AN- So another update I'm not sure where this came from but I just kept typing after I finished the last chapter and this is what I got.
Harper's opened her eyes and stretched her arms above her head her eyes focused on Murphy looking down at her. She smiled up at him her eyes meeting his.
"You know some girls would find this creepy." She told him. Murphy grinned
"Yur nu sum girls wud fed dis romantic." (You know some girls would find this romantic.) Murphy told her grinning down at her.
"Waking up to you staring them down?" she giggled.
His eyes scanned her's, "After foive years together me 'eart still skips a club whaen oi see yer." (After five years together my heart still skips a beat when I see you.)
"Alright that was romantic." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down on top of her pulling him into a kiss.
Harper opened her eyes to see once again the white ceiling of their hospital area. She frowned she hadn't wanted to wake up from her dream. She turned her head to see Connor pacing by the window.
"Connor?" her throat hurt to speak, "What happened?"
"Do you remember the fire?" he asked.
She thought for a moment as everything came rushing back to her, "Vaguely." She mumbled.
"How's the house?" she asked.
"It's gone." He told her, "But at least you got out."
"Murphy got me out." She said softly.
"No he didn't" he told her, "Murphy's gone."
"I know." She told him, "I know but maybe a part of him could save me or watch over me."
Connor smiled, "It would be nice to believe that." He told her. "It really would, but you in healed a lot of smoke. You were just seeing things."
"Maybe." She told him as she looked out the window. She couldn't shake the image of the man standing over her. His eyes had seemed to familiar It was just like her dream. She knew Murphy's eyes but she couldn't fully make out the man that had been standing over her. Her vision after that fire hadn't been the best maybe she was just making up the person who stood above her to someone she had really wanted to save her. "All the pictures." She whispered. "All gone, Murphy's and Liam's"
"Yeah." Connor told her, "I'm sorry."
"How did it catch on fire?" she asked.
"Gas."
"How did gas start a fire?" she frowned.
"Someone poured gas through the house and set it on fire. Those men had to of done it." Connor shook his head, "They tried to kill you."
Harper frowned and looked at him, "Why would they have done that?"
"Because like I've been trying to say they aren't good people they have Beth brain washed she's lost to us here." Connor told her.
"What happened to you?" she asked.
"What?" He glanced down at her.
"Why would they set the house on fire?" she asked, "Beth was in there, "Judith was in there!"
"They don't care about them." Connor told her, "The Governor said he saw-"
"Since when did you follow someone so blindly!" she almost yelled at him, "Why would they save the baby from the fire?"
"I don't know." He shook his head, "I just know those men aren't good men."
"If you ask Beth you are the bad one." She whispered.
"She was brain washed." He tried telling her
"No." She shook her head, "I want to believe those men are bad, but something makes me think it isn't true." Tears filled her eyes. "You are the one that went in there and stole a girl and a baby and brought them here. You are the one that held them here against there will. And you think they are bad people because they came and got her." She shook her head, "Saved them both from a fire. Saved me from a fire, but to you they are still bad people."
"He killed Liam!" Connor yelled at her, "They protect the man that killed him!"
'We gotta get back to the prison. I have to get back to Liam' the man's voice echoed through her head. The voice that sounded so much like Murphy's.
"He's alive." Harper said softly, "I know he's alive."
"Who?"
"Liam," She said softly, "That man wanted to get Beth away quickly to get back to Liam he sounded worried."
"How do you know its our son?" he shook his head, "No I saw the burned body. The Governor said-"
"No!" She yelled at him, "No more about the Governor I don't want to hear about that monster anymore! I want to leave this place! I want to get out of here and away from all this! I want to leave!"
"SHh." He bent down next to her, "Don't say those things if he hears-"
"Shut up." She glared at him, "If you could see that fear in your eyes you wouldn't even know yourself."
"I'm not afraid." He told her.
"You let that Governor run you, you fear what he is. When did you become that kind of man? When did you become the man that stands around while bad things happen?" She shook her head, "I don't know you anymore, and if Murphy was alive he wouldn't even know you."
"I'm not I help this town I can help this place." He told her, "I am helping these people."
"Are you?" she asked, "Because no one here would go behind enemy lines to save one another. Not once but twice those people have come for one of their own."
