Eve went to find Daryl, but it seemed he had already calmed down. She raised her eyebrow but said nothing about it. Unaware that Daryl had heard her talking to Glenn just now. He felt a little bad that she is always playing peacekeeper, but it made his heart warm that she has his back even with this.

He wouldn't blame her for being at Merle too, but honestly, he was a little afraid that she would have a problem with Merle being here too. He hadn't thought it through when he came back with Merle, he was gonna stay in the area just like he and Eve had planned but they showed up in the middle of that fight so that flew out the window.

He's had the same conversation with everybody here about his brother stayin' with them at least twice, everybody except Eve. He hadn't asked what she thought though. It's been a whirlwind and part of him didn't want to ask, afraid of the answer.

He was relieved now though, because now he knows where she stands. He still wants to know how she personally feels about it but that can wait until she's got less things on her mind.

Gone no more than a day in total and he can see the stress on her face, in her eyes and shoulders, and the way she keeps sighing — or looking like she wants to. It's a lot of pressure.

So you really can't blame him for pulling her into a hug as soon as she came up to look for him.

Eve was oblivious to why he hugged her out of the blue but assumed it was just because he needed it. She returned the hug, silently grateful that she didn't have to talk him down.

Since when did his temper become so easy to deal with? I remember when it used to take half a day, some time alone, and a good threat to make him cool off.

It was a great comfort having someone to support you and tackle problems together even if you add to each other's on occasion; Eve could be reckless, and Daryl has a temper but they work.

She leaned back to see his face but neither moved their hands from the other's waist and shoulders.

Before she even asked Daryl gave her a chaste kiss and said, "I'm good."

Eve observed him for a beat before nodding and glanced over the railing. "We need to talk to Merle."

"About the Governor and the town's set up?" Daryl guessed and Eve nodded.

Daryl was planning to bring it up since he'd been thinking about it, but Eve beat him to it.

Thus, Eve and Daryl went to talk to Merle, just as Hershel was leaving. It seems he came to talk to Merle and judging by the slight smile and the pleased creases near his eyes, it wasn't a bad conversation.

Eve had a difficult time hiding her surprise, but they came over here for a reason, so she sat down while Daryl leaned against the wall next to her and got straight to the point. She wants to know everything the Governor's ever done when dealing with another group.

Know thy enemy.

She got straight to it and asked about his character, what he's like, how he is at leadership and strategy, how much his people trust him, their weaknesses, and vulnerabilities, etc. After a long conversation with a surprising lack of sarcasm on Merle's part, Eve surmised that this guy is a bonafide sociopath.

Some of the things Merle told them about had her very concerned.

This guy was gutsy enough to take on a group of soldiers, the national guard no less, and actually won because he waved a white flag as he approached and got them to let down their guard before killing them all with hidden forces. For their weapons and supplies. Instead of trying to, I don't know, recruit them to help protect the rather large settlement they've established.

Eve couldn't help shaking her head with a sigh. So, he's dangerous and stupid.

Part of her scoffed at the Governor, and part of her scoffed even harder because if he hadn't done that and Woodbury had added those soldiers to their ranks, then they would have been wiped out by Woodbury; assuming they managed to escape after being captured at all.

One should be so lucky to find a group of heavily armored, trained soldiers and this psychopathic asscake had them killed instead.

Eve ran a hand through her loose hair. That presents its own problems though, Woodbury now has all that artillery. She should be thankful the helicopter that went down — the pilot of which told them about his unit and where they were — was destroyed, or they'd be f**ked six ways to Sunday right now.

Now that Daryl and Merle have been — separately — informed that Eve took over the minute she got back after they departed, Merle regarded her with more respect. Not a lot, but enough.

Truthfully, he had the least amount of bad blood with Eve than anybody else in this group, and given her and Daryl's relationship, as well as what type of person she is, she's the most likely to cooperate with him.

In other words, he can't afford to offend her as he has the others. He should thank his lucky stars that she knows her priorities. People like that are few and far between these days. As if they weren't rare enough before.

Merle was still wary as he talked. He found it impossible to read her face or figure out what she's thinking since the day they met. For all he knows, he's on thin ice with her as well. It wouldn't be surprising given what he did to her and the Chinese— er— Korean kid.

