Hey y'all! I'm back! So I'm not entirely pleased with this chapter, but my mind took me off track slightly and I had to struggle to get it back. We detoured a bit because I love y'all so much and the detour should buy us at least one more chapter than we had. That's good, right?! Anyway, this one is what it is and it took me too terribly long to produce what to me is crap. LOL...So we should have maybe 3(?) chapters left after this one...We'll see how it goes!

It had been one week since Karen, Rachel, and Tyreese had arrived at the prison from Woodbury. The group had come together and decided that they weren't a threat and could stay so they were let out of their holding cell yesterday. Beth hadn't had too much time to spend with Merle because he had been busy helping the others do last minute runs in preparation for winter that would be approaching soon. Beth had somehow slipped back into her same old routine of taking care of Judith while Carol handled the cooking and she sighed as she turned to leave the cell after laying the little girl down in her crib. How quickly she had slipped right back into her same old routine of being a wallflower. She walked through the kitchen and slipped outside, intent on getting some fresh air for a bit while Judith napped. She paused just outside before heading over to the picnic table where several of members of the group had gathered in a discussion of some sort.

"We need to get something to reinforce those fences through the winter. With the weight of any snow plus walkers, we can't take any chances. Runs will be much harder with snow on the ground," Rick was saying as she hovered around the edge of the group within earshot.

"How much stuff do we need this time?" Michonne asked.

"We need more feminine supplies," Maggie spoke suddenly and she grew a little red in the face. "We didn't get enough on the last run."

Several of the men coughed and shifted before Morgan spoke up, "We could use some chains too if anyone spots any. Who's going on this run?"

Beth saw Rick glance at Daryl and to her surprise Daryl shook his head, "Runnin' off o' little sleep man. If no one else volunteers then I'll go, but I'd rather stay," He commented.

Rick nodded and ran a hand through his hair, "Well I guess I can go," He said wearily.

"I'll go," Beth called out impulsively.

All head swiveled in her direction and she realized that none of them had even seen her walk up. "I don't know if it's safe Bethie," Hershel said.

Beth huffed and crossed her arms, "I can do it!" She insisted.

"I'll go with 'er," Merle's deep voice spoke from behind her and she could feel his body heat as he brushed himself slightly against her.

"I don't know," Rick said.

"I think we should give her a chance," Maggie said suddenly and Beth glanced up at her sister sharply. Maggie smiled at her warmly and Beth smiled back, grateful for her sister's support on this matter. It meant more to her than anything and she wanted to wrap her sister up in a hug, but there were others around so she didn't.

Beth glanced at her Daddy and Hershel stared back at her for several moments before nodding slightly, "Maggie's right Rick. I think it's time we let her give it a shot I suppose. You did say the walkers were a little sluggish lately?" Hershel asked Rick.

Rick eyed her and Merle and then nodded, "They seem to be," He shifted his stance. "Can you two be ready to leave in half an hour? We need to get this out of the way as soon as possible," He said.

Beth felt Merle's hand against her back, rubbing through her shirt softly where no one could see. "We'll be ready," He responded for them both.

Beth was excited and nervous all at the same time as she climbed into the passenger seat of the car and glanced over at Merle. He had been abnormally quiet and she wasn't sure what was going on with him. He had left her side early to go and get things ready while she had spent a few minutes talking to Maggie about what was needed for the women. When she had finally made it to their cell with a list, he had already shouldered a small bag and he didn't speak other than to tell her he would wait for her at the car.

She waited while he went over last minute instructions with Daryl and Rick before he climbed into the car and they pulled off down the gravel drive. Beth watched as Merle gripped the steering wheel tightly as he waved at Carl before driving through the gate and down the highway. She could tell that something was bothering him, but she couldn't figure out what it could be. They hadn't argued since the Karen incident and things had been going well between them. Finally she couldn't stand the silence anymore and she reached over to turn on the cd player. Rock music trailed from the speakers for several seconds before Merle reached over and turned it off.

"Okay, what is wrong with you?" Beth demanded.

