Once A Dixon, Always A Dixon (Daryl Dixon)

Pushed To The Limit

Setting: Road to Terminus, Season Four

*Daryl's POV*

We wander through the forest under the cover of night.

"There they are!" Joe whispers suddenly. Two people are camped in front of a minivan, a male and a female. Someone rustles the bushes, causing the people to stand up. 

"Daryl, you might wanna stay back for this," Joe says. He walks up to the male and presses a gun against his temple. 

"Oh, dearie me," Joe taunts. "You screwed up, asshole. You hear me? You screwed up. Today is a day of reckoning, sir! Restitution! A balancing of the whole damn universe! Shit, and I was thinking of turning in for the night on New Years Eve! Now, who's gonna count down the ball dropper with me, huh?" 

I decide to get a look at the people. The male has a growing beard and brown, curly hair. The female has dark skin and dreadlocks- wait.

Holy shit, it's Rick and Michonne. 

"Ten Mississippi!" Joe exclaims. "Nine Mississippi! Eight Mississippi!"

"Joe!" I yell. I come out of the shadows. Rick's eyes widen. 

"Hold up," I say. 

"You're stopping me on eight, Daryl," Joe says.

"Just hold up," I repeat.

"This is the guy that killed Lou, so we got nothing to talk about!" a group member says. 

"The thing about nowadays is we got nothing but time," Joe puts in. "Say your piece, Daryl."

"These people," I start. "you're gonna let 'em go. These are good people."

"Now, I think Lou would disagree with you on that," Joe scoffs. "I'll, of course, have to speak for him and all 'cause your friend here strangled him in a bathroom!"

"You want blood, I get it," I say and drop my crossbow. "Take it from me, man. Come on."

"This man killed our friend," Joe snarls. "You say he's good people. See, now that right there is a lie. It's a lie!" Someone hits the in the stomach with the butt of a gun. I double over in pain. 

"No!" Rick yells. 

"Teach him, fellas! Teach him all the way!" Joe says. The men push me against the car and beat me against it. I see Carl inside. One of the guys grabs him and pulls him out. 

"You leave him be!" Rick growls. "Listen, it was me! It was just me!" 

Michonne tries to move, but Tony keeps his pistol at her head. 

"See, now, that's right!" Joe exclaims. "That's not some damn lie! Look, we can settle this, we're reasonable men!"

One of the guys punches me to the ground. I hear a crack and I'm pretty sure I broke a rib. 

'Nico, forgive me,' I think. 

"First, we're gonna beat Daryl to death," I hear Joe say. "Then, we'll have the girl. Then the boy. Then, I'm gonna shoot you and we'll be square." 

Out of the corner of my eye, I see the man push Carl to the ground. 

"Let him go," Rick snarls. Jesus, even I'd fear him at this point! Suddenly, a gunshot blasts through the air and Joe stumbles backwards. 

One of the guys slams my head against a rock and white dots start to pop in my vision. I hear Rick grunt and see him punch Joe, who returns the favor.

"I got him," I hear Joe say. "Oh, it's gonna be so much worse now." Joe picks him up and holds him in front of him. 

"What the hell are you gonna do now, sport?" Joe taunts. I manage to elbow one of my attackers in the nose.