I do not like this chapter but after that emotionally draining one I posted yesterday I wanted something much lighter. I know that some of you are really anti Merle and Beth but I'm still feeling this relationship out. Keep in mind that they are both fairly young here. XD I sort of left this hanging because I am always paranoid of boring the people that read my stories. So I figure if you want me to start back up where I left off then I can do that but if you want me to go onto something else I can do that too. It's up to you. I just don't want you bored! Thank you all for reading and reviewing! I hope you like this one better than I did! Have a great morning!
Chapter Twenty Five
It was hot. The humidity was oppressive. With every breath Carol felt like she were nearly drowning from the moisture in the air. They had opened the garage doors but no breeze was blowing in. The air was still and stagnant. But she wouldn't have missed this for the world. She sat perched on the edge of the workbench, her bare legs swinging back and forth.
They had spent the morning collecting motorcycle parts. Apparently the guy from the junkyard that owed Buck had owed him quite a lot. He had made a few calls and was thrilled to tell Buck that he had scored a lot of the parts that they had needed. When they went to pick the pieces up she had grimaced. It looked like a bunch of grease covered scrap metal to her. But three sets of eyes had lit up at the site before them.
Now they were all cleaning the parts and putting this and that together. She had no clue what any of it was. She didn't care at the moment. They were all talking, joking, laughing, shirtless and sweating. She felt a blush creep up her cheeks but it would go unnoticed. The sun already had her pale cheeks turning pink. She didn't make it a habit of checking out men. Especially Buck and Merle. They were like family to her. But the cold truth was, she couldn't help it. The three of them made a hell of a show. Buck was the biggest by far. Thick bands of muscle covering every part of him. He was heavily tattooed which made him even that much more intimidating. He definitely did not have the body of a man of fifty. And he didn't have the body of a sick man.
Merle wasn't as big as Buck but he was still an impressive figure. And Daryl was smallest of all three. But definitely the one that was worth staring at the most. As if he could read her mind he glanced up and grinned as he pushed his sweaty hair back from his forehead.
She grinned back. There was a definite shift in the atmosphere this morning. There was still tension, there was no doubt about that. But it was nothing like it had been. There was a lighter feel in the house. Merle, for one, was a part of that lightness. He'd argued with Daryl for an hour over the amount of drugs to give him. He'd insisted on cutting it drastically. Daryl had insisted on not cutting it drastically. But ultimately it was Merle's body and he was the one to call the shots. Daryl was afraid that it would be too much on him. But they were prepared for what the night would bring. She was anyway.
"You need a haircut. Ya look like a goddamn tree hugger." Merle noted as he shouldered Daryl roughly, nearly causing him to fall over. They were both crouched down, examining some of the parts.
"Rather look like a tree hugger than cock sucker." He said with a shrug.
Buck stood up and backed away towards the work bench until he ran into her knees. He turned his head, glancing back at her. "This ain't gonna end well at all." He muttered as he turned back to watch them.
Carol grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Daryl's a lot quicker than Merle."
He reached up and patted her hand. "Yeah, but Merle's bigger and meaner." He sighed.
Merle glared at his little brother. "What the fuck is that suppose to mean?" He growled.
Daryl shrugged nonchalantly once more. "Whatever you think it means."
"You little fucker!" Merle went to grab him but Daryl scurried back like a crab and then was on his feet. Merle's eyes flashed with mock malice.
"Aww, come on big brother, you got yourself a temper. To bad you're too slow to do anything with it." Daryl grinned.
Buck shook his head. "He should just shut up while he's ahead. Merle's gonna catch him eventually."
Carol would have been nervous if she thought they had been serious but she saw no real anger in either of them. Merle was about to tackle him but a voice from the garage door had him straightening up.
"Hello?"
Carol looked towards the door and saw Andrea and Lori standing there with Rick, both women looking slightly nervous as their eyes raked over all three men. Once again Carol felt her ego shrinking at the sight of them. Andrea was being pretty conservative from the waist down in loose fitting army green capri's. But all she had on other than that was a white bikini top. Her blonde hair was piled up on top of her head, much like the way Carol and Lori both wore theirs. But Carol doubted it had the same effect as Andrea's golden waves did.
She huffed into Bucks shoulder. Lori was dressed much the same way but her shorts were shorter and she didn't fill out her top as well. At least Lori could wear something like that. Thanks to Ed she was definitely a one piece bathing suit kind of girl.