"Harp-"
"No." She shook her head, "I want to be part of something like that I don't want to feel guilty about the way I live, this place is just gilded." She told him, "Talking with Beth I just felt like I was always trying to convince her this place was good, but really I was trying to convince myself that this place was good, but in the end Beth convinced me her place was far better. They may all be different but they are a family."
"That's what you and I are." He told her.
"But wouldn't it be nice to know there was more." She told him tears in her eyes; "To know it isn't just up to you that what ever corner you turn you could be safe? That all the pressure won't be on you."
"That place." He shook his head, "Beth is young naive she doesn't really know what's going on around her. None of those men are good men. None of them."
"You don't know that." She told him
"You don't know if they are good either." Connor informed her, "We are staying here where we know it is safe."
"But its not." She told him. "Someone tried to kill me they set the house on fire with me inside!"
"Yes those monsters you are trying to defend the ones that killed Liam!" he yelled at her no longer controlling his anger.
"I don't believe he is dead!" she yelled back at him, "You can't tell me to stay here."
"You don't know what you are saying they gave you something for the pain." Connor shook his head; "We will talk about this later." He kissed the top of her head and walked out of the room not waiting for her to respond.
Harper rolled her eyes not believing the man that he had become. She turned her head to look at the ceiling as she tossed around ideas in her mind. She couldn't believe how far Connor had fallen. Did he really believe in the Governor or had he learned to be a man of fear without his brother? As much as she wanted to stay with Connor something was pulling her to leave this place. She knew someone in Woodbury set the fire even if Connor refused to believe it. She closed her eyes for a moment, but opened them when she heard someone walking up to her.
"I don't want to talk anymore Connor." She growled.
"I'm not Connor." The Governor spoke causing Harper to look at him quickly. "What will it take for you to die huh?" he asked.
"It was you." She whispered.
"It was." He grinned.
"When Connor finds out." She told him as she began to feel sleepy.
"What's that, more morphine?" He asked as he gave her a shot, "Alright."
"No." She shook her head. "No." she tried to push him away, but her hand felt heavy to heavy to lift.
"Go to sleep now." He told her grinning.
"No." She whispered but she couldn't stay awake any longer. She wanted to call out for Connor, but she couldn't get herself to speak.
Daryl grinned as Liam walked out of the cell and sat down at the table. "Feelin' better boy?" he asked as he glanced down at Judith who sat in his arms.
"Lot's" He said, "I'm hungry."
"Good stew is ready." Carol said as she placed a bowl in front of the boy. "How's your shoulder Daryl?" she asked
"Fine." He mumbled.
"What happened?" Liam asked a mouth full of food.
"Well I thought your bullet wound looked cool so I went and got myself one." Daryl joked.
Liam smiled, "Silly it hurts."
"Learned that the hard way." Daryl grinned at the boy.
Carol watched almost in awe the way Daryl interacted with the boy. She watched as the two both slurped down their stew in identical ways. She smiled looking at how Daryl was she had seen this side of him when he had looked for Sophia. He tried to hide his soft side but it seemed children could always bring it out.
"I want to stay here." Liam said, "Ma and Pa should live here."
Daryl felt his heart sink. He liked the fact the boy wanted to stay, but something about being reminded that this child belonged to other people made him feel almost broken. "I don't know if they can."
"Ma would." Liam told him, "Pa works for the mean man he might not want to come he says everyone here is bad."
"What do you think?" Daryl asked.
"I don't think you are bad." The boy said, "Everyone here is nice and not scary."
"Depends on the day." Daryl told him, "Some say I'm not always nice."
"It's cause you pretend silly." The little boy said, "You don't want people to know you nice."
"I'm not nice." He told the kid.
"Ma says you shouldn't lie." The boy told Daryl.
Daryl let a grin play across his face as Judith cooed in his arms. He glanced back down at the baby then back to Liam. "I ain't lyin'"
"Sure you are." The boy took another spoon full of his stew. "You look like my Da." Liam told him, "And Ma says Da would always tell you the truth with his eyes."
"What's that gotta do with me?" Daryl asked amazed every second at how smart this boy sounded, way beyond his years.
"You always say you don't like people, but you have nice eyes." The little boy said, "Like a puppy."
