A Note From Me: Forgive me if there are typos. Sinus infections are an evil bitch. I actually think I might be dying. If it all starts to go dark I'll email the major plot points to you Brazen Hussy. Carry...on...my...work...

To Sinclaire's great relief no one had died. Bowhunter and Marie were the last to come back and she was a little surprised to see him grin down at her as she spoke. She was even more surprised when he reached out and tugged her braid. Well. She supposed she should have seen it coming.

Sinclaire turned to say something to Merle, but he had walked into the bar, scooping Zeke off the steps and onto his shoulder as he went. Still not in the mood to talk then. She was striking out with Dixon's across the board.

"Hey," Daryl said, pulling her against him and kissing the top of her head. "Glad ya made it."

"Me too. I mean you too. I..." Okay. Now she was confused. Marie had stopped to talk to Fletchley. "How did it go?"

"Good," Bowhunter answered. "She's a lot faster'n she looks. We met up with Nate. Even managed to kill most of the Walkers without usin' bullets."

"Aw, you're impressed with Nate!"

"Ain't neither."

"Are to." Sinclaire stuck her tongue out at him.

"Save that fer later," he said with a grin.

She laughed and tried not to focus on the confusion. Marie certainly didn't seem to mind; she was in the middle of telling Fletchley the whole story. She certainly did it with more flair than Bowhunter had. There were hand gestures aplenty and Sinclaire even thought that she caught a few sound effects.

As interesting as it was, she was determined to talk to Merle, so she headed into the bar.

"Merle?" she called.

"What?" he barked back from his room.

"You've got my cat," she pointed out. "And I wanted to talk to you."

"Hell, he might as well be my cat," Merle muttered. "Always pushin' him off on me so ya can fuck my brother."

"It's not my fault that you let Bowhunter grow up scared of cats!" she said indignantly as she scooped Zeke up off the floor and zipped him into the front of her vest.

"Bullshit," Merle said. "Not my fault he's a pussy. Now ya got yer cat, get outta here."

"Why are you being this way?" Sinclaire demanded.

"What way?"

"This way! You're treating me like I'm everybody else!"

Merle didn't answer. He just lay back on his air mattress and put his arm over his eyes.

"Run off an play with my baby brother," he said. "Ain't got nothin' to say to ya."

"Well fuck you too then," Sinclaire snarled. "I almost died today you know!"

"I was there," Merle snapped. "Think I remember bein' the one that saved yer ass too."

"Exactly. So you do still care and you might as well admit it!"

"Shit," he drawled. "I did what I did on instinct."

"Oh, I see," Sinclaire said coldly. "So you don't really care whether I live or die, you just didn't feel like walking home alone?"

"Pretty much."

"Fuck you Merle Dixon."

He heard her leave the room and sighed. He hadn't actually meant to be so mean to her. He hadn't wanted anything more than to kick Carl's little punk ass when Yank had nearly died. He also hadn't wanted anything more than to pull her against him and hang on for dear life when he'd found out that she wasn't hurt.

He missed her and he hated himself for losing her. Or actually, he hated himself for never having her in the first place.

Sinclaire stomped over to the truck with gritted teeth. Rick stopped her.

"Thanks," he said.

"Sure. I'd say anytime but if it happens again I'm going to let Merle cut off his foot," she snapped.

Rick raised an eyebrow and she sighed.

"Sorry. I sort of almost died earlier. Don't pay any attention to me."

"Ya almost died?" Daryl asked, looking up from his conversation with Carol. "When?"

"After you left. It's not a big deal." Sinclaire was suddenly aware of all eyes on her.

"Well if that's not a big deal then I don't know what is," Rick pointed out. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yes. Merle checked me out. There wasn't any broken skin. At least not where the zombie got me. I think I ended up with road rash on my back from where Merle pulled me out from under the truck. It's really fine," she said in frustration when everyone leaned in for the story she didn't feel like telling.

Later that night in the truck, she felt Daryl's fingers trace over the small of her back.

"Yer right," he said. "Got skinned pretty bad."

"Yeah," she said with a sigh. "It was better than the alternative though. If Merle hadn't been there I probably wouldn't have made it out without getting bitten. I don't know how I missed seeing the damn thing under there."

"Everybody's done some stupid shit."

"I guess so." Sinclaire turned over onto her back and sighed.

"What's the matter?"

"Merle yelled at me."

"Nothin' new there."

"It sort of was. He used to yell at me the way he yells at you. Lately he yells at me the way he yells at everyone else."

"Want me to ask him what the fuck his problem is?"

"I already have. Do you really think he'd tell you?"

"Might," Daryl said. "I'll ask him what the fuck his problem is tomorrow if ya want."

"No, there's no reason for you to fight my battles for me. Thanks, but I'm going head to head with him tomorrow."

