AN: Here's chapter 4! I know, it's taken me a while, I apologize. I was having trouble writing this chapter, because I really just want to start writing Daryl and Carol having their first interactions together, but I wanted to have a little bit more back story before we get there (these two aren't going to just jump in and greet each other. They're cautious, and both have "guards" watching their every move) We're almost there though, I promise! So, without further ado (spelling? lol) I give you chapter 4
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Chapter 4: The Notes Before
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Merle snickered behind Daryl as the two of them made their way back through the woods.
"Man, that place was easier to get into than a bitch in heat," Merle laughed out, walking loudly through the leafy ground. "Almost seems like we're doin' them a favor."
Daryl huffed quietly, shaking his head. "Oh yeah? How's that?" He asked Merle as he kept his eyes peeled for walkers.
"Teach 'em to keep their fuckin' guard up, baby brother!" Merle exclaimed, clapping Daryl on the shoulder as he came up to walk in stride with him. Daryl felt himself flinch from his brother's touch, years of experience teaching him that bad things tended to happen when his brother's hands were on him. Merle laughed at Daryl's reaction before he quickened his pace and walked ahead of him.
Daryl trudged along behind Merle, caught up in his own thoughts. He knew his brother was right on some level; the group had been far too trusting, especially now that the world's gone to hell, but he didn't think they should pay for it.
You need those supplies. They got plenty. But even as he tried to convince himself that this was true, it still didn't stop the knot from growing in his stomach. 's not like you can do anything 'bout it, anyway. What Merle says goes, so shut the fuck up and stop acting like such a pussy.
"Come on, baby bro!" Merle cried up ahead at the edge of the woods. "Gotta pack up if we wanna make it back to our new family before sundown!"
What Merle says goes...Ain't that the truth, he thought bitterly, kicking a twig out of his path as he made his way out of the wooded area.
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"The fuck ain't you done yet?" Ed asked behind Carol, flicking the butt of his cigarette at her feet.
Carol had spent the last twenty minutes unpacking the trunk of their car, with a sprained ankle, no less, and was removing the last few items when she heard Ed's heavy steps approach her.
"I'm just about finished," she said meekly, pulling another box of M.R.E.s out of the back.
Ed grunted before picking up the tent to start setting it up. Carol felt a breath she didn't know she was holding in escape her lungs. She touched her swollen cheek subconsciously and closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths before she continued; there would be hell to pay if she didn't finish soon.
Once she had lugged the rest of the items out of the car, she closed the trunk quietly and turned around, her eyes searching for her daughter. She heard her before she saw her, the unmistakable sound of Sophia's laughter coming from the Grimes' tent. She smiled to herself, happy that her daughter was making friends for the first time in her life. Ed didn't like either of them to have much contact with the outside world; heck, Sophia had been home-schooled for the past three years, so hearing her daughter's joy filled Carol with happiness.
"Best get that little bitch back here," Ed snarled in her ear "You still got work to do." Carol closed her eyes and nodded her head vigorously before walking over to where Sophia was playing.
"Got any 8's?" She heard Carl ask from inside the tent.
"Nope!" Sophia exclaimed, Carol hearing the smile in her daughter's voice. "Go fish."
Carol unzipped the flap of the tent to reveal Sophia sitting on the ground indian style and Carl laying on his stomach across from her, both of them holding several cards in their hands.
"Hello, Mrs. Peletier," Carl said, waving his card-filled hand ecstatically at her. Carol gave the boy a small smile before turning to her daughter.
"Mama, we're playing..." she faltered , and looked at Carl for help.
"Go fish," he said with a smile.
"Right! We're playing 'Go fish' Mama!" Sophia said, another radiant smile plastered across her face.
"That's great, sweetie," Carol said softly, upset that she had to ruin her daughter's fun, "but we have to go back to our tent. Your daddy's callin' for us to help set up." Sophia's smile fell instantly, and she sprang to her feet without question, knowing the repercussions of disobeying her daddy's orders. Neither of them wanted to cause a scene, especially when they had just arrived, and she knew that if these people saw Ed as a threat, they would surely kick them out of the group. Carol would follow all of Ed's demands if it meant keeping her daughter safe; and right now, the safest place was with these people in this campsite.
Sophia sidled up next to her, face looking down at the ground, while her hands were clasped together to keep from fidgeting.
"I'll see you later?" Carl asked unsurely, having stood up with Sophia.
Sophia stayed quiet, still gazing at the tents floor.