Eve was oblivious to Merle's careful consideration of his position as she listened to him answer her direct, concise questions in detail, laying out basically everything he knew about Woodbury. As the Governor's third in command and the one who took care of the dirty work, Merle knew a Hell of a lot more than anybody else about how deep the puddle of shit they're in right now is and he was more than happy to share all the twisted things he (the Governor) gets up to.

Eve's mood darkened the more the info clarified their situation.

She had to admonish herself in her heart, now that she has a better idea of her opponent. She underestimated the threat by a lot.

Right now… she found it a little difficult to continue priding herself on being prepared, cautious, and thinking ahead. Even if she wasn't to blame for not being able to predict something like this, it was still a way bigger pill to swallow than they had realized.

Even though she had been cautious, it was her caution that may have held them back this time. Next time they'll be quicker, she can't afford to hesitate next time.

She wasn't despairing though; they still have an advantage. They know what his group's ranks are, but Woodbury doesn't know theirs. The Governor doesn't know what they're capable of, but she now knows what he can do. And that anger of his that Merle described. The obsessive fixation on his vendettas… an idea slowly came to mind.

This Governor is the type to think he's top of the food chain. Arrogant, gets high on power. He weaponized walkers but after a few minutes, she knew exactly what to do; all she's gotta do is figure out the how.

Before Eve could ask another question, Carl came running into the cellblock from the outdoor caged overpass door above them and shouted, "Andrea's here!"

Andrea?

Eve, Daryl, and Rick shared a look before everyone was scrambling for their bigger guns and running out, preparing for another attack.

At Eve's commanding gesture, Glenn, T-Dog, Carl, and Michonne, broke off to go to their sniper positions, one on the caged overpass and two in the courtyard just outside the doors leading inside.

Eve gestured at the more vulnerable and injured members to stay in the cellblock and prepare for an assault, then gestured at Rick and Daryl and they took point with Merle as the rest of them moved into the courtyard.

"Go." Rick gestured at Merle and like a practiced unit, Merle moved forward to the next position before calling back.

"Clear."

The others moved forward in a militant formation towards the fence.

Eve glanced at their snipers and each one of them gave her a signal that it was clear, so she gestured for them to move towards the fence, moving right behind Rick and Daryl.

Rick called to the approaching blonde woman. "Are you alone?!"

"Open the gate!" Andrea called as she trudged up to it with a walker on a stiff metal lead in front of her that enabled her to walk right through the field of walkers, camouflaged as one of them.

" .Alone?!" Rick aggressively enunciated.

"Rick!" Andrea called back, almost desperate.

Eve's eyes scrunched in thought at the walker Andrea used to walk herself in here, but nodded at Rick who tossed the keys to Daryl and Merle helped open and shut the gate within a second; just long enough for Andrea to release her captive walker, shoving it away, and step through.

"Hands up! Turn around now!" Rick yelled at her.

"What?" Andrea gasped in disbelief.

"Turn around!" Without hesitation, Rick pushed her against the fence.

Andrea screamed as a walker slammed into the other side right in front of her, fortunately Rick reacted fast and pulled her away but still forced her to kneel and Andrea was confused and shocked as he pulled her bag over her head and tossed it far away into the courtyard.

Andrea was confused, looking around at everyone she once knew like they were different people wearing her friend's skins.

They brought her inside and Andrea almost immediately went to hug Carol, glad to see that she was ok. After they got separated at the farm, Andrea had no way of knowing whether Carol made it out alive, she had no way of knowing if anybody made it until now.

Everyone positioned themselves around the room in a large circle, those who had guns rested them in their laps or by their sides or leaned on them if they were long enough.

Eve went over to Rick with Daryl taking a seat on the steel table behind her and muttered in a low voice, "Take point. Let her talk. Let's get some answers."

Rick understood that Eve doesn't trust Andrea, because he doesn't either, but Eve doesn't want Andrea to know that she's in charge now and take that information back to Woodbury. The less Andrea knows, the better. But they can also have some of their questions answered.

The rest of the group tacitly understood when Rick stepped forward like he used to as if he were still the leader, and Eve was watching quietly from beside Daryl, amber eyes exchanging subtle but meaningful glances with the others.

"After you saved me, we thought you were dead." Carol whispered in relief to Andrea as the two hugged.

