Thanks for giving this a chance.

A few things, this is A/U and the characters may be OOC at times but this is just a work of fiction for fun. This is also a CARLY story, with some Merle/Andrea mixed in. This will take us into the Z/A so that's where we're going.

This is a complete CARYL story. So if it's not your cup of tea and you don't like stories in the A/U or characters that are OOC then thanks for stopping and I hope you find something you enjoy more.

Chapter 1 Coming Home

The phone ringing scared them both awake and Merle bolted up right in bed, his one hand shooting out to Andrea, while his other push his cell to his ear, " 'ello?"

Andrea sat next to him and watched as her husband swung his legs over the side of the bed sitting up, the cell still to his ear as he rubbed the sleep from his face, "How the fuck …yeah I'll be there but damn this ain't no warning….did you call her….I fuckin' get that but did you call her. You need to call her….."

Andrea sighed and stood up pulling on a pair of sleep pants she had thrown on the floor the night before. Grabbing one of Merle's shirts and she wrapped it around her the tank top she wore to bed not enough to keep her warm on the chilly morning.

"God damn it Daryl I'm telling you this ain't no way….yeah, I'll be there."

Hanging up Merle looked over his shoulder at his wife and sighed, "He's getting' out today. Said it was early release and they just told his ass. Somethin' about overcrowding."

Andrea moved toward him, till his head was resting against her stomach. His strong arms came around her and he hugged her tight against him. Andrea rubbed her hand through his short hair and sighed, leaning down she kissed the top of his head, "It's going to be fine, but we need to at least tell her. It's been five years Merle and he's pushed her and the kids away."

Merle looked up at her, his eyes a cloud of emotions, a vulnerability he only ever shared with her, "Don't ya think I know that? We've been the ones to hold shit down since he went in. Hell, we know why his ass did what he did."

Andrea sighed, as he pulled her to sit on his knee, "She's made it through all this. Maybe she'll understand."

Merle nodded, "Yeah, I'm sure she will sooner or later. But being she's a Dixon woman, I bet it's later. But he don't want us tellin' her he's comin' home."

Andrea heard noise in the hallway and stood up, "Boys are up, I need to get them moving for school. It's going to be alright. You need to trust that Daryl will handle his own family. You did right by him Merle, let him take care of things for awhile."

Merle sighed, watching as his wife headed out of their room, his voice cracking, "Can ya fix up the spare room?"

Andrea smiled at him, "I don't need too. Get dressed you have a long ride ahead of you."

Merle sighed standing up he grabbed his jeans and started tugging them on, "I hope you have your shit together Daryl, god help you."

Daryl sat on his bunk holding the worn-out picture of his wedding day. His finger slowly tracing the face of the woman who was his whole world. A woman he had to hurt to save.

He shoved the picture inside the bag they had given him that morning for his things. He chewed on his thumb nail as he thought what it meant to be going home today and his stomach twisted knowing how much damage control he would have to do.

It was six years ago, when the doctor had said the words that would always haunt him, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. He had held her hand as the doctor said that it was advanced and she would need aggressive treatment. He had held her that night letting her cry, trying to stop her fears. They had two ten-year-old twins and a fourteen-year-old, this shouldn't be happening. But it was.

The next day he had gone to work and his foreman had told him that they were shutting down and he was in the first batch of layoffs. He had tried everything he could to get her the treatments she needed, but in the end, he crossed the line. He went to an old friend of Merle's. They robbed a bank, thinking they were in the clear, but Daryl was smart. He gave his money to his brother, knowing that the cops would sooner or later figure out who did it.

The worse thing was when the cops had come to the house and took him out of his bed, away from her, away from the kids. He would never forget the look on her face when they sentenced him. But at least he knew she would get what she needed. She would survive and that kept him alive in prison.

After the second visit with her and the kids he told Merle to stop bringing them. Sophia just cried and begged him to come home. Micah kept asking him if he could stay with him. Neither of twins really understanding why their daddy wasn't around. Adam just stared at him, he could see the boy was working through what had happened.

Adam.

His oldest son was every ounce a Dixon, even if his blood wasn't Daryl's. Adam would never know that he wasn't Daryl's son. Daryl had saved Carol all those years ago, and helped her through her pregnancy the two of them falling in love and when Adam was born Daryl's name was put on his birth certificate.

Daryl knew he and Adam would take some work. The boy had idolized him and he had failed him.

Hell, Daryl knew he failed them all.

