Australian Outback, Training camp.
"Yussuf, has nobody ever told you to chew your food?" Christine asked witheringly.
Yussuf looked up startled and tried to answer her around a mouthful.
Mara stifled a laugh but she couldn't blame Yussuf. They had been out bush for a week of training and they'd just now come back to base camp. They had been teaching them to survive difficult conditions. They had had to survive the harsh heat, the cold nights and live off the bare minimum of food and water. They still didn't know what part of the world they'd be shipped to but they wanted their soldiers tough and capable.
Mara was stuffing food in just as quickly as Yussuf but luckily Yussuf always seemed to be the target of their good natured teasing. Mara used to have some curves on her frame but they had mostly melted away due to the harsh conditions. Everyone now looked a little gaunt, a little under fed and a lot exhausted.
"You'll make yourself sick," Nathan chided as he joined them and saw the rate they were ingesting food. "You're only supposed to eat a little bit to allow your stomachs time to adjust."
Nathan trailed off as he eyed the debris on the table. His team were guiltily avoiding looking at the empty packets that once used to contain rations. Elias tried to sweep some of his off the table discreetly but Nathan saw. Nathan saw everything.
"Don't look so disapproving, Sarge. You're lucky Yussuf hasn't eaten the packaging it came in yet." Christine teased and Nathan cracked a rueful smile. Being out in the wilderness, just the five of them, had brought them all closer. Mara had thought Nathan was too terse and bit of an arrogant prick at first but the more time she spent with him the more she regretted that was her initial assessment. Her commander was reserved and firm but he was fair and kind. When they weren't working he allowed them to misbehave and tease him to a certain extent. He didn't crawl all over them for their informality and endured them with affectionate tolerance.
The night was still warm but Mara knew a chill would be creeping in soon. The poorly lit mess tent was open on the sides and it was a struggle to see what they were eating, let alone who was talking. Then again, Mara had been too hungry to care much about what she was eating.
"Well if it isn't my favourite band of misfits," an obnoxious voice cut in. "I half hoped you'd gotten lost and died out there. Guess you didn't let special Ed near the map."
Mara narrowed her eyes at Cheiny and tried not to visibly react. His insults were one thing but his obvious targeting of Elias made her blood boil. Elias had never done anything to hurt anyone in his life but for some reason Cheiny had decided to pick on him mercilessly.
"Can I help you?" Nathan asked mildly.
Cheiny pretended to be surprised. "Sorry, didn't see you there Sergeant. It was dark and you blended right in."
Mara felt Christine tense next to her. She herself bristled at Cheiny's blatant racism. Mara wasn't so naive to believe that there wasn't any discrimination in the army but it was mostly done on the sly, a dirty secret. Mara was proud of the diversity of her team and wouldn't trade a single one of them.
Nathan didn't react at all, just stared Cheiny down. The other man started to shift uncomfortably. Mara didn't know how Cheiny had become a sergeant, left in charge of other people. There was no depth or substance to him. He was a pig of a man who treated his own team poorly and everyone else worse. Sadly Mara could see his attitudes rubbing off on his team. They were becoming more abrasive and rude and most of them had seemed tolerable during the first few weeks of general training.
Cheiny was an idiot who didn't know how to proceed now that he hadn't gotten the desired reaction.
"Is this the interval?" Yussuf said in a stage whisper, clearly mocking the Sergeant inability to think of something more to say. Cheiny intimidated Mara, she didn't like the evil glint in his eyes, but clearly Yussuf was immune to his cutting remarks.
Cheiny flushed and opened his mouth to say more but Nathan pushed himself to his feet. "No, it's the end."
The sergeant wasn't much taller than Cheiny and his frame was lean and wiry but he still managed to intimidate the other man.
"You're right. I got better things to be doing than talking to you losers."
"Like your mum?" Yussuf asked.
Even Elias sniggered at that one. Cheiny took one threatening step back towards them and Yussuf got to his feet, his smile gone. Nathan inserted himself between them.
"Go away, Cheiny," Nathan said, his voice dripping with disdain and purposefully leaving his rank off. "You're lowering the level of intelligence by being here."
