A/N: Thank you to x NikiSt x for the review and to APeaceOfPie4Everybody011 for the suggestion.

Chapter Twenty

Marianne silently closed the bedroom door and rushed to arm herself. She already had one knife on her but the rest were on the nightstand along with her Ruger. She left her bow on top of the dresser since the gun would be more intimidating.

Whoever it was, they were taking their sweet time getting to the second floor. The bedroom Marianne was in was the nearest room to the stairs and it would probably be the first one checked.

The wait gave her time to form a plan. She didn't hear any talking so maybe there was only one person and maybe this person was alone like she was. That was the best case scenario. The worst was this person had a group waiting outside. Either way she had the element of surprise and fast reflexes.

The person was nearly silent but a creak on the stairs gave them away. When they reached the hallway their footsteps were muffled by the carpet. Marianne closed her eyes for a few seconds to steel herself and opened them in time to see the door knob turning.

The door inched open.

"Stop right there," she said when the door was almost open enough for the person to see her. Her voice sounded rough because she hadn't spoken aloud in days.

"Marianne?" Time slowed. She knew that voice. It couldn't be possible. It couldn't be this easy after she had looked so hard. A man stepped into view, completely ignoring her order and opened the door all the way.

The man lowered his gun first and she followed. They took a few uncertain steps towards each other and then Marianne rushed to him but instead of greeting him warmly she punched Rick as hard as she could.

He stumbled back into the door, making it slam against the wall with a loud bang. Rick didn't have enough time to recover before Marianne punched him again. Then she lunged at him but he side stepped and went behind her. She turned around to face him again.

"Marianne, it's me." He looked at her as if she had gone completely insane.

Marianne went in for another hit but Rick blocked it so she kicked his feet out from under him and he crashed to the floor. She was on top of him in a flash getting in another punch before Rick rolled them over so he was on top of her. With great difficulty he pinned her arms down but this didn't deter her.

She kneed him hard enough for him to let go of her. Marianne scrambled out from underneath him and stood up. Without realizing it she had pulled out a knife. Maybe she was a little insane.

Rick stood up. Both of them were breathing hard. He looked around for his gun that he had dropped but he didn't see it. He held his hands up in a placating manner but Rick didn't speak. It looked like he didn't know exactly what to say so they stood there staring at each other.

"What the hell? Marianne?" Rick and Marianne looked at the doorway. Glenn was standing there looking thoroughly confused with his gun aimed at the wall. It wavered a little towards Marianne when he saw the knife but he ended up not pointing it at her.

The fight went out of Marianne and she dropped her knife. Pain was radiating from her stomach. If she stayed standing a second longer she'd pass out so Marianne quickly lay down on the floor. Rick was soon standing over her, looking more concerned than angry. She smirked at his bleeding nose. Although she was bleeding too, right through her bandages and shirt. Rick spotted the blood and immediately squatted next to her.

"Jesus Marianne. What the hell happened?"

She closed her eyes.

"What's wrong with her?" She heard Glenn ask.

She opened her eyes. "Accident. It must've opened again." Marianne was positive that she had ripped open the scabs that had formed over part of her injury and the delicate new layer of skin that had begun to grow. She had ruined almost a whole week's worth of healing.

"We need to get you back to Hershel."

"Daryl?" She asked. Rick and Glenn exchanged a look.

"He's not doing too well," Rick said after a short pause.

"But he's not hurt or anything," Glenn added. He seemed to be taking the whole situation in stride. Despite the worry on his face there was a glint of joy in his eyes.

When she was sure she wouldn't pass out she let Glenn help her up.

"How are we getting back? We don't have a car. We walked here," Glenn said, correctly assuming that Marianne wasn't in any shape to walk anywhere except to bed.

"I have a truck in the garage."

Rick nodded. "We'll use that." He left to check the truck after Marianne told him where the keys were. This left her alone with Glenn who helped her lean against the foot of the bed and then started packing without her having to ask.

