DISCLAIMER: Graphic scene(predominantly implied, with the least amount of obscene description as possible). It should be safe to read through, and you'll know it when it's coming just in case.

Now that that's out of the way, here's the new chapter! ENJOY!

60: Annie, Defeated.

Losing the outer parts of the ear, or pinna, has no major effect on the mechanics of hearing, medically speaking. That isn't to say that I wouldn't be changed forever. That sort of loss does make it difficult to tell where sound is coming from as well as whether the ear could even pick up that sound, but right now that didn't matter. The entire thing was shoddily bandaged and bloody and I could only hear out of my right side right now anyways. I'd worry about it when I got out of here, if I got out of here. If. Time was passing through the hourglass and as the sand fell so did my hopes for getting out of here. As I sat there, waiting for the Governor to make his appearance, I could feel the strength draining from me. First, there was the blood loss. It wasn't substantial, but it was enough to make me lightheaded and give me a subtle sway. Then there was the worry, the not knowing what was happening outside that door. What was happening to Maggie and Glenn, were they even still alive? Did they lose their ears too? Were they close by, or far away? What about Michonne? Had she made it back to the prison? Were they hauling ass right now, coming to save us? Would they get here in time? I couldn't know. I could just cling to the mangled shreds of hope that I still had and wait. Finally there was the hunger. The sweet smell suffocated me, and my weak stomach turned and twisted, beckoning for just a bite. Just one bite. No. No, I need to get out of here and far away. The hundred or so people in this town filled my nose and I couldn't escape them. It was too much. It was too much and I was too weak. My breaths were getting slower, matching my heart. They were heavier too, so that my whole body seemed to ebb and flow with them as my eyelids drooped. This isn't good. I need to stay awake, stay interesting. I need to keep the focus here. Save them. I need to save them. All I could do was stare at the bloody mess lying on the table in front of me and wait.

"Merle here said you asked to speak to me," I looked up to see that I was no longer alone. Merle had returned with a new man, one who I could only assume was the Governor.

My voice was weak at first, "Governor?"

"That is what they call me," he didn't look offensive, but there was something about him that was off, just like Riley had said, just like Michonne had said. Something about how neat his clothes were, how his hair was combed just right, it was wrong. At least I had an edge. At least I had hours of discussion with Michonne, hours talking about this Governor. "I see Merle has already left his mark on you," he said calmly, motioning to the ear on the table, "Can only imagine you'd like to see him dead?"

"It's alright," a faint smile crossed my lips as I looked over to Merle in the corner, "I can understand why he had to."

"Sounds like you're a perfectly reasonable woman," he sat in the chair across from me, "May I ask how you knew about me?"

"I think it's important to know who's in charge wherever I go," I stared into his eyes, noticing the vacancy.

He smiled, "But how did you find that out? My men tell me they didn't say a word about me."

Wonderful. I had him and it was just the first question. I can totally do this. I didn't let up the eye contact, "A little birdie told me."

"And does this bird have a name?" I could sense the anger building, and I was somewhat disappointed. I didn't know what I'd expected, but I thought he would be more level headed, I thought he'd be harder to get a rise out of.

I raised my eyebrows defiantly, still gazing, "Nope."

"Tell him where my brother is," Merle stepped towards me in my peripheral, but the Governor held out his hand to stop him.

"First things first, I need to know how she knows about me," he looked to Merle, then back to me, "You're going to tell me now."

"If you can promise me that the other two, the people who were brought here with me, are safe and will be kept that way," I made my first attempt at negotiation, "Then I'll tell you."

"You have my word," he lied. I'd have known he was lying even if I'd never heard stories about him; he wasn't even that good at it.

But I was. I told the first half-truth, "Had a friend pass by here, said she watched you all for a while." He seemed to be trying to discern the validity of my words, so I added, "Simple as that."

"There, now ask her about their camp," Merle spoke out again.

I could see how this petulance annoyed the Governor, but his voice remained calm, "Merle, would you go to check on the fella that was with them?" Merle's face questioned the order, "Maybe he has an ear you can cut off, too." The one-handed man left the room, and I lost most of my remaining hope. He'd just promised the safety of my friends, and then turned around and ordered for one of them to be tortured. Now there was no denying his lies. He wouldn't be hiding them anymore. Maybe he was a tougher egg to crack? Our clock was winding down. "What's your name?" he leaned back in his chair.

