Once again, I just want to take a few moments to thank everyone who has stuck with this story so far. We're already six chapters in, can you believe it? I have so, so much to give this story, and I'm so glad that you guys have decided to stick it out and read and review each and every chapter. It means so much to me and makes me so happy to get all of this wonderful feedback. And I hope to get much more!

And now, allow me to be a little bit of a party pooper. This chapter is definitely a result of how I feel right now. Let's just say, my New Years was probably one of the worst days I've had in my life yet. I came home and my mom started with me right off the bat. It got to the point where she was in my face, yelling at me, and even started hitting me. Long story short (I'm not about to bore you with details) my older and much bigger brother decided to get involved. My night ended with him grabbing me and throwing me and dislocating my shoulder. The bruise is still on my shoulder and reminds me of how much I sometimes despise still living at home. So this chapter, at least part of it, is related a little to my life. I hope you guys don't mind too much.

All in all, I hope you all enjoy reading this chapter. Don't worry, the next one will be much more action filled, since I know you guys are probably itching for some right about now.

I hope everyone else has had a wonderful year so far. And this is another little present for all of you. Thank you so much for continuing to read this story, and I apologize for taking so long to get this latest chapter out.

Enjoy!

Merle sat in the room he shared with his younger brother, his music blarring from the old stereo on his dresser. He had come straight home after work, even thought it was against every fibre in his body. He knew his dad was going to be home soon, and he knew he should've met up with his friends as an excuse to wind down after work before heading home. But for some reason, something in the back of his mind told him to come straight home. He didn't bother going to a nearby bar to try and drown his sorrows away. Although he did smoke a little bit of weed on the walk home. Whatever. He fucking needed it, living in this house.

Merle nodded his head to the beat, grabbing a cigarette from the pack that he had tossed onto his bed when he walked through his bedroom door. He lit the cigarette and took a heavy puff, enjoying the buzz from the weed mixed with the sound of his favourite song and the cigarette between his lips.

Merle's dark eyes glanced towards the clock across his room. It was almost 4:30pm and he knew it would be minutes before his dad came home.

It wasn't unusual for Merle to rush home after work. Though sometimes, when the tension was too much, he avoided the place altogether. But the fact was, he liked being home alone before his brother and dad came through the door. Daryl was a lot younger than him, fourteen years to be exact, and annoying as hell sometimes. And his dad was a worthless drunk. A very mean, worthless drunk. So it wasn't a strange thing for Merle to rush home the minute he got off work for some well deserved alone time.

He heard the front door slam shut over his music. He groaned, knowing whoever had entered was clearly more than just a little pissed off. If Merle could hear anything over his music, it meant that someone in the Dixon house was fuming. Of course, that wasn't exactly news at his house.

Merle ignored it and continued to listen to his favourite song. It wasn't until the song came to an end and his room filled with silence that he heard it.

Daryl and his father were fighting. Again.

Merle leaned towards his stereo, pausing it before the next song began to play. He sat on his bed in silence, listening carefully to the voices on the other end of the wall.

"Would you just leave me alone? I just want to go to my room!" Daryl yelled at his father, desperate to just get away from the older man.

"You shut your God damn mouth, boy. And you fucking listen to me. Get your white trash ass over here, now!"

Merle gritted his teeth as he listened to his father talk down to his youngest son. He was getting so bloody tired of this. Ever since their mom up and left the three Dixon men, his dad fell off the wagon and turned to drinking again. And ever since then, life at home had been nothing but an absolutely hell.

His father would pick fights with his sons for no reason. If you even looked at him in what their father deemed the wrong way, you would get a punch in the face. Merle didn't have that much of a problem with his dad fighting with him. Merle was a lot bigger and stronger than his drunken excuse of a father would ever be. And Merle knew he could defend himself again the older man with his eyes closed. It was when his father went after Daryl that pushed Merle over the edge.

How many times had Merle come home from hanging out with his friends to see Daryl lying in his bed with a black eye? How many times had Daryl come to him, biting back tears with a broken rib? Too many fucking times.

"Stop! Don't touch me!" Was all Merle needed to hear before he jumped out of his bed.

Throwing the door open, Merle watched as his dad grabbed a hold of Daryl and tossed him clear across the room. Daryl hit the wall with a painful loud 'thud' before collapsing onto the floor.

"Fucking hell. What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Merle roared, closing the distance between himself and his father.

The older man waved him off and turned to finish what he had started with Daryl. "Get away from me, boy. Or you'll be next."

Merle put a hand on his father's shoulder, which stopped the older man in his place. "Leave Daryl alone."

Merle's dad scoffed and shrugged his eldest son's hand off his shoulder. Without sating another word, his dad took a swing at Merle. His actions were slow, the alcohol altering his every move. Merle ducked and avoided contact with the closed fist as he made his own.

