DARLIN' | d. dixon ✓

VI. DIXON'S DO-RAG

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RICK LED THE GROUP through Atlanta. Avoiding every walker that lingered onto the streets. Remmi's short hair was tied into a ponytail. She could feel the sweat dripping down her neck as they ran through the streets.

Remmi couldn't help but think back to what Daryl said on the truck. It was the thing that stuck out the most out of everything.

"I'm not gonna be the one to save you when you get yourself into trouble, ya hear me?"

She was in a bit of disbelief. The first sentence Daryl had ever said to her was that. It was when they arrived that he told her that.

She was determined to prove to the man she knew absolutely nothing about that she could do this. That she could something with her life other than cower in the shadows and be defenseless.

However, she had no clue as to why she felt this way towards a man she didn't know. She never felt the need to prove herself to Derek. There was no point.

Don't talk back, you know better than that Remmi. His voice was ringing in her ears like nothing before. Her heart started to beat at a rapid pace even as they ran up the stairs to the roof where Merle Dixon was at, she couldn't stop it.

Remmi shook her head and ignored everything except for the cries of Daryl Dixon calling out to his brother.

"Merle!" He shouted. "Merle!"

But there was nothing.

It was then that the five of them saw something else. Something more morbid than what they thought.

"Son of a bitch..." T-Dog mumbled from beside her.

"No! No!" Daryl cried out.

There on the dirt covered floor was a hand. A hand that was forcibly severed. A hand that could only belong to Merle Dixon.

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After calming down, Daryl grabbed his brother's hand and wrapped in a blue do-rag. He ended up stuffing it inside Glenn's bag.

"Hey look," Remmi pointed out. "There's a trail. He might've passed out down here."

Pushing past her, Daryl ran through the door. T-Dog grabbed Remmi's arm to keep the balance before patting her back. The two caught up to the other three, following the trail.

"What's that smell?" Glenn shuddered, covering his nose.

Taking a look around, Remmi finally replied, "He cauterized his arm. That's almost impressive,"

"He's a tough son of a bitch," Daryl told her, "Nobody can kill Merle, but Merle."

"No matter how tough, any man can pass out from blood loss," Rick reminded him.

"Merle Dixon or not, he most likely passed out along the streets. We're talking about how much blood he lose and the shock he most likely has from the cauterization," Remmi comments, the doctor in her coming out at a rapid pace.

That simple comment caused a dispute between the men. Rick telling Daryl to keep his head on straight and Daryl telling him to stick it.

Eventually, the five of them decided to get the guns. One of two main purposes of coming to Atlanta.

"I'll run up through there," Glenn explained. "Daryl and Remmi will be right there and then Rick and T-Dog, you two will be down there."

"Why do we need to split up?" Rick asked.

"So if I get stuck, I have somewhere to go back too," The Korean explained. Rick nodded.

Another five minutes passed and Glenn had already ran out to get the guns. Daryl and Remmi stood at their corner. Keeping their weapons high, Remmi kept thinking about what Daryl said.

"I can take care of myself, you know." She told him.

He gave the young woman a look. "What the hell are you on 'bout now?"

"I'm talking about—" Remmi was cut off by Daryl yelling. She turned around and saw a boy.

Daryl began accusing the young man of taking his brother. Or rather knowing where the missing Dixon was.

The young teen began shouting, a different language at his lips. Remmi couldn't understand what the teen was saying as in high school she geared towards French rather than Spanish.

"Daryl!" She yelled, hearing a car pull up behind her. Remmi turned around and saw four men come out of the car. Daryl realized what was happening and show his crossbow almost immediately. He hit one of the men on the rear, almost making Remmi laugh until she thought about what Derek would say to her.

"Why do you always have to laugh at everything?" He would ask her. Remmi was always self conscience about her laugh after that. If Derek didn't like it, then there was obviously something wrong with her, right?

Remmi heard Daryl shout her name. She looked his way, but by then it was too late. The woman felt a pair of hands on her waist, pulling her towards the car.

"Daryl!" She shouted, a hand clamping over her mouth as soon as the name left her lips.

"Remmi!" He shouted back, attempting to run after the car. What would her brother say? If she wasn't back in one piece.

Daryl thought back to what Andrew told him back at camp. "You keep an eye on her or I swear to you Dixon, I'll show no mercy."

Daryl had never seen a brother so protective of their sibling. He had no idea as to why Andrew told Daryl to keep an eye on her. T-Dog and Rick where more than capable of looking after the girl. Or that's what Daryl kept telling himself. That Remmi was just another soul in the world. A helpless one that only someone better could take care of.

Hell, he couldn't even warn her in time before she was thrown into a car with strangers. Then it clicked. They had a way to get her back.

Before the teen could run away, or rather it registered in his mind to run, Daryl grabbed ahold of his shirt.

"What happened? Where's Remmi?" Glenn asked, out of breathe with a Sheriff's hat on one hand and a bag of guns in the other.

*published