Chapter 33: Pain


KPOV


~2 years ago~

"Hey...Kat?" Carl's small voice called to me while I was in my room. I was fixing a few of my clothes off my bed that mom had placed. Fixing them into my closet and there was a space big enough for Carl to sit on.

"Hey baby brother...what's up?" I asked him as I looked to him with a small smile on my face. He walked in, closed the door slightly and sat down on the space I had made. My back was to him as I was placing my things away.

"I was wondering why you were so worried over your friend Ella being with that man," Carl stated with a questioning tone. It made me tense and sigh out the tension I had inside my body. Turning to him, I smilled and looked down sadly.

"Oh...Carl," I said sadly as I picked up some more clothes, placed them where they were and had my back turned to him again as I did what I needed to do. "That...thing...is not a man," I tell him spitting out the word 'thing' as I had no love for the man that was meant to care for Ella. "Far from it," I stated. "He's a boy," I growled out the word as though it was a bad taste in my mouth.

"Oh..." Carl said sadly as he was unsure what to make of my words. "What's the difference between a man and a boy?" he questioned me as he looked at me with that curious gleam in his eyes. His head tilting slightly to one side.

"A man...well..." I started with a small sigh, unsure of how to explain it to him without getting over-emotional over it. "A man does what's right. He doesn't hit women, girls or children," I tell him as I sat down beside him. "A man...he respects those types of people, respects everyone, doesn't start fights without reason and does what he needs to do to protect the ones he loves," I inform Carl of what I believed was a man.

"Like dad?" Carl asked me curiously. This made me smile at him, giggling softly as I slid my fingers at the back of his head and pulled his forehead to my lips. Pressing a gentle and sweet kiss to his forehead as I smiled at his question.

"Exactly like dad," I said as I pulled away. Both of us smiling at each other with the knowing look that we both agreed that dad was a good man. "A man...they do what's right and they respect others. They don't want to harm people without a reason, but will always face the consequences of their actions without question," I said as I thought of dad and the stories he would tell me.

"There is a difference between a good man and a bad one," I stated as I thought of the comparison of Ella's dad and my father. Dad is a good, gently and loving man. He cares for us and would do anything for us...Ella's dad would rather see her dead than protect her.

"Oh...and what's that?" Carl asked me wanting to get all the information about this world and life. His curiousity was getting the better of him and I was getting quite tired of this type of conversation. It's too heavy to talk about to a kid like Carl.

"I'll tell you that another day baby brother," I told him kindly as I got up and ruffled his hair. Going back to fixing up my room and he smiled at me. Walking to me, he wrapped his small arms tightly around my waist and I just curled my arms around him. Holding him to me. I hope you become a good man and not a bad one baby brother...


Present day...APOV

"Milton," I whispered as the Governor opened my door and threw Milton into the same room as me. Milton falling to the floor and getting to his knees to look up at him. I had tried to escape, to run for miles and keep the Governor away from the prison as best I could. To give Kat and her family time. It worked but...instead of killing the Governor, I got captured and placed in a room to later be tortured.

"See? She's still alive," the Governor said as he looked to Milton and then glanced up at me. "I'm gonna need her for something," he said dully as I was stuck to the same chair Kat was in hours ago. Where he had tortured her and beat her senseless. Please let her be safe...and alive. She has to be. They all have to be.

"I heard you in the other room," I revealed to him that I could hear every word and punch that the pair had exchanged. Is that how he treated Kat? Is that how he'll treat me? "You don't have to lose any more of your men," I told him. "Just stop this," I pleaded to him with soft eyes. Please see reason.

"Your friends at the prison..." the Governor said as he looked to me. "I'm gonna kill them all," he stated which made me heart sink. Not Kat. Not Michonne. Not the others. Especially not Carl and Judith. "People are gonna help me," he told me. That's because you didn't tell them the truth.

"I had to stretch the truth a little bit, but just a little. Now they're foaming at the mouth," the Governor revealed which made me gulp. He's a monster. He'll never change that. I should have killed him when I had the chance. "You, get those tools," he ordered Milton as he was already on his feet. "I'm not gonna need them anymore," he said which made me wonder. What does he have planned for me?