I leaned forward; my eyes still locked on his and my own anger growing, "Fuck you."

"What's your name?" he stood up and walked around to me. I kept my eyes on him. It was the only move I had. The last card in the deck. "How about this," he slapped the side of my head where my ear had once been and a flood of tears rushed out of me without a sound, "Where's your camp?"

Come on, Annie. Keep the focus. Keep negotiating. Keep trying. I tried to hide my shaking bones, "What's in it for me if I tell you?"

"What do you want?"

"Freedom," I tried to steady myself from the reverberating stings, "For the three of us." Not enough, Annie. Ask for something practical. Ask for something that he might actually allow. As for something he'll think you want. "A place in your ranks, maybe."

"You seem strong enough," he tapped the bandage again, sending another current of pain out, before scanning over me. I hated the way his eyes lingered in various places. Scumbag. Then they stopped on my arm, "But I gotta ask you where you got this scar of yours." He touched the old bite mark.

"Happened years before any of this," I lied, sounding so utterly believable that for a second even I forgot it wasn't true, "I was a paramedic, people get bitey." It wasn't entirely untrue; that's the secret to a good lie. Always throw a bit of truth in it, then they'll think the whole thing is true.

"Medic, huh? Might be able to find a place for you," He leaned against the table. "How many are in your group?" I didn't acknowledge the question; I just stared up at him blankly. He slapped the side of my head again, "Did you hear me? I said how many are in your group?"

I saw my chance to get the information I desperately desired and took it, "The others haven't told you?"

"No." Internally I celebrated. They hadn't spoken; we still had time. We all still had time. I could still save them if I just keep the focus on me. Merle wouldn't kill Glenn. Not yet. Not when he knew that I'd never say a word if one of them was dead. His voice came back with a threatening edge, "But they will if you don't."

A chance to gain trust. Numbers were useless information now. If you had forty people and only three were good with weapons then you only really had three people and a bunch of liabilities. This is my chance to try for his good side, assuming he had one. "Less than what you have here," I told the truth, albeit vague, "Not a threat."

He stood back up and began walking for the door, "I'll be the judge of that."

No, no. Stay here. Keep focusing on me. Being friendly wouldn't work, not with the Governor. Time for the Hail Mary. "I heard that something was rotten in the state of Denmark," he continued his stride and I scrambled for the worst thing I knew about him, the only thing Michonne wasn't sure about, "I even heard about your dead daughter."

"What did you say?" The rage was there, even if he'd tried to remain composed. I hit a nerve. Finally.

I smiled as widely as I could manage, still staring at him while I spoke, "I heard about how that little Penny of yours got bit."

He pointed at me, "You shut your mouth."

"Where's your little sweetheart now?" My words were light and cruel, "Did you have to shoot her in her little face? Or were you too much of a pussy? Did you make someone else do it for you?"

He slammed his fists down onto the table, "Shut your fucking mouth!"

"Or what?" I laughed, continuing to dig a deeper hole for myself, "Gonna kill me like you killed Penny?"

"That's it," his eyes were no longer vacant, they were aflame with hatred. Hatred for me. Hopefully this would buy Glenn and Maggie time, buy Michonne time. We were getting down to the wire now. Sacrifices had to be made, and all I could do was throw myself onto the offering stone and hope the other two got out of here alive. They have to. They have to. The Governor swung the door open and yelled out into what I figured was a hallway, "Get in here and hang her up."

In seconds two men from the supply run were in the room untying my bindings. They started with my legs and I took another chance. Once my first foot was loose I kicked one of them in the face. "Bitch," he slammed it into the metal leg of the chair, and I could feel the ankle strain and bend in an unnatural way. Please don't be broken. Please don't be broken. I tried to move it, but I could feel the sting. Not broken, but sprained badly. Shit. Another man came in to hold my legs down as they untied my arms. I tried to claw at them but one of their fists met my stomach and all the air was knocked out of my lungs. Shit. When my hands were free they tied them together tightly and lifted me up. I had no idea where I was going until I saw the hook hanging from the ceiling a yard or so behind my chair. No. No. This is bad. They lifted me further and released, leaving me with my back towards the door, facing the dirty wall, swaying slightly with my feet a few inches off of the ground.

With my good ear I heard the door shut and the faint sound of a zipper, "Time to teach you something about manners."

