Beautiful Disaster

by My Writing Is This

The dead were walking and surviving was imperative. Caroline had hit the ground running. She tried to never look back. She was alone for too long. Learning to live and love again wasn't easy. People still mattered. Many would come in and out of her life and not all was as it seemed. She had to learn to be a person again and to find her place. And the one she was meant to be with.

11. The Other Side

Chapter Eleven: The Other Side

Blowing against my face made me start to come to. Then there was a big hairy lip brushing my cheek. Cracking my eyes open, I took in the long nose of the mare. Smiling, I moved my arm and it felt like a ton of bricks. Still stroking her nose, I heard the stallion nicker and then the crunch of movement outside. All fatigue was forgotten as I immediately got to my feet, vaulting over the stall wall, and swiftly moved out the back. My body was already screaming with from the exertion. I wanted to sleep. Hearing whoever it was at the front of the barn, I slowly and silently moved around the corner. Pulling out my gun, I took the safety off, taking a deep breath before I rounded the corner, taking aim.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, frowning at the man who had been at the prison.

Most of me thought it was Merle coming to finish me off but it wasn't. It was the man who had saved Michonne. It was the man who didn't hesitate to come to our aid. He turned toward me, letting me take him in properly. He was tall, his hair longer and wavy, brown with a beard. He was lean but muscled. He looked serious and wary of me. But what stood out the most to me were his eyes. They were blue and I felt like they were stripping me down to nothing, seeing me for exactly who I was. What I was. It was like he saw me and understood me with one look.

"Hello." He replied softly.

Taking a steady step forward, I brushed my finger across the trigger, my hands as steady as my legs. "I'll ask again. What are you doing here?" He nodded, shifting and continuing to look at me with his hand on top of his gun. "Answer me." I demanded through clenched teeth.

"You're a stipulation in the deal I made with Michonne." He finally told me.

"What deal?" I frowned harder at him.

"I want to get my people back. She said she'd help me." He explained. "And she said that you lived there. You know it better than her. So, I guess I'm asking for your help, too."

"And you just expect me to help you?" I frowned.

"I don't have any expectations." He stated. "But I – I'd appreciate – any help you're willing to give."

For a long moment I just looked at him. I didn't know him. I didn't know anything about anyone who was with him. But he had helped Michonne and there was something about him that told me I would trust him.

Lowering my gun, I slid it into the back of my pants, nodding at him, "Okay. I'm in."

He frowned at me, "You're in?"

"If I was in better condition your people would never have been taken." I told him. "I would have stopped it. But I didn't because I couldn't." I went on. He just looked at me. "So, I'm in. I'll help you get your people out of there."

He nodded, "I appreciate that. But you look like you can hardly stand."

Nodding, I shrugged at him, "Yeah, I could use a hot bath and a back rub, but now's not really the time for that." Turning, I started out toward the stream.

"Where are you going?" He asked as he followed me.

Trying to hold myself as high as I could, my walk was more of a gimp and my knee started to give out more often than I would have liked. "To get cleaned up."

"We have a doctor of sorts back at the prison. He can take a look at you." He told me.

"Thank you. I appreciate that. However, I don't feel like smelling this bad anymore. I know where a stream is. I'll be quick." I told him.

I heard him laugh lightly and could only imagine him shaking his head at me. But he didn't say anything else as he followed me. Finding the stream with ease, I took off my shoes and socks before stepping into the cold water without hesitation. I scrubbed my skin the best I could, taking off my clothes under the surface and scrubbing them before tossing them onto shore. When I was done, I started to climb out, feeling both better and worse at the same time. Standing in my bra and underwear, I tried to get as much water off of me as I could.

"What's your name?" I asked him as he averted his eyes from me.

"Rick." He replied.

"And was that boy your son? Carl?"

He looked at me, nodding, "Yes."

Nodding back, I put my hands on my hips, still not ready to get back into my soaked clothes. He took me in but I honestly didn't care. There wasn't time to be timid in this new world. Nodding again, I finally started to put my clothes back on.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Caroline." I replied, putting my shoes and socks back on. Then I started out toward the prison again. "But you can call me Linny."

He fell in step next to me. "Linny."

Looking at him, I couldn't help but frown. "What kind of person are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, do you kill? Do you take people in? Do you scavenge? Do you take? What kind of person are you? Are you a leader? How big is your group?"

He frowned at me. "That's a lot of questions. Let's just get my people back and we'll go from there."

"Fine." I nodded. Looking up at the sky, it was getting dark. "We should hurry."

Breaking into a run, my body protested with every step but I learned a long time ago that pain was a weakness and there was no time for weakness during the apocalypse. I learned a long time ago how to be strong and to push through anything that came at me. This was just one more thing that I needed to face.

Rick was next to me the entire time. He kept glancing at me like I was going to fall over at any second. He was paying so much attention to me that he nearly ran into a walker. Gripping the collar of his shirt, I tore him to the ground, stabbing the walker through its eye. Looking down at him, frowning, he had his gun aimed at me.

"If I wanted to try anything I would have already." I stated, offering him my hand. He took it and I helped him onto his feet. "Pay attention to your surroundings. Isn't that lesson one?"

He nodded, "Yeah."

Rolling my shoulders, I sighed, starting to walk again. "How long have you been in the prison?"

"Long enough." He replied.

"Were you ever on your own?"

"Yeah." He replied, making me look at him. "Were you?"

