Alright so this story isn't going to be as long as the other ones. I just got Season 3 and this idea just popped in to my head. So I hope you guys like it and we'll see how it goes. I'm going to rate it T for now but may be M later depends how graphic I get.

Chapter 1

They'd run from Woodberry. Rick and Maggie had gone back to save Daryl after he'd been forced against his own brother. They'd managed to get out of there but Daryl wasn't leaving Merle. Rick couldn't bring Merle back to the prison. The older Dixon brother had tortured Glenn and Maggie. Glenn was currently yelling at Daryl, "I don't care if he's you're brother, Daryl. He beat the shit out of me!" Daryl growled at him, "I can change him. He won't cause trouble if I'm there too." Glenn rolled his eyes, "Don't lie Daryl. He'll mess everything up. Right Rick? We aren't letting him come back are we?" Glenn, Maggie, and Daryl were standing there waiting for Rick to make his call. He didn't want to say it but he had to. Merle was too unstable. He slowly met Daryl's eyes, "Daryl I can't let him come back." Daryl looked at him. His eyes were pleading with Rick to change his mind but Rick couldn't. Rick slowly shook his head again, "I just can't." Daryl nodded sadly and then headed to the back of the car. Rick followed, "Where are you going?" Daryl opened the trunk and pulled out his stuff, "Merle's blood. He's my brother. It was always Merle and I before this. You take care of them Rick." Rick watched as his most valuable member of the group started walking away. "Daryl wait!" he called. Daryl turned slightly as Rick caught up to him. "We can figure something out. There's gotta be another way," Rick said quietly. Daryl met his eyes, "Don't ask me to leave him." Rick didn't know what to say. He couldn't let Merle come to the prison. Daryl knew what Rick was thinking and his shoulders slumped a bit, "Goodbye Rick." Rick watched as Daryl walked over to Merle. The older Dixon laughed and put his arm around Daryl.

Rick slowly turned back to the Glenn, Maggie, and now Michonne, as the two brothers vanished. Maggie walked over to him, "Rick I'm sorry." Glenn nodded, "The loss of one person isn't as bad as the chaos Merle would bring." Maggie glared at Glenn, "Glenn I don't want Merle here either but we just lost Daryl. He's saved our lives more times than we can count." The four of them got into the car and drove back. Rick stared straight forward as he drove back to the prison. Daryl should be here with them but he was gone with Merle now. They pulled up to the prison and the remaining members of the group stood waiting. The four of them got out of the car and that was when Carl asked, "Dad where's Daryl? And Oscar?" Rick shook his head. "They're dead?" Carol gasped. Rick shook his head again, "Oscar is. Daryl...well he...he left with his brother." The group was silent. No one felt like talking. The loss of Daryl all hit them hard, especially Rick. There was no one to take control if he disappeared again. Glenn couldn't handle the stress and Carl was too young. Hershel was missing a leg. Everyone knew that Daryl had been a necessary asset to the group. But some people didn't really consider him like that. Carol knew he was special. Rick thought of Daryl as a brother and he was pretty sure that Hershel thought of Daryl as a son. The loss had hit them all hard. Slowly the group made their way back to the prison.

It was dark. Carol and Axel had taken the first watch but Rick couldn't sleep. The watch shifts were going to be longer now that Daryl was gone. The man had always taken an extra shift when needed. He'd taken care of the group, of Rick's baby, and of the daily routines. How had Rick repaid him? By telling Daryl his brother couldn't stay and basically telling them both to get lost. He slowly sat up on his bed and he saw Carl looking down at him, "It's not your fault dad. If he wants to be with his brother there's nothing you could've done." Rick just shook his head, "I thought that he would come with us. We've all grown so close during this." Carl nodded, "You did what you had too. I bet he's thinking about you right now. He probably wants to be back here." Rick looked away, "If he wanted to be here he would be." Carl smiled sadly, "Sometimes it takes a little longer for people to realize they made a mistake." With that his son rolled back on to the top bunk and out of sight. Rick was left to contemplate what he'd said.

Alright next chapter will be up soon. Reviews are great! Lots of them! Thanks for reading!