Caesar woke with Amanda in his arms for second morning in a row. The cell was still dark but it wouldn't be long until the early sun filtered through the high barred windows of the cell block. Fearing he'd wake her, he was careful not move. Her slender bare back was flush against his chest and her head was tucked in his shoulder. His hand rested comfortably on her breast. The wonder of how she came to be in his arms like this filled him with the hope that someday she may be his.

"You okay, babe?" he mumbled half-awake. She didn't answer but she turned toward him. He let his hand rest lightly on her hip and kissed the top of her head. She buried her head in his chest and silent tears dampened the front of his shirt.

"Aww, baby," he said pulling her closer.

"What is wrong with me?" Her voice was so small and frail.

"Not a damn thing, Amanda." He lifted her chin and sought her lips with his fingertips. "Not a thing," he assured her and kissed the salty tears away from her cheeks.

Her trembling hands crept up his chest and stopped when she came in contact with the bare skin at his throat. His heartbeat quickened at the delicate sensation of her fingertips on his flesh. Emboldened by her willingness to touch him, he kissed her lips gently, chastely. Her hands curled around the opening of his shirt pulling it tight across his back and she leaned into the kiss. She pressed her parted lips to his…not quite kissing him back but not pulling away either. He wanted to feel her body against his and he spread his hand across the small of her back and brought her closer. She jerked back when she felt his growing erection press into her stomach.

Shit. "Shh, shh, shh, baby. Sorry." He backed away so there was ample space between them.

She let out a shuddering breath. "I'm sorry."

"No, Amanda, I am." He brushed her hair back and trailed his hand down her arm to take hold of hers. "I have wanted you since the first day I saw you, in the oak tree." Just remembering the sight of her slim arms and legs wrapped around the trunk, wild curls and her fierce determination made him smile.

"Even after I kicked you in the balls?"

"Even then," he chuckled. "Well, not until the pain went away." He cupped her face. "I can't help how my body reacts but I ain't a boy and I can control it. I won't touch you unless you want me to."

Amanda put her hands on his chest and curled them around his shirt again. "I want you to."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You want me to what, baby?"

"I want you to touch me…just touch me, that's all." Her voice trembled at her bold request like she was afraid he would refuse.

"Show me Amanda. Show me how you want to be touched." He had to make sure. He didn't want to do it wrong. He didn't want to frighten her. Caesar wanted her to trust him. He wanted to show her that no matter what Crowley had done, her body was still something to be treasured, wanted, and desired.

She captured his hand and brought it to her lips, kissing his work-roughened palm. She rubbed her cheek against the calloused surface. He mirrored her actions with his other palm, cupping her other cheek.

Amanda guided his broad hand slowly down her neck and he followed with the other until each of his palms covered her breasts. His hands shook slightly beneath hers. She moved his hand in circular motion and he gently caressed the firm mounds through her shirt and bra. He swallowed hard and tried to not to get ahead of her lead although the tightening in his groin was becoming more uncomfortable.

Without warning, she pushed his hands away. Caesar lay back on the bunk, glad it was too dark for her to see the disappointment that must be written all over his face. He felt the mattress shift as she sat up. Shit, she was leaving. It must have been too much. He listened to her rustling but she didn't get off the bed.

Instead, Amanda reached over in the darkness and began to unbutton his shirt. Just the tips of her fingers brushed down his chest with the unfastening of each button. Bolts of electricity sizzled through his body at her touch. He was afraid to breathe, afraid she would stop. When she finished with the last button, her hands slipped under the flaps of his shirt, ran up his bare chest to his shoulders and down his large biceps as she pushed the fabric away. "How did you get these?"

"Lots a hard work, been using the prison gym to keep them," he answered, savoring the feel of her exploration of his muscles. She stretched out beside him and scooted into his arms with her back to him. The unexpected pleasure of her bare skin flush against his, forced a harsh gasp from his throat. He wrapped his arms around her middle.