I nodded, "Yes."

Not wanting to talk anymore, I started to move faster, finding that working my muscles was actually making me feel better. When we reached the prison, I slowed down, taking slow steady breaths as I attempted not to pass out.

"You okay?" Rick asked me.

"I'm fine." I told him, waving the question off.

He just chuckled at me as I momentarily jerked to the side. He reached for me but I quickly shot him a look, making him hold up his hands and step away from me. Carl was at the gate, looking at me with cautious eyes as he opened it, shutting it behind us.

"Hi." I told him, holding my hand out to him. "I'm Linny."

"Carl." He replied and took it, seeming to be a little surprised.

Then I looked at Rick, "Where's Michonne?"

He motioned toward the prison a little exasperatingly. I suppose I was getting a bit antsy. I'd just willing joined a strange man, letting him take me to a strange place, where other strange people were, all for the sake of one woman I'd only known a few days.

Following him to a side door, he opened it for me, letting me walk in before he moved past me. Carl was behind us as we moved down the corridors until it opened up into one of the blocks. I took in the big C on the wall before my eyes fell on Michonne. I swiftly rushed to her, hugging her tightly.

"You okay?" I asked softly in her ear.

She nodded and let me go, "Yeah. Are you?"

Laughing, I nodded at her, "I've seen better days."

She smiled at me, "I was going to mention how you look like shit."

Laughing harder, I stopped when I heard the baby. My head jerked toward the sound so fast my neck ached. It was a little girl. She was being held by a young blonde who was gently bouncing her. She was so little. She couldn't have been a month old yet.

Stepping toward them, I looked at the girl, "May I?"

"No." Rick said swiftly moving to us. "I got you here. Now let's just make a plan to get our people back."

"Is she yours?" I asked him, holding her little hand.

"Step away from her. Please." He said with a hard tone.

Nodding, I smiled at the baby, getting a smile in return before I stepped away. "Are you the mom?"

The blond smiled, "No."

Smiling back, I nodded again and looked at Rick. "Where is the mother?" He just looked at me with a clenched jaw. "I see."

It was then that I took in an older man on crutches. He was missing part of his right leg. Looking at him sadly, my eyes then fell on a redneck and a woman with gray hair that was standing behind him. He was rugged and looked like he used to be a motorcyclist. He must be Daryl. Merle's brother. The woman looked like a stay at home mom that had only survived this long because of him.

"Michonne mentioned that you were at Woodbury for a while." The old man said as he crutched toward me.

I nodded, "Yeah. Over a month."

Rick met my eyes, keeping them, "Then you're going to help us get in and out."

"Fine." I told him with furrowed brows. "I already told you I was in."

"You did?" Michonne asked.

"Of course." I replied. "I'm attempting to change my ways."

She smiled and nodded while the rest of them looked at me like I had just turned into some sort of monster.

"What do ya mean 'change your ways'?" The redneck asked.

"Let's just say this new world hasn't been as nice to me as it has to you. This is some place." I replied with a hard tone.

Then Rick was in my face. "You have no idea what it took to get here. You have no idea what was lost. You have no idea what this new world has done to us."

His eyes were showing ten different emotions even though his stance was nothing but hard. "I'm sorry." I told him. "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions."

"No. You shouldn't have." Rick shot at me. "Now tell us about Woodbury."

Nodding, I sat on the table that was near us. Getting off my feet felt amazing. "There are always guards on the wall. Always two to a post and they never leave it. They are good shots and they will shoot first."

"I thought they took people in?" The older man asked.

"They do." I replied. "But they're very particular about the people they let in. You basically have to be on death's door so you're so grateful to be alive that you stay and show how much you appreciate them."

"Is that what happened to you?" Rick asked.

I nodded, "Yes. More or less."

"Were you grateful?" He asked next.

"No." I told him with a hard tone. "But I also knew that I didn't want to be alone anymore." There was a long moment of silence before Michonne came and sat next to me. "But after what I went through I went down a dark road. I killed without question. Innocent people were killed for simply trying to survive and got in the way. I did a lot of things I'm not proud of. But I don't want to be that person anymore."

"What did you go through?" Rick asked.

"Tell me your story and I'll tell you mine." I retorted with a hint of anger.

He sighed and nodded, his hand on his hips. "Fair enough."

"Michonne arrived and for some reason she made me realize that I didn't want to be the person I'd become." I went on. "She left only they followed to kill her. I stopped them, got her, saw them take your people, and you know the rest." I finished.

There was another moment of silence before Rick spoke again, "Anything else you can tell us?"

"Yeah." I replied. "I lived there. I know the people there. I can get you in and out without anyone noticing. I made sure I knew all the ins and outs for when I wanted to make my escape."

"You were planning to escape?" Rick asked.

"I didn't want to be there." I told him with furrowed brows. "But I didn't have anywhere else to go."

"Maybe that's why Michonne had such an effect on you." The old man said kindly.

Smiling at him, I nodded, "Maybe."

Looking at Michonne, she smiled at me, "You're not alone."

"I know." I smiled back. Then I looked at Rick, "When do we leave?"

"Now." He said and started to move. Others had joined us now. It was clear that they were former prison residents. "Daryl." He said to the redneck. "Oscar." A big black guy. "You two are coming with us. The rest of you keep each other safe."