No. No. Please, no. Who the fuck would do this? Stay strong, Annie. Stay strong. At least the attention is on you. At least Glenn and Maggie aren't dealing with this monster right now. At least you're buying time. "Did you kill your wife too?" I forced a laugh. I needed him to know I wasn't afraid. I needed him to know that no matter what happened next he couldn't get to me. He couldn't break me. "I've always wondered that." I was hit again on the bandage, and I bit into my tongue so hard that it drew a bit of blood. Then I felt the hands. They reached up my dress and ripped off my underwear. No. No. This is bad. Please. Please, someone save me. No. Annie it's okay. Annie, you can handle this. Annie, you're strong.

In a quick movement he shoved the fabric into my mouth, gagging me, "That'll keep you quiet." I squeezed my eyes shut as tightly as I could. The hands yanked at the dress, my dress, my superhero outfit, the one thing that had made me invincible. I could hear the fabric rip and the zipper snap as it pulled against my skin. Just shut off, Annie. All systems shut down. Force quit. Out of body experience. Anything. I couldn't though. I could feel his hands as he violated me, and I felt sick. I squirmed around, trying to get free, trying to slip out of my binds, but it just made him crueler. He'd laugh and hit my ear, or punch me at my ribs. I think I even felt a knife. No, I know I did. The burning feeling as it sliced down my back, the way I could feel the blood pouring out of the wound. More blood loss. I wasn't going to be able to get out of this, not on my own, not this time. Please, someone save me. God, save me. Michonne, save me. Rick, save me. Anyone, save me. When he started I couldn't fight off the tears, but I kept myself from making any noise. I'd never give him the satisfaction of hearing my pain, not then. I wish I were home. I wish I were sitting at the table, one of my mother's meals on my plate, joking with Joey. That was so far away now. It was an impossibility. I'd never have that again, not even if I got out of here. I tried again to fight off what was happening to me, the pain and the nausea. I wish I were back at the prison, holding Judith and talking to Carl about anything, anything at all. Even boring stuff. Even things I didn't like. Even that was untouchable now. I couldn't even picture it. The best I could do was a fuzzy outline of their faces. Please. Please. I can't break. I need something. Something that can get me through this. Something that can save me from all of this. I wish Daryl were here; he'd save me. He'd save me. He'd save me. Those blue eyes came into my minds eye. They became my only thought. They became my salvation as the assault persisted. Just his eyes. Maybe he was smiling, maybe he wasn't, but it didn't matter. I didn't care how far away that was. It was just his eyes and then it was over. I heard the sound of a zipper once more, and he stood in front of me. He held my chin, the pressure pinching with pain. There was only one thing I wanted to do then. I spit out the makeshift gag and bit down on his hand as hard as I could. I could feel the flesh rip off and the sweet taste filling my mouth as a hand slapped me across my face. I quickly began spitting out the meat and blood, making sure not to swallow any of it. Not now. Not now. I won't become one of them. When I opened my eyes he was clutching his injured hand with a sick smile on his face, "Now I'm going to go do the same to that pretty little friend of yours."

That was it. That was the end of my composure. I had nothing left to keep me from flailing around in the air as I screamed with every bit of breath left inside me as he started for the door, "No!" I let out another blood curdling yell, "No!" I could hear a faint laugh, "You touch her and your fucking dead, you hear me?" The door opened, "Deader than your bitch of a daughter!" Even after it slammed shut I kept screaming, "I'll fucking kill you, you bastard!" The tears were streaming now, stronger than before, "I'll kill you!" I thrashed around, causing the rope to pinch at my skin, but I didn't care. I didn't care anymore. I was done for, the line had been crossed and now there was nothing left. Nothing at all. "I'll kill all of you!" And I would. If I ever got out of here I would kill every last one of them, even the civilians if they got in my way. I kept swinging around and howling with everything in me. Maybe the others would hear. Maybe they'd know I was still alive. Maybe Michonne was on her way. No. No. There was nothing. Nothing. I stopped my tantrum after a while, unable to continue. Then I hung there, drenched in my own tears and the remnants of blood. Was I still strong? No. Not anymore. This was me, broken.

-o0o-

By the time the door opened again I'd all but passed out. The blood loss, the violation, the screaming, it had all taken its toll. It was a hefty toll. I heard Merle's voice, "Reckon that Asian fella will be dead any second now." I just stared ahead at the wall on the opposite side of the room as the door, the wall that I was being forced to look at. I heard the screech of my old chair on the floor and soon Merle took a seat just in front of me, sitting in the chair backwards, "Set a walker on him."

