Sweet Jesus, I've been writing this fic for 5 years now. Where has the time gone? Thank you all for sticking with me.
Sam watched Merle fume as Rick detailed what exactly they'd signed the people of Alexandria up for. He wasn't alone. The room was filled with concerned faces. Morgan voiced opposition for the plan, he wanted to talk with the aggressive group, he didn't want more blood on his hands.
Merle's opinion on the matter was far from in favor, but the idea of striking first before they were also shaken down for the supplies wasn't his problem with the strategy. He was all for taking care of a problem before they had a chance to take care of them. What he was upset with was the lack of planning and the blind trust they were putting in the man they just met. Merle was not someone to take anyone's word, especially when it came to putting his blood in danger. Rick wanted to go full steam ahead, but Merle being the ex military man he was, wanted more intel than the word from a practical stranger.
"Y'all lost your goddamn minds if ya think this hippy is to be trusted." Merle sneered, tossing a glare toward the man in question.
"So what're you sayin', bro?" Daryl growled back, "Ya okay with these fucks showin' up and takin' food from your kid's mouth?"
"Keep it up, Darylina." Merle snapped, "Ya know I'll cut the dick off anybody who even thinks of hurtin' what's mine. All's I'm sayin' is we take the time t'know what were steppin' in before we get served a shit sandwich and a belly full of fuckin' lead."
"There's no time for what you want." Rick replied, his hands resting on his hips as he looked over the group. "They have a hostage and will kill him without Gregory's head."
"All fuckin' well! Why's it our problem?" Merle snapped, "They ain't family. They want their man back, they gotta figure that shit out on their own."
"Because this Negan will be on our doorstep next."
"Maybe we can make a deal without blood shed. We know what they'll be expecting from us, why not wait?" A woman from the garden crew asked.
"We are already struggling to feed ourselves. We take on the weight of the demands from a bunch of thugs and we won't make it through winter." Rick drawled, his eyes scanning the group. "This is what needs to happen. This is the price we pay to survive."
"Nah." Merle growled, his heated eyes flashing dangerously. "The price we pay is when we step up to these assholes and find out that we don't know shit about shit. We could be dealin' with another Governor and I don't know 'bout you but I don't want another dumb mistake like underestimating an enemy to come back to bite us in the ass. We barely made it last time we threw down."
"That was before the road, before Terminus, before Atlanta. We're stronger now. We'll win this one and when we do, we'll be set for winter with the trade we have with Hilltop." Rick replied, stepping towards the front of the church the group was gathered in. "This is what is happening. Now I'm giving y'all the choice to come along but that's the only choice I'm givin'. Merle you can stay back if ya want, but I know you're brother and I would like your experience on this mission."
"My experience in killin' people in their sleep?" Merle sneered, his icy eyes sliding back and forth between the two. "Nah I don't have any experience being such a pussy that I gotta take a man on as they cat nap."
"Bro, we're doin' it the safe way."
"Yeah if ya call walkin' up blind to the big bad boogie man and kicking him in the balls careful. Ya both don't know shit about shit."
"I know that if we don't do this, then Sam and your unborn baby will always be in danger." Jesus offered. "Negan won't stop until he owns everyone and everything. It's only a mater of time that he finds you."
"You let me worry about what's mine, pretty boy." Merle snapped, pointing an angry finger towards him. "Ya stay outta my way out there or I'll slice and dice you like those other fucks."
Merle stomped out of the building before the vote, but Sam stayed to listen to the full plan. The group decided on heading out at night to take on the group known as the Saviors. She could feel a sick sense of dread filling her chest at the idea of them instigating something that could potentially blow up in the faces. She trusted Rick and she trusted Daryl, but Merle was her husband. He had always had a gut for situations and with him saying they were making the wrong play, Sam wanted to follow his lead.
Merle paced the living room, while Daryl stared at him blandly.
"Ya gonna talk or just stomp around like some bitch?" Daryl rasped, his lip curled up as Merle growled back.
"Ya gonna be Rick's lil lap dog forever, Darylina?" Merle snapped back, his eyes narrowed dangerously. "Cuz the only bitch I see 'round 'ere is you."
"Fuck you." Daryl snapped, standing up to his full height and facing off against his older brother.
