TWD - I won't leaving you 2

They tried, really tried. But they were low on ammo, and it was useless anyway, it could just draw more walkers. Amelia got themselves some rats, yeah... rats. But food is food, and rat meat is better, than nothing. Days went on, but without medicine Merle's state gotten worse. 

He sometimes blacked out for a couple of minutes, probably got a fever because of the very bad infection on his hand.  Merle was not used to being weak. He was always capable take care of himself, always too proud and independent. His and Daryl's father was a drunken, abusive piece of shit. Merle learned at a very young age not to expect help or kindness from anyone. And it just got worse, when their mother died. She was always quiet, submissive when it come to their father. She smoked a loot and one day fell asleep with a cigarette in her hand, and the whole house burned down with their mother. He tried to protect his little brother, but one day he needed to leave that fucking house, or else he would have killed their father.  He always had felt guilty leaving Daryl alone with their father. His little brother was different than Merle, he was always the sweetest one. More caring. 

Daryl... he wondered if his brother think he was dead? Went back looking for them, or not? He missed his little brother. Was he oke? Merle doesn't know. 

He tried to hold himself together for Amelia. Fuck, the girl hunted for both of them, protected both of them. She was scared, he saw that clearly. Scared for their lives, scared for left alone if his infection gets worse. He was a burden, and it annoyed the hell out of him. 

"Look at you, doll, you're the boss right now, huh?" He tried joking weakly, and Amelia grinned back.

"Yeah, whos vote for me?" She said, reflecting on Merle's earlier vote back on the roof. Merle laughed, but his voice was raspy, a little hoarse, but then went serious. 

"I fucked up."

"I know." Amelia sighed. She knows he probably meant sorry on his own way. Merle never apologized for anything, he was always so damn proud, but Amelia could read between the lines. She lifted her gaze back at Melre, but something was off. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was ragged and heavy. Amelia panicked. "No, no, no... wake up, asshole! C'mon... "

She can't lose him too. Not him. But what she's going to do? Everything felt hopeless. She was tired, and an angry sob escaped her throat.

"Fuck you, Dixon!"

<center>-</center>

<i>Today was hot as fuck, and that damn truck just died under him, well... he forgot to fill the tank. Daryl going to tease him because of it, that little bastard. 

His wifebeater was sweat-stained, so he took it off, and hang it on his shoulder. He loosed his job because he had a little problem with the boss. Hell, the man was a prick. Now he was broke, again, and that damn truck had to die too, just so his day gets even shittier.  He then heard a bike, he can recognize that sound anywhere, that smooth sound which only a motor can make.

"Hey, Dixon, working on your tan, or do ya need a ride?" His lips turned into a wide grin. He looked at the woman on the bike. 

"Nah, 'm just enjoying the Georgia heat." He said, his tone full of sarcasm.

"Get your ugly ass here, and cut the whining."

"I ain't whining, I ain't no pussy." He scoffed, and Amelia snorted. 

"Ya always whining about something."

"I ain't."

"Damn, ya want a ride, or not?" He mumbled some curses under his nose, but eventually got behind Amelia on the bike. 

"Like 'm some damsel in distress." He warped his hand around her waist, and even if he don't see, he know that Amelia was grinning.

"Ya wish it could be the other way around, picking up some chick, bring 'er home, huh?"

"Ya know me too well, sugah'." 

"Yup." And with that, they were on the road, the wind felt nice on his hot skin. Well... holding the woman in front of him felt nice too, but this was Amelia, not some random chick. They were friends for years, they both served in the army. 

They arrived at his house, and Amelia turned the engine off. He lived with his brother, the place was shitty, but it was affordable and had a big garage where he can tinker his bike. 

"Wanna come in? I have cold beer."

"I like your way of thinking, Merle." She smirked and went after him into the house. She knows her way around, spent most of her free time hanging around here. She hopped on the couch, and catch the beer from Merle's hand when he sat down too. The couch was not too big, so she kicked her boots off and put her legs on Merle's lap. He just patted her legs, but said nothing,  if somebody else had done that, he would kick that person in the face, but it was Amelia. It kinda felt nice to have someone who was this comfortable around him besides his baby brother. 

"So, what happened? Ya were low on fuel? I thought ya were working today."

"Got fired. Had some ugly business with the boss and on way home that damn truck just died."

"Well, shit. Ya liked that job, do you? Working on bikes and stuff like that."

"Yeah, I think. Whatever." He drank his beer instead of more speaking. Amelia frowned, she hated when Merle become this quiet. He was always fun, so she sit up.

"C'mon, big boy, drop the brooding and c'mere and turn around. "He raised his eyebrow, but did what she asked. He was curious, then he felt his hands on his shoulder. Oh, so this was what she planned. When her fingers found a sore spot, he groaned. "Ya always so tensed up."

"Dunno, maybe ya right." He always did physical work and stuff like that won't exactly relaxing. He closed his eyes and lean into her touch. It felt too good, he don't even know when was the last time someone touched him this gently. Hell, not even during sex. 

When her hands went lower on his back, a moan escaped his throat. Damn, it going to be a little embarrassing to explain the bulge in his pants. He heard Amelia giggling. 

" 'm not going to massage ya down there, Dixon."

"Fuck off, I can't help it, ya have magic hands, sugah'."

"I know." She smirked and continued the massage a little longer. When she finished, Merle sighed, and turned around. Oh, well, he was definitely still aroused.  "Don't look at me. Go and jerk off in the bathroom or something, and grab a beer, I need another one."

"Ya sure you don't wanna help?" He wriggled his eyebrows up and down while grinning. She laughed, and throw pillow at him, but he dodged it.  

"Nah." 

"Ya hurting my feelings, woman." 

"Ya such a drama queen sometimes."

They always teased like this, both of them have a quite vulgar sense of humor. Merle went to the bathroom, and Amelia just laid on her back on the couch, relaxing. She has no clue why they never hooked up, Merle loved sex and always bring home some chick from time to time, but with her, it was just never the case. They were comrades first, then buddies. Over the years they become friends, and Merle respected Amelia. But a little teasing here and there was fun. Oh, she enjoyed it too. 

When Merle comes back, he brought beer too. She sit up grinningly, and puts her legs on his lap again, and Merle started massaging her feet while turning on some bad action movie on tv.   

Daryl chose this moment to come in, the scene in front of him was too familiar. He snorted.

"At this point, ya spend more time here, than in your own place. Ya sure you're not Merle's woman?"

"Ya jealous, baby brother?" 

"Fuck off, both of ya." She said, then the three of them burst into laughing. Daryl grabbed a beer too, and went to the other end of the couch, and made room himself. He pulled Amelia's head into his lap and focused on his beer and the movie on the tv. He liked her, like a sister who he never had. Amelia was lucky to have these two idiots in her life.</i>

<center>-</center>

Merle woke up with a throbbing pain in his right arm, his eyes immediately looking for danger. When he realizes he is in a room, his first thought is Amelia. 

The first thing he notices was the clean bandage on his stump. So wherever he was, they treated his injuries. Well, he felt like shit, but when not nowadays... The second thing was the chair next to him and the brunette who was curled up on it, with her head on her knees, sleeping.  He instantly relaxed, didn't even notice that he was so tense because he didn't know where Amelia was.

"Ah, you awake. Your friend practically lived on that chair the past three days when you were out. You had a pretty bad infection because of your arm, but we give you some antibiotics." His eyes turned to the black woman, she must be some kind of doctor or nurse, then back to Amelia.

"She's alright?"

"She's fine, she was just dehydrated when you two got here." His gaze turned cautious. 

"Where exactly we are?"

"Woodbury, but it's not my place to tell you this."

"Then who's fucking place is to tell?" The woman was a little taken aback from Merle's angry outburst. 

"Shut the fuck up, Dixon..." Amelia murmured under her nose, still sleepy, then in the next second she was on her feet, a bright smile on her face. "Ya awake! Ya scared the shit out of me, asshole!"

She hugged him tightly, and Merle just chuckled, but put her stump arm on her back.

"Don't go all soft on me, sugah'."

"Ya scared me. I was alone and don't know how to help ya." She pulled back, but stayed on the edge of his bed. "I went on another run, trying to find some meds, when a group come.  They noticed me, and ask if I was alone, so I lied at first. But then some walkers came, so I killed a couple of them, and they the rest. This guy, Philip, he some kind of authority figure here, offered me to come with them to Woodbury, said he needs people like me who can fight. So I told him I come, if he can treat your wound. That was a few days ago."

"Doc said ya kinda lived here the past three days. Never thought ya become so clingy when ya think I'm dying." He smirked mockingly, and Amelia gave him a look that said "shut up". 

"Ass."

"I know ya love me." He grinned, but then went more serious." So what ya think of this place?"

"Well, it has walls, guards. The city itself is pretty big, or at least what I saw, and people are living here."

"So they have the manpower to hold this place together. They have a system."

"Yeah, this man, Philip, or the Governor, that's how they call him wanna speak with us when ya get better." Merle gave her a look, and she laughed. "I know, my reaction was the same when I heard how they call him, so I just stuck with Philip."

"I don't know, sugah'. I wanna see for myself this Governor."

"Fine by me, we can decide afterward what we wanna do." A little grin appeared on her face while looking at Merle, then she started searching for something on the desk next to the bed. He heard paper rustling, and there she was, holding a bag of chips like it was the most precious thing in the world.

"Ya are what, five?" Merle laughed, but patted the bed. "C'mere."

"Scoot over." Merle moved over a little so that she could sit next to him. It was almost like before this shit, sitting on Merle's couch and eating junk food. "It's the end of the world, so nowadays a bag of chips is like gold."

"A pack of cigarettes is still better. Or a beer."

"Or sex. But they have whiskey. I can really use a little buze and just chill."

"Sex with whiskey? Ya have good taste sugah'." Merle smirked, but he could agree with her. They both need a little time off before they can go back to that shit show what the world become.

"Well that's a plan, we speak with Philip, then get some good buze," She then leaned closer to Merle, a sly smile on her lips. "I know I have good taste."

A little later Merle drifted off, at least he closed his eyes. He was tired and felt like shit, but then the Doc's voice caught his interest.

"So, you two seem pretty close. He's your husband?" Merle's eyes almost opened up in surprise. He suspected that Amelia was just as shocked by the question. There was a little pause, and now he was curious about her answer.  

"No, but he's family. We stuck together." 

"That's good, you need people nowadays more than ever." He felt strangely warm, but not from the heat. Nobody called him family besides Daryl. The Dixon brothers were always alone, nobody gives a shit about them, especially not with Merle. So why her? He doesn't understand her reasons, but it felt good to have someone who gives a shit about him.

<center>-</center>

Some days later Merle was off of the antibiotics, and he was just grumpy. He hated being inside for so long, and doing nothing. 

"C'mon, Dixon, one more day inside with you here and I might kill someone, or you if you going to be this annoying."

"I know ya, sugah', you hate sitting on your ass all day too."

"True, but at least I ain't whining about it."

"Oh, sure hell ya do." He grinned at her, and she make a grimace.

"Really? Well, ya are right, though... I was never the type who sits all day. I need to do things." 

"Yeah, same here." They were heading to Philip's office, but Merle caught her hand. She looked at him curiously. He hesitated, not knowing what to say, but finally swallow his pride. "Thanks, Am. Ya know why."

"I know." She squeezes his hand for a moment.

"I don't know when we going to find Daryl, but until then ya stuck with me, sugah'."

"Like always. If we going to find them, I gonna punch Officer Friendly in the face, and not just once."

"Good, I hold him down for ya." They smirked at each other, but Amelia was truly angry with them. Yes, Merle fucked up, but... they left behind Amelia too. She liked Glenn, almost liked Andrea. They were not so close, but she was part of their group and did nothing against them besides begin Merle's friend. In moments like this, she realized again and again that she doesn't fit anywhere. She was smart and skilled, but she was not generally kind like Lori or Amy. She liked her own space. Sometimes she was a little childish, and liked joking around with Merle.  Merle... he just gets her. No need to think about what she said or does, she just do it and Merle doesn't judge her. It went both ways, she never minded Merle's humor, or the thing he said when his temper gets the best of him. He was not a kind man, but with his childhood, she was not surprised, but he was good enough for Amelia. It was hard to earn Merle Dixon trust, but when you had it, he was a loyal friend. 

In the office, Merle had not expected the Governor to be this... simple. He was wearing a suit,  his hair neatly combed back, and his smile too charming. Now he understood why Amelia don't trust him.

"Ah, you both finally good enough to discuss a few things. Have a seat." They glanced at each other for a moment before they sat down. "Amelia earlier said you two know each other before."