Rick was clearly the leader. They all revolved around him and yet they took care with him. I had no idea what had happened or what was going on, but it was clear that their main concern was getting their people back. I couldn't blame them. If I still had Ben and Hannah, if someone had taken them, I would have gone to hell and back to have them returned to me.

Already moving from the prison, Michonne was right next to me. "What are you thinking?" She asked.

"I'm thinking that we need to get their people back." I replied.

"What are you gonna do?" She asked next.

Looking at her, I crossed my arms, "I don't know."

"What if Caesar sees you?"

"What if Andrea sees you?" I countered. Her brows furrowed and she nodded at me.

"How the hell are you still on your feet?" Daryl asked as he appeared on my other side. His tone wasn't necessarily mean but he still didn't seem impressed.

"I'm a fighter." I told him. "I'd think that was obvious since you are, too."

He shot me a look but I simply smiled at him. He scoffed and turned away from me. My smile fell as I kept my eyes on him. I felt like crap and all I wanted to do was sleep. But there were good people who needed help and I knew that I was able to help them. I may not be a good person but I could still do good things. I needed to start making amends for the things that I'd done.

Feeling distant, I tried to not dwell on the fact that these were good people and how I had this overwhelming feeling of wanting to stay with them. I didn't feel welcome and I didn't think they were going to welcome us into their group when all of this was over. People didn't survive if they let everyone into their group. But I still hoped for it. Looking at Michonne, I could tell that she was thinking the same thing. They were already established with each other. They cared about each other and they knew each other. It was obvious that they didn't trust us or even like us that much. We were simply a means to an end.

"Ready?" I asked Rick as he and the others came out.

He nodded and opened the passenger side door for me. Feeling awkward, I nodded, sighing as I slid into the seat. Everyone else loaded up, Michonne sitting in the middle of the men in the back. She was clearly uncomfortable but we didn't have a choice. We would help them but we were still at their mercy.

"Do you have a plan?" Rick asked after a little while.

"I'm thinking." I replied.

"You need to do better than that." Daryl said from the back.

Frowning, I turned, my wounds protesting, "I also don't have to do shit for you. I don't have to help you, Daryl. I could just let you figure it out and enjoy watching you fail. So I suggest you let me think and when the time comes do exactly what I fucking say." He met my eyes with a hard expression but nodded. "Jesus." I said with annoyance and faced forward again.

"You, uh…haven't been with people much, have you?" Rick asked, almost sounding sad about that.

I frowned at him, "We're not here to talk about me." He frowned back at me, tenseness flowing off of him. "Pull over." We all got out of the car and I adjusted my gun and my knife. "Like I've already told you, they have patrols. It'll be better off if we go on foot."

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

Michonne stepped next to me, "It's a mile, maybe two."

Nodding, I took a deep breath, "We shouldn't wait too long."

We stood there while everyone else geared up. Once they were ready, Rick was in front of me once more, raising a brow. I simply raised one back and turned into the woods. Michonne was next to me, the two men behind us with Oscar taking up the rear. I kept glancing over my shoulder, a little on edge with having them behind us.

"They're good people." Michonne told me softly.

"I'm not questioning how good they are." I replied. "I'm questioning how bad they think we are."

"Nothing's going to happen." Rick shot at me with annoyance.

"Says you." I retorted with a raised brow.

He just shook his head but there was a smirk on his lips.

We were quiet after that. The walking was definitely better than the running we had done and I was more than ready to have this little trip over and done with. We just had to get them their people back and then figure out what to do next. I had been too afraid to ask Michonne what she thought she would do if they didn't take us in, but I was just as afraid to ask Rick if he would.

"I know what you did for me, for my baby, while I was…working things out – thank you." I heard Rick say softly, my ears perking at his words.

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

I looked at Michonne and we both shared a sad expression and a heavy sigh.

Then Daryl whispered, "Rick."

"Down." Rick said and we all dropped to a squat.

Hearing them, we watched as a hoard of walkers moved our way.

"Get in formation. No gunfire." Rick commanded.

It was kind of amazing how quick we all moved together, protecting each other as they started to move toward us from all sides. Stabbing one through the skull, I shoved it away from me, stabbing another through the temple. With quick bursts, I killed all in my path.

"Hey." Rick whispered harshly as I darted from the group.

Turning, I swung myself in front of him, stabbing a walker that was directly behind him. My face was so close to his that our noses were practically touching. "I know what I'm doing."

He thrust his knife under my arm, looking to see it imbedded under the chin of a walker. Laughing lightly, I grinned at him, both of us freeing our knives before turning to the others. Rick pointed, getting everyone's attention before we all broke free from the path we were on, seeing a cabin. We all rushed into it, a foul scent hitting us, taking off of our breath away.

"Get the door. Keep it down. Keep it down." Rick told us.

Daryl looked disgusted, "The smell, it's loud."

Laughing softly, I nodded, putting my wrist underneath my nose as my eyes stung. Flies were buzzing. Never a good sign. Something was definitely dead in here.

"Jesus that smell." I whispered, tipping my head back, trying not to think about it.

"Linny." Michonne said looking at something.

Cocking my head, I stepped forward, taking in some sort of animal on the floor. Squatting at its side, I looked at the corpse, seeing the collar and thick tufts of hair. It was dog. Mozzie filled my mind and it took all of me not to reach out for the body, feeling like it was my dog. I wanted closure. Even if I found it in someone else's dead dog.

"I'm sorry." I told it.

"What the hell is that?" Oscar asked.

