Out of the Woods (The Walking Dead)
I Ain't a Judas:
Suzy sat there in the cafeteria while everyone argued back and forth. Kick him out, don't kick him out. They can stay here, they have to go to another cell block. He can go here but not there. It was getting tiring. Perhaps it was because everyone was still so shaken up from earlier. The Governor had came to shoot them up, crashed a truck through the gate and unleashed at least two dozen walkers back into the field. Glenn and Daryl took the time to dig a grave for one of their fatalities before entering the conversation. Merle stood across from her, leaning against the wall. Once again, he found their arguing over him to be more amusing than not.
Surprisingly enough, Maggie managed to bury her anger and advocate for Merle to stay. She clearly didn't like it, but if they wanted Suzy and Daryl to stay, they would have to suck it up. Glenn was the only one who didn't want to do so. Carol was the one other person to back him up. This of course led to Glenn and Daryl getting in a huge argument on why or why not Merle earned the right to stay. Rick had to separate them and took another few minutes to talk Glenn down. To him, it didn't matter how many good deeds Merle did for them. None of it would make up for the incident in Woodbury.
"Can I say something, please?" Suzy spoke up, making all the men quiet down. Rick gave her a look to tell her to say what was on her mind. She continued, "We have access to here and the other cell block. The one place we'll cut off is in there."
Suzy pointed to the doorway where their cells were in C block. Glenn shook his head.
"No, Suzy-you're fine," He said, "This isn't about you. This is about him."
"You better watch your words, man," Daryl said.
"Wait-" Rick nodded, "I think that's a fair plan at least for the time being. It'll give us a chance to see how this'll go. Last thing we need are more problems."
Glenn rolled his eyes and walked away to the cells. Suzy sighed with content. For now, Merle's line was drawn at their cells where they slept. He would be allowed anywhere else, while Suzy was allowed full access to the cell block.
"It's gettin' late," Said Rick, "I'll take watch. Everyone get some rest. We'll talk more in the mornin'."
Maggie's sister-Beth-handed Suzy a pillow with a blanket folded on top. She gave a shy-polite smile which Suzy returned. Maggie gestured for Suzy to follow them into the cell block, but Suzy shook her head, telling them she wasn't ready yet. She wanted to stay with Merle who she felt safest with. She couldn't leave him by himself. Once everyone besides her and Merle were in the cells with the door locked by Daryl, Merle finally said something.
"That was fun," He chuckled.
"That was exhausting," Suzy sighed. Merle smiled and came over to kiss her.
"It ain't smart stayin' here," He said, "You know that, right?"
"Yeah," She replied, "He'll be coming back, won't he?"
"Hell yeah. I'm honestly surprised he didn't finish this place off before. If they worried more about that instead of me, we'd have more of a fightin' chance."
"One thing at a time, big man."
"You sure you don't wanna go join them in the cell block?" He asked. When she looked down at her feet shyly, he laughed, "Oh I get it. You just can't get enough of me, can ya?"
"I mean," She smirked, looking back up at him, "You're not wrong."
"Come on," He had her follow him up the steps on the side to a little perch. They set up the single pillow and blanket, making that little spot their bed for now. They only removed their shoes and Merle's shirt before lying down on the metal panel floor. He draped his prosthetic over her side and she pressed her back into his warm chest.
"You know what's funny, though?" Merle said into her ear.
"What?"
"Woodbury was more of a prison than this place will ever be."
She couldn't agree more. It was the ultimate irony, it almost made her laugh at the audacity. It felt different here. It felt more close-knit, like a family. She already felt safer here than she ever did in Woodbury. She went to sleep soundly in Merle's embrace.
Everything was finally going to be okay...
The next morning, everyone (besides Merle) met up in the cell block to discuss what was their next move. Merle rested his arms on the cell door bars, locked out of the room with Suzy inside with them.
"We need to leave." Said Maggie's dad, Hershel, "It's not safe anymore."
"We're not leavin'," Said Rick.
"We can't stay here," Hershel replied.
"What if there's another sniper?" Said Maggie, "A wood pallet won't stop one of those rounds."
"We can't even go outside," Said Beth.
"Not in the daylight," Carol added.
"If Rick says we're not running, we're not running," Said Glenn sternly.
"No," Merle said from behind the bars, "Better to live like rats."
