Redneck Takes a Wife 1 – Meeting

Jen S.

I own nothing belonging to The Walking Dead. Everything belongs to the creators, writers, and actors. I'm just borrowing the wonderful and amazing characters and promise to put them back where I found them.

*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*

It was brutally hot the day fifteen year old Merle Dixon was released from the juvenile detention center after serving more than a year. He walked out to the gate carrying his stuff in a bag from the local grocery store. They'd given him a fresh set of underwear, new jeans and a plain black t-shirt to wear that felt stiff and strange. Most of his clothes came to him second hand.

"Try to stay out of here more than a month this time, Dixon," the guard said as he signed him out.

Merle smirked, "Oh you know you miss me when I'm gone, Cooper."

Cooper chuckled, then sighed, "Who's pickin' you up?" His relief stepped into the booth so Cooper stepped out.

Merle shrugged, "I can hitch it. See ya." He barely made it a mile down the highway before Cooper pulled up alongside of him. Merle sighed and climbed into the car. "Thanks."

"You shouldn't hitchhike. Dangerous people out here," Cooper said.

"Like some crazy ass guy who chose to be a guard in a kiddie prison?"

"I didn't choose my life, my life chose me. It sucks Dixon. Sucks huge. You gotta take control of who you are. You aren't your father. You aren't just redneck trailer trash. You can be anything you are willing to fight for. You just gotta get the hell outta here. It's cliché, but you are the master of your own fate, Merle. You just gotta take control. Start making plans instead of just wandering along. And stop breaking the law, you obviously can't do it without getting caught."

Cooper dropped him off, waiting for him to actually open the door and step inside the trailer before waving and driving off. Merle never saw Cooper again after that ride home but he would never forget that conversation. People were always talking at him, lecturing him to straighten up and live right. But this was the first time it made any sense to him. He was Merle Dixon. Not Will Dixon. And he was going to get the hell out of this trailer park, maybe even outta Georgia, as soon as he turned eighteen. Leave his abusive father and his weak mother far behind. He just had to figure out how.

Will Dixon was sprawled out in his chair, beer in one hand, cigarette in the other, wearing only a ratty old pair of boxer shorts. "Hey. They let you out or you run away?"

"Let me out," Merle replied shortly. "Woulda thought they told yah."

Will shrugged, "Maybe they did. Ask your mom."

"Where is she?"

"Work. Gotta waitressin' job."

Something suddenly squalled from the back room. "What's that? We get a cat?"

"Nah," Will took a drag off the cigarette, "Your mom shit out another kid. Says it's mine." He shrugged and shoved to his feet. "He looks like you did."

Merle followed his father back to his room where a second hand crib had been shoved between Merle's bed and the wall. Will sat the bottle down and snubbed out the cigarette in an ashtray on the dresser before picking up the baby. He turned and handed the baby to Merle, "Hold him while I get a bottle."

"I don't know…" Merle shifted the baby awkwardly until he managed to get his arm under most of him. He stared down at the little thing as it stared up at him. The baby was dressed only in a diaper so Merle could see almost every inch of him. It was so strange to recognize his own eyes. His nose and the shape of his chin, all smaller and unblemished in this new little life.

"Here, feed him," Will shoved a baby bottle into his hand.

"Don't know how."

"Shove the tit into his mouth and hold it there 'til he's done."

"Ain't it suppose'ta be warm?"

Will sighed heavily. "Go run it under the warm tap for a few minutes." He walked back out into the living room and dropped heavily into his chair. "Bring me my beer!"

Merle carried the bottle to the bathroom sink and sat it under the running water, then grabbed the beer to take a long swig before carrying out to his father. When he returned to the sink, the bottle felt warmer to the touch so he took it and the baby back to his room. He sat down against the headboard and propped the baby up on his knees. The baby fussed a bit until Merle squeeze a little of the formula into his mouth, then he latched on and sucked greedily. Merle was enthralled by the little cheeks, filling with each suck. The little fist curled around his finger. The little feet that kicked randomly. "You are gonna fuck up my plans, baby brother."

