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Stubborn Love- A Modern/AU Walking Dead Story	By : ImagineLayla131 Category: S through Z > The Walking Dead Views: 2907 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NOR HAVE ANY AFFILIATIONS WITH TWD FRANCHISE NO MONEY/PROFIT IS BEING MADE!

Chapter List
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Hi everybody! Sorry this chapter is short, I wanted to get it out there though, not the best day today :(. Everybody that was at Thanksgiving is at Christmas except Rick's family.
Chapter Forty One: Merry Cheer
THREE DAYS LATER
Merle's House, Brentwood, 7:00 pm
MELODY
"Wow, I don't think I could eat another thing if I tried." I said as I leaned back into Gareth's arms, who was leaned up against the end of the couch.
Since Merle was taking Mom to both the Italian and Swiss Alps until the day before New Year's, we were having an impromptu Christmas gathering at his house before they left tomorrow while Billy and Delilah were leaving with the twins on Christmas Eve to go Steverson Ranch in Texas for Christmas morning.
The festivities started earlier today with going to see The Nutcracker. It's been a tradition since before I was born, getting dressed up in our winter finest and taking a limo to Long Beach where we had V.I.P. orchestra seats. A gathering of mothers, daughters, grandmothers, granddaughters, sisters and cousins, much needed female bonding with old and new faces. This year, we were joined by Mary, Carol, Sophia, Lizzie, Mika and Autumn Montana. Sophia was thrilled to be spending the afternoon in Delilah's presence and Autumn Montana and Serena hit it off, the two of them trying to do a 'la turns in front of the Long Beach Performing Arts Center.
After the ballet, we commenced with the guys and Andi (who was finishing up a last minute order and missed the performance) at Merle's for dinner, feasting on huge deli spreads. Sandwiches of roast beef, pastrami, and turkey on rye or egg bread, not to mention all the delicacies my mom and aunt made. Brightly frosted and sprinkled holiday cut-out sugar cookies in different Christmas and Hannukah symbols, loaves of ginger and cranberry bread, and my personal favorites, chocolate chip cheesecake and sour cream coffee cake, both of which Lori and I made with Delilah and Christine.
Now, we were all relaxing in the family room with mugs of hot chocolate with mini marshmallows and eggnog, the older generation on the couch with the young adults and kids on the floor, a crackling fire toasting up the room and Christmas songs softly playing on the stereo. The only downside was that Uncle Axel was here, my mom caving in at the last minute and inviting him out of pity. He mostly kept to himself, watching some sporting event on a handheld TV, which was probably for the best considering Lori and I still wanted nothing to do with him.
"That definitely hit the spot. Mom, Aunt Charlotte, you really outdid yourselves." GM said.
Aunt Rachelle smiled. "Well, I told you it was my goal to get some meat on your bones and I meant it."
"Alright, let's get back to the presents, gang. The youngins' are a-waiting." Merle said, handing out shiny boxes to the kids, gold PS4s for the boys and pink tablets for the girls.
I think one of Merle's biggest regrets was not having a child. Maybe he does but just doesn't know it yet. Even if Merle and Mom had a child now they'd be senior citizens by the time it graduated. Perhaps he was compensating with the kids tonight. He had really gone all out. The backyard had been transformed into an interactive ice castle with real snow and a live action cast of Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Hans to sing the songs from Frozen, along with a moose as Sven and an animatronic Olaf.
I cherish family first and foremost, but nothing warmed my heart more than my mother. Her smile was radiating love and joy, exuding Christmas spirit. It had been so long since we had seen her this happy, it reminded me of how things used to be when we would host Christmas at our house.
"This is really terrific, it's what family is all about. I am just taking it all in, because Gareth and I are going to need it when we go to Chernabog's house!" I threw my head back, laughing heartily.
Hours following our explosive conversation, my father had sobered up and called to apologize. He said he overreacted, that he wouldn't be cutting me off or blackballing Gareth, and still expected us on Christmas Eve and the Red Cross Ball next month. Even though he apologized, I could feel the insincerity of it, that he still wanted to blame it all on me.
"Honey, you really shouldn't call your father that. Then again, lets hope that he takes it out on that gold digging Lady and the Tramp the same way he did on me, but I'm sure he'll retire his horns for the evening."
"You should let me meet The Gov'nah, Charlotte. I could probably knock him around and hopefully he'll gain some sense." Merle said as he wrapped his arm around Mom, giving her a kiss on the head.