Cheiny glowered with rage. He might be able to hurt Yussuf with little repercussions but he couldn't attack another Sergeant and not expect to get in serious trouble. Especially when all the witnesses had clear allegiances.
...
"He up to talking?" Nathan asked Hershel quietly.
Hershel was keeping an eye on Merle and looked up in surprise as the Sergeant entered the room. Hershel had been worried that the punishing hit Merle had endured had resulted in a concussion.
"He's sleeping," Hershel pointed out.
"No he isn't."
A smirked stretched across Merle's face but he didn't open his eyes. "Why don't ya c'mon in? Ain't got nothin' better t'be doin'. Unless that pup Mara is still around."
Nathan kept his face carefully blank. It would take more than Merle Dixon to spark a reaction from him.
Merle's eyes were open now, mere slits in his face. "Or ya could send me the Asian one. Wouldn't mind a bit'a her attention." Merle laughed but it turned into a wheeze. He winced at the pain and Nathan got a better look at the bruise extending from his jaw to cheek bone.
"I could send Christine but I promise you, you wouldn't like her bedside manner," Nathan said easily.
Hershel fitted his crutches under his armpits and moved to leave the room. He didn't look very concerned about Merle's pain. Nathan remembered what he'd done to Glenn and Maggie. That didn't earn him easy forgiveness.
"Don't kill him," was all Hershel said, casually throwing it over his shoulder as he left the room.
Nathan fit himself into the chair and regarded Merle steadily. He'd known people like Merle his whole life. Bullies with not much intelligence, convinced they were superior because they endured some suffering when they were young and had been born white by some accident of fate.
Merle's narrow eyes were on him too, trying to get a read on him. Merle and Daryl had that in common. Keen skills in observation. But while Daryl's ability seemed to be limited to the physical world, Merle was awfully good at getting a man's measure. But then so was Nathan. He knew Merle wouldn't try and pull the race card with him. Nathan had heard it all before and he had long stopped reacting to other people's ignorance.
"Ya hide it well but I see the condescension in your face," Merle stated. For once he wasn't sneering every second word. Elias had hit him harder than Nathan had first thought.
"You just beat up your own brother," Nathan pointed out mildly.
"He started it an', case ya haven't noticed, I've been punished for my sins!" Merle gestured to his face.
"You really shouldn't insult people Elias cares about in front of him."
"Yeah, I'll be keepin' my eye on tha' hulk from here on out. Fucker's lucky I didn't have my knife."
Nathan knew he was referring to his makeshift prosthetic. Rick had suggested that him wearing it around the prison would make people nervous. Suggested in a way that gave no doubt that it was actually an order.
There was a stretch of silence while Nathan considered and Merle brooded.
"So what'd I do t'warrant such a visit?"
Nathan had stayed calm up until this point but he allowed a bit of steel to creep into his voice now. "I want you to pull your head in."
Merle laughed uproariously, finding Nathan's words the funniest thing in the world. "Now why would I wanna do that? Just when everyone's gotten t'be a lil more entertainin' ta ole Merle."
"You're making yourself a liability. You're putting everyone on edge."
Merle's expression change quickly. "I think it's the least they can endure, after what they forced me to conquer." His stump was waved in the air for emphasis.
Nathan sighed and leaned forward, his hands on his knees. "You misunderstand. For some reason, you think I'm paying you the courtesy of requesting it. You are an asshole of a man, who somehow worked up to the notion you're entitled to some kind of vengeance. But not from me and mine. You step out like that again and I kill you, plain and simple."
Merle chuckled darkly. "Well looky here. Finally see some backbone in this group."
Nathan knew that despite his frivolous words, Merle believed he would kill him. A distracted group was more likely to get themselves killed.
"Why not just kill me now an' save yourself some trouble?" Merle asked nonchalantly.
"Whatever your faults, you're a fighter and we need you if the Governor is actually going to attack."
"Oh he will," Merle said confidently, "Surely as the baby Jesus wept, day I was born."
Nathan fixed Merle with a hard stare. "For Daryl's sake, you should try."
"You really got my baby brother all converted. Always feared he was the type t'be led 'round like pussy."
Nathan stood. "You know for a man that sees a lot, you really don't understand your brother at all. Daryl's outgrown you and he's worth ten of you." Nathan saw those words landed harder than anything else he'd said so far. With that parting shot, he wandered out of the room.
