HEY EVERYONE, here it is, finally posted publically for you! I hope you enjoy this one, it's in a different format than usual due to its nature and it is mostly filler to escalate the plot.

Give a big thanks to Bobbie15Jo for co-writing this chapter, I've been struggling with third POV and putting this chapter together. if you need something else to read, go check out her story DON'T GET DEAD!

Fight Night

RICK

Rick and the small group decided to take two cars to Woodbury, knowing that they needed the spare room when they saved Glenn, Maggie and Toby. The first car was directed to stop at the side of the road by Michonne, informing the group that they had driven far enough. Everyone exited the car, pulling their weapons and bags from the trunks.

"They have patrols," Michonne walked around the back of the car. "We're better off on foot."

"How far?" Rick asked. "Night's coming."

"It's a mile, maybe two."

They were unsure, but getting caught by the people at Woodbury before they could carry out the rescue could have dire consequences. They had to follow Michonne's lead until they got their people back, which seemed too long for Rick.

The group followed her into the forest, making sure she walked in front. She knew the way, and they didn't want to have her behind them to run or betray them.

Tyreese turned to Oscar, a smile playing on his lips. "Are you still wearing the prison jumpsuit?"

"I'm six-foot-five, it's hard enough to shop," Oscar rolled his eyes. "You think I've had time to run to the mall?"

Tyreese laughed, shaking his head. "We'll have to run for some new clothes when this is over."

Rick jogged a little to catch up with Daryl. He hadn't missed how distracted Daryl had been acting, but it was to be expected. Rick was worried just the same about their people, though Daryl was sure to be more focused on Toby. Rick's mind had wondered to Toby more than Glenn and Maggie, Rick admitted to himself, but Toby was a child. Although the situation was scary and worrisome, it was expected that Maggie and Glenn could handle themselves more than the child could.

Rick was sure that Daryl was blaming himself for not keeping a close enough eye on her, but Rick knew that if Toby wanted to go on the run, Daryl paying more attention meant nothing. As much as Rick understood the determination and stubbornness of the children, he was still surprised that it had been Toby. Rick had at least expected it from Carl, not Toby. What had made Toby act out in such a way? Rick knew Daryl was asking the same questions.

"I know what you did for me," Rick began. He gave a pause, trying to look for the right words to express his gratitude, "for my baby, while I was . . . while I was working things out—thank you."

Daryl nodded. "It's what we do."

"Although," Rick continued. "Carl did tell me you've been calling my girl Lil' Asskicker."

Daryl only chuckled in response, but then scoffed in an attempt to hide whatever humour he experienced. A twig snapped around them, and Daryl could hear the faintest shuffling in the leaves that covered the ground.

"Rick," Daryl barked in a whisper. "Down."

The group obeyed, glancing back at Daryl. A swarm of Walkers surrounded them, blocking their escape in any direction. Rick decided that they would have to kill as much as possible and run, knowing that having that many Walkers following them to Woodbury, could be catastrophic. It would bring too much attention.

"Get in formation," Rick called back to the group. "No gunfire."

They were able to shake enough of the Walkers to continue the journey to Woodbury. Night fell quickly, shielding them from guards that stood on top of the metal wall. They shone a light around the road into town, Rick quickly ducked behind a car.

Rick looked back over his shoulder, noticing the woman was missing. He scoffed but pulled a bag from his back before taking a gun from it.

"All right, we need to downsize," Rick passed weapons to Tyreese and Oscar, Daryl grabbing his own in front of him.

"Ain't no way we're gonna check in all them buildings," Tyreese shook his head. "Not with all them guards."

A snap came from behind them, and they each turned to point their gun at the sound. Michonne stood there, holding a finger to her lips. She waved a hand, telling them to follow her. Rick and Daryl exchanged an unsure glance, but again just followed the woman's lead.

Michonne led them around the wall, to the only part that had seemingly no security. She crawled through the small gap Rick could see. Rick considered that she could have made it herself when first escaping, it explained how she'd known her way in and out. But he didn't ask to confirm, any questions about her stay in Woodbury ended up her closing herself off even more, if that had been possible.

Michonne led them across a small street and into the back of a building.

"This is where you were held?"

"I was questioned, in the beginning." Just like that her stature stiffened, and she refused to make eye contact.

"There's somewhere else then? You know where they could be?" Tyreese asked. He sounded a lot calmer than Rick, a lot nicer than Rick.

Michonne shook her head, "I don't know where I was kept . . . later on. I didn't get a chance to see much of the outside until . . ." Again, she shook her head, refusing to say more.

Rick felt annoyed, he wanted to shove her, demand more answers, but he'd known from experience that whole day that there were no getting answers from that woman.

Daryl moved to the front of the room, pulling back the curtains. "I thought you said there was a curfew."

"The street is packed during the day," she informed. "Those are stragglers."

"If anyone comes in here, we're sitting ducks. We gotta move."

Michonne was quiet for a moment. "They could be in his apartment."

"Yeah?" Daryl scoffed. "What if they ain't?"

"Then we'll look somewhere else," Michonne ground out.

"You said you could help us," Rick spat out.

"I'm doing what I can!"

Oscar rolled his eyes. "Then where in the hell are they?"

Rick stared at her for a moment, his eyes narrowing.

"Hey," he nodded for Tyreese, Daryl and Oscar to follow him, and moved across to room to get out of earshot of Michonne. "If this goes south, we're cutting her loose."