Rick turned, "You got a better idea?"
"Yeah," Merle nodded, "We should have slid out of here last night and lived to fight another day. But we lost that window, didn't we? I'm sure he's got scouts on every road out of this place by now."
"He's right," Suzy spoke up.
"We ain't scared of that prick," Daryl said from up top.
"Y'all should be," Merle said while Suzy paced the floor of the cell block and nodded, biting her nails. He continued, "That truck through the fence thing, that's just him ringin' the doorbell. We might have some thick walls to hide behind, but he's got the guns and the numbers. And if he takes the high ground around this place, shoot, he could just starve us out if he wanted to."
Maggie grimaced, "Let's put him in the other cell block."
"No," Daryl retorted, "He's got a point."
"Yeah," Said Suzy, "He's slaughtered whole groups before. He could've easily done it yesterday here, too."
"Then why didn't he?" Glenn asked.
Suzy shrugged, "You tell me."
Maggie turned to Merle in anger, "This is all you! You started this."
Merle just rolled his eyes at her, knowing that comment was coming. He thought about keeping a tally on how many times that incident would be brought up and thrown in his face. It was still early, he knew there'd be plenty more to come.
"What difference whose fault it is?" Beth spoke up, "What do we do?"
"I said we should leave," Hershel said, sitting on the steps, "Now Axel's dead. We can't just sit here."
Rick looked at him, but didn't respond. He knew Hershel was right. Merle was right, Daryl was right, no matter how much everyone's opinion differed; whether it was to leave or stay, everyone was right. Rick simply walked away without an answer, making Suzy frown. She remembered a time when she felt as lost and absent as Rick did now.
"Get back here!" Hershel stood with his crutches. It made Rick freeze in his tracks, "You're slipping, Rick. We've all seen it. We understand why. But now is not the time. You once said this isn't a democracy. Now you have to own up to that. I put my family's life in your hands. So get your head clear, and do something."
Rick nodded and continued on his way. Merle moved so Rick could open the door and leave, the door doing its usual rusty squeak upon closing. Suzy noticed Carl motion over to follow him, but he paused in uncertainty. She remembered seeing him back in Atlanta. He was so innocent then. She remembered helping him with his math and playing Goldfish with him and his friend. Now, he was a bit bigger, not only in age but in mind. His experiences with the world changed him so much already. She couldn't imagine what he had been put through to grow up so quickly.
"You should go talk to him," Suzy said, patting his shoulder. Carl sighed.
"He doesn't wanna talk to me." He said. He ducked his head so he could hide his face under his sheriff hat, "He'll get mad."
"You don't know that," She replied, "It might be just what he needs to hear."
Carl looked up, "You think so?"
"Mhm," She nodded, "I think he'll appreciate you being brave enough to be honest, even about the hard stuff."
Carl nodded and went off to follow Rick to the watch gate. When Suzy looked up, she saw Merle back leaning against the bars, grinning as he did so.
"What?" She said.
"He's a good kid," Merle replied.
"And what, that amuses you?"
"Nah," Merle chuckled, "Just never knew you were so good with the little ones is all."
"That's a joke, right?" Suzy gave a sarcastic laugh.
"Oh no, I'm being a hundred percent honest with ya," Funny, she could remember the last time he said that. Back in Atlanta, she recalled. Funny how little things have changed since then yet changed so much.
"I've actually always been the opposite, mind you." Suzy said, "But thanks, I guess."
After a short while, Rick came back with a few guns and handed one to Maggie, the other to Carl.
"Take watch," He said, "Eyes open, head down. The field's filled with walkers. Didn't see any snipers out there, but we'll keep Maggie on watch."
"I'll get up in the guard tower," Said Daryl, "Suzy goes with me and we can take out at least half them walkers, give these guys a chance to fix the fence."
"Or use some of the cars to put the bus in place." Said Michonne.
"We can't access the field without burning through our bullets." Said Hershel.
"So we're trapped in here," Glenn groaned, "There's barely any food or ammo."
"We've been here before. We'll be all right." Daryl replied.
"That's when it was just us," Glenn snapped, "Before there was a snake in the nest."
Suzy looked at Glenn completely appalled. The way he had no shame in saying something like that about Merle in front of her and to Daryl's face was astounding.
