Author's Note: Back again! Sorry for the delay, the stress from the hiatus is sucking the feels out of me. So, here's some smut to make up for it. Thank you Vicki for steering me back on course from where this chapter initially led. You are a kick ass (literally) woman.

Thank you SO MUCH for the reviews. They keep what little steam I have going. It means alot.

XOXO Pamela

6. Buttons

Merle was pissed. He was itching to get out of the prison to enact some revenge on the Governor after finding out he wiped out most of the able bodied fighters from Woodbury. People he hung out with, shot the shit with, ate, drank and laughed with for over a year. Hershel had insisted he was not fit for long bouts of travel so he was regulated to babysitting a bunch of old people, women and kids while Daryl and the ninja woman headed out for their bounty. They left not a day after the battle, expecting to be gone at least a week or two. Merle was even more pissed about the exchange he had with Daryl before he left.

Merle was recuperating in his new cell, now surrounded by the Woodbury refugees. The noise was constant and he'd never heard so many people cry and moan in his life. Daryl had sauntered in, all strapped and geared up like he was truly going to war. He had sat and made small talk with Merle for a while, before wiggling around in his seat so much Merle snapped at him to spit out whatever he was chewing on.

"I need you to stay close to Carol while I'm gone." Merle almost spit out the water he was drinking. "You know, make sure she doesn't run herself ragged trying to take care of all these new leeches. You guys get along, so I'm putting her in your hands." Merle's gut clenched at Daryl's words. If only his little brother knew what had really gone down with him and the mouse. Merle ached to tell him but Daryl looked so earnest in his request. Merle also knew he was in no condition to defend himself against the volcanic eruption that would come from Daryl if he told him just how he had already had her in his proverbial hands and on his not so proverbial dick. So Merle did what Merle knew best. He reached over, slapped his baby brother on the back and made a crude joke while promising to look out for Carol.

He tried to justify the whole situation by telling himself that Daryl never made any intentions towards Carol obvious. He knew they were close, best friends even, but he knew they weren't fucking. Daryl took that shit seriously and if he was putting it to her, he would know it. Carol was a free bird, a free bird that had no objection to having sex with Merle with no promise for anything else. The problem was that sex with her had been incredible and Merle was pretty desperate for it to happen again. She knew how to push all the right buttons with him. From what he had been told, she had been by his side the entire time he was out of it. It may have just been her caregiver instincts kicking in, but Merle liked to think it was because she might just be a little sweet on him. He hadn't seen much of her since he woke up, but she was in charge of getting all the newbies situated.

It had been nearly two weeks since Daryl and Michonne left and Merle was enjoying the fresh air as he stood in the tower's catwalk while he stood watch. It was nearly midnight, but he had at least two more hours of watch to go. He volunteered for it as much as he could. For one thing, it kept him outside, away from all the busybodies in the prison and also he enjoyed his time alone. Hershel had let him borrow a Steinbeck novel, which Merle was devouring at any given moment. Light footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs. Merle dog eared the page he was on before setting it next to him on the window ledge. Carol peeked around the corner, holding a thermos and granola bars. She thrust the thermos at him.

"It's hot chocolate. I have my own private stash and I figured it was a little chilly up here for you. Hopefully, it'll help warm you up." A sweet smile graced her features, luminescent in the light of the moon.

Merle felt the all familiar itch again with her so close. With all the new people, they hadn't had one minute alone. He had an idea she was as itchy as he was. He caught her glancing at him surreptitiously, whether she was standing over a boiling pot, the steam making her pale skin shine or when she would be in the room with Hershel as the old man checked his healing wounds. "You know the old man said I was pretty much up to snuff." He spoke lowly, his face a stone mask, trying to gauge her reaction to the leading statement.

Carol arched one eyebrow and her smile grew even brighter. She took on step forward, so close her breasts brushed his chest. "You don't say?" She took one fingernail and dragged it across his jaw until it rested on his bottom lip. "I'm owed a celebratory ride. It's been weeks." She purred those words and leaned in and kissed him.