"Go on," the Governor ordered of Milton as he stumbled stiffly towards me. There was rattling coming from behind me and then a sudden clash on the ground of tools falling. "Careful," the Governor growled to Milton. "Pick that up," the Governor ordered Milton around like some slave. "Come on! Step to! Let's go," he demanded of Milton as I heard him pick up things then suddenly freeze.

Glancing at the Governor I saw the dead look in his eye. Milton walking past me as my eyes were glued to him and fear struck me. "Hold up," the Governor called to Milton as he stopped and stopped him from leaving. "I'll take that," the Governor said as he took something from the tools. "Put 'em down," he ordered Milton as Milton then turned to look at me. Fear evident in his eyes too.

The Governor grabbed Milton and pushed him against the wall. Milton panting as he looked to the Governor, me and then the weapon Philip held in his hands. "You're gonna kill her now," the Governor stated to Milton. "You're gonna show me that you've learned something," he told Milton bluntly. "Milton..." the Governor said to a frightened Milton through clenched teeth.

"There is no way you are leaving this room without doing it. So don't make it hard," he told Milton as I watched the pair. My heart racing in my chest. "Just-...just do it," he told Milton as the Governor handed Milton the knife. Is he going to do it? "That's it," the Governor said as he watched Milton take a few steps towards me. He won't do it. He knows the Governor is crazy.

Milton raised the knife, spun around and went to kill the Governor. Quickly, the Governor dodged the knife and jabbed it into Milton's gut. Gasping as I panted and saw how the Governor dug the knife in, ripping up Milton as he groaned and allowed the Governor to cut him open. "I told you you were gonna do it," the Governor whispered as he had pushed Milton against the wall.

"And now you're gonna die," he stated as Milton struggled for breath. Pained and dying under the Governor's knife. "And you're gonna turn. And you're gonna tear the flesh from her bones," the Governor growled to Milton as I just watched the pair with wide eyes. Fear and worry shook my body as I trembled in my seat. The Governor quickly pulled out his knife and I watched as Milton slid to the floor, dying. "In this life now, you kill or you die..." the Governor told us. "Or you die and you kill," he said before he closed the door and locked it behind himself. Leaving me alone with a dying Milton.


DPOV

Rick had stayed beside Kat all night, he was worried for her and I was completely shocked to hear she was back and in bad shape. That she had been starved, tortured, beaten and cut. Hershel had to stitch her, give her some meds to get her body repairing itself and to make her body function correctly. She didn't need meds for sleep, she was exhausted as it was and was in need of it.

I was peering around the corner, not daring to enter but watching her sleeping form and how her face looked so peaceful. I only saw her like this a few times. When we were hiding in the house back at the farm and when she would go with me hunting and we had to look for shelter somewhere. She was beautiful when she slept...peaceful. This time though, she was cut up, bruised and she looked weak. Pale. She was slowly gaining color but I didn't like how the Governor had treated her.

She should have stayed. I warned her. Now...she's injured, Andrea is still in Woodbury as far as we know and Merle is dead. How fucked up can this all get?! When will this fucker die? He's hurt, tortured and killed so many people. Kat didn't deserve this. Neither did any of the others the Governor had made a victim. Shit.

I saw Rick look to me, clenching my jaw, I went to walk away. Holding my crossbow tightly and heard his footsteps follow closely behind me. "Daryl," he called to me. I sighed and stopped where I was, Rick following after me and this was when I noticed the state he was in too. He looked like he hadn't had much sleep, his hair a greasy mess and in tangles. His face stained with tear marks and his skin pale.

"I'm gonna find him and kill him for this," I growled at Rick as I glanced up at Kat's cell and then back at Rick. This only made him sigh and rest his hands onto his belt. "He's tried to kill all of us more than once. He's hurt Maggie, Glenn...captured me, tried to kill Michonne two times, tortured Kat and...he killed Merle," I said stating all that had happened.

"You don't think I want to kill that son of a bitch too?" Rick asked me a little surprised and angered. His eyes squinting as he looked at me and his head moving a lot, telling me that he was serious and that he wanted nothing more than to put a bullet to that Governor's head. "He tortured my daughter! Threatened to kill my family...to kill the ones I love," he stated.

"Kat can barely move, she's slept through the afternoon and the rest of the night all up to now. I don't like seeing her like this. All...cut up and bruised. All beaten and stabbed," Rick told me which made me look away sadly. Kat didn't deserve what the Governor gave her. She willingly left. He didn't need to make her a hostage.

