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We separated when we got to the prison, we didn't speak to anyone. Not even to one another as we both went other ways to pack and clear ourselves. I was just helping Carl and Addie, going over that they need to protect Hershel, Beth and baby Judith from anyone that comes. My daughter, crying her heart out saying that she was ready and willing to get the governor.

But that didn't stop her from getting into the car with her stuffed bunny in arms.

She didn't even look at Daryl, when he bent down on one knee, still tear stains in his eyes. She ignored him, even when I tried calling out to her. She ignored me too.

We all have our way of dealing with death, but this...This hit home.

Us thinking he died a long time ago is different, different in the sense he was brought back, only to die a hero's death.

That's what he did, and Addie couldn't understand that. Not yet at least...

As I was about to get upstairs, Daryl was already coming down the steps with both duffle bags. Just the angry grunts were all I got from him, and the growl of a 'got it,' as he plowed his way through the rest. 
Beth offered a kind smile my direction and handed me the baby as she was able to get her own bags into place. Whether it's the mother in me, I fixed her hat from being the uneven crooked that I know she doesn't want for herself. And we both continued, but the display of Rick trying to talk to Carl was exactly how Addie feels towards me and Daryl.

He pulled his arm away from his father's hold to continue through.

As I walked towards Rick's side, did he acknowledge the baby before myself as he pinched her cheeks to make her hide in my hold. 

"Least I don't have to worry about things like this with her..." He mumbled, looking off to the ways. And as if on cue, did Daryl try to talk to her again, she just said something that made him stop at his bike. 

Her coming this way didn't give me hope, but the simple nod towards me was enough. Enough for me to know that this family talk at the end of this isn't going to be pleasant at all.

"Not for a while." I fixed his statement, continuing through to place her into the car seat strapping her in and wishing everyone in the car a safe trip. Seeing the kids go is sort of worrying, not until Rick handed me the sniper once again did I smirk.

"Back to where we once started...Huh?" Earning the smirk did I take it, until I saw Daryl just sorting through his stuff. He still needed to pack everything there away, along with his bike.

So when I started my descent over towards him, he knew in the instant. My footsteps, or just because he knows nobody dared talk to him after what happened. "...Ya know, Merle never did nothin' like that his whole life." He spoke so softly, fumbling with the poncho as he handed it off towards me. He nodded for me to wear it, and I surely did. However I kneed down behind him, my arms overlaying his neck as I placed a kiss onto his cheek.

Although his one hand intertwined with mine, he still didn't look to me.

Just plastered the same uncomfortable look as before.

"He gave us a chance...We owe it to him to take it." He hummed, and it made a sudden shiver spike through my mind as he kissed my cheek and started to rise up to his feet. "Aight Dixon." He said, winking along. And at first I was confused on why he'd suddenly make the assumption, but then it drifted to marriage and I— "Still a Holden." 

"For now..." He said, kissing me once more before he pointed up top. "...Shoot 'im down for me, will ya?" I gritted my teeth and nodded.

We need him dead, and we need this now.

With the warmth draping over me smelled so heavily like him, it reminded me of the first night here. When he snuck it onto my body while I was sleeping, and passing both Rick and Michonne as they were scouting the place did I stay perched at the given top. The given layer of boxes supported to hide me while the others made it difficult to detect which one I am actually in.

Once again, my training at Quantico here to save the day.

But now it's time to stay ready.

It felt like hours. Honestly, just waiting for him. But I staked out in worse conditions, this is the time where I think. And the biggest thing I have for me at the moment is to put a picture of Addie, however the one I have includes Merle as well. Younger, less drugs amping his brain back then.

He was holding our dogs, this was the picture Daryl gave back to me. He could've kept it, why ever he took it in the first place is beyond me, but it have me chance to take a moment to myself.

But like all the odds against me, there came the given trucks running through. My immediate thought was to fire, but I waited it out. Watching the military hummer come storming in with a determined mindset of destroying the watchtowers. 
I knew those would be the first to go.

The wild machine gun followed through with the smoke, and if anything. This was getting rid of our walkers at the expense of our towers. They all blew up, wherever in the hell they found a damn grenade launch is above me as well.

