I just want to say how sorry I am for taking so long with this. I have no excuse. This chapter is short because I needed to get into season 2 and I needed to update with something. Again, I'm sorry for the delay.
Please enjoy!
Glenn let Daryl maneuver him into the passenger's seat. Daryl turned the key in the ignition as Andrea and Dale climbed into the RV. Glenn moved Daryl's bow over next to the man's feet so it would be within his reach and so Glenn wouldn't have his feet all over it. They were silent as they pulled off, there wasn't anything to say.
Jacqui didn't come out with Dale and Andrea; she was still inside when the air was ignited. Glenn rubbed his hand over his chest; it hurt but not just from Daryl's hit. Glenn peeled back his shirt collar and looked at the purpled flesh, was that only two days ago? It felt like weeks ago. He glanced over at Daryl but the man's eyes were glaring at the road, his lips set in a thin line.
His fingers ran over his throat, did he really feel those taught lips smiling against his skin or was he imagining that? He let his hand drop into his lap, it wasn't worth getting worked up over, there were bigger issues to deal with.
They didn't talk, not a word as the cars rumbled on and on. Glenn didn't know where Rick was heading them but he didn't say anything. He figured wherever Rick took them would be just as good as any place anyone else could find.
-/
They had been on the road for almost week. Getting to Fort Benning was slow going. They always had to stop for gas or food. Glenn would have laughed just a few months ago if someone said it would take days to travel one hundred-twenty-five miles but now it didn't seem that odd. They couldn't stay on the roads because of walkers or car pileups.
Glenn was doing the best he could with the map. Finding a route was becoming tough. It seemed every way they went they always came on a road that was impassable. Glenn thought he had finally found a route that worked. He was sitting in the front of the RV with Dale as they rumbled down the highway, listening to Shane cleaning all the guns.
They had abandoned all the cars but one, Daryl's bike and the RV a few days earlier. Glenn was disappointed that the old truck was gone because now he couldn't ride with Daryl. He had asked a few times that first day or so after the man moved to riding the motorcycle if he could ride on it with him. Not the whole way of course but just a little bit. He was a little surprised when Daryl said no straight out. For a while there Glenn had thought they were working things out that maybe things could go back to how they used to be. Then the day they left the cars behind Daryl became distant again.
Glenn didn't get it. He knew what happened at the CDC didn't mean that they were back together, if they had ever really been together at all before. They had been drunk and said things drunk people say. They almost died and said things people who just stumbled back from the edge of death say. In a lot of ways that made all those words meaningless but Glenn had to cling to the hope that they still held some worth.
Only, Daryl wasn't talking to him, barely looking at him. Glenn would be able to accept that if Daryl was doing it to everyone but Daryl was talking to Rick and Shane. He helped out T-Dog and Dale and the women. It was Glenn he had nothing to do with and Glenn knew the others were starting to take notice of that. Daryl hadn't spoken to Glenn in days and that hurt.
Glenn was even beginning to wish they would at least fight. Even if Daryl was screaming at him he was acknowledging his existence. The bruises from their last fight had finally faded and the twinge they used to hold gone and Glenn honestly wanted them back because at least they somewhat meant Daryl gave a shit about him. Enough to get pissed by his words and actions. This was worse than injuries though, he was being boxed out. Not that he didn't deserve it after what happened with Merle but it was still tough.
Glenn was paying more attention to how Daryl looked speeding down the road in that leather vest then he was his surroundings. Glenn liked the way the man's arm muscles flexed as he held the handlebars, his broad shoulders accentuate with faded wings and that dark brown hair fluttering in the breeze.
"Oh jeez," Dale said snapping Glenn out of a fantasy where he was clinging to that hard waist as they whizzed down the highway. Glenn looked around at the traffic snarl they had just driven into.
"Oh no," Glenn whispered before picking up his map to try and rework the way they needed to go if they couldn't get through.
"You see a way through?" Dale asked Daryl as he turned his bike around and drove over to the man's window. Daryl looked back at the pile up for a moment before nodding and heading back around to guide the RV.
