No, This Is Tabitha

The tall man began to turn as if to start leading them forward without explanation, but Beth stepped forward until she was next to Daryl and spoke up.

"Are you the Swamp Witch?" She asked.

The man paused and faced her once more, appearing a bit puzzled. Then he chuckled and shook his head. "Swamp Witch? No, I'm definitely not."

"Then who are you?" Daryl barked a little too defensively, eyeing the walking stick in the man's hand.

He smiled understandingly and replied, "I live here, too. We're friends."

"So yer like - the doorman," Beth blurted out. Her cheeks immediately went pink and she snapped her mouth shut. The balding man frowned, but then he shrugged.

"Sure. If that's what you wanna call it," he said simply.

She exchanged a look with Daryl: Told you. He scowled back and grunted unhappily.

"So y'all knew we was comin', huh? How?" He asked, eyes narrowed at the tall man. She could see his arm flexing as his hand tightened around the gun concealed against his jeans.

The other man raised his eyebrows and gestured towards the purse resting against Beth's hip. "Well you certainly didn't get that map by accident. No one knows about this place unless we want them to."

Beth swallowed hard and looked over at Daryl, whose brow was creased as he continued staring unblinking at the tall man, glancing at the walking stick precariously. Then she took a couple steps forward before he could stop her or object.

She reached out a hand. "I'm Beth Greene."

The balding man smiled warmly and reached out to shake her hand. He bowed his head and responded, "Nice to meet you, Miss Greene. I'm Eastman. Now if your recently deceased passenger would join us, we can be on our way back to the house."

Her jaw dropped open and she blinked dumbly, slowly pulling her hand away before looking back at Daryl. He appeared a bit dumbfounded, too.

"Y'all can leave the truck here, won't nothin' happen to it," Eastman assured.

"That ain't what I'm worried about," Daryl growled, still eyeing the other man suspiciously as he slipped the gun back into his waistband - no longer attempting any sort of discretion.

"You were all three invited so you won't be harmed. I can promise you," Eastman told him, apparently unfazed by the sight of the weapon.

"Won't be us that gets harmed."

"Daryl, that's enough," Beth snapped, shooting him a sideways glare. She looked back to Eastman, hopeful, and asked, "You can see Merle? In the truck?"

He grinned and said simply, "Plain as day."

Then there was a rustling of grass from the greenery at the side of the road. Beth quickly looked towards the source of the sound and her heart dropped to her feet. She froze, petrified as her blood went cold.

"Jesus FUCK - get back, Beth!" Daryl cried out, alarmed.

She didn't even feel Daryl's hand on her arm until he was jerking her backward, immediately yanking her behind him and throwing an arm out as if to protect her. All she could do was stare, completely perplexed.

The dark gray head emerged first, followed by the rigid back and monstrous tail, scales glistening in the sunlight. It slithered out and crossed the road so fast that it was almost a blur, but then it stopped at Eastman's side and turned to face them - mere feet away, glassy eyes dead set on Beth and Daryl as it hissed through its several rows of razor sharp teeth.

It was so large and distinguishable, it had to be the same alligator they'd seen earlier.

Her breath caught in her chest and she made a squeaking sound, too terrified to move a muscle or even turn and run. Daryl urged her back another step, his face gone pale and his eyes as big as saucers. He looked to Eastman frantically and Beth was just waiting for the gator to inevitably take a chomp out of the man's meaty leg.

Yet Eastman acted like he barely noticed. When the alligator let out a low growl that seemed to rumble the mud beneath it, he glanced over very nonchalantly and smiled. Then he looked from Beth to Daryl and back again before chuckling.

"Don't be scared, she doesn't hurt friends," he said.

"Shut the fuck up, that's a goddamn alligator, man!" Daryl cried, voice high-pitched and cracking as he slashed an arm angrily through the air. "It ain't got friends - it's got meals! That's a fuckin' killing machine, man!"

God's perfect killing machine, Beth remembered.

Eastman laughed and shook his head, gesturing down to the gator. "No, this is Tabitha."

The gator lifted its head to reveal the tan underside of its jaw and gaze at Eastman, and Beth could've swore it briefly shot him a look of… affection? Were gators even capable of showing affection? She had no idea, but somehow this one seemed very different. It certainly had a personality, if that was possible.

