This will be wrapped up in the next two chapters or so.

Chapter 16

Lina crawled onto the bed as gently as she could, trying not to wake Merle.

"What are you doin'?" Damn she thought.

"Sorry, Daryl told me to stay in here, I don't want Johnny on the floor until I can clean up."

Merle rolled on to his back, bumping into her and knocking her and Johnny sideways. Johnny giggled

"dadadadada" he struggled to get up, pulling on Merles shirt as babbled to his father.

Merle reached over and helped his son crawl on top of him.

"Little man, what you want."

"dadada bom ugh ma." Johnny told him with great seriousness "bom bom bom." He gestured wildly.

Merle turned to look at Lina, who shrugged and smiled in response. A loud bang as the front door slammed shut startled the little trio.

"He's sellin' my shit ain't he?" Lina nodded.

"He always was a smart one, my baby brother."

"We could go into Daryl's room if you want to sleep."

"Naw, it's better if you're here to distract me."

"Is it very hard? Can I do something?"

He scratched his head, "I wanna go out there and stop him. Makes no difference, if they ain't gonna supply me no more, better do it now than later."

"How many times have you done this Merle?"

"What? You wanna count how many times I failed?" he snapped, not quite yelling.

Johnny growled at him in a perfect imitation of the Dixon brothers. Merle couldn't help but laugh.

"Looked just like a mini-Daryl."

"Yeah and sounded like a mini-Merle." Lina shook her head. How she was going to put up with three Dixon men, she had no idea. At least it seemed Johnny was going to be firmly on her side.

"He smacked Daryl earlier for yelling at me."

"Did he now? Good boy, you always defend your Mama. I always did. Why'd Daryl yell at you?"

"I kinda drove over here with your stash in my purse."

"Jesus, Lina."

"I know, It was stupid."

They heard the door slam again this time there was a female voice. "Is Merle here?" her high pitch tone traveled into the bedroom. "Merle?" her voice was closer.

Lina's gut clenched. Merle didn't turn to look at the door, she could see his jaw tighten up. Daryl's low murmuring was right by the door. "It's locked. Merle! The woman was insistent.

"Let's go." Daryl had lost his patients and there was a sharp edge to his voice. Merle looked at Lina, who was staring at the door.

"Go over there and tell her I'm busy." She tore her eyes away from the bedroom door to look at Merle.

"Tell her I'm busy and I'll be busy from now on."

"But me, she'll think..,"

"Don't fuckin' matter Lina." Merle gave her a hard look, "Just do it. I can't be around those women anymore if I'm gonna do this. Are you helpin' or not?"

Lina got up immediately. The door handle was jiggling again, Daryl was getting close to yelling. "I said let's go!" Gathering her strength Lina unlocked the door and opened it wide enough for the woman to see her, but not Merle or Johnny.

"Merle's busy, he wanted me to tell you not to come around anymore." Lina stood with her shoulders squared. The woman was someone she hadn't seen before. She was short and very well endowed, her tight shirt and pants showing off every curve of her body. Her hair was an unnatural shade of red and her face might once have been pretty but now looked worn and haggard.

"Who are you?"

Daryl was looking at Lina angrily.

"I told you to stay in the room."

Lina ignored the woman's question and answered Daryl instead.

"Merle insisted I give this woman his message." To her surprise, Daryl laughed.

"Looks like he made his choice Mia." He grabbed her arm and began leading her away.

"You think he's gonna keep you around, honey? Merle ain't loyal to nobody, he'll be back on me in no time." She snarled.

"Yeah, Yeah," Daryl lead her away, still laughing. "I got your shit, take it and go."

Lina closed the door and locked it again.

"You keep this up and you won't have any girlfriend left." She tried to joke.

"None of them bitches were my girlfriend. Just pussy ta fuck."

She crawled back on the bed, sitting up against the wall.

"Never seen her before." She said softly, she was so curious about Merle's relationships with women. It hurt to know things but she couldn't help wanting to know.

"What she look like?" she was surprised he didn't recognize the woman's voice.

"Red hair," she put her hands in front of her chest to indicate large breasts, "short."

"Mmmm that Mia. She's from Atlanta, usually trades sex for a few hits. Daryl probably told her she had to pay."

"Oh," she dropped the subject, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

"Lina," she looked up to find Merle staring at her.

