Rick, Daryl and Hershel arrive on time for the meeting Lizzy had arranged between the Governor and Rick. They check the surrounding area for any extra people or anything that might set off a gun fight and find the Governor already there, waiting. Rick sends Daryl outside to take watch with Hershel. When the sun is finally at the right position, the Governor men show up. Rick was already inside the barn waiting.
Lizzy, Martinez and Dr. Milton get out of the truck. Daryl had his crossbow raised and pointed at the driver before Martinez could cut the engine. "What the hell?! Why's your boy already in there?!"
"Philip's inside?" Lizzy goes in to make sure the two hadn't already killed each other. Daryl paced outside while Hershel leaned against their car. Martinez leans against the truck while Milton writes in a journal on the hood.
"Maybe I should go in there?" Hershel stands up. Daryl guides him back to his spot before the Elder can grab his crutches.
"The Governor thought it best if he and Rick spoke privately." Milton chimes in.
"Who the hell are you?" Daryl looks at the Beta.
"Milton Mamet."
"Great." Daryl scoffs, remembering what the others had said about the doctor, "He brought his butler."
"I'm his advisor." Milton glares at Martinez when the Alpha chuckles.
"What kind of advice?"
Milton sighs, "Planning. Biters. You know sorry, I don't feel like I need to explain myself to the henchmen."
Daryl bares his teeth, "Better watch your mouth sunshine."
Martinez butts in before Daryl can draw blood. "Look, if you and I are gonna be out here pointing guns at each other all day, do me a favor…. Shut your mouth Beta."
Daryl laughs it off, picking up a rock and throwing it before he resumes pacing. Hershel watches him, "Calm down son. If you get to worked up, in this heat, and so far from-"
"I know." Daryl huffs, "Nerves."
"May I ask why the hell this Beta is so out of it?" Martinez scoffs, "He a druggy or something?"
"Or something." Hershel readjust his gun in a silent threat. Daryl chuckles and pats him on the back.
Lizzy comes back out in a huff. "They sent me away."
"It's surprising for me." Hershel says, "Rick came here to talk to the Governor. It's a meeting between two Primes that don't get along. Their Mates should to be in there if things go south to ease the tension."
"Their Mates?" Martinez looks at the Prison Pack, "Then why didn't you bring Rick's?"
"You have a nose for a reason." Daryl growls, "You should use it."
Milton perks up, "You're Rick's Mate? Why would he take a male Beta as his Mate? As the Prime would he not need children to carry on the family? You must have a Breeder then, correct?"
"I hear that word come out of your mouth like that again and any agreement they come together on is done and I get to rip your tongue out of your mouth and throw it in the middle of a Herd." Daryl gets closer to the Beta with each word until he's leaning over the man and snarling in his face. He stands up and kicks dirt onto Milton's pants leg. "I don't feel like I need to explain my Pack to the henchmen."
"I don't see why we can't talk amongst ourselves. It's a good thing, them sitting down and working it out. Nobody wants another battle." Milton says, getting up.
"Wouldn't really call it a battle." Daryl huffs.
"I did." Milton holds up his journal, "When I recorded it. Somebody's got to keep a record of what we went through. It'll be a part of our history."
"Makes sense." Hershel agrees, "Duane does the same thing."
"Duane? Who's that?"
"Merle's pup." Daryl scowls. The smirk drops from Martinez's face.
"Merle has a pup?"
"And a cub under a year old." Hershel tells them. "He was born about a week before your people found Merle. He noticed your people getting too close to their Den and left his Pack to protect them. First time he's seen his Litter since the cub was born, he was in too much pain to hold them. That was your doing; Woodbury's doing. Remind me again how you think we're going to work this out?"
The sounds of Walkers cut the group off, and Daryl leads Martinez and Lizzy to them. Seeing how it was only four, Daryl lowers his bow. "After you."
Martinez mocks laughing, "No way, you first."
Lizzy pushes past both of them and takes out the first one.
"Pussy." Martinez growls at Daryl. He swings his bat and smashes the second Walkers head against one of the metal towers. Daryl nods his acknowledgement, then shoots the third. The arrow goes through the Walker's skull and ends up in the last one's throat. Martinez goes to swing again, but before he can take the shot a hunting knife downs the Walker. The Alpha turns around to see Daryl panting, having thrown the knife. The Omega pushes past the Alpha and starts searching the dead bodies to the confusion of the Alpha.
