Brooks was the first of her siblings to wake up. Maybe, it's because she never went to sleep. The conversation Daryl and Merle had haunted her most of the night, but also the fear of this strange place kept her up. Brooks was used to never getting a full night's rest, so it didn't bother her much when she pushed herself to sit up. She stretched out her arms and arched her back, what she needed after the cramped night was a good stretch.

She crawled down by her brothers' feet and opened up her backpack. She changed from her pink skirt to her purple skirt, her white top with ballet shoes to her white top with lavender flowers on it. She put on the only shoes she had, sneakers which were more cream than white now, they were over worn and basically falling apart at the seam.

The young girl started opening the tent when Daryl's groggy morning voice stopped her. "Hey." The older man said to the child. She stopped, rolling her brown eyes before turning to him. "Where you goin'?"

"Why'd you care?" She responded, judgement in her tone.

Daryl furrowed his eyebrows. "Screw you too, jeez, I was only askin' cause you're my sister an' all, ain't no need to be a damn bitch." Daryl's response was perhaps out of proportion to hers, but he was tired and therefore that clouded his judgement. When he fully woke up an hour or so later, he felt guilty.

"I'm not your sister, Daryl. I'm your half sister." Brooks responded, bitterly, before she finished unzipping the tent. The sulking girl stormed out and ran away. She didn't zip it back up, leaving Daryl and Merle on display, much to their dismay. Daryl laid there shocked at her response, but just shut his eyes and went back to sleep. It was too early for drama.

Brooks' eyes trailed around the camp in amazement. She hadn't been able to admire it the night before in the dark. There was a large open space, with an RV that had a deck chair on the top. Red, blue, green, yellow, orange tents all in different shapes and sizes littered the area. Brooks walked away from the tents, her eyes focusing on the trees around the outskirts, then on the view that went on for miles. She could see different people walking around, chatting and smiling, some of them even skinning fish.

"Hey, there." A man that Brooks didn't know smiled at her in passing, he only looked to be in his early thirties. If only Brooks had known the future her and the man with a metal arm would share, she would've said hi back, however, the stranger just kept on walking. Perhaps he would have said more to the young girl too, to make their first meeting more memorable. Though, they'd both experience plenty more memorable memories together that would outshine that one.

Brooks noticed her father talking to a man she didn't recognise, so she chose to walk up to them. Her father being the only awake person that she really knew. Glenn was nowhere in sight. "Mornin', dad."

Will groaned. "Now, why are you awake?"

"Couldn't sleep. Daryl and Merle are still sleepin' though."

"Did I ask?" Her father raised his eyebrows.

Brooks frowned. "Guess not."

"Uhm..." Shane nodded, looking between them. "I'm uh- I'm Shane Walsh. You must be Brooks, right? Yea, Glenn, told me 'bout you. He's down with the other kids by the quarry. Apart from Christopher, I think he's still asleep. You wanna go play with them?"

Will reached down and put his hand on Brooks' shoulder, his grip tight and firm. "I think I'd rather keep my family where I can see them." Will spoke. Shane licked his lips and nodded, he was well aware of Will's rough treatment to Brooks. Even if Glenn hadn't told him first thing that morning, the young girl's face was sporting a bruise on her left cheek.

Shane nodded, sniffing slightly in an attempt to hide his distaste towards the man. "Sure, that's understandable. Well, look, why don't y'all relax a little bit. Show yourselves around and Cam'll come by later on, tell you how you can help out here, Will. All the adults gotta earn their keep."

"What about me?" Brooks asked, eagerly. "I wanna help."

Shane smiled in amusement at the young girl. "Well, I'm sure Sophia and Eliza will keep you occupied, you don't need no chores."

"Neither do I." Will stated, making both Brooks and Shane turn to him. "I can hunt, that's what I'll do to help. I've been doin' it for years. I fed my family forever with nothin' more than a day in the forest and a shot gun in my hand." He left out the fact that he only provided food for his children once a month. If that, and only during hunting season. The rest of the time they were left to fend for themselves.

