Next chapter is up! I hope you guys are liking it! Rick's back! Holy crap!
Chapter 19
Rick led the way towards the city. Daryl went behind him and Shane was behind Daryl. Daryl didn't say anything the whole way there but Rick told Shane how he'd escaped the hospital and then had found residence with a man and his son for a week or so. Then he had been on his own for a good month. Daryl shivered and Shane realized it was still chilly outside. Rick also mentioned something about seeing another group of people but they hadn't seemed friendly. Rick looked up at the buildings as they entered the city, "He should be on this one here." Daryl was already in the door before Rick could say anything else. Shane rushed after him and Rick followed. He heard Daryl yelling for his brother as he ran up the stairs and then the yelling cut off abruptly. Shane stopped and Rick ran into him. Shane turned around, "I don't hear anything. Do you think he's ok?" Then he heard a yell pierce the air, "No! No!" Shane was flying up the stairs again. He climbed on to the roof and saw Daryl kneeling on the roof in front of a walker. The kid's eyes were wide with fear and full of tears. Shane knew immediately what had happened. He rushed to Daryl and pulled the kid back from the walker. "No Shane let go, that's him." Shane shook his head, "That's not your brother Daryl." Daryl nodded, "Yes it is." Shane pulled Daryl farther away as the walker advanced on them. He knew that Daryl was a little out of it right now. The shock was getting to him. Daryl reached his arm out, "Stop. Please. He's not bad. I can help him. I can." Shane hated what he was going to have to do. He made sure Daryl wouldn't move and then pulled his rifle from his back. He stepped forward and aimed for walker-Merle's head but before he could shoot, Daryl grabbed his arm, "Wait let me do it." Shane glanced at him, "Are you sure?" Daryl nodded, "Yes." The younger man took the rifle in his arms and aimed it at the walker. Daryl closed his eyes, "Goddamit Merle. Why'd you have to be such a selfish jerk? Why couldn't you have stayed with me?" He took a deep breath and then fired it. As soon as the bullet made contact with the walker's head Daryl dropped the gun. He fell onto his knees again and didn't move. Shane sat down next to him and put his arm around him, "I'm sorry Daryl." Daryl just shook his head, "I know that what I told you didn't sound like he was a good person. But he was there when I needed him most and I'm forever grateful for that." Shane nodded, "I know. I know." Rick hadn't moved from the doorway the whole time but now he stepped forward, "That shot will have attracted more of them we should go." Daryl spun on him. "You," he snarled and started forward but Rick had his gun pointed at Daryl's head and the kid stopped. "I'll shoot," Rick said. Shane once again found himself in the middle of a tug-of-war. But this time he knew what side would win. "Rick leave the kid alone. He just lost his brother for god sakes," he said. Rick lowered the gun and put it away. The three of them walked back down the steps to the road and then out of the city. Daryl stayed separated from Shane and Rick but Shane let it go. The kid needed his time to grieve. He'd talk to him later.
They got home and hour before nightfall. No one asked about Merle, They could tell what happened by Daryl's reaction to arriving back which was to walk by everyone and crawl into his tent. Shane shook his head at Glenn who nodded sadly. He knew that Glenn felt bad for locking up Merle and then not being able to unlock him. Shane said he'd take first watch as night came. Rick walked over to him, "I'm sorry about your friend Shane." Shane looked at him, "Tell him that." Rick sighed, "Is he like my replacement or something?" Shane shook his head, "No. He's way different. Go get some sleep Rick." Rick nodded and walked off. As soon as Rick was gone Shane walked over to where Daryl had isolated himself out under the night sky.
The kid was asleep but having nightmares. The blanket he was lying on was wet from crying and Shane knew what they were about even before the talking started. "No. no. This can't be happening," the kid muttered. The talking started to get more desperate, "Please Merle, its me. What are you doing?" Shane shook Daryl awake. Daryl woke up and glanced at Shane, "My watch?" Shane shook his head, "No. You were dreaming. I wanted to say I'm sorry for what happened today." Daryl nodded, "It's not your fault." The kid let some tears fall silently. Shane pulled the kid over to him and let him lean on him. Daryl slowly started talking again, "Merle wasn't there all the time but he was when I needed him sometimes. He'd stop dad. He really cared. He hated what my dad did but thought that he would stop eventually. When I lived with Merle he never touched me. He'd stop the mean kids at school from making fun of me. He was actually someone who cared. He could be mean sometimes but I've always loved him. When people started turning into walkers, we headed out together. We were on a hunting trip when a group of people came across our camp. We fled the camp because they were threatening us and we got separated in the chase. I found my way back to our camp and it had been picked clean. I spent a few days there waiting for Merle but he never came back. I thought he had gotten killed or captured by those other guys. So I started out on my own. Then on my one hunting trip I came to close to a bear and got attacked. You know what happened after that." Shane listened to the kid's story and how he choked up when he talked about the good things Merle had done. He just held the kid close to him and let him cry. He stayed longer on watch then he should've but Daryl needed the time. He woke Glenn for his watch and went back to Daryl who then proceeded to fall asleep on him again. Shane just sat their leaned against the tree eventually falling asleep as well with Daryl holding his sleeve like a lifeline.
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