Walk With An Angel
Chapter 36: Moonshine Confessions
Daryl put the last stone in the fire pit as Rick and Glenn came back with the firewood. Bob set up the tents, his military experience, allowing him to toss them up in a blink of an eye.
Merle eyed Martinez as they all got comfortable around the fire, the sun nearly set over the towering mountains.
Rick gathered up the food and frying pan, as he tossed in some of the fish they'd caught earlier that day in. "I brought a few burgers if any of you don't like fish."
Bob pulled out some sandwiches from the deli and Merle took the big cold cut sub on top. "I'm good Officer Friendly. What about you, baby brother?"
Daryl chewed on his bottom lip, looking at the mix of people collected around the fire. "I'll wait fer the fish."
The crate of moonshine that sat by the tent was looking better by the minute. Daryl was as nervous as a cat in a rocking chair factory and he knew Merle was going to say something to cause a fight before the night was over with.
Carol promised him Merle would be on his best behavior as he dropped Beth off at her bachelorette party. Carol took a few pints of the shine out of the crate and told him to not let Merle drink too much.
Rick handed a plate of fish to Daryl and he took it, giving Rick a worried stare. Rick smiled back at him as they nodded to each other. "Don't worry about Merle. I think the four of us can bind and gag him if we have to."
Daryl let out a chuckle as he put a fork full of the fish in his mouth. Bob brought out a bottle of old Scotch, smiling as he looked at it. "I don't drink, haven't touched a drop since I married Sasha but I want you guys to enjoy. I'll be the designated camper for the night."
They all enjoy a good laugh and Merle took the bottle. He twisted off the top and took a big swig. "Damn… this is some smooth shit. How old is this Sandwich Boy?"
"Bob… is name is Bob and this is Rick and Glenn and Martinez. You can't keep callin' 'em Sandwich Boy, Officer Friendly, the Asian kid and the Mexican." Daryl let his anger go, hating what an asshole Merle could be.
Merle put down the bottle of Scotch and stood up. "Sorry little brother. Are we gonna be braidin' each other's hair tonight? I'm here fer a good time… what about you?"
Daryl tossed his plate down and jumped to his feet. Rick stood up with him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "He's just bein' Merle."
Glenn picked up the Scotch and took a drink himself. "Yeah… Old Fart is right… this is smooth."
Merle narrowed his eyes as everyone had a laugh at his expense. Glenn handed the bottle up to him and he took it. "If we're using nicknames tonight… that's yours."
After that tense moment, everyone relaxed. Martinez brought out a bottle of Tequila and the party was on.
Scotch, Tequila and Moonshine were passed around, with a few sandwiches, fish and campfire burgers. Daryl started to lighten up as the liquor buzzed through his system.
Glenn's face was starting to get red and Daryl knew it was only a matter of time before he'd be passed out or puking. "Glenn… slow down. Ya need to drink some water."
"Stop bein' everyone's babysitter, Darlene. What we need here is some fun, so who's first?" Merle waved the bottle of Scotch around, looking at the faces staring back at him.
"First for what?" Martinez took the bait and Merle jumped all over it.
"It's a bachelor party ain't it. We ain't got a stripper or any boobs wigglin' in our faces so time to fess up boys. Ball and chain time… everyone here is married, but Daryl so let's tell him what he's in fer." Merle slapped Daryl's back as he sat down beside him.
"Stop it, Merle." Rick and Glenn both look at each other and start shaking their heads.
Rick takes the pint of moonshine from Daryl and laughs. "You got a lot to learn Daryl, but marriage ain't bad. At least you'll be gettin' laid on the regular."
Glenn falls back laughing and Daryl reached over and punched him. He tried to talk as he laughed, his words came out between chuckles. "Yeah Captain Blue Balls… you'll finally get some."
Merle turned his head to Daryl and locked eyes with him. "You ain't tapped that? Damn Daryl… you ain't gonna last long when you finally slide yer little Dixon into her. Just remember… Dixon's ain't no one pump chumps. Get the job done before you go for a ride, son."
The blush on Daryl's face was as hot as the fire before him. He lowered his head, hoping they'd leave him alone. Martinez nudged him with the bottle of Tequila and he looked up at him.
