Betrayal

The prison community prepares to infiltrate Woodbury with the help of insiders, rescue Carol and kill the Governor. Will they succeed or will some of them die? Another showdown between Daryl and the Governor. And what's he been doing to Carol, anyway?

i.

Daryl, Rick, Michonne and Glenn were approaching Woodbury under the cover of night. Behind them, the others were following – as backup because it wouldn't do good to draw attention to themselves by going there all together in a big group. According to their 'friends' there, they would be given free passage through the perimeter.

But Glenn was nervous, drew up his shotgun to his chest. 'Do we trust these people who say they're on our side?'

Daryl shrugged. 'Got no choice. Anyways, can't stand back no more and do nothin'. Waitin' for him to kill Carol and finally make his move and attack us. We ain't safe.'

'That's right.' The leader agreed. 'And if ya'll knew the things he's been getting up to, you wouldn't be surprised that his own people want him dead.' Rick made a low sound of disgust. 'Really low, sick stuff.'

'I knew what he was first time I met him. Tried to warn Andrea but she still fell for good looks and that Southern charm of his.' Michonne was bitter. 'And she's still there with him – what we gonna do about that?' Worried for her friend over there on the wrong side of the fence.

Rick shrugged. 'Her choice. She chose him over us, remember?'

'Yeah, we all have a choice. She's made hers.' Daryl drawled. 'Pity, I really liked her.'

As if to confirm Rick's words, they saw the signposts as the drew nearer to the town. They shone their torches on them to read what they said out of curiosity. Saw that the town name 'Woodbury' had been crossed out in red, replaced with crude drawings of skulls and bones instead. The message was clear. But if it wasn't there were also warnings of 'Turn back!', 'Enter at your own peril' and 'This place be cursed!' on the walls of the empty buildings lining the road to the town barricade.

Chilling most of all – 'There is a demon upon the throne of Woodbury.' With a graffiti of the Governor – a remarkable likeness of him – even his trademark sneer, complete with tail and horns, shootin people – even children.

Daryl hissed and drew a sharp intake of breath. Expressing everything they were all feeling. 'What the fuck...?' He muttered under his breath.

'Looks like Woodbury is fighting back. Good for us.' Rick sounded a little less tense. A little more hopeful as they made their way, dispatching a few Walkers who crossed their path but ignoring the others.

After all, they had a job to do – more important things to focus their energy on.

ii.

Randy, along with the other guard, sneered at Daryl before cuffing him and dragging him to the holding cell to wait for the Governor. The Dixon didn't resist. 'Hi again.' The heavy whispered in his ear, disgustingly licking his cheek. Never did get to play with ya. Pity that.'

Daryl cringed back but otherwise didn't react. 'He's waitin' for ya.' Mike whispered in his other ear as they hustled him down the corridor between them. 'He's fuckin' obsessed with ya but I can't see why.' He looked at the Dixon up and down contemptuously. 'Cos ya ain't nothin' special, jus' look like a dumb piece of white trash to me.'

'Fuck ya.' Daryl hissed back and Randy cuffed him in response and Daryl lunged at him, even though his hands were tied behind him. Managed to get free of Mike to kick him between the legs. Randy was cursing, in agony. 'Ya gonna pay for that later.' He gasped as he drew back his fist and split the Dixon's lip. Sucked him in the gut too. The prisoner doubled over and grunted but otherwise didn't make a sound. 'Yeah?' Daryl sneered defiantly as he straightened himself up again. 'That all ya got? Ya real badasses, fightin' a man with his hands tied behind his back.'

'Leave 'im with me, Mike. I wanna play with him a while. Punish him – if ya know what I mean.' He winked at the other man and grabbed his own crotch suggestively. Even waggled his tongue at him. 'Then ya can have ya turn, OK?' He turned round to leer at Daryl, groped him between the legs and forced his tongue into his mouth while the Dixon gagged and struggled.

Mike looked dubious. 'But.. he... he said no touchin' – to save him for him.'

