Hi you guys! I'm not even going to apologize for the wait. Seriously. I do that too much for this one and you are probably really tired of hearing it at this point. We are very close to the end of this, to my delight ;) I had a tough time with this chapter! Of course! But I hope you enjoy it anyway! For those of you who have stuck with it, thank you!

Chapter Twenty Five

He came out of nowhere. One minute Buck was taking the lead down the hall and the next thing he knows some big black guy was right there with a gun pressed against his forehead. That wasn't something even Buck Dixon was going to be able to come back from.

"How did you get in here?" The man asked, his voice strangely calm.

Buck met the man's eyes for all of two seconds before he decided that he needed to make a move now. He brought his arm straight up, slamming into the man's hand and causing the gun to go high. Unfortunately it went off, lodging a bullet into the ceiling of the dim hallway.

Not good.

Buck went to grab a hold of the guy but it was too late. Too late for the guy, anyway. Michonne stepped out from behind Buck then and her sword slid silently into his throat. She spun around, swinging like a bludgeon and split his head like a melon.

Buck heard footsteps coming from the stairwell at the end of the hall coming at them at a run. These mother fuckers were fast. It hadn't even been a minute since the gun had gone off, alerting the town that they had been infiltrated. He glanced around swiftly and then grabbed the woman by the arm and swung her around, pushing her towards a closed door. She opened it up and slipped inside. Buck slammed the door shut and then picked up the body of the man with the gun. He shoved the gun into his waistband and turned just as the two men that were running towards him opened fire.

He held up the body of their comrade like a shield as the shots rang out, wishing that the dead guy could have been a little bit bigger so he wouldn't have to worry about a stray bullet. Instead of retreating he ran right towards the men.

Once he was close enough he heaved the body at them, knocking one man down and made another man stumble. Buck didn't give him a chance to regain his balance. As the other man was struggling to push the dead body off of him Buck went for the man that hadn't gone down. Time, as usual, was of the essence. He grabbed the surprised guy by the face and then slammed his head into the brick wall. The sound of bones crushing and a wet squelching sound had Buck grinning. This guy must have had a glass skull.

He grinned at the easy kill. He spun around as the body slid down the wall. The man that had been struggling under the body suddenly stopped, staring at him with wide eyes. Buck remembered then that he was still grinning. With a shrug he reached down with both hands and grabbed the guy by the sides of his head. He gave a quick jerk and twisted sharply. Another sick sound caused him to chuckle darkly. He hadn't felt this good in a while.

He looked around at the bodies, stomping down on the head of the man whos neck he had just snapped. He stepped over them and opened the door wide. Michonne was standing there in a broom closet, hands on her hips, smirk on her lips. "A closet? Really?" She asked, with a shake of her head.

He shrugged. "Didn't know how many was comin'. Figured if they gunned me down you could finish on your own," he elbowed her as they made their way further down the hall.

"More people are coming for sure," she said as they rounded a corner. "His room is at the end of this hall."

Buck rushed to the door to Philip's room and tried the door knob. He knew that others were coming. Those shots would have carried all over the town. Him and Michonne needed to figure out what the hell their plan was now.

To his astonishment the door opened easily. With gun in hand he went in low, Michonne doing the same as she kicked the door closed behind her. There wasn't anyone there as far as he could tell so they did a quick sweep. The place was empty.

The sounds of shouts could be heard outside the door, further down the hallway. The other bodies had been discovered. Buck cursed loudly and then closed his mouth when Michonne gave him a hard look. She pointed above his head.

When he looked up he saw the small square opening that, in most cases, led to an attic or at least a storage space. Without a second thought he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up. She moved the panel over and scurried in.

The voices were getting closer. Buck studied the square quickly and then shook his head. There was no way in hell he would get his shoulders through that tiny ass hole. Michonne's dark face looked down at him. "I can get the jump on them from up here anyway," she whispered.

"Find a way out of there. If it's an attic you'll be able to get into another room. I'm on my own," He said quickly just as he heard footsteps rushing towards the door.

She didn't argue. She nodded and then pulled the panel back over. He didn't waste another thought on her. She was alright. A tough ass bitch with a little thirst for blood herself.

His eyes scanned the room. There was a closed door off of the room they were standing in but when they had first tried it it had been locked. He went to the door, trying it again and cursed loudly. He rushed to the other room just as the door banged open and someone, or a few someones, entered the room.

He was fucked. Completely fucked. But shots had already been fired and it was no secret that the town had been infiltrated. He shoved the pistol back into his pants and unslung the rifle, waiting patiently. The faces of his loved ones flashed quickly through his mind just before the first man stepped through the doorway.

His rifle wasn't fully automatic. It was an AK 47 equipped with a bump stock, though. It was ironic because it was one of the few guns they had that was actually legal. The stock made it possible for rabid fire, however, and he cut four men down quickly before they could even get off a shot. But the element of surprise, which was the only thing going for him, didn't last long. No one else came around the corner after him.

