A/N Thank you all so much. I have enjoyed writing this story, going back in time with our favorite characters. I get a bit detailed with the baby birthing. I had to for Merle. If he was going to be there and all, I wanted him to know what really happens. We'll see how our man holds up :)

Two Months Later

Merle could count the times he'd been scared of anything on one hand. Shit, he welcomed trouble, mayhem. Why you could say he thrived on that shit.

And worry? There wasn't much he worried about either. Mostly any worrying he did had to do with the health and safety of his family. Daryl, Beth, Billie Jo, and now Shawn and Heather Rose and baby Annie Mae.

But ever since he'd made that promise, well he was scared now, and he was worried now and there just wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. No getting out of it. He'd promised her, said he'd be there, said he'd hold her hand, be strong for her.

Ah fuck, this was gonna be bad. How could it not be? He could beat a man to death, throw a guy down a mine shaft, hell he practically gutted a guy once. But watch his wife have a baby? The very idea a that sent a shiver down his spine, made him feel kind of nauseated, made him want to hide right at the very top of that mountain, shit maybe even down in that mine shaft.

But he'd promised her and he couldn't break a promise to his Blue Eyes. So he just reached for her there, laying in the bed next to him and he started to kiss on her, and then she said something to him, well he wanted to laugh but he knew she didn't think it was funny, and she might be angry with him.

What she said was, "Oh Husband, I want to give you my love, but I can hardly believe you'd desire me. I'm so heavy and unattractive."

"Now Honey ya know I think you're the most beautiful woman in the world. A course I desire ya, wanna make sweet love to ya. Everything about you makes me want ya in every way. Give me yer little hand, I'ma let ya take a feel a how much I want your sweetness."

And they made love and for a while there, he completely forgot about the worry in mind.

But just for that bit of time.

xxxx

Daddy had been back at the farm for two weeks now, and Mama had moved on back home with him. They seemed to be getting on just fine. Daddy was back to working in the fields and keeping the books.

The peach crop was coming along good and as soon as that crop was in, Merle planned to buy it all from him. That peach shine was outselling the regular shine nearly two to one. It seemed the ladies enjoyed their drinking. And the men enjoyed getting the ladies a little tipsy, helping them "loosen up."

Merle and Daryl had a feeling there were plenty of men sucking down that peach shine their own selves.

Now Merle and Daddy, they hadn't exactly gotten close mind you, nah, that might never be in the cards. What they were was what you'd call cordial with one another. Respectful.

But you see Daddy he knew, and Merle well he knew Daddy knew. What Daddy knew was just what it was that Merle Dixon was all about.

Yep, it was that Daddy, more than anyone else, had Merle's number. Merle was a criminal, plain and simple. You could dress him up, put a polish on him, but facts were facts. The man was capable of all manner of felonious behavior.

Never-the-less, Daddy knew the man was also an excellent provider and a good husband to his daughter. And Merle Dixon had been the driving force behind Hershel getting his life back. Hershel knew all these things to be true.

Daddy knew about the good in the man and Daddy knew about the bad in the man, and Daddy had decided to make peace with the bad and try to just think about the good.

And maybe the most important thing that Daddy had done, Daddy had put that jealousy he had for Merle Dixon to rest. And that brought him peace in his own mind and in his own heart.

And for his part, just like he'd told Daddy up on that mountain, Merle understood why Daddy hadn't approved. Why he tried to keep Merle from Beth. He'd a done the same. You can't find fault with a man trying to protect his family.

Now the two men did have something in common. Both of these men had a deep and burning love for a woman. And they wanted that woman happy, and they never wanted that woman to be angry with them. Both men wanted nothing more, and nothing less, than for their woman to be a happy woman. And so these two men with what only seemed to be that in common, well they formed a kind of bond.

xxxx

Things at the garage, just as Merle had suspected they would, they'd gotten real, real busy.

County folks had acquired all manner of automobiles, the majority of which had already been well used when they came to own them. Well you have to know, those old engines, and tires, and windshields, they were often in need of repair. And Dixons was the place a man went.

Why would a thinking man trust some fella he didn't even know over in Atlanta to do right by him? Treat him fair and square? Flim flam artists is what those city guys were. Why here in town we had a nice young fella from right here on our own mountain, and a nice young farmer from right here just out of town, family men. They did a good honest job for a fair dollar.

