Finally a new one out here. Too many things in the way. Bleh, sorry. Hope it's alright!

Chapter Twenty Five

Void

She hadn't questioned it, unsure if that's what she wanted to do. Could she live another day knowing that someone else's blood had been shed? Could she sit there knowing that another life was to be taken despite the sudden calm, albeit anguished, that had settled over Woodbury. Things were returning to the Utopia she had tricked herself into believing in when she had first gotten here. There were things that could be rid of, people that could be dispatched. But just killing him? Was that even humane?

Murphy knew what she was thinking and how could he really argue with her? These people that were now surrounding him were so much plagued by death, by murder, by bloodshed. There weren't many people that could survive being followed by it. This woman had seen people she loved die, he could see that echoing in her eyes, could see it alive in her features. She was falling apart in front of him in this strange and decorated room that she seemed to be held prisoner in.

Rick turned to face them and there was a feud of emotions in his eyes. He had seen something, thought of something that was somehow making something clear right now. He was fighting against the darkness that had somehow caught him in its clutches. He was struggling for life when he was wallowing n death. It was the eternal struggle, one that would follow after him perhaps forever and only time could tell if he gave into the agony or not. If he let go of everything alive inside of himself and let himself die a cold and buried man.

He trailed his eyes down to Andrea and stepped forward, looking down into her eyes and letting out a breath. He gave her a nod to some unspoken question that was lingering in the air and whispering silently between them. He took a hard swallow, his hands clenching and un-clenching at his sides. "It's all that we can do." He whispered, his eyes unmoving from hers as tears stood at a standstill inside of them. He was hurting, so badly too. He wanted somehow to wrap them up in their arms and promise him that things were going to be alright, that life was going to be alright, that it would work out. But the distanced and hard memory of Lori came up and he realized that nothing like that would ever exist for him again.

"But what if we find another way?" It wasn't that she was pleading for Phillips life, it wasn't that she was hoping they wouldn't kill him because there was a definite part of her that hoped that they would. It was just this town, the people that inhabited it that were innocent of every sin The Governor committed. These streets had seen and tasted too much blood, had seen too much death. "There has to be another way. There's always another way." She whispered, her eyes wide and hopeful as she held Rick's gaze.

He sighed and slowly shook his head. His eyes looked to Murphy and then again to Andrea. He had contemplated her plea for a mere second before it was thrown out. He wouldn't even hear it. There was one life he wanted and that was his one moment for sheer and utter vengeance. It couldn't be denied to him, could it? "If there was another way we would have found it." He whispered, almost apologetically.

Murphy could see something between them. They had known each other before, there was a knowledge there. There was something almost unseen whispering its way around them. He wondered inwardly what it was, what it could be? Could it have been some sort of feeling other than the natural care for someone who was surviving just as you were? He wasn't sure he'd never gotten the time to think about things like that. His life had always been about his and his brother's calling, the streets of Boston, his family. That's what mattered to him for so long and then the world fell apart. Sometimes time just wasn't long enough.

Andrea nodded, lowering her eyes like she was trying hard to adjust herself to the idea. She could understand that this was what was going to happen. She wanted to smile, wanted to throw her arms around Rick, thank him because this meant her release as well but she couldn't find the words to do so. All she could think of was the fear that would fill the town when the first gunshot was heard.

Rick turned from her and found some people that resting near one of the tables as well as a pen. He brought it over and spread it out on the table's surface nearby. His strokes with the pain were weak, shaky but neither Andrea or Murphy made a move to help him. They weren't even sure what exactly he was doing. His eyes were focused, his brows knitted together and his jaw tense. As he wrote it became clear just what he was writing out on the paper. It was some sort of a map and Murphy nodded a bit impressed. It was Woodbury.

It was obvious that this had been Rick's plan from the beginning. Every corner and alley was well documented on Rick's drawn map. He hadn't forgotten a thing. Murphy knew a bit about that, all the places that something terrible had happened to him still blared loudly in front of his eyes. He couldn't dispel the images in his head of the terror he and Connor had had to live with. It was so easy to forget about that but now here he was amidst the aggressive dead and the only thing left for him to remember was the darkness that came with those days rather than the light.

Andrea and Murphy listened as Rick told them his plan. They nodded every few moments, Andrea filling him in to names, places. It was dangerous that's what Murphy could think, that's all he could think of. Could he get back to his brother were he to do this? Could he get Rick back to his baby girl and boy? And could he lead Andrea out of this place that was suddenly a prison?

Finally he was done speaking, the plan was passed between ears and he stood there, looking between the two of them. Rick nodded in assurance at them both before all of their eyes turned towards the doors as the knob was twisted. Rick looked to Andrea and she nodded with a hard swallow. This wasn't the right time. Right now everything was resting in the hands of the one man standing on the other side of the door. Rick wished that it could be over now, wished that he could just end it but there was something in her eyes that asked just for a bit more time and he nodded, surprising his own self.

Rick and Murphy went somewhere where they could hide, the only place being beneath the bed. They could see Andrea rush about before she unlocked the door and a separate set of boots entered. Rick held his breath, the entire atmosphere around him thickening and tightening in his chest. He glanced at Murphy who hadn't moved a muscle, neither of them did. They knew what that would cost Andrea and they couldn't have their plan ended well before it even got started. Things had to be carried on towards the end this time.

"Phillip." Andrea softly said, her greeting surprisingly held back from the tension surrounding the room.

"Are y'ready to come out?"

There was a pause and then Andrea shifted back towards the bed and sighed. "I am. Won't happen again. I promise."

A small chuckle came out from The Governor's lips and he stepped towards the door. "Well c'mon then." He said and Andrea's steps followed after him, slipping out the door. The door was left wide open giving Murphy and Rick both an opportunity to slip right out.