Sweat trickled down his brow and he had to blink it out of his eyes. The men on the other side of the wall had no idea how many of Buck's people were here. Hopefully the bastard had his men spread out thin to search other buildings. Who would be stupid enough to come into this alone, right? He hoped that was the case anyway.

He strained his ears but he didn't hear anything coming from the other room. He inched closer and right before he took a chance and looked around the doorway he heard a grunt and then a struggle.

He looked and there was Michonne, struggling with a man that hadn't expected the woman to drop right down onto his head. Before Buck could take a step closer to help her she grabbed a knife out of her boot and stabbed the guy in the eye. He grew still.

"We need to get outta here," she panted.

He gave her a brief nod and then went to the door. As soon as he stepped out he heard the sound of gunfire and rushed right back into the room. "Fuck!" He hissed.

There was no where to go now. They were pretty much screwed.

~H~

"Y'all ready to do this shit!" Merle called as he pounded the side of the moving truck with his palm.

Men were lined up inside the back of the truck, sitting with their backs to the wall. They were all armed and looked to be as ready as they were ever going to be. There people and the Vatos. Things in Woodbury were going to get ugly. Merle just had to keep the faith that his people would be okay and they would all make it back. He wasn't planning on babysitting his little brother. He was going to make sure he watched his own back first. That was one of the things Buck had told him. Watch your back. Remember that everyone else can take care of themselves. Keep your eyes open.

He took a deep breath and pulled the doors to the back of the truck closed.

Daryl was standing next to the truck, Carol wrapped around him, looking very much like she wasn't planning on letting go of him. Ever.

Beth was a real trooper. She had left Luke with Hershel while she came out to say goodbye. Her eyes were wet but her face was stoic. He loved her for that. He wasn't really fond of leaving her. The last time he had left her for any real amount of time her dumb ass had gone and gotten herself shot. It was enough to make a man nervous.

Everyone else was standing around saying their goodbyes as well. It was likely that not every one of them would be coming home after this. He didn't want to look around at the faces of his group and ponder which would be the ones to fall. He wouldn't do that. They were armed well and they were going to be okay. He had to believe that.

The others that would be joining them in Woodbury loaded into the other truck and Daryl pulled away from Carol long enough to get the doors shut.

"You best look out for yourself out there," Beth said with a small smile.

Merle gave her a nod and then pulled her against him. She hugged him tightly. It was the only indication of how nervous she really was. She nearly squeezed the air from him. He held her there for a while before he kissed her quickly. He'd make it back to her.

~H~

She hated this. She couldn't stand that they were going out there like that not knowing exactly what they were walking into. She worried about him and the others. She worried about herself and the baby. But at the moment she worried the most about Buck. He had been there all day. God only knew what could happen to him out there.

Daryl's lips met hers again and the world stopped, if only for a few blessed moments. The air was cold but his lips were warm against hers. He kissed her with an urgency that scared her but she didn't let it show. Other than having a hard time letting go of him her eyes were dry and she was keeping herself composed.

The child inside of her, however, must have been able to sense her panic. As he held her closer the baby rolled and then kicked so hard that Daryl felt the bump even through his jacket. He chuckled against her lips and then one hand slid into her coat, rubbing the spot softly. It made her smile, even though she didn't really feel much like smiling.

"She's telling her daddy that he should stay here with us," Carol said, keeping the smile in place but feeling her heart break a little more with every passing minute.

"Her daddy's gonna be just fine," he said before he kissed her again. "Feels more like she's tryin' to kick me out anyhow. Don't that shit hurt?"

She shook her head, "Nope."

"I'll be comin' back, alright. Don't get yourself all tore up about this." He pulled away and met her eyes. "Ain't good for ya."

She nodded and kissed him one more time before she pulled completely away from him. "Be careful."

He nodded, his face determined.

"If it gets bad..." She left the words hanging there between them in the cold.

"If it gets bad, if I feel like there ain't no other choice but run or die, I'm runnin'. Got too damn much to live for to let a damn stubborn streak get me killed. I'm comin' home."

She nodded and took one more step back, bumping against someone. She turned and saw Merle's smiling face. She smiled back and then hugged him. "Be careful out there. Please," she whispered into his ear.

He nodded against her shoulder and then graced her forehead with an overly sloppy kiss that she wiped away with a grimace. She heard Beth laugh as Merle and Daryl got into the front of one of the trucks.

She turned and walked away before they pulled out. She felt Beth's hand in her own. She leaned in close as they walked. "They are Dixons Carol. They'll be home by dawn."

"I know," she said, feeling like steal bands were wrapped around her chest.

They stopped and picked up the baby. Hershel watched both girls closely but didn't comment on the men or Woodbury. Carol knew that Beth was just as scared as she was. There just wasn't anything she could do about it. They took the baby to Beth and Merle's apartment and settled in for a very long and restless night.

