Katelyn paced the fenceline, her ears straining to listen for any sign of their return. Whispering fervently, she prayed for their safe return. Throughout the day she had been walking the fence absentmindedly, killing any walkers who ventured close enough for her to stab. As night drew nearer, her stomach twisted with knots of nervousness. Clutching the fence, Katelyn closed her eyes.
"Please be okay. Please be okay." Katelyn murmured to god, hoping that if there was one up there, he would grant this small thing.
Carol came out to stand, watching Katelyn at the fence. He had lost so much recently, that he had turned cold, feeling very little anymore. He wondered if he would ever fall in love, though no part of him wished it. It seemed like more a hindrance than anything.
Walking toward her, he called out.
"Kate!" He yelled, watching as she turned.
Kate sighed, turning her back to the fence and began walking toward the boy. It was dark now and too dangerous to wait outside.
She was about to follow him through the doorway when she heard something and walked back out. Her eyes focusing on the road, she tilted her head so that her ears would pick up any sound. There is was again.
A smile broke out on her face as she watched the two vehicles rumble up the drive. Racing to the gates, she unlocked the first one before bolting to the second one of open it for them. The cars drove past her and she secured the locks behind her before running up to the car.
Her grin faded the moment she saw Daryl's beat up face. Rushing to him, she frantically searched his body for any horrible injuries before he grabbed her to pull against him.
"I'm fine. Just a little sore." He said, realizing what she was doing. He held her tightly against him before picking her up off the ground and kissing her.
They only stopped when they heard the snort behind them.
"Well, lookee here! Seems like you got yourself a sweet piece a ass." Merle whooped.
Daryl stopped, his mouth sagging in a frown. Setting her down, he turned to his brother and glared at him.
"Shut up, Merle." Daryl hissed at his brother which only provoked Earl to laugh harder.
Rolling his eyes, Daryl took Katelyn's hand and tugged her forward. Leading her inside, he walked into his room with her.
"Is that Merle?" Katelyn asked, fearing the worst. So far, she wasn't overly impressed with him.
"Yeah." Daryl answered, stripping off his shirt to wash down a little.
Katelyn gasped when she saw the bruises.
"Oh my god, Daryl." She wept, rushing over to him.
"I look worse than I feel. They're just bruises sweetheart. It was worth it." Daryl assured her.
Katelyn leaned in to kiss one of the bruises on his shoulder and smiled sadly.
"I'm sorry." Katelyn whispered.
Daryl paused and turned to look at her. Lifting her chin so she met his gaze, he kissed her gently.
"Don't apologize. It ain't your fault." Daryl said quietly.
Katelyn wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. Daryl followed suit, laying his cheek on the top of her head.
"Is he dead?" Katelyn whispered.
It took Daryl a moment to answer. She could tell he was reluctant.
"Yeah." Daryl stated softly.
Katelyn nodded but no tears came to her eyes.
"Well ain't this sweet!" The abrasive voice of Merle interrupted their moment and Daryl's eyes closed. He wasn't in the mood to deal with this shit.
"Whatdya want, Merle?" Daryl snapped, turning to look at him.
"Ain't you gonna introduce us?" Merle asked lasciviously, looking her up and down.
Daryl sighed, dropping his hands before leading her over toward him.
"Katelyn this is Merle." Daryl said, before adding almost as if he forgot, "My brother."
Katelyn smiled at Merle timidly. She didn't have a good feeling about him but she wanted to be nice. He was Daryl's brother after all.
"Hi. It's nice to meet you." Katelyn said, her etiquette taking over so she offered a hand.
"Manners and all. We got us a proper southern belle here." Merle teased meanly, ignoring her offer.
Katelyn dropped her hand.
"Leave 'er alone, Merle." Daryl warned, a threatening tone seeping into his voice.
Merle was actually taken aback. He'd never really heard his brother take that tone with him and he wasn't quite sure what to make of it, but he didn't like Miss Snottypants, especially since she seemed to be changing his brother.
"You and me need to talk, little brother." Merle said, turning away from her dismissively.
"That's fine. I'll be out in a minute." Daryl said, turning back to Katelyn, ignoring Merle.
Merle's eyes narrowed when Daryl turned his back on him to pay attention to…her. Yeah, he really didn't like this bitch.
