Out of the Woods (The Walking Dead)
Welcome to the Tombs:
Carl couldn't believe what he saw when Daryl and Suzy came back. They had taken Merle's body back to the prison in the car he took to the meetup spot so he could be buried there. Daryl dug the grave on his own while Suzy immediately retreated inside without looking at anyone or saying a word. Carl followed her inside so he could say something to her. He found her on the second floor of D Block, sitting on the floor at the back of the first cell by the staircase. He noticed her knees to her chest with her hands limp at her sides. He stood in the doorway of the cell, waiting for her to tell him to leave. She didn't even turn her head to look at him. She didn't acknowledge he was there at all. She only stared off to the side in complete nothingness; a blank state. He wanted to say he was sorry even though it wasn't his fault. Did she even want to hear it? If his dad killed the Governor when he had the chance, Merle wouldn't have had to go do what he did. Knowing that fact made a rage boil up inside his chest.
"I'm sorry about Merle," Carl said. Suzy state didn't change. This wasn't fair. She didn't deserve to feel this way nor did Merle deserve to die. All this death of their own and for what? It wasn't fair. Carl sighed with a shake of his head and stomped out to go pack his stuff, wanting his dad to feel the burn of this being all his fault. Once he finished packing, he marched outside with his bag over his shoulder. He didn't look at anyone or speak to anyone. Rick noticed his distress and put a hand on his shoulder to console him. Carl grunted in disgust and shook him off, continuing to the trunk of the car to put away his bag.
"I've never seen him this mad," Glenn said to Rick, "Even with Lori. He just shut down."
"He's still a kid," Rick replied, "It's easy to forget."
"No, this is different," Glenn frowned. Rick didn't respond. Instead, he finished up the cars and went to go inside to check if everything was gone. Of course he noticed how Suzy didn't want to come out. Seeing her like that, no wonder Carl was so upset. It didn't matter anymore though. They had to leave, so she couldn't stay here forever. He went up to D Block and walked up the steps to the second floor where he knew she was.
"Hey," Rick said, leaning his arm against the doorway to the cell. She didn't respond, "Not sure if you stuck around to hear about the plan, but it's important for us to leave soon. It's not safe for you to be here."
Nothing. Rick rubbed his scruff in thought. What was he supposed to say?
"I want you to know that I know what you're goin' through." Rick said softly. "I...I lost my wife, Lori. When I saw Maggie come out of the tombs covered in blood holdin' my baby, I thought...I could remember every fight we ever had before all this. I held it all in, just wantin' us to get past it. At the end, with this baby on the way, everythin' just hit me...I said things. I pushed her away so I could focus on gettin' all of us by. If I could take back every mean thing I said, I would. If I could tell her I'm sorry and I always loved her, I would do that, too. But we can't do that. We just gotta believe before they went, they knew we didn't really mean it."
For split second, he thought he noticed a change in her expression. It was only for a moment, but he saw her eyes turn from blank to sad, like if she stopped fighting it, she would be in tears once again. In a flash it was gone and she was back to her same state, not acknowledging a word he had said.
"All right," Rick sighed and nodded, "I'll give you some time alone."
Once Rick was back outside, he gathered Glenn, Maggie, Daryl, Michonne, and Hershel to form a circle next to the Hyundai. They talked about Suzy and each proposed what they were going to do about her.
"She's in a state of shock," Hershel said, leaning against the car for support, "She's been through a lot."
"We all have," Glenn replied.
"We can't just let her stay in there all exposed with the Governor on his way here." Said Maggie.
Glenn shrugged with a frown, "Doesn't seem like she cares anymore."
"She needs time to process-" Said Hershel.
"Well, time isn't something we have the luxury of right now," Rick said with that familiar authoritative voice.
"So what do you suppose we do?" Hershel asked, "Drag her out, screamin' and cryin' the whole way?"
"I don't see another way. Talkin' clearly isn't doin' it right now." Rick replied.
As the group continued debating, Daryl stayed quiet to think. He glanced over and saw Beth holding Judith, Carol putting a bag into the trunk of the other car, and Carl staring all of them down. He knew exactly what they were talking about and it was clear how much it upset him. Clutching his crossbow that was slung over his shoulder, Daryl gave a nod, knowing what he had to do.
