I do not own The Walking Dead.

Previously:

Looking back to the two blonde girls, Beth suddenly caught her eye and nodded encouragingly towards Lizzie and Mika, as if telling her it was okay to go with them.

Faye felt this decision was far more important that it seemed to be.

That didn't make it any harder.

Shaking her head, she muttered an apology and ignored the scowl that immediately crossed Lizzie's face as she turned to follow Carl.

She chose him, and she probably always would.

"Why?" Carl said coldly as he stormed away from the scene, Faye hot on his heels. "Why would he bring them here? We can't ever trust them, they were with him."

Guessing Carl would be in this mood for a while, the girl tried her best to not annoy him more. Besides, her opinion wasn't that different from his. "I know. I don't trust them, but they don't exactly look like soldiers."

"They don't need to. Just yesterday was when they obeyed his every command, and now Dad thinks they will just settle in just fine?" Carl scowled. "Who even were those girls you were talking to?"

Was it bad that she had talked to them? Was she supposed to feel guilty for that? Because Carl sure was making her feel that way. "They said their names were Lizzie and Mika. The older one asked me to show them all the good places."

"For what, hide and seek?" He scoffed. "You said no, right?"

"Yeah. It was kind of weird." Of course she said no. He was her best friend and they were strangers.

Although, they were strangers who were girls and were her age and wanted to talk to her and wanted to be friends- no, she only needed Carl. At least, that was what she told herself. She didn't need any of these new people, she had Carl, and Daryl, and T-Dog, and maybe-kinda-hopefully Michonne, and Andrea-

Andrea.

Holy shit, Andrea.

Turning on her heel, not even paying attention to what Carl was saying. How could she possibly have forgotten Andrea? Those people distracted her, how dare they!

She was going to find someone, and they were going to tell her what was going on. If Andrea had been there, why didn't she see her? Sure, Faye had been a bit preoccupied, but wouldn't have Andrea come up to her? She was too strong to die. She couldn't have.

"Faye, wait! Where are you going?" Carl called, catching up to the child as she sped up a little, his voice frustrated.

"Finding out what happened to Andrea," The girl replied. "Where does it look like?"

Carl paused. He knew how she felt about the blonde woman, tone no longer as harsh. "I didn't see her there."

"Neither did I." She replied quietly.

"You know," Carl started, and Faye got the feeling she wouldn't like what he had to say. "If she's dead, it's... it could be worse. You didn't know her that long, didn't talk to her much-"

"So what?" The girl snapped, stopping in her tracks. He looked surprised, she hadn't used that tone with him for a long time. "It doesn't matter how long you know someone anymore, it's what you do with that time. In the time I knew Andrea, she taught me things I never had a mother to tell me, she saved Carol's life, and she tried to fix something beyond repair between us and the Governor. I'd say that's a pretty damn good reason to care!"

Faye took a breath for a moment, not realising how loudly she'd spoken. With a huff, she began walking again, faintly hearing the boys footsteps following her a few seconds later.

Michonne was the first person Faye found, all the newcomers having gone into the cell block. Any hope she had of finding Andrea dwindled from the look of the woman. If she had been friends with her, she'd be stood with the blonde now, maybe catching up on everything that had gone on or apologising for all the mistakes they had made.

She hadn't moved from her car seat, just angled out the door hunched on her knees. Her eyes were almost glazed over, not paying attention to the rest of the world.

Carl waited by the doorway of the cell block, knowing they would have to go in some time, but gave her time to figure this out. It was the nicest thing he had done all day.

Approaching the woman slowly, unsure what mood she would be in. Faye saw no reaction on her face. Once she found herself in front of Michonne, she waited for a few seconds before speaking softly, hoping not to anger her. "Where's Andrea?"

Michonne didn't answer and any hope of Andrea being alive diminished. "She's didn't come back, did she?"

At the shake of the woman's head, Faye's stomach twisted. "She's dead, isn't she?"

At the nod of the woman's head, Faye's heart dropped. She stood in silence for what felt like a long time, simply breathing in and out.

Andrea was dead. Andrea was dead. Andrea was dead.

How could such a small sentence mean so much? Three words to tell how someones life was at an end, stolen from those left behind. That wasn't fair, there was so much more to say than that, about how they died, how they live, what they died for. Did Andrea die saving someone, or was it in vain? The woman was so strong to Faye, from those few glimpses the child had into the older's life. How much didn't she know?

