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I groaned as Daryl lay limp on the forest floor. He had been there for the last 15 minutes as I struggled to move.

The pain which was coursing through my body wasn't subsiding, but the worry I felt for Daryl, was making me forget about it.

Slowly but surely, I was shifting my position and moving.

However, there was one thing stopping me. The water which was still racing down the rocks to where Daryl lay.

My only option was to slide down to him. As I planned my next course of action, Daryl began talking, muttering to himself, but I couldn't quite understand what he was saying.

Daryl's POV

"Merle..." I whispered, looking up at my brothers face.

"What's going on here? You taking a siesta or something?"

I shook my head, "A shitty day, bro."

"Like me to get your pillow? Maybe rub your feet?" Merle mocked.

"Screw you" I grumbled.

"You're the one screwed from the looks of it" Merle began. "All them years l spent trying to make a man of you, this is what l get? Look at you. Lying in the dirt like a used rubber. You're gonna die out here, little brother, and so is she, after I told you to look after her" He pointed in the direction of Kelly "and for what?"

I tried to shake the feeling, "A girI. They lost a little girl"

"So you got a thing for little girls now?" Merle sniggered.

"Shut up" I growled.

"'Cause I noticed you ain't out looking for old Merle no more"

My eyes were heavy as I continued, "Tried like hell to find you, bro"

"Like hell you did. You split, man. Lit out first chance you got." He scoffed.

"You lit out. All you had to do was wait. We went back for you. Rick and l, we did right by you." I explained.

"This the same Rick that cuffed me to the rooftop in the first place? Forced me to cut off my own hand? This him we're talking about here? You his bitch now?" Merle was visibly outraged.

"I ain't nobody's bitch"

"You're a joke is what you are, playing errand boy to a bunch of pansy-asses, niggers,
and democrats. You're nothing but a freak to them. Redneck trash. That's all you are. They're laughing at you behind your back. You know that, don't you? l got a little news for you, son. One of these days, they're gonna scrape you off their heeIs like you was dogshit" He grumbled as I began fading out again,

"Hey." He slapped my chest lightly,  "They ain't your kin, your blood. Hell, you had any damn nuts in that sack of yours, you'd got back there and shoot your pal Rick in the face for me. Now you listen to me. Ain't nobody ever gonna care about you except me, IittIe brother. Ain't nobody ever will. Come on, get up on your feet before I have to kick your teeth in. Let's go. Come on."

My eyes drifted around until I heard the snarls of a walker clambering on my leg joined by the calls of Kelly who was watching from the ledge.

As I regained consciousness fully and kicked the walker away from me, Kelly made a split second decision to slide back down the rocks to get to me, causing her more pain in the process.

I wrestled with the walker, rolling around with it until I picked up a stick and began beating it with it. I pummeled its face, killing it as I drove the stick through it's brain, turning it to mush.

As Kelly began to stand after her little tumble, another walker approached behind her.

Without a second to think, I yanked the arrow out from my side, loaded it into the crossbow and fired seconds before it reached her.

Watching the walker as it fell beside her, a weight lifted itself from my chest as I called out to her, "Kelly, Kelly are you okay?"

There was a delay in her response, "Yeah, I think so.." She groaned, clearly in pain. "Daryl, I think I've dislocated my shoulder.." She cried.

Groaning, I raced over to her. "Fuck.." She grumbled as she struggle to remove her thin jacket.

I knelt beside her, helping.

She was right.

Her shoulder bone was popping out visibly. I winced slightly as she revealed it. "Is it bad?" She asked. "You're gonna have to put it back in place..."

I nodded, "Yeah.."

I pulled her arm above her head, bending it so her hand was facing down, then, without telling her, I pushed, popping the bone back in. As I did, she screamed, the pain agonizing.

A few tears fell as she sat in pain. "You alright?-" I asked, humming in pain as I moved.

Her head whipped and looked down at my side where blood was pouring. "Come on, sit over here, we need to ease the bleeding" She ordered, helping me over to a tree branch where she sat me down.

I watched as she worked through her own pain to tend to my wound, using my shirt to absorb the blood.

Once she was done, she sat beside me. The blood on her face had dried. "We need to get you back so Hershel can take a look at your side"

I grunted before standing up slowly, wandering over to a walker and taking its ears. "What the Hell are you doing?" She asked.

"Souvenir" I muttered.

I then picked up Sophia's doll and we began the climb together.

I placed her good arm around me as we used each other for support. We were nearly at the top when Merle appeared with a smirk.

"Oh, she's in bad shape and so are you" He chuckled.  "What's the matter, Darylina? That all you got in you? Throw away that purse and climb."

I grunted as Kelly gasped, "I Iiked it better when you was missing."

She looked at me, "What?"

"Talkin' to Merle" I grumbled, gesturing above us.

"Daryl, he's not there" She said slowly, though I just ignored her.

"Come on, don't be like that. I'm on your side."

I scoffed, "Yeah? Since when?"

"HeII, since the day you were born, baby brother. Somebody had to look after your worthless ass."

"You never took care of me. You talk a big game, but you was never there. Hell, you ain't here now" I muttered, "Some things never change"

"Well, l'll tell you what-- I'm as reaI as your chupacabra" Merle mocked.

"l know what l saw."

"And l'm sure them shrooms you ate had nothing to do with it, right?" He chuckled.

"You'd best shut the hell up." I yelled, hoisting Kelly further up.

"Or what? You're gonna come up here and shut my mouth for me? WeII, come on and do it then, if you think you're man enough." He laughed loudly. "Hey, kick off them damn high heels and climb, son. You know what?"

"lf l were you, l'd take a pause for the cause, brother. 'Cause I just don't think you're gonna make it to the top. Come on. Come on, little brother. Grab your friend Rick's hand"

As he said that, I grabbed the top of the hill, still holding Kelly as we both pulled ourselves up, grunting and groaning in pain.

I looked around the forest, seeing no sign of Merle as Kelly caught her breath. "Let's go" She said.

Nodding, she placed herself under my arm to help support me as we headed back to camp.

A/N

Loved this chapter too! I have a few favourite chapters and this is in the top 3 by far.
Also,
How've you all been? I've got 20 pre written chapters so expect regular updates at least 2 a week :)