Standing up straight again, Merle swung his fist at his dad. Regret surged through his body as his dad crumbled to the floor at Merle's feet, the single blow rendering him unconscious. Merle glanced down at the useless drunk and ignored the guilt that filled his body. Sure, he was an abusive piece of shit, but the bottom line was, he was still his father.

When Merle heard Daryl grunt, his eyes moved from his father to his younger brother across the room. Daryl was holding up his right shoulder, gasping with every move he made.

Merle ran over to him, kneeling down in front of him. "Daryl, are you okay? What's wrong?"

Daryl gritted his teeth, his eyes shut tightly to push back the tears that were burning at his eyes. Intense burning shot out from his shoulder, spreading across every inch of his arm. Stinging, like a million knifes cutting at his skin, took over his entire body.

"He dislocated my shoulder." Was all Daryl could muster up. Every inch he moved, every breath he took, made Daryl almost wish his father had just finished what he always started.

Merle growled, sending one last glance towards his father before carefully taking a hold of his little brother. Slowly, gradually, Merle lifted Daryl, every groan that slipped through Daryl's lips stabbing Merle's heart.

That was the last time either Merle or Daryl had seen their father. Despite Daryl's protests, Merle dragged his eleven year old brother to the hospital. When they were there, Merle told the doctor exactly what had happened to Daryl. Immediately after, Daryl had been put into a foster home. Merle couldn't support Daryl, hell; he didn't even have a home to take him back to. So, eventually, they were separated.

But nothing could really take Daryl away from Merle. It only took a year for Merle to get back on his feet and fight for the rights of his brother.

There was nothing Merle wouldn't do for him.

Merle groaned as he finally came to. His head was seriously pounding, his vision blurred over his dark eyes as he tried to blink it away.

Merle tried to lift up his hand, intent on rubbing the swelling lump on the back of his head. It only took him a split second to realize his hands were handcuffed together.

"What the fuck?" Merle grunted as he examined his handcuffed wrists. He glanced around, the lack of light keeping him in a close to pitch black room. It would take at least a few minutes for his eyes to adjust. Then maybe he could see a foot in front of him.

"Merle? Are you awake?"

Squinting his eyes, Merle was grateful for the small window across the cold room that dimly lit up his surroundings. He found Cass sitting across from him, only a few feet away, leaning back against something. He also noticed something in her lap.

"Cass? What the hell happened? Where are we? Where's Daryl?"

Cass didn't know whether it were all of the questions being thrown at her or the situation they were in that made her head spin. "I don't know. They knocked you two out. They dragged us here and threw us in jail. Daryl's right here. He hasn't woken up yet, but he's still breathing."

Merle glanced down and saw that it was Daryl in Cass's lap. His head was resting in her lap, her handcuffed hands holding onto his shoulder protectively.

What the hell was happening here? Those army guys weren't seriously thinking the three survivors could be a threat to them...were they?

"Did they hurt you?" Merle narrowed his eyes, waiting to hear her answer. God help those men if any one of them laid so much of a finger on her.

She shook her head, seeing the anger burning in Merle's eyes. "No, they didn't touch me. Except to grab me and throw me in here."

"Did they say anything to you?"

"Just that they needed to keep us contained. They don't believe that we haven't been bitten. They said they're going to search us, personally, for any bites." Cass swallowed the lump that was swelling in the back of her throat.

She was more terrified of that part that anything else. Something deep down inside of her told her not to worry too much, that these men were a part of the army and that they had no intention of hurting them. I mean, could they really? They're a part of the United States army. Isn't that some sort of ethical violation or something?

But that didn't mean it could stop them from strip searching her.

The lump came back.

Daryl groaned, stirring in her lap. Her eyes fell down to him as he began to come to. "Ugh. What the fuck, man."

"Daryl? Are you okay?" Merle asked from across the jail cell.

Daryl pulled himself away from Cass, pushing himself up so he was sitting beside her. Glancing down at his handcuffed wrists, he sneered. "What the hell did those bastards do? Handcuff us and throw us in a jail cell? What the hell is their problem?"

Cass opened her mouth to speak but was silenced when the heavy metal door swung open. A man walked in, followed by three more, as the door closed by itself behind them.

"Well, well, well. It looks like the sleeping beauties are finally awake. Did you have a good rest, boys?"

Daryl and Merle jumped to their feet, running to the edge of the jail cell to face their captors.

"Fuck you! What the hell are we doing behind bars?" Daryl barked.

"Let us out of here. Now." Merle ordered.

The man in the center of the others let out a bellowing laugh that echoed in the cold room. "Do you think we're stupid or something? Like we'd let garbage walk around our base without inspecting it first. All of you, take your clothes off. We need to make sure none of you've been bit." His eyes fell to Cass who was still on the ground. "That goes for you too, sweetie."

