[A/N: Just a short one, but the next one will be up soon.]
Asha's lungs were on fire as she staggered behind Daryl and Merle across the grate into the prison courtyard. As the inner gate was dragged closed behind them, she fell to her knees, her breath coming in ragged painful gasps and her vision blurred. She was vaguely aware of Rick and Daryl being greeted with warm embraces and Merle standing somewhat to the side, covering his awkwardness with a sneer plastered across his face. She'd barely eaten in the last two days and today had burnt up energy stores she no longer had. The adrenalin leached out of her and was replaced by a flood of exhaustion. She shrugged out of her pack and tipped forward to rest her head against her knees, trying to draw longer breaths and clear her vision.
'Who the hell is this?'
A pair of boots appeared in Asha's field of view and she looked up to see an angry Asian man in riot gear. His face was a mass of purple and red bruises, his right eye nearly swollen shut.
The Korean kid. Shit, Merle had done a number on him. Naked rage shone from his face.
Asha pulled in another shuddering breath and forced herself to her feet, bracing herself on the dual cab. She wasn't sure it was a good idea to be on her knees in front of these people. But she left her speargun on the ground and kept her hand away from her knife. No need to make them see her as a threat either.
'Found her on the road.' Daryl said. Merle grunted.
'And you just brought her back,' said a pretty young woman with shoulder length brown hair. Asha would have guessed she was about her own age, maybe a little younger, but she handled the rifle in her hands with familiarity that spoke of regular use. 'Are you out of your mind? She could be one of his, sent in to spy on us.'
Daryl shook his head. 'Nah, Merle'd know if she came from Woodbury. 'Sides, found out in the other direction, near the Yellow Jacket.'
The pretty woman shook her head, not convinced.
Merle grunted. 'She ain't from Woodbury. Just look at her. She'd 'ave more meat on her if she was from Woodbury— hell, if she was from any other group with a proper camp.'
Asha was sure Merle wasn't trying to defend her. Probably just trying to deflect some of the heat for bringing her back.
'Says she's been on her own,' Merle continued. 'She looks it.'
Behind him the dreadlocked woman was nodding as she ran her eyes over Asha.
'You can't be bringing strangers back here,' Rick said. 'Maybe she's from Woodbury, maybe she ain't. But we don't know anything about this woman. How she's lasted this long. what she's done to survive.' He turned on Daryl and Merle. 'How could you be so stupid? You put everyone here at risk.'
Their voices had retreated to background noise. Asha's vision had cleared and she anxiously scanned the faces of those gathered in the compound. She was stunned to see a boy of about 12 or 13 with a baby in his arms, but her heart dropped when Nash wasn't among them.
'Is this all of you,' she cut in, hating the tremor in her voice.
'What do you mean,' Rick snapped. 'Why do you care how many of are here?' He took a threatening step towards her.
'It ain't like that' Daryl said. 'She's looking for her brother. For what, a few weeks now?' He looked to Asha and she nodded. 'Been on her own since then. She followed us. Wouldn't be put off. Woulda had to shoot her or knock her out and leave her for the walkers to get her to stay behind.'
The carefully blank look on Rick's face suggested that maybe they should have.
'Wasn't happenin',' Daryl said flatly.
Rick looked at Merle. 'Surprised you went along with it?'
Merle shrugged. 'This ain't my show. Daryl said it'd be your call when we got here. Don't make no difference to me. Y'all want her out, I'll take her back into the woods and dump her somewhere, or knock her out and leave her for the biters.'
Asha couldn't care less at this stage. If her brother wasn't here, she didn't want any part of these people. There was obviously something serious going on with this Woodbury place and she didn't intend getting caught up in a fight that wasn't hers. Better being on her own then that.
'My brother, Nash,' she cut in again. 'Is he here?.
Rick looked at her, weighing her up. 'No' he answered after a long pause. 'The only people here are from our group, been together a long time now.'
Asha felt it like a blow to the body, even though— rationally— she'd known it was a long shot. Her legs trembled and she tightened her grip on the dual cab. She would have to keep moving. She remembered the name that had been mentioned earlier. She turned to Merle.
'You were at this Woodbury place? How long ago? Was my brother there then?'
Merle shrugged. 'Don't think so, but there's eighty odd people there. It's not like I was keepin' tally.'
'You'd have noticed him,' Asha insisted. 'He's a big guy, tall— head and shoulders above me— dirty blonde hair. Longish, wearing it in a ponytail last I saw. Woulda had a speargun too, and a hunting rifle? He's got a,' she traced her fingers around her left forearm marking a band about an inch and a half wide, 'band of writing tattooed around his arm?'
Merle just shrugged again.
She knelt back down and struggled to pick up her pack.
'What are you doing?' The old man asked coming forwards on his crutches. Asha was surprised to see his left foot was missing. 'You're not in any condition to be going anywhere.' His eyes and tone were kindly.
She ignored both.
'Look, you don't want me here, and I don't think I want part of whatever turf war you've got going on with Woodbury. I came looking for my brother. He's not here. No reason for me to stay.' She straightened up. 'Everyone gets what they want this way right?''
'You're going to try Woodbury? Rick asked.
From the corner of her eye Asha could see the black woman and Merle both shaking their heads, mirroring each other without realising it. There were incredulous looks on the faces of some of the others present. Daryl just looked at her grimly.
'I don't want to,' Asha said emphatically. 'After that'— she gestured to the yard full of walkers behind her—'I don't want anything to do with the place.' She sighed. 'But if it's near here, Nash might have ended up there.' She pick up her spear gun, trying to keep her knees from shaking under the weight of her pack, and turned to Merle. 'Which way.'
He didn't answer, just half arched an eyebrow and smirked.
'No,' Rick said quietly behind her. 'That's not happening.'
She spun around incredulously. 'You don't want me here. What the fuck do you care where i go?'
'You've seen us, seen our set up, seen how many— few really— we are. Can't risk you telling that to the Governor.'
'Governor?'
'The man running Woodbury,' the old man answered for Rick.
Asha looked at Rick, astonishment fading into a sinking feeling as she realised where this was going. 'I've got no interest in helping him. All I want to do is get my brother— if he's there— and get out. Nash won't stay there when he hears this Governor's using walkers as weapons.'
'It's not that easy,' Rick said, voice quiet and cold. 'You could have been seen here, with Daryl and Merle, during the raid. If that's the case, and you go near Woodbury, it's not gonna matter what information you would or wouldn't volunteer. He won't be asking nicely.'
The pretty woman with the rifle flinched violently at Rick's words and rage burned across the Korean man's face.
'Well, that's just a risk i'll have to take,' Asha bit back.
She turned towards the gate, only to notice that Merle had moved and was standing near the tail of the dual cab, neatly blocking her exit. His arms were crossed and his usual half smirk half leer was on his face. His gun was back in his hand and her spear leant casually against his leg.
Her eyes hardened as she looked at him, and then around at the others in the group. Rick and Daryl looked grim, the old man simply looked sad. They weren't going to let her leave, and she was sure that if she even looked like moving in the wrong direction, Merle would have no hesitation using his gun, and Rick would let him. Her lips curled into a snarl and she felt her stomach ball with frustration.
'Oh you fucking cunts,' she spat, tossing her spear gun back to the ground and clenching her hands into fists.
'It's gotta be this way for now,' Daryl said quietly.
'You stay with us till this thing is done,' Rick said with a note of finality.
[Hope you're enjoying this people - let me know what you think!]