AN- And another update for you guys, hope you enjoy.
Murphy opened his eyes and reached next to him to find Harper wasn't there. He frowned for a moment confused, then he heard the sound of a guitar and he smiled. She loved to play and sing. She had when she was younger, but her father had convinced her to stop telling her a woman of her stature shouldn't lower herself to perform. In the years her and Murphy had been together she left her father she left the high profile life she was used to. At first Murphy had tried to tell her the life he could offer her wasn't one she would like he couldn't give her what she was used to. She had only smiled and told him that his love was all she needed money was meaningless. She had gotten back to playing her guitar and singing, but she wouldn't play on stage she worried she would never be good enough. He could hear the melody she had been working on for months as she tried to write a song. He could hear her voice pick up along with the melody,
"Love woke me up this morning. With a Memory. Love came and whispered a story. That awakened a dream."
Murphy got up from his bed and walked into the living room where she sat. He leaned on the doorway smiling at her. She matched his smile as she continued to sing and play her melody.
"A knight lived in a beautiful castle. He left the comfort of his family. To fight for victory." She stopped and frowned. "This sounds stupid."
"Naw it doesn't love." Murphy told her, "Oi nu its aboyt me."
"So full of yourself." She grinned as she shook her head and then began strumming at her guitar again her voice followed, "I am a dreamer. And so is he. Open the sky and light the fire. He is my dream he is my destiny. Love woke me up this morning. The knight came in on the horse he won for me." She stopped strumming and stopped singing as she looked up with him. "That's all I have."
Murphy smiled and walked up wit her leaning down to kiss her. He pulled back slowly resting his head on hers, "It's beautiful love."
Daryl was woken up to a familiar melody. He frowned as he looked around to see who was humming. Liam was playing with Judith on the floor rolling a ball to her and trying to get her to roll it back. He sat up in bed and glanced next to him almost as if he was expecting to see Harper there singing or playing her guitar to the same melody.
"Where'd you learn that?" he mumbled causing Liam to look up at him.
"Learn what?" The boy asked.
"That song." Daryl stood up and walked to the boy his heart racing.
"My ma." The boy said. "She always sang it." The boy told him.
"Are you sure?" he asked, "What were the words."
The boy wrinkled his nose, "I don't like to sing."
"Just tell me the words." Daryl replied quickly, "Ya don't have to sing 'em."
The boy thought for a minute, "I don't remember the words she hummed it lost, but hasn't sung in a long time ever since she got sad, but sometimes when she was cleaning she would hum."
Daryl looked the boy over wanting to shake the feelings that were washing over him. It felt as if his mind was speeding a mile a minute. Why did this boy remind him so much of Harper? Why did the boy know Harper's song?
Rick walked into the room and smiled when he saw Judith, "Up already?" he asked the baby.
Liam looked up and smiled, "She was crying and everyone was sleeping so I brought her to play."
"Well thank you." Rick told the boy
"Why don't you run down and see if Carol is cookin' yet" Daryl told Liam. The boy scurried out of the room quickly hoping the woman was making some breakfast.
"Rick that blonde woman the Duffy risked himself for. Why?" Daryl asked.
"His name was Jon, why you keep calling him Duffy?" Rick shook his head, "That girl called him that too."
"Why did he risk himself for her? There had to be a reason." Daryl began to pace. "There had to be a reason he wanted her to come here."
"Because her son was here?" Rick guess, "I don't know."
"But you said he knew her. You said he wanted her safe. There had to be more of a reason than getting back to her son."
Rick thought for a moment, "He did mention you, wouldn't tell me why, but he said you would want to see the girl."
"Me?" Daryl asked, "Why?"
"I don't know." Rick sighed.
"What was her name?" Daryl asked.
"The girl?" Rick asked, "I don't remember."
"Rick think, did Duffy say her name?" Daryl stopped pacing and looked up at him, "Just tell me her name!"
"I don't know her name. Does it matter? She did make it. She's gone now." Rick growled, "Ask the kid he should know her name."
Liam came back into the room, "She just woke up she's starting now."
"Kid." Rick turned to look at Liam, "Your mother, what's her name?"
"My ma?" Liam asked, "Harper. Why?"