Tyreese frowned. "You think she's leading us into a trap?"

"Right now it's the blind leading the blind," Daryl spun his finger around in the air, before suggesting, "let's split up."

"I don't know," Tyreese said. "When has that ever worked out well for us?"

They couldn't answer him. The shadows moved in the curtains outside, and everyone looked immediately to the door. The shadows were followed by a voice. "I know you're in here. I saw you moving from outside."

Rick gave a quiet whistle, nodding for Michonne to run to the back of the room with them. They hid behind a wall and another curtain as the clicking sound from the door began.

"All right, now," the guy called again. "You're not supposed to be in here and you know it."

"Are you sure you saw shadows?" A second voice asked.

"I'm sure," the first man crept further into the room, edging towards the curtain that separated the two groups. "Who's in here?"

When he stepped past the threshold of the curtain, Rick reached out and shoved the first man to the wall, pointing a gun in his face. Daryl came around, holding his crossbow to the second guy.

"Shut up!" Rick looked between the two men. "Get on your knees. Hands behind your back. Zip tie 'em."

Both men did as they were told as the orders came. Tyreese moved to the second guy to restrain his hands, as Rick held his gun at the first man.

"Where are our people?"

"I don't know," he shook his head, looking panicked and confused.

The gun was moved from the first man to the second, and the guy shook his head. Rick frowned. How could they not know?

"You are holding some of our people," Rick switched between them again. "Where the hell are they?"

The first man shook his head, genuine concern and terror in his eyes. "I don't know."

Rick frowned. Then reached in his pocket, pulling out a rag and holding his gun to the first person. "Open your mouth."

Rick shoved the rag in the man's mouth, which was when he tried yelling out for help. The second person kept their mouth closed, trying to see all the people in the room, but some of them were blocked by the curtain on the doors.

Daryl held the crossbow back, swinging it down and knocking the first person unconscious. Rick turned to the second man, moving further into the front room.

"You're next."

"Wait," Oscar held his hand out to stop Rick, and he looked down at the man. "Jackass?"

"Douchebag?" The man asked, the same confusion written on his face.

"I know this guy," Oscar told Rick, "he was my friend back in high school. His name's Clyde."

"Hey," the man gave a weak smile at Oscar. "How ya been? When you get outta prison?"

"Today, actually."

"Enough talk," Daryl scoffed, "ain't supposed to be chattin'. This ain't yer damn high school reunion."

Clyde looked to Rick. "Ya said you were lookin' for yer people?"

"Why? You know about that?"

"Maybe," Clyde glanced around at the rest of the people, "I used to be involved in all that shit. They had some places where they'd keep prisoners without any of the civilians' noticin'."

"Where?"

"The main one was 'round the back of the buildin's, right at the back corner," Clyde explained. "That's the most concealed place. They got some rooms back there where they'd tie prisoners up and question 'em. Governor don't appreciate new faces 'round his territory."

"You know this Governor then?" Rick asked, it seemed like an obvious question, but he was trying to confirm all that he could of what Michonne had said.

"He runs things here," Clyde stated, "keeps the civilians on a need-to-know basis. If he finds out about this, he'll prob'ly build up some story 'bout terrorists tryin' ta take over. Let's just say, ya don't wanna get on his bad side."

"I think it's a little late for that," Tyreese mused.

Rick turned back to Clyde. "What corner are the prisoners kept in?"

"Back right is where Lockup is," Clyde told him. "can't miss 'em. Sketchiest place in town."

"Why?" Oscar asked, a smirk playing on his lips. "Is that where you live?"

Clyde scoffed with a grin. "Well fuck ya right back."

"Okay," Rick nodded. "Thanks for the help."

Rick looked around the group, nodding for them all to follow him. Clyde knew they were going straight to the Lockup, but he had to call them back. He couldn't follow them with the zipties.

"If you know . . . if you know about this guy, this Governor, how bad he is," Oscar said. "Why are you here?"

"I'm alive, ain't I?" Clyde shrugged. "May not be otherwise. People get a life here, I guess, if you can call it that."

"Leave, come back with us. We have a place."

Clyde opened his mouth but Rick interrupted, "No. We don't know this guy-"

"-I know him."

"We barely know you!" Daryl said too loudly.

"Oscar might have a point," Tyreese defended. "He helped us."

"Before ya'll fight over me for the last dance, I'd like to respectfully decline yer offer." Clyde stopped them.

Oscar looked at his old friend, "you can't stay here."

"I can't go with ya, I don't know these guys either, and if ya'll get caught; that's my ass on the line. I dunno whose shit is gettin' thrown where but I'm stayin' outta it. Not my fight."

Oscar opened his mouth to say more. Clyde was the first real sign someone from his previous life had survived, it didn't feel right leaving him. He was about to tell him all about Toby, not knowing how they became separated but it didn't matter. As soon as they knew they were rescuing his kid, that his child was with them, he had to change his mind.

But Oscar couldn't tell him, he looked around at the people in the room. He was the only one who knew who this man was. Clyde said he didn't have anything to do with prisoners anymore, he must have had no idea they were keeping his girl right under his nose. Oscar couldn't bring himself to tell him. What if they'd done something to Toby, what if she had been killed?

Oscar could not find it in him to tell his old friend that his child was alive and that they had lost her. Not only that, there wasn't time to sit around and chat about it. Clyde didn't trust Rick's group and Rick didn't trust him. There was no time for arguments or negotiations. Oscar glanced around at the others, reminding himself that they had no idea who this man was, and if he broke the news to them, the shock alone would probably take too much time.

