A/N: I looked around on-line to see if there were any pics with Merle having tattoos. I'm not sure that he did, but for this story, he did.
Ch. 22
When Martinez, Eric and Jake returned with word that they'd found Daryl and his friends, the Governor was overjoyed. While Martinez and Eric seemed happy to have accomplished their mission, the grin on the Governor's face made Jake uncomfortable.
He hadn't known Daryl, just known of him. Despite the Governor's claims, it still seemed wrong to torment a man who was with child. Jake wished that if something was going to be done, it would be quick and painless.
He didn't voice any of this though. Didn't dare. It wouldn't do to have the Governor out for him, too.
00
Three weeks after the truck had been seen, everyone began to relax. Maybe it really had just been some other group of survivors.
They still kept the bags packed – no reason to unpack them, really, unless they ended up needing more supplies, and they still kept guard, but everyone seemed to feel like the chances that the Governor had found them were slim.
Daryl noticed that everyone seemed more relaxed. He liked this. It made things easier, especially since he now had to rely on them more so than before.
After what had happened with Carol, Daryl had done his best to distance himself from her.
He had been so embarrassed! And the look on her face when he had emerged from the shower – he'd never forget that. She was wide-eyed and frowning.
Neither of them had even said anything. Carol had wanted to – Daryl could tell – but he didn't think that he could deal with a break-up speech right then so he simply opened the door and motioned for her to leave.
Which she did.
Since then, she had tried to contact him. Twice. Each time he gave her the cold shoulder, telling her he didn't want to talk or nothin' like that.
So, she'd gone off. Gotten her own room. She hadn't come around in days.
Now, it was mainly David that was taking care of Daryl's needs. Beth helped out sometimes, too. She seemed to follow David wherever he went, it seemed, and Daryl couldn't help but feel resentment. Two kids had managed to make a relationship work and yet he couldn't do it.
Still, his situation was not David or Beth's fault. He tried not to show his anger towards them, though sometimes he slipped up.
Today was one of those days where he'd done that. Slipped up.
The two had come to his room, Beth bearing a tray of food, David wanting to get him up and walking around - Hershel's orders – and both of them smelled like sex.
"Ya'll can't even take some fuckin' showers before comin'here?" Daryl asked, glaring at both of them.
"I'm sorry?" Beth questioned, confused.
"I can smell the sex on you. You both been goin' at it like rabbits. At least take a fuckin'shower, last thing we need is someone spreadin' herpes or whatever around."
David raised an eyebrow.
"Excuse me? First off, our sexual lives are none of your business. Secondly, there aren't any STDs going around – I'll tell you that for sure. Thirdly, maybe the reason neither of us have showered is because we're too busy helping your ass out!"
"Helpin' me out?!" Daryl sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed. "I don't need your fuckin' help! I can do everything I need to do by myself. The only reason I'm even letting you help me is because you got me outta Woodbury!"
"Yeah, you're right. You don't need any help. It's not like your pregnancy is half as likely to terminate, or anything. Or like you might need special care to prevent that from happening. No, you can get along just fine. Here," he took the tray from Beth's hands and shoved it into Daryl's.
"From here on out, you make your own food, you take your own walks, you do everything on your own, and when you feel weak again, you crawl back to bed by yourself. Fair?"
David was pissed, and it startled Daryl to an extent. For some reason, he had thought that the kid would just shut up and take it.
The kid was right, though. Hershel had told him how his pregnancy was considered high risk and how it was imperative that Daryl take care of himself – or be taken care of – adequately.
Daryl sat back down and put the tray aside, mood changing from angry to remorseful.
"I'm sorry," he said, under his breath.
David and Beth looked at each other, waiting a few seconds before David spoke up.
"Look, it's okay, man. I get it. Really, I do. I've been there. Literally. I'm not sure about whatever's going on with you and Carol, but it's clearly upsetting you. I don't think your yelling fit is just all hormones."
"Carol hates me," Daryl replied, staring down at his feet.
"What?" This time it was Beth speaking.
"Huh?" Daryl glanced up
"Are you nuts?" The girl asked.
"No?"
"Carol totally doesn't hate you. You know that, right?" Beth was staring at him as if he had three heads.
"I fucked up. She wants to break up with me. I'm saving her the trouble of having to say it."
David shook his head, "Uh, Daryl, I think you've got things mixed up. She's been really upset about you not wanting to see her. She doesn't understand what she's done wrong. I really, really don't think she wants to leave you."
"But…But I did somethin' bad."
"It can't be that bad, whatever it is. Do you want to talk about it?"
"Ah." Daryl considered David's offer. The kid was half his age but probably had far more experience than he did. Maybe he could give some advice, embarrassing as it might be to discuss everything.
"Yeah. Maybe that'd help. But, uh…" He looked at Beth, hoping she'd get the hint. He didn't want her hearing all the details.
Beth simply smiled.
"I've got some clothes to wash. I'll take Elena and meet you upstairs later," she said.
She leaned in, kissed David on the cheek, and promptly left the room.
00
Two hours later, Daryl was in a much better place mentally.
David really did have a good amount of experience and he hadn't once even laughed at Daryl's story. He'd explained that what happened was normal and that Carol – who was sexually experienced – surely understood that it was normal too.
The fact that David said things would get better with practice made Daryl feel slightly better as well. It was good to know he wouldn't be having this issue forever.
And, if what Beth and David had said were true, if Carol really did miss him and want him, maybe they could get back together.
Daryl was just about to find her when he was stopped in the hallway by Carl.
"Daryl?" The boy asked.
"What's goin' on?"
Carl's expression was blank, and it made Daryl wonder if something bad had happened.
"You ought to come see Glenn and Maggie. We have something to show you."
"Okay," Daryl agreed.
He followed the boy down the hall to Glenn and Maggie's room, where everyone else, including Carol, was gathered as well.
Carl closed the door behind them as they entered.
"What's goin' on?" Daryl asked again.
"Daryl, sit down," Hershel instructed.
Maggie and Glenn quickly made room for him on the bed, and Daryl did as he was told.
Whatever this was, it was clearly going to be bad.
"We found something earlier," Maggie started.
She held up an envelope.
"Okay…"
"It…Well, it's obviously for you."
"Well give it over."
With shaking hands, Maggie gave him the object.
Daryl opened the envelope. Nothing was in it except for what looked like a piece of leather.
"What the…" he looked it over, before dropping it. He felt like he'd been punched in the stomach.
It was a piece of leather alright. A piece of leather made of human skin. It had one of Merle's tattoos on it, still completely recognizable.
Daryl felt like he was going to be sick, and he was shortly after, he was.