"Glad I'm not in his shoes," Daryl said.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah ya don't hardly ever yell at me," he said smugly.

"Huh," Sinclaire said. "I guess I don't. You don't get upset with me like you do with Marie though."

"I don't worry about ya like I do her."

Silence rang through the truck and Daryl bit his tongue. Damn it.

"I mean...ya know...she can't even shoot. An-"

"Relax," Sinclaire said with a laugh. "I'm not the jealous type. Lucky for you."

"Nothin' to be jealous of no way. That girl ain't too fond of me."

"You looked okay today," Sinclaire pointed out.

"Yeah. Anyway. I been rubbin' yer back fer a good ten minutes here..."

"And you're too much of a gentleman to ever do something like that for your own personal gain."

"Ya think so?"

Bowhunter's lips covered hers and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. At least one Dixon brother felt like being good to her after a near death experience. She decided not to mention the fact that Zeke was perched on the back of the seat watching curiously as she tugged Bowhunter's shirt up and off.

Sinclaire woke up the next morning feeling good to be alive and determined to make Merle talk to her. He must have known, because he headed toward the woods the minute he saw her.

"Ya coulda told me about the cat," Bowhunter said when she hurried past him.

"Why would I want to affect your performance negatively?" she called back.

"Yeah, but now I can't trust ya," he said in a wounded tone. "Ain't sure about this whole thing no more."

"Go talk to Fletchley. I'm sure he's up for the counseling opportunity."

She bumped the fist Marie held out at that and headed into the woods after Merle. It didn't take too long to catch up. He was surprisingly quick, but she was faster.

"Merle!" she called, nearly out of breath.

"What?" he demanded.

"What?" Sinclaire repeated. "You're asking me what?"

"Yeah. Bother ya?"

"No. What bothers me is that you've stopped talking to me! And then when you can be bothered to have a conversation you yell at me. What is your fucking problem?"

"Ain't got a problem. I yell at everybody."

"Even if that's true it doesn't explain why you've been avoiding me."

"I ain't been avoidin' ya. Ya just been busy."

"No I haven't! Don't give me that shit! You've got just as much time to hang out with me as you ever did!"

"No I don't. Yer always with my brother."

"Because you stopped talking to me! What was I supposed to do? Sit around the bar and brood with Zeke? I'm not a walking country song!"

Merle laughed.

"Don't laugh at me!" she yelled. "You make me so mad!"

"What the hell's wrong with laughin' when yer funny?" he asked, genuinely confused.

She hit him in the back of the head.

"What the fuck?" he said, rubbing the place where her hand had connected with his scalp. That shit stung.

"What the fuck?" she repeated as she smacked him again.

It was abating some of the anger. A couple more smacks and she might not be mad anymore. He caught her hand the next time and twisted her arm behind her back as he swept her feet out from under her.

"Quit that shit," he ordered.

"No," she answered flatly as she hooked her foot behind his left knee and jerked.

He landed beside her and jerked her against him when she tried to scramble back. She jammed an elbow into his stomach and managed to get to her knees before he got his breath back. He scrambled upright and wrapped his arm around her upper body, pinning her arms to her sides as he shoved his chest against her back and pushed her down again. He caught their combined weight on his left hand so he didn't hurt her.

She spat out a mouthful of leaves and said, "Jackass."

"Yer only callin' me that cause it worked."

She bucked her body up against his to try and throw him off and heard him grunt in what she assumed was pain.

"How about that? Does that work?" she asked triumphantly.

"Yeah," he answered roughly. He didn't say it out loud, but it wasn't working exactly like she was thinking. It sure as fuck wasn't making him want to let her go.

She felt his arm tighten around her when she squirmed again.

"You can't hold out forever," she said. "And anyway, this hurts."

"Goddamn right it hurts," he agreed for a totally different reason.

"Are you ready to tell me why you hate me now or do I have to beat you up again?"

"Yer on the bottom. Yer losin'."

"I've got you right where I want you," she muttered as she tried to figure out the best way to worm free. Maybe it was time for psychological warfare. "At least let me move my hands, Merle!"

"Ya think I'm stupid don't ya?"

"It was worth a shot."

"Guess so." He rested his chin on her head.

"Comfortable?"

"Not really. Just tired of ya smackin' me. Gonna keep ya right here till ya ain't mad anymore." He felt good for the first time in weeks.

"Fine. Nothing like an uncomfortable position for an uncomfortable conversation. You and I got along just fine until Tiff died and I had sex with your brother. Which one is the problem?" When Merle remained silent she sighed. "It's Tiff isn't it? Did you have...were you..."

"I wasn't in love with her. Ya been thinkin' I'm broken hearted?" he asked in surprise.

"I wondered," Sinclaire admitted. "So it's not that you loved Tiffany. It's that I'm having sex with Bowhunter."

"Why would I care about that?"

"You're the one who cares. You tell me."

