Chapter 53

The Governor led Naomi and Caleb to a building on the far side of town near the warehouse. He opened the front door and the three of them walked in. Naomi was confused as she looked around the old, abandoned store. It was musty smelling and there were two cots set up near the back of the room with pillows and blankets sitting on top.

"I know this probably isn't what you had in mind but I want to prepare someplace extra special for you and Caleb and just thought a night here would help you be more appreciative of it. I know you're still feeling some animosity towards me..." The Governor remarked.

Caleb slowly wandered around the room, looking at some of the items on the shelves. He coughed from the layer of dust stirred up whenever he picked something up. He made his way and sat on one of the cots, looking miserable up at Naomi.

"You can't really expect us to stay in here..." Naomi glared at him.

"I can and I do...like I said...I'm preparing someplace much better for you both...this is just one night...I'm sure it's still better than a prison with rotting corpses so I don't see where you really have room to complain. But as a symbol of my good faith in our new arrangement, I won't be locking you in here...I won't post a guard at the door and you're free to come and go around the town as you please...after sunrise of course and the curfew is no longer in affect."

Naomi remained silent continuing to glare at him.

"Now that's settled...I have other business to tend to...I'll see you in the morning." The Governor exited the store and Naomi turned back towards Caleb.

"I don't like it here..." Caleb remarked. "Why do we have to stay in here...this place stinks!"

Naomi walked over and sat on the cot next to his. "I know it does but it's just for one night...we can handle that can't we? As long as we're together, right?"

Caleb sighed and nodded his head.

"Here...I'll make up your bed so whenever you get tired it will be ready for you." Naomi reached for the folded blanket as Caleb hopped off the cot. He started to wander around the room again.

"Do you think that man will give me back my knife?" Caleb asked.

"You mean Merle?...yes actually I do...he tends to mean what he says...most of the time." Naomi smoothed out the blanket over the cot then turned to face him. "I know you miss Daryl...I miss him too but sometimes things have to be different from what we want...this is a nice town Caleb...there are other kids here...you'll get to go back to school...hopefully things will feel normal again soon."

The sound of gunshots startled both Naomi and Caleb. Naomi's heart started to race as she lunged towards Caleb, grabbing him as she pulled him to the floor.

"Get down...stay down..." Naomi ordered as she shielded him with her body.

"What's going on?" Caleb's voice was shakey and he sounded panicked.

"I don't know...just stay down until it's quiet again..." She hated lying to her son but she knew exactly what was going on. She didn't have to see who was out there to know. She had failed to help Glenn and Maggie. They had come for them. She closed her eyes, hoping nothing happened to Daryl and the others from the prison. The gunfire let up for a few minutes and Naomi and Caleb slowly rose back to their feet.

Naomi heard voices and a commotion outside the door as she held on to Caleb. The door opened and she could see a few dark figures in the doorway. She pushed Caleb behind her as they backed against the corner of the room as the figures stormed in.

"DARYL!" Naomi reached for Caleb as he rushed passed her. She quickly realized it was Rick, Oscar, Glenn and Maggie that came in behind him. Daryl looked equally surprised to see her but he quickly directed his attention as Caleb ran towards him and wrapped his arms around him.

"Ya alright? You or your mom hurt? What are ya doin' in here?" Daryl asked.

"No...but he said you didn't want to come here..." Caleb told him.

Daryl looked at him confused. "What? What are ya talkin' about?"

"Where's that woman?" Maggie looked around and Daryl stood up doing the same before his eyes locked back on Naomi.

"I don't know...she disappeared so she's on her own...we aren't waiting for her." Rick replied.

"Oh my God! Glenn!" Naomi rushed over towards them. "What happened?...How did y'all know we were in here?"

"We didn't..." Rick remarked.

Glenn struggled to sit down and tried to catch his breath. "Merle did this..."

"Maybe I should talk to him...see if I can work something out..." Daryl pleaded with Rick.

"You aren't thinking straight...he's your brother...I get that, but Glenn can hardly walk...I need your help to Glenn and Maggie out of here safe! We've got to get back to the prison and make sure it's secure..." Rick told him.

"But..." Daryl felt a tightness in his chest. He just wanted a chance to talk to Merle...maybe there was still hope.

"I NEED you Daryl...are you with us?" Rick grabbed hold of his shoulder and stared him in the eyes.

Daryl nodded his head.

"Alright...come on...Glenn can you walk?" Rick asked at Glenn and he nodded his head. "We've got to get out of here...Oscar, help me with him."

The three of them started to head towards the door, both of them on either side of Glenn when Rick looked back at Naomi and Caleb. He then looked at Daryl. "It's up to you..."

Daryl nodded then stepped towards Caleb and Naomi. "Come on, let's go!" Daryl reached for Caleb but Naomi pulled Caleb back against her, wrapping her arms around him. Daryl looked at her stunned.

"Mom? Aren't we going with them?" Caleb looked up at her.

"No Caleb...we're staying here..." Naomi replied as she stared at Daryl.