"It's got to be a fox or what's left of one." Daryl stated.

"It's a dog." I corrected.

I stood as Daryl stepped next to me, "I guess Lassie went home."

Frowning at him, he simply shrugged and I turned away from him, facing Rick. He nodded at me. Sighing, I nodded back at him, both of us turning to the door as walkers started to pound on it.

"That won't hold forever." I whispered to him. He nodded again before his expression grew serious. "What is it?"

He put his finger up to quiet me, moving toward the bed. Looking, my stomach started to turn. Someone was there. Rick yanked back the covers to reveal a man who was immediately freaking out.

"Ah! Who the hell are you?" He yelled with a shotgun in hand.

"We don't mean any harm." Rick told him calmly.

"Get outta my house!"

"Okay, okay, okay. We will, but we can't right now."

I held my gun steady, my aim at his head, "Calm down."

"Now!"

"Shut him up." Michonne said harshly as the walkers continued to pound.

"Rick." I said from next to him.

"Get out right now!" The man continued to yell.

"There are walkers outside."

"I'll call the cops." He told us.

I frowned at Rick, "He's fucking crazy."

"I am a cop." Rick told him. "Now I need you to lower the gun." He said and lowered his weapon to the floor. I didn't follow suit. "Linny."

"No fucking way." I shot back at him.

"Don't do anything rash. Everything's fine. Let's just – let's just take this nice and slow, okay?"

The man had his gun on me now, his eyes frantic. My grip tightened on my own, my eyes narrowing as I visualized where my bullet would hit him.

"Look at me." Rick told him. "Hey, hey."

The man cocked his gun, "Show me your badge."

"All right. It's in my pocket." Rick told him. "Now, I'm just gonna reach down nice and slow."

"Careful." I said looking at Rick.

He met my eyes momentarily before he looked back at the man. He started to reach slowly before he hit the gun away from him, grabbing the man. A shot rang, blowing through the door. Looking, it had narrowly missed Daryl.

Looking at the man, I was so fucking pissed. Stepping forward I punched him hard, "You son of a bitch!"

"Hey." Oscar said as he gripped my waist, pulling me backward.

"Let go! Let go of me! I'll kill you, you – let go of me." The man was bellowing.

We all looked to the door as the walkers tried even harder to get in. Dust was being hit free and we could see the shifting of the wall. The more that pushed against it, the weaker it was getting.

"Shut up! Shut up!" Rick told him.

Putting my gun away, I pulled my knife out, turning to Rick. He frowned at me before nodding. Raising my hand, I was about to bring it into his skull when he bit Rick, forcing him to let go. I reached for him as the man bolted toward the door.

"Help! They found me! Help me!" The man yelling as he reached the door.

"Don't." I said just under a yell.

"Don't open that door." Rick told him.

"Hel—" The man started before Michonne stabbed him through his heart.

Looking at her, I nodded, getting a nod in return.

"Remember the Alamo?" Daryl said softly.

Rick looked at him, "Daryl, help me with the door."

"You've gotta be kidding." Oscar stated.

"He's dead. Check the back." Rick told him.

He did as he was told, opening the door and looking around, "It's clear."

"Rick." I said softly, uneasy about this.

"Do you have a better idea?" He shot at me.

I paused a moment before sighing, "No."

Going to the door, I gripped the knob, meeting his eyes. He and Daryl counted to three and I whipped the door open just long enough for them to throw the man's body out of the door. The walkers immediately ceased their pounding on the cabin. You could hear them tearing into the body. Michonne touched my arm, everyone else already moving from the cabin.

Disappearing into the woods, we ran, wanting to put as much distance between us and them. Moving to the front of our little group, I put my hand against Rick's shoulder. He shrugged out of my touch but met my eyes. Pointing to the left, I took the lead, the trees giving way, train tracks crossing us. Keeping low, I moved us down them until the gates of Woodbury appeared.

"This is the main gate." I told him. "Always manned but I do know who these men are." I added. "Michonne." I said to her.

She nodded and disappeared.

"Hey. Hey." Rick called after her. "Damn it."

"It's fine." I told him. "Just wait."

He frowned at me, huddling with the others. "All right, we need to downsize."

Keeping an eye on the men on top of the wall, they all started to lighten their load, hiding everything by a broken down car.

"Ain't no way we're gonna check in all them buildings, not with all them guards there." Daryl stated.

"We won't have to." I shot at him.

"Then what the hell are we doin'?" He shot at me.

Then Michonne reappeared, making me smile, "We were waiting."

She put her hand on my shoulder, "It's all clear."

"Good." I said and put my hand on Rick's shoulder. "Whether you believe it or not, you can trust me."

"All right, let's go." He nodded.

Going to the back of one of the homes, I let us into one of the storage rooms. No one would be inside of it this late and it would be an excellent point to enter and exit by.

"This is where you were held?" Rick asked.

"I was questioned." Michonne stated.

Frowning, I stepped up to her. She shrugged at me. Nodding, I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Where would they be held?" Rick asked me.

"There are holding cells apart from the main buildings. They're insulated so not a lot of sound drifts out of them."

"I thought you said there was a curfew." Daryl stated.

"There is." I frowned, all of us looking out. "Those are just stragglers. The streets are packed during the day."

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

I nodded, "I can get us to the holding cells."

Rick looked at me before he huddled with his men. "If this goes south, we're cutting them loose."

