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"Carl, come here," dad called out to the boy. I loaded my gun, as well as everybody else. We were preparing for the battle that was coming. "You stash these at the loading dock. All right? Beth, put more up on the catwalk. If anyone gets pinned down, we need to make sure that they have plenty of ammo. I'll go work on the cage outside."
"What we should be doing is loading some of this firepower in a truck and paying a visit to the Governor. We know where he is right now," Merle said. Ugh, why was he let out of his cell?
"Are you suggesting that we just go in and kill him?" Dad asked.
"Yeah, I am," Merle said fiercely.
"We told Rick and Darul that we'd stay put," Michonne said.
"I've changed my mind, sweetheart. Being on the sideline with my brother out there ain't sitting right with me," Merle said. For once his face didn't hold a cocky smirk.
"Yeah, well, nobody asked you, and your not the leader," I snapped. I was growing impatient with Merle and with everybody else. When were Rick, Daryl, and grandpa gonna be back? Would they be okay? So many questioned raced through my head.
"The three of them are right in the middle of it. No idea we're coming. They could get taken hostage or killed. A thousand things could go wrong," dad said, ignoring what I said to Merle.
"And they will," Merle called after my dad and Carl. Carl turned around to face Merle.
"My dad can take care of himself," Carl snapped.
"Sorry, son, but your dad's head could be on a pike real soon," Merle said. Carl seemed to ignore Merle and walked away.
"Don't say that to him," mom shook her head. I took a pocket knife off the table and stuffed it in my pants.
"It's not the right move. Not now. Can't take the risk of putting them in the crossfire," dad said with a glare at Merle. "That's my decision. It's final." Dad walked away before stupid Merle could say anything else. I shook my head and checked another gun. I put the bullets back in when I saw it was full. Now it was only me, mom, and Merle packing bags and loading guns.
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"What are you doing?" I asked Merle.
"What does it look like I'm doing, princess Aurora?" Merle asked rudely as he packed a bag full of ammo and weapons.
"Don't call her that," mom snapped. The room fell back into silence until the door opening broke it.
"Hey, you're not going," dad called out to Merle.
"I don't need permission," Merle grunted back, setting a gun on top of his bag.
"I can't let you," dad said.
"You can't stop me," Merle shot back.
"If you're gonna live here with us, it's gonna be on our term," mom said with a glance at dad. "If Michonne can do it, why can't you?!"
"'Cause it's my brother out there, that's why!" Merle shouted, grabbing his bag. He stood in the middle of the room shouting. "What's the matter with y'all?"
"I'm not gonna let you put them in danger," dad said, moving to block Merle from leaving.
"Nut up already, boy. This guy got a feel of your woman and you pussy out like this? Get out of my way," Merle said through his teeth.
"No," dad replied firmly. Merle looked ready to kill. He moved to attack dad. Dad wrapped his arms around Merle's torso and tumbled down the stairs. Merle landed on top of dad, trying to choke him.
"Get off!" Mom yelled, wrapping her arms around Merle's neck. Michonne helped pull him back, too.
"Merle, get the fuck off!" I yelled, jumping slightly when a gunshot rang through the air. Aunt Beth stood with a gun in her hand, pointing towards the ceiling. Smart.
"Let me go! Let me go!" Merle yelled, pushing mom off of him. I walked over to Merle, punching him square in the face.
"Aurora!" My parents yell, pulling me away from him.
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"You need to watch your language," mom scolded me.
"Yeah, yeah," I rolled my eyes.
"Don't roll your eyes at me. This may be the apocalypse but you still need to watch your language," mom said with her arms crossed.
"Mom, this is the fucking apocalypse, and you're telling me to watch my language? There are fucking walkers trying to eat us and an asshole trying to kill us!" I scoffed.
"Your mom is right. I don't know what's gotten into you but it needs to stop. We won't put up with it anymore," dad said firmly.
"What are you gonna do? Huh? Ground me? There's nothing to ground me from! You ground me from my weapons, that puts me in danger. You ground me from helping out, that's more work for you," I said.
"Alright. That's enough. What has gotten into you, young lady?" Mom asked. I looked at her angry face and immediately broke down. I don't know why. Maybe the frustration of this whole situation. Maybe everything that happened in Woodbury. Maybe everything that's going on with Carl. "Oh, baby." Mom pulled me into a warm hug. Dad followed, wrapping his arms around me too.
"I-I-I'm s-s-sorry," I stuttered through ragged breath.
"You have nothing to be sorry about. Take deep breaths and tell us what this is about," dad said in a gentle voice. His voice always soothed me. I never knew why, it just did. Mom's comforting arms soothed me too.
"What are you doing up, princess?" Dad asked as soon as he saw little me standing in their doorway.
"I no sleep," three-year-old me shook her head.
"Come here," mom motioned for me to climb into their bed. I came over and stood at the edge, not quite tall enough to get on it. Mom reached down and picked me up, placing me in her lap.
"Did you have a nightmare?" She asked me.
"Yeah. It was-it was stary!" I cried, burying my head in her shoulder.
"I'm sorry, princess. How about I tell you a story and you can sleep in here?" Dad suggested. My sobs were loud and ugly but I managed to nod. "What story?"
"Tan you tell me the story of how you and mommy went?" I asked through sobs.
"Met. Not went," dad corrected but nodded. "Okay. It all started when I was delivering a pizza. It was a normal day, delivering a normal pizza. I rang your mom's doorbell and your aunt Beth answered. She forgot to grab money for the pizza so she shouted for your mom. The minute I saw her, I knew she was the one. She was oh so pretty and amazing. She took the pizza from me and handed me money. I left after that only to return the next week. Your grandpa had placed an order for another pizza. She decided that she liked me after the third time and gave me her number. After that, we went on a few dates. Three years later you were born, my beautiful princess."
"I don't know why I'm crying. It's just every night I dream about him. And the way he touched me. I-I thought he was gonna-gonna rape me!" I cried.
"I'm so sorry baby girl," mom said, her voice sounding broken.
"I wish I could've protected you from that but I promise you that I will do my best to protect you from that happening again. I love you so so much," dad said, his voice cracking.
"I love you too," I whispered through sobs.
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