"It don't mean that I won't kill him," I growl and without another word, I walked past and rushed down the stairs. Heading into the rooms to fix up my things and to prepare my bike. The Governor will get what he deserves. For hurting Kat...for hurting the others and...for killing Merle. I swear he will die before I do...


CPOV

I was packing up my things. Getting ready to leave. Dad decided to leave. To prepare our things in case we weren't coming back. And to create a show for the Governor so they could later surprise him. Shoving my clothes and other stuff into my bag. I came accross the picture I had found in the restaurant with Michonne. Clutching it, I looked down at our happy faces. At Kat, me, dad and mom.

So much has happened...mom died here. Judith was born here. I found Kat here...dad allowed Kat to leave us. Only to have her return to us half dead. I blame him for that. He should have stopped her. Bring her back to us. That way she wouldn't be in the state she's in right now. Now...we have to leave this place to go back to being hungry, worried and without a warm bed to sleep in. Without Mom's grave...with a new baby sister and a sister who is injured from the Governor's treatment.

Placing the picture in my bag, I then found dad's badge in my pocket and pulled it out. Where's the man who would protect us? Where was the good man who would save us from the villan? Where was the man who would stand up for what he believed in? Where was the good man I grew up to believe was a good man? Where is my father?

Slipping the badge into my pocket again, I grabbed my things, secured they were zipped up and walked out. Dad went to grab at me by my jacket. "Carl," he called to me but I yanked my arm from him. Angered with how he treated me, Kat and all that had happened. I'm not a boy. I can defend my family and protect what we had been fighting to keep. I heard them begin to talk about me as I threw my things at the boot of the car and went back in to check if I had forgotten anything.


DPOV

"You know, Merle never did nothing like that his whole life," I told Carol as she came up behind me. I kept thinking about how Merle was such a hero. Doing something to save us. To keep us safe. To give us some time. He would have never done that back in the normal world.

"He gave us a chance," Carol told me which made me frown and bow my head down for a moment. Thinking of Merle and how he was such a good man. Thanks bro. I thought to myself as I took Carol's hand and got up from my sitting position beside the bike.


RPOV

"Hey dad...I'm ready," Kat said as she was holding onto the rails, her hands gripping them tightly. She looked stronger and healthier than when she came to us. We had to carry her to Hershel, Hershel telling us to take her into a cell and that was what we did. He fixed her up, making her feel better and stronger. Kat did look a lot better than she did before.

She didn't limp as much. "Hey baby girl...need some help?" I asked her and saw how she looked down at the stairs slightly worried. She's afraid of falling down them...isn't she? I smiled up at her as I saw that her skin was back to the healthy color it was, her blue eyes still a little tired but she was hungry and she didn't need as much help as she did when she arrived.

Kat shook her head and began to walk down the stairs, she stumbled a little but I quickly ran up the stairs and took hold of her before she could hurt herself. Wrapping her arm around my shoulders, I led her down the stairs and chuckled. "There you go Kitty Kat," I said slightly teasing as she slapped my chest playfully. Treating her like this always earned me that reaction.

Slowly I led her out towards the others. They all smiled at us as they saw Kat slowly let go of me and limp slightly to the car. Slipping in, she smiled and kept the door opened. "Thank you everyone...for saving me and...I know it was stupid of me to do what I did but-," she went to say to everyone.

"But you had to try," I finished cutting her off and gently stroked the side of her sweet face. Giving her Judith, Kat smiled and cooed to her sister. Rocking her and smiling down at Judith's small face. The pair of them warmed my heart. Kat has always been a good sister. Always.

Giving Kat and Judith a kiss on their foreheads, I walked back inside to check if anything was missing. I then heard footsteps from below and saw Michonne stood there waiting and watching me. She was okay. She saved our lives, helped us and was a valued member of our group.

"We're ready," Michonne told me as I had noticed that nothing was missing and that everything was ready for us to go. Hopefully everything goes according to plan. "The deal the Governor offered about me...you had to think about it. You had to. I get it," Michonne tried to explain my choices and actions. Michonne didn't deserve to be slaughtered, neither did Kat deserve to be tortured by that sick psycho.