"I told you I was shit."

"Stop," the anger was confused inside her. On one hand, she did want to tell him he was shit, why it was her business who he did, she didn't know, but all the women pissed her off. On the other hand, she wanted to slap him for talking about himself that way.

"Just don't," she settled on saying. "I shouldn't have asked."

They sat in silence as they listened to people come and go from the trailer. Johnny traveled between the two people on the bed, begging for attention and entertainment from each of them. An hour and a half later Daryl knocked. Lina opened the door, Daryl walked in and sat at the edge of the bed.

"It's all gone. Mia nearly had a fuckin' fit when she had to pay full price." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a wad of bills.

"What are we gonna do with this?"

"Go with Lina and buy a bigger bed for Johnny." Merle closed his eyes.

"I don't have room for it Merle. Get yourselves something for the trailer."

"We can keep it here for now, it's not like you can stay in that tiny ass trailer for long." Daryl answered

"yeah." Merle agreed.

"Let's go."

"Well, thank you. I need to get dressed though." Lina smiled.

Daryl took Johnny from her, "I'll change 'em."

As Lina began grabbing clothes from the drawers, Merle got up and locked the door. He advanced on Lina, blocking her into a corner. She looked up at him her arms full of her clothes. He pushed her hair out of her face.

"You and Johnny should just stay here for good." He wasn't looking her in the eyes.

"We might cramp your style. I don't think we'd attract many fun people."

"Those people ain't fun, those bitches ain't important. They won't be comin' round anymore without the drugs." Merle leaned his forehead against hers.

"Might as well move in." he stepped back.

"I need the internet for work, I couldn't move in until that got done. But, Merle, would Daryl be ok with it? Where would we sleep?" Lina felt a fluttering in her stomach.

"You're already here, Daryl's fine, everythin' stays the same. Call whoever you need to, to get shit done for work." He walked out of the room and into the bathroom down the hall. Lina stood there pleasantly surprised. She looked around the Merle's room, this would be her room too, she wouldn't have to sleep alone, she would be part of a family, but what if Merle wanted to bring someone home? What if Daryl did?

Daryl walked into the room.

"What are you doing? Johnny's already in the car seat."

"Merle told me to move in…..here." she blurted out, gesturing around the room.

"So? Why are you standin' around starin', even more reason to get Johnny a bed." He looked so genuinely confused that she burst out laughing.

"It's just, what if you two want to bring someone home?..or..maybe….I might get a boyfriend someday. Not anytime soon, but…you know…it be nice."

"Look, if he asked you then you don't worry about Merle getting' his dick wet and you're the only one I ever brought home. I don't like the bitches in my bed, as for your boyfriend," he shook his head with a sly grin, "I don't think there will be a problem."

"What does that mean?" Lina felt like she was missing something important.

"Don't worry so much, just hurry up."

Merle stayed in the bathroom until he heard them leave. It seemed his mouth was making decisions without him. He had just ordered Lina to send away yet another steady lay and now having her move in, he could forget ever bringing a woman home. Lina wouldn't say anything but Daryl would have a shit fit, and take Lina away from him. She'd go too, because why would a woman want to stay with an old cheating addict like him.

That's when it really hit him, he wanted her. He knew when Daryl offered to step aside that he wanted to take her, but this realization was different. He wanted Lina, not just a sweet warm body in his bed, not just the mother of his kid, or someone to cook and clean for him. He wanted her, wanted to walk around town with his arm around her shoulders, maybe go to the book store and talk about shit with her. If you really thought about it, she was made for him. It explained why he was so quick to dismiss the other women. His brain had figured it out and failed to tell him about it.

"No wonder Daryl's been grinin' like an asshole all day." He muttered to himself. The fucker knew from the beginning what Merle's choice would be.

He began pacing around the house, filled with nervous energy. What if she says no? What if she says yes? What the fuck am I supposed to do? Where the fuck are they?

He got a flash of Daryl and Lina and Johnny shopping for beds like a happy little family while he was sitting here like a fucking chump. Merle turned and punched a hole in his bedroom wall.

Half an hour later Lina walked into the bedroom with Daryl close behind her carrying a sleeping Johnny.

"Oh my God Merle. What happened to your hand?"

Merle sat on the bed bandaging his bloody fist. "Where the fuck where you, so long?" he growled.

