And here we are, another chapter! I know I can't believe it either, but the sun has come out a few times and that makes my mood swing up and I start thinking about writing again. I've had a few issues with the whole Carl vs. Carol so please excuse any place where I have the wrong name...I DID try to catch them all. Thank you for all the lovely reviews! I really think that is what pushed this chapter forward faster than even I expected, I hate for anyone to think that I've abandoned it, I promise that I won't!

Kintsukuroi (n) To repair with gold: the art of repairing pottery

with gold or silver lacquer and understanding that the piece

is more beautiful for having been broken.

Chapter 24

The run to the farm went smoothly, mostly because the kids helped way more than he had been anticipating. Daryl found his respect for Carl growing, there was no denying that the boy was a hard worker and he wasn't prissy about getting his hands dirty. Daryl knew that he wasn't the best communicator, so the fact that Carl soaked up knowledge like a sponge, and wasn't a pain in the ass while doing it was not lost on him.

Judith on the other hand was a bit of a handful, thankfully she seemed disinclined towards any conversation with anyone other than Carl or Beth which was more than fine by him. Anyone that knew him in the slightest knew he was awkward at best. And it only got worse around women and kids. Carol and Sophia were the exception to the rule.

And funny enough in the 24 hours that he knew her, he thought Beth might be an exception too. United by their worry for Merle, Beth ran over and through every social roadblock that Daryl had, much like she had his front gate. There was also the fact that she was just a pushy little thing. He didn't have to guess what she was thinking or wanted, she just right out told him and ordered him about. He still thought that Carol would have been a good match for his pigheaded brother, but he was starting to see how Beth and Merle might make sense in a weird kind of way.

Yeah, he liked her just fine.

Dexy was a different story, there was no avoiding that kid. Once the boy had decided that they were family that was that, he treated Daryl like an uncle...and at times a brother. The boy just seemed to know how to get him talking. He would find himself halfway into a story before something would make him aware that all the eyes in the room were focused on him. It was normally Beth laughing at the antics that he and Merle had gotten up to that would have him turning him taciturn and backing out of the room to check the boundaries of his land.

Unfortunately he wasn't able to get much time to himself, Sofia and Carl seemed to be stepping on his heels the moment he walked out the door. The first few times he sent them one way while he went the other allowing him a few blissful moments to himself….which only lasted until he caught Carl's eyes on Sophia's ass...that ended his alone time.

He still had lots of questions about Beth and Dexy that he needed to hear straight from the horse's mouth...but the horse was in no condition to answer them. Merle had spiked a fever in the four hours that he and the kids had been collecting things from the farm. Carol was concerned but hopeful now that she had all of her medical supplies to work with.

That night after they had sent the kids to bed, Daryl soberly tied Merle's hands to the bed posts. "Just in case." He told a silently weeping Beth as she put another cool cloth across Merles forehead.

The night passed rather quietly while Merle slept restlessly as Beth sat vigil during the first watch. Carol spent the night coming in every few hours to check and to medicate him when necessary. Beth would have found Merles half formed muttering amusing had she not been so worried. When Daryl came in to relieve her around three in the morning she climbed up into the loft over Merle's room where Carl, Judith and Dexy were sleeping on a homemade pallet of blankets. Crawling in next to Dexy she pulled him close and tried to get her exhausted mind to shut down so she could sleep.

Halfway through Daryls watch, Dexy padded into the room, giving an indignant squawk when he noticed that Merle's wrists were tied to the headboard.

"Hold on a minute." Daryl stopped the boy's small fingers as they attempted to untie the knot closest to him. "Just a precaution, Merle made me promise to kept ya' all safe...and this is me keepin' my word to him." He tried to explain.

Dexy was studying Merle, whose face was facing the wall. "He dead?"

"Nah, he aint dead." Daryl assured him.

Dexys small hand slipped into his. "Is he goin to die?" He whispered in a small voice.

"Nah, he's too damn mean to die." Daryl told him gruffly.

There was a pause before Dexy replied. "Pops was meaner, and he died."

The fuck?

