Welcome to Woodbury

Eventually, after plundering through zombie-infested, abandoned neighborhoods and ransacked stores, Bree and Merle come across Caesar Martinez and his men, who were on a supply run. It's a standoff at first, but when Caesar spots how much game Merle has strapped to his back, he thinks the hillbilly might be useful. The girl, not so much, but he knew the Governor would never turn away a woman.

Even though Bree wants to keep footing it on their own, Merle bonds with Martinez's military training. The Governor, spotting their stuffed rucksacks and cleanish clothes, gets out of their truck and approaches them as smooth and as charismatic as ever. He offers them a home in Woodbury or at least a few days there. Bree is very much against going, staying back from the new men as much as she can, but she ultimately decides to check it out when Merle mentiones their families could be there. Plus, she sees Kole's one of Martinez' men. They're happy to see a familiar face after all this time.

They ride with Martinez, Kole, and the Governor into town. The Governor is personable and welcoming, doing his best to set the duo at ease while trying to get as much information from them as possible. He's disappointed that they aren't from a camp he can raid but happy to know that Merle has military experience and Bree has been getting her college education. He asks what their relationship is, if she's his daughter—nope—romantic?—heck nope—and they both assure him they got separated from their camp—no other tie, specifically not romantic. He tries to be friendly with Bree after hearing this, telling her that the people are exceptionally friendly to those traveling alone, but she's having none of that. She gets a weird feeling when he puts his hand on her shoulder and quickly decides to keep her distance from him. When Merle notices her clamminess, he breaks away from his hooting with the other guys to ask her what's up. She says she's uneasy about this, it could be a trap, or these people could be crazy (cough Negan cough), to which Merle scoffs and tells her not to screw this up for him. He wants a break from her and wants to be around good booze, pretty women, and fun company for once. A little hurt since she thought they'd been bonding, she tells him to go back to his new best friends then. They're cold to each other after this.

Meets back up with Eva Mae and Kate at Woodbury. Kole is a stronger guy, and he works with the Governor's men to protect the city. Bree thinks he's a good person until she realizes he's been aware of the illicit and dangerous games the Governor has been playing with the city. Eva Mae is less light-hearted and spends her time worrying about her family. She's taken to drugs to push her mind out of reality. Kate is plotting to run off from Woodbury, since she's under the assumption that something isn't right in the encampment. She helps with gardening. Merle starts working with Martinez' men and distances himself from Bree. On the other hand, Bree begins working as an apprentice with Milton Mamet and Dr. Alice Stevens. From their work, she begins to have suspicions that something dark is going on in the city. Governor is mindful of her, keeps an eye on her. Although he treats her as somewhat of a child, she later realizes when seeing him with multiple women that collecting women gives a sense of empowerment to these leader types.

Our main characters have different homes, and travel in different circles, causing them to somewhat drift apart, but Merle finds that he still worries a bit about her. He's front and center all of the time, being in the games and excursions, so she's able to see him from the crowd, but they never talk. She sees him integrating himself into the city. Bree is interested in practicing her performing skills, and, after some urging from Andrea, helps the children of Woodbury learn some tap-dancing and theatre techniques. They put on cute performances for the parents, sometimes inviting the Governor or other "officials" of the city to perform to boost morale.

Bree still retains a bit of her attraction to Kole, though she has little to go off of except his looks and how nice he treated her on the bus. She's shy around him and finds herself at a loss of words as he resumes flirting with her. She thinks she likes him, but she isn't really sure. At one moment, he catches her backstage and gets her to dance with him and they almost kiss, even though she's hesitant. She decides to turn away at the last second. He's not happy, but he plays it off.

Kate found news that most Floridians were heading south towards Orlando and Key West, the latter of which there were reports that there hadn't been a sign of infection yet. Kate hadn't been able to contact anyone down there yet, but she plans on keeping an ear open for more news. Kole says he has to look out for himself right now, family later, so he's not planning to leave Woodbury.

Michonne and Andrea show up a week after them. In my adaptation, Andrea is strong and although she is supportive of the Governor, doesn't trust anyone except Michonne and, to a lesser extent, Bree.

