━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

****

****

━━━━━━━━━▲━━━━━━━━━

****

◤━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◥

◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢

Third Person POV


As Addie was being taken away from Merle by her own mother, she couldn't help but resent either side. Her wanting to stay with the Dixon's was something her mother and the rest of the group didn't allow. 

And she couldn't understand why.

They have to run from the Governor, so why not take them in?

She didn't get the chance to question it, because all that came out of her mouth were sobs and pleas for Merle to come back.

Maggie and Glenn both felt guilty, much like Blake felt in her own daughter threatening her new friend. The sleeping child no one has seen in a given year begged the question, what really happened to her. And that is what screamed in Rick's mind, but when they returned to the car after pushing the roadblock.

All Grimes could do was share the connection that Addie has with Daryl and Merle both. And guilt took the entire car by surprise. Except for Michonne, she thinks these people are batshit crazy for making this entire ruckus on her shoulder.

It wasn't her fault Merle left, and she hoped Addie knew that.

She still likes the girl, even more so that her mother was exactly what she tamed to be.

But it was what Blake said to Daryl, the final words to him were: 

"I told you...My daughter comes first..." Before walking away for the second time. He stood still in that position for more than awhile. 


"Come on Darlina. We're in Governor territory, best not be dilldallyin'." The eldest Dixon joked, and that had Daryl move. But not in turn for what Merle spoke about. It was solely his choice, meaning he chose the direction.

And he was already on his way back to the prison.

He had a million questions for his brother, especially after all the shit that he found out happened with Rory. Or that the unexplained anger that rose in him for all the shit he told her, or that he knew the entire time that she was in camp.

But he stayed silent, or silent as could be as he didn't want to open up another weak point to his already dwindling statues.

"Hold up lil brother...Gotta take a leak." Daryl held in his groan as he just planted his back in the opposite direction. He was trying to track, but everything in his damn mind went back towards the prison.

Who was there...Addie wouldn't even look to him, he promised Blake that he wouldn't replace her own daughter, but it looks like he did. That's why she chose the prison, to get away.

"Man, there ain't nothin' out here but mosquitoes and ants." The youngest challenged, leaning against the said tree with his cruel empty backpack. There was a shirt, maybe a few loose bullets and a picture. He took a picture of Addie, Blake and Merle just relaxing. 
He didn't know who took the picture considering Rick didn't have an ounce of thought as to who the Dixon brother's were.

So he went in the direction someone he knew, maybe Rachel. Shawn if he really felt in getting angrier.

"Patience lil brother. Sooner or later, a squirrel is bound to scurry across ya path." 

"Even so, that ain't much food." He grumbled back, and in Merle's mind that's probably how Blake got to be so skinny.

He didn't want to say anything to anyone, but she looked like hell. Like a walking skeleton. Claiming she got sick and doesn't eat much anymore just screams that Daryl wasn't taking good care of her.

And this is exactly why, he couldn't even hunt no more. And that really ruined the bigger picture. "More than nothin'..." 

"I'd have better luck goin' through one of 'em houses we passed back on the turnoff." Was all the little brother offered, thinking how the pantry could be riddled with a goldmine. But then the laughter of his brother was a complete turn off.

"Is that what ya new friends taught ya? Hmm? How to look for booty?" If Daryl complained enough, Merle would set loose. And it would just be an easy walk back without anything else pulling them apart.

He wanted to go back to Blake, to have and to hold her. To apologise and hope that she can forgive him after breaking the promise. 
Claimed he'd never leave her, and look what happened. She drove off with her daughter.

"We've been at it for hours. Why don't we find a stream, try to look for some fish?" 

"Ya turned fuckin' whinny boy? Blake puts up with this shit?... Besides, I think ya just tryin' to lead me back to the road man...Get me over to that prison." Daryl's eyes beamed as his brother knew exactly what his plan was.

He sighed as thought of another way, to be honest. That's how Blake would've liked it. "They got shelter. Food. Addie, Blake...A pot to piss in. Might not be a bad idea." He tried using Addie as a tactic, but the frown his brother revealed so solidly was like walking on thin ice. Daryl's never seen that sort of reaction before...

"For you maybe. Ain't gonna be no damn party for me." 

"Everyone will get used to each other." Merle sighed once more, he didn't want to say it. But it was better to put the thought in Daryl's mind than have him completely shocked later. 
So as the older brother rose from his crouched position, he shook his head and tried his best to fix the metal rim of his arm. 