"So we leave you?" Oscar's voice cracked, everyone thought it was for a different reason than it was.

"Hold on," Clyde stopped them, he nodded to the person unconscious on the ground. "He's gonna remember I came here with him."

"What do you suggest?" Rick questioned.

"Yer gonna have ta knock me out," Clyde told them. "Make it believable. If not, the Governor will know somethin's up."

"You sure?" Rick asked.

"It's really the only option," Clyde nodded. "I'll be in deep shit if ya don't."

"Okay," Rick nodded. "Thank you."

"No problem."

"Okay, just hold still."

Clyde closed his eyes, bracing himself for the blow. Unexpectedly, his expression was calm and collected, making no move to flinch or even defend himself. Rick was quiet while he drew his gun back, making sure the man didn't move as he tried swinging. He didn't tell Clyde as he swung down, hitting the back of his neck with the butt of his gun. Clyde fell forward at the blow, silent.

"Damn," Tyreese whispered, his tone dismayed. "He really just took that."

"He's taken worse," Oscar commented, turning away.

Rick glanced over at the men. "Let's go, before someone finds them."

They all nodded in agreement, and Rick walked toward the door. He nodded his head to the side as he passed the woman, leading her out of the building.

The streets were empty. Quiet. They would be able to get to the Lockup without being spotted. As long as Clyde wasn't lying about the locations. Rick crouched as he walked, his head ducking below each window in case there was anyone inside.

"Back here," they almost reached the back fence, and there was one more turn before reaching the corner. "This way."

Clyde hadn't been lying.

The town had changed completely down just one junction. The buildings were now made of corrugated metal, the rooms held together by heavy-duty screws and nails.

"This has to be it," Tyreese whispered.

Rick nodded a silent agreement.

They came down a narrow corridor, and Rick flagged everyone to follow him inside with two fingers. He stopped when he saw someone turn the next corner, and into a room he couldn't see from his positioning.

Rick, with the others close behind, crept down the hallway, stopping when he reached a window. "Bag 'em." A man said. "Boss wants 'em in the screamer pits."

Rick peeked his head up, seeing Glenn and Maggie kneeling in a room together. Glenn was shirtless and bloody, he could barely kneel with his back straight. He was looking at Maggie, whispering to her as a man walked over with brown bags and yanked the first one over Maggie's head, and then Glenn's.

"On your feet!" A man yelled at them. "Move!"

"Shit," Rick whispered.

He reached in the duffle bag, pulling out a smoke bomb and flash-bang before handing one to Daryl. They stood, throwing the bombs into the room where the people were dragging Glenn and Maggie.

"Quick!" Rick told them.

He ran into the group, yanking Glenn towards the exit. Oscar grabbed Maggie's arms that were tied up, and they pulled the two of them into the hallway before the bullets started flying. Rick ducked at the sounds they made as they hit the metal.

Both Rick and Daryl spun their heads around, looking for a sign of a third prisoner. With gunshots and smoke, there wasn't much of an opportunity to search. There didn't seem to be any sign of Toby.

MERLE

Toby ignored the pain in her leg as she leaned back against the wall. Merle glanced up and over the windowsill looking for any signs of the shooting, but he couldn't see anything.

"Shit."

Merle crouched down, keeping low as he walked across the room. He reached up, pulled a knife sheath down from the shelf and grabbed his handgun from the counter where he left it.

"Here," he quickly ran over to Toby, kneeling down in front of her. "Stay here, keep low. I'll be back soon."

Toby took it from his hands, pulling the knife from the sheath to examine it. It was longer than her throwing knives, but not as long as the hunting one Daryl usually leant her. "Where are you goin'?"

"I gotta see what the fuck's goin' on." Merle looked at her intently. "Stay here and don't leave unless ya have to, someone comes to get you ignore 'em, ya wait for me. Got it?"

Toby's eyes were wide with concern, her eyes drifted down to her hurt leg.

"I dunno what's gonna happen," he confessed, then motioned to the knife in her hand. "But you take this and someone—anyone grabs ya, don't care who, don't care if it's yer dad, or the Gov or even Martinez." Merle's index finger tapped the fletch of his thigh, "anyone tries anythin', aim right here. You stab and you twist."

If it was possible, Toby's eyes got wider, "I stab?"

Merle stood and nodded, walking to the door. "Then you run. You got it?"

She nodded fervently. But Merle shook his head, "say it. Need ta know what I'm tellin' ya is stickin'. Someone touches ya or comes for ya, what you do?"

"I wait for you," she said slowly. "Or . . . I stab and I twist and I run?"

"Good. Now stay."

Toby didn't like it, but she did what Merle said, staying on the ground where she had been sitting, clutching the knife in her hands.

Merle walked out into the street, watching as some of the civilians who skipped curfew ran back to their houses. The shooting had stopped, and everyone who was put on the wall that night was walking through the streets with their guns out.

The first person he saw was Martinez who jogged over to him. "I was just coming to get you," he told him. "Come on, boss wants to see us."

Merle nodded. "Yeah, I heard the gunfire."

"You see anything?" Martinez asked, holding his SMG, quickly glancing around the street while walking at Merle's side.

"No," Merle answered, for once, truthfully.

"You know who it is, don't you?"

