{Author's Note: I'M BAAAACK! Holy crap it's been awhile, two years in fact and for those faithful to the story I am truly and deeply sorry. Two very big things have kept me from writing. One, my account was, in a way, frozen because silly me forgot the password and the only way to recover it was with an email that had been hacked. Finally got that sorted and medical issues would enter my life and not leave. Even now I have one more surgery ahead of me but I am in a better place now and this one will correct all and make sure I never have these issues again so, even though I do have that surgery coming, I feel more at peace which will go a long way to ease writers block. I wasn't too sure where I was going to go with this chapter to be honest. After all so much has happened to our group since I was writing this and I didn't want to just repeat what had already been seen or already been written in Fanfiction. But I realized that I could not go anywhere in my tale without answering the questions that I had previously put in place. First thing, for the sake of the story we're going to pretend that when they went to rescue Glen and Maggie they never came across Andrea. The second is the next couple chapters might have scenes that you recognize because I'm leading up to where my story truly turns different from the show or graphic novel, but to get to that place key things have to happen. So for those of you wanting something different just bare with me lol. I really hope that those of you who had read the story before are still hoping for another chapter because it was your kind words in the reviews that had be wanting to come back to this, I just hope it hasn't been too long. For those of you that are new to the story HI! -waves frantically- Hello there and welcome. It's a pleasure to have ya and I hope you enjoy! Next Chapter up in a couple days! So stay tuned!}

Chapter 11

They walked into complete and utter chaos, not that they hadn't expected it and weren't prepared for it but the level of insanity seemed to take Carol a bit by surprise. Then again, this was Merle after all. She watched as Daryl moved into the fray, taking a stance besides Merle, not liking the look in Glen's murderous eyes. He understood it of course but that didn't mean he was just gonna stand by and watch his friend murder his brother.

"I done told ya I didn't touch your woman so calm your tits all I did was rough ya up a little bit. You're still breathin aint ya?" Merle shouted not helping his case much as the young couple took turns telling him just where he could go and it sure as hell wasn't to a cell block.

"We are alive no thanks to you!" Maggie shouted and lunged at Merle only to be halted by Glen's arm wrapping around her waist to hold her back. She couldn't believe that this…piece of filth was in any way shape or form related to Daryl. Sure, Daryl might have a few issues but he was still a man of honor, someone she'd learned she could depend on and whom she felt affection for. The man before her was nothing but a stain that needed to be scrubbed off.

"Yea, well consider it payback sugartits cause I'm alive no thanks to officer friendly and your boy toy here. Did they tell you they cuffed me on a roof and then left me there to be biter chow?" he narrowed his eyes and took a step closer to her only to have Daryl throw out an arm to keep him from advancing further. Still he'd lift his metal stub and held it up to her eye level. "Least your boy toy came back all in one piece. Hell, way I look at it, you owe me a favor at the very least a thank you."

"Damn it Merle shut the hell up!" Daryl finally exclaimed and pushed his brother back till he was forced to sit down on the bench of the table then looked at Glen and Maggie. "Everybody just shut the hell up. Look I get it, you don't like him here and I don't blame ya but he's my brother and if he goes I go," Merle would interrupt him with a satisfied chuckle only to glare at the words that followed, "Unless he does something else. Then I'll kill him my own damn self."

"You aint got the balls Darlene…"

"Merle, one more word and he won't have too, I will." Carol finally spoke up, her head pounding from the running in circles everyone was doing. Hell she should be basking in the glow of the best sex she'd ever had but no, instead here they were dealing with this jackass and frankly she wasn't very happy about it. It was almost as if he were trying to get himself kicked out…it was then that her mind clicked, that was exactly what he was trying to do. Because he knew Daryl would go with him. "Daryl isn't going anywhere just cause you want to throw a temper tantrum like a child cause your brother made a life without you."

"Careful whatcha say there Mrs. Robinson." Merle growled and tried to stare the woman down. Since when had the mouse of the group grown a set bigger than Dallas? At first when they had arrived he'd thought her bit of sass amusing but momentary, now he was gettin the idea he had her all kinds of wrong. When her pale eyes narrowed and her head cocked in just a fashion at him he actually felt a sliver of fear slide down his spine. Damn if the woman didn't look downright evil.

"Call me that…just one more time," Carol warned with heat flaring in her eyes. There was only four years difference between her and Daryl, she was definitely not a Mrs. Robinson and she was damn tired of her age being so casually joked about. She might not be fresh and young in her teens and twenties like Beth and Maggie but that just meant she actually knew what the hell she was doing.

Finally Rick would step forward and put a calming hand on Carol's shoulder, smirking at the hesitation he saw in Merle's eyes as he watched the fury that flared to life within her eyes. "Look this aint ideal for any of us but the truth is we need Merle and more importantly this matters to Daryl so for now we're gonna suck it up and deal with him but Merle…I suggest you be on the best behavior you're capable of because one slip…"

"Yea, yea officer friendly I get it you'll take my other hand or maybe a foot next time?" Merle glared stubbornly only to blink, stunned into submission by the cuff he got to the back of his head that snapped his head forward and left his scalp stinging.

