucker.
"Well then lets get back inside.", the redneck suggested. Suddenly not so eager to talk to Connor. Something about him made him nervous. A kind of nervous he never felt before. "Why did yeh want to be alone with me?"
Daryl sighed. Of Course the idiot had figured that out. So no way back. Gosh some month back he would have only hit that guy. Two years ago he would have shot him. But now he was willing to listen to people. This world was dying and every human being was like a treasure. Daryl knew that. But he really wanted to do something bad to that all-time-smiling Potatoehead.
"We need to talk."
"Abou' wha'?" Connor knew exactly about what but he wanted Daryl to say it. He sat down on the steps of one of the train wagons, reaching inside his pocket, fishing for cigarettes. "Want one?" Daryl agreed and so Connor lit both cigarettes and gave one to Daryl. Who looked a bit awkward because Connor had lit it. He shrugged and took it. The Irish had seen the hesitation and smirked. It was a habit to lit two smokes at the same time. "Well?", he tried again.
"You and your brother."
"Then talk."
Daryl closed his eyes for a second. his crossbow hanging over his shoulder. He was never good with words. And he hated being in the spotlight like now. Especially because he wasn't used to Connor. With Rick he could talk, agree and say when something was wrong but Connor was new. He looked at the Irishmen. The hair that was way longer than when he had seen him on TV. He looked a lot older. His blue eyes were looking at him and that idiot was smirking again. Waiting for Daryl to talk. He exhaled loudly and then said: "How did you get out of prison?"
Connors eyebrows rose. "yeh askin' me abou' tha' while we are in the middle of an apocalypse?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, we had a lot of friends. Policemen, FBI agents, Church."
"So yeh sayin' that was all planned and that you planned to go on with ya' killin'?"
Connor looked down to his feet. "Kind of. We were plannin' to go back to Ireland. Yeh kno' we missed our Ma' an' after Da' died, we wanted to be back. We would have visited her shortly and then go back into hiding. But we couldn't. They would have caught us. And Ma' would have gotten into trouble. So we decided to go south and stop killin'. Yeh kno' hidin', maybe workin' somewhere no one knew us."
"I thought you had a mission."
"Aye. We do. But it's been a long time God spoke to us. I guess he has forsaken this world."
Connor and Daryl looked at each other.
"I don't believe in god", Daryl stated.
"Aye. And I am doubting that there still is one." Connor felt that hurting feeling in his chest. This world wasn't right anymore. It was an unholy world. There was nothing good in it. He knew, but he kept that little spark of hope alive. To keep himself alive. Out of habit he grabbed the rosary around his neck, hidden under his shirt. Daryl noticed that Connor grabbed something underneath his shirt but didn't ask Connor what it was.
"Yeah. Tha' world makes believing harder."
"Yeah." Blue eyes met blue eyes. The Irishman noticed something in Daryl's voice but couldn't name it. And the more time they spend together the more he relaxed. As if Daryl was able to still his thoughts by his cheer presence. "You have any idea why ya' brother has my face?"
Connor shook his had. "No. You?"
"No. Because my mum sure as hell didn't have another guy."
"Aye. And my dad would have told us about you."
"I read that everyone has seven doppelg nger. Maybe that's it."
"You read?", Connor said amused.
"Yeah. I can read fuckhead." Daryl throw his smoke away and looked angry. Even if it was gettin' harder to look angry at his opponent. Connor smirked and nodded. "Alrigh'. Anythin' else?"
"No."
"Then we should find the others. And hope they found something to eat because I am fuckin' starvin':"
"ya already look as if you are dead."
"Thank you. Food is rare nowadays."
Daryl nodded. "Yeah. Fuck I would kill for a donut."
Connor stood up and walked towards Daryl and clapped his shoulder. "If I will find anything that looks like a donut I will happily give it to you. But I want somethin' in return."
"What?"
The Older one chuckled. "Whiskey."
Daryl sighed. "Yeh Irish run on 20% blood and 80% booze, heh?"
"Jackpot!"
That's when they heard the screaming. Both started running immediately, weapons in hand and both man a frightened look on their face.

Sorry, Cliffhanger! *evil grin*