The Fast and the Dead

Part 8

"No!" Vince yells as Daryl hits the floor next to where he landed from Daryl pushing him. Vince scrambles to Daryl's side as Rick knocks Shane out. Hershel quickly moves over to Daryl and Vince. Vince has Daryl's head in his lap while Hershel goes to check him over.

"Daryl, I'm going to have to remove your shirt," Hershel says, trying to examine the gunshot wound on Daryl's shoulder.

"No," Daryl says, stopping Hershel from lifting his shirt.

"Daryl, he has to, so your wound can be treated," Vince says, frowning down at Daryl.

"They're all goin ta see sooner or later, lil brother," Merle says, locking eyes with Daryl.

"Fine," Daryl growls out, letting Hershel and Vince remove his shirt. Daryl closes his eyes, not wanting to see everyone's reactions. When everyone remains quiet, Daryl opens his eyes and looks around to see everyone looking concerned but not surprised.

"We all already knew," T-Dog says, noticing the confused look Daryl was sporting.

"Well, we guessed," Rick says, hauling an unconscious Shane up before dragging himself out of the room with T-Dog's help. Everyone but Dom, Brian, Letty, Leon, Jesse, Mia, Vince, and Merle leave to let Hershel work.

"Why are you guys not surprised?" Hershel asks, cleaning Daryl's wound after Carol brought him the stuff needed.

"We know what it looks like when someone was abused while growing up," Dom says, rubbing Brian's back while glancing towards Vince.

"Vince?" Daryl asks, frowning up at Vince.

"He left very few physical scars, but plenty of mental ones," Vince says, looking away from Daryl for the first time.

"Who?" Daryl asks, laying the hand of his good arm on Vince's cheek.

"My dad," Vince says, still not looking at Daryl.

"It was our dad, too," Daryl says, which causes Vince to look back down at him.

"I'm sorry," Vince says softly.

"Will ya two jus get a room," Merle growls out, which causes Daryl to flinch and tense.

"Merle?" Daryl asks softly.

"I'm not like him, Daryl. As long as yer happy, I don't care," Merle says, smiling down at his brother.

"Vince, sit him up, so I can bandage the wound," Hershel says, finishing cleaning and stitching Vince's wound.

"I'm sorry," Vince says as he helps Daryl sit up, and Daryl winces in pain.

"It's not yer fault," Daryl says, frowning when Vince won't meet his eyes.

"Yes, it is," Vince says, getting up and walking out of the house.

"You'll learn very fast that he is very possessive," Brian says, running his fingers over a scar on his arm.

"Why'd he do dat?" Merle asks, nodding towards the scar.

"I was the cop sent to bust them," Brian says, looking down at his scar.

"What happened?" Daryl asks, frowning and wanting to learn more about Vince.

"He told us he was a cop to try and stop us from going on another run," Letty said, grabbing Brian's hand.

"Vince cut him with a smashed beer bottle," Mia says, leaning against Leon.

"We left him to bleed to death," Dom says softly, closing his eyes and hugging Brian close to him.

"I never went on the run and couldn't watch him bleed to death, so I wrapped the wound. I was about to call 911 when he stopped me," Mia says, walking over to Brian and Dom with Leon.

"I knew the drivers were arming themselves and needed to stop them," Brian says, tucking his head under Dom's chin.

"He showed up just in time," Jesse says, sitting by Dom's and Brian's feet.

"Why do I have a feelin that ain't the end," Merle asks, smiling at the family scene in front of him.

"He jumped onto the truck and saved my life," Vince says from the doorway, surprising everyone.

"With one arm?" Hershel asks, sitting in an armchair since he was done.

"Yeah, with one arm, Vince's arm wrapped in wire, and the truck driver shooting at him," Letty says, noticing Daryl staring at Vince's tattoo-covered arm.

"After that, we ran. Been hiding in Mexico until all this started," Dom says, smiling when he notices Brian is asleep.

"You should take him to bed, Dom," Vince says, smiling at his family.

"You all should rest. Supper will be in two hours," Hershel says, standing up and leaving.

"Where ya crashin?" Merle asks, looking around at the people left.

"Hershel gave Brian and me a room," Dom says, running his hands through Brian's hair.

"I'm staying in their room with them," Jesse says, getting up and stretching.

"Mia and I are staying in Carol's room on her spare bed," Leon says, leading a yawning Mia to the door.

"Wha bout ya?" Merle asks Letty.

"Hershel said the only spot beside our room that is open is here," Dom says, looking around.

"Then I'm staying in here. I've dealt enough with Brian and his morning sickness," Letty said, smiling as Brian mumbles in his sleep.

"I agree with you, Letty. Is there room for us here?" Vince asks, leaning on the doorway.

"It's jus us 'nd T-Dog in here. Everyone else has rooms," Daryl says, trying to get up with one arm. Vince quickly moves forward and helps him up.

"I'm sorry I stormed out," Vince says as Leon and Mia head to their room and Dom, carrying Brian, and Jesse head to their room.

"Ya can set up over here," Merle says, leading Letty to the open spot farthest from the front door and windows.

"He's putting her in the safest spot in the room," Vince says, smiling as Letty smiles while talking with Merle.

"Guess I'll have to find somewhere else to sleep," Daryl says, smiling as Merle laughs.

"He had you over there?" Vince asks, looking around the room and finding a second door in the room.

"He's very protective," Daryl says, watching as Vine opens the other door to show a windowless powder room.

"That one's not used very often because there's no shower," Hershel says, coming into the room with some blankets and pillows.

"Shower?" Letty asks hope showing in her eyes.

"We have eight total wells and generators, so you guys can take hot showers," Hershel says before leaving.

"Let me show ya to the bathroom. If yer quick, ya can get a shower in 'fore supper," Merle says, leading Letty out of the front room.

"There's another shower if ya need it," Daryl says, frowning when Vince moves his bag by the bathroom.

"Where is your stuff?" Vince asks, looking around.

"It's right here," Daryl says, motioning to a couple of leather saddlebags.

"You're sleeping over here by the bathroom. It's a safe place if this house ever gets overrun," Vince says, moving Daryl's stuff.