A streak of red was smeared across the skyline: a beacon of morning. The sun quivered up above the trees and cast tinted light into the prison. Beth travelled the length of the Cell Block, her tousled blond hair glowing pink in the rays of dawn. Through shadows she passed until she heard distant muttering and knew she'd almost reached her destination.

She made a turn. Rick and Maggie stood at the end of the hall in a corner where the sun's rays failed to reach. She quickened her pace. Their voices dropped. Maggie approached.

"Do you need something? We're busy." she hissed, blocking her little sister from advancing any further. Beth glanced over at Rick. He was tapping his foot impatiently. A piece of paper was folded up in his hand. She'd caught sight of him studying it closely the night before. The lantern he'd used had been functioning off the dregs of propane.

"I want to talk to you. Alone."

Maggie sighed. She'd already arranged other plans, and time was ticking. Rick would wait for her, but he wouldn't wait forever. Still, he excused the two girls, telling them he needed to go find Daryl. He figured Beth probably had private issues of the feminine sort.

"Okay, but make this fast. I don't have long."

Beth scrunched her brow.

"What are you doing?"

"Never mind. Just talk." Maggie snipped, shooing her sister's question away.

"Oh, right. Well, uhm…you love Glenn, right?"

Maggie narrowed her eyes. She hadn't the slightest clue where Beth was planning to take the conversation. She hesitantly confirmed with a nod.

"Well, would you believe me if I told you that maybe you and Glenn aren't the only couple in this prison?"

Maggie's lips bent into a sly smile.

"This is about Carl, isn't it?"

Beth's cheeks suddenly blazed crimson, much to her older sister's amusement.

"Shut up!" she scolded, though she couldn't contain a tiny grin. She did like Carl. He was much younger, yes, and several inches shorter, but he was mature and responsible and every small and stupid joke he made seemed to usher a giggle from her. But then she reminded herself why she wanted to talk to Maggie in the first place, and swallowed her laughter. "It's about Carol. And Daryl. And how Carl may have seen them…kissing."

Maggie's gaze fell and she nodded stiffly.

"Yeah. I know. I think everyone knows. I mean, we've mostly-"

Her sentence was severed by Rick's voice. It ripped across the Cell Block and bounced off every wall. He was calling for Maggie. She gave Beth an assuring squeeze on the shoulder in the typical sisterly fashion.

"Thanks for telling me."

.:|:.

Five minutes. She had five minutes. She was doubtful that it would be long enough to spill out everything she needed to say. The door clicked gently closed behind her. It would have to be.

They were in some sort of room. It wasn't a cell. That was for sure. Right now, it was just a place to store Merle while they transferred his belongings to his new home in Cell Block D. It was empty of furniture and the walls were barren. There was no notion of its previous purpose.

Merle looked up. He was slumped into a corner. A strip of light poured in from the window and stretched across his slouched figure. He was exhausted. His eyelids drooped. But for Maggie, he'd hold them open. She was a pretty thing. Young, too, with electric eyes and plenty of hair. She was the polar opposite of Carol, in his opinion. Maggie wielded a machete. Carol wielded a kitchen knife. Maggie sliced through walkers. Carol sliced through carrots.

"Well, 's about damn time you showed up. I was wonderin' when you'd come around…" Merle drawled. He moved his eyes over her figure, and his stare settled on her chest. She noticed.

She slowly drew her gun from the back of her pants. The glint of the metal caught Merle's attention and suddenly his gaze was no longer fixed on her breasts. She held the firearm in front of her, letting him get a good, long look.

"If you try anything, an' I mean anything, I have permission to shoot you." She warned, and he nodded gravely in response, settling back into his position against the wall.

"I'm glad we're clear on that." She tucked the gun back into pants and folded her arms. "Now, once Rick drags you off to your new Cell Block, you'll be alone most of the time. Won't be anybody to talk to—or yell at, for that matter. You'll have a lot of time to think. I'd like to give you a few things to think about. But before I do…"

She knelt down so that they were at eye level. She felt empowered, but never once let her guard down; never once let herself become too safe or sure. The gun was jabbing at her hip. It was strangely comforting.

"…I'd like to ask you a question."

Merle smiled, exposing his yellow teeth.

"Anythin', sweetheart."

Fuck. He really knew how to press all her buttons without crossing any borders. She repressed her discomfort.

"Why'd you do it?"

He seemed taken aback by the inquiry. That tiny moment of speechlessness was almost quenching. But he recovered quickly and continued to maintain his act.

"You think a man don't have needs jus' 'cause the world's ended?" he chuckled. "'Sides, I weren't gonna do nothin' anyways. Jus' wanted to put the offer out on the table, 's all."

Before Maggie could think twice, she had grabbed her gun once more and was squeezing tightly, the cold metal stinging her palms. Her finger rested on the trigger. The muzzle was pressing into Merle's lips. He gulped.

"Come on now, princess. You don' wanna do this…" he mumbled, barely enunciating.

"Shut up!" she barked. "You didn't answer my question. Why'd you do it? Why Carol? Why Carol an' not me or Beth?"

Her voice cracked at the end. It was a horrible thing to ask. But fuck it, she wanted to know. She wasn't requesting the real answer—she already knew the real answer. All Maggie wanted to hear was his answer. She moved the gun aside to allow him room to speak.

"I already told you, missy. I got certain needs, jus' like anyone else. I'm a lil' afraid o' you, plus I ain't no pedophile, so's there was only one person left. I jus' figured since she ain't got no one else, maybe she'd be interested."

"You're lying!" Maggie cried, and Merle found himself staring at the muzzle of the gun once more. Her voice was clouded with emotion and her breaths ragged. Her lips quivered. "You did it because he loves her! You did it because you hate to see him care about anyone but you!"

Then Rick entered the room. He'd heard Maggie's distressing yells. He'd been pacing by the door, waiting for something to go wrong; waiting to hear a scream or a gunshot. He clutched his rifle, but his arms fell slack.

The scene he witnessed was alarming. Maggie was crouched down, sobbing wildly, outstretched arm shaking something awful. Merle's jaw was clenched. Contempt burned in his eyes.

"Time's up." Rick stuttered, still trying—and failing—to process what the hell had just taken place.

But Maggie didn't need to be told. She was already halfway out the door.