"Yeah, we served in the army together, been friends for years." Merle was who answered, and the Governor leaned closer over his desk, he seemed interested now, but his eyes glanced at Merle's stump.

"What about your hand? You can still handle yourself?" Merle just smirked, and in the next moment, a knife was in the wall, mere inches from Philip's head.

"I'm still better with one hand, than most of your man." Amelia just smiled proudly, Merle was Merle, he can adapt to having just one hand. Philip looked at the knife, and pulled it out of the wall. He hold it for a moment, then looking at Merle. 

"Here is my offer. You two follow the rules, take watch, and when I see you are ready, I send you two on raids. I give you rooms, nothing fancy."

"If it has a bed and a shower, it's the fanciest we going to have in months." Amelia said hopingly.

"It has, but we are short on hot water."

"He said hot water. The last time I had a bath it was after that hunt, at the lake." Seeing her this happy about a simple shower, Merle smirked at her.

"I can help ya out of those clothes, sugah'." She grinned back.

"Ya wish. You stink, Dixon."

"Yeah?" He stood up, and hold her head against his armpit. She coughed and laughed at the same time.

"Gods, fuck off, Merle!" They have almost forgotten about the Governor, but froze immediately when he cleared his throat. Merle took back his knife, and with Amelia, they headed to their new rooms. A woman, named Emma showed the way and give them their keys. 

"Your rooms are next to each other."

"Aw, so we not going to be roomies? I hoped I can see ya naked." At Merle's remark, Emma's face got red, glancing at Amelia, but she just smirked. 

"I don't wanna see your ugly ass, Merle. And besides, I have already seen your dick, when you were stoned. Ya tried to imitate Tarzan from that movie."

"I remember that! You have taken a good look at me, don't try to deny it, sugah'."

"I never said I don't." She winked at him, and Emma just stood there awkwardly. This man was so vulgar, but what was more surprising, the woman, Amelia was just as bad. How she can stand his sexist joke, it was a mystery, Emma always hated this kind of man. 

"Well, if you need anything, you know where you find me." And with that, she left them alone. They looked at each other, and burst out laughing. 

"It's her loss if she can't handle a little joking."

"All people are too damn sensitive." Merle clicked with his tongue, then glanced at Amelia, who was now too quiet. 

"Can we stay together? Just a couple of days, until we settle in."

"Ah, so we going to be roomies!" Amelia giggled at his answer, but she was relieved at the same time. He understood that she needs a little time, and honestly? He going to be more calm knowing she's with him.

An hour later the bathroom opened, and she was clean. It felt so weird. Her hair was still wet, and she grinned like an idiot.

"Man, this was almost as good as sex. I think I washed my hair six times, just because it felt good." She was in a black pantie, and an oversized t-shirt, not even bothered by the fact that Merle going to see her. They were over that a long time ago.

"Ya looks at least two shades lighter without the dirt, sugah'."

"I know! Now go, it's your turn." She patted his shoulder, and Merle just laughed, but went into the bathroom. He don't stayed as long as Amelia, but he can understand her. It felt damn good. He just wear a boxer, and joined Amelia on the couch. He looked at his stump, a frown on his face. 

"Ya think I going to be as good as I was?" He doesn't need to say more, Amelia knows what he means. She traced her fingers on his injured arm. 

"I think you are the toughest person I know. So, yeah. And if not, ya just need to learn it again. But you going to be fine, Merle." She saw him smiling, but she said nothing, just leaned her head on his shoulder. She sniffed his skin, and smiled. "Ya smell good. Even before, when we were outside, you somehow smelled good. Sweat, wood, and smoke."

"Yeah? In the office, ya said I stink."

"You were! But I liked it. Nowadays we don't always have the chance to take a shower like this, and we were fighting for our lives. We stink, but we live." 

"Thats our new motto?" He asked amused.

"Yup." He snorted, and started laughing.

"Ya' are so ridiculous sometimes." She just hummed in response, and Merle pulled her closer. She smelled good too.

<center>-</center>

A couple of days later, they were on their first watch, well, it was Amelia's first watch with some guy, and Merle just tagged along, he itched to do something. 

"Hey there, chicka. I'm Martinez." 

"Great, another taco-bender..." Amelia elbowed him in the chest, and Merle just rolled his eyes, but don't said anything else. 

"Amelia Argent, he's Merle Dixon." She waved toward Merle, and he just nodded his head. 

"Your friend not speak too much, huh?"

"Or I just don't like your face, amigo." Oh, now he was pissed, but Amelia just sighed.

"Play nice, Dixon, this is my watch, not yours."

"Ya owe me big time, sugah'."

"Because you don't be an ass for once? Ya are so cute." She patted his face, then put a cigarette in his mouth and light it.

"I ain't cute, woman."

"Don't worry, I won't say it to anyone." She just smirked, and Merle just scoffed, but accept the smoke, it was her way of saying thanks. He can play nice, for once. 

"So, I heard you two were in the army? It's handy since the world went shit." Matinez said to Amelia, and just tried ignoring Merle.

"Yeah, you can say that. But my dad was who taught me how to shoot, so..."

"Same here, but her pa was not an asshole." Martinez glanced at Merle, then back to Amelia. The man, Dixon was a loud and rude redneck, but they seemed close. Argent was an odd woman. A very beautiful woman. 

"Ah, looks like we have some visitors." Amelia grinned, then shoot two walkers. She then looked at Merle, and her grin widened. She handed the rifle to him. "Have fun."

"Ya know how to make a man happy." He smirked, but in all honestly, he was a little nervous. Since the rooftop, he doesn't hold a gun or a rifle. He aimed the gun at a walker, and shot. Right in the head. He shot five more, and he felt like when he was high. Amelia leaned closer to him.

"Ya still have it, I told ya."

"Yeah, ya told." He looked at her, and he know she was happy for him. It felt good, knowing he was still capable of handle a gun. And she not going to pity him. Amelia never pitied him, but damn, he was a proud man. Merle wanted her to rely on him like she always does. That he was still capable of watching her back. 

"Damn, if you are this good shoot with one hand, I don't wanna know how good you were with both hands." 

"Ya don't wanna be on my bad side." Merle said, and Martinez just looked at them while Dixon started speaking with Amelia. That man was not just all talk, he was dangerous, the girl too. No wonder why the Governor wanted both of them. 

"What ya say, sugah'? I found a bottle of whiskey, if ya not going to be too tired in the morning, we can drink it."

"I'm in, ya know I never say no to a good booze."

"I know, have fun, Am." 

"Oh, I will. Killing some geeks is always fun."

"That's mah' girl." She grinned at his comment, and then he left, leaving her with Martinez who was very quiet. 

"Sorry 'bout Merle, he just... Merle."

"Nah, it's oke. You know him for a long time, and nowadays that's rare. We all lost someone."

"Yeah. Ya know, we were in Atlanta, on a supply run. Some things happened, Merle pissed off the team, and some new guy, an ex-cop handcuffed him on the roof. Shit happened, geeks everywhere and we were left behind. That's how he loosed his hand. I helped him cut it off. Days later Philip and your buddies found us and now we are here."

"Damn, that's rough. You were not pissed that they left you behind because of him?"

"No, he was an ass, but we were in that shit because of that cop. He started shooting at the streets, but someone from my team helped him, but we were trapped in a building. "She shot another walker and continued. "So no, I was not angry at him, besides, I would never have just left him there."

"You two are together?"

"No, but the Doc asked the same thing. I lost my dad, my brother, and we were separated from Merle's brother too. I have no one, except him."

"Sorry, just you two were flirting and joking around and I assumed..." Amelia just laughed.

"It's oke. What about ya? What you were doing before this?"

"I worked as a coach. Had a wife, kids. Now I haven't. After that I found Woodbury, and joined."

"Sorry 'bout your family." She then started grinning." So, ya were a coach. Sometimes it's just funny how meaningless our past life becomes. Now it's them, or us. The dead and the living, and the stronger win."

"Yeah, something like that. But you are pretty strong yourself, chika." She returned Martinez smile, and the rest of the evening was much the same, they talked, and shot the walkers when they come too close to the gate.

In the morning, Merle waited for her in her room, two glasses on the table, and a bottle of whiskey. Her heart warmed a little seeing him like that, waiting for her. 

"Ya good, or you wanna sleep?"

"Nah, 'm good. I can sleep later, but that whiskey looks too good."

"I bet ya going to sleep better after we finish this bottle." He poured the whiskey, and hold out a glass for Amelia when she sat down next to him. They sat there in silence, enjoying the whiskey, and each other's company.

"So, what about that guy, Martinez?"

"He was oke, we talked a little about our life, before and after this shit."

"Ya wanna bumping uglies with him?" Amelia choked on her drink, and Merle just smirked.

"Heck no, I just meet him."

"Good, ya can found better than him."

"What's the problem with him? He looks good, and I don't care his skin color."

"Nah, he's too soft for ya."

"Let's find out his first name first. Ya are the one who has to fuck someone. Ya always horny." He just grunted.

"Don't even mention it."

"Aw, poor Dixon..." She patted Merle's shoulder, and if looks could kill, Amelia would be dead. But it was true, since the outbreak, Merle don't have any women, especially not in their old group, and Amelia loved teasing him about it. "Looks like your famous Dixon charm doesn't working." 

"Fuck off, in the camp all woman was uptight, or has their own man."

"What about Andrea? Oh, right, ya called her a rug-muncher."She was still amused about that one. Most of the women can't handle Merle's blunt approach, but it worked just fine for him. He once said this way he can tell if someone was interested in him, or not. She laughed. "Ya always so blunt."

"But ya like it, or else we wouldn't be friends." He said smugly.

"Of course I like it, ya never lie, just said what's on your mind. I'm the same too, but ya know it."

"Yeah, I know." Merle was quiet for a moment, looking at Amelia. "Why we never hooked up?"

"Dunno. Yer hot, I'm hot, but we were friends for so long." She was now curious. "Ya thinked about it?"

"Sometimes. You?" Over the years, he sometimes think about it, she was hot, sexy but it always stopped there. The women he usually slept with were drunk, or stoned, or they simply have low standards, growing up like Merle. Amelia was different, she grow up in a good family, she was smart, independent, way out of Dixon league, but she don't need to know that, so he joked. "But I liked our friendship more than yer nice ass."

"Aww, ya so kind, Dixon." She grinned, then drank from her glass, before answering the question. "But yeah, occasionally. Doc and Martinez thought we are together."

"Oh?" She smacked him on his shoulder seeing his smug face, but he just laughed it off. Merle knows about the Doc, but that Martinez guy surprised him. 

"Don't be so smug."

" 'm just having a little fun. Ya remember, when I was in jail, and ya always come to visit me? And after a while, the boys in there started asking if ya are my woman."

"Yeah, it was funny, and they started teasing ya, so one day I just said to them that I'm your girl. The looks on their face, it was hilarious!"

"Can't blame them, an old redneck like me, having a girl like ya? But yeah, it was damn funny." He laughed, while drinking his whiskey.

"Ya not even that old. Ya what, forty-five?"

"Forty-six." He grimaced, Amelia had turned thirty this year, so there were almost fifteen years between her and Merle, she was much closer in age to Daryl.

"Never thought it bothers ya." She raised her eyebrow.

"It's not, but 'm older compared to ya."

"And yet ya are so damn childish sometimes." She smirked, and Merle just snorted, but smiled too.

"Wonderin' about your taste, ya befriended me of all people."

"Maybe I'm just as worse as you." She said, and Merle smirked.

"Oh, you are! Ya have a big mouth, and yer temper just as bad as mine."

"True. But my temper can't compare to the Dixon's temper. Your's way much worse."

"Ya can blame my Pa for it. The one good thing taught me that bastard was how to use a gun, and how to hunt." Merle never talked about his family or childhood, but Amelia knows. Once when she saw his back, he told her about his father being an abusive, drunken piece of shit. Sometimes Merle wondered if he was any better than his old man. At least he never hit a woman. And as if Amelia could read his mind, she smiled at him.

"You better than your father, Merle Dixon."

"Pff, yeah, 'm not hitting women." He said, his voice sarcastic. She sighed, then poured more whiskey into their glasses.

"Well, you are. Ya good enough for me, at least, yer blunt, funny, and loyal." He was quiet for a moment, and looked away, scoffing.

"When yer drunk, ya always become all softy."

"I'm not drunk!" She said, but with the sudden movement, she needed to hold onto his arm. "Well, maybe I am. But in my defense, I don't eat anything before my watch, and I'm tired."

"Go to sleep, Amelia. I'll get ya something to eat when you get up."