Daryl felt as if someone had punched him in the gut. Everything made sense now why the boy looked so much like her. Why he couldn't stop thinking of her since the boy had came into his life he was haunted by images of his wife. Daryl couldn't control his body anymore he fell to his knees for the first time in years he didn't try and stop the tears that fell from his eyes. "No." he whispered.
"What's wrong?" Rick asked suddenly worried this wasn't like Daryl. "Liam take Judith down to Carol now." He ordered and the boy followed.
"She can't be. It couldn't be." Daryl muttered.
"What?" Rick asked, "Daryl did you know that girl?"
"She-" Daryl's voice cracked as he tried to speak, "All this time if I had known. If I had known I would have." He shook his head, "I should have known."
"Known what?" Rick asked.
"That she was alive." Daryl looked up at him, "You kept moving forward trying to find Lori and Carl. When you had no proof she was alive, you had no proof yet you didn't give up. I gave up."
"Gave up what?" Rick asked, "Daryl what's going on?"
"Harper." Daryl whispered, "She was my wife. Liam-" Daryl realized now that he wanted to protect Liam because he was blood he was family. "He's my son."
Connor stood on guard watching for any movement along the wall. The past few weeks since Harper's death he felt like he was in a haze, just going through the motions of living, but not feeling a thing. How had he come to this? A few years ago he had his brother by his side together the two had taken on any one who hurt others. He knew with Murphy by his side nothing hurt them. Yet he had lost his brother anyways. So much of his family was gone this new world was worse then the one that came before. People didn't even attempt to follow a law not anymore holding up to his own code wasn't simply black and white anymore. The world was grey he knew he followed a mad man, one that had scared Harper but what else could he do? This man was his only chance to get revenge for his lost family.
"Connor" Andrea's voice came from behind him, "You should go get some rest you've been out here all day."
"I'm fine, don't need rest." He told her.
"Everyone needs rest even you." She told him as she placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I have no place to go." he looked down, "My home." He paused, "is gone."
"A house can be rebuilt, but until then you are welcome to stay where you have been, with me." She stepped around him to look him in the eye.
"No house will ever be home again." He told her, "Harper was home, and Liam was home."
"You can always find a new home." She told him, "New people to surround yourself with to make a home you will find love again."
"I didn't love her like that." Connor sighed, "She was my brother's wife she was a sister to me. I'll never find that again and I'll never find a kid like Liam he was all Murphy left behind."
"Connor-" she started but he interrupted.
"I'm leaving." He said suddenly, "I can't stay here."
"You can't leave." She told him, "No one can survive out there alone, no one."
"I'll be fine."
"But we won't." She told him, "When the governor locked himself away for days on end and the people grew worried you stepped up you lead us, everyone here."
"With your help." He shrugged his shoulders, "I didn't do anything."
"There is something about you." Andrea told him, "That make people want to follow you."
"Everyone was fine here before I came, before I became this man. When I first came here no one even knew me I lived a quiet life with Harper everything was fine. Until I decided I could be Connor MacManus again, but the truth is I'm nothing without Murphy we were a team without him. I'm just." He paused, "Just me pathetic."
"You aren't pathetic and I don't care what you think, but what I know is these people follow you. I follow you." She said softly as she stepped closer, "Please stay."
Connor looked at her emptiness in his eyes. "All I have left is my revenge I will go there and kill every last one of those men responsible this."
"They are good men there too." She told him, "Men I know you would get along with we all just need to sit down everything is just miscommunication."
"How do you know?" He asked.
"You know I used to be part of their group before they took that prison I know them I know them all. Not a single one was a bad man except Merle and he was here with us longer then he was there." Andrea told him, "What does that say about this place?"
"Harper wanted to leave." Connor told Andrea, "She could sense something was off about this place." He turned to walk away from the wall, "Come morning I'm leavening"
"Where will you go?" she asked.
"To kill those I need and then." He stopped and sighed, "Well I don't plan on there being an after, I'm going to go in there and kill as many as I can before they get me. I have no intention of walking out of there alive."
"Connor-" she tried to say, but he stopped her.
"Come back to the house with me we can say good bye tonight." He told her with a soft smile.
Andrea nodded her head and followed him without saying a word.