At this point, everyone close enough to the Governor knew it was the prison group, but they couldn't talk about it in front of anyone else in town. If they knew the attackers, it would be difficult for the Governor to play it off as terrorists to the civilians.

Merle pursed his lips. "Yeah, I know."

Merle followed him to a building down the street where the Governor was holding the meeting. "They got the prisoners, you know."

Merle pursed his lips. He was slightly relieved but unable to show it. The only problem now would be telling the Governor, something he didn't want to be a part of. "Brownie, if yer goin' soft—"

"—It's not that," Martinez glared at him. "The girl killed Warren. Used a bone from the Biter and stuck it in his neck. We were just about to execute 'em when their people came."

"Jesus," Merle was almost impressed. He knew that they were going to be executed eventually under the Governor's orders. It was lucky that Officer Friendly showed up in time.

"Where's the kid?" Martinez asked.

"Left her at mine."

"Alone?"

"It's not exactly like I could bring her, now could I?" Merle scoffed.

They didn't say anything else as they walked into the room the Governor had called them all to. The minute they entered the room they were hounded with questions. "Any sign of them?"

"Signs of what?" Milton asked, crossing his arms. "What exactly is happening out there?"

"It's the prison group, come to take back what's theirs," the Governor explained. "Keep a group with the prisoners, maybe we can catch them off guard."

Merle reached up to rub the back of his neck, he glanced at Martinez before deciding to spare him. "The prisoners escaped."

"Escaped?" The Governor shot. "How?"

"They killed Warren," Martinez interjected.

Milton frowned. "Killed?"

"Got up close," Merle interrupted, "stuck a stake through his neck."

"We need patrols now," the Governor said. "Can't take chances with these terrorists. Your niece?"

"Hidin' at my place," Merle regretted the specifics as soon as he said it. "She's not goin' nowhere."

"I wouldn't exactly call them terrorists," Milton argued, calling the conversation back. "We took their people."

"They're terrorists," the Governor looked to Merle and Martinez. "That's what we tell the people when all this is done."

"You got it," Martinez nodded.

"Now get back out there, find these people," the Governor said, "but most importantly, don't cause a panic. The people don't need to know about this, not just yet."

RICK

Rick led the group, running to a building with no lights on. It looked empty enough. They would be safe there for a few minutes at least.

"Inside, quick!"

"Ain't no way out back here," Daryl called, after checking the back of the room.

Maggie kneeled down by Glenn, her hand on his shoulder. She glanced up from him to the leader. "Rick, how did you find us?"

Rick ignored the question, kneeling in front of Glenn. "How bad are you hurt?"

"I'll be alright," Glenn panted. "What about Toby? You didn't find her?"

"No," Rick said hurriedly.

"She hasn't been with you?" Daryl questioned.

"We only saw her once. They kept her somewhere else." Maggie glanced around the room, a frown on her face. "Where's that woman?"

Rick looked around the room. "She was right behind us."

"Maybe she was spotted," Tyreese looked worried. "Want me to go look for her?"

Rick shook his head. "No. We gotta get them out of here. She's on her own."

"And Toby?" Daryl pressed, "We can't just leave without her."

"We're not," Rick assured. "But we don't know where she is, she wasn't where they kept other prisoners. Glenn's hurt, we need to get them out first."

Daryl looked at Glenn, hesitant, but nodded. He knew Rick was right, they wouldn't be any good to Toby or Glenn if they were caught again. Their plan to save Glenn, Maggie and Toby hadn't entirely failed, but it could if they weren't able to escape.

"Do you have an idea where she might be? Where do they keep her?" Rick questioned.

Maggie exchanged a look with Glenn, who then rolled his head to the side to look at Daryl, barely having the energy to turn it himself. "Daryl, this was Merle. It was. He did this."

Daryl stepped forward urgently, eyebrows raising. "You saw him?"

"Face to face. Threw a Walker at me."

"S-So my brother's this Governor?"

"No," Maggie denied, "it's somebody else. Your brother's his lieutenant or something."

"Does he know I'm still with you?"

"He does now," Glenn turned to their leader with a pained expression. "Rick, I'm sorry. We told him where the prison was. We couldn't hold out."

Rick shook his head. "Don't. No need to apologise. We can see what you've been through."

Maggie looked away, tears in her eyes while Glenn's head shook. "No that wasn't it. He was going to kill Toby."

"Merle?" Daryl blurted with a sense of urgency.

"No," Glenn said. "The Governor. He shot her in the leg, Merle took her away after that."

"She's shot?!" Daryl looked wild. "Is she okay?"

"We don't know. That was the last time we saw her. She could be with him?" Maggie suggested. "We only ever saw her when he was around. Before . . . before that happened she didn't look hurt. She had new clothes and new shoes. She was clean. I don't know what they did with her but they still didn't know anything about the prison when they brought her in."

"Maybe they didn't question her," Tyreese said.

"That doesn't make sense," Oscar commented. "Toby's just a kid, if they wanted to know about us so badly, wouldn't it have been easier to get it out of her than all . . ." Oscar waves a hand at Glenn. "This?"

"We don't have time to speculate," Rick said.

"They're gonna be looking for us," Oscar warned. "We have to get back."

"Can you walk?" Rick checked in with Glenn. "We got a car a few miles out."

"I'm good."

"All right."

"Hey, if Merle's around, I need to see him," Daryl said desperately.

"Not now," Rick walked over to him, slamming a hand down on his shoulder. "We're in hostile territory."