And yet, those words were more than enough. They told so much, they told you things you never wanted to hear, but they lingered. They were important enough to replay in your mind until you had no choice but to face their truth.

Faye's words were calmer than she expected them to be. Hell, her whole body was calmer than she expected it to be. "How?"

Michonne's voice sounded like it was on automatic, almost robotic compared to the girl's timid one. "The Governor locked her in a room with someone who was dying. He turned and bit her before she could escape. We were too late. She ended it herself."

The Governor. Of course it was the Governor. The controlling, sick, selfish, crazy, bastard- Faye stopped herself, but the anger still showed on her face. There was no use being mad, she knew that, when the guy was dead. It didn't stop her, but she knew. The others had gone after him, and it was over. He had gunned down his people, Daryl said, and now it was over. He couldn't do anything like that again, that was what really mattered.

It hadn't even been a quick death. It had been a death having skin torn from your body, fever wracking your head until you had no choice but to put a bullet there too. That was a cruel way to go, a way nobody deserved. Apart from those who forced someone else to die like that. Meaning, of course, the Governor.

Looking at Michonne, however, none of those emotions were showing. Her face was blank, unmoving. Did she not care? Michonne was supposed to be Andrea's friend and she hadn't even said her name! "Are- are you not bothered?"

The woman's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she spoke. "...What?"

Faye wasn't sure why she took out her frustration on her, did it anyway, voice getting increasingly loud. "You don't even look sad, or- or angry or anything! You haven't even said her name! Don't you care? You were supposed to be her friend-!"

"Don't you dare." Michonne snapped, cutting Faye off. "Don't you dare say I don't care. I was with Andrea for months, what do you know?! You barely spoke to her!"

The girl's mouth hung open silently in surprise, not expecting the outburst of scolding. It took her a while to regain her composure before replying quietly. "I'm sorry."

Again, it took a few seconds for the older woman to reply, sounding almost defeated. But, she didn't apologise for snapping, it certainly put the child in her place. "I should've been there. I should've tried harder to make her leave that place. I should've tried harder to stop her going back."

Of course Michonne cared. Faye should have known that, and she shouldn't have doubted it. So what if the woman was just quieter about it? Who was Faye to judge her way of grieving? "There wasn't anything you could've have done. Andrea was stubborn."

"That was Andrea, alright." The chuckle was weak, but better than none at all. "You know, she mentioned you. Took me a while to realise the kid she was talking about was actually you, but it made sense after a little bit."

"What did she say?"

"That you were little and never had a mother. And that you listened to her like she was giving you the rules of life."

Faye grinned. "She kind of was."

"What rules?"

The child's smile widened. This was easy. "The first is that women are just as good as men. The second is to never give a man a woman's job and you shouldn't let them push you around. But the most important thing is that women are always right!"

"Sounds about right." Michonne nodded to herself a little. "You certainly make an impression on people, kid, in your own strange little way."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Faye raised an eyebrow, but didn't frown. She was getting Michonne to talk, this was good, this was progress. "Did Andrea teach you anything?"

Resting her chin on a curled up hand, the woman thought for a few moments before replying with what the girl hoped was the beginnings of a smile. "It wasn't so much as teaching me as bringing me back." At the Faye's confused expression, she elaborated. Well, a little. "I was in a bad place for a long time. I don't know where I would be if I didn't find her."

Nodding, Faye decided not to say anything more. Even after she had gone, Andrea was still bringing people together. Or, at least, become something she and Michonne could bond over.

Maybe. Was this considered bonding? Faye hoped so. She liked Michonne. She was cool.

(Not to mention using the katana had gone on her list of things to accomplish.)

"I'm going to find him."

Faye narrowed her eyes. "Find who?"

"The Governor. He's not escaping me."

Wait, wait, wait, what? Please say this was a joke - Faye knew it wasn't a joke - that Michonne was pulling her leg. "He's dead! Isn't he?"

"He got away. There was no trace of him." The next words were dark, her dark eyes cold. "I'll find a trail, and I'll make him pay."

No, no, no, this wasn't fair! This was supposed to be over! Everything was! They were going to make a new life in the prison specifically without the Governor out on the prowl.

How could they possibly let him get away? That was the most important thing.

Somehow, though, the determined - and threatening - look in Michonne's eyes assured her the man would pay.