Randy drew back from the kiss and winked at his friend. 'Hey – well if ya don't tell, I won't, hey? Jus' give us some privacy – I wanna enjoy this special piece of redneck ass all by myself.'

Daryl trembled and hissed at this.

Still, Mike looked uncertain because he'd heard how the Governor repaid disobedience.

'I...I don't know...'

'Hey, Mikey, how long we been friends?' Randy grinned at him conspiratorially. 'I won't say nothin', neither will this little bitch.' He sniggered at Daryl who looked away. 'Then ya can have ya turn.'

'Ya fuckin' touch me and I'll kill ya!' Daryl threatened while his captors laughed.

'With what, exactly?' Randy taunted him. 'Ya mouth? What ya gonna do with ya hands tied behind ya back?'

'Still managed to kick ya in the balls, didn't I?' The prisoner smirked defiantly.

'Yeah – and ya gonna pay for that once I recover, ya piece of trailer trash.' Randy grabbed Daryl's ass roughly with one hand and forced his hand down the crotch of the young redneck's trousers.

He grinned in triumph when he finally drew out a whimper from the prisoner who went white at his rough groping and smirked at the other man. 'See – jus' a pussy really. Soft as shit, ain't ya, boy?' To Mike, 'Ya gonna leave us alone now? Just for a little while?'

Mike hesitated, 'I'm not sure...if he finds out...'

'Stop bein' a fuckin' coward. Ya scared of him?'

That got him. Mike nodded but not before licking his lips and leering at the prisoner – he really was a fine piece of ass with his lean body and high cheekbones. 'OK – but as soon as ya done – let me have a go with him, OK?' Mike reached over and stroked the prisoner's cheek slowly while the pretty boy recoiled from his fingers. Taking no notice, he continued exploring the prisoner's face and tugged down the man's lower lip. 'Bet ya can suck cock really well, can't ya? Daddy taught ya good, didn't he?'

He laughed dirtily then at his own joke. 'Can't wait to try ya out.'

Daryl said nothing but the rage was clear on his face. Of course they knew about his family history from the last time he was here. Probably the whole of fuckin' Woodbury knew. Jus' his luck.'

'Sure. Don't stress.' Randy replied. 'I'll even break him in for ya, how about that?'

Daryl shuddered and growled at him.

'Jus' go with the flow, maybe you'll even enjoy it.' Randy grabbed his arm and forced him against the wall. 'If ya good to me, maybe I'll even get ya off.'

'Fuck ya. I ain't no pansy homo fag,and I don't fuck men.' Daryl snarled back, forgetting his drunken one-time only experiment with Rick.

Randy shrugged. 'Neither am I. But at least I'll be better to ya than him.' Daryl knew he was talking about his boss – that sadistic raping fuck.

Meanwhile, Mike felt himself becoming hard as he watched all of this and reluctantly turned away and forced himself to leave. Couldn't even stay outside the door and touch himself while he listened because he had jobs to do. But when he was finished with work, he was going to enjoy some up and close personal downtime with the prisoner and yes – , he admitted grudgingly to himself, maybe the risk of going against the Governor's orders added to his excitement.

iii.

Randy and Mikey dragged Daryl by the arm to the interrogation cell where Carol was waiting with the Governor.

His eyes widened in shock when he saw her battered face although hers lit up when she saw him. Nevertheless, he was relieved to see her alive. 'What did ya do to her?' He snarled at the Governor, forgetting all fear for himself. The Woodbury leader shrugged. 'Only what I had to.'

Daryl was sickened.'Ya sick bastard, I'm gonna kill ya for touchin' her. For my brother too.'

The Governor laughed. 'He was a traitor – he got what was coming to him. Did ya know he begged me to spare his life? Even offered to give up your people to save his own worthless hide.'

'Ya a fuckin' liar! Merle wouldn't do that!' Daryl struggled in his rage and even got free from Randy. Lunged at the Governor but he couldn't do anything with his hands tied behind his back. The henchman took a step forward but the Woodbury leader waved them back. 'Ya sick. Someone should put ya down.'