"Maybe later tonight when we're all unpacked." Carol said, answering for her daughter. Carl nodded his head in understanding. "Come on, sweetie," Carol whispered to Sophia, guiding her out of Carl's tent, and into the bright light of the Georgia summer sun.
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Once they made it back to their site, Daryl checked everything over to make sure nothing had been stolen while they were gone. Merle had always been slightly impulsive, thinking about the consequences after the fact, which is why it didn't shock Daryl too much that his brother would leave their gear unattended. Can't believe he would leave his stash behind, though. Right as the thought flashed through his mind, he saw Merle unsnap one of his pant pockets. He pulled out a baggie full of blue ice, and a smaller one holding viles of white powder, and slipped them into the side bag of his bike.
"What you starin' at, baby brother?" Merle asked, now looking over at him from his bike.
"Uh, we should get goin'. Might be harder to find that spot now that we ain't walkin' on foot in the woods," Daryl said quickly as he turned to get into his truck, slamming the old metal door behind him.
Merle started his bike and took the lead with Daryl close behind him.
About four miles down the road a small downtown area began to appear. Daryl looked around the area, liking what he saw less and less with every turn of his head. The abandoned streets and stores all showed signs of struggle and death; bodies littered the sidewalks, torn open from the geeks who attacked them. Many of the store fronts had broken windows, either from people trying to get out, or walkers trying to get in. They passed a small white church, mutilated corpses dressed in suits and gowns strewn across its front lawn, and the Church's announcement board reading 'God Help Us.' As they continued down the deserted streets, Daryl noticed a hunting store to his left, and sped up to ride alongside Merle. His brother looked over at him, and both stopped their vehicles.
"What's up?" Merle asked, resting his hands on his thighs.
"Saw a huntin' store back there. Thought we'd sneak in, get some supplies before headin' back out."
Merle nodded his head, "Yeah. We ain't got no tents for tonight. And we could always use more weapons and ammo." Merle got off his bike and kicked its stand down. "Good eye, little brother."
They took quiet, cautious steps towards the hunting store, all the while keeping their eyes alert for any signs of movement, weapons at the ready. Merle eased the store's door open, wincing as he heard the chime of a bell at the top of it. Daryl followed his brother inside, but not before he turned around once more to make sure the area was still clear did he let the door close behind him.
"If we ain't the luckiest sons a bitches I know!" Merle cried, making his way across the counter to look at the vast amount of guns that lined the walls and shelves. "I'd been savin' to get myself a new piece before this shit started... Guess I don't need to be worryin' about that no more," He smiled, grabbing the nearest gun off the shelf and feeling it out.
"I'm gonna head to the back, see what they got for campin' gear," Daryl said quietly, not wanting to make too much noise until they were out of the town. Merle's loud as hell bike probably did enough damage he thought as he walked down one of the aisles.
He moved the items he found to the front of the store by Merle, first being the tents and extra blankets for him and his brother, then some fishing gear, followed by other items that he thought would be necessary. He moved closer to Merle when he was finished, watching his brother gather weapons and ammo like a kid set loose in a toy store. His brother had already filled 2 bags with ammo, hunting knives, guns, and axes. He brought the tents to his truck, threw them in the bed, and went back to the store to bring out the rest of the gear. When he stepped back inside, Merle was examining a sniper rifle.
"There's some stuff for your crossbow in that display case down there," Merle said, looking through the scope of the rifle. "Might wanna check it out. I know yer gonna be runnin' low on arrows soon."
Daryl nodded his head in agreement, and moved to the case to see what it held. He placed his crossbow on the counter, and began gathering the case's contents in his hands. When he was done, he brought the items over to the pile of loot he had stocked by the door. He placed them in a duffle bag he'd snatched and started walking back to grab his crossbow when three gunshots broke through the silence of the downtown.
Daryl whipped his head to the window hoping to see who had fired the weapon. All was quiet for a few seconds, the Dixon brother's eyes focused in the direction where the shots rang, but then they saw a sight that made their blood run cold.
Up ahead, wearing a bloodied wedding gown, was a woman running for her life as she was chased by a minimum of 30 walkers, all of whom looked like they had been part of her ceremony. She held a small pistol in her right hand, and was covered in blood and grime, her face streaked with tears as she sprinted down the road. She was about 100 yards away when she looked over her shoulder at the herd of walkers that was growing closer, causing her to scream. She turned her head back around and tried to move faster, but tripped on the length of her dress, stumbling to the ground. Daryl made a move to go out and help her, but he was stopped by Merle, who let out warning growl.
