Andrea and Carol walked down the street, their arms around each other. To the people of Woodbury, they looked like sisters telling secrets to one another. Carol hadn't told Andrea much because she was trying to figure out how Andrea ended up in the bed of the Governor. It was obvious that she didn't know about Glenn, Maggie, Katelyn, or Daryl.
She was hoping to get her alone somewhere today and a picnic was a good excuse.
The two women walked toward the grassy patch behind the buildings and spread out the blanket. Andrea had been surprised when Phillip asked her to get information from Carol and something like a warning nagged at the back of her mind. She had pushed it away, and today, she just wanted to spend time with her friend.
"So what happened to you after the farm?" Andrea asked, as she set out the plates.
Carol took a deep breath. She was nervous to tell Andrea, but she knew that she was a good person.
"Andrea, there's something I have to tell you." Carol whispered, making Andrea look at her strangely.
"Keep putting out the food. Act like we're chatting." Carol continued.
Andrea's stomach clenched in a knot. She could tell by the way Carol was acting that something was wrong.
"Okay." Andrea said as she looked at Carol.
"I wasn't separated from them at the farm. I've been with them the whole time, but there's something going on you don't know about." Carol said.
Andrea took a breath, trying to act non-chalant.
"The Governor isn't what you think he is." She stated intensely.
"Daryl found a girl in the woods. She'd been…abused." Carol decided not to give the graphic details, but continued on with the story, "We brought her back to where we're staying, and in the midst of this, we find out she was from Woodbury."
"What!? Who?" Andrea demanded, but Carol held her finger up to her lips to hush her voice.
"I'll get to that. Right around that time, Merle caught Maggie and Glenn, and brought them here. I'm guessing you were never told, but the Governor…he…tortured Glenn and nearly…." Carol stopped for a second. She knew that Andrea was sleeping with this man, but she needed to tell her.
"He nearly, what?" Andrea demanded, the knot in her stomach growing.
"He nearly raped her. He was trying to scare her, force her to tell them where we were located." Carol finished.
"I can't believe this." Andrea was shaking her head, her hands shaking.
"I'm so sorry…I'm not done yet though." Carol continued, "The Governor captured Daryl when they broke Maggie and Glenn out."
"Oh my god. That was the night of the attack." Andrea surmised, chills beginning to crawl up her spine.
"The girl that we'd rescued was in love with Daryl, and when she found out he was captured, she revealed who she really was; the Governor's daughter." Carol said, putting her hand on Andrea's arm and motioning for her to continue scooping food.
"His daughter died." Andrea explained.
"His youngest did, right? Penny. He has an older daughter named Katelyn." Carol explained.
Andrea shut her eyes for a moment to calm herself. She was growing cold and numb with each passing word.
"She wanted us to trade Daryl for her. She revealed that she had run away from her father because he was a monster…lying to the people, covering up horrible crimes, and when I say horrible, I mean horrible." Carol insisted, "I'm sorry to be so blunt but we don't have much time."
"This is crazy." Andrea hissed, getting angry now.
"It gets worse. Katelyn had to escape again and the Governor killed Dr. Stevens, who helped her escape. Burned her on a pyre." Carol stated.
That was night he wouldn't let me out of the house, Andrea thought to herself. Son of a bitch!
"Then, while on a run, Daryl and the others found a woman who worked for the CDC. She said that she was part of the mobile labs and they had been close to sequencing the virus, but their caravan had been attacked by someone calling themselves the Governor. Her research was stolen…a flashdrive marked with a CDC logo." Carol said, pausing when she noticed two guards walking toward them.
"Someone's coming." Carol whispered.
Andrea picked up a grape and nibbled on the outside. Slowly turning her head, she noticed the two guards and began smiling.
"So I've been hiding inside a church for a month. They had food storage in the basement and a kitchen on the main level. One night, men broke in and I had to run." Carol said, loudly enough for anyone listening to overhear.
Andrea glanced at the men again before turning back to her and smiling.
"Well you're safe now." Andrea replied.
The Governor watched from the building, his eyes narrowed suspiciously.
#############################################################################
Daryl lay with his head propped up on his hand, looking down at the smooth, silky back in front of him. He smiled, remembering the night before, and leaned down to kiss the tip of her shoulder. He studied the curve of her delicate jaw and cheek, wondering how Daryl Dixon ever got someone so beautiful to love him. He draped his hand down and picked up a coppery curl, twirling it between his fingers and laid his head down in the pile of curls on his pillow. Turning his head inward, he took a deep breath, smelling her hair and kissed her ear.
Katelyn woke up to feeling Daryl's arms wrapped around her and smiled. She had no idea why she had been afraid. It was the loveliest night she'd ever spent. Turning over, she smiled up at Daryl, who had been studying her.
"Good morning." She whispered.
Daryl smiled brightly, noticing that she didn't seem nervous or shy.
"Mornin'" He replied, smirking at her as he played with her hair.
"What are you smirking at?" She asked playfully.
"You." He answered honestly, his smirk turning into a smile for a second, before becoming serious.
Katelyn frowned when she saw him turn serious.
"What?" she asked, worried that something was wrong.
"How do you feel?" He asked her, wanting to make sure she was all right.
Oh, that's what he's worried about, she thought, making her blush.
Daryl smirked again.
"There's my shy Katelyn." He quipped, taking her fingers and kissing the tips, before looking at her again.
Katelyn smacked him on the arm playfully.
"I'm fine." She told him, blushing from head to toe, making him laugh.
"I didn't realize that about redheads." He said, pulling her close to him.
"Realize what?" She frowned, wondering what he meant.
"That when you blush, you blush from head to toe." He smirked again.
Katelyn growled, ducking under the covers.
"Too late. I've already seen you." He told her, poking his fingers into the sheets where he could see the curve of her ribs. Finding them, he tickled her, making Katelyn squeal.
Rick was about to enter the room, when he heard the giggling. Turning around with a smirk on his face, he went back down the stairs.