Merle glared at Rick as he stood there his eyes just as sharp on him. This man didn't fucking know him or his family to be acting the way he was. From Daryl told him and Mac he'd been nothing but calm after waking up in their custody. So Rick needed to back the fuck off before he made him. His alpha male posturing was starting to grate on his goddamn nerves and it didn't help that he was having to keep Mac from breaking his jaw. Merle felt a smug smile on his face looking at the bruising on Rick's face where he'd knocked him on his ass. He wanted to do more but Mac's frantic voice was enough to have him ignoring the son of a bitch.
"Where is Carol?" Andrea asked her voice more calm than Rick's had been.
Merle looked over at her quirking a brow at her. His eyes swept over her before whistling loudly and hearing boots on pavement coming towards him. "Take her to Carol if she wants to go."
Andrea raised a brow seeing how quick Carter and Briar were to respond to him. Carter looked over at her his grin wide and boyish, "Yes Sir." He saluted Merle and dropped into a low bow. "After you m'lady."
Andrea snorted at him and he grinned even more. Merle watched as she trailed after Carter. He was no doubt trying to charm his way into her panties. God knows he did everything else he'd seen since Merle met him. The thought made him laugh. One look at the woman was enough to let him know that she wasn't going to fall for his shit. Even with pickings as slim as they were she knew her worth.
"Where is Carol?" Rick snapped.
The man with him tensed but Merle ignored him, "With Sophia and Daryl I assume since Sophia is going to be glued to his side him just now getting back."
Rick made a face at that and Merle couldn't help the smirk on his face. He didn't like what he was hearing. Good. Merle was already gearing up for a fight on behalf of his brother. He seen a storm coming and he wasn't going to let his brother get ripped in half. Daryl was always putting everyone before himself and he was tired seeing him get fed table scraps. He needed to talk to Mac and then them get Daryl and figure this shit out. Sophia was a Dixon. It happened without any of them really having any say in it but that girl was a big part of their family. You don't turn you back on family and if comes down to it you fight for them. If things really call for it then you fight fucking bloody.
Merle turned walking away from Rick leaving him to follow him. He knew the fucker would but all the same he was biting his tongue for Daryl's sake. If it wasn't for him he's already beat this son of a bitch. He knew the second though that anger uncapped Mac was going to be right there with him. They'd tear him in half and make what the world turn into look like a play date when it came to Daryl or Sophia.
The other man with Rick walked up next to him and smiled at him, "Names T-dogg."
Merle chuckled at the name, "Merle."
The man smiled at him even wider, "This place is something else I'll tell you. How'd you all manage to get it up so fast?"
Merle's eyes went to where Carter, Briar, and Stevens were walking towards him. It was rough seeing two of his men missing. When he'd gotten back and got the news that they'd fallen in accident outside those walls it'd been rough. They were brother in arms and been with him for years. He was use to casualties of war but it was different with them. He consider these men family.
"DIXON!"
Merle's head whipped around seeing Carter's grin as Brian swung at him. "Get your nephew."
Merle walked forward just as Brian caught Carter right in the face. His head whipped back and he laughed loudly swiping blood from his face, "Shit I was just messing with you Brian."
"Shut your fuckin' mouth Carter." Brian snarled sounding just like his father.
"BRIAN!" Merle barked.
Brian immediately deflated and looked over. He studied his uncle and walked forward. "He started it."
"Are you two fuckin' five?"
"Yes." Carter laughed.
Brian yawned watching as the sun finally hit high enough in the sky. His eyes looked down the street towards Daryl's place. Merle watched him and elbowed him, "Anyone stirring yet?"
Brian shook his head, "Not that I've seen."
"I was just telling him that he don't need to be shy that his girlfriend's moms back." Carter taunted.
Brian stiffened his eyes flaming to life, "Carter I'm going to kick your di -"
"Brian Cormac Dixon don't you dare finish that sentence." Hannah's voice snapped through the air.
Merle eyed his nephew watching as Hannah stormed over her hand slapping Carter before she grabbed ahold of her son. Carter and the other men flinched back from her as she gave them a verbal beat down. Mac was just stepping outside and leaning against the post. No one was stupid enough to talk back to her as it was. With Mac standing watch over her even if he was far enough away not to hear they felt their balls crawl up and hide. Mac wasn't known for being level headed where Brian was concerned or Hannah for that matter.
"Carter why are you starting a fight with my son?" Hannah snapped. "Do you really have so little to entertain yourself that you fight with teenagers?"