Carla Dixon let herself into the trailer just after sunset. Her husband was snoring in his chair so she crept by silently. Merle was sprawled out on his bed stripped down to his undershirt and shorts with the baby asleep on his chest.

"Hi," she greeted softly. Merle just grunted in response. "I'm sorry Merle. I got my days mixed up. I wanted to be here when you got home." She sat down on the edge of the bed tiredly. "See you've met your baby brother, Daryl."

"Why?'

"Why what?"

Merle scowled at her, "Why would you have another baby with him? I'm big enough to handle it now so you give him a new helpless kid to fuck with?"

"Merle," she sighed.

"Whatever."

"I'll move the crib out."

"Don't bother, he don't take up much space," Merle tossed his arm over his eyes, keeping his other hand on his brother's back.

Carla sighed and stood up, "I'm sorry Merle." Merle refused to look at her, leaving his eyes covered until she left and closed his door.

Daryl. The baby was a very warm weight on his chest. Merle dropped his arm in order to study the little creature. He didn't know babies were so small when they were new. He didn't even know how old his brother was. Suddenly the boy squirmed and lifted up his head to smile, a wide toothless grin. "Yep. Seriously gonna fuck up my plans, baby brother."

*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*

Three decades later.

"Wake up baby brother, got plans," Merle said with a kick to the mattress where his brother was sprawled out in his underwear. Daryl lifted his head and grunted. "Come on, daylight's burnin'."

Daryl walked out, dressed in a pair of jeans and a shirt with the sleeves ripped off. He opened the refrigerator and shoved aside bottles of beer to grab a carton of orange juice. He finished off the carton and tossed it into the trash. Merle shoved a box of cereal at him and Daryl dumped some into a bowl to eat dry. Merle drank his coffee, sneering at his brother's taste for sugary kids' cereal. The TV was on in the living room, some news reporter was rambling on and on about some virus and rising violence.

"Gotta buncha shit to do today," Merle said. "But we'll have plenty of cash later so start thinkin' about what yah need from the store." Daryl just nodded and ate the last of his cereal. "Maybe hit Harley's for dinner." Daryl nodded again, with a small smile this time.

Harley owned a bar not far from town with the absurd name Garden of Eden. The rough mostly biker and addict crowd was kept firmly in line by the owner/bartender. Harley's wife, the one and only Eden, was the best cook around. She would chose a 'special' for that day and that's what she'd cook. No rhyme or reason to her menu choice, but it never failed to be delicious. Most days they went to Harley's, Merle would buy several dinners for them to heat up the next night too.

*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*

"Here ya go, handsome," Eden said with a wink as she sat the plate down in front of Daryl. Merle finished up his business across the bar and walked over, slipping a bill into Eden's pocket as she went by.

"What we got tonight?" Merle asked. "Roast beef. Yum." He bowed his head for a quick second then began to eat. The TV was on in the corner and seemed to have everyone's attention. "They still talkin' about people actin' crazy?"

Eden nodded as she sat down two bowls of green beans, "It's all they're talkin' about. Showed New York City about an hour ago. Fires burnin', people killin' each other over supplies. It's nuts. Now they're talkin' about evacuatin'."

"The whole city?" Merle asked. Eden nodded. "Damn." Merle reached across the table and tapped the bowl of beans. Daryl speared a forkful and ate them.

"Business been slow all week," Harley reported, gesturing at the half empty bar.

Daryl glanced around. There were two tables full of a biker club that Merle sometimes hung around with. Another few men scattered around including the ones who'd bought cocaine off of Merle. His attention went back to the TV and another live broadcast. There was a pretty woman interviewing people outside of a grocery store in some city. Suddenly people started to flood out of the store, running. Most were carrying shopping baskets of food. The reporter tried to stop one of them and was shoved to the ground. The camera swung widely and a set of jean clad legs moved into view. The cameraman helped the reporter to her feet then brought the camera back to his shoulder to focus on the store.

