Hey guys! I am so sorry I haven't updated any of my stories especially this one. This one is one of my favorite stories to write and I am thinking about doing a sequel for season 4. However, I need to finish this one first and I have already plans for the next chapter. Mwahahaha! Enough with the leave laugh let's get down to business.

So in the last chapter, Ember now knows what happened to Lori, she still hasn't meet Judith though, she talks about Milton and Martinez and how they know her dad. The Governor comes and he's about to kill Martinez and Andrea is right by the Governor's side telling Rick to give up Ember. Rick tells Andrea what the Governor did and relieves to Andrea that Ember is his niece. Andrea had no idea and the Governor is about to kill everyone until Ember breaks up the fight. She takes down as man of the Governor's men including the Governor and saving Martinez. Andrea escapes and helps out Ember and Martinez get to safety. Martinez is wounded badly and ends up sacrificing his life to save Ember and Andrea. Ember gets wounded from the Governor who survives the attack and leaves back to Woodbury.

So that's basically what happened in the last chapter and in this chapter is a little short. I know, but it's at least something right!? Besides the next chapter will be longer I promise and so with the next chapter after that. I will say this, at the end of this chapter it's kind of fluffy with Daryl's POV. I know it's not really him, but I want to make him a little soft because he cares about Ember and they both have been through similar situations. So it's kind of obvious that he cares about her.

Anyway, here is Chapter 7! I will work on chapter 8 and post it up as soon as possible.

I do not own the Walking Dead Cast! I own Ember and Clint Rogers!

Hugs and kisses!

Chapter 7: Know Your Enemy

Ember's POV

"We're not leaving." Uncle Rick was firm on not leaving the prison even if we did lose someone, he was hell bent on staying.

"We can't stay here." Hershel responds hardly and practically pleading him that it's not safe here anymore.

"What if there's another sniper, a wood pellet won't stop one of those rounds." Maggie states. She's right, if another sniper comes out, those wood pellets won't be able to hold long.

"We can't even go outside." Beth is also true, a sniper would be hiding in the trees and being waiting for us. We would be sitting ducks.

"In the daylight." Carol finishes up Beth's sentence, but she right too. The sniper wouldn't be able to see at night, it's our only cover.

"Look if Rick says we're not running, we're not running!" Glenn is almost hell bent on staying here too. He doesn't want to run anymore. I guess this started to feel like home to him and everyone else. He's tired of running. I leaned against the wall the opposite side of Uncle Rick who was loading up one of the sniper rifles in the middle of the cell block, Carol was at the foot of the stairs, but she was upstairs, so was Beth who was standing next to Daryl who was leaning on the railing with his forearms, Hershel was sitting on the stairs, Michonne was leaning on the of the cell gates cleaning her sword with a towel, Glenn was near the stairs, Carl was near the cell block gate and Maggie was on the other side near me and Andrea. Merle on the other hand was locked out of the cell block and on the other side. I think Uncle Rick blames him or something like that, I didn't get to hear the whole conversation, but I think Daryl agreed with him. Apparently Merle knew that the Governor was keeping me as a prisoner, but for some reason I didn't hear Merle's voice whenever I was blind folded. I don't get it.

"No better to live like rats." Merle's voice snapped out of my thoughts as Uncle Rick, Maggie, Andrea and I looked over at him. He was leaning against the cell block gate. I noticed Uncle Rick were tense when Merle started to speak. Uncle Rick glared at him and snapped at him.

"You got a better idea?" Merle shrugged his shoulders and spoke again.

"Yeah you should have slid out of here last night, live to fight another day. We lost that window didn't we? Am sure he's got scouts on every road around this place by now." He's right, the Governor probably already sent them out. Would explain the snipers hiding out in the woods.

"We ain't scared of that prick." Daryl says I glance up at him he was walking down the catwalk. His dark sapphire eyes looking into my forest green eyes. I glanced back at Merle who started talking again.

"You should be. That ambush was not random, he planned it. That's just him ringing the doorbell, you might have some thick walls to hide behind, but he's got the guns and the numbers."

"His number are down he doesn't have any more recruits." I told Merle, he glared at me knowing that I'm telling the truth.

"That little act of yours just made it a whole lot worse for ya sweet cheeks. The hunt ain't over until you and little miss samurai is dead."

"Then let him come! You think I'm afraid of that sick bastard well your dead wrong!" I strode over towards Merle and glared at him. "I may have rattled his cage, but I'm not afraid of death itself!" I banged on the gate with my palm and glared at Merle. If looks could kill he would be dead by now.

"You know what he's like; you might as well be dead." I leaned closer to him and whispered to him.

"I was already dead." I back away from him and walked away on the other end of the cell block. I opened the gate and slammed it shut making it echo throughout the prison.

