Hey guys i hope you don't all hate me at the moment i now it's be so long since i last update but in my defense life as been busy and my Internet as been a pain. i will be trying to post at least once a week until thing die down. anyway i hope you are all well and you enjoy this chapter it has points of views from Carol, Daryl, Merle, Rick and the killer.

Happy reading :)

Chapter 32

January 25th.

Carol didn't think she had laughed so much in her life before, she was on her break sitting with Daryl and Merle. Merle was telling her some embarrassing, funny, drunk stories about Daryl.

"oh I have another one," Merle chuckled. "this one's funny, Daryl drunk a whole bunch of cheap whiskey this one time, his legs stopped working so he ended up crawling around on the grass the rest of the night."

Daryl growled as he scowled at Merle "stop" he couldn't believe his brother, but one look at Carol and he found himself not caring how many stories Merle told as long as she kept on laughing. Her whole face lit up, her eyes twinkled, her nose scrunched up just enough to make it look even cuter, and oh boy her laugh was music to his ears it was intoxicating and he knew he would do anything just so he could hear her laugh.

"I've got one about Merle" Daryl said.

"no" Merle sighed.

"I love to hear it." Carol smiled.

"alright, this one time we were at this party and Merle got ass naked, stole some girls fur jacket and wore it around for the rest of the night."

"no way, that's funny" Carol chuckled.

"ain't true" Merle protested

"sure it is, I even have a picture." Daryl smirked.

"what!" Merle screeched.

Carol's jaw dropped, "really you took a picture?"

"yep" Daryl smirked, "never knew when it might come in hand."

"I don't believe ya"

Daryl reached into his jacket left pocket, pulling out his phone. "sure I do Merle I've show ya." Daryl scrolled though his pictures on his phone until he found the one he was looking for. "here see."

Merle stared at the picture in disbelieve, sure enough there he was naked as the day he had been born apart from some woman's jacket, he really had no idea that Daryl even took it, he wasn't really all that surprised he had considering the stunts he had pulled on Daryl himself in the past, but still.

"I can't believe ya took that." Merle mumbled.

Daryl chuckled, "that ain't even the best bit, I didn't take the picture someone else did and they put it up on the 50in TV in the middle of the room, about 150 people saw ya dick, it's why ya ended up going home alone."

"omg" Carol laughed, "this is just about one of the best things I've heard in a long time."

Merle glanced at her. "to think I thought I liked ya."

"touchy Merle." Daryl chuckled.

"shut up." Merle moaned.

"oh come on Merle, don't be such a pussy." Carol chuckled.

Merle and Daryl both looked at her, not quite believing if they heard her right or not.

"what ya call me"

"I told you, don't be such a pussy, you told stories about Daryl it was only fair."

Daryl smirked he didn't think he had ever saw anyone make Merle look as white as he did now, Carol really was something else and he was glad he found her.

Merle bust out laughing, "I like ya, ya have to keep her Daryl, she has balls."

Carol finished her break leaving the boys to it, since the bar was quiet and looking around Carol noticed everyone had a drink so she decided to wash some tumblers and wipe down the bar. She went around collecting the empty tumblers, taking them into the kitchen as she got to work on washing them she let her mind drift to earlier, it had felt so good to be able to relax with a drink listening to Merle tell her funny, embarrassing, drunk stories about Daryl. Just doing something as simple as that was one of the many things ED didn't like, he wouldn't let her have any friends, preferred for her to stay at home cleaning, cooking and acting like he wanted her too, would remind her that she was no good and no one else would ever want her, as much as possible until it got to the stage that she didn't even know who she was any more, all she knew was how ED wanted her to act, think. But now she was starting to know who she was slowing, she was happy that she was rebuilding her life and she was gratefully that Daryl had walked into her new life, he made her feel things she had never felt before which was both good and scarcely. She was even gratefully for the other new friends she had, Andrea, Glenn, maybe Shane and even Merle.

