A/N Thank you! You guys are the best. I appreciate you following my story of Merle, Beth and Tommy. We're fast forwarding just a few months here, let's check in with everyone.

It had been two weeks since they'd returned home from Daryl and Michonne's cabin.

When Daryl called Merle they'd dropped everything and rushed to be there. The baby was coming. They'd been fortunate enough to arrive in time for the baby's birth, and they stayed for 10 days after so Beth could help Michonne and see her through her recovery.

Baby Ben was so sweet and so cute, and he shared so many qualities of both parents. It had been such a lovely time. But Merle had explained to her how difficult coming times would be for Daryl, Michonne and Ben, the rest of the world would not be as accepting as them, and Beth could see his deep concern.

They'd gotten home and both she and Merle, especially Merle at the shop, had been so busy catching up on things, it seemed like they hardly saw each other. She was glad for their nights cuddled in bed. She loved everything about sharing a bed with Merle.

But she knew something was wrong, she hadn't been feeling well since they got home. He'd been leaving so early for work he didn't know how sick she got every morning. And throughout the day, if she stood on her feet too long in one spot, she often felt quite dizzy, she was so tired all the time and she just didn't have an appetite. She thought she should probably see a doctor, but wasn't going to say anything to Merle just yet, he had enough on his mind and she didn't want to worry him.

xxxx

Merle would be home from work soon, and she'd just finished making the gravy for the pot roast when she heard someone honking a car horn loudly in their driveway.

She took Tommys' hand and cautiously headed out the front door with him. There was Merle in a fancy new car, all smiles, and then Axel pulling up behind him in Merle's pick-up, and finally another of Merle's employees, Jim, in one of the garage's tow trucks.

Axel jumped out of Merle's pick-up, tossed him the keys, got in the tow truck with Jim and they were gone.

What in the world? She thought to herself.

Merle had a great big grin on his face as he came to her, "How do ya like yer new car Lil Darlin?"

"What?" She was confused.

"It's a brand new Chevy Station Wagon Darlin. Ain't it pretty? I decided it was the perfect family car, and it's yours to use just as soon as you learn how to drive and we get ya a license. Whaddya think a that!" She could tell how pleased he was with himself.

"I think it's a beautiful car Merle, but do you really think I'll be able to learn to drive?"

"Why sure Darlin' I'ma teach ya, ain't nuthin'to it!" She could tell he was excited, so even though she was terrified at the thought of driving, she tried to act just as excited.

After dinner he took her and Tommy for a ride in the new wagon, he explained what everything was in the car, all the switches and dials, how the radio worked, how the heat worked, which pedal was the gas pedal and which was the brake pedal, how windshield wipers worked and what the gauges were for. She was feeling a bit overwhelmed, but he smiled, "It's even got the automatic transmission 'stead of the standard, that'll make it easier for ya ta learn."

And she had no idea what that even meant.

"We'll go out in it Saturday, I know a place where there won't be no one else around and you can practice, gonna be a lot a fun," she could tell how happy he was.

Still she tentatively asked, "Are you sure I'll be able to do this Merle? It seems a little scary."

"I ain't worried Darlin', I taught Daryl ta drive when he was nine years old, and Rick taught Lori two years ago. She does okay, right? This will get ya to the grocery and shoppin' and any appointments you and Tommy got. You won't have ta ask Lori every time you wanna go somewhere and I'm workin'. And when Tommy starts ta school it's gonna come in real handy. 'Sides, you're only gonna drive right in town. Anywhere else, I'll be driving, I won't be havin' ya out on the highway by yourself. It'll be just right when we go ta visit Daryl, Michonne and the little one, much more pleasant a ride than the pick-up. That's fine for a man, but I want my family ta ride in a nice car."

And she knew he was resolved that she was going to learn to drive, and she knew she would do anything to make him happy so she was going to try even if she was scared out of her wits.

It was a beautiful machine. Merle said it was called a 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster, it was kind of a burgundy color with wood panels on the sides, white sidewall tires, a vinyl roof and three rows of seating. It just seemed so darn big, but she was going to try her best, she wanted Merle to be proud of her.

She barely slept Friday night, she was so nervous. She didn't want to disappoint Merle, and she did think it would be so nice not to have to depend on other people every time she needed to go somewhere, but it was a frightening machine, so big and so powerful.

She fixed a big breakfast for Merle, as she did every Saturday and Sunday morning, but between feeling queasy like she did every morning, and being a bundle of nerves over her driving lesson, she couldn't eat a thing herself.

Merle didn't miss it, "What's the matter Darlin', ya ain't eatin', tiny thing like you, ya gotta eat, and 'sides yer gonna need yer strength drivin' taday," and he gave her that grin, and she did feel a little better. She would do anything for that grin.

