A/N: Hey everybody! I thought I should post a new chapter before the New Year, so here it is! I'll also take a "break" from posting the chapters now; it won't be long, just so I can write a few more chapters before posting more. But yeah, Happy New Year to everyone, I hope you have a great one! I hope you like this chapter (:

~oOo~

"Hey, Penny." Philip said as he sat down on her hospital bed. The girl smiled lightly, weak and tired. Her forehead was wet with sweat and her eye lids were heavy, trying to stay open to see her father.

"Daddy." She whispered.

"How are you today, darling?" He smiled through the mask on his face.

"Fine." She said and then coughed a few times, and a little bit of blood came out her mouth. Philip's eyes filled in with tears and he tried to hide it. Penny raised her bloody hand and touched his face. "Don't cry, daddy." She said.

"I'm not crying, baby girl." He smiled, looking at her blue eyes. "Your birthday is coming, you know that?" She smiled. "Just think about what you want it for your 7th year, okay?" She nodded, closing her eyes and coughing again. "Daddy's gotta go now, okay?"

Philip stood up but his daughter took his hand stopping him from walking. "Don't go." She said with a sad voice.

"I have to, honey." He answered. "I'll go get your medicine."

"I love you, daddy."

Philip felt his chest aches; tears filled his eyes again.

"I love you too, Penny." He squeezed her hand and walked away from her. Doctor Alice was at the door, waiting for him.

"Do you know what is?" He asked her, closing the door behind him and taking off the mask.

Alice was holding her clipboard and a pen, which she constantly kept pressing the button of it; she was clearly concerned about Penny. She feared that the girl didn't survive.

"All the symptoms say tuberculosis, but I don't know..." She said, looking at the clipboard. Then, she looked at Philip. "She is in a more advanced state of the disease. It's like she skipped the dry cough, weakness, low fever... Are you sure she didn't show those symptoms before?"

"Yes, I'm absolutely sure." Philip replied. "Can we treat it?"

Alice hesitated for a moment. "Yes." She said. "But we need more antibiotics. Tuberculosis is caused by a bacteria and it takes... A long time to heal."

Philip nodded. "Write it down the medicine, I'll send a group to a pharmacy today."

The pediatrist wrote it down her clipboard and gave to him the name of all medicine she needed. Not only for Penny, but for the whole infirmary.

"Make sure you check if they're expired." She said, handing the paper to him.

"What makes you think I'm going?" He smiled, lightly.

"What, you're not gonna send Mamet, are you?!" She exclaimed.

"Yes." He said, walking away and entering the hallway. He walked through the hallway, with his hands on his back. He walked through the only door and closed it behind him.

On the empty alley, he walked toward the warehouse, whistling; he acted like he hadn't just seen his sick daughter, like nothing had happened. When he entered the warehouse, he heard voices coming from the armory. He got there just in time to see Merle's face when Milton handed him the prosthesis.

"You did this overnight?" Lena exclaimed.

"No." Philip replied, making all of them look at him. "The baseball bat... Yes." He walked toward them, slowly. "But the prosthesis... We found it before we found this place... I knew there was the right kind of person for it." He placed a hand on Merle's shoulder. "So what do you say?"

"I'm starting to like this place already." Merle said, smiling. Philip laughed.

"That's the spirit." He said. "Now. I know I just asked you to work with us, but we need to go on a run already."

"To where?" Milton asked.

"The nearest pharmacy." Philip started walking away, the others following them. "See, my daughter is getting worse." They reached the outside, and began walking through the alley, taking another way to reach the center of the town. "Alice said it's TB. We need antibiotics, and fast."

"Who's going?" Merle asked.

"You." The Governor replied. Merle frowned. "And some of my boys. You'll know them."

"And this is only for medicine?" Lena, who was listening the conversation, spoke.

"Well, we're going to a pharmacy." Philip said. "If you want something, you ask them."

"And what if I want to come with them?"

Philip stopped walking and looked at her. She saw that as a sign to keep talking.

"I mean, do you think that your boys will know what type of pads do I need?" Merle looked at her and then to Philip. The leader listened to her patiently. "You said there were thirty people in here. Are they all men?"

Philip shook his head and she kept talking. "So if there are women in here, I bet you already had problems with that kind of thing. I could help you. I could ask them what they need and go get it. It will be a lot easier for you."

There was a moment of silence while Philip thought about what she said. She was right, he had a few problems with women before, and the last thing he needed was a rebellion. He didn't want to create a sexist community. He wanted to create a community where they all could forget what was going on outside the fences.

"You're in." He said with a smile. Lena almost didn't believe. He turned around and started walking again. Lena smiled and followed him. "I'll give you a list of all women in here and tomorrow you can ask them what they need and you go get it."

Philip led them to a big house and they entered it. "This is our headquarters." He said and pointed to a door on the living room. "That's our venue. We gather around every morning and have breakfast to get ready for the day."

