A/N This is going to transport all of our favorite characters to a new place, and new lives. It's a Bethyl romance, but it's going to take us a while to get there, so please be patient and enjoy the trip. I've got several chapters written, so expect frequent updates.

Daryl Dixon

Daryl couldn't complain about his life as it was right here, right now. He had more than what he needed to get by. Determined to break out of the Dixon family cycle of drinking, drugging and abusing, he'd managed to make a little something of his life.

Thanks to his friend Caesars dad, he'd gotten his start right out of high school driving big rigs for a local grocery chain. Daryl did well, but his goal was to be a mechanic and that's what he'd set his sights on, becoming a certified mechanic.

He lived a frugal lifestyle and saved every nickel he could to enroll in a mechanic school and earn that certificate.

Now at 32 years old, he was in his fifth year at the enormous truck stop located on the outskirts of Atlanta. He had earned his certificate and he'd worked his way up to lead mechanic, but he still lived a very modest lifestyle, renting a small two bedroom single wide at a trailer park not far from work. He still saved most of his money. He had a dream that one day he could own a nice piece of property in the woods, maybe near a lake.

Daryl's two big splurges were a 2010 Ford F-150 pick-up with a canopy, and a Harley Heritage Softail Classic FLSTC. He kept both in pristine condition; he planned on owning them for a good long time.

He'd originally used the second bedroom in his trailer as a handy place to store his outdoor gear, along with his crossbow, hunting rifle and shotgun. But all plans are subject to change, and 17 months ago his older brother, Merle, showed up at the truck stop out of the blue and with hat in hand. Merle had just completed a court ordered drug and alcohol rehab program, he had 30 days clean and sober and he needed a place to stay.

Daryl had his doubts about Merle staying clean but how could he say no? Merle was the only family he had, and Merle had taken care of him for years. Their Mom died when he was seven, although he never remembered her taking care of him much, and their Dad made himself scarce, except to come home occasionally in a drunken rage and beat his sons. Merle had tried to take Daryl's beatings for him, but the old man liked to spread the pain around. Nobody, including the brothers, felt any great loss when Will Dixon was killed in a hunting accident a few years back.

When Daryl got that job right out of high school Merle high tailed it to parts unknown. Oh, he'd show up every now and then, usually high, hang around, "get well" and he'd be off again.

This time seemed different; he told Daryl he couldn't live that lifestyle any longer. He was burned out. At 40 he was getting too old to survive it much longer. There were no old drug addicts. And he felt the pull to be close to his only family, Daryl. He missed his little brother. He'd always felt guilty for not being able to protect him better all those years ago. He knew he'd fucked up his own life and he wanted to prove to Daryl he could do better, be a decent man, be a good brother.

Daryl offered up that second bedroom on the condition that Merle stay clean and sober, contribute what he could for expenses, clean up after himself, and not bring any of his old running buddies around.

Merle tried hard but he had no education, no trade, no marketable skill. The work he got was all just day labor jobs, but he took whatever he could get. He'd bring home what groceries he could, helped keep the place tidy, stayed clear of lowlifes and most important to him and Daryl, he stayed clean and sober. Daryl knew it wore on Merle that he couldn't find a steady job, something where he could prove to Daryl he was capable of taking care of himself. Merle felt like a burden to Daryl.

But Daryl was proud of his brother. He knew this was tough for Merle, not just getting clean and staying clean, but walking away from a lifestyle he'd lived for most of his life. It was like learning to walk all over again.

Daryl made it a point to get them out every weekend, hunting, fishing, camping, the things Merle hadn't done in years.

When Merle celebrated six months of being clean and sober Daryl gave him a gift that both shocked Merle and deeply touched him. Daryl drove them to the storage units close to the trailer park. As Daryl raised the door to his unit Merle gasped, there was Merle's old Harley restored to mint condition. For the first time in his life Merle was speechless. He felt his eyes getting moist. He grabbed his brother in a one arm embrace, catching them both by surprise, and walked over to admire his old bike.

Daryl had had it licensed, registered and insured, all Merle had to do was get a drivers' license and Daryl would give him the key. Merle didn't hesitate, within a week he was ready to ride. He and Daryl began spending their Sundays riding their bikes and forgetting any problems, worries, or regrets.

Something was missing though, they both knew that. Daryl had never had a steady gal. Oh he had tried dating a couple of times, and in his early 20's he had a few one night stands, but that just wasn't his thing. He was interested in women, but hadn't met a woman he was interested in getting involved with, and truth be told he didn't feel all that confident approaching women. He was shy, and he knew he was socially awkward. He'd like to meet a nice woman, maybe even have a family, but it all seemed out of reach for a guy like him.

Merle had had his share of women, but only the type you met in the crappiest of bars and drug dens. Now that he'd gotten clean, he discovered meeting a good woman was a whole new game he didn't know how to play.