A man slammed against the glass. His face looked distorted. As he reared back, Daryl realized that he'd broken his jaw against the window. The man threw himself at the glass again and it shattered. He stumbled through the opening and grabbed a man running by, throwing him to the ground and sinking his teeth into the man's throat to rip it open. Blood spurted. The cameraman grabbed the reporter and they began to run. They jumped into a news van with another man. Another strange looking figure leapt at the van door. A woman slammed her face against the window glass, showing that most of her cheek had been ripped away and her eyes were milky. The network finally cut away from the scene, back to the studio. A male anchor sat staring in silent shock, then sprang up, yanked off the microphone and fled from sight. A commercial came on for a fast food place.

"What the hell was that? What the hell is going on?" one of the bikers snarled.

Voices overlapped in anxious chatter.

"Eden, I think we'll take this to go," Merle said. "Four more meals too if you got 'um."

Eden nodded, walking shakily back into the kitchen. Harley followed her and they could hear his voice in gentle reassurance.

"We're gettin' outta Dodge, baby brother. This shit is seriously fucked up."

"What was that? How could they not feel that shit?" Daryl asked.

"I dunno," Merle replied. "But whatever it is, it's spreadin' fast."

The door to the bar opened slowly. Daryl looked over and felt his breathing catch. She stood in the entryway, still and quiet. Eyes wide as she searched the bar. Her gaze locked onto his. She was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. Blonde hair, pulled away from her face except for wisps that danced in the breeze. Flawless porcelain skin clean of any makeup. Slim and graceful. Gorgeous. He couldn't look away from her.

"Beth?" Harley stepped out of the back. "Darlin' are you alright?"

"Is my dad here?" she asked timidly. Her voice was soft and sweet.

"No, haven't seen him all week," Harley replied.

"I'll be your daddy, gorgeous," one of the druggies snickered.

"Shut your mouth, boy!" Harley snapped. The man started to mouth back, only to realize every biker in the bar was glaring at him. "Beth, honey, what's wrong?"

"My mom and Shawn, they're… sick. My mom's gettin' worse. I need my dad."

"Come on," Harley urged her, "Come on in and sit down. I'll call around and see if I can find him. EDEN!"

Eden rushed out of the back. She sat a box down on the bar with the to-go boxes inside. "Beth, sweetie, come here. What happened to you?" She was examining the girl's arm that was badly bruised.

"My mom," Beth shook her head. "She's real sick. She's hallucinatin' or somethin' from the fever. She knocked me down. She needs my dad."

"We'll find him," Eden assured her, taking her over to the bar and sitting her on a stool. "Are you hungry, baby?"

Beth shook her head, "No thank you." She gave the woman a small smile.

Merle watched Daryl as Daryl watched the girl. Daryl wasn't eating, but he'd cleared most of his plate and all of the beans so Merle wasn't concerned. Actually he was amused. His brother always went for the pretty ones. And them for him. "Pretty girl," Merle whispered. Daryl flinched and scowled, embarrassed to be caught staring. His eyes went back to his plate. But only for a quick minute. Merle grinned as Daryl's gaze went back to the girl sitting at the bar. He had the expression of a junkie coming out of prison and seeing his first woman holding a huge stash of his favorite poison. Intense desire. Mixed with something more. Something deeper and more meaningful. Feelings that he would bet his baby brother had never felt before. Feelings he himself had a hard time remembering when he had felt last. Merle glanced over and studied the girl. She looked fragile and delicate, but he could see the movement of firm muscle strength underneath that smooth skin.

Eden sat a glass of ice and a can of soda down next to the girl, then carried the box of takeout over to Merle and Daryl along with the bill.

"Who is that?" Merle asked her.

"Beth. Elizabeth Greene. Doc Hershel's youngest."

"The vet that saved Roscoe," Daryl replied, naming Eden and Harley's big old mutt. Eden nodded as Merle handed her money to cover the tab along with a substantial tip. She smiled warmly, patted Daryl's shoulder, and slipped away

"Do you want her?" Merle leaned forward and asked Daryl once they were alone. It was a common enough question. Usually asked in other bars about women whose time and company could be bought.

