Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Tags: *Carol Peletier/Daryl Dixon, *Caryl relationship (established), *Carol Peletier, *Daryl Dixon, *Merle Dixon, *Rick Grimes, *Prison, *Pregnancy, *Cravings, *Fluff, *This one is ZA centric

Summary: Pregnancy cravings are a bitch under normal circumstances, but they're even worse when you throw in an apocalypse where going out to the corner store in the dead of night isn't what it used to be. Worry about Carol sends Merle and Daryl on a run for … pickles.

Rating: T+

A/n: I found a link on 'Humor is Contagious' (FB) titled … 30 Hilarious Pictures That Prove Pregnancy Is Hard for Husbands Too … and decided to show it to our little writer's group. So, of course, this little series was born lol. The one I chose showed a pic of a huge jar of pickled seat-belted in the backseat with the caption … "We have properly secured our most valuable purchase of the week!" I couldn't let it pass, so here's my first contribution. I really hope y'all enjoy! This story is the first in a series we've posted over on Nine Lives. There will be more by my lovely friends over there, but I wanted to share it here with you on this site as well. Happy reading!

Cravings

By:

CharlotteAshmore

Part I - What She Wants

Merle Dixon idly swirled his spoon around the bowl of stew Beth had served him mere moments ago, his brow drawn, and ice blue eyes narrowed as he watched Carol ladle up another portion for the girl to serve to another of the group. She'd been instrumental in securing his place there at the prison. He knew she'd done it for Daryl, but nevertheless, he owed her.

He was happy his brother had found love with the little mouse … Not to mention highly entertaining to watch Daryl muddle through relationship woes. They were an odd pair, he'd thought at the beginning, but well matched regardless, apparently forming a strong bond in the time Merle had been searching for his brother after their separation at the quarry.

Merle's eyes never left her as he took a bite of the stew, savoring the rich broth flavored with herbs he'd found for her on a run. No one cooked like his little sister. He sighed, chewing slowly. He'd been more than willing to sacrifice himself, so Daryl would have a chance, ready to face the governor amidst a rain of blood, death and bullets, but he hadn't expected the little mouse to see through his bullshit and put a stop to it before he could leave the gates.

Carol had been waiting for him, had planted her feet firmly in the dirt, her eyes narrowed as she silently dared him to run her over. It seemed that was the only way he'd be able to leave, and he hadn't been willing to harm the woman Daryl loved.

"Where're you going, Merle?" she'd asked the moment he'd stepped out of the car.

"Jus' for a ride, lil' darlin'." He held up his hand, a rueful grin on his thin lips. "Not like I can take th' bike."

Carol hopped up onto the hood of the old Buick and patted the empty space next to her. "Bullshit! You're going out there to do something stupid, and I cannot allow you to hurt Daryl." Her azure eyes pierced him, and he could see the startling mix of fury and determination hidden within the depths. "He needs you, Merle. So do I."

His neck cracked as he whipped his head around to stare at her in surprise. "What … why? Y' don't even like me."

"You're my family," she said simply, "my brother." Her brow arched. "And I never said I didn't like you."

Merle chuckled mirthlessly. "Y' threatened t' slit my throat, woman."

"Doesn't mean I don't like you," she shrugged. "I will NOT let you hurt, Daryl, though. Leaving will hurt him, Merle, especially if doing so gets you killed. That will destroy him. Don't you realize how much you mean to him? How much he loves you?"

A sigh escaped his lips as he scratched his arm above the prosthetic with ragged nails. He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth at the thought of causing his brother even more pain. His failings as a brother could fill a fifty-three-foot semi-trailer, and now that he'd made up his mind to do the right thing for Daryl, Carol was trying to change his mind. "If I can get t' th' governor first, I might be able t' end this … save m' brother. Don't you see? The rest of these people … I don't give a good shit about them. But Daryl … I gotta do what I can t' make sure he's got a chance."

