A/N All characters belong to the writers and creators of The Walking Dead. Except those that arose from my own twisted imagination.

Chapter Nineteen-…And Consequences

"What the hell is she doin' in here?" Daryl was furious. He had figured that Rick would cave and let Andrea inside the prison but he'd hoped for once that his instincts would prove to be wrong. Rick stood and walked over to Daryl and Dani.

"She believes what we told her. She wanted to see everyone and she's unarmed. I'm not letting her out of my sight so you don't have to worry." Dani narrowed her eyes.

"Are you sure?" Rick nodded.

"She wouldn't be in here if I wasn't. Please. I need both of you to come sit down so we can all talk." Dani and Daryl both approached the table cautiously, sitting opposite of Andrea. Andrea reached over and put her hand on Dani's.

"Danielle, I'm so sorry about your daughter. If I had known what was going on, I would have tried to stop it. She was a sweet little girl." Dani pursed her lips and slowly pulled her hand back.

"Thanks." Carol glanced around the table.

"Andrea told us that she thinks she knows what that Milton and the Governor were doing with Abigail. The Governor had a daughter that was bitten. He was keeping her locked in his house. It looks like he was trying to find a cure for his daughter by experimenting on yours." Dani frowned.

"Is that supposed to make me feel sorry for him?" Carol shook her head.

"No but I think it tells us about his mental state. We're dealing with a man who will stop at nothing, even killing an innocent child, to get what he wants. He's even more dangerous than we thought." Daryl nodded.

"Exactly. We already know he's nuts. So why don't we go back there and end this? Why are we sittin' on our asses, listenin' to Blondie here talk, waitin' on this guy to roll up in here with a full goddamn army?" Andrea shook her head.

"Daryl, there are good, innocent people in Woodbury who could get hurt or die. They didn't have anything to do with this. They don't even know what's happening beyond the story that's gone out. That's why I risked so much to come here. The killing has to stop." Daryl looked at her like she was crazy.

"You're preachin' to the wrong choir on this one. We didn't start this war. Merle did when he took Glenn and Maggie into Woodbury. The Governor kept this going. He wants us all dead. And you're a damned fool if you don't see that." He stood and leaned over the table. "You think Woodbury is full of good people? Not a damned one of 'em did anything to help Danielle. Her daughter was murdered and she was gang raped by the Governor's thugs and you're telling me that not a single person outside of the Governor's circle knew anything about it? Bullshit. People had to know. People always know when somethin's goin' down. Hell, when I was growin' up, everyone knew my Dad used to beat my mom and me and Merle. Everyone knew that he would take off for weeks at a time with whatever pair of tits paid attention to him and leave me home alone when Merle was in juvie. Guess what? Everyone knew but no one gave a shit because it didn't affect them. They didn't care that a little kid had to scrounge around for days looking for food because his daddy drank every dime he ever earned. A lot of these people were what you call 'good people' and they didn't care. So don't tell me that people don't see somethin' and turn a blind eye because if it doesn't hurt them." Everyone stared at Daryl. He had never shared something so personal about himself with anyone, except for Dani. She put her hand on his and felt him relax. He slowly sat back down. Andrea noticed he didn't move his hand out from under Danielle's.

"Daryl, I know you're right. When I was an attorney, I saw lots of good people letting bad things happen right under their noses but that doesn't mean that you have to attack Woodbury. When I go back and clear this up…" Carol cut her off.

"Andrea, no. You can't go back there." Andrea smiled at her.

"Carol, I have to. The Governor said if I'm not back in two days, he's going to assume I've been taken prisoner and start an all-out war. I have to go back and tell him that this was all a misunderstanding." Rick stared at her.

"Do you honestly think that will work?" Andrea nodded.

"I'm sure it will. It has to." Because if it doesn't, she thought I'll have to kill Phillip myself.

Axel walked quietly back into the cellblock. Sasha, Beth, Ben, Hershel & Carl were the only ones in the room. Everyone else was either meeting with Andrea or standing watch outside.

"Are y'all ready for some supper?" When he didn't get an answer, he turned to head back into the kitchen. Sasha joined him.

"Do you need some help?" Axel smiled broadly.

