MEETING

Over the next following days, the group received a letter from Andrea, telling them that the Governor wanted to sort something out for the goodness of his people and to save his damn ass.

Rick, Daryl, Theo and Herschel were the ones visiting.

Theo's bruises were healing, but emotionally, she was still struggling with the news of losing a baby she didn't even know she had; she was worried about seeing the Governor simply because she might kill him as soon as she saw him.

Daryl took his bike while the others went in the car. When they arrived, it was quiet, too quiet.

"Herschel waited in the car and came round after a couple of minutes when we knew it was safe. You two were with me," Rick explained.

They slowly flanked around the area when they came across a large warehouse. Rick signalled for Daryl and Theo to go around the back while he went in the front.

"Can we talk yet?" Daryl asked, keeping an eye out

"Yeah, only if it involves what to do if the Governor turns up", Theo said, not making eye contact. Daryl was about to say something else when they caught sight of the Governor in the window.

They ducked down and watched through the window.

Theo noticed Daryl become tense.

"Not now", Theo reminded him, pulling his arm down.

"You attacked us; you hurt my daughter," Rick said from inside the building, venom lacing his voice. 

"Imma kill him", Daryl whispered, biting his fingernails.

"You shot first, and I am truly sorry about your daughter, but I can't help but think I sent the right message, not to piss me off", The Governor announced.

"Daryl." She tried to calm him by looking directly at him. 

"Imma send a bolt...right through his other eye," Daryl whispered angrily, his nose scrunching.

"Daryl", Theo made him look at her.

She looked at his eyes.

"Please", She begged; his voice made him stop. 

He instantly calmed down before they slowly backed up, noticing Herschel entering the area.

"Anything?" Herschel asked, heading over to the others. 

"He is already in there, but something doesn't seem right", Daryl explained, pulling his crossbow off his shoulder.

But just in time, one of the Governor's trucks arrived, Andrea and two other men jumping out.

"Rick here?" She asked, looking at them.

"Your man is already inside", Daryl informed her

Andrea sighed before walking inside the building.

Theo watched her walk away. 

She was pissed off that someone that once stood with them now stood opposite and against them. 

One of the men was Martinez, the Governor's right-hand man; the other was Milton, whose purpose was unclear.

"Who are you?" Daryl asked, looking the nerdy-looking man up and down.

"Milton" He nodded

"Great, he bought his butler," Daryl sarcastically said, causing Theo and Martinez to smirk.

Theo hadn't seen Martinez before; she didn't remember seeing him anyway.

Theo jumped on the car's hood, playing with her bat, her sight not leaving Martinez.

Andrea emerged from the warehouse, sighing before sitting to the side.

"What's the plan here, Andrea? They're going to walk away hand in hand, or we're going to have to kill him?" Theo asked, making the two men of the Governors look at her

"I don't know, but until we know, stand down" Andrea nodded at her

"Funny, didn't know you knew what those worst meant. After all, I told you to stand down once, and you almost killed one of our own..." Theo reminded her, crossing her legs

"Yeah, trust me, you made it very clear," Andrea said, looking at Daryl, annoyed. 

"You almost killed Daryl. And trust me, if I wanted to piss everyone off here, I would go head inside and shoot him straight through his stupid skull, and I wouldn't miss.", Theo threatened.

"Theo..." Daryl caught her attention when she noticed Martinez taping his gun.

"I haven't got a problem with you, Andrea, but you're on the wrong side", Theo said, standing up and walking over to meet her.

"I am not on a side", Andrea explained.

"We will see, won't we? If you go back with them, your answer will be clear." Theo swung her bat around before hitting her hand in the centre of her palm. She was now holding the bat in two hands.

"Guys, come on", Herschel calmed everyone, making Theo back up.

"Heads up," Daryl nodded, looking at several walkers.

Martinez, Andrea, Theo and Daryl made their way to about six walkers.

The two boys led the way but stopped when the first one approached.

"Please, after you" Daryl smiled at Martinez.

"Oh no, please", Martinez smiled, returning the same amount of sarcasm

"Fuck sake", Theo snapped. She and Andrea took out the first two, Andrea using her knife and Theo using her bat.

The two boys began competing as Andrea walked away.

They finished killing the walkers in seconds. Daryl headed over to one of them and grabbed a box of cigarettes one of the walkers had in his pocket.

"Theo!" Daryl caught her attention. "I got the jackpot," he smiled at her. She returned one, taking one before walking away.

"That's your girl?" Martinez asked as Daryl took a cigarette himself.

"She was? I don't know," Daryl admitted to this stranger, his head dipping.

"You fuck up or something?" Martinez wondered. "You lost a pretty badass."

"Yeah, you could say that, but the Governor beat her until she miscarried our baby. I didn't even know she was pregnant, and I had to go away for a while, so...we split." Daryl nodded, knowing it wasn't the reason they had split but a reason he could use to show Martinez the kind of man he worked for.

"I had no idea, man; I'm sorry", He apologised. "I lost my wife, my kids too." Martinez nodded.

