Daryl Dixon reached the top of the staircase first, followed by his niece. "End of the hall, on the right!" Caesar called up from behind them. Daryl pushed the door open, skidding to a stop when he came face-to-face with the barrel of a gun.
"Fuck!" he cursed and instinctively grabbed the small hand holding it and twisted it away from his face. The gun clattered to floor and the woman holding it screamed, kicking him hard in the shins and thighs and a little bit too close to the family jewels with what felt like steel-toed boots. " Ow! Shit! Cut it out, you stupid bitch!"
"Rowan!" Amanda shouted right behind Daryl. "Stop! He's with us!"
Caesar tried to get in through the doorway. "Stop, Rowan!"
Daryl tackled the crazed bitch, knocking her flat on her back and landing on top her. He fought her a moment before finally securing her hands above her head. She bucked underneath him. "Get the fuck off me!" she screamed.
Merle came around to stand over them, one eyebrow raised. He smirked. "Whoa, there, Baby Brother! I might've been willing to share if ya asked first and Rowan, darlin', you should've had a knife in his ribs before he got ya this far."
Daryl jumped up quickly and backed away from the young woman he had just flattened. "Goddamn, Merle!" He felt his face turn red hot. Why the fuck did Merle bring these people with him? Hell, stupid question...I know why he brought this whore, bangin' her for sure. Can't believe she pulled a gun on me...stupid fuckin' bitch. But the spic? He glanced at Martinez. That ain't like Merle, trusting his back to a man who ain't kin.
Merle held his hand out to help Rowan up and she flew at him. "Pig!" He raised his right arm to block her blow. "Ouch! Shit!" she cried out as her arm hit the metal. "Damn it, Merle!" She rubbed her sore arm.
"Sorry, darlin'." He grabbed her as she tried to pass. "Don't leave the room. Bunch of biters out there." She tried to jerk her arm away but he held on tight for just a moment longer and said for her ears only, "Baby, ya know I was only kiddin'...'bout sharing ya with my Daryl, that's unless, of course, you want too..."
"Oh my god!" She shrugged him off and went to stand by Amanda and Caesar.
"You okay?" Amanda asked, putting her arm around the other woman.
Rowan nodded, "You?"
"No. Not really." The man I love left my daddy cuffed to a roof to die a horrific death. No, I may never be okay.
"Who's that poor fucker?" Merle asked. They all gathered by the window and looked down at the ghastly sight below them. A mass of walkers had converged on the dead body in the yard, ripping it to shreds.
"Crowley," Martinez answered.
Merle turned on him. "You're fuckin' with me!"
"Sorry, man," he apologized, taking a step back, well out of reach of the knife attached to the man's right arm.
Merle whipped around to glare at the rest little group. "He was mine! Who the fuck killed him!"
Rick and Daryl looked at each other but neither man spoke. Amanda moved to her father's side. "Please take that thing off before someone gets hurt."
"Ladybug, there's a mess biters just outside..."
"And I've seen you put that on in two seconds." She looked up at him, hand on her hips. Eyes tired, sad. "Please, Daddy."
"Shit, Baby Girl," he muttered under his breath but did as he was asked, sliding the blade into a sheath he'd fastened onto the side.
"Daddy, Crowley came while you were gone." Her voice trembled when she spoke. "H-he p-put a g-gun to my head. Rick saved my life. Daryl, too. They both shot him." Crowley's dead. Rick killed him. Daryl killed him. I made sure he was dead. He can never hurt me again. Walkers are eating him. He's dead. Crowley's dead.
Merle closed his eyes and exhaled loudly. Fuck me! They fuckin' killed Crowley without me! FUCK! Ain't that some shit. Got my baby brother and my baby girl but still no fuckin' vengeance...Damnm I need to kill somethin'. He should thank the man that saved his daughter, he should but he couldn't bring himself to thank the bastard that forced him to cut his own hand off. "Good job, baby bro." He patted Daryl on the shoulder. Goddamn boy finally grew a pair but how the hell he end up in league with fuckin' Officer Friendly?
"What's the plan, boss?" Caesar asked the man he'd come to trust with life. Dixon was one tough son of a bitch but above all he was a survivor. Martinez would put his money on him any day.