Merle twisted his mouth, as if holding something back. "Leave it to the Mexican to bring the worm juice. Hey, Asian kid… you got any of that Saki shit?"
"Fuck you, Merle." Glenn and Martinez both said at the same time.
Merle sat back and kept drinking until Daryl turned the tables on him. "It ain't like you're the marriage expert, big bro. I know exactly who wears the pants in yer relationship. Don't go bustin' my balls when Carol's got yers in her pocket."
"Yeah… ain't gonna lie about it. I like Carol handlin' my balls." Daryl rolled his eyes, knowing he needed to cut Merle off.
Daryl grabbed the bottle out of Merle's hand, telling him what he promised Carol. His big brother took a bottle of water from the top of the cooler and stumbled up. "I'm takin' a piss. Talk among yerselfs, ladies."
As soon as Merle disappeared into the tree line, Rick leaned over towards Daryl. "You nervous? About gettin' married… about Beth?"
Daryl closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm worried about her, about her cancer comin' back but I ain't nervous. Marryin' her will be the first right thang I've ever done."
Rick's cool blue eyes stared him down as if he disagreed. "Wrong, Dixon. Lovin' her is the first right thang you ever did."
Martinez and Glenn were chatting away when they stopped and looked at Daryl. "I told Caesar that the girls are playing a drinking game tonight and he said he didn't need no game to get lit and that he could out shoot you any day of the week."
"I ain't doin' that never have I ever… Beth told me about that game last night." Daryl rubbed his fingers over his chin, his eyes set on the flickering flame before him.
Merle walked back towards them zipping his pants back up. "Let's show these city slickers what Dixon's can do." Merle took out his hunting knife and tossed it in the dirt at Martinez's feet.
Caesar picked it up and smiled. "Rick… you got any shooting range targets in your truck?"
"Sure do. Daryl… get your crossbow and I'll turn on the truck lights. We're gonna have a shootin' contest." Rick said as he walked to his truck.
Bob walked over and started taking all the alcohol away. "We can do this, but booze and bullets don't mix."
"Looks like Sandwich Boy just graduated to Deputy Downer." Merle handed him the pint in his hand and took the bottle of water Bob offered him.
They set up a few targets with the headlights from the two trucks giving them enough light. Daryl got his crossbow and Merle went to get his compound bow.
Martinez grinned, tossing the hunting knife in his hands. "Okay… game on. Let's see who's best with a blade first, then we can travel down redneck lane to the bows."
Merle sized Caesar up, not liking the way the gloating man was staring at him. Rick stepped between them, staring both of them down. "You two first."
It doesn't take Martinez long to prove he's got mad skills with a knife as he sent the long, heavy blade right into the tree, dead center on the target.
Glenn retrieves the knife, his eyes looking glossy. "That was awesome."
Merle took the knife from him, feeling the weight of the knife, then sending it sailing to the tree. Glenn ran back down and grinned back at them. "You're just outside the bulls-eye."
"The fuck you say." Merle stomped down to the tree and came back with his tail between his legs.
"Should have known, Mexican's would be good with a knife. When we get to arrows… redneck all the way." Caesar nodded to him as he grinned at Daryl standing behind his brother.
"Look, if you and I are going to be out here pointing sharp things at each other all night, do me a favor, shut your mouth." The words did little to calm things between him and Merle and Rick had, had enough.
"Stop actin' like assholes, both of you. This is for Daryl not for you two to pull out your dicks in a pissin' contest." Everyone was quiet, the only sound was the crackling of the fire.
Daryl took the knife from his belt and tossed it at the tree. Glenn went to check it out and looked back in confusion. "You missed the target."
Bob walked down to Glenn, placing his hand on the blade and wiggling it out. "He didn't miss."
In the darkness of the night, Glenn didn't see the green tree snake that was slithering down the tree. Bob held up the dead snake, grinning wide. "Snake, anyone."
The mood around camp changed as the competition ended and they had a go at the targets for fun. Merle even started to laugh and joke with the guys.
As they sat back around the fire, Caesar looked at the flames with a very stoic look on his face.
"My Theresa had a miscarriage with our first baby. She had an ectopic pregnancy. It nearly tore us apart. We tried for months after that, each month just another disappointment. Thank God she got pregnant with Maria or we would have probably divorced." He kicked the logs in the fire with the gleam of tears in his eyes.
