SO happy to get back into writing. And we're finally reunited with some survivors! But-Wow! Many of you want Mica to live. I was shocked, and it's what delayed the story on that. Well, read and find out!
With a wince and a groan, Merle was soon awake from his short name feeling sore all over. His body was starting to pay for that beating Roy gave him. He hissed when he sat up, slowly getting to his feet and sighing as he felt his back crack.
Gettin' too old for this shit." He grumbled.
Looking around, there was silence in the small house. Well, moderate silence. Merle's eye caught Angela curled up on the couch, out like a light. He didn't blame her, after what they've gone through Merle expected her out for the night. Judith in the crib beside her laid on her stomach, possibly taking a nap herself.
Merle eyed the infant for a moment before looking toward the over exhausted woman, eyes landing on her stomach. It just hit him now, inside there was his little brother's spawn- Baby Dixon. He wasn't one for babies or kids, though he favored Kaylee compared to the other teens in the group. He remembered early in this shit, Carl had the tendency to wander off mostly toward his and Daryl's camp. He'd scare him off, as did Daryl. Though it seems his brother has done better with kids. Merle remembered the children and some pregnant mothers back in Woodbury. He never heed them any mind, the kids played as if the world was as peaceful as it was beyond their walls. That was the mistake, hiding the children from the truth of the world. Carl was becoming a tough nut, looking down at Judith he expected her to be taught the same, like Mica and- Maybe not Loonie Lizzie. She was clearly not handling this world well, after he saw her talk crazy to the sick Angela and have fits over the dead walkers at the fence.
Merle sighed, turning with a hand on his hips as his stump resting on the other hip. He'd have to keep a sharp eye on her, now that she carried a weapon on her. Carol was crazy allowing her to have a gun, let alone a knife on her. He just hoped he wouldn't be seeing her bring walkers back and allowing them into the house-
The sudden high pitch screaming from outside caught Merle's attention. He whipped his gun out and ran outside seeing Mica and Lizzie screaming their heads off, running back to the house. The reason? Seven burnt and charred walkers were chasing after them.
"HELP!" Screamed Mica as her sister ran faster then she could.
"What the shit!?" Merle ran out and fired at the walkers, one dropped as Lizzie scrambled over the barb wire fencing.
Lizzie continued running toward the house past Merle, but her sister got tangled in the wire. Merle shot another walker dead, seeing the younger sister trapped in the fencing.
"Help, Carol! Lizzie!" She screamed, her eyes up at her sister who stopped turning. Merle cursed, finding it hard to kill the walker that had managed to grab Mica's leg. "LIZZIE!"
The older sister looked like she was thinking over to actually help her. Merle fired his gun at it's shoulder, his arm whipping back as it lost its grip on Mica's leg.
"What the hell do ya think ya doing, girl!?" Merle barked, making her jump and look up to the older man. "That's ya sister! It's ya job to protect her! GO!" He shot at walker black and charred that was sneaking up behind Mica to help the first walker.
"Let me go! Help me!" Mica screamed at the top of her lungs, soon her big sister ran over and clawed at the walker's hands to free her sister.
The walker's head was pierced with a bullet, falling back and free Mica. The bullet not from Merle, but Carol as she and Tyreese made it back.
"'Bout time!" He yelled to them.
"Get behind us!" Carol ordered, once Lizzie got the wire off her and the two hide behind the three defending adults.
The three fired at the on coming walkers, careful of their aim as they stalked slowly towards them. The girls didn't stay behind for long, as soon they stood beside them and fired their own guns in aiding to defend the home. Though the girls' aims were less accurate to the adults, it still was good to see them know how to use a gun. Carol was more shocked to see Lizzie firing at the walkers she so desperately called her friends. But, this could be good, maybe realizing these walkers are not friends, but enemies.
Once all had fallen, the group lowered their weapons awaiting for any more that could've been attracted by the gunfire. Carol turned to Lizzie and hugged her tightly, praising her with comfort. The door opened and slammed with Angela running out with a teary eyed Judith in her arms.