Amanda moved his palms to her bare breasts. His broad hands completely covered them and she leaned into him. He lightly brushed his thumbs across her nipples causing them harden instantly into taut peaks beneath his caress. Her head fell forward with a soft moan, dark curls spreading out across his arm tickling skin that was already hypersensitive to her touch.

His erection pushed hard between her ass and he tried to increase the gap between them. He was so damned hard; he had to get control of himself like he promised her. He shut his eyes and held his breath and tried to think of something, anything that would keep him from coming right now in his pants. Biters, the stench of lots of biters, dripping with rotting flesh. No. Dead puppies. No. Yesterday's gruel. Shit, that didn't work either. Merle Dixon. Ahh, yep...that did the trick.

He squeezed her breasts with a little more pressure and she threw her head back on his shoulder. When his mouth found a sensitive spot at the base of her neck, he gently nibbled and kissed the area until her fingers loosened on his hands and slid over his strong forearms.

"I wanna help you forget, Amanda." His voice was deep and husky, full warring emotions of passion and compassion. "Whenever you are ready." He kissed her ear and traced the outer shell with the tip of his tongue.

He meant every word he said last night. He would wait. He didn't know if he would ever see that spark in her eye that he saw when she challenged from her perch in the oak tree again but he would try to help her get it back.

She snuggled into him. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her neck just behind the ear. "Morning, baby."

"Morning," she replied sleepily and placed a light kiss on the inside of his elbow. She removed his hand from her breast and guided it lower over her shorts until she stopped at the heat between her legs. She began to rub his palm against her.

Her breath came in uneven gasps and she sounded like she might cry. Caesar stopped and moved his hand to the neutral area of her stomach. "You want me to touch you there, Amanda?" he asked, daring to hope that she would trust him that far.

She nodded her head against his arm.

"Tell me baby."

"I want you to fuck me," Amanda said, desperation lacing her voice. She needed his assurance that a man would actually want her again and that she would still be able to feel pleasure from a man's touch.

That wasn't what he had expected her to say at all. He hesitated and as much as he wanted to do what she asked, he couldn't take advantage of her vulnerability. "Baby, I don't have a condom."

It was just an excuse to reject her. "Don't need one if I'm pregnant." Unless of course that mother fucker gave me a disease.

"Maybe you aren't."

"Would you even wanna fuck me even if I am pregnant with Crowley's baby?" she asked doubtfully.

"Yeah. I would…I do…either way." That was the truth. He didn't care. He wanted her and if she had the baby, he would take care of it as his own.

Amanda sat up abruptly, pulling away from him. As she reached for her shirt, Caesar dropped his hands to his sides, unsure what he had done to upset her.

"Well I guess if I'm not getting laid, I might as well get something to eat,"she said coldly, tugging the shirt over her head.

Caesar watched her blink back tears of rejection. He tried to break through the wall she was trying to rebuild around herself. "Please, don't go yet," he pleaded.

She tensed when he grabbed her hand. "You don't have to pretend you want me, Caesar."

"Pretend?" He sat up. "Shit, Amanda. You know what you do to me. You felt it," he said, looking pointedly down at the uncomfortable bulge pressing at his zipper. "This guy ain't pretending."

She smiled a little sheepishly at him. "I supposed he isn't."

"C'mon baby," Caesar said softly, urging her back into his arms. "Stay with me a little longer." She relented to his coaxing and lay back into the hard expanse of his chest. He twirled a lock of her hair around his finger and let it bounce back. The morning light filled the cell with a soft glow and he wanted to see her. He brushed her hair back and kissed the side of her face. "Let me touch you again, Amanda."

When she didn't answer, he started to tell her it was okay if she didn't want to…if she had had enough but then she turned to him and covered his mouth hers, swiping her tongue across the front of his teeth. His hand snaked its way into her shirt to stroke the length of her bare back. "Don't ever think I don't want you," he whispered and met her tongue with his.

Keys jingled at the door of the cell block. "Caesar," she whispered harshly, pulling away.

