A/N: Prompt given to me by Mizxmacmanus. Hope she likes this.
Beth tossed her phone down onto the passenger seat in anger after furiously hitting the end call button. She missed the days of having land lines and being able to smash the phone into it's cradle. The satisfaction of slamming the phone down than tapping a button on a screen is far greater. She ignored her phone as it began ringing again, keeping her focus on the road until she pulled into her driveway. She sat in the truck staring at the dark cabin.
She reached over and grabbed her cell phone, staring at the 6 missed calls from Merle, and the 3 voicemails that went with the calls. How drunk and high is he? She thought before pressing play on the first voicemail.
"C'mon, suga...tits," He slurred. "Answer yer phone. I miss ya an' I know ya miss me too."
She rolled her eyes at his nickname for her. She pressed play on the second one, her ears became assaulted by the sound of Merle crooning a song to her. She instantly recognized the song, despite the awful, off-key warbling from her almost ex-husband.
"I know I broke your heart, I didn't mean to break your heart, but baby here I am...Begging for a second chance..."
By the end of that voice mail she knew exactly how high and drunk he was to be singing Backstreet Boys to her. She played the final voicemail with the phone pressed to her ear as she got out of her truck and up the front steps of the cabin. She fumbled with her keys to unlock the door. Once inside she dropped her belongings on the end table and locked the door behind her.
"You're the best thing in my life, baby. 'm a fool, lemme come home, suga." Her phone started ringing as the voicemail ended. She glanced at the Caller ID, Merle again, and swiped to answer the call.
"Yes, Merle?"
"Suga! Ya answered!"
"It was that or you'd keep callin'. What do ya want?"
"'M at the bar. Come get me? I miss ya, girlie an' bitch took my damn keys."
"What bar, Merle? Carol's Place?"
She ended the call with a sigh and a promise to the owner, Carol, after she took the phone from drunken Merle, that she would be there within half an hour.
The bar wasn't overly crowded when she arrived. It was easy for the blonde to spot the redneck sitting slumped at the bar. Carol bustled from behind the counter as soon as Beth entered the bar. "I was goin' to call is brother but he was already on the phone with you," The older woman apologized.
"It's fine. Nothin' like cartin' my drunk ex around," She said dryly.
"He misses ya," Carol whispered. "He's been yappin' about you all night."
"If he sobered up he might have a chance."
The two women helped Merle into Beth's truck, Merle wasn't much help since instead of walking he kept stopping to try and pull Beth into kisses that she artfully dodged. She drove in silence to Merle's current 'home'. His brother's couch.
"C'mon suga. Jus' talk ta ole Merle." He attempted for what felt, to Beth, like the millionth time, to get her to talk.
"You want me to talk, Merle Dixon? Why don't ya try callin' me when you're sober. You say you love me an' all that but you keep drinkin' an' gettin' high. I'm tired of this, Merle. You keep callin' for me to bail you out. An' I can't decide if I'll let you fall or not." She watched his face as she spoke, saw that the words made it past his thick, Dixon skull.
"'m sorry," He mumbled, eyes downcast.
"Don't say it 'less you mean it. An' if you meant it you'd quit. You aren't the victim here, it's me. I won't be yanked around like this anymore. Don't wait until it's too late, Merle."
"Imma change, Suga. You'll take me back. Jus' ya wait an' see." He promised, his eyes filling with shame as tears began to fall down Beth's face.
"Don't lie to me. Jus' get your stuff an' go inside." She watched through tear filled eyes as the front door of Daryl's house opened and he jogged to the trunk. Merle ignored his brother's tap on the window, turning to face the small blonde, his calloused hand carrassing her face before cupping it and pulling her closer to him. He placed a gentle, chaste kiss to her lips before pulling away and opening the door. He slid out of the truck, wobbling as he did so. Daryl's hand shot out to keep his brother upright.
"Imma prove it to ya, Suga. I love ya."
Daryl ushered his brother towards the house with a small shove, offering a sympathetic look towards his sister in law as he shut the door. He heard he whisper, "Call me when you're sober..."
The song I used is Call Me When You're Sober, Evanescence and Crawling Back To You by Backstreet Boys.