Broken (A Walking Dead/Daryl fanfiction)

Chapter 6

"It's been a week. When are you going to come out of there?" Carol asks from the doorway. I lay silent, starring at the brick wall on the opposite end of my cell. I hear her sigh and then recede down the corridor. This past week has been nothing but hell. The man leading the group that came, the governor, has more people than he brought with him. A whole town to be exact. Daryl comes by to bring me updates now and again, so I have a good idea of what's going on. He left a day ago, to go rescue Glenn and Maggie from Woodbury. That's what the towns name is called. Rick and some new woman went with him. A little while after they left some new people came, injured, from the open cell block on the other side of the prison. Hershel patched them up. They're staying until Rick comes and decides what to do with them. Loris getting in the worst stages of pregnancy, she's due any day now from what Hershel says. Although he practiced on animals, not humans. But I'm not even sure what being human means these days. Carl's been acting leader since Rick left, handling the keys and what not. Beth comes by to give me food, even though I don't eat much of it.
"You're going to be okay." She'll say. Then she'll pick up my bowl and leave. She reminds me of Eve. So unaware of the world around, and yet, somehow more aware than anyone. It's confusing really. I hear a few shouts from outside, and know they've returned. I hope they're all okay. Maybe I should get up, greet them. See if anyone's injured, see what they did to Glenn and Maggie. I kicked my feet out to the side of the bed, letting the dizziness in my head pass before I stand. It would be good to breath in the fresh air anyway. I missed the sun on my skin. I just didn't think I deserved it after Eve. With my arms wrapped around myself, I headed out of my cell. I heard some yelling outside, so I quickened my pace. No one remained inside, so I just opened the gate and continued down the corridor. When I opened the final door, the air washed over me, pushing my grimy hair back. I saw Rick pointing his gun at someone I didn't know. Carl,
Lori, Carol, and Beth stood to the side. Maggie and Glenn were pointing their gun at someone with a bayonet arm. Daryl stood between the guy and Glen and Maggie.
"He tried to kill us!" Maggie shouted, Glenn nodding in agreement.
"I said put it down!" Rick yelled to all of them, including the woman standing before him, her sword raised. Looks of disgust passed all their faces, but they obliged. Daryl saw me then, a look of surprise passing his face.
"What's going on?" I asked quietly, to no one in particular.
"This is Merle, my brother." Daryl said, looking me straight in the eye.
"He tried to kill me!" The woman with the sword said, her eyes wide.
"He helped us get out of there." Daryl defended.
"After he beat the shit out of you!"
"Hey we both took our licks, man." Merle said, eyeing me with disgusting thirst.
"Jackass." Daryl said.
"Hey, shut up."
"Enough!" Rick yelled to all of them.
A few more yells erupted before Merle laughed.
"Man, you look like you've gone native, brother." Merle laughed again.
"No more than you hanging out with that psycho back there." Daryl flung his arm up for emphasis.
"He is a charmer, I'll tell you that. Been putting the wood to your friend Andrea big time baby." Merle lets out a horrifying moan after his comment. The woman Rick was fighting with earlier looked ready to chop his head off.
"What?" Glenn asked in pure shock. "Andreas in Woodbury?"
"Right next to the Governor." Daryl replied solemnly. The woman raised her sword again, making Rick yell at her some more.
"Do you know Andrea?" Rick questioned her. She gave a slight nod.
"Yep, she does. Her and blondie spent all winter cuddling up in the forest. My Nubian queen here had two pet walkers. No arms, cut off the jaws, kept them in chains. Kind of ironic now that I think about it." Merle says in a very deep, southern accent. I only noticed how closely it related to Daryls now.
"Shut up, bro."
"Hey man, we snagged him out of the woods. Andrea was close to dying." He just didn't know when to shut up, did he? I shuffled my feet uncomfortably, trying to make sense of the situation.
"Is that why she's with him?" Maggie asked, looking at the woman who's name I still didn't know.
"Yeah. Snug as two little bugs. So what you going to do now, Sheriff, huh? Surrounded by a bunch of liars, thugs, and cowards."
"Shut up!" Rick yelled at Merle again.
"Oh man, look at this. Pathetic. All these guns and no bullets in them."
"Merle, shut up!" Daryl yelled at his brother with a fierce, loud voice.
"Shut up yourself! Bunch of pussies you roll-" I went up behind Merle before he could finish, bashing him against the head with the butt of my knife. He fell instantly to the ground.
"Like you're any better." I mumbled. I had just about enough from Daryl's brother. Woodbury was already a sore subject for me, but knowing that when of its 'citizens' was here talking shit about my group, well, that I couldn't stand. Daryl looked down at his brother, then back up at me. I couldn't tell if the look he gave me was a thank you or a warning to not do it again. Maybe it was both. They all muttered asshole before turning and walking back to the prison, leaving his limp body on the concrete. Daryl remained as they all stepped inside.
"Are you okay?" He asked me, placing his hands on my shoulders and leaning down so we were eye-to-eye.
"No. But I need to be. You guys are falling apart. The governor is going to make his move soon, and you'll need me." After he looked into my eyes for a bit, he pulled me into a long hug. My arms wrapped around his back and I buried my face into his neck. I didn't mind the smell of sweat that remained there, I just needed the comfort.
"You're right. You have to be strong." He says real low next to my ear.
"Thanks for not coddling me." I pulled away, truly thankful. I looked into his eyes before turning and walking back to the prison.