"How's Daryl?" She wasn't satisfied with Rick's earlier brief answer.

"He doesn't talk that much. Like almost never. And he's gone a lot. Some of us were worried he'd leave." Marianne wasn't surprised to hear this. She knew him leaving her behind would take a toll on Daryl. She almost felt glad that he was suffering for what he did. Almost.

Glenn set her backpack next to her. He must have sensed that she didn't want to hold a conversation because for once he didn't continue to talk.

Rick soon came back. "Let's head out."

"My stuff."

"We'll come back for it," Rick said and she reluctantly nodded. Glenn grabbed her backpack, her bow, and, at the last second, a bag with some of the medical supplies.

Despite the extremely short distance Marianne was grateful when they reached the truck. Her stomach was on fire and she needed to get off of her feet. The two men shifted things around so she could stretch out on the back seat.

Glenn opened the garage door as Rick got in the driver's seat. He turned the key in the ignition.

"Don't wreck my truck," she said curtly. It wasn't a joke exactly. She didn't really know what it was. Marianne guessed she was inclined to be irritated in general about whatever Rick did, or maybe she was more attached to this truck than she realized. Maybe it was both.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Rick said after a few seconds delay, probably as confused about her statement as she was.

Glenn, oblivious to the short exchange, cheerfully got into the truck and they were off.

"We'll be there in less than five minutes," Rick said. Marianne's breath hitched. They were so close and she never would have known if they had decided the one street neighborhood wasn't worth checking out.

"How long?" Marianne asked.

Glenn turned around to look at her. "This is our fourth day," he answered. "We were supposed to leave yesterday. Lucky we didn't. I can't believe we found you." He smiled at her and turned back around.

Marianne stared at a scuff mark on the ceiling and wondered what had made it. "Who'd we lose?"

"Andrea, Dale, Patricia, Jimmy, and... Shane," Rick said. They didn't know about Jimmy. Should she tell them? She didn't want to.

They stopped at the entrance to a gated community and Glenn left the truck to open the gate. When he was done Rick pulled up next to him and Glenn got back into the truck. Rick drove down the main street, took a right turn, and promptly parked in front of a house. They weren't too far into the neighborhood, which was smart. They could make a quick getaway without a great risk of getting trapped if they needed to.

Rick and Glenn got out of the truck. Marianne strained to sit up and when she was upright she got a partial view of the front yard. T-Dog, Hershel, and Maggie were standing on the porch, all of them armed. Lori, Carol, and Beth were standing in the front doorway just inside the house. The person she most wanted to see wasn't in sight.

She watched Rick and Glenn talk to the others. Both of them gestured to the truck which made people look over at it. Marianne was frozen in place. She couldn't bring herself to open the door. This was what she had been looking forward to so why couldn't she leave the truck?

She squeezed her eyes shut, frustrated with herself. She heard her door open and she opened her eyes to see Glenn standing there.

"Do you need help?"

She shook her head. "I got it."

Marianne slid out of the truck. The door hid her from everyone. She hesitated before shutting it and exposing herself. Shock rippled through the group as it registered with each of them that she was standing before them. Obviously Rick and Glenn hadn't told them she was there.

Lori put a hand to her chest. Maggie looked like she was about to cry out of happiness. Carol had tears in her eyes and T-Dog had his mouth hanging open. She stood there uncomfortable as they gaped at her but then she saw wide smiles. Those were quickly replaced by concerned looks as everyone took in the state of her.

Marianne's attention wavered away from them as she scanned the area for Daryl and then, walking around the side of the house was her brother. He glanced at what all the commotion was and stopped in his tracks. His eyes widened and he stared at her like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Daryl didn't stand there for long. He rushed towards her with the biggest grin on his face but still looked incredulous that she was really there.

She wrapped her arms around him and he wrapped his around her. Tears were running down her face but she was laughing. She ignored the pain and held him tight. It didn't look like either of them wanted to let go.

"I'm so mad at you," Marianne said but she couldn't stop smiling.

