Leave Out All The Rest (Bethyl AU)

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"Come on little brother! Jump!" Merle yelled up at his brother.

Daryl was on top of the building and looking down at where his older brother just jumped. When he landed on the dumpster he didn't hesitate to jump off and shuffle to get his balance. He glanced up behind him where the cop was looking down at the two of them. He felt Merle pull him along as they ran through the alley and into the next street of oncoming traffic. They dodged the oncoming car and ran to the other side of the street and started walking in the large crowd, losing site of the cop. Daryl stopped beside his brother as they tried to catch their breath.

"That was a close one." Merle laughed and Daryl rolled his eyes at his brother.

"All that for an ounce Merle?" Daryl asked him and shoved the bag of drugs into his brother's chest.

"You'd get it if you tried some. This shit's amazing." Merle laughed and looked behind him. "Hey what do ya say little brother? Lookin' for a good time?"

Daryl look behind him at what Merle was pointing at. He read the sign that read Chix on Dix, a classy strip club. Daryl couldn't help but laugh at the pathetic name.

"Hell no. I'm goin home man." Daryl said and gave his brother some cash. "Catch a cab home."

"You think a cab's gonna drive me all the way from Atlanta to Senoia?"

"You'll figure somethin' out." Daryl said and walked over to his bike and grabbed his helmet.

"I'll make a man outta you one day little brother." Merle yelled over the several people shuffling between the two of them on the sidewalk. The illuminating lights coming from the neon signs of bars, clubs, and restaurants gave Daryl an unsettling feeling and he was always looking for an excuse to get away as soon as they visited the city.

Merle watched Daryl crank his bike and merge into the traffic and head back to their little hometown.

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It was almost five A.M. when Daryl finally crossed the line into their small hometown. He passed some of the small shops and parked his bike in front of the small diner on the corner of the only stop light in their town. It was December and he could feel the frost on his nose and hurried inside to warm up his hands. He saw Mary Jennings behind the counter and she smiled over at him as he made his way to his usual booth. Daryl pulled out his phone and placed it on the table. He saw he had a couple missed messages from Merle but ignored them.

"How long you been on the road sweetie? It's too cold to be ridin' with just that leather jacket on." Mary said to Daryl as she poured him some coffee and placed one packet of cream and two sugars on the table. He took his coffee the same way for six years and Mary had always had it ready for him as soon as he came in. He thought back to his first visit to the diner. It was the first time he'd seen his father knock his mother unconscious. Merle left before everything happened and Daryl stayed by his mother's side the entire night waiting for her to wake up again. He was only twelve then he knew not much has changed for his family and now he's nineteen.