"You gotta be kiddin' me...quit fuckin' around, LET'S GO!" Daryl snapped at her.

"I'm sorry..." Naomi fought back the tears as she shook her head.

"Daryl come on! We've got to go...we're out of time..." Rick ordered as they struggled to help Glenn towards the door.

"NAOMI! YOU AND CALEB ARE COMING WITH US!" Daryl barked.

"No Daryl we're not...now go on...get out of here!" Caleb started to pull away but she held on tightly to him.

"Mom I want to go with them...let's go..." Caleb looked at her confused.

"Please Daryl...don't make this any harder...just go!" Naomi pleaded.

Daryl's anger quickly turned to hurt and confusion. "Why are ya doin' this?...It ain't safe here...ya need us!"

"DARYL!" Rick snapped again as they started out the door.

"I don't need you Daryl...we have a life here so go...far from here and far from the prison...find someplace safe...please..." Naomi told him.

Daryl started to back up towards the door.

"She made her choice Daryl...come on...we're out of time...we have to go now!" Rick left out of view and Daryl followed after him but looked back at Caleb and Naomi one last time as he shook his head before he disappeared.

"DARYL!" Caleb cried but Naomi squatted down, turned him to face her and pulled him in close.

"I'm sorry...I know this doesn't make sense...I'm so sorry..."Naomi cried with him.

Tears rolled down Caleb's cheeks. "He did come here for us...I hate you!"

Soon the eruption of gunfire started again. Naomi felt like it would never end and she prayed they'd all make it out safe. When it did stop, she helped Caleb up from the floor and headed over to the cots. Caleb crawled on top of it as Naomi pulled back the blanket. His face was stained with tears but he didn't say a word. He looked exhausted as Naomi tucked him in.

"Were they shooting at Daryl?" He asked softly.

Naomi wiped his face and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm sure he's fine, he can take good care of himself and the others...now just go to sleep."

"Why would they shoot at them? I don't understand...why can't we all just stay together?" Caleb whined as his eyes began to get heavy.

Naomi bit her lip to keep from crying. "I don't know Caleb...I don't have an answer...all I can tell you is that I'm sorry..." Caleb sighed then closed his eyes. It didn't take long before he was sound asleep. Naomi knew the stress of the day had taken it's toll on him then adding everything else on top of it made it that much worse.

She sat on the cot next to his and buried her face in her hands. "I'm so sorry Caleb." She whispered. "It wasn't supposed to be like this..."

Naomi heard another commotion outside and rushed over to the door. She glanced back at Caleb to make sure he was still asleep before opening the door. She cracked it just wide enough at first to look out but then opened it wider once she saw other members of the town heading towards the warehouse. A thin, blonde woman started to pass by her but stopped when she noticed her.

"Are you alright?" The woman asked.

"I'm fine...what's going on? Where is everyone going?" Naomi asked.

"Another group attacked the town...they've gone...Phillip...I mean the Governor has called for a town meeting at the arena pit...I'm sorry...but I don't think I've seen you before." The woman looked at her confused.

"Phillip is my brother in law...my name's Naomi...do you know what happened with the group?" Naomi asked.

"I know one was killed but I don't know about anymore...you should know Phillip's been hurt...badly...he was attacked...I mean he'll be fine but his eye is damaged, he may even lose it." She told her. "Come on...come with me and maybe Phillip can provide some more answers." The woman told her.

Naomi felt like she was going to pass out. One of the group was dead. She wasn't sure she even wanted to know who. "I'm sorry I can't...my son is inside asleep."

The blonde woman looked up at the building and furrowed her brow. "Why are you staying in here?"

"It's a long story..." Naomi told her.

The woman nodded her head and started to walk away but stopped short, turning back towards her. "I take it you knew his daughter?"

"Yes of course...why?"

The woman paused then shook her head. "I'm sorry...it's nothing...My name's Andrea...once I know what's going on, I'll come back and tell you."

"Thank you..." Naomi replied as she watched Andrea run towards the warehouse.

Naomi shut the door back and immediately her legs gave out from underneath her. She caught herself as she fell then sat with her back against the door. She covered her face as she tried her best to remain silent to not wake Caleb as the tears steadily came.

.

Light knocking on the door startled Naomi awake. She hadn't meant to doze off but she stood up quickly, only opening the door a little. The same blonde woman was standing at the doorway. She looked upset.

Naomi backed away from the door enough to open it wider and let her in. As soon as Andrea came in, Naomi peered out into the street before closing the door.

"Where's Phillip?" Naomi asked her.

"Back in his apartment..." Andrea took a deep breath then shook her head. "This is bad...I can hardly believe what's happening myself..."

Naomi closed her eyes as she fought back her tears. She could hear Merle's voice in her heard telling her to get ahold of herself.

Andrea looked over towards the other side of the room, noticing Caleb and she quietly walked over beside his cot. She looked at Naomi, smiled and spoke softly. "He's beautiful...since your his sister in law, naturally this makes him his nephew?"