I have the governor in sight, but I stayed hidden between the boxes. None of which anyone decided to fire upon. Not yet anyway.

As the men against us stormed on out, they allowed the extra trucks roll through. Apply the number to storm through our walls to find and kill us. They just don't know what's about to happen.

I have a count of about thirty, kids more or less.

All of which had guns rises up towards us in hopes of spotting me or anyone else. While they pried off the metal cage, they continued through the cell block in which we stayed, lived and cleared out for this moment. Or for the most part, the food we couldn't hall out, instead we hid it in the administrative building as suggested.

Whatever they're doing now, prowling the halls looking for evidence. I just couldn't wait for him to come outside, and I have the perfect target.

His eyepatch.

Maggie peeked her head out, looking directly towards me as I signaled to stay ready. They were exploring our traps and what better way to open fire as soon as they're out and about.

As the open fire started below me, the sudden appearance of bodies came rushing forward. But I wasn't about to open fire towards the kids, they're helpless. Being lied to all these years.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" Glenn shouted towards them, carelessly opening fire to the kids I just deemed myself not to shoot, instead I took out one of the officials. The one who held my daughter against our own will.

He's down for the count.

As is the older fellow with the sunglasses, and although I took my time in firing. I soon realized that my position became known, all too late at that.

I took a bullet in the shoulder. Retreating back towards the boxes did I look to it. Seeing an exit wound just screamed for a good days luck. With that did I remove the bandana on my wrist, it saved me with my graze. It will help me now.

Tying it around ever so tightly did I see it bleeding down my arm, the poncho will give it the dead give away.

"Fuck." I hissed, but my attention drove back towards the people below. The firing didn't stop, nothing stopped. Instead I returned the entire gaze towards the governor. Following his line of escape as I missed.

I fucking missed.

So I fired toward the truck. The tires I hit. Making the vehicle unrideable to them and the rest as they hurried along to the military personnel one that housed the rest.

And just like that, they left.

A groan escaped my lips, I didn't kill him. I failed Daryl, I failed Merle. But more importantly I failed Addie at the revenge. 
Dropping my snipped did I take the moment to look closer at my arm, it was bleeding. Badly. Ripping my flannel did it provide a new martial to soak up the blood, but even then did it simply not work.

"We did it?!" Maggie screamed, but not to myself. To Glenn most likely. Which he replied with "We did it! Come on down!... Blake?!" I swore the same word once more as I put my hand to provide pressure.

I'm okay. I'm alright.


"We're good!" I yelled back, overcoating my body with the poncho. Trying to switch sides with the tear and blame it on me ripping it, whatever can get me the first ticket back to woodbury. I'll be all set.

Coming down as quickly as I could with the gun firmly in my grasp did I see Daryl doing a headcount, and strangely enough the eyes pinned at me so suddenly that it scared me. Hurrying along as fast as my stitched leg could walk did Daryl meet me the other third quarters of the way. The sound of his hands bringing me so tightly into his chest was easier said to fake than I realized.

It burned, and as I groaned he backed up a bit. 

"Shit...Sorry, forgot ya leg's still a lil messed up. Ain't it?" I bobbed my head as I slipped him a quick kiss on the cheek before stuttering forward to meet with the rest of the group.

The battlefield had bullets ridden everywhere, the truck stayed as a monument to our survival for this round. But it's going to be a bitch to move in the future. 


"We did it. We drove them out." Rick motioned towards the way they went, but I followed in shorting the position. "We should go after them," I growled, looking for a spilt-second towards Rick and then focusing my attention back towards the tire markings on our land. This place smells like smoke and melting metal, we need to follow him for what he did to us.

"She's right. We should finish it." My smirk rose as Daryl was on my side for this, but Maggie isn't, and it made me frown as she claims to think it is finished.

"They could regroup." Michonne as well took my side, but it was Glenn who decided that it wasn't a good approach to just allow them to leave. 


"Look, we can't keep living like this," I said into the direction of Maggie, and she too gestured towards the main road behind me now. "So we take the fight back to Woodbury? We barely made it back last time." That was true, but the bodies riddled in our yard of the fallen people of this war was enough to take the headcount down by what?
At least the given 10, perhaps more in the building itself.

