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Chapter 27

A night to remember

Carol wasn't sure how long she had laid there on the floor sobbing quietly. She knew she had no one to blame but herself, she had done this. Did she really believe he would just forgive her on the spot and they would become one big happy family?

She had bolted that morning and now she looked back and couldn't quite figure out why, what was she running from? The most perfect man she had ever known? She wanted to beat herself to death for being so stupid but instead she wiped her tears and stood, refusing to let this break her. She had made her choice; she had pushed him away, now she was going to have to learn to live without him.

"At least I've got you little one," she whispered picking up Rose who giggled and gurgled at her mother, her hands reaching for her lovingly. Her thoughts were cut short by a soft knock at the door. Moving, she opened it seeing Merle standing there.

"Merle, come to see our little slice of paradise?"

"Yeah," he laughed softly. He could tell she had been crying but decided it was best not to mention it. "Is this Rose?" he asked as she moved for him to enter.

"He told you?" she asked closing the door as they moved into the lounge room.

"Yeah, can I hold her?" he asked nervously.

"Oh course, she's your niece after all," she smiled passing him the child.

"She is beautiful Carol," he sighed sitting on the lounge across from her. "Thank god she takes after you and not us Dixons." She laughed at this.

"Oh I don't know, when she gets upset or frustrated she looks just like Daryl."

"Sounds about right," he smiled. "Carol I understand why you ran that night, how you were feeling and I can even understand why you never told Daryl about Rose even if he can't."

"Thank you Merle but he was right, I should have told him about Rose," she sighed knowing better than ever that she had made a mistake.

"You were scared, unsure, confused and the rage…" Merle spoke his voice going soft. "I never told Daryl about what happened to me at that compound I was too scared of what he would think of me, that he would look at me differently if he knew the truth."

"Your brother loves you, he's a good man and he would be there for you no matter what." Merle nodded, knowing she was right.

"I knew that in my heart but my head would scream at me to be careful, that Daryl was all I had in this world and if he knew he might leave me… I would open my mouth to tell him and the words just never came… and my reaction was opposite to yours, I shied away from people and when I felt that rage build I would bury it because when I used to fight, my captors, they would just hurt me more," he explained to her. "So I pulled away even from Daryl, but then Beth and I started getting to know each other and before I could even stop it she had crept inside my heart and consumed me and she refused to let me pull away from her."

"But that's a good thing; Beth's a beautiful young woman."

"Yeah she makes me want to be a better man; she's the best thing that ever happened to me." Carol nodded tears falling from her eyes at the thought of Daryl and how he had been the best thing that had ever happened to her. "Carol, I'm sorry." She nodded standing, feeling like a fool for showing weakness, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"It's okay."

"I actually wanted to ask you a favour."

"Shoot," she smiled fighting off her tears.

"Well Tyrese was saying when you guys come back from a successful mission without any losses on your side, you celebrate with a night of music, drinking and dancing to unwind."

"That's right, this was a boarding school and one of the buildings was all for music, sections for everything you can think of – recording, instruments etc. – but they had a big performance hall down below and the whole building is sound proof, which is a bonus cause we don't run the risk of attracting any walkers," she explained. "I personally haven't been to one since before Rose was born so tonight will be the first night Tammy next door is watching her for the night so I'm pretty nervous… you know first night out with the girls or guys," she laughed.

"Tyrese said sometimes you get up and sing for them if they bug you enough." Carol laughed at the choice of words.

"Sometimes," she nodded.

"Maybe tonight you could sing a song for me, I want to ask Beth to marry me," he confessed pulling a ring from his pocket and showing it to her.

"Oh Merle it's stunning she is going to love it."

"Well hopefully she says yes," he sighed, nerves clear in his voice, shoving the ring back into his pocket.

"Of course she will, I have seen how she looks at you."

"Thanks um here is the music, maybe you know the song," he said passing her some folded paper from inside his vest.

"I do actually, I would be honoured," she smiled moving to place the music on her coffee table.

"They can never understand, not completely, only other people who have been raped can really understand." She turned her head sharply; face creased in confusion and then shock.

"Merle…" she gasped in surprise.

"At first it was just the beatings, the torture, days without food and barely enough water to survive but there was this one guy that used to always stare at me and then one night he came into the cell with four of his mates and they held me down while he raped me," he confessed. Carol's eyes burned with tears at his confession. She had thought her time in that compound had been hell but Merle had suffered far worse. "I fought the first few times but after a while I just gave up, it went on for about two weeks before you ladies were brought in." He placed baby Rose in the playpen, moving over to stand in front of Carol.

"I know what you went through, that was a nightmare that no one should have to endure but I thank god for you two ladies, you saved me that day, saved me from hell," he cried softly, tears sliding down his cheeks. She couldn't stop herself from moving forward and wrapping her arms around him, hugging him tight.

They stood there for a few moments until they heard someone clearing their throat. Opening her eyes and looking over Merle's shoulder, she saw Daryl and Beth standing in the doorway; pulling apart she dried her tears quickly and Merle did the same.

"Beth just wanted to meet Rose," Daryl spoke, looking confused but slightly annoyed. "Something you two want to tell me?" he snapped.

"Daryl, leave them alone, you may be insecure as hell but I'm quiet secure in my relationship," Beth said walking over to Merle and giving him a quick kiss before moving over to Rose.

