**This chapter is on the shorter side, but it packs a punch... Fair warning the themes in this chapter are much darker, and much more mature than previous chapters. I've never written anything like this before, so I apologize, but it's all about character development guys. Thank you so much for reading and don't forget to review!

"What did you say the girl's name was?" The Governor asked, turning to Merle when he mentioned the third person he brought in.

"Rose, from what they told me, apparently she's my brother's lady friend." He said chuckling, "Real pretty, feisty too, says she's got a missing daughter." He says, and Philip nods.

"Jamie's mother name was Rose." He said shaking his head, "You talk to Rose yet?" He asked and Merle shook his head.

"Not since bringing her here, she's been listening to the others though, making a few nasty comments too." He said with a nod, Phillip leaning against the truck.

"You go talk to Rose," He said turning to Merle, "Don't hurt her though, don't mention Andrea or Jamie either, just try and get her to say where her people are. I'll go talk to the other girl, "He said before stopping again, "Actually, once you're done with her I want you to move Ryder into her room, chain him up, I'll be paying them a visit after.

Merle nods slowly, watching as the Governor made his way back into the building, and he scratched at his chin thinking for a moment before heading in after the man.

҉

Rose took in a breath, trying to keep herself calm after hearing what Merle had been doing to Glenn in the next room. Daryl said he was ruthless but this, this was downright psychotic… he was nothing like Daryl at all. She bit her lip hard when she thought of Daryl, shaking her head as she stretched her hands onto the table, doing her best to remain calm. She didn't know how she was going to get out of this, Daryl was an amazing tracker but, her chances were slim, and she had to just pray that Merle would find it in his heart not to kill her.

Rose jumped when the door opened, Merle walking in a smug look on his face, "How you doing there pretty girl?" He asked, setting a cup of water down in front of her, Rose only glaring at him, "Awh man, I made a bad impression didn't I? Sorry about that." He said as he sat down in the chair across from her smiling, "Glenn's alright, in case you were wondering."

Rose shook her head, "What the fuck is the matter with you?" She asked, "How could you do that too him?"

"What you don't know the story?" He asked raising an eyebrow as he leaned back in the chair and Rose rolled her eyes.

"Yeah I know the story, gotta say though the way I heard it you had it coming, and now you're all butt hurt over it cause you lost a hand." She said nodding towards his knifed stub, "Your own damn fault."

Merle laughed shaking his head, "Man my baby brother picked himself out a good one. Smokin' hot, curses like a sailor, and don't give a fuck about no one." He says, smirking, "But your family of course, true bred southern girl aren't you?"

Rose shrugs, "Through and Through."

Merle laughs again shaking his head, "Why don't you tell me where my brother is baby girl?" He asked, "I miss his sorry hide, bet he misses me too."

Rose bit her lip, shaking her head, "No can do buddy, you should have listened to Glenn back at the store." She says with a shrug, "Now Daryl's just gonna find out what you did, and hate you for it."

Merle shakes his head, "I doubt that, sure he'll be pissed about Chinaman, but I haven't hurt you one bit, 'cept of course the few minor details involved with getting' you here." He says smiling just a bit, "Ima make sure nothin' happens to you sweetheart, Daryl's gone off and settled down, warms my heart." He joked, gesturing towards the cup of water, "Go ahead and drink up, got you some food comin' soon too."

Rose glanced over at the cup, "You seen a little girl?" She asked turning her attention back to him as she pulled her hand back, and reached into her pocket, pulling out the picture she had, "She's seven, acts tough, real smart." She says pushing the picture towards him, which Merle took, recognizing Jamie instantly, and smiled.

"Well ain't she a cutie," He said with a small laugh, handing the picture back to her, "This your missing daughter right?" He asks, and she nods putting the picture back into her pocket, "Im sorry to say but I ain't seen no one like that around here, though I'm sure I can have the governor keep an eye out for her." He says smiling softly, "Bet Daryl loves her, he's always had a soft spot for youngins."

Rose nods, "Who's the governor?" She asks now, and Merle smiles.

"The Governor is the man that runs this place darlin," He says with a firm nod, "Real good man, takes care of his people, and is always lookin' to bring in more." He added, giving her a knowing look as she pursed his lips, "Could be a safe place for you and your friends… Give me a chance to be an uncle too." He said playfully and Rose could help but smile a little in spite of herself, "Was that a smile? Man oh man, I bring up you and Daryl makin' babies and you turn into a school girl." He laughed tipping his chair back some as Rose rolled her eyes, "Come on now Rosie, just help me out… reunite us Dixon brothers."

