Mac lost sight of Daryl in the fuckin' mess they had come up on. He could hear the sounds of guns going off around him as his eyes searched out his brothers. He caught glimpses of Daryl but for the most part he could feel Daryl was fine. Madder than fuck but his brother was alright for now. Merle though, there was now sight of him. Should have fuckin' known Merle wouldn't have shown back up here with his has strung out and hurt.

Mac threw himself into the fight grabbing up his spare knife as he fought through the crowd. Slamming his knife home he heard a small yelp off to the right and seen Sophia backing away from a walker. Mac shifted gears fighting towards her just as her father came out of the tent. The man seen the walker and backed up not bothering to try to help his daughter who tripped.

Mac was almost there when he seen Sophia stand up and the walker get near to Ed. Ed panicked his eyes showing him wild with fear as he shoved Sophia to the front brandishing her as if she was a goddamned shield. Snarling Mac planted his boot in the stomach of a walker as he pulled his knife free. He heard Daryl call out for him but his mind was racing seeing Sophia's fight. What kind of man didn't protect his own fuckin' flesh and blood? What kind of goddamn father was he? Mac snarled and renewed his efforts working towards the little girl.

Pulling his Colt out he dropped the walker his path now clear to Ed. He heard the sounds of the fight dying around them but he was focused on this motherfucker. Sophia met his eyes and he seen tears streaming down her small face and the relief that flooded her tiny features at the sight of him. He looked to Ed seeing the man lifting his eyes from the walker Mac had shot. Locking eyes with him Ed sneered and Mac's grip tightened on the knife.

"Sophia where's ya mom?" Mac called standing just in front of her.

Her hiccupped breaths met his ears, "I don't...don't know."

Mac looked down at her briefly, "You see my brother?"

"Ya."

"Go to him and tell him to take you to your mom. Don't stray away from him unless it's for you mom." Mac commanded.

Ed grabbed he shoulder in a crushing grip and Mac smiled at him, "You don't tell my daughter what to do Dixon."

Mac stepped around Sophia shoulder checking Ed and breaking his hold on the girl. He heard her take off just like he had said and Mac slammed the but of his gun into Ed's mouth dropping him to the ground. Mac grabbed him dragging him inside his tent where no one would immediately see him.

Ed struggled against him but Mac pinned him in place. "You fuckin' crazy Dixon!"

Mac leaned over him, "Yeah I really fuckin' am."

Ed's fist swung out catching him in the shoulder as he shoved his pistol in his waist band. "They wont let you get away with shit Dixon, I'll tell them. They all know you start shit. You and that piece of shit brother of yours."

"What makes you madder Ed. Knowing I'm getting ready to beat you to death or that woman would rather get fucked by my brother than talk to you. Your own daughter seeks him out or did you not see that." Mac laughed.

Daryl looked up at the sound of small panted breaths and rushed movements. Sophia was racing towards him her little eyes locked on him causing him to search out what had her racing towards him. Why the fuck was she alone, where the fuck was Carol? She slammed into him having tried to stop and stumbling. Steadying the young girl and feeling her little body heaving with emotion Daryl's eyes kept searching for the cause of her distress.

Daryl kneeled suddenly his eyes searching her over bites or scratches. Her hair was tangled and her little face was flushed as she tried to get her breath to speak. "My mama, where is she?"

Daryl's eyes lifted searching quickly for the woman. His eyes found her with Lori wrapped around her trying to keep her from moving off. He could see the distress in her from here and whistled loudly. Most of the camps eyes went to him but relaxed when they seen no danger. Carol ripped away from Lori and started towards them at a dead run.

Daryl looked down at Sophia when he felt her touch his arm, "Mac told me to find you."

Daryl's eyes shot fast around the camp not seeing his brother, he felt panic bubbling through him, "Where were you when he said that? Was he bit?"

She shook her head and pulled the shoulder of her shirt over exposing a bruising grip on her shoulder just Carol got to them. "Ed had me but he wasn't trying to help." Her tears spilled over and she tightened her grip on his arm,"He kept me out there for the walker. Mac saved me."