They pulled apart and it took no time at all for Daryl to take in the fresh blood on her that the initial shock of seeing her had blinded him to. He frowned and Marianne looked down at her shirt. The pain wouldn't be ignored any longer. She wiped the tears off her face which brought Daryl's attention to her cheek and his frown deepened.

"You need Hershel. Come on. Can ya walk?" Daryl was all business. They'd have time to talk later and there was plenty to talk about.

Marianne nodded, holding back a grimace. "I can manage."

Daryl eyed her and shook his head. "Nah." He picked her up like she didn't weigh anything.

"Daryl, I can walk." She would've squirmed out of his arms but her stomach hurt too much to move around like that.

"I know you can. Doesn't mean you have'ta."

Daryl carried her to the house and when he reached the porch the group parted to let him through. When he entered the people outside followed after him. In the living room, which looked well lived in, Marianne saw Carl looking at her wide eyed before he smiled too. She returned it.

"We'll set her up in the bedroom," Hershel said. Daryl walked through the living room and into a hallway in the back of the house. Hershel moved ahead of them to open a door. Daryl went into the room first and Hershel followed.

A king sized bed took up two thirds of the room. There was a long dresser with an attached mirror to the side of it. Two nightstands stood on either side of the bed and a cushioned bench at the end of it.

Daryl placed her on the bed and Marianne sat against the headboard, a fat pillow cushioned her back. Beth walked in with a bag of medical supplies. Hershel took it and thanked her before she left the room, leaving the door cracked open.

He set the bag on the bed at Marianne's feet and looked through it as she unbuttoned her shirt. Daryl helped her sit up so she could unwrap the makeshift bandages.

"Sheets?" Hershel asked. "That's resourceful."

"Yeah. I ran out of real bandages real fast."

Daryl was frowning again once he saw her injury. It looked really bad and she was frowning at it too. Hershel had a serious but calm look on his face while he examined it. Daryl stood a few feet behind Hershel with his arms crossed.

"How'd it happen?" Hershel asked.

"I was up in a tree getting a squirrel I pinned to it. One of the branches broke and I slid down. The bark tore me up."

"That would do it," Hershel said. "The bleeding's mostly stopped. We'll have to keep an eye out for infection."

"I have antibiotics from the farm I've been taking."

Hershel nodded. "That's fortunate."

Her face betrayed her pain while Hershel cleaned her wound and put new bandages on her.

"We have pain medication you should take," Hershel said.

"No, I don't wanna be foggy." She hadn't even considered taking any when she was alone. The idea was unthinkable.

"I won't let anything happen to you," Daryl said but she looked at him skeptically. It wasn't that she didn't trust him; it was that Marianne didn't trust the world. For a few seconds she could see the telltale signs of hurt on his face. He hid it fast and any other person would've missed it. Marianne bit her lip.

"Okay. I'll take it. But only one pill."

Hershel found the right pill bottle, opened it and took one out. Marianne took the pill from him and grabbed her water bottle from the nightstand. With some misgivings, she put the pill in her mouth and swallowed it.

With nothing else for him to do Hershel left the room, leaving the two siblings alone. They rarely had awkward silences but this was one of those times. Marianne fiddled with the end of her messy braid. She was about to speak when it looked like Daryl came up with an idea.

"Hold on." He left the room and came back with a hairbrush. Marianne smiled.

"I think the last time you did this I was ten."

Daryl shrugged with one shoulder. He helped her off the bed so she could sit on the floor and lean against the side of it. He sat on the bed behind her while she unbraided her hair. When she was finished Daryl began brushing.

"Do you still remember how?"

"I better. It was a pain in the ass to learn."

Marianne had never asked how he had learned to French braid. She'd always assumed it was Laura, the single mother down the street with three daughters older than Marianne. She'd married and moved away shortly after Marianne had entered middle school. She was the only neighbor that had shown an inkling of concern over her, but not enough to call for help when Marianne had needed it.