He heard the guard open his cell door and he took to his feet his hands going against the wall. The guard grabbed his bag and looked through it. "Ok Dixon, let's go."

Dixon took one last look at the cell that had caged him for six years and he walked toward his freedom. Hoping that his family would forgive him, that SHE would forgive him.

Adam Dixon took off his welding helmet and rolled his shoulders as he stood. Groaning he walked over to his work bench and picked up the next part for the order he was working on. He chuckled to himself when he heard the bathroom door slam open.

"SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG….OH BABY…YEAH YOU….SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LOOOOONNNNNGGGG!"

His cousin Caleb snickered as he leaned against Adam's work bench, "I have to tell you cousin just took the biggest shit you've ever seen. Almost took a picture but I got distracted."

Adam shook his head, "Because you noticed your dick was out?"

Caleb huffed, "I will let you know that Regina Bishop, that sweet little red head down at the Dairy Queen, she can suck the dimples off a fucking golf ball." Caleb wiggled his eyebrows at Adam, "And I have to say, SHE SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG!"

Adam sat back down at his station and shook his head again at his cousin. Caleb Dixon was every inch his father made over, big, loud, and crude. "We both know the only thing sucking on YOUR dick is your mom's vacuum."

Caleb growled throwing an empty water bottle at Adam, "Fuck you, what me and that vacuum have is SPECIAL!"

Adam laughed his eyes going to the clock, "Where the hell is your dad? I need to ask him something about this next order."

Merle had started the welding shop after Daryl went to prison. It was a small operation with just Merle, his friend Ken, Adam, and now Caleb apprenticing.

Adam watched as his cousin walked over to his station and sat down picking up some paper work. Adam stood up, his mind racing, "Did he go to the prison?"

Caleb ran a hand over his face and sighed, "Listen man, I don't even know what I heard this morning."

Adam advanced toward his cousin towering over him, "WHAT. DID. YOU. FUCKING. HEAR?"

Caleb groaned, "Listen I could be wrong, but it sounded like…well it sounded like your dad was coming home."

Adam felt fear and rage course through his veins at the same time, "WHAT?"

Adam jerked Caleb up, slamming him into a metal cabinet behind him, "WHEN?"

Caleb knew he could take Adam normally, but when Adam was pissed he channeled Daryl and that was dangerous, "Today. I think my dad is going to get him now."

Adam releasing his cousin, moving toward his jacket that was hanging on a hook by the front door of the shop. Putting the jacket on he had his cell phone out dialing his mom, he was across the parking lot before Caleb could move. He chanted to himself as he started the car and headed toward home, "Pick up mom, fuckin' pick up!"

Sophia sighed taking a seat near her brother who was sulking across from her. She winced when he looked up at her, his eye was already swelling shut.

Sophia moved to the edge of the seat and hissed at him, "Why?"

Micah shrugged, "Because he wasn't going to say that shit to you. That's why."

Sophia shook her head, "You can't beat up every asshole on the planet. Mom is going to go nuts. This could be it, the principal said one more time and you're going to the behavior unit!"

Micah shrugged, looking out the window as the bus made it's stops, "Good enough for Uncle Merle and Dad, good enough for me."

Someone from the front of the bus threw a wadded-up piece of paper at Sophia, it hit her in the face. Looking up she saw it was the Queen Bee of their high school, Madison Campbell. The little bitch smirked at her. Sophia opened the paper up and wanted to go tear the little bitch's head off. The paper said in big read letter, Don't be a Dixon, Their the scum of the earth.

Micah reached across the aisle and nudged her knee, "What?"

Sophia crumbled up the paper and threw it on the floor, her eyes welling up she looked out the window and then back at her brother, her voice raw, "I can't have you in the behavior unit, I need you here. Please try to be good….for me."

Micah sighed, looking back at his sister he nodded his head. Neither spoke as the bus took them closer to home, there wasn't much to say.

Merle smirked as he got out of the truck, watching Daryl walk out of the gates of the prison he felt a large burden lift off him. He opened his arms, Daryl walking right into them. The two men hugged for a moment and then moved awkwardly away from each.

Daryl nodded to his brother, "Good to see ya."

Merle motioned for the truck, "Yeah, you too."

Once the truck was moving away from the prison Merle reached between them and threw a new pack of cigarettes to his brother, "Figured you might need this."

Daryl opened the pack and lit one, savoring the nicotine as it hit his system. "How's everything at home?"