"Uhh, maybe we should just go back." Glenn suggested, they couldn't risk getting caught up in the cars and by the look of it there wasn't a lot of room to turn the RV around if they needed to, "There's an interstate bypass-"
"We can't spare the fuel." Dale said cutting him short. Well, there was no argument then. They had to push forward. Glenn tossed the map down and watched Daryl lead the RV through the cars but they were getting denser and denser.
"Jeez," Glenn sighed as they inched forward. He made a point to not look in the cars they passed when windows started popping up blood splattered. Up ahead he saw four cars taking up the whole road and the distance between them didn't look wide enough, "Can we get through here?"
It seemed in answer to his question the engine gave a loud clatter and started stuttering before conking out with steam coming up from the hood.
"I said it. Didn't I say it? A thousand times, dead in the water." Dale said stepping out of the RV to see the steam pouring out of the hood.
"Problem, Dale?" Shane asked sounding sarcastic.
"Just a small matter of being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no hope of-" Dale cut himself off as he looked around, "Okay that was dumb."
"If you can't find a radiator hose here," Shane said almost smug but not a bad smug, kind of a happy one.
"There's a whole bunch of stuff we can find," Daryl said as he rooted through an open hatchback of a car. Glenn swallowed thickly; there it was again, Daryl building off Shane, speaking but not to him. Daryl had a point though. They could find gas, water and food somewhere in this mess not to mention probably a hundred other little things they needed.
Glenn would admit Lori was right, this was a graveyard. These used to be peoples cars, their stuff but it wasn't anymore. Now they needed it and being sentimental wasn't going to make it any easier. Glenn grabbed Dale's tool kit for him and pulled out the two screwdrivers.
"Which one?" Glenn asked.
"The flathead. Radiator hose clamp is always a flathead." Dale said taking the screwdriver then thinking about it turned to Glenn and put the right one in his hand and took the Phillips head, "Here, you do it. Learn something."
Glenn sighed taking the rag Dale handed to him and turned to the insides of the RV. He turned the screw on the clamp and more steam billowed out into his face making him cough. Glenn got the hose out and looked it over. It was more tape then hose but he could figure out what it was meant to look like.
"Hey Shane," Glenn called to the man who was looking through the back of the car Daryl had just left, "Can you help me?" Glenn asked holding up the hose.
"Sure," Shane said tossing a pack of batteries into a box they were using to collected needed items, "Hose like that might want to check vans and stuff for."
Glenn nodded as they started walking through the car looking for anything big enough to have a hose that would fit. They spotted a moving van that had its hood up already. Glenn looked in and deemed the hose he found a good enough replacement. He was struggling a bit with the clamp when he heard Shane walk a few steps then metal rattled.
"Glenn," Shane said and he turned to look at the man, "Were we short on water?"
Glenn stopped twisting the screwdriver as he looked at what Shane had found. Rows of water jugs, fresh water and plenty of it. Glenn started laughing as Shane popped one open and let it pour over him. Glenn rushed to get the hose out as Shane dunked his head in the stream of water.
"Hey, save me some!" Glenn laughed.
"It's like being baptized man." Shane said smiling. Glenn would be honest, he had his issues with Shane and he knew they were superficial. He was jealous of Shane because Daryl would spend hours talking with the man and not even spit in Glenn's direction. However, seeing Shane look so happy made him happy. Shane had been so down over the last week, it was good to see him doing anything but brooding. Glenn was about done with the hose when Shane grabbed his arm making Glenn jump. Then he was being tossed the asphalt. Glenn winced as his hands scraped over the gravelly surface and let himself be pushed under the van.
"What?" Glenn asked as Shane crawled under with him and shushed him. Glenn's answer came soon enough though; he could hear the moans and the scraping of the walkers. He and Shane stayed tight to each other's sides, each watching their side of the van hoping nothing tried to crawl under. It didn't take long before shredded legs and mangled feet stopped passing. It seemed they all had passed.