"You will," Carol insisted, "but only by being here, Merle … fighting by his side. He just needs YOU. This is your chance to save him. Show him you have his back, that you can be the brother he's always known you could be." She leaned over and dropped a kiss to his cheek before she climbed down from the hood of the car and turned back towards the prison. "I know you're a good man, Merle Dixon. Now the choice rests in your hands."

He watched her go as Carl came down the path for his turn on gate duty, but Merle was no longer sure whether or not he should leave.

Merle hated to admit it, but she'd been right. He'd made the decision to stay, and the governor had been defeated, leaving them in peace to eke out an existence there at the prison. They'd even managed to save Blondie who'd been two seconds away from being a snack for a newly-made walker. She'd easily slipped into the role of leadership at Woodbury and the two communities co-existed well.

He finished off his bowl and pushed it aside, taking a sip of the weak tea brewed there at the prison, flavored with syrup from canned peaches. But now as he watched Carol tend to the many needs of their group, his worry for her increased. He didn't miss the lines of strain around her smiling mouth and how the happiness etched on her lips never reached her eyes. Something was wrong, and he owed it to her to find out what.

Rick brought his own bowl to the table and took a seat next to the eldest Dixon. Merle could ignore his presence, but not his question. "Something wrong, Merle? You've been staring daggers at Carol for thirty minutes."

"She looks pale. Y' see her eat t'day?" he asked, finally sparing Officer Friendly a glance.

Rick shrugged. "I think I remember seeing her with a granola bar this morning."

"Goddamnit, she's doin' it again."

"Doin' what?" Daryl asked as he sat down with his dinner and dug in, sparing a glance at Merle before seeing where his brother's gaze was firmly affixed. "Somethin' wrong with Carol? She didn't say anythin' jus' now."

"Woman ain't eatin' again, an' it ain't good for th' baby."

Daryl paused mid-chew, his spoon suspended halfway to his mouth. His wide eyes found his woman across the room, and he felt his heart stutter in his chest. He could clearly see the signs of stress and strain on her delicate features, and he forced himself not to rush to her side and sweep her up into his arms to carry her off to their cell to make her rest.

After almost losing her in the tombs, and having to live with her 'death' for three days, he hadn't wasted any time claiming her as his own. It had been awkward and terrifying to open up to her about his feelings, but he couldn't spare a second longer of their uncertain future hiding from her. Of course, he'd almost ruined everything when he'd found his brother at Woodbury and gone off with him because of Rick's refusal to allow Merle a place at the prison. He couldn't just leave him. Merle was blood, his family. They'd returned together, saving Rick's life in the process, earning Merle a cell and grudging acceptance. Daryl had been left with the daunting task of winning his woman back. He'd never expected her to welcome him back, but he hadn't left her side since, even limiting his runs to no more than a day apart from her. News of their baby had sent him into a panic, but no one had been more shocked than Carol, believing herself to be well past childbearing age.

Bringing a child into this new world was terrifying, but there wasn't a single member of their group who wasn't looking forward to the new arrival. Their baby was a beacon of hope, just as Lil' Asskicker was. Carol followed Hershel's prenatal regimen to the letter, but there were days where she couldn't hold down a thing. Daryl and Merle had even taken her to visit the doctors at Woodbury who had the necessary equipment for a more thorough exam. She was doing well, but that wouldn't last long if she continued to miss meals. It was little comfort she'd made it through the first trimester with little to no issue. All manner of things could go wrong in the remaining six months of her pregnancy.

"Y' think her cravings are messing with her appetite again?" Merle asked, nudging his brother with an elbow to drag him out of his musings.

"She ain't said nothin'," Daryl grumbled.

"Her last one was the best ever," Rick said around a mouth full of food. "Pizza and Yoo-hoos … that brought back memories."

Merle and Daryl had gone on a run for the necessary ingredients, a daunting task when a simple trip to the grocery store now entailed a ravaging horde nipping at their heels. It had taken a scouting mission, two days of planning, and every able body of their group to clear out the Kroger, but it had been a success. Daryl had never seen Merle so proud of himself as when he'd set nearly an entire crate of Chef-Boyardee pizza kits on the counter and watched Carol's eyes fill with tears of gratitude.

