DISCLAIMER: I don't own The Walking Dead. I do, however, wish that I owned the Reedus.
A/N: This update has been too long in coming because of Real Life Things. I make no promises for when the next update might happen. But I do hope that you stay tuned.
"Now, Merle, it's not like that," Rick spoke in a placating tone. "Why don't you and your men put your guns down and we can talk?"
Carol watched Daryl's brother visibly tense and clicked the safety off of Daryl's gun.
"Now, now, Officer Friendly," Merle replied, "Why would I want ta do somethin' llike that? My baby bro is missin' , and I figure ya owe me a hand, at the least. Where's yer sense o'southern hospitality?"
"Merle!" Carol swallowed again, cocking the revolver in her hands , hoping to draw some of the attention her way so that Maggie and Carl could get into position.
"What's this, sugar tits?" Merle glanced behind himself, taking in the sight of a slight woman who he vaguely recognized with a very recognizable piece trained at his head. "Don't ya think Ed might not be too happy with ya pointin' my brother's piece at ma head?"
"Ed's dead, Merle," Carol replied in an even tone, desperately trying to quell the shaking in her hands as she kept the gun raised and Daryl's brother in her sights. "Daryl is out hunting. He'll be back soon, and I don't think he'd appreciate coming back to camp and finding his friends dead."
"Is that so?" Merle drawled, turning ever so slightly to get a better look at her. "You and my brother, y'all a thing now that Ed is gone? I don't recall him ever lettin' a woman touch his gun before."
Carol froze. She had no idea how to fit the truth about what was going on between her and the younger Dixon brother into something as easily described as a 'thing'. And yet, that seemed the most appropriate way to classify it. It was a 'thing' the likes of which only could be explained by the circumstances that had let up to it.
"You could call it that," she conceded, nodding towards the men that held Glenn and T-Dog at gunpoint. "You wanna call off your dogs before he gets back and puts an arrow through their heads, or do we have to take care of them ourselves?"
Maggie and Carl had taken full advantage of her momentary distraction and now stood in full view of all parties involved, guns trained on Merle's accomplices. Carol didn't miss the fleeting look of surprise that crossed Merle's face before he broke out into a disarming grin and abruptly lowered his gun.
"Well shit, sugar tits. If you wanted to invite us to stay for coffee and have a reunion, all's ya had to do was ask."
Daryl was getting pissed. He'd tracked a smallish buck most of the morning, managed to shoot it, and had dragged it halfway back to camp before having to defend the carcass against several walkers that had appeared while he was mulling over what to do about Carol. He'd gotten them all, or so he had thought, when he'd turned to find one he'd missed tearing into the belly of his kill.
"Mealy brained fuck!" he exclaimed, kicking the walker in the teeth before bashing it in the skull with his crossbow. He had a few squirrels and a fat woodchuck dangling from the string slung over his shoulder. That was going to have to do. He left the buck where it lay and picked up his pace back to the others.
Meanwhile, he had no idea what to do about the situation with Carol. He'd meant to set things straight while they'd held watch earlier that morning, but it had been easier just to fall into the more comfortable routine that was theirs and leave the heavy talk for another time.
Cuz yer a pussy, Darylena. Merle's voice whispered in his ear. A big. Fat. Pussy.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP, MERLE!" Daryl roared in a rage, not realizing how close he'd come to camp as he stomped between two trees and found himself in the familiar clearing, where all eyes were suddenly wide and staring at him.
What Daryl wasn't expecting, however, was the set of eyes that he knew far too well and had never expected to see again.
"What, baby bro? I can't thank yer little woman here for this fine cup o'coffee?" Merle raised the steaming mug to his lips and smirked, winking at his little brother from his seat by the campfire. Daryl looked on in disbelief as Carol blushed and turned away.