Dean's Dixon

Do better

A week had passed since Sophia and the drama never seemed to end. Rick, Glenn, and Hershel had come back with an extra person and no one had been overly thrilled about it. Shane's head was still so far up his own ass that more than just Dale was now concerned about him going off the deep end. Lori had gotten into an accident, Beth was no longer catatonic but now suicidal, Daryl was back to brooding and wanting to be alone, and everyone else was trying to pick up the pieces. Dean had been a huge help to the Dixon girl which only brought the two of them closer, something that pissed off Daryl more than she realized. He was back to believing it should be the Dixon's against the world and it wasn't until he made a unilateral decision for the two of them that she realized how much he'd regressed.

"Daryl, wait up a minute."

"What'd-ya need Junie?"

"I went to the tent ta grab a sweater and it's missin."

"The sweater?"

"The tent"

"Ain't missin. I moved it."

"Where?" his non answer came in the form of a point and she could just barely make out the spot he'd set up for them. "Why in the hell did ya move us all the way out there?" She took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to make it make sense.

"Better that way."

"Better for who?"

He was doing this purely out instinct and she knew it. The Dixon family had tried to keep mainly to themselves, past experiences showing them that getting close to people could end messy. They thought it worked, no outsiders kept them safe from hurt... except when they hurt one another.

"Junie, we ain't never belonged with these people. We gave it a try and look how that turned out."

"What're you talkin about Daryl? I know there's a few people that ain't the greatest but everyone else..."

"That ain't... losing Sophia, June. That's what I'm talkin about. I don't know that I've ever seen your heart break that bad. Not even after you and... you know, broke up. This was completely different and I wasn't able ta be there for ya. If Dean hadn't grabbed hold... I won't see ya hurt like that again. So yeah, I moved us away and I ain't gonna listen ta no argument about it."

"So that's it? We back ta this shit? Me just takin orders cause you're my brother?"

"Like I said, it's better that way."

"No it ain't Daryl" the overprotective nature of her brother wasn't anything new, but now she was able to see how destructive it could be. "I won't lie, seeing Sophia like that hurt. It tore my fuckin heart out and scattered it into a million little pieces, hell it hurt more than when we found out Merle got left behind. If that makes me a horrible sister, so be it, but just cause it hurts... I don't wanna pull away from them brother."

"This cause of Dean?"

"Not just Dean..."

He'd seen the signs from the beginning, most of the group had become like family to June, and while he would've fought Dean over this, he thought better of trying to fight everyone "Alright, fine. Do what ya want during the day. Sing kumbaya and braid each other's hair for all I care but at night you're here."

"Daryl"

"That's the only compromise you'll get from me June Rose, push me on this and we'll leave for good."

It wasn't an empty threat and she knew it. She could only prod her brother so much before he made good on his word and they'd be packed up and down the road without a second glance. There wasn't any use lying to herself about it either because she knew it wouldn't matter who she had to leave behind, if Daryl went she'd be with him. Period. This insight into herself was frustrating but she didn't argue any further. Instead she gave a curt nod and the siblings went in opposite directions, one with tears in her eyes and the other with anger in his heart.