Chapter 36

The next morning Gwen woke up before Merle. Normally he was always the first one up but even after she showered, he was still sleeping soundly. Gwen headed out to get something to eat and figured she'd bring something back for him later.

She made it past the bar without drawing out Darlene which was a much needed relief. She wasn't in the mood to deal with her and wanted things done with.

"Gwen…." She heard a voice call out and turned to look behind her, seeing the Governor on her heels.

"Please….can I speak with you a moment…." He asked.

"Sure…" Gwen replied.

"You heading to breakfast I suppose? Then if you don't mind, I join you." The Governor remarked as he walked along beside her.

Gwen just nodded her head, anxious to see what the Governor wished to discuss with her as they walked.

"How's Merle? I know it was a long day yesterday…." The Governor inquired.

"He's sleeping in…figured he needed it…otherwise he's doing well." Gwen replied.

"Good…I also see you're doing much better…no crutches…that's a big improvement. I suppose you'll be ready to start on scavenges with us in no time, put your recent studying to test and good use. I'm excited to see what you have to offer." The Governor gently took hold of her arm and guided her over to a bench on the sidewalk in front of one of the building and motioned for her to sit down. "Please…let's discuss something for a moment…."

Gwen's stomach began to turn, dreading the unknown of what he was about to say.

"I know we've discussed your duties somewhat for pulling your weight in this town…I think having someone out on the road with us during various assignments with medical knowledge and skills will be very beneficial to us….the problem is it's not necessarily a daily task…just like how Merle splits his time between scavenging and guarding the gate. I was hoping that you might be willing to take over the running of the bar in the evenings….besides….alcohol can be seen as a medicinal in itself at times." The Governor chuckled slightly and waited for a response from her.

"But…Darlene runs the bar…." Gwen stated somewhat confused.

A smirk came across the Governor's face that gave Gwen the chills. "She did…..but she's decided to move on…."

"I don't understand….since when?" Gwen asked.

The Governor took a deep breath and slowly let it back out. "I spoke with Beatrice yesterday evening and she told me what happened….I'm truly sorry and very thankful you weren't injured but it required me to have my own discussion with Darlene…..I've spoken to her multiple times about leaving you and Merle alone but we've come to an agreement now that I think will make most everyone happy."

Suddenly Gwen felt as if she couldn't catch her breath. Something in the tone of his voice made her want to run full speed back to the hotel to Merle but she just sat there quietly and listened.

"Darlene has family in Savannah….I provided her with supplies, a vehicle and a weapon so she can attempt to reconnect with her kin there….I think it will do her good…she's made it clear she doesn't belong here and there's nothing here for her any longer." He informed her.

"When does she leave?" Gwen asked.

"She already did….at first light….so you see…I have a bar with no keeper…and a town's member with no job." The Governor smiled at her. "What do you say? There's an apartment above the bar…you and Merle could move in there…have a little more privacy…it's needs some fixing up but I think we can all pitch in and make it feel like a home for you both."

"Didn't Darlene live there?" Gwen asked confused.

"Actually no…she kind of fell into managing the bar herself…she stayed in her sister's home down a ways….her sister was one of the first here to fall to the ill when this all first started. It's what brought Darlene to Woodbury in the first place." He informed her.

"Can I think about it? I mean….I would like to discuss it with Merle if that's alright." Gwen replied.

"Certainly…just let me know something by tonight." The Governor stood up and started on his way again.

Gwen suddenly lost her appetite for breakfast. She found herself slowly walking back to the hotel. Merle was slowly waking up as she entered the room. She sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her boots off, dropping them in the floor.

"Well if ya comin' back to bed ya got too many clothes on…" Merle teased as he leaned up behind her and kissed her neck.

Merle ran his hand up her back but could feel the tension in her body. "What's the matter with ya?"

Gwen turned back to face him and he immediately noticed how pale she looked. "I don't think I feel so good…I think I just want to lie down for a little." Gwen undid her pants and stood as she dropped them to the floor and took off her sweater, dropping that as well. She crawled back into bed as Merle scooted back on his side, looking concerned and she laid on her side facing him.

He pulled the blanket up to her shoulder and moved closer, facing her. He pressed his hand against her forehead. "Ya ain't gettin' sick are ya?"

"No….I just….I don't know…" Gwen didn't even know where to begin. The incident with Darlene the night before seemed like a big joke but now Gwen felt uneasy, even a little afraid.

"Don't clam up on me now…tell me… what's goin' on?" Merle asked as he slipped his arm around her waist.

"Governor asked me to take over the bar…said we could live in the apartment above it…after it's fixed up." Gwen started to speak.

Merle looked at her confused. "Darlene runs the bar….don't think she's gonna wanna let that go…'specially to you."

"The Governor said that he and Darlene had a long talk after Beatrice told him about our fight yesterday and that they both decided she didn't belong in Woodbury anymore….he said he sent her on her way to find her family in Savannah. Claims he let her take a vehicle and supplies….the works….says she left this morning first thing….that she won't be bothering us anymore."

