Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Walking Dead except for my own character. Kinda wish I owned Daryl though. I am going to apologize for any minor spelling problems, I don't have a beta and it's my first story soo let's just see how this goes... Please enjoy:) Critisism is welcomed as long as I won't cry over it haha
The day was hot and I spent most of it within the watchful eyes of Miss Carol. She was nice, a little quiet, but over all nice. I didn't mind staying with her and her daughter, Sophia, but at times I felt a pang of jealousy run through me at the sight of them. Seeing them together made me miss my own mother very much and made me think of all she used to do, braid my hair, tell me stories, tell the boys to get off my back about things and most of all her singing. Mama wasn't what normal people would call a 'pretty' singer but her voice was soft and natural.
When mama died, I was about six which made Daryl seventeen and Merle around twenty. I don't remember much about it, just that I would cry every night until Merle or Daryl would come get me and bring me into their room. Than I would lie on the bottom bunk with Daryl and stare at the wall until exhaustion won and I finally fell into a horrible, restless slumber. I guess that is why Darly and me are so close. He was always there for me when I needed him and even though he had a rough exterior I knew that he had a soft spot just for me. After the death of her, Dad lost it. He drank and yelled and hurt the boys at times. They always pushed me to go outside or in my room if he was geting violent and I had no problem with that, he had never been a father to me anyways. When the boys were at work I would scurt around him and try to be invisible. And it usually worked, until one day that it didn't.
Flashback
When the bus dropped me off at the little trailer park me and Toby, a boy from my school, ran to the entrance.
"Maybe you should speed up Dixon!" He called out.
I stuck my tongue out at him and pushed my legs even faster. They burned from the extra power I was putting into them but I didn't care, all I wanted to do was show Toby who the real boss was. As we rounded the corner we were parallel with each other and laughing. All to soon though the race was over and we were at the our side by side dirty white trialer homes.
"See ya later Dixon Girl." He said with a wink over his shoulder as he headed towareds his own home.
"Bye Toby Kelly!"
I walked around the rusty red pick up and jogged up the stairs to the house. As soon as the door was opened the smells of tobacco and Jack Daniels hit my nose. Dad was sprawled out on the couch, feet on the coffee table and a bottle of Jack in his loose grip. He caught my glance and immedietly snarled, "What the hell are you doin' here! Ain't ya 'sposed to be in school!?"
"N-no." I stuttered. "The bus just dropped me off. I swear!"
He got up off the couch and started towards me. "You back talking me!?"
To terrified to answer I stood there and frantically shook my head.
"Answer me!" He bellowed with drunken rage and threw the bottle at the wall. It was all I could do to not gag at the stale whiskey breath entering my nostrils.
"No, I'm not back talking. I promise that I am bein-" I was cut off as he grabbed me and threw me across the room and into the kitchen. My heart pounded and I could feel the hot prick of tears forming in my eyes.
"Please." But my plea fell on deaf ears and he walked over to me and kicked me in the ribs, hard.
"You wanna lie and back talk me! I'll make sure you ain't ever even think 'bout doing that!"
He beat me and I cried but nothing seemed to work. Why was he doing this to me? About the time I started to loose consciousness the door opened and only yelling could be heard. Two rough hands grabbed me and I let out a gasp of pain. My crying only intensified when I realized that they were Daryl's hands and no longer my dad's. As carefully as he could he picked me and cradled my head to his chest.
"D-Daryl." I hicupped. "It hurts. Please make it stop."
He kissed the top of my head and bounced me a little in his arms. "Shhhhhh, Sweetheart. I know. Shhh, shhh, shhh.
He began to walk me towards the door and out to the truck but before he could sheild my eyes I saw Merle laying over our daddy and throwing punches and yelling words that would have me in big trouble.
As we walked out I caught a glance at Toby. Toby? Why was he there?
"Is she gonna be okay?" He asked as he rushed to my brother's side.
I could feel Daryl nod. "Yea kid, she gonna be just fine. Just need to get her to the doctor and cleaned up. Thanks for callin' when ya did Toby. Now git." Oh so that's why he was there. He must have came for something and saw him beating me and called Daryl and Merle from their job at the shop.
I heard the door to Merle's blue truck sqeak open and Daryl sat down with me in his arms. Not long after, the house door slammed and than the other truck door did too.
"She okay?" Merle's gruff voice asked.
"I think so. She's gonna have a shiner and a few bruised ribs I think but I reckon she'll be fine."
Merle's hand grabbed the bottom of my purple t-shirt and pulled up, revealing my bruised chest and belly. He prodded around and I whimpered.
"Hush." Was all he said, but there was no heat behind it.
After further inspection for any serious injuries he put the truck in first and started to drive to the hospital. The rest was really a blur. I never saw my dad again and Merle and Daryl became my perminet gaurdians. The trailer was sold and we moved to a somewhat rundown cabin just outside of the city. It was just the three of us and it was alright by me if anyone asked. The boys never told me what happened to him and I stopped asking after Merle promised to tan me if I asked one more time. So I let it go and just focused on school and not doing anything that would get me in trouble. When everything felt like it was going right in the world for once, the dead started to come back to life and it was all haywire again.
End flashback
"Nora, honey, you're a little too close to the edge why don't you come closer to us?" Miss Carol asked me, but I knew it wasn't really a question so walked I back over to the other kids.
Sometimes I really hated being a kid. I wanted to do what I wanted and when I wanted to! But of course that would never happen, and even when I do get bigger I'm almost positive that Daryl and Merle will still always be the boss of me.
After a while I got bored of playing tag and trying to talk to Carl and Sophia so I went to the big pick up truck that was Daryl's. The paint was chipping in some spots and the cloth seats weren't the nicest, but I loved this truck. I had so many good memories in it and it was the last thing that I had that was like home. Carl and Sophia were nice I guess but we were different people. Daryl always said that I had been very mature for my age and that a lot of times I surprised him with what I would say. But Sophia didn't think that I was and everytime I would try to talk to Carl or her she would just glare at me. Part of me kinda wanted to tackle her but she was bigger and I didn't want to get in trouble so I just walked away. Miss Carol doesn't even know, but right now I don't care to much. I miss my brothers and for the first time I actually feel alone. I keep telling myself that they'll be back and all but for some reason I just have a hard time believing it. A tear started to roll down the side of my face and I didn't even bother to wipe it away, no one was here to see it so it wasn't that important. What if I end up alone? No one would pretect me and tell me when it's time to go to bed, or eat or tell me to shut up when I was being to dramatic over something. Or even give me a hug when I have nightmares, or make sure that i'm safe and warm at night. A few more tears came and shortly after those so did the sobs. My shoulders started to shake and I could feel my belly start to ache from it. It may have been ninety-five degrees in the truck but that didn't stop me from reaching behind the seat to grab one of Daryl's jackets that he kept in there. I draped it over my tummy and chest and layed down on the worn bench seat, breathing in the smell of hunting oil and chew, the smell of my brothers.