++++++ I do not own the Walking Dead or any affiliated characters apart from my OC's ++++++

Forty-Two

For the next couple of days, Matthew and I spent as much time as we could going over every nook and cranny of both inside and outside of the prison. Using the map that we'd found in the warden's office, there was nothing we left untouched.

"I have to ask why we're even doing this," Matthew frowned once we'd come back to the warden's office. "We might not even have this place for much longer when John and the Governor come."

"I'm putting together a security team," I answered. "We're gonna keep this prison, we're not going to lose it." I circled a section of the tombs and drew a big cross through the middle. "This is where our central problem is-the tombs."

"We've been at this for days," Matthew grumbled. "We must have cleared the tombs out at least three times."

"Come on soldier," I grinned, "suck it up."

"Like you're the one to talk," Matthew laughed. "Ebony told me you deserted."

I raised an eyebrow. "So did you."

"Then what business do we have in soldiering?" Matthew questioned. "I mean-I've done things, PJ. I've done some bad things…I've killed people on the Governor's orders-I didn't like killing innocent people but I still did it." He pushed himself off the warden's desk and opened a cabinet where he produced a bottle three quarters full of whisky. "I don't think I have any business being a part of this. I argued with John about killing civilians so he took me off patrols and had me doing run around work for Milton. I was never a soldier, I was more a researcher, a mechanic. I fix things."

"You did a good job on that water system," I pointed out.

Matthew shrugged. "It'll be pointless with all this shit going on. It's fubar."

I nodded. He was right about that. "There is a plan, Matthew. We've got a plan. Trust me, brother."

"You've got a lot of faith in these people," Matthew laughed. "Especially Rick."

"He's got potential" I shrugged. I snatched the whisky bottle off Matthew and took a swig. "Only problem is if he squanders it, he's gonna be exactly like the Governor. I don't think I'm getting through to him. One moment he's with me-like one hundred percent and the next moment he just stare at me with these vacant eyes like he did the day that Lori died."

"Trust you to find relationship problems at the end of the world," Matthew laughed. "Do you think that Rick's gonna give Michonne over to the Governor?" he asked me.

I sighed. "Maybe…he might...God I hope not. I haven't gotten to know Michonne as of yet but I've seen her fight. She's good in a pinch. We didn't get to talk about it much since whenever we're alone we're usually…you know…having sex."

Matthew wrinkled his nose up in disgust and shook his head before he grabbed the bottle off me and took a sip. "Alright-we've talked enough about chicken shit-let's get back to the cell block. I wanna take another look at the water system."

"Love you, brother," I smiled.

"Love you back," Matthew grinned. "Bring the whisky with you. We can sing an old Irish drinking song on the way back."

"We're not Irish," I frowned. "Oh my God can you imagine if we were?" I laughed.

Matthew chuckled as we headed back to the cell block. "Remember how dad was always so proud that you could trace our lineage all the way back to the founding fathers? Dad was always so proud."

"What about when mum found out that grandad did a lineage search on her family and almost stopped the marriage when he found out she was Italian?" I grinned. "We could totally be someone else's kids right now."

Matthew laughed. "Nice. Speaking of someone else's kids," he added, pointing at Carl who was coming our way.

"What's up little wolf?" I questioned when we both stopped dead in the corridor.

"Something big is going on," Carl answered. "Dad can't find Michonne and Daryl can't find Merle. They're in the cell block."

Matthew and I glance at each other then took off at a run towards the cell block. We both came in just as Daryl was collecting more crossbow bolts.

"What's going on Daryl?" I frowned.

"Merle's taken Michonne," Daryl answered.

"Daryl's going after them," Ebony informed me. "Daryl and I-"

"I'd like you to come with me," Daryl cut in.

I nodded. "Sure thing, brother. Anything." Out the corner of my eye I could see Ebony fold her arms in anger and storm off but right now I didn't have the time to deal with drama. "I'll grab my bow." I turned and went to Rick and my cell to grab my bow with a supply of arrows.

"PJ?" Rick spoke up from behind me.

I turned around as I strapped my quiver on. "Yes?"

"Daryl said you're going on to bring back Merle and Michonne," Rick frowned.

I nodded. "Yup."

"You look like death, PJ," Rick frowned. "You've been up for two days cleaning out the tombs and cleaning the other cell blocks. Daryl can handle himself."

I shrugged. "D and I haven't gone out for a while. I miss being a fine tuned machine of destruction."

"Be careful," Rick pleaded with me. "I want you back."

I kissed him. "In the words of a very wise robot-I'll be back."

"You're such a nerd," he laughed.

"Yeah but I'm a hot nerd," I grinned. I kissed him again. "I'm glad you changed your mind about Michonne."

"What makes you think I changed my mind?" Rick frowned.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Because Merle took her"

"Sometimes you're too smart for your own good, PJ," Rick reminded me.

I shrugged. "Well dumb don't last too long in this world. See you soon." I broke away and scratched Spirit behind the ear before I headed down to where Daryl was waiting.

"Let's go," Daryl urged.

"Don't get your panties in a twist," I chuckled as we headed out. "He'll go to the feed place-we can get there in a few hours." I looked over at Daryl, "after everything that's happened in the last couple of weeks I think it's safe to say that I miss this."

"You're not gonna get all girly on me are you?" Daryl asked me.

I punched him in the arm. "Me? Girly? Please say it again Daryl Dixon and I'll kick your arse."

Hopefully we could find Merle before he did something really stupid.