He led them to the kitchen, which was full of men, having breakfast. Philip introduced Merle and Lena to everyone and told them about the supplies run.

After a while, Lena was leaned on the counter and Merle was talking to one of the men that she already had forgotten his name. The others were talking to each other and getting ready to the supplies run. She watched him, all cocky, showing his prosthesis, talking out loud. She smiled a little bit and felt something on her chest. Her smile disappeared and she looked away from him. She knew exactly what was happening. She didn't want to think about it too much, she didn't want to accept it. She remembered the time she was with Morgan and his son, how she didn't care about them. They were good people, and still she didn't give a shit if they die. But Merle. Merle wasn't good. Merle wasn't the kind of person who you want to be intimate. Why did she care about him and not with the others?

"Lena, right?" A voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned around and saw a blonde young man, with blue eyes and a light skin smiling at her with bright white tooth. She wondered how his smile was so white on a freaking apocalypse. She nodded, holding her baseball bat tight in her hands. "Nice bat." She looked at it and smiled lightly.

"Thanks, I guess..." She answered. "The barbed wire was The Governor's idea." She laughed under her breath.

"I'm Evan." He said extending his hand to her. She stared it for a moment and then shook it.

"Lena." She said.

"Yeah, I know." Evan answered with a smile. Lena smiled with him.

"Yeah." She laughed under her breath and looked at her hands.

"Her?" Martinez asked Philip, looking at the girl. They were at the corner of the kitchen, watching her to flirt with Evan. "You want me to train her?! Man, what about Merle?"

"Merle doesn't need to be trained." Philip answered. "He has military training. I need her on the team, Caesar. We need her."

"Why is she so important to us?"

Philip hesitated for a moment. "We need diversity." He told him the truth. "If we want to create a community here, a society, we have to give a chance to these women. If they feel small, they will rebel. And a rebellion is the last thing we need, right?"

Martinez looked at him, as the leader walked away from him. Philip turned his head to him and said,

"You can use the arena to do the job."

Martinez looked at the girl again. Once in a while, she eyed Merle. Looking at her, Caesar saw her face. He could see that she was a little uncomfortable while Evan was trying to flirt with her. Without thinking much, he walked over them. Lena looked at him waiting for him to say something. But the man just looked at her. She looked at Evan with the corner of the eye. Martinez didn't know what to say; he was so focused on getting there that he forgot to think of what he was going to say.

"You must be Martinez." Lena said.

"Yeah." He tried to sound professional. "I'm the one who's gonna train you."

"Yeah, The Governor told me."

"Great." He started to walk away. "We start right after I come back."

"Oh." Lena sounded surprised. "Already?"

"Yes, we're going to start at the arena."

"We have an arena?"

Martinez didn't hear was she said, because he was already beside Merle, on the other side of the kitchen.

"You're gonna like him." Evan said, making her look at him. "He already trained me."

"Oh really?" She said looking at Martinez again.

"Yeah..." He looked at the plaid shirt she was wearing. "And I wouldn't wear delicate shirts if I were you."

He walked away, leaving Lena confused. She watched him gather around other men. He looked like a nice guy. She then looked at Merle. She didn't want to compare both of them, but she was already doing it.

"Lena." Philip called her from the kitchen door, snapping her out of her thoughts. She walked toward him, the baseball bat still on her hands. "Here." He handed her a clipboard with the name of all women written on it. There was a blank space beside each name; Philip pointed to these spaces explaining her to write the things that they need.

"Only necessary things." He said. "No nail polish, or things like that."

"Okay." She replied, nodding and looking to the clipboard. There were about fifteen women on the list; at the end of it, Lena read her own name.

"Alright everybody!" Philip exclaimed, catching everyone's attention. "As you know, I'm not going on this run this time. So, I decided to choose some people to go in my place." Everyone was listening to him. "Merle." He pointed to Merle who smiled. "Evan." The blonde guy gave him a half smile and looked at Lena. She smiled to him, lightly and looked away. "As always, Martinez." Caesar didn't seem too impressed, and he wasn't. He had done a million times; went to pick up food, medicine, clothes and a lot of other things. Philip kept pointing to random guys and telling them what they should do. But he didn't call Lena. He said to her that she would on the next day with some men to the next grocery store.

"Load the cars, guys!" Philip exclaimed. "You're already late."

Lena watched all the called men getting out of the kitchen. She walked toward Merle and touched his arm.

"Hey, be careful." She smiled lightly.

He looked at her and grinned. "I'm always careful." He winked at her.