It was hair-raising, and she could tell she was making him a wreck, but he tried to remain calm and patient, "No Darlin, ya gotta turn the wheel a little more." "DARLIN'! Don't step on the gas so hard." "Okay, now, you wanna ease onto that brake pedal, not slam onto it." It went on, and she tried and tried to do everything just like he told her, and after a couple of hours she finally started to get the hang of it, well at least a little. After three hours she felt pretty confident, and 45 minutes later he said, "Okay, why don't you drive us on home. Just go slow and remember everything I taught ya. Tomorrow I'll teach ya how ta parallel park it."

Oh No! She never thought about having to learn to park it. She'd often marveled at the way he could parallel park, thinking it seemed impossible to maneuver one car in between two other cars.

But she drove it home, and managed to ease it in the driveway with no incidents. When they got in the house she saw Merle do something she had never seen him do at 11:30 in the morning. He went to his cupboard above the refrigerator, got down his bottle of whiskey, poured himself a good helping and drank it right down.

Sunday morning Merle drove them to church in the new car. Once they'd married he'd begun accompanying her and Tommy to church, unless he was out hunting. She knew he didn't really care to go to church, and she knew he only did it for her and Tommy, and it just made her love him more.

After services they drove home for Beth's parking lesson.

"I'm nervous about this Merle, it seems like it would be very difficult to park this big car," and she was wringing her small hands together.

"Nuthin' at all ta worry about Darlin', ya just gotta follow a pattern, why you'll learn this in no time," but his stomach was churning and he wasn't altogether sure she'd be able to do it, but dammit, he was gonna do everything in his power to help her.

He set up two garbage cans behind the house to represent two parked cars and show the spot she'd have to pull into and park. To the amazement of both of them she didn't have too much trouble learning the parking. He was feeling a lot better and so was she.

"I'ma pick ya up a drivin' manual tomorrow and you can study up on that. We'll take a little drive every night this week, and then on Friday I'll come home a little early and take ya to get that driver's license. How does that sound?" There was his big ol' grin.

She responded with a big smile of her own and said, "That sounds perfect Merle. I was scared at first, but now I'm feeling more confident and I'll enjoy being able to do a few errands without having to bother you or Lori."

After he left for work Monday morning she called Lori and asked her if she had a doctor she went to about female things, Lori did and gave her the doctor's name and phone number, but also asked, "What's wrong Beth, are you okay." Beth just told her she was sure everything was just fine, that she just had a couple of little things she wanted to talk to a doctor about.

Then she called the doctor's office and made an appointment for the following Monday, she was sure she'd have her license by then and could just drive herself. No one would ever know.

The week went well. Every night after supper she, Merle and Tommy got in the new car and she drove around the neighborhood, practiced making right turns, practiced making left turns, and practiced her parking. Merle was happy with how well she was doing, and that pleased her and made her more convinced she could pass her test and get her license.

During the day she studied her manual while Tommy napped. She was so grateful to Michonne for the reading lessons, if she hadn't had those she didn't know if she would have understood the confusing way the manual had been written.

She was still having a lot of trouble with her stomach, besides often getting sick in the morning she was queasy throughout the day, and she was still having dizziness. One day she had almost fallen, but had managed to grab hold of the cabinet door and slowly ease herself down until she was sitting on the floor. She felt weak and more tired than usual, even when she got a good night's sleep.

Merle had said something to her three times now about her not eating enough, looking pale and seeming tired. She could tell he was concerned, but she just kept telling him she was nervous about her driving test and she was sure once that was over she would be just fine. He didn't seem convinced and she wasn't either.

"If you ain't lookin' better and eatin' right in the next few days I'ma insist ya go to the Doctor, I don't want no arguments Darlin', I'm firm on that, K?"

"Yes Merle, I promise, I want to feel better too, but I'm sure it's just a case of bad nerves," and she tried to smile convincingly, but she could tell by the worry in his eyes he was not persuaded.

Friday morning Merle told her not to cook supper that night. He'd be home early to pick her and Tommy up so she could take her driver's test. After the test they'd drive over to Robinson and have supper at that nice new restaurant. She hugged him tightly and said, "Thank you Merle, you spoil me so."

And he hugged her back, kissed the top of her head and said, 'I love ya Lil Darlin', sometimes I worry I ain't takin' good enough care of ya."

"Oh Merle, you treat me like a queen, I never had someone treat me so special like you do. I love you," and she felt tears in her eyes and she wasn't sure why.

He looked at her with a mix of love and concern and said, "I love ya Darlin', don't know how I ever survived without you. You take it easy taday, and I mean that, you just enjoy Tommy, no housework no nuthin', we'll worry 'bout all that tomorrow, you mind me now, k?"