'What ya' know about Pops?" Daryl demanded, yanking his hand away from the boy.

"Papa tol' me...Papa ain't like him." Dexy said firmly. "Can I go up?" He wanted to know as he took a step towards Merle.

"Aint safe."

"You'll be here, I want to watch over him...and you can watch over the both of us." Dexy bargained.

"How about you can sit next to him...down, away from his hands and face." At Dexys sour look, he added. "Better safe than sorry...or bitten."

He watched as the boy scrambled up to sit on the bed, Merle was bare chested with bandages covering his wounds wearing only a loose pair of boxers. He sat quietly next to him as Merle slept fitfully, yet seeming unaware of their presence. Daryl could feel the weight of the boy's stare returning to him time after time. "What?" Daryl demanded when he couldn't stand it anymore.

"Can I see it?" Dexy asked.

"See what?"

"The scar...the one Papa said marks you as brothers." He asked as he reached out to trace the long scar that ran halfway across Merle's abdomen.

"No." Daryl barked.

"Why?"

"Ya' can't just ask to see someone's scars."

"Why not?"

"'Cause they're personal."

"Why?"

"My scars are none of ya' damn business...it's just not a good thing to ask."

"Not good? So it's bad?"

"No it's not bad...you're not bad for asking. As a general rule of thumb, you really shouldn't go around asking people to show ya' any parts of their body that is covered with clothing."

"But men don't hafta wear shirts, everyone knows that. Len and Dave used to go pee in front of us...and they didn't even try and hide their weenies at all. I 'fink they knew Mama didnt like it, so they did it all the time. But I'm not asking to see your weenie, I just wanna see the scar."

"Stop! Just stop." Daryl protested. "I'll show ya' the damn scar if you stop saying "weenie", and just so you know Len and Dave sound like they were assholes."

Dexy shrugged. "Dead assholes." He told Daryl as he watched Daryl yank the bottom of his shirt up exposing the scar… and what felt like his soul to the boy and waited while he examined it critically. "I 'fough they would be the same. But Papa's is like a little line, yours is kinda puffy." Dexy said in a disappointed voice.

"Yeah, well not everyone heals the same."

"Oh. I didn't know that." Dexy's disheartened voice made Daryl huff out a laughter. "I was 'finking if I got a scar it would look the same as Papa's, then we could all be marked as family together."

"You don't need a damn scar for that. And his and my scars are just a road map showing you where we shouldn't go." Daryl pulled his shirt down and sat in his chair. "They aint got nothing to do with being family. It was just something your old man gave ya...and if ya' was lucky you had someone who would step in every once in a while and take a blow that's meant for you...that was the only kinda love that I ever knew. You already did that when you put yourself between Merle and the fucker that was going to kill him, so that bullet wound will scar over and it can be the scar that binds you...if you really need to have one``. But really it sounds like you and Merle are family already, scar or no scar."

Dexy's face lit up. "You really 'fink so?"

"Yes. Yes I really do."

"You 'fink it's good enough to bind you and me?" Dexy ran his hand from the thin healed scar to hover above the bandage that covered the gun shot. "That it make us family too?"

Dary looked into the hopeful eyes of the young boy.

Kid must be fuckin' desperate for family, Choosing a Dixon was about as smart as going to the pound and coming out with a battle worn pit bull.

"If you want it to be, then yeah. Yeah I think it just might be."

"That's what I want." They sat together, both lost in their own thoughts for a while before Dexy's voice pipped "Little brother, I don't 'fink you're like Pops either."

"Ya' think so, huh?"

"Yes. I really, really, really 'fink so."

"Well, I think it's time for you to go on up and try to get a little more sleep, we got a lot of work to do in the morning. I'll take good care of him...promise."

Dexy bent and hugged Merle's good leg before he slid off the bed. "I'm not even tired." He grumbled but it was broken with a yawn.

"Yeah I can see just how NOT tired ya' arent. Get to bed before I paddle ya'."

Dexy stopped at the door. "If I can't call it a weenie, what can I call it? Mama, already said I can't say dick or cock. What do you call your weenie?"