"I guess we gonna hole up here 'til they pass. Too many to take out." Merle rubbed his chin thoughtfully watching the dead feed off Crowley. "We'll keep a close eye on 'em, keep quiet, no lights." Merle turned to glare pointedly at Rick and said, "They should move on if they can't find nothin' else to eat here."
Daryl sat by the window, keeping his eye on the walkers and the little group at the same time. What he really wanted to do was get back to the prison. Get back to the prison...never thought he'd say that. Now that they had Amanda, he was worried about the ones left behind. They'd be safe if they stayed smart.
What a goddamned mess he walked into. Found my brother, found my niece and the whole situation is still a big hot pile of steaming shit. Fuck! He needed to talk to Merle. Alone. As long as Rick's in the room, Big Brother ain't gonna see much else. How the fuck am I gonna keep Merle from killin' Rick? Possum's right, can't let 'im make Carl and Judith orphans...Merle ain't gonna do that to them kids, knowin' they got no one else. Hafta keep remindin' him lest he forgets. Hell, how the fuck I'm gonna convince him Rick's a good man, a friend...
"C'mon, honey, let me help you get you some clean clothes." He heard his brother's whore say to Amanda. Stupid bitch 'bout broke my goddamn shins. He rubbed the painful limbs absently. And fuck! Poor Possum, what the hell, she ain't been gone but two days...wish these damn walkers would hurry up and move on.
He watched the two women disappear into the bathroom.
Gotta get out of this fuckin house...can't hardly breathe...too many people suckin' up the oxygen...
The tension in the shrinking bedroom was suffocating and Rowan couldn't stand it in there another minute. She didn't hear everything that had unfolded outside but she understood the gist of it and it was damned ugly. If what she heard was right and Amanda's boyfriend was the one who cuffed Merle to the roof...Fuck! There's no way this could end well. She led the other woman into bathroom and locked the door behind them. Ah, a room free of raging testosterone...
"Seems like you're always finding me clothes, Rowan." Amanda sat on the edge of the marble tub looking like a lost kitten that had been run over by a car.
"I don't mind," said the dark-haired woman, sitting beside her. "We girls have to stick together." She put her arm around Amanda's shoulders. "Wanna talk?"
"No. Not yet," Amanda said softly, "but, thanks, I may take you up on that one day."
"Okay," she said helping her remove her boots. Poor girl was black and blue and Rowan knew by her groans that every movement hurt. "Daryl? That's Merle's little brother, right?" He was thin and dirty, not like his brother, at all.
Amanda nodded, stepping out of her bloodied pants, Crowley's blood. She shuddered with disgust and kicked them away.
Rowan tossed the nasty clothes in the hamper to get them out of sight. "He's younger than I thought. Not really what I expected." Seemed kind of skittish. Mean. He certainly didn't have the swagger Merle had.
"Yeah, I think, they're about twelve years apart, something like that." Amanda pulled a tank top on followed by an oversized long-sleeved shirt. "How old are you, Rowan? If you don't mind me asking..."
Rowan smiled. "Of course not. Twenty-five. Why'd you wanna know?"
"Just curious. I thought we were about the same age." Daddy and Rowan? Really?
"Is it nice...where we're going?" Rowan asked. "The place you were before."
Amanda kind of snorted. The prison? Nice? "Well, its not as pretty as Woodbury, but...I guess...well, I feel safe there." She choked back a sob. I miss it.
Rowan gently rubbed the other woman's slender shoulders. "Sounds nice," she murmured.
A sharp rap at the door startled them both. "What the hell ya'll doing in there?" Merle's raspy voice was laced with impatience.
"I'm getting dressed, Daddy!" Amanda hissed. They were supposed to be keeping their voices down so as not to attract the attention of the passing herd.
"Well how long's it fuckin' take? And why's it take two of ya?"
"Merle Dixon!" Rowan opened the door just a crack so all he could see was her face, brown eyes leveled at his blue ones, "Your daughter has had a very bad day, two days, so if it takes her a fucking hour to dress you're gonna let her have a fucking hour and have it in peace!" She shut the door in his face and locked it.
He kicking the wall, putting a hole in the sheetrock. "Fuckin' woman."
"Damn it Merle! Shut the fuck up," Daryl whispered harshly.