"How are we doing?" The governor's voice came through the darkness as the door creaked open. Harper held her hand up trying to block the light from hitting her eyes. As he eyes focused she could see him bending down next to her. "To bad I don't have the time I need." He frowned, "You don't excite me in the way you should. How do I create my daughter with you if you don't excite me."
"Just let me go." Harper's voice croaked from the lack of water.
"Let you go?" he smirked, "Why would I do that?"
"Because once they find out you will die, but if you let me go now I won't tell them I won't tell them I promise." She hung her head, it had been a long time since she had been locked up she didn't know how long all she knew was they hadn't come for her. "They think I'm dead."
"Yes." The governor said, "You know how quickly your little husband jumped into bed with Andrea?" he grinned, "The very moment we returned after I showed the walker that resembled you all to well."
Harper smiled, "Good he deserves to find someone."
"He's moving on without you." He told her as he frowned, why didn't this news affect the girl?
"Are you just mad because he's moving on with your girl?" Harper smirked up at him, "Everyone will turn from you in the end. By getting rid of me you dug your own grave."
"I did no such thing. I have you here and Connor right where I want him." He told her trying to smile, but something about the girl smiling back unnerved him.
"Those people follow you out of fear." She told him, "In the end they will turn from you because they will follow Connor out of loyalty."
"He's no leader he is drowning his sorrows with liquor and being inside Andrea." he growled.
"Then why do I see fear in your eyes, you don't understand who he was and what he can do. That fear you have its rightfully so." She thought of Murphy and Liam, "And when he see's through your lies you will die be it Connor or Murphy the MacManus brothers. To bad you can't Google who they were because if you were you'd be running."
He moved forward and grabbed her by the neck pinning her to the wall, "Stop trying to scare me it won't work. I'll be back here tonight when I'm not due for a meeting and we will get started on making my daughter again."
"You're crazy." She hissed
"I'm winning." He grinned as he let her fall to the ground, "Remember that. I don't know who Murphy is but I know Connor is alone he is broken and being part of Woodbury will give him a cause to fight for give him a new purpose." HE moved for the door, but before he could close it he heard Harper,
"You don't know him at all." She put her hand on her throat wincing she knew she would have a bruise later from his hands. "He won't follow you not after he see's Murphy."
"What do you mean he's your son?" Rick asked as he followed Daryl over to where they kept all the weapons.
"I'm going out there I'm going to find her." Daryl told Rick, "You watch Liam make sure he doesn't wonder away."
"Daryl stop she's gone." Rick told him, "You don't even know if that girl really was your wife or if Liam really is your son."
"Don't know why I never saw it, Rick look at him." Daryl told him, "Can't tell me we don't look similar, everything about him looks like me 'cept his eyes those are Harper's eyes."
Rick thought of the girl in the woods he hadn't been paying much attention but from what he did remember the girl did resemble the boy. He glanced at Daryl again and knew he spoke the truth. There was a reason the boy was drawn to him.
"What's going on in here?" Beth asked as she came into the room she frowned when she saw Daryl gathering weapons, "Is something wrong?"
"No." Rick told him.
"I have to find her." Daryl muttered, "She isn't dead."
"Who?" Beth asked growing confused wondering if perhaps Carol was missing.
"My wife." He mumbled, "Harper. I have to find her."
"So it was you." Beth said softly.
"What?" Daryl asked looking up to Beth, "What was?"
"The man in the picture." She told him, "Murphy."
Daryl froze, "How do you know that name?" he asked.
"Remember I told you guys I stayed with a woman, Liam's mother? Her name was Harper and she showed me this." She pulled a picture out of her pocket the picture was the one of Harper being held by the man she called Murphy. "It's you isn't it?"
Daryl took the picture it had been so long since he had seen it, his beautiful Harper not a worry in the world. Back then they only had to worry about each other, they only had to worry about the few bad men in Boston that the boys went after. That picture had been taken right after she agreed to marry him they had every intention of going to Ireland and staying there. "Yes." He said softly.
"She said your name, she said it was Murphy." Beth continued, "Is it?"
"A long time ago." He told her, "I did go by that name, but it was a very long time ago."
"What made you change it?" she asked, "Was Merle even your brother?"
