A/N: Thank you to everyone who has viewed, followed and favorited this story so far. I am so sorry this chapter took so long! I had a lot of trouble writing the first interaction between the Dixons and Carla. Hopefully I will get another chapter up this weekend. Enjoy!

Chapter 4

It was late afternoon and the sun was setting below the trees when Carla emerged from Lauren's tent, looking much better than she had when she arrived. She sat down next to Jenna and smiled at Lauren.

"So, tell me about your missing campmates."

"Well, they're brothers. Merle and Daryl Dixon." Lauren said slowly.

Carla breathed in sharply. "What are they like?"

Lauren noticed her reaction, but answered her question anyway. "Well, Merle is older. He used to come into the bar I worked at. He's loud and crude but I think deep down he has a good heart. I don't know Daryl very well. I think he hates me though since he does nothing but glare at me all the time."

Carla snorted. "Hm. Well hopefully Jenna and I being here won't make things more difficult for you."

Lauren sighed. "Oh it will, but it was the right thing to do so don't worry about it."

Carla was about to reply when Merle's booming voice reached them from the tree line.

"JUDY! MAKE YOUR LAZY ASS USEFUL AND GET A FIRE READY TO COOK US SOME DINNER!"

"That's Merle." Lauren grimaced as she checked the fire that she had already built.

As the brothers got closer to camp, it was Daryl who noticed the new additions and immediately aimed his crossbow at Carla. "Who the fuck is this?" he asked Lauren.

Before she could respond, Carla spoke up. "Now, Mr. Dixon, I am SURE that you are only using that kinda language because you haven't noticed that you are in the presence of a child. Am I right?"

Daryl looked startled both by the fact that this woman knew his name and that she spoke to him calmly while he had a weapon pointed at her face.

"Well butter my ass and call me a biscuit! If it isn't Little Miss Carla Bassinger! I haven't seen the likes of you in damn near twenty years!" Merle exclaimed. "And who's this little princess, huh?" Jenna scurried to hide behind her grandmother while Merle chuckled and then shot a glare at his brother.

Daryl now looked embarrassed and lowered his crossbow and sheepishly mumbled "Beg pardon." Lauren was stunned that he apologized and confused why Carla hadn't mentioned that she knew brothers

Carla smiled slightly and replied "Hello Merle, Daryl. Long time no see. This is my grandbaby Jenna. Sweetheart, say hi to Mr. Merle and Mr. Daryl."

The little girl stepped next to her grandmother and gave each man a small smile and a shy hello before scurrying back to her hiding place. The brothers smiled indulgently at Jenna and Lauren was shocked by the soft looks in their eyes.

Merle turned his attention back to Carla. "How'd ya'll end up here? Didn't even know if ya were still alive let 'lone still in Georgia."

Ignoring the last part of his statement, Carla answered "I saw the smoke from your fire and I didn't think those THINGS could start a fire, so I pulled up and was lucky enough to find Lauren willing to let us stay."

Merle just hummed in reply. "Well, we's got a lotta catchin' up to do. What's say you an' I head down to the lake 'n' clean up these rabbits and we'll leave Doll Baby with the kids." Daryl and Lauren both looked indignant at being called kids, but Carla had a fond smile for Merle's nickname for Jenna.

"Alright, Jenna you stay here with Miss Lauren and Mr. Daryl. Nana's gonna go with Mr. Merle and get supper ready, ok? You be good!"

"Yes, Nana," the little girl replied and promptly ran over and plopped in Lauren's lap.

Merle and Carla walked away while Daryl grumbled and started cleaning his bolts. Jenna started yawning in Lauren's lap, so she brought her into the tent for a quick nap before dinner.

"So how do you know Carla?" She asked Daryl cautiously.

"Used ta live down the road. When 'er daddy died, Merle an' I helped her mama out aroun' the house and yard. Mos'ly Merle though." He said gruffly.

"What happened? Why haven't you seen her in so long?" Lauren pushed.

"Woman, you ask a lotta questions that got nothin' ta do wit' ya, ya know that? I don't know what happened. She moved away one summer ta live wit' her aunt in Atlanta or somethin'. People said it was 'cause she got knocked up or she got sent ta County, but no one knew for sure, she didn't come back, and people mostly forgot 'bout her 'til 'er mama died. But she wasn't even at the funeral."

"She didn't come visit her mother, not even for her funeral? Didn't anyone ask about her? What if something bad happened to her?"

"Some people mind their own business that's why." Daryl said with a tone that said he was done talking.

Lauren's mind was reeling with all of the possibilities her mind was presenting her. Why did Carla suddenly disappear? Were she and Merle friends? They seemed to be around the same age. Did she get in trouble with the law? What if she was in the Witness Protection Program? She inwardly groaned and berated herself for watching too many police shows on TV. She needed to stop worrying about Carla's past and focus on surviving in the present.

Fifteen minutes later, Lauren had some canned vegetables ready to be cooked with the rabbit meat and was just about to put on a pot of water when she noticed Carla returning with the meat, alone. Before she could ask if everything was ok, Merle came barreling up the hill calling for her to come back. "GET BACK HERE WOMAN WE'RE NOT DONE TALKIN'!"

Carla ignored his yelling and handed the raw rabbit to Lauren to cook. Merle's yelling woke up Jenna, who crawled out of the tent and sat near Lauren as she cut the meat up into smaller pieces. Daryl raised his eyebrow at the commotion but said nothing.

Huffing and puffing, Merle strode up to Carla and demanded to finish their conversation.

"I've got nothing more to say to you, Merle Dixon, not until you get clean. I won't have a drug addict around my granddaughter especially during these times. I'm disappointed in you, especially after everything your old man did."

Merle had a furious look on his face, but said nothing more as he turned back to the woods and stomped off, probably to let out his frustration on some poor woodland creatures.

Daryl looked around awkwardly while Lauren continued making dinner while Jenna sat next to her. Lauren hadn't really thought about the dangers of being under the influence in this new world, but she had always guessed that Merle was usually high. She wondered what their conversation was about and what Merle would do when he got back to camp. IF he came back to camp.

Unruffled, Carla acted as though nothing happened. She began to put the meal Lauren cooked onto plates and passed them around along with bottles of water. She said grace and then ate her supper while asking Jenna questions about her day.

Daryl ate quickly and simply nodded to Lauren as he handed her his empty plate and retreated to his tent. Lauren offered for Carla and Jenna to share her tent, and they turned in soon after cleaning up.

A/N: This was a bit of a slow chapter, I know. I should only have one or two more before I start bringing in the other characters from the show. Please review and let me know what you think!