Thank you to everyone who followed/favoured and reviewed. :) I have been reading a crazy amount of fics lately so my writing has slowed down, you can blame the amazing authors and their stories I am hooked on. ;) lol. For those who were left a little confused by the ending of the last chapter, yes...Daryl had a daughter named Katie. Cant give too much away right now about her but all will be explained soon! Alright... are we all ready for Merle to make his grand entrance? ;) x

Chapter 4-

Beth was in her cell writing in her journal when she heard the loud explosion shake the prison walls. 'Oh god...not again' she thought as she quickly tucked her journal safely away in her back pocket. She shot up from her bed and grabbed her knife and gun from her bedside table with shaky hands. Judith was the only thing on her mind right now, she knew Daryl was safe somewhere outside the prison so she wouldn't worry about him right now, although that doesn't stop her from doing the complete opposite. She rushes to Ricks cell to find Judith's crib empty, panic starts to set in when she thinks of her baby being outside while they were being attacked. Beth has only one thing on her mind when she runs from Ricks cell to where she thought Judith would be, which was outside with Carl getting some fresh air. Daryl would kill her himself if he knew she was running towards the noise and possible danger outside the safety of the prison, but she had a really bad feeling and she wasn't going to sit on her ass and hide like he always told her to when they talked about another possible attack by the Governor. Why couldn't this lunatic just leave them alone?

But Daryl wasn't there to stop her or tell her to get her ass back to her cell, he wasn't around much these days to tell her anything, he was always running off to hunt or volunteers to go out on every run Rick organised. He's been avoiding her and she knows it, he tells her he needs space from all the sad looks he gets from the other residents and that's why he runs off to the woods, but she knows she's partially to blame for his distant behaviour.

Her hormones have been up and down lately, being pregnant did not agree with her. She gets why Daryl wants to be away from her sometimes, if she were him...she wouldn't wanna be around her either. She wasn't glowing or radiant, she was fat and felt ugly all the time, she couldn't wait till this baby was out of her. Daryl was the only one who could make her feel good about herself, when he was around he would worship her body telling her how gorgeous she looked pregnant, that he thought she was so sexy when she was naked on top of him, lightly bouncing on his cock while her now full breasts jiggled in his face. She misses Daryl when he's away but she understands, its hard for him to be there for her while getting pitiful looks from everyone. She wishes she could yell at each and everyone of them to stop with the staring but knowing how Daryl would react she stopped herself every time. He would probably get embarrassed by her outburst and hightail it out of there, she didn't want to chase him off anymore than she already does so she bites her tongue and glares at them instead.

When she exits the prison she can hardly believe what she is seeing.

A tank. An actual tank is waiting just outside the fences with a few cars flanking all around it. Their guard tower was in ruins from being destroyed by the tank. There are people she doesn't recognise standing beside their cars just outside the fence and they all carry weapons aimed towards her family who are aiming their own weapons right back at them. What catches her eye next makes her legs nearly go from under her. Hershel and Michonne are on their knees with their hand bound behind their backs as the only man she does recognise holds what looks like Michonne's katana against her fathers throat. She freezes at the prison door, she sees Rick exchange words with the Governor who looks indifferent to what Rick was saying. She looks around the people who came with the man holding a sword to her fathers neck, most of them look scared, like they don't want to be there. She notices a rugged looking man then, something about him seems familiar to her but she has no clue why, she's never seen him before...she would remember a man with a huge knife for a hand.

She starts to walk slowly towards the fence in shock while scanning the yard for Judith, the little girl was nowhere to be found. Beth stands beside Maggie as she reaches the fence, she sees the man with the knife hand step up beside the Governor to whisper something in his ear. Whatever knife hand said sent the Governor into a rage, time seemed to slow as he brought the blade up, she caught her fathers smiling eyes for the last time as the Governor swung the blade back down against her fathers throat. After that...everything to her was a blurr, there was screaming, she doesn't know if she was the one screaming. There was gunfire and explosions and all she could do was clutch the fence tightly as she watched her father fall to the ground, dying before her very eyes.

She was shooting, she doesn't know when she started but she was. As she aimed her gun towards the evil man who killed her father and was about to shoot, Maggie starts to drag her back away from the fence as the tank advances, knocking down their fences...destroying their home.

Maggie drags her to the bus they kept in case of emergencies like this, she was in shock standing at the bus, so when Maggie started to talk to her and ran off in another direction she didn't quiet catch what she had said to her or where she was running off to without her. Why was Maggie running away from her with Glenn following close behind? Was she supposed to get on the bus and leave everyone behind? She wasn't going anywhere without Judith. Did Maggie expect her to wait here for her? No...she had to find Judith.

Beth snaps out of her daze, looking away from the spot where Maggie had disappeared from, she jumps onto the bus and yells out for Carl and Judith over the crying and screaming from everyone on the bus. There was no answer, she couldn't see them. Getting off the bus, Beth starts to run back across the yard back to the prison but is stopped by someone calling her name.