"I'll go talk to her." Daryl chimed in.
"You sure that's a good idea?" Glenn asked.
"Yeah," Daryl nodded, "It's gotta be me."
Immediately, Daryl went into D Block and up the stairs. Just like the rest of them, he found Suzy still sitting in the same cell she last spoke to his brother. Maybe if there was more time, he wouldn't have to be so blunt, but Rick was right. There was no time. The Governor was on his way because of what Merle did for them. It was time to go.
"Look," Daryl said, "Merle's death wasn't your fault. You know that, right?"
Of course she didn't respond.
"Is this your plan then?" Daryl toughened up his voice, "Just sitting here, waiting for the Governor to come get ya?"
It was almost a miracle when she finally blinked. She hummed in response in that, yes, that was exactly her plan.
"You need to get your act together. Merle's death was not your fault." Said Daryl, "You can sit around feeling sorry for yourself after this shit is over."
To Daryl's surprise, a small smile appeared on Suzy's face.
"Sorry for myself?" Suzy chuckled, "Why do any of you care? You don't know me. Is it really that hard to let me stay here and die? You can't kill him. But he wants to come back and kill me. If you're here, he'll kill you just as easily. Don't let me hold you back."
Daryl didn't reply. Her smile held no joy. It was cold, sarcastic, and painful. That familiar glow she had was burnt out. He could see the pain in her eyes as they became glassy from the tears welling up in her ducts.
"You didn't hear what I said to him," Suzy continued, turning to face him, "He pushed me away so I pushed him away...Made him feel like he had something to prove...You forget you don't have all the time in the world, even before. If I knew that would be the last time I'd get to tell him something..."
Daryl saw exactly two tears, one from each eye, fall down her cheeks. She closed her eyes to compose herself then finally looked at him.
"I can't take any of that back," She said, her tone getting nastier as she continued, "He went out and did something stupid because he didn't wanna be here anymore. If he really cared about me, or you, or anyone else but himself, he would've stayed. He died resenting me, thinking I resented him right back. So don't you all come in here telling me it's not my fault."
"I told you this before and I'll tell ya again," Daryl retorted just as sternly, "Everythin' Merle did was his own damn fault. Not yours, not mine, not Rick. Merle never did anythin' like that in his whole life, not for anyone. So I know it couldn't only have been for me. Anyone with eyes could see Merle loved ya, even if he never said it, because he wanted you to have a chance at livin'. He gave all of us a chance, and we give a damn because you're one of us whether you like it or not. If you wanna feel guilty, fine. But don't sit here waitin' to die or else Merle would'a died for nothin'."
At that point, Suzy looked away from him and went back to staring into nothingness on the floor. Daryl decided he had nothing left to say, gave her a nod, then left her alone.
"Well?" Rick asked once Daryl came back outside. Daryl sighed and shook his head. Rick licked his lips in thought. If this was her choice, then so be it. They were out of time. Rick nodded his head to assure himself, "All right. Hershel, take Beth, Judith, and Carl up the hill. Glenn, Maggie, gather up the-"
The courtyard door opening made Rick pause. Everyone turned around and saw Suzy coming out slowly, mortified all their eyes were on her. She had put on a black poncho shawl to cover herself and her small backpack over her shoulder. Rick gazed in curiosity as she approached him.
"You don't have to," Said Rick.
"Yes, I do." Suzy replied, "I wanna finish this."
Rick patted her shoulder, asking her if she was sure since she didn't seem so confident. She was sure. She wanted this sick, psycho, sadistic motherfucker dead. She never hated someone so much in her entire life. If the Governor was coming for them, she was going to be part of ending him once and for all.
Rick smiled, "Okay."
Even inside the tombs of the prison, she could hear the sound of those military trucks rolling up onto the field. She remembered when he first brought those back to Woodbury, bullshitting the lie that all those men were already dead. He killed all of them only to take their stuff. The same happened to the camp at the elementary school, where he made her stab an innocent man in the head. He was coming here this time not for their stuff, but for her, for Rick, Daryl, everyone. He wanted all of them dead to satisfy his need for revenge and selfish bloodlust.