"He's my brother. I ain't—"

Rick shook his head. "—Look at what he did! Look, we gotta . . . gotta get out of here now."

"Maybe I can talk to him," Daryl argued. "Maybe I can work somethin' out, maybe he still has Toby like they said!"

"No, no, no. You're not thinking straight. Look, no matter what they say, they're hurt," Rick waved a hand back to Glenn. "Glenn can barely walk. How are we gonna make it out if we get overrun by Walkers and this Governor catches up to us? I need you. Are you with me?"

Daryl was quiet. He thought that maybe if he could find Merle, he could find Toby. He could get them out. Even if he knew they were still going to be helping Toby, he just needed to try and do something now.

Daryl finally released an audible breath from his throat. "Yeah."

"Guys, if we leave we aren't just leaving Toby," Tyreese told them. "What about that woman?"

"If we find her when we're looking for Toby, we'll help her," Rick stated. "If not, she's on her own. We can't hang around here for too long. We should leave this room now before they realize where we are."

"What's the plan?" Tyreese asked quickly, as Rick walked to the door.

"Okay, we'll do a quick sweep," Rick said, crouching behind the door. "Look for Toby, but if we get spotted, we get Glenn out of here. Get him back to the car and come back. I know, all right? I don't like it. But they know we're here and the longer we stay, the less of a chance we have. They'll be searching, posting guards at exits."

They were quiet for a second, but everyone eventually nodded in agreement.

"Ready?"

Again, they all nodded.

Rick slowly opened the door and peeked his head outside. There was no sign of any people, not as far as he could see. He could hear them searching, shouting orders to each other from a different street, but for now, they would be okay to keep looking. He took a few steps outside, once again testing the waters. Nothing. He looked back inside at the group. "Okay, quick. This way."

Even though he had no idea where he was supposed to be looking, Rick knew that he had to try somewhere. He wasn't stupid. He could see what happened to not only Glenn, but the both of them, and if Toby had already been shot then she could also be on her way to the chopping block.

No one else intended on leaving without her either, and even though it would be the best option to get Glenn out first, Rick knew that even the thought of leaving for a second could make the group think that they weren't coming back. He didn't want to have to keep arguing about how he wasn't going to leave Toby behind, but he could see in Daryl's eyes that he thought they weren't trying hard enough.

Daryl wanted to do more, and Rick couldn't let him. Not without potentially losing another person.

They all quietly followed behind him, each straightening up as they passed a window to peer inside. They all knew that the Governor would never keep Toby in an obvious place, but they all had hope.

Rick moved to the next door to open it. He wanted to search the building for Toby, but the moment his hand reached the handle, a voice stopped him.

"Hey!"

Rick's hand snapped back, steadying his gun as he spun around. "Daryl!" He didn't even have to throw any orders, because the minute he called his name, Daryl threw the smoke bomb out into the street.

Rick didn't waste the time, he made sure everyone was ready before sprinting off down the street. "Come on!"

They followed after him quickly, taking turns to shoot back at the now-gathering people there to kill them. Rick couldn't count them all through the smoke, and he hoped that they didn't know how many they were either. Keep it a surprise that they were infiltrated by five people. At the end of the street, Rick reached a doorway. He ducked behind the wall and waved for them all to follow him.

Daryl pulled out a magazine, reloading his gun as he ducked behind the wall next to Rick. "You guys go ahead. I'm gonna lay down some cover fire."

"No!" Glenn argued. "We gotta stay together."

Daryl shook his head. "Too hairy. I'll be right behind you."

No one wanted to leave him, but they couldn't argue. He already had the smoke bomb in his hand, pulled the pin and threw it out into the streets. When there was no visibility throughout the streets, they all started running as Daryl shot at the men he could barely see behind the benches.

Rick led the group across the street, always looking over his shoulder to make sure that Glenn was still keeping up. "To the bus!"

Oscar climbed up onto the hood of the bus, turning around so he could pull Glenn up and over.

"Rick!" Maggie yelled.

Rick could barely hear her, he could barely hear anyone anymore. He was crouched behind a solar panel, for whatever cover it was worth, staring at a man that looked like Shane. Or he was seeing as Shane. He couldn't tell the difference. The man raised his gun, but before Rick could reach for his own weapon, the man had fallen to the ground.

Tyreese was standing behind Rick, staring at the body he just made. Rick looked back over his shoulder, and back to the body.

"I . . . I didn't think . . ." Tyreese stumbled over his words, killing quickly taking its toll.

"Don't, you did the right thing," Rick stood and grabbed his shoulder.

Tyreese only nodded, tearing his eyes away from the man to look at the bus. Oscar, Maggie and Glenn were laying on the roof. He nodded to them, "come on, let's go."

They ran towards the bus together, when Rick remembered. He looked back to the doorway.

"Daryl! Come on!"

"Rick!" Tyreese grabbed his arm.

"Daryl!"

He couldn't stop Tyreese from pulling him up and over the bus, but he could finally see that Daryl wasn't moving. He shot at some of the men to give Daryl some cover, but again he didn't move.

"Daryl! Come on!"

But he couldn't wait, bullets whizzed past his face, and he had to retreat over the bus.

MICHONNE

"Little girl?" Michonne crept up to the wired door. It was in the backroom of the Governor's apartment, his own personal prison. Against the wall were a few fish tanks with heads, heads from humans and walkers. She pursed her lips before calling out, "Toby?"