"You gotta be fuckin' kidding me," Daryl said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Beth nearly laughed, unable to tear her eyes away from the ferocious predator standing beside Eastman like it was some kind of pet. And hell - the guy was basically saying it was some kind of pet.

"She protects us just as we've always protected her," Eastman explained, smiling as though he were discussing the weather. He looked over to the gator - Tabitha - and told her, "It's okay, he's never met anyone like us. But he's a good man. He doesn't want to hurt innocent people. He'll get used to us."

Tabitha hissed back, but it wasn't an angry hiss. In fact, it sounded like an agreement.

Then Eastman raised his eyebrows and gave Daryl a very pointed look. "Like I said, no one will be harmed today. Now - let's get your dearly departed and make our way to the house, shall we?"


When it came time for Merle to leave the truck, he suddenly had a change of heart.

Eastman and Tabitha began leading the way forward but after Beth gestured a half-dozen times for Merle to join them and he didn't appear, she apologized and began heading back to the truck to see what the hell the hold-up was. Daryl moved to join her but she stopped him and he silently agreed, hesitating where he stood - keeping a good distance between him and Tabitha. Eastman stood and watched, waiting patiently much like he had when they'd first arrived.

Beth glared at Merle through the windshield as she stalked through the mud, but he was purposefully avoiding her gaze and looking out the passenger window, sitting in the cab of the truck like he had nowhere important to be. When she approached and yanked open the passenger side door, she huffed angrily.

"Come on," she said, already frustrated.

He crossed his arms over his chest, frowning. "Why don't she come out an' meet us? I don't like the looks a this. It's sketchy - you might be puttin' Daryl in danger."

She gave him an indignant look and snapped, "Are you kidding me? You're the one who was so insistent on him coming with us, on him helping me. We drove all this way, this is not the time to back out, Merle."

"Yeah but this ain't lookin' nothin' like I expected. It's weird as shit," he argued. "And what the fuck's the deal with that goddamn alligator? That dude keepin' it as a fuckin' pet? Or is that his dinner? 'Cause that thing could snap any minute an' eat you fer a snack, blondie!"

Beth rolled her eyes and sighed, exasperated. "Her name is Tabitha and she's harmless. Besides, if she's gonna eat anybody, it's gonna be the guy she's closest to - and that's not Daryl or me. Now c'mon. It's nothing like I expected either but how the hell were we supposed to expect anything? The whole thing is weird, it's been weird ever since you showed up and wouldn't leave!"

Merle scoffed, sucking on his teeth indignantly. "Nah. I don't like the looks a this - "

"Shut the fuck up and come with us - now. Or I'll go inside and have the Swamp Witch make you join us."

"You don't know that she can even do that! Yer fuckin' lyin'. 'M not that stupid, princess."

Beth narrowed her eyes and muttered, "But you don't know either. So try me. I'm sure she's got some kinda way to make you go away forever."

She wasn't expecting it to, but that elicited exactly the reaction she'd been going for. Merle appeared a little startled, though he quickly tried to cover it up with a smug laugh.

He tightened his arms across his chest and glared down at her from the seat, jaw clenching uneasily. "That's all this is anyhow. You only came all the way out here ta get rid of me for good. You don't wanna help, you don't give a shit that somebody killed me. Neither does Daryl… You jus' want me outta yer hair, you don't give two shits whether I end up in fuckin' Limbo forever. Both a y'all are just as goddamn selfish as you accuse me of being - so what's that make you, huh? Ya sure as hell ain't no better than The Horrible Merle Dixon, I'll tell ya that much."

Beth shook her head, a bit flabbergasted and unsure of where to even start with his poorly timed outburst. "What - where is this even coming from? The whole point has always been to get rid of you - yer supposed to cross over, Merle. I've made it very clear that I don't like you and that your presence is nothin' more than a nuisance. And as for Daryl: he's your brother, you knucklehead. Of course he cares. He's just a stubborn asshole who hates to show emotion and thinks that being human is inherently weak. Just like you." She sighed and rolled her eyes. "You're so dense sometimes!"