"I hear it," he said, swinging his legs over the side of the bunk, pulling his shirt back on and buttoning it quickly. He put his gun in the back of his waistband and stuck his head out. "Hello?"

"Oh, hi, Caesar…I didn't know you were already sleeping here." A cheerful voice greeted him as Beth made her way into the cell block with an armload of boxes.

"It's early, isn't it?" He asked and paused when he saw Rick glaring at him from behind the young woman. "Is everything alright, Grimes?"

"Yeah, just unlocking the door for Beth but didn't realize it was already opened," he explained, slightly puzzled. Daryl or Carl must have unlocked the door for Amanda.

Caesar took the boxes from the blonde and carried them up to the perch knowing that's where the younger Dixon brother would settle in. "You want the stuff up here, Beth?"

"Yes," she answered gratefully. "Thank you so much, Caesar."

Amanda stepped out of her cell and into the room, pushing her hair behind her ears. Not what she wanted to face first thing in the morning…a perky teenager and a pissed-off looking ex-cop.

Beth waved at her. "Hey Amanda, I didn't know…" The
realization struck the teen as soon as the words left her mouth. Beth looked at Rick then back at Amanda and Caesar who had returned to stand protectively by her friend's side. "Sorry…I, um…I can…shoot…why don't I come back later?"

"That's okay, Beth," Amanda answered for them all with a smile pasted on her face. That was one thing her momma taught her, how to smile in any situation, no matter how tense or awkward it was. She touched Caesar's arm. "You were just going to get a head start on breakfast, weren't you?"

"Uh, yeah, guess I was." He went grabbed his hat out of the cell and placed it firmly on his head. He paused as he passed her and asked, "Are you going to be alright, Amanda?"

She touched his cheek. "Of course, I will," she answered smiling up at him with best smile.

Caesar captured her hand and kissed her palm, not taking his dark eyes off her clear blue ones. "Don't be late for breakfast. It'll be better than yesterday."

Beth laughed nervously. "It can't be worse, Caesar. Please hurry before Oscar tries to cook again. I'll be there shortly."

Some kind of grunt came from Rick but he didn't say anything. Martinez nodded to Grimes as he brushed by him going out the door.

Rick leaned against the metal bars of the door frame and crossed his arms. He looked around the newly cleaned-out block but wouldn't meet Amanda's eyes.

She stood in the middle of the room with her arms crossed. "I'm sure you have something else to do, Officer Rick."

It didn't slip his notice that she called him the same thing her daddy did. It got under his skin no matter how he tried to ignore it. "I'm not leaving you ladies here alone."

Amanda huffed. "This area's been cleared out. We'll be fine."

"Can't be too safe. I'm not comfortable with it."

"I'm not comfortable with you here," she retorted.

"I think I'll go upstairs and put my stuff away," Beth said to neither one in particular.

When the young blonde was out of site, Rick moved into Amanda's space and frowned at her. His voice was low and accusatory. "What are you doing with him?"

"Since I'm not with you, I don't know why it's your business." She didn't back down though she really wanted to. He was too close.

"Because, Mandy, I care about you," he whispered harshly close to her face so Beth couldn't hear.

"Really?" She snorted. "Because I'm have a hard time seeing it."

He waved her reply off. "I don't trust him. Neither does Daryl. I just don't wanna see you get hurt."

Her eyes were bright with tears but she blinked them away. "I don't think anyone could hurt me more than you have." She promised herself that she wouldn't cry in front of him anymore.

Rick closed his eyes for a second. Maybe it was the truth but it was not the point he was trying to make. "What do you really know about the man, Mandy?"

"Daddy trusts him and that's good enough for me."

"Merle Dixon trusts him?" he replied, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Well that should have sent up a red flag."

"Hey!" she said, angrily, slapping him hard on the cheek. The sound echoed through the cell block. "Don't talk about my daddy like that again."

Rick rubbed his stinging cheek and stepped back. "Guess I deserved that."