Daryl snickered. "That would be a fight I'd definitely put money on, bro."
"I second that." Andi added.
"My dad said he was not in the best of moods at the National Governor's Conference last month, he actually got into a pissing contest with the chairman over raising taxes." Billy looked over at me, rocking a scruffier look with shorter hair and five o'clock shadow. "He's not really running for President, is he?"
Delilah rolled her eyes. "Oh, jeez. If he wins it'll be like having Frances Underwood in office. No offense, Meme."
I'm glad that she and Billy weren't annoyed with me. I hadn't received Delilah's voicemails and text telling me that they had been hounded by paparazzi at LAX asking about me (they left Vegas the night after 54 while we left on Monday). All they said was that everybody was having a good time and it was harmless fun.
Right now, they didn't even seem affected, Delilah curled up in Billy's arms on the floor watching the twins playing with Autumn Montana and Dante. They really were made for a lifestyle of the rich and the famous.
"None taken. All I can say is if he does, he'll have to change parties, I don't know how much longer he can be a closet Conservative for. Is your dad still planning to run?"
"Sure is." Billy's father Vance was the current Governor of Texas, succeeding his father in the position, not to mention being an intelligent and very charming Josh Lucas lookalike. With his smooth Southern accent and overall wit, I could absolutely see him in the White House.
"Any man that can knock the lights out of that S.O.B. is my hero." Grandma Jun-Jun said.
"Enough." Grandma Frances interjected. "That's your father, Melody, and he was a father to you too for a long time, Lori. You shouldn't be talking badly about people when they aren't here to defend themselves."
Lori and I exchanged looks with Mom, Aunt Rachelle, Christine and Delilah. Out of anybody, Grandma Frances was the biggest shit talker of them all. I was about to open my mouth when Dante beat me to the punch.
"Dog-ee! Dog-ee!" He let out little baby giggles as Rambo, Merle's German Shepard, gave him a bath of slobbery kisses.
"You got me a Ferrero Rocher!" Autumn Montana squealed as she tore the wrapping paper off of a mini Ferrari, officially reverting the ambiance to pre-argument.
I could feel Gareth smiling behind me. "It's Ferrari, Autumn, Ferrero Rocher is chocolate, and what do you say to Grandma Jun-Jun?"
She waved her hand out at Gareth. "Daddy! Who do you take me for? I know what to say!" Autumn Montana walked over and hugged Grandma Jun-Jun. "Thank you, Grandma Jun Jun!"
Jun-Jun had gotten the cars for all the younger kids, Ferraris for the girls and Escalades for the boys. For the rest of the ladies, we all got dangling De Beers earrings encrusted with diamonds and our individual birthstones, Sophia nearly fainted when she opened hers. The guys got silk Valentino ties in blue and grey along with Dior cuff links. Being a former New York socialite, she had married well (four times to be exact) and was worth a pretty penny, which is why she was devastated that my mom didn't come to her for help when we lost everything.
"Oh, you're welcome, honey!" Jun-Jun gave Autumn Montana big kisses on the cheeks before pinching them. I knew right away she would go crazy about Gareth's daughter, and who wouldn't? She's so stinking cute! "Look at those cheeks! I could eat them up, you're such a little dolly, just like your uncle over there." She nodded her head at Alex.
"I'm not Uncle Alex! I'm so much cuter!"
"Hey, speak for yourself, squirt! I am all that, a bag of chips and a Diet Coke! Ask my girlfriend." Alex posed on the floor, taking a selfie. Ever since I introduced him to Madison, he had totally changed. He kept straightening his hair and traded his baggy pants and hoodies for fitted jeans and blazers with Oxford shirts, along with wearing eye glasses sometimes to make himself more sophisticated. She was back in Tennessee for the holidays, but they were nonstop texting and I happened to know for a fact that they got pretty wild back in Vegas, having walked in on them mid rim job.
Of course, there are some things that never change. Right before dinner, he and Jun-Jun offered up some freshly rolled joints, with me, Gareth, Billy, Delilah, Daryl and Carol joining in. Luckily, nobody was catching on.
"I'm crushed, Alex. I was ready to snatch you up and take you back to New York to be my live in boy toy! We'd be the envy of every washed up socialite and fame hungry Nancy boy in the city!"
"Ha, if it falls through, I'm all yours." Alex winked at her.
