Don't Give Away The End

A/N: This has been floating around in my brain forever. The title is from 23 By Jimmy Eat World.

The clanking of silver wear and glasses, patron chatter around them was the usual noise they heard every Wednesday night. For the last eight or nine months on Monday and Wednesday Daryl ate dinner with Merle and Andrea before she started her shift at the local ER. He lived alone so they invited him most times when they came. That way at least two nights they would be sure he didn't eat alone. A few others he spent with his son, Travis so most nights save for a few he had company. But Travis was getting older and Merle always worried he would soon grow tired of having dinner with his father. He knew though, that Daryl and Travis were building a truck from the chassis up together. It was for Travis, when he was old enough to drive. They saw a lot of each other, Daryl made sure of that since Travis was young. Merle just worried about Daryl, plain and simple.

The diner was one of two in town and since they lived there all their lives they ate there often. The place had great burgers, always did, so why change when you had a good thing going. That was Merle's policy. They knew everyone there, both customers and staff, it was comfortable. Andrea loved the food as well, she had grown up in the next county, worked at the local hospital.

Merle and Andrea met a year ago when Merle dropped a car battery on his foot and needed stitches. She had been the one to put the six stitches in his foot. Merle made it a point to go back two weeks later on the very same day to get them removed, specifically by Andrea. Daryl asked him once if he knew when he met her that she was the one. Merle had told him, something about her had called to him, so he went back, got his stitches out, and asked her out. The rest was history as they say. Merle had said when you know you know, Daryl got that. He knew how finding the one happened, he had been there once.

At the age of 42 Merle was settling down with one woman. After years of one night stands, when the need hit him. Daryl was really happy for him. His own marriage had broken up many years ago, but he and his ex were on great terms for the sake of their son. But so far it hadn't happened for him. He dated a little but never felt anything, no spark with anyone. He knew you had to have a spark, he had learned that the hard way. He was content though living his life. No ups no downs, just a straight line. Day to day, dinner with Merle and Andrea every Monday and Wednesday spending time with his son. Finding a girl in a bar on occasion, but no commitments, life was ok.

Over the years Merle slowly became less and less of the dick he used to be. He had mellowed out and gotten straight. He finally started growing up, a late bloomer for sure. He had started before her but Andrea had finished the job. He was different, that was a fact, and Daryl gave a lot of that credit to Andrea. He hardly ever had to chase Merle down to come to work anymore, and that was a blessing. If she was the reason, more than a few people hoped she was sticking around.

Beth Greene, who had been a few years behind Daryl in high school, was working this day and she had already taken their order. They all always ordered the same thing anyway, half the time Beth never even wrote it down. Merle had tried hooking her up with Daryl but that hadn't worked either. It never worked. He worried his brother was going to spend his life alone. He ran his own business, built his own house practically board to nail himself, but he was alone, except for his son, who he adored. Merle felt a little guilty about that. He hadn't set such a good example, never gave Daryl good advice when they were young. He just wished Daryl would agree to go on a blind date with one of Andrea's friends, like she had been asking him to, just once. But he always refused, said he was not interested.

At thirty five, Daryl was sure he'd be single forever, he really wasn't looking. That was fine, Merle had other ideas. He knew now that wasn't the life no matter how good it looked to an outsider. It was lonely. Now that he had Andrea he understood that.

On this day as they sat in the booth Andrea next to Merle, Daryl opposite them. Merle was reading the paper which he did sometimes. He peered over the paper pushing his horn rimmed glasses up on the bridge of his nose and set the paper down facing Daryl. He was fidgeting as usual, biting his thumbnail, acting uncomfortable. He was always such a fidgety fuck, Merle thought to himself, except at work when he was elbows deep in a car, then he was in his element, happy almost. Almost, because Merle knew he was content but not happy. Happy went by the wayside so to speak, and that was a long time ago. Merle remembered that as he brought up this topic.

"Well looky here baby brother, seems Jim Parker passed, aint that a shame?" He paused for effect. "Funerals Tomorrow…. You know what that means."

Daryl stared over to him through his bangs. No longer fidgeting with his hands or whatever the fuck he was doing before Merle started this. He was all ears Andrea noticed but he also looked like he had seen a ghost.

"No, Merle, what does that mean?" His tone implied he knew exactly what it meant and exactly where Merle was going with this and was not liking it one bit.

"Don't play dumb with me Daryl, you know she's gonna be here to bury her Daddy."

