A/N: Sorry for the long delay...things have been crazy in real life but I hope to finish this story soon. The latest few episodes of the show have been amazing! Hope everyone is doing well and don't forget to review the chapter at the end of the page.

Chapter 34

Carol sat on the front porch steps as she cried. She could hear Daryl pacing back and forth on the floorboards behind her.

"You're going to wear a hole in the floor if you keep that up." Carol wiped away her tears as she looked back at Daryl. She patted the step next to her and he reluctantly sat next to her.

He cut his eyes over towards her a few times but wouldn't look directly at her. She forced a smile at him and cupped his face, turning it towards her.

"Look at me..." She said softly. Carol took a deep breath. "I know you did everything you could to protect her."

Daryl fought back his own tears, pulling away from her but she leaned closer towards him.

"It's not your fault...no one blames you...it's just hard to hear." Carol reassured him.

"I used to think she was just an annoying kid but..." Daryl started to speak but stopped.

"But you miss her..." Carol finished.

Daryl just shrugged.

"God it's so good to see you...and Ethan...I've..." Carol stopped for a moment and Daryl looked at her confused.

"I wanted to tell you..." Carol's voice started to trail off. She had so much she wanted to tell him but now she couldn't seem to find the words.

"Tell me what?" Daryl couldn't help but feel a nervous pit in his stomach.

Carol looked into his eyes, smiling softly as she cupped his face in her hands. "It's just good to see you..." Carol started to get up and brushed her hand against his shoulder. She furrowed her brow and felt his shoulder again as she pushed back on his shirt slightly revealing the duct tape against his skin. "What is this?"

Daryl just shook his head.

"Daryl..." Carol grew more concerned. "Tell me what this is!"

"It's nothin'...I'm fine..." Daryl remarked.

"You're not fine...what is this?" Carol insisted.

"Knife blade to the shoulder...it's healin'..." Daryl told her.

"I can't believe you didn't say anything sooner...no wait I'm not but I'm getting Gwen...come inside and we'll take a look at it..." Carol insisted as she re-entered the cabin.

Daryl sighed heavily and reluctantly followed her back inside.

Merle stepped into the bedroom as Gwen was attempting to nurse Ethan. Gwen cringed in pain but tried to force a smile when she saw Merle.

"That's my boy...going in for the good stuff!" Merle joked as he sat on the edge of the bed next to her. Merle gently brushed her hair from her face and leaned in to kiss her. "Just like his old man..."

Merle felt Ethan's tiny hand smack against his cheek. He looked down as he pulled away from her slightly and Ethan was staring up at him grinning still with Gwen's nipple in his mouth.

"Ya damn stinker..." Merle growled and gently pinched Ethan's hand in his mouth as Ethan squealed and laughed a little.

"He's not eating much...just using them more as a chew toy...I think he's cut a few more teeth since we last saw him." Gwen told him.

"Like a said, just like his pop..." Merle smirked.

Gwen rolled her eyes and smiled but her face quickly grew serious. "I'm sorry Merle."

"For what?" He asked as he looked at her confused.

"For not trusting you were right..." Gwen told him.

Merle sighed and stared at Ethan for a moment. He gently stroked Ethan's cheek with his finger. "Ain't no need in that...we're all together again...like it's supposed to be."

Carol flung the door open and Merle glared at her.

"Ya fuckin' mind?" He snapped.

"I'm sorry...it's Daryl...he said he was stabbed, Gwen I need your help." Carol seemed slightly out of breath.

Gwen handed Ethan to Merle and quickly tucked herself back into her bra and shirt and she got up from the bed.

"He looks fine to me..." Merle stated as he followed after them.

They walked out into the living room just as Daryl was coming in. "Carol it ain't nothin'... I'm fine."

"Let us take a look at it and judge ourselves...you Dixon men are known for your stubbornness, it will only take a few minutes.

Daryl walked into the living room and sat on the couch. Carol pointed to the shoulder and Gwen sat next to him.

"Take off your shirt." Gwen ordered.

"I'll get the first aid kit." Carol rushed back towards the kitchen.

Anna climbed down from the loft when she heard the voices just as Daryl was taking off his shirt.

Gwen carefully peeled the duct tape from his shoulder as Daryl kept his eyes glued to the floor seeming embarrassed. "Well this is interesting, I'll give you that."

"We didn't have much in medical supplies...I scrubbed it clean as best I could...he couldn't move it much at first but the last few days it's been a lot better." Anna remarked.

"How'd this happen..." Gwen asked.

"It don't matter...just do what yer gonna do and be done with it." Daryl ordered.

Carol handed the first aid kit to Gwen then sat on the other side of Daryl, gently resting her hand on his knee. Daryl kept his eyes glued to the floor.

Anna couldn't help but notice Carol's attentiveness towards Daryl. She turned away and entered into the kitchen. She looked over towards Merle and his eyes were about to burn a hole through her as he stepped closer.

"So what's that all about?" Merle asked.

Anna spoke softly. "He was stabbed by one of the people that killed Beth...he was trying to protect her...it didn't work out so well."