"Don't care. Fuck who ya like."

"I'm hardly fucking anyone," she protested.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Yeah, it came out really weird didn't it? Sort of like he has a tiny penis."

Merle snorted before he could stop himself.

"He doesn't!" Sinclaire protested. "The last thing I need is for you to-"

"Know what the last thing I need is?" Merle cut in. "A conversation with ya about my brother's dick."

"We're in agreement then. What I meant was that you're acting like I'm sleeping with everybody and I'm not. You're making what's between me and him a bigger deal than it is."

"Ya'll spend a lotta time together if it ain't a big deal."

"I like him. It's separate from the sex. Anyway, I kind of think he's got a thing for Marie that he won't admit."

"What?" Merle was so shocked that he let her go and sat up.

"You don't think so?"

"Ain't no way," Merle said firmly. "He's got you. What the fuck would he want her for?"

"Maybe he wants more than I'm offering," Sinclaire said as she knelt and dusted herself off.

"What ain't ya givin' him?"

"It's not sexual. Are you still interested?"

"Guess so." He actually prefered it that way, but he wasn't about to admit it to her.

"A deep commitment. Kids. That whole thing."

"Ya'd be stupid to be havin' kids right now anyway," Merle pointed out. "Ya don't want kids though?"

"It wouldn't matter if I did," Sinclaire answered. "Does he?"

"Yeah. He won't admit it, but he gets fuckin' mushy over babies."

"Really? Awwww!"

Merle shook his head with a sigh. "Ya do it too don't ya?"

"Nope. Babies are breakable. I stay away from them until they reach that good sturdy toddler age."

"Why wouldn't it matter if ya wanted kids? Get this thing straightened out and Daryl'll give ya all the kids ya can handle. Ya can make him take care of 'em till they're about 2 if ya wanna."

She laughed briefly. "He'll make someone a good wife."

"Damn straight. And don't think I ain't noticed that ya ain't answerin' me."

"I can't have kids," she said quickly before she could talk herself out of telling him.

"Why not?"

"A medical procedure went a little wrong. I don't want to talk about it." She licked her finger and wiped a streak of mud off of her boot.

"Huh," Merle said. "Somethin' ya don't wanna talk about. It's a real shock Yank."

"Blow me."

"Hard to do unless there's somethin' ya ain't tellin' me. And if there is, fuck no. And stay away from my brother."

She punched his arm affectionately.

"See? You're not going to lie and say you didn't miss me are you?"

"Nah." He shoved her hair into her eyes and lay back on the ground to duck her blind swing. "Missed ya a little bit. Everybody else around here's a dumbass."

"They just don't get you," Sinclaire said with smile. "And since you're incomprehensible without me to translate, it's your own fault for abandoning me."

"I reckon so. So what are ya gonna do about Daryl?"

"What do you mean?"

"Ya gonna talk to him? Tell him 'bout the kid thing? Ya gonna tell him ya ain't in love with him and ya think he should be fuckin' Marie?"

"Do you think I really need to tell him? And he can fuck whoever he wants; it's not my job to tell him that stuff. He knows we're not together like that."

"Ya sure?" Merle wasn't sure whether the hell his motivations were good or not. He sure as fuck hoped so. "I think he thinks yer something yer sayin' ya ain't."

"Thanks for the clarification," Sinclaire said dryly.

"Ya don't want him fallin' in love with ya if ya ain't gonna go ahead and fall in love with him. My baby brother falls hard. Ya ain't never seen it, but it's fuckin' brutal."

"Hmm. I guess I'll talk to him, but I really don't think I need to. I told him all this before the sex even got started."

"Don't wanna hear about the sex."

"If it bothers you that much I can go back to being asexual."

"A sexual what?"

Sinclaire snorted.

"Ya laughin' at me?"

"Well, I can't laugh with you. You don't get the joke."

He tossed an acorn at her because it was the closest thing to hand and she caught it and tossed it back.

"Why are you so mean?"

"Shit. I'm a hell of a lot nice'n I used to be."

"I suppose that's true. Come on back to camp with me, unless you're trying to get someone's attention by being all sexy and broody."

"How ya think I get all my women?" he asked as he stood and pulled her to her feet. "And it works. Yer the one who chased me down."

"And by chased you mean knocked right?"

"Funny."

Merle put his arm around her shoulders and then pulled her into a loose headlock. She flicked him in the kidney so he relaxed the grip, keeping his arm around her shoulders as he grinned down at her. She smiled back up at him, a little shy suddenly as she put her arm around him, hooking her fingers through his belt loop as they walked back toward camp.

Merle suddenly frowned as he felt a sensation he hadn't ever felt before. Most of the time he was concentrating a little more south of the equator when he had a woman on his mind, but this was different. His heart had actually given a stutter-like beat when she put her arm around him and smiled.

Goddamn it.