The Governor, seeing Bree is good with children and after hearing from Merle of her efficiency at surviving Walkers, convinces her to babysit his "baby girl". She is curious because she's never met her before. There's a reason for that —-Penny is a monster. Bree tries to leave, but he tells her she's gonna have to stay here. He shows her how to brush her hair and what to feed her. Once he's satisfied at seeing her brush the thing's hair, he leaves. Bree quickly gets up and shoves the little girl back into her room. When she sees the aquatic reanimated decapitated heads, she squelches down a scream and throws up in his garbage can. Hurriedly, she looks around the place and figures out he's a deranged, violent man. When she hears him come back, she tugs Penny back out and pretends to be reading to her. She tries her hardest not to let her voice shake as his footsteps ring closer and closer. Happy to see the young "ladies" getting along, he thanks Bree and asks if she'd like to stay for a drink. She's like, nah, I'm good and courageously (or stupidly) wonders if it would be better for them both if he just let his daughter go. She says she sees the form of a little girl, but it's not Penny anymore. She doesnt know if he believes in a higher being, but Penny's gone. He says he's doing what's best for Penny. Ignoring her worries, he asks if his little girl behaved. Swallowing, she lets him know that she did. Good, he says with a smile. Bree tries to skedaddle, the Gov informs her that he'd like her to come back tomorrow and not to mention this to anyone else.

Upon finding out her family isn't here and that the camp is being run by a murdering lunatic, she's ready to get on the road again. She decides that she should tell Merle (he's on night sentry duty). Pulling his drunken self away from his equally drunk comrades proves difficult. When she tells him they need to leave and that there's something wrong with the Governor, he scoffs and says every man has some skeletons in his closet. But does he have his decaying daughter in his closet? Or soggy reanimated heads lined up like trophies from townspeople? Merle blinks in shock, but he stays unphased. Drunkenly, he notes that they're doing okay here. "What about Daryl, Merle? That's your blood!" she reminds him vehemently. "The person you grew up with and who knows you better than anyone else. You just want to forget about him and drink your days away here?" Merle seems hardly moved on the outside and says they got an okay setup here, and he ain't gonna mess it up. What the Governor does is his business, long as it don't affect the me and mine. Disappointed, Bree leaves Merle to his friends and alcohol. She begins making plans to leave on her own.

(Glenn and Maggie held hostage)

When Bree is tasked with caring for the wounded Glenn and Maggie (Gov doesn't know she knows Glenn), she realizes that there's something deeply wrong with Woodbury, not just the Governor's sick game of pretend. She lets Merle know that his brother is still around and so are Glenn and his new friend Maggie. Merle's not surprised-he already saw them and said he was the one that roughed Glenn up a little. Bree is dismayed to learn that Merle would do that, but he defends himself by saying they left him on the roof to die. "Maybe you don't remember that, but it's kinda hard for me to forget that my freakin' hand is missing!"

"Maggie has nothing to do with your hand!" Bree fumes.

Merle says he has to solidify his stance with the Gov as someone he trusts. Bree asks if building trust with this man is worth losing his humanity for and losing his chance to see his brother again. He doesn't answer. She's disappointed because she thought he was stronger and more independent than that. She walks away, deciding Merle is a lost cause.

Later, when the Governor declines to let a wavering Merle see how his brother is faring, and tells him Woodbury is his family now, Merle begins to grow uneasy. He gets together with Andrea, Kate, and Michonne to find out what's really going down in Woodbury. Michonne lets him know that upon hearing about the Governor's fantasy, she wants to go check it out for herself, give him a hit at his core. Andrea and Kate are going to help release Glenn and Maggie and get them out of the city.

