This one is on time! Of course, it is shorter so that is probably why. This isn't very exciting but it's a filler and you all seem to enjoy those. I had to do some work on Buck and Andrea. Them damn Dixon's and their self esteem issues just kill me. But it's realistic I suppose. There will be some steamy Bandrea in the next chapter, so that should make some of you happy. And don't worry cause I haven't forgotten about the Caryl. It's coming too. Thanks so much for reading! I'm glad Blue was a hit with you all. Have a great Friday!

Chapter Fifty Four

Buck had to force himself to keep a straight face. If he didn't then he was going to sit there and grin like an idiot and surely somebody would call him out on it. He still felt like shit about what happened but Carol had been right. It really would have been a pussy move to tell them the truth and get sent away for life just to save face. It didn't make any sense. He still hated that Daryl had to go in his place though.

Jim was beyond guilty from what he had heard and as far as anyone was concerned Daryl did what he had to do to survive. Cut and dry case of self defense. It helped that they had collected some evidence to prove that Daryl, in their opinion, had been so remorseful for what he had done that it had made him physically ill. Merle could have killed Jim, no problem. Daryl could have too to save his ass or one of theirs, but Daryl wasn't a killer. Somehow Daryl hadn't been born with that in him. Buck grudgingly remembered a time where that had made him sick. It had made him look at Daryl like he was weaker than him and Merle. He knew that wasn't the case. The boy had more grit than Buck could ever have imagined. Even if he did puke at the sight of dead bodies.

Him and Carol came around the corner together, hair damp. Buck grumbled to the dog that sat under the table next to his legs. It really was good to see Carol acting like Carol again. He had been worried about her. Them two kids had it bad for each other. Really bad. Carol looked like death warmed over until he called last night. After that she had been fine until she went to bed. He checked on her once and she was crying in her sleep. He agreed to stay with her until she went back to sleep but then he must have fallen asleep himself.

"You getting those out today?" Carol asked as she sat down across from him at the kitchen table, eyes bright and her signature smile right where it should be. He was happy when she was happy. Most of the time anyway.

He nodded. He didn't know for sure but he had to go get himself checked out and he was going to do what he could to scare that fucking doctor into taking the damn staples out. They were starting to itch. The pain wasn't sharp anymore, surprisingly enough after all the shit he put his body through since he had gotten out of the hospital. It was more of an ache than anything. He was a fast healer.

The dog ditched him for Daryl who was rifling through the refrigerator.

"Andrea didn't stay for very long last night. That was weird." Carol said cautiously.

He sighed, hoping she had been too absorbed with her own misery to notice his. He felt his good mood fly right out the window. He wasn't all too sure if him and Andrea were going to work out. For one, he had never asked for a fucking relationship to begin with. Everything seemed to happen fast around here and she was one of those things that just sort of fell into his lap. Quite literally. She kind of fucked with his head and he didn't like that. She was a distraction. She was an observant pain in the ass and she was confusing the hell out of him. He always seemed to be in control of everything around him. He was solid and capable. Until it came to women. Her in particular.

At first it had been Jenna. It had only ever been Jenna until now. She had wormed her way into every cell he was made out of and started chewing like a fucking termite when she knew she had him hooked. He had put up with every single thing she had thrown at him. He was in pretty bad shape emotionally when he had met her to begin with and all those years ago he had thought he had found a safe haven in her. Someone that would simply be there. He had really fucked up there. He didn't think he had ever been as wrong as he had been when he let himself trust Jenna.

There had been women before her and women since her but never a woman that made him feel like his defenses were dropping. Not until now. At first it had been fun. Andrea was young, hot, successful. She was her own woman. All of those things would attract a man to her. That's what it had been. He had really just wanted to sleep with her. He thought he would have a good time and then send her ass packing when he was finished with her. Hell, he hadn't even liked the bitch. But then something changed. He was the kind of man that prided himself on his strengths and learned from his mistakes. The simple truth was, that woman, much like Jenna before her, made him weak. She wasn't just another bitch. She was something different. She was something that scared the holy hell out of him.

"Buck?" Carol asked quietly.

He looked up and met her troubled eyes.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

He stood up and stretched. "I'm fine. Just tired I suppose." He lied. He wasn't tired one goddamn bit.

She looked a little embarrassed. "Sorry about last night."

He smiled weakly and tucked a stray lock behind her ear. "Wasn't you, darlin'. Ain't been sleepin' good for a while now." he dropped his hand and walked away.