Bob placed a hand on his shoulder, nodding. "Sasha didn't want to marry me because of my drinking. She told me to stop or she'd leave me. I picked the booze over her and when she told me she was pregnant, I sobered up fast. I haven't touched the demon water since. It's not that I don't want to or that the thirst isn't there, it's the love of a good woman that keeps me sober."
"We all got our demons man." Glenn looked over at Bob as he placed a small log on the fire.
"What demons ya got, Asian… uh… Glenn?" Merle placed his hands up to the fire, gazing back at the youngest of the group.
"Maggie… she told me on our honeymoon, she really never wanted to get married and she doesn't want kids… well not right away. After losing her mother when she was younger and then losing Shawn and almost losing Anne and Beth… she's numb. Her heart is so big, but it's so damaged. I know she loves me, but she doesn't want too. She's afraid to love." The look on Daryl's face matched the one on Rick's. They both looked at each other, Daryl speaking first.
"But ya look so happy together. Are ya tellin' me ya ain't?" The worry lines on Daryl's forehead were as plain as day.
"No. Not at all. She loves me, but I'm fighting to hold her together. I think your wedding tomorrow and Beth being happy is healing Maggie. You help heal Maggie, Daryl." Daryl felt the tears fall down his face and he quickly wiped them away.
Merle got the liquor back out, looking at Bob first. Bob nodded and the boys took a drink. Rick stood up and everyone else rose to their feet. "To the women we love, to the friends we share and here's hoping our ladies never wise up and leave our stupid asses."
"Cheers!" The sound echoed through the woods, but Daryl felt a sharp pain jabbing him in his heart.
As everyone went off to bed, Merle and Daryl stayed up a little longer. Merle put his arm around his little brother's shoulders, both men just staring in the fire.
"I see that Daryl, that look you got when you was a little boy. That beat down look, that I'm worthless look. Beth loves ya, a lot. If a pretty little angel like that can love a rough, tough Dixon then you must be worth lovin'. Carol took pity on my fool ass, I ain't kiddin' myself. I'm lucky… yer blessed." Daryl put his arm around Merle and let the tears he was holding fall.
Merle let his tears fall too, the two brothers just sitting under the canopy of stars. "I want to give her everythang, Merle. She's given me everythang. What if I can't?"
"Don't worry about what you can or can't give her and worry about makin' her happy. If you need any advice about yer weddin' night… don't look at me. Go ask Officer Friendly, I'm sure he's the flower and romance type." They put out the fire and headed towards the tent.
As they lay down in their sleeping bags, Merle tossed a small box at Daryl. "That's for Beth. From me."
Daryl took the box and headed towards Merle's truck. He climbed in the cab and turned on the interior light. The small box was wrapped in brown shipping paper with a few pieces of tape.
He unwrapped it and opened the plain brown box. Inside was a necklace with a silver D dangling from the end. The note inside reading, welcome to the family.
Daryl wrapped it back best he could and tucked it away in his backpack. With his thoughts on his Beth, he pulled out his cell and called her.
It took three rings to get her to answer and she sounded a little off. "Beth, are you drunk?"
"I only had a little. If you didn't want me to drink that moonshine, you shouldn't have let Carol take some." She giggled into the phone and Daryl chuckled.
"Did ya have fun?" He had to ask, knowing with Maggie in the mix he was sure she did.
Beth hiccupped, then giggled again. "Yup, the stripper was hot."
"Stripper?" Daryl's eyebrows shot up as his soon to be wife laughed hard into the phone.
"Gotcha. It was PG, I promise. I did get some nice presents that I can't wait to try out." Her teasing tone was getting to Daryl and all he could imagine was how red her face must have gotten.
"Ya get some sleep, darlin'. Got a big day tomorrow." He was about to hang up when he heard Beth singing.
"Going to the chapel and we're gonna get married. Goodnight… sexy." Daryl hung his head, reminding himself to get her drunk again.
"Goodnight, angel." Beth hung up first and Daryl kept the phone to his ear, whispering I love you into it.
A/N: It's time to get these two hitched and the reception is going to be full of fluff and tears. Thank you for the reviews and continuing to follow this story. Much love and Bethyl on!