If you following my other stories I may be spreading myself a little thin so updates may lag, so I am sorry for that.
I will try to keep up and maybe I am doing too much at once but when I stay on one story for too long I start getting tired of it. So I am changing it up. Plus I love Merle and kinda wish he stuck around and developed more as a character.
Anyhoo.
18+ only. Just a warning this story will contain colorful Merle language aka not very PC points of view. Just fyi.
I don't own TWD or its character
As you probably could tell by the end of Chapter one this story is picking up at Season 3 Ep 7(When Dead Come Knocking)
"Merle? " Glenn asked a look of confusion and shock.
Merle laughed loudly, "Wow!" He came forward still dragging Sam behind him.
"Hey, back the hell up!" Maggie shouted as they raised their weapons.
Raising his arms he told Maggie, "Okay, okay, honey."
"Jesus. You made it." Glenn uttered shaking his head his gun still trained on the man.
Merle grinned widely and then asked, "Can you tell me, is my brother alive? Huh?"
Glenn looked at Maggie before answering, "Yeah."
"Hey, you take me to him and I'll call it even on everything that happened up there in Atlanta. No hard feelings. Huh?" Merle said raising his arm. Seeing their questioning looks at his new hand, "You like that? Yeah. Well, I found myself a medical supply warehouse. Fixed it up myself. Well, pretty cool, huh?"
"Who's the girl Merle?" Glenn asked looking over the older Dixon's shoulder. "Looks hurt."
"Huh?" Merle grunted and then turned toward Sam. "Oh yeah. She's with me. Ya got a doctor?"
Glenn scowled at the man looking distrustful. "You do that to her?"
"What?! Fuck no." Merle growled, "Ain't no woman beater. Ya think I'm some kinda animal?"
"I don't know Merle. Last time I saw you, you were meth'd out waving a gun around. I mean you cut your own hand off!" Glenn exclaimed his gun still drawn.
"I did what I had to do. Officer Friendly didn't give me no choice in the matter." Merle drawled his irritation flaring.
"We went back for you and searched. We tried to find you. Me, Rick, T-dog and Daryl. Then the camp got overrun and we had to leave." Glenn told him. "We'll tell Daryl you're here and he'll come out to meet you."
"Hold on. Just hold up." Merle stepped forward and tried to get them to stop from leaving. Sam just watched the conversation, her hand clenching the fabric of her too long sweater. Maggie kept looking at her with a concerned face.
"Whoa. Whoa. Hold up here. Hold up. Hey, the fact that we found each other is a miracle. Come on, now." Merle drawled.
They kept moving away from Merle trying to avoid him from reaching them or the car.
"You can trust me." He said trying to get them to take him to his brother. If he could find Daryl they could move on together. Their group could take the girl and he'd be free of the extra weight.
"You trust us. You stay here." Glenn said firmly.
Merle was getting desperate. They needed a car or a hideout. It was only a matter of time before the Governor's men tracked them there. "No! Hey, hey, hold up, buddy, hold up."
The couple paused a moment and Merle held his hands up.
"Come on guys. She needs help bad. Daryl will be pissed if ya leave me out here." Merle begged something else he never did.
'Fuckin' day of endless firsts' He grumbled internally.
Glenn and Maggie spoke quietly while glancing at Merle and the woman leaning against the wall of windows. Looking at her raw bloodied feet and busted face.
"I didn't do it. I got her away from the sick fuck that did. Come on, I'm clean. Ain't on drugs no more. Just need help for her 'n to see my baby brother."
Glenn sighed and said, "You give me your weapons, Maggie's gonna keep a gun on you. You move or try anything she'll shoot you and then her. Got it?"
Merle nodded and set his handgun on the cars hood. "Not lookin' to cause shit."
Merle loosened a few belts and removed the blade on his arm, setting it down next to the gun and hunting knife. All four climbed in and before they pulled out Maggie hand them each a blanket. "Put these over your heads."
"What?" Merle asked looking at it confused.
"Don't want ya to see the way there. Ya understand why. Right?." Maggie stated.
Merle nodded feeling pissed off but impressed they thought of it. If he was still working for the Governor he'd have primo intel but now he just wanted to get to a secure location before they found them. He wasn't going to be thrown in the screamer pits to be torn apart by walkers. He'd eat a bullet first.
They covered their heads and Merle grumbled the whole time. "Hot as fuck under 'er." He growled loudly. The drive wasn't long but it felt like it. The day was hot and the blankets were sweltering. Merle felt them slow down and the sound of metal gates being opened. A few shouts and the sound of gates closing and chains locking. The car drove a little more before stopping.
