Summary: Rick and his group have found a permanent home, and he loves the beautiful girl by his side. In the old world, that would have been it. He could live happy. But "happy" is an strange thing when the dead roam the earth and the people that are left want you dead.

This is a sequel! PLEASE- if you have not read Rick's Ruby, you are most likely gonna be lost, so read it first! Due to overwhelming response to the first Rick's Ruby this was inevitable.

Rick/OC, no slash, rated R for graphic lovin' and ass kickery.

++++Last chapter, guys. I truly have enjoyed this ride with you. I truly hope you like the note I ended this on. I hate cliffhangers. Thank you for embracing these characters, letting them be part of your life and your fandom. It's been so cool seeing you get as involved as me. It's kind of vindicating, really. I love you all and I'll see you in part three!

Daryl was pissed when he got back to the house, ignoring Satch and chasing after Merle all the way back to his room.

"What the fuck was that, man?" He blurted when he got to the doorway, and Merle didn't even look at him. He'd flung himself grumpily onto his bed and was staring at the ceiling.

"Nothin'. What'd it look like?"

"Like you tryin' to stir the pot again. You not learn anything last time? You're lucky Rick didn't kick you right out this time!"

Merle narrowed his eyes and shot up. "Yeah, it's good, ain't it?" He shouted. "You think I don't know you'd let them kick me right out there? Probably no food or weapons, get me killed fast as they can?"

"You're so full of shit, Merle. I'm the only reason you're still here. Me and Ruby, and that's how you thank her?"

"You want me thank her?" Merle's eyes got wide. "What the hell for? Disarming me? Pushin' me right out the house and stickin me with that freak out there? Threatenin' me?"

Daryl fumed, nearly to exploding. He got close to Merle, leveling him with his eyes. The years of abuse and cowering were over, this was a new world and he felt a fire burning in his stomach. "If she wanted you gone, you'd be gone. Rick was lookin for an excuse and she talked him outta it. You that stupid that you don't see that? You saw her out there by the bikes, stoppin' us when we were leavin."

"She didn't do that for me, little brother. She did that for you."

"Because she knew how much I wanted you back." Daryl hissed softly, and Merle paused. He had the decency to look a little ashamed. Sighing, he went back to his bed and sat down wearily.

"Look, man. I don't know how to do this. Be with these people like you can. They look at you with respect, they look at me like I'm a flea on their ass."

"Because you're actin' like one." Daryl spat, but his words didn't reach his eyes. "You gonna make 'em keep scratchin at ya, or you gonna get up and start doin what you need to do to survive? Because I gotta tell ya, you keep this up and I'm not gonna be able to convince 'em to keep you around."

"And then what? You wouldn't follow me out?" Merle asked pointedly. Daryl could tell he didn't really want the answer but he had to give it.

"Merle, I don't know what to tell ya. I know how all this started, but now... You leave here now and it's gonna be because of you. Nothin' I can do anymore to stop it."

"You choosin' them over me?" Merle said, and Daryl turned from his place as he walked out the door.

"I don't gotta choose nothin'. Not anymore. You took care 'a that." Daryl said softly and left.

The house knew the news when Ruby and Rick came down for breakfast, and Lola and Beth all but rushed her the moment they hit the door. The guys, however, knew Ruby and corralled the women before she had a complete aneurysm. The excited babble was sweet but overwhelming. When Beth and Lola had been sat back in their seats and the questions had begun to still, she was grateful. When the end of breakfast came and the topic had turned to the well situation from the day before, she was over the moon. Really, by then the only difference she noticed in anyone's behavior was Rick. He watched her the entire time with such a look of love and peace it made her tingle. God, she loved that man.

Satch was a trooper, that was for sure. When Ruby grabbed the bag and she and Rick- who wouldn't leave her side now- went to go check on him, they saw the progress he'd made in a couple short days instantly. He was sitting in a chair in the living room of the men's house, and waved Merle away when they came in.

"Thank god. I needed to see somebody else, even if ya'll are crackers." He quipped and Ruby chuckled as she neared him. Kneeling down, she pried up the bandage on his muscular, dark chest.

"Needs to be changed." She murmured, getting the things ready.

"Fine, then I'm comin' out. Can't stay in here with him anymore." Satch said softly, watching her work.

"Yeah, he's fun, huh?" She answered, glancing back. Par the course, Merle had disappeared the moment they'd come in.

