Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead.

a/n: Finally, although somewhat briefly, I have got my first OC, Scott, here in this fic.

...

"Oh, hey Carol," Glenn said as they stepped into the tower. "Merle."

Carol smiled at him, "Eventful watch?"

Merle smirked as Maggie stepped out of the small control booth, looking slightly dishevelled.

"Eh, not really," Glenn glanced over his shoulder as Maggie stood quickly behind him. "Nothing much ever happens on watch."

Maggie just looked at them and shook her head, and Merle thought that something had gone down alright, probably that lil farmers girl. "Ain't that the shame. Don't need nothin' goin' down on ya that you can't manage, ain't that right Glenn?"

Glenn gazed at him for a moment and shrugged. "Yeah. Uh, of course." He turned to Carol, "You got Daryl's shift? He always takes a longer watch, you going to be alright?"

Carol nodded, "I know."

"And it's fine?" Maggie asked glancing across to Merle curiously.

"Why the fuck wouldn't it be?" Merle barked, just wanting them to go.

"I've taken shifts with Daryl before, I know how it is. It wasn't a problem then, and it isn't a problem now." Carol answered.

"Okay," Glenn smiled at her. "I think Tyreese is up for the next shift." He moved past them, Maggie in tow, and as they passed by he looked at Merle warily, before nodding. "Need to catch some sleep I think," he said yawning a little.

Merle grinned, "Oh, I betcha do. Bet it been a good long hard afternoon of fuckin'...nothing." He was aware that Carol's hand was on his arm, trying to pull him out of the way. He looked at her and saw the little faint smirk she was trying to hide.

Maggie stared at him narrowly for a moment. "Well...guess see y'all later," she called out, as she eventually followed Glenn down the steps.

Merle felt a hand swat at his arm and he turned back to her. "What?" he asked.

Carol smiled at him then, and Merle felt his heart lift at the sight. She shook her head, "Really."

"You said it yerself, an' I reckon is why you got me to come up here with you, help ya take your shift," he smirked.

"Merle, you invited yourself," she said as she leaned against the railings, her back to him. she glanced over her shoulder, watching him.

He shrugged, "I can go if ya want. Ain't a problem-"

"No, I didn't say that. I want you to stay," she frowned at him.

He couldn't help but look at her. He had no intention of leaving, but it felt damned good to hear her ask him to stay. "I ain't going anywhere." He moved across and stood next to her, his shoulder bumping against hers. She leant towards him, resting her head against his arm, and as he looked at her, he found the breath freeze up inside his throat.

It just felt fucking odd. Weird as shit-and if he was honest with himself, the new situation he found himself in...with her, he was at a loss as to what to do. Of all the women, he never would have thought he could feel so confused in his thoughts as he did with her. He wondered if he was weak for feeling like this. He had told her that nobody had ever cared for him and that had been true. It had suited him just fine. He had never needed anyone before.

He grit his teeth as he slipped his arm cautiously around her shoulders, pulling her slightly closer to him, and he felt surprised that she didn't resist-that she even leaned back a little more into his one armed embrace. The slow thud of his heart picked up again and as he gripped the railings with his hand, he gazed across the courtyard, his eyes not even seeing the biters in the distance, beyond the fence line and bordering field.

He felt her shiver against him and he glanced down at her in concern, noticing the thin shirt that she was wearing, and the cool chill in the air. "You're cold," he said.

"A little," she sighed. "I should have wrapped up more warmly, but I guess I forgot. I kinda got preoccupied before," she smiled at him impishly.

"Huh," he grunted. He let his arm drop from her shoulder and stepped behind her, snaking his arms around her and pulling her to him. She leaned against him, the back of her head touching his chest. "I'll warm ya," he growled at her ear.

She laughed a little at that and he tightened his arms around her, his chin resting on the top of her head. He closed his eyes to the sensation that fluttered in his chest. A few days ago, he would have run the hell away from shit like this. But now, since earlier when they'd kissed, he hadn't really wanted to admit to himself just how much he had yearned for her closeness. And now that she was here-he felt completely out of his depth. As much as he wanted to run-and the terrifying need to do just that clawed at him, he wasn't going to, not like he had done before. He knew that if he did, he would blow any chance out of the water with her and he found that he didn't want that to happen. This felt like it was his last chance and he was damned to hell if he would fuck it up.

Even so, he couldn't help but muse at why Daryl had always felt drawn to her, and he would have laughed himself fucking stupid before, about the strange compulsion this little mouse of a woman had over his brother. But now? Now he knew different and he might have well been so very wrong about her. She was right- he had totally underestimated her all along.

"You're quiet. What are you thinking about?" she asked softly.

"Jus' shit. Ain't nothin' worth bothering yer pretty head about."