Suzy could hear the footsteps above. The reality of the Governor wandering through the walls of the prison was never something she thought she would have to experience. It felt invasive. He wasn't supposed to be here. He didn't belong here, nor did anyone else following behind him. Oddly enough, she didn't feel afraid. She had no more room in her heart or her mind to hold fear, especially not of the Governor. Daryl still had his hand on her shoulder to comfort her when they heard the footsteps traveling down into the tombs.
Suzy and Daryl hid in the darkness on one side with Rick and Michonne on the other. Suzy could see one of the teenage soldiers leading the way with checking the empty cells for a sign of them. He got closer and closer, holding an AK-47 with no idea on how to actually use it. As soon as he was close enough, Rick gave the signal of a head nod to her and Daryl.
Immediately, Suzy and Daryl clipped the tear gas cans and tossed them out into the halls of the tombs. Rick triggered the prison alarm system while Michonne unleashed some gnarly walkers hidden behind one of the doors. Everyone was screaming in terror, not hearing the Governor yelling at them to hold their ground. All of his soldiers fled out of the building as quickly as they could, Suzy and the rest right behind them. Glenn and Maggie took to the upper walkways to shoot at their feet in abandoned police armor.
Suzy ran out onto the courtyard, ducking behind barrels and turned over tables to shoot with them. She saw the Governor and went to shoot him right through his psychopath head, only to have Martinez at his side not hesitating to shoot at her back, forcing her to take cover. Damn it, Martinez, she wanted to shout. By the time he stopped and she left her cover, everyone was already piling back into the trucks to flee. Suzy ran up to the gate to continue shooting at them with Maggie behind her in the walkway. She saw Martinez help the Governor into the lead truck, leaving her without a chance of a shot. They fled. They all fled. Like the cowards they truly were.
"We did it?" Maggie called out to Glenn.
"We did it," Glenn replied as Suzy made her way back, "Come on down."
Everyone gathered in the field to see the extent of any damage or sign any other Woodbury soldiers were left behind. There was no sign of anyone. The Governor and his minions were long gone.
"We did it," Rick said, "We drove them out."
"We didn't do shit," Said Suzy, "It's not over until he's dead."
"We should go after them." Michonne agreed.
"We should finish it," Daryl chimed in at Suzy's side.
"It is finished," Said Maggie, "Didn't you see them hightailin' outta here?"
"They could regroup," Said Michonne.
"We can't take the chance, he's not gonna stop," Glenn insisted.
"They're right," Carol said, "We can't keep living like this."
"So we take the fight back to Woodbury?" Maggie shook her head, "We barely made it back last time."
"I don't care," Daryl retorted.
"Me neither," Suzy said with a viciously angry tone, pointing out where the Governor had come in and left, "It's like you said, Glenn. He wants a fight, he's got one."
Rick took in everything they said and agreed. The fight was going back to
Woodbury. They were going to end this once and for all.
"Yeah," Rick said, "Let's go check on the others."
The group regathered inside C Block, checking on the baby, Hershel, Beth, and Carl. Suzy could see Carl wanting to come up to tell her something, but she brushed past him, leaving Rick to check on him alone. Daryl watched Suzy rush up the steps to the second floor where his own room was. He sighed, knowing he was going to have to have another talk with her. He went up and found her squatting down on the floor in deep thought.
"You don't have to go, you know." Daryl said, "It doesn't have to be you."
"Yes it does," Suzy replied. She scoffed to herself and began anxiously biting her nails.
"I just want ya to know one thing," Daryl said, "Whether you go or not, he'd be damn proud of ya."
Suzy paused and looked up at him. Would Merle be proud? No, he wouldn't be proud until Sir Governor was dead. That's what he went to do, so that's what she was going to do. She wanted to finish it. Even if no one else wanted to, she would go alone just like he had and do it herself. At this point, she didn't care if she died in the process either. At least then she could die in some sort of peace.
Suzy stood up and hugged Daryl as tightly as she could. He really was too kind. It was a shame, really. This might be the last time she would ever get the chance to do this. One of them might die on this mission, and she was determined for it to be her instead of him. She didn't think she could handle another loss.
"Thank you," Suzy whispered then kissed his scruffy cheek. He looked at her in confusion as she stepped away. She then went past him and back down the stairs to join Michonne in loading up some guns to pack into the car for their journey.
