It was the first time she'd ever been to a jail.

It wasn't as bad as she'd imagined. It reminded her of high-school actually. Minus all the bars, and angry looking guys in sweats.

No, scratch that. There had been angry looking guys at school too. Just a lot better dressed.

"Stay close Amy." Andrea says, through all the cat calls and howling. As soon as they had stepped into the hall, a roar had traveled from each cell. There were woman in the building, two pretty little blondes.

Andrea ignored it, probably used to it by now. She was a lawyer after all. She spent a fair amount of time here. Amy was just tagging along, and she tried her best to emulate her big sisters aloofness. It was hard though.

The men were taunting her, yelling inappropriate things and promising to make her scream...her cheeks had been flaming for the last 5 minutes.

When they finally got to the cell they were looking for, she let out a sigh of relief.

M. Dixon, the name card outside the door said. Daryl's brother.

Soon to be family, Amy thought hopefully. Daryl was Andrea's boyfriend, and she couldn't be happier. She had liked Daryl from the beginning. He was so different from the type of guy Andrea usually went for, so much rougher around the edges. But he was kind, in a gruff way, and charming. Scruffy. He absolutely adored Andrea. And he made her sister smile. She just knew they were going to get married.

But Merle. She had never met Merle, only heard of him. He was like a mythological creature from one of her books. Discussed in frevrent whispers, but rarely seen. He'd been locked up here for a while now, and he'd finally gotten released for good behavior, which was apparently a miracle.

Andrea had taken his case immediately.

Amy thought that it was a good sign. Andrea didn't do things like that for just anyone. It may have been for Daryls sake, but Amy liked to think that maybe the mysterious Merle had grown a bit on her sister. She loved happy endings, and what ending could be happier but that? A happy family.

She peers in the cell, over Andreas shoulder, as the guard rattles the door bars with his baton.

"Dixon! Your rides here." He yells, and the surrounding cells go crazy. Apparently, Merle wasn't well liked here. Or maybe he was really popular? Its hard to tell, there are so many voices adding to the din.

A face appears, rough, weathered. Mean looking. Is this really Daryls brother? They look nothing alike! His eyes find hers through the bars suddenly, and her heart skips a beat. There. He and Daryl have the same eyes. Although different too. Daryls eyes are prone to being averted. Merles are not. He looks straight at her, unabashed, and she feels heat spread through her limbs.

"Hey there, sugartits." He growls at Andrea, although it seems to be said in affection. Andreas face doesn't move. "Ya brought me some sweet little thang, eh? Some jailbait fer old Merle? How kind." The look of lust is clear on his face.

Andrea frowns, her hackles rising a bit. Andrea is very protective of her. "This is Amy. My sister, Merle. Possibly you're future sister too." Then she blushes a bit, like she can't believe she added that last bit.

Merles face splits into a grin. "A little sister huh? Neva had a real one. Darylina was the closest. Used ta dress him up in girls clothes every once in a while. Back when he was real young. When I got bored."

Amy giggles. The image of Daryl in a dress flits through her mind. Even Andreas stoic facade slips a little, as she cracks a small smile. The guard opens the door and Merle shuffles out. Amy takes a step back.

He's huge! Then again, she's tiny, so maybe its just the difference in stature, but he seems like some hulking giant to her.

Andrea subtly places herself between Amy and Merle, and they retrace their path to the front. The cats calls are still being thrown at her and Andrea, until Merle hollers at them, one loud echoing growl of 'shut up!'

Even the guard raises his eyebrows at that, as a muffled kind of silence takes hold. Merle shrugs.

"I heard these guys do that every time a chick walked on in here. Had enough." Amy thinks maybe she might like Merle. He seems...like a challenge. And the Holden girls certainly did like a challenge.