Merle flipped his brother off and leaned back against the wall, trying really hard to be patient, though it was not one of his stronger virtues, by far.
Finally, Amanda emerged in clean clothes with her hair pulled back from her face. Merle tilted her chin up and looked her in the eyes. He kissed her forehead lightly. "Go sit by Daryl, Ladybug. I'll be there in a minute."
She nodded and moved away from him and just for a second, Amanda's eyes met Rick's. She quickly looked away but not before seeing the pain and sadness in them. How can I love him? Damn him to hell for making me fall in love with him, knowing what he did to my daddy.
"C'mon, Possum." Daryl said, patting the empty space beside him.
She walked past her uncle and sat down by Caesar. The man almost cringed at the dangerous look the younger Dixon gave him. Dixon brothers reunited...damn...both fuckers had those same hard cold eyes. They'd make one hell of a formidable team. He'd hate to be on the Dixon shit list.
Martinez watched the man Merle called Officer Friendly, Amanda's man. Ain't that some messed up shit. He thought he saw the man's blue eyes narrow when the girl leaned her head against Caesar's own shoulder. Dumb ass didn't even tell her he chained her father to the roof...probably never expected to see Daddy Dixon again. Telling her would've put the brakes on the relationship before it even got started. Poor fucker. Wouldn't want to be in his shoes. Don't know if she'll forgive that shit. I know Merle won't.
"Amanda, honey" Caesar said gently to the young woman dozing against him. "Get up, girl, and get in the bed."
"Ouch," She started to protest but he put his arm around her and carefully stood her up.
"Sorry, babe. Come on. You'll be more comfortable." He helped her to the bed and covered her with a light blanket, receiving unfriendly glares from the other two men in the room. He shrugged them off and returned to his "place" wishing Merle would hurry back.
Rowan took a step out of the bathroom but Merle put a hand on her hip and pushed her back in, locking the door behind them.
"What the hell?" she exclaimed holding on to his strong arms to keep from falling.
"How's my daughter?" he asked.
"Shit!" Rowan let go of his arms and snapped at him. "Mr. Di-I mean Merle. How do you think she is?"
"Did she say anything to you?"
"No," she sighed. "We barely know each other, why would she?"
"Cuz you're a girl and that's what they do...talk about...shit."
Rowan shook her head. "Geez, Merle. You gotta lot to learn about women."
When she tried to go around him, he moved his solid body between her and the door. Then he grinned. "Bet I could teach you a few things, sweetheart," he said and reached out to push a lock of dark hair over her shoulder brushing her neck with his fingers.
"You've got to be kidding," she said incredulously.
"Why?" he pulled her against the growing bulge in his pants to prove that he wasn't.
"Oh my god," she said half-laughing. "You are serious. Merle, there are four people right outside this door."
"Ain't nothin' to joke about, darling," he said with mock seriousness as he nuzzled her neck with his stubbled chin..."and it didn't seem to bother you last night."
"That tickles!" she giggled. "There were only two other people last night and they were asleep." Rowan put her hands on his chest and pushed him away. "I'm not a whore, Merle," she said, her laughter faded away.
"I know that, baby," he said lowering his head to kiss her. "Never thought ya were."
She leaned back further. "Your brother thinks I am," she said solemnly. She could tell by the way he looked at her, like she was dirty or something.
Merle cupped her cheek with his large calloused hand. "Cuz of what I said, about sharing? Darlin', I was teasin'. He knows that." He smirked. "Sides, my baby brother wouldn't know a whore if she bit 'im in the ass." He reached around and grabbed hers and she squealed.
"Hush, damn it!" he growled into the hollow at the base of her neck, nipping the tender skin lightly.
"I can't help it." She wrapped her arms around his head and hitched a leg over his hip.
"I know ways to keep ya quiet, girl and still have fun," he said winking at her as he unbuckled his pants.
Merle stepped in the bedroom to find all eyes on him. "What?" he asked innocently, moving to stand next to Daryl at the window.
His brother shook his head in disbelief. "Fuck Merle! Really?"
"Really, baby brother, really, " he answered, chuckling and slapping him on the back.
"Get your goddamn nasty hands off me!" Daryl yelped, jerking away from his older brother.
Merle shot Rick a dirty look. "Hand, bro, just got one, now," he said grimly.
