Michonne and I broke off without a word to the rest as we reached the bushes closest to the wall. We both silently seemed to have the same plan – find the simplest way in. Riley stuck close to my side as we inched through the bushes, scanning the wall for guards. There were only three posted, so I wasn't concerned. There had been five when I got out and it ended fairly well. Unlike Michonne's escape, apparently.

It was Michonne who found a breach in the wall. We exchanged a glance before heading back to the group. Daryl threw me a questioning look, but said nothing when she hissed "This way". We all filed out of the bushes, keeping as low a profile as possible.

Getting through the town wasn't difficult. Every time Rick or Daryl threw a flash bomb, we'd pick up pace. Even Riley, who was trained to track, however, was having a hard time locating Maggie and Glenn. He was antsy, not fully stuck on the task at hand. I was about to turn around and as Michonne something, but she was nowhere to be found. Instead, I shoved Glenn's t-shirt under Riley's nose, in hopes he'd pick up the scent.

Right when I was about to suggest turning back, Riley caught wind of something. He tugged at the leash, nearly pulling me over in the process.

"Easy boy," I murmured, letting him lead me through an alley, Rick and Daryl close behind. Within minutes, the smell of rotting flesh hit us head on. I gagged, my stomach churning. I pushed open a door, stunned at the scene in front of me. Three of the Governor's men were lying dead in the hallway, their throats ripped out, their heads pushed in. I looked around, and what I saw will forever be burned into my mind.

"You're going to see some horrific things in this life, Grasshopper," my mother said softly as she braided my hair. "You'll see that men can be monsters. That friends can turn on you in a heartbeat. You'll see just how violent this world can be."

"But mom, you're not mean or violent," I said softly, looking up at her bright, blue eyes.

"No, but some people are," she said, patting my head softly. "Now run along, let's not keep your uncle and brothers waiting!"

My mother wasn't a huge fan of my hunting, but she accepted it. She knew it was just part of who I was.

…

"She's got cancer, Leigh," Johnny said softly, his eyes full of tears. "Mom's got cancer…"

"No," I cried, burying my head in my hands. I let the shock wear off just long enough for me to grab my jacket before heading to the woods where I spent the next few weeks, silently waiting for my mother to die. The night she died, I had been sitting at her side, telling her about a recent hunt.

"You'll never believe how amazing it felt, mom, the wind in my hair, the rain on my skin. It was amazing," I described. She looked at me for a moment before her breathing hitched. I looked down at her, her thin, frail body seemed to sink even farther into the blankets. I raised my hand to check for a pulse, but it was hopeless. My mother was dead.

…

"Jimmy? Jimmy, are you here?" I called, opening the door slowly. Riley tried to push past me, but I kept him tight at my side. "Jimmy?"

The house smelled like rotting flesh. I almost puked as the smell overpowered all my senses.

"Jimmy?"

A low moan, followed by the sound of shuffling footsteps responded. I gasped as the man I had admired and looked up to my entire life was stumbling towards me, his eyes red, his teeth snapping together as he reached for me.

"No!" I moaned. He came at me, his hands trying to wrap around my arm. But Riley was faster. Riley leaped off the ground and threw himself at my only protector, his teeth digging deeply into the man's throat. But that didn't stop him from coming. Riley seemed to know that. He growled and yelped and sank his teeth deep into my uncle's skull. The load, sickening crunch would remain a reminder of what the world had come to for months and months to follow.

"Harleigh?" Daryl's rough voice broke me from my memories. He was standing in front of me, his hands on my shoulders. It was then that I realized I was trembling. There in the corner sat Glenn, his face beaten to a pulp. Maggie was in his arms, her face frozen in fear. "Harleigh, we have to move. We have to get them outta here. You with us?" Daryl's tone was strangely gentle.

"Man, she's gon' go into shock," Oscar said from somewhere behind us. "We need to move, now man!"

"Shut up," Daryl spat before turning his attention back to me. "Think of your little girl," he said, his forehead pressed against mine. "Think of that little girl of yours."

The smell. I couldn't escape the smell. I groaned and turned away, emptying the contents of my stomach onto the dirty, blood covered floor. I spit one last night before straightening up, my head fuzzy, but my senses in tune to what we had to do.

