Chapter Seventy

Rick sent Glenn up to the prison to assure everyone else the small battle was over, knowing the man would want to see Maggie was well with his own eyes instead of taking his word for it. Jamie tried to console his team over Cameron's loss, sending Miles and Rory off to dig a grave in their small cemetery while Tessa and Brian began working on the mounting walker population at the fence. It was with a heavy heart he trudged up to cellblock C to relay the news to Kayla. Without a doubt, she would be devastated.

Daryl laid a hand on Carl's shoulder, hauling him back as he made a move towards the gate. "Where th' hell y' think you're goin'? Don'tcha think y' need t' get your ass up t' th' block t' check on your mom? She's gonna be half crazy wonderin' if you're ok."

"But I thought I could help at the fence. I –"

"In other words," Sophia chuckled, "he's afraid to face her."

The hunter's eyes narrowed on his daughter. "Yeah, I can't imagine she's gonna be too happy with you either, baby girl."

"We'll all go up and see her together," Rick said, moving to the gate to open it for Merle.

He moved past Rick, his eyes searching out his brother and niece. Sophia launched herself at Merle, wrapping her arms around his neck and her long spindly legs around his torso. "Uncle Merle! Are you ok?" she wailed into his shoulder.

"Peach … hey, it's ok, don't cry." He shot a pleading look at Daryl as she continued to cry. "We gotta get back, lil' brother … take his body back an' bring this shit to an end. Marty … I gotta –" He paused, pressing a hand to the center of his chest, moving Sophia onto his hip. If he didn't know better, he'd swear he was having a heart attack.

Sophia cried out as he dropped her and fell to his hands and knees, struggling to breathe. Rick looked panicked and turned to call for someone to fetch Hershel, but Daryl laid a hand on his arm and shook his head, recognizing the signs.

"Fuckin' breathe, Merle," he barked gruffly, rubbing his brother's back with a gentle hand. "You're havin' a panic attack, s'all. C'mon, deep breath. Can't have y' fallin' apart when we still need t' go get our girls."

Merle let Daryl roll him onto his side, still fighting to get enough air, cursing inwardly. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd had an anxiety attack. It was all too much, being outed, held captive, threatened, Marty being in danger, his brother and Carol there and no way to help them, the attack on the prison …

"Th' fucker thought Peach was his daughter," he rasped, staring up into Daryl's worried countenance. "He ain't never mentioned havin' a kid. Y' think she might be there at Woodbury locked up or somethin' t' keep her safe?"

Sophia rubbed her small hand over his breastbone as she'd seen her mother do for Daryl on a few occasions. "Carl, grab a bottle of water from my pack," she ordered the boy at her side. She was beginning to freak out a little, never having seen her uncle lose it like this.

"Fuckin' help me up, for crap's sake! I can't afford a siesta w-when Marty's in trouble," he panted, the pain in his chest beginning to subside.

Carl winced as he handed the bottle to Sophia, nodding off towards the tree line where Blake still lay by the jeep. "Eww," he murmured, wrinkling his nose. "We just gonna let them eat him?"

"Shit!" Daryl rose to his feet and trotted towards the gate, taking Sophia's bow and quiver with him. "Th' bastard has t' be recognizable for Merle's plan t' work. Can't have th' geeks gnawin' off his face." Rick tagged along to help, using his machete to cleave his way through the walkers gathered around the governor's body.

Sophia dragged her eyes away from her father and Rick, the blood chilling in her veins as she stared out at the road where a single Humvee with a machine gun mounted to the roof barreled towards the prison. "Hey, we got incoming!"

Merle rolled to his feet and herded the kids towards the overturned bus, grabbing the rifle Glenn had left for them before he'd gone back up to the block. He climbed up a bit on the undercarriage, enough to see clearly and take aim. Rick and Daryl had tossed Blake's body in the back of the jeep, and were taking cover behind the vehicle, the deputy lining up a shot, ready to fire if the occupants of the jeep posed a threat.

Carl tried to climb up next to him, drawing his handgun, but Merle squashed a hand atop his head and pushed him back down. All he needed was for Peach's little friend to have his head blown off. The Humvee rolled to a stop about ten yards from the gate. He didn't recognize the person standing in the back … until the helmet was removed, and he came face to face with a grinning Dixon.

"Mama!" Sophia cried happily from where she peeked around the corner of the bus for a better look.