...
Daryl found Mara running her hands along the fence. Her face told him she was miles away in thoughts. Her fingers caught and tugged here and there, ensuring that the there were no unexpected gives in the wire.
As if she sensed him, Mara turned around to face him just before he got to her. A bright smile crossed her face.
"Hey you," she said softly, watching his face carefully.
"Didn't hear you get up," Daryl said awkwardly. He struggled to look right at her, scanning the tree line just up from the prison. Last night had meant a lot to him but now, in this grey afternoon he felt like it had all just been a very nice dream.
"I thought you could use the sleep. How are you feeling?"
Daryl experimentally moved his body. He tried to hide the grimace as all his aching muscles twinged. It had been stupid to fight Merle and even stupider to plunge off into the wilderness.
Mara reached out to encircle his wrist, pulling him closer and examining the skin on his arms. It was scratched up but the wounds were shallow and had already started to heal.
Mara ran the pads of her fingers gently up his arm. She was still checking him for any lasting injuries but she was making it pleasant.
Daryl grabbed the front of her shirt, moving her body flush to his. Mara tilted her head up in surprise but Daryl was already leaning down to kiss her. He felt Mara smile against his mouth before she gently pulled away. Mara rested a hand on his chest and Daryl was gratified that her breathing was unsteady.
"I'm working," she scolded softly. The sting of her words was removed by the bloom of colour in her cheeks. She wasn't pushing him away because she didn't like it.
Daryl ignored her protests and brushed his lips across her cheekbone.
Mara sighed before catching herself. "Nathan might see."
"So what? He your father?"
"No. He's my boss! My dad's much scarier."
Daryl leaned back to see if she was joking but she looked serious. The sergeant could be plenty intimidating in his own right. Daryl selfishly thought that he was glad there was no chance Mara's family would ever have to meet him. He felt bad for thinking that way but he knew the kind of first impression he gave off and he imagined Mara's parents to be a lot like her. Well adjusted and normal.
Mara looked caught up in her own thoughts and Daryl could just tell she was thinking of her family too. He immediately felt ashamed of himself. He'd gladly suffer through any awkward family gathering if there was a chance Mara could see them again.
Daryl cupped Mara's chin in one hand and tilted her head up for a kiss.
"It's gonna work out fine."
"Liar," Mara breathed. "But I appreciate the sentiment."
"Do Australian dads carry shotguns?" Daryl joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Mara actually giggled. "Not typically. But Nathan has plenty of guns."
Daryl snorted. "Nathan loves me. He wouldn't shoot me."
Mara arched an eyebrow trying to imagine her stoic sergeant expressing anything as forward as love. She knew Nathan had a strong affection for everyone that lived in the prison but if Nathan had overheard what Daryl had just said then he would have rolled his eyes and walked away, muttering something about the bane of his existence.
"Who else would bring us squirrels if you were dead?" Mara asked innocently.
Daryl narrowed his eyes at her, suspecting there was a dose of sarcasm under her words. Daryl loved the mischievous glint her eye right then. He hadn't seen much of it since Merle came back.
"I'm sorry," he said abruptly. "'Bout Merle."
Mara nestled into him, contradicting her rules from earlier. "You and your brother aren't the same person. I don't hold you accountable for the things he did."
Daryl nodded. "He attracts trouble wherever he goes, it seems."
"Attracts or creates?" Mara asked, contrarily.
"Both. And there be more a'that before the end."
"You mean The Governor?"
Daryl tensed at their enemy's name. "I just want it over an' done with."
"Me too. I hate this waiting," Mara said. Daryl crushed Mara to him once more and hoped that those words wouldn't come to bite them in the ass. They knew what to expect because of Merle but the chances of all of them surviving unscathed were pretty slim.
AN: It's time to return to this fic after. I have missed it since it really is my love child. I did a quick visit to another fandom to get a ficlet off my chest and it's been humbling and made me appreciate the TWD fandom more than ever. So we'll get on with the show shall we? I hope you enjoyed this little offering. There was a smidgen of foreshadowing and Nathan being a boss. I hope you enjoy it, please let me know what you think.