Merle hurriedly slipped on his button up shirt, the sleeves already rolled up to his forearms but he didn't bother with the buttons. It was apparently too damn hot. Buck greeted them with a wave and they took that as an invitation. The three of them came in, now smiling.
Carol watched but Daryl seemed completely indifferent to the woman. He grabbed himself a beer but then put it back once he remembered that Rick was a cop and knew that Daryl wasn't even old enough to drink. He grimaced and grabbed a coke instead. He looked at her over his shoulder and then rolled his eyes.
"We brought you something. We thought we would drop it off since we were in the neighborhood." Lori said when she finally spotted Carol behind Buck. Buck moved away from her once he realized that Lori wasn't going to come any closer while Carol was basically strapped to his back.
"What is it?" Carol asked as she hopped down from the bench.
Lori pulled her bag around and rummaged through it for a second. She pulled out a gun and handed it to her.
"It's actually just a loaner." Rick said with a smile. "I bought two and figured you could use the other until you got your own."
Carol just stared down at it as though she had never even seen one before. She had actually briefly considered getting a gun the night her dog was killed but it had been so fleeting that she barely remembered thinking about it. And a whole lot had happened since then.
"It's small and it wont be hard at all to figure out." Rick said.
"This is great." Carol looked up and smiled. "Now I just need to figure out how to use it."
Buck plucked it from her hand and examined it. "Not bad." He muttered as he turned it over. It looked like a toy lying across his large palm.
She looked back towards Rick and her smile faltered. "Have you guys found Ed yet?" She had to ask because if she didn't ask then that would be suspicious behavior. They didn't need any of that.
Rick shook his head. "Nothin'. But we're getting a lot of heat from that cousin of his. He suspects foul play. Brought up the fact you got a couple of felons livin' with you."
Merle snorted and shook his head.
Carol wasn't sure what to say to that. This was not good.
Rick actually looked apologetic. "Look, Carol. I know it's scary but you don't have a thing to worry about. You would be surprised at how many people stuck up for the four of you when it was mentioned. And as far as I'm concerned, he's still a suspect for those killings."
Carol kept her face calm even though inside she was terrified. How could she not have thought of that before now? Ed's cousin was a District Attorney. Sure, he didn't have as much pull here but he was still a semi powerful man. Him and Ed had never been close. Carol had never even met him, but family was family to some people. This could get ugly very fast.
"Well, are you two ready? I'm burning up over here." Andrea seemed to be in a hurry. She was fanning her face with her hand.
Lori nodded. "Yeah, this heat is ridiculous." She glanced back at Carol and then seemed to have an idea as she raised her eyebrows. "You all should come."
Carol frowned. "Where?"
"Quarry Beach." Andrea said as her eyes once again roamed over Buck.
"I've never been." Carol said quietly. Knowing that Daryl would have a fit. He had been so pissed about the trip the cafe that she wasn't going to drag him anywhere for a while. But to her surprise even he was staring at her like she had grown a second head.
"You've never been? Seriously?" Andrea asked with a huge grin. "It's great. Everybody goes there."
Carol frowned. Surely if everybody went there then the Dixon's would have avoided the place like the plague. So why were they looking at her like that? "You guys go to the beach?" She couldn't help but laugh.
Merle draped a heavy arm over her shoulder. "Well, not where all the rest of'em go. Our spot is down a ways."
"You guys have your own spot?" Andrea asked Merle. It was the first time she actually seemed to relax a little.
"Oh yeah." Merle grinned.
"I want to see this." She smiled in return.
Daryl spoke up then. Surprising them all with his light tone. "Ain't much to see, really. It's just a graveyard for years worth of Merle's used condoms. Just a sad reminder of the Dixon's that coulda been." He shook his head sadly.
Rick, Lori and Andrea all started laughing at once.
"That's disgusting." Andrea was still laughing as she dabbed at her eyes.
"Least I use'em, asshole." Merle grouched.
"You guys wanna go?" Rick asked eventually.
Carol looked at the guys but they just shrugged. She really did want to get out of the house but considering how hot it was, they were going to be dealing with damn near the whole town.
"Fuck it." Merle shrugged. "Lets go then. Just don't expect me to hang out with ya too much, Officer Friendly. I got myself a reputation around these parts." He clapped Rick on the shoulder as he sauntered over to his bike. "One of you ladies wanna ride?" He winked.