"Thanks." She stood up, but leaned closer to Merle, and put a playful kiss on his cheek. He just shook his head, but smiled while finishing his drink. He heard her cursing, probably kicked her foot into the bed. He stayed a little, still thinking at her words, and scoffed lowly, murmuring under his nose.

"You gettin' soft, Dixon." But still, her words felt good, he couldn't help it. 

Reunions

 Months. She, and her daughter have been on their own since the outbreak. Her husband went on a hunting trip with his brother, and she went to visit her own sister with their daughter when the world went shit. 

Then her sister died. A horde came, and everything happened so fast, and her sister was gone. Grieving? There was no time for grieving, even when all what she wanted to do was crying. Bonnie was a tough woman, so she pulled herself together. Her daughter was still alive, and they needed each other more than ever now. 

Her husband taught her to hunt years ago. Oh, at first she always begged him to let her go with them, when they went hunting for a weekend and after a while, her husband gave in. Over the years, Bonnie kept getting better, and now she was thankful for what she had learned. It meant she and her daughter don't starve. But every now and then they needed other supplies. That's how they ended up in this mess, with a guy in a tank, in the middle of Atlanta. 

"Ya know, we in this mess, because you started shooting, Rambo."

"I'm sorry." Bonnie sighed, the guy seemed like he really meant it, but he was still an idiot. Well, her daughter had to think the same thing. 

"They attracted to the noise, ya don't know nothing?" Skyler was fourteen years old, with a big attitude, just like her mom and dad, but was just as skilled for this new world. Rambo wanted to say something when the radio in the tank started to beeping.

 <i>"Hey, are you guys still alive in there?"</i> They looked at each other, then Rambo grabbed the radio.

"Yes, we are alive! You can see us?"

 <i>"Yeah, I can see you. You're surrounded by walkers. That's the bad news."</i> 

"There's good news?"

 <i>"No. Oh man, you guys should see it from over here. You'd been having a major freak-out."</i> Bonnie grunted, she had enough, and take the radio.

"Listen, while you and Rambo here having a nice chit-chat, I wanna stay alive, so any advice?"

 <i>"Make a run for it. It sounds crazy, but listen. There's one geek still up on the tank, but the others climbed down and joined the feeding frenzy where the horse went down. The street on the other side of the tank is less crowded. Got ammo?"</i> 

"Me and my daughter had two guns, a crossbow, and some knives. Rambo here has a beretta with one clip."

 <i>"Jump off the right side of the tank, keep going in that direction. There's an alley up the street, maybe 50 yards, be there. Good luck."</i> 

"Well, shit." She wiped her forehead looking at Rambo and Skyler.

"We try, right, ma'?"

"Hell yeah. C'mere sweetie." Bonnie hugged her daughter, then glanced at Rambo. "What's your name?"

"Rick. Yours?"

"Bonnie, and my daughter Skyler. But I going to call ya' Rambo." For the first time, Rick smiled.

"If we can make out of here alive, you can call me whatever you want."

"Deal." And with that, they opened the tank and then run. Boonie shot the geek on the tank, and Rick with Sky the rest. They managed to reach the alley and run into an Asian guy. 

"Whoa, not dead! Come on, come on!" They followed the guy, up on the fire escape, through the building. When they were inside, a blonde woman held a gun in Rick's face.

"We are all dead, because of you!"

"Andrea, back off!" Someone of the group shouted, but she has not lowered her gun. Bonnie grabbed her hand, and took her gun.

"Hey, Blondie, next time ya' wanna hold a gun on someone, maybe take the safety off." The woman's expression turned a little embarrassed, but still angry. 

"Give it back."

"Why, you can't even know how to use it." 

"Ma', don't be an asshole." Bonnie snorted at her daughter's comment. 

"Even you know how to use a gun, and ya' just fourteen." She then glanced back at Blondie, then sighed, giving her gun back. "Here."

"Thanks." Andrea said, and Bonnie just nodded. "By the way, I'm Andrea, not Blondie."

"Sure thing, Blondie."

"She calls me Rambo." Rick chuckled, then turned to the Asian guy. "What's your name? You saved our ass outside."

"Glenn. The others are Morales, Jacqui, and T-Dog."

"I'm Rick Grimes. And she's Bonnie and her daughter Skyler."

"Yo. We were on a supply run, just like you guys, when Rambo here rang the dining bell. We're trapped in the tank, but Glenn here saved the day." That's when they hear a shot, then another from the roof. 

"Oh, no, is that Dixon?" Andrea said, and Bonnie's heart stopped for a moment, looking instantly at Sky. <i>Dixon?</i> Could be...?

"What's that maniac doing?  Come on, let's go!" Glenn said, and everyone went to the roof. 

"Dixon, are you crazy?!" Morales shouted. 

"Hey, You oughta be more polite to a man with a gun! Only common sense." She just stood there, frozen on her spot, and stared at the man she thought she would never see again.

"Holy shit... Merle?" Hearing his name caught him off guard and looking at her direction, his eyes widened, lowering his rifle.

"Bon?" She sobbed and started to run toward Merle almost tipping him, and throw her hands around his neck. He hugged her back tightly. not believing this is really happening. He started stroking her brown curls. "C'mon sugah', ya' never been a softie, don't cry."

"Shut up, asshole." She pulled away just enough to see him smirk. Bonnie always loved that smirk, and she grabbed his head and kissed him. 

"Daddy..." At their daughter's voice, they pulled back, and Merle just looked at his girl. The next moment, Sky was in his arms and he kissed the top of her head. 

"Hey there, Pumpkin." Skyler was fourteen, but right now she clunged on his dad like a six year old. Bonnie just smiled, almost forgetting they were not alone. 

"Um... can someone explain what's going on?" It was Glenn, and looking around she saw that everyone in the group stared at them, especially at Merle. 

"He's my husband."

"You're a Dixon?" Andrea's expression was dumbfounded. Nobody wanted to believe that an asshole redneck like Merle Dixon has a wife, let alone a daughter. 

"Yup. I have been Bonnie Dixon for seventeen years."

"And ya' still has the nicest ass, babe." Merle grinned, slapping her bottom, and Bonnie returned his grin.

"I know."

"And ya' guys are still gross." Skyler grimaced at her parents, but a playful smile was in the corner of her mouth. But then her expression turned into sad while looking at her dad. "Uncle Daryl?"

"He's in camp, went on hunting." Merle looked at his wife. "Your sister?"

"Tannya is dead. She died at the beginning when a bigger horde came."

" 'am sorry."

"But we're here, nothing can kill a Dixon, but a Dixon, right?" She smiled, and Merle laughed and wrapped one of his hands around her shoulders.

"Yeah." Merle was never a good man, but he was good enough for Bonnie. They lived in the same neighborhood in their entire life, so she knows all of Merle's bullshits and still loves him. They started hooking up in their teens, but never really dating, but at one point, she had enough of Merle's one-night-stand bitches. Then he man up, and started dating her. 

When years later he asked to marry him, it was not romantic at all. It was a simple day, and they just fucked - yeah, not just Merle is the only vulgar and pervert in their relationship, - and he simply asked, and Bonnie said yes. Then they had Skyler, and the little girl warped her dad around her finger, but Merle never admitted this to anyone. She was a sweet girl, but with the Dixon's short temper and her mom's attitude. 

The group then managed to get out of the building with Rick's plan, so Bonnie started respecting him a tiny bit more, but she still called him Rambo. The camp was in a quarry near a lake. When they arrived, a blonde girl ran for Andrea, looks like she was her sister, and a woman with two kids to Morales. But what surprised Bonnie the most, was when a little boy started running towards Rambo.

"Dad!"

"Carl!" He hugged his son, and then looking at a woman, probably his wife. Skyler hugged her own dad with one hand while smiling at the scene in front of them. Then a man with a rifle also came up to them, apparently a friend of Rambo or something. He seemed to be running the camp. His eyes turned to Merle, then the girl at his side, and to Bonnie.

"Who are they?"

"Fuck off, Walsh, they with me." Merle said with a scowl, putting his hand on Bonnie's waist, but this made him even more distrustful. 

" 'm Bonnie Dixon, and she's our daughter, Skyler."

"Now stop pointing a gun in our faces, dumbass." Merle chuckled at her daughter's comment. 

"That's 'mah girl." Walsh lowered his rifle, and a lot of people from the camp were stunned by the fact that Merle has a wife and a daughter. 

"Well, you're definitely a Dixon, that's for sure." He looked at Skyler, then at Bonnie. "I'm Sahne Walsh."

"Have ya' seen my brother or he's still hunting?"

"He not come back yet." Shane said.

"Daryl gonna shit himself when he sees ya' two." Merle grinned, and Bonnie laughed.

"Yeah, he's the sweet one out of the two of ya'."

"But you still married pa'." Bonnie shot a playful glare at her daughter, then kissed Merle.

"Yup. He's my asshole." Merle slapped her ass for her remark.

"C'mon Bon, ya can take your stuff in my tent." Skyler was happy seeing her parents together and went after them. 

"It's so strange... there is a woman who married Merle Dixon willingly." Said Andrea, and the others laughed, but Lori seemed worried. 

"And he has a daughter. It's really a good idea to let them sleep with him in the same tent? Who knows what Dixon is capable of?"

"Well, yeah... Dixon is a rude, sexist inbred redneck." It was T-Dog, but Rick stopped the argument. 

"He's a man who just got his family back, just like me. And Bonnie and Skyler are good people. They were in trouble because of me, but still helped me. Well, they both called me an idiot, though." Rick chuckled, then continued. "Bonnie was on her own for weeks, she can handle herself, seems she can hunt too. And her daughter is good with a gun."

"The girl is more armed than either of us." Lori said, and then Carl smiled at his dad.

"Her mom has a crossbow, just like Daryl." Rick looked at the others a little confused, so Dale answered. 

"Daryl is Merle's brother, he's on a hunt, maybe coming back tomorrow. And I need to agree with Rick here. The girl seemed happy to be with her father." They talked a little more, then everyone went on their own until gathered around the fire at the camp. It was a rare occasion when Dixon joined them, but now with his family. He was sitting on a log, Bonnie in his lap while drinking a beer. 

Bonnie took the beer from his hand and drank it in, grinning playfully at him. He snorted softly. 

"Why are ya' always stealin' my beer, woman?"

"Because ya' let me every time."

"Cheeky." Merle kissed her neck and Bonnie smirked. She missed her husband and now was happy to be with him again. Someone cleared his throat but neither of them seemed too embarrassed by the fact they were a little too intimate. 

"How long have you two been married?" It was Dale, and while he defended Dixon earlier, he still rather looked at Bonnie. 

"Seventeen years. We grow up in the same neighborhood, went to the same school, have been friends since we were kids. But this bastard was always a cooky womanizer, so nothing happened between us for a long time before we were married."

"Ya' are just as much a perv like pa'..." Skyler mumbled under her nose.

"Don't be a smartass." Merle said, and Sky stuck her tongue at his dad. The others just looked at them, waiting for Dixon to snap at his daughter, but he just let out a deep laugh. It was still strange, seeing him like that, when he was always sexist towards the other woman at camp. What they don't know, he may say some stupid and rude thing, but Merle Dixon never holds a hand on a woman. Not after growing up with their drunken, abusive father who beat his wife and his sons. 

Slowly everyone started talking about something else, and they just sit there in silence, drinking beer, and enjoying each other's company. Soon Merle started kissing her neck again while stroking her waist. 

Bonnie closed her eyes for a moment, sighing contently. She missed this, missed his touch, his kisses on her. She then turned around to face Merle, straddled his lap, and grind against his bulge. 

Merle's smirk turned smug, he doesn't see or touched her in weeks, and now they cannot keep their hands off each other. He stood up still holding his wife, and Bonnie warped her legs around his waist. They went to their tent, Merle planned to ravish her. 

"Hey, guys, ya' have an extra tent or something where I can sleep?" Skyler said and Andrea raised her eyebrow.

"Why, you don't wanna sleep with your parents?"

"Hell no! They not going to sleep." When the others looked at her a little confused, she grunted. "God, they went fucking! I ain't sleeping in the same tent with them, and they don't seen each other in weeks. Yuck."

"Oh!" Andrea turned a little red, and Dale laughed.

"You have a sharp tongue, little miss."

" 'm used to it, my parents are always like that with each other. God, I can't wait to see my uncle, at least I can hang around with him, while my folks busy with each other."

"You close with your uncle?"

"Yeah, he's like my brother. He's quieter than my 'pa, but he's funny."

"We're still talking about the same Daryl?" Dale asked smilingly and Sky grinned. 