Andrea was about to reply when she saw Hershel over Carol's shoulder and her eyes fell on the crutches and then his legs. "Hershel, oh my god."

"I can't believe this." Andrea looked around as Carol stepped away, finally taking in the faces around her. People she never thought she'd see again. People she had no way of knowing if they were even alive.

She looked again, searching for the missing faces before looking at Rick. "Where's Shane?"

The room fell into deadly silence; Nobody willing to bring up those memories, but their silence was answer enough for his whereabouts. Andrea wasn't stupid.

"And Lori?"

Again, no answer. Until Hershel spoke.

"She had a girl. Lori didn't survive."

"Randall made it though. He was shot yesterday." Maggie interjected.

Andrea was surprised for a moment before she whispered, "I'm so sorry."

Her eyes landed on a child that was a little taller than she remembered but whose face was like stone.

"Carl." she muttered helplessly. Other than responding to his name with an empty gaze, he said nothing, completely receptive to her sympathy. Andrea couldn't help glancing at Eve, beside Daryl, who had the same impassive face as always and she'd have to be blind not to see the similarities in the two. Carl had unconsciously begun to take after her, and she didn't know how to respond to that. She could never figure Eve out either.

Andrea turned her sympathy towards Rick. "Rick, I..."

He stepped back when she stepped towards him, his response even more avoiding than the others. Carol was the only warm reception she got other than a brief hug and "I'm glad you're ok." from T-Dog.

It gave her enough warmth to look again and try to put on a smile, even though it hasn't exactly been what she imagined would happen when she saw them again.

"You all live here?"

"Here and the cell-block." Glenn answered behind her and she turned to look at him.

"There?" Andrea pointed and Glenn nodded.

"Can I go in?"

"I won't allow that." Rick blocked her way before she had taken three steps.

"I'm not an enemy, Rick." Andrea sighed helplessly. The cold reception was enough explanation about how everyone was feeling about her presence.

Perhaps it would have been warmer, had she been coming from anywhere other than Woodbury.

"We had that field, the courtyard, until your boyfriend tore down the fence with a truck and shot us up." Rick may not have meant it to sound so accusatory but that's how it came out and Andrea's posture shifted accordingly.

"He said you fired first."

"..."

"..."

Rick didn't even know how to respond to such a blind-sheep statement. They had no reason to lie — she came to them, not the other way around.

In the end all he came up with was, "Well he's lyin."

"He shot an inmate who survived in here, and Randall is fightin' for his life in the other room." Hershel added to his charges.

Andrea covered her mouth with her hand.

"We like him. He's one of us." Daryl tacked on. Eve refrained from commenting, but she shared a meaningful look with him and glanced into the cellblock where Tiny was keeping an eye on Randall. He had volunteered to do it since his arm was in a sling and he couldn't do much else.

"I didn't know anything about that." Andrea shook her head, curling her hand against her collarbone. "As soon as I found out, I came."

She looked around, raising her voice to speak to everyone. "I didn't even know you were in Woodbury until after the shoot out."

"That was days ago." Glenn admonished her; He was still angry and Andrea's "case" so far wasn't making it better. Maybe he was subconsciously blaming her, maybe he wasn't, but to outside ears it certainly sounded like he was saying, "Where the Hell were you." in not so many words.

"I told you I came as soon as I could." Andrea refuted in a pleading tone, but she realized within a few seconds that it wasn't working. Nothing she was saying was getting through to them, it was like they had all put up walls against her even though she'd done nothing. But that was precisely the problem in most of their eyes. They've been fighting with Woodbury, and she's done...nothing.

Andrea turned around, fixing Michonne in a fierce glare. "What have you told them?"

"Nothing." Michonne answered casually, her voice light like a feather with notes of delight and pride, because she really hadn't told them anything but the truth and Andrea had been taken in by so many pretty lies and Woodbury's picnic parties that she could no longer see past them. The world looks like a rosy place to her, she's forgotten what it's really like out here.

"I don't get it." Andrea dramatically looked, indignant and in her mind, she had every right to be. "I left Atlanta with you people and now I'm the odd man out?"

"He almost killed Michonne, he would have killed us—" Glenn tried his damnedest to talk in a level tone but the firmness was still influenced into something much sterner than he normally would have used. Yet Andrea ignored his tone completely and cut him off, pointing her finger at Merle.

