Unbreakable threads

Chapter Fifty Nine: Merles Sacrifice.

As the first rays of dawn filtered through the prison's cold, steel bars, Alyssa carefully slipped out of Rick's cell. She moved quietly, not wanting to disturb him, but a faint smile lingered on her lips. Sleeping beside her father, feeling the warmth and security of his presence, was something she'd never experienced as a child. But last night had been different, almost healing, allowing her to feel like a kid again, even if only for a few hours.

The prison was still mostly silent, with the rest of the group slowly stirring, getting ready for another day in this harsh, unforgiving world. Alyssa's footsteps were soft as she made her way down the hall and into the common area of the cell block, trying to shake off the vulnerability that had crept in during the night.

Alyssa paused as she spotted Merle in the corner, the sharp smell of cigarette smoke hanging in the air. He was leaning against the wall, looking surprisingly contemplative, a rare look for him. His usual smirk was absent, replaced by a distant expression that suggested he was lost in thought. For a moment, he didn't even seem to notice her approach.

She lingered by the door, watching him with cautious curiosity. Merle wasn't exactly someone she trusted or felt comfortable around, especially after his leering comments and the rough edge he brought with him wherever he went. But there was something in his posture that hinted at a different side, something he usually kept hidden under layers of sarcasm and bravado.

He glanced up, catching sight of her, and for a split second, his expression softened. "Well, well, if it ain't the Sheriff's little girl," he muttered, his tone gruff but lacking its usual edge. He took another drag of his cigarette, exhaling slowly as he watched her.

"Daryl... he cares 'bout ya, y'know," Merle said, almost reluctantly, like the words were being pulled from him against his will. "More than he lets on. Don't go blamin' him for takin' off. That's on me."

Alyssa raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she looked at him skeptically. She wasn't sure where this was coming from, or what Merle's angle was, but there was a vulnerability in his eyes she hadn't seen before.

"He left," she replied quietly, her voice laced with the hurt she'd tried to bury. "And you don't just get to walk away from people like that."

Merle let out a rough chuckle, though it was tinged with bitterness. "Trust me, kid, I ain't the type to know much about family, or doin' right by folks. But Daryl... he's different. He just don't know how to show it. All that soft stuff, that's new to him. And if it's 'cause of you, then hell, maybe he's better off. Just... don't hold it against him."

Merle took another long drag on his cigarette, his gaze fixed on Alyssa with an unusual intensity. For once, he wasn't looking at her with that sneering amusement or the half-mocking glint that usually colored his interactions. There was something different, something almost... solemn. He shifted, clearly uncomfortable with whatever was running through his mind, but he pushed forward, the weight of his brother's feelings forcing him to speak.

"Look, kid," he started, his voice rough, uncharacteristically hesitant, "Daryl ain't like me. Hell, he's better than me, and that's sayin' somethin'. Always has been, but he's got a heart he don't know what to do with. And somehow, some way, that heart's got tangled up in you." He paused, as if even admitting that was a strange, foreign concept to him. "He don't say it. Don't know how, probably. But that boy loves ya, more than he even knows."

Alyssa felt her chest tighten at Merle's words. She'd known, in her own way, that Daryl cared deeply for her, that he'd been there for her in ways no one else had. But hearing it put into words, even in Merle's gruff, blunt way, made something click inside her.

"I know he's rough," Merle continued, almost like he was talking to himself now. "Don't show it in all those soft ways folks think they need. But he's solid. And if he came back here, back to this damn prison, then he's here for good. He's tryin', y'know? Tryin' to do right by ya. So maybe cut him some slack."