There was no answer, but the dull thudding sound continued.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Michonne called again.

Again, there was nothing. She opened the bolt latch on the door, then a small figure emerged from the darkness, wearing a pink sweater and darker pink skirt. Michonne remembered the dark brunette hair of the young girl she'd seen taken. The one in front of her had a bag over her head but looked to be about the right size, and she could see the dark strands of hair falling out under the bag and over the girl's shoulders. The girl's arms were tied behind her back, she stumbled forward as if walking was a difficult task.

Michonne breathed in, trying to keep calm for the sake of the girl, not beginning to imagine what she'd been kept there for. She eyed the chain around the girl's neck, but she seemed clean, there were no signs of injury or blood.

"Come on, come on, that's it," Michonne beckoned the girl forward.

She unchained the girl from the back of her neck, holding her steady for a second. Her hands then reached up to the bag and pulled it forward so it fell off the head. Instead of seeing Toby, the little girl under the hood was a Walker. It snapped up at her, causing Michonne to jump to her feet in alarm.

She grabbed the sword, and then the girl by the shoulder.

"No! Don't hurt her," The Governor called.

Michonne spun around. She held her sword up to the Walker, just in case the Governor tried anything. It took everything for Michonne not to kill it immediately, but she wanted to see him suffer. It would be easy enough, he was keeping a Walker in his own apartment.

"Look," he twisted his gun in his hand so it wasn't pointed at her anymore. He shoved the gun in his holster, removing the belt and placing it on the table to the side of him. "Hey. It's me you want. There's no need for her to suffer."

Michonne had spent days, maybe more; she had never figured it out, as this man's prisoner. She'd been locked up, tortured and abused, but had never felt the disgust she had for him until that moment. Seeing the look on her tormentor's face, Michonne was able to figure out with some relief, that this girl was not Toby. After seeing the rotted girl's face, she hadn't been sure, Michonne hadn't seen Toby up close. "She doesn't have needs."

In any other circumstance, if she had not been chained down in an isolated room for so long, maybe she could have found sympathy. At this moment Michonne could see the real him; a cowardly, broken, sobbing man. But there was no sympathy, she saw this man in all his cowardice, all his evilness and selfishness.

"Don't hurt my little girl," he whispered. "Please."

Michonne felt almost smug with power at that moment, she finally had something over him. Since her escape from Woodbury, she had made a list, plans on what to do to him, to get herself back from the pieces he'd torn away. None of which had anything to do with the dead little girl at her hand.

There was a moment, a long one, but only a moment where Michonne considered. The dead girl could play a part, she had already succeeded and brought the man to his knees. Michonne has stumbled upon the perfect tool, a new instrument for her revenge.

That moment ended. Michonne knew that this little girl was not who she used to be, but Michonne could never decide if she believed the soul still rested with the body. Whether or not it did, no child should have to go on existing like it was, it was cruel. It had to end.

Michonne ended it then, the moment of consideration over. Letting herself enjoy the look of desperation and agony the Governor expressed as she drove her sword through the living corpse's head.

"No!" He screamed in anguish.

A horrible moment in which Michonne revelled in that pain caused by the final death of the child, but it had to be done. She dropped the corpse, and it fell to the ground. That was the first mistake because the minute the body hit the floor the Governor lunged at her.

He shoved her back against the wall, punching her across the face. She pushed back at him, so they both fell backwards over the chair, groaning as they hit the ground. The Governor recovered quickly, rolling over and shoving his hands down on her throat. He pressed harder and harder; cutting off her air supply.

She shoved him off with the butt of her sword and stood up to kick him in the ribs. When he fell over, she stood over him, using her sword to strangle him as he had been doing to her.

He pushed himself up to his knees, the handle of her sword still pressed to her throat, and then pushed himself to his feet. Michonne kept her grip tight, but the Governor used the weight of his body to slam them both back against the wall. Michonne groaned, releasing her sword with one hand.

The Governor spun, grabbing her by her face and smashing her head back against the wall. His hand slipped and Michonne bit down on his thumb. He screamed and dragged her against the wall, slamming her face into the fish tanks filled with heads.

When he dragged her back, she kept her hold on the other tans and pulled them away so they fell on the ground. They both slipped on the water, landing on the ground as the heads rolled along the floor.

Michonne could feel the blood dripping down her face.

The Governor grabbed her, gripping her throat with his arms, pushing her closer to one of the heads that had landed in the frame of the tank. She tried pushing herself backwards, desperately trying to get away from his grip, but her shoes kept slipping through the water and she couldn't get any traction against the floor.

She slammed her elbow back against him, knocking him away from her as she tried crawling across the ground towards her sword. She was grabbed before she could reach it, and dragged backward in the water.

Instead, she reached out to the broken fish tank and grabbed a glass shard that was sticking out from the frame. The shard cut at her hand, and she yelped, but she twisted until it released itself from the tank. When the glass was in her hand, she swung her arm back, aiming for the Governor's face.

He screamed out, falling away from her. She grabbed her sword and stood up, finally seeing what she had done to him. The shard was sticking out from his eye, and he was bleeding all down his face. He screamed and screamed.

She swung her arms back with the sword in them, ready to end this, but she couldn't because she heard a gun click behind her.

"Drop it."

Michonne couldn't see who it was before she was tackled to the ground. Her head snapped to the side as she punched in the face. Her sword was kicked away, and she could just see two more men running into the room.

