FALLEN ANGELS.

chapter nine, breaking point.
[ season three, episode seven ]

TAPE. WOODEN TABLE. CONCRETE floor. Those are just a few of the physical things that surround Odessa.

Beside her, she can hear everything that's happen to Glenn in the next room. It makes her stomach churn, hearing what's happening him. The punches, the sound of Merle's angered yells.

She squeezes her eyes shut tightly, trying to block out the sound of her best friend being beat. She tries to not think about what might happen to her and Maggie next.

She takes a deep breath and gathers her senses. She has to be strong. She can't show fear right now because men like Merle Dixon feed off of other people's fear. She has to stay silent. She can't give up that prison. Not with Carl and her baby sister there. She'll die before she does that.

When they arrived, the people at this community took all of her weapons. Her pistol, her treasured knife, her brass knuckles. Even the little knives she usually has hidden along her clothes.

She is left with nothing.

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Meanwhile—

Theo is slammed against the cage. "What the fuck, man!?" He exclaims wildly. "We brought back formula for a baby and this is how treat us?"

The man who slammed Theo against the cage cocks his head to the side. "What's your name?"

"Theo! Get off me, man! We're not gonna try some dumb shit!" Theo shoves the man away from him. "Jesus, if we were bad people we wouldn't have brought the formula."

The man looks down at Michonne, "wake her up."

"Yeah, okay," Theo nods, giving him the side-eye. He kneels beside Michonne and gently touches her arm. "Hey, wake up." He whispers and her eyes slowly peel open.

Her eyes lock with Theo's and for a moment she's calm. But then her eyes shift and she sees the strangers standing behind the young man.

She instinctively reaches for her sword but the man that slammed Theo into the cage kicks it out of her reach.

"We're not gonna hurt you unless you try something stupid first." The man says to her.

"Rick," a new voice interrupts.

Theo looks in the direction of the voice, catching sight a man with a sleeveless shirt on. His eyebrows shoot up, he isn't too shabby looking.

"Who the hell is this?" The man questions.

The man, Rick, looks down at Michonne. "You wanna tell us your name?"

She doesn't answer. He asks ago.

Michonne only stares at the man.

"You wanna come on in here?" The new stranger asks.

"Everything alright?" Rick looks back at him.

"You're gonna wanna see this." The man says.

"Go ahead. Carl, get those bags," Rick instructs the younger boy. Theo glances over at him. He can't have been more than thirteen years old. "We'll keep these safe and sound." Rick holds up Michonne's sword and Theo's weapons. "The doors are all locked. You'll both be safe here. And we can treat that." He motions to Michonne's gun shot. "And those bruises."

Theo reaches up in attempt to shield the bruises his father gave him.

"We didn't ask for your help," Michonne hisses harshly.

"Doesn't matter," Rick replies, his eyebrows raising. He turns on his heel, "can't let you leave."

The redneck man shuts the bared door, locking it behind him. Immediately, Theo helps Michonne to her feet. "You okay?" He asks.

She doesn't say anything as she limps towards the door. She grabs hold of a bar as Theo approaches her.

There, they see a dirty gray-haired woman taking the baby that blonde girl had been holding.

"The girl from the outlet, she's the boy's sister." Michonne speaks up quietly.

Theo's brows furrow in confusion. He looks over at her. "What?"

"You don't see the resemblance?" Michonne looks over at him. "And judging how he's crying, his mother is dead and she died during childbirth. Making the baby her sister as well."

"Maybe that's why she looked like a biter," Theo sighs, thinking of how miserable the girl looked. "Poor girl."

And he's right. The girl from before had looked awful. Her eyes had been sunken in red eyes, bags under them, bruises along her knuckles, and she was wearing a long sleeve despite it being hot as hell outside.

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Not long later, Rick and the other man return to the common area. But this time, they're accompanied by an older man with one leg and crutches. Rick approaches the two and doesn't hesitate, "we can tend to that wound for you, give you a little food and water, and then send you on your way. But you're gonna have to tell us how you found us and why you were carrying formula."