"What happened?"
Merle checked his ammo turning to her. Carol and Tyreese came over, Tyreese checked Judith who was probably spooked awake by the gunfire.
"What did happen?" He asked.
Merle looked to each of them. His eyes fell on the girls who held extremely guilty looks, though Lizzie soon looked away; the most guilty. Licking his lips in thought, he brought a hand down his face and shrugged.
"Girls were outside, keeping an eye out while we rested. Walkers just-" He waved a arm with a sigh. "The fire must be driving them out. I'll keep look out at night." He offered.
The girls were surprised not to be tattled by the most short tempered man. They expected him to be yelling how it was their fault, how they brought the walkers, wandered who knows where. Maybe the scare was enough to teach them not to go wandering off anymore- Mostly Lizzie.
"Sorry, I should've been awake." Angela apologized, now wide awake from the scare.
Carol kept an arm around Lizzie as they started to head back to the house. "After what you been through, don't worry."
Angela glanced to Merle with worry, she didn't know everything that happened. Merle caught the look, tugging her arm allowing everyone else to enter the house. Once alone, he turned to her. "Ya gotta tell 'em."
Angela looked to the house then back to him. "What? Now?" He nodded, hand on his gun holster resting on his hip. She looked to hesitate on a response, knotting her fingers in front of her. "We should wait."
"What?"
"Merle, we just found this out ourselves. I don't know how far along I even am." She told.
"All the more to tell 'em. Carol has had a kid, she'd know more than any of us, compared to Big Softie and me." He argued.
Angela sighed, folding her arms over her chest. "So what, I just walk in and say 'hey! I'll be eating for two now!'?" Merle rolled his eyes at her, shaking his head at her dramatic antics. "I can't stress them out for food they barely have for themselves. Pecans and peaches, and the food we have are those damn chips I can't stand to look at, anymore."
Merle scoffed, a crooked grin stretched on his features. "If that ain't the hormones screaming, don't know what that is." Angela sent a side glare his way. "We just need to tell Carol and Ty, the girls shouldn't know anyway."
She raised a brow at him, "Lizzie and Mica? Why not them?" Angela asked.
Merle huffed, rubbing his chin as a frown set in. "That loony bin of a girl-"
"Lizzie." Angela corrected.
"Loony Lizzie." He countered. "She ain't right. The two wandered off somewhere, then come back screaming with walkers after 'em. Hell, she near left her sister to get eaten just a moment ago." Merle pointed at the barbed wire fencing.
Lizzie seemed to be in another world, maybe. Angela didn't see it as bad as Merle did. "She would name 'em biters, talk to 'em, I wouldn't doubt it if she was the one leaving those rodent corpses around the prison."
Angela looked down in deep thought, it made sense. "I wouldn't doubt it." She agreed. "But, I just…" Her features were etched with fear, Merle tilted his head at her.
"Ya scared to tell 'em." He figured, she looked up confirming it. "They ain't the type to kick ya out or nothing."
"It's not that, it's Carol I'm scared to tell." She told.
"Why?"
Angela glanced to the house and walked a bit further away, in case they could hear them. "Carol killed Karen and David. What if… What if she, y'know. Kills-"
"I ain't gonna let that happen." Merle told sternly. "Carol? Killing ya over having a kid?"
"I'm a liability now." She argued, "Just as Karen and David were a threat, so am I." Angela turned away feeling small all of a sudden with her statement. "I'll soon slow you all down, eat all the needed food, and risk the walkers getting us."
"I don't need to hear ya say this shit." Merle glared down at her.
Angela spun at him. "It's true Merle!" She barked at him. "If it comes to it, and I become a risk, you have to leave me behind."
"Shut your mouth, right now." He growled.
"If I slow you guys down or risk getting someone killed, you have to do this."
"I ain't leaving ya for dead!" He yelled, ignoring if Tyreese or Carol, or anyone heard their argument.
Merle gripped her arm, looking down at her. "Ya listen to me, ya said I was your brother, ya my brother's woman, carrying his kid, that makes ya a Dixon. If there's anything ya sister bolted into my brain with her pestering, it's we don't leave each other behind. Dixon's stick together."