"There ain't no way in hell we're riskin' our hides for a woman who's as good as dead!" Merle whispered through gritted teeth. "We need to haul ass and get the fuck outta here, and we ain't gonna be able to do that with you actin' like knight-in-fuckin'-armor to that damsel in distress!" Daryl looked at his brother before his eyes were forced back to the window when he heard the woman scream again. The geeks had descended on her, and the streets were filling with her desperate cries. "We gotta go now that they're distracted. Take as many guns and as much ammo as you can! " Merle ordered, jumping over the counter and heading for the door. Daryl gave the woman one final look before he threw his crossbow over his shoulder, shoveled four guns into a bag of ammo, and got behind his brother. "Keep your back against mine. Don't break rank until we're by yer truck." Daryl nodded in understanding, leaning down to grab the other duffel bag with the arrows for his crossbow. "Better be able to keep up, Darylina," Merle smirked before opening the door, the little chime of the bell drowned by the bloodied bride's cries.
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Carol and Sophia were bringing their belongings to their tent when the Dixon brother's pulled back into camp. Merle Dixon entered first, riding up in a ridiculously loud motorcycle, and Daryl followed him in an old, beat up, light blue pick-up truck, whose bed was filled with supplies. The two men parked close to where they had first appeared from the woods, twenty feet or so from her tent, and instantly began emptying the bed of Daryl's truck. They were silent as they worked, caught up in the task at hand.
"Mama, I'm finished," Sophia said quietly. Carol looked down at her daughter, always feeling upset at the change in Sophia's personality whenever Ed was around. He was currently sitting on a beach chair ten feet away from them, a glare resting on his face when he noticed Carol had stopped working.
Carol eyed him warily before turning her gaze back on Sophia and gently said, "You can go and play, but make sure you stay by the tent, alright sweetie?"
Sophia nodded, and entered the tent to grab something to play with. Carol nervously looked back at Ed to see his beady eyes locked on her, until Sophia came back out holding a doll, and then he stared at their daughter, a predatory look in his eyes. Carol had seen him look at their little girl that way in the past, but she didn't want to believe it meant what she thought it meant. Still, she kept Sophia away from her daddy whenever she could, knowing deep down the looks Ed gave their baby girl were anything but fatherly.
"Get back to work, woman," Ed spoke out, "We ain't got all day to wait for you to get some fuckin' dinner ready." Carol nodded, defeatedly hanging her head, and walked back to the car to grab the last few boxes of M.R.E.s. She carried them back over to the tent, but noticed that with the three of them sharing the small space, there was absolutely no room to fit the large boxes. Carol slowly made her way back outside, and decided to unpack them out there where she could leave them next to the tent instead. She opened the first box and took out the twelve individually wrapped meals, stacking them on the ground. She stood up and moved to grab the next box to unpack, but found her self in the clutches of Ed's mighty grip.
His eyes were shooting daggers at her, and his lip was curling in anger. "What in the FUCK do you think you're doing?" he asked in a deathly quiet voice, though his menace was coming through all the same; Ed didn't need to yell to get his message across. Carol could feel her eyes beginning to water, not only because of the steel grip her husband had on her forearm , but because of the trouble she knew she was in. "I told you earlier we ain't sharin' with these people, and then your dumb ass goes and reveals what we got to the entire god damned camp!" He was hissing at her now, his spit hitting her face, his hand closing ever tighter around her delicate arm. Carol tried not to whimper, but felt herself doing so regardless. "Get those boxes in the tent, and you better hope to God no one saw and tries to take what's ours." With one final glare, he let her go and stormed off into the woods to cool down.
Carol tried to quickly and subtly wipe her eyes when she turned around to repack the boxes, hoping they hadn't caused too large of a scene. She felt someone's gaze on her and turned to find the man, Daryl, looking at her with . . . understanding? Carol was glad it wasn't sympathy, she didn't need anyone's pity; she had brought this upon herself. She saw his brother approach him and whisper something that caused Daryl's face to turn red in either anger or embarrassment, she honestly couldn't tell which. He immediately turned his back to her, and started working faster and harder than he had before. Merle stepped into her line of site and stared at her before he, too, went back to work alongside his brother.
Carol watched the pair with a puzzled expression, making a note in the back of her mind to watch the pair of men more carefully in the future.