Merle slashed a hand through the air in frustration and scoffed at her. "You don't know shit about me an' Daryl, sweetheart. Ain't nothin' gonna be good enough fer him, he's not gonna help you if it means helping me. He's just gonna take the easiest goddamn way out - an' what if this cunt gives ya that easy way out? Huh? You gonna take it? You gonna let Daryl off the hook an' condemn ol' Merle to an uncertain eternity jus' 'cause he said some shit you were too fuckin' soft ta see the humor in?!"

Her mouth opened to respond but he cut her off, gesturing to the cross around her neck, "Yer full a shit - both of you. You don't wanna help no lost soul, you ain't no child of God or fuckin' footwasher like JC Himself. You jus' wanna live on yer little farm with yer pretty little flowers and yer shallow fuckin' magazines an' pretend there ain't other people out there who got it a whole hell of a lot worse'an you - people you could help."

"You're wrong," Beth said firmly. "Completely and totally wrong. I do want to help. Otherwise I wouldn't be here. And if I get an easy way out, I won't take it. Not until we find an answer. Okay? If you're so sure that you were murdered, then we'll get to the bottom of it. One way or another. I sure as hell don't want some murderer out there walking free, I'm not gonna take an easy way out if that's the case. And I can assure you right now, Daryl wouldn't be here if he didn't wanna help either. He's sure as shit not here for me - he's here for you. And no matter how disloyal you might think he is, he wouldn't be comfortable knowing that his big brother is stuck in Limbo forever. You're brothers. That bond doesn't go away just 'cause one of you is dead."

Merle stared forward with narrowed eyes, chewing on the inside of his cheek thoughtfully. He was still scowling, a stubborn expression etched into his features while his gaze was set on nothing in particular.

"Maybe I ain't so good," he muttered hoarsely, refusing to look at her and keeping his eyes forward. "Maybe I made some mistakes, did some shit without thinkin'. That don't mean I'm any less deserving of… whatever mercy everybody gets after death. I love my brother. I woulda died fer my brother…"

"He knows that, Merle," Beth said, letting go of the edge in her tone. "And I think he woulda done the same for you."

He didn't acknowledge her. He went on, "Nobody's perfect. Daryl's done some pretty shitty things too, ya know… But he was always a better man than me. I won't deny it. He deserves a better life, he deserves ta be some kinda happy - whatever kinda happy it is that I spent my whole damn life chasin' after."

His eyelids fell shut and his nostrils flared as he took in a deep breath. His jaw clenched and he seemed to be mulling things over in his head.

She froze and all the frustration suddenly melted away. For a brief moment, Beth felt like she might be pitying Merle. Or - more dangerously - sympathizing with him. He was looking terribly… human right now. And as scary as that was, it was also sad.

Then he added quietly, "You gotta make a promise, Beth. A real promise. Gotta keep yer word jus' like yer Daddy taught ya to."

She hesitated. As much as she didn't like it, he had here there: she wasn't one to go back on her word. Hershel had instilled that within her and her siblings from a very young age. Following through on your promises is the core of being a kind and compassionate person, her dad had always preached. And she'd taken it to heart for 20 years.

"Okay, I'll make whatever promise you want," she agreed softly. Then she added, "As long as you promise ta come in with us an' stop making this any harder than it has to be…"

Merle opened his eyes and finally turned his head to look down at her. His frown remained, though it slightly lessened. "Alrigh'. Deal…?"

She nodded. "Deal."

He worried his lower lip for a long moment, his shoulders still stiff and tense though they were slumped almost in defeat. He sighed and averted his gaze away from hers once more, staring out the windshield with a blank expression instead.

Then he said, "You gotta promise me that you ain't gonna back out - no matter what. Even if… or when… you find out that I… mighta fucked up. Even if you think I'm the most vile piece a shit you ever had the displeasure of meetin'. You gotta help me, girl."

Beth furrowed her brow and studied him cautiously. He turned and met her eyes and for the briefest second, she saw something that looked like desperation on his face.

"You gotta help Daryl," he said. "Promise me, Beth. Promise you'll help my baby brother - that ya won't give up on us. Promise you won't give up on him."

She blinked dumbly, caught off-guard by the rawness in Merle's tone.

All she could say was, "Okay, Merle. I promise."


