THETRUEFATHER

Merle sighed as he tossed his tools down in the tool box. Another short work day, but it was better then nothing.

"got somethin' on ya mind?"

Merle looked up as Lewis came over. The older man hadn't always been the nicest to Merle considering who his father was, but the two had smoothed things over and now had a friendly work relationship. Merle learned a lot from Lewis, and in turn Lewis always knew he could count on Merle.

Merle sighed again as he leaned against the work bench. "just some shit goin' on."

Lewis leaned next to Merle. "Travis givin' ya shit again?"

Merle snorted. "ain't he always?"

Lewis sighed as he nodded. "same shit, different day?"

Merle shook his head. "naw, this ain't about Travis. Just some other shit has come up, got me all messed up I guess."

Lewis raised an eye brow. "like what?"

Merle bit his lip, before looking up at Lewis. "what do ya know about Buck Dixon?"

Lewis looked a bit startled, giving Merle a worried look. "you runnin' with his crowd? I know the money here ain't good Merle but ya ain't gonna go ta jail for it."

Merle chuckled as he shook his head. "naw ain't that. i'm...connected with him I guess you'd say, old family friend. Just tryin' ta get a bead on the man."

Lewis shrugged. "all I know is heresy, and what I read in the papers. Buck was born here in Winthrop, parents died while he was a teenager. Turned to bank and museum robbing at some point. Got up there on the FBI's top most wanted. Hershel Greene, he lives a few miles out of town, he's the guy that hunted Buck down, got lucky one night when one of Buck's bitches got a DUI and gave info on Buck. Turns out Buck was the brain behind the whole operation. Buck's some super smart criminal from what I've heard."

Merle considered that before nodded. "do ya think he's dangerous?"

Lewis sucked on his teeth before shrugging and giving a nod. "I'd say so. Not saying he'll outright attack you, but if you cross him, Buck's got the training and the bulk to do more then enough damage. When they finally got him, the FBI, they tried going after all kinds of charges against Buck. When all was said and done, only one charge stuck, conspiracy to commit robbery. But I know they tried going after murder and assault charges, but they didn't have the evidence."

Merle groaned as he shook his head. "fuck...so if I piss him off it'll end badly."

Lewis shrugged. "i wouldn't say that, from what I read in the papers at the time, Buck ain't never hurt an innocent person. What's your connection with Buck?"

Merle looked up at Lewis, biting his lip before speaking. "none of this get's ta Travis ya hear?"

Lewis snorted. "Merle ya father is a piece of shit drunk, I hate the fucker. You are alright, Daryl too. But Travis Anderson, naw, I wouldn't go out of my way ta talk to him."

Merle chuckled. "meh, me too."

Lewis nudged Merle. "ya can tell me Merle, I won't say shit."

Merle smirked before eying Lewis. "Turns out Buck Dixon and my mom were this big love story, ended badly when she thought he died while he was in the military. Mom married Travis, then when I was 7 Buck came for a visit. He got arrested a few days later, but he had left his mark. Buck Dixon is Daryl's biological father."

Lewis was silent for a moment before looking back at Merle. "what's his opinion of you?"

Merle sighed. "that's the shitty thing. He wants me as his kid too."

Lewis pondered that before smirking. "damn boy."

Merle chuckled. "i know. Pretty much my reaction too."

Lewis shrugged. "ya want my honest opinion?"

Merle nodded. "i trust ya. Hell you're the only person I can talk to about this."

Lewis patted Merle on the back. "Travis is a piece of shit. I know he's been beatin' on you and Daryl for years. Buck been in jail, he's a felon and a highly skilled criminal."

Lewis stood up and looked Merle in the eye. "but Buck Dixon may be a much better father then Travis Anderson ever was."

Merle was silent before he sighed. "Daryl's livin' with him now. I'm supposed ta see them today in the woods."

Lewis shrugged. "my advice? Go in wary. Buck could be a big threat, on the other hand, he may be the best thing ta ever happen to ya Merle."

THETRUEFATHER

Merle walked thru the forest, not really hunting, more thinking. And despite his best efforts, his heart and mind kept turning to anger.

He couldn't believe Daryl had left with Buck. Merle knew Travis was out of control, but Daryl left without him...

Merle spat angrily on the ground, grinding his teeth as he thought of Daryl. All Merle wanted for the kid was a good life, and Merle worked hard to try to provide that life for his little brother. And now Daryl ducked out at the first sign of love from somewhere else.

Merle froze when he heard laughter float over the wind. Merle strode quietly to the river, his eyes narrowing at the sight before him.

Daryl was laughing his ass off at some story Buck was telling as they worked to gut and prep a pair of rabbits. Buck was gesturing with his knife, bringing another round of laughter out of Daryl. Merle spat again, Buck immediately looking up at the new sound. Merle sneered as Daryl quickly looked up as well. Buck stood up as he spoke quietly to Daryl, who nodded and stood.