"Yup. My uncle is a grumpy bastard, but he's not a bad person." 

"Looks like you and your family have a temper."

"Well, we are Dixons." She said like that answers everything. Dale just smiled, Skyler was not like the other kids at the camp, she was more mature, more confident. He can see the resamples between Skyler and her father, that's for sure. But she was like her mother in appearance, had the same dark brown curls, just shorter. Her mother, Bonnie seemed a tough woman who can handle herself and a man like Merle Dixon. Dale turned his attention back to Skyler.

"You can sleep in the RV, I have a spare bed. I'm staying up anyway to keep watch."

"Thanks, Hatman." Sky smiled and went to the RV, and Dale just shake his head smiling.

<center>-</center>

In the morning the camp came to life, but Bonnie was in her own bubble. She felt his naked chest against her back, and smiled while turning around.

"Mornin'."

"Best mornin' I had in weeks." Merle said and just looking at his wife. He arched an eyebrow in question when Bonnie started laughing so hard she clasped her hand to her mouth. 

"Poor Sky."

"She's a big girl."

"I know, but still. She missed ya, and Daryl too." Her voice went a little quieter. "Me too."

"I missed my girls too." Merle pulled Bonnie closer, kissing her forehead. He had a bad temper, but loved his family fiercely. Bonnie was like a big sister to Daryl since he meet her. Her dad was almost as bad as theirs, but Bonnie's dad died when she was ten, and her ma' was always kind to the Dixon boys when they needed a place to stay when their father got too drunk. 

"Ya guys are still naked?" It was Skyler's voice outside of the tent, and Merle grunted in response. 

"Fuck off, baby girl." He heard her laughing and he smiled. Little bastard. 

"C'mon, it's almost noon, and 'm bored to death."

"Give us ten damn minutes, Sky!" Bonnie yelled annoyed and Merle started laughing too. She smacked his chest. "It's your fault, ya always spoiled her."

"Nah, she's just clingy like her momma." 

"Oh, yeah?" She asked as grinning and started hugging her husband a little too hard, but Merle was on top of her in an instant. He kissed her, then get up and started dressing. Bonnie just watched him a little, letting her gaze wander over his muscled body. 

"Like what ya see, sugah'?"

"Mhm. Ya still sexy, old man."

"If 'm old, then what are you, woman?" She just laughed then put her clothes on, and put a kiss on Merle's shoulder. They were both in their mid-forties, but they acted like two horny teenagers. When they stepped outside the tent, Skyler face lit up, and was on her dad's side in an instant. 

"Finally."

"Give a damn break for your old man, will ya?"

"Nah. I was with 'ma for weeks, if someone needs a break, it's her."

"Thanks, baby girl, ya can annoy your dad." 

"C'mon, the Dixon girls against me, and without Daryl it's not fair." He groaned, and Bonnie just laughed.

"Life isn't fair. Have fun." And with that, she left them, she wanted to speak with Rambo Rick. 

Some people from the group stared at them, but said nothing. They both ignored the stares and started talking about everything that happened to them in the past few weeks. She then said about Rick's son Carl, and a little girl Sophia, they wanted to invite Skyler to play with them but she found them too childish, too young. 

"They are so naive. They want to play around, while I wanna stay alive."

"My tough big girl, just like your 'ma." She grinned up at him, then her eyes sparkled, and took out her gun.

"Look, I still have the gun ya gave me for my birthday. I used it on some geeks." 

"Ya have ammo?" He asked.

"Just a few. I try using my knife usually." Merle reached into his cargo pants pocket, and took out a little box, full of bullets, and give it to her.

"Here."

"Thanks, dad." It was when Lori, Rick's wife came into view in front of them, holding a basket of clothes. She looked angry. 

"You giving her bullets? You are careless, dangering the camp by giving your daughter a gun, Dixon. You really are just an asshole redneck who should not be raising a child, let alone a girl." He scoffed, but said nothing knowing her daughter too well. 

"Shut the fuck up, bitch. I can handle a gun, my 'pa taught me how to use it when I was seven. "She sneered at the elder woman, who stormed away, then turned to her dad. "A bunch of pussys... 

"Look at ya, all angry and feisty." Merle grinned, a smug expression on his face. But in truth, he was touched by how her daughter defended him. Officer Friendly's woman was right, he was an asshole. 

"Well, I don't care if ya are an asshole, or somethin', you're my dad." She then giggled a little, leaning closer to Merle. "And I kind of like it that my daddy a badass. 

"C'mere, you little shit. Love ya." She clinged to her daddy, and smiled.

"Me too."

<center>-</center>

Later that day they heard Carl yelling for his parents, probably a walker, but Bonnie and Merle remained on their spot, half of the camp was already there, no need for more people to fuss around one walker. That's when they heard an all too familiar voice. 

"Merle! Get your ugly ass out here! I got us some squirrels! Let's stew 'em up." 

"A got something better than squirrels, lil' brother." Daryl turned to his brother, but he doesn't even had a chance to say something when he spotted two familiar faces behind him. 

"Uncle Daryl!" He dropped his crossbow and hugged her niece when she runned up to him, and picked her up. She don't minded he was sweaty, and dead squirrels hanging on his shoulder. 

"Dare!" He looked up, still too stunned to say a word, putting his niece down. Just one person called him Dare. The next moment Bonnie hugged him tightly.

"Bon-bon, ya really here?" She was maybe not his blood, but he loved this woman like his own sister since they were kids.

"Yeah, run into Merle and some other people in Atlanta. God, I missed ya so much."

"C'mon, Daryl, I help ya with the squirrels while ma' telling you what happened in Atlanta." 

"All right, Sky, then grab this." He handed her a couple of squirrels, while glancing at his brother. Merle just smiled, and Daryl started smiling too. Their family was together again, the Dixons against the world. 

They all sit down together, four sets of hands skinning the animals in precision, while discussing what happened in Atlanta. 

The others, especially Lori, watched them, and how comfortable the mother and daughter were while skinning the animals Dixon brought like this was the most natural thing in the world. And maybe it was. Bonnie never minded when her hands get dirty, and that's how Skyler grew up, seeing her parents and her uncle doing this a million times. 

They don't know what the future holds for them, but they face it together. After all, nobody can kill a Dixon, but a Dixon.

End. Or not..?

Two can play this game - Ch 2

 It was late afternoon, the majority of the group was around the fire. Some talked, while others drank, or ate, even if the options were limited. Lana was sitting next to her sister, and enjoying a beer. 

"Hey, sugah', get you're pretty ass over here. Daryl caught some squirrel, ya' could help me stew 'em up." She glanced toward Merle, who stood not too far from the group, holding a couple of squirrels. Next to her Lori just sighed. 

"I help you, if ya' gave me another beer." She shouted back at Merle, holding up her almost empty beer. 

"Oh fuck, fine. Ya' comin'?" 

"Alway so charming, Merle..." She rolled her eyes, but got up, and went with him to help with the squirrels. 

"I don't understand your sister... she doesn't even get annoyed when Dixon talks with her like that." Lori looked at Glenn, but just shook her head. 

"I don't know. Lana was always a little hotheaded."

"Oh, she is!" Shane snorted. "We meet back at the police academy and she was this stubborn, hotheaded little thing, always hanging with the other men. Before the outbreak, she was suspended for getting into a fight with a suspect, not even for the first time."

"Wow, I can't picture her as a cop." Glenn eyes widened, he was really surprised by the fact that Lana was actually a cop. Well, she really said on the first week in the quarry that she worked as a cop before, but it was hard to believe. 

"She always went after her own head, even when we were little. Our father used to take us hunting, or tried, but I was never interested. But Lana? She loved." Lori shrugged her shoulder. "It's a pain to admit, but she is in her element with guys like the Dixons."

"Well, she definitely like Merle Dixon very closely..." Andrea grinned, and Shane raised his brows. 

"How do you mean?"

"They fucking." Everyone becomes quiet, while Sahane glanced at Lori. Nobody know that back then, Sahen and Lana had sex sometimes, that's why it was a little awkward when Lana found out that her sister and Shane were kind of together. But in truth, Lana never really wanted anything from Sahne. Both of them needed a little release after a shift sometimes, but nothing more. 

"That explains a lot of things. At least that douchebag can hunt, other than that he's just an asshole redneck." Shane hated the Dixon brothers, but especially the eldest. How can a racist, sexist, mean asshole like him get close to a woman like Lana was beyond him. Well, Lana was not like her sister, she was so different. Maybe Dixon didn't have such a hard time with Lana after all. 

"They probably talking about me. I can tell, Lori always looking toward us, just like Shane." She said, while drinking her beer. 

"It bothers ya'?" 

"Nah. Just annoying. Well, you know I was a cop, like Shane?"

"Yeah, ya' told me, I thought you just fucking with me. Why?"

"Sometimes after a shift Shane and I fucked. Then now he fucks my sister, and my brother-in-law died just recently who was Sahne's best friend.  It's so fucked up."

"No way! You and that asshole cop? Damn, sugah', you surprised me." Merle never would think that  Lana actually had a reason to be jealous about asshole deputy and her sister. 

"I know what you thinking, but no, I never liked Shane that way. He was just in hand to release some tension. My point is, they have no right to judge me and who I fuck."

"So, I'm better, then that cop?" Merle smirked, while wiggling his eyebrows. Lana just snorted, but grinned back. 

"I'm not telling you, your ego is already too big."

"Oh, c'mon sugah'." With a sudden movement, he pulled her into his lap, and a surprised yelp escaped her. He has a smug smile on his face while looking at Lana, leaning closer to her face. "I know I'm better."

"Yeah? Then prove it." She breathed, her eyes just as determined than his. Merle's gaze turned darker, and the next thing she knows his lips were on hers.  He bit her bottom lip, and in response, she slipped her hands on the back of his neck, pulling him closer.  

"Um... Lana..." Merle let out a frustrated groan and looked over Lana's shoulder, just to see Glenn, with a very panicked expression and his face bright red. 

"Fuck off, Chinaman!" Lana glanced back too, but she doesn't moved even an inch from Merle, while he started kissing her neck and Lana bit her own lip to hold back a little moan. 

"What do you want, Glenn? I'm kind of... busy."

"I can see that." Glenn was still red, he don't expected the scene in front of him. It was too intimate and kind of wrong to see his friend with Dixon. "We discussed with the others to go to Atlanta for supply tomorrow. It's voluntary, wanna come?"

"Yeah, it would be good to be away from camp. Who's coming?"

"Andrea, T-Dog, Morales, Jacqui, and me this far."

"Ya coming?" Lana turned back to Merle and he smirked. 

"Someone has to watch your lil' pretty ass." He said while squeezing her ass. Glenn grimaced, just great, now Dixon going to come too. When his eyes meet Dixon's angry stare, he gulped. "Count us in, now fuck off!"

"We leave in the morning." And with that, Glenn was practically running back at the others and Lana started laughing, resting her head on Merle's shoulder.

"Ya scared the shit out of him. Poor Glenn."

"He survives. Must be some goddamn virgin, redding like that. And I don't even started anything interesting with ya, just kissing ya." He smirked mockingly. He planned a lot more than just kissing. 

"Not everyone can be a horny pervert like ya." 

"Yeah? 

Two can play this game - Ch 1

 The quarry was quiet, except for the noise of the children, but even that was negligible, everyone trying to be quiet, as the noise attracted the dead. Lana kept one eye on her nephew Carl, while the boy's mother was otherwise occupied. 

Lana didn't know if her relatives were still alive when the shit hit and the dead rose and started attacking people, she was with her sister Lori and her little boy Carl. The Quill sisters were only three years apart in age, and Lori was the oldest. Her sister married a cop, Rick Grimes a few years ago, but he was shot in a car shooting just before the whole outbreak. The hospital they were going to transfer him from was overrun with those freaky monsters, Rick's partner Shane was barely able to escape, who was now with them. 

They'd been at the quarry for about a month, settling in with just the people who'd been with them when the government started bombing the city, but slowly more people came, and now they were a full camp. The larger group had its advantages, but also its disadvantages. The more kind of people, the greater the potential for conflict. And more hungry mouths, but at the moment there were only three people who could hunt for them: the Dixon brothers and Lana herself. Sure, there were one or two raids, Glenn, a young Asian guy who sometimes went into Atlanta on his own to get supplies, but the number of these raids was far not enough. 

"Hey, buddy, stay close to your mom, okay?"

"Okay, Aunt Lana!" Carl yelled back, and Lana stood up from her spot before her tent and walked over to Lori.

"I'm going to go check on the Dixons, I think they're about to go hunting."