"No." They both said in unison as Rick shook his head, hiding a smile.
This was so weird. People dropping by. People loaning out fire arms. Her and the Dixon's willingly hanging out with a police officer. Andrea still eying Buck like she wanted to eat him as a snack. Maybe she was dreaming or something. Surely.
~H~
Daryl had never had anyone on the back of his bike before. It was the one thing that was his alone. He normally didn't even want anyone else touching it. But he wasn't feeling that way at the moment. Not with the way she was pressed up against him, her bare thighs rubbing his through his jeans. Maybe it was because she had taken the bikes place in his head. Now she was the only thing that was only his. And he'd break someones jaw if they tried to touch her.
"You do know that you should be wearin' helmets, right?" Rick asked, raising his eyebrows.
Merle just scoffed and then his bike roared to life. Rick shrugged and waved at them as he walked out with Lori and Andrea.
They followed Rick down the country road, not going as fast as they would have liked but they weren't stupid enough to pass a cop, even if he was off duty.
Carol held onto him tightly. He knew something was bothering her. He had seen her face change the moment Rick and the two women walked into the garage. She seemed uncomfortable. It only got worse after Rick mentioned that cousin of Ed's. He knew how he had felt about it right after it happened but he was pretty sure that no one would ever figure out what ever became of Ed Peletier.
Buck had been pretty thorough, even removing the wood flooring that Ed had bled all over and then repaired everything. All traces of the man were gone. She didn't have a thing to worry about.
Ricks truck turned down the dirt road that would take them to the lake. As soon as he turned all three bikes passed him. Once they hit the spot where all the other vehicles were parked Daryl was about to keep going. The spot him and Merle had always gone too was further away, in a small cove. They never stopped here.
Until now.
Buck swung his bike in next to a shiny new truck and killed the engine. Merle pulled in beside him but Daryl planted his feet on the ground and stood up, bike idling between his legs. There were already a bunch of heads turned to stare at them. He was pretty sure Rick was going to walk right past them and act like he didn't know who the hell they were but he walked right up to Buck and started talking to him.
"Son of a bitch." He cursed as he walked the bike into the spot next to Merle. If he'd known this was going to happen he would have stayed home with Carol. He could think of a lot of things to keep them occupied that didn't involve the whole goddamn town. Fuckers.
Lori and Andrea were now standing with Rick, Buck and Merle. Carol caught his hand and pulled until he turned around to face her. She was grinning from ear to ear and her cheeks were flushed. She pulled him towards her until their faces were only inches apart. That ride must have calmed her nerves. They had that in common too.
"Stop scowling like that." She said quietly as her hands snaked around his neck.
It was just like at that coffee place. She didn't give a shit that there were a bunch of people looking, speculating, judging. She was happy. She kissed him then, once more in front of every pair of curious eyes. He found himself pulling her closer, deciding that if she didn't care then he didn't either.
She wasn't the type to show off much skin. She would never walk around the way the other two women were, partly because of what Ed had done to her and partly because that just wasn't the kind of girl she was. But today was hotter than it had been in a long time so she dressed in as little as possible. His hands met the bare skin at her back. It was one of those shirts that tied at the neck and at the back leaving most of the skin back there showing while the front was covered completely. It was fucking hot.
He wasn't used to feeling her skin under his hands unless they were alone. And just that small touch was making the rest of him act as if they were the only two there. And this would pose as a real problem. That would be just great. The town watches while he kisses someone and then watches while he tries to hide his uncooperative dick. Lovely.
He pulled his mouth away from hers and dropped his hands to his sides, willing himself to calm the fuck down. He was such a weirdo.
"You look like you're concentrating awfully hard. What are you thinking about?" She asked, still grinning.
He just huffed and shook his head. "Nothin'."
"Y'all coulda done all that lovey dovey bullshit at home." Merle called.
Daryl flipped him off and then pulled Carol along by the hand. Lori and Andrea were smiling at them. He just wished they would go away.
Rick's phone rang just then and he answered it quickly, stopping mid sentence as he was talking to Buck. Daryl watched as Rick's face grew very grim. He glanced around at all six people that were staring at him. He turned his head, muttering something into the phone and then he ended the call, shoving the phone back into his pocket.
"What was that all about?" Lori asked but from the tone of her voice she was already making a guess.
"I'm gonna have to go." He said as he kissed her quickly.
"Rick, we had plans. You've been working none stop." She put her hands on her hips and eyed him angrily.
