VIVIAN WAS FRUSTRATED.

Eventually she decided that Glenn and Merle needed to be kept separated. She sent Glenn on watch to hopefully resolve the problem, and Maggie went to go join him.

She'll gladly hand the torch back to Rick once he returns. She was sick of the cat fighting.

Everyone went off to do their own things, and as long as they don't go into the courtyard, she was okay with it.

They could still be out there, the Woodbury people. Vivian didn't want anyone to die on her watch.

Vivian was sat in her cell, going through the children clothes that Rick brought back from their run the other day.  It was starting to get cold again, and Liam had outgrown all his winter clothes.

Not to mention they needed bigger clothes for when Judith grows. In her experience, it doesn't take newborns long to grow out of their onesies.

"You know I'm right." Vivian heard Merle say from outside the cells. She paused her folding, listening in on his conversation, "The folks here, they're strong, good fighters. But they ain't killers."

"Rick is." Michonne responded, "Maggie is. Carl put down his own mother."

"Mercy killing." Merle corrected her, "That don't make him an assassin."

"Mmm," The samurai hummed, "but you are."

"When I have to be." The older Dixon replied, 

"Then how do you explain letting me get away?" Michonne asked,

"I must have been seduced by your sterling personality." He joked, "You coming with me or not? Me and my brother, we have a few calls we use when we hunt. I'll give him a heads up. He'll warn the others. You shogun the Governor's ass, I'll take care of the rest. We'll be home before you know it."

Vivian didn't understand why Merle wanted a partner in crime so much. First he tried to recruit Glenn, and now Michonne? Back at the quarry, at the start, he had no problem going off on his own when Shane told him no.

So why now? 

"And what about Andrea? And Marcie?" Michonne questioned him,

"We all know Marcie will choose my brother. But blondie? Bullets fly, she's gonna have to make her choice real quick." Merle answered,

"You're on your own." The samurai replied, "You get people killed, it's on you."

Vivian smirked to herself. Michonne was really trying, she wanted to be apart of this group. She was making a true effort.

There could be a place for her here.

They heard the sound of Daryl's motorcycle and everyone gathered outside. Beth stayed inside with the baby while Liam followed behind Vivian, holding her hand so he didn't get left behind.

She stood at the top of the steps that led into the cell block, watching as the vehicles came to a stop.

Rick got out, followed by Hershel. The air turned tense, and it was unclear how the meeting went.

"Let's get inside." Rick ordered, heading towards the door. He paused to squeeze Vivian's arm, "Everything go okay here?"

"For the most part." She answered, 

Everyone followed him inside, gathering inside the cellblock. "So, I met this Governor." Rick stated to the group, "Sat with him for quite a while."

"Just the two of you?" Merle asked him,

Rick nodded, "Yeah."

Merle turned to Glenn, "Should have gone when we had the chance, bro."

"He wants the prison." Rick continued, "He wants us gone. Dead. He wants us dead for what we did to Woodbury. We're going to war."

Vivian grew nervous and squeezed Liam's hand comfortingly. Despite the run Rick went on, all the guns he had gathered, Woodbury still had the numbers on them.

Rick left the building and everyone began their own discussions. But Vivian knew that Rick's decision was the one and only.

Vivian left Liam with Beth before following Rick to the catwalk. He stood there, staring out into the yard,

"The group's taking it as well as can be expected." Vivian stated, coming to a stop next to him, "Merle and Michonne are convinced we should hit first. Carol and Hershel think we should take our chances on the road." She sighed, "We're in this together. So if we stay and fight, so be it."

"He gave me a choice." Rick told her, "A way out."

Vivian stared at him for a moment. She didn't want to ask the question, she knew she wouldn't like the answer no matter what it was, "What does he want?"

Rick made eye contact with her, "Michonne."

It made sense. She took his eye, he'll take her life.

"He'll kill her."

"And then kill us anyway." Rick added, before looking away, staring out into the prison yard once again, "But what if he doesn't? What if this is the answer?"

"Why didn't you tell them?" Vivian asked,

Should this be a group decision? They would send this woman, who has helped them so much, to her death. It was the Randall situation all over again.

"They need to be scared." He answered,

"They are. We are." She responded, "We've been scared since the moment Merle pointed his gun at us and dragged us to Woodbury."

"Good." His blue eyes pierced her, "'Cause that's the only way they'll accept it."

Vivian broke eye contact and let out a sigh, "She saved my life. And Carl's. Glenn, Maggie... if she hadn't come here, you would have never known we were taken. She's earned her place, Rick."

He nodded, "Yeah. Yeah, she has." He paused for a moment to think, "Are you willing to sacrifice your child's life for her? Carl and Judith's lives?"

She hated when he used that against her. Because every decision she ever makes, her first thought is how Liam would be affected.

"Why are you telling me all this?" She whispered,

"Because..." Rick stepped closer to her, forcing her to look up at him, "I'm hoping you can talk me out of it. Just like you did with Randall."

"Don't put that on me, Rick." Vivian responded before going back inside.

It was dark by the time Marcie made it back to Woodbury. It was always hard for her to leave her group every time she got to see them.

"We'll talk later?" Andrea asked, watching Marcie as she headed towards her parents' house,

The brunette nodded, "We need to come up with a game plan. And soon."

She didn't want to stay in Woodbury any longer. But coming up with a compromise between her and her parents was easier said than done.

They don't trust Rick's group. And Marcie doesn't trust the Governor's.

Marcie paused on the front steps that led to her parents' front door. It was cracked open. Her dad always checked to make sure the front door was locked, it was a habit he had even before the world went to shit.

She grabbed her knife and held it in a defensive grip as she approached the doorway slowly.

Her heart dropped to her stomach as she opened the door, careful not to make too much noise. All the lights were off, which was another red flag. Her mom always left a light on in the kitchen for her...

"Mama? Papa?"

She stood in the entrance, not sure where she should go first. Check their bedroom? The kitchen?

Marcie moved over to the stairs but before she could take the first step, she looked up and spotted a dark figure at the top of the stairs.

It was clearly a man, but he was skinnier than her father, and more built, "Where are they?"

Another figure appeared in the doorway, and in the moonlight, Marcie could see the eyepatch that wrapped around the man's head,

"I'll bring you to them." The Governor stated.

Marcie went to bolt towards the back door, but another man stood there, waiting for her. She swung her knife towards him, catching his arm.

He let out a yell of pain as the other man wrapped his arms around Marcie from behind, lifting her off the ground,

"Let go!" She tried to kick him to no luck, then resorting to throwing her head back, catching him in the nose.

The man let go of her and as she steadied herself on the ground, the first man threw his fist towards her face, clocking her in the temple and knocking her out immediately, sending her crumpling to the floor.

"Make sure you tie her up tight. Don't want her to interrupt the show." The Governor told his men before the three left the house, Marcie tossed over one of their shoulders.