He paled in the face of her anger his eyes going to Merle. He just cocked a brow at him and watched as the younger man swallowed. He wasn't actually much older than Brian. He was in his early twenties and reminded Merle of his brothers when they were that young. Hannah though wasn't having it and was tearing into him.
"I'm going to let you in on a secret." Hannah snarled her grip on Brian's arm tight her knuckles turning white, "When it comes to my son you don't need to worry about what his father does to you." She held his gaze her eyes a firestorm of anger, "Because by the time I get done with you there will nothing but a clean up left."
With that she turned on her heel and pushed her son, "Come on we're supposed to be checking on Daryl this morning."
Mac slid off the porch eyeing Merle as he followed his son and Hannah. Merle snorted and Carter watched her his face still pale. His eyes went to Carter the threat clear and Carter shifted closer to Merle.
"You know I use to not get it." Carter started walking closer to Merle ignoring the strangers there, "I never understood how Mac got a woman that looked like that and was...well Hannah. I get it now though."
"Go on." Merle grinned.
"She's batshit crazy just like him!" Carter looked at Merle wide eyed, "Both of their crazy mixing is fucking scary." HIs eyes shot to Brian as he walked with his parents.
Merle slapped him on the back, "You got shit to do Carter I'd get to it before Brian and Daryl get out here and Brian gets them both stirred up."
"Fuck that I'm out before Sophia comes after me." He grinned and walked away.
"Pussy." Stevens taunted walking way with the others.
Merle started walking not waiting on Carol's group to follow him. He was taking them to where the town meeting were generally held. They had things to discuss and that included the future of a little girl. Merle sneered thinking about the smug bastard walking with him but bit his tongue. He needed to not open his mouth and make things worse. Daryl needed to talk to Sophia and Carol before anything happened.
Getting there the other group took a seat and watched as some of the women brought food out to them. They smiled being friendly. Merle could watch the group though and tell they were a little shell shocked. He had no doubts they'd seen rough times. He could tell that from the first few second being around them. The thought alone made his chest tight when he thought about Sophia with them. He didn't doubt they were strong. They had to be to survive out there this long on their own but that didn't mean he was so willing to just put her in danger.
Merle settled listening to idle talk of the group as he watched the sunrising higher in the sky. More people were filtering into the hall for food. Merle raised a brow seeing Karen walking in her face a mask of anger that'd been settled there since yesterday. He only needed to take one guess to figure out who it was related to. It was sad really this woman still trying. The thought made him shake his head now that Carol was here. Everyone thought Sophia really was there blood and Daryl's daughter. Carol being here was going to make a few of the women who'd been watching him closely tense and Merle could only laugh at the thought.
The door swung open again and loud laughter echoed in that had eyes going over. Sophia walked in with Brian next to her. Her eyes scanned the room landing on him and her face lit up her waving. Mac stepped in followed closely by Daryl who looked like hell. He was holding himself together good and if Merle didn't know his brother so good he'd never see it. It was there and the seeing his brother already starting to show fractures in his eyes had his guard going up. He was already readying himself for Sophia leaving him and the thought had him so mad he wanted to hit something. He hated that Daryl was so use to people walking out on him or him coming last. He'd always come first to his brothers but a childhood of their bullshit father and mother didn't do him any good. Merle and Mac both had tried to wash the shit they'd put in his head away and he'd never seen it budge the slightest till that little girl stumbled into his life.
Sophia might have needed saving in the beginning. Merle didn't doubt that but it was obvious that Sophia healed a piece of his brother that neither he nor Mac could have ever got to. He needed to make sure that things went smooth otherwise Daryl wasn't going to make it through this. Sure he'd go through the motions for his brothers but that'd be it. He'd check out cause he was readying himself for a lifetime of heartbreak over again.
Carol walked in just then with Hannah. She had a soft smile on her face. Her eyes immediately went to her daughter. Sophia wasn't getting more than five foot from Daryl at all times. Merle watched Carol watching his brother with her daughter. She was studying them. She didn't seem mad or even upset. There was something else there in her eyes that he didn't know. Just like she was sticking close to Daryl she was making sure that her mother was right there with her. Her eyes constantly going back and forth between them. Daryl's eyes landed on him and he said something to Sophia and nodded towards Merle. She had ahold of her mom's hand and was looking at Daryl for a minute before she started pulling her more with her. It was amusing to Merle. Neither Carol or Daryl knew what to make of the other and it seemed Sophia was completely unaware or just didn't care.
Sophia grabbed Daryl's arm and said something to him that made him nod his head and smile. She beamed at him and Carol's eyes widened and her own face split into a smile. Maybe he could salvage this fucking shit storm after all.