Brooks was sat in a cell that was now her own. She didn't like it though. Brooks kept pacing the tiny room, trying to enjoy it. She didn't want to be ungrateful, but she hated being cooped up in there. It reminded her of the basement back at home. Home, where she grew up before the fall. Will had an old wardrobe in there. The inside was full of nail scratches and old, dried blood. The scratches from Brooks, Daryl, Merle... And even from Will's childhood.
Will raised his kids how he knew how. It was the way he was raised. It was the way his father was raised, and his before him. For the past eight generations, Dixons have been abusing their children. Daryl was the first to break that when he was the one raising Brooks for the first couple years of her life. However, Brooks wasn't his child.
The young girl was picking at the paint on the wall. It was grey brick, covered in grey paint. It was all very bland, dark and depressing. Not that she ever had a room much better than the prison cell, but she still hated it. A small knock echoed throughout the room, Brooks turned and saw Carl standing there.
"Hey." He let out.
Brooks forced a smile. "Whatcha want?"
He shrugged. "Just checkin' you were still here, I guess."
"Where'd I go, Carl? We're literally in prison." She joked.
"You were dead, River." Carl stated.
Brooks furrowed her eyebrows. "No I weren't. I think I'd know if I died. Maybe. Do walkers know they're dead?"
The boy in the sheriff's hat bowed his head, before he moved to sit on the edge of her bed. He interlocked his fingers, playing with them a little, before lifting his head to look at Brooks. "We... We saw that house blow up. We found your glasses. You were dead to us. For the past five months we had to grieve you."
"I'm sorry." Brooks whispered. "But, I still think I did the right thing. At the time, I did what I thought was best. Perhaps it was for the best anyways. I got my dad back."
Carl furrowed his eyebrows. "What?"
"Well, he found me." Brooks pointed out, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Brooks... Who are you talking about?"
The young girl let out a small laugh. "My dad. You losin' your mind, Grimes?"
"You're talking about... Will?" Carl pushed.
"He is my dad." Brooks moved to sit next to Carl on the bed. She took the back of her hand and put it on his forehead, but he swatted her arm away.
"Have they told you the truth yet?"
"Truth? What're you talkin' 'bout?"
Carl bit his bottom lip, staring deeply into her eyes. "And about Marliya?"
"What's she got to do with anythin'?" Brooks pushed. Carl looked down, before attempting to leave. Brooks stood up too, and grabbed his wrist. "What aren't you tellin' me, Grimes?"
Before Carl could answer, Daryl walked in. "Brooks, leave the boy be. Go on now, Carl."
Brooks dropped Carl's wrist, and he spared her a pitiful glance before he left the room. "What's goin' on, Daryl?"
"Ain't nothin' you need to worry about." Daryl answered.
She frowned. "You guys aren't tellin' me somethin'. I wanna know how you guys know Marliya."
Daryl bit down into his bottom lip. He thought about just spitting out the words. He thought about just telling her straight to her face. He thought about clearing up all of the confusion for the young girl. But, he didn't. "We don't. Didn't. Not before we met, couple days back. Why don't you rest up, huh? Been a long day."
"Liar." Brooks muttered.
Daryl was about to leave the room when he heard her say something. "What was that?" Anger laced his tone, he'd heard her say the word.
"Nothin'." She answered, going to move past him, but he put his hand on her shoulder and pushed her back. "What?" Brooks spat, anger in her chest.
"Don't you take that attitude with me." Daryl warned.
Brooks scoffed. "Or what?"
He clearly hesitated, not knowing any punishment aside corporal. "I- uh... You'll... Be... In trouble?"
She raised an eyebrow, staring up at his nervous self. "Woah, yea, you really got me there, Daryl."
"Hey, shut up!" He shouted.
"You shut up!" Brooks yelled back.
"You better watch yourself, you little bitch!"
Brooks couldn't help but laugh. "Or what?" She didn't know it, but she was doing what all children do. Pushing her boundaries. She wanted to know how far she could take it, without getting in trouble. Cam could give a proper explanation, but of course Daryl would never ask for help.
"That's it, you're stayin' in 'ere the rest of the day!"
"Mhm." She agreed, clear sarcasm laced her small hum.
Daryl was a little taken aback, not really knowing how to handle this situation. "I mean it."