Daryl took off at a run, racing to get to his wife. He gently lifted her from the back of the vehicle and enveloped her in his arms, burying his face against her throat to breathe her in. He could hardly believe she was there. His heart thundered, a choked sob wrenching from his throat to have her safely back in his arms. "C-Can't breathe, baby … " she gasped. He loosened his grip minutely, allowing her to suck in a deep breath as he leaned back to take her in.

"Y' ok? Did they hurt y'?" he asked, pushing her leather jacket off her shoulders to inspect her for injuries.

Carol grinned indulgently, used to his scrutiny. His hands slipped over her neck and shoulders before diving beneath her shirt to feel along her sides and back. "No, but … Daryl, you're bleeding. What happened?"

"Jus' a flesh wound. I'm ok. I'll let y' check it out soon," he promised.

Sophia barreled into her mother's side, her arms winding around her waist. "Mama! Mama, I was so worried. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, sweetheart." Carol assured her as Daryl wrapped an arm around both his girls and held them close. He doubted he'd be able to let them go for quite some time after the events of the past twenty-four hours. She winked at her husband, freeing herself from his embrace to reach into the back of the Humvee to retrieve his crossbow. "Thought you might be wanting this back."

Daryl took it from him, checking it over for damage before slinging it over his shoulder. He pulled Carol back into his side and dropped a kiss to her temple. "Happier t' have you back, woman."

Marty eased herself out of the driver's seat as Merle came charging towards them, but he barely shot a quick glance her way in his quest to get to Martinez. The Latino had already exited the vehicle and was trying to keep it between himself and his enraged friend.

He held up one hand, the other gripping the tailgate of the Humvee. "Hermano, I can explain! It's not what you think!"

"Y' fuckin' traitor!" Merle roared, his fist flying towards Caesar's mouth. "That's m' fuckin' fam'ly y' put in danger, y' bastard. I trusted y'!"

Marty ran up behind him and wrapped her arms around his barrel-like chest, molding herself to his back. "Merle! Merle, stop!"

He gnashed his teeth and closed his eyes against the red haze of rage coloring his vision. He didn't dare move with her so close. He wouldn't take a chance of her getting caught in a brawl and bring harm to his unborn child or his woman. "An' jus' why th' hell shouldn't I beat him t' death?! Give me one good reason."

She took a chance, releasing him to move around to face him, her small hand splaying over his cheek. "Because he didn't betray us. He saved us."

Martinez rubbed his aching mouth, careful of his split lip. "It's true. I figured I'd be more use to your lady if Blake thought he could trust me. Soon as the trucks left, I got the girls out and met up with our crew. The rest of the governor's men should be neutralized by now."

"An' we came straight here t' help … though it don't look as if y' need it," she snarked as she took a look around. Her jade eyes glittered as her expression waxed serious. "Is he dead? Are we free, Merle?"

"Yeah, Sugar, we are," he breathed, pulling her against his chest.

"Are y' … uhm … very angry with me? About not tellin' y' about th' baby?" she asked worriedly.

Merle hid his grin in her hair. "Oh, yeah … totally pissed." He tilted her chin up and dropped a sweet kiss to her lips. "Y' shouldn't've hid somethin' like that from me, woman. I shouldn't've had t' hear it from th' likes of that bastard."

"I'm sorry. I was tryin' t' protect y'. What would y' have done if I'da told y' when I found out?" she said, her brow arching, practically daring him to lie to her. He winced. "That's right … y' would've packed us up an' run. Then we'd've been fugitives an' th' governor wouldn't've rested 'til we were both dead."

"Oh, for fuck's sake, shut up, woman!" He leaned forward, pressing her back against the side of the Humvee as he ravaged her lips in a searing kiss. His hand came to rest over her flat belly where his child rested, a sense of relief washing through him to know his little family was safe.

*.*.*

"She did what?!" Carol screeched, whirling around to send a shocked look at her daughter. They were walking back to the block, Daryl filling her in on what she'd missed while she'd been making her way from Woodbury. Sophia – sensing her mother's wrath – quickly ducked behind her uncle and slipped her hand into Merle's. "Why would she deviate from the plan?! It was put in place for their safety."

"Mama … " the girl began tentatively. "In my defense, I was already outside when it all started. There were so many bullets flying around, it's not like I could do anything but duck and cover. And besides, we had Rick with us." As if that was reassuring to Carol's maternal instinct to protect her child. In her opinion, no one could protect their daughter as well as she or Daryl could.