"Yeah. I'm sorry. I came real close," I tell her. Kat would have never forgiven me...but...even if she did. I didn't want to take that chance. I'm glad Andrea saved her like she did. Andrea did a brave thing. We could prepare and now...we can all be safe.

"But you didn't," Michonne reminded me of my quick change of decision. "I never thanked you," Michonne said kindly which made me look at her curiously.

"For what?" I asked her. I should be the one thanking her. She's done so much for us all.

"For getting me out there that day, taking me in," Michonne reminded me of the day I had seen her beyond the gate with the baby formula in her hand.

"Well, if you didn't have that baby formula, I wouldn't have," I told her but I didn't believe myself for a moment.

"You could have just taken the formula," Michonne countered which made me chuckle softly. She got me.

"Well...must have been something else, then," I said suggestively. I sensed her a good enough person. A survivor. "You know...it was Carl and Kat who made the call. They said you belonged here," I revealed to her. "That we all owed you for what you did for us. That you've saved both my daughter's lives and that we should be thankful to have someone like you with us..." I stated as I we began to walk out the door.

"They're right," I state and stopped for a second. "You are one of us," I told her and moved out to the others. All of us ready for what was to come next. All of us going our seperate ways and all of us ready to do what was needed to keep us all safe. Please let this work.


APOV

"Milton?" I called to him. Hopeful that he could hear me in this state he was in. He's dying. He tried to save us...to save me, himself and Kat. He helped me rescue Kat and he delayed the Governor so I could run away. Problem was...we both got caught and treated badly.

"When the tools dropped, I-..." he spoke to me breathlessly. "I left some pliers on the floor behind you. If you can drag-..." he tried to tell me but he found it hard to breathe and speak at the same time. "If you can drag your right foot back, you...you can get them," he suggest which made me look back and there it was. Pliers. "That-...that's it. Oh, God," Milton said as I wriggled and tried to push the pliers closer to me with my foot.

"Almost," I mumbled to myself as I almost had the pliers in front of me. "I'm gonna get us both out of here. And you're gonna be okay," I told him as I kept trying. Determined to get us both out of here and to save the both of us. He won't die on me. I can't let that happen.

"Now when-...when you get free, you are going to find something very sharp..." Milton said as I looked to the pliers, trying to save us and get us both out of here. "And you are going to stab me in the head," he said as he gasped for breath. Looking at him stunned, I didn't like the idea of killing him like that and it frightened me. "That is what you are going to do," he tells me as his eyes were half opened and half closed. "Keep trying," he tells me when I realized I had stopped. I need to save us. I have to.


RPOV

"We did it. We drove them out," I said as I inspected the area. We had made them think we left, made a set up and shot them all out of our territory. Making it clear that we too could be a threat and with lesser people.

"We should go after them," Michonne suggested to us.

"We should finish it," Daryl agreed.

"It is finished. Didn't you see them hightail it out of here?" Maggie said a little scared and as though we were all crazy. We should bring the fight to them, just like they did to us. Maybe this time...both Daryl and Michonne can kill the asshole of a Governor.

"They could regroup," Michonne said as she, Kat, Merle and Andrea all knew the Governor better than all of us.

"We can't take the chance. He's not gonna stop," Glenn told us as he agreed with myself, Daryl and Michonne.

"They're right. We can't keep living like this," Carol said breathlessly as she agreed with the majority of us. We want peace. We won't get that with the Governor being still alive.

"So we take the fight back to Woodbury. We barely made it back last time," Maggie said as she was too breathless like Carol. Maggie was set on ignoring the Governor and forgetting about him.

"I don't care," Daryl growled. It made me look to him a little amused and surprised. Keeping a poker face as I thought through the options.

"Yeah," I mumbled. We know you care about Kat, all of us and what happened to your brother. You want the Governor dead just like me, Glenn and Michonne. "Let's check on the others," I tell them as we all held onto our weapons and ran inside.


KPOV

We were all rejoining at the cafeteria, all through it all I had been asleep and with Judith beside me equally asleep or crying. I was too tired and weak to tend to the things or take notice of what was going on. When we got back to the prison, Carl gently woke me and we all went inside. I felt stronger with thanks to the sleep I had just had.

Dad had greeted all of us, kissing Judith's forehead, hugging Carl and then hugging me. "Dad...I want to go to Woodbury," I tell him as I had overheard them all saying that we should go back there. Dad went to protest but I stopped him before he could. "I need to go back...for Andrea. She could still be there," I tell him as I felt it deep in my gut that she was there.