She turns around and is relieved to see Carl supporting a badly beaten Rick. Beth quickly runs to them and takes hold of Ricks other arm for support.

"I came back to get Judith and the other kids on the bus, we need to find them before we go!" She explains out of breath as she starts to walk towards the prison.

She is stopped by Rick gripping her shoulder as he drags her back to him, she looks at him and Carl confused. They both have tears brimming in their eyes when she looks pleadingly at them for answers, she doesn't want to know...she cant hear what she knows they are going to say.

"Judith's gone Beth... we...we found her car seat..it was.." Carl tries to explain but breaks down before he can finish.

She feels numb, she doesn't know she's crying until she feels the hot droplets rolling down her cheeks. She cant be weak right now though, Rick is hurt and looks like he's about to pass out, and Carl...he's just a boy who lost his little sister. They need her to be strong.

"We need to go, we cant stay here...we gotta go." She repeated absentmindedly.

Rick nods weakly in agreement as Carl wraps his arm tighter against his dad getting ready to leave with her. There's smoke everywhere, its hard to see through the thick fog as they hobble quickly towards the gap in the fence. They have to dodge a few walkers on the way and shoot any that got too close. Distant gunfire still rings out around them, people still scream in pain but they don't look back when they disappear into the shade and safety of the woods. She cant think if those screams could be Maggie, she has Glenn...they have each other, they're fine, they got out...she had to believe that.

She also had to believe that Daryl would be at the cabin waiting for her with the rest of the family, the cabin he secured with Michonne after the first attack on the prison. The safe house had everything the group would need to survive for at least a week if they needed.

As they headed deeper into the woods in the direction of the safe house the sun was starting to fade, there was no way they would make it to the cabin by nightfall, it was too dangerous to move through the woods at night. She started to struggle holding Rick up, he was loosing consciousness which was making his feet drag along the ground. She could hear Carls laboured breathing...he was getting too tired to keep this up, as she was about to suggest they camp for the night she hears the sound of twigs snapping from behind them. Beth quickly unsheathes her knife and whips around leaving Carl to support all of Ricks weight himself, she was going to need both hands if she was going to protect them from whatever amount of walkers that were coming.

Her eyes sweep over the dark woods waiting for a walker to emerge, her hands are shaking as she holds her knife out in front of her.

"Its just me." She hears Michonne's voice before she sees the samurai emerge from the shadows.

Relief surges through her, she knew Michonne was a warrior and could hold her own but seeing her here seemingly unharmed was like a small weight had lifted from her heart. She ran to her and threw her arm around Michonne's neck, they both were soon laughing softly in relief.

"Thank God you're ok." Beth half sobs into Michonne's neck.

Michonne patted her back reassuringly but stops suddenly.

"Judith?" Michonne asks quietly, slowly pulling away from her.

Michonne is staring solemnly at Rick and Carl, there's no words needed, no explanation is given, the samurai can tell by the heartbroken look on all their faces. Judith was gone.

Michonne walks to Carl and gives him a one armed hug as he still struggles to support his dad. Carl grips the back of Michonnes shirt tightly as she looks at Ricks beaten face.

"Jesus...he really done a number on you." Michonne says to a half conscious Rick.

"Who?" Beth asks, she never got to ask Rick what happened to him, she was too preoccupied with loosing Judith and worrying about Daryl to ask.

Michonne and Rick looked at her sadly, "After what happened with Hersh..." Rick begins but chokes up, wincing in pain leaving Michonne to finish for him. My heart freezes at the mention of my father.

"After the Governor killed Hershel they broke down the fences. When I broke free of my restraints I seen the Governor was beatin' the crap out of Rick. I wanted to make it slow for what that sonofabitch did but Rick looked half dead as it was so I had to stab him right through the heart and end him quick. Got separated from Rick when a group of walkers showed up, I had to stay behind so Rick could get to Carl and Judith." she finishes, looking at her like she had something else to say.

Rick squeezes Michonnes shoulder showing his gratitude for saving his life, "Thank you." he mumbles through swollen bloody lips.

Michonne gives him a small sad smile before turning back to Beth.

"I...I found your dad before I made it out, I took care of him..." Michonne whispers sadly as she draped Ricks arm over her shoulder.

All this talk of her father was so overwhelming, she was barely keeping it together. She lost everyone and everything she loved most in this world in a day and she's not quiet sure how to process that. She tries to remain optimistic, she still has some of her family with her and she still has the baby to think of...stress cant be good for her. She needs to get to the cabin where she knows Daryl will be, if he isn't there she doesn't know what she would do.

She cant open her mouth to speak in fear of how loud she would cry if she did, her lip quivers as she gives Michonne a small smile and nod to let her know it was appreciated. She would sleep a little easier knowing her father was at peace, but what would really help her sleep easy was if Daryl was there with her. She wanted nothing more than to have his arms wrapped around her, to tell her everything was going to ok. Soon she thought.