Rose sighed shaking her head, "I can't." She says meeting his eyes, "You know I can't… I don't know you people Merle, I can't trust you people… if you were in my shoes you wouldn't say a word either." She shrugs, "Beg all you want, but I'm not saying a word."

Merle purses his lips nodding slowly before letting his chair fall back to the ground, "Alright baby girl, you win this round." He says as he stands up, "But darlin', I'm warning you… The Governor, no matter what I ask or say, ain't gonna be as nice as I've been." He said serious now, "Be careful what you say to around him." He noticed the fear flicker in her eyes before regaining her composure, and he gave her a smile, "See you around Rosie." He said and left the room, sighing as he shook his head. Damn girl was going to get herself killed.

҉

Jamie sighed, pushing her empty plate away from her as she laid her head down on the picnic table, swinging her feet. They still hadn't let her see her daddy, they hadn't even told her anything about her dad as of lately, and Jamie was getting tired of it. She tried to think of what her mother would have done, if she was stuck in this place full of strangers, but she couldn't think of anything… or at least nothing she was capable of doing.

She wondered how Mr. Daryl was now, how he was dealing with… with her mother being dead and her being gone. He was probably really sad, and she really wished she could go back to the prison and be with him.

"Jamie?" Jamie perked up when she heard Andrea's voice, and she turned, smiling as the blonde came over and sat beside her, "How was your lunch?" She asked, Jamie shrugging.

"Fine," She mumbles turning to face Andrea, crossing her legs, "Did Mr. Governor say anything about my daddy?"

Andrea frowns shaking her head, "From what Phillip told me honey… your father, his condition's worsened." She said, placing her hand on Jamie's legs, "He's been put on life support."

Jamie's eyebrows creased together, shaking her head slowly, "I.. I don't know what that means…"

Andrea sighed, "It means… It means he might not make it."

Jamie's eyes widened, her lip quivering some as she nods, pulling her knees up to her chest, forcing herself not to cry, but Andrea pulled the girl into her lap, holding her close, and Jamie closed her eyes, trying to think of how she was going to be able to get back to Mr. Daryl… She had to get back to him.

҉҉

Daryl stood outside the prison, waiting for the others to have their things packed up, he realized his foot was tapping, that he was so nervous that he thought his heart was going to jump out of his chest. Rose was gone, she was gone and he didn't know if she was alright, if she was bit, if she was being… being hurt by those men that took her. All he knew there was a world of things that could be happening, or had happened to her.

He should have fucking been there, to keep her safe, to make sure that bastard didn't touch her. But he wasn't there, he let her go on her own when he knew he should have gone too.

"Daryl," Daryl heard Jo calling his name and he turned, seeing her given him a weak smile, "How are you holding up?" She asks walking over to him, and he let out a grumble, turning away from her again, staring off into the woods.

Johanna frowned a little, "I'm sure she's fine," She said, Daryl stiffening up some, "It's Rose after all, she's a strong person, she's a badass really… if anything she's already found a way out and is working on getting back to us." She says giving a small laugh, and Daryl just nods.

He wished so much that were true.

"Daryl," Johanna called out to her again, getting him to look at her as the others started filing out of the prison "Rose is fine, and I want you to be careful." She said, "She wouldn't want you to worry so much you get yourself hurt, because if you'd did she'd kick your ass."

Daryl nods, smiling just a bit, "Hold down the fort while we're gone." He says finally, glancing over at Carol as she came out with the baby, glad that he was able to find her, "Don't let anyone else die."

Johanna nods, Logan coming up behind her, smiling at Daryl, "Go kick some ass."

҉

Rose swallowed down the bile rising in her throat as she stood in the corner in the room, hearing Maggie in the one next to her, hearing what the man in there was doing… she couldn't believe it, it was like when back when she was just on her own with Jamie, and they ran into the group of men who tried to get her to pay back her gratitude with her body, but this man… this man was toying with Maggie.

The door opened up, and Rose eye's widened, "Ry-Ryder?" She cried out going to him, but a man held a gun up stopping her, Merle moving in past her.