"Damn right, you did. My daddy has bent over backwards to stay out of your way so we could all live in peace here."Amanda defended her father. It couldn't be easy to live next door to the same man he forced him to cut his hand off. And though he never pretended to get along with Rick, he tried not to go out of the way to antagonize him. Actually, that wasn't true. The more she thought about it, her daddy seemed to get great pleasure out of antagonizing Rick.

Rick looked at the ceiling and blew out his breath. He shook his head and looked back at Amanda. "You're right. I'm sorry. What I said was uncalled for." He went on. "I'm sorry about what is happening between us."

Tears threatened to well up in her eyes so she just nodded in acceptance of his apology, afraid her voice would crack.

"I still love you, Mandy." He lifted her chin with a finger forcing her to meet his gaze. "Nothing's going to change that." Rick sighed heavily. "I know I haven't done anything right since you came back from Woodbury. I don't know how to fix it." He leaned down and softly kissed her cheek.

Amanda didn't know why she did what she did but she had to do it. She turned to capture his lips…she just had to know…His hand slid around to the back of her neck and tangled in her messy curls. She closed her eyes and a soft moan escaped as the exquisite feeling of his mouth against hers once again sent tendrils of longing through every fiber of her body. He pulled away too soon. "Mandy, honey, please understand that I am truly sorry." Then he straightened up and cleared his throat. "I'll be just outside the door when ya'll are ready to go."

Amanda nodded, her fingers touching the exact spot where his lips just were. She was still rooted in place when Beth stepped quietly down the stairs and stopped in front of her.

"Amanda," she said, gently, hooking a finger under the strap of her tank top, "I suggest you fix your shirt before breakfast."

Startled out of her state of shock, she looked down hesitantly. Shit! Her shirt was on backwards and inside out. She thanked her friend sheepishly and ducked into her cell to put it on properly.

Merle watched with amusement the flurry of activity in the kitchen. All the cooks but Cherry Blossom showed up. After yesterday's breakfast fiasco, he expected nothing less.

"Hey, Betty Crocker. I need to holler at ya a minute." Rowan, Carol and Martinez all turned around at the same time.

Caesar smiled ruefully and wiped his hands on a towel. "Sorry ladies but I think he means me."

"Have fun," Carol chuckled went back to preparing the food.

Rowan blew Merle a kiss. He smirked. If she thought he was gonna "catch" it she was crazy. She laughed at his sour face and turned away to help Carol.

"What's up, Boss?"

"Got some business on the north side of the prison," Merle said. "Grab a weapon. Biters are building up"

"Got one," he said, patting the sheath of the knife on his hip. He also picked up a baseball bat on the way out. Carol had thoughtfully filled a trashcan with bats and sat it by the door in case of emergencies.

When they were well away from the main building, Merle informed his friend of his plans. "Gonna scout out Woodbury in a couple of days."

"Okay. What do you need me to do?"Martinez was ready to get on with it. The sooner they disposed of the Governor the better.

"Stay here." His tone was hard and brooked no argument.

Why the hell would he want him to behind? He needed him for back-up. "What? Wait, Dixon. I know the place almost as well as you…"

"Me and my brother are going. That's all."

Caesar didn't say anything more but he was obviously not happy about being left behind.

Merle slowed his steps and turned toward the man he considered a friend. "When did you decide?" His voice became hard.

What the fuck is he talking about? A cold fear clutched Caesar's stomach. "Decide what, Dixon?"

Merle grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around, his knife to his throat before the man could take another breath. "Not to give us away to the Governor," he growled pressing the razor sharp blade just under his chin.

Martinez didn't struggle or feign ignorance. He just sighed. "Shit. How'd you know?"

"Gut feeling," Dixon answered, not letting up.

A thin line of crimson trickled down Caesar's neck. "Why didn't you kill me then?"

"Needed ya to get my girl out," he answered, straightforwardly. "Simple as that."

"And when you didn't need me?"

Merle shrugged and dropped his right arm, wiping Caesar's blood off the blade. "When I didn't need ya, Amanda did."

