CHAPTER TEN,
old friend.

"We're not leaving." Rick declared.

"We can't stay here." Hershel replied.

"What if there's another sniper? A wood pallet won't stop one of those rounds." Maggie argued.

"We can't even go outside." Beth spoke up.

"Not in the daylight."

"Rick says we're not running, we're not running." Glenn said.

"No, better to live like rats." Merle butt in. Aiden scoffed and glared at the man.

"You got a better idea?" Rick questioned.

"Yeah, we should have slid out of here last night and lived to fight another day. But we lost that window, didn't we? I'm sure he's got scouts in every road or of this place by now." Merle said.

"We ain't scared of that prick." Daryl said from the top.

"Y'all should be. That truck through the fence thing, that's just him ringing the doorbell. We might have some thick walls to hide behind, but he's got the guns and the numbers. And if he takes the high ground around this place, shoot, he could just starve us out if he wanted to." Merle said.

"Let's put him in the other cell block." Maggie spoke.

"No. He got a point." Daryl piped up.

"This is all you. You started this!"

"What's the difference whose fault it is? What do we do?" Beth asked.

"I said we should leave. Now Axel's dead. We can't just sit here." Hershel said. Rick merely looked at the man and began to walk away. Hershel rose, "get back here!"

Aiden's eyebrows shot skywards at Hershel's yell, "you're slipping, Rick. We've all seen if. We understand why. But now is not the time. You once said this isn't a democracy. Now you have to own up to that. I put my family's life in your hands. So get your head clear and do something."

»

Aiden sat in her cell with a book in her lap when Daryl walked in. "What do you want?"

"To talk." Daryl replied causing Aiden to raise her eyebrows.

"Then talk."

Daryl sat on the end of the bed they used to share. Aiden watched him closely, "I didn't wanna leave, Aid. Rick gave me no choice."

"You had a choice. You could've came back here with us, with me. You just decided to go with your brother. I would've done the same if I was in the situation." Aiden shrugged.

Daryl sighed and rubbed his eyes, "I'm sorry for leaving ya."

"You don't have to be sorry," Aiden said and her words shocked both of them. "He's your blood. I get it, Daryl."

"You do?" Daryl asked, turning his head to look at her.

"Of course I do." She scoffed, "I would've given my life for my brother. Even in his last days when he was completely out of his mind. He's your blood. I understand. Probably better than anyone here."

"You forgive me?"

"Now, I didn't say that."

»

"Andrea's here!" Carl yelled to the adults. Aiden swiftly grabbed her gun and followed everyone outside.

Aiden stole a glance at the blonde woman she once knew before raising her gun and watching the woods. "Are you alone?"

"Open the gate."

"Are you alone?" Rick asked again.

"Rick!" Andrea called as she walked up Yo the gate. "Open it."

Daryl and Rick opened the gate and Andrea stumbled in. "Hands up! Turn around!" Rick demanded. "Turn around now!"

Rick pushed her against the fence while Daryl aimed his crossbow at her head. A walker pushed itself against the fence in front of Andrea causing her to scream.

"Get down on the floor." Rick patted her down before stating again, "I asked if you were alone."

"I am." Andrea said before Rick ripped her bag off.

Andrea stared at the prison before Rick grabbed her arm, "welcome back. Get up."

The group entered the prison in a line. Aiden held a cold glare on the back of Andrea's head, remembering the day on the farm where she said suicide was an option.

Maybe Aiden should let things go. It was eight months ago.

Andrea quickly hugged Carol. "After you saved me, we thought you were dead." Carol said to her.

"Hershel, my God." Andrea said as she saw Hershel's leg. "I can't believe this. Where's Shane?"

Aiden's heart beat sped up at the his name. "Um- he died. He never made it off the farm." Aiden said lowly.

"Aiden, Jesus, I'm sorry." Andrea said, looking at the woman in pity.

"No, it was gonna happen one day." A hidden meaning was behind her words as she sent a glance at Rick. The man could only look down at his boots.

"And Lori?"

"She had a girl. Lori didn't survive. Neither did T-Dog."

"I'm so sorry. Carl." Andrea turned to Rick with tears in her eyes, "Rick, I- you all live here?"

"Here and the cell block." Glenn informed her.

"There?" Andrea pointed at the cell block. Glenn nodded. "Well, can I go in?"

"I won't allow that."

"I'm not the enemy, Rick." Andrea said.