Carol let out a small laugh she tried to cover her mouth, but she couldn't hide the surprise. The boy was right Daryl did have eyes like a puppy when he looked at someone he cared about he seemed so gentle so kind. In an instead he could turn back to the cold uneasy, uncomfortable to be around Daryl, but in brief moments his eyes always gave his kindness away.
"What ever you say kid." Daryl smirked as Beth walked over and handed him a bottle for the baby. He held it for Judith as the little boy began talking about all kinds of ways to tell if someone was lying, but the easiest type of person were ones like Daryl. Daryl just watched the boy talk happy the child was still alive. He didn't know why he didn't mind listening to the child ramble he didn't know why when he looked at the boy he couldn't help smile. The child kept looking up at him with eyes that seemed so much like the woman he had lost. His mind flashed back to the day before he had thought he saw those very eyes on that woman he pulled out of the burning house. He shook his head trying to push that image from his eyes. Perhaps he was going mad, or perhaps it had been so long since he had seen Harper's eyes that he didn't even remember what they looked like anymore. It seemed he was seeing them everywhere. On this child and on a woman who lay on the ground half dead. He reminded himself he also thought he her saw the night they had gotten Glenn and Maggie out of Woodbury. Among the smoke and gunfire he thought she had been standing in a white dress barefoot.
"You ok?" Liam's voice broke through his thoughts.
"Yeah." Daryl looked over it him, "Sorry. What were you saying?"
"Just that Ma will be mad at me." Liam told him.
"Don't worry 'bout that." Daryl told him.
"She won't be mad." Beth said as she sat down, "I was with her while I was gone."
"You were?" Liam asked smiling, "And she wasn't mad?"
"No." Beth told him, "She misses you she thinks you are with your father right now."
"I'm not in heaven." Liam frowned.
"She told me all about your father." Beth smiled, "About how he used to cook for her every Saturday morning he would let her sleep in and he would go make her pancakes."
Daryl turned to look at Beth frowning he didn't say a word but continued to look at her almost knowing the words that were falling from her mouth.
"He would come upstairs and come get her so they could eat the pancakes together." Beth smiled, "He seemed like he loved her very much." Her eyes glanced up at Daryl for a moment. She tried to make sense of the family she had stayed with. She had thought the man that Harper claimed was Liam's father looked an awful like Daryl, but the man in the picture was Murphy. Harper also said the man was dead. Beth's eyes scanned Daryl looking for clues of his past any hint that maybe the man in the picture could possibly be the man sitting next to her.
"Sounds like a pu-" Daryl glanced at Liam and remembered he shouldn't go around tossing bad language around a child.
"Sounds like the man loved his wife." Beth finished. "Were you ever married, Daryl?"
"Me?" He frowned, "Never."
"Never?" Beth asked, "You never had any girl you ever fell in love with? Never thought of getting married not even once?"
"No." he muttered.
"Even now you don't show any interests in any girl, no one here as if you aren't even looking." Beth continued. "It just got me thinking maybe its because you lost someone."
"Ain't lost nobody like that." He growled at her.
"But the way you act it just seems like you completely have given up on finding someone to love, like maybe you already loved someone so deeply that you just can't love again and that woman was it for you." Beth continued.
"Enough." Daryl growled, "ain't no woman in my past, ain't no woman in my future. This ain't a world you run 'round looking for someone to love, ain't no such thing."
"You don't believe that." Beth said, "You don't believe there was never such a thing."
"You don't know me girl." Daryl growled at her.
"That tattoo on your hand it means Justice right?" she asked.
"So what if it does?" Daryl asked
"Why do you have so many religious tattoos?" She continued.
"Ain't none of your concern." He growled. "But when everyone says you get tattoos as a kid and regret 'em when you're older, they ain't lying."
"Did you see my Da while you were there too?" Liam asked.
"Yes." Beth said looking away from Daryl, "Not as much as I saw your Ma. She helped me with Judith."
"I want to tell her I'm ok." Liam said, "I want her to live here."
"That's not gunna happen bud." Daryl told him, "Sorry."
"Why?" he asked
"Because she likes where she is. People don't like nuthin' to change." Daryl explained, "Where she is she thinks she's safe so she won't leave to come 'er."
"She hates it there." Liam frowned, "She's scared of the Governor she was really scared of him, she thinks he's gunna hurt everyone."
"Then why does she stay?" Carol asked frowning.
