So, while I was writing this I had no idea that it would be the last chapter. But here it is, the last chapter :(.

I hope you all enjoy and thank you for going on this journey with me.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Merle looked a little uneasy as he paused and looked down at Daryl, who was waiting for his brother to speak. To tell him the reason why he hadn't wanted Daryl to know that he was still alive. "Looks like you've flourished here, Daryl," he started, unwilling to spill his secret yet. "You got yourself a pretty lady and a nice comfy bed." With a smile, he patted the mattress behind him. However, Daryl did not return the smile.

"Don't change the damn subject, Merle," he almost growled. "I deserve to know."

And he did. Daryl deserved more than what Merle could offer him. It was one of the reasons why he had faked his own death. "Fuck, I know you do." He looked up at the darkening sky and closed his eyes for a moment, gathering his thoughts.

"Martinez was in on it," he finally said. "In fact, without him, my ass would probably be dead for real. When I got shot, he was the first one to get to me. Thought he was going to finish the job, but didn't.

"He told me to close my eyes and no sooner than I did, I heard Blake's voice. 'He dead?' he had asked and Martinez said yes and Blake was happy about it. Should have known the bastard would turn on me."

"I did warn you that he was up to no good," Daryl pointed out. He didn't do it smugly, which Merle was grateful for.

"Well, Blake went on to chase after you all, Martinez stayed behind. Telling me that Blake would want me to turn, so I needed to get out of there. Despite having a fuckin' bullet in my shoulder, I got up and got out of there. But before I went, I told him that if he ever ran into you or the group you were running with, to not say anything about me being alive."

"Why?" Daryl demanded.

"Because I saw how you were with that woman. For that brief moment, you looked happy and you didn't need a prick like me to drag you down. Like I've done all my life."

"I ain't goin' to disagree about the prick part, but you're my brother. I'd never want you dead or just gone," his voice grew soft. "I love Carol, more than I ever thought I could and I love you too, Merle. I'm glad you're back. Just don't go and mess shit up, because if you get kicked out, I ain't comin' with. I got too much here to lose."

This time when Merle spoke, it was devoid of his usual snark and was replaced with sincerity (something rarely heard in it). "I'll try." And he really would. For Daryl.

When Daryl and Merle walked into the common room, dinner was almost ready and thankfully, Rick had gotten to Glenn and Maggie before they saw Merle. However, when Glenn looked at Merle, he didn't seem as angry as Daryl thought he would be. The young man approached them, Maggie not far behind. She was the one that was glaring.

"Merle," Glenn said, face unreadable. "Thanks for the knife." And that was it. The young man turned on his heel and walked away, leaving behind two confused Dixons.

"Um..." Daryl started and looked at his brother for answers.

"Blake had me question him and then, wanted him dead. So I may have set a walker on him while he was tied up, but left him a knife so he could defend himself." Merle shrugged and acted as if that wasn't something he would normally do.

Daryl felt his chest swell a little in pride for his older brother. He could have easily set the walker loose and walked away without giving Glenn any type of protection. But he hadn't. It meant that Merle had cared and if he cared, that meant that maybe he would actually try to play nice while at the prison.

"Come on," Merle said when Daryl opened his mouth. "Let's grab somethin' to eat and afterwards, you can show me where I'll be callin' home. Never thought I would live in a fuckin' prison," he muttered. "Spent all my life tryin' to get the hell away from them."

Carol passed them two plates when they approached. She gave Daryl a smile, but pinned Merle with a look that had Daryl questioning, not for the first time, what they had been talking about earlier before he walked up to them. "I'll save you a seat," Daryl said to Carol and squeezed her hand before following Merle to a table away from everyone.

Daryl was glad that things had gone much smoother than he had thought. Maggie still glared at Merle, but since he had saved Glenn's life, or helped save his life, she wouldn't say anything. She was still angry that Merle had been the one to bring them to the Governor in the first place and Daryl understood that completely.

"You know, I was lookin' for you out there," Daryl spoke when they were settled in their seats.

"Huh?"

"Milton came up to me today and said that you were still out there. As a walker. Martinez told him."

"Son of a bitch," Merle swore. "Martinez promised not to say anythin'...don't suppose I blame him, though. Suppose I should thank him, too." Merle looked up and grinned. "How surprised do you think Milton will be when he sees I'm still alive and kickin'?"

"He'd probably faint." Daryl chuckled, picturing it vividly in his head.

"That'll make it even more worth tellin' him." Merle joined in laughing with Daryl. This was what he missed having with his older brother. Something to laugh good-naturedly about. It hadn't been like that in years and Daryl knew that things weren't going to change overnight for them, but he started to have hope.

That night, Carol and Daryl laid pressed together in their small bunk. Though, Daryl wished they had been able to set up their bed in their new home, he didn't mind that Carol had to sleep so close to him.

"You okay?" Carol's sleepy voice broke the silence of the night.

Daryl had been lying awake for hours, staring at the bottom of the bunk. "Yeah. I'm good." He turned his head and kissed her forehead.