"Leave her alone." Daryl warned.

"Don't even talk to her, do you hear me?" Merle was in no mood for games. He didn't even want these fuckers to glance in her direction.

"If she doesn't do this willingly, we'll have to come in there and get her. And then we'll do it ourselves. Would you rather that?"

"If you even think about touching her..."

"Daryl, it's okay. Let's just do what they say.' Cass surrendered, finally getting to her feet.

The truth was, she didn't want any part of this. But she knew that their time here would go a lot smoother if they just co-operated with these men. Maybe if they showed these men that they weren't infected, they could get out of this dirty jail cell. Maybe they would just let them go unharmed.

"Back up and spread the fuck out. We're coming in there to un-cuff you."

Daryl and Merle growled as they backed up. Merle headed back to the wall he woke up against and faced it, putting his hands above his head on the wall. He had been arrested many times. He knew exactly what stance to take with these guys.

Daryl moved back to Cass and stood beside her, refusing to turn his back on these men.

The strangers entered the jail cell, guns drawn and aimed at the three survivors. They moved to Merle first, un-cuffing him and taking a step back, cuffs in hand.

Merle kept his back towards them as he lifted his shirt over his head, tossing it on the ground beside him. He moved to his belt next, not bothering to bend down to remove his shoes. He let his pants fall to his ankles, only boxers covering his body as he lifted his hands, turning around to show them he was untouched.

"The shoes, too."

Merle grunted as he bent over to untie his shoes, stepping out of them. He kicked his pants off and glared at the men.

"Anything else? Or did you want to check out my junk, too?"

"No, that's quite alright. We'll assume that you weren't face fucking a geek before you got here."

Reaching forward, the man cuffed Merle's wrists together again. They turned to Daryl next, one man keeping his focus and gun on Merle as the commander turned his back on him.

"Your turn."

Daryl followed the lead of his brother. As much as he hated to. The truth was, he had no choice, and he knew it. He felt everyone's eyes focused on him, but he could care less. He was comfortable with his body and he knew that he was unharmed, so he had nothing to worry about. It was Cass undressing that made him uneasy.

Cass stood beside Daryl, a tight knot swelling into an impeccable size as she realized her turn was fast approaching. Her palms were pressed together, sweat practically dripping out of them. Her heart pounded, faster and faster by the second as she watched them handcuff Daryl again.

One soldier kept his gun aimed on Merle; another shoved his gun's barrel into Daryl's face as the last two men turned their attention to Cass.

"It's your turn, darling."

Cass kept her eyes focused on the ground as she reached down and unbuckled her belt. She kicked off her shoes and let her pants drop to the floor, stepping out of them with ease. She lifted up her shirt and let it fall overtop of her discarded pants. Her focus on the ground never wavered. She knew that if she looked up and saw everyone watching her, she would throw up then and there. And as much as she wanted to projectile vomit in these asshole's faces, she decided it would be best for everyone if she didn't.

"Turn around for me, baby."

Daryl felt sick to her stomach when Cass did what she was told. He didn't expect her to do anything else, but still, he didn't want her to obey these men. He didn't want them looking at her, imagining things about her, or even worse, doing things to her. Up until only a few days ago, he had always thought of Cass as his little sister, someone he wanted to take care of and protect. It wasn't until their run in with death at the pharmacy that he started to think of her differently. He saw a side of her he had never seen before, a side that he couldn't seem to get out of his head. And when they kissed, that feeling he got in his gut, the smile that her lips put on his face, he knew that he was starting to fall for this girl.

And now, here she was, standing in front of hostile men in nothing but her bra and panties. It made his blood boil. If he weren't staring into the barrel of a gun, he might've lost his shit right then. But for now, he had to bite back his feelings and stay calm and quiet. He had to, for the sake of his group.

"Good job, baby girl." The man said before reaching forward and handcuffing her hands together again. "Sit down."

Daryl and Merle obeyed, like dogs trapped with no other choice. They both knew that these men had nothing stopping them from blowing their brains out. Right now, it was best that they listened to what they said and didn't cause any problems.

Cass began to sit down but was yanked up by the commander. He held a fistful of her hair in his hand as he pulled her towards the jail door. "Stop! What are you doing?"

"Hey!" Daryl yelled, pushing himself to get up. He fell back onto the ground, his breath knocked out of him as the soldier standing over him gave him a swift kick to the chest.

Merle found himself in the same predicament as he was kicked back onto the ground.

"Where the hell are you taking her?" Merle shouted as the soldiers slowly backed out of the jail cell.

Daryl's heart pounded in his chest as he watched helplessly as the man locked the jail cell and slipped the key into his pocket. The leader smirked and sent a shrug their way.

"It's time for us to have a little fun, boys."