"Man, we gonna go through this again?" Daryl got up in his face, "Look, Merle's staying here. He's with us now. Get used to it, all y'all."
Daryl ignored Rick trying to calm him down and ran up the steps to his own little perch. Glenn decided to lower his voice to refrain from angering Daryl further.
"Seriously, Rick. I don't think Merle living here is really gonna fly." He said.
"I can't kick him out," Rick insisted.
"I wouldn't ask you to live with Shane after he tried to kill you," Glenn snapped.
"Merle has military experience," Hershel spoke up, giving Suzy a sigh of relief, "He may be erratic, but don't underestimate his loyalty to his brother."
"What if we solve both problems at once?" Glenn shrugged casually, "Deliver Merle to the Governor. Bargaining chip. Give him his traitor, maybe declare a truce."
Suzy gave a loud scoff of disgust when he said that. She shook her head and stomped away, not wanting anything more to do with this conversation.
"Hey, Suzy, wait-" Glenn rushed after her. He grabbed her by her shoulder to stop her, "I wasn't-"
"What?" She snapped back at him, "He's a traitor, that means I am, too. Remember that. So I should be handed over to the Governor with him?"
"That's not what I was saying-" Glenn insisted, but she wouldn't let him finish.
"Then you better stop talking your shit in front of me and Daryl like we're just gonna roll over and take it." She spoke firmly with an angry look in her eye, "I understand what he did to you, and I am so sorry there was nothing I could do to stop it. But we have bigger things to worry about now. He's trying to put all that behind him, you could try doing the same. So you need to swallow your pride and get the hell over it."
"Suzy-" Glenn stuttered.
She swatted his hand off her shoulder and marched away to their little cafeteria area Merle was supposed to be staying in. He wasn't anywhere to be found, so she figured he was in the D block cells. She sat at one of the empty tables and buried her face in her hands. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself when she felt the tears coming. She heard the sound of crutches on the floor, immediately notifying her on who was approaching.
"If you're here to tell me I should go apologize, you're wasting your time." She said, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
"No, that's not why I'm here." Hershel said, talking a seat next to her, "I wanted to remind you that we're all happy to have you with us."
"Yeah, it's the one who came back with me that's the problem, right?" She sniffled. She laughed at herself, "It feels like I don't know who to be angry with anymore. Merle regrets doing what he did, but he did it. So Glenn has every right to feel the way he does. So I'm not even allowed to be angry with him for it. All that's left is being angry with myself."
"You're not a bad person," He said softly, "No sense in thinking that. What good would that get you?"
"You can't say that." She replied, "You don't even know me."
"I don't have to. I can see it in ya," He said, "You have no reason to be angry with yourself. We have so much going on already, you shouldn't waste your energy on something like that."
Suzy shrugged awkwardly, "Thanks."
Hershel patted her hand with his own, "Just give it some time. Glenn has a way of bouncing back. When all this is over, things will be different."
"I hope so," Suzy replied.
"Where's Merle?" He asked.
"I don't know," She shrugged, "Probably D Block if I had to guess."
Hershel nodded and stood up on his crutches. Suzy quickly turned when she saw him going off to the other cell block.
"Wait, you're not going to talk to him, are you?" She called out.
"Why not?" He laughed, "Seems like you both are in need of a talking to to loosen you up a little bit."
Suzy sighed and let him go off to find Merle. Hershel did indeed find him in one of the lower cells, wrapping a new blade onto his prosthetic with duct tape. Merle watched him approach on his crutches and gave a small smile.
"You're the farmer Hershel." He said.
"And you're the black sheep Merle." Hershel replied.
Merle looked down at Hershel's leg, the one that was now lost below the knee.
"How'd you lose it?" He asked.
"I was bit."
"Bit?" Merle gasped, "You hack it off yourself?"
"No," Hershel chuckled as he sat down, "Rick did."
"Awful kindly of him."
"Saved my life. Gave me more time with my girls. Gave you more time with your brother," Hershel replied, "Can't put a price on that."
Merle frowned, "Can't put a price on anything anymore."
Hershel nodded and reached into his back pocket. He pulled out a small Bible and showed it to him.
"I found this in one of the cells," Said Hershel, "Lost more than the Good Book there for a while. Lost my way."
Merle didn't say anything. He only gave another small smile and continued trying to fix up his new blade.