"We were only gone an hour, I thought we were fast." She reached for his hand to help bandage it.

Merle shook her off roughly, "Give her the kid, I need to talk to you outside brother." He stomped out of the room leaving Lina looking after him in shock.

"What happened?"

Daryl actually smiled, "I know what's wrong, I'll put Johnny to bed here for now. I don't want to wake him when Merle and I put together the new one in my room." He gently laid his son down and arranged the pillows so he wouldn't roll off.

"Give us a minute."

"Daryl!" Merle roared from outside.

Lina watched the younger brother head outside and sat down on the couch in the living room to wait. Daryl walked out into the backyard and stood in front of his pacing brother.

"You said you were going to step aside," he shoved his finger in Daryl's face. "What the fuck is this?"

"What's what Merle?"

"YOU! You running off playing happy family." Merle's nostrils were flaring

"We got a bed, Merle. You fuckin' sent us, it was your idea."

"Are you letting me have her or not? You wanna worm your way in again?"

Daryl opened his mouth to answer, but Lina's low voice interrupted him.

"Do I get a say?"

Both brothers froze. She walked down the steps and stood next to Daryl, who had the sense to look ashamed of himself. Merle was glaring at both of them, still not willing to let go of his anger.

"Can I talk to Merle alone?"

The Daryl cleared his throat, "Yeah," he gave Merle a warning glare before heading inside.

"What? You want to pick your own boyfriend? 'Cause you did a hell of a job last time right?" Merle snapped at her. It was a low blow and he half hated himself for saying it, but nobody ever accused Merle Dixon of playing fair.

"Why didn't you ask me?" Lina completely ignored his stupid comment. Merle lashed out, she'd been around him enough to figure that out.

"Ask you what?" he stopped his pacing, right in front of her. To her credit she didn't step back, even though he towered over her.

"You know what. Why didn't you ask me, or, I guess since it's you, why didn't you tell me?"

"Why? So you could choose pretty boy Daryl instead?" his chest was heaving. This was it, it was all on the line, she didn't even have the curtesy to look nervous. He felt like his head was going to explode and she was standing there like they were talking about the weather.

"I sleep with you most nights, we're always touching and every time you kiss me, I let you, I kiss back, even though you've come into my bed with cheap perfume on your clothes and glitter on your face. Did you think I wouldn't say yes? I think I've been yours from the beginning, I just didn't want to get my heart broken when you ran off with other women. I don't want to be just another woman. I want a real family and love. I'd rather be lonely than live like that." She inhaled deeply and waited for his response. Her mind was made up, it was all or nothing. Merle had to make up his mind now.

Merle couldn't believe his ears, she was saying yes, not only was she saying yes, she was demanding he be faithful. It was all right there for the taking. He couldn't move or speak. He watched her watching him. Lina let out a deep breath and stepped up to him, she cautiously put her hands on his chest and stood on tip toes, placing a soft kiss on his lips. The reaction was instantaneous, Merle wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss. They kissed until they had to come up for air.

"So just cause I popped your cherry, you wanna pop mine." He gave her a devilish grin.

"What?" Lina laughed.

"My first relationship."

"Wow, nobody in all these years Merle?"

"You seen the women I've been with. What do you think?"

"I think they all missed out."

He snorted at that, "Yeah, get back to me in a few weeks."

"Y'all done!" Daryl yelled out the back door.

"Yeah, shut up!" Merle yelled back. He grabbed Lina's hand and led her back inside.

"Wait," she stopped pulling him back a little. "Does this mean you agree?" She needed to hear him say it.

"Fuck Lina, Yes. I've been getting rid of them one by one in case you hadn't noticed."

"All of them, get rid of all of them." She crossed her arms over her chest. Merle threw his head back and laughed.

"When did you grow this set of brass balls?"

"I've always had them when it's important. This is important, not only for me but for our son in there."

Merle brought her in for a hug. "I'll get rid of all of them, truth is I ain't the least bit attached, but Lina, are you ready for this? I mean after that stupid fuck."

"I don't know." She wrapped her arms around Merle and tried to picture feeling anything but safe with him near her. "I think so, I trust you, but I don't know."

"It won't be like before, I promise you that. I was a dick, ain't any excuse for it." Merle kissed the top of her head.

"Let's go inside before Darylina gets his panties in a twist."