Peyton's POV
I am so happy that I can go see Uncle Merle and Carl now! I was soooo bored staying in daddy's tent all day.
I hope I never have to go throw that again that was horrible!
"Uncle Merle!!" I squeal and run up to him, jumping on his back as he was fixing his motorcycle.... Again.
"Aye princess" he grunts and stands up, picking me up.
"I missed you!" I giggle and wrapped my arms around his neck.
"Ain't that cute princess" he says and sets me on the ground.
"Your still working on you bike?" I Ask as he lays back down.
"Yeah it's a piece of shit!" He growls while trying to fix something.
"Um!!! That's a bad word!" I say pointing my finger at him.
Uncle Merle looks up at me and starts laughing and shaking his head. Is he laughing at me?! He better not be.
I run and jump on his stomach so I was sitting on him. Uncle Merle lets out a groan when I land. "Don't laugh at me" I say and cross my arms.
"Alrigh' alrigh' I'm sorry" he says raising his hands for a second and then going back to work.
"Can I help?" I ask laying down next to him.
He looks over at me for a second before handing me a tool.
"This is a wrench alrigh'? ... Put it right here" he says and grabs my hand, placing it over something.
"Then turn it this way as hard as ye' can" he says and I nod, turning it hard as uncle Merle's hands were over mine, helping me turn it.
Finally it moved and something fell from where we were turning. "I did it!" I cheer.
Uncle Merle laughs "good job"
"I'm gonna go tell daddy!" I squeal and jump out from under the bike and running to our little camp fire where daddy was cleaning his arrows.
"Daddy!" I squeal and run up behind him, wrapping my arms around his neck and laying my head on his back.
"Hm?" Daddy says putting his arrows on the ground.
I go in front of daddy and sit on his lap, my arms still around his neck. "Guess what!" I cheer.
"Wha'?" Daddy asks wrapping his arms around my waist and holding me tightly to him.
"I helped uncle Merle fix his motorcycle!"
"Ye' did?" Daddy asks shocked. But I think it was one of those fake shocked looks.
"Yep!" I smiled. And kiss daddy's cheek.
"Hm well aren't you little mrs fixer upper" daddy says and squeezes my muscle.
I flex and make a 'grr' sound "I'm strong like you daddy"
Daddy laughs and kisses my head. "Yes ye' are baby"
"Daddy? Is it safe here?" I ask looking around.
Daddy hugs me tightly to him. "With me yer always safe"
"Daddy stop saying that" I say and cross my arms.
Daddy loosens his grip and looks at me confused. "Wha'? Why?"
"Because it's not true! Every time you say it something bad happens! Rick is the only one who can say it because he actually does save me" I tell daddy.
Daddy's eyes flash with hurt as he picks me up and moves me aside before getting up, grabbing his crossbow and storming off into the woods. What's daddy's problem? I was telling the truth. He says he'll keep me safe but then leaves. I'll go find rick because I know rick wouldn't do that!
I get up and storm over to Rick who was staring at the fire by himself. My arms were crossed and I was pouting.
He looks up from the fire and smiles at me. "Hey sweetheart.. What's wrong?" He asks.
I run up to him and jump in his lap, laying my head against his chest. "Daddy" I mumble into his shirt.
One of Ricks hands gently rubs my back while the other one brushes a stray piece of hair behind my ear. "What about your daddy?"
"He said I'm always safe with him but I told him it wasn't true because he never protects me.. Then I told him only you can say that because you've actually saved me" I huff out. "Then he gets mad and walks off without saying anything!"
Rick chuckles. "Sweetheart you can't say that to your daddy... Look he loves you so much and wants to protect you.. He knows he messes up but he still wants to think you trust him... And I know if this was Carl, I would be upset that he'd trust another person before me.. It would hurt.. So I imagine you hurt your daddy's feelings pretty badly"
"But he can't handle the truth I guess" I mutter.
"Peyton.. Give your dad a break.. He's trying his hardest but it seems your making it hard for him... Don't you love your daddy?" Rick says, turning me so I'm facing him.
"Yeah" i mumble, avoiding eye contact.
"Then try not to say stuff like that... If you don't have anything nice to say.. Don't say it at all" rick tells me.
I sigh "ok" I mutter
"Go on.. Go find your daddy and apologize." Rick says putting me on the ground. I groan and head back to our tent to wait for daddy.