16

**So I'm probably committing Walking Dead fan sacrilege but I'm giving this one a happy ending, as I think the characters deserve it after all they've been through. Fast forward to eleven years into the future (I figure the outbreak started around spring 2010, and the last chapter ended in February of 2011, so I'm moving with that timeline)…Thank you again to anyone reading and commenting. It was so much fun to write this story and I hope you enjoyed it. Cheers!

February 28, 2022

9AM

Twenty-seven year old Dylan Murray sat on the roof of the pub overlooking the village of Argent. Daily watches were no longer needed since the last of the walkers died off in late 2013 and the subsequent inoculations that followed, but it had become tradition among the founding members of the village to sit up there, just watching the day to day activities of their home.

The village had become home not only for the Murray boys, Andrea, Carol, Glenn, the Dixon brothers and Rick and Carl, but as the walkers died off, people longing for a home began to trickle in. Eventually, the population grew to just over forty people. A lot of this had to do with the fact that, once the walkers died off, the military once again began coming out of the woodwork. The FDA, now a small yet growing entity, managed to make it to many communities with vaccines, including the out of the way places such as Argent. In addition, some of the formerly disbanded organizations such as the Red Cross and FEMA slowly began to filter in, providing supplies.

Radio and electricity were re-established in late 2016. The radio was used mostly as a means to convey emergency information. However, a handful of stations started broadcasting music and even old-fashioned programs featuring half-hour scripted "episodes" for people to enjoy. There had been rumors of telephone availability as far back as 2015, but Argent didn't get its first telephone line until 2018. Television made its debut in late 2020, but it was reserved for public broadcasting and emergency information.

Argent was pretty much self-sustaining. They had their own food sources through both animals and an enormous garden. The only things that the aforementioned organizations provided were medicines, toiletries, batteries and shoes, which were highly appreciated and did not go unused.

Due to Argent's surge in population, a few more homes were built within the village. Each villager, in one way or another, helped in building those homes. They were small, yet sturdy structures, thus reflecting Argent's true nature: diminutive yet resilient.

It wasn't just Argent the village that experienced a series of changes. With the surge in population brought many new relationships. Many of its residents enjoyed transformations and milestones of their own. Carol settled into a home with a man named Gene and his teenaged son Brent. Glenn had twin daughters named Kate and Megan with a young woman named Emily. His girls were now close to seven years old.

Rick and Andrea found love after years of close friendship. They had a daughter that they named Allison, now five. Carl, a robust man of twenty-one years, was quickly becoming a stronger male figure in Argent.

Daryl remained a happy bachelor, always preferring to be on his own. However, he had a sometime companion in a thirty-six year old petite brunette pilot named Kristen, who'd fly her small Cessna into Argent on a quarterly basis to provide supplies from Raleigh. She'd stay for a week at a time and the two would enjoy each other's company in one form or another. However, Kristen would inevitably leave, giving Daryl his sought after freedom once again. It was truly the perfect relationship for the man.

Merle, on the other hand, still pined for a partner. He'd been secretly disappointed by Andrea's pairing with Rick, but he was happy for them nonetheless. He hoped someday that a lovely, single woman might find her way into Argent so he could sweep her off her feet. Although even Merle would admit, at almost sixty, there wouldn't be much sweeping going on.

The Murray boys weren't immune to change either. Ben had grown into a formidable hunter and, along with Daryl, kept the village well fed. He, too, waited for the right girl to find Argent. He enjoyed being a well-liked and strong figure in the village and was excited to someday raise a family.

Dylan found himself to be quite a bit luckier in love. When he was twenty, a beautiful, raven haired woman named Beth moved into Argent with her small daughter, Lily. She had lost her husband as he was protecting her and their daughter from a walker horde when the sickness first began to spread years before. Beth was nine years older than Dylan but that didn't stop their romance from blossoming quickly. Three years later, they had a son they named Liam, after Dylan's father.

Dylan's amber eyes settled on the chicken coop, where Daryl was having somewhat of a standoff with the current rooster. "I don't care if ya pissed, I gotta clean inside. Don't be nippin' at my heels. Go on now ya cranky bastard!" he said, clapping at the argumentative animal. He looked up at Dylan. "Damn cock's bein' a real dick," he said chuckling.

