Well that turned out quicker than I had thought. Thank you all for your motivation! I am loving the reviews! Now on with the story!

-Kadie

The voices in the bar were loud to say the least. Clara was running up and down the line, serving as quickly as she could before the clock struck nine. She regretted wearing her wedges that night as she stomped down on the hard floor in haste to get the next drinker a drink. She let out a small cry, but held her own. She stood for a moment to regain feeling in her foot when she heard his voice.

"Maybe if she wore some regular shoes that wouldn' a happened jus' now," Merle said to Daryl as they both took their chairs. Daryl nodded and raised two fingers to Martin. The larger black man shook his head at Clara as he retrieved two beers for the men. She stared at all three of them in disbelief.

"Redneck has a point," said Martin. She heard beer come out of Daryl's nose with a stifled laugh. She was waiting for Merle's retort and she looked over to him only to see his eyes locked on hers. He blushed and quickly snapped out of it and an annoyed look crossed his face.

"I thought we 'greed ta not say 'hurtful things to one 'nother', Marty," reminded Merle. Martin shrugged and laughed.

"We're we drunk?"

"Mos' likely," he responded with a gulp of his beer. He licked his lips and his eyes went back to Clara. "Hi Clara," he said formally and a little too quietly. Clara sighed and gave him a light smile while wiping her hands on a rag.

"Hi Merle," she said softly. She looked over at Daryl, who was chugging his brew. "Hey Crossbow." He waved.

"So," he staggered. "Ya singing' tonight?"

"I am. Any requests?" she asked as she gave the bar a final wipe down.

"Naw. Just, uh, jus' somethin' that'll ease my mind."

"Hard day?" she asked, reaching under the bar for another beer for Daryl.

"Somethin' like that," he said almost in a whisper. Strange crossed her mind as to how he was acting. He had this hopeless tone in his voice that was very unlike him. Even Daryl was looking at him with a raised brow. She took a deep breath gave him a good long look and watched Merle's face turn bright red. He shifted in his seat and looked at Daryl, who quickly got up and made his way for the pool table, leaving he and Clara to themselves.

"Are you okay? You look flustered."

"Awe no. I'm a'right."

"Wanna talk about it?" she asked softly. The sweetness in her voice made his legs like jelly and set off a firework within him. He shook his head and chuckled a bit.

"I said I'm okay."

"Merle," she said as she gently placed her hands around his. He swore his heart stopped. "I've known you long enough to know when you're lying," she concluded. She saw his face soften and and a small smile form on the corner of his lips. He gently squeezed her hands back and the moment seemed to have stopped for the both of them. He took a breath.

"I'm fine really. I'll a, I'll uh, I'll tell ya later," he said with a promise in voice. She nodded with curious eyes. He knew she didn't believe him, but he promised himself that he would ask her tonight. He couldn't wait much longer or he would give up. Hell, Daryl couldn't wait much longer for him to ask her either. His thought was interrupted by her when she patted his hand and coughed. "Go on. Go an' sing somethin'."

"Suppose I should. I'll see you later then. Wish me luck," she asked with a smile. He felt his heart stop again.

"Ya dont need that."

She laughed and gave Daryl, who made his way back to his seat, a nod before skittering about to her lone piano in the corner of the room. Daryl nudged Merle with his elbow and all Merle could do was put his head in his hands. Daryl laughed.

"Ya're the toughest sonvabitch I know. Ya kicked a man's ass for looking' at ya all funny and here ya are getting' all soft for Clara. Did ya ask her yet?" he asked with hope. Merle only removed his hands and glared at Daryl. It was all the answer he needed. They both perked up with they heard Clara from the corner.

"Doing requests tonight, ladies and gentleman! Any requests?" she shouted. She giggled as everyone quieted down in thought. After awhile, she scoped her crowd and picked on an old man to pick her a song. "How about it, Mr. Flanders? Anything from your time?" The old man blushed and thought. Licking his lips, he spoke with a scraggly voice.

"I like Hank Williams."

"Me too. Anything in mind?" she asked as she let her fingers dance on the keys.

"Oh, anything you know would be nice."

With that she gave the room her smile and continued to play her piano and get a little bit more comfortable. She looked over to Merle and his lips formed a smile with anticipation. Daryl was intrigued. Not as intrigued as Merle, but interested nonetheless. After looking at him for a moment, she felt her confidence boost and she began on Mr. Flanders' request. A familiar tune filled the room and everyone cheered. Merle laughed and Daryl sat more comfortably. Even Martin stopped serving and pulled Daisy behind the bar and started dancing with her. Merle sat forward when he heard her voice.

"Hey, hey, good lookin'.

Whatcha got cookin'?

How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?

Hey, sweet baby,

Don't you think maybe?

We could find us a brand new recipe?"

She took a pause and continued to dance her fingers on the keys. She looked at everyone and nodded with a grin.

"I got a hot-rod Ford and a two-dollar bill.

And I know a spot right over the hill.

There's soda pop and the dancin's free,

so if you wanna have fun come along with me.

Hey, good lookin'.

Whatcha got cookin'?

How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?

I'm free and ready,

So we can go steady.

How's about savin' all your time for me?