"You want to go with them, alone in the woods? Lana..." Lori was not happy that her sister was so unafraid of the two brothers. With the young one, Daryl, she hadn't even had that much of a problem except for his temper, but he was quiet and kept to himself, but on the other hand, his brother Merle was loud, sexist, and mean. Lana just sighed as she slung her crossbow over her shoulder and slipped her hunting knife into the holster at her waist, and one in her boot for backup. 

"I can take care of myself, besides I need to get out of camp for a bit, too many people around."

"I still don't think it's a good idea."

"You worry too much, sis." She pressed a kiss to Lori's cheek and then headed for the Dixons' tent, a bit separated from the rest of the camp, which wasn't a problem considering Merle was frequently confronted by Sahne and the others.

As Daryl saw the woman approaching them, he folded his arms in front of him, but said nothing for the moment.

"Hey, guys, can I join you?"

"You doll, you can join me anytime..." She rolled her eyes at Merle's comment, but returned the grin on his face.

"Keep your dick in your pants for now, I'm after a bigger game." At her reply, the elder Dixon laughed, and even Daryl allowed himself an amused snort. 

"How can you be 'Miss always polite's sister? You have your sense of humor, sugah'."

"I don't understand how you can be Daryl's brother when you can't shut the fuck up like ever, but we don't get to choose our relatives." Lana flashed a mocking smile at Merle, and Daryl's mouth twitched upward.

"At least your sister's normal, I got this piece of shit." He poked his head toward his brother, and Merle grabbed him by the neck.

"Who'd you call a shithead, lil' brother?" Daryl pushed his brother's hand away from his neck, but despite his irritation, he flashed a playful look.

"Shut up. Let's go before you scare off all the game in the forest..." 

Lana laughed to herself, but they were finally on their way, leaving the camp behind them. Their father liked to hunt too, and always took his two daughters along, but Lori had never been interested in that sort of thing, so after a while it became a thing Lana and their father did together. Every time they had time alone together, they went hunting, which never pleased their mother, but she couldn't hold back her stubborn daughter. Later, Lana trained as a police officer, which is how Lori met Rick. Lana thought she would going to love begin a cop, but for a while she had been thinking about quitting, having been repeatedly complained about for going too far with a convict or suspect. Lana was the kind of person who was short-tempered, and as a cop, that wasn't a good thing. She got suspended right before all this shit went down. Maybe that's why she found common ground with the Dixon brothers. All three of them had impulsive tempers, a bit of a loner.

She loved his sister, but Lori relied too much on the help of others rather than her own strength, and the way the world looked at the moment, that wasn't very beneficial. Daryl walked ahead, so Merle matched Lana's pace and moved alongside her. 

"So, did you really want to come hunting, or did you just want to get away from the Scooby-Doo gang?"

"Both. Lori's always worried about Carl, or if she's not, she's making out with Shane. She doesn't say it, but a blind man could tell they're making out." Merle snorted softly. 

"They always sneak out into the woods one after the other. Or maybe you're just jealous your sister's getting a little shagging?" Merle waggled his eyebrows up and down as Lana smiled.

"How do you know I'm not fucking someone?"

"Then you wouldn't be spending your time in the fort with us of all people, you'd be getting laid."

"Which is why you should really appreciate me spending my precious time with you, because no one but me is going to appreciate your bullshit talks, Dixon."

"I'm gonna end up thinking you like me, sugah'." Merle grinned at her in amusement, causing Lana to snort.

"Then it would really be the end of the world." 

-

A few hours later, the two boys returned with a dozen squirrels on each of their shoulders, and Lana with two rabbits. She caught Lori's glance from the far side of the camp and waved at her with a grin, showing off the two rabbits. Her sister just shook her head, but smiled anyway, glad to see her sister return unharmed, but her smile faded as she saw the two Dixons behind her. 

It was getting dark, but still light enough to start skinning what they had caught. Daryl pushed the squirrels on his shoulder into his brother's hands and began to build a fire, while a little further away Merle sat down on the log in front of their tent and Lana joined him. 

They worked quietly and with precision, and when the fire was blazing lively, Daryl joined them. Two hours later, most of the camp was able to eat, but Lana kept the two rabbits, one for her sister and nephew and one for herself and the Dixon brothers. By the time Daryl had retired to bed for the night as most of the camp, Merle and Lana was still sitting in front of the fire, the man holding a can of beer while Lana finished eating and licked her fingers one by one. It was rare for her to eat so well nowadays, and occasions like this had to be taken advantage of.

Merle's eyes were on her the whole time, he knew she didn't mean the move to be provocative, but fuck, it was still sexy as hell. She didn't mind getting dirty, and she let herself loosen up quite a bit in Merle's company, which was rare except for his brother, the others were always tense in Dixon's company, or avoid him and keep their distance. He spoke with a slow grin.

"Are your fingers clean yet, or shall I help you clean them?"

"Shut up, Dixon. I haven't eaten this good in a week." Merle laughed to himself. 

"I know. Want a beer?" Lana just nodded and sat down next to him, but instead of waiting for him to hand her an unopened beer, she took what Merle had in his hand and drank from it. "I didn't mean mine, but help yourself."

"Oh, you were going to drink that? Sorry." Lana wasn't sorry in the least, she loved to suck Merle's blood, and the elder Dixon snorted softly and cracked open another beer. They drank in silence for a while, but every now and then Lana glanced at the man out of the corner of her eye. She sees his face from a side angle, the fire casting shadows across it, highlighting the man's already sharp features, the stubble on his face.  

Merle was a handsome man, in his rough way. He was tall, and robust, the muscles in his biceps tensed pleasantly on his arms, though he must have been in his late forties, his hair was cropped short, the ends a little light, but barely noticeable. He wore a white wifebeater and cargo pants with black military-boots, and Lana's outfit was not much different, except that her pants were shorter and she wore a black top. 

Her hair was the same as Lori's, dark brown, but slightly wavier than her sister's. Lana had turned thirty this year, so there were almost fifteen years between her and Dixon, she was much closer in age to Daryl. 

Merle noticed that she sometimes glanced at him, so when their eyes met he raised an eyebrow in question, but did nothing, just kept drinking his beer. 

Whether it was the beer she'd drunk or the fact that they were alone, she didn't know, but suddenly she smoothed her palm over Merle's knee, and while she watched him, she pulled her hand further up on his muscular thigh and took a sip of her beer.

Merle's other eyebrow shot up too, as he grinned smugly. He didn't know how this little interlude would turn out, but he'd be a stupid fool not to go along with it. He opened his legs wider and looked challengingly at her to go further if she dared, at which Lana pulled her hand further from his thigh to his crotch and palm him through his pants. 

Merle put the drink down from his hand, then took it from Lana's hand as well, and the next moment he was pulling her into his lap. He grabbed her ass with both of his hands and squeeze it, then grinning.

"Mmm, it feels just as good as I thought it would."

"So you thought about it a lot, huh?" They both knew exactly the answer, then she tilted her head to the side as Merle sucked the skin on her neck.

"You're too irresistible, sugah'."

"Then why haven't you made a move on me yet?" Lana let out a shaking breath, Dixon was working wonders with his mouth, and he was still just at her neck. She shivered at the thought of what else he could do with his mouth. 

"It just doesn't occurred to me there were more behind when you flirted back. People here are so sensitive and overreact to everything. At least I can joke around ya'." Lana tilted her head back as Merle's mouth moved from her neck to her chin, and then they looked at each other.

"I must have an awfully bad taste if I've picked up a Dixon." Lana grinned playfully, and Merle laughed softly, then caught her mouth with his. The kiss started playfully, but it was also demanding. A kind of dominance struggle, they bit each other's lips occasionally, but when their tongues met and Merle gripped her buttocks harder, Lana moaned into the kiss.

This had been growing between them, perhaps since they'd first spoken, and instead of disgust, Lana grinned at Dixon's remarks and returned them while teasing the man, something no one else in the camp had dared to do, except his brother. Something just clicked between them.

Lana bucked her hips and pressed closer to Merle's groin, and she could feel his bulge even through his pants. Merle picked her up in his arms, easily supporting her weight, and moved toward her tent. Merle and Daryl had shared a tent, but Lana and Lori were separated because of her nephew, she wanted some privacy and now it was handy. Once inside the tent, Merle was immediately on top of her, attacking her neck, and Lana giggled.

"If Lori hears us in the next tent, I'gonna be dead tomorrow morning."

"You don't seem particularly worried about that." Merle grinned at her as he caressed her skin under her top, then slipped it off of her. Her tits were so damn nice, small but rounded in the right ways.

"She's got Shane." 

"So I was right earlier, you were just bothered by the fact that you can't get laid."

"And I told you I could if I wanted to, didn't I?" Lana grinned, then tilted her head back as Merle turned his mouth from talking to something much better. He ran his tongue down between her breasts, down to her stomach as he unbuttoned her shorts and pulled her panties down over her. 

He grabbed both her thighs and pulled her closer to him, then his tongue disappeared between her legs. Her moans became more uncontrollable and more frequent. First he used one finger, then added another, and a third. Lana's back arched as she reached her own climax, then melted onto the sleeping bag under her like a rag doll. She glanced at him, just to see a smug grin spread across Dixon's face. 

Lana did nothing but lick her bottom lip as she watched him take off his wifebeater and begin to unbuckle the belt of his pants. He kicked off his boots, one after the other, and then, kneeling in front of her, he lazily ran his hand over his cock a couple of times.

"Do you like what you see, sugah'?" 

"Mhm..." Lana braced her hands behind her back and returned his grin. The sight of him was very hot, but even more so when he was on top of her, and their groin came together, they both hissed in pleasure. She shifted her hips to feel even more how his cock pressing against her, then he moved up and caught Lana's lips with his own. They both grinned into the kiss as Dixon trailed his cock along her entrance, but he hadn't done anything yet. 

"Merle... " Her voice was a warning to stop teasing her, and Merle this once listened, he caught her legs and pulled them around his waist, then in one motion he was deep inside her. The sensation made her suck in a sharp breath, then he pulled back, sliding almost out of her, before ramming back in. She throw her hands around his neck, and she groaned as he thrust hard into her again, and again, because despite his roughness, it was so fucking good. She going to be sore for the rest of the week, but it feels so good, an affirmation of life, a sign that things can be normal again in this fucked up world. 

Lana's breath hitched, her muscles tight while reaching her climax. After that Merle didn't need much, his own thrust become's less controlled, more rougher. He grunted, reaching his own release and come inside her. He rests his head on her shoulder for a few moments, then Merle thrust lazily a few times before pulling out of her and lying down on his back next to Lana.

Both of their breathing was fast, sweat glistening on their bodies, mixed with the dirt on their skins after today's hunt, but neither of them minded when Lana moved over Merle and straddled him, kissing him lazily.

"Do you want to sleep, or..." She moved from his mouth to his neck, and now she sucked on his skin, leaving a clearly visible hickey, just as Merle had done earlier on her neck. "Or want another round?"

"Ya have to ask?" Merle grinned widely, pulling her hips closer to his wakening erection, and Lana flashed him a mocking grin.

"At your age, who knows, I don't want to tire you out too much."

"You're too cheeky." He smacked her bottom and Lana gasped in surprise, then grinned as they started kissing again. Sleep could wait a while longer.

-

Merle awoke with a strange contentment, something he hadn't felt in a long time, not even before. He wasn't the kind of man who would sleep with the women he was fucking, usually only getting into bed with them when he was passed out drunk or high, like his partners.

Lana's back was pressed against his chest, one of his hands resting on her waist, and he closed his eyes, sniffing into her hair, then pressed his mouth to the nape of her neck. She smelled of smoke, sweat, and dirt after yesterday, but there was something else underneath, probably her own scent. The only way they could clean themselves was to go down to the lake by the quarry, but somehow she still smelled good, at least Merle couldn't find anything wrong with it, since his couldn't have been any better after the last few days.

Her previously steady breathing became a little faster as she began to wake up, and she sighed softly as Merle kissed the back of her neck. Their legs were still entwined together, the way they had been at night, and for a few more minutes they simply stayed that way. Such quiet moments were rare these days. 

Lana felt his length press against her buttocks, as she grinned slyly and turned over, then straddled his waist, pressing her sex against his, then leaned down to kiss him. Dixon slipped his fingers into her hair as he kissed her back, feeling Lana's breasts press against his chest, both of them falling asleep without their clothes on, and she grinned, pulling her head back enough to look at him.

"Hi."

"Mornin' sugah'."

"Best morning I had in a while." Lana admitted while smirking. 