'And how ya gonna do that, may I ask?'

Daryl didn't answer so the Governor turned to Carol instead. Stroked her cheek tenderly while she cringed away. Daryl tensed at this. Worse -she was feeling exposed – only in her slip. Didn't want Daryl to see her scars from her husband or the bruises from her tormentor but apparently he didn't even notice. She saw Daryl's tattered clothes and his bruises and she dreaded to think what they'd already done to him.

The Governor turned to her then, fondled a strand of her hair while she drew back as far as she could. But she was tied to the chair, her hands behind her.

Daryl struggled in Randy's arms. 'Get ya filthy hands off her.' He snarled at him, just the effect the Governor was looking for.

'So ya love her, do ya?'

Daryl said nothing, knew that his captor would see this as a weakness and exploit it.

'Now, now.' Philip stroked his cheek gently while he flinched away. To Carol, 'Ya know, I've been dreaming of this moment so long. You, me and him together – just like a beautiful little family.'

'Get ya fuckin' hands off him.' She hissed at him – her protectiveness for Daryl surprising her. Like how she would have protected Sophia from Ed in the past by trying to distract him from her even if it meant she got hurt more.

He laughed gently then. 'So, you really do love him.'

She said nothing, knowing anything she said he would use against her.

'Do ya remember the treat I promised you, when he came for you?'

She feigned ignorance, didn't know what else to do. 'What treat? I don't remember.'

'I was going to let you watch.'

'Wh...What?'

'While I re-enact Daryl's childhood with his Daddy.'

The Dixon looked at him and snarled 'Fuck you.' at him. While he looked at Carol with shock because he saw then that she knew. Had known for a long time.

'You really are a sick fuck.' She screamed at him – surprised at her use of the bad words – she never swore. But she was standing up to him for Daryl when she would never have defied her husband like this.

Their tormentor laughed. 'So touching, so sweet. You really are two little love-birds.'

They kept silent at this.

The Governor tantalisingly undid his belt and pulled down his trousers.

'Ya fuckin touch him and I'll kill you.' Carol threatened him, surprised at her vehemence.

Daryl threw her a look, silently telling her to shut up, not to bring more pain upon herself. That he could take whatever the sick fuck dished out.

Their Governor pulled down his own boxers – right in front of her and she noted his flat stomach, his muscular torso. His already stiffening member. Maybe in another life...

What the hell am I thinking? She stopped herself from thinking these sick thoughts about the Governor.

Because suddenly he rushed at Daryl and forced the struggling Dixon to bend over the table. Even restrained, he managed to almost free himself so the Governor clicked his fingers to Randy to help hold him down. Then he impatiently tugged down the prisoner's trousers and his underwear.

She turned away – deliberately didn't look at Daryl's bruised and scarred body – he must be embarrassed at being naked yet he didn't seem to be be. She just didn't want to witness the humiliation and violation of her friend. But Daryl didn't seem to be concerned. Just let the bastard do whatever he wanted.

Did she imagine Daryl's careless smirk as the Governor got into position behind him? He didn't seem scared at all even though he was cringing back from the other man's sleazy touch and shudders were running up and down his body. But he always shied away from the touch of people he didn't know or trust.

Philip gently stroked back a stray strand of hair, tucked it behind Daryl's ear. 'Poor baby. What did Daddy do?' He crooned.

Started tracing the scars on his back with his forefinger. 'Did ya Daddy do this to ya? He crooned, voice oozing fake sympathy as he pressed himself against the Dixon's backside but thankfully, was still not penetrating him yet. Daryl swallowed hard, forced himself not to move away as he fought the waves of panic when he felt how big he was and already hard for him. It was going to hurt like fuck.

'So what if he did?' Daryl answered carelessly. He'd laid those particular demons to rest long ago.

'What else did he do? Tell me and I can make it all go away.'

Daryl didn't answer. Glanced at Carol – had never wanted to know about that part of his life. It was behind him anyway. His brother had helped him deal with it before he'd been ripped away from him. By the very man who was now groping him.

