Within a forest a couple of miles away from the prison.
Daryl is seen anxiously pacing back and forth. It seems he was waiting for someone.
Crack!
Hearing the sound of twigs snapping from behind him, Daryl quickly turned around with his crossbow aimed and ready.
"Whoa there! It's just me, little brother. Well, I mean, us."
"What's the meaning of this, Merle?"
Daryl glared at the man standing beside his brother. Who's also looking at him with an ice cold expression on his face.
Merle laughs seeing the look on his brother's face. "Well, I just thought you'd be thrilled to see another familiar face. Ain't that right, Shane?"
Shane slowly moved his gaze towards Merle and coldly replied. "This is the reason why you brought me here? To meet your stupid brother?"
"F*ck you!" Triggered by his words, Daryl cursed at him.
"Tsk!" Shane clicked his tongue in response. "So, what are we doing here? Don't tell me we just snuck out here just to meet your stupid brother?"
Merle shrugged as he smiled. "Well, that's half of it. The other half is that I want to offer him the chance to join us in Woodbury."
"What? I'm not joining that stupid Governor or some shit. That guy is crazy." Daryl immediately rejected him. It is still vivid in his mind on how that bastard had casually ordered his people to gun down those people on that day when he first saw his brother among them.
This is what Rick had never told Glenn and the others when they started asking about what happened to Daryl. He didn't want them to worry that they're potentially neighbors with a deranged lunatic. Since even Rick was slightly unnerved when he witnessed that horrible scene that day.
Both men can just never understand how someone can be so cold hearted. Since women and especially the children, weren't even spared that day, or how those people can willingly follow that man's orders like it was some kind of a divine message.
Shane ignored his words and instead thought of something. "Hmm..are you guys still living on the farm?"
"No, the farm was overrun by a herd and we had to leave the place." Daryl didn't want to tell him what happened not long after Shane had left and instead used the story of Hershel and the others on that night a herd swarmed the farm.
Merle walked behind Daryl white smiling in amusement. "That only means they're camped around here. Care to tell us where you're hiding little brother?"
Daryl his eyes followed his brother and responded to him curtly. "I ain't telling you a damn thing!"
"You don't want to come with me. You don't want to tell me where the rest of your friends are hiding. So, what's the point of even arranging this meeting little brother?" Merle paused in his tracks and looked at his brother with a mix of annoyance and amusement.
Daryl stared at Merle in his eyes. "Of course to come with me, the two of us are the only ones left. We should stick together and look after each other's backs."
Hearing his words, Shane was suddenly reminded of someone and looked away and towards the ground.
"Do you hear yourself, little brother? Those people do not like me. Especially now with that Sheriff Rick in charge!" Merle argues and at the same time, frustrated that his brother seems to not understand where he's coming from.
"He's not the one in charge. Well, most of the time he's not." When he heard Merle's words. Shane did not know what had gotten over him and responded to the man's words.
"Why do you mean by that? Is there a new sheriff in town?" Merle immediately turned to Shane before he alternately looked between the two.
Only this time did Daryl remember what Michael had told him the first time they met. "Right, about that. There's this guy I met and he told me that you two were friends or something. Does the name Michael ring a bell?"
Merle looked at his brother and then to Shane. He let out an amused chuckle. "Don't tell me. Is he the one leading the group now? If the Michael I know and met two months ago was the same one you met. I'm telling you now, that guy is a nasty piece of work. He took down ten guys with a freaking fork, a freaking.bloody. fork. He's dangerous."
"Well shit, so that guy is still alive huh. Also, we're not friends. Shit, we're not even acquaintances." Then Merle quickly denied any connection he had with Michael. It was obvious from his expression that he's somewhat scared at the mention of that guy.
Seeing such a rare expression on his brother's face, Daryl was intrigued about what happened that day. "What happened that day?"
"Don't ask. And I'm not going back with you." Merle shook his head and his refusal to return with his brother became even firmer.
"We have better accommodations and enough supplies back at Woodbury. You homeless bunch probably does not even have a proper place to call home." Merle mocked.
Listening to him, Daryl couldn't help but turn towards Shane and thought. 'Wait, so he still hasn't told them about the prison? At least you still have some dignity left in you.'
"Shut up man. I only arranged this meeting with you to get you to come with me. Not to hear your mocking words." Though he's already used to his brother's way of words. Daryl still felt a little annoyed listening to him.
Merle stared at him and scoffed. "And let's just say I agreed to come with you, then what about this guy then? Are we just gonna act like he's not even here?"
Daryl also realized that. That's why he was so annoyed earlier when they arrived. "That's the reason why I used our covert messages to get to you. I repeatedly waited here for you for days! And just for you to bring someone here with you, so what's even the point of using it then. What's wrong with you man?"
Seeing him like this, Merle suddenly felt a little guilty and raised his hands. "Alright, alright. It's my fault. But how would I know you'd be coming here alone and not bring your Sheriff with you?"
"Man, shut up. This is the reason why they don't like you because not only do you talk a lot of shit. You're also a poor listener."
"Stop, listen to me, alright?" Seeing Merle about to say something, Daryl immediately raised his hand to stop him.
"Listen here. I don't know where all this resentment from you is coming from." Daryl said while gesturing his hands over Merle's figure. "I went back for you, alright? I didn't cut off your hand, neither. You did that. Way before you they locked you up on that roof! You were asking for it to happen."
Merle stared at him, then turned back to look at Shane. "Do you hear this guy?"
Shane just shrugged his shoulders. He just wants to enjoy the show before him.
Pacing left and right while letting out a chuckle, Merle slowly turned his gaze to Daryl. "You know..this is really funny to me. I didn't know you and Sheriff Rick are besties now. Hmm?!"
Merle had more things he wanted to say, but when he remembered that Shane is with them, he quickly refrained from doing so.
"So why don't you go crawling back to your sheriff? Because I'm not coming with you little brother. That's final."
Daryl looked at him and started to repeatedly nod his head in small actions before he slowly started walking away.
"Alright."
Watching him, Merle was perplexed. "Where are you going?"
Daryl paused in his tracks and gave Shane a quick glance before looking at his brother. "Back to where I belong."
"Sorry little brother. I really just can't go with you." Merle looked slightly hurt.
Staring at him. "You could have. I really don't know what's going on inside that head of yours that you just had to bring Shane with you. Though why am I even surprised?"
Hearing his sarcastic words, Merle responded with some annoyance, but obviously in pain just from hearing the crack in his voice. "Whatever!"
Daryl scoffed. "You know. I may be the one walking away, but you're the one that's leaving..again."
After saying his piece, Daryl continued on his way while Merle could only watch him in silence.
Hurt, Merle placed his remaining hand on his hip while slightly shaking his head. Turning around, he saw Shane standing a distance from him, also looking straight at him.
"What?!"
Shane looked at him. "You're an idiot."
"Shut up, man. You're not helping!" Merle raised his voice in frustration.
Slowly walking towards him, "I actually never got to tell you. Daryl almost got into a brawl with Rick when he heard what happened. They actually went back to the city an hour later after they just returned, but they arrived only to see a bloodied handcuff."
Merle stared at him for a couple of seconds before slowly looking away. "F*ck!"
"You could've also just gone back with him if you wanted to. I can just make up an excuse to the Governor after I get back to Woodbury."
Slowly turning his head towards him, Merle looked at him with anger in his eyes.
"You nasty bastard.."