"We gotta make camp for the night...we'll head to the safe house first thing tomorrow." Michonne says, helping Carl to lower Rick to the ground against a large oak tree.

"I'll take first watch, y'all get some rest." Michonne orders. She wasn't gonna argue, she was dead on her feet.

She begins to move toward Rick and Carl to curl around the two for the night for body heat she knows she's gonna need when her ears perk up to the sound of soft footfalls, not walkers...Daryl taught her the distinct difference when he would train her in the woods. She could hear it was one person... and they were close.

She draws her gun, 'Guns for humans...knives for walkers', Daryl's voice rumbles in her ears.

Michonne is beside her in an instant, picking up on the approaching threat the same time she had. Beth aims her gun where she knows the person will emerge from.

"COME OUT NOW OR I SHOOT." Beth yells, trying to sound menacing to whoever was about to show themselves. It's not smart to shout in the middle of nowhere, in the dark, with walkers lurking in the shadows...but her adrenaline was pumping, her heart was racing and she was pissed...she had enough of people trying to hurt her and her family.

"Whoa...wait...don't shoot, we're comin' out!" She hears an unfamiliar female voice call back.

Beth didn't miss the woman's words...'We're comin' out'...who's we? Before she can ask who else is with her two figures emerge from the treeline with their hands in the air. How could she not know there was a second person? The only other person who could walk as stealthily as that was Daryl.

She nearly pulls the trigger when she realises who these people are. The man standing in front of her she would recognise anywhere now, she could never forget a man who has a knife for a hand, she would never forget that he is one of the reasons she is fatherless and homeless. The girl he is with looks scared, she looks to be around the same age as she is, but she is hardly innocent. This scared looking girl was part of the governors group along with this man she really wants to shoot right now.

"Ya tryin' to get us all killed blondie? Shouting ya mouth off like tha' ain't doin' no one any good." the man growls in an all too familiar tone.

Is he seriously giving her shit while she has a gun pointed at his head?

"You got a nerve showing up here. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't slice your other hand off right now." Michonne hisses. The samurai was seething and with good reason, he was the one who captured her and Hershel for that psychopathic Governor.

The girl was quiet while she looked around nervously at their camp for the night. Freddy Krueger on the other hand was as calm as anything, he almost looked bored to be standing there talking to them. Beth doesn't give him a chance to give his reasons.

"He was my dad." she blurts out, earning a confused look from him.

"The man your boss beheaded...he was my dad." she explains strongly.

The man doesn't seem to be affected by what she has just said which makes her anger simmer to boiling point.

"Dad's are overrated...prolly better off." He says bluntly with no emotion.

Beth is about to squeeze her trigger when she hears Ricks voice calling weakly from behind her.

"Merle?" Rick asks, still sitting on the ground, slumped against the tree.

That name sends bells ringing in her ears...Merle...she's heard that name before.

The man who she guesses is Merle stands on his tiptoes to look over her head.

"Well shit...I knew tha' was you officer friendly, ya lookin'...good." Merle says smugly.

"Thought you were dead." Rick says breaking into a coughing fit.

"No one can kill a Dixon but.." Merle starts but Beth sickeningly finishes.

"A Dixon." she mumbles.

Merle...Daryl's older brother who everyone thought to be dead was the same man she was going to kill without a second thought. She knew there was something familiar about him. Michonne looks as shocked as she must look. She is speechless...why did this guy have to be Daryl's brother?

"Tha's righ' darlin'. Tha's why I've been followin' y'all since the prison...recognised the sheriff, knew my soft little brother would be trailin' behind officer friendly like a lost lil puppy. Darlina always did need someone to follow, think a family reunion with my baby brother is long overdue." Merle says while looking her up and down, licking his lips as he stares at her chest.

Creep. How could this evil man be related to Daryl? All she wanted to do was put a bullet in his head and be done with everything got to do with the Governor, but she couldn't...he was Daryl's brother...he was family. She couldn't get over that fact.

"You expect us to take you to our people after what you've done?" Michonne asks bitterly.

"Nah...I expect ya to take me to my brother soz I can take him off ya hands and we can be on our merry way with Tara over here sweetheart." Merle answers nonchalantly, mentioning towards the girl...Tara.

There was no way Daryl would leave her to go off with this piece of shit...would he? No... he definitely wouldn't do that.

Rick must have passed out because there wasn't a sound other then heavy breathing coming from behind her where he lay against the tree. Carl remained silent but she knew he was standing behind her with his gun still trained on Merle. She doesn't give Michonne a chance to object to Merle's plan.

"We'll take you to Daryl tomorrow but I can tell you now...he ain't goin' anywhere with you." She says confidently.

Merle smiles widely at her, he looks at her like he's only seeing her for the first time.

"We'll see Bo-peep...we'll see."

Sorry for mistakes...no Beta! :/ x