'Fuck you, ya sick fuck, get the fuck on with it.' He sneered.

Was she mistaken or did Daryl wink at her? Like he was telling her things would be all right in the end.

'Ya want it the hard way or the easy way?'

'Don't give a shit.' Daryl replied carelessly.

'Right then.' In front of her, the bastard started to slide his fingers into Daryl's backside, but he did smother them in lubricant first. The Dixon swallowed back a gasp of pain and tried to squirm away.'There, there.' Then he went in deeper until he found what he was looking for and Daryl couldn't stop the moan escaping his lips when his experienced fingers grazed the sweet spot there. Even found his body moving back and forth against the Governor's hand who smirked then triumphantly. And he could do nothing about it.
'You like it, don't you? Ya want it. Ya always were a little slut, even when you were a boy, that's why ya Daddy did it to ya. He could tell, jus' like I could. Bet he even called ya his sweet little whore.'

'Fuck you! No, I wasn't!' Daryl yelled in rage even as he was gasping and panting in pleasure as the bastard continued to massage that secret, intimate place with his fingers. He just wanted to die - he couldn't stand it with Carol watching - even though she'd turned away - that was the worst. Randy kept his face forward - but Daryl knew he was focusing on a spot in right in front of him - a trick he'd learnt to do when he was very young to distract himself. And even if they killed the bastard and got out of here alive, she would always remember seeing him like this, it would always be between them - that's if they ever moved to the next level from being just friends.

Could they ever move on from this?

The bastard looked over to her to read her reaction and smirked. And she had turned away – couldn't watch any more - didn't want to see her friend's humiliation and violation. The mention of his family history with the sick bastard taunting him with it. But the Governor noticed and stopped what he was doing. Clicked his fingers at Mike who was hanging by the door. Didn't need to give him the order, the heavy knew what he wanted, had witnessed many scenes like this with prisoners. The Woodbury leader particularly liked relatives to watch while violated his captives. Husbands and wives, brothers and sisters were good pairings that added to his enjoyment. He'd usually violate one after the other. And get them to have sex with each other.

Mike went over to leer behind Carol and force her head back to watch even though she resisted. Held it there looking straight at Daryl and the Governor but she stubbornly closed her eyes.

The henchman looked over to his boss who nodded. He released her then slapped her hard round the face – first one cheek then the other, leaving red marks where his hand had been. Making her open her eyes in a hurry and her eyes sting with tears.

'Leave her alone! Ya got me, do the fuck ya want with me but just leave her out of it!' The prisoner yelled and struggled, his efforts to break free suddenly renewed. Unintentionally, he was grinding back against his rapist's hard dick who groaned in pleasure.

'You're so fuckin' hot, I can see why ya Daddy couldn't resist ya. I don't know if I can any longer.' He hissed into Daryl's ear, groaning and touching himself. 'What ya just did...' Aloud, to Carol he said, 'You watch otherwise I'll fuck him to death. You know I will and I won't be a gentleman. And you really wouldn't want to see me do that because I can, you know. I've done it loads of times to guests who don't behave.'

So, she was forced to keep her eyes open and watch as he moved on to stretching Daryl after smothering his fingers with more lube while the latter tried to swallow grunts of pain and despite himself, the tears welled up in his eyes.

'See how nice I'm being to you, preparing ya and all.' He whispered in his victim's ear. 'Didn't have to, ya know.'

''Don't know why with that tiny prick of yours. Hardly gonna feel it.'' Daryl retorted and laughed mockingly.

'Oh, you will, just wait for ya Daddy.'

'Ya sick fuck.'

Philip ignored him and grinned at his friend triumphantly as the tears ran down her face. Because despite everything he'd done to her, he'd failed to make her weep. But now she was. Nevertheless, she didn't make a sound as she vowed that she was never going to give the bastard that satisfaction. Even if she couldn't hold back the tears. The bastard was already panting with excitement about to enter him when Daryl chose his moment while his captor was distracted. Reached up with his bound hands behind his back, difficult with the Governor pressing himself so tightly against him and with a triumphant smirk, he pulled them apart until they broke. At the same time, as if they'd planned it, Randy drew his gun and shot the other guard across the room twice – once in the head and stomach before Mike could even react as he slumped bleeding to the floor.

