Chapter 29: Just Another Day

"Alright. I'm only gonna say this once. You three, play nice. Don't want no smackin', no hair pullin', and no screamin'. I hear any one of ya belly-achin', I'm takin' you back to the house. You hear me?" Merle glared at the three giggling kids in the back of the pickup truck. He had the tailgate up to keep the kids from falling out, and he'd preoccupied them all with some wooden blocks to build with.

"Luke always knocks our houses down," Henry pointed out.

"That's 'cause he's a damn two year old."

"Why'd he have to come?" Lydia whined.

"'Cause I ain't leavin' the little shit alone. I ain't stupid. Now you two play nice, and if the little sprout knocks your toys over, I dunno, knock his over." Lydia sighed and shook her head, and Merle's shoulders fell. He loved his niece and nephew more than he could even say, but they had to be the most exasperating kids that ever lived. And one of them had Dixon blood running in his veins. The thought of Daryl and Carol having to deal with that through the teenage years brought a smirk to his lips, and he couldn't wait to watch all that. But add Negan's progeny Henry to the mix and those three were just the perfect recipe for either trouble or a goddamn headache.

"Christ. What am I? Mary fuckin' Poppins?" Mere muttered, walking away from the truck and walking over to where Negan stood by the front gates.

"Thought you were off duty today? Miss me already?" Negan asked with a shit-eating grin.

"Miss that wife of yours even more," Merle drawled out, licking his lips.

"Yeah, you try anything with her, she'd have your danglers for earrings," Negan smirked.

"Weren't that long ago, you'd have knocked me on my ass for a remark like that."

"Growth," Negan smiled. "Besides. Lucy can take care of herself. Not that I wouldn't step in if needed, but my girl could take you down in a half second without breaking a sweat."

"Oh, I know she can. She learned from Carol, and Carol could probably wipe all of us out in a one on one. Resourceful. A damn stick of dynamite buried in a land mine, that one is." A little grin played at his lips, and Negan narrowed his eyes at him.

"You got a thing for everybody's wife, or just mine and your brother's?"

"What can I say? I like women. Been a long damn time since I had a beautiful woman warmin' my bed and wettin' my…"

"Babe?" Negan and Merle turned to see Lucy walking toward them with something behind her back.

"Hi, beautiful," Negan grinned. "What're you doing out here? Thought you were helping out at the infirmary for Denise today."

"Yeah, I was about to go, but I was surprised you left something behind." Negan furrowed his brows, and Lucy brought out a solid, wooden bat wrapped in barbed wire from behind her. She held the sturdy weapon with ease. "You almost forgot this."

"Didn't think I'd need it out here," Negan pointed out, taking the weapon in his hand. "No skinbags on this side of the wall."

"Yeah, well, you barely let it out of your sight. Sometimes I think you like it more than you like me," she teased. Negan put the bat aside and wrapped his wife in his arms, and Merle made a face. "I'm surprised you don't give it some girl's name like men like to do with their favorite toys." She rolled her eyes, and Negan laughed before kissing her.

"I like her 'cause I made her," Negan pointed out. "Ingenious, if I do say so myself. But I don't like her more than you."

"Her," Lucy snorted. "Boys and their toys." Negan kissed her again.

"Jesus Christ on a Christmas tree. Get a fuckin' room."

"Oh, Merle, no need to be jealous," Lucy teased. "I'm not staying long. I know you miss your best friend." She patted Negan's cheek.

"Hey, Luce," Merle piped up, "how 'bout you takin' the little sprouts to the infirmary with you. I'll stay out here and make sure your husband doesn't fuck anything up."

"You want me to take three small children to an infirmary? Where sick people go? I'm going to have to disinfect as it is. Denise has been sick, and Tara's got her hands full with taking care of her. Doctors make the worst patients."

"So, you won't take 'em?" Merle asked. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"You're the one that agreed to watch them."

"Didn't agree to watchin' your brat," he pointed out.

"He's Lydia's best friend. Kinda comes with the package," Lucy laughed. "You boys have fun." She kissed Negan once more before going over to give Henry a kiss. The boy was still too young to be embarrassed by it.

"Got yourself a fine woman there," Merle said with a shake of his head. "Real fine woman."

"I know I do. Now get your eyes off her ass before I knock you on yours." Merle snorted then and turned. "You gonna help me, or are you gonna stand there thinking about women you can't have?"

"Know what? I was gonna help you out while the little ones was occupied, but I think I'll take 'em on back to the house, let you enjoy yourself all alone."

"Asshole," Negan snorted, tossing a hammer at Merle's feet. "Would you just give me a hand?"

"Only got one. Guess I might as well put it to use."