"You think they're leading us into a trap?" Oscar asked.

"Right now it's the blind leading the blind." Daryl stated. "Let's split up."

"We're standing right here." I shot at them.

Before they could say anything, there was knocking on the door. I looked at them before they all dispersed. Looking at the door, I heard it unlock and Brent walked in. He took one look at me as shock moved across his face.

"Caroline?" He frowned.

I smiled at him, "Hey, Brent."

"What the hell are you doing in here?" He asked now smiling, hugging me. "Where the hell have you been?"

"I got myself pinned down by some walkers." I told him.

"Caesar will be relieved. He's been looking for you everywhere."

Smiling, I nodded, "I'm sure he has. Do you know where he is?"

He nodded, "Yeah, let's go."

"Perfect." I smiled.

I was going to walk out with him. I was going to lead him away from the others. Only before I could, he was grabbed from behind.

"Rick!" I said gripping his arm.

Brent cried out, making Rick jerk from my grip, putting his gun against Brent's head. "Shut up. Get on your knees. Hands behind your back." Rick told him. He listened. "Zip tie him. Where are our people?"

"I don't know." He told him.

"I told you I know where they would be." I shot at Rick.

"I don't trust you." He shot back at me. "You are holding some of our people. Where the hell are they?" He asked Brent.

"You're being stupid." I told him.

Brent looked terrified. "I don't know."

"Open your mouth." Rick demanded, shoving a cloth into it before knocking him out.

"I already told you I would help you. I told you I knew where they were. Why are you doubting me now?"

"Who's Caesar?" He asked.

"Why the fuck does that matter?" I shot at him angrily. "He has nothing to do with this and you have no right to ask me about him."

He nodded, "You're right. But I can't risk Maggie and Glenn."

"You aren't!" I yelled at him. "You just need to trust me."

"Do you trust me?" He countered.

I shook my head, "Not anymore."

"Enough." Michonne told me. Looking at her, I nodded, pacing away from them. "Calm down." She said softly. Then she looked at Rick, "She's done nothing but help you. The least you can do is listen to her."

"Rick." Daryl said as he stepped toward me. Looking up at him, he nodded, "Lead the way."

"Thank you." I nodded at him.

"You got this?" He asked.

"And then some." I replied.

He looked at Rick, waiting for him to decide. He stepped up to me, bringing his face close to mine, "Fine. But if you don't come through on his, anything that happens will be on you."

"You're going to put it on me?" I glared at him. "Your people wouldn't be here if it weren't for the man who took your people. If something happens to them, it's on him. I'm only trying to help. If I weren't, I wouldn't be standing here. Now, we're wasting time, accept my help or just let me walk away." He kept my eyes for a long moment before he nodded. "I'm gonna need you to say it."

He cocked his head at me, his eyes narrowing before he scoffed and shook his head, meeting my eyes again, "I want your help."

"Now was that so hard?" I frowned at him.

"Yeah, it was." He replied.

Looking at Daryl, he put his hand on my shoulder, "Lead the way."

I pointed my finger at him, "For you, I will." Then I pointed at Rick, "He can go to hell."

"Let's go." He nodded at me.

Opening the door, I looked around before we darted out. Keeping to the shadows, I moved toward the warehouse where the holding rooms were. Moving inside, we heard shots, making me break into a run. I knew these people and they knew me. They wouldn't shoot me. Not right away.

Leaving the group of them behind, I heard Rick yelling behind me, but I didn't care. If shots were being fired, anything could be happening. Following the yelling that was going on, I rounded the corner to see two people on their knees with hoods over their heads.

"Caesar." I said.

"Caroline." He said and lowered his gun. "What the hell?"

"Just wait." I told him.

He frowned at me, "Wait for what?"

In the next second the flash grenades were launched, smoke filling the air. Rushing forward, I pushed Caesar back, taking his head in my hands as Maggie and Glenn were grabbed. I could hear them retreating. Smiling, I pressed my forehead to his before I stepped back, disappearing into the smoke.

Hearing him call out to me, I was already running, catching up to the others. Intending to go out the way we'd come in, we all stopped when we saw Brent sitting on the sidewalk, others surrounding him.

"Shit." I said and pushed them all toward the nearest building. The town café. The others were all in when I turned to Michonne. "Come on."

"There's something I gotta do." She told me.

I knew what she was going to do. "Don't, Michonne."

"I have to." She replied and started to run.

"Michonne!" I called. "Damn it." I said and went inside.

Rushing to where Glenn and Maggie were, I took Glenn's head in my hands, gently pushing on his wounds. He didn't fight me as I checked his lacerations.

"Let me see." I told him as I reached for his ribs.

"Who are you?" He asked me.

"Someone who's trying to help you." I replied softly. He kept my eyes before lowering his arms. "Thank you."

Touching his ribs, they were more than likely broken or at least fractured. Putting his arm back across them, I smiled and nodded at him. Putting my hand on Maggie's cheek, I met her eyes.

"You okay?"

She nodded at me, "Thank you."

Looking at Rick, he was frowning at me. I just glared back before looking at Daryl. "Things just went south, what are you going to do? Cut me loose?"

"No." He replied. "Ain't no way out back here."

"No, there isn't." I replied.

"Rick, how did you find us?" Maggie asked him.

Rick bent down in front of Glenn, "How bad are you hurt?"

"He'll be okay." I replied, getting a glare from Rick.

"I'll be all right." He told him.