"Nah, son. Fuck you if ya think I'm gonna be sayin' how high when Sheriff says jump. This is my ass on the line, my wife, my fuckin' kid. And I'm not just fallin' behind a dumb fuck with a half assed plan."
"Then sit your ass here at home." Daryl snapped, the hurt he was feeling evident on his face. "Don't fuckin' need ya anyways. We got shit handled just fine."
"Oh yeah?" Merle crowed, his teeth bared into a mean grin. "That why ya here beggin' ol' Merle to get your back?"
"Nah, I'm here because I thought my blood would have my back. Obviously I was wrong."
"Only thing you're wrong about is trustin' this Jesus freak and lettin' Rick yank your chain around like some junk yard dog." Merle flashed his brother a set of icy eyes. "Ya forget Woodbury? I know all about bein' someone's goddamn hired gun."
Daryl glared at his brother, his jaw set tight. "Rick ain't like that. This was my idea n' it's my call. Ya wanna stay behind that's your call."
Merle ground his teeth as his brother stalked out of the house, the door slamming shut followed by the rattle of the windows.
"Fuck." He grunted, scrubbing his face with a rough palm.
"What're you gonna do, Merle?" Sam asked from the staircase, her hands resting on the curve under her t-shirt. "You can't let him go alone?"
"Stubborn asshole." He huffed, plopping down in front of her on the stairs. Sam wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed his neck.
"I don't agree with the plan but you can't let him go alone."
"Won't be alone." Merle grumbled, the jealously he still harbored for his brother's close-knit friendship with Rick still rising up despite his denial of it existing.
"You'll always be his big brother and he'll always need you." Sam murmured against his shoulder, her hands stroking his chest and ribs. "He won't admit it but he wants you there because he trusts you to have his back."
"Yeah, well. He trusts that fucker more, won't listen to shit I say." Merle replied, leaning his temple against hers. "Don't understand how he don't get it."
"I think they get it, they're just desperate to make this place work." She answered, pulling back to slid down on the step next to him. She cupped his face and kissed him firmly. "They're doin' this for the group. For me and for our kid. We might not agree with the plan but its already decided. The only thing you can do is try to keep them from getting killed."
"And if it blows back in our faces? If we end up openin' a can of worms we can't seal back up?"
"Then we deal with it as it comes, I guess." Sam replied, with a shrug. "There's no stoppin' this at this point. Rick's got it in his head and your brother is a stubborn and hard headed as you are, so basically, sweetheart, we're fucked."
Merle laughed gruffly, pulling her mouth to his by the nape of her neck. He kissed her thoroughly before rising to his feet. "Gonna pack up some gear. Meet me at the gates before we head out?"
"Definitely."
"You stay with Carl and Judy while we're gone, alright?"
"Of course." She replied. "I have to start training for this kiddo otherwise I will be up shit creek without a paddle."
Sam watched the caravan of people leaving for the mission. A large group were going to terminate a potential problem before it hit their doorstep. She wasn't a fan of the plan and wished that they had listened to Merle about planning it more extensively but it wasn't her call. All she could hope for was that they all would return unharmed and that Jesus was telling them the truth about the other group.
Daryl had seemed pleased that Merle had changed his mind, his thankful eyes meeting hers as they climbed inside the Rv. She rolled hers in return before telling him to bring her husband back in one piece or else he'd meet the wrath of a pissed off pregnant lady.
"They'll be okay." Carl spoke from her side, his arms filled with a sleepy Judith.
"Yeah." She remarked, her eyes sliding to the teens. "Just worried we're jumping the gun."
"I don't." Carl replied, his lip curling slightly. "My dad knows what he's doing."
Sam only shrugged in return. She wasn't too sure she agreed with his statement but didn't want to argue about something that wasn't going to change.
"Let's get Judy in bed." Sam replied, motioning to their home. "I'm going to stay with you tonight. You're dad wanted me to keep an eye on you."
Carl laughed at that and confessed. "He told me the same thing."
"What?"
"To keep an eye on you."