"Sure could. The stew's almost done but I might have missed puttin' somethin' in it." Once they were out of earshot of the rest of the group, Sasha asked,

"Why didn't you and Oscar leave when the rest of them showed up?" Axel shrugged.

"And go where? We couldn't exactly head on home to our loved ones. Nah, Rick and Carol and everyone has been real nice to us, especially lettin' us stay. They talked about throwin' us out on the road but I'm glad they decided against that." They made it to the kitchen and Sasha could smell the bland stew cooking on the stovetop. They didn't have any fresh meat since Daryl and Danielle were the only two who could hunt. Daryl couldn't move fast enough to survive for long in the woods and he forbade Dani from going out alone. They didn't dare make a supply run with Woodbury scouts on the road so they made due with the freeze dried and canned meats they found in the pantry. Sasha had always thought spam was disgusting but didn't turn it down now. It was better than no protein at all. She tasted the stew and tried not to grimace. Sasha glanced up and saw Axel's hopeful face watching her.

"It's…not too bad." Axel shook his head.

"I know it's not good. You know, before all of this with that town, we had squirrel, rabbit, fish and even a turkey. I wish Daryl could go back out huntin' again. He'd always bring home somethin'." Sasha leaned back against the counter and crossed her arms.

"We may have to change that soon and send someone out to hunt. I mean, someone's going to have to go out there. The baby's gonna need more formula in a few weeks. Even rationing like we are, this place doesn't have everything." Axel nodded.

"Maybe after they talk to this Andrea we'll make a run. Maggie, Daryl and Dani did the last big one and stocked up. I think they headed south. We could probably make that run again. Maggie said the store they hit was pretty well stocked. Probably after this Woodbury thing is over, we might do that." Sasha nodded.

"Do you think this will just blow over?" Axel shrugged.

"I don't know. All I know is I'll do whatever Rick wants me to do. I owe that man my life." Sasha nodded slightly.

"Tyreese feels the same way. He keeps saying that he's going to stand with Rick and Daryl no matter what. I just don't know. Everyone is nice and it's good to see kids again but it's hard to throw your loyalties behind people you don't know. It's hard to know who to trust." Axel looked sympathetic as he nodded.

"If you're gonna trust anyone, you can trust Rick. He's good people. If anyone is gonna survive this, it will be him and anyone who stands with him." Sasha didn't look convinced. Axel continued, wanting to reassure her. "Bein' locked up in here, you had to pick your friends carefully. Follow the wrong person and you could die. Oscar and me, we were friends, which really wasn't easy to do in here, you know, given the color thing in prison." He looked embarrassed to bring it up with Sasha but she nodded, encouraging him to continue. "I'm not the smartest man, I admit that. I wouldn'tve been in here in the first place if I was. But we learned who would have your back when things got rough. And Rick, Daryl, Oscar, and everyone else, I know they would help me if I needed it. So I help them anyway I can, even if the only thing I can do is make this god awful stew." Sasha smiled at him. Axel might not be the brightest person around but she could tell how loyal he was. Between Tyreese and talking to Axel, she felt a little better believing that siding with the prison was the right thing to do. Axel handed her the dishes and picked up the stewpot.

"Let's get everyone fed!" Sasha followed him back to the cellblock.

Tyreese, Oscar and Allen stood in the guard tower keeping watch on the perimeter. Tyreese could see Michonne walking the yard perimeter.

"She doesn't play well with others does she?" he asked no one in particular. Oscar saw he was watching Michonne.

"Don't know much about her. She hasn't been with us long but she helped save Maggie, Glenn and Daryl. I think she tried to save Danielle. She keeps to herself mostly. Haven't talked to her much." Tyreese nodded and picked up the binoculars. He could see movement in the woods.

"Oscar, Allen, you all keep an eye on those trees over there. We got incoming." Allen raised his gun.

"Alive or dead?" Tyreese shook his head. The trees were still moving, even without any wind, but nothing had emerged from the woods.

"Don't know yet. If it's a roamer, it might be hung up on somethin'. It could also be one of them boys from Woodbury. You know they're watchin' us right now." Allen glanced over, shaking.

