Sweet and Salty ~ Carl Grimes

No Person - 078

For the trigger warnings summary, go to the bottom of the chapter!!

Brooks, Carl and Sophia had discovered a place in Alexandria that they just loved. It was close by the lake, and for most the day it provided shade from the sweltering sun. It was isolated enough so they didn't have to deal with the ignorant assholes who had been in Alexandria the whole time, but in just the perfect area that they wouldn't be taken by surprise by any attack.

With her new glasses, Brooks was reading a book underneath their favourite tree. She was reading a book called British Legal History, and enjoying finding out about the Access to Justice Report 1996 written by Lord Wolf. Carl was just leaning back against the tree, with Judith asleep in his lap, while Sophia worked on creating a daisy chain to entertain the toddler with when she woke up. 

"Merle's gonna teach me and mom to make spaghetti bolognaise tonight." Sophia said, breaking the silence. Brooks looked up with furrowed brows, so Sophia continued. "He said it was like the only thing he could cook him and Daryl growing up, so he perfected it over the years."

Brooks wet her lips once, twice over, before speaking. "He never told me that."

"That we're cooking tonight? Well, you can come join us! It'll be fun." Sophia innocently smiled.

Brooks shook her head. "Nah, not that, I can cook just fine. I mean, the cookin' it for 'im and Daryl growin' up. He never told me."

Sophia frowned, so Carl suggested. "Maybe he just didn't wanna bring up any bad memories for you?"

"But why would he tell Soph and not me?" Brooks pushed, turning away from him and back to Sophia. "What were you talkin' 'bout? Why did he tell you?"

Sophia's brows furrowed as she shrugged. "I- I don't know, Brooks. I can't remember the whole conversation. Why's it such a big deal, anyways?"

"Because I don't get why he's tellin' you things and not me!" Brooks didn't mean to raise her voice, it just happened.

"Well..." Sophia trailed off, wondering if she should answer or not. "Brooks we do spend a lot of time together." She said, trying to be as sensitive as she could.

The fourteen year old scoffed. "Yea, but he's my dad; not yours."

Sophia looked down briefly, hurt by the comment. She knew Merle wasn't her dad, but he was the closest thing she ever had to one. Ed was her father, sure, but he was never her dad. He never held her while she cried, or told her funny stories to make the nightmares go away, he didn't cook with her, or go on walks with her when the sun was shining. He never made her feel safe when everything else in the world made her feel terrified. "I know that, Brooks. So does he... But, he also knows that you don't want him to be your father."

"I-" Brooks began, but cut herself off. "Whatever." She mumbled, knowing that what Sophia was saying was right. She was and had been acting as if she wanted nothing to do with Merle, and for a very long time that was true... But, things in her heart were changing. She went back to her book though, because she didn't wanna think about Merle, or Sophia, or their little family cookout that they would have that night that she hadn't been invited too. Suddenly though, Mickey walked over, taking them all by surprise.

Brooks didn't even notice him at first, to invested in the details of the reforms Lord Woolf recommended. "Brooks?" He asked, making her jump and look up. He laughed at her bewildered face, before squatting in front of her and reaching forward and taking the glasses off of her face. "You're prettier without these ugly things."

Carl's jaw clenched as he exchanged looks with Sophia, but before they could say anything, Brooks did. "Uh-" Brooks cut herself off, awkwardly holding the book to her chest. "Can I help you with somethin', Mickey?"