Author's Note: Hello, all! I'm back with a new unique pairing. I have always been intrigued by the idea of Merle and Carol. From the two interactions they had, one in the show and one on the DVD, they had chemistry off the charts. If anyone could have handled Merle, it would have been Carol. They would have been the power couple of the prison. So, I'm resurrecting Merle from the dead and starting things fresh from Season 3. This will be a Marol slow burn. I hope you enjoy.

XOXO Pamela

1. The Devil You Know

Carol didn't know nor care where her audacity came from. All she knew is she refused to let Merle blow his second chance with the group. When Rick had come back from Woodbury and told her Daryl had gone off with Merle, she felt like she had been shot in the chest. Now they were back, and she was recovering from that near fatal wound and was going to make sure Merle didn't cause any more damage. So she sat there, smile on her face, butter wouldn't melt in her mouth tone in her voice, and threatened to slit his throat if he screwed things up for Daryl once again.

"Enjoy your food." She said hollowly as she backed away and left his cell. She sensed he had followed her to his doorway to watch her leave, so she made certain to walk steadily and calmly back to her own cell. She could feel his eyes boring into her back, sizing her up while he chewed over their conversation. Once she got out of his line of sight, her footsteps hurried and she barely made it into her cell before hyperventilating. She sat on her bunk, her nails digging into her thighs and counted in her head while her breathing steadied.

A shadow loomed behind the thin sheet that served as a curtain to her cell. Carol knew who it was. She had seen a flash of him standing down the cell block, hands tucked tight under his armpits, watching the exchange between his brother and her. He hadn't been close enough to hear, but Daryl didn't just fall off of the turnip truck. He was coming to find out what they talked about.

"You can stop lurking out there and come on in, Daryl." Carol called out to him and he hesitated for only a second before shuffling the curtain aside and stepping a few feet into her cell. "I assume you're here to talk about your brother."

He shifted on his feet and moved to sit on a small stool she had in the cell. "Saw you taking him lunch and talking to him. You know you don't have to do that. I'm more than capable of bringing him his food."

"I am aware of that but you can't keep him isolated from the rest of us. If you want this to work, he has to earn his place in the group. He can't do that if he's locked up like a dog with only you as his only connection. He'll never want to redeem himself." She felt so keenly for the man in front of her. He looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. She knew all too well how hard it was to shoulder the burden of dealing with someone who was supposed to love you but only seemed to cause you pain.

His lips twitched into a semblance of a smile. "You must have made an impression on him. I haven't seen Merle that quiet in a long time. But you have to be careful around him. If he thinks he can get under your skin, he will. He likes challenges. And you are one hell of a challenge for a Dixon." He reddened when he realized the implication of what he said.

She smirked at him and they both chuckled quietly. "You've had a hard couple of days so I'll let that one slide. Next time you won't be so lucky. Sometimes you make it too easy for me to tease you. You should know us ladies like a challenge once in a while, too." Her face became serious. "Daryl, right now Merle's welcome here is tenuous at best. Glenn and Maggie are not going to even think about accepting him if he doesn't make a concerted effort to do the right thing for once. He almost killed Glenn and Maggie was traumatized by the Governor. That's a big uphill battle for him to climb. I am going to help you all I can with Merle. But, you've got to understand, he may be your brother but everyone else here is your family, too. Don't forget that." She walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek, the scruff of his beard tickling her lips.

Daryl didn't flinch and even reached out to take both of her hands into his. Her eyes were transfixed on their connection. More and more Daryl would touch her or be more demonstrative with her. He had come so far from the prickly redneck she first met who would throw squirrels first and ask questions later. She decided in that moment she would give Merle a chance. She would try to bring him into the fold like she did Daryl. She had one advantage when it came to Merle, he would do anything for his baby brother. She would exploit that to ensure Merle didn't blow everything to hell like she feared he would.

"I know I don't seem appreciative sometimes and I just up and left you but you gotta know I wanted to be back here more than anything in this world. I'm just glad I got another damn chance." He squeezed her hands before letting them go. He stood up and added, "Thanks for being the best friend a man could ask for. But when it comes to Merle, he's got a silver tongue, he can make you believe anything. He tries any shit with you, you let me know and I'll bust his face open." He gave her a real smile this time and turned and headed out of the cell and back towards the main area.

Friends. Carol sighed as she watched his back as he walked away. She knew she loved him, she knew she felt desire for him but he was simply a lost cause to her. She accepted their relationship a long time ago but sometimes he would say something or look at her in a way that would make her burn inside. She longed to be touched again by a man. Their group was so small and she knew the rest of them thought she and Daryl had something going on, but neither acted on any impulse. Daryl would never be ready for that kind of intimacy right now and Carol was tired of wanting something that could never be. It was exhausting. So she soldiered on as best as she could and hoped one day her ache would dissipate.

She stepped out into the corridor where she could catch a glimpse of Merle's cell. He was pacing the cage, like a lion, face grave. She watched him from the dim light of the cell block, analyzing his pacing, his posture, the way he was careful when swinging his knife attachment. She could almost feel the tension shimmer off of him in waves. She was going to have to be very cautious when dealing with him. He was nothing like Daryl, who deep down was gentle and kind. Merle's core seemed to be made of prickles and suppressed anger. But better to deal with him as he was. He was the devil she knew and she had lived through it in vivid Technicolor. He suddenly halted his haphazard pacing around his cell and stared down the corridor almost as if he sensed her presence. She made no movement, holding her breath as if he could hear her exhalations. His attention was diverted when Daryl walked up to the cell to let him out. He gave one brief glance over his shoulder before following his brother down the hall. The breath Carol let out came out shakily and she wondered just exactly she was getting herself into.