When I spoke my fatigue showed, "He'll kill them all, you know?" He just nodded. I don't think he understood me, "Even Daryl," I sighed, thinking of those eyes again.

He became defensive, "You don't know that."

"That's why I can't tell you." I made to shake my head, but my whole body swayed with it, inflicting more pressure on the bindings, "You hitched yourself to the wrong wagon, Merle."

"Officer Friendly ain't no better," he scoffed.

"He'd never do this," I looked down at myself then back up to him, dead in the eye, "Never." His face didn't let up. I hadn't expected it to. How long had I been here? Hours? At least five hours, and that was with me being conscious. Michonne and them should have been here by now. They should be here by now. I didn't have much more time I could just feel it. I decided to keep being honest with him, "I'm going to die here, I realize that now, so I need to tell you something."

He set his elbow on the back of the metal frame, "Do you now?"

I nodded weakly, the creak of the hook accentuating the movement, "I wasn't lying when I said I love him." I smiled up at him, coughing out a laugh, "Can't keep myself from thinking about him now, isn't that funny?" His face didn't let up, so I continued on, "If you ever do find him, and I really hope you do, he deserves to get his family back, you protect him. You don't let them kill him. Don't let him die no matter what." I couldn't tell if I'd angered him or not, but I must've because he immediately stood up and left the room. I swayed again, trying to get to the chair so I could stand on it and get the hell out of here. Too far away. No luck. Great. Back to looking at this fucking wall.

The door opened and he was in front of me again, this time holding something. What was it? "I'm not sayin' you'll get down from there," he held up the large black t-shirt and set it on the ground at my feet. Clothes. Something. Some kindness. I never expected that.

I looked at him and said with all sincerity, "Thank you." He took his seat once more, and I continued, "I do want to tell you, help you, it's killing me that I can't. Or maybe I'm just already dying." I knew he understood now. He understood that my silence was to keep him safe, to keep them safe. My refusal to speak had meaning beyond loyalty. That didn't mean I'd be walking out of here. "And I forgive you for the ear," he didn't quite comprehend, "we're square in my eyes."

"Why?"

Time was up; might as well talk to him. Might be the last conversation I ever have. "I lost my brother at the start of all this," I looked him dead in the eye, "If I thought there was any way to get him back I'd do a lot more than cut off an ear. That's why I can't be mad at you, can't hate you. You're just doing what you can." The corner of his mouth twitched up for a second. "That's why I want you to be the one to do it."

"What?"

"I'm not walking out of here," I sighed as I again looked down at my naked body, "When the time comes I want your finger on the trigger. At least then it will have some sort of meaning."

We sat for a second before he spoke up, his tone seemingly jovial, "So he finally got himself a girlfriend." I shook my head. That wasn't who I was. I wasn't anyone to Daryl Dixon anymore. Just a member of the group that he didn't want to be around, that's it. And in a short while I'd be dead, and none of it would have mattered. "Was always a damn fool," he laughed.

"It was my fault," I corrected him, "I fucked it up."

"He's always been the one to hold the grudges." Was that trait genetic as well? I hope not.

"I hope you can forgive me," his face grew confused again, "for not being able to tell you where he is."

The door opened once more and an unfamiliar voice spoke to Merle. "The biter is dead." Merle stood up, "The Governor wants us in there, he's bringing the other girl, she talked." Shit. No. Maggie, you didn't.

"Whatdaya know?" he smirked at me as he walked past, "didn't need you after all."

The door shut once more.

That's it? This is it? This is how I go out? A broken failure?

Thank you for reading! I hope you could all tell I was trying to do this as tastefully and tactfully as possible, as to not offend. Normally I'd never write this sort of scene, but it felt like the only way it could go (at least in my eyes). As always I'd appreciate your feedback. :)

Question Time: Do you think we are coming to the last few chapters of this story? Or will the calvary come riding in, just in time to save Annie from her accepted fate? How much does the Governor deserve a good stab to the eye? If she does get out of this, will Annie ever be the same? What of her acceptance of Merle's cruelty? Not to mention the kindness of the shirt? And what do you all think Aidan will have to say about Annie's torture; will he be pissed enough to rampage through Woodbury? And finally, what do you think about Annie taking a bite out of the Governor's hand?

Can't wait to hear what you all have to say! It really helps when you guys review (and it's always extra awesome when someone new reviews). :))))