Merle watched quietly as the guy from Hilltop greeted the guards outside the outpost. He handed over the sack containing a walker's head that looked remarkably like Gregory. They'd stopped while on their way to find a suitable look alike, the undead corpse needing only a small adjustment to its face in the form of a broken nose provided by Rick.
Merle still wasn't a fan of the plan, not because he felt anything was wrong with killing a problem before it became an issue but more with not knowing what they were really walking into. They had intel on the group but it was from an outside source, someone they'd just met. It didn't make sense to Merle that they would even listen to the strange fuckers claims, let alone offered their skills, without first doing a little recon themselves. He could give fuck all about Hilltop's missing man, but he did want the food they could provide. His pregnant wife wasn't going to starve, if it meant killing a bunch of strangers, then so be it. Merle just wished that they knew exact numbers before strolling into the lion's den.
The guards were skillfully killed and their bodies hidden from view by his brother and Rick. Merle was paired up with his brother and Rick as they began sliding into dorm rooms and killing sleeping Saviors.
Daryl motioned for him to take the next door, his gesturing to the left before slowly turning the knob. Merle slid inside quietly, his eyes adjusting to the dim light to find two sleeping individuals. In one cot a black male slept on his stomach, his hand hanging off the bed above a handgun. Merle slowly place his toe on the grip to make sure he couldn't grab it if he woke. Perching above the man, Merle aimed his bayonet blade at the base of his head before glancing over to Daryl who stooped over the other sleeping man. They counted off silently before both slid their blade home into their victim's skulls.
Merle could feel the man struggle for a moment before his body went lax. Blood poured onto the pillow, the blue cotton turning red as it soaked through. He glanced at Daryl to find him wiping his blade clean in the dead man's back. They stared at each other a long moment, Merle seeing something close to regret in his brother's eyes before they went steely.
"Hurry up, let's go." Merle spoke quietly, tipping his chin to the door. "We got more fucks to kill."
Sam stood barefoot in the kitchen stirring a boiling pot of water filled with pasta. The irony didn't get passed her as she rubbed her swollen stomach.
"Can't believe I'm barefoot and pregnant in a kitchen." She muttered under her breath, glancing down at the shirt stretching over the dramatic curve. "This is all your father's fault you know."
"I believe the proverb is 'it takes two to tango'." A voice spoke over her shoulder.
Sam turned to find Eugene standing in the doorway, his lips pursed and brow furrowed.
"Shouldn't you be on guard duty?" she asked dryly, turning back to the pot of pasta.
"I'm taking my allotted chow time. I was hoping I could accrue some sustenance from this domicile."
"You mean, you want me to make you dinner." Sam muttered, her eyebrow cocked in amusement.
"Yes ma'am" Eugene mumbled, sitting down at the kitchen island. Sam rolled her eyes and turned to the fridge, pulling out a Tupperware dish of leftovers. Tossing it towards him, she said, "Here. I ain't married to you so heat your own damn food up."
"Thank you, ma'am."
"And enough of the ma'am shit." She huffed, "You're making me feel old."
The group had cleaned house at the outpost, the bodies being left where they lied as they cleared out the armory. After a short hostage situation with Carol and Maggie being taken by outside Saviors, the group reunited to collect all the gear they'd discovered. Merle stood with Rick and others over the man who'd claimed to be Negan.
"M' tellin' ya, he ain't the guy in charge." Merle sneered, pointing his bayonet blade at the dead man in leather. "That pussy ain't runnin' no goddamn protection racket. He doesn't got the fuckin' balls."
"He confessed."
"Nah." Merle scoffed, throwing his hand up in frustration. "He took the heat off his boss. Takes stones to run a group of guys like these. Takes a fuckin' Governor to run shit like this."
The name was thrown out like garbage, a sneer curling his lip aggressively. The people who didn't know of the man could tell by the hatred cutting through Merle's eyes that he'd been the worst of the worst.
"This fuck?" Merle rasped, while motioning to the dead man, his voice rough and irritated. "This fuck ain't no Governor."
Rick stood with his hands heavy on his hips and he drawled, "I don't know what to tell ya, Merle. We got all of 'em. If he got out, he's got no more men to back 'im."
Merle growled, "You remember what happened when we assumed the same shit before?"
Rick glared at him for a solid minute before he drawled, "We'll keep patrolling. Looking for any sign of 'im. That's all we can do."
