Disclaimer: I do not own the walking dead or the characters in it.

Spoiler Warning: There will be a few spoilers throughout the story!

AU: Merle gets away after being stabbed by the Governor and doesn't get his fingers bitten off.

Rated for later chapters.

I wrap the fabric around my mid section and tie it off trying to stop the bleeding. I hear a scream come from the distance and hope the fabric won't slip as I run. The screaming gets louder as I run through the woods, with my hand over the wound, hoping to get to the person in time. If being with my brother for that short amount of time has taught me anything it would be that people are important.

When I get to the small clearing I see a woman trying to climb a tree to get away from the walkers starting to surround her. They hear the twigs snap behind them and smell the blood, making them turn away from her and instead start shuffling towards me. The adrenaline taking over, I take them out one by one as they get close. When I'm finished I see the woman curled up against the tree, shaking and I can hear her sobs.

Kneeling down I place my hand on her shoulder, making her jump. "It's alright, Darlin', their gone now."

She looks up at me, her light blue eyes full of tears, before standing and wrapping her arms around my neck. "Th-thank you…" Her voice is shaky and quiet.

"No problem." I pat her back, before removing her arms from around me.

"Oh, you're bleeding… We should find shelter… I can fix that up for you."

I nod, as I put my hand back over the wound. "I saw a small cabin as I was running here."

"Okay…" She turns away, picking up a backpack, before wrapping an arm around my waist to help steady me as best as she can.

When we get to the cabin I clear it, before having her walk in. After locking it up and blocking off the door I sit against a wall and untie the fabric. She walks over to help me take off my shirt then pulls her long dark, wavy hair into a hair tie.

She turns to her backpack and begins to search inside. After a few minutes she pulls out a needle, thread and a small bottle of vodka. "This is going to hurt really bad… but I'm going to need you to stay still." She takes her belt off and folds it before putting it in my mouth. "Bite down on that."

I nod and bite down hard as she pours the alcohol on the wound, using a small towel to clean it.

"Breath or you will pass out. Not too fast, in through your nose out through your mouth."

I take a deep breath as she puts the first stitch in, taking her advice.

When she finally finishes she puts a large bandage over it. "Did you get jumped?"

I take the belt from my mouth and drop it on the floor beside me. "No, trying to do the right thing for once and got stabbed in the process."

She keeps her head down, not looking at me. "Oh… I'm sorry that happened… I'm Alexis…"

I put my hand out to her to shake. "Merle."

Finally looking up she takes my hand. "Nice to meet you…"

Taking my hand from hers I nod to the backpack. "Did you lose your group?"

With a frown she looks back down at her lap. "…They left me behind as bate for the dead so that they could get away."