Merle just grunted at her as if he was sizing her up somehow.

"What?...That's it..." Anna remarked.

Merle shrugged and walked over towards couch. "Well Doc? Is he gonna live?"

"All things considered it looks pretty good...it's healing...no signs of infection but you should probably let it air out a bit...just make sure when you clean up that you pat the area dry, make sure it stays clean. Wrap it up if you go back out..." Gwen ordered. "Don't put that shirt back on it's filthy...I'll get you a clean one from the closet.

"We can boil water on the wood stove...draw you up a hot bath...both of you..." Carol glanced back towards Anna. "There's a well water...stove is the only way to heat it- takes a little while but it's worth the wait...I'll start the water.

"Rub a dub dub little brother..." Merle laughed as Gwen came back out of the room with clean clothes.

"Here's set for both of you...towels are in the bathroom..." Gwen stated.

"Gwen take Ethan...think I'm gonna have some brotherly bonding time with my baby brother here...come on Darylina...let's step out on the porch." Merle insisted.

Daryl grabbed the shirt Gwen laid out and quickly slipped it on not wanting to be showing all his scars for the world to see any longer.

Merle stopped off in the kitchen and grabbed something from the back of the cabinet before heading outside. "We'll let you ladies get acquainted..."

Daryl sat in silence next to Merle on the front steps. Merle took a swig from a whiskey bottle before handing it towards Daryl.

"We're did this come from?" Daryl asked.

"You really think there wouldn't be some booze stashed in this cabin? Hell it's probably everywhere if you look hard enough..." Merle remarked.

Daryl grabbed it from him and took a drink.

Movement in the wood line caught both their attention. A lone walker came staggering from between the trees. Daryl started to tense up but Merle nudged him with his elbow. "I got this..."

Merle walked over behind one of the spikes a whistled at the walker. It looked around until it's eyes fell on Merle as he taunted it. "You are one ugly son of a bitch...come on...come to daddy..." The walker staggered forward, impaling itself on of the spikes. Merle walked over, grabbing the axe from where he left it and with a full one hand swoop, hacked off one arm then the other. He shoved his blade from his wristguard sideways into it's mouth and cut downward with enough force to break off the jaw. The walker soon settled down and just hung there. Merle dropped the axe and walked back over towards the porch and sat down. He grabbed the whiskey bottle from Daryl and took another shot. "Few more of them around the cabin and we'll be set."

Daryl just shook his head.

"But on to more important things...how long ya been fuckin' that girl in there and how long ya gonna wait to break it to Carol?" Merle asked.

Daryl felt his whole face flush. "I don't know what yer talkin' about..."

"That might work with the ladies ya dip but it ain't gonna work on me..." Merle stated.

"God Merle...ya think everybody is fuckin' everybody..." Daryl remarked. "Just mind yer own..."

"I am...besides...yer 'bout to have a big mess on yer hands...Carol fawnin' all over ya now that yer back and don't think it'll be too long before Anna starts to notice..." Merle stated. "Just tryin' to help ya out baby brother..."

"I ain't fuckin' nobody..." Daryl snapped at him.

"Look at me!" Merle nudged him.

Daryl stared at Merle and they both glared at one another until slowly Daryl began to smirk then quickly looked away.

Merle laughed. "Ya lyin' son of a bitch...can't keep a straight face when ya are...so how long ya been fuckin' her?"

Daryl shook his head. "It was just once...that's it...it ain't happenin' again...and Carol don't need to know cause it's none of her business..."

Merle just laughed.

"Just lay off..." Daryl started to grow irritated as he jerked the bottle away from Merle.

"So when was it?" Merle asked.

"When was what?" Daryl asked innocently.

"Damn it's always been like pullin' teeth with you...come on...give me a few details...I'm stuck hittin' the same thing the rest of my life now...not that I'm complainin' just sayin'..." Merle jerked the bottle back from Daryl. "When did ya fuck her? How was it?"

Daryl shook his head and spoke softly. "Last night..."

Merle almost spit the whiskey from his mouth. "Shit brother...yer in bigger trouble than I thought..."

"Ya better not say a fuckin' word..." Daryl ordered.

"Ya got my word baby brother...not a peep..." Merle stated.

"Rest of yer life huh? Ya plannin' on marryin' her or somethin'?" Daryl joked.

Merle's silence caused Daryl to sit up at attention.

"What's that look for?" Merle glanced over him.

"You didn't say no..." Daryl looked at him shocked.

"Shit..." Merle shook his head. "No...there...how's that?"

"Merle!" Daryl still couldn't help but stare at him.

"Don't be stupid...I ain't marryin' her...besides ain't no churches or preachers left and even if there were I'd probably burst into flames steppin' into one of them places...you got that?" Merle poked Daryl hard with his finger in his forehead.

Daryl started to laugh a little to himself as he stared back out towards the road. "Merle Dixon's finally gonna make an honest woman outta somebody...never thought I'd see the day..."

Merle popped Daryl hard with the palm of his hand against the back of his head. "I said I ain't...here..." Merle shoved the whiskey bottle against Daryl and started to head back inside.