Hey guys, sorry for the late upload. Just didn't feel up to writing a new chapter for my other fic, and since I like to upload a new chapter for both fics at the same time, here we are on Wednesday.

Anyway.

I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

"Delilah."

Delilah turned around to see Rick standing behind her.

"Whatever it is, I didn't do it," she said in a joking tone.

This pulled a small smile out of him, and he gestured his head out of the room. She nodded, and left. He followed shortly behind.

"The Governor wants Michonne."

Delilah stared at him, an eyebrow quirked.

"Well, I see you're the 'get right down to business' type. Why are you telling me?"

"Because I told Merle. We need his help. But he won't help us without you."

Delilah nodded.

"So, if you give him Michonne, then he'll leave us alone?"

"We hope."

"You hope?"

Rick nodded, and Delilah sighed.

"I don't like operating on 'hope'... but yeah, okay. I'm in."

Rick nodded once again, and walked away. Delilah looked at the ground, hands going into her back pocket.

"What the hell did I just agree to," she wondered quietly.

Delilah found Carrie later that day.

"Can we talk?" her sister asked.

Carrie nodded. "Yeah, sure."

They walked slowly, and in silence, to the catwalk. Delilah stared out at the walkers, her fingers knitting through the webbing in the fence.

"What's wrong?" Carrie asked.

Delilah shook her head. "Not sure if I can tell you."

"Tell me anyway."

Delilah stared at her for a moment before looking back out at the walkers.

"They're gonna give Michonne to the Governor. On a hope that he'll leave us alone."

Carrie nodded, processing the information as she, too, stared at the undead.

"Just a hope."

"Yeah, Delilah, I heard. I'm not quite sure what you want me to say."

"Say it's wrong. That we shouldn't do it."

"Yeah it is wrong, and we shouldn't do it, but Rick's not gonna listen to me. He's not even here."

"You were with him before."

"Yeah, I was, and I left. He doesn't trust me anymore – which is why I'm hearing about this from you and not him."

Delilah sighed. "Yeah, you're right."

Silence.

"So, where's Robert? You haven't talked about him and you and Joel seem pretty... you know, close."

Carrie sighed, looking back over at her sister.

"He got bit. Back in the beginning."

Delilah nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. He uh... he changed, near the end. He wasn't himself. It took me a long time to see that but... it's the truth."

"Everyone changes now. Hell, the Carrie I knew before this wouldn't have even thought about cutting her hair as short as yours is now."

Carrie laughed at this. "No, no she wouldn't have."

More silence.

"So, Fort Benning got overrun, huh?"
"Yeah... I almost didn't make it out."

"We were gonna go there. But we decided to go to the C.D.C instead."

"What happened?"

"It ran out of power. Then blew up. Killed the one doctor that was left and one of our group."

Delilah nodded, and there was another bout of silence.

"Merle and I slept together."

Carrie's head whipped over to her sister, and she stared at her, speechless. Delilah laughed at the look on her face.

"I think that's why he listens to me. He thinks it'll happen again."

"Ew, Delilah! That's disgusting."

"It's a lonely world, Carrie."

"Yeah, I get that, but come on, Merle Dixon?!"

Delilah laughed again.

"It was a one time thing. I hated myself too much afterward to let it happen again. And I didn't want to ruin what we had. We're a good team – still are. I'd like to hold onto that."

"It's still disgusting."

"Oh, grow up," Delilah said, laughing, and elbowed her. Carrie laughed, too, returning the gesture.

And, for just a moment, it was like the old days, and they forgot where they were.

Merle found her later, and pulled her aside. He explained his plan – to get Michonne alone, knock her out, and deliver her to the Governor themselves.

"It's a bad idea," she said quietly, crossing her arms.

"Maybe. But you're still gonna help me out."

"Oh, yeah? Why's that?"

"Because you got my back, remember? And I got yours."

Delilah sighed.

"Fine. You're right."

And so, they got Michonne alone, down into the catacombs.

"So where is it?" she asked.

"Around the corner. We gotta clear some walkers, then get the others down here to barricade it," Merle explained. "A breach like this could be an open invitation to the Governor."

They walked past a walker, who was growling and reaching for them behind a closed cell door.

"He's not much for subtlety," Michonne argued, and she wondered if the woman would figure it out before they could knock her out.

A walker began to lumber towards them, and Merle looked back at Delilah. She knew that look – he was gonna strike now.

"You wanna take your chances?" he asked, and they took out the now pair of walkers. It was when more began to walk forward that Merle knocked her over the head with his metal hand.

The two of them took out the rest of the walkers, and Merle dragged Michonne out of the catacombs, making sure to tie her hands with a wire.

Delilah tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her gut.

"The Governor made Rick an offer," Merle explained as they walked, trying to find a car. "Turn you over and we all give peace a chance. I agree with you. He would have blinked."

"But not you," Michonne replied bitterly.

"I'm bein' straight with you," Merle said, scoffing.

"You were straight when you lead me into the tombs."

"Okay, maybe I wasn't straight."

"You put a bag over my head."

"I got it done. He wouldn't have. Let's keep movin'."

"Your partner hasn't even said a word," Michonne argued. "She knows it's wrong, don't you?"

"You heard him, keep moving," Delilah said. She didn't want to admit the woman was right.

"He was a guy that came back for me on that rooftop. Nah... it's all on me. You know, I figure that's why I was back there in the first place. Do the dirty work."

The sounds of a walker.

"I got it," Delilah said, clicking her knife open.

"No," Merle replied. "May I?"

He didn't wait for an answer. He unsheathed Michonne's sword and walked towards it, decapitating it with a single swipe.

He seemed surprised when he turned around, and saw Michonne still standing there.

"You know what, I figured you two would've run."

"Wanted my sword back before I get away," she said.

Merle laughed.

"It may go down that way. But if I were you, I wouldn't get my hopes up."

They continued to walk.

"Carrie."

Carrie turned around, and saw Daryl stalking towards her. Her eyebrows furrowed.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Merle and Delilah took Michonne. We were going to-"

"Yeah, I know. Are you going after them?"
He nodded.

"I'm coming, too."

"Good."

What'd you guys think? I hope you enjoyed, but let me know in a review, 'cause I always love to hear it.

Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next week.

-SparrowEyedGirl