.
.
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Michonne pressed her hand against the still throbbing, slow bleeding wound, her fingers coming away saturated anew with red, clutching around the chain links of the fence. It was the fresh scent of blood on her hand that caught the surrounding walkers attentions, not even the guts and juices soaked into her top could block the smell. The walkers right beside her craned their vision away from the morsel within the gates to land on her, all at once realizing that food was just within their grasp.
She dropped the basket and hopped away, the stinging of the bullet graze too much to even lean the smallest amount of pressure on that leg. She pulled her sword from its hold and fought off the walkers quickly closing in on her. She was woozy, suffering from blood loss, and was completely exhausted- it showed in her sloppy movements, her stumbling strikes and slices.
.
Rick looked on, not about to move to aide or rescue her, not really sure what exactly he should do with her. How had she known to come here? Why did she have that basket full of formula? He could hear Carl running down the dirt road toward him, pulling open the gate to the dog run and looking on as the woman crumbled to the ground.
.
The edges of her vision darkened with each blink and it was becoming harder and harder to breathe. Her pulse pounded like a heavy bass in her ears, as she saw the image of walkers stumbling toward her. They'd be piling on top of her soon, and she probably wouldn't feel a thing.
.
The decision to intervene and help her was ultimately made by Carl shooting the two walkers about to drop on her and dig in. Two head shots, sending limbs flailing and falling backwards, completely dead before they even hit the ground.
Rick called for the keys and opened the gate, cursing under his breath as he pulled his gun from his hip and fired shot after shot as walkers started to gather with haste in their shuffle. Carl went for the shopping basket. Rick dropped down to the passed out woman, nudging the sword further away from where it had fallen from her grip and checked the common areas for walkers to sink their teeth into. Hershel called from behind the fence asking if she was bit or not.
"Gun shot." Rick said when he recognized the familiar way the skin on her thigh was ripped through. Just a graze, but enough to cause a considerable amount of pain and bleeding. He hefted her over his shoulder and with the gate secured again they all rushed back inside the prison.
Setting down a blanket on the floor and fetching a towel and some water, Rick set the strange woman down. Sophia rushed in from the block, Erin on her heels, the girls wondered what happened, they'd heard gunshots and- who was that? He explained that she wasn't coming into the cell block with them - at least, not until they got some answers.
.
Michonne felt a cool moisture splashed along her chest and pooling in the hollow of her throat, and flinched at the feeling. Coming back to her senses, she blinked the darkness and blur away from her eyes and took in her surroundings. The interior of the prison, the man she'd seen through the gate was above her, shushing her, using a soft voice, "It's alright, it's alright. Look at me."
And she looked. His eyes seemed much older than the rest of him. They revealed how fatigued he truly was, and told that he had seen far too much than he rightfully wanted.
"Who are you? Hey... It's alright," he said, thinking that Michonne was just scared and confused, but when she saw her sword and made to grab for it he pinned her down while shoving the sheathed blade away with his foot, "Hey-!"
His soft demeanor disappeared, a low warning in his voice now, "We're not gonna hurt you, unless you try somethin' stupid first. Alright?"
She stared up at him, unsure. The last time her weapon was taken from her it was in the clutches of a mad man. But this guy didn't seem so bad, seemed like he knew the world for exactly what it was - he was surviving just to survive. He didn't have a thirst for power, he didn't even want to be the leader of his group, he had no front to hide behind... But how was she to know if he wasn't exactly like the Governor? Just as crazy, just as-
"Rick..." a voice called lowly, and Michonne could see another guy enter the room, she could see all who were in the room. 'Rick', that gruff dude that just came in, a boy with a cowboy hat that had a Sheriff's emblem on it, three girls, two of them younger than the other, and an old man on crutches. The gravelly voiced man spoke again, nodded toward her, "Who the hell is this?"
Rick looked back to her, "You wanna tell us your name?" Michonne didn't even blink, and Rick tried again, softer this time, "You wanna tell us your name?" But she couldn't trust these people just as much as they couldn't trust her.
"Come on in here." the guy jerked his head in the direction from where he came from.
"Is everything alright?" Rick asked, looking like he couldn't handle another disaster, or hardship, no matter how small.
The guy just replied with, "You're gonna wanna see this."
Rick sighed and nodded toward the others, "Go ahead." the girl and the old man with crutches walked toward the open gate way and went through. "Carl, get the bag." Rick said and the boy, 'Carl', did so. He took Michonne's bag and put the strap on his shoulder. He grabbed the shopping basket too, nodding to the two other girls, and they walked through the gate way.
Rick stood up, taking Michonne's sword with him. The gruff guy near the gate looked on as Rick told her, "We'll keep this safe and sound." referring to her katana, "The doors are all locked. You'll be safe here. And we can treat that." he gestured to her leg.
Michonne breathed through her nose, eyes glancing all around before she looked up to Rick, "I didn't ask for your help."
"Doesn't matter." he shook his head and turned, walking into the cell block as he added, "Can't let you leave."
The gruff guy went through the gate and locked it after him, and Michonne didn't get up until she saw him walk away toward where ever the rest of the group had gone.
With her hands circled around the bars she saw the group interact. They were a small group of survivors, and very close it appeared. At the sight of a dirt, sweat covered and severely exhausted woman they were almost reduced to tears, one of the girls exlaimed loudly with a sob, 'Mom?! Mommy!' and clung onto her tightly. Each of them hugged the woman, mumbling quiet thanks and welcomes.