The Governor suddenly stopped what he was doing. He'd been lost in the moment. 'What the hell...' he gasped in shock. 'Randy...what ya...' But he didn't get to finish as Daryl sniggered and took advantage of his paralysis and was already on top of him, both of them naked like in some kind of exotic wrestling match as as he chopped and punched him down. Philip had known he would be more than an equal in a fair fight – that's why having him restrained was such a turn on. So strong yet so vulnerable at the same time.

But then the Governor recovered but instead, pretended to be weakening and made an unexpected move. Turning things round so that Daryl the one was underneath him and his arms around his neck. Randy stepped forward but Daryl waved him away with a hand without looking at him, all the time glaring into his enemy's eyes as he instinctively scrabbled at the hands tightening around his throat. Crushing the life out of him. Because this was his fight – he was going to kill the bastard for Merle and the all the others – the Dixon code of honour demanded it.

As if from far away, he could hear Carol screaming 'Stop him! Help him!' And then the hard pounding of footsteps – probably the Governor's calvary were arriving after hearing the shots. Then more gunfire – Randy had his hands full fighting them off - couldn't help him. Carol was no help either – Randy hadn't had time to untie her. Daryl almost regretted refusing the henchman's help because of his sense of personal pride as his vision dimmed and his chest felt like it was burning. He fought to stay conscious as he desperately scrabbled around for something to use against his assailant but couldn't find anything. Deliberately didn't look into the man's manic hate mixed with lust-filled and rage-filled eyes staring into his.

But no. He didn't regret refusing help – even if he died. Because it was his fight. His alone. That was the Dixon way. And at least he'd see his brother again in that place where he knew Merle was waiting for him. When he'd gone, it was like the other half of his heart had been ripped out of his chest and he still felt that emptiness that could never ever be filled up except by kin who had the same Dixon blood running through his veins..

He was suddenly filled with regret that he would never be able to make it up to Carol – maybe they would have been someone to each other – he dared to think – maybe even more than friends. He would never hold the little ass-kicker again. Would never see Rick, Glenn, Maggie or Michonne ever again. Would never have another chance to teach Carl how to shoot the crossbow or track prey.

Would never have a chance to speak to his other family – tell them he loved them. Because they were his family – different to Merle but that didn't mean he loved them any less.

Would never see the forest or the mountains or the glistening river again. Would never smell the sweet scent of flowers heralding Spring or hear the birds sing him awake to another early dawn.

Would never go on another hunt, would never ….He lost his train of thought as the Governor's face looming over him and the sound of Carol's screams and gunfire gradually faded away as they were being replaced by that green meadow from their childhood near their home. The one surrounded by the rustling forest – their favourite place where they'd felt happy and safe from their father. The place where he met Merle again still in his dreams and talked to him.

A memory came to him then, unbidden, of racing his brother there one early summer's day past the white flowers with the glowing golden hearts in their centres. Even though Merle had given him a considerable headstart – his short eight year old legs had been no match for his 16 year old brother's long, lanky ones , his big brother swiftly caught up with him. Almost overtaking him but not quite.

'Beat ya to it, baby brother!' He heard him call out behind him.

But then Merle was holding back and letting him run ahead for a while before rushing at him suddenly and scooping him up easily under one arm. Carrying him as he ran like this for a while before they fell down, their legs and arms entangled and laughing together.

He smiled gently at this as the life began to leave his body. Dying wasn't so bad because now he could hear his brother calling to him. He'd be with Merle again, this time forever.

'Daryl, come here boy! I'm here, waitin' for ya!' And he was running, running with his eight year old legs to his big brother in the distance, who had his arms already open, outstretched to scoop him up in that glistening green field. Running to the one person he loved most in the world.

His eyes were unfocused, their bright blue looking at something or someone the Governor couldn't see. While a gentle smile played round his lips.