"You two stay here." Glenn said. Merle exclaimed, "Can we take these off its fuckin hot as Satan's asshole man."
Glenn huffed and said, "Yeah just stay put," They climbed out and locked the doors.
Pulling the blankets off Merle looked around and saw that they were parked inside the fences of a prison.
"Hooooleee fuck," he said ducking his head to see through the windshield. He could see a kid wearing Officer Friendly's hat that Merle assumed was his son, a tiny blonde girl he didn't recognize and just behind them he saw his baby brother. Merle smiled widely. He never thought he'd see him again.
"Fucker looks like a queer with all that damn hair," he commented looking over at Sam. She was covered in sweat, red faced and looked like she was experiencing heat stroke.
"Fuck. Ya ok girl?" He asked looking around for his pack for water but they took it.
"Well it is as hot as Satan's asshole you know," she said flatly but grinned.
Merle chuckled and turned back to the people in front he shouted, "Daryl! Come on fuckers let us out!"
Daryl's head shot up and he jogged down. Joining the conversation he tried to push past Glenn but they were all arguing. "It's my brother lemme by!" Daryl shouted while shoving past both Maggie and Glenn.
The group approached and Glenn unlocked the doors. Merle pushed his door open and hopped out. Grabbing his brother into a huge bear hug. "Well fuck me sideways little brother. Never thought I'd find ya."
Daryl looked shocked but patted his brother on the back. "Shit Merle ya know nothin' can kill a Dixon but a Dixon."
"Damn right baby brother." He bellowed clapping him on the back. He moved away and reached into the car. "Come on girl."
Sam crawled out with Merle's help and stepped down on the hot dirt road, her eyes jumping from each face then to the ground. She stepped closer to Merle and slightly behind him, her hand gripping the back of his shirt.
"Who the fucks she?" Daryl asked jutting his chin towards the tiny blonde as his eyes narrowed.
"This is Sam. Got her outta a shitty situation. She needs a doctor, ya got one?" Merle asked looking down at Sam clutching his back. Glenn stepped forward trying to get a look at the girl. "Who did that to you?" She flinched away from his approach and grabbed Merle's forearm.
"Wasn't me I tol' ya that." He said then said, "Sam they're gonna help ya. Right baby brother?" with a cheeky grin.
Daryl narrowed his eyes and asked, "Who did it then?"
"The guy in charge of the place I was at. Didn't pay much mind to his activities but... Couldn't let this go. Left last night." Merle said gruffly shifting his weight feeling uncomfortable talking about it.
"Why?" Daryl asked looking confused at this new Merle.
Merle growled and then said "Look I'll tell ya all 'bout it but she needs help. Been runnin' all night with no shoes, she got some deep cuts that need cleanin' 'n needs antibiotics. If ya can help that'd be 'preciated. If not I gotta go find the supplies to do it." The group looked confused by Merle's new concern for others.
"Fine she goes in, you stay out here." Glenn stated his arms crossed.
Sam shook her head and gripped Merle even harder, her nails digging into his arm. "Fuck girl you're takin' my skin off." He grumbled peeling her hand away. "Don' be a goddamn baby. Go with 'em. Ain't gonna hurt ya."
Daryl smirked finally seeing some signs of his brother's real personality show. Sam looked up, her eyes narrowed but Merle shook his head. "Go girl. Now." He growled while pointing at the prison. Swallowing thickly she shuffled to Maggie who walked her into the prison for medical care. Merle, Glenn and Daryl stood by the car. Carl was near the top of the road with a rifle.
"Don't need no rifle pointed at me. Not here to cause shit." Merle grumbled and asked, "Ya got a smoke Darylina?"
Daryl snorted at the nickname he hadn't heard in almost a year and handed him a pack with a lighter. Lighting up and taking a deep drag Merle exhaled loudly. "Fuck I needed this last night."
"So explain. What guy? What place and why the fuck are ya helpin' people now?" Daryl asked his hand gripping the strap to his crossbow.
"Place called Woodbury. 'Bout thirty minute drive south. Large place, walls, solar power, supplies. Guy who runs it calls himself the Governor. He's a sick fuck." Merle told them and then inhaled on his smoke.
"Ya know me ain't one to be picky 'bout my company long as they ain't fuckin with me or my blood." He chuckled humorlessly and then scratched his lip with his thumb. "Jus'... Couldn't this time. He gets people, squeezes them for intel, finds their camps and takes everything. Kills everyone. Burns the places to the ground. Men die... Women wish they did."