"Because Da says that it is safe. Ma says he is blind to the bad that the Governor does she says that one day he will see and we will leave." Liam shoveled more stew in his mouth.
"Well when you're better I'll take you back to your Ma if you want." Daryl told the boy, "Or you can stay here where I can keep you safe. 'Cause your Da ain't doing good at it."
"I sneak out." Liam tried arguing, "I snuck away from Ma."
"Why?" Daryl asked, "You knew outside was dangerous. Why did you leave the safety of your house?"
"Because." The boy said looking at Daryl, "I missed you."
"Kid." Daryl shook his head, "I ain't worth throwin' your life away for."
"I just wanted to see you." Liam said, "I want you to meet my Ma. You would like her and she would like you."
"Why?" Daryl frowned, "Why would she like me?"
"Cause you look like my real Da." Liam said, "I saw a picture and you look lots like him."
"Just 'cause people look alike don't make them alike." Daryl told him.
"Ma would like you I just know it." He told him as he got off his chair. "And you would like Ma."
Daryl sighed knowing better then to argue with a child. "Why don't ya go outside and get some fresh air, kid."
"Ok." Liam said as he walked for the door.
"Just don't go to far." Daryl called after him, "And if you feel tired stop and rest. Don't push yourself."
The boy wrinkled his nose, "I know."
"If anything hurts you stop and call for someone got it?" Daryl continued
Liam sighed, "Yes I know."
"Good, just be careful." Daryl glanced down at Judith who had fallen asleep in his arms. "I'm gunna put her down for her nap, than I'll be around so just call if ya need anything."
Liam nodded his head as he left the room. Daryl watched worried that the boy would push himself to far; worried the boy wasn't ready to go for long walks around the prison.
"Daryl." Rick's voice broke through his thoughts, "Have you seen Jon?"
"Duffy?" Daryl asked, "No, why?"
"I can't seem to find him he said he was going on a run, he's been gone a long time." Rick looked down at Judith, "Mind keeping an eye on her and Carl while I run out and look for him."
"Do you need any help?" Daryl asked
"Nah." He smiled, "Judith seems to need you more than I do right now."
Daryl shrugged his shoulders, but said no more as Rick left the room.
"Why are you doing this?" Harper asked weakly as she followed the Governor and two other men she didn't know. Her hands were bound in front of her attached to a long rope that the biggest man held. Her vision was blurry she felt weak. Whenever she stumbled they would yell at her and pull on the rope telling her to get back up. She wasn't sure how long they had been walking. She had woken up in the woods with these men and she had been walking since.
"Because with you around he will never fully attach the prison." The Governor said, "You are drawn to that place, if you keep trying to talk him into going he just might."
"Why does that matter a few months ago you didn't even know who we were." She said to him, "Why do you care if Connor and I leave?"
"Because." The Governor growled, "Merle jumped ships to be with his brother. I ain't letting Connor he's a great shot we will need him on our side."
"Connor would never go to the prison." Harper told him, "There is nothing there he wants, no one there he wants."
"Your son is." The governor said
"But you said-" She gasped she didn't know what to do with the new information, she knew in her heart he hadn't died she knew she heard that man that came for Beth talk about Liam, but hearing a conformation that the boy wasn't dead made her heart jump.
"That Daryl shot him?" The governor grinned, "He saved him."
"Saved him?" She frowned, "saved him from what?"
The Governor shrugged, "The kid may be dead now the last time I saw him he was gasping for air."
Harper looked at the man in horror as he stopped and continued to grin at her.
"I knew Connor would want revenge I've seen the way he is with his family." He continued, "I knew if that boy died he would think it was those in that prison and without a doubt he would destroy them."
"What did you do?" She asked almost to afraid to know the answer.
"Shot the boy." He kept his smile. "And he would have died right there if it wasn't for that dumb hick that your husband is so bent on killing."
"Beth was right." Harper continued, "You are an awful man." Tears filled her eyes wondering if her boy could survive being shot.
"The man that saved your son was none other then Merle's brother. Your husband has already shot him not once but twice."
"Twice?" Harper asked.
"Once the night you tried to kill yourself and the second time yesterday as he stood over your body." He's smile unnerved her. Looking at this evil man's face she wondered how Murphy and Connor had faced so many like this man and never once seemed scared. "Daryl will kill your husband now if he gets the chance or your husband will kill him."
