GIVEN TO FLY [Daryl Dixon]

XI.

CHAPTER ELEVEN
[ a miracle from an angel ]

Daryl lies on his back, coming in and out of consciousness. It hurts. Everything hurts. Should've asked Misty to come, he thinks for the thousandth time since that damn horse first bucked him off. Should've just asked her to come.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees- he sees Merle. Merle, his fucking brother, walking up to him. "Why don't you pull that arrow out, dummy? You could bind your wound better."

"Merle." He knows it isn't real, that he isn't really there, but it doesn't matter. Merle always gets him riled up, real or not.

"What's going on here? You taking a siesta or something?"

"Shitty day, bro."

"Like me to get you a pillow? Maybe rub your feet?"

Shit, even fake Merle is a huge dick. "Screw you."

"Huh-uh. You're the one screwed from the looks of it. All them years I spent trying to make a man of you, this is what I get? Look at you. Lying in the dirt like a used rubber. You're gonna die out here, brother. And for what?"

"A girl," he answers, because no matter what his brother says, he knows that finding Sophia is important. "They lost a little girl."

"So you got a thing for little girls now?"

"Shut up."

But he doesn't. Merle never does. He didn't before, and he certainly doesn't now. "Cause I noticed you ain't out lookin' for ol' Merle no more."

"Tried like hell to find you, bro."

"Like hell you did. You split, man. Lit out the first chance you got. You lit out. All you had to do was wait."

"We went back for you," he tells imaginary-Merle. "Rick and I, we did right by you."

"This the same Rick that cuffed me to the rooftop in the first place? Forced me to cut off my own hand? This him we're talking about here? You his bitch now?"

"I ain't nobody's bitch." Even when imaginary, he still can't help but try to convince his brother he's still like him. Even if he doesn't want to be.

"No? 'Cause it sure seems like you're becomin' that woman's bitch. What's 'er name? Misty," Merle says, that damn near evil glint in his eye. "Sounds like a stripper's name." Merle chuckles to himself at his own joke.