"So do I." She nodded, a fake, innocent smile plastered on her face.
"W- well good." Daryl agreed, before turning out of the room and walking to the right.
Brooks scoffed, shaking her head before she left the room and turned left. Before she knew it, a tight hand was grabbing her arm and dragging her back to her room. "Hey!" Brooks let out, but he just threw her into the room. Daryl hadn't realised how much of a hold he had on her, so he accidentally let her fall to the ground. His eyes widened as he watched her fall, but she wasn't hurt. Physically. She turned to him, in shock. She'd found her boundary. "I hate you!"
"It look like I give a shit?" He snapped, slamming the bars on her cell shut before he stormed away. Her lips pursed in anger as she crawled onto her bed, and crossed her arms over her chest in a sulk. Daryl saw that nearly everybody in the cell block had left their rooms, and were staring at him intensely. "Nothin' to see 'ere."
/----------\
Brooks gave it an hour, before she left her cell. It was principle, she couldn't listen to Daryl because that would mean he scared her. Brooks refused to admit that, so she left in search of her best friend who was with Beth and the baby. The baby was laying on the bed, while Beth played with the baby's fingers and Sophia kept her hand on the child's bald head. "Did my brothers tell you how they know Marliya?"
Beth and Sophia exchanged looks. Beth shook her head, so Sophia pursed her lips together and looked to Brooks. "I think that's something your dad needs to tell you."
"How can I? He's locked in the other room." Brooks argued.
Sophia looked down to the baby, a heavy frown pulled at her lips. She couldn't bring herself to say the words. Brooks was her best friend, and deserved the world, Sophia knew it. However, that wasn't her story to tell. Just like what Chris did to Brooks at the CDC wasn't, Sophia knew when to keep a secret. Despite every nerve in her body disagreeing with it, she knew that she had to keep this to herself until the Dixon men came clean.
"Talk to Merle, Brooks." Beth encouraged.
Brooks furrowed her eyebrows, but nodded. She didn't say a word as she went down the stairs, passing Carol on the way. The two smiled at each other, but said no words. The smiles were a little forced. Carol was still beating herself up over what had happened to Brooks, and Brooks was still beating herself up over what had happened to Christopher.
Brooks found Merle sitting in his cell. He was flicking through a dirty magazine that Brooks paid no attention too. She was on a mission. "Beth told me to talk to you."
"Wh- uh-" Merle panicked, hiding the magazine under his pillow. "'bout what, bambi?"
"Marliya." Brooks stated, walking over and sitting beside him. "Nobody's tellin' me anythin'! Was she a family friend? Did she use to hang out with you guys? Who is she?"
"Santa Claus." Merle deadpanned.
Brooks rolled her eyes while he grinned. "Please! I hate not knowing! Why can't you tell me?"
Merle sighed, wrapping his arm around Brooks' shoulders and pulling her into his chest. He kissed the top of her head. Her hair was still slightly slicked back, but it had gone all messy. The last of her hair product was back in Woodbury, it definitely needed sorting too. However, Brooks had more pressing matters on her mind.
"Just let it go, huh? It's for the best. She don't want nothin' to do with us, best just leave it like that, huh?" Merle tried, desperately wanting the young girl to let go of her desire for the truth. "She left our lives a long time ago; best to leave it like that."
"But I don't wanna!"
"I know, bambi. I know." Merle whispered, sympathy warming his usually cold chest.
/----------\
Brooks had given up on Merle and left his cell. As soon as she was gone, he let out a sigh of relief before going back to his magazine. Brooks found Carol sitting on the steps. A look of defeat on her face. "What's wrong?" Brooks asked, standing in front of the woman.
"Sophia never really forgave me for what happened to you." Carol whispered. "She's kind to me, but I can tell there's still something lingering. I can't blame her. I killed you, her best friend. She wasn't the same after you died. She stopped smiling, and talking pretty much. Then Maggie told us you were alive, and I've never seen her so happy. Then Beth consoled her when she thought you weren't coming to the prison. She turned to Beth, not me. Not her mother."
Brooks blinked a few times, looking around for someone else to console Carol. However, everyone was keeping to themselves in their own cells. There was nobody for Brooks to turn too, so she tried her best. "I uh... Well, you know. Ya didn't kill me, and I'm back, so it's cool. I'm sure Sophia will be okay. She'll forgive you. You're like, the coolest person in the world, so. And she's the only person here who has a mom, still. She knows that'll count for something."