"Poor thing fought her way into a cell. Passed out and dehydrated."
Then they really were reduced to tears when the woman saw the baby in the blonde girl's arms. She looked to Rick and tearfully mumbled what Michonne was sure was her apologies. Rick and Carl appeared the most upset of all of them. There was a story there, but she didn't delve deeper into it.
It was different from Woodbury - these people were different from the people of Woodbury. These people weren't corrupt, they weren't psychotic- probably. These people knew loss, knew the struggle and the fight, and through it all they were a family of survivors.
Michonne's fingers fell away from the bars and she stumbled toward a table. At one point she thought she had people she could've considered family- Andrea and Sam. Sam had left, but she was sure she was perfectly fine out there on her own with Rocket protecting her. Andrea had abandoned her though. And then Lacey... she lost her for a second time, captured by the same people again...
.
"I think that's it!" Sam called from down the corridor of cells, her voice echoing off the walls. And if that wasn't it, then her voice would surely bring those they'd missed. But none came, after a full minute of waiting they were still left in silence. Exhausted.
"Should we head back now?" Amy asked in a puff of breath, retying her hair up into a pony tail.
"Yeah." Jo nodded, looking all around them. Sam was plucking her arrows from skulls and cleaning them off as she approached them. "We'll count how many we have and tomorrow or another day we'll drag them out." Jo said, "How many did you get down there around the corner, Mimi?"
Sam withheld a sigh, "Four." she said through clenched teeth.
Jo just grinned and started to count each body they passed or stepped over, until they could walk freely without corpse-y obstructions in their path. "How 'bout a story?" he offered, grin still in place.
.
Rick, his studly counterpart, Carl, who was probably Rick's son (they shared a few similar features), and the old man on crutches came back into the common area when the boy unlocked the gate. "We can tend to that wound for you." Rick said as he approached Michonne where she was seated at one of the tables. "Give you a little food and water and then send you on your way. But you're gonna have to tell us how you found us. And why you were carryin' formula."
Michonne looked each of them over before she answered, "The supplies were dropped by a young asian guy... with a pretty girl."
And that appeared to mean something to them, when they each stiffened in posture and Rick countered with a, "What happened?" And the old man with a worry laced, "Were they attacked?"
"They were taken." Michonne kept the small towel pressed carefully to her leg, looking away from the men and boy.
"Taken- by who?" Rick asked, stepping forward a pace.
"By the same son of a bitch who shot me." Michonne grumbled venomously.
"Hey- these are our people. You tell us what happened- now!" Rick surged forward and jabbed his thumb against her wound through the towel. And that just wouldn't do. Michonne shot up, shoving him away.
"Don't you ever touch me again!" she shouted, eyes aflame as she glared at Rick.
"Better start talkin' or you'll have a bigger problem than a gunshot wound." the gruff guy had a crossbow level with her face. She looked up the sights at him, squinting with an unimpressed sneer.
She replied, "Find 'em yourself."
Rick tutted his man, "Put it down..." he lay his hand on top of the weapon and eased it down, "You came here for a reason..." he said to Michonne. And they could all see the conflict on her features for a moment before she spoke again.
"There's a town- Woodbury. 'Bout 75 survivors. I think they were taken there." she explained.
Rick seemed just as if not more aghast than the rest, "A whole town?'"
"It's run by this guy, calls himself The Governor... Pretty boy, charming, Jim Jones type." malice in her tone, she knew it was her fault Lacey was stuck in that hell hole, again. Sure, she had Merle to protect her, but apparently he was in on what they were doing to her, something to do with that schedule and 'putting her out', what ever it was. And Merle couldn't really protect her when he was loyal to the Governor. Who knew what sort of shit the suave psycho was doing to her now, after she escaped and was brought back to his town.
"He got muscle?" that gravelly voice somehow seemed familiar.
"Military wannabes." Michonne answered, "They have armed sentries on every wall."
"You know a way in." Rick knew she did, otherwise why would she be here. She probably had an angle, he thought, she couldn't be this noble without some hidden agenda, but that didn't matter. Two of their people were captured and with this woman's help they could get them back.
"Place is secure from walkers but we could slip our way through." she nodded.
"How'd you know how to get here?" Rick raised his other previous question.
"They mentioned a prison." Michonne shrugged, "Said which direction it was in, said it was a straight shot."
And Rick nodded. All questions answered, all information out there, he needed to talk with his people. Then he'd decide what they should do. He motioned to the old man, "This is Hershel, father of the girl who was taken. He'll take care of that." he eyed her uncovered wound and swept out of the room with the crossbowman on his heels. The boy stayed behind by direction. And the old man spoke softly and got to work with gentle hands.
.
.
Glenn and Maggie were taken to a vacant warehouse once Hershel's truck passed through Woodbury's gates. In a quiet manner, their hands were bound and weapons stripped from them as they were escorted to the warehouse, so as not to raise suspicion among the townspeople. With duct tape wrapped tightly around their wrists and secured to the chairs they were seated in they were made to wait, terrified out of their minds and circulation to their hands cut off, while Merle went to speak to the Governor.
They were separated, of course, but when Merle came back to talk to Glenn, Maggie could hear every word passing through the vents. She could hear the man who was supposedly Daryl's brother taunt Glenn, make him feel guilty about leaving him on the roof in Atlanta, saying that people wouldn't do something like that to an animal. Leaving him trapped there, boiling in the heat, and an easy snack for walkers. Forcing him to have to cut off his own hand with a saw blade so he could survive, so he could keep on living in this fucked up world.
