Hey everyone So first Walking Dead fic and I really enjoy writing this. So please read, favourite and review. Really want your feedback

Preface

There are only two things you can determine in life, you are born and then you die. What happens in between is merely time, time wasted and spent using up the minutes until your untimely death. Optimists will tell you to cherish every moment as if it is your last, realists will tell you to ignore the bullshit and do whatever the hell you want. Well that's how I live my life anyway.

Chapter 1

"Just one more! Come on Layray just one more and then we can go!" Usually it was me who would be persistent to stay for one more drink but not tonight.

"Chloe I have to go ok, if I don't you know he will freak the fuck out!" I started to pull my coat on when the bartender placed two more drinks in front of us. He smiled at Chloe as she pushed the shot glass in front of me, I suppose one more drink wouldn't hurt.

Well that one drink did hurt, as I tilted my head back to let the tequila slide down my throat I noticed a figure walked through the entrance of the bar. Merle Dixon looked pissed!

I grabbed my bag and gave Chloe a quick kiss on the cheek as I turned to walk towards Merle. Chloe noticed me moving and turned to see where I was going, she didn't say anything though, she never did.

"What the fuck are you doing here girly? I was at home waiting for you", Merle snarled as he grasped my elbow and dragged me across the bar's car park.

"Merle it was a few drinks! I'm surprised you weren't in there drinking whatever sorrows you have away", I said with a snide tone. It was definitely the alcohol talking as I would never talk to Merle like this, especially when he was in the mood he was in now. He let my arm go as we reached his truck and he opened the passenger door and allowed me to get in. That was the one ounce of chivalry Merle had at this point. He slammed my door and walked around to the driver's side and clambered in. I looked around the truck, this was full of so many memories. It was where we had our first kiss, where we had random road trips with Daryl, its where he first told me he loved me.

It wasn't like that anymore, this wasn't a happy truck. We didn't laugh in here anymore, we cried. We didn't hold hands in here anymore, he held onto my wrist. We didn't kiss in here anymore, he just barked at me. This wasn't our happy place anymore.

"I'm sorry Merle I really am. I didn't know Chloe was going to keep me at the bar for so long and I.."

"Just shut up okay! I went to pick you up from work and you weren't there! I rang your cell and it was going to answer phone! Did you think about me huh!? When you were having a drink with your ol' pal did you think me?!"

I was looking at my hands, fiddling my fingers. I knew how this was going to pan out; he would shout, drag me into the house, alert one of the neighbours, he would hit me or push me and then I would lie to any cop that came our way. Merle brought me out of my day dream, "Are you gonna answer me?!"

"Yes ok Merle! Yes I thought about you, all I ever do is think about you. I think about all the things you do, about all the other girls you've been with, about how much I want to leave you but I can't!"

Merle didn't say anything as he pulled the car into the driveway. He just turned off the engine, jumped out the car and headed into the house. That was strange as he normally had a thousand and one horrible things to say to me. He never walked away. I timidly opened my door and walked up the path to the front door.

Our house wasn't much, just a typical small redneck house. It wasn't much and it wasn't something I was used to. I came from a city in England, I didn't know anything about hunting or the redneck lifestyle. I came to the states to make a fresh start with my best friend in hand. Chloe and I had been through so much together and we always had each others backs. She constantly told me to leave Merle but I couldn't. I love him no matter what he does.

I looked around the living room but he wasn't there. That's when I heard glass bottles clinking. He was in the liqueur cabinet in the kitchen, that was his favourite part of the house. I made my way into our bedroom, discarding my boots and coat on the way. Once I got into our bedroom I flopped down onto the bed and cocooned myself in the duvet. I slowly started to drift off when Merle came into the room.

"You better not be going to sleep on me girly! We have a lot to talk about! Oi are you listening to me girly?!"

I sat up to look at him, his eyes were red and there was a bottle of bourbon in his hand. He was pissed and I was going to suffer for it.

"I'm sorry", I said trying to avoid eye contact with my drunk boyfriend.

"Of course you are sorry! You really don't care about ol' Merle do ya? That's why I hit you to teach you to learn".

"What do I learn Merle? I learn to keep my mouth shut! I learn not to say or look at you in the wrong way when you've had a drink. I have learnt that you aren't the man I fell in love with."

Merle didn't say anything. He just walked out the bedroom and shut the door. I placed my head onto the pillow staring at the ceiling. I heard some noise coming from the living room and then the radio started playing. Some old country crap I think. It was Merles angry music. I couldn't hear anything after that so I went to sleep.

I awoke and rolled over to look at the alarm clock, it was 3:17am. I had been asleep 2 hours. I sat up and pulled my hand through my hair. Merle's music wasn't playing anymore. But I could hear something else. I got up, grabbed my bag and opened the bedroom door quietly. I walked towards the living room, creeping slowly as the groaning got louder. As I got to the living room I saw where the groaning was coming from. There was Merle. Merle was with a girl. Not just any girl it was a prostitute, a prostitute I had seen in the bar before. Merle was fucking a woman of the night on our couch.

I turned around and grabbed my previously discarded boots and coat. I clambered through the living room as the groaning stopped. She stopped moving on top of my boyfriend as Merle moved his head to the side to look at me. He didn't say anything, he just looked. I walked out the front door and started to walk up the street. I wasn't too sure where I could head or who I could speak to. I just kept walking.