I was carefully walking the fence, Scout at my side, my sharp hunting knife in my hand when I saw him. I didn't need to know him to know who he was. He came by foot, a walker out on what could only be described as a catch pole in front of him, a vaguely familiar man walking behind him, bound and gagged, a heavy looking chain around his neck.
I was overly aware of Glenn and Rick flaking me then. Rick's heavy breathing didn't ease the anxiety building in my chest.
"Thought he was dead," Rick growled softly.
"Guess not," Glenn muttered.
"What'da'ya think he wants?" Rick questioned.
"Me," I whispered as the figure came into the view. I was able to identify the walker too, even though he was mutilated past recognition. My heart dropped as my insides twisted at the sight.
Scout let out a low, menacing growl before letting a low whine loose. Angel appeared out of nowhere, her hand pressed against the small of my back.
"Breathe, Kate," she hissed. "We were expecting this."
The man stopped a few yards away. He was protected by walkers. No one could get a clear shot. He smiled at me. At me directly.
"So, there, Kate, this 'un look familiar?" he shouted.
I flinched. Yes. He looked familiar.
"Scottie here put up a real good fight, he sure did. 'Fore he told all your dirty little secrets, that is," he laughed. "Bet you didn't tell them why you and your lot got turned away from Woodbury, did you? Bet that pretty little bitch o' yours don't know neither."
"What he is talking about, Kate?" Angel hissed.
"He's lying," I spat. "You ain't know a thing 'bout me, Governor," I spat angrily.
"Know your 'ol man used to beat you till you blew 'im!" he taunted.
"Shut up," I growled. Anger bubbled in my chest.
"I know your big brother hated you more than he ever let on," he continued. "He thought you were a good for nothing whore."
"Shut up!" I roared, throwing myself at the fence. The walker on the leash, Scottie, snapped at me, his eyes vacant, only hunger lingering.
"Ignore him, Katie," Rick said with a gruff tone.
"What's your point, Phillip?" Angel hissed. "What more do you want?"
"I want Daryl Dixon."
The words struck a chord. I deflated, my heart sinking. So that's what this was about.
"I want the damn redneck on a silver platter. You can have your worthless brother and Scottie back," he said, his tone as if we were trading hockey cards. "Merle's brother for your own."
"No," I said with a shake of my head. "Ain't gon' happen."
"That's too bad, really. I woulda thought in this day and age blood was everything," he chuckled. "One last chance, little girl."
"No," I shouted. My eyes filled with tears we I watched the Governor shoot my brother in the chest.
"Daryl Dixon is worth more than your only survivin' kin?" he growled. I fought back an angry scream as I nodded my head vigorously.
"We don't turn on our own, unlike the likes of you," I growled.
"Fine," he shrugged. "Maybe you'll trade him for your little niece."
My heart dropped to my feet. Annabelle, my six year old niece was chained behind her father's dead body, her eyes wide with fright.
"Don't you hurt her!" Rick shouted.
"Then hand over Daryl," he taunted.
"No," I shook my head. "I ain't losing no one else."
I walked as close to the fence as I dared - my gun level with Scottie's head. I took a deep breath as I shot him down, before training my gun on the wicked, demented man's head.
"You hurt her, you die," I cooed.
"Ain't gonna happen, slut," he spat. Before I could react, he was shooting her in the face.
"No!" I moaned, my knees giving way. I hit the ground, tears falling from my eyes as her body fell beside her father's. "No!"
Gun fire rang out around me, but I was oblivious to it. All I was aware of was the moans and grumbles of the Walkers surrounding the fence. Even when that monster of a man went down, screaming bloody murder, I couldn't react. Everything seemed to move in slow motion.
I was vaguely aware of hands hauling me to my feet, a strong arm pulling me away from the scene in front of me. It wasn't until much later that I learned it had been Glenn, who had shot the Governor in the knee, who dragged me back into the safety of the prison.
"Katie, come on honey, talk to me," Angel pleaded, her hands on my shoulders as she shook me. I just stared blankly ahead, unable to wrap my head around what had just happened. "Katie, please."
"What do you want me to say, Angel?" I hissed. I blinked and looked at her, my heart aching in my chest. "What do you want me to say? I just made a decision that'll haunt me the rest of my fucking life."
"It's not like Rick would've let you do otherwise," she said gently.
"To hell with Rick. It wasn't him who just lost two people. It was me. All me, Angel. I made the same god damned decision I made back in Atlanta with Lana and Ted. The same god damned decision I made when it was us or Bes. Don't you see it?" I screamed. I pulled away from her, slamming my fists into the concrete wall. "Time and time again, I'm stuck choosing. Family or people who I owe my life to. Over and over and over!" I felt anger boiling in my chest again. "I'm sick and tired of owing people!"
"You didn't owe Daryl anything!" Angel spat. "You could have told Phillip straight out that you'd make the trade. Don't mean it woulda happened!"
"I couldn't do that," I sighed. I turned to her, my eyes filled with tears. "I couldn't turn my back on him."
"Why not? For god's sake, Katie, you barely know him!"
"You weren't there," I shook my head. "You weren't there the night I found him out in the middle of the road, half dead with a fever. You don't understand what went through my mind when I thought he was dead."
"What are you talking about?" she said, her eyes widening.
"I've lost a lot of people, Ang. I watched my husband tear my son to shreds. I watched my family die, one by one, some by my own hand. Don't you see it?" I whispered.
"You love him, don't you?" she asked, her tone gentle. "You're in love with Daryl Dixon."
I didn't say anything, just turned on my heel and stomped up the stairs leading to his cell. He was looking at me with sad eyes. He'd heard Angel and me screaming.
"Your brother was wrong," I whispered as I passed his cell. "Someone else is capable of caring about you."
I walked into my cell, letting my tears flow freely. That day, I'd let the last of my kin die, to save a man who I owed nothing to. To save a man, whose brother was the reason my group fell apart. To save a man, who would never be capable of seeing how much he's cared about.
That day, I'd sacrificed all I had left to give, to keep from losing someone I barely knew.
A/n - Screw writers block! Sorry about the late update! I promise, I'll have more soon!