"They're all dead...Makes no difference..." And just like Merle expected, Daryl's head shot in his brother's direction. Anger filling it once again. 


"How can ya be so sure? That's Blake we're talkin' 'bout." Daryl defended, but then it was the same sad frown that plastered itself on Merle's face.

"Right 'bout now he's probably hostin' a housewarmin' party where's he gonna bury what's left of ya pals...Let's hook some fish." Merle changed the direction of the conversation, passing through Daryl. And although the talk ended, it had lead Merle right into the direction of the prison. Just needed a few more miles of uninterrupted breaks.

But whatever sparked into Daryl couldn't wait any longer, instead he was left with the rumbling question that blurted out of his mouth. "How long ya known for bro...?" He called out, and that made Merle fall back to look. Offering out the metal hand as he was confused in what the questioned pertained. 

"Known what?" He simply said, but deep down he was afraid.

Afraid that he couldn't keep the secret anymore. And if that is the case, he knows he'd get a straight ticket into the prison for being the actual family to that little girl. But he didn't want to go back, in Woodbury he wasn't hated. He was loved, he was a celebrity in the arena. Now he was just simply a burden.

"That she had a kid, that she was in camp for... Shoulda pieced it together, two of ya got along too well." They both didn't have a reaction for the other, Merle had the secret and Daryl didn't want to boast on the victory in getting her back because he's lost her.

Again.

"She didn't want ya to know, acted better when ya didn't know it was her too...And I knew when she was pregnant, 'bout five months or somethin'. She was workin' in the restaurant and there she was...God was she scared to see me." Merle continued to talk and walk, knowing it wasn't safe to stay in one area for very long.

But Daryl followed quickly behind, trying to keep the steady pace beside. Not in front of behind, he wasn't a follower anymore. But he sure knew he wasn't a leader, just wanted to be an equal. "Why?" 

"With a ring on and pregnant belly. She never liked no rumors, this was one of 'em big ones." Daryl understood that Merle did her a solid, that and by taking care of Addie for the majority of the year.

Now the girl's angry, both of them. And neither one wanted to accept the fact that the Holden girls will accept them back so lightly.

They were silent after that.

Back at the Prison, Addie looked out widened eyed towards the interior. Although Carl was silent after the walk and the general greetings, neither one of them knew what to say. Almost mirroring what happened with Daryl and his brother out in the woods. Yet the two kids always loved one another.

It wasn't like Woodbury, she had to remind herself of that. And as Carol followed in behind them, she worried about her mom. "My dad's talking to her..." Carl told her, and she smiled and nodded as she continued to look around.

The middle area was completely riddled with people, and by that, there were faces she didn't recognize at all. "They're new...Like new to us too." She nodded along and continued to pass through as Carol hurried them along back into the cell block. 


"Your mom's is upstairs. She shares it with Daryl...Do you want the top or bottom bunk?" Carl questioned out towards her, he looked excited. And Addie had to remind herself that since her and Sofia had disappeared. I doubt he had anyone really to talk to. 
"I always wanted to sleep on a bunk bed." She attempted to make a joke, so as he was about to help her up on top. He realized she could do it all on her own, without it.

Carl felt really out of place, their friendship dates back to when he was born. And although she was a given two years older. It still gives them enough to break apart that she's more mature. 

Seen more as well.

Except...The death of his mother. Which is something he wasn't prepared to talk about just yet. "Hey, I got you a pillow and blanket. Why don't you rest up, dinner will be ready in a little bit." Addie was confused as to why she hasn't see Shane or Lori since she arrived, she was prepared to get the excited greeting of her 'uncle,' and say the famous 'I told you so,' to him considering he was the one didn't like that she carried a gun.

And right when She was about to question it, a baby began to cry. Having her almost drop the pillows in complete shock as to what was happening. "Is that—" 

"Carl, why don't we let her get some rest...Her mom will talk to her at dinner." Carol spoke so lightly, and that made Carl follow right behind her.

He didn't want to be the one to tell her, and neither did Carol.

She didn't know what Blake and Rick were doing, actually...No one could even predict what they were doing in the warden's office. But she knew not to disrupt them, either of them. Blake's lost Daryl, and although she's received her daughter. Love still tears apart...And this was definitely pulling her in all different directions.