"With his finger on the trigger! Isn't he the one who kidnapped you? Who beat you?"

Eve wanted to roll her eyes. Classic Andrea, start some shit because you feel wronged.

Realizing what she'd done, Andrea paused and sighed, taking a deep breath, trying to keep in mind her purpose in coming here. Despite the hostility she's received, she still had a point to make.

Eve could see the wheels in her head turning and quietly shook her head. Andrea clearly doesn't realize that she's part of the enemy forces right now, who just strolled up to the fence and despite them having known each other and survived together before, her boyfriend is currently the one trying to wipe them out and she's standing here trying to stick up for him.

Failing to truly comprehend her position, Andrea cupped her hands over her mouth and let them fall in exasperation before continuing to try and salvage the situation.

"I cannot excuse or explain what Philip has done,"

Eve almost scoffed. That's a very intimate way of calling the person who attacked your so called "friends".

"But I am here trying to bring us together. We have to work this out."

"There's nothing to work out." Rick barely let Andrea finish her sentence before he spoke, stepping forward again after sharing another brief and subtle glance with Eve. "We're gonna kill him. I don't know how, or when, but we will."

That was the one point that is non-negotiable, Rick didn't need to look at Eve for this, not one person here was willing to let "Phillip" live.

The Governor is a murderer, the rules of society going back hundreds of years have always been clear on what happens to murderers. People who kill other people without justifiable reason are too dangerous to keep around. The apocalypse doesn't change that, in fact it makes it even more necessary to stop them sooner rather than later.

"We can settle this." Andrea tried to stress. "There is room at Woodbury for— for all of you."

The corner of Eve's mouth twitched. Funny how she was just complaining about being the odd man out, and then addresses us like she isn't a part of the group. What a hypocrite.

Eve was trying to control her own bias, she's never been partial to Andrea, and no, she never let go of the fact that she nearly killed Daryl back on the farm.

Eve unconsciously glanced at Daryl's profile, looking at the very faint mark leading into his hairline. It's almost unnoticeable under the layers of dirt and sweat but it's there. The wound may have closed fast but it will take more than even several months before that scar fades. The only reason it's so hidden now is because Daryl's quite a bit tanner than he used to be and seems to enjoy having dirt on his skin.

This time, Merle was the one who couldn't contain his remarkably similar thoughts and scoffed at Andrea's misplaced optimism. He casually muttered loud enough for everyone to hear. "You know better than that."

Andrea looked at him disdainfully.

Eve exchanged a brief look with Hershel and nodded, indicating that it's his turn. They haven't exactly practiced this sort of communication before, but it was surprisingly easy to manipulate the conversation's direction just by signaling certain people to speak. She knows everyone's temperaments well-enough to know who will ask what types of questions and in what manner. So, steering it while maintaining her anonymity as the one pulling the strings, was easier than expected.

Herschel adjusted his crutches and moved forward a little, being the voice of reason. "What makes you think this man wants to negotiate? Did he say that?"

Andrea looked up and as expected said, "No."

Eve would have trusted her even less if she said she was here because Philip sent her to "negotiate".

Eve didn't need to indicate to Rick this time, he was versed enough to ask the next question, "Why did you come here?"

"Because he's gearing up for war." Andrea answered before looking around. "The people are terrified — they see you as killers. They're training to attack."

"I'll tell you what," Daryl finally had to speak up, himself. Unable to stand listening to Andrea defend that guy when Eve's slowly healing bruised face is right next to him.

"The next time you see Philip … you tell him I'mma take his other eye."

"We've taken too much shit for too long, he wants a war, he's got one." Glenn spoke up without prompt, also unable to stand it with Maggie standing so far away from him and the cause of that being the man Andrea's trying to defend.

Getting nowhere with everyone else, Andrea turned her attention to Rick, still thinking he was the leader.

"Rick… If you don't sit down and try to work this out… I don't know what's gonna happen. He has a whole town."

Andrea turned looking at everyone.

"Look at you… you've lost so much already. You can't stand alone anymore."

Eve and Daryl shared a deadpan look and Eve couldn't help thinking, "Was that supposed to be an attempt to convince us not to fight? Does she even hear herself? We're not stray dogs caught in a storm drain, sweetheart. We aren't gonna join the people who let Merle kidnap us, tried to get information out of us using the most despicable means they could think of, and tried to kill us — multiple times. Who are now trying to take the home we fought for from us too? Can you please take off your messiah goggles for a moment, hun? They're fogging up your judgment."