Merle looked over at him, Daryl was thinner, but Merle could tell his brother had spent a great deal of time in the work out yard, "Good. Got Caleb working at the shop with me. He learns fast. Daniel and Charlie are both at the middle school now, little bastards are always in the principal's office. And Andrew is the sweet one like his momma, hell he hasn't even gotten in trouble once. I would worry he ain't a Dixon, but then I get home and all four boys are rolling around on the floor giving Andrea fits. Things are good."

Daryl took a long drag on his cigarette and nodded, "So the shops good?"

Merle growled looking over at his brother, "Damn it boy ASK. Just fuckin' ask."

Daryl swallowed hard, "How's the kids and Carol?"

Merle shook his head, lighting his own cigarette, "Five years I've been sending ya pictures, trying to keep you updated, even when your ass didn't want to hear. They're fine, not great, but fine. Micah is always in fuckin' trouble because Sophia is a knock out like her momma. Sophia started work with Andrea at the diner, working part time, trying to save for a car. Micah is your son always in the fuckin' woods."

Daryl looked through his bangs at his brother, "Adam?"

Merle nodded, "Good, hard worker. Welds better than me and Ken combine. Helping to train up Caleb."

Daryl smiled, "I bet those two get into shit just like us."

Merle's face was serious, almost hard, "Adam don't have the time. Too damn busy helping Carol. You remember her right, your wife?"

Daryl felt anger swell in his chest, "I fuckin' know she's my wife."

Merle chuckled taking a drag off his cigarette, "Yeah ya fuckin' know, but ya ain't god damn asked. So, I'll tell ya. She's been through fuckin' hell these last five years. Was a point about two years ago, we weren't sure she would make it. But Adam, that fuckin' kid kept her going. And a month ago, Andrea went with her to the doctor and she's cancer free. She beat it."

Daryl slowly looked up at his brother, Merle had pulled down a dirt road and the two were sitting there nothing but the idle of the truck between them. "She's alright?"

Merle nodded, "Yup, what ya did. We were able to get her the treatment. Buddy of mine helped me launder that money through the shop. So, I could pay for it. She's going to be fine. Hairs even growin' back now."

Daryl felt tears welling up in his eyes and he opened the door of the truck and fell to his knees vomiting up what was in his stomach. He felt Merle's hand on his back and he felt himself start to shake with regret and relief.

Merle wiped at his own eyes, leaning down he whispered into Daryl's ear, "She's alright, it all went like ya wanted. You can fix this."

Daryl looked up at his brother, "How?"

Merle gave him the Dixon half smile, "Your ass ain't gonna figure that out till ya get home. Come on we best get ya there."

For the first time in five years Daryl felt free, now all he had to do was get his family back.

Carol hummed to herself as she balanced the grocery bag on her hip, putting the key in the lock she opened the back door of her house and almost fell over Micah's shoes.

She chuckled quietly to herself as she leaned down and put the shoes back in line with the others. She bought the boy more tennis shoes than she could count but her son, Daryl's son always wanted to wear his boots. A small sad smile touching her lips as she walked into the kitchen.

She gasped dropping the bag when she saw him standing there in the kitchen. "Daryl?"

Daryl had Merle drop him off and had been waiting sitting at the kitchen table. When he heard, her car pull up he had stood up and now he was looking at her. She was everything he had dreamed these last five years. The cancer hadn't taken much from her, her hair was short and grey but she was the prettiest thing he had ever seen.

Daryl swallowed hard, "Got out…this morning….last minute thing…Merle picked me up."

Carol felt her head spin and she bent down to pick up the grocery bag standing she saw he had inched toward her. She could tell he wasn't sure what to do either. Turning her back to him, she set the bag on the counter and took a deep breath her hand going to the small rose shaped necklace he had given her years before. She turned and leaned against the corner slowly taking him in. He looked older, a little white in the scruff of his beard. He looked thinner, but she noticed his arms and chest seemed bigger if that was even possible.

But it was his eyes, those stormy blue eyes that stared at her, her voice cracking as she spoke, "It's good you're out."

Daryl nodded taking another step toward her, "Yeah, house looks great."

Carol nodded, her hand playing with her necklace, "Yeah, the kids all help. Merle and Andrea and the boys too, we do ok."

Daryl gave her a lopsided smile, "Ya look good, real fuckin' good."

Carol shook her head, her hand going to her short hair, "Hair is finally growing back in. Doctor said it sometimes comes back in grey."

Daryl nodded, a full-on smile spreading across his face, "I like it, it's sexy."

