A/N: Who do I thank in every chapter? Kwiff, of course. As always thanks for the help and input! Nearing the end of what would be season 3, finally!
CHAPTER 40:
With probably about 20 minutes passing by the Governor and Rick had finally finished their meeting, leaving Rick to walk out first, as he whistled for his troops. He looked over at Andrea, he really didn't know how to look at her; she was sleeping with the enemy…and she knew it too. "Andrea." He nodded his head down and went to the car.
He noted that Michonne just glared at the woman and he hollered, "Now Michonne!" Hershel was the only one who really responded, as he cautiously let go of Daryl's arm and responded to the signal and headed for the car. "Daryl." The old man called out, "Not now."
Martinez and the other man, Milton waited as they saw the silhouette of their leader coming towards them. Andrea wanted to wave goodbye to her friends, but decided against it.
"Well?" Daryl asked as he walked to the passenger side of the car, and opened the door for Hershel.
"Get in, I think we can resolve this…" Rick knew that they could resolve this battle, but the question is would he take the Governor up on his offer? Also, does the Governor keep his word? Because that's what it literally is; trusting the man's word.
While the prison group was leaving, Milton took Andrea aside as she looked upset as the others were leaving. Not crying upset, but something in her face, you could just tell that she really did deeply care about these people. Even though she did stay at Woodbury.
"You think he's gunna do it?" Martinez was very careful as how he worded it, he didn't want Andrea to overhear them. After all it was just a matter of time before she would no longer be useful to the Governor either! He was just using her!
"I think one of them. Such a shame it had to come to this." The one-eyed man cackled as he was being sarcastic. "Let's head out. "
Merle's plan didn't work out quite the way he thought it would! They had already started a mini war, well technically the Governor did by what he did with Rachel and then Merle trying to kill Michonne, then the kidnapping and almost killing of Maggie and Glenn, and now this. So many things had started and escalated this war.
"C'mon where's tha' fuckin' cover fire!" Merle growled as he was hollering for Rachel as he could see Beth and Carl trying to escape one of the houses. "We gunna hafta make a run for it!
"Where the Hell is that brilliant plan of your's?!" Rachel retorted back at the man. "You promised Daryl-"
"Don't you's fuckin' bring 'im into this!" Merle and Rachel didn't understand the point of cover fire to well…the point was to back up Beth and Carl NOT have a shouting match giving away their position even more.
The two younger teens were taking longer because they filled up their bags with supplies and equipment that the Prison needed or didn't have. With their bags weighing them down, the two were trying to speed it up as quickly as possible.
Gunshots were scattered all throughout the town, mostly from the prison members. "C'mon boy!" Merle shouted as he saw Beth was struggling just as much as Carl was. Rachel looked over and saw that the gate was opening ever so slightly. Hearing the honking of cars, she just about screamed in terror.
"Shit they are back! We need to go!"
With retreating back, Merle managed to take Carl's bag, while the younger boy assisted Beth with her's. They heard various men shout that the Governor was back, and the Woodbury people, those who could, grabbed a gun and fired back.
"We are outnumbered!" Beth nearly screamed, "Rachel we need to go."
Rachel looked up at Merle with fear in her face, "Enough is enough, we need to go." Xavier led Carl and Beth to their exit while Merle supplied cover fire. "We did our best, we need to go! You made promises that all of us were going to make it back alive." She grabbed the man's arm, "Don't break those promises. Come on, we rattled his cage enough."
Merle hated to admit defeat, and to him this was almost being defeated. There's only so much the Governor could take, and the prison group may be strong for having the small amount of numbers it did have…but not stronger than the Woodbury people.
"Yeah…" Looking to the side of the fence, he saw the car was starting to move past the gates. Now was the perfect chance to run. "Alright y'all, c'mon!"
The car ride back to the prison was beyond silent, Hershel was in the back seat with Michonne, Daryl in shotgun, and of course Rick was driving. Hershel knew not to press Rick about what him and the Governor had discussed, he figured if he was meant to know Rick would tell him on his own time.
"Well?" Michonne attempted to pry.
Rick didn't answer with a response, instead he just looked in the mirror. Having his eyes meet with her's. "Well what did he say?"
"You're not even supposed to be here!" Rick concentrated on the road, as he now was looking at the road. "I'm not even going to answer you. You were supposed to be back at the prison."
Michonne scuffed and rolled her eyes. "Everyone forgot about me. Everyone else had a job but ME!" Without saying another word, the black woman laid back and closed her eyes.
"I hope your brother and the others are doing alright…" Rick was trying to give Merle the benefit of the doubt, he really was. Maybe people changed, well he knew people did, but maybe he changed for the better and actually thinks of someone other than himself. He just remembers his first impression of the oilder redneck and that first impression was locked in his head.