"Hey, Autumn Montana, what about that big one over there?" I pointed to another huge box behind the Christmas tree. "It's from me and Daddy. Carl, can you grab it for her, please?
"She's going to love it, I'm so glad you convinced me." Gareth whispered in my ear as Carl pulled the box out. I looked over my shoulder at him and smiled.
"Well, it's what every little girl wants. How are you doing?"
This week hasn't been easy for us, with all the phone calls, questions and speculation. I had been unfortunately forced to come clean to Gareth and my family that the paparazzi had been following me around since I started going by Blake.
After TMZ and Access Hollywood, there were leaked pictures all over the Internet of me working out at the gym, walking the dogs with Lori, even at the grocery store or out with Gareth from that day at Starbucks, which led me to believe that it was one of the faces from my past to sell me out. Maybe the press was looking to finally divert from the Kardashian dynasty that swept the world by storm, but I hadn't done anything to deserve it.
The only good thing to come out of this was that Forbes called Gareth wanting to do a profile piece on him and his rising career. I could tell he was embarrassed that the possibility of me cheating on him with Crash had been assumed by the masses, but he hid it well.
"I'm perfect, sugar. I'm surrounded by family and friends with my baby girl and my babe. What more could I ask for?" He smiled, wrapping his arms around my chest, pulling me in tighter and kissed me on the cheek as we watched Autumn Montana squeal with delight over her present.
"A horsey!"
"Her name is S'mores and she's just like a real life pony. You can ride her and feed her and she even breathes real air!"
The FurReal Pets life size pony had been brought to my attention a few years ago during a demonstration at Target, I knew this was the perfect gift when Gareth and I were stumped after having gone shopping and returning with everything but a perfect present. Every little girl wants a pony, and now Autumn Montana had one in brown and white.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Daddy and Melody!" Autumn Montana jumped in my lap, throwing her arms around both our necks and giving us kisses.
"We love you so much, honey." I said, stroking her hair affectionately.
"Merry Chrismakkuah, peanut." Gareth added.
"Gareth," Delilah nudged him when Autumn Montana asked Carl to take S'mores out of the box so she and Serena could ride it. "she is such a sweetheart and absolutely adorable. Have you thought about putting her in a beauty pageant or getting her involved with modeling and acting?"
"She did a couple local ads and a few pageants back in San Francisco, but nothing major."
"You should totally get her involved! Billy's older sister and I run Perfection 4 U, it's a side business that specializes in beauty pageant coaching, makeup and custom outfits, since we're both veteran beauty queens. Kayla has been running it by herself since my film career took off, I Skype in sessions when I can, but we can totally take Autumn Montana under our wing. Free of charge of course, anything for family."
That was one thing our family and Billy's had in common: All the women at one point or another participated in a beauty pageant. It had helped Mom and Aunt Rachelle land jobs as Radio City Rockettes for a couple years, Kayla's second runner up at Miss America 2000 got her recruited to be a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, it certainly helped Delilah's career, and Lori was Miss Teen California when she was seventeen. I did them when I was younger but my outbursts prevented me from furthering things in my pageant future.
"I agree with Delilah, A.M. is a beautiful child, you should put her in one of the kid friendly ads."
"I'll definitely think about it, I know her mother would say yes hands down."
I hoped that he would agree to it eventually, it would be a great experience for Autumn Montana, she already had the confidence shining through at such a young age.
Looking around the room, it was astounding how things can change. A year ago I was in my own isolation and now I'm with the people I love most in the world, I'd rather die before losing this all.
LORI
"Melody, open mine next."
I stretched across and grabbed my present from under the tree, handing it to my sister.
"Ok! No problem. Open mine with me?" She grabbed a box and smiled.
"You got it."
I opened the box and pulled out a figurine of Elsa and Anna holding hands in the snow and looking at each other, "A Sister's Love Warms The Heart" was written on the side.
"Oh, my gosh! You got me-"
She pulled the identical figurine out of the box, both of us looking at each other and flabbergasted before we started laughing.
"We got each other the same thing!"
Still laughing, we leaned over and hugged each other. When I saw the figurine advertised from Bradford Exchange, I immediately thought of my sister. She mentioned something after she got back together with Gareth about how we were just like Elsa and Anna, and I could see it.
"I love it, Lori. Hey, maybe we should get their hair painted so they look more like us."
"Ha, maybe, but I kind of like them how they are."
"Me, too. Ok, now this last gift is for all of you. Rick, Lori, and Carl." Melody crawled over to the tree, poking around in the back, posed rather provocatively.