"Boss?" One of them kneeled down by the Governor, placing a hand on his shoulder. Blood curled down his cheek, down, down, wrapping under his chin as he screamed. He looked back at the one pinning Michonne and waved a hand. "Take her to the cell. I'll get the boss to the doctor."

MERLE

Merle got word about the Governor's assault through another scout. Fear filled him when they described the woman, the former prisoner. He knew he was in trouble then, caught in another lie. He'd told the Governor that the black bitch was dead, why had she been stupid enough to come back? Merle didn't ask what they were doing with her, he didn't care.

Merle racked his brain, trying to think of how best to approach this situation. He was on his way to the Doctor's where the Governor was being treated for his wounds. The Governor was going to be as unpredictable as no other time. Most of the men in the inner circle knew of the heads in the tanks, and of his daughter, for both to be gone, destroyed. Not to mention his eye . . .

Merle had to be careful.

Merle saw the Doctor first, who was acting as if their previous encounter that day hadn't happened. Merle appreciated it, it was no time for petty arguments.

The Doctor explained the injury and what she'd done to treat it. Merle listened intently, buying time from talking with the Governor. She had to remove the glass from the eye, and all she could do at the time was give him some antibiotics so he didn't get an infection. She felt like tetanus could be a real concern, but it was the glass he was stabbed with and not metal.

After a few moments, the Doctor and Merle went back into the infirmary. She approached the Governor, looking regretful and sad.

"It doesn't look good," The Doctor told him, gently lowering the cotton patch over his eye. "The glass has done a lot of damage."

"I need to get out of here," he told her, standing up.

"Not yet," The Doctor pushed his shoulder.

"Get out of my way!"

The door swung open, and Milton entered the room, followed by Martinez. The Governor hadn't noticed Merle until that point.

"Oh my God," Milton sputtered. "I just heard. Are you all right? Your eye, is it—"

"—What happened to you?" Martinez asked.

"I was attacked."

The Governor looked to Merle, who stood awkwardly. All he could do at the time was update the Governor on the situation outside and play off the situation like he knew nothing.

"They made it over the wall," Merle told him. "I'll go after them in the morning."

Again there was that glare, one that made Merle sick to his stomach. He could do nothing but feign innocence and stand his ground. The Governor said nothing about Michonne.

RICK

"Come on, Daryl," Rick whispered to himself. "Where the hell are you?"

"We have to go back in," Tyreese said. "They probably got Daryl, that woman, and Toby is still inside."

"I know," Rick whispered. He looked back at the group. Glenn was sitting against a tree, his head in his hands. He couldn't go back in, and it didn't look like he could get back to the car alone. If they left him so close to the walls he could be captured or killed, or a Walker could take him easily.

Rick turned to Oscar. "You remember how to get back to the car."

"You want me to go?"

"I need you to take Glenn," Rick clarified. "The rest of us will go back in and look for them."

"No, no!" Glenn argued, trying to push himself to his feet. "I'm coming, Daryl and Toby—"

"—You can barely walk," Rick reminded him. "The only thing you can do is go back to the car, we'll find Daryl and Toby."

Glenn pressed his lips into a thin line. He didn't say anything but instead fell back to the ground. "Okay."

"We can't forget the woman," Tyreese told them. "She got us here, she came to us when they were taken. She helped us."

"Come on," Rick nodded to the rest of them. "We'll see what we can do."

Woodbury was quieter wherever they came in from the next time. All the focus was probably on the main street where they escaped, which was fine by them, they needed to get around quietly which was easier with everyone gone.

Rick stopped when he heard a sound. Footsteps, followed by the sound of something being dragged against the concrete. He was the only one that noticed because Tyreese and Maggie were continuing ahead.

"Get down," Rick told them.

Tyreese and Maggie ducked beside him, hiding behind one of the Woodbury vehicles. They all glanced up and over the car at the same time, trying to see what alerted Rick. Two men were dragging a female figure back towards where they knew the Lockup was.

"It's her," Tyreese said. "It's that woman."

"She got caught," Maggie stated.

"I'll go help her," Tyreese said.

"No," Rick shook his head. "We're here for Daryl and Toby."

"We can't leave her," Tyreese argued. "That's not who we are. I'm going. We'll catch up with you, or you can catch up with us."

Rick knew he couldn't stop him. Tyreese couldn't leave anyone behind, but as far as Rick knew, that woman had ditched them. She left them to die, to try and get Glenn out alone. As far as he knew, she was gone. He ran his hands over his face.

"You have to get back to the car when you get out, we'll wait a little while if you're not there," Rick said. "If you can't save her; if you can't do anything, leave. She's not worth your life right now."

"Stay safe," Tyreese told him, making no attempt to agree.

"You too."

Tyreese slowly followed after the woman, hiding behind any wall he could to not get spotted by the Governor's people. Rick watched him for a few moments, scared that something else might happen. He knew Tyreese could handle himself, so after a minute or so, when he had disappeared into the night, Rick turned to Maggie.

"Come on, we'll take a look this way."

Tyreese moved quietly, following the men back to the Lockup. He had to do something before they got her into the rooms because there would be much more security than before. After what they did, he was surprised that the Governor didn't have patrols all the way throughout the town.

He checked his bag quickly.

One smoke. One flash.

TOBY

Toby didn't move far from where Merle left her. She tried looking out of the window any time she heard gunfire, but the street was always filled with a cloud of white smoke. Where is it coming from? She couldn't do anything else but wonder. She often heard shouting through the streets too, but she couldn't recognise the voices or words over the sound of the gunshots.