"Keep it down you two," Martinez warned.
The Dixon brothers looked at him then went back to looking out the window.
Rick heard soft, almost fearful, cries from Amanda as she began to toss and turn in her sleep. She was having a nightmare. Shit! He should be there, holding her, comforting her. He wanted to be there...even if she didn't want him. He couldn't stand it anymore. He rose and headed for the bed but Merle Dixon cut him off with a scathing glare.
"Don't you ever touch my daughter again," he growled knocking him out of the way with his shoulder. He lay down on the bed and slid his stump under Amanda's head, cradling her against his shoulder, whispering soothing words that Rick couldn't hear. Her whimpers subsided as she curled into her father and slipped back into a restful sleep. He should be the one comforting her. Not her father, or, he glanced at the man she called Caesar, not some stranger.
Rick watched as the dark-haired girl, apparently Merle's woman, walked past him to the far side of the bed. Taking off her boots first, she stretched out on the other side of Amanda and rested her hand on the arm Dixon had around his daughter.
Rick didn't say anything but leaned against the wall next to the bedroom door where he had been sitting, waiting for the herd to move on. Daryl gave him an apologetic look.
This wasn't the Merle Dixon that Rick remembered from Atlanta and he'd bet it wasn't the one Mandy remembered either...not from the stories she told or little comments she made back at the prison. Rick didn't trust him. The man was a loose cannon and he sure didn't feel good about letting him in the prison. What about the safety of the others? The safety of his own children? Did Daryl trust him one hundred percent? The group couldn't afford to lose Daryl. They needed him. Rick needed him. The two men had become close friends over the past year and he trusted Daryl with his life and the life of his family...but that didn't mean shit when it came to Merle. Daryl had a blind eye when it came to his older brother. He tried to see the good that was maybe there once. Maybe. Rick didn't know. He only had the coked up version of Merle that was a danger to everyone around him to base his opinion of the man on. If they got out of this alive...when they got out of this alive, he corrected himself, maybe they could work something out...a truce? He snorted out loud. Daryl looked quizzically at him.
Rick went over to stand by the younger Dixon. Hopefully they could talk in relative privacy if they kept their voices low. "We can't take all these people back to the prison. We don't know anything about 'em."
"Whaddya wanna do?"
Rick massaged his temples. What did he want to do? He wanted to take Amanda "home" to the prison and have things back to the way they were. That's what he really wanted to do...but that wasn't gonna happen. "I don't know, Daryl. Guess we have to talk to Merle."
They seem to look to him for orders." He had no delusions that it would go well.
"He's my brother. I'll do it," The hunter said, standing up. "Keep an eye on things."
"Now?"
"Good o' time as any." the man said and went to rouse his older brother from the bed. They stepped out into the hallway and shut the door.
Amanda sat up rubbing her eyes. She watched her daddy and uncle leave the room. Rick was watching her. She felt his gaze and turned to meet it reluctantly. He gave her a half-smile. Shit. Rowan started to sit up. "I'm fine, just need to stretch a second." She eased of the bed and went to stand by him knowing that both Rowan and Caesar were watching.
Rick immediately jumped up an offered the chair which she took. He shifted his weight on his feet not sure what to say that wouldn't make things worse. "Mandy, hon..."He rested his hands on the back of the chair. He wanted to touch her but didn't dare.
Her voice was cold. "Where'd Daddy and Daryl go?"
"To talk."
"About what?" She looked up at him with hard blue eyes of the Dixons, her mouth set in a firm line. "Don't lie to me."
He answered hesitantly, "About the man and woman with ya'll," Rick had watched Amanda with them and she seemed to trust them implicitly. Perhaps, because she thought her father did?
"Rowan and Caesar. What about them?" she asked.
"We don't know anything about them. I'm not comfortable bringing them to the prison." There he said it.
"They helped Daddy save my life. They're okay."
"Baby, how can you know that? You've only known them a couple of days."
"Rick, I've known you for over six months and..." She paused and turned away. "Maybe I'm not such good judge of character after all."
Rick closed his eyes and dropped his hands to his sides. He had nothing to say to that.
As always, thanks to all my readers. Your support is much appreciated! Please take a moment to leave a review and let me know what you think.