Rick put his key in the door to get into the house he called out to Merle who he could hear talking in the lounge to someone. He was tired and pissed. Missing Carol. He was also fuming mad at Daryl and Merle and he just wanted Carol. He looked at the clock it wasn't too late to call her, hopefully Joey would be asleep by now.

He walked into the lounge seeing Merle sitting there watching tv with Andrea. Fuck he had forgotten about her. He mumbled a greeting and pulled at his tie, and started to undo the top button of his shirt.

'You get me dinner?' He mumbled to Merle. Andrea was starring at him, Rick knew she knew and it pissed him off. He wasn't keen on her knowing all his business. He was in one foul mood and honestly so over tired he could just about burst into tears about anything.

'Yeh microwave.' Merle told him getting up to turn it on. He could tell Rick was upset and tired. Merle knew Rick wasn't coping well with Carol and Joey being gone. Rick wandered off to shower and change. Merle wandered down to his room and found him sitting on his bed with his head in his hands breathing hard.

'You alright?' Merle asked.

'Yeah just miss them,' Rick said mumbling into his hands.

'Tomorrow,' Merle told him.

'Yeah I'm not here, I'm working till about 5am,' Rick coughed trying to clear his throat. Merle wasn't stupid he knew he was upset about it. He was more sensitive that Merle about everything. He loved Carol and Joey. So did Merle but he was more able to get things clear. Rick couldn't stop missing them like a kid being homesick. He couldn't sleep well either knowing they were not in the house.

'Ring her,' Merle said.

'Have you?' Rick asked.

'No, but I've got the Andrea shit to deal with, your over tired and emotional, ring her.' Merle told him. Rick shook his head saying that he wouldn't. Merle shrugged and left Rick to go have a shower.

'Ring them, you will feel better.' Merle told him again, he had walked out to the kitchen and retrieved his phone and taken it into the bathroom where he found Rick sitting on the edge of the bath starring at the wall.

'And say what? Come home? Joey doesn't get to spend time with his actual Dad? I'm not his Dad, your not his Dad.' Rick mumbled.

Merle stood up and tapped in Carol's number that he knew from heart and rang it and stood by Rick waiting for someone to answer.

'It's Merle, ... Yeah, good, Talk with Rick ok... yeah... ok' Merle spoke into the phone then handed it to Rick who managed to get a few words out before choking on his words.

Rick sat there and listened for a moment nodding his head even though Carol couldn't see him.

'I wont be here, working.' Rick mumbled into the phone. 'Ok, yeah, I'll try.' Rick handed the phone to Merle and turned the shower on pulling off the rest of his clothes and climbing in. Merle stood there talking into the phone keeping half an eye on Rick.

'You too sugar. Yeah I told him. Yeah. ... I said yes... ' Merle hung up the phone. 'You feel better?'

'A bit, now get the fuck out so I can wallow in self pity alone.' Rick bit out from inside the shower.