Merle scoffed as Daryl and Buck approached.

"find ya own huntin' grounds!"

Daryl growled as he stalked up to Merle, moving slowly due to his ribs.

"Stop bein' such a dick. For fuck's sake Merle all Buck wants to do is help!"

Merle spat on the ground before he spoke. "all Buck Dixon wants to do is tear up this fuckin' family."

Daryl threw his hands in the air. "We are a family! With Buck! When have we ever had a family with Travis? He beats the shit out of us damn near everyday, what kind of father is that?"

Merle hissed as he shoved Daryl. "Buck ain't my fuckin' father. He ain't never been around and now just like that you run off with him?!"

Buck grabbed Daryl, pulling him back before Daryl could shove back. Getting in between the brothers, Buck looked back and forth between them.

"Cut this shit out, both of ya! Daryl, Merle will come in his own time, he needs the space ta think it out, just like you did."

Daryl fumed for a few more seconds before nodding and stepping back. Buck turned back to Merle.

"your brother made his choice, don't badger him for choosin' a father that loves him over the asshole that has been beatin' him and his brother for years."

Merle shook his head as he stepped back. "you're a fuckin' criminal, and not like me. You were wanted by the fuckin' FBI. Top most wanted in robbery, and they barely fuckin' got ya!"

Merle looked at Daryl. "it was a one of his bitches, he got a DUI, without that the FBI never would have gotten him! Buck was wanted all over the country. He's a fuckin' bank robber Daryl! You'd rather be with that?"

Buck shook his head as he looked at Merle. "i may be a criminal, but I am no where near the criminal Travis Anderson is. I will never be, because you know what? Because I will never lay a finger on my fuckin' sons!"

Merle was silent as he looked at Buck as his voice echoed around the clearing. Buck breathed heavily for a moment before he pointed at Daryl.

"The fact that he is my son by blood is irrelevant. I would have come anyways. Travis should not be your father, either of you. Hope and I, what we had, it was fuckin' powerful. I went to the ends of the earth, quite literally, for your mother. Yes she made a mistake marryin' Travis but I don't care. I love Hope. I always have and I always will, even though she's gone."

Buck stepped in front of Merle.

"i have loved you longer then you know. From the moment I saw you when you opened the door, that day when you were 7, I cared about you. I spent 4 days focused on gettin' to know you because I wanted you as my son then. After I was arrested, I lost you just as much as I lost Hope. It killed me, because I had a taste of it, of our family, and it got torn away. I had a taste of raisin' you, lovin' you and your mother. And I lost it all. You were my guilt Merle, you're the reason I ain't out doin' what I do. I lost you, and it fuckin' killed me. I ain't losin' ya again, I'm not goin' anywhere. I love you Merle."

Merle was silent, before shaking his head. Daryl watched as Merle reached his breaking point. The next step was typically violence. Daryl walked up.

"Merle, he means this shit. I trust him, mom trusted him. Buck has never screwed us over, we can trust him."

Merle shook his head. "he screwed me over when I was 7, and he's doin' it now. Leave me the fuck alone."

Merle turned and walked off, but Daryl ran after him.

"hey take these."

Daryl held out the two rabbits, offering them to Merle.

"ya won't catch anythin' on the way home. Just go home and eat, its better then starvin' like I did."

Merle eyed the rabbits. "you brought home that big doe, what the fuck was that then?"

Daryl shook his head. "that was the night after I met Buck. He had told me he would be waitin' and he was. He found the tracks, I tracked the deer down, he shot the deer with the bow, then helped me field dress it, then gave me the whole thing. Buck has made all the kills for the last 2 weeks. I track, he shoots. It works well."

Buck stepped up closer to the brothers.

"take the rabbits Merle. If ya won't come home with me and let me feed ya, then take these as least. You need them."

Merle glared at Buck.

"You don't get ta fuckin' tell me what I need! I'm not your son and even if I fuckin' was, I wouldn't want to be!"

Merle stalked in front of Daryl. "have a good fuckin' life you bastard. Write me when you're in fuckin' jail because that's where he's leadin' ya too. You were the good one Daryl, and now you're mixed up with this shit! fuck you, after everythin' I did for ya! Burn in hell Daryl."

Merle tossed the rabbits back to Buck as he walked away.

"i don't need your shit. I don't need your love. I don't need you. Fuck off and die both of ya. I'll see ya in hell."

THETRUEFATHER

Daryl rubbed at his hair with a towel as he stepped out of the shower, steam billowing around him. Having a good hot water heater was something Daryl was finding very quickly he could learn to live with.

Daryl threw on his clothes and headed down stairs, strange scents filling the halls. Daryl walked into the kitchen and stood next to Buck as he tossed something in a pot.

"What the hell ya makin'? Ain't smelled nothin' like it before."

Buck chuckled. "Don't suppose you've had Egyptian food before."