Angela was shocked by his words, never she thought Merle would say this. It sounded something out of Daryl's mouth she'd hear. Her eyes watered, how she wished everyone was back together, back at the prison. She looked down, hiding the tears from Merle as her hair fell in her face. A pat was given on her back.
"Gotta love 'em hormones." He teased, she shook her head wiping her eyes. Soon his arm fell around her shoulder, pulling her into his side. "Gonna have to get used to this, I suppose."
"You're not the one with morning sickness and body pains." She countered, making him laugh.
The door opened behind them, Merle glanced over seeing a concerned Carol approach them. Merle turned him and Angela toward her, letting his arm drop from her side. Angela sniffled, waking up to Carol who was confused and scared for why Angela was crying. Merle stood by, watching as Angela confessed to her best friend, placing a shaky hand over her stomach. Carol gasped, glancing down a few times before pulling her into a tight hug. Merle walked past the emotional two, glancing back as he stood by the door to leave them to talk. Angela seemed to have less weight on her shoulders telling Carol, who Merle was sure would be by her side through this.
Later that night, after a small meal, everyone was relaxing the best they could. Tyreese, who claimed the sofa chair, slept deeply with his head rolled to the side, arms folded in his lap. Mica sat on the floor in front of the warm crackling fire before them, illuminating the room as she played with her doll. Angela laid on the couch, her ears listening in for Judith who was sound asleep after having a full belly of baby food. She had the pleasure of feeding her, after being coaxed by Carol. Said friend was at the table, cracking the pecans with Lizzie sitting with her. Everyone was accounted for, except Merle who stood outside on watch he had offered earlier. He had his injureies finally tended to after dinner, small bandages on the cuts from being beaten and ointment applied to his bruises.
It was silent, some asleep and other in deep thought or busy. Angela heard small talking between Carol and Lizzie, not hearing what the older blonde muttered.
"Do you understand what they are now?" Carol asked, pausing in her nut cracking.
"I know-" Lizzie started, "I know what I have to do now." she told Carol, assuring her. "I know."
Carol glanced around the room, checking on Mica who was content, Tyreese asleep, and Angela staring at the ceiling. "It's ugly and it's scary, and it does change you." She told her. "That's how we get to be here. That's the cost, that's growing up now."
Angela looked to Carol who met her eyes, a reminder for Angela for sure as well. But, not that she needed to be reminded, this was mostly towards Mica and Lizzie. One who refused to kill the dead, and the other who wished not to kill the living.
"I don't want to hurt anyone." Eyes fell on Mica, who looked skittish to her opinion. "I don't want to be mean."
"You have to be sometimes." Her older sister told her. "But just sometimes."
"Mica," Angela stood, grunting as she got out of the sinking comfortable cough and walked over to her. She sat down beside her, smiling softly. "Lizzie is right. We only have to be mean, when it comes down to it. Like what happened at the prison?"
She looked up, her small fingers playing with the yarn red hair of her doll. "When we were attacked?"
Angela nodded, "Rick tried to be nice, he offered him a chance for peace. He chose not to, and you saw what caused that, right?" she nodded. "Only be mean, if they're mean first. Okay?"
Carol smiled, inwardly thinking how Angela was already showing to be a good mother in time. Though she was a teacher, so kids weren't a challenge for her. Angela looked at the doll as Mica showed her, the two looked over toward Tyreese when he was muttering in his sleep.
Carol looked down at her pile of nuts, smiling to the girls. "Now we have a lot of pecans here."
"A ton." Lizzie added.
"You getting sick of them yet?" Carol asked.
Mica grinned cutely. "Nope."
"Well, let's make something out of them." Carol stood, taking the bowl of pecans, pliers used to crack the nuts, and nodded toward the kitchen. Mica and Lizzie eagerly followed, Angela sighed and stood just as the front door opened, Merle walking in.
"All clear, I'd say." He told, shutting the door and placing his rifle beside it.