"'And if your right hand offends you, cut if off, cast it from you. For it is profitable that one of your members should perish-"
"'And not that thy whole body should be casted to hell.' Matthew 5:29 and 30." Merle replied, making Hershel gaze in surprise. "Woodbury had a damn fine library. One of the only things I miss about it."
He recalled all the times he would read in the library by himself. It was his own little place of solitude besides his own home. Once he and Suzy started mingling, they started going together whenever they could. He always made sure to hide in the back so no one else would see him there. He didn't need more judgement from anyone else. Suzy said he could learn a thing or two about selective honesty, but seeing how these people still didn't truly have an idea on who they were dealing with, he figured he could think about that selective part later.
"When the Governor returns, he's gonna kill me first." Merle said, "Michonne, Suzy, my brother, then your girls. Glenn, Carl, the baby, whoever else is left. He'll save Rick for last so he can watch his family and friends die ugly. That's who you're dealing with."
Unknown to them, Suzy was listening right outside the cell door. She frowned when she heard him say that. It wasn't nice to hear, but Merle was right. He had a habit of doing that.
"And you agree we should have left?" Hershel asked.
Merle nodded, "I assume whatever Sheriff Rick says goes, huh."
"He's got us this far." Hershel replied, "But he's been through a lot. All he needs is some time to get his head on straight."
Merle chuckled, "Time is a tricky thing these days."
When Hershel nodded in agreement, Suzy decided to come out of the shadows and entered the doorway to the cell. She tried her best to pretend like she wasn't listening. When Hershel noticed her entry, he took that as his time to go.
"Well, I'll leave you to it," He said as he stood back up on his crutches. Suzy gave him a small smile to show her appreciation. It was nice to see that it wasn't only her and Daryl that was okay with Merle being here. Merle needed to that. Once Hershel was gone, Merle looked up at Suzy.
"I know you were out there listenin'," He commented, "You send him over to console me?"
"No," Suzy replied, "He did that himself."
"Yeah," Merle sighed, "They're good people here."
Suzy could tell it was bothering him. They were good people. Which meant he must be a bad person if he had done them wrong. That's how he thought of it at least. Now they all resented him for his wrongs like he was this big bad guy who deserved it. Suzy came over and sat on his lap and draped her arm over his muscular shoulders. She rested her head in the crook of his neck, making him sigh again, but this time more in relief. He put his arm around her waist to support her and hold her close.
"I forgive them, you know." Merle said as he rubbed her back. "Them forgiving me is the hard part."
"Maybe you need to forgive yourself first, before they can forgive you," Suzy replied, "Show them you want to right your wrongs."
"I ain't talkin' to that kid yet," She knew he meant Glenn, "I can't."
"I know. You don't have to. I know saying sorry isn't really your forte."
Merle chuckled when she said that, making her giggle in his neck.
"Yeah, I got a way with words, don't I?" He said, making her laugh.
"You sure do," She giggled, "What do you think I'm doing here?"
"Nah," He shook his head, "That's the last reason you're with me."
Once their laughter died out, Merle said something she never thought she'd hear him say.
"Sorry for screwing things up with ya the first time around," He said, making Suzy perk up her head. He continued, "I never deserved someone like you in my whole life. You help me wanna do better. It's just the doing better part is where it gets hard."
Suzy looked at him with sympathetic eyes. She didn't know what to reply with, he had left her completely stunned. She never heard him use the word "sorry" the entire time she'd known him. And she had just said as much. He was always so awkward when it came to apologies. She didn't know what else to do except kiss him. She shifted her body so she could straddle his lap instead. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders to deepen her kiss while his hand continued to caress her back. He put his new blade against her butt to support her position while she tried grinding her hips into his.
"No, baby-" He said against her lips. He put his hand on her hip to stop her, "Not here."
"Why not?" She panted, "We'll be knocking on death's door any day now."
"Yeah, but this ain't exactly Privacy Central if you know what I mean," Merle chuckled, admiring her enthusiasm. He spoke between his kisses, "But that guard tower, though? Now that just might be the place."
"Shouldn't I get permission from Rick for us to be up there?" She giggled.
"Yeah, go explain to Sheriff Rick why you want permission to go up in the guard tower to fuck like a bitch in heat."