While Addie laid comfortably in her bed, looking up to the cement ceiling did she realize what she left behind in Woodbury. The pictures. Everything, she packed in thinking she'd return. This time everything was left behind, except the given few things.

Bullets and arrows. A map even.

Everything else was lost to whomever will loot their apartment first.

Back in the woods, the Dixon brothers were still trying to make it to the body of water. And although Merle wanted to get his little brother's mind off Blake. And his own mind off Addie, it proved to be a hell of a challenge now that he's jinxed them to be both dead.

He'd skin the bastard himself if that were to happen.

"Smells to me like the Sawhatchee Creek." Daryl shook his head, claiming that they didn't go west enough. And Merle was quick to toy with his mind, wanting to be right, but more so wanting to get his brother in talking.

"...Know what I think? I might've lost my hand, but ya lost ya sense of direction..." Daryl pushed him further, and that's when Merle opened up the free realm for a good long second. "What do ya wanna bet?" 

"I don't wanna bet nothin'. It's a body of water. Why's everythin' gotta be a competition with ya?" Merle's attempt failed, thought it would be a good way to amp up moral.

But it didn't. And it pissed him off even further.

"Whoa whoa, take it easy lil brother. Just tryin' to have a lil fun here...Ya know, got a good two hundred bucks on ya sorry ass from Blake...Yes sir, she bet that ya'd recognize her at the camp way back when. Guess I got 'nother win since ya saw her tattoo." Daryl froze after what he just learned, she made a bet? But the gentle whine of a child had the younger brother pip up, wanting to aid whatever sort of trouble that the baby was crying for. Danger or otherwise.

"She told ya?" 

"Course, she tells me everythin'...She might love ya, but she trusts me. Always has." Daryl let out a growl as he took the striving steps towards the crying baby, and when Merle questioned it. The little brother didn't respond due to the fact he was angry.

He tried so hard into gaining her trust that she's fallen for the other Dixon. She knows more than she's letting on and it's worrying him beyond belief of what she does and does not known.

"Was she happy? Do ya know that?" He paused, but Daryl kept moving due to the cries getting louder and louder. Merle just scoffed and continued to move, not caring if he was leaving his scent on the trees anymore. To move fast now that's what he had to do.

"She raised that kid of her's...She was young man, think that's what she planned for herself?" Daryl didn't know how to respond, he never questioned anything about Toby in hopes of not upsetting her.

He didn't know what to do, so if those two were such good friends. Then maybe he's met Toby. "Ya know this Toby guy?" Daryl peered back, seeing Merle struggling to walk with the unbalanced arm now weighing him down.

"Why, ya worried he's some big fuckin' model or somethin'?" He teased, but in reality. the younger brother was in denial that the man ever existed. That someone else had her heart, or touched her the way he has.

It angered him that fell for someone else. "Nah, I wanna know if ya liked 'im or not." 

"Ya think Blake would have me meet 'im, poor guy already had to go through her family...She don't like talkin' 'bout him. Even if lil Addie asked." Daryl's lip quivered down a bit as he realized how deep that man had sunken his claws into Blake.

But it wasn't enough to stop from looking up to a couple of people in need.

While the Dixon brother's solved that, Blake and Rick were intertwined with one another limbs on the couch. Although she had fallen asleep, the man was awake. Heavily awake, surprised that this had even happened. She was so sheltered and now with her walls down he didn't know what to do.

How to act. Or how to prepare for when she going to wake up.
Either one of them falling for each other just looks wrong, both their loved ones leaving. And that was the direction he wanted to take, but something, something so deep inside him sparked. It was the feeling when he first met Blake back in King's County in the dusty little office that she expanded not even six months of her working there.

He remembered that he was scared in meeting her, he felt intrigued. That and because there was hardly any women within the office. Of course, he was working on his engagement to his longtime girlfriend, and there was just the simmer of a attraction. But now it was a reality as well.

Never since then has he looked to Blake that way, not in the way Shane had.

He would always take ownership in trying to get her out of harms way with his friend, she didn't want a relationship and now he understood why. Shane was right at the farm, when they were fighting in front of the barn. Blake found out she was pregnant and never told him.

Why Merle knew was a mystery, one that he has yet to open up to her in the department of the millions of questions she now possess.