"No."
"The man you love will either kill the man that saved your son and you, or the man that saved you and your son will kill you husband." He grinned, "I hope it's the second choice."
"Connor will kill you when he finds out you took me." She told him. "You will regret it he is not a man to be crossed."
"He's nothing to fear." The governor told her as he continued to walk. The big man pulled the rope hard almost causing her to fall forward. She quickly got her feet underneath her and attempted to keep up with their long stride. "He may be good with a gun, but he doesn't have anything else going for him."
"That's where you're wrong." Harper told him, "You have no idea what Connor is capable of."
"And you." He turned around getting in her face, "Have no idea what I'm capable of. You should have never told your husband you wanted to leave. You should have been happy I gave you a home a safe place for your son. It wasn't my fault he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. You should have been watching him it was your job to make sure nothing happened to her."
"Her?" Harper asked.
"Him." The governor growled, but turned away and continued walking.
"What are you going to do with me?" She asked him.
"I'm going to give you a chance." He smiled. He looked around, "Here is good." The other men nodded and pulled her towards a tree.
"What are you doing?" She asked but she knew the moment she saw the man tying the rope to the tree. "You're going to leave me tied to this tree aren't you?"
"Here." HE grinned tossing her a butter knife, "Something to defend yourself with."
She shook her head fighting the tears that wanted to fall, "Connor will find out." She told him, "He will find out everything that you have done and you will be sorry for the day you crossed him."
The governor grinned, "I will win this war. You're husband is just a pawn that I need to put into place."
"That's where you're wrong. By putting him in the game you will end this all for yourself. You will awaken a part of him that hasn't been around for a very long time and in doing so you will lose." She smiled, "Even if I am dead I know you won't be far behind."
"Nice speech, but it isn't going to do you any good." He nodded to the other men. They all shot off their guns into the air a few rounds. "That should draw them, I sure hope you're good with a knife."
The three men left quickly. Every sound after made her heart race wondering if one of the dead would come out at any second. She hadn't ever been alone since this all happened she always had Connor by her side. She heard twig snap to her left she turned quickly than heavy breathing reached her ears. Out of the bushes one of the dead came limping out groaning as it did. Harper wanted to scream, but knew it would only draw more. She tried to move farther away but the rope wouldn't let her. The walker lunged at her, but she quickly got out of the way running to the other side of the tree, in doing so she shortened her rope. She heard more noise behind her and noticed two more coming in her direction. She knew she could possibly kill one, but three there was no hope. The first lunged at her again she couldn't help the scream that escaped her lips as she plunged the knife forward getting the walker in the eyes. It fell to the ground with a heavy thud. She heard even more coming she took note of four more. She tried to pull the knife out of the fallen walker, but it was no use it was stuck in hard. She saw the others getting closer and closed her eyes waiting for the end. She didn't want to leave Connor, but at least now she would be with Murphy once more, but no pain came. She heard a man yell something and opened her eyes to see someone with a big hunting knife coming to her rescue. He fought off two of the walkers, but they all turned their attention to him as he was making a lot of noise trying to draw the walkers from her. She watched stunned at the mans bravery. He killed one, then, two. He got almost all of them only two were left. He stabbed one of them, but he didn't notice the other behind him. Harper yelled out trying to alert him, just as the walker was about to grab him a shot rang out and the last walker hit the ground.
"Rick." The first man smiled, "I would have been a goner with out you."
"What were you doing jumping into a herd like that?" Rick growled, "If I wasn't here-"
"Well it's a good thing you were then huh?" the first man smirked.
Harper didn't know what to say, should she fear these men or should she thank god that he had sent them to save her. "You all right?" the first man asked.
Harper frowned as the voice seemed familiar the man walked closer to her. When she saw his face she felt her heart rise.
"Harper?" He asked getting a closer look it seemed he recognized her the same moment that she had recognized him.
"Duffy?" she asked, "Is that really you?"
"You're alive?" he asked, "I thought-"
"Connor he kept me alive." She said quickly.
"How'd you end up here?" He asked, "Tied to a tree?"
"The governor he wants Connor on his side, I tried to convince him to leave. The governor thinks my death will get Connor to be devoted to him. Loyal."
