AMBER | Daryl Dixon

Safe

Amber's POV

Rick and I were out there for a bit, just talking, getting to know one another. He introduced me to who he was and who he was to the group; our broken leader.

"With everything you've told me and from what my dad's told me, you all seem like a strong group. Hopefully I can keep up with you guys. You all seem pretty solid already." Rick turned to me and smiled.

"Don't worry, you're already here with us. Now c'mon. Let's head back inside." Rick then took lead and I closed the door behind us. Once inside, I walked down the steps and saw the black women from before.

"Michone." I thought while she looked at me. I nodded and kept on walking, passing Merle on the way.

"Hey Pumpkin-" I just kept on walking. After a few steps, he called again.

"Amber!" I stopped and stood still with my back towards him.

"Look, I'm not the greatest person in the damn world but, you can't stay mad at me for-"

"You just don't get it do you?" I flipped around.

"I blamed myself for the longest time for not being able to find you and dad. I was f***ing 9 years old! What the sand hell was I supposed to do when Joe was the one who took me away. If not, I would have stayed until you and dad got home! Hell, I saw you drive down the street." Merle just stared at me along with everyone else in the corridor.

"I begged and begged for Joe to leave me, let me out of the car but he wouldn't." I paused before scoffing.

"I don't know why I'm trying to justify things with you when you don't even believe me." I watched as Merle's eyes softened.

"All you care about is dad now that you are together. You said it yourself, you ran because he's your brother." Merle studdered as he tried to find words.

"Amber I-" I shook my head.

"Like I said, I mean so little to you, that me being left behind didn't hurt or phase you in any shape or form." He stayed silent.

"I'm nothing more than a stranger who entered your house and became a burden so many years ago." I said, turning around sharply, feeling my stomach turn as the feeling of sadness and anger crept up on me.

"I tried looking you know? I really did, but what can a 9 year old do right? Was forced out of her house and then taken from her family, one that she assumed had chosen to love her, but I guess she was wrong. I was wrong." I smiled, feeling pity for myself.

"We did too, I told you we did. We tried looking for you but- but it was hopeless. Everything turned out blank. We had to keep moving." I clenched my fists as the word 'hopeless' repeated itself inside my head, once hearing it from Joe when he forced me to stop looking for my dad and uncle.

"I spent months and years looking for my family when in reality, they'd given up on me long before I had to." With that said, I began to leave but froze when he spoke.

"Look Amber, I'm sorry. Everyone here looks at me like I'm some type of dirty animal. I don't need my niece to look at me like that too." I just looked over my shoulder and just continued walking away, and into the tunnels.

After a while of checking out the tunnels for loose ends, I sat myself against a corner and slid down, curling my knees up to my chest.

"I thought you loved me Merle. I thought you did or else you wouldn't have said what you said. You would have thought it through, knowing how much I hated being blamed and put at fault without knowing what I've done." My eyes began to burn as hot tears threatened to fall. I just tucked my head and sat in silence.