"Hell yeah, I ain't arguing whit that." They both groaned when Lana grabbed and guided his cock inside her. Their rhythm was slower than the night before, now it was lazy, and they just enjoyed themselves. "Ya' know, they going to wonder how an ol' redneck like me get his hands on a woman like ya."

"Must be the Dixon charm." Lana said, then kissing him one last time before getting up. She started dressing, but Merle just watched her smirking. "You enjoying the show, Dixon?"

"Go on, sugah', don't stop." Lana chuckled, and kept dressing but more slowly. She liked Merle around, he was funny even with his bad traits. Soon he was up too, searching for his wifebeater. 

"Lookin' for this?" He glanced toward Lana and see his top in her hands. He saw that playful glint in her eyes, and a wide grin appeared on his face. He chased her in the small tent a little then catch her by the waist. "Catch'ed ya."

"Yeah." She said, still tried catching her breath, but grinning back. She had rarely seen the elder Dixon this playful and calm, except sometimes with his brother. His eyes were so blue, and smirking at her like this, she can see that certain Dixon charm. She playfully pushed him back, telling him to go to dress, and feel her face heats up. Stupid Dixon and his damn charm, but he was sexy.  

Stepping outside her tent, he buckled his belt, a smug expression on his face when he catched the corner of his eyes Lana's sister. The woman's face was dumbfounded, her eyes widened when her sister stepped out of the tent after Merle.

"Wipe that smug expression on your face." His gaze turned back to Lana, and pulled her closer by her waist.  

"Nah. It's too damn funny."

"Fuck, you're right, but I don't wanna hear my sister lectures all day."

"Not my problem, sugah'." He kissed her, then slap her ass playfully and went on his own business, probably looking for Daryl. She glanced at Lori, sitting before her tent. 

"Merle Dixon?! Seriously, Lana, what have you thought?" Lana closed her eyes for a moment, then step before Lori. 

"C'mon, Lori... what's the big fuss? I needed a little fun."

"But with Dixon of all people?"

"Like you with Shane of all people?" She said mockingly, and Lori immediately went silent. Lana scoffed. "I thought so."

She was pissed. Lori was so hypocrite, messing around with Shane, but criticizing her choices. Shane was Rick's best friend. It wasn't too long since her brother-in-law died, but Lori already seeking off with Shane. At least Lana doesn't hiding who's she fucking.   

She headed to the lake, a quick bath was in order. Andrea and Amy were already there, but she doesn't minded. She took her clothes off, and bury herself in the cold water. She shivered, but the water on her skin felt nice. 

"You wake up later than usual." She glanced at Andrea, who currently washed her hair.

"I was tired, huntin' all day."

"With the Dixons, yes? You seem pretty close with them." Lana raised her brows, not entirely understanding where this conversation lead. 

"Well, I think. Nice to have some people who's also good at hunting, and stuff like that."

"So Merle Dixon had nothing to do with you getting up late this morning?" Andrea now was smirking, and Amy snorted. 

"I think the entire camp see him leave your tent." Amy said, and Andrea nodded in agreement. 

"If you saw, then why ask?" 

"Oh, come on, Lana, Merle Dixon? The man is a pig, how did he manage to get into your pants?" It was clear Andrea hated Merle, and she was not alone. But she liked Lana, and she was really curious. 

"Well, Dixon not all talk, he good with his mouth." Lana smirked, and Andrea's eyes widened, while Amy's face was burning. Then all three of them burst out laughing. 

"God, I don't wanna know what Dixon does with his mouth." Andrea said with pure disgust. 

"You asked, besides... he's hot. I'm hot. Don't see the problem."

"So weird." Amy said, and they started giggling again, then stepping out of the cold water. Lana dressed quickly, and went back to the camp. She felt eyes on her, but she just smirked under her nose. She doesn't ashamed of the fact that she had sex with Merle. She never cared what people thought of her, and she's not about to start now. 

Daryl sat on a log, sharpening his knife, barely glancing up when his brother showed up. In the morning he doesn't give much thought to where his brother was, Merle always doing what he wanted, don't need Daryl to babysit him. 

But later when he still doesn't come back, he was a little nervous. Merle always found trouble, or the other way around. But his rifle was there, just like his other stuff. When Daryl's eyes scanned the camp, he's brows run high. There was his brother, stepping out of Lana's tent, the woman behind him. Seeing Merle with that smug smirk of his, he doesn't need to ask what happened.  

"What, not say mornin' to your big brother?" Daryl snorted. 

"I bet ya' had a good morning."

"Jealous?" Merle smirked, then took out a smoke and lift it to his mouth while lighting it. "Never thought she can play dirty."

"I ain't surprised, ya' two flirted all the time."

"Just joking around, not thought she actually wanted somethin' for me. But damn, those tits and ass..."

"I hope ya' doesn't scared her off with your ugly mug."

"Fuck off, ugly your ass."

Daryl just shake his head, Merle was Merle, but he really hoped Lana still want to hang out with them. Not many could stand or want anything from a Dixon, but she was cool, even can handle Merle's bullshit. Later that day when she joined them helping prepare some meat, Daryl couldn't resist asking.

"So you two really bumping uglies, or Merle was just bullshitting?" The knife stopped in Lana's hand as looking at Daryl. She huffed smirking.

"Problem?"

"Nah. Just don't do it in my tent."

"Why not, ya' can watch." Daryl made a face, and Lana bust out laughing. Merle pat his brother's shoulder, an amused grin on his face. 

"Relax, lil' brother. I don't wanna see your ugly face when I' fucking."

"Ya' two deserve each other." Despite his annoyance, he smiled. Daryl loved his brother, even he was an asshole, and Lana slowly become his friend. If that two wanted to mess around a little, then he doesn't care. Maybe Lana is good for his brother. A Dixon doesn't need anyone, but maybe she is good for both of them. 

TWD - I won't leaving you 1

 They walked up to the camp, the Dixon brothers had a dozen or so squirrels on their shoulders, while Amelia had two rabbits.

"Damn, that was a good hunt. I'm starving." The brunette said, while Daryl hummed in agreement. He was the younger, and quieter out of the two brothers, but Merle, well...

 "I can offer ya some fine meat, doll face, if ya want." Merle wiggled his eyebrows and had a huge grin on his face. Amelia just grinned back, and sat down on a log in front of their tents. 

"I don't know Merle, maybe your dick is too small to satisfy my hunger."  

"Tuche brother." Daryl laughed, drawing some strange looks from the others in the camp, it was rare to hear laughter from this side of the camp. The two men didn't have a good reputation in the camp, especially Merle. He was a loud-mouthed redneck, with his sexist and sometimes racist remarks. It was another wonder why a normal woman like Amelia was with them all the time. The three of them had been together for about two or three months, long before they joined this larger group about two and a half weeks ago. The group tolerated the brothers because they brought fresh meat to the camp, and so did Amelia. Some of the other women have tried to befriend her, but her attitude is as bad as her company.

"You wound me, woman." Merle placed his hand dramatically over his heart, then flopped down next to Amelia. They began to skin what they brought back, and Merle offered the other two some cigarettes. It was their routine, go for a hunt, come back, prepare what they hunted while smoking, drinking some beer, and swapping stories. Usually, it was Merle and Amelia who did the story swapping and Daryl just laughed at them.

Amelia stubbed out her cigarette, then finished the rest of her beer and stood up, stretching as she looked at the two men.

"I need a bath, apocalypse or not, dirt and bunny guts don't look good on me." 

"Everything looks good on ya." Merle's gaze traveled up and down her body. She grinned, then tossed her hair back. 

"I know. But bunny guts? Not really." As she began to move away from the boys, she heard the voice of the elder Dixon brother. 

"Now look at that ass, it must feel good to grab at..."

"I hear you, Merle, take a good look at that good ass, 'cause that's all you're gonna do with it." She smiled hearing how Merle cracking up with laughter. Andrea and Lori overheard the whole exchange between them, and shared a look. Dixon was a sexist pig, calling all the other women those names of his, but Amelia just laughed it off and played along with him.

"I don't know how you can tolerate him all the time." Andrea said, and Amelia stopped. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Dixon's all bark, but don't bite. He just wanna annoy the shit out of ya, if you let him. I heading to the lake, you guys wanna come?"

"Yeah, we want to wash some clothes anyway." They started going, then Lori continued their earlier topic. "I still don't get it, you seem so comfortable around them."

She started playing with the dog tags around her neck, then sighed. 

"Merle and I served in the army together. We were comrades, at least until he got kicked out for punching a sergeant." She started laughing. "Man, that was the funniest thing that ever happened in the military while I was there. He kicked out the man's front teeth, five of'em, and cost him some jail time. After I served my time in the army, and he was released, we went for a hunting trip with him and his brother, Daryl. Then shit happened, and we sticked together since then. Found this camp, and thought a larger group would be safest."

"You are something else, Argent. But it made sense at least, no wonder you can manage a guy like Merle." Andrea shook her head, while the brunette just grinned. 

 "Or I just found him funny." The other two looked at her in a funny way, then just shook their heads. One of Amilea's eyebrows went high. "What with the funny looks?"

"Nothing, you're just weird, Argent." 

They all went on, doing their own things, and Amelia washed all the dirt down her skin and even washed her hair, but it was cold as fuck. She dressed back quickly, and went back to their tents, and she found the boys exactly as she had left them, but they had finished skinning, and were passing back and forth a cigarette. 

"Hey, Merle, you have a shirt or something? All my other stuff is drying off, except the one I'm wearing, but I was hunting in this one."

"Sure, doll. Lemme see." He stood up, and disappeared into his own tent for a few moments, then come back and tossed a gray wife beater into her hands.

"Thanks." She sat down and pulled off her old top. She doesn't wear, just a black sports bra, and now one of Merle's wife beaters. It hung on her figure a little, but it was comfy, and today was hot anyway. He passed the cigarette to her, and took out another one. 

She looked at Merle. He was tall, with a rugged build, maybe in his mid-forties. His dark hair was clipped short, and had a few gray ends. His face was hard, commonly seen with light facial stubble. Usually wearing a wife beater, like that one he gave her, but this was white, with a khaki cargo pants. 

A rowdy Southern redneck, quick-tempered, and racist, his jokes are always sexist. But much like his younger brother, Merle is an expert tracker and hunter. When she first met with Merle Dixon in the military, he called her doll face and went on with his sarcastic remarks. There were just a few women in their units apart from her, but Amelia was the only one who started laughing. She also had a few remarks up her sleeve. Merle was taken aback, but then they started trading barbs, and at the end of the day, they sneaked out, and smoked together. It soon become a routine between training sessions and they were the oddest pair. A loud-mouthed redneck, and a sassy brunette. But it soon became clear, maybe Amelia was more level-headed than Dixon, she had her own temper. No wonder they become friends. She smiled at the memories, and then Merle raised one of his brows.

"What are you look'in at me, and smiling like a damn idiot?"

"I just remembered our time at the army. We were an odd duo, but it was fun."

"Yeah, always sneaking off, breaking the rules." 

"Until you were kicked out. It was boring without ya."

"Missed ol'Merle?" He smirked, and she gives him the middle finger.

"Shut up, Dixon."

"You two can't shut up, even if your life depends on it. Like an ol'couple bickering." Daryl said, and the other two shut up immediately, throwing dark glances at the younger Dixon, but he just smirked at them. "Finally. Now pass me a smoke."

Merle scoffed, but gave a smoke to his brother anyway. As if a woman like Amelia would ever want anything from a man like Merle. She was way out of his league. But it doesn't mean he can't flirt with her, and damn, the woman has a big mouth too, a little spitfire. They liked annoying each other, she was probably Merle's only friend. And she happened to be a woman, what the odds? Amelia didn't take his remarks too seriously, knowing that most of them were just jokes. 

She was a good head and a half shorter than he was, but her nice figure hid more than just soft curves. She was muscular whereas the other women were soft, her belly flat, and don't have too big breasts, but her ass makes up for it... Her hair was dark brown, brushing the middle of her back, slightly wavy, and her pale skin had a few scars. She was nice to look at. 

But it was not just her looks, she was strong, and good at hunting too. Not as much as he and his brother, but she was good. Amelia was a good asset to their group. The others in the camp lived day to day, not a care in the world. Like it was Disneyland or something. A bunch of weak pussys, the woman has more balls than some man at the camp. 

"I'll go, take a piss."

"Charming, Dixon, as always." He smirked at Amelia, then go to his own business. It gets dark, and the trio was tired because of the hunting before. 

"I take the first watch. You can take the middle, and Darlyna the last watch."