Duffy went to work untying her hands a grin on his face; "You won't guess who's at the prison with me."
"Who?" Harper asked, "Please say Liam. Please say he's alive." Tears filled her eyes.
Duffy frowned, "Liam? He's your son?"
"Yes." She nodded her head, "Is he alive?"
Duffy nodded, as he seemed to connect everything he had noticed with Daryl and the boy. The reason the older man seemed so closed off to everyone, but drawn to Liam. Everything made sense now. "He's alive." He said softly.
Harper let happy tears fall down her face, "Thank god." She whispered.
"God had nothing to do with it." Rick growled, "Hershel and Daryl had everything to do with it."
"Well then thank them too." Harper said to the man who frowned at her.
"Jon we aren't taking people in, no more." Rick shook his head.
"We can't just leave her." Jon frowned, "Rick let me speak to you over there."
Harper watched as the two men walked out of earshot and began talking. She wondered what they were saying. The man who he called Rick seemed so set on not allowing her to come, yet Duffy wanted her.
"Listen Rick I can't tell you exactly why, but she needs to come back with us." He told his brother in law.
"She isn't coming." Rick shook his head.
"Listen to me please Liam needs his mother." He needed to convince Rick.
"She hasn't been a very good mother this is the second time we have found her son wondering alone." Rick argued.
"Daryl will want to see her." Jon tried to explain.
"What has Daryl got to do with this?" Rick asked, "He won't want to see the woman who couldn't keep her son out of trouble."
"Just trust me." Jon told him, "He will want to see this one."
A gunshot rang out causing both men to instantly stop their argument. Harper rushed over to them,
"He's back!" she said quickly. The governor came into view.
"You bitch." He growled seeing Harper free.
"Run!" Rick yelled seeing a truck driving up behind the governor.
The three took off running knowing they weren't a match for the governor's men, not right now. It seemed they were possibly losing the others, but just as the three thought they were safe they heard more shots being fired.
"Shit." Rick yelled out as a bullet hit the tree he ran past.
"Harper faster!" Jon yelled as he grabbed Harper's hand trying to get her to run faster than she was.
"I can't." she said as she tried to keep up.
Jon let out a yell of pain as he hit the ground one of the bullets had his the back of his knee. Harper fell tripping over him. Rick turned and reached for Harper, but Jon stopped him, "Rick take Harper." Jon yelled, "Get her back the prison and don't look back."
"I'm not leaving you!" Harper yelled.
"Go!" Jon yelled. "Get her there safely."
Rick thought about arguing, but he knew the other men were getting closer. Jon stood up.
"Give me your gun." He said to Rick, "I'll finish off as many as I can."
Rick again paused, but soon nodded and handed his gun to Jon. Without saying a word Rick grabbed Harper he was about to run forward but noticed the governor had more men in the woods. He pulled her into some dense bushes and covered her mouth.
The men caught up with Jon who stood with his back leaning on a tree.
"You chose the wrong side." The governor said with a smile he didn't notice the gun in Duffy's hands. Quickly he raised it to shoot the monster in front of him, but before he could a shot rang out hitting Duffy in the stomach. The impact from the bullet caused him to drop the gun and fall to his knees.
Harper almost screamed but Rick's hand tightened around her mouth. Tears fell freely from her eyes.
"This way" Rick hissed as he pulled her back away from the scene. "There is nothing we can do."
The two snuck back away from the bush careful to not make any noise.
Duffy coughed as blood began to spill from his mouth.
"Are you alright?" Connor asked as he came into view behind the governor. Duffy frowned.
"I'm fine thanks to you." The governor smirked.
"Connor." Duffy said weakly.
Connor's face fell as he recognized the man he had just shot, "No." he muttered as he rushed forward just in time to grab Duffy before he fell over. "Duffy?"
"You." Duffy muttered weakly.
"I didn't mean-" Connor couldn't believe what he had just done. "Duffy I'm so sorry."
"You're alive." He whispered, "Harper." He winced in pain, "Alive." He closed his eyes, "Liam Murphy they're-" he coughed more blood fell from his mouth interrupting him. He began to choke and all to quickly the life left his eyes. He fell limp in Connor's arms.
Rick could see the trucks nearing them through the surrounded woods. He knew there was no way that they both could out run them. He had seen the way Jon looked at this girl he seemed so sure that she was important. He had known her name and she had known his. He had to allow this girl to live he had to give her a good shot at reaching the prison.
