Carl was the fourth to 'wake up'. Glenn was the third. Neither of them realized it was more than a dream they just kept going through until the day Glenn noticed Carl was different.

Merle got left on the roof as he always did. Glenn enjoyed the car ride back after being badass enough to suggest pulling the geeks away from the tank and the gun bag and having someone – Andrea because she was fast – run in a grab them before getting out on the truck. Glenn had the sirens blasting and was making so much noise there was no way the walkers could resist the bait. The one and only time he'd actually enjoyed that job because it came with a cool ass car.

When he got back with Rick, Rick ran to Carl and Lori like he always did. Carl hugged him, Lori hugged him. But then Carl had Rick's gun and was holding it like he knew what he was doing. The whole camp froze. Even Glenn froze. That wasn't the Carl of back then. It was the Carl he knew after nearly two years of surviving. A Carl that could hold a gun and use a knife.

Carl backed up until there was no one behind him and everyone in front of him. And then the turned to point the gun at Glenn. Glenn felt like he'd been punched in the gut at the threat. What kind of messed up head did he have that he'd dream this?

But it wasn't just Carl threatening his life, it was Carl giving orders. Carl telling him to get Dale's bolt cutters. Carl firing a warning shot at Shane's feet to let everyone know he was serious. Carl telling them they were going back for-

"Merle?" Glenn stopped halfway back to the truck with the bolt cutters held loosely in his hands. Carl waiting for him where no one else could sneak up on him. This wasn't how the day went. T-Dog didn't tell them about Merle being alive until after night had fallen. They were all supposed to think Merle was walker food now.

"Yeah. We're getting him back. You and me," Carl said, voice steady. Only loud enough for Glenn to hear while he kept his gaze on his dad and mom and Shane. "And he's going to help us get the gun bag Dad dropped."

Glenn stared for a long moment before nodding slowly and moving again. He was more surprised his subconscious wanted to save Merle via Carl than he was that Carl knew about the dropped gun bag. Something passed between them at that moment, though. Because Carl didn't move to stay ahead of him, he shifted to the side so Glenn could pass. And Glenn, when he turned to look back at Rick (Rick who was begging him with his eyes to grab Carl and get that gun out of his hand), he didn't bother to try.

He turned his back on Rick and climbed in the truck. He turned it around while Carl held the camp hostage. He got it in position and honked his horn and Carl calmly, so calmly, put the gun in the back of his pants as he turned and climbed in the back. He was pulling down the door as Glenn floored it and practically the entire camp rushed forward, trying to get to them before they were too far to easily follow.

"They're going to take the other cars," Glenn said, already trying to figure out how to lose them. "If you were taller you could drive this as a decoy while I got into the city."

Carl moved across the back of the van and slid into the passenger seat, pulling on his seatbelt. He leaned out to the side and watched the mirror. "Yeah. But I couldn't justify giving all the other cars a flat. We're going to need them."

Glenn nodded. He'd been thinking much the same thing. The two had worked together as team long enough they could probably have done this without talking once they were on the same page. But Glenn was weirded out enough by his own dream that, even though he was obviously going with Carl's plan, he needed to talk it out.

"Why are we going back for him?" He finally asked as Shane's jeep came into view in the driver's side mirror.

Carl frowned, having seen it too, and pointed to one of the turn offs ahead, "Could we lose them there?"

"No. The shortest way to the park entrance is the one we're taking."

"Damn."

"Yeah. If we want to lose them, we'll have to do it closer to the city."

"Or we could make them help us once we're out there."

Glenn didn't answer right away, just nodded. By the time they got down there, it would either be them heading back, or them getting Merle and spending the night in the city. Six of one, half dozen of the other, risk wise.

"Okay, so we lead them in and make them help us," he decided as he slowed down for a tricky turn. "That still doesn't answer why we're going back for Merle right now."

Carl looked down at his lap, then at the mirror. With a sigh, he said, "I don't know if you'll understand, but Daryl needs him. And even if this isn't real, I don't want to wake up knowing I chose to leave his brother behind. We don't leave our people behind."

Glenn's mouth went dry at that. His dream was getting really meta on his ass and he wasn't sure he liked it. Wasn't sure what it meant. He certainly didn't have any guilt about Merle being left behind. After what the asshole did to him at Woodbury, what he allowed to almost happen to Maggie... Glenn couldn't forgive him. Glenn hated him. But Glenn didn't hate Daryl. It was for Daryl that he'd tolerated Merle staying at the prison.

And it was for Daryl that Merle had gone off and gotten himself killed trying to take out the Governor's men.

Okay, so maybe he could feel guilty about leaving the man handcuffed to the roof over and over again. Merle had the potential to do good. When it came to his brother, at least.

"Okay," he said as they finally pulled out of the camp and onto the highway. The road was open to them now. To them and Shane and Rick and whoever else might have thrown themselves into that jeep. "Okay. We get in where I usually do and we head into the city. We stay far enough ahead that they have to stay quiet and follow if they want any chance at us. You have to go where I say and move when I say, though. I can keep us ahead of them, but only if you do exactly what I say."

Carl grinned at him and nodded, "I can do that."

They fell asleep on the roof, Merle alive and with both hands. But they didn't wake up on the roof. They woke up back in their tents. Just like they always did.

The only difference was that this time they sought each other out with silent, questioning eyes. They shared a bitter smile that only they could understand before the camp broke into a flurry of movement and noise. They'd try again today. Maybe a different plan would work.