Author's Note: I am so grateful for all the wonderful, insightful critiques. I'm really happy Marol has such a following. I think Carol would go well with about any man, they'd be lucky to have her. Okay, we are getting to the meat of it and things get heated between Merle and our girl.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

XOXO Pamela

3. Over the Edge

Of course the meeting was a bust. Carol had almost laughed and cried simultaneously when Rick gave them the rundown of what happened. Carol felt keenly for her friend, Andrea. She knew she was trying so desperately to broker peace. She still hoped that Andrea would take her counsel and end it quickly and quietly and bring herself back to the group. No good would come out of Andrea staying with that madman any longer. She was needed here with them. She was family. Carol missed her dearly. Losing Lori had been a blow to her. Lori had become her best friend and confidante in the group. They consoled each other over the men in their lives. Lori used Carol as a sounding board to vent her fears and frustrations with Rick icing his wife out and about the baby. Carol had spent many a night telling Lori there was plenty of time and everything would work out. She had been so wrong. She had been wrong about Daryl, also. Lori had insisted that the hunter was in love with Carol and it would just take time for him to come around. He was like a feral cat, he just needed enough time, space and food to get him to love you back. Carol had given him plenty of all three and the only thing she got in return was a lonely bed and a man that left without a goodbye. Yes, he had come back but the damage was done and he came back plus one troubling brother.

Merle confused her at times. In the two weeks since he had arrived at the prison, he ran hot and cold. He avoided Glenn, Maggie and Michonne at all costs but seemed to enjoy baiting Rick. He and Hershel spent time together in Hershel's cell. She walked by one day with Judith and heard them talking about scripture. She hoped he was being sincere with Hershel. If anyone could get through Merle's stone cold exterior, it would be him.

The meeting had been over a week ago and Carol was suspicious something more had gone down that what Rick let on. She had seen Rick, Daryl and Hershel congregating several times and every time and when they would notice her, they would cease their discussion. When she had asked Daryl about it, he had brushed her off but didn't do a very good job of allaying her suspicions. She never would have guessed the true nature of their discussions until she heard it for herself.

She had been in a cell near Merle's, sorting laundry when she heard them. She heard Rick and Merle talking. She heard Merle talk about Rick delivering Michonne to the Governor and what he would do to her once he got her, how Rick was cold as ice. She froze mid fold on the shirt she was holding, her stomach churning with dread and disgust. The blood was pounding in her ears and she couldn't concentrate on anything. She sat quietly on the empty bunk, the shirt balled up in her hands, her throat burning.

Rick had left the cell and she couldn't hear Merle for a while. Suddenly, he was a flurry of activity and she heard the sounds of shuffling and packing. She snuck a peek out of the cell and he was dressed and heading down the stairs, a small bag tucked under his arm. She quietly followed behind him, trying to stay out of sight as he headed towards the generator room. She stepped into the room as she watched him wrap a phone wire around his hand before placing it into the bag that was sitting on a table. The bag gaped open and she saw the butt of a pistol stuffed inside. "Don't do it," she said flatly.

Merle whirled around at the sound of her voice. He sucked his teeth and zipped up the bag. "Don't know what you're talking about, Mouse. Why you down here? Don't you have some washin' to do?"

She stepped further into the room and closed the door. "I know what you're planning. You're going to take Michonne to the Governor yourself. That's a suicide mission, Merle!"

He snarled and got up in her face. "You don't know shit, lady. You need to mind your own fucking business. I don't have time for this bullshit." He made a move to go around her and she grabbed him without thinking.

In an instant she felt herself pressed against the cold cinderblocks. Merle loomed over her, his barrel chest flattening her breasts. Like Daryl, his skin ran hot to the touch and it seared where it touched her. She felt dizzy, like she had more and more when he was around her. It seemed like she and Hershel were the only two people besides his brother that Merle could stand and went out of his way to talk to. She had assumed it was because she made an effort to include him but he would shoot a look her way at times that would make her pulse race.