Merle rolled back over on to his back and rested his hand against his forehead and stared at the ceiling looking even more confused than before but he remained quiet.

"You're thinking the same thing I am aren't you?...He doesn't let anyone leave that easily, let alone take valuable supplies and a vehicle…." Gwen propped herself up to her elbow and watched Merle's reaction.

"If that's what he says then that's what we're goin' with….ain't for us to question…" Merle stated as he kept his eyes on the ceiling.

"You can't be serious….Merle….since when do you go along so easily with things?" Gwen couldn't help but be annoyed.

"It ain't that…" Merle snapped back at her. "It's about mindin' yer own and not stickin' yer nose in where it don't belong…she's outta our lives…just be glad for that…"

"How can I be glad about that when my gut tells me this is something far worse than her just skippin' town to go visit the kin folk! Since when did Darlene strike you as the selfless person to risk her own safety to venture out into this hell hole of a world to find her long lost family…ALONE? He did something to her and he's come up with this story to cover it up…I just know it." She told him.

"SHUT UP…SHUT YER MOUTH RIGHT NOW…DON'T WANNA HEAR NOTHIN' LIKE THAT FROM YA AGAIN…YA HEAR ME?" Merle turned back to his side to face her and grabbed her roughly by the arm, jerking her close to him.

"Don't you understand Merle? If I hadn't fought back with her…Beatrice may not have noticed…she ran and told the Governor the first chance she got and apparently that was his last straw with her….if I hadn't…" Gwen couldn't help but tear up…as much as she disliked Darlene she didn't want to be responsible for something bad happening to her.

Merle cupped her face in his hand. "Don't….it ain't yer fault…Darlene made her own bed on that one….ain't nothin' anyone coulda done to change it so let it go….just try to forget about it…but ya got to keep your head down on this one…if the Governor did do somethin' he ain't wantin' nobody to know about it and that's gonna be how it stays….otherwise I guarantee he's gonna do far worse to whoever questions it and I'll be damned if I let you put yerself in danger over that woman…"

"But Merle….everything she did was because she loved you….she wanted you back and all I was to her was the person that took you away from her….how can you be so cold about it? As much as she pissed me off I can't say I blame her."

Merle pushed away from her roughly. He got up and started stomping around the room as he grabbed fresh clothes from the dresser.

"God dammit woman!..." Merle barked as he pulled on a pair of pants but left them undone.

Gwen sat up in the bed. "Why are you getting mad at me? Why doesn't this bother you? And the Merle I know doesn't just blindly go along with things like you're trying to do...what's gotten into you?"

Merle angrily grabbed the pile of books from the dresser and threw them across the room. He marched over to her side of the bed, pulled back the blanket and yanked her by the arm out of bed and onto her feet. "GET YER ASS UP! COME 'ERE!" He ordered as he started to pull her over towards the window.

"OW MERLE!...YOU'RE HURTING ME!" Gwen yelled as she tried to jerk her arm away but he just gripped her tighter. She struggled to keep her feet underneath her as he pushed her onto the window seat, facing outside.

Merle stood against the back of her. One arm around her waist and his hand still gripping her arm. Gwen's hands were against the window, keeping him from pressing her completely against it.

"NOW...TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE..." Merle shouted back at her.

"WHAT?...I DON'T UNDERSTAND...WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY?" Gwen shouted back but her voice was shaky as she fought back tears.

Merle took a deep breath, lowering the tone of his voice. "I said...tell me what you see..."

"I...I...I don't know...buildings...people...what Merle?" Gwen bit her lip as the tears started to stream down her face.

"Now tell me what ya don't see..." Merle stated.

Gwen just shook her head as she continued to cry. She didn't know what he was wanting from her.

Merle released her arm and backed up slightly. He turned her around to face him. "Geeks...walkers...ain't one in sight...and their ain't gonna be...not here...you know how it is...you and me both...fought our way outta Atlanta...how many of 'em you killed? I know I done lost count...Sleepless nights...fightin' for food...not knowin' where ya gonna be from day to day...it gets old...all the strugglin' and fightin'...constantly lookin' over yer shoulder...is that the life ya wanna go back to?"

"Of course not." Gwen replied.

"Governor might have a lot of rules but one thing he ain't never tried to do is change me...he done took me in... here in this town when I ain't had nothin'...trusted me to make decisions...didn't talk to me like I was just another dumb ass redneck...now I may not like how he do everythin'...hell I don't even know how much I really trust him...but one thing I do know is I ain't ready to give up this place yet for a life on the run again not when I got you I'm tryin' to keep safe..." Merle cupped her face gently in his hand as he spoke.

Gwen wrapped her arms around Merle and pulled him close. She clung to him tightly and closed her eyes when she felt his arms around her. She knew he was right...there wasn't a better alternative. Here they were safe from the outside world. They could have time together, just the two of them without worry. She wanted to enjoy their time together and not worry about anything else. Look at all they had been through just to be where they were now...she wouldn't give that up for anything. Even with knowing that Gwen still couldn't help but feel they were both selling their soul to the devil.