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They had been setting up for a good thirty minutes after arriving back onto the campsite. Merle steered his bike to the edge of the woods where they had first entered earlier that day, and parked his truck next to his brother's bike. Still shaken up over what they had witnessed, they began unpacking Daryl's truck in silence, removing the items where they were going to set up camp.
Daryl finished setting up his tent, and walked over to grab Merle's tent to start his, when he noticed the stillness in the camp next to his. The woman and man he had seen earlier in the woods were opposite each other, the woman standing while the man sat his fat ass in a beach chair, glaring daggers at his wife. All of a sudden, a little girl came tip toeing out of their tent, holding a doll in her small hands, and walked over towards her mother. Daryl watched as the abusive scum averted his gaze from his wife to stare hungrily at the little girl, a sick gleam in his eye. Daryl knew that look, as he had seen Merle wearing an identical one hundreds of times at the local bar. Daryl felt his stomach turn as the girl's daddy didn't take his eyes off her, but instead began scanning them up and down her petite form. The woman didn't seem to notice anything, however, as her back was turned towards him at this point, and she was hurriedly unpacking the rest of the trunk. The man caught Daryl's eye, and Daryl gave him a glare of his own, piercing the man with his icy blue stare.
When the man broke eye contact to spit orders at his wife, Daryl realized what he was doing and tried to snap himself out of it. Got shit to do. Ain't no time to play rescuer to a kid and her Ma. He hauled Merle's tent over by his own and began setting it up as well, watching Merle going through the bags of ammo and guns they had managed to acquire from the hunting brother was kneeling by the woods, making sure the bags were shielded from everyone else as he worked. When he finished hammering in the last pole to Merle's tent, he stood up, along with his brother, who zipped up the two bags and threw them back in Daryl's truck.
"We did alright," Merle whispered, "Got ourselves about seven different fire arms, 300 rounds 'a ammo, not to mention the few knives I managed to snatch as well." Daryl nodded his head, listening to his brother's words, but also distracted by the scene in the tent next to his. The son of a bitch was squeezing the woman's arm tightly, and had a murderous look on his face as he quietly spoke to her through clenched teeth. The man let go of the woman and trudged off angrily into the woods, while she sat down by the side of her tent, packing something up. Daryl frowned and squinted, trying to make out what she was packing away, but she shifted, effectively blocking his view. He kept his eyes on her, though, and looked her up and down, taking in her defeated and nervous posture, very similar to his own.
All of a sudden, the woman turned around, and he was caught in her gaze, unable to break away even if he wanted to. He saw the pain and dried tears on her face, and knew she was just as broken as he was.
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Merle noticed his brother's attention was anywhere but with him, and let his own gaze follow his brother's, His eyes fell on a little bit of a woman repacking a box of M.R.E.s. Merle's eyes went wide at the thought of hitting a gold mine, as there were at least 12 other boxes stacked beside the one she was repacking. He turned his head to look at Daryl, and frowned. His brother wasn't looking at the boxes, but at the woman packing them, understanding written all over his face as he gazed at her. Merle sneered at him, but his brother didn't seem to notice, too caught up once the bitch turned around, staring back at him with big doe eyes.
"You lookin' to get your dick wet, or help me set up camp, Darylina?" Merle whispered roughly, glaring at him. Daryl whipped his head to look at Merle, anger flashing in his eyes, but his cheeks burning scarlet. "Get your ass back to work, and don't let me catch you starring at Little Miss again." Daryl took another second to glare at him, before he turned around and started building a small wall so they could make a fire.
Merle took a step to where Daryl had been standing, and caught the woman's stare. He noticed her bruised cheek and arm, and frowned. There was no way he was letting his baby brother get caught up trying to save some mousy bitch, only to leave him behind. Merle refused to look at as second place, not when he was blood. He could see the looks they shared, as brief as they were. Merle wasn't an idiot. He saw the connection that was there, small as it was, and he would try his hardest to break it.
Merle scratched his arm, feeling the tension fill his body, and new that he needed another hit soon to take the edge of from this stressful day.
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AN: So, I threw in a little Merle POV at the end there, something I wasn't planning on doing, but I found myself writing it, and it kind of fit. I'm not sure how much I will be doing from Merle, but this is here now lol. I hope you liked this chapter, even though we haven't gotten to Carol and Daryl interactions yet. (one more chapter readers, and then it's on…in the talking sense) Reviews are always welcome, whether they are filled with praise or criticism :)