"For fucks sake...go to bed!" Daryl told him harshly and the next minute he heard Dexy clambering up the loft ladder.

After breakfast Daryl took the kids outside to work on the small shed that he was turning into a "barn" making it more comfortable for the cow and adding a chicken coop to one end. He and the two older kids worked putting up the chicken wire while the two younger kids spread out at the bottom of one of the two stalls. Then they filled the water and food troughs that Daryl had taken from the farm. They were done just in time to wash up for lunch.

The table was small, so Daryl stood next to the stove and Carl sat on the kitchen counter as they ate. "How's Merle?" He asked after he had wolfed down his sandwich.

Carol shrugged. "About the same...but he slept through the morning without waking up for any pain meds, so I think he may be on the mend."

"Which is why," Beth cut in. "I think it would be a good time for you and I to go into town."

"For what? Got everything we need here."

"We should get any supplies that Joe has in the back of the Jeep. He had one thing in common with Merle...he always seemed to find good stuff. I'm hoping that there may still be a few of my boxes mixed in with his."

"Sure, we can do that. He sure as hell ain't goin' be needin' any of it.."

"Bring the trailer, we should get Merle's bike while we're there. We both know that he is going to be demanding us to do it once he wakes up."

"I wanna go." Carl and Dexy said at the same time.

"No, I need you both to stay here." Beth stated

"Awwww...why can't we go? Dexy whined

"We can help." Carl offered.

"I know you can...but I want Carl to help by keeping watch. And I need you to stay with Merle and keep an eye on him. It's a very important job, one that I know you can do."

"Daryl and I will go and Judith can come with us...she needs the practice."

The trip to town was uneventful, Beth directing him to the crash site where they quickly and efficiently set to moving the contents of the Jeep into the back of his truck while Judith sat on the top of the truck keeping watch.

Daryl grunted in approval, and pointed to the bike with his chin. "I'm going to check out the bike." He said as he walked towards the front of the Jeep. It wasn't long before Daryl had to admit that the bike was probably a lost cause, but he would bring it back so Merle could come to that conclusion on his own. He knelt down and picked up a few broken pieces of the bike that were near his feet, when he heard Judith say that a walker was coming. Hastily he stood and shoved the nuts and bolts into his pocket as he walked to the back of the Jeep.

Beth was already standing in front of a downed walker, that was slowly crawling towards Judith so he pulled his bow off his shoulder. "Don't." Beth said, gesturing for him to stop. "This one is for Judith."

'Do I really have to?" Judith asked her.

"Yes, you really do. Do you want to tell Merle you haven't killed one walker while he was too sick to make you."

"No." Judith gave a resigned sigh, as she raised her walking stick and stepped towards the walker.

"Okay Jude...watch out for his hands. Maybe go behind him."

They watched as Judith put the tip of her stick through the back of the walkers head. She smiled up at them. "I didn't even get any blood on me this time!" Judith said excitedly as she walked carefully around the dead body at her feet.

"Good job, Lil'Asskicker." Daryl told her as she walked past him to the car.

"My name is Judith Ann Walsh. I think my Mommy would say that Lil'Asskicker is a very good name for a young lady." Judith told him, her nose in the air as she climbed over the back of the seat to her spot. "Can you tell Mister Merle that I did a good job?"

"You got it," He told her as he started the truck.

Judith leaned into the front seat between the two grownups. "Maybe it would be okay if you called me lil'Princess Asskicker...if you wanted to."

"Well then, buckle up Princess Asskicker, if ya' please." Daryl said as he put the truck and drive and headed back towards the cabin.

"Thankfully Merle's temperature is almost back to normal." Carol said as she cleaned the thermometer. "I gave him a pretty good dose of pain meds, hopefully enough to let him sleep peacefully through the night."

"That's encouraging." Beth finished wrapping Merle's hands back up after she had washed them and put on a thick layer of salve. "I thought both of his hands were ruined a few days ago. But he must have taken most of the slide on his left side, his right hand really isn't too bad."

