Authors Note: This is a flashback chapter that just explains about Daryl's past and show a bit of how future chapters may go in regards to decisions. This will be a short chapter.

( Daryl's Flashback)

When shit first hit the the proverbial fan Daryl had just gotten home from a long day at work. Daryl was working thankfully at one of the nearby shops that him and his brother had just opened up a few months had been a strange week leading up to that day. Workers had been calling out by the day and people weren't showing up to retrieve their cars. Daryl had gone in to see what was going on. While there was usually at least one person that didn't show up for their car or work for so many people not too meant something was happening. Daryl slid right in amongst is staff that were there trying to blend in and see if anybody knew anything. His outward look and actions of a stereotypical redneck usually worked in his favor when it came to him trying to blend in. It also helped that not many people knowing how he looks outside his business persona but of course there was no answers.

Daryl was the literal definition of not too judge a book by its cover. Ironically he was what people would call a genius. He was smart enough that he could have graduated college when he was eight and gotten his masters by the time he was ten. However, Merle wanted him to live a normal life so he attended school as if he was a regular student. There was always people that thought they knew better and the Dixon name didn't have a lot of clout in the County with the type of father they had. It was well know unspoken fact that Daryl was being raised by his barley old enough brother. They would have been separated as soon as Daryl's intelligence came out because at the end of the day they are a family of what the county considered the worst rednecks in the area and it would have been considered neglect for stifling a child's intelligence. Eventually Daryl grew up and got his masters in Business/ Finance. Daryl than used his intelligence and masters to invest in stock. With that he bought an auto-shop with Merle. By the time the shop was done and fixed up to the aces they only had a hundred dollars left to their name in cash.

However, with Daryl's smarts and Merle's dedication to anything auto they quickly turned that around. Within a few years they had developed a franchise and were known as one of the best and biggest auto shops around the auto shop was named Dixies, a play on their name and to also make a joke at the same time. Soon not only were they repairing cars and doing body work but they also started to develop their own line of cars. They named the car line Lusso because that's what they were aiming for luxury. Daryl's car's soon became known as one of the best cars created. Daryl maybe a redneck but he was a sophisticated one at the end of the one were to think that Daryl and the Daryl in the apocalypse was one and the same nobody would believe it. That's how life is though people had to adapt to their circumstances and this what Daryl did.

Daryl left the shop early after nobody showed up for work really and nobody came to get their cars. Sending the skeleton crew home that bothered to show up. While driving he started to hear reports of strange things happening around Georgia leading to him speeding toward the house. Daryl called Merle to follow him home as soon as possible letting him know to abandon the car job he was on. Daryl hopped the curb driving across the yard and hopped out the car before flipping open the front door to race through the house. Stuff was strewn all over the place and blood was smeared along the walls with handprints pulling along. Daryl headed back toward the front door and went up the stairs when he heard Merle's Triumph pull up.

Merle must have been close by considering how fast he got here. Thankfully Merle lived with Daryl, his wife Hunter and their kid Angie which meant they didn't have to make multiple stops to get the fuck out of here. Dark heard Merle cry out as he began to walk around the house to examine the damage

" Daryl, you here boy I heard you say to head out so I let the job and came right after ya" Merle yelled.

Daryl called down to him " Yeah I'm here, they aren't but there's a dead body up here. Come look."

As soon as Daryl said that he heard what sound like thunder as Merle hustled up the stairs. Daryl poked his head out of the room to show Merle where he was. Merle was holding Daryl's crossbow and a shotgun in the other hand. Daryl grabbed his crossbow from him and turned around into the room once again. Merle walked into the room and couldn't but let out a low whistle.

" Damn, your little lady must have fought like hell and left. There's no photos or nothing and the kitchens empty of all the knifes and I peeked into the garage a quick second and her car's gone so's the car seat that's usually by the garage door." Merle said after a moment.

Daryl and Merle proceeded back down the stairs and headed into the garage and flicked on the light there they found two more bodies and bullets littering the floor as they walked into the room.

Merle turned to Daryl and said " Turn on the radio I'm gonna go grab some clothes for us and you gonna drive my truck while I ride the motorcycle ok, boy ?"

"What about my car?" Daryl said

" Boy it doesn't look like it's gonna be of much use. A truck you can fit things that itty bitty car couldn't fit nothing we taking my ride and the motorcycle for when we need to get out of somewhere quick also grab the rest of the gas the little lady left get on that" Merle told him.

With that Merle left and Daryl turned on the radio to find out what was going on. The radio announced that a virus had been silently sweeping the nation and that it had now reached Georgia. Apparently nobody knew what to call these things that were walking around other than the dead so it was just discussed as walkers. That's what they were beings walking this earth. Daryl heard Merle cluttering around the house and his footsteps getting closer. Merle eventually came back into the garage after gathering everything and they piled everything into the truck and took off onto the road to who knows where but with one thought in mind to find their girls. There was no sign of them though everywhere they looked for weeks and eventually it lead to Daryl and Merle bumping into the camp and deciding to stay.

After deciding to stay Daryl couldn't help but to shut down. He started to die up inside a bit at a time since they couldn't find them and the only place he knew that was safe was far from Georgia. Daryl couldn't even think of how Hunter could travel that far with five year old Angie all on her own. Before all this mess he would have thought no problem for a drive like that but now it would take weeks if not months to get that far. The roads were clogged little food, water, gas. Not including all the walkers around and god forbid people that were looking to do harm. That was even if they managed to keep the car without anything happening to it.

Years ago due to being somewhat conspiracy theorist Daryl and Merle had created what one would call pretty much a fortress down in San Antonio. Middle of nowhere, somewhere that nobody would stumble on and they bought a lot of land and built it up to be a safe zone if anything ever happened. The family keyed it to their biometrics which helped to prevent anybody that did stumble on it perchance from getting in. Merle never gave up though that the girls would be found and one day decided to leave to go searching for them as he need a break from the group life as he was more of a lone wolf than anything. Merle and Daryl got into a heated argument especially since Daryl had pretty much given up hope while Merle was sure that the girls would survive no matter what. Merle had faith that everything the Dixons had taught them had stuck. After their argument Merle left a note behind and said that he would find him if they weren't at the safe house when he got back. Daryl knew then and there with seeing that note that he had to faith that he would see his family again it was just a matter of time. As people say "Tough times never last, but tough people do." Daryl had to hold onto that quote because that's what the Dixons are tough people.

(End Flashback)