Daryl's eyes narrowed as he heard the subtle tone of smugness in his daughter's voice. "An' I s'pose he told you an' Carl t' make that mad run across th' field, huh? Funny, but I didn't see him runnin' there with y', baby girl."

Rick groaned. "Oh, you are so not dragging me into this. I'm going to have to deal with enough shit from my own wife." He knew from Lori's vantage point on the roof, she couldn't have missed it. Glancing down at his son, he smirked. "You're grounded, too, by the way."

"Aw, c'mon! We distracted the governor long enough for Daryl and Merle to get free. Doesn't that cancel out whatever Soph and I did to deserve a grounding?" Carl protested.

"No. It. Does. NOT!" his mother gritted out through clenched teeth as she met them at the door leading into the common room, a muscle ticking in her jaw and her dark eyes flashing with a mixture of barely concealed rage and fear. The look she sent Rick's way could have melted titanium as she ushered both him and Carl towards the cells.

Merle chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Sorry t' interrupt what I'm sure woulda been a fine reamin' there, Twiggy, but now's not th' time. We got shit t' discuss, which takes precedence over yer tantrum. Need yer husband in one piece if'n y' don't mind."

Rick slipped away from his wife and son and beat a hasty retreat in Merle's direction, shooting him a look of gratitude. Daryl hurried into the kitchen in search of something to eat, leaving the others to begin whatever arguments which were sure to arise. Alexandra had started some kind of soup that morning which was bubbling away on their makeshift stove, and the aroma of fresh herbs scented the air, making the hunter realize how long it had been since either he or his wife had eaten.

Carol moved at his side, reaching for four bowls to fill, her gaze flickering to the corner table where Jamie sat with a few of his people. She frowned when she saw the tears on Kayla's face, the girl's head resting on the sergeant's shoulder.

Rick intercepted her gaze where he stood on the other side of the island. "Cameron was in the guard tower when the attack began. He was overpowered by one of the governor's men," he said somberly. "He didn't make it."

"No," she gasped. She hadn't known the Marine well, but he had still been part of their extended family, and Carol's heart went out to the girl.

Daryl pushed a bowl of soup into her hands, pointing her towards the table where Marty and Merle sat. "G'on. Y' need t' eat. There'll be time for grievin' later." She did as he asked and took his own bowl while he filled two more for his brother and Marty.

Mostly everyone had filed into the common room – aside from Miles and Rory who were digging a grave – even Lori and Carl, the boy looking sullen and more than a little irritated. They were quiet, Kayla's soft sobs and the clinking of spoons against the ceramic dishware the only sounds.

Finally, Merle pushed his bowl away and rose to his feet to face Rick. "Well, Officer Friendly, I'm real sorry about yer new place getting' shot up an' all, but ... Woodbury's ours now."

Daryl scowled at his brother. Merle never had been one to beat around the bush. "Fuck's sake, Merle. Give 'em time t' process what jus' went down," he growled lowly.

The eldest Dixon shook his head. "Now see, that's somethin' we can't afford t' do." He began to make his way through the tables, looking at each and every member of the group. "I've been livin' in that town for quite a while now. Y' think it was jus' th' governor an' his sycophants? Well, it wasn't. There's fam'lies there … ol' folk … kids … people who ain't strong enough t' survive outside th' safety of th' walls. They're gonna need a new leader."

Rick planted his hands on his hips, his head tilting ever so slightly to the right. "And that's you? You're looking to be the new leader of this town?" He wasn't so sure Merle Dixon was the right man for the job, despite the hard feelings which had been buried between them.

"Me?" Merle snorted. "Oh, hell no! I ain't no leader … least not by myself. No, I rather like th' setup y' got goin' in this group. Y' might be the official head guy, but y' smart about it, got a council, structure. It's what a community needs to grow strong. An' with a little sweet talk, I think I can get y' in."

Daryl scrubbed his hands over his face to hide his smirk. He knew his brother had a silver tongue when it came to getting what he wanted, and this time would be no different. But if he was being honest about wanting to be part of the council, he'd back him. Merle had changed since the quarry, since Carol and Sophia's – and now Marty's – influence in his life.

The sergeant rose to his feet, Alexandra taking his place to comfort Kayla. "What about the prison? We're just going to abandon it? Our blood was spilled here, not to mention the hard work we've all put in just to make it into a home. It don't exactly feel right to me."