Glenn spoke for their defense that they had gone back for him; Rick, Daryl, Ben, Jo, T-Dog, but he was already gone. He'd heard the same story from Lacey and Andrea. He believed it, at least he was more inclined to believe it, when Lacey had told him. Her explanation didn't sound anything like a plea, much like the other two had. Not only that, he actually liked Lacey, and her family wasn't bad either, but what really sold him was how thrilled she was to see him, so glad that he was still alive. He didn't exactly get the warm and fuzzies vibe from Andrea. And Glenn? He and his girlfriend had pulled their guns out on first sight of him, and even after Glenn recognized him and Merle had put his firearm down -the one in his hand at least- Glenn still didn't let up on his aim.
Glenn had been a part of the group that had left him there in Atlanta, so of course he was bitter. How could he not be? He wondered where the old gang was at, Sheriff Leave-'Em-All-Behind, who'd chained him up in the first place, but he wondered of T-Dog most of all, the one who'd dropped the key to his freedom. And when Glenn confessed that T hadn't made it, Merle hoped that when he went it was slow.
He wondered about his baby brother. Now that he'd lost his brother's wife it was back to how it was at the start, all he had was Daryl. He told Glenn that he couldn't just give the information that his brother was alive and then hold off on where he was. Teasing like that. It wasn't right.
But Glenn wouldn't fess up. Not even when Merle made the threat that he'd visit the farmer's daughter, that maybe she'd tell him what he wanted to know. But it was clear that mere words weren't going to shake him up, and giving intimidation a try Merle was rewarded by the wound on the bridge of his nose breaking open again and gushing along with a renewed burst of pain.
It was the wrong move- on Glenn's part. Even if he wasn't bound to a chair he could never take on Merle Dixon. So after Merle recovered, very quickly, from the headbutt Glenn had dealt, he was given one back. And he tried not to cry out as he took punch after punch, strike after strike, all while Merle shouted at him, demanding to know where the hell they were. Where was the rest of the group.
Merle eventually let up. He had to, otherwise Glenn wouldn't have the ability to talk if he decided to finally tell him where his camp was.
He caught himself as he spoke of Rick's habit of leaving people behind, nearly letting it slip that Lacey had been here, and now Andrea was too. But Glenn hadn't heard the almost stutter as he spat out a mouth full of blood and stated it would only be a matter of time before they would come looking for him.
"I'll bake a cake, with pink frosting. Would they like that?" Merle snarked back before he stated evenly, "Ain't nobody comin'."
But Glenn was so sure, "Rick is. And when he gets here-,"
"He's gonna do nothin'." Merle finished for him, "Not if he wants you and Bo Peep back. Think I'm in this by myself?"
"You can't take us all. There's too many of us." Glenn said, his voice still thick with blood, his face swollen and bleeding- inside and out.
Merle snorted low in his throat, "There ain't a pair of nuts between the whole pussy lot of ya."
"We've been on the road!" Glenn raised his voice, his eyes connecting with Merle's though one was nearly swollen shut he tried to make his gaze unafraid and unwavering, "Not hiding in some dungeon. Rick, Shane, Amy, Jo, Dale, Jim, Ben, Rob, Lacey, Andrea..."
It was the final two names that caused a grin to spread across Merle's mouth. He'd known of Ben and Rob's demise by Lacey's telling, and though she didn't offer anything else in much detail as to what had happened since their departure from the Atlanta camp Merle could gather that Glenn had just named most, if not all, of their dead, with two wrongly (well, two until yesterday) presumed dead.
Though he was still going to keep to his promise with Lacey, thanks to Glenn's careless reminder, he couldn't help the way his grin stretched further, catching Glenn in his lie, causing the boy's courageous gaze to diminish and falter.
He hummed, amusement almost tinting his tone, "Really? Is that right?"
.
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Carl was entrusted to watch over Michonne while Hershel stitched up her leg. Though she didn't have her weapon she was still considered dangerous. He kept his hand hovered above his gun, just like he'd witness his father do so many times before. His eyes were piercing and unrelenting as he watched on. He heard and saw, from his peripheral vision, Erin peeking through the gate to get a look at Michonne.
Michonne could feel her curious gaze and met her eyes, and tried not to react when girl visibly jumped when Carl said her name in warning. She squeaked an apology and scurried away.
When Hershel was finished, her wound neatly stitched closed, Michonne thanked him quietly and cautiously.
.
Erin ran back to the group just as Oscar was asking, "How do you know we can trust her?"
Daryl had his arms crossed so Erin tapped his elbow to capture his attention, he looked down at the girl before he picked her up, while Beth stepped forward, demanding in her normally soft, weak voice, "This is Maggie and Glenn. Why are we even debatin'?"
"We ain't. I'll go after 'em." Daryl said with Erin settled in his arms. She had her arms circled loosely around his neck, fingers laced together while she leaned and angled her head in the direction of the common area, anxious to get a look at the new lady again.
"This place sounds pretty secure. You can't go alone." Rick said.
Beth didn't hesitate, "I'll go."
"Me too." Axel stepped up beside her.
Rick nodded, and looked to Oscar as he stepped forward too, "I'm in."
"I will too." Erin added as she swung her gaze back around to the group.
Rick nodded again, his mouth tilting slightly, "Alright."
And then from behind them, slowly emerging from the depths of the prison, they could hear voices. Specifically Jo's voice as he was animatedly telling a story, his tale sounding louder and clearer the closer they neared the block.