"Really little brother," Merle sighed shaking his head at him before turning his attention to Beth and Rose. Daryl felt like a real idiot but when he had seen them hugging so tightly together he felt pure jealousy burn through him.

"Can you watch Rose for a while?," her words shocked him as she moved to grab her bulletproof vest and bow; she needed to get out for a while and clear her head.

"Uh yeah okay," he stammered. "Where are you going?"

"Hunting," she answered strapping her knife to her thigh and slipping one to her waist. "I'll only be gone an hour," she said kissing Rose on the head telling the young baby she loved her before heading for the door. She stopped for a moment, turning to look at Merle.

"Hey Merle?" He looked up at her. "You're my hero," she whispered smiling softly; he smiled back watching as she left.

"What the hell was that about?" Daryl snapped moving to stand in front of his brother.

"She is one hell of a woman, Daryl; so get over your jealous bullshit and just admit you still love the woman," Merle snapped at his brother. "Come on Beth let's take my niece for a walk." She nodded heading outside with Rose in her arms. Merle stood next to Daryl.

"Carol may have made a lot of mistakes but at least she can admit it and move on, can you?," he asked Daryl before moving to follow the woman he loved outside to show off his niece to Rick, Andrea, Carl and Lily.

Carol had kept to her word, returning after an hour, a nice sized deer as her prize. After handing it off to the kitchen staff, she went and spent the rest of her day with her daughter. She found peace in these moments, when it was just her and Rose. Rose made everything alright. She moved around the house bouncing Rose on her hip and learning the lyrics to Merle's song, wanting it to be perfect.

Once she had fed and bathed Rose, she took her over to Tammy and Theo's for her sleepover, positioning two guards at the front and back door of their house for protection. She knew it was a bit much for a house already inside a safe zone, but Rose was everything and Carol would make sure she was safe before she went off for her first official night out since having the baby.

The party was in full swing, not that you could tell from the outside with the hall being sound proofed. She moved backstage, feeling nervous, she didn't sing in front of them often and she also knew Rick, Andrea, Beth and Daryl were out there. Merle stood beside her looking more nervous than her; he wanted to stay out of sight till the perfect moment when he would propose. Sighing, she moved on stage standing in front of the microphone.

"So we tend to keep things heavy and upbeat during these celebrations but a very special friend asked me for a favour so I'm going to slow things down a bit… Beth this is for you with love from Merle," she said slipping in behind the piano. Taking a deep breath, she started playing.

When the rain is blowing in your face and the whole world is on your case. I could offer you
a warm embrace to make you feel my love. When the evening shadows and the stars appear
and there is no one there to dry your tears I could hold you for a million years, to make you feel my love.

She could see Beth looking around frantically no doubt looking for Merle, she couldn't help but smile. Daryl was watching her intensely and she could feel his eyes burning holes in her with his stare, but she told herself to remain focused, this wasn't about her and Daryl and she didn't want to mess this up on Merle.

I know you haven't made your mind up yet but I would never do you wrong. I've known it
from the moment that we met no doubt in my mind where you belong. I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue, I'd go crawling down the avenue. Know there's nothing that I wouldn't do
to make you feel my love.

As the music softened and it was only the instruments playing, Merle moved to the microphone at the front of the stage.

"Beth you're the best thing that has ever happened to me, you showed me what it meant to truly love someone, you make me want to fight harder, to do better, to be a better man… I have asked your father and he gave me his blessing, so now I'm asking you… Beth Greene will you marry me?" Carol watched as the girl teared up before speaking.

"Yes, I'll marry you," she yelled. He jumped off the stage and they ran to each other hugging, everyone cheering as he placed the ring on her finger and Carol continued to sing.

The storms are raging on the rolling sea and on the highway of regret. The winds of change
are blowing wild and free, you ain't seen nothing like me yet. I could make you happy, make your dreams come true, nothing that I wouldn't do. Go to the ends of the Earth for you
to make you feel my love, to make you feel my love.

The group cheered as she finished. Jumping off the stage, she headed for Merle and Beth. Daryl couldn't believe his eyes, where had she gotten those black leather pants and that blood red skin tight top from? She looked like liquored sex and she moved just like sin.

"Congratulations guys," she smiled. Beth jumped into her arms.

"That was amazing, thank you."

"Don't thank me, it was all his idea," she smiled as Beth turned kissing him hard. Shaking her head, "Young love" she couldn't help but think as she moved over to the bar. Ordering a shot of tequila, she turned to see a young woman she knew as Paige leaning into Daryl, hands on his chest as she giggled at something he said, she wanted to throw up at the sight but instead she turned ordering another shot telling the bartender to leave the bottle. She smiled as Andrea took a seat next to her.

"You better order a second shot glass," Andrea told her. Carol turned to see Paige's older sister Jo, clearly hitting on Rick who was totally clueless. Shaking her head she turned back to face Andrea, she smiled.

"Hey George I'm going to need a second shot glass," she called out; he moved placing the glass in front of them. She poured them each a shot. Andrea grabbed hers, raising her glass to Carol.

"Here is to a good night without idiot men."

"I'll drink to that," Carol agreed, they both drank down their shot quickly, pouring another. Tonight was going to be a great night, a night to remember.