Naomi nodded and sat on the other cot, soon Andrea stepped over and sat next to her. She sighed deeply before she began to speak.

"I asked you about Penny before...I wasn't sure how to tell you...thought it would be better to wait when I had more time to speak to you." Andrea remarked.

"Tell me what?" Naomi was intrigued.

"He's been keeping her chained up...in a small room in his apartment...a woman...someone I knew actually, broke in and killed her..." Andrea bowed her head, ashamed almost as if she was the one who should feel guilty.

"What? No...Penny's already dead...that makes no..." Naomi stopped when Andrea looked back up at her and the realization came over her. "Oh my God...no he wasn't..."

"I'm afraid so..." Andrea stated. "He was convinced that Milton would find a way to restore her somehow to the person she was...I don't know how you feel about it, but I know...that's never going to happen."

"He kept his own daughter...as a walker?" Naomi asked.

"Yes...it's disturbing but at the same time I kind of understand why...I don't agree with it...but still..." Andrea told her.

Naomi covered her mouth. "I think I'm going to be sick..." She mumbled as she glanced up at Caleb. She couldn't imagine keeping him in that state. The thought of it made her even more discusted with Phillip than she already was.

Andrea glanced around the store. "Why on earth are you staying in here? And how long have you been here?"

"I was here before...I left Woodbury to find my son...we just got back today...it's only for tonight...then we'll be somewhere else..." Naomi wasn't sure how much she could trust this woman. Clearly she seemed to be closer to Phillip than most since he was allowing her to call him Phillip.

"What was Phillip's grand announcement?" Naomi almost didn't want to ask. Afraid of what she might say.

Andrea ran her hands through her hair and Naomi quickly released how upset she was. Her eyes began to fill with tears but she seemed to remain strong as she spoke. "Merle...do you know Merle?"

"Yes..." Naomi replied.

"This is so complicated...I'm not even sure where to begin...when I first came here...it was with another woman, Michonne...from the moment we got here, she didn't want to be here. She didn't trust Phillip and felt like something was wrong with this place...I still don't understand what made her feel that way but she left. I don't know where but she came back here tonight...she was who attacked Phillip...she was the one who killed Penny...but...I let her go...as much as I don't like what she's done I refuse to do something rash without knowing exactly what's going on here." Andrea told her.

Naomi couldn't help but relax a little. Maybe this was someone she could trust even if she was close to Phillip. Naomi knew how charming Phillip could be so she wasn't surprised Andrea seemed fond of him.

"Somehow Merle...I don't know...none of this makes sense but Phillip is convinced that Merle brought this group back to town somehow to attack us...that Merle betrayed us all...the group...that attacked the town...was the group I was with over seven months ago. We got separated...but I know they are not vicious people. Something has happened...something to explain all of this but I just don't know what it is yet. Merle's brother Daryl was with the group and he was caught...Phillip pitted them against each other...he wanted a fight to the death."

Naomi frantically grabbed Andrea by her arms. "No...please tell me he's not dead...he can't be..."

Andrea gently pushed Naomi away, looking at her almost as if she were crazy. "No...and why?...I mean...do you know Daryl?" She looked even more confused.

"So he's still alive?" Naomi asked.

"Yes...he and Merle escaped...fled from the town but people were killed in the process. "I need to know where they went...I need to talk to them, find out what's really going on."

Naomi sighed with relief knowing Daryl had made it out. She couldn't help but be glad for Merle that they were finally now together. They would keep each other safe...they had to.

"How do you know Daryl?" Andrea asked but there was a tone of suspicion in her voice.

"It's a really long story..." Naomi told her.

"Try me..." Andrea's compasion seemed to suddenly be wearing thin.

"I don't know that I can..." Naomi wanted to tell her everything. It had been a long time since she felt like there was someone she could really talk to but she didn't know what Phillip would tolerate her telling Andrea.

"What does that even mean?" Andrea asked annoyed.

"You don't know me...you have no reason to trust me or even believe a word out of my mouth...I don't mean to add to your confusion but things are very complicated. You'll have to ask Phillip where I came from...please don't let on that we've talked tonight...it's just...he's...very protective..." Naomi was trying to choose her words wisely. "I don't want him angry with me or Caleb so please. Just pretend like we didn't have this conversation at all...don't let on that you know I know Daryl..."

"I don't like the sound of this." Andrea remarked. "I want to know what's going on here.."

"Please Andrea..." Naomi felt like she had said too much already. She should've never reacted to her speaking of Daryl but she couldn't help herself. Now all she could do is hope Andrea wouldn't go running back to Phillip and tell him. "I know you owe me nothing but I have to ask this from you...just don't tell Phillip...no matter what."

Andrea could see the panic and fear on her face. It made her weary but she could see Naomi was desperate. "Alright...it's against my better judgement, I don't like secrets but I'll stay quiet for now...you need to know though I'm not letting this go." Andrea stood up and started to walk towards the door. "Get some rest...I'm sure I'll see you tomorrow."

Naomi nodded her head and followed her to the door.