"Tell me?"

Merle exhaled quietly, clenching his jaw, before answering tersely. "I don't like to think. I ain't never liked to do that-blotted most of that shit away. I ain't gonna talk, so jus' don't ask."

Carol didn't answer. Instead she twisted in his arms, until she was facing him. He swallowed thickly at the warm look she gave him, the way her blue eyes shone as she looked at him. Reaching up with her hands, she cupped his cheeks, her thumbs rubbing gently at his temples, and then she pulled his head towards her, kissing him softly on his forehead. He closed his eyes briefly to the touch.

He had never understood how the smallest intimate gestures could mean the most-he used to think all that shit was for pussy assed fools, childish pointless gestures between simpering dumb as fuck idiots, but he found now that he was begrudgingly starting to understand.

He pressed a swift kiss to her mouth, half curious if he'd over stepped his mark with her. He narrowed his eyes, waiting. She didn't push him away, instead she rested her head to his chest, and Merle took that as a good sign.

He tightened his arms about her as he felt her move against him, and he bit back a gasp as her hands suddenly slipped underneath his shirt-her cold hands like ice pressing against the warmth of his skin. "Fuckin' hell, yer cold!" he hissed.

"You're hot," she laughed.

He couldn't help the grin that tugged at his mouth, "Why, thank ya for noticing, darlin'."

"Oh...God no, Merle. I meant your body is hot," she moved a little against him, and Merle felt fucked if he was going to let her slip away from him. "You're very warm to the touch," she said weakly, blushing a little and trying not to smile.

He waggled his eyebrows playfully at her, watching as she shifted her head to look up at him. He saw the blush flood vividly pink across her cheeks. "You wanna see just how hot it is? I ain't got no problem with that, c'mon, let me show you." Her eyes were glowing at him humorously and he dropped his eyes from hers to her mouth, feeling a silence stretch not so awkwardly between them. He licked at his lips, before leaning down and pressing his mouth to hers. He didn't question that she kissed him back, he just held her tighter, his hand slipping down her back to her waist. Her mouth felt so damned fine against his-so sweet, and he couldn't ever recall a woman tasting so damned fucking good.

His hand slipped from her waist to her ass, and as she moved her hips against him, he felt his dick twitch in response and he groaned against her mouth. The cool hands under his shirt slipped upwards, and he froze for a moment as her fingers touched at his scars. He pulled back from her fearfully, waiting to see the pity in her eyes.

She just gazed back at him steadfastly, before leaning in to kiss him again, and Merle couldn't help but press himself against her, letting her know just how much he fucking wanted her. Her hands clutched at him, pressing him close, and he was curious at the fact that it seemed that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

Footsteps rattled heavily towards them, and Merle took a sudden step backwards, glancing at Carol. He felt pissed at the thought that here in the prison there was never a moments fucking peace before some asswipe would appear and interrupt whatever the hell was going on.

He saw a man standing hesitantly before him, and Merle narrowed his eyes thoughtfully as he recognized him.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked, glancing quickly from Merle to Carol.

"Yeah, you fuckin' are. Get the hell out'a here!" Merle spat. He felt her hands slip from around his waist, and she pushed herself away from him, looking at him and shaking her head. "An' who the fuck are ya?"

"Oh, I'm Scott. I'm one of the new guys, from Woodbury." He walked towards them, "Say, I know you. You're Merle Dixon, right?"

"So fuckin' what? I don't know who the shit you are." Merle knew exactly who he was. Scott had been one of the regulars at the biter fights in Woodbury. He knew him. Loud mouthed little cunt without the balls to back up an argument. Last to a fight, and always the first to leave. Pansy assed coward. Scott had been a regular, oh yeah... Merle remembered all to well that he'd been one of the loudest voices baying for blood when the Governor had thrust his baby brother into the arena and demanded that they fight to the death. Blood against blood.

Merle glanced across as he saw Glenn suddenly appear next to the Woodbury asshole.

"Scott is here to relieve you guys from watch shift. Rick is calling a meeting," Glenn explained quickly. "He wants you both, now."

Merle ignored Glenn for the moment, his eyes focused firmly on Scott. He lunged forward, his hand curling quickly into a fist and he lashed out, catching the other man squarely on his jaw, knocking him to the ground in a heavy thudding tumble of arms and legs. Merle flexed his hand, feeling the sting of his wound, and not giving two flying fucks about it because it was worth seeing that asswipe hit the ground.

He watched smugly as Scott sat on the ground, gaping at him in confusion while he rubbed at his jaw.

"Shit...that was not cool!" Glenn hissed, his eyes wide. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I fuckin' can. Get out'a my way Chinaman, or I swear to God, yer next." He turned as he heard Carol gasp behind him. "Don't ya feel sorry for him. Idiot asked for it."