So the brothers just stayed busy, enjoyed their bikes and the great outdoors, worked hard and were truly grateful they'd both managed to escape the life they'd grown up in.

Little did Daryl know when he left for work on that Monday morning his life was about to change forever.

He put in his 8 ½ hours in the shop, and since Merle had plans to attend an NA meeting that night, he decided to just grab a burger in the truck stop restaurant. Mostly he and Merle ate at home. Grilling some meat and frying up some spuds or warming a can of beans, maybe nuking some corn or peas. Simple men, simple needs. A burger and fries with a Coke, in a truck stop restaurant, felt like a splurge.

As Daryl enjoyed his meal, he felt a slap on his back and heard a familiar voice, "Dixon, you old redneck, how the hell have ya been? My old man told me I might find you here, said you'd become a topnotch mechanic, said you were doing good for yourself and he's proud of you." Much to Daryl's pleasant surprise, it was his old buddy Caesar Martinez, home in Georgia to visit his parents for the week. The Martinez family had been a godsend in Daryl's life, having him at their home many a weekend, feeding him, taking him to church, but most important, allowing him to be part of a real family and have a little bit of normalcy in his life. Caesar had moved to Oregon as soon as they graduated from high school. He'd been to the Oregon Coast on a family vacation when he and Daryl were freshman and he'd made up his mind then that it was where he wanted to live.

They reminisced about the good and not so good old days, and caught up on each other's lives. And Caesar tells Daryl about life in Oregon.

When he arrived in Oregon he landed a job working for an older fellow, Dale Horvath, in Dale's small logging business located inland about 10 miles from the coast. Dale took a liking to Caesar and took him under his wing. Dale taught Caesar the logging business from the ground up. A few weeks ago Dale told Caesar that he and his wife, Erma, had decided it was time to sell the business, pack up their small motorhome, and head out on an adventure. Dale offered Caesar the business for far less than it was worth. He wanted it to pass to someone who would love and nurture it like he and his wife had. He was willing to sell it to Caesar for a small percentage of it's worth. Why not? Dale said he and Erma loved Caesar like a son, and adored his young family. Five years earlier Caesars wife, Karen, had joined the small business when Erma retired. She managed the office and did the bookwork. They had stepped into Dale and Erma's roles. Dale and Erma had worked hard and lived a thrifty lifestyle. They were financially secure and were firm in their belief that nothing would please them more than to have Caesar take over their second greatest love, the business they'd built together.

Daryl congratulated Caesar on his hard work, good fortune and new business venture. That's when Caesar stunned Daryl. He tells him a good mechanic, especially someone he knows he can trust, isn't easy to come by, and Caesar's lead mechanic has just announced he's bought a rock truck and is going independent. Caesar offers Daryl the job and promises Daryl he'll love Oregon, there's plenty of great hunting and fishing, and endless acres of forest, why he even has a line on a great cabin for Daryl, it's in the woods and on the river. Daryl could rent it cheap from Dale and Erma and buy it if he decides it's what he wants. There's even an old Airstream on the property that Dale and Erma lived in while they built the cabin. It would be the perfect set up for Merle.

Daryl can't deny it, he's interested, and honestly, pretty damn excited, there's just one question. Would Caesar have any kind of work for Merle? Merle's big, strong, and willing to work hard. Daryl explains the trouble Merle's had, 42 years old now, no high school diploma, no marketable skills and his last name is Dixon. He's only been able to pick up odd jobs around town. Caesar assures Daryl he has work for Merle in the woods, grunt work sure, but maybe Merle will be interested in learning the logging business and he can move up to something better. In the meantime, it's a good paycheck. And out West, no one knows the Dixon family history and seriously, no one cares.

Daryl's sold. Why the hell not? He's been stuck in Georgia his whole life. He's been worried Merle will get discouraged and have a slip; Merle needs work, a steady paycheck, and a sense of accomplishment. He and Merle need a fresh start.

Daryl tells Caesar he'll need to put in his two weeks' notice, he can't leave his boss high and dry, it just wouldn't be right. He and Merle will pack up, and make the 2800 mile drive to the Oregon Coast. They agree to meet at Caesar's folks place in two days to iron out the details, they shake hands and the deal is done.

Now all he has to do is tell Merle that they're moving, he doesn't know how Merle's going to feel about it, but there's only one way to find out. When he gets back to the trailer, Merle is watching a hunting show on the old TV. "Hey, Merle," Daryl starts, "I got a chance at a new job, and there's one in it for you too." Merle immediately turns off the TV and looks at Daryl, "What's this all about?" "Well," Daryl replies, "you know my old buddy Caesar; he has work for the both of us all we gotta do is move to Oregon. We can start fresh."

Merle looks at Daryl for a hard minute, nods his head and says, "Where you go Baby Brother is where Merle goes. I ain't never living anywhere you ain't ever again."

And so the Dixon Brothers' future begins.

A/N Next up, we meet the beautiful Beth. Thank you for reading, please review.