Finally got an image to upload. This wasn't the one I had in mind, but it'll do!

Daryl and Rick only spoke for a minute or two before coming back inside the cell block. Everyone else filed in and entered the sleeping area before locking Merle behind the bars in the food room.

"We're not leaving," Rick said slinging a gun over his shoulder trying to take charge of the group again.

"We can't stay here," Hershel added.

"What if there's another sniper?" Maggie asked. "A wood pallet won't stop one of those rounds."

"No, it won't but at least we have a sniper rifle to use against them if they come back," Lily added leaning over the railing to look down at the girl adjusting the rifle slung over her back.

"We can't even go outside," Beth said.

"Not in the daylight," Carol remarked.

"Rick says we're not running, we're not running," Glenn added.

"Just because you missed the Governor showing up doesn't mean we should stay and wait for him," Lily added. "But we shouldn't leave."

"Better to live like rats," Merle remarked from across the cell block behind the bars.

"You got a better idea?"

"Yeah, we should have slid outta hear last night and lived to fight another day. But we lost that window, didn't we?"

"I'm sure he's got scouts on every road out of this place by now."

"We ain't scared of that prick," Daryl spoke up for the first time.

"Y'all should be," Merle replied flatly. "That truck through the fence thing, that's just him ringing the doorbell. We might have some thick walls to hide behind, but he's got the guns and the numbers. And if he takes the high ground around this place, shoot, he could just starve us out if he wanted to."

"Shut up, Merle," Lily hissed at him. His cold eyes looked up at her surprised by her forwardness. "Shut the hell up."

"Oh, you're all tough while I'm behind these bars but you cowered like a baby at Woodbury."

"Because it kept you away from my friends," she snapped charging down the stairs toward the bars. "Playing the blubbering traumatized rape victim kept you two so entertained you couldn't leave me alone."

Daryl ran down after her and grabbed the rifle off her back before wrapping his other arm around her waist.

"Oh, so you're telling me that was all just for show. That was all for your friends?" Merle smiled devilishly.

"Yeah, it was. Something you'll never understand."

"Let's put him in the other cell block," Maggie suggested.

"Yes, let's."

"No," Daryl interjected. "He's got a point."

Maggie turned to face Merle and shouted, "This is all you! You started this!"

"What difference who's fault it is? What do we do?" Beth added.

"I said we should leave," Hershel spoke from the stairs. "Now, Axel's dead. We can't just sit here." Rick started to walk away from the group. He was ignoring them again and it filled Lily with anger. 'Not two minutes ago, he's trying to take control and now he's leaving.' She was about to speak up when Hershel shouted at Rick.

"Get back here!"

Rick was frozen where he stood. This kind of force had never before been seen from Hershel and was a surprise to everyone. The old man hobbled over to Rick.

"You're slippin', Rick. We've all seen it. We understand why. But now is not the time. You once said this isn't a democracy. But now you have to own up to that. I put my family's life in your hands. So get your head clear and do something."

Rick barely gave any indication that he had heard what Hershel said before he walked outside.

"Shit" Lily hissed under her breath running her fingers through her short hair.

"What's wrong?" Daryl asked her.

"Rick. He's still off his rocker. I don't know what he told you earlier but he's not all there. He's still trying to sort things out, I think, but he's never here and we need him."

"Sounds like a lot has happened since Woodbury…" he responded trying to lighten the tension in the air.

"Yeah, it has," Lily said not in the mood to make light jokes. This was serious. "Since you've been off wondering the woods with your no good brother, I've taken charge with Hershel and Glenn. Mostly Hershel."

"You what?"

"I got Hershel and Glenn to help me get things done because we needed to get our shit together! With you gone, everything was crumbling not to mention Rick in crazy town! We needed help so I gave it."

He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "You've changed a lot since I found you. Hard to believe you're the same person," he chuckled. "Guess that's where my set of keys went."

She was grateful to hear his appreciation, but she was still so fired up about the whole Rick, Governor and Merle situation that it was hard to calm down. "Some one needs to go talk to him. Rick needs to stand down."

"I'll talk to him," Carl said and before anyone could tell him otherwise, he followed after his father.

.. .. ..

"Take watch. Eyes open, head down," Rick said handing the keys over to Maggie when he came back into the cell block. Carl had talked to him and the pain on his face was evident but necessary. "Field's filled with walkers. I didn't see any snipers out there, but we'll keep Maggie on watch."

Rick joined the group that had gathered composed of Michonne, Lily, Hershel, Glenn, and Daryl.

"I'll get up in the guard tower," Daryl offered, "take out half them walkers, give these guys a chance to fix the fence."

"Or use some of the cars to put the bus in place," Michonne suggested.

"We can't access the field without burning through our bullets," Hershel noted.

"We can at lease make a dent," Lily suggested. "Draw the walkers to the fence and pop them off one by one."

"So we're trapped in here," Glenn sighed. "There's barely any food or ammo."

"We've been here before," Daryl said. "We'll be alright."

"That's when it was just us. Before there was a snake in the nest."

"Man, we gonna go through this again? Look, Merle's staying here. He's with us now. Get used to it. All y'all." Daryl took off up the stairs. He meant what he said giving Glenn and Lily the harshest looks.

"Seriously, Rick, I don't think Merle living here is really gonna fly."

"With you or everyone else?" Lily asked him.

"You hate him probably more than any of us and you're going to let him stay?!"

"I hate him more than I can explain, but hating Merle didn't bring Daryl back!"

"I can't kick him out," Rick added.

"I wouldn't ask you to live with Shane after he tried to kill you."

"Merle has military experience," Hershel added. "He may be erratic, but don't underestimate his loyalty ti his brother."

"What if we solve both problems at once?" Glenn proposed. "Deliver Merle to the Governor. Bargaining chip. Give him his traitor and maybe declare a truce."

"The Governor doesn't make truces. He kills for fun," Lily said. "Look, I think the best thing we can do for right now is just leave him be but keep an eye on him. Ok?"