Daryl carefully began to brush out the many knots in her hair. She felt herself slowly relax. It was a strange feeling. Although, Marianne suspected the pain medication probably had something to do with that.

She felt a light tug and Daryl let out a short laugh.

"What?"

"Found a twig. What'd you do? Fall out of a tree or somethin'?"

"Ha. Ha."

There was a pause. "I wish I could've been there."

"Me too." I wish you wouldn't have left me.

The brush stopped and rested gently against the back of her head. "I don't think I can forgive myself."

"I forgive you."

"Why?" She couldn't see his face but his voice sounded pained.

"Because you're my brother. Because I love you and you're human and humans make mistakes." But I would've gone back for you. "This world's unforgiving enough."

He began brushing again but it didn't take long for him to speak again. "That cut on your cheek. It ain't from a tree."

"It ain't."

"It looks like it's—"

"I don't want to talk about it," she said in a rush. Daryl put the brush down and began separating strands of hair to start braiding.

"I'll be here when ya do."

She concentrated on the gentle pull on her hair so she wouldn't cry. "I know."

Daryl didn't ask her anymore questions. He talked about what the group had been doing since the farm. He told her about Rick's 'this isn't a democracy' speech, about Shane's plot to kill Rick, and how Rick killed Shane instead.

He wasn't one to gossip or really care at all about people's personal lives but he was observant and he didn't want Marianne to feel like she had missed anything. He told her how Maggie and Glenn were closer than ever, how Lori was upset with Rick and that the married couple didn't spend too much time around each other and how Carl was taking it hard.

"We're all infected. Rick told us. He knew since the CDC."

"I already know," she said dully, not really interested in explaining in detail how she made this discovery.

"How?"

"I found out the hard way." Marianne didn't have to see him to know that he wanted to ask her exactly what the hard way was but he didn't.

She could feel that he was almost done and the pain medication was kicking in enough to start making her sleepy.

"T-Dog said you disappeared in a group of walkers. How'd you get out?" She had wondered when he would ask about that. Everyone would want to know.

"I went under the car and waited 'til they were gone."

"I should've known it'd take more than that to kill ya. You're stubborn as a mule." Daryl finished the braid.

"I wonder who I got that from." Both of them smirked. He helped her stand and she got into bed. Her eyelids were heavy and it took a considerable will to keep them open. She didn't want to go to sleep yet, irrationally afraid that when she woke up she'd be back in the other house all alone. The pain medication was really getting to her head.

"You need to sleep. You can barely keep your eyes open."

"I don't want to. I just got back."

"And we'll still be here when ya wake up."

Marianne sighed and settled further into bed, trying to find a comfortable position. She didn't usually sleep on her back and she didn't really know where to put her arms. The last thing she saw before she closed her eyes was Daryl looking worried but sleep took her before she had time to wonder why.

Daryl made sure Marianne was asleep before leaving the bedroom. He debated whether to keep the door open but decided to close it so any noise they made wouldn't wake her up. She was a light sleeper like he was.

"How is she?" Maggie asked as soon as he entered the living room. Everyone stopped what they were doing so they could hear his response.

"Sleepin'."

"No, how is she?"

"As good as she can be." His answer didn't seem to satisfy Maggie but she didn't press any further.

"Okay, now that Daryl's here we can start," Rick announced. It was time for a group meeting to discuss what they were going to do. Although Daryl wouldn't call it a true discussion. A few people would give their opinions but Rick ultimately made the decisions—decisions that were final.

Everyone gave their attention to Rick who would talk first. "Be ready to move on tomorrow. We'll be leavin' early morning so pack what you don't need for the night."

Daryl couldn't believe what he was hearing. Marianne was hurt and it wasn't minor. It was time to speak up.

"No, we ain't movin' until Hershel says Marianne's okay to."

"Daryl, we've already been here four days," Rick said.

"And we can be here four more or however long it takes for her to heal up."