Merle nodded. Jamie's reasoning was sound, and it was some which Merle shared. He didn't want to give up Woodbury because of the efforts he'd put in there.

Rick perched a hip against the island and leveled the sergeant with a calculating stare. "What did you have in mind?"

"Now, don't get me wrong," Jamie began. "Every one of us is grateful for y'all allowing us to be part of this group. We're a family now. Tori believed in that so strongly, but I feel we need to do more. I think there are still people – good people – out there who need the same chance you gave us." There were some cautious nods from several of the assembled. "I would like for some of us to remain here at the prison, fortify it as we'd planned and take in survivors. I want this to be a community eventually, much like what Woodbury has become."

"I, for one, think that's a wonderful idea," Carol interjected. "Once both communities are up and running, there will be endless possibilities for trade between us."

Rick smiled. "Alright, let's have a show of hands. All those in favor?" It was unanimous. "Jamie, we'll need a list from you on who wishes to stay."

Merle moved to stand behind Marty, resting his hands on her shoulders and kneading gently. "Peachy. Now we need t' get th' governor's body back t' Woodbury so I can make a speech." He glanced over at Rick. "Jus' try not t' say nothin' t' get us shot, sheriff. I really don't wanna have all this blow up in our face now that we've come so far."

*.*.*

Tara sat on the wall, chewing on one of her coveted Twizzler's, one leg dangling, kicking the empty air in nervous agitation. Woodbury was quiet. The governor's group of trusted men had been dwindling over the months, only a dozen or so remaining, and it amazed her how easy it had been to strike them down. She shot an admiring glance towards Abraham where he paced the length of the wall. It had taken him no time to organize them all to effectively rid the town of the threat.

She shivered, remembering the search following what could only be termed as a slaughter. The men and two women hadn't been expecting their allegiance to the governor to be repaid them with their deaths, but they couldn't allow people like them – inhumane by no stretch of the imagination – to corrupt what they were trying to build. In the wee hours of the morning, their enemies dead, they'd emptied the cages of walkers in the far secluded northern corner of the town, putting them down and hauling the corpses off to later be burned. The arena – the governor's theater – had been swept to make sure there were no further dangers. The dungeon had been cleared as well, the cache of weapons secured for future use. She was sure Dixon would want an inventory upon his return.

Tara had seen more than her share of horrors when she'd been recruited. Well, not so much recruited as saved. Her father, sister and niece had already met their end when Abraham, Eugene and Rosita had come upon her, inches away from being bitten. It had felt only right to join their cause and then later Merle's. It wasn't as if she had anything to lose then, but she couldn't see herself lying down to die. Her survival instinct was just too strong. Yet, what she and Ty and Sasha had found when they'd searched the governor's private quarters would plague her with nightmares for years to come.

Sasha had opened the cage in the wall as Tyreese stared horrified at the numerous trophies floating in the fish tanks lining the walls. Tara had thought he'd imprisoned the little girl, a bag over her head and a straight-jacket holding her arms captive. That alone was scarring enough. She'd actually screamed when Sasha had yanked the sack from the girl's head to reveal a walker, but her friend hadn't hesitated to put a bullet through its head. It was then the speculation had begun, the who, what and why. They'd all known Blake was a twisted bastard, but to hold a child – walker or not – in a cage … it just proved how positively sick the man truly was. Furthering their search through the apartment, Tyreese had found an old photo of the governor with his wife and daughter, and comparing it to the walker they'd found, they could only assume the little girl had been his child.

Now, as she sat on the wall, her finger never far from the trigger on her AK, she still couldn't relax. Woodbury was under their control – not that the townspeople had been informed yet – but she wouldn't rest until Merle and Marty returned. Her ears perked up at the sound of a vehicle … two in fact, and she whistled towards the other end of the wall, gaining Abraham's attention.

"Incoming! Two vehicles … sounds like ours." She jerked her chin in the direction of the road. "Think it's them?"

Abe draped an arm over her shoulder and spit over the side of the wall. "Sounds like. But I ain't playin' around this time, darlin'. Ol' Gov comes back without our commander, I'm takin' him out myself."