Carol slowly looked up to Brooks. "Right..." Carol trailed off. "Thank you, Brooks. You're a good girl now, after all that nonsense from before, you came along way." Brooks smiled (not realising the compliment was a little backhanded), before she headed upstairs. Completley unaware of what Carol had just realised.
/----------\
When evening came around, Brooks took a bowl of cold spaghetti from Cam who had prepared it. She sat on the stairs, alone and waiting patiently. Since what happened with the gun attack, everyone kept to themselves in their cells. They'd all come together again soon, but they all needed time alone to process. They'd all lost Axel, Brooks hadn't which was why she wasn't depressed like the rest. When she knew nobody would interrupt, she took the keys, and unlocked the door to the table room.
She saw her father sitting on the ground, leaning against the wall beside the steps to the exit. "Dad?" Brooks quietly let out, walking towards him with the bowl.
He smiled when he saw her. That was very unusual. He got up from the floor and sat on a seat beside the table. "Hey there, baby."
"I brought you dinner." She said, placing the bowl in front of him.
Will grinned, grabbing her waist and pulling her to sit on his lap. "Well, aren't you just my little angel?" He said, sarcastically. He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, and squeezed painfully tight. She pursed her lips together, but made no noise. "Hell took you so long? I've been rottin' in here all goddamn day." The man hissed, venom dripped from his tone.
"I'm not allowed in here, daddy." Brooks pointed out.
"I told you to do what I say." Will reminded her. "I'm in charge."
Brooks nodded as best she could in his tight hold. "I'm sorry, but Merle and Daryl-"
"Fuck them." Will hissed. "Stand up, you're gettin' the belt."
"Okay." Brooks responded obediently. She put her hands on the cool metal table, but as Will stood up, he grabbed her bun and forced her head down. She didn't make a sound at the pain in her head hitting the metal.
"Dad!" Merle shouted, running into the room. He'd gone to find Brooks to make up an explanation for Marliya so she'd stop asking, but when he saw the gate open, he panicked.
"Not now, son." Will responded, beginning to take off his belt.
"Get away from her!" A woman's voice came. Michonne. She held up her katana, as she began running over to them.
Will raised his eyebrows, but raised his hands too as he backed away from Brooks. The young girl stood up straight, but got between Will and Michonne. "Don't hurt 'im!"
"Brooks, come over here, now." Rick demanded, walking in with Marliya by his side. Daryl barged past, Cam ran over too. However, when he saw the scene he made sure Carol, Carl, Sophia and everyone else stayed back. He could tell this wouldn't end well, and he didn't want Brooks to have to go through it with a crowd.
"Not until Michonne lowers her sword thing!" Brooks shouted.
"That's my girl." Will chuckled, putting his hand on her shoulder. He didn't notice the way everyone exchanged looks. Everyone apart from Brooks, that is, she was just as much in the dark as he was.
"Brookie, come 'ere." Daryl demanded.
"Why should she?" Will furrowed his eyebrows.
Merle clenched his jaw. "Cause we ain't gonna let you hurt 'er, no more!"
"Fuckin' hell! These people have turned you boys soft!" Will shouted. In the other room, there was the distant sound of baby crying. "Not even a year without me and you're growin' goddamn pussies of your own!"
Neither Merle or Daryl could respond, so Michonne did. "You're the only pussy around here if you think hurting children makes you tough."
Will chuckled. "Your sister told ya all 'bout me then, huh? Ya know, if I had known she had a sister I would've fucked you too."
"Watch your goddamn mouth, Dixon." Marliya hissed.
Will raised his eyebrows. "Oh, so now you wanna talk to me, huh, sweetheart? Fake your death, abandon me with this bitch for a decade, ignore me as much as possible all until now. All until I said I'd shag your sister? God, you are shallow if that's what made you crack."
"Wait, wait, wait." Brooks let out. "Faked your death? Abandoned him with- what is..." Brooks trailed off, looking up to Will.
"Jesus thought you were meant to be smart." He muttered, rolling his eyes as an annoyed sigh filled the room. "Marliya's your mother, for fuck sake."