Glenn looked over at Shane who shrugged. Neither of them could tell how safe it was to venture out from under the vehicle but that stopped mattering when Sophia screamed.
-/
When Rick came back without Sophia there was a moment where nobody knew what to say or do. The tense silence made more noticeable by the sound of Carol's sobs. Then Daryl jumped into action, shouldering his crossbow and telling Rick to show him where he had last saw the girl. Rick had Glenn and Shane come along because the more eyes the better.
Glenn didn't know a damn thing about tracking or hunting. He had only gone fishing once and vowed to never do so again. Rick and Shane knew the basics but Daryl was like a part of the woods. Glenn knew from experience the Daryl's eyes saw everything. Hours spent out in the woods with the man, both of them sweaty and tired from doing things that were definately not hunting, Daryl could still spot a rabbit track from where he lay on the ground cooling down. Glenn thought grass was grass but apparently there's a lot to see in those blades, not that he would ever learn to see it but still.
Glenn listened as Rick stood Daryl how he left her in the tree roots and lead the walkers away. He told her to stay put but if she left which way to go. Glenn and Shane were keeping an eye out for any sign of the girl and, even though it made his stomach turn, walkers too.
"Hey Short-round, would you step off to one side," Daryl ordered up at him, Glenn looked down and shuffled back but he didn't know this was the way she went, Daryl sounded like he would rather be chewing glass then talking to him, "Yer muckin up the trail."
Glenn stared down at the man but Daryl was looking at the ground seeing things in the mud no one else did. Glenn couldn't say anything. That was the first time in at least three days Daryl had spoken directly to him. Glenn just wanted to go back to the highway, Daryl, Rick and Shane could find her no problem, so he didn't need to be there. He hated that a little girl was missing but he was letting himself be hurt by Daryl's harsh words.
"Got clear prints right here," Daryl said cutting of Rick and Shane's little back and forth that Glenn wasn't really listening to, "She did like you said, headed back to the highway. Let's spread out make our way back."
"She couldn't have gotten far," Rick agreed as Daryl let Shane give him a hand up. Glenn moved and let Daryl passed him to lead. Glenn followed him and decided to just get over himself for the moment. Sophia was missing and they had to find her. They were following Daryl as he kept to her trial.
"She was doin jus fine 'til right here," Daryl said kneeling down next to her tracks that Glenn could barely see. Shane knelt next to him and looked at the prints, "All she had to do was keep going. She veered off that way."
Glenn looked over to the right where Daryl had indicated, a direction that definitely didn't lead to the highway but into dense forest. It didn't make sense; she had been doing so well.
"Why would she do that?" Glenn asked, hoping Daryl would answer but he would take anyone at this point.
"Maybe she saw something that spooked her, made her run off." Shane offered.
"A walker?" Glenn asked.
"I don't see any other footprints, just hers." Daryl answered shaking his head. Glenn was shocked Daryl had answered him but didn't let it show. They had bigger problems.
"So what do we do? All of us press on?" Shane asked looking over to Rick.
"No, better if you and Glenn get back up to the highway. People are going to start panicking. Let them know we're on her trail doing everything we can, but most of all keep everybody calm." Rick told them and Glenn nodded.
"I'll keep 'em busy scavenging cars; think up a few other chores. I'll keep 'em occupied." Shane assured him then looked to Glenn, "C'mon."
Glenn followed him in silence. They walked a few yards before he noticed Shane was glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. Glenn let him do this for a bit until he just couldn't stand it anymore and stopped walking with a stomp that was more than a bit childish.
"What?" He demanded. Shane stared at him a second before sighing.
"Look, I'm sorry, it's just that I can't help noticing you and Daryl seem to be tense around each other," Shane said rubbing his neck.
"Oh really? How so? I hadn't noticed," Glenn could just feel the sarcasm dripping off his words.
"You and him fightin' again?" Shane asked ignoring the snarky tone. Glenn swallowed hard because he did not want to be having this conversation at all, much less have it with Shane.