"Yes Merle, I promise," she hated to see him worry.

She passed her test and she was so excited, "I never in my life thought I'd have a driver's license Merle," and she giggled and said, "Heck, I never thought I'd learn how to drive. I'm so happy Merle, thank you."

"Darlin', ya know I'd do anythin' for ya, I'm glad you're happy, now let's get in the car and I'll drive us over to Robinson for supper," he gave her a quick hug and then opened the car doors and helped her and Tommy in the vehicle.

Beth found she was finally hungry when they got to the restaurant, and she ordered beef, which was very unusual for her but for some reason she craved the red meat. They had a nice family dinner and when they got home and got Tommy to bed, Beth and Merle could hardly wait to get each other in the bed.

Merle saw his wife as sweet and delicate, and he liked taking it slow and easy with her, no rush, just savoring every minute of their intimate times. He liked to kiss and nip and gently suck on every inch of her body. He liked it to last, and it seemed she did too, he loved it when she moaned his name, and loved it even more when she cried it into his chest as she came, trying to muffle the sound.

xxxx

Beth told Lori she had to run a couple of quick errands Monday morning and asked if she'd mind keeping an eye on Tommy for a little while, she didn't want to deceive her friend, but she also didn't want Lori to worry, and if she was pregnant, she wanted to tell Merle first.

She was early for her doctor appointment Monday morning, she was anxious to find out why she'd been feeling so poorly. Oh she suspected she was pregnant, she would be thrilled about that, but she was afraid something was wrong.

The doctor did his exam and there was a blood test and a urine sample, and then the nurse had her get dressed and come with her to the doctor's office. She sat across the desk from him and he looked at her kindly, "Mrs. Dixon, as you suspect, I feel fairly certain you're pregnant, but we'll have a positive answer in the next few days, in the meantime, I do have some other concerns, which is why I ordered the blood test. While we wait for those results, and I've put a rush on them, I have some steps I would like you to follow. I want you to be sure and get plenty of rest, I want you to try and eat even when you're not feeling particularly hungry, maybe spread it out throughout the day, rather than overwhelm yourself with three large meals. Try not to be on your feet too much, take small breaks throughout the day. I want to see both you and your husband back here Thursday morning, do you think your husband will be willing to come in with you?" The doctor sounded both kind and serious.

"Yes doctor, I'll try hard to do all of those things, and I know my husband will come with me, he's a good man," she was ready to cry, but tried hard not to let the doctor see.

Merle could see it the minute he walked in the door, something wasn't right. Oh she had his supper ready, and she was sweet, and she was smiling at him, but he could tell. He looked across from her as they ate their dinner and simply said, "After supper I'ma do the dishes, I want Tommy ta bed early, then you're gonna talk to yer husband about what's goin' on here."

She blinked nervously, and said, "Yes Merle."

When Tommy was tucked in bed she went to him, he was in his chair looking at the Reader's Digest and she made a move to sit in his lap, he reached for her, held her tight and she could tell he was tense. He softly asked, "What Lil Darlin', tell yer husband, what's wrong?"

She took a deep breath, "I wasn't trying to hide anything from you Merle, I just didn't want you to worry, but I've been a little worried, so I made a doctor's appointment with Lori's doctor and I saw him this morning," she could feel Merle tense even more, "I suspected I might be pregnant, and the happy news is I am," for a moment he smiled, but then he tensed again, he knew the other shoe was about to drop, she continued, "The doctor thinks there might be a complication. He wants me to take it a little bit easy, he wants me to eat more, especially meat and eggs and green vegetables like spinach, and he doesn't want me to stand on my feet too much at one time. I think that's everything, that, and he wants to see us both in his office Thursday morning at 9:00 a.m."

Merle was stunned, he didn't know if he was happy, if he was sad, if he was excited or if he was scared. He just knew he couldn't live if she wasn't okay.

He was excited at the idea of a baby for he and Beth, but he wanted her healthy and safe more than he wanted a baby. For a moment, he wasn't sure what to do, what he did was, he held her close, he kissed her neck and her face and her lips and he rubbed his hand along her back and he just kept telling her how much he loved her.

Then he said, "Darlin', don't ever hide nuthin' from me again, please. I'm your husband, it's my job ta take care of ya. You ain't supposed to have ta go through anythin' alone. It breaks my heart ya didn't tell me sooner how you was feelin'. Ya gotta have more trust in me, more faith in me."

"I'm sorry Merle, I won't ever keep anything from you again, I guess I was just scared myself, and I didn't want to worry you, you work so hard and you take such good care of me and Tommy," She looked at him with her big blue eyes and all he could do was hug her tighter.

A/N Well, happiness with a little fear thrown in. I'll be back very soon and we'll see what the doc says. Thank you so much for reading, please review. xo