Merle was funny, loud, rude and inappropriate at times, but in the last few days Carol had stayed with the Dixon's she had already pretty much fingered Merle out, she realized that the reason he acted the way he did was to keep people at bay, it was as if he was scared to let anyone close out of fear of getting hurt, she had seen the same in Daryl sometimes especially when she first met him, it was as if both them didn't think they deserved something good, some happiness. Carol didn't know what had happened to them in their life, but she had fingered it was something maybe something like what had happened to her. The thought of Daryl or even Merle having to live through something like she did sent a shiver down her back and a brought a sharp acre to her chest. She decided right then and there that she was going to help both Dixon brothers see the good in themselves and realize that they deserved happiness just the same as everyone else did, herself included.

The bar was in full swing loud music and loud laughter filled the building, the TV in the corner was playing a football game, patrons come and went everyone was enjoying themselves. Merle and Daryl were sitting on opposite ends of the bar, Merle was popped up in one of the bar stools on the left-hand side in the corner talking to Andrea. Merle still didn't know what it was about her, he felt this pull towards her that he just couldn't finger out, it was something new; something which he had never felt before which left him feeling uneasy which was not a feeling that he was comforted with. All of his life Merle had gone out of the way to make sure that he didn't let people get to close to him.

living the kind of childhood him and Daryl had lead, made it hard for both of the Dixon's brothers to trust and let people in, they had learnt so early on in life having to witness their father hit their mother and then later turn his violent towards the two of them. Both Merle and Daryl had both physical as well as mental scars as a result of their father's behavior.

Merle didn't hide his physical scars though like Daryl did, Merle wasn't ashamed and had been trying for years to get Daryl unashamed. Merle also didn't have any problems with been touched and he didn't have any problems with women, hell he loved women; loved touching them and being touched by them but that was as far as it would go he never slept with the some woman twice, not that any of them women would what to stick around anyway, once they realized just how rude, obnoxious and loud he was, which suited Merle just fine, it was how he liked people to see him, there really wasn't many people that saw his true side, not even Daryl or Max really knew the real Merle, Tara knew him more than anyone but still he held a part of himself back even with her. Merle was very good at hiding his true self, he was Merle Dixon after all and had a rep to maintain, but as he sat talking and drinking with Andrea he just knew that somehow she was different he knew he should just stop talking to her, stop being around her but he just couldn't bring himself to do that, he liked listening to her hearing her voice, her laugh. His palms started to sweat his heart racing, his mouth went dry he took a gulp of his drink as his mind tried to possess the strange alien feelings running though his body.

what the fuck is happening.

On the opposite side of the bar Daryl was popped up in one of the bar stools he had one hand resting on the on bar tapping his fingers rhythmically, in his other hand he was holding a tumbler as he slowly sips his drink while watching Carol worked. He loved watching her he could see that she was in her element, her blue eyes shore brighter, her laugh intoxication as she joked and chatted with customers while she pulled their drinks. He loved the way she moved, he watched as she turned and walked to the counter behind her where the drinks where, her hips swinging; showing off her prefect pear shape ass, the back of her top riding up just enough show off her plan skin, she was prefect; magnificent and Daryl couldn't understand for the life of him just what she saw in him, he was awarded, a total mess he was shy; didn't go out of his to talk to anyone especially women as he didn't understand them. He didn't like anyone in his personal space and he hated to be touched, though he was slowly getting use to Carol touching him in-fact if he was honest with himself he knew that he actually found himself craving her touch. From the very first moment he had laid eyes on her everything had changed; his whole world had tipped upside down and stated spinning and he knew that his life would never been the same. He caught her eyes as soon as she turned and glanced in his direction, flashing him one of them smiles that he knew she reserved just for him, he felt his heart beat faster and grow two sizes bigger and he knew in that moment that he was falling for her and he was falling hard.

Rick and Lori walked into Dixie's just pasted 11.00pm, the placed was still busy, the music was playing and the TV in the corner was showing a football game, everyone was chatting and laughing having a great time. Rick really didn't want to be here after the last few days he had, the bodies of the victims he had saw still imprinted in his mind, a killer he had yet to catch, hadn't even fingered out who it was had left him physically and emotionally drained, he was beyond tried and all he wanted was to be at home asleep for a few hours before he had to go back to work but Lori had dragged him out tonight, nagging about how he wasn't spending enough time with her, moaning that he was always at work so he agreed to come out for a few hours he loved her and wanted to make her happy. Rick and Lori both took a seat in the bar stools, waving to Carol who had spotted them.