"If you knew, why the fuck did you leave me with Rowan and Amanda when you went for the truck?" He wiped the thin cut on his neck with the hem of his shirt.

"Didn't have much of a choice. Ladybug couldn't walk any more. Wasn't sure Rowan would much help against the biters. I knew you weren't gonna hurt my baby girl," he said confidently. "Ya got a big soft spot for women. It's one of your weaknesses."

Martinez rubbed his beard nervously. He didn't know where this was going to go but hopefully it wouldn't end up with him being dead...he wasn't sure he was out of the woods just yet. Dixon had always been unpredictable.

"Ya killed two men. Who were they?"the older man asked, curious but unconcerned.

"Marcus and Jones. How'd you know?" Was there anything the man didn't know? He thought he hid the bodies well.

"Daryl told me. Came across the bodies in the bushes, one had a broke neck and they both had fresh lobotomies. Nice work." They had reached the north fence and Dixon banged on it with his "bayonet," calling the biters over. "Ya still got plans to move back to Woodbury, Martinez?"

He studied the man carefully, feeling like there was something else he was getting at. "Not as long as the Governor is in charge."

Merle nodded. He was going to have to put his faith in the man again. "Martinez, I don't trust Officer Rick to take care of my family when I'm gone so I'm leavin' 'em in your care." He shoved his knife through the fence and into the eye of a biter in a shredded three-piece suit. "That's my daughter, my woman, and my baby." He pulled back and stabbed another one, this one in a police uniform. He smiled as he watched it fall to the ground and then he turned to the younger man and stare him directly in the eyes. His voice was dangerous and sent cold shivers down the other man's spine. "If anythin' happens to anyone of 'em, I will gut ya. Understand?"

Martinez nodded, relieved he was still breathing. "Yes, Boss."

"Good!" Dixon smiled broadly and slapped his friend on the back. "Now, let's kill the rest of these mother fuckers before breakfast."

Daryl snuck up behind Beth and grabbed her by the waist. She screamed and he covered her mouth quickly with his. "Hush, Angel, I finally got ya alone so don't be calling the others."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and he backed her in to the newly decorated cell. He eased her down onto the bottom bunk, protecting her head with his hand so she didn't hit it in the top one.

When he let her up for air, she asked breathlessly, "What do you think?"

"That you are the sweetest thing on earth." He kissed her neck, making her giggle.

"No, I meant about the cell."

"Mmmmm. Nice," he said, not lifting his head.

"Our very own place."

Daryl propped up on his elbows to look at her. Damn. She was serious.

"Ours."

Her smile was so pretty and she was so happy that he should have kept his mouth shut, but being a Dixon, he didn't. "Beth, darlin', I ain't sleeping in a cell."

"But Daryl…we can't sleep there," Beth protested as she gestured toward the perch. "Not if we're going to…you know."

He rolled to the side as she sat up, his hand on her leg. He kissed the bare skin of her thigh just below the hem on her shorts.

"Daryl? Are you listening to me?" she asked, impatiently.

"What, sugar?" he answered, distractedly as his hands worked their way around to her cute little ass. He wanted to see her again so he started unbuttoning her shorts.

She pushed his hands away. Beth buttoned her shorts again and looked at him sternly.

He flopped on his back. He knew he wasn't getting anything til she was done talking. Why did women always wanna talk? Shit…was this because he said he wouldn't sleep in her cell.

"Daryl? You won't sleep with me in the other cell block because of Daddy. You won't sleep in our cell because I don't know why. So that leaves the perch and outside."

"Okay." Both were logical solutions to him. He didn't see the problem.

"Not okay," she informed him. "It's gonna get cold soon so sleeping outdoors will be out of the question. And…and there is no privacy up there!"

Why is she getting pissy? "Beth, darling, it's only gonna be us. And Merle and Rowan. And Amanda. Oh yeah, Martinez. Ain't nobody gonna pay attention to us."