Daryl growled and pushed Merle against the car, "And ya were part of that huh? Ya brought it to our doorstep huh?!" He shouted.
"Nah man. Nah. I…. yeah I helped with the raids. I did shit I ain't proud of but I never hurt a woman or a kid." He told them, "And I didn' mean to bring anythin' this way. Just happened upon y'all."
"So killing men who are just trying to survive is ok?" Glenn demanded jabbing a finger at Merle. Merle felt his anger flare. Shoving the man away he puffed his chest up. "Tol' ya I ain't proud of it. I'm goin' to hell for my sins but I couldn't fuckin' let this slide. He... I don't abide rapists and woman beaters. He fuckin..."
The other men watched Merle scrub his face and growl in frustration. He looked away and ground his teeth together harshly. "I had to stop him when I heard the belt. I couldn't... That fuckin' sound man. Daryl I couldn't." He voice strained from speaking about it, his eyes bright with anger.
Daryl squinted and looked away. "He hit her like that?"
"Yeah. I couldn't let it go. I ain't ever near those rooms when he's down there with women. I knew he was sick but there weren't nothing I could do 'bout it but last night... I just had a feelin 'n I went down there and I heard that fucker. That fuckin' sound." Merle shook his head and walked away to look at the forest surrounding them whiling finishing his cigarette. After a few minutes he turned around his normal sardonic grin back in place.
"Nice little setup ya pussies found 'er." He drawled and asked, "Ya clear it ya'selves?"
Neither answered him they just looked at the man. Both seemed to be calculating the truthfulness of his story.
"We'll bring you inside but you're gonna go in a cell for now. No weapons." Glenn told him not giving him leeway.
Merle nodded and said, "Ya can trust me. I'm clean now. Ain't freakin out no more."
"That doesn't matter. That's the way it's happening or you're out." Glenn said his eyes burning into Merle's. Merle narrowed his gaze and glanced at his brother who looked away while biting his thumb. Daryl was obviously uncomfortable with the situation. Merle scowled at his brother's lack of support but shrugged. "Whatever. Anythin' to get outta this fuckin' heat. Sweatin' my balls off standin' here."
The group entered the prison and Glenn placed Merle in a holding cell. "She ok?" he asked Glenn before he walked away.
"Gonna check on her now. Let ya know." He said over his shoulder.
Merle sat down and took the water bottle Daryl handed him through the bars.
"Gotta a little upgrade there." Daryl nodded to Merle's hand.
"Ya like that. Chinaman's got my blade." Merle grinned widely. He was proud of his invention.
"It's Glenn and he's Korean." Daryl said flatly.
"Whatever. He's got my blade. Makes this fucker lethal. Works reeeeal good." Merle said then chugged the water down.
"So what's with the girl Merle. Ya fuckin' her? What's your end game?" Daryl asked leaning against the bars.
"Fuck no. I tol' ya. I couldn' fuckin' listen to that shit. My goddamn back was burning just hearin' it. Wanted to kill the motherfucker soon as I walked in." He said roughly then rubbed his eyes hard with his forefinger and thumb. When Merle opened his eyes he saw his brother looking at him in confusion.
"You're different Merle." He stated.
"Yeah well ya gone native and shit here." Merle joked while stretching his long legs out from the bench he sat on, his arms crossed.
"Where's Officer Friendly and the spear chucker who dropped the key?" Merle drawled.
"Had walkers swarm us, lost T-dog yesterday. Rick's wife Lori… she was pregnant. She died yesterday, baby survived." Daryl said stiffly. "Rick's… dealin' with shit right now."
Merle looked at his brother. He looked beat and it also seemed like him and Glenn was running the show since Rick was off having a pity party. Not that Merle blamed him, shitty thing to lose a wife and gain a baby.
'No one needs a screaming baby callin' walkers all damn day and night.' He scoffed inwardly.
"Still gonna give 'im shit when I see 'im. Can you even imagine cuttin' your own hand off Darylina? Ya sure as shit ain't got the balls to do it." Merle said.
"Merle don' start shit. We just got here, we just lost people. Bad enough right now without ya cause shit." Daryl explained, "Can ya just do my a solid and not be a asshole for once?"
"Pffft. Whatever baby brother." He blew him off, cracking his neck in irritation.
Glenn joined them, his face concerned. "You're gonna tell me more about this guy. You see what he did to her?"
"Yeah I had to clean her up last night. Tol' ya he's a sick fucker." Merle said flatly. Daryl looked between the two men.
"What?" Daryl asked Glenn.