"Stop." He said as he pulled the girl to a halt, "Listen you follow that path over there, run as fast as you can once you reach the gates tell them Rick sent you."
"But what about you?" She asked.
"I'm going to stay back and fight them. You don't worry about me you just run. Got it?" he asked her.
Harper nodded her head, she and Connor had been wrong these men in the prison were good men. Duffy was part of them until he died he wouldn't have been part of a bad group.
"Go!" Rick told her, "Now run!"
Harper took off running again in the direction Rick had told her to go. She heard shooting and knew Rick was trying to slow down the enemy. She saw one of the trucks hit a tree, as the driver didn't seem to see.
The farther she got the less she heard of men yelling and gun shots. She didn't care that her legs felt like they couldn't run any farther she didn't care her lungs were on fire all she needed to do was get out of the woods. If she made it to that prison than she would be safe she would see Liam.
She came to a stop as she reached the prison fences. Her eyes scanned the area for any sign of a person that could let her in. She looked for any movement. Then he caught her eyes. Her little boy brought a smile to her face he was far away too far to notice her but she could see him. He was walking around a courtyard filled with grass. He was alive. There was a man following him holding a baby he seemed to care about the boy. She could hear their voices carrying through the wind.
"Liam careful." The man called after him
"I'm fine Daryl." The little boy called back to him.
She could only see the back of the man at first but then he turned to as Liam moved to a different area. Her heart felt as if it stopped. The man she saw standing near her son was Murphy. She hadn't thought she saw Murphy rescue her it had been him. She felt tears come to her eyes she didn't know what to do. Everything she ever dreamed about was before her. Her husband was alive and not only that some how in some way he had found their son not once but twice. She didn't care everyone called that man Daryl she knew in her heart that the man was Murphy. She opened her mouth to call out to them, but before she could she felt rough hands on her waist pull her back. She let out a scream, Murphy!"
"Pretty little thing." A man's voice growled as he covered her mouth, "Thought you could get away?" The man pulled her down into the grass.
Daryl looked up to scan the fence line he had thought he heard a woman's scream. He saw nothing and heard nothing. Frowning he glanced back down at Liam, "Why don't we go inside bud?"
"Why?"
"I couldn't get Judith down for her nap before, why don't you help me?" He asked.
"Alright." The little boy said as he followed Daryl back into the prison walls.
Harper saw the big man that had tied her to the tree pinning her to the ground now. "The Governor wants you back now." The man growled, "Don't know why. But he said bring you back alive." The man stood up and dragged Harper with him. Harper yelled out, but her heart dropped when she no longer saw Murphy or Liam. She tried fighting but realized as the prison began to drop from view it was no use. She wasn't going to get inside those fences.
"I'm sorry." The governor said as he stood next to Connor, "Two losses in one day of someone you love."
Connor looked up from the blonde walker that lay motionless on the ground. She had been shot with a buck shot strait in the head you couldn't make out any part of her face. "It can't be." He whispered tears in his eyes, "No."
"Summer's says he saw her and called out, when she turned he realized he was to late." The governor placed his hand on Connor's shoulder. "I'm so sorry Connor that you had to kill your friend, I'm so sorry that your wife-" he shook his head, "We couldn't find her in time."
"It can't be, this can't be her." Connor whispered, "Why would she leave?"
"The nurse said she over heard her talking that she didn't want to stay in Woodbury she said once you left Harper was upset that you told her that you two wouldn't be leaving so she left on her own." The governor told him.
Connor picked up the corpse and hugged it close to him sobbing. He was fully alone now. God had abandoned him. He had shot one of his friends. He didn't know why Duffy was with those convicts perhaps the word had changed him, but that didn't change the fact that Connor had to kill a friend. He looked up at the governor, "I will help you with those convicts because they killed my son." He whispered, "But after that I won't be long for this world."
Rick limped back into the prison he was surprised he had gotten away from those men. He walked inside to see Daryl sitting with Liam, Judith asleep in his arms. He winced as he sat down.
"Is she alright?" he asked.
"Judith?" Daryl questioned, "Yeah, Why wouldn't she be?"
"No the girl." He sighed.
"What girl?" Daryl looked at Rick confused.