"Good." She nodded, walking over to sit on the couch.
Merle walked over to the fire place, sticking his hand close to warm up. "Been thinking of going out hunting tomorrow." He told, turning around and sticking his bottom in to warm his lower back end. "Can't live off of nuts and fruit. Need some meat."
Angela couldn't argue, but a concerned thought came to mind. "On your own?"
Merle shrugged, taking a seat at the table spotting an unfinished puzzle. "Wouldn't be the first time. I can always ask Mr. Softie to join me, though I don't trust his aim to be too good."
With a shake of her head, Angela resisted a grin. Always with the nicknames and calling people out. Thankfully, Tyreese was too deep of a sleep to even hear them.
"I'll be fine, Momma D." He told, catching her attention by that name. "You worry about yourself."
Angela decided not to argue, laying back onto the couch with a sigh. Her eyelids grew heavy as she watched the light from the fire dance on the ceiling. Soon Angela fell asleep, dreaming of her days back at the prison, laying in bed with Daryl's arms wrapped around her waist. The scent of smoke and pine, oil and leather felt so real.
If only it was.
"Where'd Merle go?" Angela was asked, sitting on a blanket outside with Judith. Mica and Lizzie were looking for pecans, after enjoying the cooking session with Carol last night.
"Oh, he went for a hunt." She answered Tyreese, Carol walking up behind him. "Merle wanted to get us a big meal, he doesn't seem to be a nut or fruit guy."
Carol chuckled, "He'd get a better chance catching anything out there compared to us." she told.
Tyreese agreed. "We're still gonna give another shot at hunting. We'll be close by, in case anything happens."
Carol knelt down, smiling at Judith who laughed when gently tickled on her tummy. "You'll be alright with the girls?" She asked.
Angela glanced to the sisters, she nodded looking back to Carol. "I'll be fine. Not entirely incapable."
Nodding, Carol stood and left with Tyreese. Angela sighed and sat with Judith in front of her, playing peek-a-boo with her.
Mica ran over, stopping in front of Angela and Judith. "What's Merle gonna get to eat?"
Angela shrugged, "Oh, probably squirrel or racoon. If lucky, maybe a nice sized buck." she smiled.
Mica didn't share that same thought. "You mean the one I couldn't shoot."
"Well, maybe. Could be a different deer, maybe a well sized buck." She explained, Mica shifted her feet in the grass. Angela smiled softly to her, "You don't like killing the living things, huh?"
She shook her head, "But I have to, Carol and Lizzie tell me." her eyes falling on her sister who was checking out the dead tractor.
"It'll take a while, but they are right. It took a long time for me and… and my sister to kill living." She explained, playing with Judith's hands as she crawled in her lap. "Sooner or later, it's you or them."
"Is that what happened to your sister?" Mica asked so innocently.
She wasn't there when they had that war with Woodbury. She, Lizzie and their father came to the prison a little while after. So of course Mica didn't know the story behind Kaylee.
"No." She shook her head, smiling at her. "She died protecting someone. Someone she found worth saving." Angela felt warm in her chest saying that, her sister was really brave.
"Mica!" The two looked over to a eager looking Lizzie. "I want to show you and Angela something."
"It's still…" Tyreese shrugged, grinning at the area before them. They had walked a few feet from the fencing to start their own small hunt. "I didn't expect others to get out of the prison. Especially those two."
"Angela was sick, wasn't she?" Carol asked, rifle strap over her shoulder as she walked beside him.
He nodded, "They were outside when the Governor arrived, tank and army in full. Pinned out in the yard, thought they died in the crossfire." he explained.
"It's one thing to kill Merle, but I'm so glad to see him and Angela again." She smiled. "The girls like it here." She told him. "With Merle and Angela, we could built it up, plant for food. We could find a car for an escape route just in case. Make the place nice and homey."
Carol beamed at the ideas coming to mind, finding this to be a great place to call home for them all. She turned to Tyreese. "If you don't want to go to Terminus, we could stay. Haven't told the other two about it."
