A/N Thank you, thank you, thank you! You guys are the best. I appreciate you so much, you make my day! xo

The shopping trip with Lori was even more fun than she had imagined. They'd done Tommy's shopping first, it was easy. Four t-shirts and one shirt for church, two pair of pants, a packet of underwear and a packet of socks plus a new pair of shoes. Beth had never been able to splurge on her son this way, and it was a thrill.

With Lori's encouragement she'd gotten herself two dresses plus fabric to make two more. Beth wanted to make her own wedding dress. She wanted it to be pretty, but not too fancy, it was to be a small backyard ceremony after all, and she also wanted to be able to wear the dress again, to church and to occasions. She told Lori she didn't feel comfortable wearing white so instead she bought fabric with a white background and tiny yellow flowers.

Lori had taken on the big sister role and had been so caring helping her pick out two new bras and some new panties; although Beth did insist on far more modest garments than Lori suggested. Beth had never worn a bra; she'd simply worn a girl's undershirt. Lori had told her it would take some getting used to but was a necessary part of her wardrobe. She got two new pair of shoes, she needed an everyday pair, and a pair she could wear to her wedding and to church. And, of course, she'd gotten socks, but the older woman had also told her she needed silk stockings and a garter belt to wear on her wedding day and on special occasions.

Their last stop at Davison's was the jewelry counter. Lori helped her pick out bracelets that would go with her new dresses, including a fancy set for the wedding with a matching necklace. She'd held her hand and looked at her sweetly and said, "Beth, I know you feel embarrassed by the scaring but you don't have to hide it, it's part of the past. Merle is going to be your husband, he loves you and he has said it doesn't bother him, what else matters?"

They had fancy sandwiches and tea in the department store restaurant for lunch, then Lori insisted they needed to stop by the drug store. She realized Beth probably needed a few personal items. They bought shampoo, lotion, face cream, tweezers a razor and shave cream.

They picked up Tommy at Karen's and when they got back to Beth's apartment Lori showed her how to shave her legs, underarms and how to pluck her eyebrows.

Beth was on cloud nine, but also exhausted, and she'd certainly never spent so many hours just thinking about herself. She thought she and Tommy would just lay down for a few minutes and rest, but she woke up with Merle stroking her hair and smiling down at her. "Well hello there Lil Darlin'," he was grinning ear to ear, "you have a big day?"

"Oh no Merle! I'm so sorry, I don't have dinner ready!" and she burst into tears.

"Whoa Darlin', no cryin' now, I ain't gonna scold ya" he got down and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "we'll think a sumthin' ta make up quick."

"Oh Merle, I had such fun today. Thank you so much. Lori is the nicest person; she was so kind and helpful to me. She knew about everything Merle. I never knew women needed all these things. She had to show me so much." Merle's heart swelled seeing how happy she was, he hugged her close, and then Tommy woke up, "Mama, Mur, peepee." Merle started laughing and said, "Boy, if there's one thing ya got its timing."

They settled on a dinner of pancakes, eggs and bacon. Merle could not think of a complaint he had about that, especially when he looked across the table at this beautiful smiling woman who was gonna be his wife.

Beth couldn't believe he hadn't been angry with her at all that his supper wasn't ready. She knew if it had been Joe; or most men for that matter, she would have been in terrible trouble, but he had just smiled and suggested they have breakfast for dinner, he'd even fried the bacon.

After dinner, when he tried to help with clean-up she said, "Merle, you worked hard all day, and I had a wonderful day and took a nap. You sit on the sofa and relax, I want to do this." He smiled, bent down and kissed her on the cheek, then he turned to Tommy, "hey son, let's see if we can't find any a them westerns on the radio."

Merle was on a mission, he was getting everything in order. The new bed had been moved in and the old bed, along with the old bedding had been donated. He'd come home early Friday night and taken her to the courthouse to get the marriage license. He'd inquired about ministers or judges that would be agreeable to performing a backyard wedding ceremony. Saturday he and Beth got an early start and while she did the grocery shopping, he took Tommy to the general store to pick up flowers and more fertilizer for the yard. He was going to get everything in order so that once he heard from Daryl, he and Beth could set a date and get married.