"Whatcha think she might have a yen for this time?" Merle asked quietly as Carol finally approached their table with a meager bowl of stew, everyone else already having been served.

Rick leaned in closer to Merle, a warning look in his eyes. "Don't poke the bear." He spoke from experience as he'd been the last to suffer from one of her mood swings. One minute she'd been weeping over a hole she was patching in the knee of Daryl's cargo pants, and the next she was raking Rick over the coals about the guard rotation. She'd made an entire new roster and thrust it at him, hitting him squarely in the chest with it before stalking back inside the block, leaving him standing there wondering what the hell had just happened. There was no way he wanted to go through that again.

Daryl looked at the small portion in his woman's bowl and scowled before dumping what was left of his dinner on top of it. "Eat," he commanded gently, swiping her biscuit and breaking it in half, dipping the portion he took for himself into the broth. "Jellybean's prob'ly starvin'."

Carol groaned, wincing as she took a bite, the hearty aroma of the concoction in her bowl making her stomach churn. "Easier said than done," she muttered. "I just have no appetite lately, but Hershel said it's not uncommon. My aunt said she lost all interest in food when she was pregnant for my cousin."

"C'mon, Mouse, there's gotta be somethin' that won't turn y' green," Merle teased lightly. "Jus' name it, an' I'll gear up for a run."

Carol pushed her food around her bowl, trying to find the wherewithal to attempt another bite. "No, Merle, I'll not have you running off out there just to bring me something to eat. I can make do with what we have here."

Merle smirked, leaning forward and bracing his elbows on the table. "But apparently, y' want what we ain't got. That ain't no ordinary baby y' carryin' around, Mouse … it's a Dixon. He's gonna sap every ounce o' strength y' got right outta y'. Y' need t' eat. Now tell ol' Merle what it is y' hankerin' for."

Carol took another sip of her tea, letting the sweetened brew settle her stomach. This time, she managed to hide her disdain as she lifted the spoon to her mouth. The stew was hearty and savory, but it just wasn't appealing to her. She could feel the gazes of both Dixons as if they were an entity all their own, but she would not back down. She ignored them both and forced herself to eat … for the sake of the baby if nothing else.

"Mouse –"

Daryl, however; cut him off before his brother could stick his foot in it any further and rile Carol's temper. "So, uhm … what kinda things did y' like t' eat when … before," he groaned, fearing he was making it worse. "Sophia?"

A wistful smile curled the corner of her lips, and her hand reached for his, her fingers sliding along his palm. "Jalapenos," she chuckled, choosing to remember her daughter fondly rather than lose herself in self-recrimination. "I wanted jalapenos on everything. The smell made Ed sick," she giggled.

"That all?" Daryl asked, his own grin widening as her mirth became contagious.

Carol tilted her head to the side, trying to think back to so long ago. "Peanut butter on vegetable flavored Ritz crackers. Oh, god, that sounds so good right now," she said, pushing her bowl away. At least she'd eaten most of it, Daryl thought with relief.

"Lori had a thing for dill pickles dipped in ketchup," Rick piped up. "Brownies with peppermints. Frankly, she liked anything sweet."

"Chinese food!" Carol moaned. "Glenn's been helping me try to make wonton wrappers, but we haven't quite managed to perfect it. Couldn't you imagine the spring rolls we could make?"

"Or egg rolls with venison?" Merle snarked. Though he could completely get on board with that idea.

Carol sighed. "I think what I miss most is pickles … those huge dill pickles in the gallon jar. I used to keep them in the pantry for Sophia after school. We'd break one in half and sit on the back steps and just enjoy a moment of peace. She'd share her day with me as we snacked on all that briny goodness before she had to get started on homework."

"What is it with pregnant women an' pickles?" Merle asked, interrupting the heavy moment before Carol's sweet memory turned melancholic.

"I dunno," Daryl shook his head. "Hershel said it has t' do with a hormone shift." He looked to Carol to assure himself he was explaining it correctly. At her nod, he continued. "Like if y' craved things normally, the want for that certain food or drink would be amplified during pregnancy."

