Chapter Thirty Five
For the first two weeks Merle made it a point to keep his mouth shut for the most part. It wasn't easy and he didn't like it but he understood that, until they found out what the hell their options were, he knew he needed to keep the peace.
There was a divide among the members that didn't go unnoticed by anyone. A thick tension that seemed to settle over the group like a fog. The rest of them didn't trust him and didn't really go out of their way to keep their distrust a secret. Once she got better, everyone, other than Maggie, couldn't help but like Maddy. She was just one of those types. There wasn't really anything about her not to like. Other than her apparent bad taste in men.
"You're stewing."
He looked up, surprised that she had been able to sneak up on him at all. It was rare that he was so far in his own head that he wasn't paying attention to what was going on around him. She pushed the door shut and offered him a sympathetic smile. He scoffed and closed the book he'd been reading by candlelight. "I ain't stewin'. Nothin' to stew over." He wasn't sure how she had even found him since he'd snuck off to the library without being seen by any of the others.
Maddy sighed and perched on the edge of the table. "Your brother and Carol are fighting."
Merle lifted a brow. "No shit?" That was something. Those two never fought over anything. Carol had an unending reservoir of patience and somehow, even when Daryl was at his worst, she was able to smooth him out a bit. If Merle had to guess, he would say it was the fact that the nervous little bastard was finally getting laid on the regular. As soon as he got wound up about something, all the woman had to do was give him a look. Then it was over. Then they'd disappear for an hour or so.
She nodded. "I wasn't trying to eaves drop but it's hard not too in this place. He's hell bent on checking out that group those women warned us about."
Merle knew exactly what women she was talking about. A week ago, while on a supply run, Merle, Daryl, Rick and Axel ran right into Andrea. She had another woman with her, searching through a pharmacy. A woman that gave Merle the goddamn creeps. But both looked worse for wear, especially the blonde. Rick made the call to take them back, which wouldn't have bothered Merle too much if it'd just been a couple of women, but that wasn't the case. The other woman, Michonne, had been pulling along two goddamn walkers by a chain. Armless, jawless fucking walkers.
Of course, her pets weren't invited so she'd put them down without batting an eye and the two of them had been at the prison ever since. Michonne didn't talk much, which was just as well as far as Merle was concerned, but Andrea didn't seem to have the ability to shut up. She was just as opinionated as she had been back at the quarry.
The women had told them about a group they had spotted not too far from the prison. Rick wanted to check them out and that was one thing that him and Merle agreed on. The problem was, who was going to do the checking. Rick wanted him and Daryl to go it alone since Rick was the new president of the goddamn United States and Daryl was the only one out of all of them besides Merle with any goddamn survival skills. And this news, Merle knew, had pissed Carol off.
Merle wasn't keen on going himself simply because he still didn't really trust the three inmates that had managed to integrate themselves into the group. Of course, for the most part they were treated a lot like Merle. No one wanted them there and when Axel got caught peeking in at Maggie's kid sister, that had caused a big stink. Now the little bastard was following Carol around and Merle was entertained by the way Daryl got extra pissy any time he caught him. Daryl never said anything about it because that just wasn't the way he handled things, but his mood would plummet. It was Merle's favorite part of the day.
"What are you reading?" Maddy asked once the silence went on for a while.
He shrugged and scooted the book across the table. She picked it up, not paying attention to it at all, and rifled through the pages. He could tell she was distracted. "What's the problem, woman?" He asked, knowing she was going to do that annoying thing where she was going sit around and huff until he finally asked her.
She shrugged. "Nothing."
He rolled his eyes and then crossed his arms behind his head, leaning against the brick behind him. "Your shoulder still botherin' you?"
She eyed him for a second, her brows pulling together in a frown. "Stop doing that," she muttered.
He narrowed his eyes but they widened when she quickly moved from the table and then straddled his lap in the chair. "Stop what?" He asked, keeping his fingers laced behind his head.
She glared. "Stop acting like I'm about to break. I'm fine. You know I'm fine and I've been fine for a while now. It doesn't even really ache anymore and you're still treating me like I'm made out of glass. It's damn annoying!"
He scowled. That was a goddamn lie. Maybe. Okay, she was basically right but it wasn't his damn fault. "What the fuck you want? You want me to throw you around? Shove your face into the bunk and fuck your brains out? Goddamn, Maddy, you got shot!"
She made a face and then huffed out a breath. He'd be a liar if he tried to say that the thought of doing any of those things wasn't goddamn appealing. All this good guy bullshit, trying to do the right thing by her, was getting on his fucking nerves. Between her and trying to hold his tongue with the rest of the people around this shit hole he was just about ready to blow a fuse. It was hard work.
She eyed him for a few long moments and when he didn't make a move to touch her, she leaned back in his lap and then whipped her shirt over her head.
Merle gave himself credit for holding back while she was basically dry riding his dick but once her shirt was on the floor, he reacted the way one would expect Merle Dixon to react. He gripped her waist and pushed her off of him until he could stand up and then his hands went to work on her pants. She gripped him by the back of the neck, pulling his face towards hers and if he had any doubts that she was better, he didn't anymore. No one would have been able to kiss a man like that if she was hurting in any way.