"Where's the other woman?" Maggie asked.

Rick looked around, "She was right behind us."

"Maybe she was spotted." Oscar added.

"Want me to go look for her?" Daryl asked.

"She's fine." I told him.

In the next moment Rick was in my face, "You let her go?"

"She's not yours to command." I shot at him. "I'm here aren't I? I'm all you need."

"Who are you?" Maggie asked.

"We gotta get them out of here." Rick said before I could reply. "She's on her own."

Looking at Glenn, I could see the struggle on his face. "Daryl, this was Merle. It was. He did this." He told his friend.

Rick frowned at him, "You saw him?"

"Face to face. He threw a walker at me. He was gonna execute us." He went on.

"S-so my brother's this governor?" Daryl asked.

"Hell no." I shot at him.

Maggie looked at me before replying, "No, he's somebody else. Your brother's his lieutenant or something."

"He's a fucking dog who obeys his master well." I shot at his brother. "He's a sorry excuse for a human being. They aren't the only one's he's beaten." I added and lifted up my shirt to show him my still oozing stab wound. "We are not here for him."

Daryl looked at me before Maggie, "Does he know I'm still with you?"

"He does now." Glenn told him before looking at Rick. "Rick, I'm sorry. We told him where the prison was. We couldn't hold out."

"You what?" I asked as my stomach dropped.

Rick stepped in front of me, "Don't. No need to apologize."

"They're gonna be looking for us." Maggie added.

"He's gonna come for you. For all of you." I told him.

"Then I guess it's time for you to leave." He shot at me.

I frowned at him, "Is that what you want? You gonna get out of here all on your own?"

"We've had worse." He told me through clenched teeth. Then he turned to his people, "We have to get back. Can you walk? We got a car a few miles out."

Glenn nodded, "I'm good."

"All right."

"Hey, if Merle's around, I need to see him." Daryl told Rick.

"He's not worth it, Daryl." I told him. "You need to get out of here."

"She's right." Rick stated, making me look at him. "Not now. We're in hostile territory."

"He's my brother. I ain't –"

"Look at what he did!" Rick shot at him. "Look, we gotta – we gotta get out of here now."

"Maybe I can talk to him. Maybe I can work something out."

"You can't." I told him, stepping in front of him. "Please, Daryl. You need to get your people out of here. Now is not the time to confront him."

"You're not thinking straight." Rick told him. "Look, no matter what they say, they're hurt. 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 looked at him before nodding, "Yeah."

Then Rick's eyes are on me, "You with me?"

"Are you going to trust me?" I countered.

"I'll try." He nodded.

Nodding, he moved to the door, throwing more grenades out the door, covering our escape. They may not know exactly where we were but the smoke gave our location away, a firefight breaking out. I caught sight of Caesar and Shumpert, pausing momentarily before a hand gripped my arm, keeping me moving. Being forced to take cover, we were almost to the wall. There was a line of buses and trucks that would make it easy to get up and over the wall. All we had to do was get there before we were shot.

"How many?" Rick asked.

"I didn't see." Oscar stated.

"Too many." I stated. "And they have a nice armory."

"Don't matter." Daryl stated. "There's gonna be more of them. We need to move."

"Any grenades left?"

"Uh-huh."

"Get 'em ready." Rick told him. "We gotta gun it to the wall."

Taking slow deep breaths, I tried to remain calm. There were people here that I didn't want to see dead. I didn't care if I was with them but I didn't want them to die.

"You guys go ahead." Daryl told us. "I'm gonna lay down some cover fire."

"No, we gotta stay together." Maggie told him.

"He won't be alone." I stated and started to check my clip, taking another one from Daryl. "He's right. You guys go. Daryl will follow you."

"What about you?" Maggie asked.

"What about me?" I frowned at her. "I'm just a stranger, Maggie. I'm not to be trusted."

"I don't believe that." She replied.

Sighing, I smiled at her, "You don't have to."

"Ready?" Daryl asked me.

"Do it." I replied.

He threw the grenades and the others made a run for it. Daryl and I quickly shot at anything that moved, making sure the others made it to the wall. I watched Rick move behind a solar panel, the others reaching the bus, climbing up onto it. Still firing, I saw Rick falter. Someone was moving toward him and he was just sitting there, watching them.

"Rick!" I yelled. "Rick!" Rushing up behind him, I shot the man in the head, turning and gripping Rick's arm, forcing him from where he was crouched. "You need to go." He nodded and started to move.

Staying where I was, I was still covering him, only then my arm was grabbed and I spun to meet his eyes, "Let's go."

"No." I told him. "You go. I can still buy you time."

"They're going to know you helped us." He replied.

Thinking as quickly as possible, he was right, but there was always a way out. "Not if you shoot me." I told him.

"What?" He shot at me. "I'm not going to shoot you."

"You are." I told him. "Arm shot. Try not to hit anything important." I stepped away from him and he raised his gun, but didn't shoot. "Shoot me, Rick." He shook his head. "Shoot me!" He let off a shot, hitting me in my left arm, making me spin and hit the ground. "Run!" I yelled when I saw him just standing there.

I looked away for just a second and when I looked back he was already gone. Staying on the ground, figures were coming out of the smoke. I wasn't sure what the hell I was going to do but they knew me. I would survive, but leaving again would be a different story.

"Caroline!"

My head jerked up at the sound, "Caesar!"

