Wings

Calm(1/2)

"When things change inside you, things change around you."
—Unknown

DARYL

As the stew cooked down, Daryl noticed that Merle's food radar had pinged.

"How about this one! So domestic! Say, little lady, you didn't have to go ta all this trouble! We coulda worked out a different way for ya to show us your gratitude."

Daryls stomach soured. It always did when Merle acted like a creep. He couldn't figure out which one of them was worse. Daryl could barely even look at women, but his brother? A complete pig. He started to think about the women back at Merle's old clubhouse, before everything went down. Some of them were just looking to belong somewhere but most were strung out. He might have reflected longer, but quick as a whip he heard her say "Oh it's no trouble. And no thanks." Great. For all Merle's swaggering, Daryl knew that he wouldn't do well with an outright rejection.

"You think you're too good for me or something?"

Remy wasn't cowed. She looked Merle directly in his eyes, her own boring into him. Daryl watched, coiled like a spring. This couldn't end well.

"Well I never gave it a thought. That'd mean I had interest in the first place." She stated it flatly, not unkindly. Just factual.

" 'S'cuse me?."

"Well in order for me to think I was too good for you," she said, "I'd have to have considered you as an option in the first place which I never did, and then say to myself 'oh no, you're much to good for him'. But I didn't. So I didn't."

Daryl's eyes had gone back to Merle, studying his face, and as Merle held Remy's stare, he thought he saw a flash of something in Merle's expression. Not respect. Something like recognition. Like he was starting to see something of what Daryl could. But he wasn't quite sure what that was yet. He knew there was something altogether different though.

Stew was done and they ate in relative silence, not counting Merle, whose mouth never seemed to stop even to eat. Daryl suspected he might still have that nasty meth habit, wondered if that was where he snuck off to in the woods, but not knowing was easier.

Merle continued until they heard a small pop. The dog was at the fire, so it wasn't him. Daryl's head was on a swivel. He noticed that Remy had calmly and quietly picked up her hammer. Daryl had to admire that. He had expected her to hide behind them, but instead, she kept her place, hammer balanced very loosely in her hand.

The girl looked like a child, though she had to be nearly his own age. She had smooth pale skin, no lines at all. A few freckles here and there. Her face was full and youthful. Her eyes were wide and innocent, though he knew they hid a lot of cunning. She was a lot more skillful he felt, than anyone gave her credit for.

There were 4 approaching, walkers that is, probably drawn by Merle's boisterous monologue and the light from the fire. Daryl didn't have to reach for his crossbow. It was just there. In his hand. An extension of it. The bowman quickly took down a Walker, when he noticed that Merle hadn't even left his seat. As the walkers advanced he caught one more between the eyes as Remy swung her hammer.

She was capable. 'Course with a hammer, there isn't much to do. The weight does all the work. But she swung hard and held on, making sure to bash the creature with the flat side, not the claw. As she moved toward the next one, Daryl looked over at Merle, still sitting back, warming himself. The Walker got close, but then was felled quickly by Remy's hammer. As soon as the job was done , her arm dropped heavily to her side, as if spent.

" Could'a helped yunno", Daryl said to his brother.

"Hey, little brother, I hear ya. I do. But how could I possibly let the girl pass up an opportunity to repay us for all we've done?"

"Could'a got 'erself bit, and you sittin' doin' nothin."

"Really it's ok,"she told Daryl.

"Yeah! It's ok, Darlene. The girl's fine! She doesn't mind. These religious types, they gotta turn the other cheek, right?"

Daryl couldn't believe what he heard next. He watched as she very calmly moved the hammer back into her right hand, placing it over her lap. Then she said "Yes, but I only have 2."