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Rick went with Daryl and Hershel to talk to the Governor. Talk about a possible solution to this 'war'. It's idiotic, and I told them not to go. But will Rick listen to me? No, of course not.
"Stay here, lock up. And get ready for them to come. Guns, ammo, shields, everything. I want to be ready in case things go south." Rick told me before he left. Michonne (I finally learned her name), Glenn, Maggie, Carol, and Carl all helped with the loading of ammo. I had Carl put some around the major areas we'll be shooting from to make sure everyone has ammo when they need it.
"We should go now. Take him by surprise. They won't see it comin'." Merle said.
"We promised we'd stay here and prepare. So that's what we're going to do." I said, starring at him wickedly.
"So you're going to let the man that killed your sister get away?" I snapped then. I pounced on him before he even knew what was coming. He landed on the floor, my knees pinning his shoulders to the ground.
"I will put a bullet in his skull for what he did. I'm tempted to put a bullet in yours. But I promised I wouldn't. Now, you're going to stay here, and be a good boy until they get back." I pushed down on him once again before I got off. Maggie and Glenn looked at me with amusement before continuing to load the guns spread across the table.
"Damn woman." Merle mutters to himself before he goes off somewhere.
I hear cars outside and drop the gun I was working on and headed outside. A car pulled up with Rick and Hershel in it. Daryl's motorcycle rode up next to the car. I couldn't help but smile when I saw him. He was clearly pissed from the meeting. Rick ordered everyone inside.
"I'm guessing it didn't go well?" I asked him. He gave me a cocky smile I wish I saw more often.
"Nah, it didn't. Ricks calling a meetin'." He said, swinging his crossbow higher up on his shoulder.
"You know...you haven't kissed me since..." I let the question hang. He stopped walking and turned to look at me. His eyes squeezed shut slightly from the sun. He walked forward slightly and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me tight against his body. I smiled at him. He leaned in and kissed me hard on the lips. I brought my hands up to his neck and pulled him closer, if that was even possible.
"I didn't know you wanted me to." He replied after he pulled away. He turned and walked back into the prison, and I followed. With a stupid grin plastered on my face.
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"Merle and Michonne are gone!" Rick came up to Daryl and I. Daryl looked at both of us before leading us into a storage type room.
"The last time I saw em' he was in here." Daryl said, looking around. He walked to the back of the room where a pillow case lay on the ground.
"He brought her here, tied her up." I said, pointing to the extra bit of string.
"We have to go after them. It's not right." Rick said, moving towards the door that led outside. I learned the day after Rick came back from the meeting with the governor that he wanted Michonne. There was no telling what he would do to her, but we could all imagine. Rick was going to oblige, but changed his made. Merle, apparently, didn't.
"Your tracking skills are shit." Daryl said.
"Then you come with me."
"No, I go. You stay with them and prepare." Daryl walked to the door and pushed it open.
"I'm going with you." I said. He didn't put up a fight, knowing he would lose in the end anyway.
"We'll be back soon. Check on Lori, that'll make you feel better." I smiled at him and headed out the door behind Daryl.
We tracked them for about an hour, finding a few walkers with their heads sloppily chopped off. Probably from Merle using Michonnes sword.
"Daryl, if we get there and Merle's..." I left the assumption in the air.
"He'll be fine." He muttered. We walked on in silence for a while, finding a few footprints here and there. We came across a motel with walkers dead on the ground, and others still lingering. We finished off the ones that remained.
"Look." Daryl pointed to a pillar with thick string wrapped around it. It was cut in a hurry.
"The walkers must of surrounded them. They left in a hurry. Probably in a car that was parked here." He pointed to tire marks on the ground.
"Well then come on, we better hurry." We went off in a trot, heading further in the direction they went.
After another 10 minutes or so, we saw Michonne sticking her sword in a walker on the ground.
"Where's my brother?" A spark of panic lit Daryl's eyes.
"He let me go." She said after a few moments of silence. He went on to kill the governor, for Daryl.
"Don't let them come after us." Daryl told her as he ran forward. I ran after him, holding my knife against my side so it wouldn't fall out.
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Daryl and I turned the corner, seeing walkers eating people. Daryl shot a few of them, and I stabbed the rest. As I went for one to the left, I heard a soft cry from Daryl. At first I was confused; Daryl doesn't cry. I looked up at him, and saw his brother standing before him. His eyes were yellow, his skin a sickly grey. Cuts covered his face, and his shirt was covered in blood down the middle. Daryl's face was twisted in a sadness that kept me in my cell for days. I could see the pain in his eyes, the same pain I had. Merle came closer to Daryl, his jaw snapping like a beast. Daryl kicked him away, still crying. He kicked him away again and again. Daryl stuck his knife underneath Merle's chin and pushed him back, falling to the ground. Daryl stabbed his knife in Merle's head, who let out a groan before ceasing to move. But Daryl kept stabbing. I ran to him and wrapped my arm around his shoulder, placing my other hand on his hands to stop him from stabbing. He sobbed more, leaning into me. I held his head to me.
"It's ok. It's going to be ok. He did this for you, he loved you. He wanted to protect you." I tried giving reasons to help comfort him. He remained silent, other than the soft cries that poured out of his mouth.
"It's ok. It's going to be ok." I soothed some more. I helped him stand, and he pulled me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around his neck tightly, pulling him closer to me. He pulled his head away slightly and looked into my eyes. He leaned forward and gave me a soft kiss on my forehead, keeping his mouth there.
"Thank you." he says after he pulls away. Tears still fall from his eyes. I nod my head, and we start our walk back towards the prison with our hands held together.