"The blonde." Rick felt his heart drop, had she not gotten into the prison? Had she not made it? Jon had given his life so that this girl could get back here to her son.
"Beth is the only blonde here." Daryl mumbled.
"She didn't make it did she?" Rick felt like a failure once more, this was why he didn't want to protect anyone anymore. Too much pressure and obviously he wasn't any good at it.
Daryl thought of the scream he had heard earlier, "I heard a scream in the woods earlier." He muttered, "Thought I imagined it."
"It doesn't matter." Rick shook his head feeling and looking defeated. "She's gone now."
"What about Duffy?" Daryl asked.
Rick again had a look of defeat flash across his face, "Dead."
"What happened out there?" Daryl asked he knew he should have gone with Rick to help where needed.
"We found a blonde woman tied to a tree, Jon knew her I can't remember what he called her, but he wanted to make sure she got here. The Governor was out there with a lot of men, I have no idea why but he didn't want that girl to be alive he started shooting and Jon got him. Instead of letting us help him he stayed behind told me to make sure she got here." Rick voice showed no sign of emotion now.
"Why?" Daryl asked, "Why was it important she got here?"
"Because she had someone here she loved." Rick muttered.
"Who?" Daryl asked but as he did he saw Rick's eyes look over to Liam who wasn't paying any attention to their conversation. Daryl looked at the boy then back at Rick. He understood, the woman had been Liam's mother.
Harper woke up in a dark room. So dark she couldn't even see her hands when she moved the right in front of her face.
"Help!" She screamed, "Please someone help me!" but no one answered. She didn't know how long she sat in the dark, but she wasn't surprised when a door opened letting in light that sent shots of pain shooting through her head. She tried closing her eyes to block out the light.
"You are a hard one to kill." The governor's voice broke through her pain. "I've decided if you want to live so bad then I'll let you."
Harper glared at him as it became easier to see. She didn't offer any response to him.
"I'll let you live long enough to see your husband do all my bidding and more, and then take his life because he is so alone." He grinned, "And then you will lose everything."
"I already have everything I want." She smiled at him. "You will lose."
"I've already won." He grinned.
"And once again I will tell you, you are wrong." She knew the moment Connor set eyes on Murphy he would turn on the governor in an instant. This evil man's days were numbered. He would never last with both Murphy and Connor after him. "So kill me now or they will find me."
"No." He told her, "You see they way you fight the way you keep surviving I see my wife and I see what I could create."
"What?" she asked.
"You will give me my daughter back. She will be reborn to you." A hint of madness washed through his eyes. "But not today I need to get back to Woodbury, but next time I come and visit we will get started." Then the man turned and slammed the door shut behind him.
Harper stared into the darkness she knew she should feel defeated. She knew there wasn't much hope for her, but that didn't matter. One day soon Connor and Murphy would find each other again. The Saints of Boston together again. They would end the governor, they would create a safe place for Liam to live. It didn't matter what happened to her now.
Connor sat in the small bar that Woodbury had drinking the little booze that was left. He didn't care what he was drinking he only wanted enough so he could forget the events of today, so he could forget any of the recent events. He had lost Liam and he had lost Harper there was nothing left within him other then his need for revenge. He wanted to kill those convicts they had taken everything from him. They had killed Liam, which caused Harper to doubt everything in this place.
"Connor." Andrea's voice said softly as she placed her hand on his shoulder, "Maybe you should slow down."
"Oi'm not slowin' down." (I'm not slowing down.) In his drunken state he didn't attempt to hide his accent.
"You're Irish?" she asked. Connor just turned to glare at her, but then rolled his eyes. He sighed and took another shot. "Listen things will get better."
"Yeah when they are al' dead." (Yeah when they are all dead.) He growled.
"What can I do?" Andrea asked.
Connor looked her over up and down. He didn't say a word as he put his hand around her waist and pulled her down onto his lap kissing her on the lips.
"Connor I-"
"Comfort me." He mumbled, "That's what yah can do."
Andrea was going to say no, but she had been attracted to this man since she had first seen him. She knew she shouldn't she knew she should get up and walk away. That this was taking advantage of him, but she ignored every thought she had. "Let's go to my place." She whispered as she stood up and led him to her house.
AN- So what do you guys think? Review and let me know.