"…Yeah." Daryl simply stated.
"He's got my Bethy with him." Hershel commented, "I have a feeling they are doing just fine." Hershel smiled.
"Why are we running?" Beth asked, as all four, well five group members were at a dead run back to the truck. "They aren't behind us."
"Yeah, why are we running?" Carl asked as he slowed his pace down and looked back.
"Y'all don't know the Governor like I do. Y'all don't know the way his mind be thinkin' an' I know he's boiling at this point." Sighing, "We need to get back to the prison ASAP. Because it's jus' a matter of time before he rallies up for a full scale attack."
That must have seeped into everyone's mind, because no one said another word and didn't argue with what they were doing anymore. "Gotta warn the others." Merle finally stated after minutes of silence.
As the vehicle became more insight the speed of all of them got faster and faster. "Everyone, hurry!" Rachel shouted as she slumped one of the bags of the tail end of the truck. "Hop in, hop in. "She looked over at Merle, "Start it up." She counted heads, Merle was one, Carl was second, Beth was third, she, herself was four. Where's number five? "Xavier!"
As the other group go to the prison they waited for Axel and Glenn to open up the gates, seeing that not many walkers were in the perimeter, so they had more patience than usual. "Michonne you and I will take guard duty in 20 minutes."
Michonne just nodded her head, she was not expecting to be spoken to unless it was to be yelled at. But the day was still young, so she may be thinking on point. Time will tell.
"Rick," Hershel started, "You look tired, "Let Michonne and I take guard. You go on now and get some rest." Hershel was always the peacemaker, but felt even more so with this meeting just happening. "You go digest what you and HIM talked about. I will come and get you in a couple of hours."
The black woman looked to her side and lipped. Thank-you to the elderly man.
"Uhh, yeah, th-thanks Hershel."
The white haired man nodded, "Mh-hmm, we all had a long day. Least I can do." Daryl watched out the window while not saying anything, waiting for the car to stop moving and be put in park.
Hearing the clicking sound of the gears changing, and feeling the jolt of the car parking, Daryl was the first out of the car. Boy, did he want to know what exactly had happened in there, but he didn't care enough to ask Rick directly…he'd find a way to know.
"Ey Merle?!" Daryl hollered for his older sibling. "Rae?" He even whistled for the dog, "C'mere boy!"
Axel looked at Glenn and then at Daryl, who gave him a mean look, without even meaning too. "Wha'?" The redneck asked as he felt the Korean's and convicts eyes on him. "They ain't back yet?"
"Well, uhh, no." Axel staggered to get the words out. "But ain't nuttin' to worry about. I sure they're just bein' cautious that's all."
Daryl turned around to see the others finally getting out of the car and shutting their doors one by one. Hershel looked at Daryl with a worried some expression. "They're fine, I'm sure of it." He had to fake some sort of hope and positive thoughts.
"They left right when we did. They should be back by now. What if that fucking FREAK comes back and gets 'em before they have a chance ta leave!?" Daryl pointed his hand as far out as he could as he gave a carefree like wave and tossed his arm back to his side. "I'm goin' afta them."
Rick stepped in front of the man, "No you're not." Looking up he heard the sounds of tires crunching over walker bodies, "Look you see? Daryl I'm not a big fan of your brother, but right now it's like Hershel and I have his back more than you do."
Both Axel and Glenn opened the gate yet again, for the second batch of prison members. Seeing that everyone was there, Glenn made a sigh of relief, "Thank God." He said, as he heard Hershel tell both men to go get a rest and that he and Michonne would take over in just a few minutes.
Running up to the truck Daryl went to the driver side door, and stuck his pointer finger in his brother's face. "You dumbass! I thought y'all got killed! What the fuck took y'all so long?"
Beth ran over to her dad and gave him a big hug as she tugged along a heavy duffle bag full of supplies. Carl walked near his dad, but saw that he was going inside and stopped in his footsteps.
"Dumbass, answer me!" Daryl shouted as he about knocked his brother upside the head. Looking over at Rachel who literally had beads of sweat falling from her face. The long haired man wasn't sure what was going on, but he didn't like it. Especially for the fact that; no one was saying anything.
"We need to prepare for war…" Rachel nearly cried out. "We just made things a Hell of a lot worse!" She sunk her face into the palms of her hand as she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs.
"What?" Hershel looked down at Beth who didn't say anything but just nodded. The one –legged man quickly looked up at his leader and saw him have an explosive look on his face. "Well I think it's safe to say, whatever that offer was…it just went right out the window."
