Daryl didn't know what to do. She was just laying on the bed staring at the wall, curled up in a ball. Guilt washed over him. This was his flesh and blood that did this and he's the one that brought him back here. There were no words to express how sorry he felt and he wondered if she might never want to see him again.
Pacing back and forth in the room, he was getting more and more agitated, his shame building as time went by. Daryl had never been good for anybody in his mind and for a while, he thought he could escape his past and start over, but it had been an illusion. Merle's return brought Daryl back to reality.
The Dixon boys were no good.
Anger began to coldly settle in like a low hanging fog. Looking down at the catatonic figure of Katelyn, he pushed away he immediate softening of his heart and replaced it with his long-praticed rage. Some people were meant to lead happy lives, and some weren't. That was just the way of it. Katelyn deserved better than Daryl Dixon, and he knew it.
Carol entered the room and took one look at Daryl and knew that something was very wrong. Walking toward him, she paused when she saw the icy cold look in his eyes and sighed.
"Are you okay?" She tried to sound gentle, hiding the fear that was starting to creep in as she realized that something in him had snapped.
"No I'm not okay!" He shouted, the old Daryl rearing its head.
"What's wrong?" Carol asked, knowing it was a stupid question.
"What d'ya mean, 'what's wrong'!" He screamed, "What kind of stupid fucking question is that!?"
Carol flinched.
"Don't flinch like I'm gonna hit you! Christ woman!" Daryl spat, getting right in her face. He was so angry and she was the unfortunately person standing in front of him.
"Daryl. This isn't your fault." Carol tried touching his arm gently but he ripped it away.
"The hell it ain't! Merle's my brother! I brought him here! I knew what he was like and I still brought him here!" Daryl was shouting so loudly now that everyone came running.
"What's going on?" Glenn was the first to speak up.
Daryl was pacing like a caged tiger.
"None o your business, Chinaman!" Daryl snapped, hoping to insult him so he'd go away. He wanted everyone to just leave him the hell alone.
"Woah….sorry." Glenn said, backing up, his hands raised in surrender.
Maggie came up behind him and frowned. Katelyn was lying on the bed staring at Daryl as he ranted and raved. Her eyes were wide in surprise.
"Daryl, you're scaring Katelyn." Maggie tried using Katelyn's condition to get him to calm down but it had the opposite effect.
"Man, fuck you! It's my damn fault she's lying there! Why wouldn't I scare her!? I'm just a dumb fuckin' redneck son of a bitch who always fucks things up!" Daryl was ranting, pacing back and forth as he yelled.
"Shit! I might as well been the one that hurt 'er! I ain't good for nothin'!" He continued to shout.
Everyone was standing outside the door watching him. They were completely silent, knowing that at this point he just needed to vent a little but they were worried about Katelyn.
"Don't know why a girl like that even bothers with me! It's never gonna work! I'm fuckin' bayou backwater, poor white trash! Maybe she's just slummin'! The end o the world come and she needed me for a while, but the minute shit gets back to normal, I'm history anyways!" Daryl was out of control now, his face red with anger as he got himself worked up.
"Yeah! She's gonna dump me anyways the minute Madeline gets that shit to her lab and finds a cure! See ya, Daryl!" Daryl couldn't see Katelyn behind him. If he had, he'd have crumbled to the ground. Her face went from blank to an expression full of sorrow and pain as she watched him.
She wasn't afraid of him, but for him.
Oh my god, she thought, is that what Daryl really thinks?
It was Hershel that stepped forward.
"Son, you need to calm down, or go for a walk." Hershel stated firmly, coming forward on his crutches to put a hand on his arm.
"Shut up, old man! I'll go for a walk! I'll go for a walk and I won't come back!" Daryl ranted, blowing past Hershel and almost knocking him over.
As he was leaving, he yelled over his shoulder.
"Man, fuck all y'all!"
And then he was gone.
Everyone looked at Katelyn who lay staring at the space where Daryl used to be, a single tear sliding down her face.
######################################################################
Merle ran through the forest, not even looking for walkers that might be around. His mind was racing as he replayed the events over again in his head. He didn't know if they were chasing him, but he'd have to get far away from both them and the prison just in case.
Shit! He thought to himself. He had really fucked up.
Merle loved his brother. He'd looked out for him the best he could. In his own way, he'd tried to teach him about the world; how to survive and not get hurt. Maybe he'd been wrong. Maybe it wasn't so bad if Daryl fell in love. He'd always been the sweet one.
Not Merle though. He was born mean. Not an ounce of sweet in him. Merle, however, wasn't stupid. He knew that his way of looking at things got him in trouble a lot. Hurt him a lot. Not that he'd admit it, but he was 40 years old, never been in love, had a criminal record, had a hell of a drug habit, and had committed murder multiple times in his life. He weren't no saint!
Daryl, on the other hand…his only trouble had been Merle. If he hadn't shown him…pushed him to do things, Daryl'd probably be married with a few chubby kids, happy as a clam by now if Merle hadn't of dragged him all over the road. Daryl just wasn't cut out for the kind of life that Merle lived.
Merle slowed down when he saw a paved road through the trees up ahead. Crouching down behind a tree, he searched the area before heading out onto the road. Putting one foot in front of the other, Merle headed into the west.