"No," Glenn said stiffly because it was the truth.
"That's the problem, huh?" Shane asked giving Glenn a sympathetic look. It was that look that finally cracked the dam.
"You know what; yeah that's the fucking problem." Glenn said feeling his throat constrict, he wouldn't cry he refused, "I would love to fight, I want him to yell at me, call me Chink and Chinaman. Even hit me, I would do anything for that. But that's not going to happen because I don't matter; I don't matter enough for him to take the time to argue with me. I get that he is mad at me, I really do get it but I can't take being ignored."
"Glenn," Shane said softly reaching a hand out to him as he started shaking.
"I don't know what to do. I have gotten three sentences from him in as many days but he'll talk to you just fine. Why you and not me? You've called him names, gotten into fist fights with him and just been all around mean to him. I wasn't even there when Merle got left, sure I let Rick cuff him but I thought someone would let him go, I really did. I know I screwed up but I thought he had forgiven me. Sure, he was drunk and then almost died but things were good for a few days there then boom, nothing." Glenn said letting his gun drop to the ground as his arms wound around himself, "I let him and his brother fuck me and now it's like I'm an untouchable."
"Glenn," Shane said again just as softly as he gently put his hand on Glenn's shoulder. Shane gasped when Glenn's knees suddenly buckled making him crumple to the ground. Glenn pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes and took deep breaths but it wasn't helping him calm down.
"What am I to him?" Glenn sobbed as the tears fell against his will. Once they had started he couldn't stop. Glenn kept his hands over his eyes as he cried, small hiccupped gasps coming from his throat. Glenn whimpered when Shane's knelt next to him and put his arms around him.
"Glenn, listen to me," Shane whispered softly, "He doesn't want to lose you, which he told me he told you that when he was drunk. Now, most people would try and keep that precious thing as close as possible and never let it go but Daryl is different. In his mind to keep something safe he can't have it, he has to get rid of it. Then over time he will stop caring about the thing and then he can have it back around him because now if it breaks he won't care as much. A very damaged person thinks that way and it has worked for him in the past save three exceptions."
Glenn moved his hands from his face and looked up into Shane's. Shane gave him a small smile and brushed some wetness from Glenn's cheeks.
"One was he mom, there is a story there but he won't tell me. Second is Merle. He had tried to push Merle away for years but he just couldn't and he got hurt because of it." Shane said and Glenn knew he meant how Merle is probably dead somewhere minus one hand, "And third is you."
"Me?" Glenn croaked, voice thickened by tears.
"Yes, you. Every time he tries to push you way he thinks this will be the time he can finally put you behind him but every time he comes back to you and you to him. He is trying again because those days after the CDC and what happened inside the place made him realize something even he doesn't fully understand."
"What would that be?" Glenn asked even though he could already guess what it was. He had a moment where jealously flared in his chest because Daryl had been so honest with Shane but he pushed it down. Shane was trying to comfort him, now wasn't the time for pettiness.
"I think you can figure it out, you're a smart boy." Shane said patting him on the back before standing. Glenn nodded and wiped his face clean then grabbed his gun and stood.
"Shane, why does he tell you all this stuff?" Glenn asked as they started heading for the highway again.
"Cause we're in the same boat. Loving people we shouldn't but we just can't help ourselves." Shane said with a grin. Glenn stared at Shane confused before it clicked, Rick.
"Oh," Glenn said softly, "So, um, when we get back I'm gonna finish up the hose and then look for some food."
"Sounds good," Shane said not even acknowledging the obvious subject change and Glenn was really grateful for that.
-/
Glenn tried not to think too much about the herd of walkers and what it could mean. Shane had been right about the fact that they had an encounter with a large group of the undead just wandering around aimlessly before, the night back at camp was still a heavy weight on them all. Glenn just kept himself busy. Glenn got the spare hole out and took it to Dale who gave him a fatherly slap on the back with many thanks. He helped Shane move cars, some needed to be moved with the Cherokee but other could be rolled once popped into neutral. They had moved most of the fresh water into the RV and boxes of supplies surrounded the vehicle.
