Stumbling upon Alexandria, Reese recounts the events up until now. Meeting Rick's group at the prison, scavenging, sickness, and attacks while creating an attachment to the stoic Bowman.
"They had returned in the morning. With Daryl..." "...and his brother Merle."
"Daryl's brother?"
"The one and only." She bites the inside of her cheek to keep from wasting any more breath on the human shitstain. "Come to find out, he was the one who kidnapped Maggie and beat Glenn to a pulp."
"I'm guessing Daryl wanted his brother to join the group."
"Family above all."
~.~
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"Daryl!" she calls, chasing after the archer as he storms off. Losing the vote he collected on allowing his brother to stay after he tried to vouch for him. "Hey." she reaches for her arm halting in from his speedy strides. "Think about this," she pleads.
"He's my brother," he defends. "Plain and simple," he states.
"Plain and simple, look what he did to Glenn."
"You don't know him like-"
"No, I do know." Her voice cuts in, wavering with her trembling lip. "You defend them, make excuses for them; they just have a hard time expressing their emotions, you tell yourself." She lists. "So yeah. Me, you, Carol," she says, blinking away the tears. "We know better than anyone the cycle of abuse," she states. "We're your family, Daryl." she holds her hand out for him to take. "Please come home with us," she sniffled.
"No Merle, no me." he shakes his head. Eyes of a scared child, a younger brother starving for the guidance of his elder.
"Wow." she mouths quickly looking to the sky wiping her tears away. "And here I thought I was more than just another notch in your belt." She chuckles humorlessly.
"Spicy." Merle cackles as he comes to his brother's side. "Ooo-wee little brother. Didn't know you had a taste for beaners heavy on the salsa," he snorts through his cackles. Her blood rises to a boiling rage, as she looks to the archer to defend her, only to have him look away. She scoffs, looking at the grinning man. His teeth were begging to be punched in. She leaned toward him, kicking and scratching the arms that held her back.
"Let me go!" she screams as he passes her over to Rick, who has rushed over. Scrambling out of his arms, she snatched her arm from Rick's grasp, glaring daggers at the archer.
"Hope he's worth it," she breathes, heading towards the waiting car.
"Hey, Senora, why don't cha tag along!" the older Dixon shouts. "Ol' Merle here could show ya a good time," he cackles. She holds up her middle finger. Her send-off gift for both Dixons.
~.~
"Were you angry with him?"
"Oh...I was pissed," she laughs.
"Seems fair."
~.~
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"I understand why you like this hat so much." her eyes and shoulders shielded from the sun. Flicking the brim up a tad as they sat. "Are you mad at him?" the boy asks. "I want to be, but..." she sighs. "I can't." She shrugs. "I am. We're his family, and he just left like that meant nothing."
"It's complicated."
"It's bullshit."
Reese couldn't help, but breathe an airy chuckle. Picking the dirt from her nails. "It is bullshit." she agrees. "But life's not fair, kiddo," she sighs, taking off her hat and placing it on his head, pushing it forward on purpose to cover his eyes. "Might as well learn that now than later."
