Chapter 35

Merle yawned.

"Hard night?" asked Samson with a slight smile.

Merle looked at him hard, then nodded. "Not'in' for ya ta bible bash me 'bout." She had been restless all night, moving her legs forward, backward, never seeming to be comfortable. She had made to turn over several times, but would realise he was there and would move back, always careful to stay on her side. In the end she must have rolled though, and he must have stopped waking to her every movement, because he woke to her breath tickling at the base of his throat, her leg forward and in between his, both of her hands pressed lightly to his chest. Even in the dark of the tent he could see the peacefulness on her face, her breathing slow and deep. He shuffled a little closer, bending his head so that his forehead was pressed against hers. "Marion," he said softly.

She stirred, opening her eyes and registering his proximity with a slight start. She tipped her head back so she could look into his eyes. She smiled and he swallowed all he had to do was lean forward...

"Is it time to get up?" she asked.

"It's about dawn," he said noncommittedly.

"I guess I moved around a bit last night," she said, looking back down at his neck.

"Like a bowl of jelly," he confirmed. "Ya even kicked out tha dog."

She looked back up at him, then lifted her head to smile at the sight of Dog curled up against the small of Merle's back, head on his waist. Dog thumped his tail at her movement.

"Sorry," she murmured, looking back at him. She sighed and pressed her hands against his chest for a moment, rolling over and swinging her legs out of bed. She picked her jacket off the floor and swung it around her. "See you later," and she was gone, Dog bouncing after her. He hadn't gone back to sleep after that.

"When have I ever bible bashed you Merle?" asked Samson.

Merle sat back on his haunches, the wrench held loosley in his hand. "Wha' do ya stay around here for? Ya ain't a ... zealot like the ot'ers."

Simon looked at him steadily for a moment. "Elijah is my brother."

Suddenly a lot of things made sense to him and with the knowledge he could see the similarities between the two men – same as he and Daryl, at first glance they look entirely different with exception of the colour of their eyes, but there were similarities in the way they held themselves, the way they moved, the pain hooded within those eyes.

"He started Babylon about five years ago with his wife, Deborah and her husband. Mum and Dan died and left him some money – so he bought this place, set up the solar panels and the gas system. A few others came, Aaron, Abraham, Bathsheba, Bethany, Elizabeth – most of them had other spouses then, Joanna's parents brought her as a young girl. The authorities were a little worried about them to start with, but they were harmless, they just set up this farm and would only go into town for the occasional thing that they couldn't make themselves. They offered a retreat experience – a get closer to God experience. People came, some left but some stayed – Elijah," Samson smiled. "He can be almost hypnotic when gets into the zone, people are captivated by him. The sickness hit them hard, living as they do communally. They lost a lot. When I came here they were praying for the souls of the dead that they had locked in the barn. I dealt with them – helped them bury them. Elijah has rallied them since – they have reclaimed their calm, their serenity." He shrugged. "It can be a bit much sometimes – but where else would I go? In a world like this – blood means a lot and he's all that I've got left."

"It ain't 'at bad a place ta be," Merle nodded, burying the slight feeling of envy and looked out of the door had Daryl found some place where he could be safe, was he still battling for his life, was he still alive? "If they'd just shut up about God and stuff."

Samson grinned "You could always marry her."

Merle snorted disparagingly, looking up and frowning as he saw that Samson was serious. "T'at sortta stuff don't mean shit now."

"It does to some people Merle," replied Samson. "It does to these people."

"Well I ain't tha marrying type," he snorted again. Besides – only a Dixon could love a Dixon.

"What if she is?" he asked.

"I told ya before," he snapped, turning back to the machine and turning the wrench forcefully, ignoring the lurch of his gut at the thought. "Tha woman can make 'er own decisions."

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Marion yawned.

"You didn't sleep well Marion?" asked Deborah with some concern.

Marion shook her head "I..." she stopped herself from saying 'never do' and continued with only a slight pause "had a difficult night."

"Dreams again?" prompted Deborah.

"No," Marion replied. "It's just I couldn't get comfortable."