"Fuck off, Merle." Daryl hated that nickname, but his brother was an idiot asshole to begin with, so don't worth his time to argue all the time with him. But his brother was right. No way they spent a night in this camp, and at least one of them not take a watch, while the other two slept. 

"Night' boys." Amelia wawed, then went into her tent. She was exhausted, but today was a good day. They managed to get food, she was clean, and Merle's constant teasing was bearable. After her shift in the night, she slept like a log. When someone barked into her tent to get up, she groaned. 

"Fuck off."

"Come on, princess, we got shit to do."

"Ain't no princess, shithead." Merle just chuckled, and look into the tent. Amelia was lying on her stomach, wearing only a tank top and black underwear. 

"Well, that's a sight we have here doll." She groaned in frustration and pulled her pillow over her head, Amelia was never a morning person. Suddenly a low yelp escaped her mouth, and she sat up instantly as Dixon slapped her ass. "Ya have fifteen minutes, Am. Get up.

" 'm awake... ya are an arse, Dixon."

"If I ain't know already." He left her alone, and she rubbed her eyes. Bloody Dixons, all of 'em, always up in the morning, how do they manage with so little sleep, it was a mystery to Amelia. Daryl wanted to go hunting for a bigger prey, like a deer, while his brother and Amelia wanted to go to Atlanta with the others for a supply run. So maybe Merle actually had a reason to wake her up, he knew her, she was a whiney bitch in the mornings, which always amused the older Dixon. 

She put on a pair of cargo pants and a black top, and braided her hair in a simple french braid. She yanked her military boots up and tied them, her dog tags hanging around her neck. She stepped out of her tent and found herself face to face with a grinning Dixon.

"Hello there, sunshine."

"You are a pain in the ass already early in the morning, Dixon."

"What can I say, part of my charm." 

"Whatever. 'gimme a smoke. I need one if I want to put up with your bullshit." She grunted, and Merle just chuckled at her attitude, but give her one nonetheless. 

It wasn't that early, the camp was already up, so they were just waiting for the others to come out, who also wanted to go to the supply run. It was the first time they going on a raid with this many people, and Amelia has a bad feeling in her gut. She can't explain why.

"I had a bad feeling, Merle. Too many people, too much things can go to shit."

"Ain't worry, doll. Want one?" He held out a pill to her, and Amelia grimaced. 

"Ya seriously high, right before we go to the fuckin' raid?" He shrugged and took the pill into his mouth and swallow it. 

"Not high enough." She sighed at his comment. She knew that Merle has drug problems, but it was stupid, even from him. He was already impulsive enough and violate towards the others without the stupid drugs, but at least she can handle that. But if he was high, even he and Daryl had a hard time handle Merle.

She focused instead on the others. There was Glenn, an Asian guy in his twenties, he was the one who do the most raid into the city alone. He seemed shy, but quick. Than Morales, a nice man, with his wife and kids. The other two women were Jacqui, a black woman, but Amelia barely spoked with her, and Andrea. She liked Andrea and her sister, Amy but they were not that close. And T-Dog... well, it going to be interesting, because Merle and T-Dog hated each other. It was not that hard hating Merle, his remarks were always racist toward T. 

Andrea wawed to her to come over to their truck, but she just wawed back, and shook her head. Merle already waited for her on his bike. He rode a chopped Triumph Bonneville TR6C. The man loved that bike more than the other people. He was always fixing it up, and he used it all the time, saying it used less gas than the other four-wheeled wrecks. If Amelia wanna be honest, she loved that bike too. It was cool.

She hopped on behind Merle and folded her arms around his waist to hold on.

"Hold on tight, doll. Ain't wanna drop ya on the road." She rolled her eyes, Amelia knew he just liked her arms around him because Merle was Merle, a womanizer in his heart. Well, not just in his heart.

The road was easy for the most part, but they had to stop far enough out on the edge of town, they couldn't just dance into town and attract the attention of all the dead. 

Glenn's plan was simple, get in and out quickly, the local shopping center wasn't fully cleared out yet. There had to be food, clothes, and other useful stuff. Merle slung his rifle over his shoulder and Amelia did the same. She had a small pistol and two hunting knives around her waist. Merle had his own knife, as did everyone else. 

"You ready, doll?"

"As always, Dixon." But they were not prepared for what awaited for them.

-

The whole building was surrounded by the dead, because some idiot started shooting in the streets. Glenn helped that idiot, and now they were all in some deep shit. The new guy was an ex-cop, looking for his family. Good for him, bad for them. She looked around, her eyes searching for Dixon.

"Anybody see Merle?" 

"Who's that?" The new guy asked, but before she could answer, there was a gunshot, and then more. 

"That son of a bich... I going to kill him. Merle!" They all looked at her, then followed her on the roof. There was Dixon, shooting on the rooftop edge, takin' out some geeks.

"Hey Dixon, you crazy?!" Morales shouted. 

"Hey, you outta be more polite to a man with a gun!" Merle joked. He jumped down from the ledge and stood next to Amelia. "Only common sense."

"Polite my ass, you shithead... C'mon, don't waste more ammo, Merle!" Amelia was angry, but Merle just laughed.

"Relax, Am, I'm just clearing out the street from the geeks."

"You're wasting bullets we ain't even got man!" T-Dog jumped down, now standing in front of Merle. "You're bringing them down here on our ass!"

Merle stepped closer to him.

"It's enough I got this taco bender on my ass all day, now I have to take orders from you?" Merle started getting up in T-Dogs space, taunting him. "I don't think so, bro. That'll be the day."

"That'll be the day?" T-Dog questioned. "You got something you wanna tell me?"

"T-Dog, stop. It's not worth it." Morales, who Merle referred to as "taco bender",  stepped in. "Just back off."

T-Dog refused to back down.

"You wanna know the day?" Merle asked T-Dog, ignoring the others completely.

"Yeah." T-Dog insisted. If Merle had something to say, he wanted it said to his face.

"I'll tell you the day "Mr. Yo", is the day I take orders from a nigger."

T-Dog lunged at Merle, punching him in the face. Merle used his gun to hit back, knocking him down. Andrea pleaded for them to calm down, while the new guy intervened. Merle immediately punched the guy, knocking him down, while T-dog stood up just asking for more. Merle turned his attention back to him, kicking him in his gut, and making him hit his head on the metal pipe.

Merle continued to beat T-Dog, and the fight got to the point when Merle pinned him down, pulled out his pistol, and pointed it at his face. Andrea begged Merle not to shoot, but he wasn't listening. That was when Amelia lost her own shit. She took Merle by the back of his neck in a vice-like grip, and spoke in a frighteningly calm voice.

"If you shoot him, I'm done with ya and your shit." Everyone remained quiet, and don't dare to speak a word. Merle's body was tense, but he loosened his grip on the pistol and not pointing at T-Dog anymore. 

"Whatever, Am." She scoffed and let go of him, but Merle was not done yet. "Alright. Gonna have ourselves a little pow-wow." Merle stood over T-Dog and looked at everyone. "Talk about who's in charge. I vote me!" Merle spoke as Glenn, Andrea, and Jacqui, dragged T-Dog away from him.

"Anybody else? Huh? Democracy time ya'll. Show of hands. Huh? All in favor? Come on, let's see 'em." Merle insisted.

"All in favor?" Merle asked once again. Only Andrea and Glenn raised their hands. "That's good. That means I'm the boss, right?" Merle continued talking. "Now anybody else?"

"You lost your shit, Merle, and you high. If we ever make it back to the camp, I kicking your ass."

"C'mon doll, ya can be my right-hand man."

"Dixon, put the damn gun down." But before Merle or Amelia could say anything else the new guy held Merle's rifle and hit him across his head, knocking him to the rooftop floor, and handcuffed Merle's hand to the metal pipe.

"Who the hell are you, man?" Merle grunted as the Sheriff lifted him up forcefully.

"Officer Friendly." He replied. "Look here, Merle, things are different now. There are no, "niggers", anymore, no dumb inbred white trash fools either. Only dark meat, and white meat. There's us, and the dead. We survive this by pulling together, not apart."

"Screw you, man."

"I can see you make a habit on missing the point." The new guy continued.

"Yeah? Well, screw you twice." Merle said.

"You outta be more polite to a man with a gun." The ex-sheriff pointed his gun at Merle's head, using Merle's words against him. "Only common sense."

"You're a cop?" Merle spoke, not liking the Sheriff's first impression.

"All I am anymore is a man looking for his wife and son. Anyone who gets in the way of that is gonna lose. I'll give you a moment to think about that."

The Sheriff searched Merle's pocket and pulled out a dose of drugs. Amelia just sighed. 

"You got some on your nose there." The Sheriff spoke sarcastically.

"What are ya gonna do? Arrest me?" Merle laughed. "Hey! What are you doin' that's my stuff!" Merle yelled as the Sheriff threw the drugs off the roof.

"If I get loose, you better pray!" Merle yelled. Everyone walked away and ignored him while he threw his tantrum. "You hear me, you pig? You hear me!"

"Yeah, your voice carries." The Sheriff said, barely listening. 

"God it's like Times Square down there." She heard Andrea say.

"How's the signal?" Morales asked T-Dog who was leaning against the wall, across from Merle.

"Like Dixon's brain, weak." T-Dog said looking at Merle. Merle turned and looked at him, and showed him his middle finger

"Keep trying." Morales replied. Amelia stood in front of Merle, blocking his view. She rubbed her face angrily, looking at Dixon.

"No more drugs, it makes ya stupid, Merle. Don't wanna lose ya on a raid, because ya too high and get yourself killed."

"Look around, doll. The world went shit. It doesn't matter." She bent down to get eye level with him, and said quietly.

"It matters to me. Ya and your ugly ass matter to me, and to Daryl." He looked at her intensely, his eyes were just as blue as Amelia's, then looked away. She sighed, yeah, she was angry, but Amelia liked this shithead nonetheless. 

"Hey, sugar-tits." Merle tried getting Andrea's attention. "What say you get me out of these cuffs, we go bump some uglies? Gonna die anyway."

"I'd rather." Andrea replied.

"Rug muncher. I figured as much." Merle said, accepting his rejection, and Amelia started laughing.

"Jesus, at least that talk works sometimes? Work a little harder on your pick-up lines, Dixon."

"What about ya, doll, it's working on ya?" Merle smirked at her. 

"Of course, I'm already throwing myself at you." She fluttered her eyelashes, then burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. 

" 'm just messing with ya, Am." Merle said now grinning, and their friendship was good as new. The others watched their bickering, not quite understanding why Amelia was this friendly with Dixon after what he has done. 

"But hey, you can looking at my ass. Ya can't complain about the view." She turned her back to Merle and began to wiggle her bottom. It was fun, and she really needed a little fun. 

"Ya right about that." They continued their little bickering, and Amelia let the others come up with a plan. 

"What about under the streets?" The Sheriff questioned. "The sewers?"

"Oh man." Morales said. "Hey Glenn, check the alley. You see any manhole covers?"

Glenn replied after checking, "No, must be all out on the streets where the geeks are."

"Maybe not. An old building like this was built in the 20's; big structures often had drainage tunnels into the sewers in case of flooding, down in the subbasements." Jacqui spoke up.

"How do you know that?" Glenn asked.

"It's my job-was." She replied. "I worked in the city zoning office."

"Okay," The Sheriff said, "Come on. Let's find our way out of here."

The group went down to check the sewers while T-Dog, Amelia, and Merle, stayed. T-dog continued trying to get a signal on the radio. For a while, there was no other conversation other than T-Dog talking into the radio, only the signal was so bad he couldn't get a reply.

"Anybody out there?" T-Dog spoke into the radio once again. "Hello? Anybody read? I'm hoping to hear somebody's voice 'cause I'm getting sick and tired of hearing mine."

"Yeah well, that makes two of us." Merle commented. "Why don't you knock that crap off? You're giving me a headache, boy."

"Why don't you pull your head out of your ass, maybe your headache will go away." T-Dog commented back. "Try some positivity for a change, damn." 

"I'll tell you what, you get me out of these cuffs, and I'll be all "Sammy Sunshine" positive for you." Merle smiled.

"So you can beat my ass again? Or call me nigger some more?"

"Come on now, it wasn't personal." Merle replied. "It's just, that your kind and my kind ain't meant to mix, that's all. It doesn't mean we all can't work together, parley, as long as there's some kind of mutual gain involved."

"So you can take that rifle and shoot the cop when he comes back up, huh?" T-Dog snapped at him, but Amelia had enough too. 

"God, you two just shut the fuck up." She took a deep breath, then looking at T-Dog. "T, c'mon, at least give me the key, I know the new guy gave it to you. I won't release him until we can get the fuck out of here, but he stops the whining if I've got the key."

