A week passed like that. Mara shooting him discrete, flirtatious looks and Daryl fumbling along awkwardly, surprised he hadn't scared her off yet.
Since they had a history of being paired for patrolling, nobody thought it was too odd when they found excuses to disappear together. Some excuses were better than others. For instance Carl didn't bat an eyelid when they told him they were going for an impromptu hunting trip. However Carol looked like she wanted to say something when Daryl mumbled about fixing stuff in the boiler room.
With each other they pretended like it was some huge secret but Daryl was realistic. He knew most of the other's had figured out what was going on. But he couldn't bring himself to care. For once everything was going the way he wanted. If the Governor would just vanish into non existence then everything would be perfect.
That was the thought at the foremost of his mind when he was lying on the hard concrete of the boiler room. Mara's head rested on his chest and her hand tracing the ink pattern on his bicep. His fingers trailed up and down the length of her bare back. He felt lazy and content. Every time they spent longer holding each other and just talking. Mara made him laugh and he found she was genuinely curious about his life before walkers. Daryl liked prolonging this moment, before he had to find his clothes. That was always a tense moment, hiding his back from Mara, which by some miracle he had managed to do so far.
"If there were no spooks this would be the time when we should start going on dates," Mara said randomly.
Daryl's hand stilled. "Dates?"
Mara shrugged with a tiny grin. "Sure. If you'd ask me," she teased.
Daryl snorted, "You're not my type. I'd never ask you out." His tone was light to eliminate the sting.
Mara rolled her eyes. "Why not?"
"You're too" good, smart, beautiful "snobby."
Mara punched him lightly in the chest. "Ass." Now she was looking down on him, her curious gaze still there. "Ok, imagine you asked out a girl who was just you're type," She sounded a little sarcastic here, "what would you have done?"
Daryl was stumped. He couldn't even imagine asking a woman out on a proper date, let alone what he would consider his type.
"I guess, we could go on a hike," he offered awkwardly.
Mara settled back against him, apparently satisfied with his weak response. "I think I would have liked going on a date with you," she murmured against his skin.
Daryl knew she was being nice. They'd been thrown together because of extreme circumstances. There was no way in the world Mara would have sought him out if they'd met by chance on the street. Which would have been fairly unlikely considering she was Australian and he came from Georgia, USA. Still he let himself indulge in the fantasy that out of all the people in the world Mara had picked him.
...
Mara knew she should be focused and professional but a goofy grin kept etching its way across her face.
She just couldn't deny it, today was a good day. Nathan had asked her and Daryl to do some tracking in the woods which meant sanctioned time together. Certainly they couldn't spend it rolling around in the leaves, having sex but Mara liked being with him in any capacity.
Mara had come to that conclusion when she'd been helping him feed Judith once and the infant had vomited all down the front of her and she hadn't minded one single bit.
It had rained last night and the woods had taken on a damp, sharp smell that somehow felt clean to Mara. Like the rain washed away some of the blood and death this world had seen.
Daryl was intent on his job and Mara still admired his skill. In the woods, Daryl was truly in his element. Mara thought it was very sexy but then again she found everything Daryl did sexy these days. She was flushed with the honey moon period still.
"Stop that," Daryl said.
"Stop what?" Mara was startled.
"Watchin' me. You're supposed to be watchin' for walkers." The admonishment was lessened by the hint of pride in Daryl's voice.
Mara shook her head. Despite Daryl's inexperience with women it was ironic how quickly he assumed that typical male smugness. He had a point though. She wasn't doing her job.
Mara drew her sword. The hilt in her hand centred her and she began scanning the area for spooks. There were no sounds that one wouldn't expect.
Daryl had narrowed his eyes.
"You see something?" Mara was pleased to hear her question was brisk and business like.
"I'm not sure." Daryl looked up, squinting into the panorama. Mara could see that he had pinched up some of the dirt, running it through his fingers.
"You're not sure?" Mara was incredulous. The great Daryl Dixon, tracking extraordinaire, was fallible?