"They're both looking good." Carol assured her. "No sign of infection in any of the wounds."

Beth leaned in to gently place Merle's wrapped hands under the blanket.

"Please don't take this the wrong way…" Carol started. "but you and Merle seem like an odd match."

Beth smiled up at her. "It wasn't long ago I would have agreed with you." She studied Carol for a moment. "I don't know Daryl very well but I can already tell that he is just as stubborn, just as pigheaded as his brother, and yet you trust him to take your daughter out on runs without you."

"Touché." Carol inclined her head in agreement. "But I think you're comparing a slingshot to a grenade….a match to a flamethrower." She saw Beth's jaw clench and flex, before her eyes returned to hers.

"Well then, I'd say you are seriously underestimating Daryl." Beth stood, squaring her body towards Carol. "Because what you don't see is, Merle is fiercely protective of those he calls family. Yes, Merle can be rude, says some pretty appalling things... and he has a mouth like a drunken sailor. He may not be perfect...but he makes me a better person, a stronger one. He shows up, and gives 100% of himself everyday to everyone he cares about. And you would be damn lucky if he found you and Sophia worthy of his time and protection."

"So what you are basically saying is that while Merle may be an asshole...he's our asshole?"

"Pretty much." Beth's tender smile in Merle's direction contradicted her comment.

"Well maybe it wasn't only Merle I was underestimating...when you got here I had thoughts that you were just some young trophy wife...but can see that I was wrong about you. Maybe I was wrong about him too...time will tell. But I like Daryl, more than that I trust him. I like you, and I think I can trust you. So I'll start there, give Merle the benefit of doubt because of that."

"Can I help you with that, Sir." Carl offered Daryl as he was unhooking the bike trailer.

"I was counting on that, but I appreciate not having to ask. Help me with this while the girls start unloading the truck." Carl helped role the trailer back a few feet to sit at the side of the cabin. "And none of that Sir shit, it's just Daryl."

Carl gave a low whistle. "Somehow the bike looks worse without the Jeep sitting on top of it. Merle isn't going to be happy when he sees it, is he?"

"Probably not...aint much that ever pleases him."

"I haven't found that to be the case." Was Carl's immediate reply. "Merle is easy to please, just do what he tells you to do and he's happy." He grinned. "Judith, she ain't so good at that...so they don't get along too well. But she's learning."

They covered the bike with a tarp. "Is he going to be able to fix it?" Carl asked.

"He could fix her...has the skill and the tools. Don't know if he'll have the time...we gotta do the things that are necessary to survive, Hunting, taking care of the animals...gardening, those are the things that matter. But I'll pull her motor and bring it to him when he's up and feeling better...it will keep him occupied while his body is healing."

"You think if he's busy he wont bitch as much?" Carl asked sceptically.

"Just when I was thinkin' ya' knew him...ain't nothing gunna to stop him from bitchin'." He told Carl as they walked back to help Beth and Sophia unload the boxes from the bed of his truck.

That night during his watch, Daryl checked in on Merle every ten to twenty minutes. Every time he passed by the room, he found his brother sleeping like a log, not so much as twitching a finger all night. Right before dawn he was surprised when he walked into the room to his brother's watching him through half lidded eyes. He gave a weak smile that turned into a grimace as he reached out one of his bandaged hands to gesture. "Come closer and let me look at 'cha, Little Brother."

"You may look like shit, but I sure am glad to be lookin' at ya." Daryl grunted as he moved to the side of the bed pulling the wooden chair that was sitting in the corner to sit next to the bed.

"Whatever, I'm still the better looking brother." Merle told him flippantly.

"How ya' feelin'?" Daryl asked.

"I'd be feelin' better if you'd tell me you weren't talkin' to my kid about ya' pecker, ya' damn perv."

"I...he...fuckin' kid asks too many questions." Flustered he just stopped talking.

"Yeah...don't I know it." Merle agreed. "Now let me ask you one. Why'm I trussed up like a hog goin' ta market?"

"Shit, let me get rid of those." Daryl hastily untied him and awkwardly tried to check his temperature.

