R_S: Ok, shit's about to finally go down... dun dun DUN!

Bittersweet

Chapter 4

People stopped screaming by 9:30, as the Governor's troops rounded them up into cells and held them there. After the loss of Sasha, Karen, and 11 other Woodbury residents, the remaining survivors had lost the majority of their fight. Carol had tried to fight back, but it was too much, exacerbating the cough she had been fighting off for the past couple weeks and the pain that coursed through her bones. She had passed out, but the Woodbury people helped carry her under the supervision of guards, so Hershel might tend to her. They were all being held in Cell Block F, where the Governor found Merle, who had nothing to do with this attack or the last.

"Bring him along," the madman had said, "he more than deserves to be part of this final act." Instead of obediently allowing himself to be taken, Merle fled down the hallways to Cell Block C, the main area where Rick, Daryl, Michonne, Maggie, and Glen waited with weapons drawn to make their final stand. The Governor only laughed at their moxy.

"We ain't gonna surrender." Rick growled evenly.

The Governor smirked, "Then let's make a deal: you all lower your weapons and cooperate; I don't kill any more of the innocents here. You've lost a lot a lot already, are you really willing to sacrifice more for your own stubbornness?"

"You think we're really stupid enough to take that deal?" Merle drawled.

He cocked the gun aimed at the Daryl's head, "Doesn't look like you've got much of a choice. At least if you do as I say some of you have a chance of living… right now the odds aren't much in your favor. So what do you say, Rick? Do more of your people need to die, or can we settle this you and me?" The two stared at each other for a long moment, communicating in understanding. They knew each other, knew how the other operated. Rick lowered his gun.

"… Drop your weapons."

"What?! Rick-"

"I said drop 'em!" The Governor smirked as they all complied.

"Wise decision, Rick. I knew you'd see things my way." Martinez glanced over at his gloating boss nervously. A smart man would have killed his enemies right away, but the Governor was pausing for revelry and theatrics, as his ego demanded. It made Martinez nervous, and he wondered if this ragtag group would discover some sort of downfall for them.

"Alright, we did what ya wanted. Now hows about we settle this just us."

"I'll consider it… how about we move in there," he inclined his head toward the next room, "to break some bread and discuss what you're willing to do to spare your pathetic lives. We already know her death," he gestured to Michonne, "is nonnegotiable, but perhaps I can be persuaded to be more generous with some others on a full stomach." He wouldn't be, but he was playing with them. Rick only glared causing his grin to broaden.

"Shall we?"

"No!" Maggie yelped lowly. Daryl and Glen turned to her questioningly.

"Beth and Judith are in there! Do something." She hissed.

"Wait," Glenn instantly called out, "there are more innocents in there."

The Governor re-cocked his gun, turning it toward the door, "That so?" he asked suspiciously. Daryl glared.

"Leave 'em be, they ain't soldiers or threats to you- just a girl n' a baby."

"A baby may not be a threat, but I've learned better than to underestimate any of the women in your ragtag group. If she's anything like the last three I dealt with, it'd be best to dispose of her quickly." He glanced pointedly at Michonne and Maggie, and Andrea's absence had never been more conspicuous.

"Shit, she ain't. Leave her, or I swear I'll-"

"You're in no position to be making threats, Dixon."

Rick met the Governor's stare, attempting to address the matter diplomatically, "She's innocent, Blake. She never had any part of this; let her join the Woodbury refugees." He stared back at the prison's leader for a long moment, looking contemplative, before finally motioning to his men.

"Secure whoever's in there and make sure she sticks around." He ordered, riling up Daryl and Maggie further.

"You poxy rat bastard!"

"She's one of you, so she's involved in this now; anything that happens to her is your fault. You'd do well to remember that. Wait!" He spun around to face Martinez and Shumpert, "Where's the blond, Andrea?! I can't have her nosing around causing trouble."

"Sir," the soldiers explained calmly, as though this were a regular occurrence, "she's dead; you already killed her months ago. She's not here."

"Yes," he nodded, "yes, yes I did…" he continued to mutter to himself, too low for anyone else to make out.

"Jesus," Merle breathed, "his head's like a puppy in a sack o' cats- you can smell the crazy comin' offa him."

"Shut it, man." Martinez hissed in low warning, before turning away nervously.

Daryl leaned over to his brother and Rick, "At least we know why he suddenly ain't killin' us… any idea how to one up a crazy person?" Rick just shrugged while Merle snorted, and the Governor whipped around. For a moment, they were concerned he had heard them, but he only wished to extend his monologue.

"It was foolish for you all to think you could defeat me, especially you Michonne, after I had been so very generous. If you had just stayed, we could have used someone like you."

"The prisoners are secured, sir." A soldier interrupted. He led them in, walking backwards so as to observe their defeated entrances behind him.

"Ah, excellent! Now, if your lovely group would just follow inside, we can discuss-" It was when he turned and his eyes fell on Beth holding Judith curled protectively against her chest that he froze.

"Sarah…" he breathed, staring at her like the second coming of Christ. He stepped toward her, hand reaching out, and she backed away.

"Don't touch her!" Maggie hissed, moving forward. Martinez's gun stopped her, and the Governor paid no mind. Daryl placed a hand on her shoulder to pull her back slightly and dissuade her from getting herself killed. His eyes watched the distance between the man and Beth darkly, unable to do anything about his concern.