"I thought something must have been wrong with you," added Jo from her side of the table and Deborah looked up, "when your bed was empty most of the night."

"Were you up Jo?" Marion asked after a slight pause and a narrowed look at her. "I told you that batch of corn looked dodgy and that you shouldn't eat it."

Jo flushed even as Deborah put her hand on her arm. "I'll get some castor oil Joanna – that'll help you."

"Why are you being so selfish?" hissed Jo as the elder woman left.

Marion looked at her coolly. "Selfish? How exactly am I'm being selfish Joanna?"

"You don't want him, but you won't let anyone else have him," replied the girl with a sulky tone.

"So you think creeping unannounced into his tent to seduce him is the best way to 'have' Merle is it?" replied Marion evenly. "Or perhaps you were planning to be caught in his tent and so force the issue?" The flush that grew up the girl's neck and across her face gave her away. "Tell me – what do you see in Merle?"

"He's handsome," started Joanna and Marion raised her brows, although carefully so that Jo didn't see it handsome was not a word that she would use to describe Merle, although he did have a certain... something. "He's built well" like a tank. "He's strong," well obviously – he's built like a tank. "He's experienced..." Marion turned wide eyes towards the girl, "and he's ... "

"Just that bit dangerous?" prompted Marion and Jo ducked her head. "The exact opposite of Benji?"

"Benji's a boy," almost spat Joanna oh the cruelty of young women thought Marion with an inner smile, having already seen how the boy hung off the girl's every word, wish and desire. "Merle's a man!"

"Yes he is Jo, very much a man. And he is dangerous –he's a bit rough around the edges – well ragged really (1). Life hasn't been that kind to him, but instead of rolling over and letting himself get kicked about he stood up and fought it. His fight has left its scars – internal as well as external. He can't be soft, gentle and patient – and that's what you need for your first love. Someone who is going to love you, want to take care of you and will go slowly with you."

"What do you care?" demanded Jo. "It's not like you love him – you said you didn't want to marry him."

"I might not be in love with him Joanna, nor want to marry him – but I do ... care for the man," she continued. "We've been through a lot of things together – he's looked out for me. Merle can choose whomever he wants to Jo, but I will not stand by and let him be manipulated into something because you have a school girl's crush on him."

"It's not a crush," sulked Jo. "He's the best option I have to father my children."

Marion laughed. "I wouldn't tell him that! And seriously Jo, you are not quite 17 – there's plenty of time to think about that sort of thing."

"Is there?" she asked bitterly. "What is there anymore Marion? I'm never going to go to college, I'll never get to see the world – the only men I'll ever see are these here. Most of them I have known since I was a kid. No-one is ever going to get down on bended knee for me, no-one is ever going to give me pretty rings like yours, I'll never walk down the aisle in a beautiful dress – look at the dresses that await me!"

Marion got up and pulled her in an embrace; slowly the stiff form unbended and she buried her face into Marion's shoulders and sobbed. Marion kissed the top of her head, rocking her slightly. As absurd as the child was, worrying about white dresses and fairytale weddings in today's world – and then looking to Merle to address that issue – she was just a child who deserved to be able to keep dreaming about those sorts of things.

"There's plenty of time," she repeated gently. "We came here didn't we? There'll be others – maybe there will be a nice young man who'll take a fancy to a devilish baggage with hair spun of gold and ocean eyes, who'll fight the dragons that scare his princess and carry her off on his trusty steed." Jo sighed in her arms. "Just don't let him choose Toby for his steed." The sniffs changed to giggles and she re-surfaced, her eyes glistening and her skin only more beautifully flushed with tears, which Marion noted with ruefulness.

"You really wouldn't mind if Merle..." she stopped.

Marion sighed and it was such a beautiful speech. "No sweety I wouldn't. But no creeping up on him anymore – ok?"

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Merle fell into step with her as they approached the dining room, planting his shoulder behind hers and glaring at Caleb who was holding Hannah's arm as she waddled up the stairs. He reached forward and pulled out Marion's chair – she blinked in surprise but moved in front of it, bending as he slid it underneath her. His breath sounded against her ear as he bent over to her "Is it safe?"