*.*.*

Merle relaxed back in the passenger seat as Marty drove the Humvee in the direction of Woodbury, Sophia nestled between them on the bench seat, her head against her uncle's shoulder. Daryl had opted to ride in the back with access to the gun on the roof while Carol occupied the back seat. Martinez drove the jeep behind them, Rick, Lori and Carl filling up the empty spaces beside him. It had been decided only they would travel back to the town to carry out the final stages of Dixon's brainchild, the rest of the group remaining behind at the prison.

Tara saluted him cheekily when she realized it was him and Marty in the Humvee, and Abe called down to more of their crew to open the gates wide to allow the vehicles inside. Tyreese and Sasha took over watch, so Abe could give his report the moment the Dixon's jumped down from the vehicle.

"It done?" Merle asked, pulling Marty close to his side as she rounded the hood of the Humvee. He could sense the rest of his family crowding behind him as he waited for news.

Tara interrupted, her hands waving energetically as she whisper-shouted at the newcomers. "Done? DONE?! Dude, you just don't know the hell we went through after you left!" she cut across Abe before he could open his mouth. "That sicko had this weird ass trophy room … heads in a fish tank … walker kid – we think it was his daughter – locked in this cage built into the wall … oh, my god, I'm still freaking out about it, and –"

Rosita nudged her hard in the side. "Damn, girl, chill. Get over it."

"Calm yer tits, Sugar. Ain't nothin' that fucker had hidden should surprise y' none."

Marty looked alarmed. "Seriously?"

"No need to worry, darlin'," Abe assured her. "We took care of it before the sun came up. Just been waiting to see if y'all were going to make it back in one piece before we came lookin'." He shot a look at Merle. "We cleaned up the governor's mess as best as possible to make the transition of power run smoothly. I'm trustin' y'all brought him back with you?"

Merle smirked. "Yeah, we got him," he confirmed. "Rosie, Tara, grab Bob an' spread th' word to have everyone meet in the arena. Go with 'em, Paco!" he shot back to Martinez.

"You sure y'all ready for this, Dixon?" Abraham asked, pulling a cigar from a pocket of his jacket and lighting it.

"'Bout as ready as I'll ever be," he grumbled, his gaze swinging to the kids as they remained close to their parents, eyes wide, taking in everything. He knew Sophia – certainly – would have a million and one questions for him before the day was out.

Daryl clutched a hand around the strap of his crossbow, the other on his knife as he seemed to circle his wife and daughter. He didn't doubt Merle thought the town safe, but he still wasn't ready to relax his guard.

Marty slipped away from Merle and nudged Carol's shoulder with her own. "Hey, y' a'right? We might have time for a tour while we're waitin' on everybody to gather at the arena."

"It's just … well, it's bigger than I expected," Carol replied, her gaze scrutinizing the walls. They didn't go very far to alleviating her fears. "Are you sure the walls are sturdy? Have there been many breaches while you've been here?"

Marty waved Lori over to join them and herded them towards the arena, Merle urging Rick, Daryl and the kids to follow while they prepared the governor's body. "Governor wasn't all that big on fortifying our town or plantin' crops. His interest lay more towards weapons – the bigger the better – an' preferably in large quantities. The walls have held up rather well, but there's vast room for improvement." She pointed to several storefronts along the main street. "Communal kitchens are there, th' clinic, over there is the community center where we staff everyone for their jobs here in the town. The cells will be refitted for storage and whatnot … y' get th' drift, I'm sure."

Lori stared with wide-eyed disbelief. "It's almost as if the outbreak never happened here. Everyone I've seen so far seems so …"

"Happy?" Marty scoffed. "More like oblivious. Blake wanted t' keep 'em that way. The people y' see on th' street – most of 'em anyway – were here when the governor took over, hidin' in their homes. He saved them, won them over, promised he'd protect them. Others are people we've found out while on runs who have settled in. Regardless, they're gonna need us t' show 'em how t' protect themselves, their families an' the town."

Rick nodded. "No, they can't continue on with that frame of mind. I know we'd have probably died ten times over if Daryl hadn't trained us up a bit."

Marty grinned proudly. "Baby Dixon has always been th' type t' step up an' do what's right. It's why he's th' sweet one. Y'all don't know jus' how lucky y' are he ended up in your group."

Daryl smirked, ducking his head as his wife wrapped her fingers around his. A hint of pink tinged his cheeks as Marty caught his eye. He knew where he stood in the group, how they all cared for him, how they depended on him, but hearing Rick sing his praises would never sit well with him. He did what needed to be done for his Carol, both his girls. They drove him. Yes, the group felt like a great big dysfunctional family and he cared about each of them in his own way, but his girls were what kept him going.