Daryl blinked. "Egyptian?"

Buck nodded. "found out I love eastern food in the military. Lots of spices, very different then you've probably had."

Daryl shrugged. "smells good though."

Buck smirked as he handed Daryl a plate. "eat up then."

Daryl dug into his food and Buck and him ate in silence before Daryl spoke up.

"Merle would fuckin' love this."

Buck nodded. "i'll make it again. He'll get some then."

Daryl leaned back in his chair, rubbing his face as he sighed. "its gonna be like pullin' teeth with that fucker."

Buck chuckled. "he's you're mother's son. Hope may have been the sweetest blue bird I've ever met, but she was also as stubborn as a mangy old mule."

Daryl snickered as he shrugged. "don't seem to me like she was stubborn when it came ta you."

Buck smirked. "took me nearly a year ta get her ta go out with me."

Daryl snorted. "no way."

Buck nodded. "met Hope my first day of high school, same as her. That entire first year I chased ya mother, like some love sick puppy. Finally, the last day of school comes around, and we all go to the swimmin' hole for a last party before some of us took off for the summer. That was the first time ya mom kissed me."

Daryl chewed his lip before looking up at Buck. "one day, when he was 17, Merle started feelin' real shitty. Pukin', stomach hurtin' him somethin' awful. But he wouldn't go to the emergency room, said he'd be fine. The real reason was that Travis had just lost his job, we had no money for food let alone medical bills. But Merle kept gettin' worse and worse."

Buck leaned back, frowning. "what did you do?"

Daryl smirked lightly. "pulled the one card that always works on Merle. The baby brother card. I made myself throw up a few times, started sayin' my stomach was hurtin', faked a few tears. Next thing I know, Merle's tossin' me in the truck and tellin' Travis off for tryin' ta stop him. Soon as we got to the ER, I booked it inside, Merle couldn't really chase me cause he was feelin' like shit. Ran up and told the nurse how he was feelin', and by the time Merle got inside, the nurse was already takin' him ta the back. "

Buck snickered. "how'd Merle take ya little act?"

Daryl snorted. "if he hadn't been on an IV he probably would have spanked my ass red. Madder then a wet cat the whole night, wouldn't talk ta me, but then when they took him in ta get his appendix out, Merle let me give him a hug and he told me he'd be fine, that he loved me, and when they let him out, he was after my ass."

Buck chuckled. "ya two are somethin' else. Fuck half the time i'm worried ya two is gettin' into trouble together, cause god knows ya both fight beside another. The rest of the time I'm worried ya two are killin' each other!"

Daryl chuckled. "kinda how it is with me and Merle. Sometimes we want ta kill each other, but we'll always fight for the other."

THETRUEFATHER

Merle threw open the door, stomping in and tossing the rifle to the side before headed back to his bedroom and slamming the door. He growled as he grabbed his heroin and supplies. As he sat out everything he would need to shoot up, Travis threw open Merle's bedroom door, glaring at Merle.

"where the fuck is dinner?!"

Merle snorted as he picked up his supplies.

"ain't nothin' out there."

Travis growled. "no fuckin' son of mine comes home with no meat, you ain't no better then ya piece of shit brother."

Merle chuckled dryly. "ain't that the fuckin' truth."

Travis glared before he stomped over, smacking Merle hard across his face.

"where the fuck is that little shit?!"

Merle gritted his teeth as the taste of blood hit his tongue. Merle shook his head before looking up at Travis.

"he's gone, ain't comin' back."

Travis went silent before he grabbed Merle by the throat and slammed him against the wall. Merle glared at Travis even as he struggled to breath. Travis slapped Merle again, before growling in his face.

"where the fuck did he go?"

Merle shook his head, gasping as he spoke. "Daryl ain't comin' back. Ya won't find him."

Travis slammed Merle against the wall before dropping him to the floor. Merle took one big breath, before Travis dropped onto his knee on Merle's chest, knocking the wind out of him. Merle tried to shove Travis off, but Travis punched Merle across his cheek, dazing him before Travis pressed a hand against Merle's throat.

"where the fuck is my son!?"

Merle gasped for air before Travis backed off a bit, letting him take a few breathes before Merle started chuckling. Travis glared before he slapped Merle again.

"what the hell is so funny?!"

Merle snorted as he looked up at Travis.

"Daryl ain't never comin' back. Ya won't get it out of me."

Travis went still, before leaning over Merle, getting right in his face before speaking in almost a whisper.

"what the fuck did you just say?"

Merle knew that voice, that meant pain was coming. Travis was only quiet when he was truly angry. But Merle didn't care.

Merle smirked as he nodded.

"i know where Daryl is, but I ain't tellin' ya. Anywhere is better then here with you, ya abusive asshole."

Travis raised an eyebrow. "we'll see about that."

Merle saw the hit coming, but before he could move, Travis powered his fist into Merle's face, knocking him unconscious.