She was trying to get his shirt up, her warm hands smoothing over his chest, flexing into the muscles there and moaning into his mouth. They had only been together like this two times. Just two goddamn times before all hell broke loose and seemed to keep breaking.
He ripped the shirt over his head and then tossed it, his mouth going right back to hers. He hadn't even realized how goddamn bad he wanted her until now. He'd kept himself in check but now he was ready to rip the rest of her clothes off so he could bury himself inside her. He remembered clearly the softness and the heat. Remembered...
"Hey, Merle- Oh..."
Merle looked up, the sound of Rick's voice like a fucking bucket of ice water poured over him. Maddy growled and actually glared at the man from over her shoulder. "Do you mind?"
Rick's eyes lingered on her long enough to piss Merle off but finally he averted his gaze. "Actually, I wish I didn't mind but at the moment I do. Glenn and Oscar were on watch and they spotted a group moving this way."
"Fuck," Merle growled, bending down to retrieve her shirt. "Whoever it is, I'm gonna kill'em quick so I can get back to what the hell I was doin'."
~H~
Daryl sure as fuck didn't want to walk away after arguing with her but he didn't have a choice. Glenn hadn't been sure how many people were heading right for them and no one knew if they were Woodbury cast offs looking for trouble or just someone looking for some shelter.
"You got your rifle and Sophia's getting good with that pistol," he said, his voice pitched low so only she could hear him.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her wide eyes boring into his. "It was a stupid argument. Be careful out there."
At the sound of someone clearing their throat behind him he stiffened and turned, seeing Axel standing there.
"Carol, you and your girl won't have to worry about a thing. I'll make sure to stay close," the little pecker said bravely.
Daryl felt a muscle in his jaw start ticking at the irrational anger this man evoked in him. Not everyone around here was perceptive enough to know exactly what him and Carol were. Hell, at first even he hadn't realized what the hell they were, but after that day Sophia pretty much ran away from him, thinking he was going to hurt her, he realized that they were, in fact, very much a unit. The goddamn woman was his and if this little pencil dick mother fuck-
"Daryl," Rick called from the doorway.
Daryl growled low in his throat, not even realizing the sound was coming from him at first. Axel took a step away, his hands going up. When he looked back at Carol she was watching him uncertainly. Without a second thought his mouth crashed into hers. She made a startled sound but then he felt her warm hand on the side of his neck.
He didn't do shit like this in front of people. He wasn't the center of attention type guy, but Axel needed to know to back off before he found himself very much dead.
"Be careful," she said, not for the first time, once he pulled away.
He nodded and then eyed a stunned looking Axel one more time before he shouldered his bow and stormed towards the doors. Merle was standing there with Rick, a knowing look in his eyes. "Don't you say one goddamn word dick face or so help me-"
"Calm yourself there, Darylina. I've been waitin' for you to finally get fed up and do something about that," Merle said, elbowing him as the group of men made their way outside.
Once they were out they were met by an intense looking Glenn, rifle gripped hard in his hands. "From what I can tell there's at least five people heading our way. They're hanging back because of the walkers in front of the gate but from what I can tell, they aren't trying to keep themselves from being seen. It doesn't look like they're here to try to ambush us or anything."
Daryl narrowed his eyes and shared a look with Merle before he glanced over at a waiting Rick. The man knew that the wheels in Daryl's head were turning. Daryl knew Merle had the same idea but if Merle suggested anything, Rick would disregard it.
Daryl had to remind himself that Rick didn't really know Merle. His first impression of Merle was that whacked out freak on the roof, trying to hurt people. But that wasn't who his brother was. Not really. Merle was smart and goddamn capable. Rick just didn't want to see it. So Daryl would speak for the both of them. "Could be a trap."
Merle nodded slightly, letting Daryl know that he'd had the same idea.
Rick ran a hand over his face. "But what if it isn't?"
Merle rolled his eyes. "How about we send Maggie and Axel out to talk to them, make sure they're safe. If those two don't end up dead, we can let these strangers in."
Daryl rolled his eyes. Shit like this that came out of Merle's mouth may have played a role in why no one wanted to listen to him. Glenn clenched his fists and glared but Merle smiled at the kid, almost sweetly. "Cut that shit out, Merle. I'll go talk to'em."
This got a reaction out of everyone. "What? You lose your goddamn brain after your balls dropped?" Merle barked.
Daryl shook his head. "No, somebody has to figure out if they're friend or foe. You gonna tell me that you can walk back into that prison without findin' out who the hell is out there?"
Merle looked out across the dark yard. "Fuck," he spat.
"Wait a minute. I can't let you do that Dar-"
"When are you gonna get it through your head that you don't make calls for my brother, Rick?" Merle asked, his voice low and carrying an edge. "He ain't your bitch."
"I'll go with him," Martinez spoke up suddenly.
"Me too," Oscar chimed in.
"So can I," Michonne said quietly, her hand resting on the hilt of that sword she seemed to favor so much.
Rick looked uncertain and Daryl could see that Merle didn't like it one bit, but they needed to know who they were dealing with. If not then something could happen to the women and the kids in there and Daryl had a firm claim on two of them. He wasn't about to risk something happening to either one of them.