* Please Review. I am working the best I can to get back into my stories. I am just having horrible writers block for some reason!*
In the morning, Merle led the three of them down the stairs. He chained Daryl to the window sill again. Jillian checked over Sophia but her little sister was fine. Merle had taken her to another bedroom and made her sleep on the floor. He had given her a pillow and a blanket before passing out on the bed. The little girl had been too scared to try and find the key to the other bedroom or Daryl's chain. Once Jillian was convinced Sophia was fine, she stood up straight and looked at Merle as he started a fire.
" Merle, can I talk to you outside?" Jillian asked.
" Bout what, Darlin?" He asked without turning around to face her. It was hard to build a fire with one hand.
" Merle, please?" Jillian asked.
Daryl was staring up at her from his chair. They had decided she would tell him the plan. If Daryl had tried to talk to Merle about it, he wouldn't have done it for sure. He would have said Daryl was whipped then made fun of him for needing a girl so much. Working an in ER had given Jillian the skills she needed to deal with someone like Merle. Merle brushed his hands off and stood up to face her.
" All right. Front yard. Let's go." He said. Jillian nodded then nudged her sister over to Daryl. Sophia walked to him quickly then curled up into a ball at Daryl's legs. They both watched as Jillian lead Merle into the hallway then out the front door. Merle closed the door behind them. Daryl looked down at Sophia.
" Sophia, listen to me." Daryl said. She turned her little face up to meet his eyes. " You need to do everythin your sister says today, you hear me? No matter how hard you think it's gonna be. We are doin things to keep you safe. You understand me?" He asked. She bit her bottom lip and nodded. Her eyes were wide with fear.
" I understand." She said softly.
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" Well you got me out here, Darlin, what do you want?" Merle asked. Jillian crossed her arms over her chest.
" I want to make a deal with you and I want you to hear everything out." She started.
Merle nodded as he listened to what Jillian had to say. She was hopefully he would agree to what she was saying. She had practiced the speech over and over again in her head during the night. Neither Daryl or Jillian had slept good. She had been listening to every little sound she could hear, trying to make sure her sister wasn't crying or in trouble. Daryl's mind had been racing with their plan. He was having a hard time understanding why she would be willingly to leave her family and the safety of the camp for him but he couldn't say he wasn't grateful or glad. He couldn't image not seeing her ever again.
" Now how do I know you won't be lettin Daryl's best friends, Rick and Shane, know I'm in the woods?" Merle asked her when she was done talking.
" Because you will have Sophia. If I tell them then you could either hurt her or take off with her. Neither Rick or Shane know the woods and there is no way they could follow after you in the dark." She said.
" And how do I know that once you get back with your shit and send her in, she ain't gonna go yellin for everyone?" Merle asked.
" Because Sophia will do as I tell her do, no matter what. I will tell her not to make a sound. Once she has crossed the field and the reached the camp, we can leave." Jillian said. Merle nodded again as he narrowed his eyes.
" You love him that much?" Merle asked. " My brother. You love him enough to leave your sister and mom?" It was her turn to nod.
" Yes." She said without hesitation. After a few minutes Merle smiled.
" Well alright. Sounds like we got ourselves a plan then. We set out after lunch." He said. Relief spread through her quickly. A part of her hadn't believed Merle would go through with it and if he hadn't, she wasn't sure what she was going to do.
" I'm not going to tell Sophia until we are closer to camp. I don't want to upset her in my last few hours with her." Jillian said softly. Merle nodded again.
" I understand that. I ain't gonna say shit. She's gonna be upset and last thing I want is to hear her cryin bout shit." He said. " You kind of smart for a woman." Jillian smiled and laughed slightly.
" You seem surprised." She said.
" I am. Smart girls don't go for Dixons. Daryl ain't never had a smart girlfriend like you. Come to think on it, Daryl has never ever had a girlfriend." He said.
" What? You're not saying he's a virgin." She said. It was Merle's turn to laugh.
" Fuck no!" He said. " That boy lost his virginity at 16, I would know. I paid a girl to fuck him. He don't know that though. He thought she liked him but I gave her 40 bucks. 20 to suck him off and 20 to fuck him." Jillian frowned and shook her head.
" I do not need that." She said. " I do not want to know about his past sexual experience. I don't like thinking about him with other women." She said as she started towards the door. Merle laughed out loud again. She couldn't help but smile.
" Jillian, " Merle said, making her hand pause at the door knob. " you be good to him. You treat him right and you and I ain't gonna have any trouble." She faced him slowly.
" And I ask you to do the same. Daryl's an amazing man. He's smarter then you or he think he is. You stop saying that mean shit to him and you and I aren't going to have any trouble." She said. Merle was a little taken back at first, people just didn't step up to him that often but he liked her so he nodded.
" That's fair enough." He said. " Shake on it?" Jillian made a disgusted face as she shook her head.
" No. You are disgusting, I'm not touching you." She said. To her surprise Merle started laughing again. She smiled as she turned her back to him to go into the cabin.
" I am disgusting. You right on that. You shouldn't touch me." He agreed before they walked into the cabin.
Daryl and Sophia was staring at the doorway as Jillian walked in. Merle was right behind her, still laughing. Daryl threw her a questioning look but Jillian just smiled and shook her head. She went right for her sister and slipped down to the floor with her. She wrapped her arms around her and the two girls cuddled up together.
" Alright, I'm goin huntin for our breakfast and lunch. I'll be back." Merle said. Sophia looked up at Jillian who smiled down at her.
" You aren't going?" She asked.
" No. Merle and I have come to an understanding. He knows we aren't going to try anything." Jillian said. Merle pointed to Jillian.
" That's a fine woman you got there, Daryl." He said. He nodded his head as he turned around and started to leave. " Real fine woman." They heard again before he walked out. Sophia looked Jillian quickly.
" Come on, let's go!" She said quickly. " Let's free Daryl and go back to mom." She pleaded. Jillian shook her head.
" No, SoSo, not yet but soon, okay?" She promised. " I'm going to take you back to Mom tonight, I promise. We just have to wait a little longer." She said.
" But why?" Sophia whined slightly.
" Sophia." Daryl said sharply. " 'Member what I said." He said. Sophia looked at him then back at Jillian.
" Do you promise, Jillybean? Do you promise we are going home soon?" Jillian nodded again.
" I promise." She said.