Andrea turned to Merle, with that look on her face, like she had no idea what he was talking about. She usually picked up on Merle pretty fast, you kind of had to be quick with Merle, but she was missing something here. She could tell, from the way Daryl was giving him the eye over this, it was something Daryl didn't want to talk about. But Andrea knew Merle, once he started something he didn't let up. She decided to jump into this conversation, give Daryl a break.

"Who Babe?" Andrea asked.

"Daryl's ex."

Daryl let out something between an irritated growl and a sigh. Andrea was really confused now. She knew Daryl's ex-wife. Her parents were both very much alive. Just what is Merle up to now?

"Karen's father isn't dead Merle."

"No sugar, Karen is Daryl's ex-wife, but Carol…well, shit…."

Merle decided to go in for the kill, all in, because he had an idea brewing in his head. He was like a dog with a bone. Once he got ahold of something he wasn't letting it go. He looked right at Daryl and spoke.

"Carol's the love of his life….isn't that right, Brother" Merle smiled.

"Shut up Merle." Daryl was getting pissed. Merle never liked her and Daryl had no idea why he was starting this. Merle had made it very clear on numerous occasions what he thought of her. Why was he bringing her up now?

"That's ancient history." Daryl said with an edge to his voice, almost gripping the table Andrea noticed. Merle had rattled his cage on this one. That usually didn't happen too often any more. Merle worked for him now. The pecking order had changed long ago in their relationship. They had an understanding, no problems anymore and, Merle didn't usually goad him like this.

"Still, ya ought to pay your respects, the man treated ya like his own son."

"Merle! I am not crashing a funeral, 'sides ya know as well as I do, she won't want to see me."

Merle looked up and saw Beth coming with their food. Andrea continued to watch the exchange between the brothers. This was very interesting.

"Aw come on Merle leave him alone." She set her napkin on her lap as she spoke. "Here's Beth..."

"You of all people know that Merle." Daryl moved his coke out of the way as Beth set their food down.

"Thanks Daryl" she smiled

As Beth was setting the food down and getting them ketchup Merle stole a fry from his plate and Andrea thought she heard him mumble something like "Crashing weddings, crashing funerals, same difference, isn't that how you two roll?" and she giggled a little. Merle was funny when he wanted to be, that was a lot of the attraction for her. He made her laugh. Which she welcomed because her job was sometimes nothing to laugh about. Andrea appreciated laughter in her life. And the man who had brought it to her.

Daryl was not laughing when he heard what Merle said, he whipped his head around and gave him an even worse look than before. If that was possible at this moment. Andrea noticed he ran his fingers through his hair just then, he only did that when he was super stressed. Damn who was this Carol anyway? Had she crashed Daryl's wedding? Or did he crash hers? She would have to ask Merle later, if it was one of those dramatic, does anyone object things. Seamed so by the looks Daryl was giving Merle.

"How ya'll doin today?" Beth asked.

Merle smiled wide.

"Just fine Bethie and you?"

"Great Merle," she nodded towards Andrea and Daryl "How you two doin?"

"Fine Beth, "Daryl said quickly.

"Just fine honey," Andrea replied.

"Say Beth, your girl Tara, she still workin down the law office for Michonne Walker?" Merle asked.

Andrea saw Daryl blanch, the color drained right the hell out of his face. Beth snapped her gum and replied not noticing, but Andrea did. Nurses noticed things, Daryl was starting to get more upset.

"Yup, seeing her later today when she gets done at five." Beth said smiling.

"Thanks Bethie, you say hi to everyone at home for us M'kay?"

"Will do Merle. Andrea, Daryl need anything else before I go?"

"Nah...M good," Daryl replied but he clearly wasn't. Andrea looked over, no he wasn't good and she didn't have to be in the medical profession to see that. What was Merle doing?

Merle leaned forward addressing Daryl, taking hold of his burger.

"Here's what ya do, Tara and Michonne got to know how to reach her, if you don't have the stones to drive two miles down the road and knock on her door."

"What for Merle? In case ya forgot, she and I ain't speaking." Daryl said, getting more irritated.

"You gotta do this, pay your respects." Merle argued.

"Ain't gonna happen" Daryl replied sounding much younger than his 35 years just then.

Andrea decided it was time to bail Daryl out of this.

"Merle how about a nice fruit basket" Andrea chimed in.

"Andrea," Merle took her hand and kissed it very sweetly and lovingly twice as he spoke "Love of my life, the best thing to ever happen to me, butt out! He's got unfinished business with her. Shit brother, it's like God keeps throwing her on your radar, third times the charm right? If you don't fuck it up that is, by being you."

"She's married, she's got kids. You know that?" Daryl took a bite of his burger and a sip of his coke.