~oOo~

"Miss Keys?" Lena said to the woman who opened the door of her apartment. She decided to write all the women's wishes while the men were in the run. She also had remembered what Evan had said about wearing delicate shirts in the training with Martinez. She didn't know why, she just put another shirt. She had found that her vision was starting to get bad again. She couldn't see people from a certain distance; she even mistook a person with a walker on the streets of the town. So she had searched her backpack for her old glasses. It's been some time since she didn't use them. They were simple, with no fancy frames; a lot looked like Milton's glasses. She also found some male shirts on her backpack. She didn't know they were there. She let them on her bed and went the streets again. The first name on the list was Abigail Keys.

"Yeah, that's me." The ginger woman answered.

"My name is Lena and I'm working for The Governor today." She made a pause, but the Abigail didn't say a thing. "Uh, my job is to make sure that all women here have the things they need for hygiene and basic survival things… And I wanted to know if there is anything you need, like pads, clothes or even towels?"

"Ah, so they're finally doing this, huh?" Abigail leaned on the door frame. "There are actually a few things I need…"

~oOo~

The pharmacy Philip told them to go was wrecked. When the boys arrived there, they were disappointed. It's been a while since they found a place which wasn't wrecked or empty. Merle got out of the car, followed by the other members of the group. Except Milton. It was the first time he went out on a run for supplies. He had got out with The Governor a few times, but never with a "mission" to do.

"Hey, Mamet!" Martinez exclaimed, tapping the car glass with his knuckles, making Milton jump scared. "Come out already."

"What's wrong with him?" Merle asked.

Martinez shrugged, looking at the little town that they were in. The streets were empty, the cars that were there were wrecked and there was garbage all over the place. Two months. It's been only two months since the outbreak, and the world was already sunk in deep shit. Martinez thought about his old job. He thought about those children he used to teach. He about what he had become now; a trainer.

The sound of the door of the car opening made him come back to reality. Milton got out of the car, a little bit sweaty. Without saying a word, he started walking toward the pharmacy. Evan had already checked the place, and it was clear.

"Make sure the snacks aren't expired!" Martinez exclaimed to the boys entering the store. He stood outside, posting guard, together with Merle.

They were in silence for a while, before Martinez speaking up.

"Is she your sister?"

Merle looked at him, confused. It took a while for him to realize he was talking about Lena.

"Do I look like her brother?" He replied, rough.

"With the way you almost shot me yesterday? Yeah, you look a lot like her brother." Martinez looked at the empty streets, holding his gun tight in his hands. Merle scoffed.

"Girl's been through a lot in that day." He said like it was like years ago. "Almost was raped twice."

Martinez frowned and looked at him in surprise. "You telling me that time weren't the first time?"

"Nope." Merle looked at the streets. "She's just some girl I met before I lose my hand."

"Oh, yeah, I wanted to ask about that." He turned to Merle. "How did you lose it?"

"Some idiot handcuffed me on a roof." Merle answered; eyes still on the empty streets. "Left me there to die."

"By yourself?!"

"Nah… Lena stayed with me. Said she wasn't gonna leave me." He started to laugh. "Met the girl in the one day, and she decided to stay with a redneck asshole."

Martinez looked to Merle's right arm. "And your hand?"

"Asked the girl to cut it. She hadn't the stomach to do it, so I did it myself." He lied.

"You're one tough son a of bitch." Martinez looked to the streets again and spotted a walker. He raised his gun to shoot it, but Merle interrupted him, putting his hand on the top of the shotgun, lowering it.

"Let me debut this beauty." He smiled and walked toward the dead-living.

~oOo~

"What happened to your face?" Mrs. Post asked Lena at her doorstep. Lena was writing her requests on the clipboard and stopped when heard the question.

"It was an accident." Lena replied, after hesitating for a while; her eyes still on the clipboard.

"An accident?" Mrs. Post's southern accent became audible. "What kind of accident let you with one deep cut on the face?"

"I had a cat." Lena thought fast and said the first excuse that came in her mind.

"With one claw?"

Lena looked to her clipboard again, feeling uncomfortable with the lack of personal space the lady was providing to her. She, then, changed the subject and hoped that the woman didn't realize.

"So, Mrs. Post, this is all?"

"Oh, please, call me Ruth." Ruth shrugged.

"Right… Ruth. That's all?"

"Yes, dearie. You can go now." She leaned closer to the girl, her blue eyes looking straight to Lena's hazel ones. "And don't worry. I'll keep your secret."

Ruth gave her a smile and winked to the girl. Lena didn't say a word when the lady slammed the door on her face. Of course Ruth didn't know the real story, but she did think there was something wrong with Lena.

Lena just took a deep breath and turned around. Mrs. Post was the last name on the list and now Lena could go to her apartment and rest for a while. She walked through the streets of Woodbury and looked at the children playing at a little square of grass in front of one of the buildings. She smiled lightly. She thought she'd never see children smiling again. She thought she'd never see children anymore.