"- this was after Robbie's many attempts to sneakily assimilate pets into the house, right? And so Ben says," Jo paused to take on a deeper tone and cant in his voice, and in a whispered shout he recited, "'We don't need any animals in this house! I already clean up enough piss around the house as it is, Joseph!' And I threw my hands up like," he put his hands up in a surrendering motion and Sam and Amy's quiet laughter could be heard, "And I said, 'That was one time man! And at least it wasn't on the carpet!' And by then Rob's already checked out, gone to his room, in a huff. And Lace is down for the count, she's falling off the couch, clutching her stomach- can't even properly laugh, just wheezing, she's totally gone. All of this because Robbie tried to introduce a raccoon into the family as a pet. It was so-," by then the three, along with Rocket, had stepped through the gate threshold and into the cell block right into the little group centralized around the bottom of the stairs. They all came to a halt, in complete shock. Tears sprang to Amy's eyes and Sam was laughing in happy disbelief. Jo finally spoke up for all of them, "Holy shit, Carol?!"
Rocket surged up the steps and snuffled at Carol's arms and legs, careful of the baby in her arms, she licked a stripe up Carol's cheek.
Carol just chuckled, "Hey, Jo." They'd all been chuckling, having heard Jo's story, but that, his reaction, just topped it.
Jo went up the steps next and plopped down beside Sophia who was seated next to her mother, hugged his arms around both of them, while he dramatically said, "You're a cat, you're an agile cat, Carol. Nine lives!"
Sam was about to join the bunch, to welcome Carol back and then ask why everyone had been having what appeared to be a group meeting when something caught her eye. "Wha..." she saw the sheathed sword leaning against the outside wall of a cell, "Where did you get that?" There was no mistaking that sheath, that sword-
Everyone's laughter died down at Sam's peeked interest at the new weapon, confusion in her tone, but something else in it too. Then Rocket was scurrying down the steps away from Carol and Jo, sniffing at the air, complete concentration on her doggie features until she finally bolted toward the common area.
And Sam was quick to follow, she dropped her bow along the way as she mumbled, "Oh, my god. Oh, my f-! Oh, my god!"
"Sam! Stop!" she heard Rick shout along with the others calling for her, but she didn't stop, she couldn't because-
"Michonne? Michonne!" she was almost hysterical as she screamed her name and skidded into the common area, by passing Carl and his warnings and almost tripped to a halt in front of the slowly sitting up woman. "Oh, my god!" she breathed and dove in to wrap her arms around her.
"Sam? Is that you? What the hell are you doing here?" Michonne dropped her voice into a whisper, bringing an arm around the teen and squeezing her tight to her, "Are these people holding you here, too?"
"What? Holding me-?" Sam questioned as she pulled away and looked at Michonne, taking note of the freshly stitched together flesh peeking out through a hole in her pants, and Hershel making his way away, "What-, no! These are my people." she gestured vaguely toward the open gate just as the rest of the survivors were all starting to pile in. Daryl transferred Erin into Jo's arms and went forward with Rick, closing in on the two women. "The ones I told you about. The ones I said I was going to find? In my note? Remember?" she grinned, "I found them."
Michonne recalled names such as Daryl, Jo, Ben and Rob. She might have mentioned a Rick and a Lori at one point or another, but- The kid had actually done it.
"Huh," Michonne smirked smally, "I remember you writing something else in your note about coming back to find me once you found them."
Sam flushed slightly, her grin vanishing as she chuckled awkwardly, "I..." she dragged out the word, scratching at the back of her neck and ruffling the hair on the back of her head, "was working on it."
Michonne huffed a short, quiet chuckle.
"Sammy." Rick's voice called, stern, serious, warning.
Sam just waved him off, "It's cool, I know her."
"Sam-," that was his 'Dad Voice' again, and it caused Sam to scoff, turn to him and with her attitude 'Ohmygod-Dad-stop-Get-out-of-my-room-we're-talking!' a teenager-esque response was anticipated. But she didn't say that, close to it though, she replied, "She's my friend, I swear she's totally fine. She's who I was with the whole time before I found you guys." then spun back to Michonne, "Saved me a trip out into the open world again, but lemme tell you, don't let the peeling, cracking, dismal grey painted bricks and leaky pipes fool you, it ain't all as glamourous as it seems." she snorted obnoxiously, scoffing too, making the mock of idle conversation even more bizarre and ridiculous. Michonne didn't react- forced herself not to.
"She's who you were with?" Daryl repeated, and something in the way he said it apparently didn't rub Michonne right and she narrowed his eyes his way.
"Yes. She's the one I told you about. Remember? Sword fighting with Lacey?" Sam said as she turned back to her group, standing up, stepping toward them. A conscious or unconscious move acting as a barrier between them and her friend.
"I guess that means we can trust her now..." Oscar grumbled quietly.
"Sam," Michonne mumbled, putting a hand on her arm, and the solemnity in her voice forced Sam legs to lock. That tone of her voice was reserved for certain situation, either there was a threat ahead and she needed to shut her trap, or she had to shut her trap while Michonne laid down some heavy information on her. She turned and looked to the woman who was sitting fully up right and appearing far more grim faced than before. "There's something you should know- All of you should know, I guess."
Sam asked what just as Rick had responded, "What else?"
"It's about..." Michonne sighed, that feeling of defeat just as fresh as her wound, but the feeling couldn't be stitched up, it just weighed cumbersome on her heart and mind, "It's about Lacey."