Merle and Tommy planted the flowers in the yard while Beth was busy sewing. She'd never had anyone keep Tommy occupied while she was busy and it was such a help. The truth was, Beth never thought her little boy would have a Daddy, someone who loved and cared for him, someone to teach him how to be a man. She thanked God for bringing Merle into their lives. She had never known a better man, a better person.

Sunday night Daryl called Merle, first worried it was an emergency, Merle laughed and said, "No little brother, I done found me a good woman, a real peach. I plan ta marry her just as soon as ya tell me when you and your beautiful wife can get yourselves down here ta Georgia." Daryl was speechless but he gathered his thoughts and said, "I can't wait ta meet the woman who is gonna get ya to the altar. You didn't brainwash her did ya?" Merle gave out a hardy laugh and replied, "I think she just felt sorry for me, thought I needed someone ta take care of me." They talked a long while and Merle told his brother how Beth had moved in the apartment out back, how he knew he was a goner from the get go, told him about Tommy and how he was now the happiest man on earth. Daryl simply responded, "m happy for ya brother, you deserve this."

Monday morning Merle stopped by Beth and Tommy's door, kissed them both goodbye, saying he'd be home at 5:30. By the time 6:00 came around, Beth was nervous, at 6:30 she fed Tommy, but she was too nervous to eat anything herself. By 7:00 she had fixed Merle a plate she covered with foil and put the rest of the leftovers away. By 7:30 she was pacing the floor, just before 8:00 she took Tommy to the apartment and put him to bed. At 8:15 there was a knock on her door, it was Rick and Lori and Beth knew something bad had happened.

"Beth can we come in and talk with you?" Rick asked her. Words wouldn't come to her so she just nodded. He began, "There was an accident at the garage today. Merle and Axel were pulling the engine out of car with a chain hoist, the chain slipped and the engine swung into Merle. I'm not going to try and make it sound better than it is Beth, those engines weigh a few hundred pounds and he's very badly hurt. He's at the hospital now, in surgery." She felt the tears falling from her eyes, Lori had an arm around her, trying to comfort her, and Rick continued, "I was able to reach Daryl right away, he and his wife are on their way now and ought to get here sometime just after midnight. They're going to have to stay here in the apartment Beth, it's safer for them, Lori and I are going to help you move your things up to the house now."

Her head was spinning and she was so confused, "Why do they have to stay in the apartment to be safe?"

Rick and Lori shared a look, "Didn't Merle tell you anything about Daryl and his wife?" Lori asked her. "No just that he would come to the wedding but she wouldn't be able to." Rick nodded and said, "Let me begin by saying I'm not here in a professional capacity, I'm here as a lifelong friend of Merle and Daryl's, and a friend of yours Beth. It's a complicated situation, Daryl's wife is a woman of color and Georgia, like a lot of states, has an anti-miscegenation law, which means it's against the law for a white person to have sex with or be married to a non-white. Daryl's wife, Michonne, is a Negro."

Lori explained further, "This is a 'white's only' neighborhood, like all the neighborhoods on this side of town; that means Michonne can't be seen here, well unless she's cleaning someone's house, and she certainly can't be seen anywhere with him. If she and Daryl stay in the apartment, with the gate guarding entrance to the backyard, there's far less chance of anyone seeing her here, like door to door salesman, the postman, the neighbors."

While Beth was trying hard to assimilate everything they'd told her, Rick and Lori quickly moved her personal items to Merle's house. When the task was complete Lori again placed an arm around her shoulders, "I'm going to stay with Tommy and wait for Daryl and Michonne, Rick's going to take you to the hospital to see Merle. I'm sure Daryl will be up there right after he brings Michonne here." All Beth could muster was an, "okay." Lori gave her a quick hug and Rick took her out to the car.