"Has huge cuts on her back from the belt, split lip, black eye. A huge lump on her head. Hershel says she's got a concussion. Her feet are destroyed but she also has.. a bite mark." Glenn detailed, shifting his weight from one foot to another.
Daryl looked concerned, "She's bit?"
"Not by a walker, by the Governor. Apparently his into that sorta thing." Merle said squirming in his seat uncomfortably while remembering the vicious wound on her pale chest.
Glenn cleared his throat and said, "So tell me everything about this guy and if he's going to be looking for you both."
"Oh he's lookin' for us. He ain't one to let someone steal one of his toys. He don' share. I was his 2nd in command so he ain't gonna be too happy with me. If he finds me or her we're dead. Well she'll be tortured, raped and maybe kept alive for a few months then dead."
Daryl shook his head, "Jesus Merle. Why ya with a guy like that?"
"Well fuck, I don't know maybe cuz I had to cut off my fuckin' hand and he saved my life. I owed him and never could get free of the debt. Most the time we just stole shit and fortified the town. Ain't nothing I haven't done before." He explained then said, "Look I ain't proud of where I been or what I done but I didn't have a choice in the beginning and then I got too deep. Don' it matter I left, got 'er out?"
"Well yeah it matters but you're being hunted now and ya brought it to our doorstep." Daryl said pacing.
"Well it wasn't my plan. We were gonna take the car and run but there y'all were. They said ya was here and I thought ya'd wanna see your big brother. Plus she needed help." Merle said with his arms crossed.
"Daryl!" Hershel shouted out, "Bring Merle, need help in here."
Daryl raised an eyebrow and said, "Come on Merle."
Merle narrowed his eyes and walked with them into a cellblock. They could her Sam yelling as Maggie tried to coax her out of the cell.
"Maggie's trying to get her to go wash up so I can bandage everything up. She won't leave and is asking for him." Hershel explained while gesturing to Merle.
Merle shook his head, "I ain't helpin with some cryin' woman."
"Merle," Daryl said firmly. "Go."
Merle growled and stomped into the cell. "Out," he snapped at Maggie who scurried away. The group watched Merle bend down to make eye contact with the tense woman. Sam was backed into a corner of the cell, her eyes wild.
"Ok girl. Bath time." He said gruffly. Sam shook her head and tightened her fists.
"Come on don't be a baby. Get the fuck out there." He growled his patience running low. He was helping her out but he wasn't going to be a pussy about it and comfort her. Stepping back he put his hand out towards her. When she didn't take it he snapped, "Ain't got all day princess get the fuck outta 'er."
Taking her offered hand by the wrist he stalked out of the cell, "Which way?"
They pointed the direction to the bathrooms and he walked towards it, Sam shuffling as he tugged her along. They watched them leave with baffled expressions.
"What the actual fuck?" Glenn asked, "Seriously I don't understand how she finds him the safe option out of all of us."
"Glenn language and it's because he got her out of that place. He's familiar, we're strangers." Hershel explained his body leaning heavily on his crutches.
"Daryl go wait for them at the showers," Hershel said, "Everyone else we need more guards, if that man finds us here we're in trouble."
Merle was leaning against the wall outside the showers when Daryl strolled up.
"She ok?" he asked his big brother. Merle shrugged his crossed arms and sighed loudly. "Fuck if I know. Hopefully she don' drown in there. Ain't savin her ass again."
Daryl smirked and shook his head. "Fuck Merle ya gone soft on me huh?"
"Fuck you Darylina. Ain't no pussy." He growled but stopped talking when he heard a yelp in the bathroom. Opening the door quickly he walked in to see Sam's wide eyes. "What the fuck girl?" he hollered. Sam turned around keeping her back to the two men staring at her.
"Sorry. I fell. I'm fine." she stuttered out, her wet hair hanging in her eyes. She stood nude and shivering next to a giant tub they were using to wash up in.
Merle huffed pushing his brother out of the room while shutting the door. Daryl's eyes were on fire. He saw the deep wounds on her back. They were similar to his and they made his guts churn. She would have scars crisscrossing her back once they healed.
"Yeah. Ya see that baby brother. That's why I took 'er. So stop givin' me shit." Merle said gruffly before ending the conversation.
A few minutes later Sam opened the door. Her hair was blonde again and her skin clean. The angry bruises on her face and neck were even darker than the night before. The large t-shirt she wore exposed the finger and handprints marring her tender skin. Merle could see her lip was bleeding again from being washed.
"Gonna need stitches girl." He commented. Nodding she shuffled her feet which were now wearing a pair of flip-flops. Merle frowned, "Those the shoes they gave ya? You're gonna break your goddamn ankles in those."