"What?! What the hell-?!" Daryl erupted and rushed forward, but was stopped when Sam placed her hands against his chest and Jo, who'd passed Erin off to Amy, grabbed his shoulder as he came forward.
"Woah! Be still, bro. Calm! No need for anger or violence..." Sam shushed his hostile grumblings, then breathed a quiet, 'maybe', off to the side.
"What about Lacey?" Jo gently asked, though on the inside he was bursting at the seams, wanting to strike and scream out. What about his sister who was long dead, what could she possibly know?
"You didn't-," Sam gulped, looking back to Michonne -but kept an arm out in front of Daryl, a precaution- swallowing the lump that suddenly formed in her throat, the idea- "You didn't find her... her, uh... as a-," she couldn't even speak it, but Michonne was quick to quash the word before it could be formed on Sam's tongue.
"No! No... She's alive." she said.
Silence filled the room, everyone shocked into awe of what Michonne had just revealed. After all this time, after what they believed. Even after what Sam had finally conceded... She was still alive. She hadn't died, she wasn't a walker, she was still alive!
"The last time I saw her, at least... Which was probably close to two hours ago..." Michonne added slowly, but it didn't seem to make a difference to the people in the room. Because they knew the Lacey they remembered, they didn't know the Lacey she'd become, the Lacey that was struggling with her sanity, who'd been confined within the walls of Woodbury for so long, and put on some kind of schedule that was still festering in the back of Michonne's mind like a throbbing infection. What were they doing to her, why were they doing it, did she know? She couldn't know... Could she? No... Though that would probably give her more motivation to run away. Maybe she did know, maybe she found out, but they hadn't spent enough time together for her to explain what was going on. Regardless- "I'm sure they caught up with her in the woods, she created a diversion for me, tried to lead them away from... from me... And they brought her back. She'll be there too, we'll need to get her, unless the Governor's gotten to her..."
Michonne looked just to Sam as she said, "They're the same people that took her the first time, it's where she's been the whole time... They wouldn't let her go. They were-,"
She stopped talking when Daryl made a hasty retreat from the room. And with quiet enveloping the room again -the entire prison- as everyone watched him go, the hushed, sweet sounds of a little voice could be heard from the cell block, a small voice calling for their daddy.
"Should I...?" Jo ventured with a thumb tossed over his shoulder.
Sam shook her head, "I should." she looked back to Michonne, "Hold that thought, please." she mumbled then turned back to Jo and gestured between him and the woman, "Get acquainted." and then she was sprinting into the cell block.
She could hear Honey's voice mumbling gibberish, but she wasn't in Amy and Jo's cell where she'd been peacefully napping. She searched through each cell, on both levels until she followed the voice and finally found both the baby girl and Daryl on the second level outside walk way. He had his back against the chain links of the fence, knees up and Honey seated in his lap, talking nonsense to him and administering those tiny hand touches of comfort. But they proved ill effective on him.
Sam took a seat by his knees so she could see his face, gauge his emotions, but she didn't say a word.
He'd speak if he wanted to, she wouldn't force it out of him. He'd had the patience to wait for her, so she'd pay him the same courtesy.
Eventually Honey gave up with her jumbled words and just leaned forward, resting her head against his chest, little fists clenching in the fabric of his shirt.
The three sat in silence. Daryl with that thousand yard stare in his eyes, Honey just slumped against his chest, and Sam sat with her legs criss crossed close to them. It had to be near ten minutes later, though it felt much longer, when he finally spoke, a huff of a sigh preluding it. His hand slid roughly against the harsh cement of the gated walkway, moving toward Sam, and she quickly met his hand with hers. Snatching it up from the cement and holding it between her own, his fingers curled around hers.
"The whole time." he rasped. "The whole goddamn time. She's been alive. I can't believe I-, I really thought that she-," he was shaking his head, and tilted his face skyward. A frown on his mouth, he squeezed his eyes shut, "And some assholes've been keepin' her, and..." he made a choked off noise, "Who knows what they've been doin'-,"
His free hand formed into a fist and pounded into the rocky cement beneath them, splitting the skin of his knuckles into tiny cuts. And Honey flinched, whimpering, clutching her fingers a little tighter into his shirt, nuzzling her face deeper into his chest. His hand throbbed dully, specks of blood going no further than that, as he uncurled his hand and rested it against Honey's back.
"She's strong." Sam uttered quietly.
"Why couldn't she leave, why wouldn't she do that? What were they doin'-, What was stoppin' her from tryin' to get back? She's a smart girl, she could've figured out loads of differ'nt ways to get away. I-, why would-," he couldn't form a complete sentence, so many thoughts were rushing through his mind, jumbling together, unfiltered as they tumbled from his mouth.
"I'm sure there were reasons. Because you're right, she is smart. But listen," Sam said, scooting closer to him, "Are you listening?"
He moved his gaze to actually look at her and gave a short nod.
"We know where she is, and we're gonna get her back. Today." she said, mature and steady, without a doubt in her tone, "Right?"
He looked at Sam, then to Honey who had pulled her face away from his chest to look up at him curiously, probably confused about who they were talking about. It was so strange to see so much of Lacey in both of them, and Erin too, and none of them shared any features or blood. But they shared her mannerisms, learned her expressions, and they loved her just as much as Daryl or Jo or Rick did. They were part of the family she'd created... and it wasn't whole without her... They were going to get her back, though. Today, like Sam said. That was for damn sure.