"Ger'off". Merle grumbled, knocking Daryl's hand away.

"Fine, be that way, Carol'll check your temp when she comes in and she uses a rectal thermometer." He lied, as he handed him a glass of water.

"Been out long?" Merle wanted to know.

"Three days. In and out the first night, than mostly out...about time for everyone to wake up. We've been worried about ya'."

"Feel okay...wouldn't say no to a pain pill or two."

"Carol is in charge of the meds...want me to get her?" Daryl asked him.

"Nah, I can wait. Need 'ya to go to town and get everything out of the Jeep that ran my ass over. Probably some things in there we can use, think there's a book in one of the boxes that Beth needs. Might as well check my bike too, think she's too far gone to save...but bring her back if ya think there is anyway 'ta save her."

"Already done." Daryl said with a smirk. "Brother, don't ya' think it's time to tell me about Beth and them kids."

"Was makin' my way here, but kept having to backtrack...find my way around city's filled with walkers, had to take backroads to avoid traffic jams, and then I stopped for gas and cigarettes."

"Circle K, in Asheville." Daryl deadpanned.

"Roanoke." Merle corrected. "Asheville is where Joe took 'em."

"Joe? Same Joe that the kid killed?" He wanted to know.

"Same prick. Took them, kept them. Him and his men did a lot of bad shit. But the point is I took one look at her and I knew." Merle rubbed the side of his head, and seemed to be lost in thought.

"Knew?" Daryl prompted.

"Knew that she was the one for me. Knew that I was hers as long as she'd have me." It was probably the most sentimental thing Daryl had ever heard his brother say.

"And then Dexy just...little guy just dug himself right in." Merle tapped his chest over his heart. "Knew I'd fuckin' kill anyone who ever tried to hurt them again."

"Still don't explain why the boy seems to think you're his Papa." Daryl pushed.

"He knows I ain't, but for some reason the boy finds me a suitable replacement. And I'm okay with that." At Daryl's raised eyebrows, he added. "More than okay with it."

"Thought you didn' even want kids." Daryl stated.

"I don't want kids...I want him." Merle put plainly.

"Okay...so, ya' now a father? Ya' consider ya'self Beth's husband?"

"Well, that's going to be up to her I reckon…" Merle cleared his throat. "The first time I saw her, her hair was full of blood and grease, so skinny that she probably weighed less than Carl. Covered in bruises, and I thought she was Ma for a split second, thought I was having a hell of a flashback at first. But then I noticed the way she stood, like if ya' knocked her down she'd get right back up and spit in ya' eye." Merle cracked a full blown grin. "If she was to go down, she'd go down fighting. Strong, kinda 'ah woman that'll put Dexy, Carl and Judith and even me in front of herself. A real fighter….better yet, she's a survivor who still knows how to give of herself, I'd be a fuckin' fool not to want her for myself. Be a fool if I didn't do almost anything that it took to be the kinda man that deserved a woman like Beth."

Just then a small blur ran into the room. "Papa! You're awake!" Dexy was about to throw himself bodily at Merle for a hug when Daryl grabbed him mid jump and pulled him up to his chest.

"Woah, hold up there, ya' gotta be careful with ya' old man right now."

"Who ya' callin' old, runt." Merle asked bitingly.

"Who ya' callin' "old", Little Brother?" Dexy said, trying to mimic Merle's tone.

"Papa, I want to lay with you. I want you to sing me a song before I go to sleep, just like you always do." Dexy demanded through a yawn.

"Well I think maybe we can do that, but ya' gotta lay still, no wigglin' around or putting ya' cold feet on me."

"I can do that." Dexy agreed.

"Okay little brother, lay 'em down right here next to me real careful like." Merle directed, and Daryl complied reluctantly.

Who the hell is this man? Daryl wondered as he watched as his brother sang the little boy back to sleep.

"Never heard "All my ex's live in Texas" sung as a lullaby before." Daryl observed in an amused voice.

"Well the kid don' seem to mind." Merle told him looking pointedly at the sleeping child laying with his head buried in the crook of his arm.