The kiss was soft at first, cool, dry lips moving together. Then she peeked out her tongue and he opened his mouth greedily. The air between them went from sweetly erotic to sexually charged in an instant. She pulled at his coat, tugging him into the control booth. As soon as they entered the room she backed him into the door, dragging her lithe body across his increasing arousal. He moaned, the sound reverberating in his chest, like a lion's growl. Her coat dropped to the ground and he pulled at her top shirt button. He couldn't undress her one handed and she was too busy getting him out of his belt to help him. He huffed and barked out, "Hold still," before he took the knife attachment and flicked it up, severing the buttons from their threads and sending them flying. Her jaw dropped and she gasped, but then narrowed her eyes and shoved her hand down his now open fly, grasping his hard cock. She thumbed the tip and he bucked into her, muttering incoherently. He shoved her off of him and finished undressing himself. "Well, it ain't gonna fuck itself," tugging on his cock as he motioned for her to take her own clothes off.

She complied with his request quickly, towing off her boots and flinging her clothes haphazardly to the floor. She perched up on a table and spread her legs wantonly. Her core was open to him, beautiful and pink and it almost took his breath away. He hadn't had a chance to get a good look the first time they had sex. It had been so dark and hurried. He stood there for a moment and enjoyed the view, his cock dripping as she dipped a finger inside herself and spread her juices around. Her pussy was glistening and his mouth watered for her. He want to lick her, taste her, bury his face in her. She must have read his lust filled mind as she leaned back on her elbows and shifted so her pussy was on the edge of the table. "Please, Merle." Her tone was pleading and she lifted her pelvis up ever so slightly.

He was on her like a panther on its prey, his tongue parting her slit and diving into her tunnel to lap up her juices. Her legs kicked out and let out a high pitched keen. Her feasted on her ferociously until he had to come up for air. "You taste so fucking delicious, like strawberries and cream on a summer's day." His thick finger replaced his tongue when she wiggled in protest at the loss of contact. "I'm gonna lick you until you come on my tongue, then I'm gonna fuck you until you come on my dick and then I'm gonna fill you up with my come. I've been waiting too long to have you again." His finger moved in and out of her tunnel with Merle found her small bundle of nerves with his mouth. He worked her until he felt her muscles clamp down on his finger and he sucked hard on her clit as she climaxed. Her whole body convulsed and she clamped a hand over her mouth right before she let out a drawn out wail. He lifted his face, glistening with her sweetness.

She sat up and pulled him to her, kissing him deeply, her hot tongue searching his mouth for any remnants of herself there. Her hands went to his erection and she pumped it slowly, her tiny hands corkscrewing around his length. Carol then did something that almost made Merle blow his load right then and there. She pulled away from his mouth and laved her tongue all over his face, licking away the sticky juices covering his chin and cheeks. Once she was done lapping at him like a kitten, she licked her way to his ear, biting down on his earlobe. Her breath was hot and damp on his ear. "Make me come again." Her hands stilled their ministrations and she pulled his cock forward until the plump head slid inside her entrance.

He put his forehead against hers as he slowly sank into her. She was so damn tight, he thanked his lucky stars she saw fit to let an ugly old redneck like him inside of her. Once he was all the way in, they both took a moment to savor the feeling as they shared a lazy kiss. He hummed against her mouth. "Can't wait any longer, sugar. Ole Merle sure has missed you." His kiss became more fervent as he began thrusting in and out of her.

Her fingernails dug into his back as she held on as he pounded her. "Merle! God! Harder! Yes!" Each exclamation came out in a staccato gasp. His legs were burning but the burn in his balls overrode any coherent thought. He was going to fuck her until she didn't know her own damn name. He shifted her so she was now laying back on the table and hiked her leg over his shoulder, changing the angle of his entry entirely. He didn't think he could possibly go any deeper into her, his balls tight against her, the slapping sounds of flesh on flesh filling the small room.

