"No luck?" Connors voice brought him out of his day dream.

"You see my brother?" Merle answered irritably.

He wanted to hate Connor, but the guy was alright.

"Ay, stupid question, that was." Connor agreed readily, lighting a cigarette as he settled down on the wall next to Merle.

"What ya doin' up here, ain't you suppose to be sleepin'? The town is your responsibility not the perimeter." Merle huffed at the smiling light haired man.

"Ay, Martinez is sick as fuck, been puking up his guts since yesterday. I offered to take his place for a few days." Merle nodded at the news, Martinez was alright too, not friends, neither of them, Merle didn't make friends, he could get along, though. He worked with whoever he needed to but none of these people were his friends and he wasn't loyal to any of them, but Connor and Martinez were easier than most to be around.

"So no brother, any clues?"

"Not a Goddamn thing." Merle growled.

"Sorry man." Connor took a deep drag of his cigarette.

"He's out there." He growled in response.

"I would know if he wasn't." a part of him thought he was trying to convince himself more than the Irish man next to him. He did believe he would know if Daryl had died but he was a realist, life was a bitch and his brother could very well be dead.

"I believe you." Connor surprised him by answering. "I would know if Murph was dead. I'd know it the second it happened."

Merle jerked his head to look at the blonde twin, immediately jumping to the conclusion that he was being make fun of, but Connor was looking out at the ruined street in front of them, a sad pensive look in his eyes. Merle realized that his fellow guard believed whole heartedly in what he just said.

"Emily is a bit strange isn't she?" Merle blinked at the abrupt change of subject.

"What do ya mean strange? She ain't strange, she's just barely holdin' on to sanity. She's crazy."

"That why you left her?" The other man still wasn't looking at him and Merle was grateful for that. "She's the one that left, with yer pretty little brother…..and you."

Connor finally looked at him, "You gave her to us, she'd have stayed if you had shown her even the smallest bit of kindness." his eyes were harder now, the blue turning into little chips of azure ice.

"Ya think I gotta answer to you?" Merle snorted. "It worked out for your brother didn't it." the last part came out more as a growl.

"You don't care then?"

"Don't give a fuck."

"Ay, that must be why you snuck into her room when she was sick, why you can't keep your eyes off her." blonde eyebrows raised up as Connor glared at Merle. "You made a mess."

"What the fuck does that mean?" Merle glared right back at Connor.

"Means you pushed that girl farther into insanity and what will happen if she breaks."

"Ain't that why she's got pretty boy? "Blessed are the weak." right? You Catholic boys should love takin' care of that girl." his lip curled up in a snarl.

"Did you leave her cause she's crazy." Connor asked again.

"Don't give a fuck that she's nuts." he answered without meaning too, he wasn't trying to get into a conversation about his reasons for letting her go.

"Good." was Connors only answer.

The rest of the watch was spent in silence.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXDDDDDDDDDDDXXXXXXXXX

Beth got up and walked away from the picnic table almost the second Daryl sat down next to her. She wasn't trying to be mean or to punish him, she just needed to keep her distance.

"Beth." she heard him shout after her.

She walked a little faster turning the corner, hoping nobody would notice how she ignored him. Daryl, Rick's right hand man, the groups rising golden boy. His popularity making her bitter.

"Hey Beth!" His breathless voice was nearly right behind her. With a huff she turned around and waited for him.

"Yes," she answered impatiently. She did not want to deal with him today.

"You didn't hear me callin'." He looked at her through his long bangs, that hurt puppy look that had her heart melting when she first saw him. She fought the urge to roll her eyes, it wouldn't work this time and neither would his nervous chewing of his bottom lip.

"No. I didn't." she crossed her arms and looked at him expectantly.

"I'm going out again." he answered, his voice was colder, harder now, he tilted his body away from her.

Beth took a deep breath, "Ok."

Daryl's eyes narrowed at her tone. "I need a list, for you and Judith."

"I'll get it to you at dinner." she turned to leave.

"Like that now." he growled.

Beth couldn't help but smile. "What do you expect? Was I suppose to fall in line and worship Daryl Dixon like everyone else?" Ok, now she WAS being mean and punishing him.

"Ain't nobody worshipin' me." he shook his head and scrunched up his eyebrows.

"Sure, I guess everyone tripping over themselves to thank you for the latest hunt is just something that always happened. Rick asking you for your opinion on everything. Oh wise Daryl."

"You ain't happy to get some meat here? Saw you eatin' it just fine, you ain't that skinny little waif I found a few months ago! We ain't starvin' this winter!" he was yelling by the end of his rant.

"I'm so happy to have meat." she spat back angrily. "Just not your meat anymore." her eyes widened at her crass insult.

"Tell then." he stepped into her space and immediately, she felt her body heat up. "Tell them what we done, go on." he gestured angrily. "Tell them."

"Now." she hissed. "Now you don't care if they know. What a joke." she laughed.

"I though we were doin' better, Beth, you ain't interested. I got it." He rubbed his hands roughly over his face. "If you need me to pay, if you need to tell them to feel better then do it."

"No." she shook her head, "making you the black sheep isn't going to change anything." It hurt to see everyone love someone who had betrayed her so badly but nothing would ever change what happened between them. "They are right, this group needs you."

"I wish I had realized that at yer farm. Things woulda been different if I had. Ya know that right?"

Beth shook her head "No, I don't." she took another deep breath. "I'll get you those lists."

"Hey, be careful round the new guys OK. We let them stay but watch out."

"You don't need to worry about me."

"I do, Beth. You don't care but I do." he turned and left before she could answer.

"I still care." she whispered. "Too much, I can't." she closed her eyes.

After a moment she squared her shoulders and walked into the prison.