"Shut up," She playfully smacked his chest and got off his lap.
He laughed that usual raspy laugh of his, bringing a spark of joy into her heart. Perhaps it was her turn to cheer him up instead of it always being his job for her. He would never admit though. Before she left to find Rick, she went over to give him one last kiss. Once she left. He put on his black shirt over his wife beater and took a deep breath. Was he really going through with this? Yep, he was. It was like Suzy said, apologies were not his forte. It annoyed him how awkward he could get at times.
He entered the cafeteria, seeing Carol in the middle of making everyone breakfast and Michonne doing pushups on the floor. He sat on the table across from her, feeling the awkward atmosphere growing by the second.
"Smart to stay fit," He said, breaking the silence, "Don't forget to leave out the cardio."
Michonne didn't acknowledge she heard him. She only kept doing what she was doing, giving him the cold shoulder. He knew that was something to be expected.
"You know," Merle kept on trucking, hoping she would see he was trying to make an effort, "If we're gonna live under the same roof, we should clear the air. This whole...Hunting you down thing, that was just business. Carrying out orders."
"Hmm," Michonne hummed in amusement, "Like the Gestapo."
Merle nodded awkwardly, "Yeah. Exactly."
He then frowned in shame, wanting her to understand. He continued, "I've done a lot of things I ain't proud of. Before and after. Anyway, I hope we can get past it. Let bygones be bygones."
He then stood up to go back in his hidey hole of a cell in D Block. It felt too stuffy out here with the rest of them. Michonne paused and watched him leave. She figured that was his weird way of trying to say he was sorry for trying to kill her. Forgive him for it? Probably not. Be the bigger person and let each other live in peace instead of throwing the past in his face? Probably so. If anything, she would do it for Suzy's sake, since she didn't deserve being thrown in the middle all the time because of what Merle had done. He didn't even wait around for an answer. However, she didn't think she had one for him just yet.
Suzy went up the steps in C Block, finding Rick cradling his newborn baby girl in his arms. She didn't need the full story of why the mother wasn't here to care for her anymore. It was still too recent for anyone to bear.
"Hey, Rick?" She said once she reached the top step. He looked up at the sound of her and nodded, putting the baby into her little crib made from a cardboard box.
"Somethin' I can help you with?" He asked, putting his hands on his hips.
"Yeah, uh-" Suzy shrugged, "I was just wondering if you'd be okay with having more lookouts. Merle and I were part of the main guards who did watch on the gates in Woodbury, especially me. And uh-If you'd be okay with us taking the guard tower as an extra post, we'd be happy to do it."
Rick looked at her with an amused expression, like he was trying not to laugh. He chewed his tongue in thought, knowing exactly what those two were planning on doing once they were in that guard tower together. Glenn and Maggie already christened the place plenty enough already.
"He's a little old for ya, ain't he?" Rick tilted his head in amusement as he gazed down at her. He smirked as he said it, watching Suzy go completely red in the face.
"You wouldn't be the first person who's said that," She replied, shifting awkwardly where she stood. He couldn't hold in his laugh anymore and smiled up to his eyes as he did so, ducking his head to contain himself. She never saw Rick laugh before, or smile. It had probably been a while since he did either now that she thought about it.
"Listen-" He contained himself and patted her shoulder, "It's okay. You won't catch me judging, at least not for that reason. But look, Carl and Maggie are out at the garage gate on watch. If you want, you can go relieve their spot."
"Thank you, Rick." She replied.
"You know what?" Rick gestured for her to follow him to the cardboard box crib, "I don't think you've met the most important member of our family yet. This is Judith."
"Or as I'd like to call her, lil' Ass Kicker," Suzy perked her head up at the sound of Daryl's voice. He was standing on the walkway and leaning against the wall by the cells, his muscular arms crossed over his chest. She smirked at Daryl's little nickname, as did Rick. She gazed down at the baby, seeing how small and innocent she was.
"You wanna try holdin' her?" Rick asked. He reached in to pick the baby up out of the box. He smiled, "Come on."
Rick handed her little Judith carefully. Suzy took the baby into her arms and cradled her. She remembered when her sister gave birth to Maggie and she got to hold her for the first time. She started to think perhaps all babies were the same. Same smell, same weight, same length, same innocence, same helplessness. It almost made her want to cry. She could hear the faint ghostly sound of Maggie's newborn cry ringing in her ears like it did that day. She never thought she'd see another baby ever again.