"I don't care," Daryl stated, his vengeance is high and mighty as well. And while Rick sided once again with Pookie, it was the quick glance towards me that rendered his view undefined.

He's still trying to make up for what happened in the—

"...Let's check on the others." With that he ordered us to continue back into our home, assuming that we'd get everything settled before heading out.

The car came around, but Addie didn't stop to look at me. She was crying her eyes out once more, holding onto Judith to the dear life of her as she continued through towards the cellblock. "Blake, can I talk to you?" Beth whispered, pulling out her bag and my daughters and with that I too took a bag to help everything get settled.

"...We were waiting on in the woods...And this boy comes running in, daddy told him to put his gun down. Addie knew him. But Carl didn't—" My mouth gawked towards the boy trying to catch up to my daughter, and instead Daryl stopped him. But the treatment my dear Pookie had gotten was the same as Addie towards him or the boy to his own father.

"Josh?" Michonne pointed out, and my head snapped over towards her in the second as she took hold of the bag on my bag. She knows. Both about my arm and about the boy. "What?" I simply questioned, and the sad face Beth let out to our samurai friend let out even fuller than before. "That's who she liked..." 

"Carl just sh—" Beth blinked rapidly as she couldn't take the conversation anymore than that, so I hurried along. But the offer hand onto my shoulder made me flinch a few steps back. "You're hurt." She claimed, and I just shook my head. "I'm fine." 

"Then show me." Pulling up the poncho did I show her the mess, the blood was still dripping down. Almost to the point of my finger tips, but she knew my dedication. So she handed me another clean rag.

"Better redo it before you get on in there, we're leaving soon." I nodded, doing it as I walked into the building once more. The crying was easy to hear, but it wasn't from my daughter. It was from Judith probably feeling my daughter's emotions.

"...Dad, I did my job out there. Just like all of you. Took out one of the Governor's soldiers." The scoff Addie admitted as she was about to return back to the room had her flee once more, and as Daryl seemingly gestured to go forward to talk to her. I stayed behind to talk to Carl.

"One of his soldiers? A kid running away? He stumbled across us." 

"No, he drew on us." Carl tried to defend his action, but I believe Beth. I believe Hershel, and although Rick was apologizing to his son for having to do what he did, the boy just took it as a sign of coming with us to finish it.

"That kid was scared. He was handing his gun over..." Hershel repeated, but the cold eyes Rick let out once more had me put pressure on my arm at the clear distaste for this situation coming about. "He said he drew...Carl said it was in defense." 

"Beth said Addie knew the boy. And by the way she's acting it—" Rick started rambling until Hershel's sternly spoke his name.

Making his head falter down to hear the words. 

"...I'm telling you he gunned that kid down. He gunned down Addie's friend." As I was about to follow Hershel to see if he could stitch me up, we began to move back. Loading up on both weapons and ammo did I trade out my sniper for a much more efficient assault rifle.

Hoping over to plant both thighs around the bike did I wrap my arms around Daryl's waist as we continued to follow in pursuit towards Woodbury. The gravel sliding with his left foot trying to make a clean turn out of the prison's walls always had my eye whenever we did it.

But then my eyes drew forward, watching the road as I tried not to think about the blood trickling down my arm.

"Oh...Shit." I mumbled, seeing as Daryl soon came to a full stop did I hop off first. Pulling the assault rifle into my arms from the strap off my back and slowly made my way around this military truck.

The other cautiously did the same. Only Dixon took by my side as I counted the given seven walkers in sight. But Machine was quick to just continue to slash this way and that to the fallen Woodbury survivors.

At most...This was all that's left. But what the hell happened here?

Looking off to Pookie with the same confused eyes did I spot another face, and not to startle the man before me I tried to grab him in case the door swung open. But I was too late, her slamming her hands against the glass had him jump anyway. His bow and all of our weapons going towards her.

Until I recognized her. "B-Blake...R-right?" I looked to her, lowering down my assault rifle to reassume the position around my back as I patted her down for weapons. Nothing but a knife and that's about it. 

"What's your name?" I asked, politely, trying to get her heart to calm down enough to answer the questions. 

"K...Karen...My n-name's Karen." She stuttered out, but she wasn't looking to me. She was looking to the guns pointed in her direction.

