Always || Daryl Dixon

Three

"Fuck you Shane! You don't know shit! Stay the fuck away from me!" I screamed as I stormed over to my tent zipping it up from the inside.

The group have just left for the run but Shane being Shane refused to let me step more than five feet away from him before he exploded about how it was too dangerous and how I'd be safer with him, fuck him. So here I am currently laying in my tent staring at the top as I imagined beating the living shit out of Shane. I must have fell asleep as the next thing I knew it was morning.

"Lyla! Their back!" Carl's voice came from outside the tent creating a surge of energy forcing me up and out of the tent still in the clothes I wore yesterday, it's the end of the world, don't judge me. Grabbing Carl's hand we made our way towards the rest of the group just as someone I wasn't expecting appeared from behind the van.

"Dad?!" Me and Carl screamed in union as we barrelled towards him falling to the ground arms wrapped around each other.

"Mum look! Dads back!" Carl screamed as she walked towards us suddenly speeding up as she realised what was going on, soon joining us in our group hug.

"Shane said you was dead." Carl said as we broke apart.

"And he had every right to think so." He said as he bent down to his level.

"Wait." I said noticing someone missing "Where's Merle?" I asked.

"He's on top of a building, I handcuffed him to a pipe." Dad said looking around the group then at me. "He was putting us all in danger." He explained with a look of concern on his face.

"So you handcuffed him to a roof? We can't just leave him there!" I exclaimed just as a rustling was heard. Daryl emerging from the woods calling out for Merle.

"He's not here." My dad called over to him causing Daryl to spin around starting to charge towards us.

"Wha' ya mean he ain't 'ere?" He shouted as he got closer standing just behind me.

"He was putting us all in danger, I handcuffed him to the roof, he's still there." Dad explained once again looking at the pissed of redneck.

"So ya left him for bait?" Daryl yelled coming past me and shoving my dads chest.

"Daryl, chill! We're gunna go get him, right dad?" I said while looking between the two.

"It's my fault, I dropped the damn key." T-Dog intervened from behind Glenn.

"Ya couldn't 'ave picked it up?" Daryl asked shooting daggers at the man.

"It went down the drain man, I chained the door shut, nothing can get to him." T-Dog said trying to reassure the angry man before him.

"What roof? Imma go get 'im." Daryl muttered as he readjusted his crossbow walking towards the van.

"I'll come with you, I dropped a bag of guns we'll get them too." My dad said as he too started towards the van.

"So we're gunna risk two men for Merle Dixon, he ain't worth it." Shane said deciding to butt his fat head in. Rolling my eyes I looked over at Glenn to see him about to say something.

"I'll go too, I know the city, the quickest way to get to him." He said looking at Shane then my dad and Daryl.

"It's my fault, I'll go too." T-Dog said as he went to the van.

"So four men? For Merle?" Shane said with a pissed off look on his face.

"Make that four men and a woman, I'm going to." I said as I adjusted my gun and knife that hung from the belt of my jeans.

"I don't think so, you're staying here." Shane was quick to jump in putting an arm out infront of me as I tried to walk past.

"Excuse me? I'm a big girl now Shane, I can look after myself." I all but yelled as I pushed his arm away from me walking towards where Daryl was leaning on the side of the van, he was looking at me with a, proud? Impressed? Surprised? Look on his face as I stood beside him.

"And you're okay with that Rick?" He asked expecting him to back him up.

"Like she said, she's a big girl now. And let's not forget, she's my daughter not yours." Dad said as he climbed into the drivers seat, T-Dog jumping in the passenger side leaving me, Daryl and Glenn to get in the back.

"Whatever." I heard Shane mumble as he walked away.
- - - - - - - - -

"He always talk to ya like that?" Daryl asked after we set off.

"Only since dad was in hospital, seems to think he's now my father." I explained as I looked over to him from my spot on the floor beside Glenn.

"Seems like a dick if ya ask me." He mumbled as he started fiddling with one of his arrows.

"Trust me, he gets worse." I murmured back.

"So Ricks your dad?" Glenn asked as he leaned back on the van wall beside me.

"He is indeed, Shane didn't know shit when he said he was dead." I said as I leant back with him.

"At least now he might back off a bit." He smiled at me.

Shrugging my shoulders I looked up at the roof closing my eyes until the van stopped.

"We're here." My dad yelled through to the back.

Time to go get Merle.