The Fear (The Walking Dead / Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 35 - Gone

"It won't work." Rick was saying to Daryl.

"It's gotta."

"It'll stir things up." Rick stated.

Merle had woken up by now, he stood off the side, covered by the trees while Michonne stood back near the vehicle and the rest of us were discussing our next move. Daryl had now given me back my gun and I had tucked it into my belt and every few seconds I would glance over in Merle's direction. I had placed my machete in the car earlier before they had left to rescue Daryl.

"Look, the Governor is probably on the way to the prison right now. Merle knows how he thinks and we could the muscle." Daryl tried to reason, and not unfairly.

"I'm not having him at the prison." Maggie stated.

"Do you really want him sleeping in the same cell block as Carol or Beth?" Glenn asked.

"He ain't a rapist." Daryl shot back.

"Well, his buddy is." Glenn continued as Maggie looked over at him.

When they had first left to rescue Daryl I had spoke to Glenn in private, wanting some answers now that we were out of that place. Maggie had promised him that the Governor had barely touched her, that it was just another mind game. Although I had assumed that was the case I was never 100% sure and it was a huge relief to hear it... but that sure as hell didn't mean I wasn't just as angry.

"They ain't buddies no more. Not after last night."

"There's no way Merle's gonna live there without putting everyone at each other's throats." Rick explained.

"So you're gonna cut Merle loose and bring the Last Samurai home with us?" Daryl asked.

"She helped save us, she didn't kidnap us off the road and beat the shit out of Glenn." I shot back, finally speaking. Daryl looked at me, not saying anything back.

"She's not coming back." Rick then finally added.

"She's not in a state to be on her own." Maggie stated.

"She did bring you guys to us." Glenn then added.

"And then ditched us." Rick informed.

"You should at least let me or dad stitch her up." I stated.

"She's too unpredictable." Rick shook his head.

"That's right. We don't know who she is." Daryl stated. "But Merle, Merle's blood."

"No, Merle is your blood." Glenn said back to him. "My blood, my family is standing right here and waiting for us back at the prison."

"And you're part of that family... but he's not." Rick added on. "He's not."

"Man, y'all don't know." Daryl shook his head. "Fine." He then nodded and I knew what was coming next before he even said it, I knew because it's exactly what I would do. "We'll fend for ourselves."

"That's not what I was saying." Glenn responded.

"No him, no me." Daryl stated.

"Daryl, you don't have to do that." Maggie spoke.

"It was always Merle and I before this."

"Don't." Maggie said and was then followed by Glenn saying; "You serious?" But remained quiet. We couldn't expect him to abandon his brother, no matter what kind of man Merle was. But I didn't want that man near my sisters, but more so at the moment I didn't want him near Glenn, not now. Merle wasn't a rapist and with Daryl around and the Governor against him he might well have behaved himself, but Glenn? He would never let it go, never and neither would I, but if Glenn picked a fight or Merle prompted him into one, Merle would win.