"You're good with her," Daryl commented. She hadn't noticed him come closer to her and Rick. She found herself smiling at that comment. She never thought about if she was the mother type, especially in a world like this. She gazed up at his pleased expression. He smiled back at her softly, not breaking his eyes from hers.
"Dad?" The three of them heard Carl call out. He rushed into the cell block and looked up the steps, "You need to come quick."
"What is it?" Rick hurried down the steps immediately. Suzy quickly and carefully put the baby back down into the box.
"It's Andrea," Carl replied. "She's here."
Rick pointed up at Suzy and Daryl.
"Okay, everyone grab a gun and meet at the door." Rick commanded, "Carl, you stay back in case something happens out there. Suzy, Daryl. You, me, and Merle will be the first ones out. The rest follow behind and be ready!"
Suzy and Daryl rushed down the steps immediately. Daryl gathered everyone besides Hershel who had to stay behind since he was on crutches. Daryl made sure everyone was armed and met Rick at the door that led out to the gate. Rick raised his hand to signal everyone to have their gun at the ready. They bursted through the door and ran out, Rick leading the way. Michonne and Maggie guarded the rear while Rick, Suzy, Merle, and Daryl took cover behind a nearby car. Carol and Glenn stood guard at the gated walkway up top, while Carl went back to his and Maggie's watch post.
"Go," Rick commanded to Merle. Merle ran ahead to the next car and searched the area.
"Clear!" Merle called out, allowing Rick, Daryl, and Suzy to go ahead to the gate.
Rick called out to Andrea, "Are you alone?"
"Open the gate," Andrea replied as she approached, holding a jawless and armless walker by one of Woodbury's extenders.
"Are you alone!" Rick repeated his question as he leaned against the gate.
"Rick!" Andrea gasped as walkers began closing in. Rick tossed the gate keys to Daryl to unlock the gate for her while Merle and Suzy kept their guns at the ready in case she wasn't alone. Daryl called for Merle to open the Gate enough to let Andrea get in.
"Hands up! Turn around!" Rick commanded. Andrea gasped that he would demand such a thing. It was like he was a cop again, not her friend. Before she could say anything else, he slammed her against the gate to search her, "Turn around now!"
When a biter tried attacking Andrea through the gate, Rick yanked her over to the concrete and had her on her knees with her hands up so he could finish searching her for other weapons.
"I asked if you were alone," He snapped.
"I am-" She gasped while Rick then snatched her bag from her shoulder and tossed it aside. Once he decided she was clean, he grabbed her by her arm to pull her up.
"Welcome back," He said, "Get up."
Once she was up, he let her go and allowed her to follow him and the others back inside. As they entered Cell Block C, Andrea and Carol wasted no time sharing a hug to reunite. Suzy and Merle were the last inside, Merle closing the gate door behind them. They stood on the steps of the doorway together, guns still in hand.
"Hershel, my god." Andrea gasped at the sight of Hershel's missing leg. "I can't believe this."
As she looked around, she noticed many people she knew now missing.
"Where's Shane?" She asked. Rick didn't reply. He only shook his head to say he didn't make it. "And Lori?"
"She had a girl," Hershel answered for Rick, "Lori didn't survive."
"Neither did T-Dog," Maggie added.
"I'm so sorry," Andrea replied sincerely. She tried showing her sympathy to Carl, but he only gave her a distant, cold look in his eyes. Rick wasn't having it either. "You all live here?"
"Here in the cell block," Glenn replied. Andrea pointed to the doorway to the cells.
"There?" She asked, "Well, can I go in?"
"I won't allow that," Rick stepped in front of her when she motioned over to the door. Andrea scoffed.
"I'm not an enemy, Rick."
"We had that field and that courtyard," Rick said, "Until your boyfriend tore down the fence with a truck and shot us up."
Andrea gave him a confused stare, "He said you fired first."
"Well he's lyin'."
Hershel spoke up, "He killed an inmate who survived in here."
"We liked him," Said Daryl, "He was one of us."
"I didn't know anything about that," Said Andrea, "As soon as I found out, I came. I didn't even know you were in Woodbury until after the shootout."
"That was days ago," Glenn retorted.