Throwing up his hand in frustration, Merle hissed, "If this comes back on us and puts my wife, my kid, in danger, I'll shove my fist down your throat, Grimes."
"Come on, Merle." Daryl huffed next to him, pulling him away from Rick.
"Drop it, we did what we had to. We got what we need. Let's get the fuck outta here before all the dead show up from the gunfire."
"All I'm sayin' is, if there's more of these fuckers out there and they show up on our doorstep with a goddamn tank, I'm feedin' Grimes and that Jesus freak to them."
Days passed with little to no change, the people of Alexandria going about their business. The pressure of finding food was relieved as Hilltop helped fill their pantries with fresh produce and animals products.
Merle was still on edge despite the quiet that followed their siege on the satellite outpost. He was not going to put his guard down, not when he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. The redneck had always lived in a world where what could go wrong went wrong, he wasn't an optimist and he wasn't light of heart. He knew deep down their choices were going to come back and bite him in the ass. He knew eventually retribution would land on their doorstep. He could feel it in his bone marrow and his churning guts. Their struggles to survive were far from over.
"Hey." Sam greeted him as he stood on the wall above the gate. "Brought lunch."
Merle looked down at his wife, her words and smile bringing his own lips into a grin.
"Hey, sugar." He replied as he watched her climb the last rung of the ladder. His hand wrapped around her arm as she made her way on top of the guard landing.
"Careful." He muttered as she sat down on the edge, her feet swinging back and forth.
"I'm fine." She huffed as he kept a grip on her waist with the fear of her toppling off the wood planks.
"Shouldn't be up here." Merle grumbled, taking a seat next to her as she opened the tupperware in her lap.
"Oh hush." Sam presented him with a meal of rice, beans and sliced tomatoes. "I won't fall, now eat your lunch."
"You eat already?" He asked before taking a bite.
"Yes." Sam rolled her eyes at him but he could see the smile curling her lips.
"Good girl." Merle grunted through a mouthful of food, chewing loudly as he scanned the area for anything out of the ordinary. The rough rumble of a pick up truck had him turning to look back at the town, his brow furrowing as he found Daryl, Rosita and Denise pulling up to the gate.
"The fuck y'all goin'?" Merle hollered down at his brother.
Daryl leaned an elbow on the opened window, his head turning up to the couple. "Got a lead on medicine, gonna go check it out."
"You takin' kiddies on field trips now?" Merle mocked, his gaze trailing over the town's doctor before returning to Daryl. "Think it's wise takin' our only doc out there?"
"Gotta learn sometime." Daryl rasped, his head cocking to the side. "Gonna let us out or what?"
"A'right, A'right." Merle growled setting his lunch aside to climb down and open the gate up. "Don't get those panties in a wad, Darylina."
"Fuck off and open the damn thing already." Daryl growled, waving his hand in frustration. "Damn pain in my ass."
"Right, right. I'm the pain your ass." Merle shoved the gate open and as Daryl drove through Merle gripped the driver's side window and instructed. "Don't get your ass bit out there lil brother."
"Fuck off." Daryl huffed before nodding a goodbye to Sam and driving through the gate.
"Boy's got no respect." Merle complained as took a seat next to Sam again.
Sam snorted, her elbow nudging Merle in the ribs. "Boys pushin' forty. Probably time to let him make his own decisions."
"Shit, I let that happen and he'll be dead in a week."
"Right." Sam laughed under her breath as she smirked at him. "Cuz you're the cautious one."
"Hey," Merle growled playfully, his arm wrapping around her shoulders to pull her closer to his side. "Don't like your tone, there missy."
"You mean the one where I call you out on your shit?" She giggled as he dug his fingers into her ribs.
"Yeah, that one." He huffed before leaning in to kiss her chastely. "Now go on git, girl. I got shit to do."
"Fine." Sam groaned, pushing herself to her knees only to have Merle rise and help her to her feet.
"Easy there, gonna topple off this shit being all bottom heavy."
"Stop talkin' about how fat I am."
"Ain't fat, darlin'. You're pleasantly plump."