"Right."
.
.
Maggie had yet to be visited, but all the time she had plenty to listen to - Glenn getting beaten, Merle's and Glenn's exchanged words. All the while she was trying not to cry, trying not to call out for him.
She almost broke when she heard Merle come back to Glenn's captivity room. His voice was louder - he was talking over the sound of growls and snarls. Her heart almost stopped in her chest.
"Alright!" she heard Merle say, "I want you to imagine how I felt. Fightin' my way off that roof- one handed, losing blood, walkers chompin' at me every step of the way. Last chance! Where's your group?"
There was silence, aside from the adamant walker, and no response from Glenn. She wouldn't doubt he was shocked into silence by Merle's scare tactic, but even then he wouldn't give up the their location at the prison.
"Alright- suit yourself. You're a pretty big snack for this fella, but you know what they say- he's gonna be hungry again in an hour!"
The door slammed and she could hear it all.
Glenn's desperate struggles, crashing. Futile sounds from Glenn and determined sounds from the walker...
But somehow, she heard, the walker became silent, and then Glenn's crow of despair and triumph. He was still alive, but what good was that when they were trapped, captive, by these people. These people who were just as much of monsters as the walkers were. It was apparent that times and ways were different than they were in the beginning. At the start they had feared the dead and sought the living. But now, they feared the living and fought the dead.
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"Got the flashbangs, I got the tear gas. Never know what you're gonna need." Daryl grumbled as he opened up the back of the SUV, he and Oscar put their packs in, guns, ammo, water. Sam and Carl walked over and brought the rest for them. Daryl clapped a hand on Carl's shoulder upon seeing the boy's sullen expression. Having lost his mom and temporarily losing his dad (he was about leave again), he was worried, there was no hiding it, no matter how tough a front he put up. "Don't you worry about your old man. I'll keep my eye on him." Daryl assured him, Carl gave a nod of understanding and thanks and walked back up into the yard, answering to his father's call.
"Goddamnit, sis. If I have to give your bag back to you for a third time..." Daryl's scold trailed off as pulled the teen's bag from amidst the pile of bags and weapons in the trunk and put hers back into her arms, ignoring the dejected stance she put on.
"I still insist that this is complete bull- malarkey. I wanna go too." she'd spiffed up her word choice when he shot her a look from the corner of his eye as they walked back into the yard.
"You're not goin'. You're stayin' here. That's the end of it." Daryl stated and went back into the block.
Sam let out an irritable huff and sat on the black top with her bag in her lap. Rocket took a seat next to her and she raised a hand to scratch between the dog's ears. Inadvertently she caught the end of the conversation Rick and Carl shared, Baby Grimes finally had a proper name other than Baby Grimes or Asskicker. She was Judith. Judith Grimes. And just as Rick had said, what a fine name it was.
By the time Daryl emerged from the cell block again Erin, Sophia and Honey were seated with Rocket and Sam in her cloud of mope-ry. He scoffed out a snort, "Look out for each other."
"Yeah, yeah." Sam grumbled and gave him a floppy salute, but the instant his back turned that obnoxious gesture turned into a one fingered salute. The girls snickered and Sam dropped her hand and feigned bored innocence when Daryl looked over his shoulder.
He turned back to Carol who had Judith in her arms, he flickered his gaze over both of them, "Stay safe."
"Nine lives, remember?" Carol smirked.
Michonne and Oscar were already settled in back seat of the SUV. Daryl took the passengers seat and Rick pulled open the drivers side door. Hershel, Beth and Jo stood on the dirt road next to the car, nodding toward the group about to depart.
"Bring 'em back. All of 'em." Hershel said.
Rick gave a nod, eyeing Jo particularly. Jo had wanted so badly to go, but Rick needed him to stay behind and take care of the group with Carl. He wanted to rescue his sister for once, wanted to return the favor after all the times she'd saved him. But he trusted Daryl to bring her back - he knew he would bring her back.
Maggie, Glenn and Lacey. They'd bring them all back.
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"So. They know Andrea and Lacey." the Governor addressed Merle and Martinez in front of him. The three of them were concealed among a number of army vehicles parked by the warehouse. Better to keep the public unaware and out of the loop for now.
Merle nodded, "But they don't know Andrea is here, or that Lacey was here." both men noticed the way he'd mentioned Lacey wasn't only in sadness and disappointment, but also in anger.
"But they do know your brother." the Governor responded.
"He does." Merle nodded again, "But I don't know about her, I've never see her before."
"Their people may come for them."
"Maybe." Merle shrugged, "The kid and Andrea both say they went back for me."
"So what, he won't break, say where his people are?"
The answer to the Governor's query came in the form a head shake.
"He's a tough son of a bitch. Picked that walker apart in minutes." Martinez added.
"Maybe a winter in the sticks put some hair on his balls." Merle snarked back.
"We'll need him for leverage if his people come. What'd you try to kill him for?"
"He pissed me off." Merle rasped in an irritable tone, and that was enough for Martinez back off, but snort in amusement too.
"What'd the girl say?" the Governor asked, not forgetting their other warehouse occupant.
"I was just about to go talk to her next." Merle sighed.
"I'll take care of it." the leader waved him off.
"Crazy girl would'a come in handy in all this. She was part of their group before? They probably would've trusted her." Martinez said.
"But she didn't trust us." The Governor noted, his forehead crinkled like how it usually did when he was annoyed, "I can't even imagine what sort of shit she'd try..."