Shane shrugged, forcing a smile. "Well, okay then." That's when he noticed Glenn coming around with Sophia, Eliza, Louis and Carl. All of them had wet legs and smiles on their faces. "Glenn, what the hell are you doin' to them kids?"

"Looking for buried treasure!" Carl grinned.

Shane scoffed out a laugh. "Sure, bud."

Will tapped Brooks' back, before he walked back to the tents. Shane left too, walking towards the RV. Brooks took a deep breath, and walked towards the group of children. "Oh, hey, Brooks." Glenn smiled. "Guys, this is Brooks. Brooks this is Sophia, Eliza, Louis and Carl."

Brooks nodded, looking to Carl. "There's no such thing as buried treasure." 

Carl scoffed. "Yea, there totally is."

Eliza and Louis had noticed their mother waving them over. So, the two children ran over without saying goodbye to their friends. They were both very quiet.

"Actually, despite popular belief that pirates buried their treasure, they actually divided it equally amongst them. The captain usually getting a larger portion. Then, they'd trade it or squandered it for food, material, whatever. That which they couldn't trade or sell, they'd use practically. Either to help restore and keep their boat fresh, or just use it around their houses." Brooks explained, excitedly, she'd never gotten a chance to share this fact before. She'd read in a book that starting a conversation in a different way rather than 'hi there, I'm-', you'd be more likely to make friends. And, all Brooks wanted to do was make friends.

Carl rolled his eyes. "You're annoying, anyone ever told you that?"

Brooks didn't respond, instead looked down. A lot of the children at her school told her that, on a regular basis.

Sophia noticed her sad look. "Hey, it's okay. I thought it was a cool fact."

Brooks looked to her and smiled. "Really?"

"Sure." Sophia nodded. "I like your skirt."

Brooks ran her hands down her skirt. "Really?" Still being the only word she could say, she was shocked at the girl's kindness.

Carl turned up his nose at the girl's happiness. "It's stupid! Why are you wearing a skirt in the apocalypse?"

Brooks shrugged. "I don't own trousers. Sorry, I didn't get the three weeks notice email the end of days was comin'. I would've gone shoppin' otherwise."

Sophia let out a laugh, so Carl glared at her. She nodded. "I'm gonna go see if Chris is awake, yet. It was nice meeting you." Sophia smiled at Brooks.

"Really?" Brooks grinned, still excited about their interaction. Sophia laughed a little, before she walked away.

"Your glasses look stupid." Carl stated.

Brooks looked to him. "So does your face."

Carl scoffed. "Not as stupid as yours. I hope I never have to see your dumb, ugly face again."

"Alright, Carl. Let me know when nineteen eighty two calls askin' for their name back." Brooks retorted.

"At least my name is a name! I mean, what kind of name is Brooks? Isn't that like water?"

"That's a Brooke, you nincompoop." She thought she was cool at the time, in a few years she'd realise how embarrassing the use of that word is. But, I'm getting to far ahead in our story.

Carl laughed. "Nincompoop?"

"Definition is a foolish or stupid person. I'm quite fond of the word." Brooks nodded. 

"Well, I think you're the ninco... Ninkin... Whatever! Because your name is water, hah, like a river! That's what I'm gonna call you now. River."

Brooks raised her eyebrows. "River? That's the stupidest nickname I've ever heard and one of my half brothers calls me Brookie."

Carl laughed. "See ya later, River." With that, Carl started walking away.

Brooks stared after him in shock. "Well- well... You're... Ugh!" 

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

Merle, Daryl and Will were sitting outside their tents, drinking beers and smoking cigarettes. Brooks was sitting on the ground, reading one of her books. This book was about natural remedies using plants. Merle suddenly took the book from her hand. "You a nerd like her now, Merle?" Will raised his eyebrows, cracking open another warm beer. "Hell, I remember how much readin' you did when you were a kid. Before you saw the world like me, of course."

"I'm just lookin'." Merle scoffed, flicking through the pages.

"Don't lose my page!" Brooks complained.

Merle rolled his eyes. "You're so damn whiny." 