"Sorry about this baby girl," Merle said holding his hands up as the man lowered his gun, and went to work chaining Ryder to a short hook bolted to the ground in the corner, "Governor's order's to bring this man in here."

"You fucking liar!" Rose growled out, crossing the room to him, Merle holding his knifed hand out, stopping her, "You said you didn't see her! You said you hadn't seen my little girl! This is her father!" She shouted knocking Merle's hand out of the way, getting in his face and he just laughed.

"I'm under orders not to say a word," He said, pulling his hand back so the knife was level with her eye, "I suggest you stay calm darlin' don't do nothin' to drastic, just answer his questions and you'll be fine." He explained, glancing over at the black man, "Everything alright on your end?" He asked, the man pulling on Ryder's chains, making sure they were sturdy.

"No way the bastard's getting out of these." He said and Merle nods looking back over at Rose.

"Gotta go now darlin', you go and sit your ass back in that chair, the Governor wants a word with you two." He said, pointing over to the chair.

Rose swallowed, looking over at Ryder, his beaten appearance only causing more rage to build up before she decided to play this their way.

She turned her back to Merle, and hobbled her way back over to her seat, giving him one last look before he and the black man disappeared out the door, bolting it shut.

"I..I thought you were dead." Rose turned to look at Ryder as he slumped to the ground, his head falling back against the wall, "I thought you were killed."

Rose stands back up, and crosses the room, kneeling down beside him, "Ryder, what are you doing here?" She asks, her hands going to his face, getting him to look back at her, and he swallowed.

"We… They tricked us," He explained shaking his head, "They tricked us into thinking we were safe, they took her Rosie, they have Jamie."

Rose nods slowly, biting her lip, "its okay… Ry it's okay," She says, giving him a weak smile as she ran her thumb along his cheek, "We're going to get her back, I promise you."

The door opened, and Rose stood up quickly, backing away as a man came in, wearing a grey button up tucked into his blue jeans, and a gun holster around his waist, "You're Rose Marks I presume?" He asks, his voice, the same voice that had been in Maggie's and she backed up more.

"Waters," She says glancing down at Ryder, "You're the Governor I presume?" She mocks, and the man laughs a little smiling.

"Take a seat Ms. Waters, we've got a few things to talk about."

Rose shook her head, "Won't you just ask me to stand anyways?" She asks, taking a step closer to him, determined to get one of those guns from him, "Ask me to strip for you?" She teases, her eyes narrowed, and he tilts his head down, meeting her eyes feeling her hand moving towards him.

"You're playing a dangerous game Rose." He said, snatching her wrist before she could get to the gun, and she went to punch him with her right hand, only getting it grabbed in the process.

"DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!" Ryder shouted, pulling at his chains as the Governor pushed her forward, her back hitting the table, and kept going until the table hit the wall, her going on top of it.

"I'm not wanting to play games Rose," The Governor said, his grip on her wrists tightening, making her wince, "You're going to tell me where you five came from, or else."

Rose barked out a laugh, "You think this is going to get me to tell you? You fucking psycho." She yelled, moving so she was closer to his face, "I know men like you, all you want his power, you don't want to save anyone here, all you want to do is rule them!" She shouted in his face, squirming in his hold, "You're fucking pathetic you know that? You get off on causing people pain, because you can't feel anything at all, you're to far gone." She tried to kick, but he just laughed, using his body to spread her legs.

"Rose," He sighed, shaking his head, "All I want to know is where your people are." He said, "You tell me where they are, then I'll let you, and your people go." He said letting go of her hands, pulling his gun out and pointed at her.

"You shoot me you'll never find out." She said, her hands going to the edge of the table as he backed off.

Ryder pulled at his chains again, watching as the Governor pulled a pair of handcuffs from his holster, "Stand up, turn around." He demanded.

"Stay away from her," Ryder shouted shaking his head as Rose did as told standing up slowly.

"Ryder don't you say a fucking word, you understand me?" Rose shouted as she turned, her heart pounding in her chest.

"You really should learn your place Rose," The Governor said as he holstered his gun, going over and quickly handcuffed her, "You're going to tell me where you've been staying, one way or another." He said turning her around to face him.

"I'm not going to say a word," Rose said, and the Governor sighed, pulling his gun out again.

"I try to be reasonable with you people," He murmured, placing the gun to her cheek, "Your group is dangerous, what you did to Merle…" She rolled her eyes.

