For The Love Of Dixon (A Daryl Dixon Love Story) (WATTY AWARDS 2013)

Chapter 41

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It had been a week since we had settled into this house. Things were running somewhat smoothly for the most part. Merle seemed to be finally playing nice and being somewhat of a team player and when he wasn't Daryl definitely kept him in line.

Daryl was currently out hunting much to my dismay. I knew we needed good meat and we needed to eat but it was starting to snow and I doubted much game was out there. Sophia was downstairs playing with Carl. The women were inside and I'm pretty sure the men were outside chopping wood for fires.

I was currently sitting in the bedroom we were occupying looking out the window towards the woods hoping Daryl would just magically appear. I sighed as I heard a familiar loud knock on my door recognizing it as Merle's. I opened the door and was greeted by his familiar smirk.

"Yes?" I asked him. I didn't know where Merle and I stood. I wouldn't call us enemies anymore but we definitely weren't friends. Merle waved his stump in the air. "Ya think ya can help me out and clean this thing," I sighed again and opened the door further to let him in.

Merle sat on the edge of the bed which shocked me. Usually Merle was a pig and just made himself comfortable anywhere. Maybe he was actually trying to change for the better. I snorted out loud and Merle gave me a funny look. Him changing? Yeah, right.

It was quiet between us as I started to remove his bandage. Luckily it hadn't become infected which once again shocked me. It looked like that hadn't been changed since he hacked off his hand which had been almost five months ago. I sighed thinking about how long it had been since shit had hit the fan.

I started cleaning his stump making sure no sores were popping up. "I know you don't like it but I think you should let it air out for a bit before putting a bandage back over it," Merle nodded slightly and it fell silent between again. I crossed my arms and looked out the window.

"He's gonna be alright," I heard Merle's familiar drawl and I felt myself turning to him. I shrugged slightly. "I know. I'm not worried. I know he can take care of himself. I just wish he was back," I said. I was waiting on Merle to laugh and come back with some smart ass comment.

"I really don't get what my baby brother sees in you, but you're something else," Merle said. I felt my eyebrows pull together in confusion. "Uh, thanks...I think," I said. Merle leaned back a little on his elbows. "You're not the same person I remember six years ago," he said.

I scoffed. "Are any of us? Look what happened to the world. I think that has changed us all," I said. Merle snorted but nodded in agreement. "I like you now," I scoffed again. "Merle, you've never liked me," I said while turning my attention back to the window.

"Dammit girlie, I'm trying to be nice. Just hear me out, will ya?" I could hear the anger slur through Merle's voice. I turned back around and cocked an eyebrow at him as if telling him to go on. "You're stronger now. Ya got a back bone and that says a lot."

I felt my eyebrows arch slightly. "Before I just thought you were some pussy girl clinging to my baby brother in hopes of getting him to marry ya so you could use him but now I see I was wrong. Ya both love each other and I sure as hell don't know why but I'm not gonna stand between my baby brother and his woman especially if it's you."