Until the End

Chapter Fourteen: Our hospitality.

"Kirby!" Daryl shouted as his feet crunched the gravel as he ran in the direction the children had pointed to.

When Kirby was in view, all Daryl saw was Shane on the ground and Kirby's back blocking another person. Crossbow in hand, Daryl ran the few yards to them and saw his brother being tended to by Kirby.

"Merle....Merle!" Daryl finally shouted, locking Merle in a head lock.

"Daryl, careful I just stitched his chin and if you rip them I'm going to be pissed." Kirby said, but smiled at the sight of Daryl and Merle.

Merle didn't miss the look on Kirby's face as she stared at the two.

'Ah, it seems my brother found himself a honey.' Merle thought with a inside grin.

"Damn it Merle as soon as I found out that you were cuffed on that roof, I went back for you. Why didn't you wait for me?" Daryl asked, completely ignoring a groaning Shane as Daryl knelt down to examine Merle's stump that Kirby began to clean with some kind of brownish orange liquid.

"How was I suppose to know that? I was left fer dead and the sun was cookin' my brain. I panicked." Merle stated, wincing a little at the stick of the needle Kirby just pierced his upper arm with.

"Sorry, but I just wanted to make sure you don't get tetanus." Kirby said, before wrapping gauze around the stump.

"Merle, I'm your brother. I wouldn't have left ya to die." Daryl voiced, before another groan from Shane caught his attention.

"Not that I care that he's hurt, but what happened to the pig?" Daryl asked and saw Kirby frown.

"Shane put a gun to Merle's head and I got in the way. Merle ended up punching Shane just like you punched him the other day." Kirby said, running the tip of her tongue along her front teeth.

"Then why are your knees bleedin'?" Daryl demanded.

Kirby looked down at her pulsing knees and grimaced.

"The wanker pushed her down for tryin' to help me." Merle said, before Kirby could speak.

Daryl was on top of Shane throwing punches, before Kirby knew his intention.

"Daryl, stop it! Merle took care of it. I'm fine. My knees don't even hurt." Kirby lied.

Daryl stood up only to kick Shane in his side, making the man curl up with a groan of pain.

"Don't lie to me, Kirby. I saw the pain in your eyes." Daryl huffed, before spitting down at Shane.

"Well if I didn't see it fer myself, then I'd say it was a load of horseshit. My baby brother is in love." Merle laughed huskily from his dry throat.

Daryl's back stiffen at his brother's words.

"Merle, shut up." Daryl said, taking Merle's left arm and throwing it over his shoulder to help him up and back to camp.

Kirby smiled as her heart fluttered. She picked up the medical bag and began after them. A groan from Shane had her rolling her eyes.

"Just leave him here. He deserves it." Merle said when he and Daryl paused.

Kirby sighed.

"I can't. Damn it. If you try to feel me up I'll rip out your scrotum and strangle you with it." Kirby threatened causing Merle and Daryl to let out low whistles.

"I may not be educated like her, but I definitely know what a scrotum is." Merle said.

Daryl let out a puff of hot air.