Dear Readers,
Thank you so much for your reviews, it makes me want to continue this story knowing readers like it. I'll be switching between this story and my Respectfully, CMC Dixon when it comes to writing chapters, so expect an update on one of them Thurs-Sunday.
Thank you to the very talented and awesome Jerikataryn for the cover pic for this story! I am forever in debt to you sweets.
As always, please leave me a review in the box on your way out. It only takes a few minutes and it really does let me know if I should continue or quit the story.
When Merle returned to the farm, he found Beth awake in the bedroom as Daryl patrolled the grounds. Merle called Daryl inside, knowing he would need his help. Beth seemed to be keener to Daryl than she was Merle, and Merle had no problem using that to his advantage.
Beth eyed Merle as she watched him set a bag of supplies at the foot of the bed, and began to set things out. When the IV kit came into view she shuddered hard, Beth was terrified of needles. Merle took notice, as much as Beth didn't think he saw it.
"Alright sweet thing, gonna have to get that shirt off so I can get to fixing you up. Daryl, you're gonna have to get in bed with her. Need ya to hold her still so I can get this injected and get it going so I can clean it and start working. Once the meds take hold it ain't gonna be so bad honey, promise." Merle knew Beth wouldn't hold still with her being afraid of needles, nor would Daryl be all that comfortable holding her. But sometimes people just needed to give way to fear to help another.
Beth looked over at Daryl, "Cut this off of me." Her voice was barely a whisper in the thick silence of the bedroom. Beth saw Daryl nod before coming over to the bed to cut her shirt off, knife in his hand. Beth was so weary from the pain that she didn't give a damn about being topless in front of the Dixon's. She just wanted to get fixed and sleep. Beth hissed and whimpered as Daryl carefully cut the shirt off her, the gash seeping blood as she moved to free herself from the shirt.
Daryl dropped the shredded shirt to the floor, laying down in bed behind Beth on his side. He placed a heavy hand on her hip, as his other arm snaked under the pillow to splay fingers out over her collarbone. Daryl gently pulled Beth back, her back coming flush against his chest. This way he could keep her still while Merle worked, all while keeping out of Merle's way.
Beth gasped when her bare skin connected with Daryl's, he was so very warm compared to the chill in the bedroom. Goosebumps pricked Beth's skin as Daryl drew a shallow breath. He didn't like being this close to people, but this was going to be the exception. Merle uncapped the syringe with the painkiller in it, Ben sucked a tight breath. Daryl could smell Beth's blood, the coppery scent filled his nostrils as he pulled her tighter against him, trying to calm her.
"Sorry honey, I know you don't like needles, but this'll hurt a helluva lot more without this. I gotta get it near the wound, it's gonna hurt a bit." Merle whistled low as his fingers felt around the wound, Beth whimpering in pain. "Hold her tight little D." Seeing Daryl's fingers grip tight into Beth's hip, Merle injected the pain killer next to the wound. A strangled cry left Beth's lips, she started to hyperventilate seeing Merle set the suture needle and hemostat aside as he began to clean the wound.
Daryl kept his arms wound around Beth, her quick breathing sparking worry in his gut. He knew she was either going to pass out from the fear or the breathing, he had to act quickly to get her under control. Daryl leaned closer to Beth, her neck close to his lips. He could feel stray tendrils of her hair tickling at his nose, he swore he could almost smell her fear. Beth's heart pounded against Daryl's hand, her skin covered in cold sweat under his fingertips. Beth was a mess, and what was needing done wasn't helping in that fact.
Merle looked up from cleaning Beth's wound, seeing Daryl almost on top of the sylph of a girl. Hell if that had been himself; Merle knew he wouldn't have been able to stop himself from taking her, even with her wounded. But the look in Daryl's eyes was something so much different, something Merle had never seen before in his brother.
"You're strong Beth, you can do this. It'll be over before you know it." Daryl whispered in her ear, trying to calm her down. Beth struggled against Daryl's body, making Merle hold off on the sewing. Daryl could sense Merle's annoyance, knowing his patience wouldn't last long.
"Sweetheart, listen to my voice. You have to relax or he's not going to be able to do this and you will die. I don't want to lose you." At those words, Daryl felt Beth relax against him. Merle nodded to Daryl, starting in with the closing knot of the sutures. Beth watched Merle with transfixed eyes, even though she wasn't feeling the pain of the needle puncturing her skin, the fear was still evident in her eyes. Ten sutures into the procedure, Daryl felt Beth's body fall back into his, completely relaxed. Daryl's lips pressed a gentle kiss to Beth's sweaty neck, feeling her pulse slowing down.
Merle chuckled, realizing Beth had passed out. "Well this'll make it easier, I need you to keep a hold on her while I finish up. Be a bit longer. I should probably get the IV going while she's out. Hang on a minute."
Daryl grunted his assent, watching Merle pull out the IV kit and the three bags of fluid. Merle punched the bag of saline with the IV kit, rolling up the stopper as he hung the bag off the light fixture on the wall next to the bed. Gravity would have to do its job in getting Beth the meds she needed. Daryl blew out a breath against Beth's neck, watching Merle pull a vein in Beth's forearm. Merle had plenty of practice finding a vein with his past drug use, Daryl never thought in a million years it would ever be useful.