"Look what he's got." Daryl holds up a half smoke pack of cigarettes. He takes one and puts it in his mouth then offers the pack to the Alpha.
"Nah, I prefer menthols." Martinez starts walking back to the others.
"Douchebag." Daryl snorts, passing him while lighting the cigarette. "You Army or somethin'?"
"Nah, just hate the Biters. After what they did to my Omega and our Litter." The Alpha shakes blood off his bat, "You?"
"Sucks man." Daryl puffs smoke from his nose. "Only served one tour."
"You got a family? Besides Merle?"
"Got my brother-in-law, Morgan, and ma nephews, Duane and Reedus." Daryl flicks the end off then takes another drag, "Got Rick and our son Carl and the cub, Hunter."
"You got a cub too?" Martinez asks quietly, "How old?"
"Less than a week." Daryl glares at him, "Hurt more pushing her out than gettin' hit by you, that's for damn sure."
"What?" Martinez goes pale.
"Don't any of ya use your damn noses?" Daryl puts the cigarette out against the bottom of his boot. "It's there for a reason. I'm an Omega. Three days after I gave birth to Hunter I was in Woodbury, encircled by Walkers with the town callin' for mine and Merle's blood. As far as I'm concerned, this is a joke and we'll be back to planning each other's massacres before the moon's high."
They get back and see Hershel and Milton talking about how Rick cut off the Elder's leg to save him from a bite. Martinez looks at Lizzy and Hershel, then points his bat at Daryl, "Why the hell was Rick's Omega, that just gave birth, doing in Woodbury during a fucking shootout?!"
"Watch it!" Daryl growls, "I'm Omegan but I'm also a Luna and a Theta. Keep opening that mouth and I gonna take that as an invitation to start pulling shit out of it!"
"Daryl is Rick's equal. He makes his own choices." Hershel states calmly, "Not to mention Daryl was raised to be an Alpha, even after he presented. I'd like to meet the man who thinks they can tell him what he can and can't do."
Daryl rumbles and scents Hershel before sitting down next to him. Milton turns on the Omega, suddenly interested in him, "How is it that you can growl and rumble like an Alpha? I thought Omegas could only coo and purr; are you unable to do those things or-"
Daryl snarls and flashes his teeth when the doctor goes to touch Daryl's stomach, leveling his loaded crossbow with the Beta's left eye. Martinez and Lizzy both jump back, unsure how to address the situation, while Hershel continues to read calmly.
"How can you allow an Omega to be out here with a weapon?" Martinez asks, "It's dangerous!"
"I think Daryl's more dangerous than anything else, including those herds." Hershel continues to ignore the others.
"Daryl?" Rick calls out as him and the Governor walk out of the barn, "What's going on?"
"Looks like your people are as savage as the Walkers are." The Governor rumbles.
"The bastard tried to touch my stomach." Daryl growls, his eye flashing orange. Rick growls, and Milton shows his neck. The Governor pushes past the Omega and pulls Milton to his feet. When he turns around again Rick was standing in front of the Woodbury group while Daryl helps Hershel back into the car.
"He's an Omega." Martinez nods at Daryl, "Rick's Mate. He just gave birth a few days ago and is still tender; Milton tried to touch him, he got defensive. He was within his right to protect himself, I wouldn't call THAT savage."
"An Omega?" The Governor turns his good eye on Daryl. The Omega was straddling his bike and lighting another cigarette before flipping the group off and gunning the engine. He walks the bike to Rick, who leans over and kisses him before the Omega takes off down the road, shooting a Walker with his handgun as he passes it. "Merle's baby brother is an Omega?"
"And my Mate." Rick rumbles as Hershel starts the car. Rick gets into the passenger side and glares at the Woodbury group. "Don't forget our agreement."
The Governor watches them drive after Daryl, back towards the prison.
The Pack gathers when Rick gets back to discuss what they had come to agree on. "So, I met the Governor, sat with him for a while, talked. He wants the prison; he wants us gone. Dead. He demanded I hand over Michonne and Merle. When I told him that wasn't an option he explains how he was going to kill everyone here; what he planned to do to any of the ones he kept alive. Then he told me to think about, gave me two days before our next meet up."
Rick catches each one of his Pack's eyes. "We're going to war."
….
Rick watches as Carl, Sophia, Bob, Tyreese, Tara and Maggie bang on pot and scream at the Walkers to drag them towards the gate and away from Glenn, Michonne, Daryl, Sasha, T-Dog and Andrea while they set up traps in the field. Carol was inside with Duane, Merle, Beth, Hershel and the cubs. When Rick doesn't show up to make the deal, Woodbury will be on their doorstep before sundown. They had to get as much of the place booby trapped as possible.