Merle didn't come back for a while, and when he did, he immediately pulled her to her feet. Toby yelped, but Merle just steadied her until she was ready to actually walk on her leg.

"Come on," he told her. "Put that away, keep it hidden."

Toby looked at the knife before sheathing it, then tucked it into her waistband, pulling the unicorn shirt over it to shield the knife from view.

Merle didn't explain anything as he led her out of the building, and she didn't ask, too scared and focused on the pain in her leg. Toby noticed that everyone was also leaving their apartment buildings and heading in the same direction as Merle was taking her. She'd known Woodbury had a lot of people, but she hadn't seen so many of them at the same time. She didn't ask any questions, assuming that wherever they were going was to explain what all the shooting was about.

Martinez joined Merle at his side, glancing down at Toby but not speaking to her. He leaned closer to Merle, whispering something to him. Toby didn't even realise he'd joined them until Merle answered him.

"Yeah, I got it," Merle then turned to look at Toby. "Whatever happens now, just stay outta the way."

"What's happenin'?" Toby finally asked.

"Not sure."

"Here," Martinez walked around Merle to Toby's side. "Forgot to give this back to you, needed a polish. Keep the cloth, in case you need it again."

Toby took the small folded cloth in her hands, it was soft and thin with a dark grey shade, almost like silk. Toby felt something in it, almost asking Martinez what it was, but the crowding people became a distraction, and she saw the Governor.

As they walked closer, Toby shoved the bundle into her pocket, not thinking much of it as the people were shouting, some crying. All demanding answers.

Toby didn't really know what it was that they entered. Some kind of yard, illuminated by flame torches and white lights. Around the centre were many bleachers, like from the gym in a school, but settled awkwardly around cement blocks. It looked almost like an arena.

In the centre of the circle, stood the Governor. Except different. He had a bandage around his head, with a small cotton patch over his right eye. The blood began to seep through the cotton, whatever happened to his face, it was bad.

Not that she cared.

Toby looked up at Merle for an explanation, but he wouldn't look back at her.

Everyone gathered and sat around the bleachers. Merle guided her to one of the seats in the front, nodding to the white bench. "Here, sit down."

She did as told, and Merle stood just in front of her, along with Martinez who was standing a little behind Merle. The Governor stepped forwards when the crowd went silent, and seemingly everyone had arrived.

"What can I say?" The Governor started. "Hasn't been a night like this since the walls were completed. And I thought we were past it, past the days when we all sat, huddled, scared in front of the TV during the early days of the outbreak."

Toby didn't understand what was happening, but she listened. It didn't sound like it was going to end well, but she sat still, and for the first time in a long time, actually listened to what was being said.

The Governor continued. "The fear we all felt then, we felt it again tonight. I failed you. I promised to keep you safe. Hell, look at me." He gestured to himself, and once again it made Toby look at the eyepatch. She wondered what happened to him, who hurt him. Not that she felt any remorse.

He shot her.

"You know, I . . . I should tell you that we'll be okay, that we're safe, that tomorrow we'll bury our dead and endure," he said. "But I—I won't, because I can't. Because I'm afraid. Afraid of terrorists who want what we have!"

Terrorists? Is that what the shooting was? Toby had all these questions, and none of them were getting answered by what the Governor had been saying.

"They want to destroy us! And worse . . ." he paused for a moment, seemingly leaving the people of Woodbury on the edge of their seats, "because one of those terrorists, is one of our own."

The people gasped, looking between one another. The sound of them made Toby jump, she looked around at the people with an exasperated grimace.

"Merle!" The Governor pointed at the man standing in front of Toby, her head immediately snapped back to the Governor.

Merle looked around at the people, and then at the Governor. He didn't know if this was a plot to get the civilians off his case or whether the Governor believed he was a terrorist, but he knew there was nothing he could do about it.

"A man I counted on, a man I trusted!" Some of the Governor's men walked over to Merle, taking the knife from his prosthetic and removing his gun from his holster. "He led 'em here! And he let 'em in. It was you!" He walked closer to Merle who was pushed into the centre of the crowd. "You lied, betrayed us all!"

Toby stood up, terrified and confused. Merle's face was almost neutral, maybe annoyed at most. He met her eyes and gave her a wink as if to placate her. Toby didn't know what that meant, but a quick look around and she saw Martinez, staring right at her, holding his gun and motioning her to sit back down. Again, she obeyed.

Behind the Governor, two men started dragging a person into the arena. Their face hidden with some sack. Toby's eyes stuck on the man, the familiar figure nagging at her mind.

"This is one of the terrorists," the man squirmed around, trying to get away, but the bag over his head blocked any view he had of escape. As his body turned, Toby got a better view of the black leather vest the man was wearing.

Her eyes widened, almost calling out, but her voice froze in her throat as the Governor spoke. The Governor reached over and grabbed his arm, holding him still. He looked around at the crowd of people, all of them keeping their eyes on the supposed terrorist as the Governor yanked the bag from his head. "Merle's own brother!"

Toby stood up quickly once again, ignoring the searing pain in her leg.

Daryl was standing there, his arms behind his back. He stumbled on his feet for a second, but couldn't keep himself still as he peered at the crowd of people that yelled at him.

Finally, his eyes landed on her, and Toby could only think one thing.

Shit.

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