"Speakin' of her. Think I might go out before curfew and-,"
But the Governor halted Merle's thought before he could finish, "No. I need you here." he was starting for the warehouse, ending the discussion, and any arguments Merle could've made were stuck on his tongue as the Governor walked away. He paused long enough to say, "She's a biter now anyway, she's not goin' anywhere you won't be able to find her."
And the gravity of his task felt a little heavier in his gut. And though he wished for a hint of delicacy concerning what had happened and what he needed to do, there wasn't really any reason for it. This sort of thing happened all the time, and it was only a matter of time before it happened to someone he cared about. Though he hadn't expected it to happen so soon... but he still wouldn't let her wander out there like that, he almost couldn't bare the thought of it.
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The nice guy tactic wouldn't work with Maggie, that was evident by the way she was so tight lipped, unbelieving and unshaken. Even after the Governor had been so kind in cutting her free from her binds, she knew he wasn't a truly nice man- if he was affiliated with Daryl's brother? No way.
It was a process of trial and error with different strategies, just like with Glenn. Good guy went away and next up was intimidation, and simple threats. The Governor wanted her to know that he was in charge, that she and Glenn weren't guests in his home- though they could be (for a limited time). But they weren't cooperating. If they would just give up where the rest of their group was camped at this whole mess could just blow over and be done with. But even with Maggie stripped of her shirt and bra she wouldn't break. She kept her arms crossed over her chest. Then the Governor stood and removed his gun belt before walking over to her. Standing, nestled right beside her, uncomfortably close. He watched her flinch and bite her lip to keep from making a sound, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
And she wouldn't be spared from violence just because she was a woman.
The grip on the back of her neck was tight and unforgiving, and she'd cried out when her face and torso slammed into the hard surface of the table. The fact was that the Governor figured she would be much more easy to break. She was softer, at least he'd assumed so- weaker because she was female. When he had her in this position, at his mercy, he figured she'd be sobbing out all the information she had, just so he would let her go.
But she didn't. She didn't cry, she didn't plead, she didn't do anything like that.
These people were toughened by months and months out in the open. They fought for each other, they fought to live, they did what ever needed to be done just so they could fight and live another day...
"Do whatever you're gonna do- then go to hell."
The Governor contemplated it, but in the end he relinquished his hold on her and stepped away. But before he left the room he took the articles of clothing he'd told her to shed.
These people wouldn't be broken by threats on their own lives, he realized as he held Maggie's clothes in hand. They fought for each other... They'd die for each other...
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They drove some miles out on the road, following Michonne's direction until she told Rick to stop, and he parked on the side, in the dirt. They all got out and she explained that they had patrols and it was best to go the rest of the way on foot- just another mile or two.
She was leading the way through the trees, catching the conversation behind her between Rick and who she became plenty aware of was Daryl. Lacey's Daryl. Daryl Dixon. Merle's brother. She didn't understand what Lacey could possibly see in him, all she saw was younger version of Merle. Though the way she saw him interact with Sam was... different. They way he'd moved to protect her, the way she ran after him and brought him back fifteen minutes later good as new... well... as good as it could get... presentable. And Erin, the girl who had been peeking through the bars to spy on her, was one of Lacey's girls, he was good with her too. And then the tiny blonde girl, Honey -she's sure that's what they called her- that was Lacey's other girl, the very first one. But since Lacey was gone they'd become Daryl's girls, and she felt like she didn't have to worry for them. Like she knew that they were in good hands. The hands of a capable, strong, protective father. Maybe that's what Lacey saw...
But concerning the quiet voices behind her, Daryl dismissed Rick's thanks for taking care of his newborn daughter while he was out of it, like it was nothing, it wasn't a big deal, because it was what they did. It was trust and family. It was a breath of fresh air...
Until walkers started emerging from the trees from all sides, then the stench of death filled the air and they were getting surrounded and overwhelmed. So many of them, too many of them. They made a break for it when an opening presented itself, and stumbled upon a cabin neatly placed on the edge of small lake.
But the cabin didn't offer much in the ways of salvation. A pungent scent of decay coated the air that wasn't belonging to the scent of a dead body (which they'd become used to), but upon locating the source of the smell, a dog that was long dead. The walkers weren't so easily shaken, they were banging against the door, and it would only be a matter of time before enough of them piled against it and finally broke the barrier from its hinges.
That appeared to be the least of their problems, though, when they discovered they weren't alone confined within the little cabin. And though the occupant was still very much alive, he wasn't in possession of all his wits. He appeared to have no idea of what exactly the situation was in the world outside his cabin. When he claimed loudly that he'd called the cops Rick shot back in a harsh whisper that he was a cop. And in trying to talk the man down with his cop voice, he received the barrel end of a shotgun pointed with a trembling aim at his face and a demand to see his badge.
Rick made a show of slowly reaching toward his pocket where he said he kept his badge before shoving barrel away and knocking the gun from the man's hands completely. During the struggle the trigger pulled and the shot sounded too loud in the room, blowing a hole in the back door. Rick tried to contain the man, tried to explain to him that he needed to be quiet and they weren't the ones that he needed to worry about. But when teeth sunk into his arm Rick let go, the guy was bolting for the door, about to grab for the handle and let the flood in. Michonne halted all sounds and movements when her blade slid through the man's chest. She pulled it away and he crumbled to the floor, dead and bleeding out. It was all of them or just him, and she chose him. They weren't going to die for some nut.