Merle swerved a little and glanced around in the rearview mirror before stopping in the middle of the road. He hit the button to lock the doors and turned to her, his expression a mixture of intensity and...fear.

"Ya got somethin' ya need ta tell me?" He asked.

Beth frowned as she tried to think of what he could be referring to, "No," She replied.

Merle sucked his teeth, "Found ya lil' diary," He commented.

Beth stared at him in wonder, "You went through my things?" She asked hotly.

He gritted his teeth, "Dropped my knife. Went ta get it an' ya book fell out from under tha bed. Might wanna make sure it's more secure next time," He warned.

"I don't understand how you can be ma-" Beth began and then it hit her. She had written about Maggie's pregnancy in that book last and the fact that she might be pregnant. She hadn't said anything to Merle yet because she hadn't taken a test and she wasn't sure. She just knew that their was a chance. Beth wasn't ever really regular with her periods either, so it was hard to say whether or not she was late. They sat in silence for a moment and watched as a walker ambled slowly across the road, oblivious to the fact that they were there and they waited until it trailed off further before speaking again.

Beth leaned over and grabbed Merle's hand. She could feel the tension radiating beneath his skin. "Merle," She began.

"Are ya fuckin' pregnant?" Merle interrupted hastily.

Beth flinched at his tone, but she held herself calm. She could understand why he was angry. Merle thought that she was keeping it from him, but she wasn't. She hadn't wanted to give him cause to worry until she could take a test. She had tried to find a test in their supplies without anyone seeing, but Maggie must have used the only one they had because Beth never found anything.

"I don't know," Beth replied softly. She glanced around before unbuckling her seatbelt and crawling over to position herself in Merle's lap so that she was facing him.

"An' ya weren't gonna tell me?" He ground out, his breathing heavy.

"I was," Beth insisted. "I just wanted to find a test before I worried you with something that may not even exist."

"Fuck, Beth!" Merle yelled.

He ducked his head and leaned forward until it rested on her belly. She ran her hands over his very short hair in an attempt to relax him. She knew now that he wasn't really mad at her. He was extremely terrified that there was the real possibility they could be bringing a child into this world. He finally relaxed a little and lifted his head to stare at her.

"It's okay," She whispered soothingly. "We'll find a test while we're out and I'll take it. We'll know for sure. Everything will be fine," She said.

Beth leaned forward and grabbed his face with her hands and pressed her lips to his. He stiffened and then he returned the pressure, his hand coming to rest at her hip where he gripped her tightly. She poured her heart and soul into the kiss and he crushed her to him as his lips moved with firm and almost bruising pressure against hers. Beth could feel his erection rubbing against her and she tipped her head back so that his lips had access to her neck. He sucked at the delicate skin there and marked her before pulling back to stare at her with eyes heavy with desire.

"We got stuff ta do. Can't do this here," He said.

Beth nodded. He was right. Having sex in a car in the middle of an open road wouldn't be the best of ideas. They were extremely vulnerable to anybody that might happen to come by. She pressed a kiss to his forehead and then climbed back over the console to her seat. Merle was scanning the area around them and he put the car back into gear after adjusting his pants a little. She hoped that this whole situation worked out for the best. She didn't want to lose Merle and she wasn't sure she was ready for a baby either. It was then that she realized that Merle had never actually said whether or not he would want a kid.

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, "This run might take a while. Might need ta stay overnight," He commented.

Beth looked at him and their eyes met. She knew that the run shouldn't take overnight, but she understood that Merle was trying to buy them some time alone and some privacy. He refocused his eyes back onto the road as he steered them around abandoned and broken down cars that littered the highway.

She stared ahead, excited at the fact that they would have time together uninterrupted and they would finally find out the answer that they sought.

"I'll keep an eye out for a place," She replied.

So Merle and Beth are on a run together and may end up staying overnight...Oh the possibilities...So my question is: Should we have a whole smutty Meth chapter? Or just cruise right on by it? ;-)

Reviews are like chocolate to my soul. Feed me.

Please.