Merle later finds Bree as she's exiting the Governor's villa and tells her she was right about family and she's happy to hear he's changed his mind. He grabs her and asks what she was doing there? She says she was babysitting for the Governor. Merle's flips at knowing the Gov has been putting her around those things knowing one bite could have her pushing up daisies. He apologizes in his own Merle way for being stubborn and says he signed onto their all-women escapade outta Woodbury. He warns her that he's not going to let them leave easily and they'd all have to be prepared for retaliation. She smirks and says since when is a Dixon afraid of any man? He chuckles and says dang straight as he feels some of that fear seep away and get replaced by courage fueled by a good team and reuniting with his brother. Fist bump! Not with the knife hand.

They gather what supplies they can, and when Rick and co show up to rescue them as they're busting Glenn and Mag out, Michonne makes a move to kill the Gov and his daughter. She told them to go ahead without her, so, trusting her, Bree, Andrea, Kate, and Merle sneak supplies and vehicles and beat it. With the Governor incapacitated from Michonne's attack and the gunfire brought about by the prison rescue, they leave and head after Rick's crew. She tries to convince Kole to leave too, but he doesn't budge and warns he will have to let the Governor know about this. Her crush dissipates. Poof.

At the prison, Merle is given a cold welcome by all, who have heard of his cruelty towards Glenn and Maggie. Because of this, Merle is put in a cell, much to the chagrin of his younger brother. (Bree: Dont do the crime if you can't do the time, buster. In other words, she can see why they put him there.) On the other hand, Bree and Andrea are welcomed warmly and introduced to the newest members of the prison, gets news of Dale's, T-Dog's, Shane's and the others' deaths, while also being reunited with old faces. She is sad to hear about Dale and Shane especially. Starts to realize that nothing is ever going to be permanent in this new world. The only things that seem to be lasting are those who died.

She eventually feels bad for Merle. Daryl and her try to convince the others that he's not as bad as he used to be, which everyone has a hard time believing, but they are surprised to hear it, because of how mean he was to Bree when they first met. When they decline to release him, she decides to climb up to check in on him and chat, saying it's because she trusts him now, and he's her friend, when he asks. Merle smiles and says awright, maybe we aren't enemies.

Within a few days, an unfamiliar man and woman come by the prison base. They have a baby and are on their way to Florida. Bree can hardly believe her luck! Knowing this is her best opportunity, Bree seizes the chance to go with them south. She lets Merle know, and he tells her to be careful. "I maybe might miss seeing your face around so much."

He apologizes for avoiding her in Woodbury. Surprised, Bree gives him back the pocket knife she took from him while he was knocked out, and she had nursed him back to health. Glad that we both gave the other a second chance. She gives him a big grin and a thumbs up and tells him that Daryl is still working to get him out, and he'll be free soon. They part ways. Bree climbs in the car after waving good-bye to Rick and the others. The couple give her a smile in the rearview mirror which she timidly returns. She looks out the back window at her semi-original camp, a knot of fear in her stomach, before turning back around in her seat. She never thought she would be able to, but she thought she might miss Merle. But she had to stay focused on what was in front of her now.

She's on her way to Florida.

Merle is flipping through the Bible, seeming agitated.

End of Episode Song: All the Sand in all the Sea by DeVotchKa

Background notes:

After mocking her religion, Merle begins to try to learn more about it with her and Hershel while in his cell. Makes his time of confinement easier and his transition into the group a little more smooth. He especially likes the themes of redemption and the unlimited power that God possesses.

Likewise, Bree starts to enjoy country music and some rock due to Merle playing some for her while he's in his cell. They both have a fondness for good music and alcohol, as well as what we can call Daddy Issues.

Daryl is grateful to Bree for watching out for his bigheaded brother. She's surprised at how much nicer he's become since they last saw each other.

Bree is like ahhhh when she sees Carl all older. She's horrified to see Sophia didn't make it. She and Carol are glad to see one another.

Glenn is happy to see Bree, and Maggie is grateful to her for being there for her, but she doesn't want to be around anyone after her ordeal with Woodbury.

Bree and Beth, being close in age, gravitate to one another.

Rick doesn't much trust her seeing how much she liked Shane, but he does respect her for surviving this long. She is also surprisingly good with little Judith, and this wins him over a bit, even though he's suffering with the loss of his wife.