Merle could feel himself getting close and from the sounds Carol was making, he was pretty certain she was almost there. He took the same finger he fucked her with earlier and found her little nub. He began playing with it and within seconds she was arching her back and her walls were squeezing the life out of his cock. He slammed into at a breakneck pace as she rode out her orgasm. He closed his eyes tightly as his release shot through him and spurted into her. He swore he could see sparks behind his eyelids with each pulse. He was sweating like a pig and panting like he'd run a marathon while chain smoking. He leaned over her, smirking. "Like I said before, you are one of a kind. I've never come like that."

She laughed, the sound like windchimes tinkling in the breeze. "It goes both ways, Dixon." She stroked his face, her expression content. He pulled out of her and used his undershirt to first clean her, then himself. "Such a gentleman," she remarked as he softly dabbed her thighs and everything in between. Once he was done, she hopped down and pulled her clothes on, laughing at the state of her shirt. All but two buttons were gone. She shrugged her shoulders and slipped it on, covering her state of disarray with her coat. Carol wrapped her arms around him like they were longtime lovers. Normally, Merle would be hightailing it for the mountains, but with her it felt right. He felt right with her. He didn't know what she wanted from all of this, or what he even wanted. He just knew if she told him to never lay a finger on her again he might just cry like a damn baby. "I better get back. I told Rick I'd help him keep an ear out for Judith."

"Damn man needs to take care of his own brat." Merle wanted to stick himself with his own blade as he realized how cranky he sounded. She just smiled that gorgeous fucking smile and kissed him on his nose. Jesus, she thought she could do just about anything when it came to him. He sulked some more but as she turned to leave, he pulled her back, almost into his lap. "I have watch the same time tomorrow." There was that damn tone that would clue any idiot that he was practically begging her to come to him tomorrow.

"Nothing could keep me away." His stomach flipped at her words and the way her voice wrapped around his heart like a cozy blanket. She pecked him on the lips before disentangling from him and heading for the door. She turned and gave him a brief wave and a whispered goodnight as she slipped into the darkness, closing the door softly behind her. He sat on the table where they made love and lost himself in his thoughts.

Merle didn't hear the sound of footsteps ascending the stairs until the door she just walked out of burst open and Daryl walked in. Merle stood up, shocked at the sight of his brother who had been gone two weeks. "When the fuck did you get back?" Not much of a welcome home but he had been startled.

"Just now. We came through the front gates, asshole. You're on watch, you think you would have noticed us." Daryl's eyes narrowed as he took in the sight of his brother and it almost looked like he sniffed the air. "Was that Carol I saw leaving here?"

Merle tried his best to act nonchalant. He sauntered over and picked up the thermos, cracking the door open, hoping that the scent of his coupling with Carol could be aired out. "Mouse brought me some hot chocolate. Felt bad it was cold, I guess." He unscrewed the cap and held it out to his brother. "Want some?"

Daryl scoffed at the offer. "No, I'm in the mood for some hard stuff. Guess I can go get some from her. She always keeps a stash. Says she likes to put a little in her hot chocolate if she's having trouble sleeping."

Merle sniffed at him, rolling his eyes. "Well, baby brother, you just run to your little mouse and let her know you're back safe and sound. I'm sure she'll slip you some of her hooch." He tried to mask his displeasure at the thought of Daryl heading straight to Carol with his usual defense mechanism of asshattery. "Whatever. Tyreese is on his way up to take over." He clapped his brother on the shoulder. "Real glad you're back in one piece. I take it you didn't get the fucker?" Daryl shook his head resignedly. "Chin up, bro. You're the best goddamn tracker I know. He's out there, you'll find him."

He grabbed his gun from the ledge and headed down the stairs, catching Tyreese at the bottom. As the sounds of his boots clomped down the metal stairs, something caught Daryl's eye. The buttons were luminescent in the dark room. There were at least four of them scattered close together. "Fucking Glenn and Maggie. Always going at it like rabbits," he grumped, picking them up and shoving them in his pockets. Even though he was exhausted and dejected from his failure at finding the Governor, there was only one place he wanted to go. He left the guard tower, greeting Tyreese as he passed them man, and headed straight for Carol's cell.