Tyreese matched her smile. "We could." He agreed, watching her walk ahead. "It doesn't mean we can't go someday. It's just…" Carol turned back to him. "When we were getting closer and closer, I realized, I'm just not ready to be around other people yet. Just getting used to them being back in our lives."
"You don't have to." Carol assured.
Leaning up against a tree, Tyreese felt troubled. He needed to vent this out to somebody, and it couldn't be the girls, not Angela, and surely not Merle. "I dream about Karen. I see her every night. And every time I forget she's dead."
Carol turned away to find the fading smile, as the guilt slowly ate her up, word after word.
"Sometimes we just talk. And sometimes I see her in the crowd, in a city I've never been to." His voice started to crack, feeling the emotions of her loss return to him. "And it's back before everything happened."
Carol turned, listening to his confession as he took a deep breath.
"And then some nights, the bad ones, I see someone kill her. Some stranger." Carol turned away once more, she felt like a monster as he continued. "Then I lose her all over again."
He tapped the tree with his palm, pushing off to walk up beside her. "But that's the deal, right? The people who are living are haunted by the dead. We are who we are. And we do what we do 'cause they're still here. In our heads. In the forest." He looked around them. "The whole world is haunted now. And there's no getting out of that. Not until we're dead."
Carol took a breath, feeling she needed to say something- anything to the hurt man.
"Tyreese."
She kept searching for the words, the right words to tell him. The truth, the honest truth of Karen's killer. Being banished wasn't the true punishment, hearing the words of a broken man who lost someone we loved, that was her punishment. But she couldn't let him keep going on, haunted by the fact he'd never know who her killer was. Once she finally kept eye contact with him, words spilled out, but not the ones she wanted to say.
"Maybe they're not haunting us. Maybe they're just teaching us." She swallowed, keeping her voice leveled. "Helping remind us so-" Carol paused to wipe a stray tear off her cheek. "So that we can live with what we have to do."
With a hand on her arm, Tyreese gave a soft look toward her. "Hey. Don't you ever be ashamed of who you are, Carol. You did right by those girls, you did right by everyone. Angela would back me up on that."
A defeated sigh escaped her lips, as Tyreese pulled her into a hug. Carol felt her walls crack as she hug back, rubbing her cheek into his shoulder. He should know, if not that secret than the other truth she knew.
"Angela's pregnant." She muttered.
Tyreese pulled back, looking shocked at her. Carol nodded, wiping her eyes but a smile shown. "She told me yesterday, and she's so scared."
Tyreese had to process her words, soon dropping his arms still in shock. "H-How-"
"She doesn't know, she recently found out. After whatever nightmare she had gone through, she's lucky she had that redneck with her." Carol told, turning to continue through the woods.
Tyreese followed, still finding it hard to see Angela- Actually, it wasn't too hard at all to see her pregnant. It was hard only in this dangerous deadly world they were in.
"It must hard on her." He said, catching Carol's attention. "Out here, nearly alone with only Merle, the person she loves… who knows alive or dead, carrying his baby."
"She's got us." Carol reminded him. "We got each other."
The peaceful moment around the grove was soon to end in tragedy. Angela sat on the blanket, playing with Judith who giggled at near anything she did. Angela's attention kept wandering toward the old barn where the girls went off to. She didn't want to leave Judith unattended, but when she heard leave crunching behind her, Angela turned ready to tell the girls not to wander off for so long. She got to her feet, but she went rigid what she was coming towards her. Lizzie's bloody hands were dragging her little sister Mica, her shirt covered in blood- She was dead. Angela' stomach churned as Lizzie smiled, dropping her sister's arms when she brought Mica next to the blanket.
"L-Lizzie wha…?" Angela covered her mouth, refusing to let this mornings breakfast force its way up.
"Don't worry." She smiled, brandishing the blood soaked knife she used to murder her sister. "Once the others come back, they'll understand with you."
Angela looked down to Judith, not wanting to spook the blood splattered blonde. If she took Judith and ran, she might shoot or hurt one of them. That wasn't a risk she could take for both Judith and her condition. With a shaky nod, she sat down placing the curiously staring baby in her lap.