Turning to leave, he called out over his shoulder, "We got Dixon business, brother, and that takes priority over bitches."
Katelyn stiffened. Daryl's teeth gritted.
Both of them watched Merle leave.
Daryl waited a moment before turning back to her.
"I'm sorry. He's…well, he's…he's…" Daryl stuttered, not exactly sure what to say.
"…an asshole?" Katelyn supplied, smirking at Daryl warmly.
"Yeah. He kinda is." Daryl smiled, running his hand through his hair, glad that she wasn't taking it hard.
"He's a lot to handle. I gotta go set all this right and figure out what to do with him. You okay here?" Daryl asked, looking around "their" room.
"I think I can manage. You go take care of what you need to. I'm just glad you're back safe." Katelyn said, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him on the mouth.
She was about to pull away, but he grabbed her around the waist and deepened the kiss.
"God I love you, woman." Daryl growled, causing Katelyn to giggle.
"Good." She said before playfully batting his hands away to shoo him.
"All right. I'm goin'." Daryl said with feigned irritation.
Ducking out, Daryl went after Merle.
############################################################################
Michonne sat, sharpening her blade, watching Merle with an eagle eye. She didn't trust one square inch of him and sure as hell wouldn't be turning her back on him. Rick must have had the same idea because he stood in the tower looking down at Merle Dixon.
Daryl found Merle standing outside the prison within the inner courtyard, waiting for him.
"Woo! You got yourself a pretty one." Merle whistled.
"Knock it off." Daryl warned, trying to figure out how to explain this to Merle.
"What's wrong little brother? Worried she'll get her feelings hurt?" Merle continued to tease.
"She doesn't need your shit, Merle. She's been through enough!" Daryl snapped, glaring at his big brother.
"She's got you pussy whipped!" Merle hooted with laughter.
"You done?" Daryl asked with quiet menace.
"You always were the soft one." Merle replied softly, dead serious.
Daryl launched at him, his fist connecting solidly with his face, knocking Merle back two steps. Growling, Daryl pulled back to swing at him again, but Merle swung first, hitting Daryl's already battered face and knocking him to the ground. Daryl stood, lunging with both arms to tackle Merle, tumbling him to the ground with Daryl on top of him. Sitting on top, Daryl punched Merle in the face and gut before Merle threw Daryl up and over his head, landing him on his back and knocking the wind out of him. Merle swung around to pin Daryl but got grabbed from behind by someone and pulled off of him.
Everyone came rushing out and when they heard the commotion Tyreese immediately grabbed Merle, yanking him off.
"Knock it off!" Tyreese bellowed, his deep voice resonating across the yard.
Unfortunately, Daryl was still furious and lunged for Merle, punching him in the stomach then hit him with an uppercut to the jaw. Glenn and Rick grabbed his arms.
"You talk about Katelyn that way one more time and I'll fuckin' kill you!" Daryl threatened, screaming furiously at Merle.
Merle had seen him angry before and hell, they'd fought more than once, but never with the intensity he saw in Daryl's eyes. It had always been the Dixon brothers against the world and now he was getting shoved aside for a piece of ass.
Not while he lived.
Merle shrugged Tyreese off and held up his hands in surrender.
"Okay, okay. Don't get so hostile little brother. I was only playin'." Merle feigned in his consillatory voice. He'd practiced it often enough with the Governor.
No one believed it for a moment.
Katelyn had run to the doorway but had been grabbed by Andrea who didn't want her to get hurt in the scuffle. Now Katelyn broke free and ran over to them.
"What the hell is going on?!" Katelyn demanded, looking from Daryl to Merle.
"Nothing." Both boys clammed up, neither one wanting anyone else to know family business.
Katelyn frowned.
Daryl was starting to calm down so Rick was the only one holding him. Patting his shoulder, he let go of him.
"You okay?" Rick asked, knowing that this situation was a bad one all the way around.
Daryl nodded, spitting the blood from his cut lip onto the ground.
"Well that was exciting! I'm starved. What d'we got for dinna?" Merle asked, his voice an intense mixture of playful and dangerous.
He glanced one more time at Katelyn who was checking Daryl over and made a plan in his head.
Aint no bitches comin' between the Dixon brothers, he thought to himself before walking back inside.