"Oh fuck you." She huffed, shoving him away as he got her on the ground. "Keep talkin' like that and you won't get within ten feet of our bed until this kids thirty."
"Right, right. I'll believe that shit when I see. No way you givin' up gettin' this dick, baby." Merle grinned as she rolled her eyes despite her flushing cheeks. "You like it too much."
"Damn right." She purred, kissing his jaw and lips before pulling back.
"Only reason I keep you around really."
"You wound me, little girl" he hollered as she walked away, her middle finger raised above her shoulder. "See you later sweetheart. You bes' be ready for me too."
Sam sat on the front porch steps, her hands stroking her stomach which had become habit when she was stressed. She tried to soothe the worry twisting to her guts as she listened to the discussion happening on the sidewalk.
Denise was dead. Shot while finding medicine for the town.
Sam grit her teeth as Abraham and Daryl explained how the man who'd robbed him of his bike and bow shot the doctor with his own weapon. Eugene was grazed by a bullet, while the others barely escaped with their lives.
The Saviors were alive.
"How many total?"
"Seven. I'd say five walked away after Eugene went snapping turtle on that guy's funsack." Abraham drawled, smoothing down his mustache.
"I fuckin' tol' you." Merle snarled as he glared at Rick with something close to repulsed fury. "That dead prick wasn't him. I tol' all y'all this shit wasn't done and now Hells comin' for us and I'm handin' ya over when he gets 'ere."
"Man, back off." Daryl huffed pushing Merle back as he got in Rick's face, his finger jabbing he man in the chest.
"Naw." Merle's sneer was vicious, his teeth bared as he shoved Daryl's hands away. "I ain't backin' off shit. This fucker signed our death certificates. I'm not lettin' this prick off the hook again."
"This ain't his fault."
"And you." Merle hissed, a furious look of loathing smeared across his face. "My own blood. You didn't wanna hear shit from me. That fucker came here saw what we had, saw what we could do and thought, these fuckers could save our yellow belly ass'. Why else would he try to set up some trade with his people? They're already bein' raked over the coals for their shit."
"We trusted his word."
"Yeah well ya'll as dumb as a pile of dogshit if ya think he's got our goddamn well being on his mind. He's tellin' us a group is throwin' their weight around and ya think it a good idea to just jump feet first. Ya got no damn idea about numbers and weapons, ya got no idea on the type o' folks they are. For all you know they could be a group of well trained military and we just kicked the hornets nest."
"Jesus said..." Rick drawled.
"Jesus this and Jesus that. Aint y'all listenin'?" Merle's voice echoed down the street. "He's a damn stranger and y'all took his word for it and now we stepped in a world of shit. We got to prepare for hell rainin' down on us before another Governor comes knocking on our gates with a tank."
Sam's fingers wove through his and she pulled him back, her trembling frame tucking into his side. Merle glanced down as he felt her shivering, her fingers clutching into his T-shirt.
"Ya okay?" He asked instantly, turning to wrap an arm around her waist.
"Yeah." She muttered, shaking her head a bit. "Just woozy there for a moment."
"Let's go inside." He rasped, glancing at Rick with a hateful look. "Figure this shit out now. We got people dependin' on it."
Merle walked Sam up the stairs and had her tucked into bed. "I'll get you somethin' to eat."
"I'm okay, Merle. I just..."
"What, baby?" He rasped, sitting next her.
"I'm scared." She croaked, her hands fisting the blanket over her legs. "We can't lose this place."
"Hey, hey, hey." Merle murmured, leaning forward To wrap her close to his chest. He tucked his face against her neck and rasped, "We ain't losin this place. I won't let it, darlin'. You and Peanut are gonna be just fine."
"What if..."
"Naw, no what ifs." He kissed along her shoulder and neck. "Me 'n you, we'll keep our littl'n safe. No matter what. We do this together. Everythin's gonna be fine."
Merle spent the evening keeping Sam comfortable and distracted, while he began building back up plans for his family. If need be, he'd leave Alexandria and find some place just for his blood. He find a way to make Daryl go with them.
He'd thought trusting Rick was a good call after the man came through with finding them a home, but he couldn't back his plans any longer. He couldn't trust the man to keep his wife and kid safe. Not when they were in probably greater danger than ever before.