"Alright, t-they should be back soon…" She gulped, trying to keep from talking or else she'll puke.
Lizzie tilted her head, the knife in her think red hand. "I was going to try Judith, but Mica said she can do it."
Oh, God! She was going to kill Judith!? For what, just to prove something to everyone? Angela wrapped her arms protectively around Judith.
"We can still do it-"
"No!" Angela barked, jolting Lizzie. "Lizzie, just-"
Soon their eyes caught onto some figures in the distance. It was Carol and Tyreese, thankfully. If Merle arrived first, he would've caused this situation to become worse. The two must have soon caught wind of the sight before them, as they started jogging toward the girls. Angela's wide shocked eyes stared at the two, obviously not expecting it as much as them.
"Don't worry." Lizzie told them. "She'll come back. I didn't hurt the brain."
This wouldn't scare Angela in any other circumstances. But the ghostly innocent smile on Lizzie's pale face just brought chills down her spine. She was happy, glad this deed was done. Killing her own little sister. The blood dripped off the blade as Judith kept looking between Lizzie and the two. No one knew what to say or do; it was a potential risk between them. It was proven once Carol took a step towards her, Lizzie tossed the knife and brought out her gun, aiming it right at Carol.
"No, no no!" She cried, stopping Carol. "We have to wait. I need to show you- You'll see. You'll finally get it." Lizzie insisted to them. "We have to wait."
Angela moved, wanting to get Judith out of the danger. Lizzie turned and aimed the gun at her, freezing her as she was on her knees. "Angela, we have to wait!"
Angela looked to the two, then sat back down. She didn't want to get this worse, but kept Judith close in case a bullet was to fire.
"Lizzie, put the gun down." Tyreese calmly ordered.
Lizzie turned, aiming her gun back at Carol. "I just want us to wait!"
"We can wait." Carol assured softly. "We can wait. You just have to give me the gun." Carol held her hand out, wanting the weapon from the girl. "We can wait, I swear."
Lizzie hesitated, her eyes shooting towards Tyreese and Angela. Slowly, she stepped forward and handed the gun to Carol.
"You and Tyreese should take Judith back. It's not safe for her." She explained to Lizzie.
Lizzie shook her head, "But Judith can change, too." she suggested. "I was telling Angela that-"
"She can't even walk yet." Carol argued, seeing the way Angela held the baby. She was glad her and Tyreese made it back, who knows what nightmare they would've returned to.
Convinced, Lizzie agreed. "Yeah, you're right."
"So, you two take Judith back to the house, and we'll have lunch and once Merle is back make a big dinner." Carol nodded to the dead girl. "And Angela and I will just tie Mica up. You know, just so she won't go anywhere."
Angela knew what Carol was doing, but kept still and quiet until all was well enough. Judith grew fussy in her arms, clearly hungry for lunch by now.
"Promise that's what you'll do?" Lizzie asked her.
Carol nodded, biting her lip. "I promise. We'll use her shoelaces."
Angela saw Tyreese coming over, kneeling down as he took Judith in his arms. She calmed down once on his hip. He offered a hand, helping her to her feet as she moved to Carol's side. Tyreese placed a hand on Lizzie's back, leading her back to the house. Once sure they were inside, Carol heaved out a soft sob, looking down at Mica's lifeless body. Angela finally turned and let out a gunt wrenching puke session, on her hands and knees as she cried softly to herself.
"Angela... I'm so sorry." Carol told, turning to move the hair from her face. "If-If I had known she was going to-"
"Merle was right." Angela coughed, wiping her lips as she got back on her knees. Her green eyes looked up, near piercing into Carol's soft blue ones. "She's a lunatic."
Carol's eyes let out the tears she's been holding back since seeing the scene she came back to. She didn't agree or disagree, she leaned on her knees and cried softly to herself, as Angela cleaned herself up and got to her feet. She allowed Carol to have her moment, looking toward the house thinking how dangerous she never considered Lizzie until now.