We slowly went back and got ready to leave. Dad had agreed and knew that once I made a decision, I would follow through with it and that was it. He told me to stay close and to not do anything stupid. Especially not in the state I was in. It was going to be me, Michonne, dad and Daryl as far as I knew. Michonne wanting to go back for similar reasons as me. For Andrea but she too wanted to kill the Governor.

I left to get ready and could hear the beginning of Carl's conversation with dad. That he too wanted to come with us. I ignored it as this was dad's call and not mine. Tending to Judith for a few moments and then ready to leave with the others. In the car with Michonne, Daryl on his bike and we were all patiently waiting. While dad had crouched down to have a conversation with Carl about something that looked serious.


RPOV

"Hershel told me about the boy you shot," I told Carl as I crouched down to be able to look up at him. This way I can tell if he lies to me or not. Why would he kill an innocent boy? Why would he want to kill a boy like that? In cold blood...this isn't Carl. It's not even Kat. She would never do that.

"He had a gun," Carl informed me. I know that. But you said to me earlier that he drew on you. That he was going to shoot. Not hand the gun over.

"Hmm," I hummed with a nod. "Was he handing it over?" I questioned Carl as he was there sulking like a little boy. I remember that conversation Kat and Carl had years ago...the one where Kat told him what men were like. This type of action...is what a boy does. He's still a kid but killing other kids like that...it's wrong.

"He had just attacked us," Carl tried to defend his unanswered question. He must know he did wrong...doesn't he?

"Yeah," I said as I looked down. "Yes, he had," I agreed with Carl. "Was he handing it over?" I tried to ask him again. Tell me the truth Carl.

"I couldn't take the chance," Carl said as though he had to in order to keep him, Beth, Hershel, Judith and Kat safe. "I didn't kill the walker that killed Dale. Look what happened," Carl said refering to what he did back at the farm. This isn't the same thing. He's hiding something from me.

"Son, that is not the same thing," I told him. He made a silly, unpredictable mistake back at the farm. Dale's death was not his fault and yet he still acts like it was. He's keeping something from me and I want to know what it is.

"You didn't kill Andrew and he came back and killed Mom," he stated which made me clench my jaw hard. He's blaming me for Lori's death. "You were in a room with the Governor and you let him and Kat go," he snarled at me. Is this what is making him mad? Is he mad at me? "And then he killed Merle," he stated.

"All while he was torturing Kat. He could of killed her too!" he said slightly angered at the thought of Kat being treated like the Governor did and how she could have died if Andrea hadn't of saved her like she did. "I did what I had to do," he said bluntly. He thinks he sounds like me. "Now go. So he doesn't kill any more of us," Carl said as he got up and threw my badge on the floor.

Picking it up, I had realized all my mistakes and how I was showing Carl how to be. I'm losing him...just like how I was losing myself. Kat's never changed. She's only grown stronger but her heart is pure. I need to fix this. To show Carl the way of being a good man. Not by being a silly boy. He needs to know there is still good in the world and that we shouldn't kill innocent people. What have I done?...


DPOV

"Rick, we're staying," Glenn said confidently as he looked to Rick, Michonne and myself. "We don't know where the Governor is," Glenn said as he looked between Rick and Maggie. "If he comes back, we'll hold him off," Glenn said as though he could do it. Did say he had balls for a Chinaman...except...he's not from China. He's Korean.

"Just the four of us?" I said a little surprised. Well...we are strong enough to do this. Kat's smart, Rick's fast with his gun and Michonne is smart with her sword. I'm just strong enough to push people back with my new found anger. I won't stop until this asshole Governor is dead. "All right," I agreed with a nod of my head. Taking my crossbow and gun, a few other things and getting onto my bike. Kat was already in the car, Michonne was getting in the passanger seat.

"I appreciate you staying," Rick said to Maggie and Glenn with a small nod.

"Sure," Maggie said softly before we all prepared ourselves and left. When we parked up to find a group of the Governor's men all eaten by walkers and shot, we were horrorfied. Kat gasped and clutched onto Michonne as she possibly felt weak. Michonne supporting her as she killed a few walkers one handed.