She swallowed hard when he leaned into her and his scent flooded her senses. "You need to remember who you are dancing with, sugar. Don't think you can bat your pretty eyes and manipulate me like you do my brother."

She made no move to get away from him. She felt like she was in a trance. She hadn't had a man this close to her in months. She hadn't had a man she was attracted to this close in years. Her body started to betray her and she shifted against him, adjusting herself until his pelvis pressed against hers. He was hard against her and she closed her eyes, biting back a moan. "Merle." Her voice was hoarse as she spoke his name.

"Be quiet, Mouse." Merle husked in her ear and then she felt his lips trail across her cheek until the met hers. It was simply his mouth touching hers until she gave a little sigh and suddenly he was kissing her with ferocity. She clutched him by his wifebeater and pulled him even closer to her, giving in fully to the moment. He gripped her hips and he lifted her up until her legs wrapped around his waist and his erection was pushing against the seam of her pants. He kept her weight on him as he wrapped his good arm around her back and the other propped up against the wall beside her.

He felt so good, his body was so solid, his kisses demanding but surprisingly soft. She reveled in the feeling, she couldn't get enough of it or of him. She wrapped her hands around his neck and the tips of her fingers brushed his buzz cut hair.

She let go of him long enough to begin to slip off her cardigan. As she tried to wiggle her way out of the offending garment, he pressed harder against her and she nearly cried out as she fell over the edge she didn't even know she was on. Her orgasm hit her hard and fast. Merle swallowed her scream with a kiss, the edges of his lips quirking up in what she knew was a trademark Dixon smirk. He held her while she rocked through it, his mouth locked on hers as he ground against her, desperate for his own release. She reached down and tugged at the button to his pants. She didn't care that they were up against a cold wall in the prison, she wanted him inside of her. She unfastened the button and was working on the zipper when they both heard Daryl's voice echoing down the hall as he called for Merle.

"Shit!" Merle hissed and dropped Carol unceremoniously onto her feet and pushed away from her. He adjusted himself and buttoned his pants, breathing heavily. Carol scrambled to grab her cardigan and shoved her arms through it right as Daryl busted through the door.

Daryl took in the sight of his brother and Carol alone in the same room with narrowed eyes. "What the fuck is going on here? Merle, I've been looking all over the damn place for you."

Merle kept his back to Daryl, obviously trying to hide his aroused state from his brother's suspicious eyes. "Calm down, baby bro, I've been down here the whole time. Carol just came to tell me that she needed help with some of the stored food. You want me to help your little lady friend, right?"

Daryl turned to fully face Carol and she prayed her flushed appearance could be contributed to the heat in the room. "Why didn't you come and get me?" He stepped towards her and reached out and touched her forehead. "You okay? You feel hot."

She could see Merle shoot her a devilish look before busying himself. She patted Daryl's hand so he'd remove it. "I'm fine. It's just hot in here and I think I have been overexerting myself today." She made a show of fanning herself and Merle chuckled.

"Well, you better get yourself back up to the cell block. I think you're just trying to get me to carry you around again." He smiled at her and she felt the shame and guilt roll through her like an earthquake. What the hell was she thinking? She was one minute away from screwing his brother before he had interrupted.

"You're right, Daryl, I'm heading back. Merle?" She walked a couple of steps to Merle and looked directly at him. "You're done with everything here, right? I still need your help. Meet me in the kitchen in five minutes. Please?" She chose her words carefully but her tone was meaningful. Merle slowly nodded and handed her the bag. She smiled gently at him. "Thank you." She blinked back tears and only was able to place a hand on Daryl's bicep as she passed him by on her way out the door, murmuring a quick goodbye.

As she walked down the corridor she could hear the brothers begin to banter back and forth. She clutched the bag to her chest and a feeling of relief replaced the guilt she bore. Merle was not going to head out on a suicide mission now. She was grateful for that. Merle dying would break Daryl. She tried to concentrate on that victory but all she could think of was his lips on hers, his tongue in her mouth and her body arching in climax because of him. Her body burned with the memory for days to come.