Daryl and Merle sat blindfolded in silence as the truck trundled along. It was a long journey, Shane had to go off down a country road to avoid a large herd.

'Hope they're not headin' our way.' He muttered to Dirk, his sidekick at the front with him.

Shane picked up his can of beer. 'Hey, pervert in the back. Ya fuck ya little brother too? That why ya two were undressed when they rustled ya up from the tent.'

'Don't mean nothin'! We were havin' a nap!' Daryl snarled back.

'Yeah? Then where did ya get those painful-lookin' hickies on ya throat?' Dirk bit in, swirling his beer around his mouth.

'Ain't none of ya business but certainly weren't from my brother!'

'Yeah, right.' Shane shook his head disapprovingly.

Merle, meanwhile had stayed quiet all through this. 'Stay calm, little brother.' He whispered to him.

'Do that and everythin'll be OK.'

'What ya two whisperin' about behind there?' Shane demanded and took another swig of his can.

Neither of the Dixons answered.

Dirk glanced at Shane. 'Better not be plannin' nothin' in the back there.'

After about six hours of driving, with Dirk and Shane taking turns and getting out of the cab to piss in the bushes every now and then, the brothers had stayed awake, hadn't even closed their eyes to doze.

The Dixons could pass the time in their heads, Daryl had plenty to think about. Nobody except Merle knew it but it was Carol who had kissed him and made love to him but they wanted to keep it a secret. She ran her hands down the scars on his back but he didn't mind. She had plenty of her own. She knew him inside and out - she understood.

She'd been the first to see his back (not counting Herschel) when he fell on his own arrow after his horse threw him off. When he went looking for her daughter. It wasn't just his feelings for her that made him try to find Sophia when Rick and Shane and the others had given up. Daryl guessed that's when she had started to like him.

She'd come in when he had his head bandaged, feeling like shit and vulnerable and he'd been on his side. But she hadn't said a word mercifully about his scars from his Daddy's belt, or gasped in horror or in any way reacted. Only told him that he was just as good as Shane and Rick.

Typical of her to see right through him, what he feared the most.

Unseen by anybody, a single tear trickled down his cheek. When Rick had given him the ultimatum – the sly bastard had done it in front of everybody, he'd chosen Merle. He'd thrown his future away for his brother but he couldn't let him die. Couldn't abandon him.

Maybe he would meet up with Carol in another life. She'd stood there, lip trembling but otherwise she hadn't said anything when he chose his brother over her.

Truth was – he couldn't stomach being led by such a sick man who had set his brother up when they both knew the truth! He growled, thinking he'd like the chance to put him down even if he was Carl's father. The boy would be better off with no father than that sick bastard.

When they stopped, Daryl's stomach lurched.

'Sh...' His brother whispered. 'Wait.'

Daryl heard the two men get out from the front of the cab and slam the doors shut.

'Ready.' Merle hissed.

He sensed Shane approach him first while he heard the other man order his brother up.

'Where are ya takin' him! He didn't do nothin'!' He yelled.

'Sh.' Shane hushed him.

'It was Rick! Rick's been fuckin' Carl. And ya know it!'

'Get up.' Shane ordered him quietly, ignoring his outburst and grabbed him by the arm. He could hear Merle being forced out of the van.

'It's true!'

'Ya expect me to believe that?' Now Shane ripped his blindfold off. 'Rick ain't got nothin' against you, he don't want you dead...told me to let ya go.'

Dirk turned around. 'Ya sure he didn't say waste the both of them?'

'No!'

'Now, Daryl!' Merle yelled.

He snarled and yanked the cuffs apart and raised them to smash them into the side of Shane's head. The big man was stunned and Daryl had to do it twice. Meanwhile, Merle kicked Dirk – aiming blindly between his legs. The Dixons fought dirty when they had to.

Shane was out for the count on the ground and Dirk was groaning, clutching his groin.

Merle smirked down on them and bent down to grab Shane's gun. Smiling crazily, he aimed it at Shane.

'Never could stand ya, Walsh.'

'No!' Daryl cried. 'Leave it.'

'They were gonna fuckin' kill me!' Merle aimed the barrel at Dirk's head instead. The man realised and put his hands up in a warding off gesture. The Dixon sneered and clicked the safety off.

'Merle – No!'

'Fine.' But he didn't miss the chance to pistol-whip him so that they were now lying there, both unconscious.

'Get in.' Now it was Merle giving the orders as he got in the front and turned the keys in the ignition. Shane and Dirk had been so confident that they'd left it in there while they went to kill Merle.

Daryl obeyed but not without protest. 'We can't jus' leave them! (They were right out in the country). They'll never find their way back!'

'Why do ya give a shit!' Merle was so furious that he brought the van to a screeching standstill when it had only just got going. 'They were gonna kill me!'

'I know but this is all Rick's doin'!'

'Sometimes I think ya love those assholes more than me!' Merle snarled.

'It ain't that! I can't leave him...I can't leave Carl. Not with him!'

Merle stroked a loose strand off his face fondly and tucked it behind his ear. 'We did everythin' we could. And what did the ungrateful little brat do? He told lies about me!'

'He was scared...Rick's got him good and terrified threatening his little sister.'

'Sorry but he's made his bed and he better lie in it. They were gonna kill me 'cos of his lies!' Merle turned his back on him resolutely and started the engine again. 'They're lucky I don't go back and murder the whole lot of them!'

'But Merle...!'

'I'm gettin' us the hell away from here. So shut up and buckle up, little brother.'

Daryl humpfed but didn't bother arguing any more, it was clear that Merle wouldn't change his mind.

That night they stopped off in a barn which they barricaded to keep the dead out. Even so, they could hear a few of them moaning and whimpering outside.

Daryl slept fitfully. 'No...Don't. Leave him alone!'

'Daryl.' His brother was angry that he woke him up. 'Wake up!'

'No...' He moaned. 'Don't touch him!'

Merle hissed because he recognised one of his brother's nightmares. He hadn't had one for ages but they always came when he got stressed. There was only one thing for it – he knew he wouldn't wake up.

'Come here.' He pulled him to him. Ran his fingers through his locks. He was letting his hair grow too long and Merle reminded himself to do something about that. He didn't want his baby brother going around looking like a sissy fag.

'Carol! I'm comin'. Don't leave me!'

'Jesus! Ya really hung up on the old broad, ain't ya, little brother?' Merle mumbled against his hair. 'She ya sweetheart?' He teased and held him tighter.

Daryl muttered something inaudible but angry-sounding in his sleep. But it resembled 'Fuck off.'