Sweet and Salty ~ Carl Grimes

Lingering Anger - 051

Brooks was sat on her bed. Her back was against the wall, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her legs pressed tighter even against her arms as she stared blankly at the wall opposite. She sat there, silently. Not a word left her mouth, her breath didn't come out very loud, either. She didn't clear her throat, itch her nose, cough, sneeze, she didn't even know if she was blinking. For the first time, Brooks just couldn't focus. All of her life, her little brain focused on facts, statistics, anything she could get her little hands on... But, now she just couldn't.

Her whole life had been a lie.

Will didn't even know that he was raising his granddaughter, not his daughter. Everything Brooks had ever known, ever believed in was one big charade pulled off by Merle to save his own ass. If she let her brain think about it, perhaps she'd come to the conclusion of Merle's fear, but for right now? She just couldn't.

There was a knock at the door... Well, the doorframe. They didn't have doors, only metal bars welded together. Brooks didn't look up to see Cam who was leaning against the frame, staring at his littlest friend in worry.

"How are-" He started.

"Leave me alone." She interrupted, speaking for the first time in two hours which is when Merle and her had their argument. When she found out the devastating truth.

Cam sighed through his nose, bowing his head. "Nobody wanted you to find out like this."

She scoffed. "Nobody wanted me to find out."

"That's not true, you know it." Cam insisted.

Flickering her eyes up to him, she could see the genuine guilt and pain in his face. "Go away, Cam. I thought you were the one person who would tell me the truth. I thought you'd never lie to me, that was our thing. Ya told me 'bout Jack Peters, and I tell you 'bout my family crap that you're supposed to help with. Turns out it was just all one big lie."

He walked over to sit beside her. "It wasn't all one big lie, kiddo. To Merle you were his little sister, to Will in his own screwed up way you were his daughter, to Daryl you were a little sister... What you know now doesn't change any of that."

"It does." Brooks insisted. "Get outta my room, I don't wanna see you."

"Brooks-"

"Go!" She raised her voice.

Cam shook his heard, forcing out a sigh. "You were there for me when I needed you the most. I'm not leaving you like this."

Brooks scoffed, standing off her bed before reaching underneath it. She pulled out a can of beer, full, untouched, just like how she found it. Cam paled, and swallowed down the water that formed in his mouth from desire as he stared at. He clenched both his fists, even staring at the can hurt him. "Found this in the shower." Brooks stated, throwing it onto his lap. "You wanna drink, Cam? I don't give a shit. Do what you want, cause me and you? We're done. Now, get out!"

He took the can from his lap, and stood up. He stared at her for a few seconds, but she tore her eyes away from him. She didn't want to look at him, and he knew that. With the can in his left hand, he used his right to squeeze her shoulder. He hoped for any kind of reaction, but when she shoved him away, he got his answer. With a shameful nod, he walked out of the room. Daryl had been waiting to the side of the door, listening to the conversation. Cam handed Daryl the can, before he walked away with a heavy heart.

/----------\

The next hour was filled with hesitant visitors. Beth came in with a glass of water, Hershel visited with her favourite book, Maggie tried feeding her, Carol offered to paint her nails, but all of them were met with the same blank and angry stare. Carl even came in to try and start an argument, but quickly ran away in fear when she began playing with her pocket knife.