"Fun. Not the word I'd use. Entertaining, anyway. You know he can turn six shades of red? Never seen anything like it. You people are like a color wheel, a mood ring."

"Unfortunately, I think he's stuck in a one mood mode." Ruby grinned as she put the fresh bandage on and began taping him up. "We need to get you some clean clothes."

"Nah, he already gave me a pair." He said, and she did a double take up. "Don't get too shocked, I think he was just tired of smelling me and stole some from Daryl." Rick laughed again and Satch looked at him funny. "What's he so happy about? I ain't never seen somebody smile that big and that was before all this shit."

"Got some good news." She murmured and Satch balked at her.

"No such thing."

"You'd think that was true, but it's not." Rick came up behind her as she finished up, laying his hands on her shoulders from behind her. "We're having a baby."

Satch's eyebrows went up and he ran his eyes up and down Ruby critically. "Well, normally I'd be the first to tell you that's about the dumbest thing to be happy about right now..."

"But?" Ruby glanced at him, amused at his candor.

"But... seems like you people got it together here, so, whatever works for ya, man."

"Thanks for that." She laughed, standing. She picked the bag up and threw an arm around Rick's waist.

Satch shrugged, then scooted forward. They both got down to help him as he stood. "Now come on. I gotta get outta here. See the sun for a damn change. I'm gonna turn whiter than you people 'fore long."

Ruby and Rick spent the rest of the day together, but when Paul went out to feed the animals, Ruby tagged along. Rick gave her a kiss and a wink, watching her go. True to form, as soon as she entered the barn and went to pick up a bag of feed, Paul swooped down on her.

"I got it, Starlet. You shouldn't be picking this stuff up."

"Oh god, tell me you're not doing this already. Tell you what, when I can't touch my toes anymore, you can tell me what I can and can't pick up." She sighed, letting him take the bag from her.

He seemed a little hurt. "I was just looking out for you."

She smiled. "I know. And I love you for it. But I don't want any special treatment, this isn't the biggest thing to happen around here, not by a long shot. I'm good. Swear."

He raised an eyebrow and shrugged a broad shoulder. "Biggest thing to happen to you, whether you wanna admit it or not."

She pulled the corner of her mouth back. "You're really gonna treat me like Beth, aren't ya?"

"That such a bad thing? I didn't realize I was so annoying." He said dryly.

"You're not. Just not used to it is all." She said quickly. "I love you, you know."

"Of course you do. I'm awesome." He said with a cocky laugh and she let out a burst of laughter. "Go on. Do what you're gonna do. Just don't blame me when you pull a muscle or something."

"On my honor, I won't." She said solemnly, then grinned. Choosing a half empty bag instead to pacify him, she began to refill the horses' trough.

"Hey Paul? Can you give me a hand with the front gate? It's stuck." Glenn poked his head in the barn and they looked up.

"Stuck?" Paul frowned and Glenn nodded. "How's it stuck?"

"It was sticking earlier after we opened it for Whit, won't move at all now." Glenn said, and Paul stood, brushing himself off.

"Go on, big man. They need your brute strength." Ruby teased and he raised an eyebrow at her. "I got this."

"I'll still take you, you know." He said and she made a face at him.

"Yeah, yeah. Tell it to the frogs."

He grinned, shaking his head as he followed Glenn. "That kid is already making you strange."

She laughed and watched him go. Dumping the last of her bag, she balled it up and threw it in the corner with the other empty ones. Carol liked to keep them for odds and ends around the house. Walking back to the full feed bags, she reached up to the top of the pile and began to pull one down. The edge caught on another, and both came rushing down at her at once. She winced, ducking and waiting for the impact, but it didn't come.

"I got it. Gotta be more careful."

She heard the voice, but she never would have believed it. Opening her eyes and standing back up from her cowering stance, she turned and saw Merle holding both bags above her head. He flicked the corner of his mouth up at her and pulled them free, tossing them easily to the ground. He was big, she'd always been a little intimidated by his size, but standing there so close to him all alone in the barn, he looked practically huge.

"Thanks." She said quickly, dropping her eyes and shying back quickly.

"No problem." He said, scooping one of the bags up and carrying it to the nearest empty trough. Pulling a switchblade from his pocket, he sliced the top open and began to fill the thing, and she watched him closely. Finally, he looked back at her peacefully. "Don't let me interrupt ya. Do your thing, girl."