"Sucks huh?" Daryl nodded

"Yeah, fucking sucks, but you have a chance to win her back, right?" Martinez asked, lighting his cigarette. 

"Working on it," Daryl nodded, looking toward where Theo was walking. 

"Good luck, man" Martinez nodded before leaving Daryl alone.

After a while, Daryl returned to the others, seeing Theo sitting against the bike.

She stood up when she saw him and wandered over.

"I wanna make something clear" " she began. "We aren't together anymore; what you said fucking hurt, but... I will always have your back" Theo nodded.

"I know, and I also know what I said was wrong, even though I did not mean a word of it, and I need you to know, I ain't going to stop, not until you are back with me, so, I will always have your back, and I will always be here, no matter what, you will forgive me, and we will end up back together," Daryl told her confidently. "I'll make you Dixon one day; you wait," Daryl said before walking away.

His words took Theo back, and just like the hatred she felt thinned, she wasn't ready to forgive, but that man made her feel protected. 

She loved him, but he made her feel worthless previously.

 Her head was full of emotions, and she was unsure whether to drop everything and run to him or spin his jaw.

She shook her head in frustration when the Governor and Rick appeared outside the warehouse.

"See you in two days." The Governor smiled, looking at Rick and his people and catching Daryl and Theo's eyes. 

Their eyes returned to hatred and anger.

The Governor smirked.

"You two look like you wanna say something?" The Governor asked him to walk over to Theo.

"I have nothing to say to you, asshole. But I wouldn't take another step, or I will live up to my promises." Theo snarled

"You had your chance here, darling." The Governor began to get cocky, opening his arms.

"Are you going to fight us both at the same time?" Daryl asked, pissed, standing beside Theo.

The Governor smiled before walking forward.

"Next time, I'll take more than your unborn child, Daryl" " the Governor threatened, looking at Theo.

Daryl laughed in frustration as the Governor walked away; as soon as his back was turned, Daryl began walking towards him.

"Daryl!" Rick yelled, but it didn't slow him down.

Theo ran and grabbed his hand, stopping him to turn and face her.

She slowly shook her head.

The Governor smiled as he couldn't do anything at that moment.

"Phill, come on", Andrea tried.

Theo twitched her fingers at her gun. She wanted to do it badly, but she could endanger everyone else.

The Governor smiled before turning around.

"Yeah, fuck off, Phil." Theo laughed at his real name, making Andrea look at her, frustrated. "And Andrea, next time, keep your legs closed; it seems you have a habit of sleeping with the enemy", Theo snapped as they both got into the vehicle. 

Theo spat on the floor as he walked away before grabbing her bat and hitting the back of his jeep with her bat, smashing the back window as he drove away.

But to her luck, they carried on driving.

Rick and the rest of the group got in the vehicles and returned to the prison. 

Daryl is on his bike, and Theo is in the vehicle with her father and Herschel. 

Theo gripped her hair in anger before letting out a sigh.

"As soon as we are back, we need to get everyone inside and ready," Rick told Herschel and Theo.

"Dad," Theo began. Do you think Daryl can be forgiven for what he said to me?" she asked, changing the subject.

Rick looked at his daughter in the centre mirror.

"You wanna know why I haven't said anything?" Rick asked, causing Theo to shrug. 

Flashback

After Daryl decided to leave with Merle, he pulled Rick off to the side. 

"I love your daughter. I love her so much that it hurts, so I want you to make me a promise," Daryl rambled. 

"What?" Rick almost rolled his eyes. 

"I know you aren't the biggest fan of me. I wouldn't be if it were my daughter, but I mean it when I tell you I love her. But I can't let my brother leave alone. So...I have to go with him, and eventually I will be back. But make sure she doesn't hate me forever; I can't have Merle near her. Or any of you, for that matter. He is a piece of shit, but he is my blood." Daryl tried not to cry.

"This is the worst thing I have ever had to do. So everything I say next is not true. But make sure she does not come after me."

"Daryl..." Rick began, but Daryl cut him off. 

"No. It would be best if you didn't say anything to me. I know you don't want to hear it. But Theo means everything to me. I love her so much, Rick. It hurts. And I am admitting this to you, with my face open for you to punch, but I have to go with Merle, and the only way I can make sure she doesn't follow me is to make her hate me. Please, don't let her follow me," Daryl begged as Rick nodded without a word before walking away. 

End of flashback. 

Rick never talked about Daryl admitting he loved her, but in his own story, he told Theo what Daryl had said.  

"Do you want to hear my opinion?"Herschel asked the young girl as he turned to face her. 

"Sure" Theo nodded with a polite smile. 

"Give yourself time to heal, make him know you lost a baby, your mother, you're emotionally confused and have to work on yourself; give it a couple of weeks if you can, if he understands that, and proves to you he can give you time and space, he shows he truly cares and loves you" Herschel's words made more sense to her, more than anything.

"Thank you" Theo nodded

"Anything. You are part of my family now. I care about you all and want you to find happiness in a world like today. Daryl is your answer, but before you can share that happiness, you must find it yourself first," Herschel smiled.