.05 | don't make me regret it

It was quiet between us for a long moment, the two of us pushing through the brush and walking along the chain length fence that ran west of the perimeter. I was keeping a close eye on how far away we walked so we didn't stray too far from the others. Our footsteps were the only thing that made a sound - until Merle broke the awkward silence.

"So, you been takin' care of my baby brother, then?" He asked dryly, his own dark eyes looking over at me as he casually strolled along. I got the hint of jealousy in his tone, but ignored it.

He wasn't too serious about scouting so I knew I had to do double duty since he was more along for the ride than anything else.

I breathed in to steady my rattled nerves, "We've been taking care of each other. We got split up from everyone at Juno and we-"

I paused and furrowed my brow, feeling as if that was a lifetime ago, yet it merely happened weeks ago. I felt the bile raise in my throat from the memory of Hershel.

I just couldn't shake that part.

I didn't think I ever would be able to.

Merle looked down at me with a raised brow as I paused.

"We did the the best we could with what we had and then we found Calvin,"

I paused again and looked at him, "You were with Calvin for awhile, right?"

Merle nodded, "Good kid. He listens too," He added gruffly and rubbed at the gray stubble on his face with his good hand.

He gave me a wry smile and shook his head, "We got split up and I gave him the order to bail and leave me behind ta' save his ass, but ya' know I don't go down easy, not without a fight. I made it out and stumbled upon yer' lot later.."

He smirked with a prideful gaze and I took his words with a deeper meaning.

"I'm not fighting you for Daryl's attention because I know that I don't have to," I stopped short as we were walking and faced him square in the eyes. He blanched lightly, a little taken aback by my gusto and the finality in my tone.

"Oh, there's the spitfire in ya'," He smirked with a once over of my person and I rolled my eyes at him.

He then frowned and shook his head lightly with a less than meaningful tone, "Jus' don't wanna see ya' get hurt, sweetheart. My baby brother can be flighty sometimes, he means well, but in the end he always runs,"

I looked at him for a long moment, but I didn't take much stock to his words. He was patronizing me and I could see the mock frown on his face; he didn't care about my feelings. He was just trying to twist the situation and play both sides. He wanted me to think Daryl would leave me at some point.

If he could quit the games and stop being such a jerk, Merle might have been the annoying asshole that everyone hated to love and loved to hate.

Instead, he was just being a complete jerk that I didn't much care for.

However, if I was going to try and make amends and offer this olive branch I'd have to try and temper my anger and frustration; out of respect for Daryl and the group's sake.

"You're his brother, and as much as it pains me to say this, I respect that. But I care for him too, so whatever self-righteous attitude you have, trying to stake a claim on him for yourself, well, that isn't going to work around here,"

Merle flared his nostrils, huffing lightly and looking away with a sour face. When he turned back to me his eyes were a shade darker, anger and resentment snaked through his face and I could see the emotions as if they were plain as day.

"You don't know nuttin' about my baby brother," He warned as his shoulders stiffened.

"You don't know him like you used to, Merle. He's not the same person he was - and neither am I for that matter. None of us are," I added more forcibly, trying to drive my point home.

Daryl was no longer the same person and that scared the hell out of Merle. Whatever control he had over him in the past was dissolving, breaking apart as Daryl grew closer to Rick and the community they had built since forming their group.

Merle hated that. And his self-righteous attitude was going to leave him a loner for the rest of his life if he didn't get with the program and adjust to all the changes.

"Ain't no one in this group, including you, that can take care of him like I can," Merle stammered out, but his voice waivered as if it lost its vehemence. He leaned closer to me as if trying to intimidate me and I rolled my eyes and flared my nostrils at him.

He didn't scare me.

I pushed on, shoving past him as we walked, I could hear his footsteps behind me and then I stopped. I shook my head and whirled around, a full force of exasperation flooded my veins.

I whispered desperately, "Why do you want to control him so much?"

He stopped short behind me, not expecting me to whirl around, not expecting that fiery attitude to come out again. Merle smirked lightly and I silently chastised myself for lashing out and giving him such a reaction.

He was enjoying it - until I noticed the slight dip in his lips where they creased - the smallest movement of his lips as they dipped further down and he was frowning, his face no longer enjoying any of it. A tinge of vulnerability escaped his grasp and I saw it.

His own eyes were blazing now and he was no longer excited over my reaction. There was a moment of hesitation on his face as he looked down at his boots and then back up at me with a mixture of ire and jealousy.

"Because he's all I got left, and I don't expect you to understand that since you got this nice happy little family to fall back on. Besides, we always did better on our own anyhow,"

His jealousy and hateful tone came out when he mentioned happy little family.

I mashed my lips together, breathing and tempering my own attitude so that I didn't continue to cause a scene. Last thing I wanted was for us to get in a screaming match and attract walkers. I looked around for a moment and shook my head slightly,

"Instead of being a jackass and fighting every step of the way why don't you just join our group? This happy little family could be yours too. Besides, Daryl isn't leaving, so you may as well pull your pride up by your bootstraps and join us instead of being an outsider,"

He stared at me, his face very readable unlike Daryl's could be.

He hated that I was right.

"Your pride is going to get the better of you and I'm surprised it hasn't gotten you killed by now,"

Merle narrowed his eyes, taking in all that I had said and scoffed, "Dixon's ain't the dyin' type, Legs."

I felt the divine dragon in me rear up, that anger like molten lava in my skin. I took a few steps towards him and got very close as I dropped my voice threatening lowly, "My name is not Legs, and it's not Bitch either....my name is Vicki. Got that?"

I didn't waiver my eyes from his.

He stood very still, but that shit eating grin snaked its way across his face as he put his hand and the knife for a hand out in mock surrender, "Okay, Vicki, whatever you say," He knew how to get under my skin.

I scoffed lightly before turning around and waving my hand forward, "Let's keep scouting before we wake up some walkers,"

It was quiet for a long moment and I sighed heavily, exhausted from all the anger I felt moments ago, it flooded out of me and that was a relief, but I was tired. We shouldn't be using our energy to argue over stupid things, but I had to make myself clear and I had to make myself heard.

"I'm offering an olive branch, Merle, please don't make me regret it," I whispered as I reached out my hand to him while we walked.

"I know it might be hard to get through that thick Dixon skull of yours, but I'm not the enemy. And if anything, this group can take all the help it can get." I sighed audibly and shrugged lightly.

I knew my eyes softened because he stared at me a little perplexed for a brief second. He looked at my outstretched hand and then at me and waited a few moments before reaching out his hand and shaking mine.

He was still smirking as he added lowly, "I can see why Daryl is smitten with ya'," He gleamed ruefully at me with a wolfish grin, that twang of his subtle but very present. He then spit on the ground on the opposite of us.

"Can't make no promises I won't be a jackass, but I can shake on a truce," Merle muttered lowly before adding, "For now at least.."

How lovely. I groaned inwardly.

He sure wasn't a gentleman, but I knew I had to try. Not just for Daryl's sake and the group, but for my own too.

Author's Note:

I'm sooooo sorry it's been so long since t
he last update. I really did lose a lot of motivation for TWD - I even stopped watching the show. I'm a whole season behind after the whole Alpha thing happened..soooo yeah lol

Anyways, I'm really sorry and feel like a terrible person for leaving everyone hanging like I did.

However, I AM BACK!

I can promise monthly updates! :)

I have missed Vickyl T.T