"Not by blood no, but he kept me alive and." He paused, "Safe he kept me out of jail."
"Why would you have gone to jail?" Rick asked, "What is it you did in your past?"
"I went by Murphy MacManus." Daryl told him, "My brother was Connor MacManus we were often called the MacManus brothers, or the papers called us, The Boston Saints."
"What?" Rick asked shocked, "You?"
"That's how I knew Duffy he helped us." Daryl explained.
"That's why he was always telling you to be better." Beth said, "That's why he always told you to have more faith he seemed to see you differently then everyone else here, because he knew who you really were."
"Why would you hide this from us?" Rick asked almost angry.
"Because I wasn't that man anymore, Murphy MacManus died I believed everyone in my family dead the only one I had left was Merle and Merle wanted me to be Daryl so I just-" he stopped, "No one can make it in this world alone."
"Merle's been gone for so long." Beth told him, "Why did you keep being the man he wanted you to be."
"I haven't been I left Merle behind 'cause he was gunna rob a family." Daryl told her, "I looked for Sophia not as Daryl but as Murphy. And Liam, no part of Daryl would have saved him."
"So who are you now?" Rick asked, "Murphy or Daryl?"
"Someone in between the two." Daryl muttered, "All I really know is I have to go out there I have to find Harper. She can't be dead she just can't be. I just found out she has been alive all this time, I just found out Liam is our son. This isn't how our story was supposed to go." He sighed, "We are supposed to be together and I will find her, there is no blood outside the walls were you saw the struggle. That means someone living got her, with any bet its that Governor so I will kill him, I will find him and kill him after he leads me to her. For some reason she's a threat to him and I'm going to show him just how much of a threat I am."
"Daryl you can't do this alone, you said it yourself no one can go at it alone in this world." Rick told him, "I'll go with you, but Daryl you have to understand she might not be alive not anymore its been a few weeks since I saw her."
"You have to stay here." Daryl said, "In case the governor comes here. You have to defend this place."
"Daryl-"
"No." he told Rick, "Please just stay here I have to do this alone."
Rick hung his head he knew that Daryl spoke the truth they couldn't leave the prison unguarded for a suicide mission.
"Just take care of Liam please, don't let any harm fall onto him." Daryl told Rick as he walked out of the room.
"Daryl, wait until it's at least sunrise!" Rick called after him, but he knew his friend didn't listen he could hear the man's motorcycle fire up outside. He just shook his head hoping his friend didn't get himself killed.
Connor had left before the sun even began to rise he didn't want to explain himself to Andrea so he had snuck from her bed when she was sound asleep. Woodbury held nothing for him now he took one glance behind him at the wall that seemed quiet. He knew the guards on duty now, Allen and Rob they weren't the best and probably had fallen asleep they hadn't even taken notice that he had snuck away. With a heavy heart he turned away and began walking in the direction of the prison. Woodbury was supposed to be home it was supposed to be a peaceful safe place for them to settle; instead it took everything he cared about. He walked into the woods knowing he had to keep himself hidden incase any of the men from the prison were out. He had to get there unnoticed that was his only way to take out as many as he could. He thought of Harper and Liam as he walked he felt ashamed he hadn't been able to protect them. He had felt to safe in Woodbury he had let his guard down and for that he lost his family. At least when it had just been the three of them he had kept an eye on them always, kept them safe always.
By the time he reached the prison the sun was just beginning to rise. He looked around to see if anyone was watching, but to his eyes he couldn't see anyone. He walked the fence line until he found the part he had snuck in before it had been repaired, but nothing he couldn't re-break. He took out his wire clippers and made a big enough opening for him to crawl through. He carefully snuck through the grass and into one of the buildings his gun drawn. Carefully he stepped around every turn with his gun pointed and ready to shoot. When he came to an opening he could see the baby playing on the floor the same one he had only recently kidnapped. His heart drop as he noticed who was playing with the child. He was about to step forward when to call out to the boy but he heard a noise behind him. He turned around just in time to see Beth who swung a frying pan hitting him in the head knocking him to the ground, after everything went dark.