Shifting their focus off of him, he jerked his head in the direction of a building on the corner. "What's over there? Housing?"

"Yep," she confirmed. Me an' Merle have th' only occupied penthouse at th' top. There are four. Figured your group would want t' be in th' same buildin' for a while. Your own spaces, but within shoutin' distance."

Carol shared a look with Lori and smiled. Merle hadn't been wrong. It was a place they could feel safe, a place they could fortify and build, a place where they could live. She was certain there would be ups and downs – as with any community - but the benefits far outweighed the risks. They could have a future.

*.*.*

Lori and Carol squished the kids between them as they took a seat on the bottom row of the bleachers, their husbands on either side of them. Carol recognized some of Merle's people, the ones she'd met at the spa where they'd found Tori and her group. They'd positioned themselves strategically around the arena, though they appeared aloof, friendly and casual to onlookers. Marty remained close, though she would step away from time to time to greet someone or answer questions.

She felt Daryl fidget next to her, gnawing on his thumbnail. It was all she could do to keep herself from reaching for his hand. Where the hell was Merle? Her husband tensed, instantly alert as a hush fell over the assembly, his gaze drawn towards the double doors which had been thrown open to allow in the light. Merle walked ahead, Martinez and Abraham following behind him, pushing a gurney they'd taken from the clinic.

The three of them stopped in the center of the cavernous room, Merle's expression somber. "Good afternoon. I need t' apologize for takin' y' all away from yer duties, but I'm afraid I'm th' bearer of bad news," he began. "A tragedy has struck us low."

"What do you mean, Mr. Dixon?"

"What's happened?!"

"Where's our governor?!"

Carol linked her fingers through Daryl's and wrapped an arm around Sophia's shoulders as Merle held up his hands to settle the crowd. Daryl was taut as a bow string, the raised voices behind him setting his teeth on edge.

Merle was the picture of calm as he waited, waving a hand over the shrouded body behind him once quiet reigned. "Our beloved leader was taken from us this morning." Cries of panic rose to the rafters, several more moments passing before he could continue. "Our scouts had reported a herd in th' area, an' he was determined t' find out if it was a threat t' our town. Fortunately, it was on an eastward heading well away from Woodbury."

A collective sigh of relief swept the crowd at danger averted, but the tension didn't abate much.

"While we were on our recon mission, th' governor insisted we check out th' immediate area. There were signs of survivors in th' area, an' our leader, our savior, has never been one t' turn his back if he could help someone. We found a group hunkered down at th' prison a few miles away, under attack, fighting off way more biters than they could handle themselves."

Daryl shot his brother a blank look and forced himself not to roll his eyes. What a crock, bro!

"It was m' brother's group, m' fam'ly. The governor has been helping me search for him since I joined on here at Woodbury. He wasn't goin' t' be responsible for me losin' 'em now that I'd found them. Our men, we jumped in t' help, beatin' off th' dead." Merle bowed his head and took a shuddering breath, hoping he wouldn't puke on the bile spewing from his mouth. "We didn't know until it was too late … our governor had fallen."

Marty did roll her eyes and stifle a groan.

"We cannot let his death be in vain! We must go on as he woulda wanted! Though our leader's gone, we are still here! It is up t' us t' see Woodbury don't fail."

"Who will lead us, Mr. Dixon?" someone near the top row shouted.

"Merle!"

"Dixon!"

"You've always been there for us, Merle!"

Merle held up his hands once more in a gesture for silence. "It's time for a change, m' friends. I don't think anyone could ever lead us with the same conviction an' strength as our governor did. We will, instead, choose a council, a governin' body to enforce our laws an' make our decisions. We will have democracy an' make Mr. Blake – god rest his soul – proud of th' legacy he left behind."

*.*.*

"You're so full o' shit, Merle," Daryl scoffed, shaking his head. For the last four hours, he'd stuck to his brother's side on the tour Merle had promised Rick. What should have taken no more than an hour and a half, had turned into four due to the amount of townsfolk seeking advice, reassurance or answers to simple everyday matters. He was tired, he had a blister on his heel, and by god, he wanted his wife. Marty had taken her, Lori and the kids to sort out accomodations, and though he wouldn't outright admit it anywhere within hearing distance of his brother, Daryl missed his woman. "These yahoos have t' be th' most gullible people on th' planet."

