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

So sorry for the delay in updating but I'm trying to get back on track

Chapter 45-No Return

Hershel and Michonne sat quietly in the trailer, listening to the Governor speak outside. Listening to his lies, Michonne narrowed her eyes in anger.

"I can't believe anyone buys his shit." Hershel nodded.

"I know but some people have said the same thing about Rick. I said the same about Rick." Michonne turned to him.

"You can't even think of comparing Rick with that psycho out there." Hershel shook his head.

"Not like him, no. But when Rick first came to the farm, I couldn't understand how anyone could consider him to be a leader. But after a while, I understood how he'd kept everyone alive. But he didn't want power. That's the difference right there." Hershel pointed out the window towards Phillip. "That one out there, Governor or Phillip or whatever he calls himself these days, he wants people to bow down at his feet. He's found people willing to do that. He had people like that in Woodbury. Some of them are at the prison now you know. If he comes rolling up to the gates with that tank and the rest of the weapons he's talkin' about, they might very well jump ship. I think we've got the good ones like Abraham, Bill, Taylor and Alice but there are others. The ones you all brought in, they were still loyal to their Governor. They only came to the prison because it was either do that or starve." Michonne stared out the window as Phillip spoke. There were probably about twenty people in the camp, mostly adults, mostly young. A lot looked like former military, or at least wannabes. She shook her head as she listened to Phillip rally the troops.

"Those people in that prison," Phillip paused to look specifically at the few remaining of his original Woodbury crew. "They drove us from our home. They broke down our walls, kidnapped our people. They took Danielle Robertson right after the poor woman lost her daughter. Brainwashed her and violated her in God knows how many ways." Hearing this, Hershel swore under his breath. "Michonne in there, she killed Merle Dixon. Killed my daughter, took my eye. They sent Andrea in to spy for them and she fooled us all, made us believe she was on our side. Their reasoning? They didn't want competition for food and for supplies. They had that prison and they viewed us as a threat!" Phillip looked around at the rest of the group. "I say we show them that we will not be bullied and threatened any longer!" A cheer rose up from the crowd and Phillip smiled, looking over his people.

"We'll take the prison and we'll make it our home. Let them see what it's like out here where you have to fight off biters, fight off thieves, murderers, rapists like so many of you have." A murmured chorus of yes followed by determined nods could be seen and heard throughout the group. Michonne looked over at Hershel.

We're not gettin' out of this alive." Hershel frowned.

"Probably not but that doesn't mean we have to stop trying."

Dani was buttoning up her shirt when Daryl walked up behind her, put his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. She giggled and tried to pull away but he kept his arms tight around her until she relaxed.

"I almost forgot that sex puts you in a good mood." Daryl leaned down and nuzzled her neck, his beard tickling her skin.

"Bein' with you puts me in a good mood." Dani closed her eyes and smiled, leaning back against him.

"We don't get time together like this anymore." she said and looked back over her shoulder at Daryl. He reached up and stroked her cheek.

"We used to you know. All the time. I miss that." Dani laughed.

"Yeah I know. And that's how we got Jesse remember? We do this all the time like we did, we'll have another baby before he's even a year old." Daryl laughed softly and tightened his arms around her.

"That wouldn't be so bad would it?" Dani turned around, put her arms around Daryl's neck and kissed him.

"Can we at least wait until he's walkin' before we start thinkin' about givin' him a brother or sister?" Daryl smiled at her and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Yes ma'am."

Dani looked over where Jesse's few clothes were kept. "Speakin' of him gettin' bigger, we're gonna have to do another run before too long. His clothes ain't gonna fit him much longer at the rate he's growin' and Judith could use new clothes soon too, you know?" Daryl nodded.

"Yeah, we'll make one tomorrow. Bill was sayin' we need to get some more materials for the fence soon, make sure it's ready for that big herd when it comes through here." Dani shivered at that thought. Thousands of walkers, probably from Atlanta and who knows where else, all joined together in a sea of the dead. She'd had nightmares about the herd for days after Daryl told her about it. Daryl let go of her waist and took her hand.

"C'mon. Let's get Jesse. He's probably hungry anyway." Dani smiled and they walked out the door towards Carol's cell.

"Glenn, where's Dad?" Maggie had a worried frown on her face when she walked up to Glenn. He set down the saw he was using to cut supports for the fence and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"He went with Michonne to burn those walker bodies in that clearing." Maggie's face relaxed and smiled.

"He finally got to get away huh? He's been talkin' about gettin' out more since they found that metal leg." Glenn picked up the saw to continue cutting and Maggie stopped him, a worried frown on her face.

"Babe, how long you been out here?" He shrugged.

"I don't know. A few hours maybe. Why?" Maggie cupped his face in her hand and kissed him.

"You're workin' yourself silly. We've got plenty of people here that can do this. You don't have to do everything." Glenn nodded and wiped his brow.

