[A/N: Just a short one...but at least it's up quick.]

Asha was jolted back to awareness as the bike rattled over the grate and into the prison courtyard. Glenn, on watch again, had opened the gate and was dragging it closed behind them.

'You better find Rick,' he called as soon as the bike's engine died.

Damn fucking straight she would find Rick, and give him a piece of her mind. She flung herself off the back of the bike and stormed into the cell block.

Her eyes fixed on Rick, speaking quietly to Hershel with the rest of the group gathered around. She charged over, slamming both hands into his chest and shoving him backwards, hard.

'Are you outta your god damned mind,' she roared. 'You were going to give Michonne up to that murdering bastard.'

The small part of her brain that wasn't consumed with fury at Rick noticed that no-one looked surprised. Rick must have filled them in.

She shoved him again. 'You were going to sell out one of your own for a mere chance. After all that crap you spouted about protecting everyone in the group. And now Merle's dead—and that on you.' She felt her chest constrict. 'Not that any of you care about that. Y'all painted him as a cold blooded murder in your heads, and that's what he tried to be—'

'That's what he was,' Glenn snapped.

'That's all anyone ever let him be,' Asha snapped back. 'It's what he thought he had to be—for you people—and it got him killed.' Her voice broke at the end.

'That's enough Asha,' Hershel said.

Rick said nothing, just stared back at her with flinty eyes.

'You can't expect us to be sorry Merle's gone,' Maggie said.

Asha heard Daryl growl in his throat behind her.

'I'm sorry Daryl,' Maggie said, half extending a hand toward him. 'I'm sorry you're hurting—but he was bad for us, and he was bad for you.'

'He coulda been better,' Daryl muttered.

'If he'd gotten the chance,' Asha snapped. 'But when the high and mighty Rick fucking Grimes is willing to hand over one of his own to someone like the Governor, then what chance does someone like Merle have of being anything better than what the Governor thought he was—what all you people thought he was—a dog to do the dirty work.'

She felt tears pricking the back of her eyes as she realised that Merle really had never thought he could be anything better. It broke her heart. She grit her teeth and fought hard to hold on to her anger. 'It wouldn't have worked, by the way, handing Michonne over to the governor.'

'What do you mean?' Hershel cut in.

Daryl answered. 'Governor was waiting with at least twenty men, no way he was letting whoever showed up walk away.'

Rick didn't look surprised.

'You knew,' Asha said shocked. 'You knew it wouldn't work and you were' still gonna do it.'

'I didn't know.' Rick said. There was a beat. 'But I guess I'm not surprised.'

'Whatever,' Michonne cut in angrily. 'Rick didn't go through with it, and that's what matters. If I can let it go, the rest of you can too.' She fixed everyone in the room with a glare as she spoke. 'Don't any of you tell me that if it had been your son and your daughter, you wouldn't have considered giving up an outsider as well. The fact that he didn't go through with it means more than the fact that he considered it.'

Asha was shaking her head without realising it and Michonne spun on her.

'Don't give me that shit Asha,' she snapped. 'You already admitted you would have thought about it too.'

Rick's eyes snapped to her in shock.

'It's not that,' Asha said.

She had only just realised that the pieces of a decision had been forming in her head ever since she'd learnt of Merle's death, and as she'd argued with Rick, they'd slipped into place in the back of her mind. She was no longer angry, just completely washed out, and heartsore at the decision that had crept up on her.

'You're right, I would have thought about it. But I'm not in charge of a group of people who think I'm looking out for them.'

'Ya reckon ya'd do a better job?' Daryl snapped.

'Hell no,' she said vehemently. 'But I'm not pretending that I can.' She schooled her voice to calmness. 'But I can't stay here. I wish—'

'You can't be serious?' Maggie said.

'Your going back on your own?' Michonne said over the top of her.

Asha nodded at Michonne tightly. 'I've done it before, I can do it again.' She looked at Rick. 'I know you've done a lot of good for this group Rick, but I wasn't there to see it and much as I might want things to be different...I don't trust you.' She was sure that wasn't a surprise to anyone, Rick least of all, but somehow she felt better—clearer—for having said it out loud. 'And I can't stay here and second guess every decision you make.'

She took a deep breath, hating that she could feel tears welling in her eyes. 'I will help you with the Governor, but after that...' Her eyes tracked across Daryl, his face grim. She had made a promise to Merle, even if he couldn't live up to his end of the bargain, and she instinctively knew that if she now she abandoned Daryl with the threat hanging over them, she would feel that she had betrayed Merle for the rest of her days.

Also, she wasn't going to deny that there was part of her that was looking forward to driving a knife though the Governor's remaining eye.

She turned and walked towards her cell.

'Wait.'

She was surprised to hear Rick's voice.

'You two missed a few things whilst you were gone.'

'Yeah, it moving day or somethin'?' Daryl cut in behind her.

For the first time since she had entered the cell block, Asha had a proper look around, scrubbing the back of her hand across her eyes. The group was clearly in the middle of packing up.

'What the hell's going on,' Daryl demanded.

'It wasn't my call to make, whether we give someone up,' Rick said in a dead, tired sounding voice. 'I was wrong to try and make it on my own.' He rubbed a hand through his hair. 'I've done my best to keep this group alive, but I can't decide how we live...We survive by sticking together, but we do isn't my call any more. I can't make those calls on my own. We vote.'

Asha was stunned. It was the last thing she'd expected Rick to say.

He waved a hand around at the group. 'We've already voted, stay or go. But you get your say too.'

'We ain't runnin',' Daryl snapped. 'That cocksucker killed my brother. I ain't goin' nowhere til I put a bolt between that bastard's eyes.' He met Asha's eyes and she gave him a tiny nod. Merle deserved that at least.

Rick looked at Asha. 'You get a vote too. If you stay with the group, it won't be my decisions that you'll be second guessing.' His voice was calm. Too calm. Asha could tell he was holding down his anger at her.

Her mind reeled as she tried to re-evaluate. Could she stay with the group if Rick wasn't in charge? Voting or not, she knew Rick's opinion would still carry a huge amount of weight with the group. Was this slender attempt at democracy going to be enough? She couldn't pretend that her heart hadn't leapt in her chest at the thought that maybe she didn't have to go back on the road alone.

'Stay or go Asha?' Rick pressed.

She looked around the prison, the people in it, a lot of still faces watching to see her decision. Heading out on the road by herself was one thing, but going on the run with the entire group—with Hershel on crutches, baby Judith?

She took a deep breath. 'Not like its going to make a difference, but I've been on the road before, for a while. I know you have too. Do you remember what that's like? Really remember? Always moving, how hard it is to find somewhere safe to sleep, something to eat.' She swiped both her hands down passed the corners of her mouth as she looked around the cell block. 'This place is strongest I've seen in a while. I don't reckon you should give it up that easily.'

And if you leave the river, I can't come with you anyway.

Rick looked at her and then Daryl, cold eyes burning in that way of his again. 'Good. That's what we think too.'

Daryl grunted. 'Good. Let's fight the bastard.'

Around them, the group continued to pack up.