Dylan laughed heartily and stood, stretching his now muscular, six foot-two inch frame. He heard movement from the ladder and turned to see twenty-three year old Ben reach the top and step on. At six feet tall Ben shared his brother's strapping build. Both men continued to keep their heads shaven as a preference.

They watched Daryl from above and giggled uncontrollably as Merle decided to offer some constructive criticism regarding the maintenance of the coop, which had now expanded in size from four chickens and a rooster to twenty-three chickens and a rooster. The old cupola was now just the entrance to the much larger coop. Andrea stood close by to watch the chickens with Allison in her arms.

"Do I look like I need help?" asked Daryl.

"Hell yeah you do! Boy that rooster's gonna get the best of ya," said Merle, leaning on the fence. "You gotta show him who's boss."

"He's a goddamn rooster Merle! He don't even think GOD is his boss!" hollered Daryl.

"Well, what if there was another rooster around?" asked Merle. "Then what would he do?"

"Ain't no other rooster around, Merle," said Daryl.

"Well go get one," said Merle, shrugging.

"Oh just like that? What you want me to do, go to the rooster outlet and they'll just hand one to me?" asked Daryl, exasperated. "You think you can do better than me? Come on in the ring, then. Let's see what you got."

"Shoot, I could do it if I wanted to. I can do anythin' you can do, boy. Even better," he bragged.

"Oh yeah?" Daryl asked, folding his arms across his chest. "Clap."

"Pffft!" said Merle, waving his hand at Daryl. "I'll show ya clappin'. I'll clap ya right upside the head, I tell you what."

"Hey Merle!" called Ben from the roof. "Why don't you go grab a couple of feather dusters, stick them in the back of your jeans and go show that rooster what's up!"

Daryl and Dylan chuckled and Merle turned around, with his ever-mischievous grin. "Well I might just do that, Ben. Hey Blondie," he said to Andrea. "What you think of that idea? Wanna see what a real cock can do?"

Andrea rolled her eyes. "Not in front of my kid, Merle," she said chuckling. Just then Rick and Carl walked up.

"Okay people, I don't need an audience!" said Daryl. "I got enough trouble with this dumbass backseat driver!" he said, gesturing to Merle.

"Relax Daryl," said Rick, giggling. "I just came to see my girls," he said taking Allison into his arms and sharing a loving kiss with Andrea.

"Lucky bastard," said Merle under his breath. Unbeknownst to Merle, a series of unspoken signals was being exchanged among all of the players at the coop and on the pub's roof. He was the only one left in the dark…

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2PM

"Come on Merle, stop bitching," said Dylan. "Just one drink at the pub. It's your birthday for crying out loud!"

"For Pete's sake boy I don't know why we had to leave my dang house for a drink. I got whiskey there! It's too damn cold out! And I'm missin' my show!" he hollered, puffs of air condensing as they left his mouth and nose. He tugged his cap lower on to his ears and folded his arms as they walked.

"Geez Merle we've had television back for, what, sixteen months and you're already addicted?" asked Dylan, giggling and rolling his eyes. "Besides, it's only public access television anyway. Will you really be that upset if you missed the Sheldon fourth grade spelling bee?"

"Them little bastards can spell!" said Merle. "Hell, that's quality programmin'!"

Dylan stopped at the back of the pub and grinned at Merle. "How about Ben and I have our own spelling bee just for the sake of your entertainment?"

"Ben's comin' too?" asked Merle. "Okay throw in Blondie and Long Dong Dingy and we're on. I bet the Chinaman blows ya'll outta the water."

Dylan cracked up laughing. "I'm sure Glenn will appreciate his latest nickname and your confidence in his spelling abilities. Come on," he said, opening the pub's back entrance.

Merle stepped inside and he fished for the lights. "Hey dummy how's about some illumination, huh? I'm gettin' old ya know."

"Speaking of…" said Dylan, flipping on the lights. Merle looked around the pub and saw every single one of Argent's residents (forty-three at last count) smiling at him.

"Surprise!" they yelled, holding up a sign that said "Happy 60th Merle!"