"Kat...you shouldn't have come with us," Rick told her but she just let go of Michonne and glared at her dad. Limping slightly towards a walker and pulling out her knife. Stabbing the walker that turned it's head to her.

"I can handle myself dad," Kat growled at her father as she pulled out her knife from the walker's head with a small grunt. "I told you...I want to go back for Andrea," Kat said as she turned to look at her dad. I had walked over to stand beside the truck that was parked in the middle of the road. Watching her face as she looked to her dad slightly saddened. She wants Andrea back with us safe.

I jumped when there was a sudden bang sound coming from behind me. It wasn't a walker. It was one of the women from the Governor's camp. Rick had his gun up and aimed at her. She got out and raised her hands in surrender. She looked like she was shocked by all that happened. She witnessed this...fuck.

We had taken all the weapons people had, took all we could and Rick told her she was safe with us as long as she didn't do anything stupid. Kat had told us that Karen was a good person and that she wouldn't hurt us. Karen had told us what happened to them and that she would lead us back to Woodbury, forgetting that we had been there once before.

When we reached Woodbury and as soon as someone spotted us, they began to shoot. Taking cover, we all stayed hidden but would pop up to shoot. Kat shot a few times until she noticed who it was and judging by Karen, she too knew who they were.

"Tyreese! It's me! Don't-" Karen called up as she went to get up and raise her hands in surrender. What the fuck is she doing?! Can't she tell they're trying to kill us?!

"Get down!" Rick shouted at her as he pulled her to cover again.

"Karen! Karen, are you okay?" Tyreese's voice boomed out at us. Trying to talk to Karen who was looking to Rick. We were all ready to shoot but there were no fires being shot.

"I'm fine!" Karen shouted as she pulled herself out of Rick's grasp and stood away from us, her hands raised and her hair a mess from all we had done recently. Walking the woods, killing walkers and now this fire fight.

"Where's the Governor?" Tyreese called out to her curious as to where their leader was. Wait...he's not here?

"He fired on everyone. He killed them all," Karen revealed to them.

"Why are you with them?" Tyreese asked after a few seconds of silence.

"They saved me," Karen informed him and Sasha.

"Tyreese! Sasha! It's me...Kat! We're coming out!" Kat said as she too raised to her feet with her hands raised. They knew who she was but I wasn't sure we should trust them. I shook my head at Rick who looked to me and he looked like he was fighting with someone in his head.

"We're coming out," Rick agreed as I felt my heart pound. Getting to my feet, I raised my hands up and walked to where they could see me. They can take this chance to kill us all. To make us all one less threat. What the fuck are you thinking Kat?!

Making our way towards them, I saw Kat take the lead and slowly walk towards Tyreese and Sasha who had opened the gates for us. "What are you doing here?" Tyreese asked as he stepped closer to Kat. I wanted to step in front of her, to protect her but by the way they were looking at her, they wouldn't harm her. They know Kat.

"We were coming to finish this until we saw what the Governor did," Rick said for us. We had all lowered our hands and were now talking to one another calmly. Having a discussion about what had happened and what our motives were.

"He-...he killed them?" Tyreese asked Karen and Kat curious and slightly shocked by the news. Karen teared up and nod as she pursed her lips. Kat frowned and looked down sad by the fact she had seen all of those bodies and could say it was true.

"Yeah," Kat said sadly to him as she looked up at him. She's strong. We can all see that. A leader...like her father. "Karen told us you saw Andrea leave for another direction. Do you know where she was headed? If she's still here?" Kat asked them as you could see worry on her face.

"She never made it to the prison," Kat told them and Tyreese and Sasha looked to each other. "She might be here," Kat said with a nod as she thought of something judging by how she had the same look in her eye whenever either her or her father had made a plan or decision.


KPOV

I had lead everyone into the same place where the Governor held me. My memory blurry but I could sense that my feet knew where to take me. "This is where he had Glenn and Maggie," Dad said which made me not surprised as he probably expected me to be.

"The same place he held me too," I revealed to them. They all followed closely behind me, dad and Daryl staying close as we slowly entered the halls into the torture rooms the Governor had installed to this hell hole.

"The Governor held people here?" Tyreese asked us a little surprised. He had ordered for Karen to gather the others, to get them ready to leave and this was when dad suggested they could all come to live with us at the prison. Sasha had agreed to go find whatever weapons she could and get the trucks, busses and cars ready.