"There's a crew down on the front fence right now. Walkers found a weak spot and almost knocked it over. They need as many people as they can down there to help hold it up so when Bill asked me to get more ready, I came right over." Maggie put her hands on his shoulders and massaged him gently.

"Just promise that you won't do this all day? Please?" Glenn looked up at her and smiled.

"I promise. Don't worry about me ok?"

Phillip walked back into the trailer and was met with Michonne's glare and Hershel's resigned expression. He sat down on the chair next to the table.

"We'll be heading back to the prison soon," he said, focusing on Hershel. "If your pal Rick surrenders the prison, there won't be any more bloodshed." Hershel shook his head.

"Rick will never give up the prison. We worked too hard to build it, defend it. He'll never give it up to someone like you." Hershel spat out the last word and Michonne had to stifle a smile at the expression on Phillip's face. He tried so hard to only show his "normal" face, the face he showed to the group outside, the face he showed to that woman and little girl Michonne had watched playing just outside the window, the face that had sucked Andrea into Woodbury. But Michonne knew his true face. That was the face that he couldn't ever hide from her. She had seen through him on the first day in Woodbury and she knew that was when he had decided that she needed to die. Now, he sat up and eyed Hershel, dropping any pretense of civility.

"You've got a lot of people at that prison. A lot of families. If your sheriff is smart, he'll give those people a chance to live, to find a new place to start over." Hershel nodded.

"I understand that you were a father, that you had a little girl. My two girls are at that prison and I trust Rick with their lives." He nodded out the window where Lilly and Meghan played with another woman. "I can see you care about them, that you want them to be safe. Why can't you understand that Rick wants the same thing for his family and the rest of the people at the prison?" Phillip shook his head.

"He has two options. He can either surrender or die." Michonne narrowed her eyes.

"Before this is over," her voice was cold. "I'm gonna kill you." Phillip nodded and rose to his feet.

"I don't doubt you'll try it. But not before you watch every one of your friends die."

"Hey Carol," Dani said as she stood in the doorway of Carol's cell. "He awake?" Carol shook her head.

"He started doing that hungry cry of his so I gave him a bottle. He was out before he finished." Dani looked down at Jesse sprawled out on Carol's bed, sucking on his fist in his sleep and smiled down at her boy. He looked so little when he was sleeping. Carol smiled.

"He looks more and more like Daryl every day." Dani laughed quietly.

"I know. He's Daryl's clone." Carol looked back at her.

"I can see you in him too. He's got your nose. And his hair's got that touch of blond in the sun like yours does." Jesse sighed in his sleep and grunted as he stretched out.

"Did you know Daryl was a little towhead when he was a kid?" Dani told Carol softly, looking around to make sure no one could overhear. Carol laughed.

"Oh really?" Dani nodded.

"Yeah Daryl told me. I always had darker hair so if Jesse's hair lightens up that's just more Daryl comin' through." Carol looked up at Dani.

"I'm so happy for you two, I really am. You both deserve what you have right now." Dani bit her lip and looked down.

"Thanks." Carol down the hall.

"Where is Daryl anyway?"

"I decided it was ok for Greg to stay on as the doctor. Alice is right, we do need a doctor here to help her and Hershel. Daryl went to tell Rick so they could lay out terms for him stayin'." Carol smiled and Dani picked up Jesse. He grunted in his sleep and buried his face in her neck.

"You're a better woman than I would be in this situation, I'll tell you that much. If Ed showed up here, alive and able to contribute something I think I'd still want him gone." Dani rubbed Jesse's back through his sleeper.

"I do want him gone but I can't ignore that he helped save my son. I don't hate the man anymore, I pity him. He can't survive out there on his own and I can't bring myself to just let him die."

"So is it an agreement?" Rick looked from Greg to Daryl. "You'll move into D block and stay away from Dani and Jesse unless she comes to you." Daryl had his arms crossed across his chest and was staring down Greg, nodding his head as Rick spoke. "Those aren't my terms, those are hers." Greg nodded.

"I can do it," he mumbled. Daryl stepped towards him, rising to his full height and staring Greg down.

"That ain't all. I hear that you're still talkin' shit about Dani or her family you're gone. I'll haul your ass out that gate myself, understand? I ain't happy Dani's lettin' you stay but I love her and this was her choice. You owe her your life, you know that right?" Greg nodded.

"I'm sorry I went at her the way I did. I shouldn't have blamed her for Abigail." Daryl nodded and looked back at Rick. Rick started to speak when they suddenly heard gunfire outside.

"What are they shootin' at?" Rick asked as both he and Daryl ran down the hall.

"Don't know. Hope it's not that herd." They passed Carol's cell and Dani handed Jesse back to Carol. Daryl called to her over his shoulder.

"Dammit Dani you stay here!" Dani ignored him as Carol nodded to her, hitching a waking Jesse up on her shoulder.