"I told you, I came as soon as I could." Andrea replied. She turned her gaze over to Michonne. "What have you told them?"
"Nothing," Michonne replied coldly.
"I don't get it," Andrea said, "I left Atlanta with you people and now I'm the odd man out?"
"He almost killed Michonne," Glenn replied, "And he would have killed us-"
Andrea pointed at Merle and shouted, "With his finger on the trigger! Isn't he the one who kidnapped you? Who beat you?"
There's another one, Merle thought, could've seen that comment coming a mile away.
"This isn't about Merle, okay?" Suzy snapped, "This is about the man who almost killed us in the arena! Remember that?"
Andrea looked like she was about to say something, but she held back. She took a deep breath and sighed, like she was trying to hide the fact she was getting emotional.
"Look-" Andrea said, "I cannot excuse or explain what Phillip has done. But I am here trying to bring us together. We have to work this out."
"There's nothin' to work out," Said Rick, "We're gonna kill him. I don't know how or when, but we will."
"We can settle this," Andrea insisted, "There is room at Woodbury for-for all of you."
Merle chuckled, "Yeah, you know better than that."
"What makes you think this man wants to negotiate?" Hershel asked, "Did he say that?"
"No." Andrea frowned.
"Then why did you come here?" Rick asked.
"Because he's gearing up for war," Andrea said, "The people are terrified, they see you as killers. They're training to attack."
"I'll tell you what," Said Daryl, "Next time you see Phillip, tell him I'm gonna take his other eye."
"We've taken too much shit for too long," Glenn added, "He wants a war, he's got one."
"Rick," Andrea looked at him, "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. Look at you, you've lost so much already. You can't stand alone anymore."
"You wanna make this right?" Said Rick, "Get us inside."
Andrea shook her head, "No-"
"Then we got nothin' to talk about," Rick walked away back into the cells as Andrea called after him.
"There are innocent people!" Andrea shouted. Suzy walked down the steps from the door and to the middle of the room where Andrea stood.
"Sometimes," Suzy sighed, "There are those who just can't be helped. Whether they want it or not. There are things you can never change."
"And being a complete murderous psycho is one of those things," Merle commented. Suzy wasn't fond of him adding that part no matter how right he was.
"I was trying to lay it on a bit calmer than that, but yes," Suzy shook her head, "Andrea, you've gotta know by now he's nothing but a liar. Right?"
Andrea didn't respond. She knew full well the Governor, or in her case, "Phillip", was a manipulative liar who got off on the pain of others. If she didn't see that by now, then there was nothing anyone could do to get through to her. Andrea gave a small nod of understanding and walked off with Michonne following here. They left to go talk in the courtyard, making Suzy remember the day Michonne left Woodbury. All that seemed so long ago now. Everything to do with Woodbury felt like a different lifetime. It was such a strange feeling to say the least.
"Hey," Glenn approached her, "We should get her a car to get her back to Woodbury."
"You think she's going back?" Suzy asked.
"If she's serious about making peace, then yeah. I think so," Glenn replied. Suzy nodded and they went off towards the rear of the prison to find a car to hot wire.
It took a little bit of searching, but they found a Corrections Officer vehicle to spare. Glenn showed her how to hot wire from inside the car while they were at it, since she commented that she didn't know how. In Woodbury, all the cars had keys to go with them. There was no need to know about hot wiring, especially when she was banned from leaving the walls in the first place. Suzy hopped in the passenger seat while Glenn drove it through to the courtyard. By the time they got back, Andrea already said her goodbyes and was ready to leave. Suzy could see the conflicting feelings in her face. She clearly didn't want to leave them, yet was making the decision to do it anyway.
"Can you spare it?" Andrea asked once Suzy and Glenn got out of the car.
"Yeah," Rick nodded. Andrea looked around at everyone, the last being Michonne. It seemed she was about to change her mind and stay, but she sighed and got in the car, telling everyone to take care after Daryl gave a nod of respect.
"Andrea-" Rick approached and handed her a pocket knife and a handgun in case she would need it. A car, weapons, ability to leave, all things the Governor would promise yet never actually give. Suzy noticed that was the real difference between Woodbury and this place. Merle was right. They had more freedom in this prison than they ever would in Woodbury.
"Be careful," Rick said.