"What?" Daryl frowned at him.

"Do you want her?" Merle carefully spoke each word.

"Yes," Daryl replied instinctively. Then shook his head, "No Merle, she ain't… No."

Merle chuckled slyly.

"Merle, you can't… we can't… No, I don't want her."

Most of Merle's customers had left soon after Beth arrived. The bikers had finished their meals and drinks and were packing up to leave. Harley was in the kitchen on the phone, calling other bars looking for Beth's father. Eden was ringing the bills and payments into the register. Beth sat staring at the glass as the condensation formed and ran down the sides. The TV was showing more scenes of chaos. Fires burning out of control. Looting.

Something slammed into the heavy door.

Everyone jumped, startled, and their eyes went to the spot.

The door shuddered under the next blow.

Harley emerged from the back and went to the bar to retrieve a shotgun. He racked the slide and moved to stand in front of Eden. The bikers gathered together, waiting for direction from the guy in charge. Merle and Daryl stood up. Merle moved to stand between Daryl and the door. Only to realize that Daryl had gone to the girl. Merle cursed under his breath then followed him.

The door slammed open. Three men stumbled in, moaning.

"We're closing, guys, you'll have to go," Harley said firmly.

The first man lunged into the light. His clothes were soaked in blood from a wound at his throat. His eyes were the same clouded over white as the people on the news report. The second man moved forward on an obviously seriously injured ankle.

One of the bikers advanced, "Look guys, Harley wants you out…" he broke off with a guttural shriek as the first man attacked. He sank his teeth into the biker's neck and ripped open his jugular. Blood spurted out.

Eden screamed and the second man charged forward. Harley fired the shotgun, catching the man in the abdomen. He stumbled but kept coming.

Merle yanked his gun from beneath his shirt, aimed, and fired a shot into the man's chest. When that barely slowed him down, Merle took a second shot, hitting the man in the forehead. His head snapped back and he collapsed. When the third man walked in, Merle shot him directly in the head. The bikers had piled onto the man attacking their brother. One fell back with a chunk bitten out of his arm. The leader grabbed a chair and began beating the man over the head until his skull shattered.

The only sounds in the bar were the men's heavy breathing and Eden's sobs. Merle walked over to Daryl. He'd pulled the girl off of the barstool and had her tucked at his back. She clutched at him, hands twisting his shirt. But she was silent, still, watching the fight. As he drew close, she looked to him with wide, beautiful crystal blue eyes.

"You killed them," she whispered.

Daryl glanced back at her, reaching down to grip her hand in his. Then he lifted his chin to face his brother. "They were already dead. Weren't they, Merle?"

"Think so," Merle replied. He reached over and gripped his brother's shoulder. "I think so."

"This can't be happening," Eden cried. "This just can't be happening. How can a man take a hit like that and keep moving? This can't be happening." She began to hyperventilate.

Harley laid down the shotgun and pulled her into his arms. "Breathe Eden. You gotta breathe."

Beth glanced over to where the biker was clutching his badly bitten arm. She grabbed the stack of towels from behind the bar and went to him. Daryl huffed out a breath and followed her. She knelt down and wrapped the man's arm tightly to stop the bleeding.

"Thanks sweetie," one of them said to her. Another man took towels and pressed them to the neck of the other injured man, despite the fact that he was already dead.

"You need to get him to the hospital," Beth replied.

The bikers lifted their injured friends and carried them outside. Daryl helped Beth to her feet and led her away from the bloody floor, back over to Merle.

"Beth, honey, let me close down and Eden and I will take you home," Harley said.

"Daryl 'n me'll take her," Merle replied. "You take care of Eden."

Harley looked at Merle, then at his wife, sobbing in his arms. He nodded, "Beth honey, this is Merle and Daryl Dixon. They're gonna drive you home."

"I have Momma's car," Beth whispered.