~H~

Buck wasn't sure how many men he had taken down before he finally felt his arm give. It was the only indication he had been shot. He wasn't feeling it yet. It was just a low numbness that caused the gun to slip out of his grip.

He felt another sting low in his side and looked down at another bullet wound. He expected the men to blow him away but that didn't happen. They lowered their weapons. From what he could tell there were six of them but they parted suddenly and then he was looking into the face of Philip Blake. The man smiled at him and it sent a chill up his spine.

"Seems like you've caused quite a stir here," he said pleasantly.

Buck wasn't sure how but he was suddenly looking up at the man. He was sitting on the floor feeling pretty dazed. "It's a talent of mine," he grumbled as he looked at the bullet wound right below his shoulder. It was close to the same place Beth had been shot.

"Are you the only two here? We've got men looking for others. Did the two of you really think you could take on an entire town? Could you really be that arrogant?"

Buck shrugged. "Seems like that's a quality that we got in common."

Philip shook his head and his smile grew. He knelt down in front of Buck when Buck started coughing. "I'm going to enjoy ending you," he said into Buck's ear.

Buck chuckled, the sound dark even to his own ears. "Is that right?"

Philip nodded. "I'm gonna kill you slowly as soon as I figure out where your sons are. I want them to watch. And then when I'm done with you, they're next. Carol is mine. She may not believe it yet but it's true. It won't take long to break her. Especially after that bastard Dixon baby gets cut out of her..." Buck suddenly turned his head.

With a smile on his face fit for the devil himself Buck lunged, snapping his teeth together as hard as he could and jerking his head back savagely. He spit out a mouth full of flesh and blood right into Philip's face as the man grabbed desperately for his throat, a bloodcurdling scream erupting from him.

With his one good arm Buck grabbed Philip and pulled the man on top of him, making sure that none of his men could shoot him without shooting their beloved leader first. Before he could even think to grab for his own gun, the sound of more gunfire filled the room. He closed his eyes and waited for the impact of bullets to rip through him. Apparently he had misjudged these men. They were going to open fire regardless of who Buck was using as a human shield.

Only, that isn't how it happened. Philip was still struggling, and still bleeding, on top of him but Buck was pretty much unscathed. Well, other than the two bullet wounds in him. But he didn't sustain anymore injuries after the gunfire erupted.

He pushed Philip off and sat up slowly. The men in front of him were now nothing but bodies on the ground. He turned his head but Michonne was down. His vision was slightly blurry so he wasn't sure if she was still breathing. He wasn't sure how the hell he was still alive.

When he looked back towards the doorway that Philip and his men had came through there was only one person standing there. Someone that he had grown pretty close with since he had shown up.

"You ain't too good at listenin' to a person are ya?" He chuckled right before he spit more blood out of his mouth.

Duane shook his head. "Followed Michonne," he said as he knelt down next to Buck and aimed his own rifle at Philip. Philip was losing a lot of blood. Buck spit again, his saliva was more pink than red. "You gotta be the baddest son of a bitch alive," Duane mumbled.

Buck barely spared Philip a glance. The words the man had whispered to him played in his mind over and over. He hadn't really minded when Philip had told him he would kill him. He had gotten pretty pissed off when he said he was going to make his boys watch him die. He had gotten even more pissed off when he had said he was going to kill Merle and Daryl after Buck was dead. It was the threat to the baby that had made Buck snap. What kind of a sick piece of shit would do that to a baby? Buck was fine with killing almost anybody, but the threat to his grandchild had broken what little bit of control he had managed to hold on too. He had been planning on pissing Philip off just enough so Philip would just kill him quickly. But then he had snapped and the only thing that made any sense in his mind was to eliminate a threat to the child that he already loved. He was too weak to beat the man to death. His gun was on the floor somewhere. He did what he had to do. Just like he always had.

With his good hand he wiped at his mouth. "So, other than this prick," he kicked his leg out, hitting Philip in the gut and causing him to groan, "We killed a lot of men. How many more you figure are out there willin' to kill us?"

Duane shook his head and then went to Michonne, placing his fingers on her neck to check for a pulse. "I don't know. From what I can tell most of the bad guys are gone now, but there's a lot more people in this town that might shoot you and Michonne if they think you're a threat." He looked down and let out a relieved sigh, "She's still alive. I don't see how either of you can be alive right now," the boy mused.

Buck felt the world tilt a little and he looked down. There was a decent sized puddle of blood on the floor. Some of it belonged to Philip Blake, who still hadn't bled out, but Buck knew a lot was his own. Black spots started dancing in his vision and he eased himself back. He was going to pass out. He desperately kept his eyes open long enough to give Duane one more thing to do. "Put'em down, boy. All these fuckers turn and we're all three supper." He felt his head hit the floor and then he was out, unsure if he would ever get back up again.