Looking to both Daryl and Rick to lower them, they did just that. So taking both of my arms to gently squeeze her shoulders, she needs to pay attention to me right now. Not anyone else.

"What happened here?" I asked, and she began to cry. Looking around at the horrible mess displayed before us all. 

"He wanted us to go back...He gunned every...Everyone down..." She cried, this maniac must be on his way towards Woodbury. But once again, she looked at all of us.

"W...Where's Andrea?" My eyebrows came together in the questioning mode as I asked what she meant by that. "She jumped the fence...We haven't seen her since." 

"When was this?" I continued to dig deeper, but the second she mumbled 'two days,' I ordered her to get into the car as I demanded we go to Woodbury this instant.

He has Andrea. And only God knows what he's doing to her.

We rode quick, quicker than to be expected considering it was growing darker and darker by the minute. And although we stopped a good mile from the entry, we used the undercover of darkness to make it through the given ways.

"How's your arm?" Michonne whispered, both Daryl and Rick couldn't hear. We were a good few paces away from them. "Fine." 

"Wipe your hand." She muttered, and I didn't realize how much blood had made it down already, wiping my hand onto the dewy grass allowed it to clear my skin just the littlest bit. But Daryl's word to 'catch up,' had me stab him in the stomach with my elbow.

"Asshole," I muttered, and he let out the smallest chuckle to offer at a time like this.

We were closing in on the wall, but the sudden mask of firing had Daryl push me completely down against the car. Slamming my bad arm right into the given direction of this shitty ass car.

Feels like the gust of blood just defining my entire arm.

"Tyreese!" Karen called out, and I pulled her down beside me to get down. They might confuse her, and I wont allow anyone else that Addie knows to be taken down by this war. First it was Gabi and now it's Josh...

"Karen! Karen are you okay?!" The man yelled, I remember this man. Fuck that's the guy Rick freaked out to. Tyreese and his sister...Fuck what's her name...Sara—Sasha!

As I tried to hold down the girl, she used my own injury to her advantage. Coming out with her arms up as she slowly walked to the door of her town. "I'm fine!" She shouted.

"Where's the Governor?!" 

"He fired on everyone. He killed them all." I gritted my teeth as I groaned as loudly as ever, making Daryl take claim to hold my arm now. 
"Shit Blake—" I pushed him away as I tried to continue to listen in, holding the gun over my chest so he couldn't see it. Not yet, not until everyone is safe.


"Why are ya with them?!" He called out once more, this was going to get messy. And although I just readied myself for my first fire off this gun, I peeked my head through the glass, seeing as how Tyreese just did the same.

"They saved me!" She yelled on back, and as it stayed silent for the good minute. Rick warned them we we're coming out. With that did I have to raise my hands over my head, but the faulty mistake was the groan that almost brought me to the floor.


"She okay?!" And arm helped me up, allowing me to follow through with this little surrender, but the second we made it close enough. Sasha, the sister came over to look at the bullet wound. Making Daryl more than open to look at it as well, leaning into Michonne was this the wrong time in trying to fix it.

"We need to stop the bleeding. Stitch it up." I nodded, not delaying it any further as they helped me over the threshold. 

"What are you doing here?" Tyreese asked, allowing me to pass through with the given help of Sasha and Karen, having me leave the ways away.

Their voices didn't carry like I thought, but we soon made it to the nurse. However, the second I sat down. I started cleaning and dressing it myself, she was taking too long. Almost spiteful that I'm the enemy.

Screw her. I'll do it myself.

"You sure you know what you're doing?" Sasha managed to let through, and with the thread in my mouth slowly sinking through my skin, the delicate fabric of my being coming together. 

"Done it a thousand times..." I spoke through the pain, the extra hands were delightful as they made my skin stay in place and my body the same way.

"Can you wrap it?" I asked, cutting the excess string and Sasha did just that while Karen provided the water. And like the bitchy nurse that returned, I stood up and walked out. Her cutting glare was no match for the determination I had to continue through with where the governor might've hid people.

But the conversation dragged out to see where they were headed, enough so that Sasha and I followed while Karen stayed to check out for the children and everyone else.