"Hey-" Daryl followed her. She paused and looked at him questioningly. He gave her a small smile, "How would you feel about ridin' with me?"
Suzy formed a small smile in return that did not even reach her eyes. She replied with a single nod to say she liked that idea. Daryl took her out and showed her Merle's motorcycle. She pictured Merle driving it, leading her thoughts to realize she never saw him ride a motorcycle. She never would, and she would never ride with him. She couldn't stop thinking about him. Her rock, her one and only, her best friend, someone who annoyed her like no one else could. She still expected to see him enter the room she stood in, or standing right behind her like he never left. It wasn't real yet. It couldn't be.
Daryl got on the bike and turned it on, Suzy hopping on the backseat. He drove up to the exit gate and next to the car. They put their guns over their shoulders to rest on their backs for the ride while Daryl had Michonne pack his crossbow.
"Rick," Glenn said, gesturing to Maggie, "We're staying. We don't know where the Governor is. If he comes back, we'll hold him off."
"Just the four of us then?" Daryl asked, "All right."
"I appreciate you staying." Rick assured them.
Carol and Beth took the liberty of taking out the walkers at the gate while Glenn and Maggie opened it, needing to pick up and pull the entire gate door to make room for the cars. Daryl put the bike in drive and rode off with Suzy's arms around his waist. Rick and Michonne got into the truck and drove right behind them, leaving the prison and off to Woodbury.
Suzy could feel anxiety racing up inside her the closer they got. She was going to have to set foot back in Woodbury, only this time as an outsider; an enemy. She never thought she would even have to look at that evil place ever again. Well, it wasn't all evil. No matter what she thought of the Governor, that place was still her home for a long while. It saved her from the brink of death, had good people within the walls, a sense of normalcy in such a new cruel world. It was also the place where Merle became someone she had once felt burdened by, to becoming her best friend. It was a fantasy world within those walls. When was she going to accept that?
"Hol' up-" Daryl said over the engine. Him speaking alerted Suzy to look ahead at the road. There was something there. It was one of the military trucks the Governor had stolen. It was sitting there in the street.
"Pull over," Suzy said, tapping Daryl's shoulder.
Once they got closer, Daryl stopped the bike, alerting Rick to pull over behind them. The four of them looked around for a sign of someone nearby. What they saw instead were nearly two dozen bodies dead, scattered around the road and out in the field next to them. Whoever wasn't dead had already reanimated and were feeding on the leftover bodies. Daryl shot his crossbow at one while Michonne went around using her sword to decapitate three more. Rick approached one that stood up at the sight of them and stabbed it in the head. Suzy took one of her knives from her belt and tossed it at the last one, landing it right in its forehead. Suzy examined the bodies on the ground, her jaw dropping at the realization.
"I-I know them. They were-" Suzy gasped, "From Woodbury...All of them."
A sound from the truck made them jump. It was Karen, Suzy remembered her very well. Daryl opened the door to have Karen get out, her voluntarily putting her hands up in surrender. Rick had his python raised at first, but lowered it once he realized she was alone and clearly not a threat. Karen slowly approached Suzy with her hands still raised to her ears in fear. Once she was close enough, she threw her arms around Suzy like her life depended on it. Suzy was in such a shock, she wasn't sure how to respond.
"Susan, oh thank god-" Karen said, her voice shaking along with the rest of her. Suzy moved Karen back at arms length so she could talk to her properly.
"What happened?" Suzy asked.
"The-The Governor he-" Karen stuttered, "He killed everyone."
Daryl looked at her puzzled, "What?"
Karen continued, "We didn't want to fight anymore. We were scared. When he heard that we didn't want to go back to the prison-something in him snapped..."
Suzy stood there with her mouth agape. She blinked a few times to process what Karen just said. She looked around at the bodies again, seeing that-yes-all of them, every single one, died from at least one gunshot. Some had multiple shots all over their body. Jesus...The one good quality the Governor had was his devotion to building something for his people, his community. She thought if he cared about anything in this world, it was that. She never thought he was capable of stooping this low.
"M-Martinez-" Suzy said, coming back to her senses, "Is-Is he here?"