"Merle's a racist asshole from what I've heard, you want people like that around than be my guest," She said, turning her head, trying to get him to pull the gun back, "We're good people… we're a family, while you're group is a dictatorship." She snapped, and the governor laughed, turning to look at Ryder, as he undid his holster, letting it fall.

"Mr. Marks, you told me that your wife died." He said his hand going to Rose's hair, and yanked her towards him, "But this women obviously doesn't belong to you anymore," He said throwing Rose against the wall, Ryder shouting at him as he pulled at his chains.

"Get away from her you fucker! Leave her alone!"

Rose didn't know what to do, her hands were secured, her leg was fucked up, and she had no way of defending herself when she felt the Governor's hands on her waist, pressing against her hard, his face going to the nape of her neck, his breath tickling her skin, "Where's your camp?" He murmured his hands trailing down her sides, pulling at her skirt, making her stomach churn, her heart pound, and her head ache.

"Fuck you," She growled out, trying to break from his hold, but he pushed her against the wall again, making her hit her head this time.

"Ryder, where's your camp?" The Governor asked, turning to look at him as he gripped Rose by the back of her hair, Ryder swallowing as he watched the man trail his fingers along the length of her neck, whispering something to her that made her let out a small tearless sob.

"Fuck you," Ryder said through gritted teeth, Rose meeting his eyes for a moment, a sad smile on her lips before the Governor yanked her away from the wall and dragged her over the table, slamming her head down against it, and pressing her back down when she tried to get up.

Ryder's eyes widened when he heard the clanging of the man's belt being undone, and he shook his head, "NO! NO YOU STAY AWAY FROM HER!" He screamed, pulling a this chains, hearing Rose let out a small scream, and the governor mutter something, the sound of fabric being ripped, "No! No! Don't you touch her! Don't!" Ryder screamed, and groaned, as he pulled with all his might, his wrists beginning to bleed, trying to get from his restraints, hearing Rose's sobs now, the sound of flesh meeting flesh over and over again, Ryder doing all he could to try and get free.

The door busted open, the Governor pulled back suddenly, Rose sinking to the floor brokenly, sobbing as Merle looked at the scene his eyes wide, "They're obviously not going to talk." He said now as he looked at the Governor, who was zipping his pants back up, nodding.

"Shoot him," The Governor said pointing to Ryder, "Shoot him in the heart though, not the head, then unchain him."

Merle shook his head, "I… I can't do that boss." He said, the Governor faltering a bit as he picked up his holster, turning to look at Merle. "I, I can't let that girl die… You see, that's my brother's girl." Merle tried to explain and the Governor shook his head.

"That's my girl now," He said pointing down at Rose, "And if I want her to die, then she dies." He said moving closer to Merle, "Shoot the man."

Rose sobbed shaking her head, "No, no please don't, just leave, just fucking leave!" She screamed, the men all turning to look at her, Ryder trembling with rage as he continued to pull at his chains.

The Governor smiled just a bit as he leaned down, taking her face in his hand, pulling her closer, "If I let you live… will you let me keep Jamie?" He asks, Rose's eyes widening just a bit as he laughs and pushes her back to the ground, standing up, "That's right, she's been staying with me, she's such a smart girl, doesn't trust me at all, but… there's no way I'm letting her go with the likes of you," He said, fixing his shirt, and pulled the gun from his holster, pointing at Ryder, "Not unless you tell me where you're camp is."

Rose glared, "Go to hell."

The room fell silent as Rose and the Governor stared at each other, the smug look on his face just making her more upset as she tried to remain strong, though at the moment felt nothing but weak and disgusting. When the gunshot rung out throughout the room she screamed, hearing Maggie screaming in the room next to her, and the governor laugh as he holstered his gun again, leaving Merle to handle the mess he made.

҉

Daryl took in a shaky breath as he gazed at the gate, seeing the men walking a top of the barricade, armed to the teeth. Rosie was in there, Rosie, Glenn, Maggie and Jamie. They were all in there having God knows what done to them. He couldn't help but worry, but to expect the worse, that was just who he was… but no matter what he was going to get into that town, and he was going to get Rose back.

He didn't know what he would do if he was to late.. if Rose was gone, she was all he had, the only girl he ever felt like he truly loved, because getting close to be wasn't what he did… he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he glanced back to see Rick.

"They'll be fine," He whispered, Daryl nodding slowly, they had to be fine… they had to be.