Blood Bourbon

This James Bond Shit...

The world was going to be alright. Daryl felt that in his soul after spending a few moments with the kids and reading them bedtime stories. Focusing on that, and not what lay ahead or behind him, had helped him centre himself. And Charlie had always been good at keeping him rooted right where he needed to be.

He glanced back to his brother, offering the man a grin as they walked down the stairs. Charlie smiled back, but Daryl saw the concern in Charlie's eyes, and beyond that, there was a cold glint his brother rarely had around him.

They wanted him to talk about the memories he had left behind him in his nightmares and childhood. He had become so good at pretending that it was normal not to have thoughts about the early years of his life. Daryl had compartmentalized it and refused to acknowledge he even had a childhood. And now Charlie wanted him to reverse all that hard work, because of some weirdly obsessive company that seemed to know all about it.

He returned his eyes forward and grinned once more, seeing Ryker step into the house. The man flashed Vince a glance, but moved like he wasn't concerned about the beast of a man who was easily twice Ryker's size despite the fact that Ryker wasn't a small man himself.

Daryl had hoped that for some reason, if Ryker was here, his brother would forget about the company and that simple request. But Ryker had the same serious smile on his face as Charlie did, like he was happy to see Daryl but not for the reason that had brought him there. Still, when Daryl found himself wrapped in a tight hug before he realized Ryker was moving towards him, he returned the embrace. He clung to Ryker for far longer than he knew was necessary, but he couldn't let go and didn't want to even try.

"How many were there?" The question from Ryker didn't make sense and Daryl realized it wasn't for him when Charlie answered.

"The suit and two of their goons."

Ryker nuzzled him for a moment longer before pulling back, taking his time in doing a thorough visual inspection of Daryl, his expression grave and rather oblivious to the fact that they were being watched by others. "They had two more in the area that were on standby. Dressed like humans."

Daryl blinked his confusion warring with embarrassment as he tried to figure out what exactly the two of them were talking about, "what do you mean?"

"A team of mine saw the SUV pick up two more of those goons that were with the woman speaking with you." Ryker gave him a curious look, before glancing around the room, "We should probably sit down or something."

"No... wait." Daryl took a step back away from Ryker, giving him a view of the rest of the people in the room as he reached up to rub his forehead, "are you guys working together? Why do I think I'm missing something?"

Charlie watched him for a long moment, before glancing to Ryker carefully. When the two of them shared a nod, Daryl knew he wasn't going to like the answer. " Ryker came and spoke with me before you brought him over for dinner, to ask about your time in the hospital, about dad and I. Knight Corp has been monitoring this company for a while and I have had to work with them in the past."

"Knight Corp?" Daryl felt it then. The irrational annoyance and fear, the distraction from the real problem at hand, sinking through the fog of his mind.

"No. The company is part of the government, and we do believe that you were under their care when they claimed you were sick." Ryker offered softly, his whole expression careful, tensed. As if he were speaking to a spooked horse that was looking ready to bolt.

"And now... what... you're all subversives that are working against the government?" Daryl shook his head, barking a bitter half laugh and pacing away for a moment, then turning back to look Ryker dead in the face, "So this whole thing... it's a job?"

"Our country, as well as many others, have organizations that are removed from the control and consciousness of the executive suite of commands for plausible deniability. The organizations take on interests that are vaguely communicated to the people and most law makers within the nation, if at all. They often operate outside the typical realm of morales and public opinion in order to accomplish interests that their commanders believe are pertinent to the safety of the citizens." Charlie murmured softly, frowning, "we're not working against the government, but we're not going to let them take you."

"And Knight Corp protects the people who the company deem not worthy of basic individual rights and freedoms. Who would be eradicated off the face of the planet if they and their goons had anything to say about it." Ryker continued, watching him with a hurt look that was slowly starting to close off.

Daryl recognized it, he had seen Ryker prepare himself for pushing him away enough times that he anticipated the answer before Ryker even continued. " But no. You are not merely a job. KnightCorp has an interest in you because of our mission and concerns, but I've never had to sleep with a principle in order to accomplish my job."

Daryl narrowed his eyes for a moment, frowning when he saw the last of that mental armour fall into place in Ryker's expression. The man wasn't getting ready to push him away, he was getting ready for Daryl to. Understanding that, he closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair, "This sounds preposterous. It sounds like I'm in some ridiculous spy movie. And barring the question of if the government actually wanted me, why don't they make up something and arrest me and make me disappear? Who is it that they're trying to exterminate? Why haven't you guys told, I dunno, CNN or something?"

He was about to continue rambling off questions as they continued pouring into his mind, when he felt someone reach out and gently squeeze his bicep. When he opened his eyes, he found himself looking at Ryker, who was standing just far enough away to indicate that the man still thought he was going to be rejected, "Daryl. I know what you're doing. You're avoiding what we need to talk about. And I promise, we'll answer all your questions, but please just... sit down and tell us about the hospital."

Daryl didn't want to think about it, let alone talk about it, but he recognized that if they thought it was connected, and if this strange shadow organization was prepared to possibly take away choice from him in the matter, he was going to have to confront the past sooner or later.

After a moment, he nodded and stepped forward, pulling Ryker into another hug, feeling himself relax as Ryker embraced him tightly. "I've spent so long not thinking about it, I don't know if I can... and you gotta understand, I think half of what I remember was drug induced. I don't think it's going to be very helpful."

*** 

"Try me." Ryker murmured to the man he didn't want to let go, not for anything in the world. The irrational side of his mind told him that Daryl had made his choice and he wasn't going to let him go, not ever.

He didn't argue with it, but he did push it into the background as he forced himself to shift, wrapping one arm around Daryl's shoulders and guiding him towards the couches. Mentally, Ryker could feel the layers of mental walls and defence mechanisms that were built against the very topic that they were asking about. His cowboy had locked away whatever monsters existed in his childhood and thrown away the key, and Ryker felt a sinking feeling as he regarded that mental block.

When they had sat down, close enough that he nearly pulled Daryl into his lap, one arm still around the human's shoulder, Ryker gave those walls a nudge with his own mind. The first time he was gentle, using more a friendly persuasion to get Daryl to open the door. But when Daryl just looked at him blankly, reeking of a fear and confusion so deep the man didn't even appear to feel it consciously, Ryker was through being nice. Summoning every ounce of the psychic powers being a vampire gave him, he moved in mercilessly as he tore the walls down like a battering ram.

Ryker smothered any guilt he may have had for being so forceful by telling himself that at least this way he was capable of being with Daryl in his mind. His cowboy started speaking, and though he vaguely was aware of what was being said, he found himself living through the memories himself more than hearing them.

"I don't really remember when it all started. It was all just pretty normal, as far as I could remember, I was in the hospital and sometimes I'd get to see mom and dad and Charlie through a window, and even more rarely, they'd get to come in to see me. If I was doing good."