An hour, no more than that had passed.
One single hour.
And in that passing hour Michonne had come to realize just how strong her new little family's bonds were. She sat in the passenger seat of the suv as Rick drove listening to Carl and Hershel's soft voices talk about finding a new home. The old man was calm as he spoke to the boy, and she knew that was his way of keeping Carl at peace as best as he could.
The prison was lost to them.
The choice to leave it behind had been a tough one but in the end Michonne agreed that it was best to get out while they all still could. The governer had wanted them dead, they all knew that. But now he would want to prove one hell of a point before ending them thanks to Merle's personal suicide mission. The man had been one crazy ass sonofabitch to let her go and go after that sick bastard alone. But Michonne couldn't help but think that he had also been one brave sonofabitch.
Sitting in her seat looking at Daryl and Carol riding the motorcycle ahead of them she caught herself letting the corners of her mouth turn up ever so slightly. It wasn't a big smile but it was the closest to one anyone would ever see her make. And it was a small smile she hoped Merle could see wherever his dead ass was.
Surely even hell would let the man check in on his family from time to time she thought. His final
gift to them should earn him at least a few peeks to see how they all were doing. Afterall, who left on Earth would have ever believed Merle Dixon would give his life for others?
Daryl could believe all he wanted that his brother had done it for him alone. Michonne however was not so easily fouled. She had seen the look on the man's face when he let her go. He had done it for them. He had given his life so they would have a chance to live so his brother wouldn't be alone. His final gift wasn't his death or their lives.
No, it was family.
In the end he gave his brother the one thing he had never been able to.
He gave him a family to care for.
Yeah, Michonne knew now just how strong the group's bond was now. It had confused her when first meeting them how they all seemed to honestly care for eachother. But know as they drove towards somewhere unknown she knew that nothing would stop them from finding a safe place together. And all it took for her to realize the fact was one damned crazy ass redneck who realized it first to show her.
As Michonne sat still watching Daryl and Carol through the windshield she couldn't stop her lips from forming into one hell of a real smile.
"See you in hell one day Merle. Till then I got them", she mumbled under her breath closing her eyes.