"You, too." Andrea replied.
Andrea started the car and drove up to the gate, everyone following to watch her off. Merle with the keys ran to the gate and unlocked it, telling her to go once he pulled it open. Once she drove off through the opening where the fence was torn down to the field, Merle had closed and locked the gate and everyone went back inside. They gathered in the cafeteria, Maggie and Beth working together to make everyone dinner with whatever food they had left. Carl decided to take watch afterward, which Rick didn't object to. Merle and Suzy had sat away from the rest, letting them quietly mingle amongst themselves. When Rick excused himself to the cell block, Suzy gathered the courage to go talk to him again.
"Rick?" She called out, making him stop in his tracks. He turned around, asking her what she wanted. She came closer so she could speak to him more privately, "I haven't thanked you for letting us stay here."
"You didn't have to," Rick replied.
"I still wanted to let you know we appreciate it," She said, "Even if Merle doesn't say so."
"Yeah," Rick said, ducking his head and dragging out the word, "He did good today. I'll give him that."
"That's what I wanted to ask you. I know I kinda asked this earlier, but-I wanted to ask again-" Said Suzy, "-Would it be okay if we took up watch shifts in the guard tower. I promise we'll actually stand watch."
Rick gave a small chuckle at that last comment she made. He ducked his head again then looked up once he contained himself.
"You know what?" Rick said, "I think after today, he's free to go wherever he likes."
"Oh my god, thank you," Suzy nearly squealed with joy.
"Now that doesn't mean he's in the clear. You gotta keep an eye on him," Rick tried talking over her excitement, "He causes a problem it's on Daryl and you-"
Suzy cut him off by throwing her arms around his shoulders. She gave him a long, tender hug, causing him to freeze in confusion. He awkwardly patted his hand on her back with his other hand actually returning the hug.
"What brought this on?" Rick asked.
"I don't know. Freeing me from Woodbury, I guess," Suzy replied, still hugging him tight, "I also thought you could really use one."
Rick smiled, feeling like he could cry. He wasn't going to actually do that though, since he as the leader couldn't show weakness like that again. But she knew he had been through something horrible, something she could relate to. The pain was so clear in his eyes, even though he tried pretending it wasn't there.
"You know what?" He chuckled, "I think you're right."
Rick hugged her back just as tenderly, burying his face in her shoulder. She hadn't felt this kind of contentment since her father was alive. Rick was so much like him, even though she knew Rick was no more than ten years older than she was, the same as her own sister. It didn't matter though. She couldn't help seeing him in any other way.
Once nighttime fell, everyone sat together in the cell block in silence, probably all thinking about what was to come. Suzy didn't join them. Instead she stayed behind with Merle in the cafeteria. Rick left the door open, showing it was okay for both of them to come in.
"Why don't you go in with them, huh?" Merle asked.
"What do you mean?" Suzy gave an awkward giggle, "I wanna stay with you."
"You've always stayed with me, girl," He said, "But it's like I said. You've been cooped up in Woodbury alone for too long. They trust ya. It's 'bout time you started trustin' them."
"Come with me," She took his hand to pull him along, but he shook his head and pulled away.
"Not yet," He said.
"Then when?"
Merle sighed, "I don't know."
Suzy decided not to push him further. She reached up and kissed his cheek then left to go join the others in the cell block. As she sat next to Carol, Beth began singing Tom Waits to try lightening up the mood of sorrow everyone felt inside. Rick held his baby as she sang then joined Hershel and Daryl against the wall to make further plans for the next couple of days. Rick smiled at her and gave her a nod as he had passed by, as did Daryl. Rick then glanced at the door, making Suzy look at what caught his attention.
She saw Merle enter the cell block, leaning up against the door watching her. She gave him that familiar pearly white smile he adored so much. She then turned her attention to making small talk with Carol. He noticed how well she fit in with them. She was a good person like they all were, unlike him. She was never truly happy in Woodbury because she never belonged in Woodbury. She belonged with Daryl and Rick's group. Now that she was here, she could have real friends and perhaps a real family. They would never fully accept him no matter what he did. But they accepted her so easily. When it came down to it, there would be a fight with the Governor. What then? He didn't know the answer yet.
All he knew was this place had to stay standing. She had to live. Daryl had to live. That was all that mattered now. That's all that would ever matter.