Daryl watched Woodbury carefully looking for any movement any sign that the Governor was within an easy shot. He knew that was hoping for a miracle, and right now he didn't want the man dead. Not yet, not until he found out everything he could about Harper. If the woman that Rick truly was his lost wife then the governor would know something. She wasn't the type of woman that lived anywhere without someone taking notice of her. She was both strong and beautiful anyone and everyone noticed her. She stood out of a crowed.
He thought about the night when they had all come and rescued Maggie and Glen, he had thought he saw her standing in a white night dress mid fight. He wrote it off as a play on his mind, but now he knew the truth that girl had been Harper he hadn't just imagined her she had been there. His heart sank thinking about the night he brought Liam back the first time. Andrea said his mother wasn't doing well that she had attempted to take her life. That didn't sound like Harper that didn't sound like the strong woman he knew with fire in her eyes.
He also thought of the night he got Beth and Judith back he had saved a blonde woman from the fire. He hadn't seen her face nor her eyes he hadn't realized who she could have been. Beth mentioned to him that the woman had been Liam's father. If what he assumed was right then he had held Harper in his arms without even realizing it. He wanted to kick himself now; if he had only taken notice he could be holding her now back at the prison. He would have his family back he wouldn't be here hoping she was still alive, hoping he could find her again.
He thought of Liam back in the prison safe and sound he hadn't known for so long that the boy was his own blood, but now he wondered how he hadn't known. He realized now maybe a part of him had always known that was why he had grown so attached to the boy. That was why he felt an urge to protect the boy more then he had ever protected anyone as Daryl. The boy had brought back his old self in a way it was like god had spoken to him once more without Daryl even realizing it. The boy brought back hope and faith even though Daryl had fought it every step of the way. He had denied the feelings within his soul all this time, but upon finding out who Liam really was he let go of all his self-doubt. He had to look to the future he had to look to his faith in order to keep Liam safe to keep Liam happy. He knew he had to find Harper and bring her home to their son he had to trust that god wouldn't allow him to find out the truth only to rip any chance for happiness away from him again.
He moved forward to make his move on Woodbury, but before he could slip into the community he heard a sound behind him. He turned quickly pointing his bow, but it was to late he heard the gun sound and felt pain in his side. He couldn't stop his hands from dropping his bow, while he knew the bullet went through his body and didn't hit anything fatal, but the pain surprised him. He fell to his knees wincing.
"Well what do we have here?" a voice asked as he felt a fist meet his face. Daryl fell to his side as he attempted to swing back.
"Throw him in the crate with the girl." Another voice said, "He will die and she will know real fear."
"She will agree to give me a child." The governor's voice broke through, "Or he will kill her in the end it will be her choice."
Daryl felt a blow to the back of his head before everything went dark.
She sat in the corner of her cell still unable to see anything. She could hear the footsteps outside her heart began to race. She knew what the governor intended to do with her. He told her that he wouldn't rape her for how could a wonderful child come out of such a hateful crime, but she would chose to sleep with him to help give him a daughter. She knew she would never willingly sleep with him, but she remembered his smile he had a plan and she feared what could be going on in the mad mans mind.
The door swung open and he tossed someone inside the governor stepped in she could see the smile on his face.
"It will be your choice." He told her, "Agree to sleep with me, or I will leave this man here with you as he slowly bleeds out and once he's dead then he will-" he paused and grinned, "Well you know."
"I will never sleep with you." She snapped.
"Then so be it, but if you change your mind just yell." Then he stepped out closing the door so that the darkness surrounded her once more. She didn't move and didn't move forward. She could hear the man groaning on the other side of the cell, she wondered how long it would be before he died, before he turned.
"How hurt are you?" she whispered.
"Just fine." He groaned, "It won't kill me."
"He's convinced you will, what happened?" she asked
"I was shot." He growled, "Losing blood, but that's it, ain't no big deal."
"Being shot is a big deal." She muttered, "Especially when we are locked in this small room and you could die, if you do then-"
"I ain't gunna die." He growled.
"Why?" she asked
"I got someone I gotta find." He held his hand on his wound.
"Who?" she couldn't see the man, but she knew by the sound of his voice that he was on the other side of the cell far from her.
"My wife." He told her, "I gotta find her. I ain't gunna die before I do."
