AN: Thanks only, my nonsense is at the bottom.

To UlitmateBethylFicList, Brady66, 2carlaa, sourpatchkid26, SirensCalling, DanAlaya, DarylDixon'sLover, Reignashii, Carowen, rckyfrk, BetaGirl09, An Amber Pen, hertherrk, spuffynoelle, , and Gabs for the reviews last chapter, you guys rock! Love you all!

Chapter 27: Epilogue

Merle was surprised when the guards came to his cell to alert him to a visitor. He'd been in this shithole for close to four years and no one, not even his asshole brother, could be bothered to come and check on him. His lawyer had stopped coming around months after he'd been tossed in here so he couldn't help the question that fell from his lips.

"Who the fuck is it?"

"Get your ass up, Dixon, and find out." The guard spat back at him. Merle mumbled under his breath as he stood and stepped out of his cell. The guard flanked him immediately, his hand on his upper arm steering him to the guest area. Merle was not expecting to see his own blood sitting on the other side of the glass partition waiting to see him.

"Well looky here. My baby brother did remember ol' Merle. What brings ya to my little slice a paradise?" Merle leaned back with a smirk on his face.

"Heard you're gettin' out soon. Where ya headed?"

"Didn't think ya cared, Darlena. Haven't seen ya in four years and now you're suddenly concerned?" Merle's smirk faded and was replaced by a look of disgust.

"Ya did this to yourself, ya dumbass. But that ain't why I'm here." Merle quirked a brow at him and waited for him to continue. "Got something comin' up next month an' I promised someone ya'd be there. Sober. Cop that nailed ya is gunna be there to."

"Why the fuck would I wanna be around officer friendly again? He's the reason I'm in this place!" Merle sneered. Daryl ran a hand over his face and groaned. Merle couldn't believe what his brother was asking.

"Cause I'm getting married." Daryl cut right to the chase. Merle was shocked into silence for a moment before he erupted in laughter.

"Married? Who's the bitch that's got ya pussy whipped?" He noticed his brother's fists clench and if it hadn't been for the half divider between them, he was sure Daryl would have tried to slug him for his insults. Whoever this girl was, she had his bother acting some kinda way he'd never seen before. Merle watched as he reached for the magazine in his back pocket he had been allowed to bring in, unrolled it, and tossed it on the table. It was a gossip magazine with a picture of Beth and Daryl on the front. The caption read 'ENGAGED! Beth Greene tells all!' Merle snatched the magazine and read over it.

"Ya marryin' that?" He sounded skeptical. "How the hell did ya get involved with someone like her? And when did ya learn how to wash the grease outta you're hair?"

"Stop." Daryl grunted and looked around the room uncomfortably.

"So ya went an' found yourself some famous bitch to take care of ya. This some mommy complex ya got goin' on?" Merle studied the magazine. The girl was a looker, that was for sure, but he couldn't understand how someone so clean would go for a Dixon.

"Fuck you!" Daryl spat at his brother. "This ain't my idea cause I knew you'd act like an ass. But she wants ya there, to meet ya. Come if ya want. I did what I told her I'd do." Daryl got up and left without another word.

Merle watched his brother's back disappear behind the door and the guard came over and grabbed his arm.

"Let's go, Dixon," Gordon grunted as he hoisted Merle from his seat. Merle was a bit shocked he was allowed to take the magazine back with him but decided not to mention it. Apparently, the details of his brother's engagement was somewhere in the slick folds curled in his hands and he fully intended on reading it.

Once back in his cell, Merle unrolled the magazine and began flipping through the pages until he found a full page picture of this girl, this Beth Greene. He read through the nonsense about her career and her picture perfect upbringing. He rolled his eyes and immediately felt hate towards the pretty blonde.

GR: So, tell me about Daryl.

BG: Well, we met a few years ago when I had an issue with a stalker. The rest, as they say, is history. He saved my life.

GR: Sounds like a fairy tale. I hear he popped the question?

BG: (laughs) Yeah, about a month ago actually. It was incredibly sweet. He'd started traveling with me a few months before this since he was able to help manage the agency away from Atlanta. And apparently he went behind my back and made some arrangements to get Daisy Chain, the opening act for my Chicago concert, to call me out for the dress rehearsal before the show and when I walked on stage, they starting playing one of my older songs- Married- and he was there on one knee. It was very romantic.

Merle laughed loudly as he read over how his little brother had proposed to this chick. She really had him wrapped around her little finger, bad. Merle couldn't help but blame himself for letting his little brother turn into this sappy, little shit of a man. A Dixon would never do something like this.

Merle tossed the magazine aside and thought about what his brother had asked him. His soon to be wife wanted him at the wedding and Daryl had asked him. He should be pissed but his brother was blood. After debating for what felt like hours, he decided that when he got out next week, he'd figure out where this little shindig was taking place and crash the party.