Carol stood there unrepentant and glared just as heatedly at him as he had her. "Shut up Merle."

Merle tried to get up, eager to put the gray haired bitch back in her place only he barely even moved before he had the sharp tip of his brother's arrow brushing against the tip of his nose as he came between them. For the first time he stared down the length of his brother's weapon and felt, to the core of his soul, that his brother wouldn't even hesitate to pull the trigger.

"Hey there little brother," he smiled and held up his hands with that same annoying smirk curving his lips. "No need to go pointin that in ol Merle's face. He wasn't gonna do her no harm. You weren't even scared were ya sugartits?" He curved his eyes over to the woman that had moved herself between him and his brother, not physically no, but she was still there between them and he had a feeling she wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

Michonne would finally speak up, drawing everyone's attention away from the frustrating man and back to the unasked question that would finally be addressed. "Andrea…is she still alive?" the scarf that had been left with his stump was looped through the belt hoop of the ebony beauty's pants, blood stained to the point that you couldn't even begin to make out the pattern.

"Yea yea, that bitch is still alive. She's got that piece of shit wrapped tight around her little finger believe me she aint in any harm, well not so long as she keeps puttin out." Merle chuckled only to frown and glare as his mind flashed him back to the blond headed witch smirking up at him as they left him on that little ledge to die. "Trust me she aint being held captive. Well can't tell you what goes on in their bedroom but wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't some freaky shit."

Rick would sigh and pinch at the bridge of his nose counting for patience, something that he lacked the longer he stayed in the man's presence. "You're telling me she's with the gov'ner on her own free will?"

"Hell yea I am. That little tart started struttin around town the minute she found herself in his bed. Oh she pretends she aint got no idea but trust me, it don't take long to figure him out, unless you just don't' want to or you just don't care. What," he'd address Michonne, "You thought once she figured out who he was she'd leave?"

"You're lying!" Michonne lunged forward only to be caught by Rick yet still she'd glare at Merle. "She would never do anything to hurt any of us. Why should we believe you?"

"Hey you wanna go on livin in a fairy tale you go right ahead but at least know your roles. That bitch aint the damsel in distress, she's the fuckin evil queen! You aint got to believe ol Merle but if I'm wrong why aint she here?" Merle questioned, getting a little fed up with people callin him a liar the one time he was actually telling the damn truth. "He took the china-man and the farmer's daughter here and what happened? Is she here? Did she come runnin? Nah, she's still back there pretty as ya please."

"Because he's keeping her there!" Michonne yelled only to frown when Merle cracked up and shook his head almost giving her a sympathetic look which took a bit of the wind out of her sails and had her not wanting to hear his responses anymore.

"You keep telling yourself that sweetheart. Next time they come though, and we know that they will, why don't you take a look at just who is ridin shotgun next to ol one eye? But hell, what do I know. Maybe she'll come to her senses. Or you will. Now if we're done I need to get some sleep and I'm damn tired of arguin with all ya'll when aint none of ya'll wantin to listen."

"Come on son, I'll show ya to a cell." Hershel spoke up calmly as he stood and made his way slowly over to him. It was a hard thing, looking at the man that had caused his little girl and Glen so much pain. But right now he knew that there would be no peace or logical conversation happening so long as Merle remained in the room. He could see the hesitance in Daryl's gaze and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry Daryl." Hershel was touched that his obvious concern wasn't for his brother, but for him, a point that was proven with his next words.

"You say one thing that bothers him; I'll put an arrow in your left ball sack." He warned in a guttural growl that had Merle feigning a wound over his heart.

"I may be all kinds of fucked up baby brother, but even I don't stoop to pickin on the elderly. Come on old man; let's get our gimpy selves out of their way so they can talk all nice and pretty about killin ol Merle and figure out where to hide the body." Merle smirked as he stood and moved under the heavy weight of nearly the whole groups gaze but it was Carol that would break the silence to reply with a soft smile and sweetness oozing from her tone.

"Oh Merle, we wouldn't bother hiding it."

"Watch out for that one little brother, with a tongue that sharp blow jobs have to be a painful experience."

Carol would narrow her eyes at his retreating back but she felt the corners of her lips lift just a tiny little fraction. If the man didn't make her want to strangle the life out of him, she might have actually thought he was a little funny. She kept that opinion to herself though and instead turned her focus on Daryl, watching his reaction to everything carefully so he wouldn't feel her watching him. Yet somehow he always seemed to know and soon those piercing blue orbs were locked with hers and though she could easily read the frustration and hesitance in his gaze, she could also see a little echo of the humor she felt in her own heart and it caused her lips to curve into a quick half smile that he returned before they would turn their attention back towards the group.

"I don't know why that bastard is lying but I know he is. Andrea wouldn't stay with him knowing what he was going to come here and do." Michonne stated but everyone could tell that the confidence in that statement came more from her anger at Merle than any true belief in her words. It broke Carol's heart to watch this strong determined woman look lost for even the smallest of seconds. She wanted to reach out to her, to offer her any form of comfort she would accept but she knew that it wouldn't be welcomed so she remained by Daryl and watched as Carl would move from his place against the wall instead and eased himself down to sit next to her. He didn't touch the woman nor speak but his presence there seemed to calm her. She had never really seen the two of them together very often and the distrust was still shadowed on the young boy's face but she couldn't help but see his sympathy to this woman, this virtual stranger because he understood her, understood the worry and loss she was feeling for her friend.

