Daryl Dixon: A Beautiful Disaster (SEQUEL)

Chapter 18: Family Reunion

Everyone is on edge while we wait for Daryl's dad to show up. We know it's soon, probably in the morning so no one gets any rest. After the sun has already start to glow in its morning rays, the people across from us all start to get out of the trucks and stand at attention. We know what that means, so everyone I'm with gets out and lines up, prepared to end this. When everyone is settled into position, the grotesque man who now haunts my nightmares speaks "So, I heard my son is looking for me. Come on out, Daryl boy!" Leroy's voice echoes through the woods.

It's like all the creatures and birds felt his presence and the silence that followed his voice was eerie. Daryl comes out of the line and stands in front of the tank, his arm covered with an automatic. "Leroy" Daryl says to his father, the tension palpable.

"Aww, come on. Come give your old man a hug." Leroy returns with a smug smile, stepping forward with wide arms. We are all about 15 feet apart now, and Michonne and Rick lift their guns up and point them at him. His men do the same and point them at us. Daryl and Leroy just stare at each other. "Come on, son. I neva woulda thought you'd make it in this world. But damn, you've seen to have done just fine on your own. You know what happened to Merle?"

"He's dead" Daryl says back in a flat tone.

His dad shakes his head with a tisk "shame, he coulda done a lot in this world. Coulda used a man like him here. So, whatdya want from me? I know you got my girl with you." He leans to the side a little to eye me in the car I'm sitting in. He pulls his hand up and waves with a creepy grin.

I don't let him get to me and I get out of the car and move a bit forward to stand where everyone else is standing. Daryl speaks out "she's a part of our community, she's not yours."

"Now, now, just check her inner leg. She's claimed, boy. I understand you might think she's a part of your town but in this world, it's a first come- first serve basis. And I got to her first."

"She's not a piece of property Leroy, and she's not yours." Rick calls out loud.

Leroy speaks loudly "all ladies need a man in charge. Just look at the two you brought today." He refers to Michonne and Rosita. "Armed, strong, but under your say. Your control. That one" he points to me "she's not a soldier," he takes a step closer "she's not a whore," he takes another step "she's a virgin. She needs a man to tell her what to do and to put her in her place." He takes another step closer and both Daryl and Spencer move to stand in front of me. "Oh, what's this?" His smile grows wider "are you invested romantically with my virgin?" He asks his son.

Daryl doesn't say anything and just stares at him, his hands bundled up in fists. Spencer has had enough of listening to the way he is talking about me and yells "she's not going with you, that's all there is to it."

"And who the fuck are you?" Leroy asks angrily, spit coming out of his mouth "I didn't come out here to talk to a footman. Don't address me again" He snarls in Spencer's direction.

Rick gives Spencer a look of warning, but Daryl just stares at the man in front of him. He's not as large as he was when he beat him as a kid but he's still in shape. Daryl says. "we have to figure something out because she is not coming back with you."

"Daryl, boy. You know me, am I one to give up easily?" He asks him, "you know I don't stop till I get what I want."

"We don't want to fight" Daryl tells him, knowing what is going to go down. "but we will if we have to."

I look to Rick who looks to me and gives me a little head shake. I exhale, knowing at some point I'm going to have to step up and do what is right. "Well then," Leroy lifts his arms, signaling for his men to lift their weapons, "fight we shall."

"Stop!" I call into the air. Leroy leaves his hands lifted and stares at me and all his men behind him wait, too. They wait for his hands to rise just a bit more so they can shoot off their guns.

Rick looks at me as well, as does Spencer but Daryl's eyes stay focused ahead of him. "Shannon, no." Rick says under his breath.

"I'm sorry" I say to him in a whisper and take two steps closer in the road. "If I come with you, will you leave them alone? All of them?" I ask out loud towards Leroy.

"If you come willingly my dear, I will leave them alone. Yes." He says back to me, with a firm head nod.

"Shannon" Spencer whispers my name "stop." I don't turn around to look at him, to look at anyone.

"Fine. But I have one more condition." I say to him.

He laughs "you're in no place to be making conditions, Shay."

"Then you'll have to fight, and I might die or you might die. In this case, you'll have me 100% the way you want me." I return, trying to sound as fearless as I can. Although my heart is racing and my legs are almost buckling underneath me.

He pushes his lips together and says, "let me hear it."

"Clint" I say his name, eyeing him from where I stand. Leroy waits for me to go on so I do "he's done, he's out."

Leroy's lips form into a smile and he says "Clint, c'mere." His hand is in the air and he waves for him to come down.

Clint does as he is told and comes to stand next to his boss, "yes, sir" he says.

"Why is it this lady here wants you out?" He asks.

Clint shrugs, "cause I was hunting her down to bring her back to you."

Leroy looks at him, titled head, "so you think I'm stupid, Clint?"

"No, sir." He says quickly in return.

Leroy goes on, "a women wants nothing to do with a man whose touched her the wrong way. Did you touch her the wrong way? Did you try to un-purify my virgin?" He asks him. Clint coughs up a little, finally seeming visibly nervous. When he doesn't answer right away, Leroy says "Clint, I'll deal with you later." He gestures with his head for him to go back. "Alright my love, this will be taken care of. Are we ready now?" He opens his hand open for me to walk over and take.

I exhale heavily and take one step forward. However, before I could take a second step there are gunshots ringing out. It starts with just one then two and then dozens are encircling me. I'm pushed aside by someone and fall hard on my side. My bruised ribs from days earlier ring in pain and I do my best to not shout out. "Let's go!" I hear. I don't see him but I know Daryl was the one to push me aside. He pulls me up to my feet and forces me to run as fast as we can into the woods for cover. Bullets fly through the air as Daryl pulls me along with him. We run for around 20 minutes until we can't hear any more shots.

When we stop, I bend over my knees to catch my breath but mutter out, "we need to go back."

"They ain't there no more, we gotta head home." He says back to me, catching his own breath.

I shake my head "what if someone is injured? I have to know!" I argue with him.

Daryl doesn't budge "we need to keep moving, Leroy will send his men out for you. Let's go."

"Shannon!" My name is being called out. Daryl puts his hand over my body to protect me when I hear it called again, "Shannon!"

"Spencer?" I question out loud. When I hear it again, I know it's him and yell it out louder this time, "Spencer!" Daryl mumbles and lowers his hand from me. Spencer comes out from behind some trees and rushes over to me, "Spencer, what are you doing here? What happened?" I ask him, going over to him.

"You tryna announce where we at? Keep it down!" Daryl snarls at him, holding the gun up in case someone comes up from behind.

"They drove off, everyone's okay. I followed you, wanted to make sure you're okay." He says through panted breaths.

"We have to move" Daryl grumbles and starts walking through the woods.

I walk with Spencer a few steps behind Daryl and ask him "why did you follow me? You coulda been killed."

Spencer shakes his head "just have to make sure you're okay." I nod without saying anything. I need to stay focused on what's happening now and getting back to Alexandria.