Daryl's pov…2010
I looked at the wall for the millionth time the paint chip's from the old wall's; this might be the longest stretch I have done in jail. It has been nearly fourteen years and that girl, my girl, my sweet pea was still the very first thing I thought of when I rolled myself off the cot and always the last before I closed my eyes.
I still remember that night and the fear that raced through me seeing her in danger, in danger because of my house stupidity. She had been covered in marks I may not have been the one to do it, but in the end, I was liable for her pain. The cops came, and I was gone for nearly ten months, her heartbreaking look was all I dreamed of. I was broken when I found out she had left while I was away, pa told me it was to escape me and what I nearly cost her. After that night, my life was never the same, one drug deal after another, one fight after another. Hunting to stay alive while working odd jobs, Merle was a little teed off but thought her leaving was for the best.
The low groan of my cell door opening was pulling me from my thoughts of her bright green eyes and sassy smile. "Dixon, you leaving,"
"About fuckin time," I was going home to pack my bags for good and find her, it should never have taken me this long to try and see her. I looked but never found her, never found Addy either, Mabel once said they moved together, but she didn't know where too. Like that I was a free man, I had four hundred in my pocket and could get more when needed, but first I had one stop to make.
The house looked trashed when I walked in, Pa wasn't here, and that didn't matter much as I packed what I could into my bag. I grew up here but never a good memory to be had in this shit hole, "You leavin?" it was Pa he had been drinking, but I was no child.
I scoffed, "Yeah, not like you care about us,"
Pa gave me a wary look, "Deep down, you two turned out just fine. Took a lot to get you this way, having that girl leave," he was stumbling out the door when his words registered he was a reason she left, he did something. I tore through his room until I found a box it was hidden away from everything, it was nice and neat. I fall to the floor opening it inside was a shit load of sealed letters every single one was addressed to me.
I take them with me, I walked into Merle's friends place slamming my bedroom door after tossing Jack a hundred for rent. Merle was right behind me, "What the hell is wrong with you boy?"
My anger was winning out, punching Merle, but fat lot of good it did "What has gotten into," was snarled.
I held the letters out, "You know Sawyer was trying to write me!" the anger was all I felt, but Merle didn't know, in fact, he looked sad for a minute before his face was the mask.
I sit on the floor with my back against the wall as Merle hands me a beer, "Well what the doll say," I was still putting them in order, the first was only months after our break up.
My hands shake seeing her neat writing, I was thirty-one not some horny seventeen year old anymore, but she was my one love.
-Daryl-
I am and will always be your girl, right now I am in California living with Addy while going to college. California is so vastly different than home the heat is so dry, the air more polluted. But Disneyland will be fun!
Daryl, you hurt me. I gave you all of me every inch, and you lied to me and hurt me, I love you then and I love you now. This is really hard for me to say even if it is pen and paper, I need you to come to California. We're going to be parents, I am having our child and need you.
Please come
-Sawyer-
She was having my baby; this was dated 1997, fourteen years ago. I continued to read each letter before passing them to my brother who sighed before downing his beer.
A letter filled with scribble's and colorful pictures sit in my lap, she had a little girl, I was a father and never knew.
-Daryl-
I wish things would have been very different, and you would have come so we could fix us, but this is my last letter. You have failed to come to see your daughter and me; maybe it is me you rather not see. But she deserved to know you, and you abandoned her. You could be in jail, but I never know with you.
I will always love you, goodbye-
Short and straightforward, but the lack of emotion told me she was done, "Let's go get your girl's," Merle stood looking down at me.
I slammed the bottle "This was the last letter it was dated in 2003, she might not be there," my heart was broken my blood ruined my life or what could have been.
Jack walked in, "DON'T YOU EVER FUCKIN KNOCK," bellowing but he just gave Merle a look.
"We need to get the hell outta town, come look,"
On TV the news was blaring a massive outbreak, dead reanimated, outbreak, we had to get the hell outta town as the law was locking it down. "Get a fuckin bag," like that we have to go, but I stuffed every letter into my bag as we take my truck with his motorcycle tied down in the back.
Merle groaned "We will find her, but for now we have to do what we need,"
I just drove, "She better make it out of this so we can find her,"
"Who you talkin about?"
Merle snaps, "His damn girl,"
"Oh, I forgot to tell you some girl with green eyes and flaming red hair was in town askin for you both, her name was… Well, it started with an A, said something about them being back home,"
"See a little luck; Addy wouldn't have said it if it ain't true. They came home, can't believe you a daddy,"
But like that life was one life threating after another, Merle was gone, no trace of him.
2011
I look at Rick, both bloody as Michonne tends to Carl "You're my brother, Daryl," and he was right, I just watched this man rip another man's throat out to save his son.
"I am," I answered back when I scooped up something from the floor "What's this?"
I glance overseeing him holding my picture without care I snatch it from him, "Sorry, but it's the only picture I have of her. She was my high school sweetheart, I was redneck trash, and she was the town Snow Queen, but she loved me. Our parents plotted against us and well we haven't spoken for fourteen years only as the outbreak happened did I find letters my pa hid from me," my tone vulnerable for once. "Found out I have a daughter right about Carl's age," one single picture of a three-year-old with dark hair and eyes smiling so big, her teeth showing but she looked so damn happy.
Rick touched my shoulder, "We will find them, I promise, your family is mine,"
I was not worth her; I was nothing but a good aim.