When she saw Merle lying in the hospital bed unconscious and wrapped in what must be yards of bandages, the tears began to fall freely, "Oh Rick, he's so hurt." "I know it looks bad but there's no body tougher than Merle Dixon, if anyone can come out of this it's him, we just have to pray Beth."

She sat quietly by his bedside with her hand on his hand praying quietly to herself. She didn't notice the passage of time, or anything really, just Merle. A man walked in the room, shook Rick's hand and walked over to the bed, looked at Merle and then asked her, "You Beth?" "Yes," she replied softly. "I'm your new brother, Daryl, pleased ta meet ya." Beth instinctively went to him put her arms around his waist. He tensed for a minute, but then he put his arms around her. She'd begun to cry again and he quietly said, "I know it looks bad, but this is Merle and ain't nobody can kill Merle but Merle."

She nodded and he said, "you go on now and sit back down, I'm just gonna stand here and have a look at my brother for a few minutes, then you and I are gonna have a talk." She simply nodded in response.

After a few minutes he spoke again, "I know my brother loves ya Beth, he told me he did, he doesn't want you ta be worried and neither do I. I'm as good a mechanic as Merle, course he'd probably argue about that, and I'll be looking after the business while he's laid up. I'm also gonna be looking after you, same as he'd help my wife if sumthin' happened ta me. Anything ya need, ya let me know. My wife and I are gonna be right there. She won't leave the apartment, and I think ya been told why. I'm sure she'd love ta have some company visiting her and I think she could bring ya some comfort. She's a good woman. I'ma want ta take ya on back to the house in about 30 minutes, ya need yer rest and ya won't do Merle no good if ya make yerself sick. Ya gotta think about yer boy too, I know that boy means the world to ya and he means the world to my brother. Now that's the most I've talked in months," and he gave her a small smile.

They went to the apartment first, with Rick right behind them. Lori came to the door then looked over her shoulder, "its' okay," and a woman came out of the bedroom, she was striking, tall and muscular with dark skin, close cropped hair, bright eyes and a beautiful smile. Daryl immediately walked to her, gave her a hug and simply said, "Missed ya woman," and the woman just smiled at him. Lori broke in, "Beth Greene, meet your new sister in law, Michonne Dixon." Beth didn't think twice, she walked over to the woman and gave her a hug. Michonne returned the hug and said, "I'm very happy to meet you Beth. Only the bravest, the strongest and the best women are tough enough to marry Dixon men." Daryl snorted at that, looked at her and said, "Stop. Yer gonna scare her off and Merle will kick my ass."

Rick walked over and gave Michonne a quick hug and said, "we've missed you down here in Georgia, you planning to stir up a little trouble while you're here?" "Please Rick don't give her any ideas, she gets enough on her own," Daryl was smiling just a little and Michonne laughed softly. Rick smiled and said, "Well I'd better get my own wife home, it's been a long hard day and I think we all need rest. We'll be praying hard for Merle, and for everyone." Rick and Lori gave everyone a quick hug said their goodbyes and left.

"K now, I'ma walk ya on up ta the house Beth, I'll carry yer boy for ya and make sure everything is locked up tight. Ya get nervous or anythin' ya come on down and get me. Michonne and Lori are gonna help ya out with tendin' ta Tommy so you can spend time visiting Merle. I'ma take you up to the hospital in the mornin' after you and the boy have breakfast, Michonne will keep an eye on Tommy. Sound okay?"

Michonne let out a soft laugh, "My husband thinks he's some kind of Marine big shot Beth, if you start to feel like he's giving you orders just slap him upside the head."

"Dammit Mishy, yer always tryin' ta undermine my command," he smiled at her. Beth loved them both already.

She put Tommy in bed with her because she just couldn't bear the thought of being alone. She didn't think she'd be able to sleep, but exhaustion took over when her head hit the pillow.

A/N Dang, Merle's hurt bad, just when things were going so well. Now we all know about Daryl's wife, and we'll learn much more about who Michonne is in coming chapters. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing.