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"Start talkin', girlie." Merle glowered at Sera as the truck careened around a corner, forcing her to bump her shoulder into his. "The hell you talkin' 'bout being married to Daryl? What the hell does a Dixon need with a wife?"

Forcing herself not to cry, Sera turned her gaze toward a small side road as they passed, Martinez weaving around crashed cars and stumbling corpses. There was no sign of her Jeep, and she slumped back sadly. Merle's expression had grown darker with her silence, and she decided to get as much out as quickly as possible.

"We first met up in Atlanta when they came back for you, and then again when I helped Sophia after she was separated. He gave me a ring, and now we're married and I'm pregnant."

There was a dark chuckle rumbling in the older man's chest. "Don't you lie to ol' Merle. No way in hell my baby brother went and found you some fancy ring in all this shit."

"No, of course not." Sera smiled and worked the spoon ring off her finger. "He made it for me from something he found after he fought off a bunch of those things all by himself."

Holding the curled silver up to the afternoon light, Sera smiled. "It says I'm his right there on the inside."

Merle's frown morphed into disbelief as he read their last name that Daryl had etched into the inside of the band. "You ain't lyin'."

"Now why the hell would a woman want to lie about that sort of thing?" Accepting her ring, Sera made sure it was secure before smiling up at a now grinning Merle. "Daryl's the best man I've ever known, other than my Daddy."

"Tell me all about how this shit happened."

Sera shrugged and pulled out her knitting. "It's a bit of a long story."

"We've got about two hours with nothing but the wind for company. May as well have something different to listen to."

Wrapping the yarn around her finger, Sera launched into the story of how she came to be with the group in general and Daryl in particular. Merle chuckled lightly when he learned that Daryl's name for her was Catchfly, and gave a howl of laughter and slapped her leg good naturedly when she told him about how Daryl fell down a ravine, pulled a bolt from his side, and then used it to shoot a walker. She let him believe that Daryl walked into the cabin in the woods, and that he was conscious when she doctored his wounds. She detailed the issues they had with Shane, and how Daryl had taken the food away from them when Rick asked her to leave the farm, smiling at Merle's pleased chuckle.

When she got to Daryl's proposal, Merle fixed her with a steady gaze. "He take you right?"

Something about the way he asked, as if he were worried that the younger Dixon had been disappointing in some way and that it directly reflected on both of their manhood, made Sera want to assure him.

"Like Sherman took Atlanta!" Sera giggled. "Best night of my life, and don't ask for details because I'm not givin' 'em."

"Aw now, why you gotta treat ol' Merle like that?"

Sera smirked. "'Cause I'm your brother's wife, that's why. Don't be dirty."

"Well, now," his smile was softer now, with less bravado and more genuine warmth. "Go on."

Sera listened to the click of her needles as she worded the rest of her story carefully. He had to understand that Daryl hadn't meant to leave her behind, and that she had done all she could to get back to him. The description of the bed and breakfast as which they had stayed drew a chuckle from him, and a boisterous laugh when she told him about finding out she was pregnant.

"So there's a baby Dixon in there, huh?" Merle pointed at her tummy and then chuckled when she merely smiled and nodded.

Martinez chuckled. "Lord help us all."

"So, what is Woodbury and why are we going there?" Binding off the edge of the hood, Sera held up the blanket to look it over.

Merle looked out his window for a moment before focusing back on the woman beside him. "It's a town. They picked me up when I was strung out and bleeding to death. Sewed me up and cleaned me out."

"So it's safer there?"

"Safest place I've found so far." Martinez nodded as he drove. "The Governor, he's in charge, keeps everyone in line and everything running smoothly."

Sera frowned. There was something about the way the two of them were speaking and holding themselves that told her something wasn't right. Being from a small town in the South, Sera had met a few men who thought they should be in charge, or that people should do everything they said. She would've hated to see the banker who tried to buy her neighbor's land for pennies on the dollar if he had been given the power over life and death, and she had a feeling she wasn't going to like this Governor.

O:O:O:O:O:O:

She hated the Governor.

He was tall and handsome and he made the hair along her spine stand on end and her skin shiver over her bones. He had smiled broadly upon watching her hop down from the truck, Merle's hand gripping her elbow so she wouldn't fall. There was something steely and unnerving about the man's steady gaze, and Sera wanted to step behind Merle's wider frame.

There were kids running around in the streets and a few people walking past on their way to and from what looked like an open air market. Each person waved and smiled at the Governor, but Merle and Martinez were given wide berths, as if the people here were used to them lashing out in some way. The Governor seemed to be trying to talk in an almost code so that she couldn't really follow what he was saying, but she knew the men she had ridden into town with were two that he trusted.

"Now," taking her elbow, the Governor began to lead her away from the garage and into the main part of town. "The way this town continues to thrive, is that everyone works. With you being with child, we'll find something that doesn't have you on your feet all day."

"I'm a better than average seamstress, and I do pretty good at repairing shoes."

Nodding, he chuckled. "I'm sure we can find something for you."

"That would be nice, thank you!" Sera let her eyes take in the activity around her as she was led to an apartment building. At least the man knew how to walk so she wasn't forced to jog in order to keep up with his much longer strides. "Now, will my husband be as welcomed as I am?"

"Of course! Merle has been a great help to us all since we brought him in and fixed him up. This Daryl is family to the two of you, and will have the freedom to pick from a wide variety of jobs here in Woodbury."

Sera nodded absently. "And would we have the freedom to leave if we wanted?"

There was the barest hint of hesitation before he answered. "If that is what you so desires. You'll be given some food and supplies to see you on your way. No one is a prisoner here."

"Good," Sera smiled widely and prayed that it looked sincere. "I'm certain that he'll be glad to have a place to finally not have to watch our backs so hard, but men like him need to feel they can come and go."

"Now, this is for the two of you until we get something a little more appropriate for a growing family." He smiled down at her as he opened a door to a simple loft apartment. "While we normally do not allow firearms in town, I'm going to make an exception for you until you get a little more comfortable here. Merle vouches for you, and that means a lot around here."

"Thank you." Sera felt the knot in her chest ease with the knowledge that she could keep her weapons.

"Now, I'm sure you would like a chance to shower and rest while you wait for your husband to arrive."

Sera agreed and walked him back to the door. "Thank you so much for this."

"You're very welcome."

As soon as he left, Sera counted slowly to thirty before locking the door and wedging a chair under the knob for a little added security. As she had bathed the night before at the house, she didn't feel the need to do so. Standing by the window, she observed the people coming and going on the street below. While everyone seemed to be in good spirits, she could hear their happy voices floating through the open glass, she had to wonder how much was genuine emotion and how much of it was simply because they felt safe for the first time in months.

Stretching out on the bed, she allowed herself to doze quietly in the warm afternoon light until her door rattled under a heavy fist.

"Open up. It's Merle." There was anger in his voice, and she rushed to unlock and open the door.

"What's going on?"

"We need to get out of here. Now."

Without stopping to think, she strapped on her holsters and turned to see that he had hefted her duffle of supplies as well as the canvas bag containing her yarn and needles. "What's going on?"

"The Gov wasn't happy with the idea of me and Daryl not staying. Don't know what he's got planned, but we need to move."

"I knew that asshole was too good to be true."

Merle chuckled and led her out of the building, guiding her behind some buildings out of sight of the men on guard duty atop the front gate and to the garage. A small coupe sat at the back, just in front of a sliding barn door. He shoved her bags into the back seat before checking that there were no walkers and opening the heavily lined door. "We'll head back toward the house. See if we can't find my brother."

A door at the front of the garage slammed open and the Governor walked in, flanked on either side by Martinez and another man Sera hadn't met. "Merle! Are we making an unauthorized run?"

Merle pressed keys into her hand and shoved her into the front seat. "As soon as I'm away, you drive. Find my baby brother."

Turning to speak to the men slowly moving between the cars, he shrugged carelessly. "Just wanted to take my brother's wife out to look for him. He should've been here by now, and she's worried."

"Maybe he had to take a longer way around. You said yourself that the house was surrounded by a horde when you left." The tall man's smile oozed with fake concern, and Sera wondered if she would be able to hit him with the car before the armed men opened fire. "You know the rules, Merle. No one goes out without proper permission and backup."

Merle smirked. "We both know that I won't be alive in the morning if I don't go now."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Mr. Dixon."

"Yeah, okay." He stepped in front of the car.

Sera started the engine and backed out of the garage before the others could rush toward her. Spinning the wheel, she skirted the fence surrounding most of the town and shot down the road.

Daryl

Daryl had bagged two rabbits and a raccoon before returning to the Jeep. The ride was easy as he came from further up in the hills, though a few walkers turned to follow him as he passed. As he neared the house, it became obvious that there had been trouble. A few of the stumbling dead still shambled across the yard, and there were large tire marks in the mud.

"Woodbury" was written in plain block letters beside the front door in black spray paint. Growling lowly, he spun the wheel and headed east. If whoever had her had harmed Sera by the time he got there, he vowed to himself, he would kill every last one of them.

There were a few walkers in the road, but the Jeep was perfect for avoiding them. He made good time and turned off onto the two lane road that would lead to Woodbury just as the sun was setting behind him. There were plenty of tire tracks and evidence of people recently driving along the empty asphalt. Parking the Jeep behind a copse of trees and brambles, he ducked behind the fender when the low whine of an engine drew near.

The red and orange sunset glinted off bright red hair as the car sped past, and he surged out into the street to wave her down. "Hey! Catchfly!"

The car screeched to a stop, the rubber leaving black scars on the asphalt before her door was flung open and his wife was running into his arms. "Oh, Daryl!"

"What the hell?! You can't keep doin' this shit to me!"

Catching her breath, Sera pressed a kiss to his lips and then detangled herself form his arms. "Merle!"

"What?!" Daryl frowned.

"That's who took me from the house. He thought the guy who runs Woodbury would be cool with the three of us setting out on our own, but that man is not a good person."

Daryl blinked and then started dragging her back to the car. "You, pull that piece of shit off the road and get it hid. The Jeep's just there. You get in and wait for me and Merle."

"I have no idea where they'll have him, but the garage didn't seem to be very well guarded." Twisting, she pressed another kiss to his lips. "Be careful. That man has the whole town thinking he's the next thing to God himself."

"Yeah, I got it."

Jogging through the woods, Daryl soon found himself on the edge of the town, the tall fence in front of him and the growing night behind. There were no people visible, though he suspected that was due to them being posted at the more strategic locations. Using a crowbar, he pried open a corner of the sheet metal and sat his crossbow through the hole before wiggling himself through.

Creeping through the gloom of night, Daryl stopped to listen to any voices and angled himself to peer through curtained windows. The air was warm and sticky, moisture clinging to his skin and making his shirt stick to his back and chest. Breathing quietly through the humidity became difficult, and he was forced to count the seconds of his inhales and exhales so he didn't hyperventilate.

There was the light crunch of a foot falling on broken glass behind him, and a sharp pain in his skull. The world went black.