"You go rest inside." Carol sniffled, wiping her nose and eyes as she stood straight.
Angela looked to her, seeing her slip her knife out from her hip. "Like I'll feel any better being in the same house as her." Angela shook her head, "I don't want to leave you alone, anyway." she added.
Carol looked to her, not wanting to keep her out here. But knowing Angela, she'll argue relentlessly. "Thank you." Her and Angela both take care of Mica.
Merle hadn't had much luck hunting out in the woods. He blamed the fact Winter was arriving and most animals were starting to hibernate or the still burning fire in the distance scaring the animals away.
"Should find the dumbass who set whatever the hell that was to a blaze." He grumbled, stepping over the shitty wired fencing, gun leaned on his shoulder in a loose grip.
Even if he had found any critters, with two fingers missing off his hand, Merle's aim was off by a mile to shoot anything. Never thought Daryl's damn bow would be useful right now. Just him being here would be a blessing.
Merle trudged through the door, finding Carol and Angela sitting at the table, Tyreese standing back with Judith in his arms. Angela's head rose as she wiped her face for the third time as Merle rested the rifle by the door.
"Merle, you're back early." She commented.
"Yeah, well, nothing worth catching out there but a cold." He sniffed, walking into the kitchen. He sense the air was tense and looked around. "What happened?" His blue eyes fell right onto the Angela.
Though she hesitated, Tyreese answered. "Lizzie killed Mica."
To say Merle was shocked would be a lie, he just stared at the man taking in a breath as if expecting such news. He sighed through his nostrils and folded his arms. "Should I even ask why?"
"To prove to us about the walkers." Angela shook her head with a shrug. "If not her, it was going to be Judith." She told, resting her forehead into the palms of her hands.
Merle shook his head, tossing his hand in the air as he leaned against the counter. "Told ya she was insane."
"Merle, not now." Carol warned.
Merle scoffed her off, "What now?" he asked.
"She's in her room, right?" Angela asked Tyreese, raising her head.
He nodded. "Just brought her some food. Cleared out the room, made sure there weren't any knives. Anything like that." Tyreese explained, as he rocked Judith who slept against his shoulder.
"What about the sister?" Merle asked.
Angela turned to him, "Carol and I put her down. We told Lizzie we'd just tie her up." she explained.
"She has a show box full of mice." Tyreese told, before Merle could bark another question. "I asked her if she was the one feeding the walkers at the prison." He nodded. "That was her."
Angela groaned a soft 'Jesus' as she brought her hands over her face. Lizzie has no idea the danger she made for the entire prison. Merle let out a curse, resisting to kick the bucket on the floor by his boot.
"And at the tombs, we found this rabbit. Pulled apart and nailed to a board." Angela dropped her hands and looked to the dark man. "That was her, too." He confirmed.
"So, she put the entire place in a near death sentence for her crazy fantasies?" Merle asked.
Tyreese looked to him, unfazed by the red neck's anger. "Said she was just having fun."
"Fun? Ya call breaking down the only defense we got to let biters in fun?" He barked.
Judith started to get antsy from Merle's voice raising. Angela stood up, raising her hands at Merle to calm him down. "Merle, lower your voice."
He gave her a look before shifting his focus to Tyreese. "Got anything else to shed light on, detective?"
Tyreese took a deep breath, glancing out the window before looking back to them. "Maybe she killed Karen and David."
"What?" Angela frowned while Merle turned away to bit back a grin. How wrong and off the mark the poor bastard was.
"I don't know how she could drag them away." He confessed.
Angela stepped around the chair. "Tyreese, that's jumping the gun, don't you think?"
Carol nodded, her hands folded over the table. "She would have let them turn." She agreed. "It wasn't her."
Angela couldn't help but steal a glance at Merle who held a knowing look. She thought when he told her who really killed Karen and David and her stomach did flips at the thought. Angela didn't know if it was true or not, but the need to know wasn't as strong as Tyreese's.
"So what do we do?" Tyreese asked her.