Karen shook her head, "Martinez and Shumpert left with him when it was over. I don't know where they went."
"How did you survive all this?" Rick asked.
"I pretended I was dead," Karen replied, "I was so terrified-I didn't know what else to do. When he left, I hid in the truck to get away from the biters."
"You think he would've went back to Woodbury?" Michonne asked.
"Only one way to find out," Rick said, "We can still finish this."
"No," Suzy shook her head, "He can't go back there after slaughtering a a third of his people. That place is done."
"So the son of a bitch is still out there somewhere?" Daryl scoffed.
"I'm sorry," Karen cried, "I'm so sorry. We shouldn't have listened to him. He made us think you were bad people. Andrea was right, we didn't have to fight."
"Is Andrea still with him?" Suzy asked. When she said that, Karen looked at her confused.
"N-No." Karen said, "She had jumped the wall yesterday to go back to the prison with you guys."
"Andrea was coming to the prison?" Michonne asked.
"Yeah," Karen replied, looking at all of them, "Is she not there now?"
Rick shook his head, "No, she's not."
Suzy thought for a moment. She remembered when she jumped the wall to escape Woodbury that one night. A search party came after her to bring her back, so she didn't make it very far. Who's to say the same thing didn't happen to Andrea?
Suzy spoke up, "I think I know where she might be."
Rick nodded in agreement, thinking the same thing. The plan was still in motion to go to Woodbury, only it wasn't an assassination anymore; it was a rescue...
The five of them drove until they were a mile away from Woodbury. By the time they got there night had fallen. They walked the rest of the way, not talking much. Rick led the way with Daryl by his side while Suzy kept Karen close to her with Michonne watching the rear. The four had guns at the ready the entire way, not sure if the Governor or anyone else was nearby to attack. Suzy could begin seeing the walls in the distance. It was weird seeing Woodbury from the outside. The walls were tall, it was quiet and eerie. It didn't look like a prison at all.
The group scurried across the unused gazebo just outside the wall. Suzy knew that was the checkpoint for Woodbury territory. Nearby, they had cars for runs or others that didn't work and were used for extra shielding. Gunshots from the top of the wall made them duck for cover behind one of the cars. Rick, Daryl, and Michonne fired back immediately while Suzy rushed Karen over to the car and pulled her down to take cover. Once she was down, Suzy joined in on the counter fire.
"Tyreese!" Karen yelled from behind the car. The shooting paused as Karen stood up to show herself, "It's me! Don't shoot-"
"Get down!" Rick yanked Karen's arm to make here take cover.
"Karen?" The man, Tyreese, called back. Suzy didn't recognize any Tyreese from Woodbury before. He must be a new recruit.
"Karen, are you okay?" Tyreese shouted, making Karen stand up from behind the car.
"Where's the Governor?" Tyreese asked. So he really didn't come back here, Suzy thought. Woodbury was really over. That realization made her feel funny. It wasn't a happy feeling at all. To her surprise, she felt almost sad.
"He fired on everyone," Karen replied, "He killed them all."
Suzy stayed down behind the car with the others, so she couldn't see Tyreese's reaction to that. Based on his silence alone, she knew it was probably shock. After a few moments, Tyreese spoke again.
"Why are you with them?"
"They saved me-" Karen replied. Suzy gave Rick a look, silently asking him to let them come out from hiding. The Governor wasn't here, there was no threat anymore. Rick looked down in thought, contemplating what their next move was. Figuring she was right, Rick nodded his head and called out to Tyreese at the wall.
"We're comin' out! We're comin' out," Rick said. Daryl shook his head in reluctance at that idea. Suzy nudged his shoulder, making him scoff and move to the side of the car to reluctantly stand. Rick stood with his hands up, Suzy and Michonne doing the same to follow his lead. Daryl stayed on his guard when he stood, still pointing his gun. When he saw Suzy throw him another look of "just do what he says", Daryl scoffed again and raised his hands to his head. They slowly approached the main gate while Tyreese got down from the post to open the door for them. A girl appeared next to him. She figured they must be brother and sister. Once they approached the door, they let their hands down so they could talk.
"What are you doing here?" Tyreese asked Rick. From the way he spoke, it sounded like they had met before; a sense of familiarity. Did they use to be at the prison, too?