Carol closed her eyes, "Daryl…what do you want?"

Daryl sighed, "Fuck Carol, I didn't think this would be so hard."

Carol felt tears biting at her eyes, her voice a whisper, "Daryl….why? All this time I just…why?"

Daryl looked her in the eye, those ocean blue eyes that he so many times before got lost in, "You know why."

Carol huffed, "I know why you did it. You're a STUPID STUPID MAN. That's not it. Why did you push us away? Why did you push ME away?"

Daryl started to move toward her and she held up her hand and he stopped. He could feel frustration and anger at himself bubbling in his chest, "Because I couldn't look at y'all and see what I couldn't fix. I couldn't help ya through the cancer, I couldn't be here when Sophia broke her leg, or when Adam graduated. I couldn't fuckin' look you in the eye and know I broke my promise never to leave ya. All I knew was I YOU HAD TO LIVE. I ain't sorry I fuckin' took the money, but I'm sorry as fuck I hurt ya."

His chest was heaving and Carol could see the tears forming in his eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest and watched him, hugging herself she didn't know what to think. This was a man that saved her from hell and made a life with her that she never dreamed of having. But she was scared to feel the pain and hurt she had over the last five years.

Daryl finally looked up at her and he sighed starting to move toward her, "Carol…."

Carol looked up at him, her heart beating hard in her chest. But her head snapped toward the hallway where she could hear the front door slam shut. "I'm just sayin' there is no fuckin' need to worry ma about this."

Micah came into view stopping in the doorway his eyes going wide, "Dad?"

Sophia almost ran into his back, peeking over her brother's shoulder Carol saw her daughter's eyes fill with tears, "Daddy?"

Daryl nodded, giving them a sad smile. Looking at Micah he couldn't believe how the boy had grown. He had the pictures that Merle sent but seeing the boy staring at him in the flesh he was the carbon copy of himself at that age all legs and arms. Moving his eyes to his daughter he wanted to cry, she was just a beautiful as her mother and he knew why Micah was getting into fights, probably keeping boys away from and that thought had Daryl's head spinning.

He didn't have a moment to think when Sophia slammed into him, her sobs echoing off the walls of the kitchen, "Oh daddy! I missed you."

Daryl wrapped his arms around his daughter breathing in her scent, "Oh baby girl, I'm home."

Daryl grunted as Micah slammed into him, he pulled the boy in and held his children for the first time in five years. Micah pulling away and smiling up at him, his swollen eye already darkening. Daryl chuckled, tears falling down his cheeks, "Boy what the hell?"

Micah smiled wide at him, "Just defending 'Phia."

Carol groaned and Micah walked over wrapping her in a hug. "Don't worry mom, in school suspension this time."

Carol just shook her head, hugging her son she reached behind her and opened the freezer door grabbing an ice pack she gave him a pointed look as she handed the ice pack to him. Micah gave her the Dixon smirk as he released her and put the ice pack on his eye.

Carol leaned against the counter watching as her son and daughter bombarded Daryl with questions. Sophia still holding onto him like he might disappear. Daryl looking up at her smiling at her, he nodded to her and winked, it was a small thing that he did when they first found each other. It was a small way to tell her, he was there. She felt her throat close up, wiping at her tears she nodded back winking and she saw his face beam.

The back door slamming open had her head snapping and there stood Adam.

Adam walked into the kitchen his chest heaving. He always wondered what he would feel when his father got home. All those nights he held his mother while she cried. All the times he carried her to bed. The things he missed because he was busy help her hold them all together. The only thing he felt at this moment was rage.

Daryl saw the look on Adam's face. He moved, pushing Sophia behind him. He knew the boy was pissed. He could see it course through his body, Adam was a Dixon and rage wasn't something they let go. Family meant everything and Daryl had left their family in Adam's eyes.

Daryl puffed up his chest knowing what was coming, "Son."

Adam was across the kitchen before anyone blinked. He barely heard his mother tell him to stop or Micah and Sophia yelling at him. All he saw was red.

The last thing Daryl saw was his son's fist connecting with his jaw.

Carol pushed herself between Adam and Daryl who was sitting on the ground now rubbing his jaw.

The back door bust open and Merle and Caleb poured in both out of breath. Merle smirked at Carol, "Hey little sis, just was….well warnin' ya that Adam was pissed but I see ya all know that." Merle smiled at Daryl, "Welcome home little brother."

Well thanks for reading! Let me know what you think.