Andrea always did try to play negotiator like the hot-shot lawyer she once was. But as admirable as it is, a lawyer is no diplomat, and she evidently doesn't understand the difference.

"You wanna make this right, get us inside." Rick stepped around her, getting right in her face.

"No." Andrea immediately refused. "There are innocent people—"

"Then we're done here." Rick talked over her latter sentence and left the room, followed quickly by everyone else. It was clear that the discussion was over.

Andrea didn't even notice that Eve gave a signal before Rick's walk-out, and Eve quietly slipped off with Daryl while Michonne was the only one left to stand with Andrea, who walked out — Michonne languidly following — back to the courtyard out the side door so they were too deep to be shot at unless someone was inside the field of walkers.

Michonne couldn't help a small sense of satisfaction. When Andrea chose to stay in Woodbury over her… That's when she knew their winter-long friendship had come to an end but seeing her now, reaping what she sowed, it was hard not to take delight in it.

As Rick, Glenn, Hershel, Daryl, and Eve reached the tombs, where they won't be overheard.

Rick finally stopped and turned, resting his hands on his hips.

"What do you think we should do with her?"

"It's Andrea. Although we haven't seen her in a while, we can't just treat her like those who attacked us." Hershel spoke in her defense.

Glenn hated to bring it up, but he had to. "She knows the layout of the prison now. We can't just let her go."

"She won't stay." Michonne came to join the conversation while Andrea went to Carol to meet Lil' Asskicker.

"She knows our numbers now, if she goes back and tells her boyfriend, we'll lose our edge." Daryl chewed on his thumbnail, struggling to stand still.

Eve doesn't think Andrea would deliberately put them in danger, but she has a history of not exactly knowing what she should and shouldn't do or say. While it may not be deliberate, she doesn't trust her not to let something slip.

They need to act as if the Governor knows everything that they don't want him to.

After some careful thought Eve had grown tired of complicated things and made a decision that simplified it.

"Let her decide for herself whether she stays or goes. After that, we don't owe each other anything."

Eve was going to try to convince her to stay because they had been a part of the same group once and they could use her help right now, but after seeing her face as she was talking to Rick outside, Eve knew Andrea had already made her decision, so she just sighed and looked at Glenn.

"Go get one of the spare cars from the prison parking. Carl, get her bag for her."

Both nodded and ran back in while the rest of the group made their way outside to the courtyard to say their goodbyes; minus those who didn't know Andrea.

A few minutes later, a brown car with a 'corrections' decorum on the doors drove out of the old barely used gate that holds mostly dead cars that belonged to the penitentiary before the turn.

Eve nodded at Rick behind Andrea, out of her sight.

"Can you spare it?" Andrea asked.

Rick nodded. "Yeah."

It's hard to say goodbye to a friend, especially one who is driving off to live in a hornet's nest.

It's highly likely that this could be the last time they see each other as friends.

Andrea took a final look around at everybody, only Daryl nodded as goodbye.

"Well take care." Andrea got in the car and Rick handed her the keys.

As Rick stepped away, Eve came over and put her hand on Andrea's shoulder inside the car, looking at her with a seriousness that Andrea wasn't used to seeing.

"This is going to get rough. Be cautious. Take care of yourself."

Andrea was almost speechless that Eve verbally spoke to her. After a long moment of shock, her heart warmed a little and she finally nodded. "You too."

Eve leaned down and whispered so only the two of them could hear, "Be careful who you trust."

The group finished sending her off and Andrea made her way back along the roads, but all while she was driving, she couldn't stop thinking about what Eve said. How she said it.

Normally it would have sounded like advice, but from Eve, it sounded like a warning — like she's in danger. The way she said it…. It made it seem like Andrea was going behind enemy lines, but she knows those people, she's made friends, she's part of the community, nobody would hurt her.

Even as she thought the sentence, she became uneasy.

She trusted that Eve didn't say it to shake her up or to stop her. It was a legitimate warning, and Eve's intuition has always been scarily sharp. Enough to make Andrea cautious and subconsciously unwilling to disregard the advice, no matter how much she wanted to deny it.

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