Well, for better or worse, here you go! It's short, but I hope it's not too bad. For some reason, this one didn't seem to come as easily as the others and I'm not sure why that is. Hopefully, it's not awful though! It's been a long day for me here today, but maybe I can manage to get something else out tomorrow. We'll see how it goes. I appreciate all of your comments and follows! I get so excited every time I see an email about this fic! Reviews are like chocolate and I LOVE chocolate! (And Norman and Michael) LOL! Anyways! Enough of my craziness!
When Beth made it to breakfast the next morning, she was surprised to find that most of the group had already eaten and were already outside hard at work. Carol was still in the kitchen as well as her Daddy who was bouncing little Judith in his arms. The little girl was smiling happily at him and her heart warmed at the sight. Her Daddy was so good with babies and the babies usually took to him pretty well too.
She grabbed a bowl of the tasteless oatmeal and sat down to eat mumbling a good morning to the three of them. "Sleep well?" Carol asked her.
Beth hadn't, but she nodded yes anyway. It wouldn't be wise to tell them that she had spent most of the night tossing and turning over Merle Dixon. He hadn't been in his cell this morning either and she hated the fact that she had felt compelled to check.
"Everything alright Bethie?" Hershel asked.
She nodded and managed a smile for her Daddy, "I'm just tired from yesterday I suppose."
She finished off her oatmeal and offered to help Carol with the dishes, but the woman shooed her away, "Go ahead. I've got it. I know you want to get outside and join the others. Besides, don't you have more training with Merle today?"
Beth had forgotten that she was supposed to still be training with Merle today, "Oh yeah...I, uh, I should go find him then," She stammered.
"Well good luck today and don't let that man push you around!" Carol said.
Beth smiled at her and kissed her Daddy's cheek before heading outside. She spotted most of the group gathered around the picnic tables talking to Morgan. She walked over to see what was going on.
"I can set up some spikes here to help keep the walkers away from the fences," Morgan pointed to what appeared to be a diagram they had spread out on the table. "Then we can set up various traps around the outer perimeter in case the Governor decides to make an appearance."
Rick nodded, his expression one of complete concentration, "You really think we can pull this off?"
Morgan rolled his eyes, "Please. I've had nothing more to do with my time than study how these things work. It'll work. We can make it work," Morgan said.
"I say we do it. It's the best plan we've had so far. It definitely can't hurt," Glenn chimed in.
"A little extra insurance never hurt anyone," Michonne said.
Beth backed slowly away from the group and headed towards the back of the prison to see if Merle was around. As she stepped to the back though, she didn't see him anywhere. She had figured he might be out there doing whatever it was that he did when he wasn't antagonizing everyone.
She climbed up on top of one of the rickety picnic tables that were sitting back there and polished her knife with her shirt until it gleamed. She noticed that no one in the group had even noticed her appearance out front nor did they notice her departure. It irritated her that she was still brushed off. Even Carl seemed to be included more than her, simply because he was a boy. She sighed and stretched out on top of the picnic table, enjoying the feel of the sun on her face and legs. She closed her eyes and for just a moment, she imagined that she was laying out on a beach somewhere and that life was normal again.
Merle watched the girl leave the group that was currently poured over the picnic table staring at some drawings that were supposed to be blueprints of how they could better fortify the prison. It was a good idea in theory, but it wouldn't last. The Governor might fall for it once, but if it wasn't a fatal shot then they might as well give up because the sneaky bastard would be expecting it the next time. He had to admit that the man they called Morgan had a lot of good shit as far as weapons went and those would definitely come in handy. He was a little sure of the man's stability, but he supposed he had known worse people over at Woodbury.
He slipped away in the direction that the girl had gone, curious as to what she was doing. When he rounded the back of the prison and caught sight of her lying on top of the picnic table with her eyes closed, his mouth went dry. She was spread out as far as she could get and her eyes were closed. He took a moment to stare at her. He wanted to turn away, but his legs just wouldn't cooperate with him. He hated that he couldn't seem to control himself around her. He was usually much stronger than this, but there was just something about her and ever since they had had their little rendezvous in the cell, he hadn't been able to get her out of his mind. It was driving him crazy. He found himself walking over to the table without even realizing that he was doing so until he was standing over her and she opened her eyes and gasped.
"What are you doing here?" She asked.
He smirked, "What tha hell are you doin' back here for all tha fuckin' world ta see? Ya know there's a fuckin' killer out there or did'ja forget?" He gestured towards the woods angrily.
He hadn't meant to start spouting off at her the way he did, but she really didn't think sometimes. She sat up and stared at him, "I am quite aware, thanks. You know, you don't have to be so mean all the time! It wouldn't kill you to treat me a little nicer!" She huffed.
He unconsciously took a step closer to her, "Well maybe when ya quit doin' dumb shit an' start actin' like ya got some sense then maybe I will," He said.
She climbed down from the table and poked him in the chest with her finger, "You're a bully Merle Dixon! I've been nothing but nice to you, but you're pushing it! I've apologized for the other day but you ju-"
He cut her off with a kiss. He couldn't help himself, but the sight of her so riled up did things to him. Maybe he subconsciously pissed her off just so that he could see the fire enter her eyes. Either way it did things to him that no one else had ever been able to manage.
Sweet Jesus, but she tasted like Heaven. He fisted his hand in her hair and she melted against him as he trailed his tongue over her lip. He bit down softly on it and she moaned into his mouth.
"So fuckin' sweet," He murmured. He pulled back to look into her lust filled eyes. Those eyes were going to be the death of him.
She hooked her fingers into his belt loops, "Show me how to please you Merle," She whispered.
He shook his head, "Ain't happenin' darlin'," He said.
"Please. Let me make you feel as good as you do me," She begged.
He groaned as her hand slipped into his pants and grabbed the length of him. She gasped as her fingers wrapped around him and he almost blew his load in his pants just from the expression on her face.
"As flatterin' as ya are at tha moment, I can't let ya do that. Ain't wantin' no repeat o' last time," He said through clenched teeth.
She wasn't paying him any attention however and her fingers squeezed experimentally around him, making him hiss. She looked completely fascinated and he knew he should pull away from her, but he couldn't find the willpower to do so.
"Do you like me Merle?" She asked suddenly.
He tried to focus through the lusty haze that was fogging up his mind, "Do what?" He asked.
"Do you like me? Or am I just some woman that you want to have sex with?" She asked. He held back a groan as she slid her hand forward over him. What the hell kind of game was she playing? She paused, "I just don't want to be some one night stand. I want it to mean more than that. That's why I left," She said softly.
He cleared his throat and removed her hand from the inside of his pants, "So ya thought I was jus' usin' ya?" He asked angrily.
She bit her lip and nodded, "It would be my first time...I just wanted it to be more than a quick thing in a jail cell."
He ran his hand over his forehead, "Christ girlie, look around ya! This whole place is a jail cell!" He walked away a few feet and then paced back and forth as he tried to think.
She followed him, "I'm sorry. I know I'm confusing. It's just that my mind says one thing while my body says another and-"
He whirled around, breaking her thoughts, "Forget ya mind! What does yer body say?" He growled.
She blushed and looked up at him from beneath her long lashes, "My body says...yes," She replied.
He was going to die from this; he just knew it. She was going to get him killed for sure, but a part of him was thinking that she might just be worth the risk. He stared at her for several beats, the only sounds between them being the sound of their breaths mingling in the air.
"Meet me in tha guard tower tonight."
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