"Go. I've got him." Dani took another look at Jesse and quickly followed behind Daryl and Rick. Before they made it outside, an explosion shook the building and Rick heard screams throughout the prison. Outside, Rick, Daryl, and Dani joined Tyreese, Abraham, Maggie and Andrea in the front yard. The guard tower was burning, black smoke parting enough that Rick could make out two bodies. Cedric and Bobby. His stomach turned as he realized that they had been on watch. Just beyond the fence, he saw a tank, several trucks and a small army of people. A man stepped out of one of the trucks and slowly walked towards the outer fence. Andrea sucked in her breath.

"It's Phillip." The group cautiously walked toward the interior fence and that was when Rick saw the bodies lying on the ground in the walkway between the fences. His stomach dropped as he realized it was Bill's crew and that, apart from the weapons they used to stab the walkers through the fence, they were unarmed. The Governor's men had slaughtered at least a dozen unarmed men and women.

"Rick!" Phillip called to the group. "Rick Grimes! I think it's past time for us to talk don't you think?" Rick motioned for everyone to stay back.

"I'm right here. And it looks like you really don't want to talk." Phillip put his hands on his hips and laughed.

"No, a man who has a tank behind him generally doesn't need to talk."

Dani sucked in her breath and felt her chest tighten up. Maggie was next to her and carefully leaned in, not wanting to attract attention.

"Do you see Glenn?"

"No. Was he at the fence?" Out of the corner of her eye, Dani saw Maggie give her a quick nod and Dani's heart sank. Glenn could be lying among the bodies by the fence and there was no way they could know if he was alive or dead. She jumped slightly when she heard a low whistle directly behind her and felt something tap the back of her leg. She reached back and took the gun Daryl handed her, squeezing his hand quickly before he moved to hand another gun to Maggie. She glanced down the line and saw Beth was also armed. Dani closed her eyes and tried not to think that there was a possibility that would be the last time she would ever touch Daryl.

Rick raised his hands.

"Alright. You have my attention. Talk." Phillip looked around his group smugly, silently projecting his victory.

"You and your group are leavin' this prison. We're movin' in." Rick glanced over at Daryl who had joined him near the fence with Carl. Daryl shook his head slowly. Rick took a deep breath.

"There are women and children here. We had an outbreak of meningitis a few weeks ago. A number of people are still recovering and shouldn't be moved." Philip laughed.

"That's not my problem Rick. That's yours." Rick looked behind him at the people waiting at the inner fence. They were counting on him to lead them. If he said fight, they would fight and a lot would die. He knew he had to stall, try to reason with this crazy man.

"I don't make the decisions around here. Not on my own. We have a council. They would need to discuss this." Phillip motioned towards one of his trucks and two men began dragging two hooded people out of the back cab.

"Michonne on that council?" The hood was snatched off of her head and she was forced to her knees. Carl appeared to be in shock and began to lower his gun. Daryl nudged him and Carl snapped back to attention. Daryl met Rick's eyes and they both were thinking the same thing: not her. The other person was also forced to their knees. Phillip walked behind them.

"What about Hershel?" He snatched the hood off Hershel's head. Maggie clapped her hand over her mouth and tried not to cry. Beth's breathing was rapid but she kept her face focused as she supported her sister. Rick tried to keep his composure but couldn't focus over the sound of his heart pounding in his ears, especially when one of the men handed Phillip Michonne's katana.

"Please. You don't have to do this. This prison, it's large enough for everyone." Phillip unsheathed the sword and held it in front of himself like a samurai preparing for battle. "We all…" Rick trailed off and glanced over at Daryl who was also breathing heavy as he tried to line up a clean shot. "All of us can live here, together. We can forget all of this." Phillip glared at Rick and walked behind Hershel, placing the sword against Hershel's neck.

"It's too late Rick. There's too much to forget, too much to forgive on both sides." He pushed the blade against Hershel's neck. Hershel blinked rapidly, his eyes on his girls.

"It's true Phillip, I told you," Hershel said loudly. "We'll let you all live here. We can move past this." Rick nodded as Phillip looked up at him. Rick thought he could see a glimpse of hope on Phillip's face. Rick looked around at the rest of the crew. Some of them were stone-faced soldiers but others were looking around, terrified and unsure of what was happening.

"Hershel's right. We'll forget this happened. We've got a cellblock that you can have in the back and our groups never even have to see each other. It can work. We will make it work." Phillip looked down at Hershel who had closed his eyes, his mouth moving in silent prayer. Michonne glanced over at Hershel. It should be her neck under that sword, not his. Phillip dropped his chin to his chest briefly, his arms holding the sword relaxing. He began to lower the sword away from Hershel's neck and Rick began to breathe again. Almost immediately, Phillip's head rose and the cold look in his eyes froze Rick to his core.

"Liar." He drew the sword back and buried it deep in Hershel's neck.