The other Dixon- The walking dead fanfic

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I grimaced as the two of us stared at Atlanta. We were still pretty far enough, but close enough to see how it was literally crawling with cranks.
"You still wanna go to that refugee centre?" I asked, looking up at Jay, who shook his head as he smiled,
"Just get in the car" He chuckled, walking back towards the drivers seat.
"You're coming with me?" I asked, looking up at him as he turned back to the car, 
"Can I?" I didn't like to rely on people, I think it makes me weak or whatever. When you become attached to people, that said person becomes your weakness. I looked at Jay, he was sort of useful I suppose, and when I was alone, I think I was starting to loose my mind.

"What's this?" He asked, holding up the family photo. I had forgotten I had put it there. I grabbed it from him, staring at it for a second,
"Nothing.." I mumbled holding it, looking at the family.

I think Jay thought I was asleep: I wasn't. I was just staring at my family, rage growing within me very quickly. As I started at their faces I just made myself angrier and angrier. 

My father. He was a monster. I didn't know if he treated all his children this bad or just me, but I will never forgive him for it. I loved visiting the cabin, getting away from the city but he made it miserable every, single, time.

Merle. He was also taking advantage of me. Kids in school used to call me names, called me a 'sociopath', it's not true and I know it but Merle made me like it. He forced me to hide emotions. Gaslighted me to believe it made me weak... pathetic.

My mother. Forcing me to believe my brothers hated me to try keep me away from them. She used to lie to me about things they would say. And recently, she heard me yelling at her to run, but she didn't. She didn't have to die but she did. It was selfish if you ask me. I had to sit and watch her get torn apart, and for what?

Well fuck them anyway. Look at me now. I'm better than ever, I don't need any of them to manage, to survive. I looked up at Jay, a small smile forming on  my face. I looked back down at the photo,
"Can you pull over real quick?" I asked. My voice made him jump but he agreed, pulling over onto the side of the road. I climbed out, Jay following me, obviously intrigued to what I was doing.

I went over to the boot, taking a pair of scissors from a medical kit, cutting the photo in half, leaving just me and Daryl. I took the half with me and Daryl, placing it in Jay's jacket pocket. I took the other half, flicking my lighter, setting fire to the corner, watching them burn slowly.

---

"You okay?" Jay asked me. We were back on the road now and had about an hour until we swapped over for the last time. I couldn't believe that we were almost there. I nodded and it was true, I was fine,
"Who were they?" I wanted to find him annoying, asking all these questions, but for the first time, I didn't. I realised I hadn't actually replied yet, I was just looking at him.
"Just my family.." I told him. He furrowed his brows,
"But, you burnt them?" I didn't have to ask him, I knew for a fact his family was functioning,

"They deserved it.." I sighed, looking out the window, avoiding Jay's glare. He didn't push the topic, and I'm glad, whether he's just too awkward to do so or because he could tell it was a touchy topic, I'm not sure.

I decided to sleep again. I would have to drive for around an hour after this, so I needed as much rest as possible. I saw Jay smiling at me from the corner of my eye as I put the jacket's hood up, resting my head on the car door, falling into a very uncomfortable sleep.

---

I woke to Jay, gently shaking my shoulder. I forced my eyes open, rubbing them with my hand,
"I didn't wanna wake you... but I have no idea where" I shook my head playfully, swapping seats with him so I could drive.

I was pretty impressed at how close he was, we were only 20 minutes or so away.
"So are you gonna tell me what we're doing out here yet?" Jay asked. I tried to tell him to go to sleep but he wasn't having any of it, apparently he wasn't tired but I knew that was bull.
"My brother lives out here." I deadpanned. 

"Is he the one left in the photo?" Jay asked as I pulled into the driveway. I nodded, looking in disappointment as the house looked empty, bare.

I climbed out the car, taking my machete from its holster, holding it tightly in my hand. The sun shone through the cabin, lighting it up enough to see around.
"Daryl?" I called out quietly. Nothing.

Jay stood behind me, giving me a moment to myself. Whoever left here, left in a hurry. It was a mess, things were thrown around. It does mean one thing, Daryl got out, he was alive when he left, and that's what's important. 

I didn't get my hopes up though. I expected him to be dead, as sad as it sounds. If I expect him to be gone, I can't be sad or disappointed when I learn that he is.

I froze as I pushed the door open to Daryl's bedroom. Laying on his messy bed was my bow, its quiver with arrows laying next to it. I approached it slowly, chuckling as I saw what was placed on top of it, a singular photo. It was one of me and Daryl, he didn't want to take it but I had forced him to.

I smiled to myself as I picked the photo up, placing it in Jay's pocket.
"The rest of the cabin is clear" Jay said, coming into the room I stood in, "Is that a bow?" I nodded, picking it up. It felt amazing in my hand, like it fit perfectly, like it was made for me. My brother really was right when he said he found the perfect one.

"It's what I came for" I explained. Jay smiled at me which was surprising. I almost expected him to be pissed off that we risked our lives for a bow but no, he didn't seem to mind.

"Well... this area seems pretty safe. I was thinking maybe we stay here for a while" Jay suggested. I was hoping he would say that, the area was perfect. There was plenty of wildlife in the woods surrounding us, and a huge lake about a mile walk away.

As we began unpacking our stuff into the house, I took a step back, realising for the first time, I might actually be, just about okay.

Word Count: 1,166
Total word count: 8,779