"Yeah. I'm sure it's used to a little back and forth motion anyway." Merle stopped then, and a grin spread over his face.

"That…that was a good one. Damned ashamed it wasn't me that thought of it first," Merle laughed, shaking his head and getting to work helping his friend stabilize the new support beams, while the children played close by in the back of the pickup truck.

...

It was just past sunset when Carol and Daryl arrived back at the farm. They dropped off some of the supplies at storage where Jerry was waiting to unload everything. They took the pharmacy and healthcare supplies to the infirmary, where Tara met them with a haggard to relieved smile, informing them that Denise was feeling better and the doctor should be back to work in a few days.

Tara had come along just before Denise. She'd been traveling with her sister and niece after their father's death, and they'd gotten caught in a herd. She'd made it out, but her sister and niece didn't, and she'd been living with the guilt ever since. It wasn't until Denise came along that she really started to let herself open up and feel love despite the guilt she still felt for surviving when her family hadn't.

She had become a part of the family. Just as Negan, Lucy and Henry had. Just as Jerry, Nabila and their children had. Just as the many others who'd sought sanctuary behind the walls of the thriving little farm had.

As she walked hand in hand with her husband toward Merle's house, she took in a deep breath, smiling as the cool evening air filled her lungs.

"You ok?" Daryl asked quietly, giving her hand a squeeze.

"I'm good," she said with a little laugh, blushing. He couldn't see it in the darkness, but he could tell from the way she looked down and ducked her head a little. "I like when it's just us out there."

"Don't like worryin' about you."

"You know you don't have to do that."

"I know," he said quietly. "You can take care of yourself. I get that. But I'm still gonna worry anyway."

"I know," she smiled. She looked up as they neared Merle's house. It was dark, and Daryl stopped walking.

"Hey." She turned to face him. "C'mere." She stepped toward him and he bent to kiss her. She smiled against his lips, and Daryl pulled his arms around her. "Love you so much."

"Love you," she whispered.

"Love our family. Lydia. Luke." He put his hand on her stomach. "Already love this baby." She started to protest, but Daryl hushed her with a kiss. "I think ya protested just as much when you was pregnant with Luke. I remember. Remember every bit of it." Carol made a face, but her shoulders slumped. She knew he was right. She brought her hand down to put over his.

"I never thought we'd have this," Carol said softly. "I mean, in the beginning. When we first met? Who would have thought the two of us would end up here, leading this place, raising our kids?"

"Glad we're here," Daryl said with a little nod. "Let's go get our kids."

"Like hell you will," Merle called, stepping out of the darkness in his house and onto the front porch. "Just got the little ankle biters to sleep. You leave 'em here with Uncle Merle. Go enjoy one more night of peace and quiet, lovebirds. Just close your goddamn windows so the rest of us don't have to hear it."

Daryl snorted, pulling his arms tighter around his wife, and she laughed, her shoulders shaking against his.

"They alright?" Daryl asked.

"Pains in the asses, more like it."

"We can take them, Merle. Thanks for watching them."

"Leave 'em be. Might be pains in the asses, but I'm their uncle. I can handle 'em."

"I think he's turned into a big softy," Carol whispered, as Daryl nuzzled his nose against her cheek.

"Run go ok?" Merle asked, crossing his arms against his chest.

"Yeah."

"No trouble?"

"Nah. In and out. Easy," Daryl offered. Merle looked up at the sky.

"Must've gone a ways out then. You been gone for hours."

"We stopped to rest," Carol replied with a grin. Unbeknownst to Merle, Daryl reached and gave Carol's ass a little squeeze.

"That what they call it these days? Get on home, you two."

"Thanks again, Merle," Carol smiled, tugging on Daryl's hand and leading him on toward home.

"Yeah, yeah," Merle muttered, heading into the house and being mindful not to let the screen door slam behind him.

"He's a good uncle," Carol said with a little laugh, nudging Daryl's shoulder with her own. "Who knew?"

"Yeah. Wait'll he finds out he's gonna have another ankle biter to chase around.

"I don't want anybody to know. Not until we know for sure," Carol insisted.

"Won't say nothin', Daryl promised. Carol narrowed her eyes at him. "What? I promise."

"Alright," Carol replied with a laugh, taking his hand again as they started up the steps to the porch. Halfway up, she stopped.

"What's wrong?"

"Damn it. I am gonna have to potty train this one, aren't I?" Daryl snorted then, and he pulled his arm around her waist.

"If it's a boy, I'll do it."

"Thank you," Carol giggled.

"But it ain't, so yeah, it's gonna be you."

"Ass," she laughed, swatting him on the behind.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading and for all the wonderful feedback! Please keep it coming. It's very much appreciated!