As Jessilynn entered her third trimester, Philip flummoxed her by commenting he wanted them to temporarily leave their home and find a settlement so she could have doctor's care.
She scoffed at the idea, saying women had babies all the time without physicians' aid.
"What if something went wrong during delivery?" Philip argued. "I don't want to lose you or the baby!"
Jessilynn rolled her eyes at him.
"I'm as healthy as a horse," she countered. "And I don't some stranger tending to me. I have no doubt that you can do this. Besides, we have God on our side, remember?"
Philip gave in with the stipulation that she at least had to take it easy the next few weeks. As stubborn at Jessilynn was, she agreed to an extent to not overdo it for the rest of her pregnancy.
Carter Lee Blake arrived without any complications. He arrived squalling in the middle of the night with minimal labor to both his parents' relief.
Philip sat their bedside watching in awe as Jessilynn nursed their son. He still couldn't believe he had been gifted with a new life.
He insisted Jessilynn stay at home when he made runs for supplies or hunted for food, but after three months, she had developed cabin fever and demanded he take them on a leisurely drive so she could see scenery other than outside their cabin.
With Carter bundled in a body wrap, their little family set out on the road one morning.
Philip took them up and down a few country lanes before emerging onto the main highway. They stopped at an abandoned gas station to eat a picnic lunch of dried rabbit and canned mixed fruit and feed Carter before turning around to go home.
Nearly halfway home, Philip noticed they were low on fuel.
"We either need to find a place to wait out the night and hike back home or attempt to locate a car we can siphon from," he told her.
Jessilynn rubbed her hand over her son who was hidden in the wrap, curled against her chest, and glanced at their surroundings. The sun was still high in the sky.
"I'd rather take our chances finding fuel," she said. They slowly drove through a small town's main street when they spotted a green Hyundai.
Philip pulled out the gas can from the truck bed and a hose while Jessilynn walked around and rocked Carter. Philip had barely stuck the hose in the gas tank of the car before a gravelly voice spoke from behind him.
"Slowly set down that can and step away from the car or yer gonna get an arrow in the ass," the voice warned. Philip set the gas can down before lifting his hands above his head in surrender and turning around.
Daryl stifled a gasp and quickly leveled his crossbow, setting his sights between Philip's eyes as Michonne unsheathed her katana and wielded it, ready to strike. Jessilynn rushed toward Philip.
"Please don't kill my husband! We just needed some gas to get home!" she shouted, startling her sleeping son, who began to whimper.
Philip threw out his hand to stop her in her tracks.
He knew the day of reckoning had come. Oddly, he felt no anger and was ready to accept his fate.
"Daryl, Michonne," he said, acknowledging them both with a nod. "I know that I must pay for my crimes against you and your group."
He glanced at his wife and gave her a sad smile before facing the two in front of him.
"Please grant me my dying wish by taking in and caring for my wife and son," he said.
Jessilynn stared at Philip in horror as he dropped to his knees and dipped his head.
"No!" she screamed as Carter began to wail in earnest at his mother's cry.
Michonne and Daryl exchanged a shocked look.
Could they kill the Governor while an innocent woman and child who claimed to be his watched? And was the Governor even still the evil man they had battled nearly two years ago?
A/N: Thoughts?