Daryl let out a breath but his eyes kept searching for his brother, "Where were you?"

"I was at my tent." Her small pained voice broke him.

Daryl stood quickly as Carol pulled her daughter into her arms. Both were upset and he took off through camp searching out his brother once he realized Ed was nowhere to be seen either. Getting to the tent he could hear distinct sounds that made him rip the tent flap back. Mac's back was to him but what he could see of him wasn't pretty.

Daryl gripped his arm stopping him and Mac spun suddenly his eyes wild. Daryl pulled the knife free of his hand and looked down to the mess of Ed. Fuck.

"What the fuck are you doing Mac?" Daryl growled, "You can't fuckin' do shit like this!"

"He used her a goddamn shield to a walker..." Mac's voice was darker, "He held her out as a goddamn offering! If I hadn't been here that woman would be burying her daughter!"

Daryl looked down to the man and his mind raced at the thought of the man doing that. He released Mac's arm. "If they see you did this...goddamn."

"Fuck those nutless bastards." His chest heaved. "They should have done something about him long before now!" Mac snapped.

Daryl nodded licking his lips as Mac turned leaning over the body quick as Daryl sunk the knife into his brain. Mac gripped the tent and shredded the thin material and shot Daryl a look before smiling. Daryl shook his head as he pulled mac from the tent. He felt eyes on them but knew who it was before ever looking.

Lifting his eyes he blocked Carol's view of a blood soaked Mac and she searched his face. Anger was there but not what he thought, Sophia was tucked into her side, "Is he in there?"

Mac turned his head his body turned from her keeping most of the blood away from her eyes, "Yes."

She looked at Daryl and then him her eyes running over the blood on the pair of them. Sophia moved past her mother slipping between the pair of them her small hands grabbed one of each other their larger ones her hand slipping through the blood. Both brother's attention was commanded by the small girl as she tugged on their hands.

Her wide eyes were serious and aged beyond her small years. Daryl swallowed tearing his eyes away from her as she focused on his brother. He pulled his hand free stepping away from the contact. Carol moved next to him.

"Did he tell you what Ed done?" her voice was soft and chewed his lip wanting to smoke bad. Nodding his head with a grunt she looked at him, "Whatever he done in there to that man wasn't enough."

Daryl's eyes flashed to hers and she kept her eyes on his, "You don't mean shit like that."

She turned her body, "This aint the first time he's tried to hurt my baby." Carol shook her head, "No he deserved whatever your brother gave him."

Mac moved over to Daryl his eyes demanding his attention. Daryl could feel his anxiety, it wasn't just Andrea getting to him. It was too much like their childhood and old demons were haunting them both. Will Dixons cold breath causing Mac to lash out and Ed received the full force of it."Come on. We need to get cleaned up and let officer friendly know our plan."

Daryl nodded his eyes going briefly to Carol and Sophia before following his brother. Mac walk slowed down as they neared their tent, "I aint walking in there."

Daryl stepped inside grabbing what Mac needed and slung their packs down. Stepping back out Mac was looking out into the trees "Merle didn't come back here."

"Seen that."

"He's out there brother but you know how he is."

Daryl shifted and they started on their way back down the path towards the water. Mac was unbuttoning his shirt as they passed the fire and he tossed the ruined material into it. Andrea's eyes raised to them as Mac moved ahead of them out of the fire light and away from questioning eyes. Daryl ignored her look and took off after his brother. He seen Carol safely within the fire light as he passed and she gave him a sad smile.

Meeting Mac by the water Daryl dropped their shit, "If he was fucked up then I'd say his ass doesn't know forward from backward."

"You know his ass was fucked up." Mac huffed. "Always fucked up."

Daryl nodded kicking his boots free, "So then what the fuck is the plan?"

Both brothers walked into the water it lapping against their over heated skin cleaning away the days pain. Mac shot him a look as he scrubbed away the filth on him before mirroring his actions. Both working silently their minds racing with details of the day and night.

"If he's fucked up like we know he is it's they'll be no rhyme or reason to his fuckin' movements." Mac sneered, "Goddamn shit."