"Is that why you avoided me like I got some kinda plague?" Brooks asked.

"No, that's cause of your bitch attitude." Daryl stepped in.

Merle chuckled. "You're just mad she hurt your feelings this morning."

"Shut up." Daryl rolled his eyes.

Like that, Andrea and Amy walked past. Both women smiled at Brooks, before they went off to ask Dale if they could borrow his fishing equipment again. "Damn, now those are some broads I'd like to get my hands on." Will commented.

Merle grinned. "Yea, me too."

"I'll take the younger one." Will said. Merle chuckled, drinking more of his beer.

"You can't talk about women like that." Brooks said, quietly. Daryl looked to the ground, instantly knowing that this wasn't going to go well. He'd had a similar argument with his father when Daryl was just a little older than Brooks. The first and only time Daryl brought a girl home, Will kept making comments about how he should've been the one bringing her home, and many more inappropriate things said right in front of the fifteen year old girl. Daryl learnt his lesson.

Will raised his eyebrows. "Hell you just say to me?"

Brooks flinched at his tone, but looked up to face him. "Nothin', daddy."

"No, tell me what the fuck you said." Will demanded.

Brooks swallowed. "That you can't-"

"Exactly!" Will shouted. "You think you have the right to tell me what I can and can't do, you filthy little bitch?" He wasn't afraid to raise his voice in front of everyone in camp if that's what it took. Unfortunately, anyone who would've stepped in was down by the quarry.

"I'm sorry-" Brooks said.

"Daryl, do me a favour and hit your sister? You know how I do it." Will said. Brooks looked up to him, with the biggest, saddest eyes he'd ever seen. He couldn't do it. "Daryl, you hear me, boy! Hit her!"

"I ain't gonna hit a cryin' kid." Daryl responded.

Will scoffed. "Good thing she ain't fuckin' cryin'. You tellin' me no, boy?" Daryl clenched his jaw and looked down to his beer. "Jesus, you fuckin' pussy. It's no wonder you ain't fucked a girl since you were fifteen. At this rate, the only pussy you're man enough to get is hers." Will pointed at Brooks.

"Dad, that's enough." Merle stepped in.

Will raised his eyebrows. "You disobeying me now, too?"

"No." Merle responded, throwing the book at Brooks. A small cry left her lips as her head flew to the side. It didn't hurt that bad, Brooks had felt a lot worse. She didn't make any other sound as she held onto her head. Merle's guilt instantly overwhelmed him as he started bouncing his right leg up and down. "There you are. See. Problem solved."

"You call that a hit?" Will scoffed. "Baby, come here."

Brooks fearfully stood up and walked towards him. Every step she took felt like she was on death row. He grabbed her neck and forced her onto her knees in front of him. Will put his beer to the side as he snatched Merle's. The oldest Dixon moved his hand to his daughter's hair, and forced her hair back so she was looking at the sky. Brooks took advantage of the moment of bliss. She spotted a Robin in the tree. She smiled at it softly, it felt like it was watching over her. The Robin was sitting beautifully on a branch that was laced with green leaves of every shade. It was a nice sight.

That was until Will grabbed her glasses and threw them away, before he was pouring beer all over her face. Brooks coughed and gasped, spluttering for breaths. She shut her eyes, but not before the beer reached them. Her eyes burned, as well as her nostrils. She cried out, but that meant more of the disgusting drink got into her mouth. Everyone in the vicinity watched in shock. Lori, Shane, Carl, Carol, Sophia, Cam, T-dog, Jacqui, Glenn, Dale and now Amy were all down by the quarry. Andrea and everyone else just stared in shock.

When the can was empty, Will crushed it on her head just to add insult to injury, before he threw her down onto the ground. Brooks was on her hands and knees, gasping and coughing for air. She'd started drowning. She threw up what beer made its way into her lungs as she reached for a water bottle to flush her eyes. This somehow made it burn worse. Brooks wanted to scream and sob, run away and beg for help. But, her coughing fit eventually calmed down. So,she put her glasses back on her face, drank a whole bottle of water, and went back to her book.