Glenn couldn't believe it when Rick and Daryl came back without Sophia. How was it possible that Daryl wasn't able to locate her? Glenn didn't understand but that didn't mean they were giving up hope. What right said was true; they had to make this thing organized.
Glenn watched Daryl step over the guard rail and move away from the group of people gathered around a crying Carol. Glenn snagged a bottle of water they had found and walked over the the older man who had sat down on the tailgate of one of the cars. Daryl looked up at him when he stopped his side and grunted before starting to turn his face away.
"Here," Glenn said extended the water to him. Daryl glanced at it before taking the bottle with a grunt that wasn't indifferent, Glenn knew that grunt this one sounded more grateful.
"So, her trail just stopped?" Glenn asked trying to break the awkward silence.
"You sayin' I can't track or somethin?" Daryl snapped at him.
"No! I was just wondering. I just can't believe you would lose her trail is all. You're an amazing tracker, I've seen you do it-" Glenn cut himself off. Was he crazy? He was just going to blurt out he had seen the redneck track buck naked and still manage to take down two squirrels and a hare.
"Things got fucked up, maybe a walker or a deer stumbled on it but her tracks jus disappeared." Daryl said and he even sounded a bit apologetic for snipping at the younger man.
"You'll find her, tomorrow when you have more day light and eyes with you. I promise not to muck up anymore trails." Glenn said sitting on the tailgate with him surprised when Daryl didn't stiffen or get up to leave. Daryl just snorted taking a long drink of his water and somehow that was enough.
-/
Glenn started at the small church as they pushed through the trees. There was a chance she was in there but Shane was right, there was no steeple, how could that be the church they were looking for? When Rick took off no one gave a second thought to chase him. Glenn was even with Daryl as they ran, Daryl could out run him easily but he was slowed by the crossbow in his hand but when the weapon on his back Glenn would never keep up.
Daryl and Rick took the door opening it slowly as everyone gathered around breath slighted waiting to see what was inside. Glenn swallowed machete raised as the walker congregation slowly turned to them. Lori handed a blade off to Rick as Shane stepped forward with the one off his belt. Glenn was surprised when Daryl turned to him but he didn't hesitate to hand over his weapon. He fumble the crossbow slightly as Daryl handed it off to him, the trust in that small action spoke volumes. Glenn knew how to shoot the crossbow, Daryl had taught him what felt like ages ago. Merle had watched amused as he puffed on a cigarette he refused to share with Daryl as the younger Dixon taught Glenn how to aim and comfortably fire. The fact that all were more than half naked made it an interesting and oddly fond memory. Glenn took the bow in his hands, not easily as Daryl but still comfortably.
Rick started screaming for Sophia and Glenn relaxed his hold on the weapon. She wasn't here. Glenn sighed rubbing his face as Rick swung doors open and Daryl sauntered up to the alter.
"Hey JC," Daryl snarked up at the large Christ at the front of the church, "Ya takin requests?"
Glenn could see the glare still on Daryl face as he turned back to them shaking his head. Then the bells started sounding right over head making everyone jump. Daryl barreled past everyone with Glenn right behind him as he jumped down the steps. They came around the side of the church and looked up at the speaker. Glenn set the bow down against the side of the church as he opened the control box and pulled out the power source.
"Timer," Daryl said panting from the sudden run, "It's on a timer."
Glenn threw the bundle of cords to the ground before heading back inside picking the crossbow back up as he went. Daryl had already gone inside and was wiping the gore from the walker off the blade with a rag from his Glenn's pack. Glenn smiled a bit at that, Daryl still knew he kept spare rags in the small front compartment like Daryl had asked him to months ago. Daryl looked up from cleaning and saw the smile on Glenn's fact and gave small half grin before stuff the cloth in his back pocket and holding the machete out to Glenn.
