The arguing voices drifted up to the cell where Ava was currently in, sitting at the edge of her bed with a bucket between her knees. She took a few deep breaths, trying to push the nausea back down before slowly standing up. Stepping out of the cell, she pulled her hair into a high ponytail before being startled by Hershel shouting, "Get back here!" Picking up a half-full water bottle, Ava stepped forward and leaned against the railing, surveying the scene below her.

"You once said this isn't a democracy." Hershel continued, "Now you have to own up to that." Rick turned around, staring blankly at the older man. "I put my family's life in your hands." Hershel sighed as he hobbled closer to the younger man, "So get your head clear and do something." The group watched as Rick held the man's gaze before turning around and marching out of the cell block.

Daryl nibbled at the edge of his thumb before stepping close to Ava, running a hand down her back, "You ok?" She nodded, taking a sip of water before answering, "Yeah. Just a little woozy is all."


Later, the small group reconvened to discuss what should be done to secure the prison better. With his arms crossed over his chest, Daryl suggested "Ava and I can take one of the guard towers and take out some walkers while the y'all work on the gate." Michonne nodded, adding, "We can also move the trucks or busses in front, block off the broken part of the fence." Hershel shook his head before putting in his two cents, "We can't clear the field right now without burning through most of our bullets."

Glenn sighed as he shifted on his feet, "So, we're stuck here, low on food and ammo." Max spoke up, "We did it once, we can do it again." Glenn scoffed and shook his head, "That was before we had a snake in the nest."

Hearing a small growl escape from Daryl, Ava placed her hand on his arm before he shook it off and spat his retort back at Glenn, "We gon' go through this again. Merle's stayin' here, he's with us now." Throwing his heads up in the air, he walked up the stairs, throwing his last comment over his shoulder, "Get used to it. All y'all." Ava watched as he retreated up to their cell. Max moved to stand beside her, gently nudging her shoulder with his.

"Gonna go after your redneck?" he asked, scuffing the toe of his boot against the cement floor. Ava crossed her arms over her chest, keeping her gaze on the stairs as she replied, "In a minute. Just gon' let him stew for a bit." Turning around, she took a minute to assess Max's healing face, the dark bruises already starting to fade into a yellowish color, "So, how're you holding up?"

Max shrugged, his hand lifting to rub the back of his neck before answering, "Better. Still not thrilled that the guy who did all this to my face is sleeping just down the way from where my sisters and I are. But, I'm doing better." Ava smiled and nodded. She motioned towards the stairs and said, "Well, I guess it's time to go check on my redneck."

Soon, Ava found herself leaning against the cell door, looking into the small room that she shared with her hunter. She observed him quietly for a few minutes until his eyes rose to meet her gaze. Giving him a small smile, she asked "What's up?" Daryl shook his head as his hands went back to fiddling with the arrow head in his hands. Ava let out a short laugh. Walking up to the cot, she nudged one of his feet with her knees before admonishing him, "Nuh-uh, Dixon. You don't get to do that." Crossing her arms over her chest, she continued "I've known you for far too long to know when somethin's up with you."

The couple had a staring contest; Ava staring at Daryl and Daryl staring at the wall, for a good bit before Ava sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. Rubbing her forehead, she turned to walk out of the cell before looking over her shoulder at the man-child pouting on the cot. She shook her head once and informed him that she would be in the guard tower with Maggie if he wanted to man up and talk. She wrapped her arms around her body and made her way out of the cell, giving Carol as small smile as she passed by.


"What are you doing here, Andrea?" asked Rick. Andrea glanced around the cell block, her hand moving to swipe at her mouth as she sighed. "Look," she started, "I can't excuse or explain what Philip has done." Ava spoke up, interrupting the returned group member, "What he's done? Do you have any clue as to what he's done?!" She took a step forward, her arms crossed as she shook her head, loose strands of hair waving with the movement. She pointed to Max, "Your Philip," she seethed, venom lacing the man's name, "almost had him killed!"

Ava paused before she pointed to herself and with a slight shake in her voice, whispered, "He almost raped me!" Stepping even closer to the older woman, so close she was almost nose-to-nose, Ava hissed through clenched teeth as she looked down her nose at Andrea, "So don't even try to feel sorry for us. Just know, that next time I see that prick, I'll kill him." Ava held her fiery gaze with Andrea before spinning on the toe of her boot and marching out of the prison. Maggie moved to go after her but stopped when she saw Daryl give a minute shake of his head in her direction.

Pushing open the heavy door, Ava took a deep breath as she stepped outside, her eyes squinting in the bright sun. Over to her left, she could hear the moans and shuffles of walkers that were still lingering outside the inner gate. With a growl, the huntress lifted her leg and yanked the knife that was hidden inside her boot. She stomped over to the gate, purpose in her steps. She watched as the dead beings just shuffled around, mindlessly bumping into one another or stumbling over loose dirt.

Ava took a few breaths to calm herself before lifting the knife to the palm of her hand and slowly sliding it across the skin. She gasped slightly at the sting but took a deep breath as she saw the blood well up above her split skin. Looking up, she saw some the walkers lift their nose up at the scent of fresh blood. She stood her ground as she ran her bleeding palm along the links of the fence, hoping to get what few walkers she could closer.

As they came up to the fence, their rotted tongues jutting out to lick at the fence, Ava clenched her teeth together and stabbed each one in the forehead. In her mind, each of the walkers looked like the Governor. In her mind, all she could see was him, sitting in that chair with his legs spread wide as he commanded her to take her shirt and bra off. With each stab, she could imagine that she was killing him, though she knew it wasn't true. With each stab, she yelled out an expletive aimed towards the Governor, grunting as she twisted the knife out of the skull and then repeating herself.

Stab. Yell. Twist. Yank. Repeat.

In all of her actions, she couldn't tell that there were tears streaming down her face or that the bodies were piling up. In her actions, she didn't hear the prison door open. When a hand landed on her elbow to stop her, she yanked her arm away and spun around, glaring daggers at Daryl. "Don't fucking touch me, Dixon!" she growled.

Daryl stepped back, his arms crossing in defense as her words bit him. In retaliation, he scoffed "Damn! Don't gotta bite my fuckin' head off, girl." He jerked his head towards the prison as he continued, "Just wanted to let your ass know that Rick's sending Andrea back." Ava sniffed as she used the back of her wrist to wipe away the grime from her cheeks, "Good! Let her go back to her precious Philip. She's blind as a bat anyways if she can't she how evil he is." Daryl shook his head and mumbled "Whatever."

He turned to make his way back to prison, calling over his shoulder, "Better let Hershel take a look at that hand or else."


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