"We were comin' to finish this-" Rick replied, "Until we saw what the Governor did."
"He-" Tyreese whispered in shock, "He killed them?"
Rick nodded his head, "Yeah."
Suzy thought she could predict everything about the Governor until this. She never thought he could slaughter his own people that way. If she never escaped Woodbury, she could've just as easily been one of those bodies on the side of the road.
"Karen told us Andrea hopped the wall going for the prison," Rick continued, "She never made it. She might be here."
Tyreese seemed so confused when he said that. How could she have gotten back in without anyone knowing?
"How do you know?" Tyreese asked.
"This is Suzy," Rick gestured to her, "She used to live here. She's hopped the wall before."
Suzy nodded, "I didn't make it far before I got caught and was brought back."
Tyreese couldn't look more in shock if he tried. The reality of who the Governor was hit him like a truck. After taking a moment to process it all, Tyreese and his sister motioned for them to enter so they could look for Andrea. Suzy immediately led everyone to the building towards the back of the community. If someone was here and the Governor didn't want anyone to know, she remembered exactly where they would be kept. She found the building with the dark red door. It was unlocked, allowing them inside.
"This is where he had Glenn and Maggie," Rick recalled.
"The Governor held people here?" Tyreese gasped.
"Did more than hol' em," Daryl commented. The group turned down the hall with their guns at the ready in case anyone was there guarding the doors to the rooms. There was one left at the end of the hall, only no one was there. They lowered their guns at the sight of a pool of blood coming through the bottom of the steel door. Michonne unsheathed her sword.
"Will you open it?" She asked Rick. He seemed nervous or unsure. He cautiously lifted his gun again as did Daryl as Rick moved his other hand closer to the door handle. He counted to three to himself then slammed the door open.
Inside, Suzy saw a dental chair in the middle of the room. In front of it was Milton's dead body on the floor. Suzy rushed towards him to examine what had happened to him. He had reanimated by the looks of him. What a shame, Suzy thought. He was her friend at one time. He didn't deserve this.
"Andrea-" Michonne gasped as she rushed into the room. Suzy turned to see Andrea leaning against the wall for support as she sat on the floor.
"I tried to stop them," Andrea said to Rick as he knelt down in front of her.
"You're burning up," Michonne said as she felt her forehead.
Andrea pulled her jacket aside to reveal a huge chunk taken out of the juncture of her shoulder to her neck. Suzy stood up in shock at the sight of it. She looked back down at Milton's corpse, putting the puzzle pieces together. Needless to say, it wasn't a hard case to put together...Rick looked away in shame, devastated by what he saw.
"Judith, Carl-" Andrea said, "The rest of them-"
"Us." Rick corrected her, "The rest of us."
"Are they alive?"
"Yeah," Rick nodded, "They're alive."
Andrea smiled, content with his answer. She looked up at Michonne, "It's good you found them. No one can make it alone now."
"Never could," Said Daryl.
"I just didn't want anyone to die," Andrea sighed. Suzy remembered when she was in Michonne's place; watching a friend die from being bitten, knowing there was nothing you could do about it. Is this how the world is now? The death never seemed to stop. How much more was she supposed to take?
"I can do it myself," Andrea said.
"No!" Michonne cried.
"I have to," Andrea replied, changing her gaze to Rick, "While I still can. Please? I know how the safety works."
Rick contemplated for a moment, not liking the idea. However, not liking it doesn't have anything to do with it being necessary. Rick finally gave a nod of respect and handed her a gun he had on his belt.
"Well, I'm not going anywhere," Michonne assured her. Suzy didn't think she could take watching what what happening for another second. In a combined feeling of rage and devastation, she stepped away from Milton's body to quickly leave the room and wait outside. Andrea looked around at them and shrugged to herself.
"I tried," She whispered.
"Yeah," Rick replied, "You did...You did."
Daryl was the next to join Suzy in leaving the room to wait outside in the hall while Rick and Michonne said their final goodbyes. Rick then stood up and left the room and shut the door to let Andrea go out in peace. Rick leaned against the door with Tyreese at his side while Daryl sat next to Suzy. He put his hand on her shoulder to make her look at him. She turned here head as a flinch then realized it was Daryl silently telling her he was there for her. She took his offer and rested her head in the crook of his neck while he put his arm around her, holding her close as they waited for the sound of that one final shot.