Rick chuckled, reaching for the door leading into the apartment building and holding it open for the brothers. "I dunno, Daryl, he was pretty slick the way he had them eating out of his hands."

Merle led the way to the stairs, jogging slightly as he preceded them to the fifth floor. "It don't matter what I had t' say t' them. In th' end, they believed it. I want this place for my people, will fight for it if I have t', but what's th' point of slaughtering a bunch of innocents if I don't have t'? They're good decent people … jus' need guidance s'all."

"What are you going to do about the council?" Rick asked, casting a glance Daryl's way across Merle who was sandwiched between them.

"Yeah … y'know you're gonna have t' appoint a few o' them so it won't look like an imbalance of power."

Merle yawned loudly and scrubbed a hand over his face as he paused at the end of the hall. Three out of four doors were open and the sounds of happy laughter filtered out to them. "Already got a few in mind, but we need t' save this discussion for tomorrow." He wrapped an arm around his brother's shoulders and propelled him towards his apartment. "Tonight, we're gonna rest easy, settle in an' enjoy th' first night in months we ain't gotta worry about Blake's reign of terror, walkers tryin' t' knock th' fence down or frostbite on yer balls."

Marty stuck her head out into the hall and arched a brow. "Who's got frostbite on their balls, Dixon? And why should it be of such concern to you? There somethin' I should know about?"

Merle wrapped his arms around her waist and hefted her off the floor, packing her back inside. "What's for dinner?" he asked, nuzzling her neck as he set her on her feet in the kitchen.

Lori and Carol sat at the bar on two high-backed stools and the brunette groaned, rubbing a hand over her baby bump. "Too bad we can't order pizza."

"Says who?" Marty grinned, rummaging in the cabinet and coming out with several boxes of pizza mix and canned pepperoni sauce.

Lori's mouth dropped open, and she could only pray she hadn't started drooling. "Oh, my god, you're my new best friend!" She shot an apologetic look at Carol. "Sorry, she has pizza."

Marty pilfered the cupboards for pans and handed them to Merle. "We'll get started on this, ladies. Why don't y'all show yer husbands your new digs. Not like y'all can leave tonight t' go back t' th' prison. Too dangerous at night."

Rick opened his mouth to protest, but Lori cut him off. "Carol sent Martinez and a few of the others back this afternoon with a message for them, and they're going to stay and help keep a watch on things until we return in the morning."

"Y'all jus' got everythin' handled, don'tcha?" Daryl snorted, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist as she made towards the door.

"Toldja, little bro. Tonight, yer gonna get that stick outta yer ass and relax."

Daryl flipped him off as he breezed out behind Carol, leaving Lori and Rick to close the door behind them. Merle wrapped his arms around Marty from behind, setting the pans aside, his hands splaying over her still flat belly. "Y' sure y' up t' cooking t'night? We can always go grab somethin' from the communal kitchens."

Marty fiddled with the package of pizza dough, her eyes skimming over the directions. "It's fine. I'd rather it just be us with th' kids."

Merle could feel the tension in her body where she was pressed so snugly against him, could see the nervous twitch in her hands and hear the slight tremor in her voice. "Why don'tcha tell me what's really botherin' y', Sugar."

"Noth –"

"Bullshit."

"Really, I'm fine." She sighed in defeat as he turned her in his arms and tilted her chin up. She knew there was no point in lying. "It's jus' th' stress, Merle. I didn't want y' t' find out about our baby th' way y' did, an' Blake threatenin' t' take him from y'. I thought … I thought I was goin' t' lose y', an' I didn't even know if y' wanted this child."

He brushed away the solitary tear which escaped the corner of her eye, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. "Martine," he breathed against her lips, "I love y' … an' I love our baby. Th' governor's gone, an' he ain't gonna be takin' anythin' from y' ever again."

"Yeah? Well, I love you, too, Dixon."

Merle's heart thundered against his chest, just as it always did when she professed her love for him. But this time, it just wasn't enough. "Yer stuck with me, woman … marry me."

Marty gasped, inching back enough to stare up into his honest blue gaze. "What?!"

"Marry me. Be m' wife, so I can make sure everyone knows yer mine." He caught her lips in a tender kiss. "So, everyone knows I'm yers."

"Not jus' because of th' baby?"