"We had that field and courtyard until your boyfriend tore down the fence with a truck and shot us up." Rick told her.

"He said you fired first."

"Well, he's lying." Rick stated.

"He killed an inmate who survived here." Hershel said.

"We liked him. He was one of us." Daryl spoke up.

"I didn't know anything about this. As soon as I found out, I came. I didn't even know you were in Woodbury until after the shoot-out."

"That was days ago." Aiden stated.

"I told you, I came as soon as I could." Andrea looked from Aiden to Glenn to Maggie before looking at Michonne. "What have you told them?"

"Nothing."

"I don't get it. I left Atlanta with you people and now I'm the odd man out?"

"He almost killed Michonne and Aiden and he would have killed us." Glenn argued.

"With his finger on the trigger!" Andrea accused Merle. "Isn't he the one who kidnapped you? Who beat you two?" Andrea's eyes shifted from Aiden and Glenn. "Look, I cannot excuse or explain what Philip has done." Aiden's eyebrows creased at the name. A sly smirk covered her face at how ridiculous it was. "But I am here trying to bring us together. We have to work this out."

"Phillip?" Aiden asked.

"There's nothing to work out. We're gonna kill him. I don't know how or when, but we will." Rick stepped forward.

"We can settle this. There is room at Woodbury for all of you." Andrea said to the lot of them.

"You know better than that." Merle chuckled.

"What makes you think this man wants to negotiate? Did he say that?" Hershel asked her.

"No."

"Then why did you come here?" Aiden asked.

"Because he's gearing up for war. The people are terrified. They see you as killers. They're training to attack." Andrea informed them.

"I'll tell you what. Next time you see Philip, you tell him I'm gonna take his other eye." Daryl spoke with a burning hatred. Not only did he force him to fight his own brother but he also beat Aiden senseless, nearly killed her.

"We've taken too much shit for too long. He wants a war? He's got one." Glenn cut in.

"Rick. If you don't sit down and try to work this out, I don't know what's gonna happen. He has a whole town. Look at you. You've lost so much already. You can't stand alone anymore."

"You want to make this right, get us inside." Rick got in her face.

"No."

"Then we got nothing to talk about." Rick said and began to walk off.

"These are innocent people." Andrea called after him but he didn't stop as the door opened and slammed shut.

»

Andrea walked up to Aiden who sat on her bed, "I'm sorry about Shane."

"It was nearly a year ago. Nothin' to be sorry about anymore." Aiden shrugged.

"Carol told me everything that happened. Rick's become cold."

"Killing my brother changed him. It's what changed me too." Aiden looked up at Andrea and wiped her eyes. "Once I found out Rick killed him I left. I was alone for six months. You can make it in this world alone if you have your wits about you. If not, you're just as dead as the walkers." Aiden said to her.

"Shane wouldn't want to see you like this. You know that."

"Shane's dead. What he wouldn't have wanted to see is irrelevant now." Aiden mumbled. "That baby is his. I'm an aunt."

"You would've been her aunt even if she wasn't Shane's." Andrea said.

"Carl asked me to be her godmother." Aiden sighed. "I already know if anything happens to Rick. Those two would be under my care immediately. They already are in a sense. I've been around Carl for his entire life, it'll be the same way with Judith."

"They'll need a mother figure in this world."

"I know."

"So you and Daryl?"

"It's complicated right now."

»

Andrea had left the prison to head back to Woodbury. Leaving the group alone once again.

Aiden laid on her cell while listening to Beth sing, "they hung a sign up in our town
if you live it up, you won't live it down
so she left Monte Rio, son
just like a bullet leaves a gun
with charcoal eyes and Monroe hips
she went and took the California trip
well, the moon was gold
and her hair like wind
said don't look back now
just come on, Jim
you got to hold on
hold on
you got to hold on
take my hand, i'm standing right here
you got to hold on
well, he gave her a dime-shore watch
and a ring made from a spoon
everyone's looking for someone to blame
if you share my bed, you share my name"

Aiden gripped Shane's necklace tightly, silent tears fell down her face and hit her pillow.

"I miss you." She whispered into the air.

_____________________________

word count: 1,669
episode: i ain't a judas

and another edited chapter!! aiden really does need to learn to let things go, like girly.

aiden misses her brother. plain and simple. she wishes shane was still there.

she still hates rick's guts for it too. some of that hate was displayed this chapter.

but she's slowly forgiving daryl because she would've done the same thing.

andrea isn't my favorite character ever but i miss her in the show.