"Ya aight now hun?" I smiled and nodded. But Sasha just laughed entirely. "Alright? The nurse was taking too long so she did it her damn self." The women beside me boasted, and although the only thing against my skin now was the poncho. I still prided myself to have the pistol down and at the ready.

As we continued down to this basement area, I soon dreaded the need to come down here. I was always lucky in never participating into these investigations where the creepy or eerily light is just dangling from the ceiling. But this was worse, this was reality not just some shitty movie.
"This is where he had Glenn and Maggie." Rick reminded the group, and I completely forgot they're the ones who rescued the captives. So we continued with extra caution at the risk of there being a person on guard. 


"The Governor held people here?" Tyreese questioned, and quiet literally was he correct. 

"He did more than hold 'em." Daryl challenged, his bow high in the air and in defense towards me now.

But the pool of blood just outside the door dates back to another horror movie, this is getting worse by the second as I scooped up Daryl's hand from his fallen side. My worrying eyes betrayed me as it lead to me looking towards him in the instant.

'it's aight.' He mouthed the words, and I nodded and smiling down at how pathetic I feel right now. So as Rick song the door open, the first thing I saw was Milton. 

"Butler...?" I whispered, but Michonne's call for Andrea led her to the body beside the wall before us all. Coming into full view did I see her, her face sweaty and red.

I don't even need to touch it like Michonne did. She's burning up. And if on cue, she pulled her shirt from her neck to show the bite the butler gave her. The fear from outside the door drew closer as the breaching tear drew from my eyes down my cheek. Daryl's hand found mine yet again.

But that just made me close my eyes and cry once again. She's dying, and I can't help her...
"...Judith, Carl, Addie...The rest of them..." 

"Us. The rest of us." Rick made the statement, but it swelled up my heart knowing that Andrea's intentions were to save my children. Carl and Judith included. The kids more or less.

Rick's right. It's all of us now.

"Are they alive?" She questioned out, and I realized how long she's been in this room deprived her of knowing what's going on outside. That's when Daryl's body went stiff, completely and utterly in sink. What was he thinking?

"Yeah, they're alive." Rick softly let out, and as Andrea looked off to her crying friend in hopes of having her stay with us. My tear continued to fall flat to the ground. 

"...No one can make it alone now." She said, looking to the both of us, our hands intertwined with one another as Daryl squeezed it in recognition.

"I never could." Dixon spoke, bringing me closer into his hold as I stood there crying like the idiot I am. Maybe it's the blood loss, or the occasion rudeness I left off into her direction. Whatever it may be, I felt the weakness dull into my knees.

"...I just didn't want anyone to die...I can do it myself. I have to...While I still can...I know how the safety works." She beamed out, breathing so heavily that she didn't have that much time considering her body is ultimately shutting down. And while Rick offered his python, Michonne claimed she wasn't leaving the girl's side. But I couldn't watch, so when she looked up towards me, I offered her the best smile I could. "Thank you..." 

"I tried." She breathed out, and as Daryl offered to leave the room. I stood in the hallway, in his hold waiting for the shot to fire out. His back facing the wall, and my head wrapped over it, did I countdown.

Seeing the blaring white light under the door as I jumped in recognition of the sound. I've heard it a hundred times.

My eyes squeezed so tightly together that I couldn't even dream of opening them, and when I did. Black patches just followed through with my line of sight. I need to get out of here, leave this fucking place.

But before I can, I have a quick stop to make.

"Rory!" Daryl yelled out, and as I couldn't take the conversation right now. I realized walking away isn't going to make him give me a minute, not at all. Instead I stopped in full persuit, waiting for him to catch up with me. "Rory, we're headin' on back. Where ya goin'?" 

"Get...Get Addie's things. Then we're getting the hell out've here." He nodded, but he didn't follow me. It was a heeling trail that had me continue to walk.

Rick. It was Rick.

Those cowboy sheriff boots I'd always make fun of him are taunting me right now I come through into their room and grab the duffle bag just sitting on the chair. Guess Merle wanted to make a run for it too.

"Blake. Take a minute. Breath. We need to—" 

"I need to get a few things and then leave. I won't stay here another minute." I dictated, going off to my daughter's room as I went into her closet. Grabbing each and every single thing, along with the picture frames and everything that she'd want with her. Here and now back at the prison.
"The people here...They can't stay, they'll—" 

"What? Die? They're women and children...What're we supposed to do?" I said, my mind and body moving fifty miles a minute. But that's when Rick stopped me, and in the second moment did the piercing cut scrape the inside of my skull as the pressure drastically changed.