Glenn gaped at him for a moment, before stooping down and offering a hand to Scott, pulling him to his feet. He looked at Merle, then turned on his heel quickly and fled back down the steps. Merle knew then, that Glenn was going to rat on his ass to Rick.

He found that he didn't give a shit.

He strode down the steps, Carol following behind him, and he braced himself for the inevitable questions. She caught at his arm and he shrugged her off, pacing across the courtyard.

"Merle," she called out, and he stopped, turning around and waiting for her to catch up to him. "Would you mind explaining to me just what the hell that was about?" she breathed.

He shrugged, "I ain't explainin' nothin'."

She shook her head, "Don't you go and shut me out."

Merle sighed, "I ain't shuttin you out, darlin'. I jus' ain't gonna explain to ya right now." He looked at her and saw the way she had wrapped her arms tightly about herself- saw the sad little expression on her face. He frowned, the hesitancy creeping its way through him, and he moved close to her, catching her shoulder gently in his hand. He kissed her quickly. "Will explain shit later."

"You'd better," she warned.

Merle rolled his eyes, "Said I would. Hell woman, don't be going an' giving me grief." He offered her a small smile and felt relieved when she smiled back at him. "C'mon, let's go see what officer prick gotta say," he said as he pushed the door open. He waited for her to step through, before stepping quickly inside behind her.

…

Sheriff asshole looked pissed, and it made the smile on Merle's face grow wider.

Rick watched him warily, and rubbed at his eye with the heel of his hand, "Was that necessary Merle?"

"Hell yeah, it was," Merle smirked.

"We don't go round beating up on people. This isn't Woodbury. I-we don't tolerate that kind of behavior here."

"What the fuck do ya know?" Merle asked indignantly. The little prick didn't know fuck all about what happened in Woodbury.

"This isn't our way."

Merle glared at him stiffly, "Oh I know all about your way, officer."

Rick laughed shallowly, tilting his head slightly to the side, his eyes squinting back at him in question. "Is this about you, your hand, Merle? What happened back there in Atlanta?"

"Huh. This ain't jus' about my hand no more, boy. You ain't seeing the bigger picture. I seen how you operate. Seen the damn choices you make. You think nothin' of throwing folks to the wolves. You ain't never thought through the consequences of your actions, what ya do," he sneered. "Hell-do you even know how to spell 'consequence', let alone understand what the fuck it means, Rick?"

Ricks hand clenched tightly at his side and he took a step towards Merle. "I make the calls because somebody has to step up."

Merle glanced down as he felt Carols hand touch at his arm. Her eyes were glowing at him warningly.

"He has a point, Rick. You have made a few bad calls lately," Carol said quietly.

Ricks gaze was fixed firmly on Merle's. He shrugged mildly, "That's why I called this meeting."

Merle huffed, "An' yer still calling the shots. My my, yer still that asshole from the quarry. Ain't nothin' changed with you Rick."

He watched as Rick took another step closer, his hand still clenching at his side, and Merle stepped a pace nearer to him, thrusting his chin out. If the asshole wanted a fight, Merle would by all means give him one. He smirked as Rick stepped closer, he could see the anger shimmering in the other mans eyes.

"What'cha gonna do, arrest me for havin' a goddamned opinion? Way I see it-I'm more entitled to it than most," he raised his stump in the air between them, feeling some small satisfaction as Rick's eyes dropped to it.

"That was a mistake," Rick said quickly.

"Oh yeah...ya think?" Merle hissed. "A mistake that cost me my goddamned fuckin' hand?"

Rick took another step closer, even as Carol stepped forward, her handing shooting out and grabbing at the sheriffs shoulder. "Don't Rick, just leave it."

He shrugged her hand off his shoulder and looked at Merle, his eyes narrowing heatedly. "I won't let you throw that at me every damned opportunity, Merle," he warned, raising his hand irritably and gesturing towards him. "This? You bring it on yourself. I won't tolerate your attitude here. Not at the prison."

"Whoa!" Merle laughed suddenly, stepping back. He raised his arms in the air in mock surrender, "What ya gonna do, beat up on a defenseless injured man?"

Rick glared at him and shook his head, one hand catching out and pinching the bridge of his nose wearily.

"Thought not, ya fuckin' pussy," Merle sneered.

"I don't have time for this," Rick retorted. "We have a meeting. The others are by all probability waiting for us."

Merle huffed petulantly, "Ain't none stoppin' ya."

Rick stared at him, then glanced across at Carol. "Meeting is in the library. Go ahead. I will be there soon."

Merle watched as Rick stalked off into the opposite direction, and he shrugged, glancing at Carol. "I dunno what the shit his problem is," he stated mildly.

...