Rick, who had kept his focus on the katana wielding warrior, would shake his head slowly before running a tired hand down his face, taking a deep breath before releasing it before speaking. "Merle has no reason to lie about this and frankly we have more pressing matters to worry about."

"More pressing than getting back one of your people?" Michonne hissed hotly, her pain making her lash out.

"She stopped being one of us the moment she didn't' leave with you." Rick spoke darkly but calmly, just as betrayed as Michonne yet the responsibility of the group rested on his shoulders and even if Merle was lying, there was nothing they could do to get to her right now, at least not yet. "Merle was right about one thing, they will be coming back. This was just a hello, next time he's gonna be comin with the full force behind him."

"So what do we do?" Glen asked his fury at seeing Merle finally calming since the man was no longer in the room. His eyes kept straying back to Maggie though, his hand reaching out to rest comfortingly on her shoulder, knowing that all of this had just brought up those memories for her once again. He hated seeing those shadows back within her gaze; they'd only just started to fade and the feeling of failing her hit him hard all over again. Still she didn't tense under his touch and even reached up to let her hand lightly squeeze his in response. That was more than he could have asked for right now.

"We need to mend that gate for one, the longer it stays open the more walkers are gonna get in." Rick started, "The gun fire has to have grabbed the attention of every walker for at least a couple miles. We don't want a herd on our hands; the fences can only take so much so we need to make sure they don't start building up"

"We need to go on more runs, try to find some more firepower." Daryl added. "There's a couple towns, a little further away that we aint touched yet. Might have some things we can use, plus regular supplies."

"Right," Rick agreed before turning his attention to the group at large. "Let's try and focus on as much as we can, we don't know how much time we have to prepare."

It was obvious that Michonne was still struggling with what Merle had said and her own knowledge of the woman she'd become devoted too. It was hard for Carol to comprehend as well. While the men spoke she would make her way over to the table that Carl and Michonne were seated and smiled at Carl, sending him away with a look before she looked down at the woman.

"I don't think Merle was lying, he was too offended to be faking it, but that doesn't mean that he knows everything." Carol would give a wry little smile when Michonne looked up questioningly and she took it as an invitation to continue. "Sometimes when you're in a situation… when you find yourself in the presence of someone you had entirely pegged wrong, your brain shuts itself down to all the signs. Lets you still do things for them that makes your skin crawl but you do it with a smile on your face and tell yourself that you weren't so wrong. Andrea might not be here but that doesn't mean that she doesn't have her reasons for staying."

Michonne would tilt her head, those dark knowing eyes slipping over Carol's face and for the first time she felt herself opening up towards one of the members of the group. "I tried to tell her when I was there, tried to get her to see the monster that lurked behind the charm but she wouldn't listen, she wouldn't come with me. She had an excuse for everything and for a moment I thought, maybe I was the crazy one but I wasn't and I'm not. There has to be a reason why she hasn't come Carol. I feel it."

"Yea well, we can't sit around here waitin on her ass to show up. Come on, got shit to do that don't have nothing to do with waggin our jaws all day." Daryl's gruff voice broke through the moment and though Carol expected the woman to respond in the same fashion she had with his brother, she was surprised to see a look of amusement cross her usually still features. Without a word she stood and gave a nod of her head to the hunter before looking back to the woman who had offered her a little bit of hope. "Thanks." She said simply before moving off to the door leaving Carol and Daryl alone.

"You should probably go rest like Merle; you've been through a lot lately. Hershel needs to look at that shoulder too." She'd instruct, feeling a little guilty she'd forgotten about his injuries earlier in the field. Some of her thoughts must have been on her face because he was soon smirking in amusement.

"Fine time to think of that now after jumpin me earlier dontcha think?" Daryl teased and was rather proud of himself for the color that immediately blossomed in her cheeks. It wasn't often that he held the upper hand between them and he wanted to savor it for as long as he could. When her hand came up to lightly hit his chest he only chuckled which caused the color to grow.

"Oh shut up." Carol huffed and moved to go off to help when she was stopped by his hand coming to latch onto her wrist. Stopping she'd turn in his direction, a look of question on her face and within her pale orbs.

"Whatcha said to her, you think your right?"

"I hope I am. Andrea never struck me as the type to fall into the same mistakes that I did, she's so much stronger than me but that doesn't mean it's not possible. We don't know what is going on over there and until we do I think we should keep an open mind." Carol smiled and turned then, taking a couple steps away before she heard him once more.

"You're wrong."

Blinking Carol would tilt her head and arch a brow, silently waiting on him to explain. When he began to make his way towards her, her curiosity only grew, wondering what on earth in her statement he felt was so off. When finally he'd stop to where their shoulders were nearly touching as he moved to pass her, he would stare down into her eyes, his own dark and intense.

"Aint no one as strong as you."