"I could leave with her." Carol offered.
"What? No!" Angela argued, accidentally jolting Judith. "We just got back together, we can't separate again."
Carol shook her head at her. "We can't sleep with her under the same roof as Judith."
"You wouldn't make it. Not on your own." Tyreese told, not knowing how wrong he was again.
"She can't be around other people." Carol told, her eyes falling on Angela. "What would she do when Angela has her baby?"
The thought brought worry, as Angela folded her arms standing by Merle.
"Ain't it obvious?" Merle questioned, waving his stump toward the room Lizzie was in. Eyes went over to him, Angela's held a warning glare to shut up. "Gotta take her out."
"No!" Tyreese protested. "There has to be another way. Maybe- Maybe try to help her. Talk her back somehow."
Merle scoffed, "There ain't no talking back with crazies." he told. Tyreese's glare didn't affect the redneck's knowing look. "I've dealt with enough crazies, before and after shit went South."
After silent thinking, Carol nodded. "Merle's right."
Even the Dixon himself was surprised by that when Tyreese showed the shock expression towards her. Angela looked between the two.
"It was always there. I didn't see it." She said, feeling the need to take the blame.
"How could you?" Tyreese asked, not wanting her to feel guilty for this.
"I should have seen it." Carol nodded to Merle. "He saw it long before any of us did."
Merle muttered a 'told ya so' to Angela. She returned with 'really? Now?' under her breath.
"She can't be around other people." Carol confirmed, before wiping her face she stood, checking her gun for the ammo inside.
Surprisingly, Merle stepped forward, placing a hand on her gun. They looked to him, who held a stone gaze. No words needed to be exchanged, he was offering to do the deed. Angela and Tyreese watched the interaction. Carol smiled tearfully at Merle, patting the top of his hand and removing it gently. Rejecting the offer, Carol left to fetch Lizzie. Angela sighed and sat down, ignoring the sounds of the two talking, the door opened and shut, indicating they've left. Merle folded his arms, staring at the floor as Tyreese moved to watch out the window. It was dead silent, the wood creaking and their breathing was all they heard in the house. Soon the dreaded gunfire was heard, Angela flinched at the sound despite expecting it. They were down two more people that day.
Thank you LauraHouse952, readerlover16, elljayde, lem00066 for the favorites and follows!
Kara315- Thanks! It's great to be back! I've been planning that forgiveness scene since the beginning of season 4. I will promise, I never plan to kill Merle off!
.2019- I didn't want to do this, but I'm going to address this. I noticed you're constantly posting 'nice chap' or 'great chap' in every chapter posted. It's becoming slightly annoying with your copy and past 'review' method. I went to your most recent story and notice you really want reviews, which I understand. But you want a certain amount before posting a chapter. I don't believe that is something an author should do, as this site is for posting your imaginative writing, expressing what you want to write be it reviews or not. I had a hunch to this, when you repeated the copy and paste method. If this seems rude to call you out, I don't consider it such for I find it rude that you expect a certain amount of reviews before giving your readers a chapter then you don't do the same for other fellow writers. I've seen you expect 3 reviews before the next chapter, and keep expecting it after every chapter. Your essentially holding chapters hostage until your requests are made, sorry I don't think that's a proper thing authors should do- Even more so when you don't do the same for other hard working writers on here.
I am merely telling you, if you are going to constantly copy and paste the same words, please stop reviewing. A review is telling me what you think of the chapter, certain points that happen and what it is that makes you want to review it. It hurts seeing your posts as it makes it seem you don't care for the story and just post it for the heck thinking 'nice chap' is enough to be considered a review. Feel free to continue reading, but without a proper review to know how exactly the story is going, I rather not see your careless copy paste posts in my email notifications. Thank you.
Elljayde- Wow, I didn't expect many people want Mica alive. I had thought through the idea, and did write out what would happen. But, it was too much and the change wouldn't effect to the character in Carol and what caused her to finally find Lizzie too dangerous. But don't worry, I hope her death was like T-Dog's, it wasn't in complete vain.