After Merle was released he decided not to contact his brother. He dug around and was able to find the date and time of the wedding. It wasn't hard, considering half of Atlanta seemed to know when it was. He assumed, with her popularity, there would be press everywhere but when he walked through the small courtyard behind the church he was surprised to find it almost completely empty. There were a few people milling about, putting up flowers and girly shit all over the seats to make it look pretty, he assumed, but no one he recognized.

"Excuse me, sir." A man in a tuxedo tapped him on the shoulder causing Merle to turn, fist clenched.

"The hell do ya want?"

"Are you here for the bride or the groom, sir?" The man asked unfazed by Merle's response.

"Groom." The man nodded and extended his hand.

"This way and I'll take you to his room."

"No need. I'm just gunna hang back by the bar." Merle felt very out of place and wanted nothing more than to get shit face drunk right now.

"The bar will open after the ceremony. But you are welcome to wait out here. We'll be starting soon." The man nodded his head and walked away. Merle wondered what crazy fucking world he had walked into and why the hell he was even here. This wasn't his thing. Hell, this wasn't his brother's thing. There was no way in hell a Dixon would ever agree to this. Unless he'd gone soft.

Merle took a seat in the back and watched the other suits, ties, and dresses show up and take their seats. Just as he was about to nod off he felt a hand slap him on the back of his shoulder.

"Didn't think you'd actually show," Rick said, sounding genuinely shocked.

"Was invited, wasn't I? So here I am. Barin' witness to my baby brother throwing his life away." Merle looked up to see Daryl watching him and Rick as he took his place at the altar.

"Beth is the best thing to ever happen to your brother. Stick around and you might learn a thing or two. And I might not be on the force anymore but I still have friends. Don't fuck this up for him, Merle." Rick growled. Merle waved Rick off as music began to play.

Sweet little honeys started walking down the aisle dressed in skimpy green numbers with their hair up in fancy ponytails. Merle checked out each one, including the brunette who was clearly pregnant, not that it mattered to him. Once everyone was standing up front where he supposed they were supposed to be, the music changed and an old man with a limp walked Beth past him. She looked directly at Merle and smiled widely before turning her attention back to his little brother.

He watched his brother's expression change and Merle began to understand. He'd never seen him look so happy. He wasn't fully smiling, Dixon's didn't do that, but he didn't have a scowl or grimace to his face that Merle usually saw. Once Beth reached him, he shook hands with the older man, and took Beth's arm in his. They turned their backs to everyone and began the ceremony.

Merle rolled his eyes when they began to pray and knew instantly that it was his future sister in law's doing. If one thing never changed, it would be Daryl's view on God. He knew that his brother had cast out the notion of a higher power long ago when their old man damn near killed him.

After that, there were no fancy vows, no long declarations of love, just simple stuff like she belonged to him and he belonged to her. Merle desperately needed this thing to be over so he could get a drink pronto. All this sappy shit was making him sick to his stomach.

When the priest announced them husband and wife, they turned to the crowd and Merle saw the first real smile he'd ever seen on his brother's face. This woman made him happy. The two walked back down the aisle and Beth stopped them in front of him.

"Merle Dixon." She said with a smile. Merle stood up and adjusted the belt holding his pants up.

"That's me sweet cheeks. So ya the sweet young thing that took my brother and turned him into a penguin?" Daryl glared at his brother but Beth just laughed.

"Only on special days. Don't worry, he still wears tattered jeans and that old vest every chance he gets." She looked up at Daryl, her expression new to Merle. He'd need seen someone look at another person like they really cared. It was completely foreign to him. "Thank you, Merle, for coming. It means a lot to us even if he won't say so." Beth reached over and gave him a kiss on the cheek and then took Daryl's hand.

"Give us a second." Daryl said to his wife and she smiled and made her way to the pregnant brunette.

"Ya knocked her up, didn't ya?" Merle asked crudely.

"Keep it up Merle, an' I'll bust ya nose in, right here." Merle laughed and held his hands up.

"Just don't get it, s'all. Sweet little thing like here with a dirty redneck."

"Ain't been easy. But we know better than anyone, shit never is." Merle considered his words and nodded to his brother.

"A'right, little brother. I need a fucking drink. All this sappy shit is about to make me grow tits." Merle clapped his brother on the back and led him to the bar that was finally open. "I'm happy for ya little brother."

Merle knew nothing else needed to be said, his brother understood his simple statement was the closest thing he would get to acceptance and he knew he'd never offer it again. His brother might have changed, but he was still Merle Dixon. And that wasn't changing anytime soon.

AN: That brings this part of the story to a close. I am a bit sad, I will admit, but I promised a sequel and it will provide from insight into the missing events between their fight and the wedding. For those wondering why Daryl was doing all the giving, that will be explained in the next installment. So follow me and hopefully you'll enjoy part 2 just as much as this one!

Plus I'm writing a few one shots for UltimateBethylFicList (tumblr) so check those out to.

Thank you to everyone who followed me on this journey!