"Please...Sit down." He beckoned, and I only did what I was told because there was no other way around this shitty thing. So instead I pulled out the note, the note Merle gave me.

"I have to get something..." I whispered out, holding my palm up to my head as I tried to level it out cleanly with the rest of the things in here. Rather than bob back and forth, he nodded.

"Take your time, I'll finish here. You go...In the other room." I nodded, taking the gentle steps up and I felt better when a watchful eye wasn't judging my every move. Instead I felt in the desperate need of getting it and still moving along, ripping open the draw did I see the given few things. 
A cigar.

A box.

And an envelope.

As I pried open the box I realized what they were, they were Merle's dog-tags. And I smiled in recognition at them as well, but the letters addressed to the three of us. I knew in the instant that they'd have information about Addie's biological dad. And I stuffed them into my pocket as I went into his closet to find the one thing I know Addie will love.

It's Merle's vest.

It was her idea to get him it, said he needed something of the sorts and there it was. Think she gave it to him for his birthday, can't recall him coming over any other holiday. But that was it, or else it was christmas.

Looking outside in the pitch dead of night, did I see my reflection. The prying eyes as I am digging through his personal shit that he wants me to do, as I reminded myself. The dog-tags and vest go to Addie.

I need permission from Daryl of course. Otherwise it's a sure gift.

The letters, I'm holding onto. I don't want to read them. But I feel like I have to, along with the one addressed to me.

But I caught myself looking into the window again, only this time, not to myself. But to the people outside, looking through to the poor person in the center. "Rick! We have to go!" I yelled, he met me in the hallway as I stuffed Merle's clothes in the bag as well, and we continued out the door without another look back.

"I grabbed some photos, placed was littered with them." I smiled a thank you, but I realized what I was about to do. Holding firmly to the dog tags did I make my way through the crowd.

"What's going on?" 


"Where's the Governor?"

"What happened?"


These questions the people want answers, and as Karen tried to answer them so faithfully to the truth did I try to silence everyone. But it didn't work, and the only thing I could even think to use right now is the dog whistle.

And that's exactly what I did.

"...I need everyone to listen up!" I yelled out, flinching at the oncoming sight of another migraine. So I felt the side of my head and rubbed it for a moment before continuing on, looking to each and every single member that's left of Woodbury. 

"I know you're all scared, it's the dead of night...But what happened today, ended whatever drama between both communities." I started, but a male's voice shouted out 'what happened to the governor?' and I sighed in the fact that they haven't addressed it yet.


"After the group that was sent to kill us, they retreated, the Governor stopped the trucks and gunned them all down. Karen's the last remaining one." I gestured to her, and she spoke to back up my side of the story. 
'So where is he?' 

"MIA, right now...I'm more concerned on what is going to happen to Woodbury. A lot has happened." I simply stated, and as another voice continued to draw the others into a horrific battle of the questions I sighed again.

"What do we do now?"


"Who's going to lead us?"


"Are we leaving?"


"What's the plan?"
I rose my hand once again, almost begging for them to stop. And they did, thankfully. But this drawing of power rang deep as I lowered my hand once they all settled down. 


"It's not safe in Woodbury, nothing is stable. But what is...Is the prison, it has walls. Enough room for everyone to live happily, but most importantly...It's safe." I looked around, and my eyes went towards Rick as he narrowed his brow and looked strictly down to the ground.

I disappointed him.

"Fending for yourself isn't an option anymore, you can't do anything without people. That is why I'm asking you to come with us, to join us. To continue this community." The smiles and nods came about, they looked genuinely relieved, and whether or not that's because they don't have to stay here or not. 
But because they have a chance under a new leadership, and that's being Rick.

"...It's late, but if we get moving now we can leave in the morning when the sun is up. Grab everything that you need...The bus is leaving then." Karen whispered that there's a bus in case of emergencies or rather large raid travelings so that is the direction I headed.

And although the group dispersed, I talked to her about getting her own stuff together and aiding me with the move.