He could feel her eyes on his back as he made his way upstairs to his room. He wasn't sleeping in the damn guest room anymore. He wasn't a fucking guest. And besides, he could still smell the damn woman on the bed downstairs. He didn't want to smell her. He didn't want to think about her. Unfortunately for him though that's all he had been able to do since he sent her home yesterday. She hadn't deserved it. He'd been a real dick but better now than down the road when she decided it would be fun to fuck with his head.

Worrying about Daryl had taken his mind off of her. Daryl was home now, though, and he was fucking drowning in thoughts of the damn witch. He wouldn't soon forget the look on her face when he had told her that it would be best for her to go on back to her place since the whole Jim problem was solved and she didn't have anything to worry about anymore. He'd been pretty cold about it too, like he had gotten what he wanted and she was dismissed. Like that was the real fucking reason he kept her around. At first she looked at him like he was crazy. Then she looked hurt. Then she stiffened up that upper lip like a trooper and nodded, smiling and telling him thanks. Then she was gone.

Thanks.

He didn't even know what the fuck she was thanking him for. Thanks for the protection. Thanks for the good time. Thanks for letting her know that he was some kind of fucking head case that was only just now able to accept the fact that he loved his own kin. Thanks Buck, you fucking bastard.

He shook his head angrily but kept his temper from boiling over and causing him to put his fist through a wall. Senseless violence was a waste of energy. He didn't even feel like he had any at the moment. He sat on the edge of his bed and swiped a hand across his face. It had been really good for a few days. He'd enjoyed having her around. She was funny and she was interesting. She didn't put up with any of his shit.

He laughed bitterly, shaking his head. In so many ways he was younger than Daryl. Emotionally stunted from the physical and psychological bullshit he had been dealt. The sad thing was, deep down, he didn't really believe that she would fuck with his head. He knew that she wasn't anything like Jenna or any other woman he had fucked around with. He was just too big of a chicken shit to take a risk. And he wasn't sure if what he could give her would be what she deserved and she would know that. Every single piece of him was damaged somehow. A woman like her deserved more than some ex con. He was a reformed fucking junkie that got a kick out of killing. He was a murderer. He was everything a woman like that should run from.

~H~

Andrea ran her finger around the rim of her coffee cup and stared down at the dark liquid, not really seeing it. She felt like a complete moron. A real idiot. How could she have been so stupid? How could she have trusted a man like that?

She didn't know what the pull had been. Certainly looks had played a big part in it. Despite the fact that she had detested all of them, Lori had been right. They were all very attractive men. And Daryl and Merle, once you got past their odd personalities, they really were good men. Especially Daryl. He was a really good guy and she had judged them all horribly. Their father on the other hand, despite the good looking part, wasn't misjudged at all. She had let him use her. She'd initiated most of it, thinking she could turn him around. She wanted him to be something that he wasn't. A good guy.

"Excuse me. Do you mind if I sit down? This place is quite crowded today."

Andrea looked up and couldn't even force a smile. She was a real mess over this. "Sure." She shrugged at the Mayor. The Mayor wanted to sit with her and she couldn't have cared less.

"Thank you. It's Andrea, right?" he asked as he took a seat across from her. "I think we were introduced at the party."

She nodded, looking back down into her coffee. Yes, Andrea the loser that couldn't even sink her claws into an ex con, let alone a decent man. She hated herself for feeling guilty for thinking that way.

"I should have known this place would be packed this afternoon with the weather being the way it is. Absolutely beautiful." He cleared his throat after a second. "I'm sorry, but I have to ask. Are you okay?"

Andrea looked up sharply. Who the hell was this guy anyway? Could the uninterested sign be any more obvious? "I'm fine." She said tightly as she looked back down at her cup. She shouldn't have come here but she had too. This was like her tavern. She came here to the stupid coffee house to unwind. She didn't come here to socialize. Well, she didn't come here this afternoon to socialize anyway.

"So, Dale is your uncle. Am I right?" Philip asked, smiling at her.

Her eyes shot up once more. "Yep. Raised me after my parents were killed."

Philip watched her closely, nodding solemnly. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that you lost your parents. But I'm glad you had such a kind man to watch out for you. From what I can tell he's done an exceptional job."

Andrea averted her gaze once more and a small smile played around her lips. "He is an exceptional man." She muttered. Her smile fell after a few seconds. Why couldn't she be interested in this guy? He was obviously successful. He was an upstanding citizen. Kind and he seemed to be interested in her. Why couldn't she find anything about him that she actually liked. She instantly started comparing his easy personality to Buck's guarded one.

Philip was the type of guy that went out of his way to impress people. He threw on the charm thicker than the icing on a store bought cake. He cared about what people thought. He carried himself with a certain confidence that only comes from a man that has achieved much success.

