Chapter 38

The next few days were filled with everyone trying to make sure all areas were secure around the exterior of the prison. They rounded up all the weapons they had and took an inventory of all the ammunition. Both Merle and Daryl were back on their feet, although slow moving.

"We need more ammo...this ain't gonna cut it..." Merle fussed as he stared at everything spread out on the floor between Rick and Glenn.

Daryl walked up, his shoulder still in a sling. "Maybe we can make some traps or something to help keep them from easily gettin' so close."

"They gotta be watchin' us...just waitin' for us to relax a bit...can't do nothin' obvious or they'll see it and just avoid it." Merle remarked. "Best part though is we have a bunch of places to post people at an advantage...they won't be able to sneak up on us...we'll see 'em comin'..."

"But we're greatly out gunned aren't we?" Rick asked.

"Yeah..." Merle caught eyes with Daryl. Daryl knew his brother well enough to know he had something else brewing in that head of his but what it was, he was almost too afraid to ask.

They all tossed a few other ideas back and forth but they all knew no matter what the odds were against them.

Merle walked outside and stared out past the gate searching for any sign of one of the Governor's men out there.

"What are you up to?" Daryl asked as he walked up behind him.

Merle turned around and laughed a little at his brother. "Didn't know I needed permission to walk out here!"

"That's not what I meant and ya know it... yer thinkin' of doin' something else ain't ya?" Daryl remarked.

Merle just shook his head and didn't answer.

"Merle don't try hidin' it...I know you...I know how ya think..."

"I'm just thinkin'...why don't ya lay off..." Merle replied.

Daryl stepped closer to his brother. "Ya can't take this on by yerself...what 'bout Gwen and the baby?...They need ya...hell so do I..."

"Aw Darylina... yer makin' me weepy..." Merle mocked.

Daryl grew even more frustrated. "I'm just sayin'... been lookin' for ya for months...ya just got Gwen back...we can't be separated again...it ain't right."

Merle just stared at him a moment. "Ya wanna know what I'm thinkin'...really?"

"Hell yeah I do!" Daryl replied.

Merle sighed deeply. "Well for one you and I need to get better and fast- we ain't got time for all this takin' it easy shit!...but I was thinkin'...there ain't but so many places for us to go here...the towers are good for an advantage but if the Gov charges the gate we might kill some of his men but not all. They'll still make their way to the prison and push us in. We'll be backed into a corner and he'll slaughter us all...I can't let that happen."

"So what else ya got in mind?" Daryl asked.

"We'll hit him where it hurts...Woodbury...let's not wait... let's attack Woodbury. We'll leave the old man and the girl here, along with Carl, that douchebag Axel, Gwen and Carol. We'll sneak out...hit him before he hits us...I know Woodbury...I know where it's weak." Merle told him.

"I don't know...ya think it could work?" Daryl seemed doubtful.

"yeah... I do...if our timing is right..."

.

Gwen sat at the table nursing the baby while Beth made food for everyone.

"So are ya ever gonna tell us the baby's name?" She asked.

Gwen smiled at her. "I am...I just wanted to tell Merle first, he's just been so busy trying to come up with a plan to protect the prison we haven't had any time to talk..."

Maggie walked up behind her and sat down. "Come on...it's just us girls...we'll act surprised later...tell us, it will be our secret. This way too if Merle objects we'll be ready to go on and on how much we love it and what great a name it is! He'll be outnumbered!"

"I'm not worried about that...besides Merle said it was my choice and you better believe I'm holding him to that." She told them.

"Yeah come on...just tell us, we won't even act like we know...please?" Beth begged.

Gwen looked back and forth at their eager faces and grinned. "Alright but you have to act like I never told you...alright?"

"I promise..." Beth said eagerly.

Maggie made a crossing motion on her chest. "Cross my heart!"

"Ok...well Merle's adamant about his last name being Dixon, which of course I don't mind, but then he suggested my last name so he could have them both...which is Marshall but I just can't see calling a baby Marshall! I want something a little softer but not too soft...you know how Merle is, so I figured that could be his middle name." Gwen told them.

"Tell us already! Your killin' us!" Maggie joked.

"Well...I thought I'd call him Ethan...it was my brother's name...he was killed in a car accident when he was a teen long before all this...so there ya have it...Ethan Marshall Dixon." Gwen stated.

"Ethan...I like it...not too soft but not too hard of a name either...I think it's perfect!" Maggie told her.

"Ethan and Judith...I think it has a nice ring to it!" Beth laughed.

"He's not even a month old and Beth already has them married off." Gwen joked.

"What are you hens laughing 'bout?" Merle asked as he walked in.

"Nothing..." Gwen smiled. "But you're just in time...your son needs burping..." Gwen handed little Ethan off to Merle as he glared at her.

"That's alright boy...I'll show ya how it's done won't I?" Merle gently rested the baby against his shoulder and began rubbing and patting his back.

"So Gwen did you pick a name yet?" Maggie asked as she winked at Gwen.

Gwen eyed her but smiled. "Why yes Maggie I have..."

"Well...what is it?" Merle asked.

"Ethan?" Gwen said without much confidence he'd like it.

"Huh!...Ethan...I think I can live with that." Merle remarked as the baby let out a large burp. "That's my boy alright..."

"So you approve?" Gwen asked.

"Told ya...it was up to you...but it'll do just fine...don't sound like a pussy name neither...come on...I wanna talk to ya 'bout somethin' else." Merle motioned for her to follow.

Gwen followed behind him as they walked to another section of the cell block.

"Everything ok?" Gwen asked.

"I was just tellin' Daryl...I think there may be a better way than just waitin' for the Governor to strike..." Merle told her.

"What do you mean? What is it?" Gwen asked anxiously.

"We strike Woodbury...before he strikes us." He told her.

"I don't know Merle...what if we head to Woodbury just as they're heading towards the prison?" Gwen asked concerned.

"I know...I ain't figured it all out yet, ain't said nothin' to Rick yet neither..." Merle replied. "Just wanted to know what ya think.

"Well we both know our way around Woodbury...we could sneak in undetected...I don't think the Governor would expect us to leave the prison unprotected.

"There ain't no we 'bout it...you'd be stayin' here...and maybe even Daryl if he ain't well enough." Merle replied.

"You're not doing this without me!" Gwen stated.

"I got to...ya gotta take care of this little one...can't risk somethin' happenin' to both of us and leavin' him all alone." Merle said.

Gwen was silent for a moment as she stared at Merle then she gently rested her hand against Ethan's back. "I know..." She whispered. "Seems like every time we're together something keeps driving us apart."

Merle stepped in close and wrapped his free arm around her. He kissed her on the forehead as he pulled her close. "If we do this...I'll do whatever I have to, to come back to ya...both of ya..."

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A/N:This is the end of Part 2! Thanks for coming on this journey with me! There will be a Part 3 but not until after Season 3 is over so be sure to subscribe to me as the author not just the story itself so you don't miss out when I post Part 3! Merle has grown leaps and bounds but he's replaced his grudge against Rick with his new one against the Governor. Will the group come up with a plan in time to attack Woodbury or will the Governor and his army ambush the prison before they are able and most importantly, who will be on top in the end?! Will he and Gwen ever get a long enough break to enjoy being a family? All will be revealed in Part 3 so I hope you will read that story too and thank you to all of those that reviewed, I loved the feedback and thank you to those silent readers too! Hope to see you again. If you haven't already please check out my other stories! The most current is "Friend or Foe" and I do plan on starting a new Merle centered story as well as a new Daryl centered story very soon! So don't forgetbto follow me not just the stories! AND PLEASE REVIEW!