"Sarah… Sarah, you've come back to me- with Penny. Oh thank god," his eyes watered, "we're being given a second chance, a fresh start from the beginning…"

"Um, the, uh, the beginning of what, sir?" Shumpert questioned uneasily, Martinez and he shooting each other nervous glances. Daryl noticed and gave the Martinez a questioning look. The other man gave an almost imperceptible shake of the head but otherwise did not acknowledge him.

"Our marriage, Bowman… a chance to raise our child and protect her. Oh god, Sarah, I've missed you so much!" He strode forward taking her into his arms, careful not to crush the baby. "Penny," he murmured, looking down at the tiny pink bundle. His men looked as alarmed as the prison group felt. Beth had frozen in the Governor's arms.

"I don't think you boys have ever had the pleasure of meeting my wife and daughter, have you? No, no I think you'd remember. You can't forget a face like this…" he stroked her hair and gazed at her adoringly, "you girls are even more beautiful than I remember."

"Sir," his soldier began slowly, "Sarah and Penny are dead. They can't come back to you. That girl is one of the prisoners we-" The shot was sudden and loud, causing Beth to scream out as the Governor whipped around. Shumpert's body dropped to the ground, a chunk of his head missing. Judith was sobbing in pain now, the sound hurting her delicate little ears.

He turned the gun on Martinez, "No one threatens my wife, are we clear? Or do you have something to add to that?"

"N-no sir, I'm just waitin' on orders." The man shifted his to look out the corner of his eyes and meet Daryl's concerned gaze.

"Good… Sarah, baby," he turned back to her, "why haven't you said anything to me? Why is she so upset?" The words caught in her through, unwilling to come out.

"ANSWER ME!" The sudden scream made her jump, and the baby cried louder.

"I-I'm just so shocked to see you… she is too. I-it's, um, it's been so long, and she's in a fussy mood, and um…"

"Yes, she always did get fussy this time of year." His hand descended onto her head, stroking it gently, his demeanor melting into calmness as though his fury had never happened.

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!"

"GET YA FILTHY HANDS OFFA HER!"

Rick and Daryl hollered at the man and pushed forward, only to be shoved back by the troops. He flipped around and pointed his gun.

"No!" Beth jumped forward to him, nudging him slightly, falling into character as well as she could, "No, please don't! These men, they took care of me while I was trying to find you, protected me."

"Their deaths have been a long time coming, Sarah-"

"Please… b-baby... I owe them my life. Please." He lowered his gun, a far-away look in his eye as he turned back to her, cupping her face with his hand and running his thumb across her cheek.

"Oh darling, I can't say no to you. I've missed you…" he leaned in, burying his head in her neck and placing soft kisses as he ran his hand up and down her back. Beth stiffened and shut her eyes, eyebrows pulling together. A low, animalistic growl escaped Daryl at the sight of that man touching one of his own, causing Merle to eye him from the side, while Rick and Glenn looked sick. Michonne looked angry and stoic as ever. Martinez looked away from the scene in discomfort, his gun dropping slightly. In a cloud of fury, Maggie took her opening.

She screamed out, shoving the listless gun from her way and jumping grabbing onto the Governor's hand, trying to wrestle away the gun. His men held the others back from helping as their leader took her down swiftly. Using her moment against her, he flipped her around against the table, bringing down the metal of the gun to crush her hand. An audible crack cut through the room, punctuated by her sister's scream. It lay disfigured at her side, elbow twisted at an odd angle.

"MAGGIE!" The woman cried out in pain, choking back sobs as her fiancé tried in vain to reach her.

"You stupid bitch." The Governor cocked the gun and aimed it at her head. Beth sobbed, tears running unbidden down her cheeks as she clutched Judith tighter.

"No, no please don't; don't kill her, please! Ple~ase…" She choked over her words in desperation.

"I'm taking you from this wretched place, Sarah! No one is taking you from me again-"

"They won't! I promise, they won't- I'll leave with you, right now. We can go away, if that's what you want, but only if you spare them. If you kill anybody, I-I'll never forgive you." He turned to her and moved to embrace her once more, leaving Maggie a crumpled heap on the floor trying to cradle her hand.

"We're leaving, Sarah… We can go be a family again, just the three of us."

"Then leave these people be. This is over now; we'll go back to Woodbury and build a life there." He froze, cocking his head and staring down at her, and his grip tightened painfully.

"How do you know about Woodbury? You never got to see it."

"T-they told me about it, when they were helping me find you. I've been waiting to see it with you." He continued to watch her calculatingly for another moment before relaxing once more. He pressed his forehead to hers.

"I can't wait to show it to you, sweetheart. It needs some rebuilding, but it's beautiful; the perfect home for us in this new world."

"Then promise me, Gov- Philip. Promise me you will spare these people, so I can be happy." His eye stared into hers for a moment.

"Martinez," he called out, not moving his eyes from her, "keep weapons trained on them until we've left the facility. After that, meet us back at base… we're moving back into Woodbury."

"Yessir." The soldier answered softly, unable to bring himself to watch as his boss led the young girl from the room. Beth looked over her shoulder and watched her family as she left. The last thing she saw was Daryl's deep blue eyes staring back and the silent promise they held that he would save her.

He did not need to say the words for her to trust him.

R_S: So I'm no good at writing action scenes, which is why there aren't going to be a lot of them in this story. A lot of action happens, but it's mostly going to be recounted and alluded to. T'is simply not my forte.

So now that Beth and Judith are gone, how are they gonna save them? Dramatic! haha please leave a review =)