Beth huffed and shook her head. He had to be kidding, wasn't he?

"What's matter baby?" he teased, kissing the side of her neck. "Ya afraid ya might get loud again?"

"Daryl!" Her cheeks flamed at the memories of her unexpected responses to her orgasms. The girl didn't know why she got so flustered when he made comments about it, but she did. She wasn't used losing complete control of her actions. She tried to leave, hide her embarrassment, but he pulled her back down on the mattress trapping her body under his.

"Nothin' wrong a little noise, sweet cheeks," Daryl said, nuzzling her neck and squeezing her ass. "Tells me I'm doin' it right."

Beth wiggled under him and he worked his body into the space between her legs. He captured her hands and held them above her head, kissing her into submission which wasn't difficult at all. She locked her ankles around his waist and seemed to forget what she was embarrassed about just a moment ago. Her hair had come loose from it ponytail and her face was flushed and his body responded instantly.

He practically purred in her ear. "There ain't nobody here now, sugar. It's alright if ya gotta to scream." He nibbled on the delicate lobe and worked his way down her neck pulling at the tie of her peasant top with his teeth while his hands quickly unfastened her shorts. "Got another one of those condoms, Angel?"

Daryl Dixon knew he shouldn't have come to Merle with advice about women but hell, who else was there? Possum was out of the question right now. There was Grimes…Pft…he was so fucked up with whatever his head was wrapped around he wouldn't be any help to anybody. Herschel was Beth's father so he was way out of the question. Glenn…eh…probably not. He and Maggie were attached at the hip and if he talked to one he would have to talk to the other. Then it would get back to Beth and he'd be screwed and not in the good way…Fuck. Oscar, maybe, but he wasn't comfortable talkin' to him about personal shit. Martinez? Hell no and enough said. Carl? Daryl snorted to himself. That was probably his best bet out of this sorry bunch but for some reason the boy was mad at him. Kept givin' him dirty looks and leavin' the room when he walked in. Whatever. His head hurt and he needed a drink.

"Pay attention, boy. I got more important things to do than holdin' your hand." The older Dixon smirked at his baby brother. "If ya think ya can solve all your woman problems by fuckin' her 'til she shuts up…well, then you're just an idiot." He shook his head and chuckled. "I hate to break it to ya, Darylina, but that'll only work for so long…then you better learn how to say 'yes dear, whatever you want,' if ya ever wanna get laid again."

"Ya ain't helping." Daryl sat across from Merle in the empty dining room and watched idly as his brother cleaned the cover he wore on his right arm. He said that he and Martinez cleared a band of walkers from the north fence that were getting to thick. "Ya can't tell me ya say that to Rowan."

"You don't have to use those exact words, dummy," Merle replied impatiently. Sometimes his brother was dense. "My woman ain't got no complaints. No indeedy." He smiled to himself remembering just this morning how she demonstrated her happiness. "Besides, is it really gonna kill ya to sleep in a cell? Ya can fuck in one. Why can't ya sleep in it?"

"Damn it Merle, I can't do it. Feels like the bars start closing in on me. Thought you said weren't gonna sleep in one ever again."

"I weren't, but it don't feel like prison much when I got a willing, naked woman lying next to me. Plus, bro, a good fuck'll put ya right to sleep and maybe ya won't wake 'til morning."

Daryl shook his head. He just couldn't do it. He spent enough time in jail, not near as much as Merle, but enough to know that sleeping in a cell wasn't going to happen.

Seeing the worry on his baby brother's face got Merle to thinking. "Tell ya what. I got an idea that just might work. I was going to do it for me and Rowan but I think you need it more. Follow me." Merle said, standing up and heading for the door. "You and Cherry Blossom can have the perch to yourselves. I ain't letting Rowan climb anymore stairs 'til this baby is born."

A special thanks to siarh for her amazing fortitude in the editing of this chapter. Please check out her fanfic-you won't be disappointed!

Thanks to all my readers. Please take a moment to leave a review and let me know what you think.