Rick Grimes's POV

With what Ember said to Merle I knew she was not the same. She's not the same teenage girl I have come to know in Kings County, but then again was she ever the same? She became very different when I saw her in the hospital. Sometimes I couldn't get the images of her out of my head. Her body all battered and bruised it's something I will never forget.

"Let's put him in the other cell block." Maggie's voice snapped me out of my thoughts and back to problem we have on our hands.

"No he's got a point." Daryl's voice echoed throughout the cell block, Merle does have a point. I hate to admit that.

"This is all you, you started this!" Maggie shouting at Merle striding towards him, but was stopped by Andrea when she put her hand on Maggie's shoulders.

"What's the difference between whose fault it is?! What do we do?" Beth is right, what do we do?
"I said we should leave. Martinez is dead, we can't just sit here." Hershel is right as well, but I'm not going to run even though I'm still on the verge of losing my sanity. I started to walk away to get out of the cell block until Hershel yell for me. "Get back here!" I stop walking away from the group and I heard Hershel started walking towards me with his crutches and continues to talk. "You're slipping Rick we've all seen it. We understand and why, but now is not the time, you once said this isn't a democracy, now you have to own up to that, I put my family's life in your hands! So get your head clear and something!" Hershel snaps at me, but I continue to walk away from everyone. To be honest, I'm doing everything I can, but maybe it's not enough. I tried everything, but it may not be enough. So what the hell am I suppose to do?

Daryl Dixon's POV

I know Rick can't do this by himself, so I'm going to offer my help to him. He lost his wife; he doesn't have to do all the heavy lifting not by himself. I pushed myself off of the railing and decided to go after him or Ember. They both can't do this on their own, not when they have a whole family behind them. I jogged down the stairs and made my way to the other cell block gate. I didn't even bother to see Merle. I walked down the hallway and made it to the other end where the laundry room is.

Hello, hello, hello

Beautiful stranger

How familiar the danger

Slipping into the darkness

I heard Ember sing before, but I've never heard her sing with such emotions. It's beautiful.

'Tis true, 'tis true, 'tis true

Celebrities always do

Us in our shadows too

Use in our shadows

She has such a beautiful voice I want to hear more. I stepped out of the shadows and stepped closer to her. She has her back towards me not knowing that I'm in the room with her. She has no idea.

High stakes, three shakes, no breaks

Triple the wager

Three clicks in the chamber

Three chances to claim her

Her voice is so angelic that I stopped in my tracks and continued to listen to her.

By the book, by hook, by rook

Shadow takes all, my pet

My, what a strange duet

Shadows takes all

She's been in darkness for so long she became one with it. She became one with the darkness and became a stranger to herself. I guess we have a lot in common.

Cunning creatures

Slither front and slither back

Double dealers

Double up for the attack

Does she feel like she's a monster? Or does everyone think she's a monster?

I could say that I'm hurt

But it wouldn't be true

The knife in my back

It reminds me of you

You're my beautiful stranger

The game is afoot

It's the shadow's domain

So don't pussyfoot

Shoot!

She spun around and threw her dagger that missed my head about two inches. Ember's eyes were wide with fear. I let out a low whistle of being impressed.

"Nice throw." I felt the corners of my mouth twitch upwards, but couldn't fight off the grin. "You missed your target though." She sighed angrily and shook her head.

"Damnit Daryl I could've taken your head off again! What's with you? Are you wishing for a death wish!?" I couldn't help, but chuckle at her. She's kind of cute when she gets mad. I shook my head and picked up her dagger.

"Nah, was just wonderin where ya went." She rolled her eyes at me and sighed.

"Needed to get away for a little bit, I brought on this war kind of is my fault." I shook my head as I play with her dagger avoiding eye contact with her.

"Ain't yer fault, you didn't know he was gonna do this to ya. Ya didn't know this was gonna happen. Can't blame yourself for something you can't control." I glanced up at her and she had her back to me again. I take a few steps towards her until she could feel my breath on her neck. Just being this close to Ember is making me nervous. I don't know why I should be nervous around her, but I'm still drawn to her. I gently put my hand on her shoulder and whispered in her ear. "Yer not the only one who's not afraid of death." What I did next was something I never thought I would do. I lowered my head and brushed my lips against her bare neck. I heard her sigh and felt her lean against me. Shit, she's going to be the death of me. I held out her dagger in front of her. "Nice arm." With that I backed away from her and I was out of the laundry room within minutes. Now that I know Ember is alright and telling her not to blame herself. She'll be okay for now. Now is time to talk to Merle and he's going to tell me everything that has happened in Woodbury. He knew about Ember being a prisoner, he knew what the Governor was doing to her and now he's got some questions he's need to answer. He may have a grudge against Rick, but his grudge against Ember ends now.