Then he was there, helping me back onto my feet, taking me in his arms, "Jesus, babe."

"I know. I'm sorry." I replied, hugging him tight. He took my head in his hands and kissed me. Kissing him back, I wrapped my arms around him again. "I'm glad you're okay."

"You too, babe." He replied. I wasn't lying. I was happy that he was okay. "Let's get you looked at."

Being brought to the infirmary, Dr. Stevens already had a patient there. Panic started to flow through me as I took in the Governor. There was a shard of glass protruding from his eye. He was bloody and wet and looked defeated. It was then that I realized I had no idea where Michonne was.

"Sit." Caesar told me with worry. "Doc!"

"A little busy right now." She replied.

"I'm fine." I told Caesar.

He took my arm, looking at the wound. "You're not."

"It's not that bad."

"Caroline!"

"Karen." I said and embraced her as she rushed toward me.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded, "I am."

"She's not." Caesar retorted. "Doc!"

"Busy!" Stevens shot back at him.

Looking at the Governor, he slowly raised his head and met my eyes with his remaining one. My stomach dropped and he looked like he was about to transform into some sort of monster.

"Karen." I said putting my hand on her shoulder. Then I met her eyes, "Patch me up and get me out of here." She nodded and started to get to work.

"You need stitches." Caesar told me.

"In more than one place."

"Take her." The Governor told Caesar.

"What?" He frowned.

"Take her into custody." He told him. "Now."

"Boss." Caesar started. "She had nothing to do with this."

"Look at her." He replied and he got to his feet.

"Sir, please." Stevens told him.

"She looks like she's been beaten within an inch of her life." He said before he rushed to me, his thumb digging into the wound in my side, making me scream. "More than that, Merle told me everything that happened."

My stomach dropped and I knew that my cover was blown. He was going to kill me. Just like he was going to kill Michonne and the people from the prison. He was going to tie up loose ends. Especially now that he was wounded. Jerking my hand toward his eye, he gripped my wrist, squeezing it painfully.

"She helped them. She was with them. She was with Michonne."

"Care?" Caesar frowned at me.

Looking at Caesar apologetically, I hardened my expression and looked back at the Governor. "You were going to kill her."

"She was a risk I couldn't take."

"She's a person!" I yelled, shoving him as I slid off the table.

"Since when does that mean anything to a killer like you?" He shot back at me.

Swiftly gripping the gun form my pants, I swung it up, letting off a shot, only Caesar tipped my hand, making me hit the ceiling. Then my arms were gripped and forced behind my back. The Governor stepped up to me, backhanding me with such force that blood immediately filled my mouth.

"Take her to the other one." He commanded.

"Governor." Caesar said stepping up to him.

"She's a traitor." He replied. "She dies with the other."

"Sad day for you, sweet cheeks." Merle said as he came in.

"Fuck you!" I said lunging at him. I couldn't reach him, making me spit in his face.

The Governor hit me again, more blood filling my mouth before I was taken from sight. Moving toward the arena, I knew what was going to happen to me. I knew struggling was pointless, but it didn't stop me from trying anyway, despite my hands being bound. Nothing I did helped and I found myself being forced to the ground. Looking next to me, I knew it was Daryl despite his head being hooded. Then one was put over my head, leaving only flecks of light visible through it.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Caroline?" He replied.

"Daryl, are you okay?" I asked him again.

There was a short pause, "Yeah. Are you?"

"I've been losing blood for hours. I'm losing even more now." I told him. "We're going to be put into an arena to fight to the death against walkers. I'm afraid I won't be much use by the time that happens."

"I'll protect you." He told me.

"I'm not asking for your protection." I replied.

He nudged me, "You're getting it anyway." There was a long pause before he asked. "You know my brother, don't you?"

"I do." I replied. "I also know that he deserves to die."

"He's my brother." He replied.

Not knowing what else to say to him, I kept quiet. We were going to die and it was in large part to his brother. I could have gotten us out of here. If he hadn't told the Governor what I had done then I could have gotten all of us out of here. I would have spared Daryl his brother if he had just kept his fucking mouth shut.

"Caroline." A voice whispered.

"Caesar." I replied and the hood was pulled from my head.

He cupped my face in his hands. "What did you do?"

"I'm sorry." I told him. "I couldn't stay here anymore. Merle took people and I needed to help get them back. The Governor is evil, Caesar."

"He's going to kill you."

"I know."

"And not just you." He said and looked at Daryl.

"I know." I repeated, looking at Daryl.

"Not just him." He stated.

Frowning at him, I shook my head, "Stop being vague. What are you talking about?"

"Merle." He stated. "They're going to kill Merle. The Governor claims that he's a traitor."

Nodding, I sighed, hearing Daryl's breathing get more ragged. "When?"

"Soon."

"What are you doing here, Caesar? What do you plan on doing?" I asked him.

He furrowed his brows before sighing, kissing me deeply, "I came to say goodbye."

Smiling, I nodded, leaning up to kiss him again. "Goodbye."

Then he was gone. I could hear the noise of the crowd growing. It was almost time. They were going to come for us and put us in the arena with walkers and cheer as we fought to the death. Being bitten and killed by the dead. We were going to die. I'd managed to save three lives today. Only I was still going to take one down with me.

"I'm sorry." I told Daryl. "I didn't mean for this to happen. This wasn't part of the plan."

"It wasn't your fault." He told me. "I left to find my brother. You stayed to give my people more time. It's on both of us."