She didn't trust anyone, and to relive all those monstrous memories and to open herself up. He admired Daryl for being able to do that, for them both to do it to each other it would seem.

But then that trailed around on who that Thomas guy was, and how they are related. Dixon said the littlest bit, that it was her real dad. Considering he made it pretty obvious, just Rick was confused on the entire life he's lived to question anything more than what he's seen.

Blake was trying to replace everyone, or move on. So why shouldn't Rick? His wife is dead, she cheated on him because she thought he was dead. Blake obviously knew and more or less said something in that regard. Then why couldn't he push himself towards Blake now?
The fact that they were cuddling on this large couch in the administrative office while their kids were relaxing in their cell bunks had him sigh. Along with planting kisses on her bare back. Taking in to factor the tattoo that started it all.

Then, as his tired eyes realized he was drunk. He soon found himself dreaming on the first time they met, while Blake was deep into a camping nightmare with Daryl. Mountain Lion and all...

As the Dixon brother's were full steam ahead in saving a very grateful spanish. As Merle was snooping around, Daryl knew that the only way to get him away. Was to threaten him, that's the only way he'll listen.

"Get outta the car..." He said, poking his brother's back with the arrow. And it was a quick flash of nerve that hit Merle. His brother has changed, for too much so to be the fault of Blake. 
She's the same. Still skinny as all hell in his mind, but that's still due to his little brother's hunting habits and complaining. 

"I know ya not talkin' to me brother." He carefully said, but the baby sounded up once more. And the pleading eyes around looking to Daryl had him yell towards them.

The youngest Dixon knew they didn't understand a word their saying, but it didn't matter. Instead he just yanked his own brother out and continued to aim it to his face. Once the metal arm waved it away, Merle knew to stay quiet until they get going. But Daryl was going straight towards the prison.

Not even caring what his brother said. He knows Blake is grieving already, thinking she'll never see him again. And it hurt him to see her walk away once more. Even after all that effort, he really thought she was coming. Tore his heart to see he'd been tricked, or led on.

"The shit ya doin'...Pointin' that thin' at me?" 

"They were scared man." Daryl stayed calm, trying to downplay what happened in his mind. There wasn't much of a waste in supplies, maybe a bullet on the other peoples side. But that was it. 
"They were rude is what they were. Rude and they owed us a token of gratitude." 

"Ugh they didn't owe us nothin'." As Merle was just a trailing step behind his brother, he was raging and didn't know how else to take this hit. 

"Ya helpin' people out of the goodness of ya heart? Even though ya might die doin' it? Is that somethin' ya sheriff Rick taught ya?"

His big brother wasn't letting up, so he took a deep inhale and shot his head back on towards. Pointing his lone arrow in his hands towards the direction they came. "There was a baby!" He pleaded as his case, and the cries reminded him so loudly of lil asskicker that he wanted to get back. Now.

"Oh, otherwise ya would've just left 'em to the biters then? Got a thing for babies now? Is that it?" Daryl didn't answer the question, not because he didn't want to. It's because he couldn't, he honestly didn't know if he would've or not. 

"...'cause I got one word for ya....Stephane." Daryl's eyes widened, that name made him sick to his stomach. Almost made him gag at the complete thought. But this was his brother's way of showing strength, to bring something up like that. So he changed the subject, seeing the hate and revenge in his brother's eyes. All because of Rick.


"Man, I went back for ya. Ya weren't there. I didn't cut off ya hand neither. Ya did that...Way before they locked ya up on that roof!" Daryl was getting heated, pointing to his brother's metal hand and mentioning the coke was way easier than simply putting it into place. 

"...Ya asked for it." He finished, about to turn away. But Merle stood their completely taken back. All but yesterday were him and Blake discussing his would've been baby and how perfect it would be to bring it into question. So instead, the big brother just laughed. Laughed his god damn heart out as he intertwined his fingers together.

"Ya know—Ya know what's funny to me? Ya and Sheriff Rick are like this now. Right? I bet ya a penny and a fiddle of gold that ya never told 'im nor Blake that we were plannin' on robbin' that camp blind." Daryl's eyes shot open, but then his smirk rose as he had a response to it. "It didn't happen, besides—" 

"Yeah, it didn't happen 'cause I wasn't there to help ya."

That set Daryl off again, all the pent up rage. All the shit he wanted to yell towards Merle came crashing down right now, it's his fault for beating up Glenn and Maggie. Kidnapping them and all, he might've done right by Addie. But what he did to Glenn was unforgivable.
"What, like when we were kids? Huh? Who left who then?" 