It's not until after lunch that Daryl finds Duane in his cell with a sleeping Reedus against his chest, sobbing.
"Hey. Shh shh shh." The Omega kneels, wiping tears from the little boy's face, "What's wrong, little Gavli?"
"Gavli." Duane sniffles, "Papa said that means raccoon. Daddy can't find Merle… He's gone, he feels far away."
Daryl holds the Omega to his chest and coos, trying not to let panic seep into his scent.
'RICK!' He calls out to his Mate in his head, 'FIND MORGAN! DUANE'S-'
"I'm here!" Morgan appears in the cell doorway, panting and close to tears, "I heard you…. I don't know how but… Merle, Michonne's gone too…. They-"
"Take him." Daryl hands the pups over to their father and sprints down the stairs, calling for Rick. The Alpha meets him at the door and Daryl follows him to the car. Bob was at the gate with Ty and they grab him too. If either of them were injured, they'd need a doctor with them. And if they were where Rick thought they were….
They get where the meeting with the Governor was supposed to happen and find Walkers swarming the place. There was a car with the doors open, and a stopped cassette tape surrounded by dead Walkers. Woodbury men were being eaten by Walkers everywhere. Daryl, Rick and Bob take care of the remaining Walkers quickly, then hunt for Michonne and Merle.
"MERLE!" Daryl screams, "MICHONNE! WAYA! TSULA!"
Rick throws his head back and Howls for his Pack, Daryl and Bob quick to follow his example. They hear a weak, sobbing Howl returned and sprint to the building it came from. Bob's the first one inside and is pushing a screaming and crying Daryl back before Rick can register what was before his eyes.
"NOOOOO!"
…..
Michonne was hot wiring a car when she heard something come up behind her. She pulls out her sword and stands up, ready to kill the Walker before it can take a bite out of her.
"Easy there samurai." Merle blocks the sword with his prosthetic, "Don't damage the goods, now."
"What are you doing here, Merle?" The Alpha groans.
"Following you, what else?" The Beta leans against the car as Michonne ducks back under. "Why are you doing this? We should be at the prison helping them get ready for the Governor to come to us."
"You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
Michonne stands up, "This is on me! This war, our Pack divided on staying in our Den or leaving. If I had killed this bastard when I had the chance…. We'd still have the field, we could have been plowing for crop right now. Running around in our wolf forms with the cubs, teaching them how to hunt and track and…. And…."
Merle pulls her into a hug, "This isn't on you. But going to the meeting and doing what, surrendering? Trying to take out the Governor with all his men there? I know that Alpha, he won't play fair. You go, and you'll be committing suicide."
"And our Pack will be safe." Michonne wipes her eyes.
"You're not going alone."
"Merle-"
"And you're trying to connect the wrong wires. Hop in, I'll show you how it's done."
"Ready?" Merle hands Michonne a bottle of stale soda. When she nods he flips on the radio and rolls down the windows, slowly turning it up until Walkers start appearing out of nowhere. He puts a hand on her arm to calm her as they become surrounded, then he starts pulling up slowly. They start coasting down the street, stopping when the Walkers get to far away. By the time they get to the meeting point with the Governor, their small herd is almost in the hundreds. He drives them between two buildings, hidden from view of the Walkers.
"GO!" They duck out of the car and take opposite buildings, closing the doors just as the herd passes, chasing the music from the car as it rolls away. The Governor's men come around the corner and start taking out the Walkers. Michonne and Merle use silenced guns to down the Woodbury Alphas, giving the Walkers food. Michonne runs out of bullets first.
"Shit!" She hisses under her breath. She'd been jumping from window to window around the building, so they couldn't pinpoint her location; if they even noticed her.
Merle sees Michonne duck out of the window and feels her frustration through their bond. She was out then. He gets another six before someone notices him, and another four after that before he feels the first punch. Michonne flares in their bond, anger and pain clear. She was coming to him.
'NO!' Merle yells at her, 'They don't know you're here! Stay out of sight, come to me when they're gone!'
'Merle!' He feels her response shake, like she was crying.
'If I don't make it, kill it.' Merle sends to her as the Governor comes inside his building, gun drawn. 'I don't want them to see that. Not the boys… not Morgan…. Not Daryl.'
'MERLE!'
'Micky… I'm s-'
POW!