Scooting closer to him, I pressed my arm against his. "I'll fight."

"So will I."

It was only a few minutes later that they came for us, yanking us onto our feet and leading us toward the arena. As soon as we rounded the corner, I could see the packed stands. All of them were yelling for blood. They wanted revenge. They wanted their security back.

Merle was already in the arena. Being shoved toward him, I momentarily fell to my knees, keeping my eyes on him as I got back onto my feet. Then Daryl was next to me, the hood being pulled from his head, his eyes moving to me.

"Linny."

"We're gonna get out of this." I told him with furrowed brows.

Before he could reply, I could hear the Governor's voice. "What can I say? 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. 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 said and paused. I could only imagine what he looked like, now one eye down. "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, but I – I won't, because I can't. Because I'm afraid. That's right. I'm afraid of terrorists who want what we have. Want to destroy us. And worse…because one of those terrorists is one of our own. Merle – the man I counted on, the man I trusted." He paused again, people yelling. "He led 'em here. And he let 'em in. It was you. You lied, betrayed us all." Then we were being pulled forward. "This is two of the terrorists. One is even Merle's own brother! So what should we do with them? Huh?" The whole crowd yelled for blood. The Governor turned to Merle. "You wanted your brother. Now you got him."

Looking at Daryl, our wrists are still bound. We have no weapons. Not even Merle. Walkers were already there and waiting for their next meal.

"I asked you where your loyalties lie." The Governor said to Merle. "You said here. Well, prove it. Prove it to us all." Daryl's hands were untied. "Brother to brother. Winner goes free. Fight to the death."

"What about her?" Daryl asked as I stood there still bound.

"She's just gonna die." The Governor smiled.

Laughing, I shook my head, feeling afraid for my life.

"Philip, please. Don't do this." Andrea told him. "Don't do this."

"You know me!" Merle yelled. "I'm gonna do what I gotta do, to prove…that my loyalty is to this town."

"You son of a bitch!" I yelled and launched myself at his center.

He swiftly threw me away from him, making me come face to face with a walker. Scrambling backward, I turned to see him start to beat his brother. Then Caesar and others came out with walkers on leashes. One was coming closer to me as Daryl started to fight back. Kicking one in the chest, I fell backward, bringing my hands underneath me to the front of my body. Kicking another one, I swung my hands as hard as I could, hitting the side of the face, feeling it cave in.

Turning back to the brothers, I threw myself at Merle only he just as easily threw me away from him, landing hard against my stomach. A walkers hand was just inches in front of me. Getting onto my feet, I faced the walker, biding my time until I thrust my bindings between its jaws, letting it start to break through the rope. Once it was thin enough to snap, I turned and rushed to Merle, taking him to the ground before I started to hit him continuously as Daryl attempted to pull me off of him.

"No!" I screamed.

"Linny." Daryl said finally getting me off of him.

Turning, I thrust my thumbs into a walkers eyes until I felt it's brain, digging further until it fell away from me. Hearing screaming, I turned to see the brothers pushing walkers into the crowd. In the next second, shots started to fire and grenades were being thrown into the arena. Falling to my knees, I looked around me. In the next second my waist was grabbed and I was hoisted to my feet, being pressed against a side. Pausing, they jerked and I looked up into Daryl's face.

"Daryl." I said as my vison started to speckle, making me stumble.

"Don't do this now, Linny." He told me.

Falling to my knees, I attempted to get up again but failed. "Just go." I told him.

"No." He stated, getting my back onto my feet.

I made it only a few steps before I was on my knees again. "Go!" I yelled at him.

"You'll die."

"Then just let me die." I told him. "Finally."

"Daryl." I heard Rick say before he was at our side.

Daryl yanked me back onto my feet. "Let's move. Merle!"

Gripping tight to him, I tried to focus on what we were doing, but my ears felt plugged and my breathing was becoming more prominent. The edges of my vision blurry.

"They're all at the arena." Merle told us. "This way."

"You're not going anywhere with us." Rick shot at him.

"You really want to do this now?"

"Come on, man." Daryl told his brother as he forced a panel open. "Rick, come on. We've got to go."

They moved through, Rick holding his hand out to me. For a moment I just frowned at him. I didn't trust him any more than he trusted me.

"It's okay." Rick told me. "Take my hand."

Sighing, I slid my hand into his, letting him help me. As soon as I was through, I could see Merle fighting the dead.

"A little help would be nice." He yelled back as us.

"You good?" Rick asked me.

"No." I told him, pulling the knife from his belt.

Rushing forward, I started to take them out one by one. Everyone grouping together.

"We don't got time for this." Merle told us.

"Let's go." Daryl said moving toward the woods.

Moving to follow, my legs left weighted down and, I fell to my knees. Rick stopped and looked at me before Daryl rushed to me.

"Come on, Linny."

"I wasn't kidding when I said just let me die." I frowned at him.

"You can yell at me later." He smirked before getting me onto my feet, then scooping my legs out from under me.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I felt nauseous and lightheaded. My arms felt heavy, making my grip fail.

"Linny." He said softly.

"Mm." I replied.

"Just making sure you're still here."

Smirking, I brought a weak hand to his face, "I'm a fighter."

"You did good." He told me.

"Can I go to sleep yet?" I asked him with a thick voice.

He turned his face against mine. "I've got you."

Making a soft noise, everything fell away.