She narrowed her eyes, but went to the tap and turned it on, filling a bucket. Quietly, they began to work, side by side. When she couldn't take it anymore, she struggled for something to say that would help explain his behaviour without setting him off. She didn't want to be alone with him for that.

"How's Satch?"

"Sleepin." He answered shortly.

"Oh." She answered simply, taking the bucket back to the wall and hanging it up. He'd finished his chore and sat down on the hay nearby, picking at his jeans' leg quietly. "So, uh... what's goin' on?"

He shrugged, not looking at her. "Not a lot. Just figured I could do something other than give water to a mouthy ass cripple."

"I appreciate it." She mumbled. Thoroughly uncomfortable, she backed up toward the door. "So, thanks. I'll see ya."

"Hey Ruby." He spoke as she reached the door, and she closed her eyes. Damn it. Almost made it. Turning, she put a cheerful face on.

"Yeah?"

"I don't wanna make things harder for Daryl than they already are."

"You might wanna rethink some of your strategies, then." She said, immediately regretting it, but he didn't seem to mind.

"That's what I'm tryin to do. I didn't expect you to understand. Just forget it." He said, looking over at the wall angrily. She sighed and stepped back into the barn.

"Look, Merle, it's not that hard here. Not as hard as you make it. You just gotta get used to it. We stick together, we're gonna have a longer life span, you know?"

"Yeah. Daryl pretty much said the same thing. You know, if I leave, he's stayin' right?" He said that begrudgingly, and she frowned.

"I don't think he would."

"He said so. You won."

"I didn't win anything if you think we're trying to tear two brothers apart, Merle."

"That's just it, I don't think you are. But you gave him somethin' I couldn't."

She furrowed her brow. "What's that?"

"A place." He finally met her eyes and she swallowed hard. "Our whole life I couldn't do that. Couldn't give him a purpose 'sides tellin him to be better."

"I think he's pretty great the way he is." She said softly, sitting down across from him on the hay. She watched him closely. To think he had this side of him wasn't something she could have imagined before, yet, here it was. He wasn't saying sorry, but it was about the closest Merle Dixon would ever come and it was enough.

"He needs that. He need you. I gotta ask you somethin tho, and don't go getting your panties in a bunch over it, alright?"

"Ok." She nodded.

"I see the way he looks at ya, the way you two are together. What made you choose Rick over him? I know he could use ya."

She chuckled. "It's not like that, just ask him. I don't think he even really liked me at first but I grew on him. With Rick, it was kind of... I don't know. Immediate. There was a draw to him I can't explain. With Daryl, it was a kind of respect built up over time. Besides, he's not alone."

He frowned. "Really. Cause I don't see him getting any action."

"Trust me." She said, and he narrowed his eyes at her for a moment.

"Whatever." He said finally. "Not my business, I just wondered."

"Fair enough." She smiled. "You know, Merle, if somebody told me we'd be sitting here like this I'd have thought they were nuts."

"Yeah, tell me about it. I still don't like you, by the way."

"That's ok." She shook her head and smiled. "You don't have to."

"I just wanted to..."

"I get it." She stopped him, and he looked at her a little gratefully for a second, before his tough exterior clouded over him again. "I should go. Have a good night."

"You too." He said and she slipped out of the barn. The shadows were deep around her and she walked right past Daryl without seeing him. Daryl smiled and shook his head. His brother had truly impressed him.

"Hey man. What you up to?" He poked his head in the barn, surprising Merle. He wasn't about to let his brother know he'd heard any of that.

"Nothin, man. Givin her hell." Merle stood quickly and walked out of the barn. Daryl waited till he exited before grinning and closing the door. Chuckling, he snapped the lock shut and followed Merle back to the men's house.

Before, he'd just wanted his brother back. It wasn't till that moment he realized he could have more.

THE END

Again, thank you SO MUCH for sticking with me! I have the third part of this laid out in my head already and can't wait to get it out to you. I appreciate the patience you all have shown me. This has been such a fun fic to write, and reading your reviews and comments have been awesome! I truly hope you like the note I ended this on. I do want to say that I LOVE Daryl so much, and I want to elaborate on his relationship status, so we'll see where that takes us in the next part. I know it's unrealistic to be fluffy and happy in the ZA, but I felt with everything our characters have been through, it was important to end on a positive vibe, you know? But much trial and turmoil await them yet, and not everyone is going to make it. Unfortunately, that's life, isn't it? Much love to you, my dedicated readers. See you soon...

LL