"He did more than hold them," Daryl growled behind me bitterly. He must still be angry about Merle, Glenn and Maggie. When we reached the door, I felt my heart sink. There was blood pooled under the door and I felt sweat cover my skin.

Michonne stood beside me as dad was stood in front of us, closer to the door. Slipping out her sword, she was ready and I could tell she too was worried for what was behind it. "Will you open it?" she asked dad as she looked to the door. Please let her be alright.

"One, two..." dad whispered as Daryl raised his crossbow and quickly dad opened the door. We saw Milton dead, as a walker on the floor but both mine and Michonne's gaze fell upon the bare feet that laid on the ground. Oh my God.

"Andrea!" myself and Michonne said at the same time as we rushed into the room and fell to our knees beside the figure on the ground. Andrea looked like shit. She looked like she had been hurt but not by the Governor. Slowly dad and Daryl stepped into the room. Andrea's hair a mess, blood all over her and sweat covering her skin.

We lifted Andrea from leaning against the wall to a sitting position. Both me and Michonne holding her to us as I pressed the back of my hand against her forhead and checked her temperature. "I tried to stop them," Andrea said softly as she looked up at my dad who had crouched down in front of her.

Fuck. She's really hot. It's like she's on fire. "You're burning up," I tell her worried. Why is she so hot? What is going on? Andrea sighed and slowly pulled off one part of her jacket. Showing us a deep, red, teeth mark and that was when it all connected. Milton turned and bit her. Dad sighed and both myself and Michonne struggled to keep the tears at bay.

"Kat...you shouldn't be here, you're still injured," Andrea said to me with her soft blue eyes. My own pair were building up with tears. Myself and Michonne shook from them but Michonne couldn't bite them back as hard as I could.

"Judith, Carl, the rest of them-" Andrea said to me and my dad her eyes worried as she thought of my siblings dead. She's so silly. Yet...so sweet and loving. God...why did this have to happen? Least of all to her. I can't believe I'm losing Andrea too.

"Us," I said firmly as I clutched her hand in mine. "The rest of us," I told her as I looked directly into her eyes. The pair of our blue eyes connecting as she gave me a sad smile and squeezed my hand slightly. My body trembled as I fought against the need to cry. I need to be strong. For her.

"Are they alive?" she asked me and I felt my throat tighten as I swallowed back the lump in my throat. My nose running as I sniffed up whatever wanted to run down and breathed in a little. Nodding I gave her a sad smile.

"Yeah, they're alive," I told her with a small laugh. She giggled tiredly as she shut her eyes. Pressing my forehead against hers as I shut my eyes tightly. Why is it so hard to lose the ones you love? Why does this have to hurt so much? It's killing me.

"It's good both of you found them," Andrea said as she looked to me then Michonne. All of us in a tangled web of hands clutching hands and arms wrapped around arms. I looked up at Michonne and gave her a sad smile as she gave me one in return, then looked up at my dad who placed his hand supportingly on my shoulder. "No one can make it alone now" Andrea said as she looked to us.

"I never could," ," Daryl said as he broke the tension and sadness between us all, agreeing with Andrea and making me see his softer side. I just wanted to cry, to let it all out and curse the Governor to the ends of the earth. Andrea didn't deserve this. No one does.

Andrea gave out a small laugh as she looked between me and Michonne. Giving our hands a small squeeze. "I just didn't want anyone to die," Andrea said sadly as she shut her eyes and gulped some of her saliva. "I'm glad I saved you Kat," Andrea said with proud and sad eyes as she looked into mine. Please...stay. Don't leave me. Not yet. I can't let you go just yet Andrea. I've already lost so much. I can't lose you too.

"Thank you for saving me Andrea," I tell her happily. Thankful for all she had done for me. For my family. "For being my friend," I state as she gave me a sad smile. "I'll never forget what you did for me...what you did for all of us and..." I said as I allowed for a stray tear to fall from my eye. "For being such a good friend to me," I tell her as I thought of how she always stood beside me. Always supporting me.

"Even with all the arguments we had?" Andrea said tiredly with a small shake of her head and a smirk on my face. Arguments are what pulled us tighter together. Made us realize how much we needed each other in order to stay sane and to survive.