Daryl shook the water from his head before looking at his brother, "Like there fuckin' was with him sober."

Mac was the only person who had seen his scars and he was thankful his brother didn't bring them up. Mac knew about what happened to him, knew the damage done but he never made him feel like shit about it. Merle never seen them and he was fuckin' glad of it, his brother liked to snort and drink his demons and everyone elses. He could be comfortable around Mac without feeling exposed with his twin like he was picking him apart.

Both of them snorted out laughs as they left the water. Mac set down on the rock, "Aint pulling pants back on while I'm wet. Just got over the goddamn shit from the other day with pants."

Daryl snorted jerking his clean boxers on as his brother set naked as the day he was born. Not bothered in the slightest. Daryl's eyes flitted to the path hearing soft foot steps and he jerked his pants up his legs not bothering with buckling them while he grabbed for his shirt. Pulling it on, "Someones coming."

Mac looked at him, "I know. Can't you tell who it is by the steps?"

Daryl shook his head at his brother, "Put some goddamn pants on so I can set up there without ya goddamn dick out."

Mac laughed, "You act like we aint twins."

"Twins or not I don't wanna be setting around while your dick is hanging out."

Mac's bullshit back and forth with him that he knew was just going to keep building was their way of blowing off steam. Something that they had done since day one. Something that kept them both sane more often that not.

Mac pulled his pants up and over his hips as Daryl jumped up on the rock. "You realize someone is gonna say something about the mess up there."

Mac nodded, "Always saying something brother. But I'd kill him again if I had the chance."

Andrea appeared in front of them her look unsure, "I want to thank you Daryl."

Daryl tilted his head having expected her to be down here for Mac. "What the fuck for?"

"Amy told me what happened."

Daryl shrugged but said no more.

"Don't do that...don't act like saving her life was nothing." Andrea snapped, "She said you put yourself between her and the walkers that had her cornered and killed them and kept her with you."

Daryl chewed his lip feeling both their eyes on him, "I aint meant it like that. Just sayin' you aint gotta thank for me."

Mac laid back on the rock his form stretched out while Daryl pulled his legs up letting his arms balance on his knees. Andrea settled with her back against the rock. The three of them watching the water in the silence. Daryl turned trying to slip off the rock not wanting to be down here, he didn't know Andrea that well and felt uncomfortable. Mac gripped his arm tightly keeping him in place.

Daryl turned his head and mirror eyes of his own met him. Mac pulled again and Daryl shifted back on the rock.

"I heard y'all talking on the way back. You're breaking away from the group." Andrea spoke softly.

"Gotta find our brother."

Andrea nodded her head looking over her shoulder, "Their up there talking about where our next move is. It might be the direction you two are going...safety in numbers."

Her eyes were on Mac as he raised up on his elbows. This is why the fuck he wanted out of here the tension between these two was enough to smother someone. It was worse feeling it from Mac, they'd always been able to read each other and feel the others moods just about. Made shit weird.

Andrea turned suddenly, "I'm going to go back and check on Amy. Thanks again Daryl."

Daryl watched the moon play over the water as Mac eyes followed her all the way back to camp. "For you not to be interested you sure eye fuck the shit out of her."

"Waters sweet brother but blood is thicker." Mac's voice was right by his ear. Daryl shook his head at his brother. "Besides don't give me that shit I seen the way silver fox looks at you and you look at her."

Daryl scoffed, "She's a goddamned married woman with a kid Mac. What the fuck you on about?"

"Was married, she has a recently departed husband." Mac growled.

Daryl slid off the rock not speaking. He wasn't gonna think about the shit Mac was pushing. He wasn't ever good with women and no woman like Carol would be interested in him. Hell that shit was beat and marked into his skin over the course of his life that no woman worth a fuck would want him. Their goddamn dad made sure of it. Besides the woman just lost her husband what the fuck would she looking at him for. Mac shadowed him he could feel his brothers annoyance with him causing him to smirk.

"Quit that shit Daryl the past is dead." Mac spoke low as he passed him. "I'd love the opportunity to kill that bastard again. I hope Will is burnin' in hell fire now."