Sneaky

Chapter 174

Eve's head snapped towards him like someone poked her with a hot iron sword.

"That's not what I was saying." Glenn quickly jumped.

"No him, no me." Daryl said it how it is.

"Daryl, you don't have to do that." Maggie tried to "reason" but truthfully she didn't understand. She doesn't understand why Daryl would be willing to go this far for someone like Merle, even if they are biologically siblings.

These guys don't get it. Merle's his brother, they grew up under the same roof and have been together most of their lives. It doesn't matter that he's an asshole.

Daryl had a hard enough time accepting it when he was left on the roof and if it hadn't been for Eve & him becoming partners and her always sticking with him, he would've gone off a long time ago. When they lost Sophia, he almost did — he actually had a brief falling out with even her.

He can't even fathom how they don't understand this — Maggie has siblings! Glenn had siblings, Rick had Shane & Lori — the only person who gets it and is siding with him is Eve, and she's never even had a family before!

She's not blood-related to a single one of them and yet she's proven time and again that she's willing to go to any lengths she has to to protect them.

"It was always Merle and I before this." Daryl made up his mind.

"Don't." Maggie pleaded but it sounded more like a command than she meant.

"You serious?" Glenn stared at him in disbelief. "You're just gonna leave like that?"

"You'd do the same thing." Daryl retorted.

Daryl looked at Eve and her entire body screamed 'alarm' but he was distracted by Glenn again.

"What do you want us to tell Carol?" Glenn meant for it to make Daryl reconsider, and he was right in thinking that Daryl hadn't thought that far ahead but he didn't have to think for long.

"Carol, she'll understand."

Glenn was flabbergasted.

After a beat of silence, Daryl pushed past Maggie. "Say goodbye to your pop for me."

"Daryl, are you serious? Daryl!" Glenn called after him but Eve waved them off, right on Daryl's heels.

"Hey, hey." Rick caught up with them, even walking backwards so he could keep up and still see Daryl's face. "There's gotta be another way."

Of course there is! Everyone could stop being a picky stubborn whining brat and smell the f***ing death in the air. We need as many hands as we can get, regardless if he's only got one to bring to the table. If it's a choice between putting up with Merle and losing Daryl it shouldn't be a hard choice!

Daryl stopped, staring Rick in the eyes, regretful but unwavering. "Don't ask me to leave him. I already did that once."

Daryl kept walking and Rick caught up again but didn't start speaking again until they reached the car.

"We started something last night. You realize that, huh?"

Yeah thanks Captain Obvious, I'm sure we weren't all painfully aware of that before you said it.

Daryl opened the trunk. "No him, no me. That's all I can say."

Gods— Rick, you know how loyal Daryl is and you're still pushing to leave his brother behind again?!

"Take care of yourself. Take care of little asskicker. Carl." Daryl packed up his backpack in the trunk and put it over his shoulder. "That's one tough kid."