She smiled, glancing over at him as he sat down next to her. "She won't be making any more late night visits," she said.

"Ya sure?" Merle breathed a sigh of relief as she nodded, reaching for the plate of food that was in front of Marion and holding it while she pushed some of it onto his plate and then some onto hers. During the meal he saw Joanna looking at him once or twice and he leant back into Marion. "I thought ya said I was safe?" he whispered as the table broke up.

"Well," she winced, pausing to let the young girls leave first, noting the glance that Joanna gave them both. "I did what I could – you're safe from late night visits, not necessarily from her attention though."

"Wha' tha fuck?" he burst out in a whisper. "Ya mean..."

"Yes, she still has a crush on you," she nodded. "She is a 16 year old girl Merle – she's not going to listen to me, she has to find these things out for herself."

Merle muttered something uncomplimentary and she smiled, patting his arm. "I'll protect you Merle."

"Damn straight ya will," he grabbed her arm in the crook of his stump, holding her close to his side. "Ya can come back to me tent."

"Merle, I can't do that," she protested.

"I got watch again t'night," Merle continued. "Ya only got ta stay until 10."

"Merle," she protested again, this time pulling him to a stop.

He looked at her for a moment. "Look – git whatever shit ya need. Just come back ok?"

She sighed only Merle could reduce the awkwardness of such a moment to such bare terms and nodded, he released the pressure on her arm and she turned to head towards the single women's camp.

Merle made his way over to the tent, nodding once as Samson confirmed his watch commencing at 10pm. He picked up a log to throw on his fire, but a streak through the night sky made him pause. He looked up and for almost a full minute stared up at the sky, trying to figure out exactly how long they had been at the camp. The days had sort of merged into one big blur of activity, but he figured it for mid November. He placed the log back on the ground and stepped into his tent, grabbing the blankets off the bed and draping them over his shouler. He stopped suddenly as he came face to face with Joanna at his tent.

Joanna smiled at him, not realising that he was appraising her as he would a cut snake. "This is for you Mr Merle," she said softly. He eyed the bundle suspiciously, but it was nothing more than an oilskin. "It's going to rain soon – you'll be needing it."

"How ya know that?" he queried almost despite himself. The sky was as clear as, there was no hint of rain in the air.

"Aaron's knee has been aching all day," she explained. "We've found that it's the best barometer possible."

"Hmph," acknowledged Merle. A belated thought came to him. "T'anks Miss Joanna."

Joanna ducked her head a little. "You're welcome Mr Merle. Be safe tonight – God bless."

Fuck he thought as she walked away. He tossed the oilskin to the side of his tent flap and continued outside to his now almost dying fire. He stacked the blankets on the ground and looked up in the sky, turning around until he located the constellation he was looking for. He heard the distinctive duo of sounds that was Marion – her soft, evenly paced stride punctuated by the trotting footfalls of Dog.

She had changed into her nightgown, but had put her jacket over the top of it and wore a pair of tracksuit pants underneath. Merle looked around at her and then took a closer glance. "Are t'ose my sweats?" he demanded, having searched through his clothes and his returned washing extensively this morning looking, and failing to find, those exact pants.

Marion blushed slightly. "Um yes they are – I kept them after washing them. I only had jeans," she replied. "Do you want them back?"

What and do his head in? "Na, ya can 'ave 'em, I've got anot'er pair. But no more nicking me clothes."

Marion held up her fingers. "Scout's honour!" She looked at the blankets on the ground. "We're camping out?"

Merle nodded. "Got somet'ing to show ya," he pointed to the ground and she sat, he folded himself down next to her. "It's a bit early yet – that best show will be about dawn."

"Northern Lights?" she said hopefully, looking up into sky, her hand burying itself in Dog's hair as he curled up in her lap. "I never really got to see them properly."

Merle didn't answer, leaning back on his elbows and looking at her profile in front of him. "Samson and Elijah are brot'ers," he said.

She turned to him. "Really?" He watched as she made the same connections he had – the similarity between the two men and they way they interacted now blindingly obvious. "Well that explains some things," she nodded, echoing his own thoughts.