"Huh?"

Daryl rolled his eyes. "C'mon, brother. Y' gonna tell me y' ain't never craved tacos at two in th' morning' an' wasn't happy 'til y' made a run t' Taco Bell?"

"Oh." It had been Merle's favorite food when he'd had an attack of the munchies.

"Same's true for Carol, but … more. Hershel said it can affect her appetite where nothin' else is pleasin' t' her 'til she can satisfy th' cravin'." Same could be said for their sex life, but there was no way he was going to bring that up in mixed company, he thought with a sly grin.

Carol stood and began collecting bowls to bring to the sink. "The point is moot, however; because no one is going out on a run, risking their lives for snack foods," she stated firmly, her eyes glaring daggers and daring any of them to argue with her.

Merle sat back, watching her make her way to the sink, a calculating grin etching his lips. That's what you think, Mousy …

*.*.*

"Y' mad at him?" Daryl asked, lounging against the bars of their cell, arms crossed over his chest as he watched Carol change into her night clothes. His lips spread into a sheepish grin as his eyes settled onto her very small baby bump. It probably wouldn't even show if she hadn't been so thin. She had never been more beautiful to him, and he'd been awestruck by her from the moment she'd driven that pickaxe into her dead husband's skull. There was just something extremely enchanting about her body changing with his child. He licked his lips, his teeth raking over his lower one as she dropped her bra and reached for his shirt she'd taken to sleeping in.

"Daryl!"

He jerked his gaze back to hers, blushing to the roots of his hair at having been caught ogling her. "What?! Sorry …"

Carol chuckled and started on the buttons, shaking her head. "I said I'm not mad at him."

Daryl shucked his clothes and dug through the bottom drawer of the small chest to fetch his cotton sleeping pants. "Good, 'cause y' shouldn't be. Merle's jus' worried about y' an' Jellybean."

Crawling into bed, she made sure to leave enough room for him. "I know. I love Merle and how well he's accepted me into the family, which is why I don't want him – anyone – going out there and risking their lives for crackers, pickles and peanut butter. It's not worth it, Daryl." Carol went into his embrace with a blissful sigh as he laid down beside her and snuffed the lantern.

His calloused, work-roughened fingers caressed her baby bump as he dropped a tender hiss to her brow. "M' brother ain't never let himself get close t' a woman … any woman. He was always th' love 'em an' leave 'em type. Think it was some way t' protect himself from gettin' hurt. But I really think he does love y' in his own way, an' Jellybean. Y'all are fam'ly now, an' Merle would do anythin' for fam'ly."

Carol snorted against his throat as she pressed closer to him. "I think it's kind of cute Merle named the baby Jellybean, but you do know we're going to have to choose something different once he's born."

She would never forget when her boys had found out she was carrying the next Dixon. Daryl had turned an unhealthy shade of green, but she'd never seen Merle more excited. When Hershel had told her what to expect and how the little one was roughly the size of a lima bean, Merle had dubbed the baby 'Jellybean' … which had stuck.

Daryl snorted, but his eyes were still troubled as they met hers. "Y' really not mad at him?"

"Of course, not. He's my brother too, now, and I'll happily take the bad with the good as long as we can have him in our lives."

The heaviness drained away from him with a relieved sigh. "Love y', woman. Y' know that right?" Not just any woman would be so accepting of the eldest Dixon. He was blessed to have Carol's love, and not afraid to admit it.

"I love you too, Daryl," Carol said around a huge yawn. "Always."

Daryl felt her body melt against his side as she submitted to sleep, following her with a small smile on his lips and a prayer of thanks for his family.

A/n: I hope you enjoyed Part I. Part II will be up on Saturday 2/3 and Part III will be posted Monday 2/5. Thank you all so much for reading! Can't wait to hear what you think!

Also, great love for Marie1063 who made my awesome cover art, BettyBubble for choosing my chapter titles and collaborating with my darling Geektaire for their wonderful beta work.