"We'll come back for it," Merle replied. "Once your daddy gets home. Come on." He grabbed the box of takeout.

Daryl's hand hovered close to Beth's back as they walked out the door. The bikers had broken out the window of a car and were loading their wounded inside. One of them was bent under the front, hotwiring it." "S'at your car?"

Beth shook her head and pointed to a small car parked nearby. "I can drive home." She froze. There lying in the dirt was the druggie who'd offered to 'be her daddy'. His entire abdomen was ripped open along with chunks taken out of both his arms. As she watched, his eyes opened, milky and mindless. The man moaned, sending a chill up her spine, then started to rise.

Daryl grabbed her around the waist and scooped her into his arms to run to their truck. Merle followed right behind. Daryl went to the passenger side and shoved Beth in, climbing in behind her. Merle handed in the takeout box and slid behind the wheel. The truck started just as the druggie slammed into the side. Merle reached across to brace Beth and Daryl as he slammed the truck into reverse and squealed out of the parking spot. He shifted, aimed, and drove straight over the man, crushing him under the tires.

They drove in silence with Beth occasionally pointing the way. Merle glanced over to see Daryl studying the girl's profile. They went down the long driveway to the farmhouse. Merle pulled up in front of the house and turned off the truck.

"Thanks for the ride," Beth whispered. Neither brother moved. "Can I get out?"

"Just sit tight a minute," Merle replied. "You said your mom and brother were sick. How did they get sick?"

Beth swallowed hard, "They were takin' care of the Millers. They live the next farm over. Momma was tendin' to them while Shawn took care of the farm. Daddy brought them home and said they were sick."

"Sick how?"

"Fever kept gettin' higher. Nothin' touched it. Pain all over. Momma said it was like there was shattered glass under her skin."

"Did they have any wounds or cuts?"

Beth nodded, "On Momma' arm, Shawn's hand. Daddy kept them bandaged but they kept bleedin'." Her eyes filled with tears that spilled over. "I woke up and could hear Momma breathin' funny. Gaspin' and groanin'. I went into their room. She jumped up and slammed me into the wall. So I went lookin' for Daddy but he wasn't here."

Merle sighed heavily, "Stay in the truck," he ordered her. He jerked his chin at Daryl. Daryl climbed out and sat the takeout in the truck bed.

"What do you think?" Daryl whispered.

Merle shook his head, "This is gonna be bad. Stay here. Keep her outside." He walked up onto the porch and opened the door. It squeaked loudly in the quiet. A woman in a nightgown stumbled out. Her eyes were the familiar haze. She moaned and lurched at him. Merle pulled his gun and shot her in the forehead.

"NO!" Beth screamed. "Momma NO!" She leapt from the truck and ran across the yard. Daryl grabbed her and held her back as she screamed. "Why?"

Merle disappeared inside the house. Beth fought against Daryl's grasp, sobbing and screaming. Daryl sat down in the dirt, dragging her down with him, to toss his leg across hers to keep her from kicking him. A gunshot rang out inside. Beth let out a long keening wail.

Merle emerged, crossed over to them and stooped down. He pressed his hand against her mouth to stifle her cries. "Stop that. Right now."

Beth sobbed against his hand, "You killed them. You killed them."

"They were already dead!" Merle snarled. "You saw the men at the bar! Takin' buckshot to the gut with barely a flinch! Walkin' around with his insides spillin' down his legs. No livin' thing can do that. Whatever this is, it kills people then gets them back up walkin' around. They are dead!"

A groan came from out of the darkness and a figure stumbled forward. A woman wearing a tank top and running shorts moved into sight. Most of her throat and lower jaw had been ripped away. She walked toward them on a leg that was obviously broken. One of the bones of her lower leg protruded from her skin.

"LOOK!" Merle growled. He walked forward and shot her in the leg, shattering it completely. "She's still walkin'. Doesn't feel a thing. And she ain't bleedin'." He fired a double tap directly into her chest. "Look! That destroyed her heart. She didn't even flinch!" The woman growled and lunged at him. "She ain't sick. She's DEAD!" Merle fired a final shot to the woman's head. "She's dead. They're all dead. They're just still walkin'."