"The supplies were dropped by a young Asian guy with two pretty girls. One wasn't much younger than him," Michonne nods towards Theo.

They watch Rick rolls his neck, shutting his eyes. He sucks in a deep breath as if trying to gather himself. Theo assumes that the girl must've been his daughter, based on how he treats the young boy— Carl. Rick is his father, making the younger girl his daughter.

"What happened?" Rick asks them.

"Were they attacked?" The old man with one leg questions, Theo can only assume the other woman is his daughter.

"They were taken," Theo informs.

"Taken? By who?" Rick interrogates.

"By the same son of a bitch who shot me." Michonne hisses. Theo's jaw clenches.

Rick kneels in front of them, "hey, these are our people. You tell us what happened now!"

Rick's arm shoots forward, he presses his thumb deep into Michonne's gunshot wound. They woman cries out.

Immediately, both Michonne and Theo are standing and ready to fight. The woman points his finger in Rick's face. "Don't you ever touch me again!"

The redneck points his crossbow at the two. "You'd better start talking. You're gonna have a much bigger problem than a gunshot wound!"

"Find 'em yourselves." Theo snarls, anger coursing through him. He does not like these two men whatsoever. Fuck the redneck one being attractive

Rick tells him to lower the lethal weapon. He listens. Rick circles the two. They both stand their ground, showing the man no fear whatsoever. He glances between them. "You came here for a reason."

They share a look.

"There's a town. Woodbury," Theo finally admits. "About seventy-five survivors. That's where he took them."

"A whole town?" Rick asks him.

"It's run by the Governor," Theo stops talking for a moment. "My dad. I'm nothing like him though. I left because he's the reason I have these." Theo motions to his bruises.

"Pretty boy, charmin', Jim Jones type," Michonne continues on.

"He got muscle?" The redneck questions.

"Paramilitary wannabes. They have armed sentries on every wall," Michonne replies..

"You know a way in?" Rick glances at Theo.

He nods, "I can get you in and out. Can't promise it'll be silent though. Causin' a ruckus would probably be better for us to get out."

"How'd you know how to get here?" Rick asks.

"They mentioned a prison, said which direction it was in, that it was straight shot." Michonne answers.

"We were comin' here anyway," Theo tells them, "didn't know people took it for themselves. My best friend said to come here."

Rick nods and then motions to the old man, "this is Hershel, the father of one of the girl's who was taken. He'll take care of that."

"Wait," Theo calls out as Rick starts to walk away. "Who's the father of the other girl?"

He just wants to confirm his theory.

"Me," Rick mumbles.

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Odessa's eyes snap up from the table when she hears the door open. Her eyes narrow as a man she doesn't recognize walks in, shutting the door softly behind. Her eyes trail him as he walks deeper into the room.

He sits down in the chair across from her. "I'm told your name is Odessa. Am I right?"

She doesn't say a word. She just keeps her eyes locked on his.

"I got a son around your age. Theo. He ran away last night. He's got blonde hair, blue eyes. You seen him?" He cocks his head.

No luck.

The man tries again. "You seem like a smart girl. So. . . why don't you tell us where you and your people are camped out at."

When the girl in front of him says nothing, he sighs, "well, I'm the Governor. It's nice to meet you, Odessa. Thought meeting a girl as pretty as you would be nice under different circumstances."

He sees the way her eyes shift. The way her shoulder tense. He grins. "Oh, that scare ya, huh?"

She will not show this man fear.

The Governor stands. Odessa's finger dip deeper into the wooden arms of the chair. And when he gets to her side, she presses her lips into a firm line. Not budging as his fingers touch the side of her neck.

And then. . .

His hand wraps tightly around her throat. A choked, surprised noise comes from her mouth as he tips her chair back onto two legs.

She tries to calm her beating heart. She squeezes her eye shut as he leans down. He presses his lips to her forehead.