"Said they'd wrap my feet after the shower," she said looking up at the two surly men, her eyes shifted back and forth and then to the ground.
"Well come on then le's get it done. Fuckin' standin' there like some dimwit." Merle said gruffly and wandered back toward the cellblock. Sam tried to keep up with his gait but her legs were much shorter and her feet were torn to shreds. Daryl watched in amusement at Merle's new shadow.
Sam was put in Hershel cell for bandages and medications. Merle stood watching to keep her from freaking out again. Once she passed out from the pain meds Merle was brought back out to the holding cell in the front room of the prison. He sat down and was handed a bowl of oatmeal. "All ya got is fuckin' shitty prison food huh?" he asked before scooping the mushy oats into his mouth.
"Nice to see you to Merle," Carol snarked. Merle grinned at her. "Well hello there Sweetcheeks. Where's that asshole husband of yours?"
"He's dead Merle," she responded, her face expressionless.
"Good. Hope he suffered the dumbfuck." He said while shoveling more food into his mouth. Carol smirked and went to Hershel's cell with food and water for the girl when she woke up.
Shortly after Sam was settled Rick appeared out from the tombs. He was shocked to see Merle and was brought up to speed on what was happening. Merle had some choice words for the sheriff and there was a small scuffle, which included shoves and punches. It ended with Rick acquiring a split eyebrow and Merle being tackled by Daryl. After he calmed down they all sat down to talk. Merle glared at Rick while they spoke but no longer threatened him.
Merle spoke more about Woodbury, the Governor and his men. They went over what to expect from them if they showed and where they had been scouting last. It was good information for the group at the prison. They were able to prepare for an enemy before the enemy knew they existed.
An hour later Carl called them outside. "Dad someone's at the gate."
Once outside they saw a woman standing at the fence, she was surrounded by walkers but they didn't seem to notice her. Approaching the gates Merle saw it was the black woman they brought in a few days prior to his escape. He saw her recognize him and he grinned. Her eye's widened and she started to back away, obviously thinking she just stumbled onto another Governor controlled complex.
"Well it's the Nubian Queen." He drawled.
"Ya know her?" Daryl asked. Merle nodded. The woman fell to her knees, obviously too tired and too sick to leave or come forward.
Rick opened the gate and pulled her inside after killing the approaching walkers. Once within the prison fences she blacked out. They got her inside and saw she was shot. Hershel was working on her while Merle spoke to the others.
Merle fiddled with his prosthesis he said, "Her and blondie spent all winter cuddling up in the forest." When no one responded he looked up and explained, "Sugartits is there too."
"Who?" Rick asked his brow wrinkled.
"Andrea, that blonde uppity bitch. Came in with the Nubian queen. Had two pet walkers. No arms, cut off the jaws, kept them in chains. Kind of ironic now that I think about it." Merle said distractedly as he tightened a strap.
"Andrea is in Woodbury?" Rick asked.
"That's what I said ain't it?" Merle growled. "We snagged them out of the woods. Andrea was close to dying. She's right next to the Governor now. Snug as two little bugs."
The men sat staring at each other a moment. "Why is she here?" Rick asked jutting his chin towards the woman in a locked cell.
"She wasn't to fond of the place. She's got good guts I guess. Knew it was rotten from the get go. Andrea though she was hot 'n bothered for the Gov. He is a charmer, I got to tell you that." Merle spoke while adjusting another strap around his arm.
Rick shook his head and scratched his beard. "When she wakes up we figure out why she's here. She might be a spy or somethin'"
"Nah. She hated the Gov. She's shot. I'd say she ran and they sent a huntin' party after 'er. Since I'm gone I'd say it's Martinez. Can' track for shit." Merle said pulling out a pack of smokes Daryl gave him and sliding one into his mouth.
"Outside Merle." Hershel said while sitting with his arms crossed.
Merle looked at him incredulously, "Come on gramps. If ya can't smoke in the pen where can ya?"
"Outside Merle." Hershel responded flatly.
"Fine, fine." he drawled his hand up in surrender.
Ok so a few things have changed. Carol isn't lost in the tombs. I needed Daryl to interact with his brother, not search for her. I may change Rick's crazytown vacation also.
Some of the dialog at Merle's arrival I have pulled from the show when Merle showed up at the car after Woodbury escape and when Daryl and he returned to the prison.
Things will probably change a little along the way but I don't mind it, hopefully you don't either. I'm not fond of rewriting exactly from the shows script. I like to play with a little.
Anyways. Thanks for reading. Hopefully there's an audience who enjoys Merle.
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