Once satisfied the drugs were coursing through Beth's body, Merle continued putting in the sutures. He kept them small and tight, making the chances of them pulling out or catching on something less likely. It would make the scar less noticeable, Merle doubted it would scar much. He tied off the first line of sutures, hearing a light snore come from the two bodies entwined together.
Merle unwrapped the next packet of suture, looking over Beth's shoulder, seeing Daryl curled into the blonde's shoulder asleep. Chuckling to himself and muttering something about baby brother needing a good fucking when little girl was better, Merle finished sewing Beth up. The older Dixon admired his handiwork, nearly a hundred black sutures contrasted against Beth's pale skin.
"That oughta get you for a while." Merle smeared some derma-bond over the sutures, effectively super gluing them into place. Satisfied that Beth would sleep through the night and Daryl wouldn't be moving anytime soon, Merle set off to find something to eat and do a round of the property. Knowing Jenny like he did, she would have canned fruit and vegetables from her garden hidden in the basement. A jar of peaches sure sounded nice right about now.
Jenny McCaffrey crept along the backside of the property, keeping a sharp eye on the house and barns that she lived in with her son Danny. Right now there was a light on inside the guest bedroom on the east side of the house. Someone was in her house, Jenny's face tightened in a grimace. They had been lucky so far since the dead rose two years ago, only a few people had come through to bother them.
Danny growled low beside his mother, his grip tightening on the rifle in his hands. "Someone's in the house Mom, we gotta go check it out." Danny surged forward as Jenny's hand shot out, catching her hot headed progeny in the chest.
"We'll get there. I want you to case the grounds, I'll head up the back steps into the house. We'll find out who it is and deal with it. Just like always." Jenny knew her son wanted to go off full cocked, but that was a trait he got from his father. Danny stilled at his mother's touch, nodding silently.
"Alright. I'm moving then. Take care of you." Danny blended into the brush around him, the inky darkness enveloping him within seconds.
Jenny took a deep breath, her eyes catching sight of a large male figure coming around the south side of the barn. She slinked around the side of the garden shed, using the dark and shadows to her advantage. Creeping around the side of the garage, Jenny evaded the man easily, using the tactics her father had taught her when she was younger. The kitchen door opened easily, Jenny continued through the house and up the stairs to the guest room.
Her heart hammered when she took in the sight of what was going on in the guest bedroom. Daryl Dixon laid curled around a young blonde girl with a zipper line across her ribs and an IV in her arm. The bag looked fresh, both piggy backed bags were half empty, one was a strong pain killer. Jenny sighed, at least one person that was in her house she knew. Not that she wasn't glad to lay eyes on Daryl Dixon, even with him running out on her best friend almost eight years ago, and being in bed with someone who clearly was not Natalie. One thing Jenny could be assured, where Daryl was Merle wasn't far away. God only knew how far the Dixon brothers had come with this injured girl, who looked like she had been put through the ringer. Jenny tiptoed out of the room, she would deal with Daryl and his woman later after they slept. Right now, she needed to concern herself with locating Danny, and Merle for that matter.
Jenny's search didn't take long when she heard the deep rumble of Merle Dixon's laughter outside the front door. Stepping out onto the wood slat porch, Jenny caught Danny in the front yard, pinned under Merle Dixon.
Danny was gasping for breath, Merle's forearm crushing the young man's esophagus. Clearly Danny didn't get the drop on Merle, who was giving Danny shit.
"Boy you shoulda known better than try and get the drop on me. You're slacking in the skills me and Daryl taught you. Maybe you need to have a refresher course?" Merle laughed, scuffing the dark hair between his fingers before letting Danny up.
"Nah Merle. Ain't nobody that can get the drop on you and Daryl. Been a long time since we saw you last." Danny rubbed his throat absently, the pressure from Merle's arm still present.
"Looks like I just proved both of you wrong!" Jenny called from the porch, stepping off into the front yard up to the men. Seeing her son standing next to his father in the deep of the night, Jenny could see the similarities. At twenty, Danny looked like Merle did when Jenny was in love with him so many years ago. The same solid features, piercing blue eyes and aloofness about him.
Merle's eyes popped at seeing Jenny McCaffrey standing in front of him, it had been almost ten years since he had last laid eyes on her before he'd been locked up. She still had that curvy body Merle burned for, all muscle and woman. She looked good, he could feel himself stir against the fly of his jeans. It'd be hard for him not to try and bed her if he got the chance.
He plastered on his usual wolfish grin, spanning his arms to pull Jenny to his chest. "Jenny, sweetheart, been a long time. So glad to see you alive sugar tits."
Merle grunted when Jenny's hand connected with his jaw in a hard slap that could be heard in the next county.
"I hate it when you call me that Dixon. What are you doing here? And why the fuck is your no good son of a bitch brother in my guest room with a half-naked bimbo?" Jenny snarled, her eyes pinning Merle where he stood.