Buck was the type of man that didn't give a shit what people thought. That was a hard type to find. Most people cared what other people thought, even when they tried not too. He didn't feel the need to impress anyone, since he didn't particularly care about people in general. Buck carried himself with a certain confidence that only comes from a man that has fought hard and won out over adversity. He didn't sugar coat a thing.

Regardless of Philips social status, there was a clear alpha male out of the two of them and Buck was her man. Or had been her man. Maybe. She wasn't sure anymore. Maybe the only thing she had been to him was just another notch on the bedpost. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach. She sipped her coffee and then grimaced.

"Would you like me to order you another cup?" He asked.

She shook her head. "I was about to leave anyway. Good day for a walk." She said. "Table is all yours." She stood up but then felt a cool hand touch hers. She looked down and couldn't help but notice how much smaller this mans hand was compared to Buck's massive paws.

He pulled his hand back and cleared his throat. "I apologize. I can see that you're a bit distracted, but would you mind if I walked with you for a while? I wont even keep up with my attempts at small talk. You wont even know I'm there. Today would have been mine and my wife's anniversary and I'm in the mood for some company."

Another thing Buck Dixon would never do. Broadcast his personal business in attempts to make a friend. She instantly felt guilty for feeling that way. Maybe Buck could take some pointers from this guy. Maybe he would learn to open up a little instead of pushing people away.

"Sure." She said as she plastered on a fake smile. She really did feel sorry for the man. She had heard about the accident his wife had had.

He smiled brightly. "Fantastic."

They had just made it a little ways past the building when, of course, out of nowhere, the Dixons appeared. Her eyes rushed over Buck, who was looking unbelievable. Why the hell couldn't the man put on a shirt that didn't mold itself to every single goddamn muscle he had?

When her gaze met Daryl's she couldn't help but break out in a genuine grin and without thinking she hugged him. His body went completely rigid, she'd forgotten that, if it wasn't Carol, he was not one that welcomed much touch. She was glad, though, when she felt a timid hand pat the middle of her back. That was more from the boy than she had expected. She pulled back, keeping her hands on his shoulders. "I am so glad you're home. I was worried."

The corner of his mouth turned up but his eyes skittered away. "Thanks." he muttered.

She stepped back, once again avoiding Buck's eyes. He looked angry. More than angry. From her quick assessment he looked like he could kill at that moment. But it wasn't her he was looking at. It was Philip.

She was about to say something to Carol when she heard a deep growl. For just one hilarious second she thought maybe one of the Dixons had started growling at her. She looked down and realized where the threatening sound was coming from. She hadn't noticed it before but Carol was holding onto the leash of a beautifully marked dog. And it seemed extremely agitated.

It was pacing back and forth in front of Carol, ears back and tail low. It probably wasn't a very threatening looking dog for the most part but suddenly it's lips curled back over it's teeth. She took a step back.

Carol was frowning down at the animal. "Blue, stop it!"

At first she thought the dog was looking at her but as she stepped back another step she realized that wasn't the case. It was glowering at Philip and now Daryl was doing the same thing.

Merle took the leash from Carol's hand. "Here, we'll go on ahead of y'all so he'll stop actin' like he's done caught the fuckin' rabies. He's a smart mother fucker. I don't like politicians either."

Andrea forced herself to hold back a laugh. She was used to Merle and his brutal honesty and crude behavior. Sometimes she even counted on it. Beth however gave him a sharp look.

"Jesus, Merle. That was so rude." She admonished.

Merle was trying to drag the dog away from Carol but he didn't want to leave. Finally it stopped fighting but looked up at Daryl, eyes seeming to plead. To Andrea's astonishment Daryl actually nodded at the angry dog and it gave in, as though it's point had been made, and let Merle and Beth lead it away.

"You guys adopted a dog?" Andrea asked after the dog was gone.

Daryl's eyes settled on her and he nodded.

"Daryl got him from Hershel today. He'd been abandoned." Carol explained.

Andrea smiled again. "That was sweet, Daryl."

He wasn't paying any attention to her anymore. He seemed to be trying to put himself between Carol and Philip without anyone noticing that he was doing so.

"Andrea, a friend of Buck's is coming over for dinner tonight. Can you stop by? Maybe early so you can help Beth and I?" Carol asked suddenly.

Andrea couldn't help but glance at Buck. His eyes locked on to hers and she found her mind going completely blank for a few long seconds. "I...I don't think I can tonight, Carol. I'm sorry." She felt so sad to have to say that. She loved going over there. There was always something funny going on and the atmosphere, even in the middle of worrying about a serial killer being on the loose, was always warm. Surprisingly so.

