Red River Blue

Chapter 13

The sound of Daryl's motorcycle echoed into the prison from outside the fences. Everyone seemed to have made an unspoken decision to listen for the noise, since the sound of it immediately stopped them each from whatever tasks they had been working on and sent them scurrying outside like so many hopeful rats. Daryl was good at keeping an even expression on his face. But River knew him well enough that before Carl even had the gates open to let him in, she could already tell the news they were about to hear was not going to be good.

She still had a decision to make. One that she had been hoping against all hope to avoid making. She just kept telling herself that Rick's meeting with the governor was going to go well. Then they could stay here. But clearly whatever had transpired between the two leaders had not been the peace treaty everyone including her was hoping for. Now she felt like she was faced with an impossible decision. To stay and fight. Risking her daughter's lives in the process. Or leave and abandon the people that she was already starting to think of as family in the short time she had known them.

The thought of something happening to Carol or the kids here made River sick to her stomach. And Daryl. He was thick as theives with these people. She had picked up on that the first day. If River left the prison with her girls, there was a chance he might not go with them. Daryl was family. She loved him like the brother she never had. Losing him after finding him again was so terrible she didn't even want to think about it.

Rick held off the explanation of what happened, telling everyone he wanted to talk to them inside. River grasped her older daughter's hand, wishing she had spoken more with the girl about her opinion on the situation at hand before it came to this. Harley was the survivor. Her intuition had gotten them this far. When the outbreak started, River had been ready to pack up the girls and head for the shelter inside Atlanta that was being mentioned on the radio. It had been Harley's idea to stay and wait out the beginning of the outbreak at home. Harley didn't trust the voice on the radio. She was the reason the three of them were still alive today.

Inside the prison, everyone gathered around. Waiting to hear what Rick was going to say. It was a strange feeling for River, being impatient to hear something she knew she didn't really want to hear. She wrapped one arm around Harley's slim waist and the other was draped around Wren's shoulders. Holding both of her girls close.

Rick started by saying he had met with the governor. Before he could continue Merle interrupted him.

"Just you and him alone?," he asked. Rick nodded and Merle shook his head, clicking his tounge. He opened his mouth to speak again, but Harley cut him off.

"You should have killed him while you had the chance," she said. There was no malice or reprimand in her voice. Harley said it like she was repeating a simple fact. Just a touch of disappointment was showing on her face. Merle turned towards his daughter, feeling surprised and almost a little proud in an odd way. She had taken the words right out of his mouth. He dipped his head slightly to show the girl that he agreed with her. Then he backed away from Rick and leaned against the bars next to his family, one foot propped up on the wall behind him. He was dangerously close to Harley, and River noticed for once the girl did not flinch or shrink away from him.

Once Rick was sure no one else was going to speak up, he continued on with the speech that he had practiced in his mind on the drive back from his meeting. He told them the governor wanted them dead. Wanted the prison. He told them they were going to war. He lied. Because he wanted them to be afraid. So afraid that they woule be willing to accept the horrible thing he was going to have to do in order to keep them safe.

Once Rick was done talking, River noticed a shift in the tension around her. People stopped looking at Rick and turned their gaze on her. Even Daryl and Merle were looking at her. Waiting to see what she was going to do. She knew it then. It was time to pick a side. Make the choice she hoped she wouldn't be forced into making.

Her eyes flashed around, not settling on any one face at first. She focused on Carol's face, then Daryl, and finally she flicked her eyes towards Merle, hoping he was going to give her some idea of what he thought they ought to do. So far he had not said much about it. She guessed that like her, he felt trapped in a situation that he wasn't sure how to get out of. Finally she felt Harley's hand on her shoulder. Giving her a gentle squeeze. She stared up into her daughter's steely blue eyes.

Harley's jaw was locked and she had a look of stubborn determination on her face. River felt one corner of her mouth twitch up. Just a whisper twitch of a smile. That was when she knew. Not only were they going to fight. They were going to win. Harley nodded her head, aknowledging the silent communication that had just passed between them. River hugged her younger daughter closer, holding her tight like she could protect her from all that was coming. Then she turned her head and looked at Rick.

"We're in," she told him. He nodded his head before walking away from the group and heading outside. River found his behavior strange. They just decided to go to war. She felt like they should start planning. Rick was a good liar, but she had seen it written all over his face just before he fled the room. There was something he wasn't telling them.

Wren's grip on her mother tightened, and once Rick was gone from the room she leaned in and whispered softly, "Momma, I'm scared." River hugged the girl to her. She smoothed her hands over the little hairs that had escaped from Wren's braided pigtails.

"Never goin' to let anything happen to you baby," she whispered back to the girl. She knew her words must not have sufficed the girl, since Wren hugged her mama one more time before she broke off the embrace to rush over and hug Merle around his waist, lying her head against his chest. He took her affections the same was he always did, stiff and awkward at first, then relaxing into her and pulling her close. He had not heard what River whispered to the girl, but he patted her head and told her the same thing.

"Ain't gone let nothin' happen to you," he said, dipping his head down and speaking quietly into her ear. She looked up at him with so much love and trust in her eyes. More than he felt he deserved when he had just made a promise to her that he wasn't sure he was going to be able to keep.

With Rick gone from the room, the other members of the group seemed to relax a little. And it didn't take much longer before they felt comfortable enough to start stating their opinions. Carol crossed the small space, taking the spot between River and Daryl that Wren had vacated. Her hands hung loosely at her sides. She felt the brush of Daryl's knuckles first. Then the rough pads of his fingers, slipping around her hand and giving it a tender squeeze. His hand was gone as quickly as it had come, not even giving her a chance to squeeze back.

Hershel spoke up first. His opinion had been made clear many times already. So he kept it short and sweet. He wanted to leave. Find another place. The prison was secure. But he didn't think it was worth their lives. Carol agreed with him. Her voice was steady when she spoke and she could feel Daryl's eyes on her.

Merle and Michonne wanted to attack the governor before he attacked them. Take the fight to him. Give him a taste of his own medicine. Glenn and Maggie were more neutral. Glenn wanted to leave, but he was afraid of what might happen to them out on the road. They had made it through the winter, but that was when Hershel had one good leg and Judith was still nestled safe inside Lori's stomach.

Beth thought they should stay inside the prison and wait for the governor to come for them. Here they had the home turf advantage. And thick walls to hide behind. But she didn't speak up because she didn't feel she had the right. No one cared what a little girl like her thought. She wished she could be more like Merle's daughter. Not only was that girl not afraid to speak her mind. When she did, all the grown ups listened to her. Beth had been wary of the new girl at first, but now she thought she might like to get to know her better.

Carl and Daryl listened silently. Once people were done speaking, Daryl reached out once more. He didn't even grasp her whole hand this time. Just gripped her tiny pinky finger between his thumb and forefinger and gave it a gentle tug before he turned and headed out to talk to Rick.

** I am not going to retell things that happened on the show unless I am adding or changing something. So Rick had about the same talks with Daryl and Hershel about turning over Michonne to the governor that he did on the show. Thanks to everyone that took the time to leave a review. **