Perfect Storm || Daryl Dixon

20: don't bring a gun to a crossbow fight

"Damaged people gravitate towards damaged people." - Norman Reedus

--)->

While the rest of the group slept in their vehicles as night closed in on them, Erin found herself sat with her back pressed against the front wheel of her truck, completely out of sight of the others. She lay her head back and stared at the sky above them. Despite the shit that the world was going through, the stars still shone brighter than she'd ever seen them pre-apocalypse - it seemed less people caused less pollution after all.

From where she was sitting, she could just see the end of Orion's belt. If she wanted to see the whole thing she would have to move from her safe place behind the truck into the open where the two keeping watch would see her. As far as she'd heard, it was decided that Merle and Daryl would be the ones to stay up since they had weapons and knew how to use them.

It had been planned that Shane and Daryl would watch, but Daryl was against that idea, probably not wanting to hear the ex-cop endlessly ranting about his brother. She felt she was partly responsible for the clash between the two, but according to Rick they'd hated each other before Merle was abandoned so the fight was inevitable.

Rick had surprised her by not completely siding with the others who had seemingly rallied against her. He, Merle and Daryl appeared to be the only three still talking to her; the rest had unanimously decided that she was solely responsible for Sophia getting lost - she'd even overheard suggestions of sending her into the forest against Daryl and Rick's say-so, hence why she'd retreated to hiding out of sight.

The older guy, Dale, hadn't made any remarks to say he was on either side of this and neither had the younger man who looked like he was of Korean descent, though she assumed they would probably stick with the majority if it came down to it.

The loyalty in the group was unbelievable until it came to the safety of a member they didn't like, then they seemed to stop caring so much. With that, she didn't even mean herself...

Almost as though he was waiting for his cue, a cough interrupted her thoughts, making her glance up at the shadowy figure of Merle leaning against the side of the vehicle, "Me and Daryl was wonderin' if ya actually gonna go to sleep. Ya been sat here for the past hour."

Erin glanced down at the watch strapped tightly around her thinning wrist and realised she'd been deep in thought for a lot longer that she'd originally expected, "Oh, uh, I'm not tired..."

It was a lie, and she got the feeling Merle could tell, "Right..." He lowered himself down beside her, uninvited but her spirit was too weak to tell him to get lost, "Daryl thinks ya gonna try and skip town before the others can take it out on ya or take ya weapons... Are ya?"

She sighed, crossing her ankles on the asphalt in front of her, "I don't know... Don't know where I could go..."

Merle sniffed, cradling his arm slightly against his stomach, "Ya gonna risk it then? Stay here and see what happens?"

"Probably..." She knew it was suicidal to try and face the wrath of six people head on, but at least everyone didn't despise her. If they did she would have left already, but this was the closest she'd experienced to family or friends for ages and who knew when she'd next see a living human if she legged it now? "I hope some sleep will make them less angry..."

He stayed quiet for a few moments, shifting beside her and staring straight ahead into the woodland she'd lost the little girl in, "I don't think it's ya fault... Y'know, about Sophia..." The look on his face when she turned to him told her he was uncomfortable admitting that, meaning his brother had probably had some input in the confession. "Neither does Daryl..."

"Thanks, I guess... It still doesn't give me much hope... They're gonna try and send me out alone, right? That's their fantastic plan?" She looked at him expectantly, her sight slightly obscured by her eyelid which had now swollen from the punch. Merle's gaze travelled to the lump and guilt flashed in his eyes for barely a second, "My eye is fine. Answer the question."

"Rick won't let 'em do anythin' against his word, so him bein' a poncy cop might help ya in this case," he glanced towards the car the Sheriff had retired to with his wife. Since Daryl's shocking revelation about Lori earlier on, Erin had barely been able to maintain eye contact with her or Shane which was okay since they were just glaring at her anyway. "Ya want some water? If ya get some now, they won't know..."

Here was the thing that confused her so much about Merle - he fought so hard to keep a mean persona about him around the group, but when you saw him away from the crowds, he was alright for an asshole...

At the mention of water, the dryness in her mouth and throat was brought back to the forefront of her mind as she nodded at his offer, hoping he could see her in the dark. He seemed to as he heaved himself up and headed off towards a truck about a hundred metres away from them, thankfully not passing any occupied vehicles on the way as he tilted his head for her to follow him.

As she emerged from the shield of her own truck, Erin looked over to where the motorcycle was parked up to find Daryl sat back against it, crossbow slung across his back as usual. He was watching them as they went over to where at least ten gallons of water were stacked up. "Shane found this when ya was in the woods with Daryl... Wouldn't let him know we took some, though..."

Merle tugged open one of the bottles, sending clean water cascading to the ground before being intercepted by her hands as she cupped some of the liquid to her mouth. All she'd been drinking since the apocalypse started was bottled energy drinks or running creek water so something she didn't have to steal or boil was a nice change.

Suddenly, over the sound of the splashing water she heard the click of a gun. Before whoever it was could take a shot, her pistol was already in her grip and she'd spun sharply on her heel, coming face to face with Shane pointing the barrel of his rifle at them both, "Drop the gun."

She scoffed at his order, "You drop yours." Out of the corner of her eye she saw Merle shift to lunge for him, "Merle, don't. He's not worth it."

"So you're friends with Dixon now? Figures," Shane said as Merle stood his ground, the fingers of his good hand twitching at the lack of a weapon, "You seem like the sort..."

"The hell do you mean by that?" Erin kept her gun steadily trained on him, contemplating where to fire a warning shot - at the moment, his balls were a viable candidate for her target.

"A nobody, tons of guns, always fucking things up. Sound familiar to you both?" She was beginning to consider taking the shot, seeing Merle was ready to punch him, before another voice joined the gun party.

"Shane, if I were ya, I'd shut up." They all turned to see Daryl holding his loaded bow mere feet behind Shane's head. The cop went to flip the gun on him, but Daryl was quicker, placing his finger on the trigger and stopping Shane in his tracks, "Don't even think about it."

"All three? Wow, I sure am lucky," Shane chuckled, making Erin wonder why the hell he was still talking, "We were just saying how this chick is the newest member of the Dixon gang-"

"I know exactly what you were sayin'," Daryl replied, an eyebrow raised at Shane's attempts to cover up his bullshit, "Why ya tryn'a kill Erin?"

"Kill her? No, just warning her..."

"Really?" Merle spoke up, taking a step forward, "'Cause ya was aimin' a gun at her head... Seemed pretty murderous to me..."

"Letting her know who she's up against," Shane countered, lowering the rifle but still glaring at Erin, "If Sophia doesn't turn up safe and sound, it'll be my bullet that hits you first..."

She narrowed her eyes at him, finding just enough hatred within herself to bite back, "Then you'll have to catch me first..."