Thinking quickly, and much to Oscar's dismay, Rick asked for Daryl's help with the body and had Michonne man the door. Having Oscar check the back, and confirming they were clear back there, on the count of three they hurled the cabin owner's body out into the horde on the stoop. They tore into him immediately. Door secured and locked again they were able to go out the back, keeping low and moving fast without any walker noticing them.
The rest of the way to Woodbury by Michonne's guidance bared them no hassle as the sky steadily began to darken.
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When the door to Glenn's 'cell' opened up he was immediately on the defensive, he was wielding the piece of chair that was still tapped around his forearm up in front of him. Merle and Martinez came in, the latter aiming a gun at him which made him lower his jagged piece of chair. But when Maggie was hauled in, the entire upper half of her body bare, her arms held tightly against her to cover up. Glenn raised his spur-of-the-moment weapon again, eyes wide and burning with anger and hatred.
Martinez switched up his aim onto Maggie, and with the gun in the Governor's hand pointed at Maggie as well, there wasn't much he could do but toss his weapon to the floor.
"Now, we're through with games. One of you is goin' to give up your camp." the Governor stated. Glenn's eyes were firmly on Maggie, who gave the tiniest shake of her head. But his throat was burning with the urge to just give up, give in. He couldn't stand to see her like that, just the pull of a trigger away from death. But he didn't make a sound.
Just a second later with the gun swung onto Glenn and the Governor stepping forward toward him, and it was Maggie who finally broke. She choked on her breath and stuttered out, "Prison!" as she stepped after the Governor. Merle's arm barred her path and Martinez kept his gun trained on her.
"That place is overrun." he said.
"We took it." she mumbled in a watery tone, chin trembling, seeing the disappointment in Glenn's eyes. But she couldn't do it. She couldn't take the risk.
"How many are you?" the Governor asked.
"Thirteen. Well- thirteen now..." she didn't include the younger ones, the unarmed ones.
"Thirteen people cleaned out that whole prison of biters, huh?" the Governor scoffed a laugh, looking to Glenn the boy didn't make any attempts of objection, so what Maggie was saying had to be taken as gospel. He holstered his weapon and walked back over to Maggie, her eyes were still pinned to Glenn- even when the Governor added insult to injury, trying to shush and hold Maggie to him, taunting Glenn who couldn't make a move out of fear of the consequences.
But then he finally shoved Maggie toward Glenn, and she clutched to him tightly, sobbing softly as the men left the room, locking the door after them, leaving with the information they wanted and finally had...
The Governor sent for Milton and Keenan. In the Governor's home, they all stood awkwardly as their leader paced, telling them what they now knew.
"Thirteen people..." he stated. He'd stated it under his breath the entire way back to the apartment building. He'd been stating it quietly as he paced, but now he stated it as he addressed his men.
Milton was shaking his head, "That's deep in the red zone. There's no way only-,"
He was cut off by the Governor, whose anxiety was almost getting the better of him, "So she's lying? 'Cause if she's lying that means a pretty sizable force has moved into our backyard."
"But the prison though?" Keenan asked incredulously, "With all them biters milling about in the yard, and who knows how many actually inside the place? Maybe she's not lying about how many they are, but maybe she is lying about their actual location."
The Governor pointed to Keenan, acknowledging his valid argument, but the question remained, "But if she's not..."
He turned to Merle, crowding him, "This group, with your brother at its core, has done something you told me couldn't be done. They did it."
Merle didn't change his expression, maintained eye contact. He wasn't some chump that would be reduced to quaking in his boots, but he needed the Governor's trust if he wanted to stay alive. So he didn't flinch when the Governor continued, "I know how you felt about that girl, she was fucking your brother- made a man out of him, you said." Merle noticed the way the scowl deepened on Keenan's face from the corner of his vision.
"You loved her. She was like family?" the Governor proceeded, not taking a moment to pause, getting to and prodding at the heart of his speculation. Merle felt the urge to swallow away the parched feeling in his throat, but resisted. "Your brother might be out there right now searching for them. Blood is blood, right?... Makes me wonder where your loyalties lie..."
Unhesitatingly he replied, "Here."
The Governor seemed sated with that answer and turned to Martinez, "You two get a small group and scout this prison. I wanna know exactly what we're dealing with."
"You got it." came Martinez's reply but the Governor was already occupied with Keenan, the two moving toward the Governor's desk, speaking hushedly.
.
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They were behind the cover of cars and bushes and the shadows of trees as they looked on to the high wall of Woodbury with spot lights and armed men dotted along the top. What the hell were they getting in to...
Rustling in the bushes behind them caused them all to turn, weapons brandished, aimed and ready. Michonne being the closest had her sword prepared to sink into what ever or who ever it was but then-
Rocket snuffled out of the brush and nudged her nose against Michonne's hand circled tightly around her blade's grip, and then Sam emerged after. The teen had on a face of excitement and pride, reassurance and a far more minimal amount of apprehension than she should have expressed. She sank down beside Rocket, bringing an arm over her and pulling her closer to her, while she quietly uttered, "Hey, so I've gotten pretty good at tracking. Well, Rocket might have helped a little, but..." she offered an uncertain smile that basically looked like a wincing show of teeth, paired with a small shrug of her shoulders. The adults looked back at her with horror painting their features more than annoyance.
"Goddamnit, Sam!" was chided in a hiss.
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Note: Thank you to my beta for patiently dealing with my psychosis. Thanks for all reviews.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead.