A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and input! I'm glad everyone is so excited by this story. Keep them coming! We've had a lot of turns in this story and we're about to have another but I think everyone will be excited for it. I hope everyone is also reading my other new story "Rebirth". Don't forget to review!

Chapter 38

Naomi entered the Governor's home and he led her over to the kitchen.

"Are you hungry? I can fix us something to eat..." The Governor told her.

Naomi sat at the table and shook her head. "I'm not hungry but thanks..."

The Governor grabbed two glasses and a bottle of whiskey and sat them on the table, sitting next to her. "Well at least a drink then..."

Naomi forced a smile as she watched him pour them each a glass.

"I'm assuming from today you now understand why I don't want you outside the walls of the town..." The Governor remarked.

"I never thought it wouldn't be dangerous but I won't stop looking for my son...I thought maybe tomorrow if we start earlier that we could cover more ground..."

The Governor slammed his glass on the table. "You can't be serious! You almost cost Merle his life! Do you know how devastating it would be to Woodbury if we lost him? But I guess his life means nothing to you."

"How can you say that? Of course it does!" Naomi insisted.

"I told you before we'd look for Caleb on our runs but you insisted on coming, even when I asked you not to. Merle almost died today but you don't seem phased by that one bit. All you can think about is what you want to do next!" The Governor started to raise his voice.

Naomi stood up angry. "I JUST WANT TO FIND MY SON! OF COURSE I FEEL AWFUL ABOUT MERLE BUT I APOLOGIZED TO HIM. CALEB IS OUT THERE SOMEWHERE AND I CAN'T JUST SIT HERE AND DO NOTHING!"

The Governor stood up and walked over towards the door, opening it. "You need to leave...I'll have to think about all of this..."

Naomi glared at him as she fought back tears.

"If you don't mind, go by Milton's lab and send him to see me.." The Governor stated.

"Fine..." Naomi said softly as she exited.

.

Naomi shivered slightly from the cool night air as she walked towards Milton's laboratory. She knocked on the door but no one answered. She knew if Milton was inside the lab itself it was hard for him to hear so she tried the door and it was unlocked. Naomi entered and headed for the basement stairs. She heard voices coming from below as she entered. She was about halfway down the stairs when she could see Merle pinning Milton against the wall.

"I was just following the Governor's orders...you would've done the same..." Milton pleaded with him.

Merle snarled, the anger almost spilling out of him since he kept it pent up from the day before. "What else were ya gonna do ya little pervert? Ya think I don't know? There she was, passed out on your couch, she'd never know now would she?"

"You make it sound so vulgar! I swear I wasn't going to do anything...she was just supposed to be knocked out through the morning so she'd miss the run! That's all!" Milton insisted.

"WHAT?" Naomi was shocked as she rushed the rest of the way down the steps and over next to Merle. He released Milton and turned his back to both of them.

"I...I...I..." Milton only managed to stutter.

"You drugged me? That's why I couldn't remember anything and felt like shit all day isn't it?" Everything was suddenly making sense. How strangely everyone acted when she had approached them, Merle's odd behavior, her feeling in a fog. "And Phillip ordered this? Did you know about all of this yesterday?" Naomi turned to Merle and he turned back around to face her.

"No...not 'til after it was done..." Merle told her.

"I don't believe this..." Naomi walked away from both of them.

Milton started to follow after her. "You have to know it was for your own good...just to keep you safe..."

Naomi quickly turned back around. "For my own good? Are you kidding me? You don't honestly expect me to believe that do you?...And you...were you ever going to tell me?" She directed her attention to Merle.

He didn't answer as he just stared at her.

"I can't believe it...why is everyone so against me finding my son?" Naomi asked. "All of you...you do nothing but try to trick me and lie to me! I don't want to be around any of you!" Naomi turned and rushed out of the lab.

"This is bad... I have to tell the Governor..." Milton started to rush after her but Merle followed him.

.

"Let me do the talking or you're liable to get us both in even more trouble..." Milton told him as they approached the Governor's home.

"Fuck that! Yer gonna throw me under the bus if ya get a chance." Merle remarked as he pounded on the door.

The Governor opened the door and looked surprised to see them both. "I only asked for Milton..."

"Merle told Naomi you had me drug her!" Milton blurted out.

"Fuckin' weasel! I did not!...she overheard us arguin' in the lab..." Merle countered.

The Governor stepped back allowing them room to enter. "Both of you idiots get in here and tell me everything..."

.

Naomi walked towards the North wall and hid her backpack just out of view. She rounded the corner and caught the attention of the guard.

"You're Smith right?" Naomi asked.

The man turned around and looked at her. "Yeah...Why?"

"The Governor wants to see you...told me to take watch for you until you get back." She told him.

"Really? What about?" Smith asked.

"How should I know? Just doing what he asked." Naomi told him.

Smith hopped down off the wall and handed her his rifle. She watched as he walked towards the Governor's home and as soon as he was far enough away not to notice, she ran back to where she hid her backpack and grabbed it. Quickly she slipped her arms through the straps and slung the rifle on her shoulder. She ran back to the wall and climbed up. She took a deep breath, knowing she only had a short time before they'd know she was gone so she had to put as much distance between herself and Woodbury as possible. Naomi knew she was taking a huge risk, especially at night, but with Phillip and Milton trying to sabotage her search for Caleb, she didn't see any other choice. Merle was the only one she felt bad about leaving but at the same time he wasn't being completely honest with her either. She knew he was just trying to protect her but she couldn't risk him caving under pressure from Phillip.

Naomi jumped off the wall onto the other side and felt a combination of freedom and terror. She was worried being out there on her own but Caleb could be by himself if something had happened to Daryl. She had to find him, no matter what the risk.

.

The Governor was yelling at both men when Smith opened the door. Suddenly The Governor became quiet and they all looked at him.

"I knocked but ya didn't hear me I guess...um...you wanted to see me?" Smith stared.

"I didn't ask to see you...aren't you supposed to be on wall duty?" The Governor asked.

Smith started to squirm unsure of what to think. "Yeah but that woman...what's her name? Naomi? She said she'd take watch because you wanted to see me."

The Governor looked back at Milton and Merle.

"You don't think she..." Merle started to speak but he knew the answer to his own question before he even finished asking. "Fuck!"

They all rushed out towards the North wall. As they approached they could see it was unguarded.

"You've got to be kidding me!" The Governor remarked as he climbed up on the wall followed by Merle. "Turn on the spotlight..."

Merle grabbed the spotlight and flipped it on, shining it out towards the woods. "She couldn't have gotten far...if we head out now we can probably catch her." Merle climbed down then stared up at the Governor as he looked blankly out towards the woods.

"Gov?" Merle asked as they all stared up at him.

"We'll go at first light..." He stated as he turned around and climbed off the wall.

"First light? But that's over eight hours from now! If we go now we can catch her before she gets too far!" Merle insisted.

"You know we don't open the gates after dark...she wants to risk her life in the dark then that's on her...I'm not risking lives by going out now...you know Merle, you're partly to blame teaching her how to defend herself...if you hadn't she might not have felt confident enough to go off on her own..."

.

Daryl jerked himself awake but noticed how dark and quiet the prison was. Daryl carefully sat up to not disturb Carol or Caleb. He grabbed his crossbow and headed down the stairs and out the cell block. He entered the base of the guard tower and climbed up the stairs. Maggie sat at the top of the platform, staring off into the night with a rifle by her side.

"Daryl...you're awake..." Maggie remarked as she smiled.

"How could y'all let me sleep that long?" Daryl asked irritated.

Maggie smirked as she shook her head. "Because you needed it...and y'all looked so cute all cuddled up together!"

Daryl could feel his cheeks flush. "Where's Glenn?"

"He's sleeping..." She told him. "Can I ask you about something?"

Daryl shrugged as he waited for her to continue.

"What's going on with you and Carol?" She asked.

Daryl looked at her strangely. "What do ya mean?"

"Well...seems like lately you guys are getting closer...I mean I know you're both trying to take care of Caleb but it just seems like maybe something more might be brewing?" Maggie smiled as she tried not to seem too eager.

Daryl heavily sighed.

"I'm sorry...please don't be embarrassed...you know...just forget I asked...it doesn't matter." Maggie suddenly felt guilty for asking. Making Daryl uncomfortable was not what she intended but she guessed she should've known better. "I'm going to go to sleep...Oscar will come relieve you before sunrise..."

Maggie headed down the stairs but rested her hand against his shoulder as she passed.

.

Daryl paced back and forth trying to keep himself warm as the sun slowly started to rise. Oscar rushed up the stairwell onto the platform.

"Sorry man...I over slept." Oscar told him.

"No problem..." Daryl headed down the stairs and back to the cell block. When he entered he saw Beth in tears, kneeling on the floor brushing up a white powder with her hands and Hershel standing over her.

"It was an accident Beth...it could've been any of us." Hershel remarked.

"But this was the last of the formula...she can't eat this now...not off this floor! I ruined it...it's my fault." Beth cried.

"What's going on?" Daryl asked as he walked up to them.

"Beth had just made Judith's bottle but as she was putting the can of formula away she dropped it...someone will need to make a run." Hershel told him.

Beth continued to cry harder. "I shouldn't have been so clumsy...I'm so sorry."

Daryl rested his hand on her shoulder. "It was an accident...don't worry...I'll go...I'll find some more..."

"Take Glenn or Maggie with you...you shouldn't go alone." Hershel stated.

"Any sign from Rick?" Daryl asked.

"He stopped by briefly earlier...but I don't think he's improved much." Hershel remarked.

"Glenn should stay then...I think Maggie would be better off here for Beth ...Caleb won't let Carol out of his sight...I'll go alone...I won't take long." Daryl told him as he turned and started to head back out of the cell block.

Hershel followed after him on his crutches. "Daryl wait...I don't think that's a good idea..."

Daryl turned back around. "We don't got a choice...I'll be alright..."