Make sure to get names, everything that she can.

But most importantly, number them. This needs to get organized as possible and I don't want anyone to be left behind.

"...Christ Blake...Never seen ya like that before." I looked around, the hustle and bustle continued throughout the town as apartment lights fluttered open and everyone began packing for the move. 

"This is it...This is what Andrea wanted." I breathed out, looking to the concluded plot that the poor girl fought so hard to achieve.

But that's when Rick stepped forward.

"Blake I—" 

"I'm sorry...I should've said something to you first I..." I stopped when he pulled his hand to look at me, so I slowed down my breath and readied to listen to his words.

He is the boss.

"I...I think it's time I pass the role off to someone else." He stated, and I didn't know what he was offering until the glare of lights came about to his python. My eyes widened toward the gun, the one that just took Andrea's life. 
Dale's.

The one he had on him the day he was gunned down.

"I can't, I-" 

"You can. And you will...I've seen you lead, I just saw you gather and control those people. They're scared Blake, they need YOU. Not me." Tears were streaming down my face once again, as I took hold of the gun, gripping it in my hands did the weight feel a whole lot different as I realized that this wasn't just the weight of the bullets remaining in the gun.

It was Rick's leadership.

The people here's leadership.

"I can't take your gun..." 

"But you'll take the position?" Running my other hand into the locks of my hair did I look around. My eyes finally landing on Daryl as he's been silent throughout the whole thing. 


"Rory, ain't nobody gonna make 'em listen to a word any of us say. It's gotta be ya..." He whispered, and so I nodded. Nodding off towards Rick as I returned the pistol back into his holster and brought him in for a hug.

"I guess this is it?" I spoke, looking around again as I saw the commotion. Karen was talking to the given few people, all of which of clipboards trying to scribble the names down.

"I was giving out, evidentially, it was gonna come down to you," Rick mumbled, his arm on my good shoulder as he nodded along. Motioning to the others to see if he could help as well. And that left me alone with Daryl. Wilded eye and ready with a pep talk,

But then his hands felt into mine and flinched when they brought the metal tags into their own. "Ya found 'em?" 

"I was going to give it to Addie...If—If that's alright with you?" I questioned, or I turned it into a question in the end. And as he took a good long look at them, he bundled his hand up once more. Returning them back to my palms as he nodded. 

"She'd like 'em more than me." I smiled, trading it back into his as I wanted him to be the one to give it to her.

She'd appreciate it more if it came from him. The brother. Or her father more or less.

"This Addie's stuff?" He motioned to the duffle bag Rick probably passed to him, I nodded. But then it was the other dwelling question of the vest. And he was more than happy to give it to her.

'she gonna wear it and act pure Dixon from now on,' and the only thing that came out of my mouth as he pulled me closer into his chest was 'god willing'.

*

I didn't ride on the bus, instead I road in the truck as everything else was full and I'm more than exhausted. Stepping out as Daryl held the door open for me, I just gripped my arm at the thought of moving it anymore.

Tyreese and Karen were getting everyone off the bus, their list at the ready as they did a headcount. "Ya aight?" The smallest voice pondered, and I looked his way for a moment than back to what was unfolding. 


"I don't know if I can do this..." I answered honestly, and with no hesitation did he grip my waist so tightly to showcase beside his. Bringing me in closer to his alluding breath and watchful eyes. 


"Rick needs a break...When we first got here ya said this place could be a home...Can't be a home without people." I nodded, letting my rest on his shoulder a minute. Hearing the footprints did the overall exhaustion hit me so deeply that I'm about to pass the fuck out in a few minutes.

"If that was ya...Havin' that bite on ya neck...Or me findin' ya like we found Merle I—...I don't think I could do it hun." I didn't respond right away, I found his hand and interlock it in my own. 

"Not going down without a fight." I mumbled back, but the loud decree of 'mama!' Shouted about and I couldn't help but avert my attention back towards the voice.

"Honey I—" She jumped into my arms, no way of denying the amount of pain coursing through my nerves, but it felt relatively relaxing to have my daughter in my arms, her long wavy brown hair just covering the majority of her back as I deeply inhale her scent.

The extra tear fell as I sobbed into her ear, pushing her head further into my hold as I looked to Daryl.