Glenn took it and returned the crossbow to its owner. Daryl swung it onto his back as Glenn slipped the blade back in its holster on his hip. Glenn leaned back against the wall with a sigh and tried to not think anything about it when Daryl relaxed at his side. They stood there together comfortable until Carol started talking at the front of the church.
Glenn saw Daryl's jaw tighten as she spoke and Glenn had to do his best to keep his jaw off the floor. Glenn couldn't look at her so he settled his eyes on the floor; her words were painful and heartbreaking. Glenn just wanted to walk outside but his feet seemed frozen to the ground by her sorrow. When she finally sat down Glenn was out the door, nearly knocking Daryl down in his haste, he hadn't noticed the man was also hurrying out.
Glenn grabbed his bag off the steps where he left it and walked down them with Daryl. They didn't say anything as they came to a small tree near the front of the church. Glenn pulled his hat out of his back pocket and fiddle with it awkwardly, the words from inside still heavy and he could see their strain on Daryl too.
"Hey," Glenn said softly but Daryl didn't acknowledge him, his eyes were following Shane who was being followed by Andrea. Glenn took a step forward and touched Daryl's arm snapping the man's attention to him.
"Wha?" Daryl cocked an eyebrow at him.
"You'll find Sophia," Glenn said looking over at the church, "For her, you'll find Sophia for her."
Daryl glanced over at the church then back at Glenn. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He just shook his head and took a small step closer to Glenn with a sigh. Daryl wasn't good with words, Glenn knew that. Daryl swallowed thickly.
"Not a lot I wouldn't do fer a friend." Daryl said with a shrug. Glenn nodded because he knew why Daryl had said anything to him at all. A friend, that's what Carol was to him and he wanted that specified to Glenn.
"I know," Glenn took a chance since they were so close they were breathing each other's air and run his nose along Daryl's jaw feeling the catch of stubble. Daryl didn't stiff at the gesture, he let it happen but he jerked back when voice came from the entrance of the church.
Glenn didn't even feel disappointed when Daryl took a step back. He just went back to messing with his hat as everyone joined them in the shade of the tree. Shane came over after what looked like a heat discussion with Rick.
"Yer splittin' us up, ya sure?" Daryl asked surprised by the plan.
"Yeah," Shane sighed, "We'll catch up to ya."
Glenn could see there was a lot warring inside Shane but didn't say anything. Rick and Shane had been at odds for a while now and it was taking a toll on Shane. When Carl piped up to go Glenn picked up his pack leaving that decision to his parents. Glenn started heading back toward the woods but stopped when Rick tried to give Lori his gun.
"Here I got a spare," Daryl said walking over and handing her a small pistol, "Take it." Daryl exchanged nods with Rick before walking over to lead them into the woods. Glenn watched Lori put the gun in her pocket before following.
"I guess chivalry isn't dead." Glenn said walking up next to Daryl with a grin. "Shut up." Daryl huffed but Glenn saw the smirk on his face.
-/
Everyone was getting catty from the heat and exhaustion. Daryl was just being all around snarky. Carol sounded devastated and Lori and Andrea were sniping at each other. It had been a tough days. Glenn wished things were different, that Sophia had never been lost and that they were miles away headed for Fort Benning.
Glenn tripped on some roots nearly falling. Andrea could stifle a small giggle as he stumbled to get his balance. A head steady him by grabbing his elbow. Glenn thanked Daryl softly and said nothing when a hand settled on his lower back for a moment to make sure his feet were truly under him. It was a fairly friendly gesture and Glenn appreciated it.
Then a gunshot rang loud through the trees. They all jerked to a stop and looked back over their shoulders where the sound came from. Glenn felt his heart rate increase by leaps and bounds.
"Was probably nothing." Daryl said still looking back. Glenn would have believed Daryl had faith in those words had it not been for hand clenching his shirt and fingers pinching the skin of his back through the fabric. Glenn reached his hand back and settled it on Daryl's because they both knew nothing good ever comes from a single gunshot these days.
Tell me your thoughts guys! Again, so sorry.