"hey guys, what can I get you?"

"two beers please." Rick said.

"how's your night going?" Lori asked.

"it's going really well I love working here, both Andrea and Glenn are great." Carol smiled as she handing them both a beer each.

"that's good, told you that you would fit right in." Lori said.

"you did, I'm glad you guys came in tonight as that means you get to meet Daryl."

Carol introduced Daryl to Lori and Rick. Lori looked him up and down and smiled sweetly at him, Rick studied him as they shook hands he knew all about the Dixon's most people around here did, he didn't know if Carol did or not he was pretty sure that Lori hadn't said anything to her. He didn't have a problem with Daryl now Merle Dixon was a different story, as Merle use to be in trouble with the police all the time a few years back for drugs, drink and violence but Daryl was nothing like his brother but didn't mean Rick didn't worry, he didn't want Carol to end up getting hurt after everything she had already been through, he was pretty sure that Daryl was OK still he was defiantly going to keep an eye on him.

Rick was chatting with Lori, Carol and Daryl when he saw someone at the corner of his eye watching them, he turned to see Shane his ex-partner and ex-friend making his way over to them. His heart started racing as he could he could feel rage flowing though his body, burning him, he clenched his fists in anger.

What the fuck was Shane doing here?

"hey Rick, it's good to see you." Shane smiled.

Rick gritted his teeth as he tried to control the rage sweeping though his body.

"didn't know you was back in town Shane." Rick said though gritted teeth.

"yeah been back a few weeks now, hey Lori, Carol."

"hey Shane." Lori smiled.

"hi." Carol smiled.

"you know Carol?" Rick asked.

"yeah I met her the other day."

"oh, come on Lori we should get back, it was nice to meet you Daryl, Carol we see you tomorrow."

He sat at a table in the back corner of bar slipping his drink as he quietly watched everyone taking it all, most of all he watched Carol this was the first time he had manged to get a look at her, ever since she wasn't home the other night he still didn't know where she was all he knows was that she wasn't at Lori's which was why he was here tonight as he knew she worked Friday nights. He loved hearing her voice, the way she laughed, the way she smiled at him earlier the smile he knew she reversed only for him, as she chatted to him he had been waiting to talk to her again and she didn't disappoint it was worth the wait. He could feel himself getting hard as he watched her serving drinks, he though off all the things he could do to her as he re-justed him using one hand under the table.

As the night went on and more people come and went he decided that he had to talk to her again, had to be close to her again as he moved to get up from his table he heard her laugh, the sound coursing his body to slowly wake up. He looked around and stopped in his tracks when he saw her sitting at a table with Daryl and Merle laughing and drinking, what the hell was she doing. He watched the scene play out in front of him he couldn't understand what she was doing, she knew that she belonged to him only, so what kind of game was she playing. He gripped his tumbler so hard that he was pretty sure he was going to end smashing it, realizing that the last thing he needed at the moment was to course a scene he relaxed his hand and went to sit back in his corner, he had to get grip on his body on the rage that was spreading though him. The last thing he needed was people noticing him especially as he was trying to stay under the radar.

As the night went on he could feel himself getting angry by the second, Carol was clearly trying to play some kind of game he didn't understand, why she was doing this to him was she different than the others; special and belonged to him alone, she was not allowed to be with anyone else especially Daryl Dixon a worthless redneck who couldn't look after her like he could. He was slowly losing control on his emotions, his body which was never a good thing he needed to stay in control, but when Rick walked through the doors he nearly lost his shit. He closed his eyes, clutched his fist together as he took deep breaths in and out and slowly counting to ten he needed to get himself back in control and he knew just how he was going to do that, he needed to find another release after all it had been a couple of days since Hayley. The rage slowly left his body, getting himself back in control as he kept his mind on finding his next release, than he will be able to decided what he was going to do about Daryl, clearly he had to go and Carol needed to know that she only belonged to him alone and that he wasn't going to let her get away with playing any more of her games, she knew what she was doing to him and she needed to stop it, she was his.