"We didn't get a chance to talk about Merle after dinner. Do you want to now?" After the dinner dishes were cleared away, Carol had gone to hold Judith for a little bit before putting her to bed and Daryl had gone with Merle to show him where he would be sleeping. Then, Rick had asked to speak with Merle alone and Daryl had let him. When the two men returned, they looked perfectly normal and Daryl was proud that his brother hadn't seemed to pick a fight with their leader.

Once Carol and Daryl had met at Carol's cell, they had both been exhausted and practically fell in a heap on the bed. Daryl had slept for a few hours before waking up for an unknown reason. "Everythin' is...good between us." He smiled in the dark, glad to say the words aloud. "We still have a few things to work out, but I'm just glad he's back."

Carol wrapped an arm around his waist. "I'm glad he's back, too, then. For you. And I'm sure he'll be a valuable asset to the group."

"I think he will, too. Just as long as he doesn't start shit and stays clear of Michonne. I saw the way he was starin' at her during dinner. She'll chop his balls off with that sword of hers if he gets too close." Carol giggled into his neck.

"True," she agreed.

Daryl rolled over and gathered Carol in his arms. "Hmm, let's stop talkin' about my brother and get some sleep. The first thing we're goin' to do tomorrow, after breakfast, is set up that bed."

"I'm totally down for that."

"So, wait. All this time, you were making yourselves a little house up there?" Glenn caught Carol and Daryl on their way back to the rest of the prison when it was time for lunch and since everything was now set up, Daryl decided he would tell the young man what they had been up to.

"Yep," he answered.

"I'm surprised no one figured it out." Carol smiled. Rick, seeing the shocked look on Glenn's face walked over, deciding to see what was going on.

"We just thought you were going to the tower just to...do it."

Carol and Daryl's face flamed. "Nope. We decided we wanted a space away from everyone and the tower was the perfect place."

Glenn turned to Rick and opened his mouth. "Can M-?"

"Nope. We need that tower for watch and already, no one appreciates that you and Maggie go up there to be alone." This time it was Glenn's face went red. "I'm sorry, Glenn, but Carol and Daryl beat you and Maggie to it."

"Hmph. Fine. We'll take the Warden's office." He turned and stomped off.

"Have fun getting the blood out of everything," Rick called after him, chuckling. Daryl wasn't the only one who liked to mess with the younger man. When Glenn disappeared from their view, Rick turned to them.

"While you two were gone, Andrea decided that she would be staying at Woodbury."

Carol smiled. "With Milton, right?"

"Well, she didn't say that exactly..." Rick mirrored her grin. "Anyways, since Milton has taken over, we will be diplomatic with Woodbury. Though we don't have much to offer them at the moment, but he has agreed to set up a trade with us. He even offered all of us a place there...but I told him no."

"We fought hard for this place and we lost people we loved," Carol said, understanding Rick's decision.

"Right." Rick got a far off and sad look on his face, remembering his late wife. "Anyways, lunch is ready and you two are free for the rest of the day. So if you would like to..."

Carol blushed a bright red, but Daryl grinned at the other man and wrapped an arm around Carol's shoulders. "Oh, we intend to."

At dusk, Carol and Daryl emerged from their tower. Large smiles plastered their faces and though they had spent most of the day making love, they could not take their hands off one another.

"I love you so much, Daryl Dixon." Carol kissed him hard and buried her hands in his already messy hair.

"Enough to become one. A Dixon, I mean?"

Carol took a step back, surprised. "Are you asking me to marry you?"

"Um," he gulped. "Yes. So, uh, will you?"

"Yes!" She threw herself in his arms and kissed him passionately.

At the start of the apocalypse, Daryl had thought it would just be him and Merle until the end. Then, he had seen Carol and her daughter at the quarry and everything changed. Now, he had his brother, a secure place to live, people he considered family and the woman he loved.

Daryl Dixon couldn't be happier

To my husband,

Of all my letters you have read, this is the only one addressed to you and it is the only one not meant to put on a grave. Thank God.

As I'm writing this, you're lying naked in our bed with the sheets bunched around your hips. Do you know how beautiful you look while you sleep?

I'm still in awe that a man like you, a wonderful man, would fall in love with me. This past month (God, has it only been such a short time? I feel as if I have known you forever, Daryl), has put me through a whirlwind of emotions. Fear over being lost in the tombs, grief over losing my best friend, hope at looking into Judith's small face, surprise at meeting you in Woodbury and knowing who I was, happiness at being reunited with my family and love at getting to know you better.

I would not change any of that for the world. The only thing that I would change is to have my daughter here with us. You would have loved her, Daryl and she would have loved you.

You're stirring, which means soon you'll find out I'm not in bed with you and you'll wake. The purpose of writing you was just to let you know how much I love you and how glad I am that we met. I am so proud to call myself Carol Dixon now.

Love,

Your wife.

I just want to say a big thank you for all of those who took the time to read this story. I really appreciate it. I am so sad to not be writing for this anymore since it has been part of my life for almost a year now, but it was time it came to an end and I hope it was satisfying for you all! :)