Suzy closed her eyes shut when she heard it. That one gunshot let them know Andrea had done it. She and Milton were dead. Daryl's grip around her tightened at the sound. Rick waited another moment before opening the door again for Michonne.
"What happens now?" Michonne asked.
"We'll take her back with us." Rick replied.
"Milton, too." Suzy removed herself from Daryl and stood, "He was a good person. He was my friend. He deserves a proper burial, too."
Rick nodded in agreement, "Okay. We'll take the both of 'em back."
"What about the people here?" Tyreese asked, "The Governor is gone, right? So what happens to them?"
"If I may, Rick-" Suzy said, "The Governor is still out there somewhere, but who knows if he'll ever come back to this place. He may have done horrible things, but these are good people here. Maybe I can talk to them and convince them to come to the prison."
"Yeah," Rick said, "They can join us. I think that's a fine idea."
As Rick and Tyreese worked together to wrap up and carry out Milton and Andrea's bodies, Daryl walked out with Suzy so she could get one last look at Woodbury.
"It's like I said," Said Daryl.
"What?" Suzy asked.
"He'd be damn proud of ya."
Suzy gazed up at Daryl standing next to her then back at the view of Woodbury. She could envision herself walking down these streets with Merle like they had dozens of times before. They could've been here forever if it was a place worth staying in. She survived what the Governor had put her through and was able to escape. That was all she ever wanted.
"Yeah..." Suzy said, feeling a tear run down her cheek, "I guess he would be. He's proud of you, too. I know he is."
Daryl responded by putting his arm around her again. She rested her head on his shoulder to thank him. Now that it was all over, only one question remained.
What was she supposed to do now?
The day after they brought the people from Woodbury back to the prison, Suzy waited until it was just about dawn to make her way out to the grave sight in the field. She saw the grave Daryl had made for Merle and sat down, putting her bag at her side. She sat in silence for a few minutes, thinking about what she wanted to say. She clenched her fists in the dirt, trying to get any sense of closeness to him once again.
"You didn't have to do what you did," Suzy muttered, "I'm sorry how
I left things with us. I said things...I wanted you to know that I didn't mean any of it..."
Suzy felt her tears pouring from her eyes uncontrollably. She sobbed into the dirt, continuing to clench it in her hands for support.
"I don't hate you-" She cried, "I would do anything to bring you back and fix it. I'm sorry-I'm so sorry for making you feel like you had to go to such lengths to prove yourself. You didn't have to. I'm sorry I was too late."
Suzy lifted herself up and looked at his grave. It was only a cross made out of wood. She then picked up some of the dirt just to slam it back down onto the ground.
"I hate you for leaving me like that-" She groaned through her tears, "Why'd you have to be so much like you? I-I don't know what to do with myself now that you're gone. I guess...I guess I got so used to having you around to help me. You helped make me stronger so I could be more like you, so I could survive. But I don't know how to face it all myself..."
Suzy let go of the dirt so she could wipe her eyes.
"I know you don't want to hear it but-" She whispered, "I love you. I always did. I know you were always a believer in there being something after all this. So maybe one day, I'll join you on that other side. All you have to do is wait for me. With the world being how it is now...Maybe you won't have to wait too long."
Suzy finished wiping her tears then picked up her bag. She stood and looked behind her at the prison. She didn't want to be in another place only for it to fall apart. She didn't want to see anymore people she cared about die. Especially Daryl. She was going to do what she and Merle promised they would do together. Leave and learn to live somewhere out there. She put her bag over her shoulder and turned back to the gate. As quietly as she could, she slipped through one of the opened they had cut open and closed up with some ties. She redid them once she was on the other side and took one last look at the prison. She then treaded back into the woods to get as far away from it as possible. Just like that, she was back to where she started before she even met Merle. Maybe she would take this time to forget he was ever in her life to begin with. Or perhaps, she realized, she didn't want to forget. She didn't know how to face all this herself. Maybe that's what she had to do now, at least until they meet again
In a new world.
Suzy's story will continue in Part 2...