"It looks like someone was coverin' their tracks," Daryl didn't sound like he believed it. Obviously not many people were smart enough to consider that.
"I'd clap," a voice drawled, "but y'know."
Mara had her sword up and pointed at the man as he rounded the tree.
She knew who he was before Daryl spoke.
"Merle," Daryl breathed.
"Pleased ta see me lil brother?" Merle's voice was rough but Mara heard the underlying affection. Whatever Merle was, he loved his brother. Mara didn't lower her sword. She'd heard enough stories from other people in the prison.
"I figured you for dead." Daryl struggled to keep his face blank and failed. Mara looked at him sharply. Such raw emotion on Daryl's face was rare. The last time she'd seen him like this was the first time they –
Mara stopped that trail of thought in its tracks. Not the time, she reminded herself.
Merle became aware of her presence all at once. "Y'wanna get that pigsticker outta ma face."It wasn't a request.
All traces of fondness, of warmth, had vanished and he was sizing her up coolly. His southern accent was far more pronounced than Daryl's.
Mara tightened the grip on her blade. Merle didn't have any weapons apart from the makeshift knife strapped where his hand should be.
Daryl raised a pacifying hand. "Mara, please."
Merle's eyes widened minutely, an expression so tiny she almost missed it. Mara wondered what Merle had caught.
Mara looked between Merle and Daryl, torn. She didn't want to exacerbate the situation but she didn't trust Daryl's judgement. Mara felt like she'd just discovered Daryl's blind spot and it was grinning at her.
Mara could feel her lip curl at Merle's arrogance. He was so confident that Daryl would pick his side, defend him with his last breath and, standing here, Mara didn't think she could disagree with him. It made her feel sick.
She lowered her sword to the ground but Mara didn't put it in her sheath. She wasn't stupid.
"Thank you," Daryl said, grateful.
"Well well," Merle said, speculatively.
Mara was tense and defensive. "What do you want, Merle?"
"I see my reputation precedes me. Ain't got much love for me do ya girl?"
Mara defiantly lifted her chin. It was all the answer Merle needed.
He chuckled darkly. "That ain't fair, ya only just met me."
"Where you been?" Daryl cut in. "I thought you were dead!"
Merle's attention was back on his little brother and Mara could see it again. That look of propriety.
"Nearly was but I've been around, keepin' an eye. The scenery keeps gettin' better." Merle leered at Mara.
Daryl squared his shoulders, displaying, for the first time, an emotion other than relief.
"Down lil brother, I'm not interested in sharin' your chew toy."
Mara's fingers curled into a fist but she didn't say anything. Merle had seen them together for a minute, two at the most, and he'd already deduced more than Rick or Nathan had. Merle was a dangerous man to know.
"Surprised to find ya strollin' round so casual like. It ain't safe."
"Safe enough," Daryl countered. "We hit the Governor hard-"
"Ya think he's off lickin' his wounds right now?" Merle laughed. "He ain't curled up somewhere feelin' sorry for hisself. He's recruitin'"
Mara's stomach felt hollow. "How do you know?"
"'Cause I seen it, Darlin'. He got a big group from down the ways some."
"And they just sided with him?" Daryl asked.
"He can be persuasive. Makes you feel like ya need a cigarette after a conversation, y'know what I'm sayin'?" His grin had faded when he mentioned the Governor but his mirth was back; more obnoxious than before. "'Supposin' you do now."
Daryl blushed and Mara didn't find his sexual innocence endearing at the moment. He was giving Merle exactly what he wanted. Knowledge. Knowledge equalled power.
"We have to tell Sarge and Rick," Mara interrupted.
Mara saw a hint of fear in Merle's eyes. Interesting that mentioning Rick had done that. Probably knew that there was a man he couldn't bully. Unlike Daryl.
"Y'all invitin' me to visit?" Merle prompted.
Mara fought a scowl. There was no chance in hell Daryl was leaving Merle behind now and she could see the older Dixon knew it too.