"Elijah started t'is place 5 years ago," he added and told her what Samson had told him. As he talked, with Marion asking questions and sometimes suggesting answers to them herself, she lowered herself onto the ground next to him, lacing her fingers underneath her head. It pushed her bust up in a very distracting way and Merle lowered himself further on the ground, his stump resting on his chest with his left hand crossed under his head, hearing Dog change position to lie along next to her.

A streak across the sky caught her attention and her words died as she turned towards it. May my family always be she stopped the automatic wish as the significance of what she was asking came to her. Another streak flashed across the sky May this camp always be safe and healthy. There was another streak and she turned her head to Merle, seeing that he was watching her with a slight tease of a smile. "What's happening?"

"It's the Leonids," he explained. "A meteor shower from Leo the Lion. It'll probably only give ya 10-15 an hour and ya need to wait until after midnight ta git tha best show but ya should see some before ya 'av to go ta sleep." She had turned back to the sky and as if just to contradict him a burst of about five meteors buzzed through the sky, lighting up on their curve across them. "The '66 storm 'pparently send thousands per hour – me Mum's pa told me he felt like 'e was on one of t'em Star Wars ships with the stars flyin' past 'em so fast. Tha last one wasn't nearly so impressive but it was still was wort' lookin' at." Even when outta ya mind wit' drugs. "T'is one shouldbe betta – the Perseids in August yielded a couple hundred per hour and tha two of t'em are the best each year."

"Wow," she breathed as another pair of meteors flashed past.

"Then t'ere was the Draconoids – t'ey didn't do much t'is year, tha Orionoids were slow but t'ere was some stayers in it t'is year. Ya'd 'ardly know tha Taurids were 'appening – t'ey came so slow."

"How long will this go on?" she asked, eyes as wide as a kid in a candy shop and he felt a burst of ... something at showing her something new.

"Only tonight," he said and she sighed in disappointment. "Tha will be another one mid way t'rough December, then ya'll 'ave to wait 'til next autumn – but it should be a good one, it'll be a new moon so there'll be a dark sky for it."

"We need some popcorn," she said as another burst came over.

He could almost smell it, the freshly popped smell rising from the bowl in front of him slowly waking him up, perched on the roof of the little house, snuggled up in jacket, blanket, beanie and gloves, pressed between her legs. "See Merle baby," she'd whisper in his ear. "That's Gemini's scales – they balance out life for us. Whenever something bad happens, something good will happen." Gemini was an unbalanced bitch in his opinion.

Marion felt the shiver go through him and looked up at him, his face was set and she frowned. He seemed to come aware of his surroundings and looked down at her, offering a slight smile. She smiled back and shuffled a little closer – he reached down and dragged the blanket over the top of them.

10pm came far too early, but he dragged himself up reluctantly. "Ya can go to bed now woman."

"Hmm," she nodded tiredly, still watching the meteors lighting up the sky, her hand curled in Dog's hair at her waist.

"Don't fall asleep," he cautioned. "Ya'll freeze."

"I won't," she assured him.

But as the first drops of icy rain hit him on the head and he returned to his tent briefly to get the oilskin that Joanna had left him, there she was, curled up in a ball under the blankets with Dog pressed against her. "Woman," he growled, placing his rifle down and bending over next to her. She looked so peaceful though, plus the rain was starting to get heavier, so he squatted next to her form and inserted his arm under her shoulders and legs, bringing her and the blankets up in one big heap – Dog only narrowly avoiding being scooped up. He walked backwards through the flap of his tent he wouldn't want to imagine what'd happen if he tried to take her back to hers and laid her on his bunk. She murmured something and snuggled in further and he paused for a moment. Dog jumped up, turning around twice and lying in the curve of her hips – his ears pricked. Merle turned around, pulling on the oilskin and picking up the rifle before stepping into the rain.

She wasn't there when he got back, drenched despite the oilskin, after his watch – but his sweats were and he fell asleep to a slight suggestion of her odour.

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(1) Credit to Meggo929 for the line - it was a great line, I'll split my earnings with you.

The website I derived this information off looked reliable enough... although I have used 2012 information and brought the Leonids forward a bit.