Oh indeed, everyone knew Merle Dixon was the owner. And everyone knew about Merle Dixon's various endeavors. And the most important thing they knew about Merle was, he might walk a thin line with the law, but Merle Dixon didn't lie, and Merle Dixon wouldn't cheat an honest man.

Yep, business was booming, and the shine business was every bit as busy as the legitimate venture. Prohibition had made Merle Dixon a very wealthy man. And every day he thanked the United States of America for voting in a law that could not be enforced. Because truth was, you could regulate a highway, you could tax the money right out of a man's pocket, you could mandate schools for children, and make folks register the birth a their own baby. But what you couldn't do was regulate a person's habits, or their morals for that matter.

Why if you could, there wouldn't be any drinking or gambling or prostitution. That was the fact. And the truth of it was, if a man was looking for an outlet for the particular type of hell he felt he needed to raise, why he was going to find that outlet. Legal or not.

Now Merle he didn't abide the prostitution, didn't want no part a that business. And he didn't care to get in on the gambling. But he'd be more than happy to help a man find a way to have himself a drink.

And he'd gotten rich quenching the thirst of people throughout the south. And he kept most of those riches hidden from the government and everyone else, except Daryl.

xxxx

Just a month later it come, a month early according to Doc's prediction.

It was a Monday morning that Merle and Beth Dixon would never forget.

Mrs. Johnson had made breakfast, and they were just sitting down to that breakfast when she felt the first one. She let out a little yelp. Not because it particularly hurt real, real bad, it was more that she was startled. Caught by surprise.

Merle thought she'd hurt her foot, bumped a knee on the table leg, something of that nature. But Mrs. Johnson, now she right away started asking questions. And she told him, "Ya better go on now Merle and have Doc come check on Mrs. Beth, I think she's at the start of it. I'm thinking sometime today Merle Dixon is gonna be a Daddy."

And he was right away nervous, and he was fearful, but he give that sweet little wife a his a soft kiss and a gentle hug, and he did like Mrs. Johnson had told him to.

He got Doc in the car, even though Doc said they was likely hours away from the event. Merle explained it to him, "Well I say ya got no other fuckin' place ya need ta be today, other than where I want ya ta be, which is lookin' after my wife. Ya got any questions?"

And Doc didn't have to think on that long at all, "Nope, sounds just right Merle."

"That's what I thought."

And they stopped by the garage real quick and Merle told Shawn to hot foot it on out to the farm and get Mama, and Daddy too if he cared to come.

And Daryl was all manner of excited, why with his own little one due in a month or so, he'd been anticipating babies like he'd a never thought he would.

"I'ma bring Billie Jo Merle, she has a way about her Beth finds calmin'." And it was truth and Merle told him. "That's a real good idea Baby Brother, ya go on an ya get Little Sister.

And Jim, well Jim was left to tell folks why their car might not be getting fixed up today. The King and Queen of the Mountain were fixin' to welcome an heir.

Now back there at home, Mrs. Johnson had got Beth back up to the bedroom. She was dressed in her loose gown, one her Mama had made her just for this occasion. And she had on her dressing gown. But she wasn't in the bed. She was pacing the floor, Mrs. Johnson at her arm.

Beth had heard from Billie Jo it was better to move around a bit in the beginning, to not just lie on the bed waiting and straining, that wouldn't do any good at all. And Beth believed Billie Jo because, well Billie Jo just knew so much about life and the things Beth had no knowledge of at all.

When Merle returned he saw that his wife's pains had gotten more intense, more frequent. And then Mrs. Johnson said right to him, "Her water already broke, shortly after ya left."

Now normally a man wouldn't have to hear such as that, wouldn't have to know. He could just wait outside the room. Be oblivious. See the wife and the child after the messy business was done. But Beth had told Mrs. Johnson her husband was different. He was going to be right there with her, helping her and giving her strength every step of the way.

That was a might hard for Mrs. Johnson to comprehend. But she supposed if any man was tough enough for childbirth it was Merle Dixon, or maybe his little brother. Never had she seen men so taken by their women as the Dixon men. God help the man that tried to get between them.

And speaking of God, Merle he was just praying to that God above. The one they all prayed to everyday of their lives. He looked to the heavens and he prayed that God would spare him. Maybe God would change her mind, she'd prefer if just her Mama and Billie Jo was there.