"How do you know that?" Tyreese snorted.

"Hell, you don't think that someone like that Governor would just let someone leave and not send people after them to watch where they go? Damn straight someone's out there watching." Michonne stopped by the fence and turned to look up at the guard tower. Tyreese caught her eye and pointed towards the movement in the trees. She looked over, nodded back at Tyreese and continued her patrol, moving slowly and keeping an eye on the woods.

"Do you think Andrea is going to stay or head back to Woodbury?" Allen's voice sounded hopeful. Even Oscar picked up on it. Tyreese shot him a warning look.

"Man we talked about that. We're not leaving the prison. You don't want Ben with those people." Oscar looked from Tyreese to Allen.

"What the hell are you getting' at? You want to go with her when she leaves? After we took you in, shared the roof over our heads, shared our food. You say thank you by headin' off with the people that want us dead?" Oscar spun around and pointed the gun at Allen.

"No! You don't need to do that!" Tyreese grabbed the barrel of Oscar's gun. "There's no need for this, Oscar. Allen's on our side, alright? He's just scared for his boy." Oscar lowered his gun slowly. Tyreese nodded.

"That's right. We're all on the same side here. We all want to survive. Right?" He looked from Oscar to Allen. Oscar's jaw was set and it was clear that the only thing that kept him from pulling the trigger was his respect for Tyreese.

"Just get him the hell outta my face." Tyreese nodded again.

"Allen, head inside."

"Tyreese-" Allen stopped his protest when he saw the look on Tyreese's face. He went back inside the guard tower and walked downstairs.

"He starts talkin' like that again," Oscar said, turning back to the woods. "I'll kill him. I'm not lettin' anything threaten this group, you hear me? Make sure he knows that." Tyreese looked down to see Allen heading out into the field.

"It won't happen again."

Andrea got up from the table.

"I should probably head back now." Carol hugged her tight.

"You can come back anytime. You know that right?" Andrea hugged her back and glanced over at Daryl and Danielle. Their faces were not as welcoming.

"Thanks. I'll get this taken care of. The Governor will listen to me, I know he will." Rick looked doubtful.

"If he doesn't, you get out of there, alright?" Andrea nodded.

Once outside, Tyreese waved at them from the guard tower.

"Hold up," Rick said. "Somethin's up." Tyreese and Oscar headed down from the tower to meet them.

"We got company in those woods." Daryl frowned.

"Who is it?" Oscar shook his head.

"We never saw. There's just movement in the trees." Rick stepped forward.

"Walkers?" Oscar shook his head.

"Can't tell." Tyreese looked at Andrea. "One thing's for sure. You ain't walkin' back to your car." Andrea looked around.

"What am I going to do then? I have to get back there." Tyreese and Rick exchanged a look before Tyreese spoke.

"I'll drive you back to your car." Daryl shook his head.

"Not alone you're not. I'm comin' with you." Dani grabbed his arm.

"The hell you are." Daryl turned to her. She was shaking her head. "You're not goin' back out there Daryl. You're hurt." He reached up and touched her face. His eyes were locked on hers.

"I'll come back. Tyreese will be there. We'll drive her to her car and we'll come right back. I promise." Oscar walked over and put his hand on Dani's shoulder.

"I'm goin' with them. I'll make sure he comes back." She smiled up at him. Daryl looked over at Oscar then back at Dani.

"I promise you." She nodded and he quickly kissed her. He turned back to the group, ignoring the looks of shock. "C'mon. Let's get goin' if we're gonna do this." Andrea, Tyreese and Oscar followed behind him.

"It's on the road right past the turn off." Tyreese slowed down as the approached the road. Both Daryl and Oscar kept a watchful eye on the surrounding woods. As he turned onto the road, Tyreese saw the truck.

"Ah shit." Daryl saw the truck and the group of six men standing in front of it and next to Andrea's car. It was the same truck that brought Merle and Abigail to the prison the other night. They stopped the car. The Woodbury group raised their weapons.

"What the hell is going on?" Andrea asked as she slowly got out of the car. Cash stepped forward.

"The Governor said if you don't come back, we get to clear out the prison." His smile was cold. "We're here to make sure that gets to happen."