"Is she that important to you?" she asked, "Is she worth fighting for?"
"She's worth going to war for." Daryl told the woman.
"I used to have someone like that." She muttered as she thought of Murphy.
Daryl couldn't hold back a little groan of pain as he tried to breath. "I can't die." He muttered he could feel himself growing weaker, "Not without seeing her one last time."
"What was she like?" she asked.
"Everything someone could wish for." He leaned his head back on the wall as he imagined Harper. "Everything I could wish for. She was strong, and beautiful she was the boss I never even pretended to be."
"She sounds lovely." She knew the only way to keep this man awake was to keep him talking she could smell the blood in the air he wasn't faring well even if he pretended he was ok.
"She was." Daryl told her, "She is."
"You know she's still alive?" Harper asked
"I have no proof." Daryl told her, "Except my faith, I turned my back on my faith for so long this time I won't this time I will trust my gut."
"And that tells you she's still alive?" Harper asked.
"Yes." Daryl whispered, "And I will find her." He winced, "What about you?" he asked. "Distract me from this pain and tell me. What brought you here?"
"I was foolish." She told him as she felt tears fill her eyes, "I tried to get away. But in the end I was to slow."
"I'm sorry." He told her.
"Don't be, at least I know my son is safe." She smiled, "That is all that matters now."
The two fell silent for a while neither knowing what else to say. Then he heard her begin to hum for a moment before she stopped. "Sorry." She muttered, "I forgot you were in here."
"No." He told her, "Continue it's nice." His voice was weak he knew he didn't have much strength he began to doubt he would survive this wound.
"Love woke me up this morning. With a Memory. Love came and whispered a story. That awakened a dream." Her voice echoed through the dark empty room.
Daryl felt his voice hitch when her voice reached his ears with the words he never thought he would hear again.
"A knight lived in a beautiful castle. He left the comfort of his family. To fight for victory." She leaned back on the wall as she sang. "I am a dreamer. And so is he. Open the sky and light the fire. He is my dream he is my destiny. Love woke me up this morning"
Her voice sounded so familiar this whole time, but he hadn't paid much attention to it, how could he not have realized? "That song?" his breath was quick.
"It's nothing." She told him, "I wrote it a long time ago for someone special."
"Harper?" he asked.
"How do you know my name?" she looked over in his direction. "Who are you?"
"It's you." He whispered, "After al 'dis time."
She was about to question more when she heard the familiar accent and she realized why she had smiled when this man said he was looking for someone. Because she knew without realizing she had known. "Murphy." She whispered. "Is that you?"
"Yes." He moved forward through the darkness he didn't feel any pain from his side not when she was so close to him. He didn't need to see to be able to tell where she was. It was as if he was drawn to her like a magnet. "Harper." He muttered as he reached her and pulled her close. "I found you."
"Murphy." She whispered as she buried her head in his shoulder. She let the tears fall she never thought she would hold her husband again, not in this life. "You found me."
"Yes." He told her, "I found you and I ain't never lettin' you go."
"But you're hurt." She told him as she reached down to his side, this time worrying more about the wounded man then herself.
"I'm fine." He told her smiling, "I've had worse."
"We need to get out of here." She told him.
"We need to get back to the prison, Liam is there." He whispered, "Alive and well. Our son."
"You know he's our son?" she asked, "But how?"
"This morning the very song you just sang." He smirked, "He was humming."
"I used to sing him to sleep when he was a baby." Harper told him, "He loved it."
"I think I've always known since the moment I saw him." He told her, "But it wasn't until I heard him humming did I truly allow myself to believe it."
Harper looked up at him and he looked down at her letting their lips meet. It had been so long since she had kissed him. The fire that she felt in her stomach she had thought was long gone. When they broke away he rested his forehead on hers.
"I'll get you out of here." He promised her, "I'll get you back to our son."
AN- So what do you guys think? Sorry it took so long for an update. I'm trying to get all my stories updated but between school and being a working student at a horse barn I just don't have much free time on my hands with it coming to an end to the semester. I'll try and be better but I can't make any promises. I've had this written for a while now and just didn't know if I wanted to post it or not, I've written and re-written it and not sure how I feel about this, but here it is hope you enjoy.