Apparently God was not listening.

That parlor downstairs was filling up fast. Daryl was down there just a chewing on that thumb. Billie Jo she'd gone right up and she was pacing the floor right along with Beth.

Shawn and Heather Rose they were just sitting close while they took turns holding Annie Mae and waiting for word. Daddy he was out in the yard pacing around and wishing this time would pass quickly. Not wanting to think of his daughter in pain and his wife worrying.

Mrs. Johnson, God Bless her, now that Billie Jo and Mama were with Beth, she had fixed snacks and beverages for everyone.

And it wasn't long, because word had spread across the mountain. Word that Merle Dixon's baby was to be born this very day. And the folks on the mountain they was just a scurrying about, getting their offers together and leaving them at the home of Merle Dixon and Mrs. Beth.

There was every manner of casserole and pie, roasted meats, preserves and home baked breads and cookies and cakes.

Why you could have fed the whole county with the food that was brought to that house.

And there were the homemade baby gifts, the gowns, the sweaters, the caps, the blankets, and even embroidered diapers.

As usual, the people of the mountain had come forth to show Merle Dixon their gratitude for the way in which he saw to their needs. Fostered the freedom and independence of his people.

Now in the meantime, things were getting mighty serious up there in that master bedroom. Mrs. Beth had taken to the bed.

Mama and Merle was sitting to one side of the bed, taking turns holding her hand and just generally being sweet with her.

Billie Jo had laid down on the other side of the bed, right there next to her. She was reassuring her, talking to her soft, holding her hand and kissing her cheek. She was telling her what a brave and strong girl she was and what a good Mama she was going to be.

Now Doc he'd said that wasn't right, wasn't no one allowed to get up there on the bed with her. That's when Beth got tears and that's when her husband said, "My wife wants Billie Jo stayin' right where she is, so that's where she'll stay. Am I clear?'

And of course Doc being an intelligent man and all, decided it was a real good idea.

Things still weren't too bad, Merle was feeling proud, he surprised himself, why he was doing just fine. This wasn't near as bad as he'd been lead to believe.

Maybe that was because we were still fairly early in what is the process of birthing the baby.

It came a bit later. Those pains they were intense. And Beth, she was a bit of a delicate woman. Not one to tolerate physical pain well. Not well at all. But she was giving it a very good effort. She'd seen Heather Rose go through this very thing not too long ago and she had been so strong and brave.

Beth couldn't quite match that. And Doc had told her there was still a good ways to go. And Mama she patted her daughter's hand and she told her what a good girl she was and that she was doing just fine.

And Billie Jo she hugged on her and told her how much she loved her and how beautiful her baby was going to be.

Merle. Well he didn't know what the fuck to do. He didn't like this feeling, this powerlessness. He wanted to fix this and he couldn't. Merle Dixon was having him a hard time.

But he took her hand and he kissed her forehead and he told her, "I love ya so much Honey, yer doin' just perfect. I'm so proud ta be yer man, ta be the father of yer baby. What can I do for you wife, how can I make it better?"

And she had tears coming, and she looked to her husband, and she said, "I love you too. It just hurts so bad Merle, I wish you could make that hurt go away."

And with those words she broke his heart. And he excused himself to use the facility. He went in the bathroom, got there just in the nick of time, and he got down on his knees and he threw up. Then he stood, and he splashed cold water on his face, and he rinsed his mouth. And even though every part of him wanted to stay the hell out of that bedroom where his wife was in pain, he went to her.

Because Merle Dixon had made his wife a promise, and he was determined to make good on that promise.

And it was sometime after that things got real serious. We were getting close to the end of our process here. Beth was in what they call the hard labor.

There wasn't one thing pretty about what Merle Dixon was witnessing.

They'd moved his wife further down on the bed. Mama was standing behind her daughter. Mama's arms were slid right up under her daughter's arms. She was holding her daughter down, and holding her firm and still at the same time. Not letting her wiggle and thrash that upper body about.

They'd tied cloth around each of her ankles and had her feet tied up to the end of that bed, knees in the air. Doc right there at the foot.

Billie Jo she'd gotten herself off the bed for this part and she was a holding on strong to Beth's hand and telling her words of encouragement.

And Merle he was holding onto the other hand and whispering his own words of encouragement. And he could not in his worst nightmare have imagined his wife in such a state.