He releases her, pushing her chair upwards. She snaps forward with a lunge, she gasps at the sudden force of the shove. If it hadn't been for the tape around her wrists, she would've went face first into the table.

Her surprise quickly fades into a silent fear as the Governor pulls out his hunting knife. It's almost a big as Daryl's own. And she's seen Daryl skin animals with his knife.

He caresses her arm with the knife, dragging it up from her wrist to her shoulder. She shakes, fighting back tears. She doesn't say anything.

He flips the knife around, he then decides to cut her. He cuts her left collar bone from one end to the other, deep. A whimper of pain falls from her lips. She can't help it this time. It hurts so bad.

Then, in a single, swift motion, the Governor uses the knife covered in her blood to cut her shirt down the middle.

She lets out a shaky breath as he stares at her. His hungry eyes scan her chest down her stomach. They stop on her jeans. His other hand snaps forward, fisting her hair tightly. She cries out at the sharp pain.

"You're gone talk. Whether we gotta force it outta you or not," he growls into her ear. "And I can think of a lotta ways we can do that."

He pulls back. Letting her hair go. Their eyes meet, and for the first time since being bound to this chair, she speaks up, "go fuck yourself."

The man doesn't say a word. He just laughs. And when his hand touches her skin, she doesn't say a word. She doesn't beg him. She just watches as he gathers her blood on his finger. He raises his hand to her face. She doesn't fight him as he rubs her own blood against her lips.

She'll protect her family. She has to protect her brother and her sister. Beth. What if there are other men here who are worse than the one before her? Who will do horrible things to Beth and Carl? She refuses to let that happen. If that means she has to sacrifice her own self, then so be it.

And then, she doesn't beg as his hand slips down her neck, running over her chest and her stomach. His fingers sink into the waistband of her jeans, skimming her skin. And then, when he starts to unbutton her jeans, she snaps.

She lunges forward, sinking her teeth deep into his forearm. He yanks back with a sharp yell of pain. He grips his arm with his other hand, looking at the girl with shocked eyes.

His blood glistens on her lips. Her eyes are wild and angry, daring him to try again.

He leaves to tend to his wound.

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Thirty minutes later, when Merle Dixon strolls into the room with his massive ego, Odessa mentally rolls her eyes, but her physical eyes stay looked on him.

"Heya, Sweetheart," he sits down in the chair across from her. "How ya been?"

She doesn't respond.

Merle sighs. "See, I had this problem with Glenn too. Wouldn't talk. You heard what I did to him though. Yeah," he smirks evilly. "I'm 'bout to have some fun with you, Girlie."

Again, there is no response on Odessa's part.

Merle clicks his tongue, knocking his knuckles against the wooden table. "Where y'all hol' up at, Dessa?"

Hearing such a sacred nickname fall from his monstrous mouth sends shivers down her spine, she physically shakes from it.

"Okay, Odessa. Your daddy handcuffed me to a roof. Left me for dead. Now, Glenn says they went back for me but. . . I dunno if I can trust his word. If I can't get my hands on ol' Rick, his daughter makes the perfect replacement!" He slaps his knee with big grin.

Odessa tries to mentally herself for what's to come as Merle pulls something from his pocket. Her eyes see the way the dull light above them shines against the mental, and she instantly knows what he has.

Her brass knuckles. They are still flecked with Randall's dry blood. Odessa just never bothered to wash them after that night. She was too broke , too torn after witnessing Dale's death.

"Now, we got these outta your pocket and they're stained with blood. I hope the sucker you beat the shit out of is dead." Merle smirks. "You got tough, haven't ya?"

She doesn't speak.

"Let's test how tough you've gotten," he stands.

He circles her like a predator does its pray. And when she feels his blade press against the side of her neck, trailing it in the same way the Governor's blade did, her eyes squeeze shut. "Tell me what happened after Atlanta."

Odessa doesn't know why he keeps trying. She isn't going to say anything.

Finally, he moves in front of her. His blue eyes scan her face. And for a moment, Odessa looks at his eyes and all she can think is, their the same color as Daryl's.