Beth sobbed brokenly in Daryl's arms. All the fight gone out of her.

"Take her inside," Merle ordered. He dragged her mother's body off of the porch as Daryl carried her in.

Daryl took her into a small living room with a couch, several chairs and a TV. Merle came in with a glass of water. "Sunshine? Drink a little," he ordered Beth. She was shaking violently, so he held the glass to her mouth and she drank. Merle pulled a pill bottle from his pocket. "You're gonna take this pill for me." He handed it to her and she obediently swallowed it along with more water.

"What was that?" Daryl asked.

"Somethin' to calm her down," Merle replied. "Sunshine? While you were takin' care of your momma and brother, did either of them bite you?" Beth shook her head. Merle checked her arms, then made her lean forward so he could see her back. "OK, darlin'. You rest here."

"That's what does it? The bites?" Daryl was chewing on his thumbnail.

Merle shrugged, "I don't know baby brother. I don't know any more than you do about this. But they seem to want to bite and everyone we've seen had bites." He pulled Daryl's hand away from his mouth. "Stay here with her. I'm gonna take a look around."

Daryl pulled the afghan off the back of the sofa and wrapped it around Beth. "It's gonna be OK."

She looked at him like he was an idiot, "Your brother shot my mother and my brother. They're dead. My sister is away. My Dad's off in some bar. I'm alone. Nothin' will ever be OK again."

"Where's your sister?"

Beth sighed and laid down, "She went off to college. Got a job there and never came home." She blinked slowly, then closed her eyes.

Merle walked back in silently. He gestured and Daryl followed him onto the porch. "Place is big. Wide open. Don't like it but we'll stay at least 'til mornin'. Help me carry the bodies down to the cellar."

"Shouldn't we call someone?"

Merle sighed, "Tried callin' 911. Says all operators are busy. Called the Sheriff's number but it just rings. We're alone brother. Least for tonight."

"Maybe Beth's Dad'll come home soon."

"Yeah. Maybe. For now let's just move the bodies."

They moved all three bodies down, wrapped in sheets that Merle pulled from a linen closet. Daryl retrieved the food from the truck and stowed it in the refrigerator. Merle walked around the house, checking that all the doors and windows were locked. He dragged a recliner over to the front window and sank down into it.

"Get some sleep, baby brother," Merle said.

Daryl stretched out on the floor next to the sofa where Beth lay. "Merle? Is this the end of the world?"

"I don't know. It might be. But we'll be OK. You and me together, nothin' can hurt us."

Daryl studied Beth's face in the dim light. The slope of her nose, the angle of her chin. The tears dried on her cheeks. He watched her breathe as she slept soundly, exhausted by the events and sedated by Merle's drug. He stared until his eyes grew heavy and he finally dozed off.

Merle glanced over at his sleeping brother, so close to the girl. "You are gonna fuck up my plans, baby brother," he whispered softly. He rubbed his chin and sighed. Then he began to rethink his plans.

*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*

On the eighth day God noticed a problem
For there below Him stood a cowboy alone
Stubborn and proud, reckless and loud
God knew he'd never make it on his own

So God looked out all over creation
And listened as that cowboy prayed
God took passion and thunder
Patience and wonder then He sent down
The best thing that God ever made

Cowboys and angels, leather and lace
Salt of the earth meets Heavenly grace
Cowboys and angels, tested and tried
It's a long way to Heaven and one hell of a ride

Nothin's changed since the dawn of creation
For you will find them together today
And only Heaven above them knows why she loves him
But he must be the reason she don't fly away

Cowboys and angels, leather and lace
Salt of the earth meets Heavenly grace
Cowboys and angels, tested and tried
It's a long way to Heaven and one hell of a ride
It's a long way to Heaven and one hell of a ride

Cowboys and Angels – lyrics by Brooks, Blazy, & Williams. © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, EMI Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group

*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*