Once again, I just want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read this story and leave feedback. It's really great to hear from you all, and I hope that everyone continues to read and review. Here's the next chapter, everyone. Please, enjoy!
Cass felt her stomach twist into a knot so tight, she was convinced that it would never come undone. Her throat had closed in on her, her tears being blown behind her by the piercing wind. Her heart clenched and wouldn't release, beating viciously in her chest. Her entire body shook, her fingers digging desperately into Daryl, hanging on for dear life.
Her mind stayed focused on Merle and the sacrifice that cost him his life. Well, could.
She knew that he was a strong and determined man. She knew that he would fight until the very end. And if any of those God damn walkers were going to take him out, he would take a hell of a lot out with him.
Her mind was telling her that Merle was alright, that he would meet up with them in a few hours, and they would laugh about how Cass had nearly had a heart attack when he closed that back door on them.
This wasn't the end for him. Merle wouldn't let it be. He would fight, claw and kick his way out of whatever he had got himself in. But still, her heart mind told her otherwise.
There was no happy ending for her sister, or for that girl who died only an hour ago. What made her think there would be a happy ending for Merle? Or for the rest of them, for that matter.
The odds were against them, simple as that. The walkers weren't the walking dead. They were. Because it would only be a matter of time before the remaining humans were wiped out.
Cass leaned forward, burying her face into Daryl's broad back. She felt him tense up, his muscles on alert at the touch, as if for only a moment, he had thought she were a walker. It only took a few seconds before his body relaxed again and he allowed himself to focus on the road before him.
Daryl was just as concerned about his brother as Cass was. Hell, he was even more concerned, if you could imagine that.
Daryl knew his brother better than anyone. He knew that if Merle had told them to get out of the house, it was because he had a plan. A plan that he couldn't extradite with them by his side. He would meet up with them before Daryl knew it, and it would be as though he never left his side.
But something inside Daryl doubted it. As much as he despised the voice inside his head, a part of him worried that it wouldn't end well for Merle. He had already lost everyone else in the world. He couldn't bare to lose Merle, too. Not his brother.
But Daryl pushed himself to be stronger and more confident in his big brother. Right now, it was all he could do. He had to be strong, for Cass's sake.
He glanced up towards the sky and noticed that it was still dark out. Jesus, what time was it? He would do anything to have a clock, or a watch, or something to give him some idea of the time. He had tried to keep track of how many days had passed since the world had gone to shit. After twenty-one days, he had lost track of time. And now, he was convinced that so much time had passed that he would never be able to regain the simple knowledge of day or time.
Finally, he slowed down, simply unable to go any further. Not without Merle.
There was nothing around them. No houses, no cars, no people. Which, Daryl told himself, was a good thing. No people meant no walkers. Of course, that almost meant that there was no one there to keep him away from Cass. And feeling her entire body pressed up against his, her hands wrapped strongly around his waist, was not a good start.
He squinted his eyes into the darkness, trying to find something around them that could shelter them until Merle got there. Killing the motorcycle, he felt Cass's hands relax around his waist.
He felt a strange sensation, almost like a ping in his stomach, when he felt Cass let go of his waist altogether. He glanced back at her, his emotions well hidden from her when he felt her climb off the bike. Resting his hands on the back of the seat, he turned his body to face her the best he could without dismounting the bike.
"Are we just going to wait here, out in the open like this?"
Daryl shrugged. "Guess so."
Cass's mouth fell open. Was he serious? What the hell was wrong with the Dixon brothers? Did they even realize that their rash decisions were going to be the death of her? Emotionally speaking, of course.
Cass glared at Daryl, raising an eyebrow at him. "Is that safe?"
"I ain't leaving without my brother." He told her firmly before twisting his body back around, taking a grip of the bike's handles.
Cass's stance against Daryl relaxed at the simple statement. Of course he wasn't going to go any further. She wouldn't either, despite how uneasy she felt about being stuck in an open space. She wouldn't expect anything less from Daryl.
She could tell by his short remarks and his body language that he was less than impressed with her. And for the love of God, she couldn't figure out why. Why was he upset with her? If anything, after watching him let that girl die, she should be mad at him!