"You got a kid too big fucking deal, your kid is all you got. No offense because Andrea and I really love having you around, but you aint exactly tearing it up in the romance department. I think you aint over her. Ya need closure or something so ya can move on"

"Closure...huh?" Daryl smiled chuckling darkly. "You do remember what happened, yeah? No one needs any closure from that clusterfuck."

Merle turned to Andrea, he wasn't done with this. They each started on their burgers and drinks.

"He's exaggerating. It was a….. Lovers Quarrel, that's all. Carol used to work right here in this diner, when she and baby bro here were in high school ya know, when they weren't making the googly eyes at each other, Andrea, it was damn sickening," He laughed as Daryl scowled more. "Couple of lovebirds, they were."

Andrea smiled trying to picture a young Daryl, with a girlfriend, in love. The picture would not come to mind.

" She's a nurse now like ya, flies in helicopters or something with sick babies." Merle said.

"What the fuck Merle, ya been stalking her life or something?" Daryl raised his voice.

He would never tell Merle he knew all about Carol's career as a flight nurse, he had seen her brother around and asked after Carol. Abraham Parker was very happy to brag about his sister. Daryl knew all about it, but he wasn't letting Merle know.

"I hear shit, go pay your respects to Jim. It's the right thing to do and you know it." Merle said.

"Weren't no lovers Quarrel."

"Daryl, grow a set will ya? You been divorced, what, 12 years"

"13"
"13, even better to prove my point. I ain't seen or heard of you bein with any girl for any amount of time and we all know it's not about Karen, so it must be about her."

"Been raising my son." he replied, raising his voice more than he meant to. "Been busy."

"Too busy to get laid even?" Merle asked, "Never mind, it's like talkin to a brick wall, as per fuckin usual."

"Ain't havin this conversation Merle."

They continued to eat. But Merle wasn't done on the matter, of course he wasn't. He had a French fry in his hand as he spoke, waving it around for emphasis.

"Look I admire that you wanted to be there 100% for Travis. I get it, and you done good with your boy. Real good. But there is a problem. Look at you, you're a fucking wreak just talking about her, go see her, call her, something. What are the odds I would buy a paper today, even see this at all, she would have been in and out of town and you would a never known, missed ya chance."

"T's how she'd want it." Daryl looked across the table at his brother.

"You're afraid to see her." Merle challenged staring him down.

Daryl sipped his soda. Glaring at him, not losing eye contact, that's how you had to be with Merle when he was like this. Daryl learned that years ago when they were kids, you couldn't back down with Merle or he'd eat you alive. Dog with a bone.

"Ain't afraid." He stared Merle down.

Andrea looked from one brother to the other. She couldn't remember them ever getting into it like this before. They had their moments but this, this was something on a whole other level. They were about to throw down right in the middle of the diner.

"Stop being a pussy then." Merle said slowly trying to stare his brother down as well.

Andrea winced at that word. Damn Merle, you had to go there, she thought, sometimes he was a vulgar ass, but she loved him despite that part of him. Daryl took another sip of his coke.

"How do ya think her husband gonna like me calling her." This was not a question, Daryl was trying to get Merle to back the hell off.

"Ya just paying respects, ain't trying ta fuck her. Jesus this isn't rocket science. Andrea help me out here." Merle turned to Andrea.

"Oh now you want my help Merle," She said chewing her burger. But she was laughing. She was always laughing with him. She swallowed and looked over to Daryl sincerely." Daryl I think it might be nice to maybe call her since you knew her father and all. "

"See? Andrea's on board." He sipped his soda "It's one phone call, get your karma straightened out, or ya dick either way win, win, am I right?"

"Merle!" Andrea's eyes bugged out.

"Ain't like that Merle." His Voice was going up again, and he practically growled.

"Oh ho baby brother it is so like that, I ain't seen you this hyped up since I don't know when, it's like that…. oh yes it is" He was laughing softly pissing Daryl off even more.

Daryl had enough, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a few bills and threw them on the table. He nodded to Andrea and ignored Merle.

"See you later Andrea"

He got up and walked out the door, nodding at Beth who was behind the counter. Merle laughed his cackling laugh and turned to Andrea.

"This is gonna be good sugar, I know my brother, I give him a day, two at the most, and he'll be lookin for her" He winked at Andrea, "Pass me some ketchup darlin."

Andrea rolled her eyes, this was the most entertaining dinner she had been to in a long time. She decided right then and there she wanted to meet this Carol, the woman who got slow and steady Daryl Dixon all riled up, because this was a first.

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