One more step

Not alone

Elli had been alone for months, she was losing count of exactly how long. The silence killed her. She traveled by day, at night she would try to find a safe place to rest. She never got more than an hour sleep. She was deteriorating by the day. She walked out of the woods and up an embankment to a paved road. She stopped suddenly realizing she had walked into the open right in front of a group of men. They had already spotted her and were already approaching. She couldn't run anymore. She was dehydrated and exhausted. She tried to meet their gazes "Are you alone girl?" She didn't answer. Her throat was dry and sore. She stared at the hot pavement until she heard a gruff southern voice and her head snapped up "Well lookie who the hell showed up late to the party!" Her eyes met icy blue ones and she began to sob knowing she was hallucinating. her body shook violently with every sob.

The Govenor looked on shocked at the girl in front of them as Merle put his hands up in surrender "Whoah hold up baby girl, why ya crying? You know ole Merle ain't good with that shit." Elli collapsed on the pavement holding her head in her hands. She had cracked. She often wondered if she would go insane and here it was. Merle moved forward, bending down and picking up the girl, carrying her bridal style back towards one of the trucks. The Govenor watched him, "You know her?" Merle smirked, "Yeah...I promise she normally doesn't whine like this, probly the heat."

Elli was limp in Merle's arms by the time they reached Woodbury. He hauled her inside to his apartment and laid her on the bed. The Govenor entered followed by Milton and a nurse. She hooked an IV up and checked Elli over. Merle watched carefully as the nurse worked, looking for bites. Merle cringed when he saw her back. The wound caused back at the bar was red and jagged from where stitches had been pulled. It looked as though she had tried to remove some on her own not being very successful. It was an ugly Frankenstein like line. The nurse stared at it, "I need to remove those last stitches. It will hurt they've been in too long." The Govenor held a hand up, "Lina lets get her some pain medicine, poor girl has been through enough." The nurse nodded and went to her bag, she drew up some pain medicine in a syringe and pushed it into her IV. Merle helped the nurse position her on her side so she could remove the stitches. When the nurse finished she turned to Merle, "You know how to hook up a new bag and remove that IV?" He nodded and she took her leave. He stood emotionless staring at the girl, the Govenor put a hand on his shoulder, "She's not going to be trouble is she?" Merle smirked, "Nah, she's a pain in the ass but she's my girl. She is loyal to a fault." the Govenor smiled "Good, always glad to have new citizens. I assume we won't need to make living arrangements?" Merle shook his head, "Like I said she's my girl, she'll stay here."

Merle was drinking a beer looking out the window when Elli began whimpering in her sleep. He walked to the bed and sat down next to her trying to stir her, but the drugs had knocked her out. He gave up trying to wake her and laid down next to her wrapping her up in his arms rubbing her back. when she stopped he went to sit up but realized she had a death grip on his wife beater. He smirked, "Have it your way girly but I don't want to hear any complaining in the morning." He hadn't ever been this close to her and he reveled in it. Her pale soft skin up against him. She was lying only in the hospital gown the nurse had left her in and her underwear and bra. His hand wandered down to the opening in the back of the gown and down her spine to her hip. He felt his pants become uncomfortable and removed his hand trying to shake his thoughts.