Without saying a word, Cass walked closer to the bike, stopping only when she stood by his side. She wasn't at all surprised when he failed to look at her. Hell, she was expecting it.
But she needed comfort right now. She needed to feel him hold her, to hear him tell her that Merle was going to be alright and would rendezvous with them any minute now. But clearly, he wasn't going to bother.
So she took it upon herself, reaching out to rest a shaky hand on his shoulder. Finally, he glanced at her over his shoulders, his features stone cold.
Cass leaned in, her other hand resting on his cheek as her lips met his. Daryl kept his body tense, his grip on his bike tightening when he felt her slip her tongue along his teeth, begging for entrance. Daryl's fingers dug into the leather of the handles until he was sure his knuckles were white from strain. He shouldn't do this. He can't do this. Merle was right about him and Cass. Daryl was a piece of shit white trash. He didn't deserve to even be around Cass, much less make her his own.
His mind was rational, listing off reason after reason with why he needed to stay away from her. But his body was anything but. When it came down to it, he was still a man. And God, he wanted this girl.
He wanted to pull her onto his lap, rip off her clothes, and take her right then and there on the bike. Behind closed eyes, Daryl pictured just that. He imagined feeling her legs reach around the bike, straddling his waist as she held onto his face, kissing him deeply. He could almost hear her throaty groan against his teeth as she leaned back, letting him pull her shirt off.
He was brought back to reality when he felt her pull away, grabbing his closest hand and removing it from the bike. She walked closer, so she stood between his bike and his thigh. He complied with her when she brought his hand to her waist, resting it there as she steadied her hands on his shoulders.
He tilted his head back to look at her, her eyes dark and stormy with nothing but passion. She wanted him, and she wanted him right now. He could fucking feel it.
A lump swelled deep in his throat at the look in her eyes. For fuck sakes, she was killing him. Between the walkers roaming the streets and the girl that stood before him, Daryl didn't know which one he should be more scared of.
Finally, Daryl was able to catch a grip of the situation they were in. As much as he wanted to kiss her, now wasn't the time or the place. And he definitely wasn't the kind of guy that she should be with. Maybe if he were ten years younger, that would be the right time. And maybe if they weren't in the middle of a bloody apocalypse, that would be the right place.
Daryl pulled away from Cass with a low growl, extending his arms to shove her off him. He'll never forget the look on her face when she opened her eyes. Hurt and plainly rejected. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He wasn't at all surprised.
Daryl cursed himself silently. See? You hurt her. This is exactly what Merle was talking about.
Daryl cleared his throat and tried to play if off as though it was for their safety, and not because she was too good for him. Way too fucking good for him. "We probably shouldn't be standing here with our eyes closed. Not the best plan, don't you think?"
Cass felt her temples sting from the rejection. She bit back tears that burned at her eyes and nodded faintly.
Daryl shut his eyes and rubbed them with his rough fingertips. God damnit, Merle, where the fuck are you?
Merle grunted as he poured out the majority of the vodka that was remaining in the tall glass bottle. Pouring out good liquor hurt him more than anything. And right now, that was sure as hell saying something.
Pulling out the rag from his back pocket, he shoved the majority of it into the bottle. He glanced around one last time, just to make sure that he hadn't accidentally forgotten to take something. Only when he was sure he had all that he, Cass and Daryl needed did Merle pick up the lighter he placed on the kitchen counter.
He stood at the back door, his lighter in one hand and the bottle in the other, and waited. He waited until more walkers came into view from the side windows. When there were enough hands reaching through, and even a few walkers getting pushed into the house, Merle lit the rag with his lighter.
"Suck on this, fuckers!" Merle shouted as he threw the bottle across the living room.
He turned and withdrew his gun from his torn jeans, pulling open the back door as he heard the bottle explode while flames ripped through the house that he had once called his home.
With gun in hand and ready to be fired, Merle made his way to the car he and Daryl had come to call their own. There were no walkers in the backyard, and Merle revelled in the simple fact.
The house behind him burned viciously as he started the car, turning the key in the engine.
Merle drove away from the burning house, glancing into his rear view mirror only once to watch their one and only safety net burn to the ground.
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