"They found another one." He said warily.
Carol had moved until she was standing in front of Daryl but as soon as she heard this news she took a step back. His arm went around her waist and she leaned against him. He knew how scared she was over what was going on but he refused to believe that the person was after her. He couldn't believe something like that. If it was someone that wanted her dead then they would have killed her the morning at the construction site. The freak could have killed them both.
"Who did they find? Do they have a name yet?" Carol asked as she leaned into Daryl a little more.
Rick shook his head and then his eyes found his wife's once more. "Lori, I'm sorry."
She looked concerned and disappointed at the same time but she sighed and nodded. "It's okay. Let's go." She glanced up at Andrea. "I'm sorry about this."
Andrea shook her head. "Don't be. I'll catch a ride back with someone here. Half the town showed up." She smiled.
Rick put his hands on his hips. "Lori, you can stay here. You aren't going to have any fun with this, believe me."
"I wanted to spend the day with my husband. That's what I intend to do. It doesn't matter what we're doing." She said stubbornly.
Ricks features softened. "Lori, I'm sorry."
She held up a hand. "Let's go. I already told you, I don't care."
They said their goodbyes and then left. Now it was getting pretty awkward. Andrea and Carol wasn't quite as friendly as Lori and Carol were. Rick was a major buffer. But now it was pretty much just Andrea and the Dixon clan and she started looking like she was pretty uncomfortable.
"You ain't gotta stand here like you don't mind bein' seen with us, darlin'. It wont hurt our feelin's none if ya go on without us." Buck said, his tone wasn't mocking or condescending. He was just giving her an out. She looked as though she wanted one. But then suddenly she didn't.
Her gaze landed on Carol and then she shook her head. "I'm fine. It's about time those people got over themselves. Me included. Where the hell is this little condom burial ground you guys speak so fondly of?" She asked as she crossed her arms over her bikini clad chest.
Merle and Buck grinned like idiots. Carol glanced over her shoulder at him and then shrugged.
"You serious?" Buck asked as he cocked one eyebrow.
She nodded.
"Hi, Merle."
Everyone turned their heads when they heard the shy voice behind them. Daryl groaned when he saw who it was. Beth Greene.
"Well, I be damned." Merle muttered as his face broke out in an even wider grin. "How the hell are ya, darlin'?"
She smiled that shy smile of hers that Daryl remembered from school and then she shrugged. "I'm fine. I was waitin' on some friends but none of them showed." She tilted her head and glanced at all of them. "I ain't seen y'all here before."
Merle's nodded and he looked almost predatory. "That's cause the best spot's a secret. We don't bother with the crowds, ya know, since all us Dixon's are such bad men and all."
"Jesus, Merle." Daryl grumbled quietly as he rested his chin on Carol's shoulder. He could feel Carols quiet laughter. She just had to encourage him. She was turning into an evil thing.
"You don't seem like bad men to me." She said as she glanced towards Andrea who was watching Merle with a grimace.
"Your daddy here, girl?" Merle asked.
Beth shook her head quickly.
"Ya wanna go with us?" he threw a leg over his bike and stood there for a few seconds, waiting for her to reply.
She looked around, clearly unsure what to do now. Daryl didn't get why Merle seemed so interested in the girl to begin with. His usual type was a lot older, and a lot more aggressive than this girl. After a few more long seconds she nodded and approached Merle, and the bike, almost cautiously. He held out his hand and she took it and let him help her climb on behind him.
Andrea sighed loudly, glanced around just like Beth had done and then walked with Buck to his own bike.
"You don't see nothin' fucked up with this picture?" Daryl whispered into her ear.
She shrugged. "What's so fucked up about it?" she asked, causing him to laugh. He didn't know why he thought it was so funny when she cussed.
"Buck has a civil rights attorney on the back of his bike and Merle has a farmers daughter on the back of his. And neither one of them had to knock them out to get'em there."
"They're good looking men, Daryl. I bet half the women that turn their noses up to you three on the street go home and sleep with their husbands with their eyes closed, fantasizing about Dixon's."
He shook his head and scowled. "You're crazy, you know that?"
She spun around in his arms and kissed him. When she pulled her lips away from his she gave him a serious look and then nodded. "You three have rubbed off on me a little. I was sane before you came along."
Merle and Buck's bikes roared to life, signaling that it was time to go. That was fine by him. He figured that the rest of the evening was going to get pretty interesting.