No more lookin',

I know I've been tookin'

How's about keepin' steady company?"

Another small break from the words was what she needed. She giggled with her people and played her piano. She made it a point to lock her eyes with Merle for this next bit. She didn't know why. Something in her gut just told her to. She felt butterflies as she tapped the keys. He sat up more alert and Daryl could only smile for him. Clara pointed right at him with her act and felt the music.

"I'm gonna throw my date-book over the fence.

And find me one for five or ten cents.

I'll keep it 'til it's covered with age

'cause I'm writin' your name down on every page.

Hey, good lookin',

Whatcha got cookin'?

How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?"

She diddled with her keys for a minute more before coming to an end. Everyone roared with laughter. Some with drunkenness. Some with glee. Some with happy memories. Couples danced even when the music stopped. Daryl and Merle clapped until their hands were red. Clara blushed and stood, took a bow, and walked back behind the bar. Martin slapped her back with a smile. She saw the brothers and went to them. She made a wide grin at Merle, who laughed and turned to Daryl.

"Go away for a minute."

"What?" asked a very confused Daryl as Merle gave him a look. Daryl instantly got it and made his way to the pool table yet again. There he was with her again. He froze. He kicked himself for not thinking about what he was about to say. He only stared at her, into her eyes. He felts his palms sweat along with his forehead. He ran a hand through his very short blonde curls and licked his lips. He took a deep breath and took her hand and started walking her to the end of the bar. She stared at him in confusion and waited. He grunted and made their way to the backdoor and he nearly punched the door down. The cool air calmed him down an he took yet another deep breath.

"Merle?" she asked, almost starting to get worried for his behavior. Almost. She has seen him do weirder things.

"I know 'm not much of nothin'. I don't have nothin' fancy and I know I'm nothin' in this world," he started, sounding like a deflating balloon. Her heart started to break with his words. How could he think so little of himself? "I know me 'n my family have bit of a reputation and I know how this sound all sorts a crazy. I sound like a loon," he said with laughter. She stared at him with sad eyes. "You're th' reason why I ever showed up in school. You're why I try to stay outta trouble. When I went to juvie for that time, it killed me to be away from Daryl...and you. I sound like a madman," he ran his fingers throu s hair again and started to pace, she stepped back and just observed him. His breathing got short and fast.

"Hey hey hey. Merle. Calm down. Hey," she said as she grabbed at his thick torso, pulling at his tight black tee shirt. Her hands went to his face and she pulled his head down to hers and they rested their foreheads against each others. It calmed him like a baby. She smiled at him, ignoring the awkwardness of their being so close. "What's going on here?" she whispered. He sighed, loving the surreal feeling of her thick body being so close to him, smelling her sweet scent, being touched by her soft fingers.

What she did next surprised her herself. She ran her fingers through his curls and pulled him down closer. She closed her eyes and gently brushed her lips on his. He tensed then relaxed. He loved her right then and there, but she wouldn't find that out until later on in life. He found his hands resting on her hips and pulled her in closer, she giggled and deepened their embrace which lasted a quite a time. The soft mews escaping her throat we're trophies for him. He brought up on hand and ran his fingers through her short cropped hair and he happily grunted when she nipped at his bottom lip. Her hands rested at his chest and she quickly realized that after all the years she had known him, that was her favorite part of his body. Funny, she thought.

Then they heard the door open with a couple of feet shuffling along. They heard in unison Daryl and Daisy.

"There you guys are."

Merle and Clara looked at them with their faces still close together. Not another word was spoken from Daryl or Daisy. The dark skinned woman smiled and looked at a shocked Daryl. Giggling, she tugged at his shirt to leave and he followed, closing the door. Merle and Clara stood in silence and took a step back and took each other in. Breathing steadily now, he went to say something, but was caught offguard by her lips on his again. He laughed heartily. She giggled uncontrollably and he wrapped his arms around her thick and petite frame.

He always counted that as their first date.

She woke to the muffled sounds of shouting from the distance. She felt her heart break as she reached for the other side of the bed. She knew it was empty, but she could never break the habit.

A lump formed in her chest as she raced to the window. She opened it to get a better look, but it was still far too dark out. She could barely make out what was being said. It was only noise that she heard. She took a look at the clock. It read five-fifteen in the morning. Something wasn't sitting right. She quickly slipped out of her pajama bottoms and into a pair of skinnies and slid into her boots. She made haste and flew down the stairs, stumbling at the last step. She caught herself and ran to the kitchen. There was just enough moonlight to see the walkie talkie on the edge of the table where she left it. She nearly knocked it off the table. It bounced in her hands and she steadied herself. The static noise that it made when she turned it on was like thunderclaps in the quiet house. She took a breath.

"Daisy! Martin! What's going on?! What's that commotion outside?" she waited for what seemed like eternity. When there was no answer, worry and fear flooded her veins. "Daisy! Answer me!"

"Clara," answered Daisy. She sounded like she had been crying. Clara swallowed hard. "You need to get down here. Be safe and fast."

Clara clamped the walkie to her jeans, grabbed her belt of knives and threw it around her arm like a purse, and ran out the door like a bat out of hell. She jumped onto her bike, kicked up the kickstand, and was off.