"Why? You got somethin' better to do?" Buck asked in a low voice and then his eyes slid over to Philip's and narrowed.

What the hell was she suppose to make of that? It was clear that he was finished with whatever it was they had started. He made that clear the night before. So really, it was none of his business if she did have something better to do.

"I figured it was time for me to stay home now that there wasn't a threat any longer. You know, seemed like a good idea." She said dryly.

Daryl and Carol shared a look but she barely noticed it. Buck was searching her face now, his wasn't something she was able to read anymore. He still looked angry, sure, but there was something else there also. Regret? She shook that thought as soon as it entered her mind.

She nodded. "I'll be there, Carol. What time?"

"Would four be okay?" Carol asked, sounding like she was really ready to just get the hell away from her and Buck.

"That sounds great." She still hadn't taken her eyes off Buck.

They said their awkward goodbyes, both Dixon men ignoring Philip, and then they were walking past them. She was an idiot and glanced over her shoulder. Buck just happened to be doing the same thing. He turned his head quickly and walked on with the other two.

~H~

Daryl was glad when they finally caught up with Merle. He remembered what Hershel had said about how Blue had acted towards Jim. He had just done the same thing with that creepy ass Mayor and not just that but he had put himself between Carol and the guy. Like he knew the guy was bad news and he knew Carol was the one that he was suppose to put himself in front of. They had ran into a lot of people while they were walking that fawned all over the mutt and he had grinned that stupid dog grin and won them all over. He hadn't acted mean towards any of them.

"What's on your mind, son?" Buck asked as he took the leash from Merle.

Daryl looked down at the dog and then back up at his dad. "I don't like that fuckin' guy." He muttered.

Buck nodded and gave him a dry laugh. "Yeah, no shit."

"What the hell is Andrea doin' anyway? I thought the two of you were a thing now?" Daryl asked as they headed back towards their own neighborhood.

Buck glared straight ahead and didn't say a thing for a little while. "Ain't got no claim on that woman, boy. Don't know why you would think we was a thing."

Daryl knew to drop it then. This wasn't one of them topics that would give Buck the warm and fuzzies.

Merle chuckled. "You kissed her. Right out in the open in front of everybody. Hell, for you to do somethin' like that, it's gotta be love, Buck. You don't kiss bitches." Merle shrugged. "You fuck'em. That's how you roll."

Daryl knew that Merle was treading dangerous waters by the hard look that came over Buck's face but Merle was too stupid to realize it. He really hoped Buck didn't knock him on his ass. "Shut the fuck up, Merle. Just cause that's how you are doesn't mean that the rest of us are like that." He said in Buck's defense.

Beth snorted. "That isn't true. Merle wont put out at all." She said in a quiet voice and then her eyes widened when she realized that she had said that thought out loud.

All of them just stopped in the middle of the deserted side street.

"Beth!" Carol nearly fell over with laughter. Even Buck had to chew on his lip to keep from doing the same and Daryl, well, he just stared at the girl, dumb struck, not just by the words that had slipped out of her mouth but that she had said that to begin with. Merle? Not putting out?

Merle's hands went to his hips and he glowered down at the red faced Beth. "What the hell did ya go and tell'em somethin' like that for? Jesus, Beth! Don't you know when to keep shit behind closed doors?"

"There ain't nothin' going on behind the damn door, Merle. That's my point." Beth said angrily.

Buck lost it. He doubled over, bracing his hands on his knees as he laughed.

"See what you've gone and done? Shut the fuck up you bunch of assholes. She ain't never..." Merle was furious.

Daryl swiped the back of his hand across his face to rid himself of the tears there.

"And at this rate I never will, Merle." Beth was mimicking his stance, hands on her hips, face flaming and indignant.

Daryl actually had to sit down on the curb, Carol joining him, burying her head into his shoulder as she cried from laughter.

"Goddamn it, we've talked about it before!" Merle was irate. His own face flaming now.

"You have Merle. You've talked. That's about all we do. It's... well, it's getting frustratin'."

Merle blew out a heavy breath and glared at Buck who was suffering horribly. He just shook his head and started walking ahead of everyone else, Beth hurrying to catch up with him. Daryl pulled Carol up off the curb and put an arm around her as they walked.

"Daryl?" Carol looked up at him, struggling to keep a straight face.

"What?" he grinned.

"I'm so glad you put out." She laughed.

Merle glared at them over his shoulder. "Fuck off, Carol!"