"You look just like your mom."

This causes Odessa to snap from her own mind. Her eyes widen in a way that catches Merele's attention. Merle thinks it's about her mom. But it's not, the fear in her eyes come from what Shane did to her all those months ago. What he almost did to her.

"Oh! Did I strike a cord in ya, Dessy? Somethin' happen to Mommy Dearest? Well, I can't imagine you would care much. From what I remember she always treated—"

"Shut up!" Odessa yells. Merle's eyes widen at her sudden outburst.

"She speaks!" He shouts with a wide smile. "Good. I was afraid I'd have to cut out your tongue. Then you really wouldn't speak."

She says nothing. She spits. It hands right on his cheek. Merle flinches back. He brings his hand up, wiping her saliva off of him.

He grins. "You got some balls for a little girl."

His smile falls.

He lands the first punch.

Her head snaps to the side. The pain explodes through her face from the brass knuckles. She gasps at the pounding pain.

When she looks back at Merle, he has a sick and satisfied look on his features.

"You get off on this?" Odessa hisses.

Merle lands her punch to the other side of her face. He does so until he can't make out her face.

Blood coats her face, her neck, her chest. Two purple bruises are already forming around both of her eyes. Blood drips from both nostrils. There are cuts on her lips and her cheeks. Her jaw is so swollen on the left side she knows that she won't be able to speak or eat.

All she can think about is how Randall felt the night she tortured him, how helpless he must have felt.

He cuts the duct tape on her wrists and pulls her up roughly. "Let's go, Officer-Friendly Junior."

He tugs her alongside him. She can barely keep up. The pain is so intense that her legs just want to give out beneath her.

And then they do.

Merle shoves her into a room. She stumbles forward, her legs finally giving out. She hits the ground, her knees scrap against the concrete. She hears the door slam shut behind her.

She pulls her shirt around, wrapping it around her exposed stomach and chest. She hugs herself. A sob falls from her lips when she closes her eyes.

"Des?"

Her eyes snap open. A relief fills her.

Maggie and Glenn.

She can't say their names.

Maggie walks toward, kneeling in front of Odessa. Both of them take in the state of the other. Maggie wears Glenn's shirt. Odessa immediately knows the Governor did the same thing to her as he did to herself. And from what she can tell, it was worse.

Maggie's tear filled eyes scan Odessa. Her face is so bloody, so wounded. The cut along her collarbone is red and angry. Dried blood flakes on her arm from where Merle shot her. Her eyes are still full of tears. Her shirt is cut open, revealing her stomach and bra covered chest. Her jeans are still unbottoned.

"Oh, Dessa," Maggie whispers.

She doesn't hesitate to pull Odessa gently into her arms. She cradles her. Odessa allows herself to be held. She brings her uninjured arm Maggie's own, holding her back.

Glenn kneels beside them. He wraps his arms around his girls.

They aren't safe, but in Glenn and Maggie's arms, Odessa feels safer since she saw Merle's face in that parking lot.

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word count: 2,991

wow. that was wild a chapter, wasn't it?? what do we think about it?? did anything came as unexpected to y'all or did you expect any of this stuff to happen??

odessa deserves so much better. my poor baby has been through so much and it just gets worse and worse. but she's one the most strong characters i've ever wrote. she deserves a break and she gets on soon. rightfully deserved.

FUCK THE GOVERNOR!!!! FUCK MERLE DIXON!!!!

but now it's time for one of the scariest versions of odessa. after this chapter she turns extremely blood thirsty and angry. not like she wasn't before but after this?? jesus. she just wants the governor dead and merle's blood on her hands. i

but can anyone guess her most unhinged era? i mean she's gonna be a blood thirsty, angry killing machine during that era.

but theo and michonne got to the prison and met everyone even though it was a rough introduction. they love each other later and theo and michonne's relationship is literally one of the best things in this entire series. and yes theo is bisexual.

theo and odessa meet next chapter!!! i'm so excited for the best besties ever to finally have their first interaction.