Lovin' the Meth? Make sure you check out 'Daylight' by SOA Loving Mom. Look for Chapter 14 for the setup then check out Chapter 15 - Partridgeberry written by me for some seduction action. And if you want hot and heavy Meth action, check out the other chapter I wrote with her for Wanted, Ch 23- Bear in the Woods. Please PM and review!

Awake

Merle stood in the bathroom looking in the mirror. Aint no wonder she thought I was dead, he thought as he appraised himself. He was normally fastidious in his grooming but now his eyes were sunken, his face was haggard and he had seven days of gray beard growth. His hair was greasy and had bits of leaves in it. Streaks of walker blood lined the creases of his face.

Carol had heated a pan of water to soften his beard. He plunged his face into it and relished the feel of the warm water loosening his skin. He scrubbed his face vigorously with his hands. It took him two razors to cut through the growth but when he finished his face was baby-bottom smooth again. He stripped and showered, scouring himself twice with soap and a rough rag. It felt good to get back into clean clothes.

He checked himself in the mirror again. His eyes still looked like shit but the rest of him was acceptable. Only need about a weeks' worth of sleep to make it right, he thought sarcastically. I'll bed down in Missy's room.

Missy. Screamed like I was killing her, like she was dyin'. Like to ripped my heart out. "You did this to her," Maggie had said.

Yeah. I did. He braced his arms against the sink and struggled to steady his breath.

TWDTWDTWD TWDTWDTWD TWDTWDTWD TWDTWDTWD TWDTWDTWD

Beth opened her eyes to humming. She looked up to see Carol gently washing her free arm. "Hi," said Carol smiling. Beth tried to talk but her voice came out as a hoarse croak. "Here," said Carol, holding a water bottle up to Beth's lips. Beth drank thirstily, water running down her chin. Carol laughed and wiped her chin with the sponge. Beth looked around. She had an IV in her other arm and she was in Carol's old bunk. Carol smoothed her hair and said, "You look so much better. Are you cold?" Beth nodded and whispered "a little". Beth looked down to see that she was lying on top of the covers in her panties and bra.

Carol retrieved a clean set of clothes from the other bunk. She eased Beth into the pants then cut the gauze restraints and took the IV off of the hanger to help Beth get into a T-shirt. "Feel better?" Carol asked. Beth nodded. She was short of breath and her lungs were heavy but they weren't on fire any more. She turned to cough and brought up a copious amount of phlegm. "I think it's breaking up," said Carol. "You've been asleep for two days with antibiotics running into you. You've got pneumonia." Beth looked around the room. She noticed a chair set up next to the bed.

"Can I sit up?" whispered Beth. "Sure!" said Carol, helping her up and propping her with pillows. She could now see that a familiar bag was next to the chair. She dared to hope. "I dreamt Merle was here. I dreamt he was dead," she said, her face reflecting her confusion. Carol stroked her hand. "He is here," she said. "He's been sitting with you while you slept. He's getting breakfast right now while I wash you." Beth bit her lip and looked down into her lap. She didn't know what was worse - having him gone and not knowing what happened to him or having him close to her but not being able to have him at all.

Carol saw Beth's expression. "Hey," she said softly. "He loves you so much Beth. He hasn't left your side and he's worried to death. Try to have a smile for him OK?" Beth nodded. The last thing she wanted to do was smile but she wanted to see him, to know he was OK. She rested her head against the pillows and closed her eyes. When she opened them again Merle was sitting next to her in the chair reading a book, his feet propped on her bed frame. I must have dropped off, she thought.

She looked up at his profile and swallowed. He was so handsome with his greying hair, oft-broken nose and strong jaw. She hated herself for throwing him away. He felt her eyes on him and turned. When he saw she was awake he dropped the book and moved to sit on the side of her bed. He moved the hair away from her face and took in the dark rings under her eyes. "Hey little miss," he said gruffly. "You done sleepin'?"

Beth gave him a small smile and dug her fingernails into her palms to keep herself from crying. "You're OK," she said. His jaw tightened. "Yeah, I'm OK," he said stiffly. He was searching her face. She dropped her gaze, unable to smile anymore. She picked at the blanket in her lap and her face dissolved into tears. "You don't have to stay with me. You're not obligated to me anymore." She hated the breathy sob that followed.

His nostrils flared and he grabbed her free arm, pulling her into his chest. She felt his arms go around her and she couldn't imagine not feeling him again. "I'm so sorry for what I said", she cried into his warm neck. "I wish I could erase that whole day so I could have you back!"

Merle pushed her back so he could look at her. He put his face closer to hers and held her by her upper arms. "Don't. Don't you cry over me!" he growled, his voice breaking. Beth cried harder and she felt like her heart would burst. Merle shook her and made her look into his eyes. She saw the torture in them and watched them fill with tears. He inhaled loudly. "You don't cry over the likes of me," his voice came out loud and strangled. "I aint nothin'." A tortured sob escaped him, a loud, ugly unsettling sound. "I ain't nothin ya hear?!" he said explosively, his chest heaving and his face twisting in pain.

Beth looked at him in consternation. She caught her breath and watched two tears track down his face. She shook her head. "You're everything," she whispered unevenly. "You're everything to me." He flinched when she put her free hand on his face, then he covered her hand with his, closed his eyes and buried his bent forehead in her palm. He rested for a few moments then he slowly rubbed his cheek in her palm. He moved their clasped hands down to the blanket together. He dropped his head, not trusting himself to look at her.

Beth closed her eyes. She felt like a wrung out washcloth, she was so tired. She took a deep breath that only served to set off a strong coughing jag. She held the paper towel that Carol had given her up to her mouth and gasped for air between coughs. Her body racked until it shook the bed.

Merle ducked under the IV and carefully positioned himself to straddle her from behind. He pulled her hips gently backwards so her back rested against his chest so he could support her until the fit was over. When she caught her breath he handed her the water bottle. She gratefully took a drink and leaned back on him, sighing in exhaustion.

Merle tenderly arranged her hair and shirt and pulled the blanket over her. He wrapped his arms around her and her head relaxed into his neck. "You go to sleep now. We'll talk more later," he said softly.

She so badly wanted to sleep but she had to know. "Merle," she whispered. "Yeah angel," he said. Her voice was quiet and sad. "Are we still broken up?"

He exhaled as if he'd been punched. "No," he said forcefully. "We never was and we ain't never gonna be. Saying them things to ya was the stupidest thing I ever done. Next time you tell me to stick it straight up my ass."

Beth laughed sleepily and she settled into feeling every part of him that was touching her. Her eyes closed and she smelled him all around her. She felt his mouth on her hair. "Ah love ya," was the last thing she heard him say before she drifted into sleep.

Up next: Beth gets antsy with bedrest.