Whatever that payment may be.

"You should head inside," Michonne said quietly. "It may take some convincing to make Carl sit through whatever speech Rick has prepared without making a snide comment."

The girl cringed with a glance towards her sulking friend. "You noticed?"

"The boy looks ready to throw them all out." She replied, voice still low. "Did he really shoot that boy?"

Faye nodded. "Yes. But, it's okay, he was just protecting us." She was probably just reassuring herself more than Michonne. "I should go inside."

Narrowing her eyes slightly, the woman added one last comment. "Carl isn't a saint. He can't 'do no wrong'. It's okay to disagree with what he's done."

"I know that." She said quietly before walking away. And she did, the boy had made stupid decisions before, and she had been mad at him over them. Just because that hadn't happened lately did mean it didn't happen at all. She wouldn't be following Andrea's rules if she treated him that way.

Which she wasn't.

Right?

After much grumbling from Carl, Faye managed to get them both inside the cell block just as Rick awkwardly stood in front of the Woodbury- no, the new prison residents.

The people had all huddled together in the main room, some seated on the benches, looking at the leader expectantly. It was amusing to see him slightly lost for words. When he saw the two children, he nodded in greeting, saddened but not surprised when he received no acknowledgement from his son. Faye gave the man a weak smile before following Carl around the back of the group and up the stairs, legs swinging over the side as she leant against a bar.

"So," Rick began when the murmuring died down, looking obviously relieved when Daryl and Tyreese moved to stand behind him. "I believe some explanations are in order."

That was an understatement.

Faye blanked out most of Rick's explanation of the Governor's deeds. She didn't want to hear a repeat, she didn't want to see the reactions of the people discovering the sadistic nature of their ex-leader. Who would? From what she had heard, the Governor had upheld a charming persona. This conversation would be like throwing open a curtain, light falling on your eyes too quickly.

Except, it wasn't light you were exposed to and birds weren't chirping in the morning sun.

The girl only started listening when the talk moved towards her.

"He has killed our people, kidnapped them," Faye noticed he had looked to Glenn and Maggie for an approving nod, and then he was looking at her. What was the point in hiding it? They all saw the bandage, and people were nosey. She knew this, of course, because she was nosey herself. Nodding, he continued. "He shot one of our children. And, and I know this is a lot to take-"

"-but what matters is we're here now. These people will take care of us." Tyreese said, and all eyes were on him as his kind smile was unwavering. She hadn't seen a smile like that in a long time, she couldn't imagine him killing walkers with the hammer he had hanging from his belt.

"That's right. You've heard more than enough. Introductions." The man rubbed his forehead. "You already know Tyreese and Sasha from Woodbury. I'm Rick," He motioned behind him. "And this is Daryl."

Nodding curtly to the newcomers, the hunter looked surprisingly calm and collected. Faye didn't feel that way, all the people being here made her feel surrounded. It was probably good that the two children had taken to the stairs rather than staying on the prison floor.

Arm held up to the left, the man continued. "Glenn and Maggie."

Maggie gave a quick smile and 'hello' while Glenn raised a hand in a wave before Rick moved on.

"Beth, Hershel, Carol," All three gave a greeting. "T-Dog-"

"'Sup."

"-and Michonne... who is still outside."

As the man's eyes once again met hers, Faye suddenly felt very nervous. He would probably introduce the two children together, and since Carl wouldn't say anything, the spotlight would fall to her.

"Up there is Faye, and my son Carl."

As expected, faces turned towards her and Carl said nothing, eyes suspiciously scanning the small crowd. Not wanting to leave a bad impression, Faye quickly - probably too quickly to seem natural - raised an arm to wave.

The attention left as quickly as it came, and left the child wondering where she got stage fright.

Apparently relieved to have finally gotten this far, Rick put on what he must have hoped was a friendly smile.

"Welcome to the prison."

Author's Notes:

Sorry if the quality isn't as high for this chapter, I've been in Holland practically all week and have only had a chance to write these past two days. It is now past twelve o'clock so I am off to bed!

Luckily, I'm getting a new laptop on Monday so I won't have to share with my brother. This way, updates should be more frequent again sooner than I thought! For now, though, they will still be once a week.

Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! They were both helpful and motivating.

See you next Saturday!

Please review, I love to hear your thoughts and advice.

Thanks.

Cobalt Flame.