"Even then," I tell her with a small laugh, smiling at her and looked away. "You always did what you thought was right and...I admire you for that," I say to her with a small gulp and sigh, looking up at her with a nod. She's a sister to me. She always will be my sister.

It was silent, other than the trembles from me and Michonne. The tears flooding Michonne's eyes as she held us tightly together. Her sniffing and my own mixing in at random moments as I couldn't fully control myself. "I can do it myself," Andrea said sadly as she looked to dad and his gun.

"No," Michonne said sadly, her voice a small croak as her voice was drowning in sadness. Fuck...we're ruined. Our trio...it's now a duo. How are we going to recover after this?

"I have to," Andrea told Michonne as she gave her a sad smile. "While I still can," she tried to explain to us. "Please? I know how the safety works," Andrea pleaded up at dad. Why does this hurt so much? I don't want Andrea to die. Not now. Not ever. Not after all she's been fighting against. Not after all the kindness she's given me.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere," Michonne told her sadly when dad slowly nods and gave Andrea the gun. Andrea let go of my hand and allowed me to place it on her knee. The three of us looking to each other kindly.

"Me neither," I agreed with Michonne. We need to support her in her final moments. We both know that is what we would want if we were in her position. "We started this hell hole of a journey together...we'll stay to help you through the end Andrea," I told her supportively. Dad didn't stop me but I could sense he didn't like this idea. Daryl and dad both sighing as they looked to the three of us sadly.

"I tried," Andrea said to us sadly. Looking at each of our faces as though she was engraving them into her memory.

"Yeah," I agreed with a nod. The tears building up again. "But you did. You truly did," I tell her with a sad smile. Dad, Tyreese and Daryl walked out of the room and allowed for me and Michonne to take those final moments to hug each other. Pulling away slightly as I felt my heart rip and break. Waiting as Andrea slowly raised the gun, giving us a small smile but then looked up at the ceiling. She's going to Amy...to Dale. My body shook as I couldn't hold the tears, me and Michonne mirroring each other and then...bang. She's...gone.


So that was season 3! Can I have 10 reviews for this chapter?! Seeing as it is the season finale but...don't worry. I always do some of my own work before going onto the next seasons. There will be another chapter which will have Karyl moments and some family time too! You'll see what Andrea's death has done to Kat and some other characters. So prepare yourselves! REMEBER! 10 REVIEWS! I need them in order to write the next chapter quick enough so that we can get started on season 4!


Now...questions and then answers to reviews: What did you think of this chapter? Did you like it? Did it make you cry? What do you want to see happen (other than Kat and Daryl get together)?


EastDenise: We'll just have to wait and see won't we! I hated having to kill Merle but...it was necessary for what is to happen next chapter!


Guest: I'm sorry? I don't know. It hit me too. I don't like killing off characters as they are all family and they all love each other like a family.


Mrs Sorbo: Thank you! I don't know if slow development is good but...I hope it is!


An Amber Pen: I know what you meant but...we'll have to see how this all goes now. To see what happens between them all. Which will be in the next chapter and after that too!


redangel2463: Well of course they should! They are meant to be...no? I think they are. A lot better than what Bethyl was. Or Caryl. Carol is more of a mother figure to Daryl. Kat and Daryl are more of a slow, gradual relationship. Awkward at times but it's all because they care. They are clearly attracted but its just that and care for each other. As for Andrea, she tried to draw the Governor away from Kat, to bide them time and get them to safety. All before the Governor could attack. She had help from Milton.


kayley . docherty: We all do sweetie! Believe me...I too love Karyl too! They're so cute and sweet. I think you'll love them even more in the chapters to come!


diannn: Here you have it! I'm glad you like the slow, intensional burn of the relationship between Kat and Daryl. I don't like when Daryl goes straight into relationships in stories. It's un-realistic and not what Norman wants Daryl to be played as. Daryl is awkward, is friends with the girl and then starts to fall for her. He doesn't like a girl, throw her against a tree under the moonlight and kiss her.


thefifthmarauder47: Here you go dear! I'm glad you love this story! I work really hard to keep the story going and to make sure the characters are developed accordingly. As for Kat and Daryl...so am I but...I already know when they'll kiss. You'll just have to wait and see how it all turns out! Maybe by season 5 Kat will die...who knows? Only me. {Cue evil laugh}


Until the 10 reviews and the next chapter...

Much love!

HeroJustInTime90 xx