Chapter 14

Merle headed off toward the tent that Dodge had been using, Sophia's words ringing in his ears. He knew that he had no blood relation to the girl, but she felt so much like his family that it overwhelmed him. He didn't care that he wasn't really her father – she was his girl regardless. And Dodge was going to pay for what he'd done.

The tent was empty. Merle gritted his teeth, feeling the rage run through his veins, and headed off into the woods. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

Absently, as he moved swiftly but silently through the woods, Merle plotted his next move. The camp was going to crumble if he didn't get Sophia out soon. It hadn't been safe here from day one, but at least before he could pretend he was one of them, just another asshole. But now… once they realized that Dave and Tony were dead – whether they found Rick and Company or not – Dave and Tony being dead and Merle coming back without them changed things.

He was quickly abandoning the plan to get Sophia after he was done with Dodge and head right to town. The chances that Rick would still be there were not good. And if Rick was still there, Merle would probably be dragging Sophia into a gun fight between Rick and his people and Randall, Sean, and Nate. That wasn't a possibility that thrilled Merle. He didn't want to risk the girl's life on the slight chance that they might find her momma that way.

He was going to find her momma… but he was going to play it safe. Merle was thinking that Rick and them had to be somewhere not too far from the town. Dave had said something about them having a farm, so Merle was thinking someplace secluded… hidden in the woods beyond a long dirt or gravel road. And Merle was planning to find it. He'd handle this asshole Dodge, get Sophia, and head out to find it.

But Randall… the thought of the other asshole nagged at Merle. Randall was going to get off… if Merle and Sophia left now, Merle would never get a crack at Randall again. He sighed. Randall wasn't worth it… well he was, but not in the scheme of things. Randall wasn't worth going after if it put Sophia in harm's way.

A noise up ahead caught Merle's attention and he picked up the pace. He stopped behind the trunk of a tree and peered out into the clearing ahead. Dodge was in the clearing, his back to Merle, crouched by the creek that trickled through this area and he seemed to be cleaning his face off. Next to Dodge was a bag, as if he'd packed in a hurry and was leaving.

"Ya give new meanin' to the words 'Get the hell outta dodge', boy," Merle said gruffly, stepping out between the trees into the clearing.

Dodge turned his head to look back at Merle, terror written across his features. "Fuck, Merle… I… I…"

Merle held up his hand and shook his head. "Save yer piss poor fuckin' 'xcuses cause I don't give a shit what ya gotta say."

Dodge stood up, faced Merle, and Merle felt pride slice through him when he saw the younger man's face. Merle could tell the bruises he'd made that morning, and he could see the cockeyed twist of Dodge's nose, but new blood leaked out of a newer gash on the side of Dodge's face now as well. That must have been Sophia's contribution to Dodge's already damaged face. Merle couldn't help the half-smirk that crept across his lips.

Merle took a step toward Dodge and the younger man pulled a gun, pointed it at Merle. "Don't move, douchebag! You ain't doing shit to me," Dodge said.

Merle chuckled, a sinister laugh, and shook his head. "Now are ya sure that's how ya want it?" Merle went to put his hand down at his side.

"Keep your hands where I can see them!," Dodge said frantically. His voice sounded panicked and higher pitched than it should have.

"Fuck, asshole, can't ya see I only got the one hand? What 'xactly is I gonna do to ya wit' one fuckin hand?," Merle said motioning with his hands as he spoke. A look crossed Merle's face and he held up his hand, pointed his finger out at Dodge and smiled sarcastically, "ya shouldn't fuckin pick on cripples, ya know…," Merle said wagging his finger at Dodge. "Keep your hands where I can see 'em," Merle mimicked and then twisted his face into a sardonic smile, "like ya don't fuckin know I's only got the one fuckin hand."

Dodge had turned pale and he backed up a step, one foot splashing down into the creek. The hand holding the gun was shaking but he kept it trained on Merle.

Merle met Dodge's eyes and saw the way the other man's eyes shifted uncomfortably. Dodge wouldn't keep the eye contact, he kept glancing around. Merle smiled then, a full smile with teeth and everything, a sinister smile, and then narrowed his eyes and then he was moving, rushing full speed at Dodge, knocking into Dodge's body full force as the gun went off in Dodge's hands, the bullet coming out wide, missing Merle and lodging into a tree.

Dodge hit the ground in surprise, the gun knocked loose into the water, and Merle straddled the top of him, slamming his fist into Dodge's face repeatedly, using his weight on his stump to pin Dodge down.

Dodge rebounded, threw a punch at Merle, and then tried to dig his thumbs into Merle's eyes. Merle growled and slammed Dodge's head down into the creek, submerging his head in the foot of water for a few minutes before letting him up to breathe. Dodge squirmed, reached out and squeezed his fingers around Merle's still somewhat raw stump. Merle hollered, reared back and it gave Dodge enough time to flip over, reaching for the gun in the water.

The two men grappled for minutes, rolling in the cold creek water as they tried to get the best of the other. Dodge whipped around onto his back with the gun, his body half sitting and half lying, his finger tightening on the trigger at the same time that Merle hovered over Dodge and stabbed his knife into Dodge's neck.

Dodge's eyes grew wide in shock as the knife plunged into his flesh, the gun clicked, but nothing happened. He pulled the trigger again… click… click… nothing… empty… or too wet to fire. Dodge gurgled, blood spluttering out of his mouth, and then he sank down until his body lay flat, his head lying in the water.

Merle sighed, looking at the dead man in the water. He stood up, went a few steps upstream to clean himself up. He splashed water on his face, used his hand to clean the dirt and grime off one arm, and then used his forearm to clean the dirt and grime off the other arm.

He was still crouched there when he felt the shadow of something loom over him and Merle spun to see Dodge on his feet reaching out to Merle clumsily, Dodge's mouth gaping open, groaning and gurgling, his eyes glossy and lifeless like marbles.

"Fuck," Merle yelped springing up to his feet and back into the water so that his shoes got soaked.

Dodge's hands reached out to Merle, his teeth clacking together as he tried to get a grip on Merle's shirt. Merle reached back with his hand to get the gun from the back of his pants and promptly blew a hole through Dodge's forehead.

Merle stood there watching Dodge's geek body crumple to the ground and let the shock of what he'd just learned fully hit him. Ya don't need to be bit to fuckin turn…

He was still processing that bit of information when he heard a high pitched shriek followed by the sound of Sophia's voice, "Merle! Help!"

A/N – I know, I know, another cliffhanger. :) There's going to be a bumpy chapter or two but then we'll be getting to the reunion. We are almost there and this story is almost over. In terms of the story timeline, we are about a week away from the reunion because Randall was on the farm for a week or so before Shane killed him and the herd and all that. Anyway, hope you like and I hope you'll review! I love hearing from you all!