"What? Huh? Is that why I lost my hand?!" The puff of air that lingered before each other was driving them widly insane.

Blake told them not to fight, to watch out for one another. But that didn't happen at all, they've been fighting the entire time while she was drunk and asleep...


"Ya lost ya hand 'cause ya a simpleminded piece of shit!" Daryl shouted, his teeth on the bottom row were hissing out his thoughts, and that was the final thing he wanted to discuss with his brother. But he didn't make it a full step as Merle too hold of Daryl's shirt. Wanting to yank him back, maybe teach him a lesson. 
Whatever was in Merle's mind completely drifted as the scars on Daryl back were loud. Loud in his big brother's mind.

Daryl has been trying to hide them from him forever. And now they were there, out in the open. He felt naked for the first time in awhile, and as he tried to put together his bag as quickly as he could. 
He couldn't help but feel the burning sensation coming from his brother's eyes. 


"I—I didn't know he was—" Daryl scoffed at Merle's plea in trying to lie. 

"Yeah, he did. He did the same to ya. That's why ya left first..." Daryl admitted, taking the backpack over his shoulder and trying to fix the entirety of his figure. It just...Didn't work.


"I had to man...I would've have killed him otherwise...Wait...Wait...Blake knew?!" Merle seemingly questioned out, and that's what stopped Daryl from walking off, looking high and mighty to the air as he didn't know how to explain the simple things to his brother.

Blake covered his scars one time, when they were 'makin' love' at his house. She pulled the sheet right over and completely disregarded a thing that happened. He loved her for that. Otherwise it would've been...Would've been bad.

"...Course she did man....She got her share too." He claimed, and although Merle wanted to question that further. He didn't. He didn't know how, and not after angering his brother so much.

But Daryl continued to move forward. And that made Merle speak once more. "Hey! Where ya goin'?!" 

"Back where I belong." He claimed, and the quick pictures of Blake and Addie both continued to pass through his mind.

He wanted to get back and soon. Because the fear of finding them dead was making him uneasy.

"...I can't go with ya..." Merle spoke so upsettingly. He wanted to go, it wasn't that he didn't. It was that he wouldn't be allowed, and after all that promising to Addie. It turned into nothing more than a lie.

"...I tried to kill that black bitch...Damn near killed that Chinese kid." He spoke in a voice of regret. Daryl heard it, so much so that he hesitated on what to say next. 

"He's Korean." Was all the little brother could muster.

"Whatever. Doesn't matter man. I just can't go with ya." Merle frowned once more, wanting to have little Addie in his arms and beg for her forgiveness. He's grown so fond of her company that it felt odd not having her around. Even if it was in the other room, or her reading across from him. 
It was just...Odd saying goodbye like that.

"Ya know...I may be the one walkin' away...But ya the one who's leavin'...Again." Daryl declared, pointing the arrow his way before stomping through the woods. And although Merle took a good 160 degree turn before running after his brother. Did Daryl laugh so fully towards his brother, that he realized another thing.

Did Merle potentially scare Dixon into breaking up with Blake? He's thought about it numerous times, but never felt the need to look it over. He knew Merle was protective of her, even now did he remember the fight at the arena. There was more concern on his face towards Blake and Addie than he's ever seen.

On anything.

"Ya know...I had her back...I was makin' her happy, and now—" 

"And now what? Ya gonna blame this whole fuckin' fiasco on me now too lil brother? Ya coulda fought harder man, then and now." Daryl growled to his brother, shaking his head and scoffing up a storm as he couldn't believe...After all this time him and his brother are still fighting against one another.


"I was makin' her happy..." He repeated, showing the bottom row of his teeth. He didn't know how to put it in other words, that he left her for him. Because that is honestly what it has come down to. 

"Of course she's gonna say she's happy. Fake a smile even, but lil brother...Ya gotta look into her eyes, ya fuckin' broke her ...Leavin' her, 'gain for my sorry ass." Merle directed his single pointer finger to his own eyes, giving the clarity. And now it was a mix of confusion and chaos in Daryl's mind. And that surely will combust at any given time...

_____

Date Posted: 11-22-18

Time: 6:17

Word-Count: 4677

______

Happy Thanksgiving!!!