Why her gown was up and she was exposed, and another man was right there with his eyes and his hands right there at her most personal of places. And there was blood and there was fluids he did not wish to even know what they were.

And his wife she was screaming in pain and she was crying and he prayed to that God of hers that this would pass.

And it was then that the Doc said, "One more push, one more."

And Merle swore it looked like the man's hands were right up into her and out come a little head, and then some shoulders and Doc pulled the rest of that boy baby right out.

And that baby was covered in all manner of odd looking fluids and snot looking stuff, and it was mighty little, and kind of red, kind of white, kind of blue and wrinkled all over. Merle had never seen the like.

The boy wasn't making not even the littlest sound, and Doc he stuck a finger into baby's mouth, clear down, and the baby began to cry.

Now it seemed like all that happened in slow motion and took a long time for his boy to let out a cry, but really it was only a few seconds.

Mama went to cleaning up baby while Billie Jo continued rubbing on his wife's tummy, kind of pushing down at the same time. And his wife still seemed to be in pain and he was just about to tell Billie Jo to stop, she was hurting Beth, when something Merle Dixon did not expect at all happened.

He nearly threw up right there in the room when he saw it. Why it was a thing that looked like a big old liver, and his baby's cord seemed to be attached to the thing. And Mama held the baby while that doc cut him free of it.

And Merle couldn't believe he was still standing on two feet. But he had the presence of mind, or maybe it was just a little gift from above, but he knew enough to bend down, hold close to his wife and tell her, "I love ya so much Honey. Ya give me a beautiful son. Thank you Blue Eyes."

And she looked at him, and those blue eyes of hers they looked tired and they looked worn, but she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. And she said to him, "I love you too Merle. And he is beautiful, he's perfect. I love him so much already."

Now Merle he was thinking the boy looked a little scrawny, and plenty rough. But he wasn't stupid enough to say anything like that.

And then Mama she brought his boy to him, and she showed him how to hold the baby. And it was then, with that little boy cradled in his arms, sound asleep. Then he knew. By golly he was beautiful, and he was perfect. And he was in love with him too.

And he looked down at his wife, and she was sound asleep.

Mama was cleaning Beth up and that wasn't pretty to watch either. He quickly took his opportunity. He handed the boy to Billie Jo, said he was going to let everyone know. And he got his ass out of that room as fast as he could.

He made another stop in that bathroom and he threw up a couple more times. And he washed his face, and he brushed his teeth, and he washed his hands. And finally he was feeling a little better.

And he went downstairs and told everyone the news, he and Beth they had a boy child.

Of course everyone was excited at the news and wanting to know the name of the child. And Merle he was a bit embarrassed, another new feeling for him. But his wife had insisted, and he didn't argue.

"His name is Merle Junior, he's to be called Junior." And everyone they squealed and clapped like that was the best damn thing they ever did hear.

And while Daryl and everyone else was congratulating Merle, Shawn opened the front door. Dickie Lee was standing there and he told him the news. And Dickie Lee he hopped right in that car and he drove up that mountain so he could let the people know.

Now Mrs. Johnson she'd put out a nice buffet meal of all the foods folks had brought. Everyone enjoyed a good meal and they headed on home. Except for Mama and Daddy and Daryl and Billie Jo. They'd stay on for a night or two so the women could help Beth with the baby.

Merle he was so happy to finally get back in their room with his wife and his boy.

Mama and Billie Jo had cleaned that room up so that a person never would guess the horrors that had gone on their earlier. They could just see the beautiful picture of what had come from all that pain and all that mess.

Junior he was sound asleep in the tiny cradle next to their bed. His wife she was smiling down at that little fella, and she did have that glow of love all about her. She looked to her husband and she gave him that look of love as well.

He crawled into that bed and he gently wrapped an arm around her. He nuzzled into her neck and he told her, "Thank you for givin' me this beautiful gift of a family Beth, you and our son. You've made me the happiest man on this earth. I just feel bad ya had ta go through so much pain. I love ya Honey."

"Thank you Husband for giving me the gift of your love and our child. Don't you feel bad about the pain. He was worth every bit of that pain. I love you too Merle."

And the Dixon home was a happy home.

A/N Phew! Well it wasn't easy, but Merle survived the baby birthing. Why he only threw up three times. I hope you enjoyed it, please leave a comment/review. xo