"Dude, how many times do you tap that luscious ass doggy style?"
"Alex!" Gareth smacked him across the head. "It's Christmas, man! You can't go one day?"
"Oh, Shesus, is he talking about my butt again?" Melody crawled out, handing me, Rick and Carl blue boxes as she made her way back to Gareth. "You're a taken man! Eyes off!"
He shrugged. "I'm sorry, I can't help it that my future sister-in-law is sexy as hell."
"Very funny." Melody glanced over at us. "Open the boxes, guys."
"What is this?" Carl asked, pulling out a red short sleeve button up shirt with white hibiscus flowers all over it while Rick pulled out a white shirt with blue hibiscus flowers. My box had a beautiful green maxi dress with sequined pink hibiscus flowers.
Melody and Gareth looked at each other, huge smiles decorating their faces as they rapidly tapped their hands to their thighs in a drumroll style before stretching them out to the sides.
"We're sending you to Hawaii!"
RICK
I looked down to see an envelope fall out of the shirt. Opening it, there was a first class ticket inside to O'hau, Hawaii.
"Are you serious?" I wanted to laugh I was so happy. These past couple days had been nothing but stress. Due to the video, we had lost some of our most valued clients. Kleenex and Target were easily swayed back with the ideas we had for future ad campaigns, but we were just barely on the tail end of damage control. Luckily, not everything was a complete failure. Carlotta Chopra, the half Latina/half Indian singer that had become a worldwide sensation, was launching a lifestyle brand of products from alcohol to bedding and needed a firm to handle advertising and marketing. If the meeting in January went well, it would be Woodbury to do just that.
"Of course we are. First class all the way and the 2-bedroom villa at Disney Aulani."
"When are we leaving?" Carl asked.
"Same time as Charlotte and Merle. Abraham and Eugene will be driving you guys to the airport. You'll be gone for ten days."
Lori shook her head. "No, I-"
"No, Lori. We've got everything taken care of. I know that we've discussed going on a vacation, but Mommy and I decided we shouldn't go. This is one of the last times it'll be a vacation with the three of you, before Judith comes along." Melody said. "Who knows, maybe you'll be there when they're filming Hawaii 5-0. Mmm McGarrett." Her tongue hung out a bit, to which Lori gave her a playful shove.
"Stop think of Coach Scott, Melody!"
"What?! I can't help it, the man has a great ass!"
"Anyways," Gareth continued. "this is an incredible vacation. We have you guys booked for a catamaran experience, horseback riding, a hike of the Manoa Valley Rainforest and Boom Forest, tours of the North Shore and its volcanoes, a helicopter ride around the island, snorkeling, scuba diving, surfing lessons, jet skiing, a spa day, whatever you want, it's on us."
"Surfing?! That's freaking awesome!" Carl high fived them excitedly.
"Why?" I asked Gareth.
"Why?" He smiled. "I've always been big on paying it forward, and thanks to you I have the means to do just that. Rick, not only are you my boss and mentor, but I consider you a close friend, also. Without you, none of this would have been possible. I wouldn't be able to provide for my family the way I'm able to, and I most certainly wouldn't have Melody without you guys. That and you work your ass off every day, you deserve the break. Martin and Shane and I have everything under control at Woodbury."
Gareth really was a good guy and genuine person. He had come such a long way from being in the bull pen at Woodbury to practically running the place by my side, handling this whole crisis with such ease. The more I saw him in action, the more I wanted him as my partner. Shane will always be my best friend, but he still continued to be withdrawn and when he wasn't he was nasty. It certainly gave me a lot to think about, and I definitely needed the vacation, all of us did. I know one day I'll be returning the favor.
THE NEXT NIGHT, THE GRIMES' RESIDENCE, 6:35 PM
GARETH
"Melody! I'm here!" I shouted from the laundry room as I walked inside. We were watching Ric and Lori's while they were in Hawaii with Carl. I was looking forward to spending the whole week with Melody playing house.
Kato, Mugsy, Butterscotch and Simba all came running up, nearly tackling me to the ground with their greeting.
"Whoa! Hey, guys!" I petted them all until they calmed down and went their separate ways, but Melody still wasn't down here. "Meme! Where are you?" I walked into the foyer, looking around.
"Right behind you."
When I turned around, I felt my face flush and my mouth fly open.
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Stubborn Love- A Modern/AU Walking Dead Story