Beth couldn't stop staring at Tabitha on the walk up the road and the winding wooden path, taking note of the muddy pink ribbon tied affectionately around one giant, scaly leg. The gator stuck to Eastman's side and crawled along with them, leading the way to the house that sat on the edge of the water. She acted more like a dog than anything and Beth kept wondering if she was dreaming. Everything was too weird, too surreal.

But then again… that had been her life for the last few days. Ever since a dead guy had shown up and started demanding her help. She reckoned she may as well get used to everything that came along with it - like swamp witches and pet alligators and what-have-you.

They were surrounded by ancient trees draped in hanging Spanish moss, the mucky banks of the swamp riddled with sinkholes and muddy traps. Merle remained silent during the trek, trailing behind Beth and Daryl with his arms crossed and a displeased look plastered on his face. Beth hadn't bothered to attempt any introductions - Daryl was brooding quietly, constantly eyeing Eastman's back and keeping a keen eye on Tabitha, and Eastman had acknowledged Merle's presence with a satisfied nod and nothing more. They walked in silence, an uneasy tension hanging between them.

Beth tried not to worry too much about what Merle had told her and subsequently made her promise. She told herself that no matter what this Swamp Witch had to say, she wouldn't back down or give up. She needed to follow through for once, to do something right to make up for all her inaction over the last few years. Because if she didn't, the guilt would surely eat her alive. If Tabitha didn't eat her first.

As they approached the swamp house, the wooden path became more narrow. And before they could climb the slight incline up to the back porch, Tabitha turned and crawled right off the edge and into the murky water with a soft splash. Her tail was the last to disappear beneath the depths, and a few seconds later, the spiny top of her head broke the surface and drifted along lazily as she floated away. Eastman barely gave her more than a sideways glance as he led Beth, Daryl, and Merle up to the porch and towards the backdoor.

Before they could get any farther, the door opened and a man stepped out. They all stopped and Beth grew tense, breath catching in her chest as she waited for an inevitable "she's waiting inside for you" or something.

But instead, the man saw them and smiled. He was black and probably around the same age as Eastman with a close-cropped haircut, receding hairline, and a thick shadow of dark hair covering half his face. He was no taller than Daryl with defined muscles, broad shoulders, and a toned form, and dressed slightly nicer than Eastman. He was wearing black hiking boots that were caked in dry mud rather than rubber wading boots, and faded jeans with a moss green wifebeater beneath an unbuttoned beige shirt. His brown skin glistened with a sheen of perspiration and there was a red woven bracelet tied around his left wrist. His eyes were the color of rich soil after a rain, and full of intrigue as he looked Beth up and down, offering Daryl no more than half a glance. Then his smile grew wider and his gaze drifted over Beth's shoulder - at Merle.

"They finally made it," Eastman announced happily.

The black man looked at him and nodded. "They certainly did. As I told you they would."

Eastman shrugged and chuckled softly, tapping his walking stick against the wood. "I'll admit, I had my doubts. Definitely didn't expect 'em this early."

Beth broke in abruptly, unable to tear her eyes away from the new man standing before her. "I'm sorry, but - where's the Swamp Witch?"

The black man's smile immediately disappeared and he sighed with frustration. Just then, the door opened again and another person emerged. This time, it was someone Beth recognized: the kid that had given her the map. He looked exactly the same as the night before except he wasn't wearing the hoodie.

The older man looked to the kid, still frowning, and said, "Dammit, Duane! What'd I tell you about callin' me the Swamp Witch?"

The kid - Duane - smiled and let out a laugh before responding, "But Dad, it's such a cool name!"

Beth's mouth dropped open and she could see Daryl's doing the same from the corner of her eye.

"Wait, what - you're the Swamp Witch?!" She asked, baffled. Eastman laughed.

The black man sighed again and met her gaze, shaking his head. "I prefer Morgan. But yes, I'm the one you're looking for."

He reached out a hand before she could fully process what was happening and said, "It's nice to finally meet you, Beth Greene. I've seen a lot about you, and I think you could use some help."

to be continued...


A/N: Hey, if you don't like the way that Daryl or Merle are acting in this fic, feel free to stop reading and please don't bother leaving a review :) This is strangers to lovers AND slow burn, so it's not gonna be fluffy and you shouldn't expect it to be. Thanks!