"No, you are buddies with that piece of shit. Are you hooking up with him, or what? Because if ya have, you have very low standards..."

"Another word, and I kill ya when I'm free. She's not some whore." T-Dog was taken aback when Merle went all serious. All those comments about her ass, and all that remarks, and now he's defending her. Merle fucking Dixon defending a woman.

"Thanks, but I'm a big girl." She smiled at Merle, then glanced back at T-Dog. "No, but he's my friend. We were comrades at the army back then, before this shit happened, and we lived in the same neighborhood. I knew Merle and Daryl for some years now."

"You kidding." T-Dog was stunned, and Amelia just grinned. She loved the other's reactions when they realized that they were actually friends. It was always hilarious.  

"Nope, 'm all serious."

"Oh yeah, she is." Then the three of them were silent, and Amelia just sat next to Merle, who would occasionally tug on the handcuffs and then growl in frustration, probably directing various insults at the new guy and T-Dog. She didn't say, but she was getting nervous. They really need that damn key. The others had finally made their way back onto the roof, still having no plan of escape, the sewers were a dead end.  

"That construction site, those trucks-they always keep keys on hand." The Sheriff said, handing Morales the binoculars.

"You'll never make it past the walkers." Morales warned him.

"You got me out of the tank down there." The Sheriff looked at Glenn.

"Yeah, but they were feeding. They were distracted." Glenn replied.

"Can we distract them again?" The Sheriff asked. "They're drawn by the sound, right?"

"Right, like dogs-they hear a sound, they come running." Glenn replied.

"What else?"

"Aside from they hear you?" Morales said. "They see you, smell you, and if they catch you, they eat you."

"They can tell us by smell?" The Sheriff asked in disbelief.

"Can't you?" Glenn asked sarcastically.

"They smell dead, we don't. It's pretty distinct." Andrea spoke up.

"There is one thing that might work," The new guy was crazy, just like his plan. Glenn and the Sheriff were going to cover themselves in zombie guts, so they could get to the truck that could fit everyone inside. After about fifteen minutes, everyone except Glenn and Sheriff came back up to the roof to get all of their stuff and monitor what was going on out on the street.

"Hey, what's happening man?" Merle asked anxiously. He couldn't take being handcuffed there any longer, he wanted out. Amelia also stood up next to him.

"Guys, say something!"

"Hey T-Dog, try that C.B." Morales said as they ran.

"Hey, come on, talk to me ya'll." Merle said getting nervous.

"Base camp, this is T-Dog. Anybody hear me?" T-Dog spoke into the radio. "Can anybody out there hear me?"

Next thing they knew, the radio static faded and a broken signal came in. T-Dog could've sworn he heard a voice asking him to repeat himself.

"Shane is that you?" T-Dog asked, "We're trapped in the department store on the roof, there are geeks everywhere. We're surrounded! Can you hear me?"

And just like that, the signal was gone and all he heard was the same static. Whatever voice they thought they heard was gone.

"Damn it." Amelia was frustrated and angry. "Ya'll keep pointing your fingers at Merle, but Officer Friendly was who brought this on us." 

"And now he risking his life to get us all out of here!" Andrea snapped. 

"Fuck fuck! I knew it was a stupid idea joining to this group. When it was just the three of us, we were just fine. No need these stupid raids, just hunt something, drink a beer, and life was as nice as it can be in the fucking apocalypse."

"Calm down, doll. Come 'er."  Without hesitation, she sat down next to Merle and buried her face in his shoulder. She doesn't wanted to die here. Nobody said a word. Amelia was always a little odd, had her temper, and don't really get along with the other women. She had a younger brother, and two older, her mother died when her little brother borned. Her dad was in the military too, but they went on a hunting trip every summer. It was their family vacation. So yeah, she learned how to handle mans. That's why she liked the Dixon brothers. Her dad died not much after the break, just like his little brother. Her older siblings were together, but she don't have a clue if they were alive, or dead. She was alone, except for the Dixon brothers. Merle was an asshole, but her asshole, damn it.

After a few minutes rain started falling. This was not a good thing for the Sheriff and Glenn down below.

"Oh man." Morales said, feeling just as worried as everyone else. The thunder got louder. "It's just a cloud burst, we get them all the time. It'll pass real quick."

"How fast is real quick? They don't have time, the smell will wash off." Jacqui said wirriedly.

The group watched as the two just managed to make it over the gate to the truck. 

"They're leaving us!" Andrea panicked.

"What? What the fuck?" Merle asked, and Amelia stood up.

"No, no, come back." Andrea begged. Another few minutes passed until Glenn's voice finally appeared on the radio. 

"Those roll-up doors at the front of the store facing the street, meet us there and be ready." Glenn ordered. And just like that, everyone gathered their stuff in a hurry and began running for the staircase.

"Come on! Let's go, let's go!" Morales shouted. 

"Hey, you can't leave me here!" Merle shouted. "I'm not fooling man! Morales! Hey, man! Don't do this!""

"C'mon, you guys can't leave him here like this!" Amelia shouted, her voice just as panicked as Merle's.

"Hey, that's my gun, Morales! You can't leave me!" Merle continued as the group left down the staircase one by one. T-Dog freeze near the door, not sure of what to do.

"Don't leave me here, you guys!" Merle cried. Andrea called for Morales to hurry. 

"We gotta go." Morales said to T-Dog and Amelia, leaving them on the roof.

"Morales! You can't leave me like this man!" Merle shouted.

"Hey, T-Dog. No man. You can't leave me man!" Merle pleaded to T-Dog. "You can't leave me here, not like this. You can't man, it's not human! Come on, don't do this!" Merle begged.

"T, come on! Give me the damn key!" Amelia now was really panicked. 

T-Dog groaned and began running over to them with key in his hand and knocking a tool box over in the process. As he ran over, he tripped and the key flew from T-Dog's hand. The key bounced a few times on a rim, then fell down a drain.

"You son of a bitch!" Merle shouted at T-Dog. "You did that on purpose!

"Fuck! How can you drop the damn key?!" Amelia was frantic, while T-Dog shouted back.

"It was an accident!" He picked himself up and ran to the door as Merle continued to shout at him that he was going to rot in hell. He looked back at the brunette. "Amelia, come on, or they leaving us here!"

"What? I don't leave Merle behind!"

"We don't have time for this!" T-Dog turned his back, but before sprinting down the stairs, he decided to chain the door shut with a padlock, so the two wouldn't be attacked by the incoming herd of dead. He ran down the steps, desperately screaming for the group not to leave him, the same thing Merle was continuing to scream at the rooftop above, while he heard Amelia shouting coward over and over again.

Amelia just stood there, too stunned to even move. They left the two of them behind. 

"Am, don't leave me here you too!" She looked at Merle, and then fell to her knees next to him, hugging him tightly. 

"I won't leave ya, asshole." She tried joking, but it soon turned into a ragged sob. She felt Merle's fingers in her hair as he clumsily tried to comfort her, but that was never the older Dixon strong suit. At the sudden growl, both of them jerked their heads toward the door. A few dead tried to get past, but the space through the chained door was too small.

She wiped her eyes and face with the back of her hand, then looked at Merle.

"What are we going to do? Maybe they come back, or Daryl..." She shook her head. It was pointless.

"Daryl maybe, but they can simple tell him that we died. Fucking cunts!"

"Yeah. I know ya not a saint, but Oficcer Frienldy started all that shooting on the street, not you. And you were high, so... fine, they can take your gun, or kick your ass, but handcuffing you to a fucking pipe in a fucking roof while we all tried escape here?" 

"Ya don't hate me? It's my fault you trapped here too."

"Nah. But why you always has to be so damn racist? Whatever. Let's see that stupid handcuff." Merle watched as Amelia looked at the handcuffs. The girl could have easily left him behind and he can't even blamed her for it. He never understood why Amelia give a shit about him. He understood Daryl, they were the same blood, but the girl? But he was glad she was here with him. He scoffed inwardly, ya gettin' soft, Dixon.

"We can try to break your thumb and maybe then you win enough space to free your hand." 

Merle sighed and scrubbed his face. 

"Fuck, ya can do it?"

"Yeah." 

Merle just nodded, closed his eyes, then the next moment he heard his finger break. He then tried to pull his hand through the handcuffs, but nothing. It was too tight. He grunted and leaned against the pipe. 

"Son of a bitch!" Merle cursed, and Amelia just knelt beside him, looking as disappointed as Merle.

"Ya think we can rest a little? We trapped here anyway, and we both slept very little the other night."

"Fine." At his reply, Amelia leaned against Merle's shoulder and closed her eyes. She woke up to Merle tugging on the handcuffs, his eyes were desperate, and his wrist bloody from the constant tugging. She looked through her backpack, and take out a bottle of water. It was not much, but...

"We need to drink, the weather is getting more heated." She dranked, then held the bottle out to Merle. He dranked too, then yanked the handcuff again.

"What about that toolbox? It belongs to that guy in the hat, Dale." Amelia's eyes widened at Merle's suggestion.

"You are a genius, Dixon, I could kiss ya."

" 'm not holding ya back." Merle smirked, and Amelia smacked him in the chest. She looked around, and found the toolbox. The hacksaw was already dull, but it's worth a try. They tried cutting through the cuffs several times, but nothing, it didn't working. 

"I try it on the pipe." She tried her hardest, but the damn blade was too dull. She let out an angry scream.

"Jesus, please!" Merle cried. "I know I didn't behave. I know I'm being punished. I know... I deserve it. I deserve it. I've been bad! Show me the way, help me. Tell me, tell me, please. God!"

Amelia just watched how Merle become more and more panicked. She never heard him beg. Never heard him this desperate. 

"Fuck it, I never begged to ya, ain't getting now." He looked at Amelia. "Can you help wrap my belt around my arm, doll?"

"What are ya wanna do, Merle?" Of course she knew what he wanted to do, she just didn't wanted to believe it. "Merle..."

"I knew! I don't wanna lose my fucking hand, but I don't wanna die here either. Ya are in danger too while you stay here with me."

"Oh god, damn it!" She angrily wiped her tears away, and started unbuckling Merle's belt. He started laughing weakly. 

"Ya know, in another situation, it would be sexy."

"Asshole, but you're right." Amelia then glanced at Merle's hand, and laced their fingers together. His hand was big, and rough compared to hers, but it was warm. 

"What are ya doing, doll?"

"Nothing, it's silly... I just wanted you to feel something nice last time with your hand." He laughed, but let Amelia play with his fingers a little longer. It was really nice, her touch. Fuck. A few moments later she warped his belt around his wrist and pulled it tightly. His other hand was shaking, when he grabbed the hacksaw and held it above his wrist. He sobbed, and was ashamed because not even his own brother had seen him this vulnerable, but Amelia saw. Suddenly he felt her hand on his, and his eyes met hers. 

"Together?" He just nodded, then Amelia counted to three and then felt only pain. Merle cried from the pain, and Amelia sobbed too because the pain he was going through, she couldn't even imagine. The smell of blood riled up the deads at the door even more. Then it was over, and she just watched his hand on the floor, but she soon pulled herself together seeing how pale Merle turned. She wanted to grab the belt, but Merle grabbed it and hold onto the tourniquet. 

They needed to move quickly. There was a door on the opposite side of the roof, which led them into a kitchen. Amelia thinked fast, and pulled Merle next to a gas stove. The stove still worked, and they burned the stump so they can cauterize it. The smell was awful. 

They soon went further, but Amelia went ahead and use her knife on two dead, and Merle killed the other two. Even in this state, they were a good team. 

They broke a window and climbed down the fire escape. They risked the streets, at least in the open they had more chance of getting out of the city. They found an abandoned house not too far from the city, where they could stay for the night.

Amelia searched the whole damn house, but found nothing. No food, no medication. She looked at Merle. He was still very pale, and his forehead beaded with sweat. He leaned against a wall, but his eyes were open. She knelt beside him, and took out from her bag a spare top, then gently began to wrap it around his hand. Merle flinched, but gave no other sign of his pain.

"We need meds, or it will become infected."

"Tomorrow." She nodded in agreement, then watched Merle's little smirk. "We alive, but fuck those cunts, I can't even ride my bike like this."

"You're impossible, Merle Dixon." They both layed down next to each other, and the exhaustion soon take over Merle, so Amelia remained awake, and just watched the sleeping man in front of her, and a strangely pleasant feeling took over her. She stroked his face gently and hoped they found some medication tomorrow. She didn't wanted to lose this loud-mouthed asshole.