"Screw me side saddle!" he declared, laughing. "How'd ya'll plan a surprise party in a small village like this one? You know we're all up in each other's business."

"Easy," said Ben, stepping forward. "After my big twenty-third bash last week, we threw you off the scent."

"Yeah," said Daryl. "We figured you'd never suspect another party just a week later."

"Get this man a shot!" said Ben. "And then we're gonna hear his speech!"

Everyone cheered and clapped.

"Speech?" asked Merle. "Oh now come on ya'll, I…"

"Merle, you know you love to hear yourself talk. Don't get bashful now," said Andrea.

"Yeah let's not forget Christmas two years ago. We had to drag you off your soapbox," joked Rick.

"Yeah that's because he was drunk and quotin' frikkin' Shakespeare. Badly," said Daryl, shaking his head and giggling. "To be or not to be…wait, what was my question?"

"Come on Merle!" coaxed Glenn, handing him a shot of whiskey.

"Yeah, come on Merle!" hollered the group. They all clapped and chanted, "Speech, speech, speech!"

"All right, all right," said Merle, patting Glenn on the back and taking the shot from him. He threw it back and everyone clapped. He looked over at Dylan, holding Liam. "I need my partner in crime," he said, motioning for Liam. "Gimme my grandbaby."

Everyone clapped as Liam was handed to Merle. "Hi Poppa!" he said, cheerfully.

"Hi my boy," said Merle, kissing the dark haired boy on the head. "You gonna help me make my speech?"

"Okay!" said Liam clapping his hands. "Everybody quiet, cuz, um, Poppa's gonna talk, okay?" he said. Everyone laughed.

"Well," started Merle. "Twelve years ago, when I came across this little village, I never would have imagined I'd be livin' the life I have now. But if it wasn't for two kids, I…" he broke off for a long moment. He cleared his throat. "Well, ya'll know who the Murray boys are and I've told this story plenty of times. But they became my family and I theirs. And then the rest of ya'll assholes showed up." Everyone laughed as Merle shared a look with Daryl. "I tell ya I really am bad once I get on the soapbox, huh?" He gestured to the picture of William Munroe and his family, now in a frame and still behind the bar. "Ole Bill woulda been real proud knowin' his village is home to some of the best people in the world…Anyway, I'm glad to be here at sixty and hope to be here a hell of a lot longer, too."

"To Merle," said Daryl, raising his glass.

"To Merle!"

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

9PM

Merle, Ben and Dylan sat in the living room having a whiskey and reminiscing about days long past. They laughed heartily, thinking back on how Daryl caught the chickens and the rooster and raised their glasses to those that had died long ago.

Beth came into the living room with Liam in her arms. "Someone has requested that 'the guys' put him to bed tonight," she said smiling. The little boy rubbed his eyes wearily.

"All right little man," said Dylan, standing up and taking Liam from Beth. "You ready?"

"Ready Daddy."

Liam lay between his uncle and his father, while his grandfather sat at the edge of the bed. "Can you sing me the peck song?" he asked them. "The one your daddy and mommy sang to you when you were my age?"

Ben giggled. "A Bushel and a Peck? Sure, bud. Will you sing it with us?" he asked.

"Okay," said Liam, smiling.

I love you, a bushel and a peck,

A bushel and a peck

And a hug around the neck

A hug around the neck,

And a barrel and a heap,

A barrel and a heap,

And I'm talkin' in my sleep about you,

About you,

'Cause I love you…

Liam smiled as Ben and Dylan kissed his head. "Love you little man," said Dylan.

"Love you Daddy and Uncle. Hey Poppa?"

"Yep?"

"Will you tell me the story about how you lost your hand again?" Liam asked.

Dylan and Ben cracked up laughing and got off the bed. "All yours Merle," said Dylan, smiling and shutting Liam's bedroom door before he and Ben went back into the living room.

Merle lay next to Liam. "You sure you want to hear that story again? You must've heard it a thousand times," said Merle.

"Yeah 'cause it's my favorite," said Liam, giggling.

Merle smiled. "Okay then here goes. You see I was at the zoo one day maybe twenty years ago. Man it was a hot one that day I tell you what. And crowded! I ain't seen so many people in one place besides…"