"Daryl—"

"We only searched half the town. Hell, there's a pharmacy we haven't got to and that neighborhood we haven't scavenged. There ain't a herd around. I scouted the area and I'll do it again. Unless one shows up we ain't goin'." Daryl stared Rick down.

"Fine, we'll leave the day after tomorrow," Rick said.

"Then you can leave without me and Marianne. Just tell us what direction yer goin' and we'll catch up."

For a second it looked like Rick was seriously considering this option but Carol spoke up. "We're not leaving you two behind. I think we should stay." Everyone except Rick nodded in agreement.

"We can't abandon them. It's a miracle we found Marianne," Maggie said, crossing her arms.

"The group shouldn't split up," Lori added.

"It'll be at least a week before she can safely move," Hershel said.

Daryl was surprised at the unanimous support. It looked like they were close to mutiny if Rick decided they leave tomorrow.

Rick was deep in thought as he stared at all of them. "Fine, we'll stay but we're scouting the area every day." He looked pointedly at Daryl who nodded.

The meeting was over and Daryl went outside. It was his turn for watch.

Marianne was groggy from the drug induced sleep she'd just woken up from. It was dark and she could see light seeping into the room around the edges of the closed door. There were sounds of eating, which was something she was ready to do.

As if on cue the door opened to reveal Carol holding a plate of food and a small battery run lantern. "You're up." Carol smiled and walked into the room.

"Barely." Marianne struggled to sit up. Carol put the plate and the lantern down on the nightstand and helped her.

"I thought you might by hungry."

"You were right." Carol handed her the plate. From the look of it Marianne guessed that her ration was bigger than the others. "This is too much."

Carol shook her head. "You're healing. Your body needs it."

"I can't eat all of this."

"You can and you will."

"Give some to Lori." She held the plate up for Carol to take but the other woman didn't move.

"Lori gets enough. Now eat. We need you well." Marianne looked away from Carol. That's right. She had forgotten. She and Daryl were useful. The group liked them around because they fulfilled needs and she wasn't very useful at the moment.

"That's not what I meant." Marianne shrugged, still not looking at Carol. "You're worth more to us than what you can do. I wish you could see that."

Marianne picked up the fork and began pushing the mushy canned carrots around. She felt Carol move closer and looked up. She shied away but Carol wasn't deterred from kissing the top of her head.

"Eat." Carol didn't stay to see if Marianne obeyed. She stopped poking at the chopped carrots and stabbed some with her fork. She ate without savoring her meal. Eating quickly had become a virtue. You never knew when you'd be interrupted by something trying to kill you.

When she was finished she set the empty plate on the nightstand. Marianne felt sleep trying to claim her again even though the pain medication had worn off. Her stomach was full for once and she was lying on a real bed. A tranquilizer couldn't have done a better job at getting her eyes to close.

The door opened and so did her eyes. The silhouette in the doorway turned into Rick. A deeply rooted anger flared inside of her. It burned the lethargy away and her body tensed. Rick's face was in shadows so she couldn't quite make out what the look on his face was but his stance was relaxed but a little cautious. She wondered what kind of talk he wanted to have.

Her face settled into a glare. Rick hesitated before closing the door. She waited for him to speak first.

"How are you doing?" His usual self confidence was absent from his voice. She shrugged. "I want to talk."

"Too bad. I don't. You need to go."

"I understand why you're mad at me." She gave a short unamused laugh.

"Turn around, open the door, and leave."

He ignored her demand. "I don't blame you for attacking me."

Marianne scoffed. "Are you deaf? I said leave."

"Please, just give me a minute.

"Get out."

"Marianne—"

"Get out!" She sounded savage and Rick jerked backwards as if she had slapped him. There would be no reasoning with her tonight.

He nodded. "Okay. Okay."

She watched him leave the room. When he was gone she took a deep, shuddering breath that hurt her stomach. A few angry tears ran down her face that she didn't bother to wipe away.

A/N: It finally happened! I'm dying to know what you think about the reunion. Although, it's not completely over yet. She still has the rest of the group to see.