"Ya hold down the fort here hun?" He asked my little girl, and she pulled away from my hold to nod. Instead of staying, I placed her back onto the ground as I held in agony of my arm thumping a mile a minute.

But that's when she tackled Daryl with a hug as well. "You kept your promise." She mumbled, and I was confused as to what Addie was talking about. But then the rusty chuckle followed by Pookie the girl up and carrying her over his shoulders had the both of them smile.


"He said he was coming back...He did." Her arms went around his neck, at first I thought Daryl looked uncomfortable and I was about to say something. But it was something I haven't seen in him since...For a long ass time.

It was this helpless little gaze and he didn't know who to give it to. "I ain't leavin'...All of y'all." My nose hitched up when I saw Addie pull up her pinky finger, and with that Daryl did the same. However, I took the initiative of laying a small kiss onto his lips as he brought me once again under his hold.

With Carl questioning Rick what's going on, Addie decided to listen in. All while I felt the need to take a tally of people, I'm counting forty-two. About, at the very least that number.

"...They're gonna join us." Was all Grimes stated before Carl ran off, Addie's attention went towards him and Daryl quickly let her down to have my little girl follow him. After what Carl did to her friend, I'm surprised she even batted her eyes in his direction.

"All waitin' on ya hun." Dixon reminded me, and as I patted his hand with the other. I simply followed through towards Karen, claiming that there are 54 instead of my counter forty-two. Close, but not quite.

We can use the other cell blocks, away from the group for now in C. Everything will sort itself out in a few days, a week at the most. We just need to get everyone situated and prepare if the Governor wants to retaliate again.

"...Welcome to West Georgia's correctional facility. Or home...After what happened yesterday this place needs a lot of work...But we can make this a better environment if we stay and come together...If you have family members you want to stay with, I need you to bunch up. And when Karen calls you up, the entire family comes. I don't want anyone to be separated too far...I'm sure we can all use a good nap and a warm meal."

Some chuckled at my joke, and frankly that might've only been Rick and Daryl. Or maybe a few others that are sleep deprived.

This might be a lengthy process, but I really don't want kids or spouses being drawn apart in different cells.

It felt like a while just standing there going ahead and having our group members walk them into the cell block. All except our own. We're not there yet with trusting people, and I received a stern nod from Rick about that.

"Yo...Blake, can I talk to ya for a sec?" Karen claimed she has the rest under control, and at first I don't know what exactly Daryl wanted, and instead he just huffed and puffed until I made it a point that he needs to awnser.

"Don't know if we got 'nough food to last everybody the night...Deers gonna take a good few days to track...Glenn said he'd go on a run tomorrow but—" I narrowed my eyes down to think directly on what was on the tip of my tongue. Then it hit me. The key in my back pocket screamed to be used, and so I handed it to him.

"Take whoever's not busy...But please, be careful?" He nodded, laying a kiss on my cheek before running towards Rick in hopes of convincing him to go. With the gentle hand up in the air did they both give me the okay, allowing me to return.

Name after name, face after face did the last few people go. We're uneven, but that's alright. Cellblock A is going to be off limits due to the fact its death row and I cannot handle the moral standpoint of that, everyone here looks just drawn out from the war, and it's not fair of me to ask everyone to be patient.

As it was just myself and Tyreese left over, we both took the given breath up into the air and laughed that we managed to house everyone. Almost like a moment of silence. 
"Blake! Have you seen Rick?" 

"He went to the basement with Daryl, I think there might be more food down there." Glenn initiated the conversation and Maggie came this way to aid in regards to what's going on.

All she heard was the given speech in the beginning, but as Karen returned outside. She looked more miserable when she offered to go in. "I can't help but feel guilty walking in there, walker bodies are—" 

"We'll clean up, fix this place up." She nodded, and with that she claimed to have saved a cell for Sasha, who is still wide eye to everything around her and us.

But when I stopped the three of them, I offered Cell block C. It's not any different, but I rather have them closer in case a riot breaks out. 


Don't know what will happen in these walls...

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Date Posted:  12-09-18

Time: 7:18

Word-Count: 7555

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END OF CHAPTER 3!
Welcome to in between to lead into season 4 :)