"Baby's jus' a bonus, Sugar. None o' this works without y'. An' I swear if y' tell anyone about all this mushy shit, I'll deny it!"

Marty buried herself against his chest and giggled. Typical Merle.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yeah … it's a yes."

Daryl closed the door and leaned back against it with a sigh, pulling his crossbow from his back and resting it to the side of the entryway. He kept one eye on his wife as she moved with ease through the open space, coming to stop at a window overlooking the street. The apartment she'd chosen had the same floor plan as Merle's, but it was done in a color scheme which suited his tastes … a clever mix of browns, mauve and green. There was a bar with more of the same stools leading into the kitchen, and mix matched pieces in the living room, squashy and comfortable. He felt his girls could make a home here, which helped to settle the nervous tension he'd carried in his roiling stomach all day.

"There are three bedrooms down the hall, ours with an ensuite bathroom and then another between the room Sophia chose and the spare," Carol murmured distractedly. He knew that tone, the one where she thought she could hide herself away from him, so he wouldn't have to share the burden of her worries.

He took his vest off and laid it over the back of the sofa before kicking his boots under the coffee table and making his way over to her. Carol sighed, leaning back against his chest as he curled his arms around her. "Tell me what's wrong, baby. Y' don't like th' décor?"

She snorted at his attempt to lighten her mood. "The décor is fine."

His lips found the crook of her neck, and he peppered her skin with light gentle kisses. "I cain't fix it if I don't know what's broken. Tell me."

Her lower lip trembled. "I'm scared, Daryl."

"We all are –"

"NO!" she hissed, turning in his arms, her fingers fisting in the fabric of his button up. "Not like that. I'm not afraid for me, but … for you and our daughter. I always thought the walkers were the most dangerous threat out there, but they're not. The living are! I never realized it until last night when you were bound helpless on the floor of that room and I couldn't get to you."

Daryl tightened his arms around her waist, offering her safety, comfort, love … whatever she needed, at the moment, to make her feel better, more secure. "Carol, sweetheart –"

"How will we know who we can trust, who we can offer the shelter of our town? Look what happened to Tori's husband when they tried to help that girl. Look how easily we were taken when you and I went hunting." Her grief and anguish bleed onto his shirt in the form of her hot tears, and he felt helpless to do anything but hold her. "Sophia … what if we can't protect her?"

He chuckled and dropped a kiss to her crown. "Have y' met lil' Dixon? I mean, seriously, woman? Rick said it was her idea t' take out th' guard tower with th' grenade. She's damn near as good with weapons as either me or Merle."

"Daryl, she's only twelve!" Carol wailed, not finding it the least bit amusing.

"But, don'tcha see? She's only gonna get better, faster, stronger … jus' like you will. We're gonna train up th' people in this town, an' while you're teachin', you're gonna be honin' skills y' already have." His hands curled around her shoulders, squeezing gently, reassuringly as he met her gaze. "There ain't no guarantees, but we ain't gonna let th' fear stop us. We ain't gone through all th' shit we have because we're weak, woman. Don't let what happened yesterday keep y' from livin' today. We got too much t' look forward to … together."

Carol shot him a watery smile. "Why do you put up with me?"

Daryl didn't hesitate to draw her closer once more, his lips brushing over hers in a feather-light kiss. "'Cause I love y'." He lifted her into his arms and stalked towards the hallway he hadn't yet explored. "Now, how 'bout y' show me where our bedroom is."

She pointed to the left and he kicked the door shut behind them as he bore her towards the bed and laid her carefully atop the navy duvet. "What about Sophia?"

His lips trailed along her jaw, his teeth nipping at her smooth flesh as he grinned unrepentantly. "Oh, I think she'll be a'right with Rick an' Lori for a while."

Carol moaned softly as her husband's tongue dipped into the hollow of her throat. Their daughter would be alright … they all would be.

THE END

A/n: I can't believe this is over. 1 year 9 months and nearly 335K words. When I wrote 'the end', I literally burst into tears. I loved writing this for y'all, and I enjoyed every comment, every request, every suggestion. Your love and support has meant so much to me. I hope you weren't disappointed with the ending. Please review one more time? Love and hugs to all my dear friends. Thank you for coming along on the ride with me.

Margaritas all around for my darling betas: BettyBubble and Geektaire. Thanks for sticking with me, encouraging me, and literally kicking me in the butt when I stalled. Love y'all so much!