"Riley, c'mon," I called to my friend. He looked at me with worried eyes before taking off down the hallway. I wrapped an arm around Maggie while Oscar helped Glenn to his feet. Together, our small ground made for the streets.

"We'll never get past them now," Maggie sobbed into my shoulder as I led the way through the alley.

"We have to," I said softly. I looked around, gauging the best escape route. "Rick, take the ground back the way we came," I said softly.

"What about you?" he asked. I could see it in his eyes. He was close to losing it. But so was I. And unlike him, I didn't have a group, not really, waiting for me. I had only my daughter and my dogs.

"I'll be there, don't worry," I whispered before pushing Maggie to Glenn. I took off, firing my arrows as quickly as I could load them.

"Kitten?" a vaguely familiar voice asked as the dust settled. The one handed man came into view.

"Merle?" Daryl's voice choked out behind me.

"Daryl?!" Merle looked stunned.

"Here ta help?" I asked him.

"Yeah," he nodded, quickly getting over his shock. The three of us provided cover fire for the group, but not before we lost Oscar to a stray bullet. My heart sank, but I didn't give up. Instead, the three of us sent arrows and bullets through the heads of several of the Governor's most trusted men. In a way, it felt like a huge accomplishment.

"Flash bomb," I called to Daryl, who nodded and threw the bomb towards the oncoming men. As soon as it went off, we took advantage of the smoke, quickly clearing the fence in time to meet up with the group at the cars.

"He's not coming back with us," Rick said as soon as Merle came into view.

"Like hell he ain't," Daryl spat. "He's my brother!"

"He kidnapped us!" Glenn growled. I threw a hopeless look at Merle, who looked at his feet as if they were the most interesting thing in the world.

"Governor still havin' you do all his dirty work, eh?" I said slowly. Merle looked up, a sly smirk on his face.

"Always has," he shrugged. "You owe me," he said to Rick.

"I ain't owe you shit!" Rick growled.

"No, you do," I said carefully. I nodded back the way we came. "Merle didn't have to side with us. Even with Daryl bein' his brother an' all."

"What're you getting at?" Rick growled defensively.

"How do you think we got in so easily?" I asked, my tone guarded. "Rick, Merle told his guards to take a break. We shouldn't have been able to slip in that easily."

"We didn't! We almost lost our entire group going in there!" Rick shouted at me, coming up so he was right in my face. "Don't you dare take up defense!"

I shrank back. I thought the man was going to hit me. Daryl stepped between us, his eyes on fire.

"Rick, back off," he growled.

A moan from Glenn put the argument to an end. I looked at the broken man, my heart sinking. "We have to get him back to Hershel," I said softly. Rick's expression softened then. I don't know what changed, but he said nothing as he headed to the car, helped Glenn in, then threw a dirty look at Daryl and me.

"He ain't riding with us," he growled.

I smiled in spite of myself.

"Riley and me, we'll walk back," I told Daryl. "You two get back to the prison and be ready to let us in, 'kay?"

"Why're ya doin' this, Leigh?" Merle asked me, his tone almost sincere. "Ya ain't owe me nothin'."

"I owe your brother my life," I shrugged. "I know what it's like to watch your kin get torn away from you. Wasn't about to watch it happen to the man that saved my skin," I shrugged again. I unclipped Riley's leash and told the dog to scout the trail before looking back at the pair. "Family's everything in this life."

Without another word, I took off, running as fast as my legs would carrying me, through the trees and bushes, like I had so many times before. I knew I'd reach the prison within an hour or two. I wasn't trying to cover my tracks. I didn't have to, for I left none behind.

As I ran, I couldn't help but wonder what side Merle was more loyal to. His brother and the group, or the Governor and Woodbury. It was a scary thought. Maybe defending Merle Dixon would prove to be yet another mistake I stupidly made by letting my heart get in the way of judgment. But in that moment, I didn't regret it. Rick had to realize that Daryl had given everything for the group – it was only fair that Rick himself made a few sacrifices for the rough, fearless redneck.

A/n - Yeah, yeah, Merle's OOC. Deal with it. :P I loved Merle come the end of his life, therefore, I'm keeping him around for a little longer. :D Besides, he'll play his part, trust me. ;)

Anyway, hope you liked this chapter! I had a waaay better version of it, but my computer decided to eat my file again. :(