She walked toward Philip's apartment, holding the clipboard tight on her chest. The future of the women in that place was on her hands, and she felt responsible for it. Lena knocked on The Governor's door and there was nothing but silence for a moment. She was about to leave when he opened the door.

"Lena." He said, smiling as always.

"Hey…" Lena said talking off her glasses.

"I didn't know you wore glasses."

"Only when I can't see." She smiled, a little embarrassed. Philip laughed at her joke, and invited her in.

She entered his apartment looking around. Philip gestured to the table and she sat in one of the chairs in front of him.

"I know what you mean now." She said handing the clipboard to him.

"How come?" He picked up the clipboard and looked at the names and requests beside them.

"Most of them did want nail polish."

Philip laughed and Lena smiled. He pointed to a name on the list which had a star beside it. "Why this one is marked?"

She looked at the name. Karen Oakley. "Oh." She said. "That's Karen. She has a special request."

"What it is?"

Lena hesitated for a minute. "She wants to help to protect the town." When Philip didn't say anything, she kept talking. "She said, and I quote, 'Since they let you in charge of the women, I was thinking about join the barriers.'"

"And what did you say?"

"That I was going to talk to you."

"What do you think?"

Lena frowned, surprised to hear The Governor ask her opinion. "Um…" She said. "I don't think she's ready for it. I mean, she said it's been only a week she's here."

"But you arrived here just yesterday." Philip looked at her. Lena looked at him, surprised by the fact she had forgotten that detail. Embarrassed, she opened her mouth to say something, but Philip interrupted her laughing. "I'm kidding."

"Oh." She looked at the table, laughing under her breath.

"Hey, relax!" Philip touched her shoulder. "I'm kidding."

Lena laughed with him. Philip raised his glass with whiskey he was drinking.

"You want some?" He offered.

"Oh, no." she shook her head. "I don't drink."

"Yeah, I thought you didn't…"

The girl smiled lightly, and then looked at her hands. "I should go…" She said after a while, standing up. "Get ready for Martinez and whatever he's gonna do with me."

Philip laughed. "Ah, yes." He said, standing up with her. "Good luck."

She frowned. She didn't understand why everyone was saying that to her. Like if training with Martinez was a bad thing. Lena just nodded to him and walked toward the door.

"Tomorrow I'll send you in your mission with one of my boys." He smiled to her opening the door.

"Okay, then." Lena smiled and walked away from him, putting her glasses on. When she reached the outside, she saw the two cars entering the town. It was Merle and the others. She smiled and ran toward the garage, where they parked the cars.

"Mamet?" Merle asked when saw Lena wearing glasses. She just rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"How was it?" She asked curious, trying to peek what the group had brought to the town.

"Fine." He growled and turned around.

"You're covered in blood!" She exclaimed, looking at his shirt. Merle ignored her and turned around to pick up the things he brought from the pharmacy. Lena pretended she didn't notice and kept talking. "How is out there?"

"Same as yesterday." He answered, picking up a box from the pickup, struggling a little. He lost his balance, and almost dropped the box, but Lena held it before it could escape his only hand. He looked at her at the same time she looked at him. The girl smiled at him, but the smile was gone quickly.

"Uh… I should go." She said, letting go of the box, and turning around.

"Yeah, you should." Merle murmured, watching the girl walk toward her place.

Stop being a pussy.

He shook his head and walked toward the headquarters.

~oOo~

"Start running." Martinez ordered. "As many laps as you can in five minutes."

"What?" Lena looked at the empty arena. The place was huge, like a normal school gym. "You're kidding, right?"

"No." He looked at her. "Run."

Lena frowned and started running. She wasn't exactly sure why she had to run around the arena, but she didn't questioned. She supposed that after that she would learn how to wrestle.

She was wrong.

When she finished the first lap, she was already sweating and breathing heavily. However, she kept running. She started to run slowly halfway the second lap; Martinez blew a whistle, making her stop.

"Time!" He yelled from the other side of the arena.

"Already?" She breathed leaning herself on her knees.

"A lap and a half in five minutes." He laughed at her. "That's pathetic!"

She walked toward him, frowning again. "Well, this place is huge!" She exclaimed, still trying to catch her breath.

"Bullshit."

Lena just looked at Martinez, feeling her blood boil in anger. She took a deep breath and tried to argue again.

"These jeans aren't made for running."

"Well, then use pants that are!" He raised his voice.

"I'm sorry, I forgot to pick my workout suit when the dead started fucking walking!" Lena also raised her voice.

"Stop making excuses, you just had to run! You would be dead if there was a roamer behind you!"

"I thought you were going to teach me how to wrestle, not how to run!"

"Well, news flash." He said with a low voice, getting close to Lena's face. "I'm your trainer. I tell you what to do. And right now, you need to lose weight, guess for what. To learn how to wrestle." He walked away from her and kept talking without looking at her.

"Now, run again."