"Can I talk to you for a second, Daryl? Alone!" Not waiting for an answer Mara seized his upper arm and yanked him to the side. Merle looked amused.
"Ouch," Daryl hissed. "What's this about?"
"You know exactly what this is about. You know what he did to Glenn."
Daryl shifted uncomfortably. Mara could see that he knew the exact ramifications of bringing Merle to the prison.
"He's my brother," he said softly, his tone pleading with Mara to understand. Mara's heart thumped painfully at the obvious wounds that Merle had reopened in Daryl. She wished she could shield him from Merle but she couldn't and even if she could, Daryl wouldn't thank her for it.
Mara sighed. "Guess we better head back, but he goes first. I don't want that son of a bitch behind me."
...
Glenn took one look at Merle and launched at him. His eyes were wild and Merle hadn't been expecting that kind of ferocity. The force of Glenn's attack drove both men to the ground.
"Glenn, stop," shouted Maggie. Yussuf grabbed the back of Glenn's shirt and dragged him back.
Yussuf's face showed surprised when Glenn's feral thrashing almost released him. Christine was there to pin Glenn's arms to his side. Carl uncertainly pulled his gun, not sure if he could shoot Merle.
Merle scrambled to his feet and only Daryl's arms around him prevented him from gutting Glenn. The fury on Merle's face was terrifying. Forgetting that it was his little brother holding him, Merle drove an elbow back into Daryl's face.
Mara sucked in her breath as Daryl fell. His nose was bleeding. Mara instinctively moved to help him. A gentle hand on her wrist stopped her. Carol shook her head, silently telling her the brother's needed to sort out their own problems.
The sight of Daryl sitting in the dust, with blood splattered down his face, caused Merle's rage to evaporate in an instant.
"What is happenin' here?" a voice boomed. Rick had arrived, Nathan and Hershel in his wake.
Rick's expression changed dramatically when he saw the new comer.
"Merle." The one word managed to convey a world of distaste.
"Thought I was dead, Officer Friendly?"
"Hoped maybe, ain't the same thing," Rick answered. Nathan posture was changing now he knew who the stranger was. His hand drifted to his weapon and he exchange glances with his corporals. They followed his example, hands hovering near their own weapons.
If Merle noticed he was now surrounded by armed soldiers he didn't show it. While Merle had his attention on Rick, Elias moved behind him and offered a hand to Daryl, who accepted. If Merle had been watching Mara knew Daryl would never have accepted the help not wanting to show that kind of weakness.
"He came to help," Daryl said, his teeth bloody.
"That's right, I'm just like that Samaritan from the good book," Merle added, looking anything but angelic.
"We musta read different books," Hershel muttered. It was the first time Mara had heard anything even approaching sarcasm come out of his mouth. It appeared Merle could bring the worst out of everyone.
"You'll understand if we don't trust you, all things considered," Rick said. Glenn all but growled.
"I did things to you and yours but I've suffered too," he waved his knife attachment to punctuate his point. "But I'm willin' ta turn the other cheek. In the interest of family an' all."
"You tried to kill Glenn and Michonne and your Governor did unspeakable things to Maggie," Nathan spoke calmly.
Merle fixed his eyes on the Sergeant, trying to get a read on the calm man. "He ain't my Governor," he snarled before he could stop himself. Collecting himself Merle said, "So Michonne is here? A lotta unfamiliar faces 'round."
Mara wasn't imagining that Merle's derision became more pronounced when he looked at Yussuf and Christine. Yussuf was oblivious as per usual but Christine met him sneer for sneer. If he thought he could intimidate Christine just because she was petite and Asian he was in for a rude shock.
"Why don't you just say your piece, Merle." Rick sounded weary.
Merle looked like he wanted to tell Rick where to go but he saw Daryl's expectant look and shrugged.
"He's preparin' for war and y'all should be doin' similar."
AN: And here's Merle! I really hope I got his character right. Please review and let me know what you think.