evening all here is another update for you all, checked me out slowly getting back into the swing of things. thank you for the lovely review, guest viewer i'm glad you are enjoying this story and you like my Merle. this chapter is all Merle i'm pretty please with how it turned out.

happy reading :)

please review and let me know what you all think.

Chapter 31

January 25th

Merle's POV

The sound of buzzing woke Merle up, he groaned as he turned his head to glance at the alarm clock it was 5.00am. Merle reached out with his left hand to hit the bottom on the alarm turning it off, he had set the alarm early last night so he could be up and gone before anyone else woke up. He had things he needed to do that he didn't want Daryl or Max to know about yet, like tracking down this mystery woman who claimed that had Daryl's kid. He couldn't do anything yesterday because of the damn snow, it had left them snowed in, if it was to bad for Carol to be able to drive home than Merle didn't see how he was going to explain going out it in, truth be told it also gave him a chance to check Carol out, seeing as Daryl seemed to be getting attached to her, Merle wanted to see what she was like, he knew he was the reason they were together the other day as he had manged to make he had gone out with Daryl's car; closing the garage up. But that didn't mean he didn't worry about Daryl, he didn't want Daryl to get hurt he had already been hurt enough in his life.

Merle quickly decided that he liked Carol as he watched her yesterday he realized she was a kind, caring woman who didn't just spend her time with Daryl but also want out of her way to get to know both himself and Max which went a long way in Merle's book. He also saw the way Daryl acted towards her, he was happy and laughed a lot, another thing that surprised Merle was how Daryl would let Carol into his personal space to touch him, but Merle also noticed that Daryl didn't just let Carol touch him, but also touched her back even down to when they were all sitting in the front room relaxing after Carol had cooked them all a lovely meal, Merle saw Daryl having his arm around Carol as she cuddled into him, Merle was pretty sure that Daryl wasn't even fully aware of the fact; it look as if it come naturally to him and if Carol could manage that within a week than Merle for one was glad that Daryl found her, he wanted his brother to be happy and Carol made him happy.

Merle sighed to himself, he needed to get a move on so he could find out some answer's, he didn't like people fucking with his family and he sure in hell wasn't going to put up with it; it was time to sort this out. Merle jumped out of bed he had to get ready so he could be gone before anyone woke up, he was getting answer's today one way or another.

Merle decided that the first place he was going to, to try and get some answers was the grill, plus seeing as the grill was one of the few places open at this time in morning he would be able to get himself a breakfast at the same time.

Killing two birds with one stone. Merle grinned to himself.

The grill was a fairly new place, only been open for a few years. It was one of them places that opened early and closed late, the food and the atmosphere was always good and it was ran by a lovely woman called Tara. Merle had obviously tried to hit on her the first time he met her, getting nowhere but he didn't take it personally when he realized that she actually liked women and since that day Merle had become close friends with Tara, she was probably his only friend.

As Merle pushed opened the door to the grill and walked inside he was hit with the over- whelming smell of food, his mouth watered and his stomach growled. He walked over to one of the booths, picking up a menu, glad by the fact the place was very quiet, even tho there was quite a few people around.

"what brings you here so early?"

Merle glanced up from his menu and smiled when he saw Tara standing in front of him. "maybe I just missed ya lovely."

Tara shock her head and laughed. "well I'm honored Merle, but judging by the early visit I'm going to guess there's more to your visit than you just missing me."

Merle chuckled, his eyes twinkling. "that and ya food, I'm hungry, but yes I was hoping to ask ya a few questions. Ya know me so well."

"one of the few people that do."

"ya right there, that's cuz ya one of a few people I can tolerate."

"that's cuz you always keep people at arm's length Merle by being a dick."

"we not going there today lovely." Merle muttered.

"fine" Tara sighed. "so what is it you want?"

"well for one I like my breakfast, I'm hungry."

"already got the cook started on that, before I walked over here."

"aww, ya always so sweet to me." Merle said warmly grinning at her.

"well that may be true, what else do you want?" Tara asked taking a seat next to him.

Merle lowed his voice as he eyes darkened. "there was a woman in here the other day talking to my brother and his woman, I was wondering if ya knew who she was."

"you know I know most people that come in here Merle, I remember seeing her what she do to you?"

"I thought ya might know her, she just been talking shit to me about Daryl, but run off before I could ask her any questions."

"oh, come Merle she obviously said something more than just talking shit judging by your face, so tell me what's she been saying?"

"alright I tell ya, but ya can't go around telling anyone."

"I won't Merle, I promise you know you can trust me, have I ever giving you any reason not too?"

"no ya haven't and I do trust ya, she come into the garage the other day shouting her head off about Daryl and how he treats women and she said it was no wonder she never told him that she had his kid, so ya see I really do need to find her."

"shit Merle" Tara said her face pale.

"yeah shit indeed."

"Merle her name is Karen and she has a 6-year-old daughter.

"what!" Merle screeched his eyes turning cold. "so, she really does have a kid than?"

"yeah" Tara whispered. "do you think it could be Daryl's kid?"

"I don't know" Merle sighed. "it's why i have to talk to her to find out."

"she doesn't live around Merle, she moved away a few years ago, I didn't even know she was in town until the other day."

"where did she move too?"

"Atlantic" Tara answered. "so Daryl has woman?"

"yeah Carol, she is good for him."

"that's good he deserves some happiness, you both do."

Later that day back at home Merle was getting ready to go out with Daryl to Dixie's.

Merle thought about the conversation he had earlier with Daryl and he was pissed he had no idea that Daryl really thought he might turn out like their father. He clenched his fists in anger, he wished he had killed the bastard years ago, he knew will had caused a lot of damaged to Daryl but he never realized how much, even all these years later Daryl was still affected.

Did Daryl really believe the shit he was saying and did he really not want to have kids. Just how was Daryl going to take this if this kid turned out to be his.

Merle thought about everything he and Tara talked about today, if Karen's kid really was Daryl's that would mean the kid had gone 6 years without knowing her father, just what had Karen told her; did the girl hate them all. His eyes darkened at the thought of some poor girl being used in whatever twisted game her mum was playing. First thing tomorrow morning he was going to Atlantic, he just needed to think of an excuse to tell Daryl.